Heights2Bastrop

Maybe they could turn that green space into a golf course???

I don’t really agree with that statement, Niche, because I think most Austinites (Austonians?) are just good-natured, everyday people. The ones you hear about are in the minority, but get all the Press. Due in large part to Austin being a huge college town (young Liberals), and by the actions of some who appear to be just to the Left of Michael Moore, the vocal minority comes across as the predominant view. And I don’t think that’s the case at all. But I do agree that many there want to project an image of weirdness of their city. But, just like many braggadocios Texans do regarding Texas, I think it is done tongue-in-cheek for the most part. And that may be at the root of what this post is about – just what image does Houston and Houstonians try to project? To be honest, I can’t think of one. How can you put the “Spirit of Houston” into words? It’s almost palpable enough to touch, and taste. But how do you describe it in words? But then, as others have alluded to, do we really need an image? Who do Houstonians need to convince? I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone brag about “how great it is ‘back home’ “, wherever ‘back home’ was. And when asked why there are here instead of ‘back home’, the reply nearly always was, “Because I can make a living here.”

WAZ, while I agree with the spirit of your post, I have to say it’s a bit one-sided. You want to make the landlords and owners more responsible for the conditions of the residences. What about laws making the residents themselves more responsible? Back in the 60s, my uncle used to own a small apartment grouping off Wirt Road near Long Point. I went there with him one evening to check on a vacant apartment, and I mentioned the condition of the place, and how he must hate having to make repairs all the time. His reply was, “Hell, why fix them up when the new tenants will just tear them up again? If they want work done, then they can do it themselves.” I thought that was a tacky, cynical way of looking at things, but there is a lot of truth to what he said. I know first hand how much damage tenants do to a place, and often the security deposit (if there is one to begin with) doesn’t come close to covering the damage. I’d just like to see both sides become more responsible, and by force if necessary.

Do you remember when . . . ? “Air-conditioning” was open windows and an attic fan? “Permanent Press” lasted only until as your starched and ironed shirt was put on? Many diseases were an automatic death sentence? Dentists didn’t use Novocain before drilling? You could be chastised by your teacher for being non-religious? Girls were told they could be anything they wanted to be when they grew up – as long as it was a secretary, nurse or teacher? Girls who “got in trouble” were shipped off to Aunt Edna’s, and were considered social outcasts? Abortions were available only in back alleys? Kids sexually or physically abused by priests or by their parent had no outlet to protest? Rape victims were shunned if they spoke out? Your “group” had your own water fountains and bathrooms, and the “Coloreds” had theirs? Everything was in Black or White, and rarely the two did mix? You could refer to an area as “______town” and no one would bat an eye? Not only did you not come out of the closet, you triple-locked it to make sure no one found out? You could go to prison for standing by your Constitutional Rights? (Right, Red Scare?) I’m just as nostalgic as anyone, and many of the above suggestions brought a smile to my face. But it’s all too easy to forget that not all things were as simple, or as pleasurable as they first seem to be. Party lines may seem quaint, but I couldn’t get by without my cell phone. I devoured my set of World Book Encyclopedias, but gimme a computer and the Internet any day. Bad things do happen today, but bad things happened to people when I was a kid as well. They may be different things, but they were still bad. All in all, I have fewer fears and worries today than I did as a kid, or even as a young adult. Maybe that has to do with the acceptance that what’s gonna happen will happen, so why worry about it?

When you have to make an effort to “articulate” what makes a city special to me suggests there is an ulterior motive to convince someone of its “specialness”. Those who truly understand and appreciate Houston and Houstonians may not feel the need to have to prove to others how special Houston is. The motto down the road a ways is “Keep Austin Weird”. A Geek in its truest meaning – one who bites the heads off chickens - is “weird”, but I certainly don’t see anything “special” about that.

I went to the Prison Rodeo a number of times in the 50s. The rodeo was OK, but was nothing compared to the Houston Rodeo, not so much for the action, but that there were no cowboy stars that you had the chance to shake hands with. That’s what made the Houston Rodeo so wonderful, as well as the intimacy of the Coliseum. What was even better than the Prison Rodeo itself was the trip there and back. The Rodeo was in the fall, if I remember, and most likely in October. We usually went on a Saturday, and that meant listening to Southwest Conference Football and the unforgettable voice of the immortal Kern Tips. This was before I-45 was built, so the way to Huntsville was on Hwy 75. On the days of the rodeo, a number of individuals, mostly Black, would set up along the way selling BBQ. Of all the times we stopped, I never remember the Q being anything but wonderful!

It's been over 100° neartly every day in June and through today. I haven't had more than a trace of rain for so many months that I can't remember the last time I got any. It was 107° yesterday, many days have been in excess of 105°. It's brutal here!

Is this the one where one of the former cadets is a spy or a traitor who

Josephine Cottle and my mom both worked at the Polar Ice Palace in the late 30s. Mom even dated her brother, Jimmy, for a while. A couple of her teachers at San Jacinto HS talked her into trying out for a talent contest, and she won both the contest, as well as her new name

It reached 106.5

Even if money were no object, I would live right where I am now, only I

Herman's Shoe Repair Sure glad I had the presence of mind to take that picture when I did.

I grew up on 14th near Beall. I bought a house in Timbergrove in 1979 on Timbergrove St and Jester, then moved to 11th and Bay Oaks. I sold that house before moving to Bastrop. Bastrop is nice, but what makes it so wonderful is the people. I never got involved in any community effots when I was in Houston. Here I am very much involved with some of the 146 non-profit organizations in Bastrop. Never have I seen so many so willing to do so much for so many others as I have here.

The building where Tommy's is used to be a meat market, possibly B&W Meat. We used to go there when I was a kid. I say "was" only because I don't plan to go back there, nor any of the places I have mentioned because I have no plans to ever go back to Houston. It still hold a lot of fond memories for me, but there is nothing there for me any more. My home is now Bastrop, and will be 'til the day I die.

I see no problem with the manifold in the attic, as long as there is some insulation around it. Where is your water heater? Is it in a closet, or a closed space? If so, you could mount the manifold(s) in there. You could run the main supply line into the space, then branch off to the water heater and the cold water manifold, and then out of the water heater into the hot water manifold. The branch lines could go right up into the attic.

We actually preferred Tecate to Tony's. Tecate is just a few blocks north of Tony's. Tony's wasn't bad, but I did find it to be about fairly average fare.

Sorry to hear about Ryan

When I ran the lines to and from the water heater and supply manifolds, I had to wind the tubing through the overhead, through the ceiling trusses and around and sometimes through insulation, but I needed no connectors in the entire run. I can sweat copper, too, but there was no way I could have run copper without taking much of the ceiling down. The IP referred to

Red Onion on 290 Ryan

Shopper's Fair was the first "discount store" that I can remember being in Houston. However, I think it was located on Donovan when it first opened, and then moved or reopened at the Westcross location later after Globe took over the Donovan location. I worked at Globe on Bellaire and Bissonnet in '71. All I can say about the company is that it was a job. My grandmother worked for Danburg's on Yale, and later at Weiner's on 11th and Shepherd. Globe fit right in with those two stores as to how they treated their employees. I was most happy to leave the place.

Not necessarily. SharkBite fittings don't require a crimping tool. You just push the tubing into the fitting and it is good to flow. PEX tubing sizes correspond to CPVC sizes. That means with a 1/2" coupling, you can put 1/2" CPVC in one end, and 1/2" PEX in the other. Crimp fittings are cheaper, and if you do plumbing for a living, or plan to do a very large job, buying the tools would be worth it. My job was relatively small, so I went with the non-crimping fittings. BTW, tac0meat, I get a kick out of your name because every time I see it, I think of "Eating Rauol".

I just recently redid my house combining PVC/CPVC with PEX using SharkBite fittings. I switched from propane to electric water heating, and was able to relocate the heater. The space where the heater was previously is right above where the water supply comes into the house, and that

I made another discovery recently on the UT Library site. They have begun scanning Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps and putting them on the site. They are just now in the Bs, so Austin and Bastrop maps are there for viewing. These maps show buildings, the type of construction, and conditions pertaining to fire safety, such as water tanks (for fire extinguishing) and whether a man is on premises 24 hours. What is neat is to see how the city evolved in the period from 1885 to 1921, the dates the maps cover for Bastrop. It also shows how some things don

It's 'cause they're jealous. But then, who gives a rat's patoot what they think?

Look at the corners of the map as well as right in the middle of all sides. The name there is the name of the adjacent map. As I said, the name of the map showing downtown Houston is