TJones

Thank you my friend. Just been a crazy 5 years or so. 2 kids...1 divorce.... 2 new homes...1 new career...4 different cities lived in...6 different cities worked in, because of my new career... and 3000 craft beers later. I am back to my hometown of H-Town. Well, Cypress, but close enough. It's good to be back.

There are lots of venues to have a fine Craft Beer here in the Houston Metro Area. Some Old buildings have been repurposed into fine drinking establishments or eateries and have found new life. Lots of new exciting people moving here everyday. What are some of your favorite wateringholes that you have found with weird or exciting architecture to behold and be in awe of as you imbibe your local or national favorites ? Feel free to list names and addresses of these places and WHY they are so awesome to you. Don't forget to tell us what your poison is as well....be it a craft cocktail they make or a specialty drink only they make or your favorite wine, but most importantly.....DON'T FORGET THE CRAFT BEER !!!

P.S If you say PBR, or Bud....you will lose a testicle or breasticle, depending on gender !

I would start us off, but I don't wish to seem biased or that I am advertising for any one establishment. Just Sayin' !

I have been looking for a new project and think I have settled on a 1946 Ford project to restore.

Something similar to this.

I think I can get the pic to work now.

I have been looking for a new project and think I have settled on a 1946 Ford project to restore.

Something similar to this.

Somebody actually got video of the crash!!

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=fSAQLkHocEs

Ok, where is the PELICAN that supposedly distracted this guy ?!?!?!? I smell an insurance scam now.

Hilarious..........Don't worry, this guy may actually be able to AFFORD to get the Galveston Back Bay smell out of his car. BLEH !!!!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6718117.html

That SLS looks nice.

Yep, every millionaire will buy two, one for driving and one for investment.

It was a madhouse up there yesterday. All schools in the area were on lockdown, all roads leading in and out of town were on lockdown as well. I was up there right before this happened. I luckily had an appointment in Lampasas that had me leaving just before this occurred. I had another appointment at 6pm in Killeen which I had to cancel because I couldn't get in. What I don't understand is that "eyewitnesses" claimed there were 3 shooters, apparently their tweets were WAAAAYYYYY off ? The reason the shooter had such opportunity is that there were graduations going on yesterday and everyone gathers in the deployment area, it is a family included area where everyone can gather. This P.O.S. Hasan must have been planning this for some time.

My heart and my prayers go out to all those families who were involved yesterday.

Nah, young lady, late 20s or early 30s. Dimitri's mom is hilarious, though. She never takes my order anymore but sometimes I see her around in a wheelchair just hanging out. She cracked me up when she took orders. She would bellow, "FRRRRRENCH FRIES, RRRRRRICE OR POTATOES?" and if you took even a moment to think she'd hit you again, "FRRRRRENCH FRIES, RRRRRRICE OR POTATOES?!?!"

LOL! She is an awesome lady, she was a big singing star in Greece back in the 60's or 70's.

Also: You see a lot of people of Greek heritage any time you come to Niko Niko's but holy moly there's a lot of Greeks here tonight! One old Greek man was smoking a cigarette (indoors in the expansion room, hahaha!) and pulled on my shirt to ask me to step aside so he could see the TV even though the segment wasn't on yet. I didn't have the heart to tell him smoking is banned in Houston restaurants.

A nice lady (looks Greek but sounds kind of...British?) who sometimes takes my order at the register came around and gave me some honey balls and wowzers the honey balls are really fantastic tonight!

Might have been Dimitri's mom.

Orange Julius stores were very prominent in malls during the 80's San Jac had one Sharpstown had one, Memorial City. Pretty much ever food court had them.

*Redscare imagining 19 year old Crunch in a pair of Rockies*

Mmmmm...

....and YOU in a pair of Z.Cavaricci's...........ACK !!!

Now, Galveston was ALWAYS fun back in the 80's, East Beach in particular.

...and many times there was an associated stop at #'s and/or house of pies. ok i just had a judy's flashback too.

Now musicman, I know you know the "unofficial" name for House of Pies is House of Guys. I mean, if we are gonna talk "Houston Nostalgia" here.

My 10:

10) Ocean Club

9) Xcess (next to Cooter's)

8) Cooter's

7) Windsor Theater

6) Games People Play

5) Astroworld

4) The Railhead

3) NRG's

2) #'s

1) Cruising Westheimer

Why are people so obsessed with talking on phones ALL the damn time? You hear these conversations everywhere. Just babbling on about nothing. Or the self important blowhards who are 'doing business' for the whole world to hear. I value phone time with people I care about, and I do business over the phone as is reasonably necessary, but for the most part I consider a ringing phone to be an imposition. In the car, I prefer to minimize distraction so I can drive defensively, and save my hide from all the drivers who think they're so skilled the laws of physics and basic principles of cognition don't apply to them.

I'm beginning to believe we have raised an entire generation who's self worth is measured in cell phone minutes, and who are emotionally incapable of just being quiet and alone with their thoughts.... but that's too far OT. Oops, almost forgot: You kids get off my lawn.

I would answer your question, but I am too busy talking on my cell phone.

I don't understand how someone could possibly TEXT anyone and concentrate on the road ? Maybe that is how "txt messgng vocab" came about. So many people hitting the wrong keys while driving that it just became the norm ?

BUMP* For those former Rangers that lurk. We will have a little shindig at Kobain's friday July 17th,2009 starting at about 7pm. The swanky suare' will be at the Westin Galleria July 18th. You will have to pay for your tickets @ the door.

I know those pictures are not representative of greater Austin, but wow ... it looks so ... liveable.

Austin is very "livable". The Domain area is not a likely place to raise the Nuclear family of 4. More for the young hip Urban professional, (used to be a nickname for these people) like a Dellionaire or some software designer, but you gotta have some bucks to make it there. High-end joint. In terms of downtown development, Trae, you couldn't be more wrong. No less than 10 cranes downtown building projects right now, and they aren't malls or bars my friend. Mostly 10 to 20 story lofts trying to acomodate the influx of people slated NOT to be coming here. I would call it "upwards sprawl".

I am all FOR an imposed higher tax on all foods over a certain amount of calories on a PER SERVING basis. Overweight folks are the third leading cause for rising insurance rates right behind smoking and drinking. We tax the crap out of Alcohol and Tobacco, why don't we tax the crap out of Hostess Twinkies and Mountain Dew ?

Did Obama ever answer the question of whether he would "enroll his own daughters" into this healthcare reform ?

Cotton, it is ARAMARK'S policy to card anyone and everyone. NOT the pimply-faced goof walking down the aisles, who has the kegerator on his back. If it was some hot chick in a Hooter's uniform carding you, she would get twice the tip, and you would say something suave like, "Bless your heart !" C'mon bro, TIP THE MAN !!!

The Astros claim it's so they can hold down their ticket prices but I don't see anything cheap about their ticket prices. Sure they have $7 seats. If you don't mind sitting up in the corner nosebleed section. If I have to use binoculars to see a game than I'd rather stay at home. I saw a game there last month and after parking, service charges, over priced beer and soda for 5 of us, I almost had to refinance my house to afford the "experience". And they were far from being the best seats.

phbbbbbtttbbt !!!

Man, if you don't know how to pay for a $7 seat and move down to a better one by the third inning, then you deserve to stay stuck up top.

I stand by my initial assessment about the jumper. But the conversation took a turn towards more generalized attitudes towards suicide, and the vast majority of cases aren't nearly so public.

One way or the other, the best way to resolve something that we both acknowledge is a social problem is to try and treat the underlying problems that prompt people to commit suicide. And as I pointed out earlier today, you'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

That's where we differ a little, I don't see all suicides as a social problem, they are mostly personal problems, that become social when they decide they need to do their deed with an audience present. Go get into a nice warm tub and slit your wrists, but do it right, do it length wise, not across. Go take some pills. Get some rope and go in your closet. Hook up a hose to your tailpipe of your SUV while in your garage with the door down and turn your SUV on. All sorts of ways to off yourself. Nobody wants to see you do it, or needs to see you do it.

If you go back and look through my posts, I think it's pretty clear that I harbor sympathy for both parties, not just one or the other as though such a concept were mutually exclusive.

I don't think anybody was keeping count of the good stuff. You only hear about how frequently the bad stuff happens relative to the good stuff. Such is life.

Btw, for the record, TJones is correct in pointing out that he and I disagree frequently--but that that doesn't mean that we're diametrically-opposed arch-nemeses of one another. It is possible to debate fiercely and ultimately walk away still respecting each other and being essentially good people.

Yes, yes, I believed that you were on the right track at first, because you agreed that "Selfish doesn't begin to describe the jumper". Then you turned on me.

Look, I do have some sympathy, for the jumper, just a little. He obviously had problems, I just DO NOT BELIEVE, (that's just me stressing the point sunsets) that there is anything soooo terrible in life that you gotta end it all by doing a swan dive off the 10th floor.

Oh, Niche, I don't think you are an idiot, that was just sorta an example, I mean it was JUST an example.

I should really stay out of this, but, here goes...

Why are you so angry about this, TJones? I don't think anyone was expressing sympathy for the jumper over the people he left behind.

When I was a student in my 20's, a co-worker committed suicide. I remember being SO angry that he had gone and done that. How could he put his wife through that? His friends through that? I guess he was just "weak-minded", wasn't he?

But you know what? He wasn't. He had a substance abuse problem. He faced up to it, he got help, he was getting his life back on track. That took guts. But on one night, just one night, he slipped. He slipped long enough to drink a lot of wine and pull out the shotgun and end it all right there. And years later, that is what upsets me the most. He almost made it.

Only the strong should survive? We're not exactly running from sabre-toothed tigers anymore. If someone breaks an ankle when they step in a pothole should we just blame it on their weak bones and not treat them? Let them lie on the sidewalk and the pigeons can have at them? It's the same thing with mental illness - there are physical changes in the brain in clinically depressed people. Good therapies can help lots of these people, and save them (and their loved ones) from tragedy.

You just proved my point, I agree, it takes guts to go and face your life, whatever that may be, head on. Now, this is gonna piss you off, and I am not trying to, I promise. But, he slipped, he was weak, and then he was selfish. He left YOU angry, and you are still upset about it now, aren't you ? He didn't think about his wife, well, maybe I believe he did in his drunken state, but obviously that wasn't enough not to leave HER devasted, now was it ? Suicides like this either don't think or don't care about the consequences of their "finality", they just want out !

Sunsets, if I was at all angry, I WOULD BE TYPING LIKE THIS.............TELLING NICHE WHAT AN IDIOT HE IS AND blah blah blah . Niche is actually a friend to me though. We just happen to disagree on this, and this isn't the ONLY thing we have disagreed on. We generally agree on most subjects here. I just have "compassion" for ttu, whereas Niche and Emme harbor more feelings for the jumper in this case. For what reason, I can't fathom. Perhaps you can shed some light ?

Sabre-toothed Tigers, eh? You're right, there are much much worse things out there now, aren't there ? I would take my chances against a Sabre-toothed rather than a couple of MS-13 gang members in broad daylight these days.

To answer your question about broken bones, bones most assuredly will mend with proper treatment and care by first, a physician, and second, by YOURSELF. Not usually the case with psychotics. If I helped you with your broken ankle, you might thank me and go about your life, and we might never cross paths again. If I helped you with your deep psychosis, you might think that I also was out to get you, and that your dog told you to kill me and you may try to stab me with your fork, but you would fail, because of the cork I have placed on the end of your fork, as a precautionary measure, because it wasn't the first time you tried to stab somebody with your fork, so now we are gonna allow you to only eat things that you can sip through a straw. You see the difference there.

Niche, did you ask your parents how many Schizos gained a full recovery from their diagnosis ? Any walking talking members of society here on the HAIF pages that have a clean bill of health , overcoming Schizophrenia?

Niche, I guess you didn't read my response to you in post #62.

And SilverJK, I'm guessing, that you don't read much at all, if that statement qualifies as the most "ridiculous".

Niche, how can you possibly think that those who commit suicide are braver than those who choose to move forward and face everyday troubles or worse, head on, instead of taking the easy way out and leaving others to clean up your messes ?

Niche, you are wasting time on this person. He has no capacity for exploring the depths of his own feelings, much less to be able to have compassion for others. Let's let this thread die, so we can go back to the land of the caring.

Please lady, don't even "pretend" to know anything about me. You haven't a clue as to who I am or what I've been through. Why don't you go make better use of your time, wasting it, "caring" for schizos and weak-minded folks with suicidal tendencies ?

"Oh, the poor jumper", screw him, he made his choice. People who had to witness his selfish act didn't have a choice. That is who you should feel sorry for. But you haven't addressed the victims, so it is obvious, you don't care about them. When you start caring about the TRUE victims of his heinous act, then you can preach to me about "compassion".