Ducks

Let's NOT play blame the victim here, okay?

...

There only two places to point the finger of blame in these situations: One is at the asshats who commit the crimes, and other is at the entities whcih fail to provide proper protection and security.

Well, which is it?

If you're going to leave a purse, laptop, Sacks bag, etc in plain view inside your car, you're not without blame.

And finding fault in her for leaving her purse in plain view to encourage a smash-and-grab has nothing to do with thinking that it couldn't happen to us. In fact, I would argue that the folks who do find fault in doing such a thing, would probably be the first to blame themselves if the same were to happen to them. I know I would.

And further to your post above, I think there's a forth group of individuals to blame too, and that would be those that place an overreliance on the goverment to protect them.

Received the following email. For what it's worth....

Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 11:34 AM

Subject: PLEASE be careful at the new HEB: I was robbed Thursday

As you know, I was robbed and my car was vandalized last Thursday at the HEB off of Bunker Hill and the Katy Freeway. It was traumatizing. I've been hiding away all weekend. I was walking back to my car and a woman came running after me saying that some black guys were about to crow bar my car. As she was telling me this, they drove back around, smashed my windows, reached in so fast and sped off with my purse. We were standing about 15 feet away. This lady was a God-send b/c she ran after the car and got their license. I stood there and couldn't breathe. I can't describe the gut drenching feeling in my stomach as I saw them drive away with my bag. It all happened so fast....less than 5 seconds I feel. God was with me though b/c out of all of the bags that they could have grabbed quickly, they grabbed the one of least value. Granted, it had all my ID and credit cards in there, but the bag next to it was my laptop and the money box for the co-op. Angels were with me....no joke.

I don't recommend going to the HEB at all. When the cops came, they said I was the 3rd case of the day....from different assaulters. Not to mention, that HEB has been cutting down on security b/c of the holidays. This happened at 12:35 in the afternoon, and security was not required to be there until 4 PM. To top it ALL off, as we were doing my police report, ANOTHER woman walks up and says she wants to file a police report b/c the following week her purse was jacked from her in the same parking lot. The day after (Friday) an old woman was abducted from this lot.

I am telling EVERYONE not to shop there b/c it is clearly not safe. Please simply head to another location for your safety. I cannot tell you how truly fearful I am of my identity theft. They have my address and tried to charge my card in different states already.

Thank you for reading this, and please be careful.

Hugs,

Well it appears Circuit City will not be opening now...

Is Chick Fil A going in here? Are they one of the lease pendings?

According to the latest info, it doesn't appear so. Unless it's one of the leases pending.

http://www.frpltd.com/property/documents/V...ePlazaFLIER.pdf

Could it have been a wedding reception?

Any word what they were for?

Looked like the galleria area from my house.

i don't see kroger surviving, which is too bad as that will leave two abandoned grocery stores withing a few hundred yards of each other.

The new HEB is open. Went last night with the chica to check it out and it was a zoo. Hopefully the newness wears off, the freebie coupons expire, and it becomes a bit more manageble in the future. It's a big store.

Appears they're putting a traffic light in at Bunker Hill and Westview.

I'm now hearing HOUSTON is under a mandatory 6p curfew.

WTF!?! (Oops, can I say that here?)

Hearing from who?

I think he was being sarcastic.

I feel so stupid now.

Probably because of our weak economy relative to the rest of the country. That section of Katy Freeway would appear to be especially hard hit.

Two things:

1. Am I wrong, or isn't the economy in Houston fairing much better relative to the rest of the country, and

2. Have you been to Mem City Mall lately? It's packed and you can't find a parking spot.

I drive by them every morning on my way into downtown and am shocked they have not been "tagged" by gangsters yet.

Make sure to tell them that they have to throw in that Napoleon Mastiff laying on the floor.

Pretty sure that's a Belgian Tervuren.

The Quizno's next to Spec's already relocated to a strip mall across I-10 and the Shipley's next door closed down about a month ago. Like the Mr. C's folks said, it's really only a matter of time. That entire area has been pretty desolate for some time, especially since that big Joe Auto (anyone remember that mistake?) closed down. Everything else kind of started shutting down, too.

Across I-10 to the north, Bunker Hill is all torn up. I don't know if they've been given the go-ahead to continue widening it past Westview and Long Point, though.

Anyone know? If so, that means the elementary school there and the older houses right off Bunker Hill are going to get the shaft.

I didn't notice Quizno's, but for the record I just drove by and Shipley's is still open.

Hello.

My family is looking to move to the west memorial area and need a realtor. Do any of you have recommendations?

Thanks!

http://members.har.com/sites/gk/dispAgentB...PublicID=CRIBBS

She grew-up in the area and knows it well.

http://www.discoverytowerhouston.com/image...ry/Render_5.jpg

Here's an outstanding shot. With the garage, you get two blocks knocked off with one project. Combine that with Disco G and OOP and that's a lot of real estate transformed in what used to be a dormant part of downtown.

Now I look for someone to come along to rehab the old Days Inn on the south end to help spur redevelopment own there. Once upon a time, that looked like it might have been an Ed Wulfe special but alas...

If they were going to show Discover finished, they could have finished the apartment complex across from 5HC too.

Saw that myself. Definitely much needed. I am loving my purchase in the area... things are a changing. If only the apartments around here would go... the values in this area would absolutely skyrocket if that happened.

It's my understanding that an apartment complex can only apply for an apartment "permit" every 15 year, and many of the complexes are coming up on their second renewal...at 30 years. I'm told that many permits wont be getting renewed and the apartments will be torn down.

I know nothing about this aside from what I was told by a crazy neighbor.

I went to Meadow Wood and ended up at Stratford High School. (My 10 year reunion is this weekend!)

I'll be there too

Looks like the shopping center at the Northeast corner of Blalock and Westview is getting a much needed makeover.

Freebirds and HEB are the only two I'm excited about.

Aside from Academy and the occassional trip to PetsMart, I probably wont visit any of those other places. Save for being forced by my wife to drive through Chick Fil A.

Here's a more recent list of tenents...just a few adds. Site map looks to be about 90% leased at this point.

http://www.frpltd.com/property/documents/BunkerHillFLIER.pdf

ANCHOR TENANTS

HEB

Kohl

Here's a map of the entire center: http://www.frpltd.com/FLIERS/West/Village_..._Hill_FLIER.pdf

Tenants include, Olive Garden, Freebirds, Buffalo Wild Wings, Arbys, Panda Express, Candelaris, Becks Prime, Dennys, etc.

If you zoom into the map, you can read the retailers' names on each building.

Do you have a budget? Sometimes renting a townhouse is almost a better deal than the apartments. More kid friendly too.

I do, however that's not a focus of mine as I've been out of college for about seven years now. And I own a home. But I do agree with you.

I think the list of complexes to consider would be much shorter than those to avoid.

my suggestion would be to look at the new complex on Bunker Hill. The name escapes me at the moment.