Polishing Houston's Grimy Image

[MidtownCoog]

Where this stuff comes from I have no idea. I am a native and have no such fears. Of course, it's all "tounge-in-cheek"; I just wonder why Houston never writes things like this about other cities.

...a city with a huge inferiority complex, wrapped inside an identity crisis, surrounded by low self-esteem.

To top it off, the finish with a quote from an ex-New Yorker.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...ll=chi-news-hed

Anti-registration? www.bugmenot.com

[dbigtex56]

Rich Maggi, 49, a transplanted New Yorker who has lived in Houston for the last eight years, said:

"This is the fourth-largest city in the country, but if you walk down the street of any city in America and asked people, nobody would think of Houston.

"Look," Maggi added. "The only thing that [stinks] in Houston is the weather."

The weather's fine, Maggi. The only thing in Houston that stinks (Howard "Half" Witt) will, I hope, be removing his skanky ass back to Chicago very soon.

[MidtownCoog]

Hey, or business deal may be "slick", but at least they are deals between two consenting parties.

Unlike the Chicago tuff-guy one sided deals if you know what I mean.

[Talbot]

The reason that Houston doesnt write this crap about other cities is because unlike what the retard attempting to be a journalist wrote is that we have High self-esteem, we don't give two shits about other cities, and we are just fine with our identity.

I have notice so far, that Chicago is very childish when it comes to competition and they are very rude.

[Pumapayam]

It is a stupid editorial, one man's opinion.

I hated it nonetheless.

[pineda]

Think about it: Say "Chicago" and most Americans will usually respond with "pizza" or "the Windy City." Mention "New York" and it's "the Big Apple."

Think about it: Say Chicago and most Americans will usually respond with "Gangsters" or "Stockyards and Slaughterhouses" or "Lake Effect Snow". Mention New York and it's "Mafia" or "Rats" or "Crime" or "Unfriendly", etc.

Mention Houston and it's "Space City" or "TEXAS!" or "BBQ" or "Chili" or "Friendly" or "Great Place to live and work and raise a family or start a business", etc.

Go 'Stros, beat the Sux!

[Guest danax]

Reputations are hard to change, especially a city's reputation since most people will never visit or, if they do, won't stay long enough to really get to know all of the facets of a place. Like most sterotypes, they start out as an exagerated version of truth then fail to evolve as the initial truths do. So, we're typecast and it's just easier for people to rehash the same stuff and to find examples that they can use to plug in to the existing template. Plus, it has a lot to do with "yankees" looking down on "southerners", although Atlanta seems to get a little respect. The author's pointing out that "Diana" is at one museum is a real slam. We're just a bunch of National Enquirer readers who built a few museums just to imitate what real big cities do.

Like watching FOX world series coverage; they kept showing some guy in bib overalls waving a towel. Like we're a bunch of bubbas who finally get a world-class sporting event. I could see no reason to keep flashing on this guy. They did flash a nice skyline shot from, what looked like, Allen Pkwy though.

These authors who like to hear themselves write will just keep saying that "our kid sister's a whore" and, when we defend ourselves, we have an inferiority complex. While we probably don't care, it's bound to hurt our convention, tourist and business relocations here to some degree.

[MidtownCoog]

The Houston Museum of Natural Science sold out when they hosted the Lord of the Rings Exhibit.

However, it should be noted that Lady Di is not at the Fine Arts Museum. That's a key difference.

Is the Lady Di or Lords of the Rings exhibit really any worse than Dynamation, which has hit just about every Science musem in the country and Europe?

[Jeebus]

What a crock of shite.

[Guest danax]

Like watching FOX world series coverage; they kept showing some guy in bib overalls waving a towel. Like we're a bunch of bubbas who finally get a world-class sporting event. I could see no reason to keep flashing on this guy. They did flash a nice skyline shot from, what looked like, Allen Pkwy though.

All right, someone at work just set me straight on the overall guy; he's the engineer on the "home run train".

They never mentioned who he was so he just looked like some He-Haw spectator. Maybe the announcers didn't know either.

[KimberlySayWhat]

What is wrong with those people?! Does the Houston media do this to other cities? It's unbelievable and unfortunate to know that most of the people who read that and have never been to Houston will no doubt be ignorant enough to believe everything that crap head is saying. And so our image continues because of worms like this.

In case you didnt' see it, here's another Tribune slam that I posted in the stadia forum:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0...1,3247966.story

[dbigtex56]

All right, someone at work just set me straight on the overall guy; he's the engineer on the "home run train".

They never mentioned who he was so he just looked like some He-Haw spectator. Maybe the announcers didn't know either.

Could very well be. It took the announcer until the 12th(?) inning to explain about the "Killer Bees" bzzzzz sound effect.

Announcer, as the caveman says in those Geico commercials: "Next time, do a little research."

[MidtownCoog]

At least he replied to my email. I jsut told him it was slightly entertaining, but quoting a New Yorker was joke.

He said he was "just kidding".

[brucesw]

My, my. A thought provoking piece of criticism and analysis in the sports pages. I never would have thought to look for it there.

And taunting your opponent on the eve of a sporting event? Those big city Chicago journalists are so clever .

Oh, no! They found out we have roaches. I guess I'll be tossing and turning all night tonight worrying about what the world thinks of us, now that they know we have roaches .

[Montrose1100]

Ephemeral City - "Houston is simply balencing on a fence, between a being a city, or simply housing a large population."

[citykid09]

Ephemeral City - "Houston is simply balencing on a fence, between a being a city, or simply housing a large population."

Do you have a link to this article?

[MidtownCoog]

Ephemeral out of context?

Splain me?

[MiDTOWNeR]

It's not like the author of the article just made this stuff up.

Perhaps the reason there was a guy in overalls in the stands is because there really are bubbas here....like the one in stands.

The Super Bowl folks were certainly in no rush to bring the super bowl back to Houston.

There are problems, own up to them and fix them...otherwise articles like this will continue to be published about this area where folks happen to live.

But then I guess it's just easier to pretend everyone else just doesn't know what they are talking about and say THEY are the ones with the wrong attitude.

Grow up and make this place a decent place to live and fix it's third world image.

[MidtownCoog]

MiDTOWNeR!

Who cares if there are real "bubbas here".

Should we go Nazi on them?

And FWIW, I have been trading email with the guy who wrote that article.

If you don't think this is a decent place to live then take the first flight out of here!

[Montrose1100]

MiDTOWNeR

What 3rd World Image? Every city in the world has its bad parts, no matter how big, or small. Its ok that you belive it is like that here, everyone can say there own opion. But, you know what they say, you are your tuffest critic.

Its kind of like, if (anyone) says "Oh, gosh I'm so fat!" in the mirror, and then someone later that day calls you a heffer, your defensive. Because, Were all Human. Most of us try to perfect ourselves, infact, it drives alot of people into mental health issues.

I bash Houston all the time for its negative parts, but I never think about the good. If we were so "3rd World", would we #4 in America? If it were so bad here, why would everyone move here? Its not bad at all, infact, if people tell you its bad so much, you might actually belive it.

I love Houston, for everything it has.

[citykid09]

I was watching WGN News (Chicago) the first day the World Series Was played in Houston and Alican Payne was showing how Latinos in Houston where hoping the White Sox Win because there coach is Latino. Well I did not know she was in Houston so when she started showing video I thought she was in Chicago and I was like ewe! Chicago looks like that! But it was Houston on some road that looks like it could be in a third world country. She showed all of the trailers with Mexicans selling tacos out of them, with old rundown buildings painted in Mexico style with all of the bright colors and dirt driveways. I mean it was a mess. Then she said nearly 10 thousand of these people live in Houston (what ever nationality the Coach of the White Sox is) Then she went on to say most of which have come to Houston to work in the oil industry (as if thats the only reason for them to want to live in Houston).

[MidtownCoog]

Did I ever tell you about the old poor black guy in Bryan who lives in a shack, and eats bean out of a skillet on the front porch?

It looked like it was something out of Africa.

This is a true story.

[Jeebus]

Did I ever tell you about the old poor black guy in Bryan who lives in a shack, and eats bean out of a skillet on the front porch?

It looked like it was something out of Africa.

This is a true story.

I don't know why, but I believe you.

[Parrothead]

Something tells me the writer of that article drives an oversized SUV with all the bells and whistles to compensate for certain anatomical insufficiencies. Talk about an inferiority complex!

[YakuzaIce]

Ephemeral City - "Houston is simply balencing on a fence, between a being a city, or simply housing a large population."

What page? Just curious.

[citykid09]

Did I ever tell you about the old poor black guy in Bryan who lives in a shack, and eats bean out of a skillet on the front porch?

It looked like it was something out of Africa.

This is a true story.

That was funny

I never heard about that one, tell me more!

[Montrose1100]

What page? Just curious.

DON'T BELIVE ME? (j.k.)

Holy crud, this is gonna take some time to look up what exact page, once I get it, I'll let you know. I know its in the front somewhere.

Somewhere inbetween pages 34 and 89... I know that so far. Sorry, its just so much text, I just wrote down a bunch of quotes from the book, and When this subject came up, I just looked up my old notes, and wrote this one.

[Gary]

You know guys I have been here for almost 10 years now and this stereo type is not new, especially on the eastern seaboard. The fact is that people hate Houston. Before moving here I was told by everyone I knew that Houston was a cess pool, filled with rednecks, and was conservative to a fault.

It's really a strange thing that people have such an animosity to this great city, and I think that's why those of us who are native or have chosen to call it home don't give a ____ what the rest of the country thinks. Theres just no talking to an ignorant person who doesn't care to know the truth. The funny thing is that when I travel out of the country (especially Europe) people love Houston, in fact most of them want to talk about the city and find out what it's like.

I think Houston is stuck with this bs for a while which to me is ok. I hear over and over that Houston has an identity crisis which I find rediculous at best, in fact I find it the exact opposite. Imo Houston's personality of not caring what the outside world thinks is caused by these types of attitudes. Some see it as a huge problem, I see it as adding to the personality of the city. Although were still a sprawling sunbelt city everything from our feeder roads to our giant business districts are unique and I'm proud to be here.

I moved from a very self absorbed city (LA) to a city of genually nice people with a great attitude, you know the one that says "I'm confident enough in myself not to give a crap what you think about me". And no this is not a cop out for being insulted by another city, it's the truth. To many people on these boards take the above attitude as a defense mechanism when nothing could be further from the truth.

Again imo, Houston is by far the most underated city in the country and I'm beginning to like it that way. Long live Houston!!!!!

[MiDTOWNeR]

MiDTOWNeR!

Who cares if there are real "bubbas here".

Someone else mentioned the bubba in the stands...as if it bothered them that the coverage was concentrating on this said bubba.

Should we go Nazi on them?

Perhaps not, but certainly go NAZI on someone who tries to say-hey, open your eyes, why would they criticize something that isn;t there to criticize...you are your own worst enemy if you do not choose to be open minded and considered that perhaps SOME of the criticism has merit.

And FWIW, I have been trading email with the guy who wrote that article.

Not sure I understand the point of that line.

If you don't think this is a decent place to live then take the first flight out of here!

Judging by your defensiveness, this is not the first time that you have heard less than stellar comments about Houston. It is often tough to see something from the outside in if you are very familiar with it. The impression I have from reading your's and others comments is that you feel the negative attitude toward Houston is completely baseless, as if the author and many others before he/she have no reason for their negative attitudes. The, if you dont like it then leave attitude is most likely responsible for this city not being able to get beyond the negative stereotypes and transform itself into a world class city with a fairly positive reputation. Folks here love to go on about Houston being the 4th Largest city...unfortunately in this case, that says nothing of the quality of life it exudes. A huge reason that Houston is able to claim its "4th largest" status is becuase of the huge area it has taken over including surrounding populations. It is not as if life inside the 610 loop would put Houston on the map as anything near the 4th largest city. I have lived in Houston for 3 years now. I will admit it is not as bad as I thought it was 3 years ago, however there is HUGE room for improvement, and the responses on here sound to me as though possible improvement is not welcome nor considered necessary and worthwhile-and that is a shame.

P.S. Why do so many areas of town smell of sewage?

[dbigtex56]

Houston's Fresh (