Daniepwils

Also, Spec's (a block away from Randall's). There is a Fiesta further down towards the museums. The Randall's went down hill awhile ago, but they have since redone it, and it is nice again. I usually shop Spec's and Whole Foods on Kirby (Randall's when I don't want to go far. You will still need a vehicle living downtown (if that is what you mean by day-to-day life). It is pretty noisy in downtown as well, especially right now with all the construction. You don't really notice it during the day, but at night when you are trying to sleep you will hear the traffic (buses are loud as hell, as are the firetrucks that you will hear nightly, the train you will barely hear). Don't worry though, you will get use to it fast (buy soft ear plugs though, just incase). My only real complaint about downtown would be the bums... you will find out soon enough if you move here.

Damn it! I had a nice post all typed out and I received the blue screen of death! In my eyes (which aren't always clear, lol) it takes less time to set power line poles (be it wooden or steel) and add transformers/lines/etc. than it would to have to dig up streets/sidewalks/etc. repair the lines then lay the streets/sidewalks/etc. down again. (do you know if flooding effects underground power lines?) I did see a report on KTRK13News (I will try to find it) about above ground vs. below ground with a local energy executive/engineer. Don't get me wrong I am not against underground power lines (hell I live downtown and didn't loose power for that very reason), but if there would be some type of backup incase they do go down, it would be nice (don't ask me what that would be). Not to mention it does make a city look much aesthetically pleasing (but since when has Houston cared about how it looks? Does anyone remember all the plants and shrubbery that were planted along the highways a few months before the superbowl and how awful it looked because no one mowed around them -- and how awful some of it still looks, that

Wayne Dolchifino (spelling) (and yes I am kidding)

Fixing underground systems would take an even longer amount of time than above ground systems. Do you think most people like the idea of paying more for something and then waiting longer for it to be repaired? (American citizens are very impatient) Now yes, if the entire area had underground power lines, the majority would not have lost power. But I am sure some areas would have been damaged and it would take probably a few months to fix. Do you really want to be without power for months rather than a week?

I saw this on a blog somewhere and thought it was interesting. (I will say that I am not voting for either of the two): Let's look at the educational background of your two options: Obama: Occidental College - Two years. Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations. Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude & Biden: University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science. Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.) vs. McCain: United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899 & Palin: Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism Now, which team are you going to hire ?

Well that didn't get rid of them, they placed them back up. Right now they look fine.

More of downtown: Half of the sign is missing! Well what do you know, here it the other half! baby bird that didn't make it. another baby bird that didn't make it. No damage to these, just thought they were nice. (above pic)

Edit: what's this? That is water gushing up from a man hole. The next day it shot the cover up in the air (was really loud). I have a pic of that as well, I will post more pics later of when I went through downtown on Sunday.

This is only a small part of downtown, I couldn't get to the harder hit area today, but I will try tomorrow.

LOL I am in 5 Houston (which is the last building in downtown on the east end) and the windows in my office face east (I can see the ship channel) and south. Our building management has advised us to lower our blinds to protect our offices. I am not a rocket scientist, but I am pretty sure miniblinds aren't going to protect our offices from flying debris and glass when the windows shatter. I am jokingly telling people it would be funny if a cow ended up in our offices, alive and well of course (you know like in the movie Twister, when you see the cow go by mooing, LOL)

I give the YMCA props for at least looking into restoring and renovating the building, but in the end it just wasn't cost efficient for them I suppose.

Holiday Inn Across from HP? There isn't a Holiday Inn across HP. There is one behind the Toyota Center, are you talking about that one? The only hotel right off of HP is The Marriott and The Hilton is a block away.

If people are wanting a "Change" then why would you vote for McCain? He and Bush have all of the same friends and take money/donations from all of the same lobbyists. (And no I am not supporting Obama either). In my eyes the biggest problem our country has is our government is no longer serving the people. They are in bed with corporations and the high ups of those corporations.

BUY-YOO

I can't or I will be in serious trouble.

There are preleases on this property as well as active permits.

This area is not really Houston's "hot spot", I should know I live a few blocks from here (and work right across the street from this building). Compared to almost every other major area in Houston there aren't that many restaurants that are opened after working hours or on the weekends for that matter in downtown. If you think you are going to live downtown and walk around in the evenings to all these "cool" places, you are fooling yourself -- Downtown is pretty much dead in the late evenings and not safe for a woman to walk around by herself. In the evenings I seem to be driving to Midtown, Montrose, Rice and Galleria area where there is more evening/night life/shopping/eating/etc. I wish downtown was the hot spot, but it just isn't (yet). I think the rental price seems pretty fair though. The amenities in this building seem to be much better than all the other rental buildings in downtown.

Ok so is a high rise safe in those winds? (I am on the 8th floor of my building in the middle of downtown). I would move everything to interior rooms of course and have a closet to hunker down in that is close to the stairwell (I am guessing that is the safest place in a building, the core)

If it hit Houston directly would you leave if you live downtown? I am not sure what to do, but I think I have a false sense of security living in a high-rise downtown. I am thinking about staying put (our building has told us that we have backup generators for enough power for a week, without any electric rationing). The only other place I have to go would be to my parents house in Tomball. Rita wasn't an issue for me because my dad and uncle both insisted on flying the family out at the last minute -- that was a surreal day, seeing the highways like they were. I think they said they won't do that again unless it is a cat5.

By "best" you mean sells the most? -- I will never touch a property that has his name on it -- All I am saying.

I agree with enforcement of laws. But please, lets start with arresting every single illegal alien in our city before we go after someone for not having a bell on their bike or some want-to-be registration.

By the looks of how small that lot is it can't be more than 3-5 stories. Why would someone build a condo building right there? Your views from your window would be a parking garage, a building, a street and a dealership parking lot. I jogged by it the other morning and noticed someones name (Terry Stainfield or Stanfield, I think) as the owner/builder. Maybe it is TERRY STANFIELD http://www.har.com/AWS/AWS.CFM?AGENT_NUMBER=485856 But I can't remember for sure.

American squalor and poverty is extremely low compared to the 100's of millions of Chinese who live like that everyday. There are what, a billion+ people in China, most of which work for almost nothing. The only reason their economy is better than most right now is because they can get away with treating employees like slaves who work for nothing and have no benefits -- which will then of course have the companies there turning massive profits. As long as America stays a "consumer" country China will continue to profit enormously. I hate to say it, but America and China both need each other right now. They need us buy all of the crap that they make and we need them to continue to buy our debt.

LOL that is so true. I will say she is only like that during lunch rush hour. I have talked to her on occasion when she isn't busy and she is extremely nice.

I agree I don't think it is racial, it is more financial. The better off you are the better your chances are in our legal system, and also who you know helps too.