713 To 214

There are very few PURELY African descendant multi-generational Americans in this country. Most are mixed with something. So wouldn't they be African-European-American or African-Indio-American or African-Arabian-American?The point is that it is not only trite, but divisive. Let's quit segregating ourselves by breaking every segment of society down in to a group.My guess is yes.

I agree 150%!

I just found this forum while trying to find out info about what is going to happen to my house with the rail plan that I think this discussion is about. My home/business is in one of only two houses on this entire block, on the corner of Scott and Polk. I have a long lease, and have put alot of money into developing an urban farm here---extensive gardens, pond, ducks, and a very nice chicken named Dumpling. I love being able to see the skyline from my "farm." My landlord told me a few months ago that the house next to me, which is on the actual corner of Scott/Polk, will be taken for the rail. Then the construction manager for my company (landscape design/build) saw some blueprints the guys doing the water lines had, and told me that this whole block goes. Then I heard the rail wasn't going through here at all. Tonight my landlord brought me a form he also gave my neighbors next door, called a Metropolitan Transit Authority Residential Relocation Questionnaire. He told me the rail project won't happen until 2009, and that he isn't sure my house will go when it does. I told him about the blueprints my construction manager saw, and he pretended to be shocked. Maybe he really is shocked, but I just don't trust him because he doesn't want me to move and has down-played the whole rail thing since it first came up a few months ago. I tried to open the link to the map someone put on here, but my computer wouldn't open it. If anyone knows how I can find out if my house will be taken, and more importantly, when the project is supposed to start, I would really appreciate it.

Wow, I think I see your house on Google Maps. They have a cool new "Street View" feature.

At that point they were most likely actually Africans or at most one to two generations removed. At this point they are no more African than I am European.

True. We are all Americans...albeit some of us have an obvious African ancestry.

I do listen to my elders when it appears that they have something of value to contribute to a conversation. That's not you my friend. Never has been, never will be. You're more like my grumpy grandpa sitting in his chair who only opens his mouth to complain. We all stopped listening years ago, but he continues to rattle on. Sometimes I think he (and you) only act this way because it's the only way you guys can get anyone to talk to you. Sad.

I mean, I can sort of see why someone who might be frustrated with the way the TEXANS played a losing game might feel a need to come here and vent. I can even understand a few folks are still raw about not having VY or RB on our team when we could have. The TEXANS are certainly far from a perfect organization at the moment. But, the home team looked very good in their first game, they looked good in the preseason, and the have the longest winning streak in the team's short history, and all you can do is show up to spread your usual, expected, and completely pointless venom. You are the last person anyone needs to listen to. You contribute NOTHING but negitive vibes. And what's the point? Do you think you are going to talk someone in to not supporting the home team? Even if you could why would you want to? You make NO sense to me, grandpa, I mean 214.

You may well have some legitimate opportunities to bash the home team later this year, but not this week. Dreaming up negitive things to say after a great victory is kind of crazy. The least you could do is wait until there is a reason to btch. I think you're just another cowboob fan that's jealous of our (TEXANS supporters) positive energy. Obviously, you are unhappy with the TEXANS' success. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure your modivations. Who else wants to crap on TEXANS fans? Patriot fans? No. Most other NFL team supporters are more secure about their home teams and have better things to do than to come here and complain about the winning streak of the youngest team in the NFL and a few home town fans showing their happiness and support of the home team.

Wow, imagine people supporting the home team. I guess that's a concept beyond your imagination. And since most cowchip fans have little to no imagination, I thought it was safe to assume (especially with as many pro D and anti H posts you've made here) that somehow it all came down to the in-state rivalry AGAIN. 214, you do nothing at this website but bash everything Houston and praise everything Dallas for some reason, like you think you're actually going to stop people from enjoying living in this town. Just because you're miserable, I guess you want everyone else to be, but it doesn't work that way.

Fly away. Get yourself some help and support the home team like a normal person for a change.

GO TEXANS!

Somebody needs a hug!

Is there some unwritten rule for this forum, that I don't know about, which pertains to discussing scandals at TSU? I don't understand how one of the biggest stories in the city, right now. . .former TSU president Priscilla Slade's trial is not being discussed here. What gives?

Did you know she spent forty THOUSAND (American) dollars ($40,000.00) on a dining set, and had the nerve to use TSU's tax exempt status to shirk paying taxes on the purchase? I think she'll be eating off of plastic trays where she's going.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5127403.html

So what! African Americans are loosing what little power they had in this city anyway.

They moved on a couple of years ago. In 2004...the heyday...the sidewalks AND street would be jammed from Preston to Texas. It would be a mild crowd until 10 pm, then, all at once the crowds would descend on Main from everywhere. I owned a restaurant on Prairie back then, and would walk around to look at it. Traffic would be bumper to bumper on Texas and Prairie east and west, and San Jacinto and Fannin north and south. It was impressive.

I was downtown a couple of Fridays ago, and though there were crowds, the crushing crowds and traffic were long gone. Frankly, I liked it better without the mob scene.

I knew that, already. However, a few members of this forum, including you, have attempted to pass DT of as some sort of entertainment mecca for Houston. I'm just glad that the truth has finally been acknowledged. Now, an honest debate can begin about where we want to see DT Houston go, and how to get there. It's like an alcoholic who refuses to admit he/she has a problem. . .you can't help him/her unless/until (s)he does. Red, you're one of the most intelligent members of this forum, and many others follow your lead. I only hope you lead them in the right direction...for the overall betterment of Houston!

Where's all of the traffic and throngs of people I've been reading about?

Wow, great photos. Those streets are sure crowded compared to downtown Houston!

Because people LIVE down there and there's tons of retail!

sure does! if these new people can't be served by a system then congestion results. looks like the dept of tranportation agrees, WRT dallas and the other 8 congested cities We

the majority of growth in houston is happening where rail doesn't exist.

. ..and you think this statement helps your argument?

how's congestion in dallas?

looks like the light rail isn't helping in dallas.

Your logic is flawed. Dallas adds about 140,000 people per year. Imagine if there were no rail at all. Rail is never meant to be the one and only solution to any city's transportation needs. It's just another tool in the tool kit along with HOV, bus, well designed roads, bike lanes, etc. that make any city's transportation system the best it can be. Are Houstonians going to have to pay for their many years of procrastination on the issue of rail? Of course they are. . .and you know what. . .the price is only going to go up every day the citizens continue to wait to implement these alternatives. I have no doubt, and I think you'll agree with me, that the City of Houston WILL eventually have a meaningful rail component as a part of its overall transportation system. The only question is whether the City going to pay for it now, ten years from now, or twenty five years from now. Again, I submit that the costs, both direct (i.e. construction) and indirect (i.e. diminishing quality of life) will only be compounded every day Houstonians wait.

BTW, is it true that Dallas City Council officially changed their name to Allas, since the Cowboys got no D?

Maybe the irony of a resident of LoserTownUSA smack talking mediocrity was not lost on us. So, tell me. When was the last time ANY team from Dallas won in the playoffs?EDIT: Maybe that should read CHOKE City.

You might as well compare the accomplishments of my 47 year old uncle to my 6 year old nephew. My uncle has done so much more with his life and we are all really impressed that he has won more awards in the last half century than my 6 y.o. nephew.

That's why you should sit down, shut up, and listen to your elders, son. However, in your predictable fashion, you will continue to try to have the last word. . .By the way, I don't know how we went from the mediocrity of bragging about having the 3rd longest winning to a comparison between the NFL teams in D-Town and Houston.

The success of heavy rail or light rail transportation should be looked at on a case by case basis. Thoughtful planning and coordination by City leaders, civic groups, and transportation agencies should yield positive results every time. If some bone heads in another city failed to properly implement their system, then one can't just look at that system's failures and say that it can't work here. That's dumb, and defeatist. Any goal that the City of Houston wants to accomplish with its light rail expansion can be accomplished if all the proper parties come together to properly plan and implement a prudent plan. However, there are too many "auto-centric" political powers at play in this town that do their best to keep Houston at least twenty-five years behind the rest of the country when it comes to making a REAL commitment to developing a meaningful rail system.

Guess who now has the 3rd longest winning streak in the NFL?

As usual, not only satisfied with, but bragging about something less than the best. That's the problem with some people in this town. . .they're too willing to settle for mediocrity.

Even in a thread devoted to Houston's diminishing DT nightlife as well as its associated crime, "thug life," and problem attracting residents, the sister city to the north somehow becomes, not only a topic of conversation, but the whipping boy. Dallas must be doing something right. Some people can't have a discussion without bringing her up. She must be the yardstick by which some people measure Houston by.

Here we go again.

Urban sprawl and the absence of a credible public transportation system are killing this city's urban life. I said "credible" transportation system. The one we have doesn't meet that definition.

A reality that many here are unwilling to accept. . .from the energy companies that run this town. . .to City Hall. . .to the common man/woman on the street who is totally oblivious to how good others living in cities with dense urban environments, and "credible" public transportation, have it.

i agree with your statement...the airport system serves millions of passengers. you've made a leap to assume they'd ride public transportation. so in dallas all the passengers that arrive at the airport ride public transportation? will you claim MOST of the passengers ride public transportation?

Let's play the numbers. . .shall we? If only 10% of the passenger traffic coming through the HAS took public transportation, then that would be 4.48 million people annually using the trains/buses (based upon 2004 numbers). Do you think that 10% is an unreasonable number to take advantage of public transportation? If so, why? Please provide sources or some type of reference information this time. Thanks in advance.

at this point, the ridership numbers wrt the money spent would be way off kilter i.e. it would benefit few. Currently there is an express bus to both hobby and IAH. i've only used the IAH one and it worked fine.

The Houston Airport System served more than 44.8 million passengers in 2004. It is the 4th-largest multi-airport system in the U.S. and the 6th-largest in the world. Bush Intercontinental is the world's 12th-busiest airport.

Source: Houston Airport System

I find your statement really hard to believe.

so a substantial mass transportation system consists of rail, not buses.

1. What do you think a substantial mass transportation system consist of?

2. Do you think the City's transportation system would be better off with rail lines that served both of Houston's airports, allowing passengers to take a train ride downtown?

Talk about a waste of tax payer's money. . .I'd rather have police protecting the citizens from CRIME instead of rounding up homeless people because some people are afraid of, or otherwise have a phobia about the homeless.

Anyone aware of anything being done at City Hall to address this verifiable problem in the Nation's energy (oil) capital?

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