J008

fyi Barnabys is now open in the old city oven

That light is extremely unlikely to approved.  While there isn't a law, there are design requirements which state that new signals should be spaced at least 1/4 mile away from existing signals. 

Both the  walmart light and the Target light are 1/10 a mile from the I-10 lights (according to google maps). 

The Center street light is 300 ft from the Washington light on Yale. 

Perhaps the second one is too old to qualify, but the first ones are pretty new.

wow.  Do you see they propose another stoplight on studemont on this.  the kroger light and the I-10 are bad enough, there should be a law against how many traffic lights you can put so close together.

Two or three weeks ago I talked to the maintenance man for those car washes on the day that one first closed.  The owners of the eyesore condo next to it bought it for retail parking.

That is strange considering how much parking garage they built.

Just noticed yesterday that the car wash at 11th 1/2 and studemont is closed and surrounded in orange construction tape.  The vaccums have been removed.  This is right next to the big multistory 1111 Studemont.

 

 

 The government tells us this month that we are down to only 7% unemployment!!!  That is great, except that 23-25% of the country is not working because they have now been on unemployment so long that they are not considered unemployed any longer....

Your statement is complete nonsense.

Here are the stats for those not participating in the workforce.  The bulk of these people choose not to work because they are retired (the stats provided will show that more than half of these people are 55+), stay at home moms (stats are also dominated by women), or perhpas idle rich, but the number who fit the category you describe i less than 1% of the population, and completely irrelevant. 

http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat35.htm

Additionally, participation in the labor force is the highest it has been since 1978.

http://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea01.htm

We are really on one heck of a crime spree recently. At some point hpd is going to have to step it up or us residents are going to have to start doing it ourselves. I would think hpd would prefer we not go vigilante to prevent another Zimmerman style problem....but enough is enough, and we've had enough!

Vigilante?  I thought it was self defense?

The heights is an easy target b/c of the reasons I posted.  Its time it gets cleaned up before it spirals out of control.

To be quite honest, I think it is probably a gang related thing.  I walked to metro mart last night and there is some gang graffiti in the exact spot where the kid got robbed.  If you really look around, the heights is absolutely coverd in gang graffiti.

That plus beverly between 11th and 12th1/2 has a whole string of low rent and really run down apartments. 

I actually agree with S3MH the lack of response from hpd coupled with the fact that more liberal neighborhoods tend to be disproportionately unarmed makes the heights a perfect place for an easy crime or 10. The grid street pattern certainly doesn't deter either.

Did you notice that the victims were school children?  I am sure you are aware that you must be 21 to carry in Texas, so there is no point to fantasize about an old fashion shootout.

Since the victim can neither vote nor carry arms, what is the point you are trying to make?

Perhaps that armed children would make us safer?

One kid sitting outside metro mart the other by berryhill were robbed at gunpoint.  The link below shows a video of the whole thing.  White nissan.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/two-reagan-high-school-students-robbed-at-gunpoint/-/1735978/21806810/-/pv9yyk/-/index.html

You are incorrect.  The 2013 top tax bracket is now 39.6% not 35%.  Look it up.  Same with new capital gains tax rate of 20%

 

SS & Medicare stops collecting at $113,000 I think.

 

When you have business income that is filed on your personal taxes as a K-1, the business income & profit is reported to you personally....there is an allusion that you have the money even though you do not. 

 

I use, and my accountant supports a rule of thumb - 40% taxes, 35% reinvestment, 25% pay out as expendable income.

 

So while the business may show a profit of $400,000 - taxes will take $158,400 of that - reinvestment into the business will take $140,000 and my "salary" would be $101,600.

 

The business is increasing in value, but to be successful in business you have to have capital available to take advantage of opportunities....this is why increasing the top tax brackets impacts small businesses so drastically.

You do realize that your decision to reinvest your money in your own business or someone elses has nothing to do with your take home pay.  Whatever you invest can be recovered for taxes either when it is spent or disposed of.  

 Additionally, these investments usually have an economic life greater than the recovery period for tax (especially for small businesses).  So they are actually helping you out here.

The whole k-1 issue is another tax advantage.  You could be a corp and have them pay tax and then you pay tax as well.  

Finally, you could be actually investing money accumulated in these prior years faster than you are earning and generate k-1 losses in which case you could possibly get refunds from prior years.  Perhaps a scenario where you recieve $200k in cash, and -$200k in taxable income.  

It is pretty clear what the tax rates are.  The top tax rate has hovered between 35-39% over the past 20 years or so any claim of your countrymen taking 2/3 your income should be called out. 

Business income is filed on my personal income taxes - I don't take home $400,000/yr - it just looks like it on the taxes.  Money must be spent on capital improvements/maintenance/on going expenses, and also stashed away for future expansion/unforseen problems....

 

Business income of $400,000 results in take home of usually about 35% of that....If the investments pan out its great for everyone.  If not, its money lost.

 

It is precisely why the tax increases are so hard on small/medium size businesses.

This makes no sense.

The top tax rate is around 35% and SE taxes phase out around 100k.  How does "take home" get to 35%?

The allusion to capital improvements,etc... are all immediately recoverable for tax so it would reduce your taxable income immediately.   

Yes, unfinished sidewalks and crosswalks, over 250 caliper inches of public trees mitigated to Walmart's parking lot (and it still looks barren).  Curbs already broken and in the ADA ROW. 

 

The sidewalks as they go from Orr to Ainbinder are ridiculous.  Why are we paying for a 6' sidewalk that turns into a 5' sidewalk in the middle of the block?  Why are we paying for a 6' sidewalk on one side of Yale and a 5' sidewalk on the other when an ooopsie by the City means there isn't enough room on the Orr side to plant proper street trees? 

 

They would have built the Walmart without the 380. What exactly did we get for that $6M?

 

And they did spend all the money.  $146K on the Yale Street Bridge (a 3,000 lb per axle weight limit and scheduled to be torn down).  Over $50K on "miscellaneous" project management.  Hopefully the City will require them to break it down a little more specifically than that, but don't count on it. 

I couldn't agree with you more.  Also note Kroger (another one who got an un-needed 360) has yet to build the street they said they would.  I was hoping to use it to avoid the crazy street light that stops all of studemont for often no reason at all. 

Also, the west side of studemont has no sidewalks but only wheelchair ramps to lead you to the grass.

Additionally, the turn signal going north on studemont leads to a complete dead end.  it is perhaps the only signal U-turn in the city.

you beat me to posting it.   These would ranking high on the worst apartments of the greater heights area.

Thanks for this post.  It is really hard to see the issue here. Easy remedies and plenty of room.

Strangely, you can see two homeowners parking on the sidewalk in your third picture. 

Also, note that there is nothing open on white oak west of oxford past say 8pm at night. 

I could see if you lived next woodrows or onion creek, but I am stil puzzled why this project would be so difficult to permit.

Here's the issue I saw on Arlington.

 

 

Nothing prevents someone from just pulling all the way forward to the building, blocking the sidewalk. I think this could be fixed by installing some parking stops at the end of the parking spaces. I talked to Morgan Weber, and he said he'd be willing to do that, if possible.

 

Other than that, these grassy areas just need to be paved and then there's a workable sidewalk that can be used by pedestrians, handicapped, etc.

 

 

 

I wrote to the Planning people with conditional support for the variance based on those items.

Variance was approved for Town In City, but Coltivare is still waiting.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2013/03/openings_closings_99.php

Looks like Coltivare is asking for community support for their parking plan.

I just don't think doubling down on a prior mistake is a good idea. Coltivare knew the city's parking requirements before (8 spaces per 1000 sf), which have also now been relaxed by 10% if Coltivare installs some bike parking.

wow.  you'd think they could some how use the revival parking during peak dinner hours (say 7pm on ) or so. 

I am amazed that sidewalk access is an issue.  I have seen some of the most bizarre start\stop sidewalks or sidewalks with utility poles crossing through them all over town.  Am amazed that there is anybody looking at that stuff at all.

Big Mammou is closing.  Not for sale, not going out of business, just closing.

http://www.29-95.com/restaurants/story/big-mamou-close-after-service-feb-28http://www.29-95.com/restaurants/story/big-mamou-close-after-service-feb-28

You must be coming from I-10.

Both the feeder roads and the lights are arranged for people entering \ exiting the interstate, if you are trying to cross I-10 it is incredibly worse than before. It is almost impossible to cross I-10 without being caught on a left turn signal. At 3 am going 60mph you might be able to hit all the lights from 6th to Koehler, but I doubt it.

There are routinely back ups on studemont, heights, and yale in which there weren't before. The left hand turn signal on Studemont at Kroger, being a poster boy for stupid traffic signals ( crosswalks, turn signals, all set up to drive\ walk \ bike into a chain link fence.)

My 3 or 4 trips to the dreaded Walmart overlords have been traffic congestion free, with easy parking. Getting in and out with my plastic products has been immensely easier than going to the theoretically more appealing Target. Though predictions for the Walmart and Ainbinder were gridlock (actual word used by opponent), I have found it to be a breeze. In contrast, going to the Target is a royal pain, as some exits have no stoplights, and the lights are timed badly.

Though Walmart, Ainbinder and Kroger have been roundly condemned by the enlightened ones, I find these to be the best additions to Heights retail since I've been here. Weird, I know, but these are the stores I frequent most often now. And, since Kroger has my pet food at a price lower than Petsmart, I don't have to make a separate trip now. Even the feeder road has made life easier. I find that I appreciate real life convenience more than esoteric debates of saving the world. But, if it makes anyone feel better, I recycle my plastic, and I have replaced all of my incandescent bulbs with LEDs (bought at Home Depot, though).

Thanks for posting the links to the statistics. They certainly should be a factor in the decision-making process, but you seem to suggest they should be the only factor. Your reference to "cold, hard statistics" sure reads like "cold, hard facts."

Thanks for your reply. The whole business of ranking schools is completely ridiculous. (See link)

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_gladwell

If your kid is consistently is in the top 10% of everything they do, what good does it do you to look at an average schools performance. Instead you should look at what advanced curriculum they have.. You will probably find that the public schools offer as much or more than private ones.

I like to use the below link, to gauge where the top students go to (which would be the most relevant stat for a smart kid).

http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectDS/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=8392bf903c077310VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD&vgnextchannel=051bdfb83de94310VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD

Debakey = undecided Stanford, Datmouth, and Williams.

Lamar = Chem E at Princeton.

Bellaire = Williams

Lee \ Sharpstown = U of H

Of course, maybe this whole load conflagration is just a load (pun) of crap.

this is the part that really confuses me.

Do you honestly think TXDOT is out there under-rating bridges for the benefit of RUDH?

It is crazy talk.

Although, this is the first executive director since the legislature began allowing non-technical appointees.

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/administration/executive-director.html

It appears that the problem here is that they are breaking laws and endangering the lives of others in doing so.

How so? Is driving over a bridge with one's lights on any different than speeding with one's lights on.

Both are dangerous \ illegal activities that we allow the police to do in certain circumstances.

To date, there have been several bystandards killed in high speed chases, but none from a bridge patrol.

I really don't see any difference between a weight limit and speed limit. Both are designed such that any one modest violation will not end in certain death, but after a certain number of occurances it nears certain that something bad will happen.

Oh, well its much easier to think the big bad govments out to get me.

Each load enforcement truck is a F350 or Chevy 3500 - both of which are 3/4 ton trucks, which are both over the load limit....so the bridge must not be as bad as its been made out to be b/c the very people we are paying to keep us evil doers like myself off the bridge -

The police go into a lot of unsafe situations to catch criminals. Speeding to catch a speeder, running red lights with their siren on, etc...

It doesn't mean that these are unrisky actions, but simply it is their job to take these risks to keep others safe.

I am hard pressed to believe that TXDOT and the effette are conspiring against your truck or the store.

Anyone know why the bridge did not qualify for some of that "shovel ready" project money that was floating around a while back?

Go look up how the interstate exits were built. As soon as the construction comenced this development was announced.

Edit:

"Some Heights-area residents were surprised to learn of it when TxDOT revived the project to take advantage of some ‘use-it-or-lose-it' federal stimulus money" from the below link

http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights-news/article/Stimulus-project-starting-up-in-area-1719073.php

Note that the west end service center (new Koehler extension and heights) provides a lot of these services in one place for free.

While there may be some overlap (using the service center day dare while going to work in the new development), I still struggle to see the new development as some great affront to the elitist contempt of the poor. Considering they have been coming to Heights\Yale St for food and services for years the only change is that less of them live there too.

http://www.houstontx.gov/health/MSC/westendmsc.htm