stan the man
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Posts posted by stan the man
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I remember when Prime Cable in Sugar Land only went as high as channel 36 back around 1992, and went beyond that around 1994. There was quite a big difference in cable choices between Sugar Land and Missouri City back then: Sugar Land's cable TV offerings were less robust than Missouri City's Warner Cable system up until the two systems merged circa 1999, and it was not until 2002 when Time Warner dropped Sugar Land's own channel lineup (shared with Richmond) and replaced it with one for the entire metro area. I noticed this because I had a grandaunt who lived over in Quail Valley, and later an aunt who resided on the Missouri City side of First Colony, and their cable TV offerings were more robust.
What I do remember (or at least can guess, hence the "?"s) of the channels circa '92...
1: Cinemax
2: KPRC (swapped with KTMD circa '94)
3: The Disney Channel? (on basic cable unlike Warner Cable which still had them on a premium tier)
4: The Movie Channel
5: HBO
6: KRIV?
7: TBS?
8: KUHT
9: KHTV?
10: KTXH?
11: KHOU
12: KTMD (swapped with KPRC circa '94)
13: KTRK
14: Showtime?
15: Request PPV
16: TNT?17: VH1?
18: WGN?
19: KXLN?
20: Prevue Guide?
21: HSE (later Prime Sports and eventually Fox Sports SW)
22: Comedy Central
23: MTV
24: A&E?
25: Headline News?
26: The Discovery Channel?
27: TNN
28: ESPN
29: AMC
30: Nickelodeon?
31: BET
32: USA
33: Lifetime
34: The Weather Channel
35: CNN
36: CNBC
That's 36 channels in all, and they did not even have converter boxes readily available at that time. I remember having to turn to an antenna to watch KNWS, KHSH or what eventually became KPXB (when it was a Galavision station) back then in the pre-"must carry" years.
By 1994, they started issuing converter boxes and would add Cartoon Network, CMT, Sci Fi, TLC, E!, ESPN2 and Flix in addition to KNWS and what eventually became KUBE (it was another shopping channel airing Value Vision and infomercials), along with an expanded PPV service and its own dedicated preview channel, a community TV channel covering Sugar Land City Council, Fort Bend ISD football and basketball games and community affairs programming, and two additional HBO channels. They would add Odyssey, Food Network and HGTV the following year I believe.
Over time, the basic lineups went to 68 channels by 1997 when TCI took over for Prime and started offering digital cable services, before eventually being absorbed into Time Warner by 1999 and dropping Sugar Land's channel lineup for the Houston one already utilized in Missouri City by 2002 (this was also around the time Nickelodeon moved to accommodate News 24 Houston, remember that?), including even the basic blue screens Warner Cable broadcast customer service information in English and Spanish on.
As for outside of Sugar Land, I recall TCI stirred controversy after it took over Storer's cable systems and dropped BET to accommodate KNWS because of new federal "must carry" rules, which made the Chronicle. They were going to drop EWTN/TBN, but religious stations were reportedly protected.
That was not the last time; they also dropped A&E, TNN and WGN before they were about to merge with Time Warner which led to angry calls to the FCC from many cable subscribers. Needless to say, that also made the Chronicle as well as the local TV news.
Of course, we can start seeing plenty of attrition in cable TV these days, given so many are unwilling to fork over hordes of money to pay for channels they don't even watch. I can understand paying for CNN to get Fox News and ESPN, but the same can't really be said for say, MTV Classic or Chiller. NBC/Comcast already got rid of G4 and Cloo and they're fixing to drop Esquire, likely with no replacements in sight. The "skinny bundle" really is that big of a deal, since it's basically the popular channels we got in the 90s and then some.
In closing, I will also add that Kingwood had its own cable service during the 90s simply called "Kingwood Cablevision", which eventually became Suddenlink, and United Artists also operated in The Woodlands around that time as well. There was also Group W Cable in Galveston around the 80s, operating out of the former KGUL-TV facilities on the island, I believe? I could go on and on, but I'd like to stop here and get a big, deep collective breath.
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According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Lidl (pronounced like "beetle") is reportedly looking to open at the following spots:
- 11821 State Highway 6 S, Sugar Land (Woodbridge/Mission Bend area) - Aug 2018
- 11010 Harlem Road, Richmond (near Harvest Green) - Jun 2018
- 6160 Sienna Parkway, Missouri City (Sienna area) - Jun 2018
- 2125 E. League City Pkwy, Dickinson (Tuscan Lakes) - Jun 2018
- 30073 Katy Freeway, Katy (Katy Mills area) - Nov 2017
- 8125 Barker Cypress Rd, Cypress (west of Copperfield) - Dec 2017
- 8802 Jones Road, Jersey Village - Dec 2017
They're also planning four stores in Tarrant County around Fort Worth plus a store in Tyler. Fort Bend and Cy-Fair might as well join the EU since they're getting the lion's share of the stores and Fort Bend itself is saturated with Aldi; their distribution center is even located in Rosenberg. They are planting their Texas office in the Memorial City area, I am told.
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I'm surprised Randalls is still chugging along considering the competition on all fronts is leaving them behind in the dust. Wouldn't be surprised if Albertsons starts converting some of the Randalls stores to Sprouts which they are about to snap up.
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2017/03/20/report-albertsons-talking-sprouts-merger
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Alamo Drafthouse to Imperial Market...wow! Would have thought an arthouse-focused, non-brewery-cinema would have gone into that space, especially considering Flix Brewhouse further down 90 at the Telfair development.
It will be very interesting to see how two brewery-cinema combinations will pan out in Sugar Land, and whether or not these cinemas will feature the arthouse films that are of interest to folks in and around SL, especially those who can't see themselves seeing a movie at the AMC near First Colony Mall.
But what's also interesting is the large amount of space devoted to restaurants including in the silos and near the "Pink Lady" that's fixing to become aloft (assuming Marriott does not dissolve the brand in its purchase of Starwood). Imperial Market's developers are surely taking cues from Hughes Landing in The Woodlands which has its own iteration of a "Restaurant Row", except in the case of Imperial Market the experience is likely going to be more authentic and probably scenic in comparison.
Don't expect a Christian's Tailgate, though...that apparently has already been earmarked for Telfair.
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This is all I could find on this story -- a post on Kroger's Facebook page, but it is only so obvious what is going on here:
https://www.facebook.com/Kroger/posts/10151531060113218
Now if Facebook is not your cup of tea, let me tell it like it is: The cutthroat supermarket competition, a glut of traditional Krogers (three newer, nicer stores surrounding it) and other factors beyond its control proved to be too much for the Rubik's Kroger, which I call it because it kept its 80s-era, graphing paper-esque decor well into the 2000s before a low-grade renovation. To that extent, the store is now winding down operations, and this is sure to become an economic hot potato in the SL. Not just because of the jobs (even if they were mostly minimum wage or less), but also a certain five-letter word that has been the bane of many a suburbanite.
As for myself personally, as ubiquitous as it may sound, another relic of my childhood is fading into oblivion. I have been familiar with the store since I moved here as a toddler and as much as progress is a beautiful thing, replacing that space will surely be a challenge and the Settlers Way area of First Colony will never be the same.
While I am not going to speculate, I would place my bets on HMart (or another large Asian grocery store for that matter) taking over. Have yet to see something from the TDLR, but the last thing the good people of First Colony need is something below-grade moving in there.
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Books-A-Million is OUT. http://swamplot.com/...ons/2012-12-26/ For real this time, apparently.
Not surprised...considering the state of brick-and-mortar bookselling in the Age of Amazon. More bizarrely, when Books-A-Million originally decided to close nearly two years ago, there were also rumored reports on Swamplot (link here) that a disability rights lawsuit may have played a hand in their initial decision to pull out before deciding to stay put. Of course, little to nothing has been heard of said lawsuit (I don't even recall seeing this on the news), but nothing changed the fact that Books-A-Million was essentially on borrowed time in the run up to their closing up shop.
Now that they're gone, and as the Pavilions is under new management, I wouldn't be surprised if they attempt to attract one of those "fast fashion" concepts downtown given its glassy, street-corner storefront. Whether or not they will succeed remains at best a hard sell.
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The GRB is not particularly a bad place to hold a convention. Its design is supposed to pay homage to both the space industry (as evidenced by its white outer shell) and the large shipping industry evident at the Port of Houston (which explains the pipes sticking out of the place and its appearance resembling a giant boat). I went there for an exhibition years ago and it was a spectacle of sorts.
I can honestly guarantee you that the east side of Downtown would not be what it is today if it weren't for the GRB...without it, there would be no Minute Maid Park, no Toyota Center, and no Discovery Green.
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Saw it all go down on 11 last night..they teamed with the cops to go undercover on an early Saturday morning, and the rest is history.
http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/kho...ey.d61d903.html
And apparently, from watching it, a radio station plastered its sign in front of the place.
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They're as liberal as can be; the only reason they endorsed Bush is so that they could point to that and say, "See? We're not liberal. We endorsed Bush!" I have actually read where their editors answered the charge of them being liberal by pointing out that they have endorsed the Republican in every presidential election since Nixon.
Because honestly, what's to lose by endorsing Bush? It's not like he wasn't going to win Texas anyway. Having this to point to helps them advance their other agendas more effectively.
Obviously, the Chron appears to be a Rockefeller Republican rag if that's how they endorse their candidates...pro-public transit, fiscally conservative (maybe not), liberal on social issues.
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The Chronicle has become a practical punching bag for the right (via Dan Patrick) and (though maybe not now) the left (the Houston Press). I have also noticed on their website that some of their stories have misspelled words and run-on sentences.
They also endorsed George W. Bush - a liberal in conservative clothing to be truthful. Even Texas Monthly gave them a "Bum Steer Award".
No wonder they can't seem to get most of the big prizes other big papers get.
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I wouldn't be surprised if his opponent (yes, he has one) made an issue out of his complexes. As far as the house goes...
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Just passed by Sharpstown yesterday while picking up my laptop and I noticed part of the Macy's signage gone on the south side (sans the star). Not to mention getting ripped off at the $3.46/gal gas station further up 59 (one week after being ripped off at another one near Sharpstown).
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Another shoe has dropped at Sharpstown...Fingers is leaving.
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Yes, from what I hear from people I know in Dallas, Valley View has many of the same charateristics as Sharpstown Mall.
Not to mention the fact that Valley View is just approximately 600 yards from the Dallas Galleria (underlined for emphasis).
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if FBISD would have the guts and rezone right...not a big need right now.....you got one school, Willowridge, with enough space to accomodate 1,500 more students which would alleviate overcrowding at Hightower.
It didn't take long for FBISD to break Willowridge up but they sure haven't come back with a way to bring it back either...
You can point the blame on the few hypocrites around Clements and Kempner who think their spoiled brat kids deserve more attention than Willowridge when the bottom line is the Willowridge kids are only trying to improve their standing while the Clements kids get rich off their parents. Not all Clements kids are like this, I went to Dulles but I know there are many with ties to Dulles (and Clements) who would be more than willing to bump up Willowridge, which IMHO is the most underappreciated of the high schools.
On top of that IMHO, 10% of stereotypical soccer moms would want to see more FBISD money go to Clements than Willowridge shouting "my kids deserve more than yours". Having your kids play youth soccer is supposed to be a personal sacrifice timewise and financially, not pork for the government to throw money away towards. I would have voted for the bond measure though because of the Sienna students who are divided in two between Elkins and Hightower. Sienna students apparently are feeling what the First Colony folks in the early 80s experienced before Clements popped up.
FBISD also builds small high schools which creates this mess...I drove by Travis one day and Seven Lakes in Katy ISD a few minutes later......why is Travis so small when Seven Lakes is so massive and they are less than 10 minutes from each other?Katy and Cy-Fair are known to build big schools (and facilities) that create a feel of overwhelming suburban sprawl, which is rather ridiculous because it takes focus away from students and gobbles up land (Cinco Ranch HS looks like a prison driving along the Grand, for example). Fort Bend (and Lamar Consolidated) on the other hand build smaller schools that create a more intimate, more personal feel. Also, Fort Bend as a whole:
- conserves land
- develops with respect to surroundings
- promotes ethnic diversity and tolerance
- has both a pro-business climate and a family-friendly environment
- has a sound transportation system that for now is a mess due to all the growth taking place in FBC, and
- wins awards for its enviable planning
That is all just my opinion, btw. And real Fort Bend residents would focus on bipartisan issues, not bickering and squabbling. I am a conservative, btw, and I believe that true conservatives would never have blown up the deficit and focus on wedge issues such as abortion that are better left to the Texas Legislature (example: I vote to ban abortion in Austin, but I vote against banning abortion in Washington because it's a states' issue). More Reagan Republicans and WD-40s (a very rare breed of Democrat) would help.
In another 5 years, FBISD taxpayers will be on the board once again doing another high schoolIt sounds like a possibility, most likely in the northwest of the district, which is beginning to grow like weeds. But then again, FBISD is now practically boxed in...there is not much land left for development.
- conserves land
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Now that the Bond has passed I wanted ask if the new HS is being built in Sienna? I keep hearing that it is.
Yes it is, the map of potential school sites has HS #11 going in Sienna. Those kids desperately need a high school, they're so deeply divided and unhappy now.
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Houston furniture king Jim "Mac" McIngvale was a principal owner of the now defunct flea market where the attack occurred. He pleaded no contest to injuring a child. As punishment, District Judge Ted Poe ordered the businessman, best known for his furniture commercials on television, to make a series of commercials on the subject of child abuse. "
This doesn't surprise me about the sentence. Creative sentences such as making commercials on child abuse was Ted Poe's trademark.
BTW, time will tell if Mattress Mac's high-end concept is working wonders. Any good business?
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I remember going there in the early 90's.
So do I...I went there many times when it was Jungle Jim's, Kids Kingdom, and Exhilirama. I forget the various rides, but I recall that Exhilirama catered to an older crowd compared to the other two and had a darker-colored theme.
Of course, this was when Memorial City was in a state of flux...this was when Town & Country was the "it" mall on the west side. Then T&C later sat on a tollway, had a great fall, and all the landlords and all the marketers couldn't put T&C together again.
Collectively, I frequented Memorial City, Town & Country, Sharpstown, West Oaks and Westwood as a kid. That all changed when First Colony opened when I was 9.
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It's official. Staples is coming to Houston:
http://www.license.state.tx.us/ABDataSearc...=EABPRJA7819611
BTW, what updates are there on the former CompUSAs (IMHO to some extent, an office supply store is about similar in size to a CompUSA store) in Sugar Land, I-45 & 1960, Webster and near Willowbrook Mall...
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First Colony to me ain't much to brag on...it's an updated Sharpstown and catered to the area...when it opened it never had much of an appeal
FCM is not in any way compared to Sharpstown. The main reason it did not have much of an appeal was because of the somewhat tepid retail market at the time as well as the fact that there were a sizable number of local businesses operating in the mall.
Now FCM has a more upscale tenant mix than it ever did before, and has the backing of a major mall owner (General Growth, which also owns the three "brook" malls and The Woodlands (mall and community, the latter of which came in a merger) + Bridgeland).
In fact, at one point FCM (1985 to be specific) was slated to be a suburban Galleria-esque mall before the oil bust took place. A Sugar Land historical publication circa 1984 also stated that the mall would have needed a people mover.
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I have a feeling the owner is probably going to wait until Baybrook Mall gets a lifestyle expansion or something like that. As a matter of fact, there is no word yet on what GGP (which owns Baybrook) plans to do with the shuttered Mervyn's.
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Bottega Veneta
True Religion
Hanna Anderson
Hallmark Gold Crown
Ruehl
Tory Burch
are opening
Forth & Towne is closing
and i heard a jewelry store De Beers is opening somewhere in Houston
ive seen a store in LV
Just checked RUEHL's website. They do not list a Houston location (or even one coming soon). But they do list stores at the Galleria in Dallas and also at The Domain.
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I actually remember watching the MDA telethon as early as the 1990s on KPRC. Back then, there were a lot of numbers to call from, and now there's only a handful of numbers, given the fact that you can now donate online. Of course, I am familiar with the closing song Jerry performs. I even tried to apply to join the call center team while I was at Dulles (as a freshman, even though I looked like a high school senior and even had girls that were seniors at the time taking note of me) in 2001; they were already booked when I tried to apply.
And I am pretty glad KPRC decided to continue on; they almost never did this year, because there was a story where KPRC decided to do away with the MDA Telethon until people complained about this move by KPRC. It should also be noted KPRC was also the only major-market NBC affiliate not to air the Winter Olympics preview show, instead choosing to go on with ET. The Chronicle stated "it would do better with Brad and Angelina baby updates."
And the MDA Telethon is probably one of the last things synonymous with the KPRC we're all familiar with still on there, the Washington Post has really trashed KPRC in recent years; their graphics are nothing like a major market station at all and the news set is really outdated. Even the weather team changes on and off. Jerome Gray's addition to the Local 2 News team is definitely a welcome sign of change.
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Comerica Bank recently opened at the southeast corner of Fluor Daniel Dr and State Highway 6. And around Lifetime Fitness, there a lot of new professional buildings going up. I should also mention that the beginning portions of the entry roads leading into the future residential neighborhoods of Lake Pointe have already sprouted up...but only the main road where the retail center will be developed has popped up so far.
More Changes At CBS 11 KHOU-TV
in Houston Television
Posted · Edited by stan the man
Well apparently, now that it's been two months since Lisa Hernandez gave birth (and barring her bio being dropped from the KHOU website), I wouldn't be shocked if we started seeing changes this week or next while we're still getting over Christmas dinner and firing up that new Peloton (or Mirror or what have you). But I also noticed a big change at the FCC with regards to children's programming...The FCC has relaxed KidVid rules that required three hours of educational programming on each subchannel, which CBS fulfilled by providing its affiliates with three hours of such programming under the brand CBS Dream Team. Whereas they could only have aired between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. in the past, the FCC now allows stations to air as early as 6 a.m. now. Additionally, the FCC now only applies the three-hour rule to refer to what a licensee can air across any one of a station's subchannels (as opposed to mandating a licensee carry three hours of KidVid programming on each subchannel in the past), and a licensee can now offload up to one hour of KidVid per week (13 hours per quarter) to a digital subchannel.
So how does this tie into KHOU and the desire to expand weekend news coverage? I can explain the changes KHOU has made recently with regards to the weekends (WARNING: Lots of esoteric nerding out to come on this matter!):
Clearly, some of the changes at KHOU are of CBS' own doing as well as those of the FCC, but considering KHOU is looking to shore up their weekend news offerings to catch up with KPRC, KTRK and KRIV, these moves don't seem surprising. The only question is now, will Lisa Hernandez actually be anchoring on weekend evenings or not at all? The time has come.