Ross

Why? Is there some sort of keeping up with the Jones thing going on? If someone wants a supertall here, it will be built. No one is going to build one just because some other city has one going up.

There's a comment on Swamplot that purports to be from Weingarten, that says that the brochure was part of an unsolicited offer to Sears, and should not have been released publicly. No plans are definite.

The residents of The Woodlands would have to be willing to pay the increased taxes becoming a real incorporated city entails. That's not going to happen soon.

From the South, I'v eseen Downtown from the 288 overpass over Hwy 6, maybe a little further out if the weather is really clear, like after a cold front comes through.

The Post Office site isn't obvious from 45 or 59. It's easy from 10 headed East, because the Smith exit drops you right next to it. The other roads require some amount of circling and knowing where to turn. People who aren't familiar with Downtown will likely have some issues finding their way.

A lot of that is driven by the nature of asset acquisition. A company goes out and leases as much acreage as possible, because if they don't it won't be available later. Those leases have terms that require work be done with in a relatively short time, so enough personnel to accomplish that work have to be hired. If discoveries are made, then drilling starts in earnest, and rigs are hired, pipelines built, etc. This continues until all acreage possible is tied up with production. Once the acreage is held by production, any economic burp that causes prices to drop makes it possible for the companies to drop many of the personnel they had hired.

You didn't explain why the location of the Dallas terminal should influence the location of the Houston terminal. Or why each city should not choose the optimal location based on the factors I listed elsewhere.

What's wrong with Denver Harbor? Lots of train tracks and property owners who would be glad to get more money than the current value. The Denver harbor thing was humor...

The location of the train station in Dallas is pretty irrelevant to the location of the station here. The terminal locations should be chosen based on the needs, desires, and geography/demographics of each city. Dallas may decide that Downtown or Irving or Garland may be appropriate, while Houston could choose NW Mall, Downtown, or Denver Harbor (please note that the lists above are not comprehensive, and are only examples. Your mileage may vary).

Dallas can decide what to do on their own, and without input from us here in Houston. It really makes no difference to me. If I lived in Dallas, it would make a difference. I assume there are plenty of smart, articulate people up there to argue one way or the other. If a Downtown Dallas location for rail makes sense for them, great, but I don't see why that should play into our decision making here.

You are really arguing that Lazybrook and Timbergrove are declining? Both areas are popular and increasing in price, with numerous renovations and new construction. I find it ludicrous that you out of hand dismiss the concerns of the people affected by the proposals. You are basically giving them a huge FU. They were not well informed by or about the public meetings. No one notified them or sent any information. They aren't feeling entitled, they are feeling scared and concerned that the biggest investment of their lives may be rendered worthless or impossible to sell. Their fear is a common response to a threat they don't understand. More information would help.

No, I don't live in Dallas and could not care less what happens there. It has no effect on me or anyone I know. Where did this idea about benefiting 13 million people come from? That may be the total population in the areas affected, but not everyone will benefit. The vast majority don't care and will never utilize the train or see any benefit.

Anyone have train schedules from the 1940's forward? Keep in mind that areas like Garden Oaks were built after the rail was in place, and with knowledge of the volume of traffic. Changing things without fully informing the affected parties is not smart. It makes people defensive and oppositional. No one likes to be told to just go away and not worry. Besides, what difference does it make that someones Grandparents had to deal with higher traffic volume? That's not particularly relevant now.

You are one arrogant prick, aren't you? Would you freely give up your house and neighborhood for a road expansion? I don't live in a neighborhood affected by the proposals. Downtown may be a decent location, but I don't think so. I do care that all of the affected neighborhoods have input, and that their concerns are addressed. Giving them answers may assuage their worry, but so far, no one has said anything other than "we might build through your neighborhood and don't think there will be any problems".

There's the problem. You don't care what other people think or that their lives might be impacted. You aren't willing to explore alternatives at all, even if they are better than your first impression. Northwest Mall is much closer to the center of population for the area. Everyone I know who goes to Dallas for business leaves from home, not the office. No one I've spoken to wants to be forced to go Downtown to catch a train to Dallas when it's much easier to get to Northwest Mall. As for the folks who live along the rail, their main issue is that no one is really answering their questions fully. No analysis of what happens if a freight train derails and takes out HSR pylons. No answers on what the construction process behind their houses will look like. No answers on what happens to the drainage ditches that run along the freight lines. No answers on how much, if any space the HSR work will need. I have a colleague who has lived on the same street in Garden Oaks for all but 10 of his 65 years, whose comment was "I deserve some explanation of what might happen, not just to be told to suck it up and get out of the way"

The HEB on 18th is a grim hell hole full of lower end merchandise. It's hard to believe it's operated by the same outfit that runs Central Market. The nearest Randalls is at Westheimer and Shepherd, which is not convenient to the Greater Heights area, especially with Shepherd being torn up for rebuilding.

You really don't care to discuss this with the affected people, do you? You don't care one whit about their concerns, just that they are in some manner creating an impediment to your oh so wonderful view of how the world ought to be. The issues raised by the potentially affected neighborhoods need to be dealt with, and your obnoxious "oh go away and let the adults do the right thing" attitude reflects badly on you.

As I suspected, you really could not care less about the impact on neighborhoods as long as your selfish interests are satisfied. If my sample poll is any indication, the majority want it at Northwest Mall.

Wow, that contributed significantly to the discussion. You must be really fun at parties. My opinion is at least as valid as yours (probably more valid). I've consistently favored Northwest Mall as the Houston terminus because it minimizes disruption to neighborhoods, avoids issues with running new lines through the crowded parts of town inside the Loop, and would provide a much needed boost to the area. Plus, it's trivially easy to get from Northwest Mall to the Galleria, Downtown, etc.

That would be Northwest Mall.

Le Meridien is French for Holiday Inn. I am not impressed,ahving stayed in a number of them around the world. Pretty much the epitome of soulless accommodation.

Why would they spend downtown money when all they really need is a bunch of open spaces that are soundproof?

Sydney is pretty awesome. We stayed in the Darling Harbour area http://www.qvb.com.au, went to several museums in the area, went to the Opera House, etc. There's also Luna Park http://www.lunaparksydney.com/. We stayed at th eNovotel Darling Harbour, not a great hotel, but OK http://www.novoteldarlingharbour.com.au/ We did not see much of Auckland other than the airport and the road to Hamilton, Rotorua, and Tauranga, plus a trip to the North to Paihia on the Bay of Islands. 3 days in NZ is about a month less than you want. I've been traveling overseas for over 40 years. Drink lots of water, skip the alcohol. Sleep as much as you can. Get up and walk around every so often. Carry a change of clothes in case your luggage doesn't make it.

You use smaller tools to make bigger tools... (Well, that line has some alternate meanings I didn't initially consider)

Total independence is a myth. It could only be achieved with strong controls on imports, otherwise, the prices here to make independence possible would attract more imports seeking more revenue. Given the mix of refinery capabilities, we ought to be exporting the light crude we produce and importing heavy crude that the refineries are optimized for. Reducing reliance on imports will certainly not be helped by Obama's announcement that he wants to make much of Alaska a designated wilderness, prohibiting any additional energy development there. Once the Trans Alaska Pipeline throughput drops below 200-300,000 barrels per day, it becomes uneconomic to run, and will be shut down, which initiates the demolition process, stranding large quantities of resources on the North Slope.