New Problems At Reliant

[Heights2Bastrop]

It seems the folks in the Astrodome are free to come and go as they please. A problem they are having is that people are going out and getting drunk, then returning to the Dome at 10 or 11 at night and disturbing others keeping them from sleeping.

I know you can

[KimberlySayWhat]

I saw a report on Channel 13 last night and was going to post about this. Hmm, they will need to do something.

A lot of the people from the dome are hanging out at the shopping center off Kirby. I went over there Saturday and today with boxes of Beanie Babies and passed them out to kids with the pink wristbands. Let me just say, they and their parents were so nice, appreciative and sincere. Donating to legit organizations is great, but there's nothing like doing something like that personally and seeing first hand how much they appreciate it.

[RedScare]

That is a very easy problem to fix. You don't come in if you are intoxicated. None of the homeless shelters allow it. There is no reason for this shelter to jeopardize the security of the others by allowing it.

In fact, I thought this WAS one of the rules of the house. Is this a situation that has been reported, or is it a rumor heard from an unsubstantiated source?

[Heights2Bastrop]

It was on the local news. I am watching the golf tournament, so it musta been on Ch 13.

[editor]

If I lost my home and job like that I'd be drunk a lot, too.

I'm not saying it's right to cause trouble for the others, but I don't blame them for getting drunk.

[hokieone]

I will be curious to see how they handle this. Was over by the med center Sat night at a convenience store getting gas and about 10 guys were sitting on the corner by the strip center drinking. Definitely just plain out against the law, but also leads to exactly what the original poster mentioned, people coming back in at 10-11 pm drunk and harassing people just trying to sleep.

[Heights2Bastrop]

There will be a curfew in effect after (I think) 10pm when they will close the gates. People found wandering the streets drunk will be arrested.

[RedScare]

An 11 pm to 6 am curfew has been announced, beginning tonight. Anyone not inside the fences by 11 pm will not be allowed in until the next morning.

Further, HPD has announced that drunks will be arrested and charged with Public Intoxication.

The people running this operation have been praised effusively for the dignity with which they have treated the evacuees. However, for those few who seek to disrupt the others, we have a clean jail to house them in. As much as I understand the need for a good stiff drink, if they disrupt the others, they gotta go.

[editor]

Put in in jail? Heck, just drive them back to the Superdome. They'll sober up real quick.

[Guest danax]

Put in in jail?  Heck, just drive them back to the Superdome.  They'll sober up real quick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Put em in jail then back to the Superdome or some other N.O. facility when released. It would show the world and any others in the Dome that fools and thugs are not welcome in Houston, regardless of their being homeless.

[RedScare]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3340879

Crime problems have turned out to be rumors, according to the Chronicle. As one can imagine during a time like this, information spreads fast, often without verification as to truth or veracity.

Good news for the evacuees and the city residents who are doing so much to help them.

[tamtagon]

...then back to the Superdome or some other N.O. facility when released.

?!?!?!

[saigon_2005]

Oh, so the Chroncle "corrected" that rumour report huh?

Please!

So ask yourself what the result of locking people out of the Dome is?

Heck, their just going to "run the streets" all night and reek havoc on the surrounding neighborhoods.

I love Houston as it is the city of my birth, but we have a serious issue with wanting to be loved by the rest of the USA. Now this is not the reason we took people in as that is just a decent thing to do, but I believe the mayor has gone too far. He is more concerned about the views of outsiders than the safety of the citizens of Houston.

[RedScare]

Dramatic Drop In Numbers of Evacuees

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3342643

"This morning's tally of evacuees came to 2,930 in the Astrodome, down from 16,000 on Tuesday; 1,800 in the Reliant Arena, down from 4,500; 2,000 in Reliant Center, down from 2,400; and 1,336 in the George R. Brown Convention Center, down from 2,500."

Could this be true? Somehow, I think the Dome total is a typo. Maybe 12,930 instead of 2,930. Still, even with that number, the total would have dropped from 25,800 to 17,866 overnight. That would be very encouraging.

[saigon_2005]

Who would find this to be encouraging? Now these individuals are unaccounted for.

Even if 1% or less are criminals you still end up with 25 hard core criminals that are now calling Houston home.

>>Could this be true? Somehow, I think the Dome total is a typo. Maybe 12,930 >>instead of 2,930. Still, even with that number, the total would have dropped >>from 25,800 to 17,866 overnight. That would be very encouraging.

[nmainguy]

Who would find this to be encouraging? Now these individuals are unaccounted for.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THAT's the spirit, saigon: Now these individuals are unaccounted for. Maybe we should have put tattoos on their forearms, that way we could track em' down! Maybe even catch some of them thar Liberal memorial lovers!

God in heaven-some of you people are just beyond belief...

[saigon_2005]

"Now these individuals are unaccounted for"

Ohh no I said the absolute worst word in the world to liberals!

These, those, them, they.

These words are the most profane words of liberalism. Do not utter them lest you be called a racist!

Now it is perfectly okay to use "b*tch" to describe your mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, etc...

It is also okay to push soft-core porn over the airwaves so your 8 year old daughter feels out of place as she is the only girl without a thong in class!

But heaven forbid (oops, would using heaven offend those atheist liberals?) you use the terms these, those, them or they in describing a person that who you are not on a first name basis with!

You may find THOSE words offensive, but I choose not to accept that premise.

[Jeebus]

Everyone needs to remember - innocent until proven guilty. Of course, this can only come after an arrest, which only comes after an alledged crime is committed.

According to HPD, few crimes are being committed.

(and I'm mildly conservative..)

[saigon_2005]

>>>According to HPD, few crimes are being committed.

According to HPD brass or HPD officers?

There is a big difference. There is a financial incentive for them to work at the dome, and many are indicating that it

[Guest danax]

Everyone needs to remember - innocent until proven guilty. Of course, this can only come after an arrest, which only comes after an alledged crime is committed.

According to HPD, few crimes are being committed.

(and I'm mildly conservative..)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard some figures regarding car break-ins near the Med Cntr for one of the first days last week; 76. This is second-hand info from a co-worker who knows an HPD sargeant who also said that they were told to not publicize the information.

Not wanting to spread heresay, just wanted to throw that out there as a possiblity that might not have been considered; HPD and the city are being careful not to look bad and stir up controversy.

[BayouCityGirl]

When I hear people taking in families like they are it reminds me of going to the shelter and picking out a "Puppy"...you see all these choices and the family of the chosen is happy and your satisifed. Not to sound bad but it sort of reminds me of something like that.

From the way yall are sounding sounds like you want to "ID" these people like you ID animals or microchip.

[RedScare]

danax, at least you qualified your response by stating it was rank hearsay. saigon has no such morals. Many of you who regularly post on this board know that I am a criminal defense lawyer. I am at the courthouse nearly every day. I also have numerous friends on the force at both HPD and HCSO.

I have asked these officers every day how things are going at the shelters. I tell them about the rumors, although they've heard them, too. EVERY single officer I have spoken to tells me the same thing. It is hard at the shelters. These people have lost everything. For everything the city and county has done for them, they need federal aid to move out and move on. It takes time for that aid to move through the system to those that need it.

But, they all say that the rumors are untrue. There are occasional short tempers, and some have had too much to drink. But, the crime wave does not exist.

saigon, I don't know who you are, since you just signed up today. But, the people on this board try hard to back their posts up with facts. If you can't or won't do so, I'd appreciate you taking your Michelle Malkin style rhetoric to a board that likes that sort of thing. This board is for Houston architecture and Houston issues, not xenophobic flame throwing.

[nmainguy]

"Now these individuals are unaccounted for"

Ohh no I said the absolute worst word in the world to liberals!

These, those, them, they.

These words are the most profane words of liberalism. Do not utter them lest you be called a racist!

Now it is perfectly okay to use "b*tch" to describe your mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, etc...

It is also okay to push soft-core porn over the airwaves so your 8 year old daughter feels out of place as she is the only girl without a thong in class!

But heaven forbid (oops, would using heaven offend those atheist liberals?) you use the terms these, those, them or they in describing a person that who you are not on a first name basis with!

You may find THOSE words offensive, but I choose not to accept that premise.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Profane? Coming from you? Your implication that I would EVER refer to my mom [who lives with Jesus] and sisters [3] as "bitches" is beyond profane. It is pornographicly [get a dictionary] offensive. At this moment my desire to slam your head against a brick wall is overwhelming. You should thank God for my restraint.

We in this forum have a wide variety of opinion and are very tolerant. You have crossed the line and now you will pay the consequences.

You will soon be on ignore from me...but make sure you-and everyone else-read my reply to your post in

Houston Architecture Info Forum > Welcome Hurricane Katrina Refugees > Talk About The Storm.

[Jeebus]

I have asked these officers every day how things are going at the shelters.  I tell them about the rumors, although they've heard them, too.  EVERY single officer I have spoken to tells me the same thing.  It is hard at the shelters.  These people have lost everything.  For everything the city and county has done for them, they need federal aid to move out and move on.  It takes time for that aid to move through the system to those that need it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree completely. Sure you're going to see a spike in "petty" crime when you put 20,000 of the poorest people from another city in a giant refugee camp style shelter. But with extra police, and the ground rules for our city firmly layed down, you'll see things stay under control.

[west20th]

"Now these individuals are unaccounted for"

Ohh no I said the absolute worst word in the world to liberals!

These, those, them, they.

These words are the most profane words of liberalism. Do not utter them lest you be called a racist!

Now it is perfectly okay to use "b*tch" to describe your mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, etc...

It is also okay to push soft-core porn over the airwaves so your 8 year old daughter feels out of place as she is the only girl without a thong in class!

But heaven forbid (oops, would using heaven offend those atheist liberals?) you use the terms these, those, them or they in describing a person that who you are not on a first name basis with!

You may find THOSE words offensive, but I choose not to accept that premise.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please stop your generalization. "Liberals" do not all think or act alike on all issues any more than "conservatives" do. I'm considered "liberal" by most definitions of that word but I hold many conservative views. Must you pigeon hole and categorize people? What's the point?

And why would you think a "liberal" would find it OK to refer to any woman as b*&^h. That statement is just assine

[RedScare]

Actually, since liberals are credited with creation of political correctness (inaccurately, as it turns out), use of the term "delicate flower" to describe women would be the LAST thing that liberals condone.

It seems that "liberal" is the term that saigon uses to describe anyone and anything that doesn't jibe with his close-minded views, regardless whether it is an accurate description.

[saigon_2005]

>>And why would you think a "liberal" would find it OK to refer to any woman as >>b*&^h. That statement is just assine

Because linguists of such liberal bastions as UC Berkely believe that gutteral street-speak qualifies as a legitimate use of English. "Its free speech man!"

Just don't refer to anyone as "those people".

I guess "some people" really do not see the punch line that their PC agendas have created.

[RedScare]

I guess "some people" don't know the origins of PC. In the 60s and 70s, during the civil rights struggles, terms such as "n*gger" and other racially motivated slurs started to become viewed for what they were, that is bigoted expressions used by bigoted people. As the nation struggled to treat all of its citizens equally, those who struggled to overcome their own prejudices stopped using historically prejudicial terms.

This left only the bigots still using the offending terms. Quickly, as the terms left common usage, the bigots stood out by their continued usage of the terms. Since outward prejudice was no longer in vogue, the bigots risked losing respect, and ultimately power. They started using the newly accepted terms in their language to blend in and not appear racist.

Use of non-offensive language did not change their prejudicial beliefs, however. There remained an anger that they could not use their preferred lexicon to describe those who the bigots still believed were lessers. Unwilling to blame themselves for harboring prejudiced views, these people blamed the larger tolerant community for "forcing" them to conform. This phenomenon became known as "Political Correctness", due to the fact that politicians, who represent the ENTIRE community, are loathe to show prejudice toward any member of the community.

The "liberals" who so disgust you, did not start PC. They never use the terms in the first place. It is therefore, the bigots who started PC, a code to conceal their prejudiced views.

[nmainguy]

>>And why would you think a "liberal" would find it OK to refer to any woman as >>b*&^h. That statement is just assine

Because linguists of such liberal bastions as UC Berkely believe that gutteral street-speak qualifies as a legitimate use of English. "Its free speech man!"

Just don't refer to anyone as "those people".

I guess "some people" really do not see the punch line that their PC agendas have created.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Instead of speaking in code, saigon, ["some people"] why don't you just say what you really mean?

We on this forum tend to wear our passions on our sleeves at times but we do remain-for the most part-civil to one another.

You seem to be a person with alot of pent-up anger. I suggest an alternate outlet and not use this forum.

[west20th]

>>And why would you think a "liberal" would find it OK to refer to any woman as >>b*&^h. That statement is just assine

Because linguists of such liberal bastions as UC Berkely believe that gutteral street-speak qualifies as a legitimate use of English. "Its free speech man!"

Just don't refer to anyone as "those people".

I guess "some people" really do not see the punch line that their PC agendas have created.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh some linguist at UC Berkley says it is OK to call women B*&^%ches then all liberals must agree with that. Well that makes a lot of sense. Would you like to be identified and labeled according to what the right-wing radicals do/say. I can just as easily say all conservatives believe in assasination because Pat Robertson says so. Hey, don't blame Bin Laden for 911, blame the gays and the ACLU. Isn't that what all you "consevatives" think. That line of logic sounds pretty stupid now doesn't it?