CoolBuddy06

I havent spent much time on politifact, just the last 2 minutes - but from looking at it, first 2 pages of "facts" they seem to only be picking apart republican lies, and democrat exaggerations....I can tell you 100 Pelosi lies...almost every word that hack speaks is untrue - and they had only a handful of half truths on there. Im not saying its good or bad, I have not spent enough time on it, but from what I see on the first 2 pages I looked at, its definitely cherry picking.

As to fox news being anti-American - no way - The liberals, want to take away all of the things that made this country great in an effort to be "fair" -its sickening. Janeane Garolfo is a scion of evil, not only is she evil, but she is a complete Idiot. - I am 100% behind Fox on that one. Glen Beck is out there - a few people take him very seriously, but he is way out there - the educated who watch know what is true and what is crazy talk. Obama is a socialist - so they have not missed the mark there. Like it or not, Obamas policies of the government controlling everything, and taxing the wealthy disproportionately are socialist policies. The poor masses are simply voting themselves the fruit of everyone elses labor. Its sickening.

True conservatives know what is what...If you let Obama do everything he wanted, we would have government ownership of everything, everybody shares equally in everything, and he would be a life time president. News Flash, thats not what we want.

Conservatism took a slide during the Bush years, no doubt because Bush abandoned conservatism long ago for a heavy military hand, and liberal social hand - but Obama is SO bad for this country, that you are about to witness the biggest slaughter in American politics next election. America has woken up - the liberal left is louder and dominates 90% of the media for sure, but Americans in general have had enough of the steal from your neighbor, blame Bush rhetoric, that is the Democrats now.

People have had enough of the constant degredation of society in the name of being progressive too. Its time to get back to the basics, and do the things that made America great - stop the social programs, and actually make people work for their money. Enough is enough, the people are going to take their country back, and the Democrats are going to hate it. Obama didnt win the election because he was a better choice, he won because the conservatives didnt have a choice. McCain was the worst republican candidate of all time. They ran a liberal candidate to try to suck in some independent swing voters, but they lost their base in doing so. McCain could not fire up a lighter, let alone a voting public.

You think the conservatives are losing ground, I think just the opposite - the democrats are about to be so marginalized its going to be great, and I hope the republicans do to them, what the democrats are doing now. Shut them out of everything and cram it all down your throats. I cant wait to see the media stink when we finally do exactly what your doing now.

You want proof of Democrats failures - look at almost all of the blue states - more violence, more debt, more unemployment - then look at the red states - drastically less. Everything the democrats touch destroys wealth in this country. I honestly think its on purpose - destroy wealth so they rely upon you for everything. It guarantees your continued election.

I hold myself so much on political debates because I can't bring myself to voting along party lines, and I don't know what to think about people who do. But the number of hypocrisy in this post above is astounding.

1. Someone spent the last two minutes on a website and formed an opinion. Then states that the time is not long enough and reached a definite conclusion. All in two sentences.

2. You know what? Forget my take on McCain being the worst R candidate of all time and less crime in red states. I can't bring myself to writing it.

Thought I'd just pass thru, but after checking out DC, New York and St Louis, Houston became home for life.

Gets the speed limit raised from 35 to 45! City will have to find a new revenue stream... My understanding is new councilman Scott Sherman got this pushed through.

...After scores of citizens had paid underserved penalties.

If I remember correctly, Blockbuster attempted to buy Circuit City less two years ago in a marriage of strange bedfellows. See how they all ended up.

Some exciting news......

http://thecoopwaterlights.com/

I will believe it when it opens. For Waterlights District you're safer to bet on their announcemets turning up false.

Thanks for the news though.

Since the confederacy formed in February of 1861 and the Civil War started in April of 1861, the pre-Civil War confederacy was only 3 months long, give or take a few days. My recollection of that exact period in history is that the primary political issue driving the confederacy was succession from the Union. Other than Gov Good-Hair Perry, has anyone else in the Republican party talked about succession? And if so, are you really taking them seriously? Please enlighten us on how the Republicans are looking more and more like the people of a few Southern states during those 3 months and how Republican opposition to Democratic programs is somehow different than it has ever been and how that is going to lead us to another Civil War.

You mean secession, right? If you want to apply succession to the US, it is still three years away.

Healthcare is often thought of as having inelastic demand schedules, meaning that the price can vary without greatly affecting the quantity of care demanded. For many kinds of healthcare, that is true. If you're running a 107-degree fever, you need to go to the ER, and it really doesn't matter what the cost is or who is paying for it. That's a potentially life-or-death situation. But many procedures are basically luxuries and are considerably more price elastic. The quantity of healthcare services for price elastic procedures will vary greatly depending upon what is or is not covered by government or insurance. I cannot predict what the ultimate outcome will be, however I can assure you that any attempt to bring about an increased amount of patient care while simultaneously lowering the cost of care as it is experienced by both the government and the private sector is not possible. Supply and demand dynamics within the labor markets rule out this possibility.

The bean counters certainly will be affected by changes in policy, however you count on that the number of beans in the pot will affect capital budgeting.

Obviously, you're not in healthcare. Although it doesn't discount your point, next time just use 103 as an example. 107 is more like a death situation.

The weather brought me here. The economy, traffic, "internationalness", food, people (yes, people. If you doubt it try New York), and no rigid zoning laws make Houston less sterile than most US cities. I like it for that.

very hot

billiard table

good food

free ways (don't know how to put that in two words)

bayou city

what works

good economy.

To me, Houston is the only place where the best gets better.

Did we not have a 'Claudette' in 2003 or '04? My belief is that names are rested for 10 years before being used again.

Thanks for the info above. What exactly does the railroad want? Broadway will end at 521 and not go over their tracks I think.

Update: Broadway/518 is still not open all the way to 521 yet. I'll keep checking periodically.

Are they ever going to open 518 (yep, 518 is what SCR residents prefer) up to 521 on this project? What's the delay. Drove up 521 today and had to go use 2234, again.

I was pretty sure there has must have been a topic on it. But I searched in the past and found nothing. If anyone find it pls post the link.

I know I can always count on HAIFers. Thanks y'all.

Btw gto, areyou serious about what goes on in there?

It always makes me wonder.

Memorial Hermann Southwest has the facility to be a level 1 trauma center. But such center needs surgeons and other specialists around the clock. Harris County will have to work on this if they buy the hospital and seek such designation, which I think is part of their plan. On the side, they will not lack level 1 trauma patients with all the gunshots going on in Gulfton and Club Creek.

Wow, this may belong is the Historic Houston thread. For those that remember, this facility when new, was the magnificent replacement for the Memorial Baptist Hospital that was downtown. Look for Memorial Hermann to dump other former Memorial facilities in the future.

My two kids were born in MH Southwest. Now they will never know the hospital by that name.

It makes every sense for Memorial Hermann to dump this facility. It is losing money, and they're moving the corporate offices out to Memorial City. So why not get out of the area completely?

Memorial Baptist predates me. Which are their facilities? If Memorial City is part of them then I can tell you they're not going to sell that. It brings in money.

I hope they do buy it. Only 2 hospitals serving the un-insured in Houston is not enough. Ben Taub and LBJ arent enough.

(Besides the health centers and clinics.)

There is also Quentin Mease Hospital on MacGregor and Scott, but they're still not enough. The southwest part needs its one to take the pressure off Ben Taub.

County wants to buy Memorial Hermann SW

Hospital district purchase could run to $185 million

By PEGGY O'HARE

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Aug. 6, 2009, 9:36PM

The Harris County Hospital District has tentatively agreed to buy Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital this fall with hopes of expanding medical care access to the uninsured and underprivileged, hospital officials announced Thursday.

The sale, if approved by Harris County Commissioners Court, would allow the county's hospital district to add 600 beds to its system to keep up with public demand. Officials with both hospital networks declined to release the cost of the move Thursday, saying a confidentiality agreement prohibits them from discussing that, but County Commissioner Steve Radack said he had heard a potential price tag ranging from $165 million to $185 million.

The district entered into a non-binding letter of intent to buy the hospital. The acquisition, scheduled to close by late November, will not result in a tax increase, hospital district officials said. The hospital district said it plans to operate the facility as a full-service hospital serving privately insured patients, as well as those on Medicare, Medicaid and those without medical insurance, they said.

Dan Wolterman, chief executive officer for the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, said his nonprofit network initially had no plans to sell the hospital at 7600 Beechnut, but noted the county hospital district's proposal to purchase the building “just made good sense” when further studied.

Though Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital has remained profitable, its earnings have declined in recent years as the demographics of its patients have changed and other nearby hospitals have closed, Wolterman said.

“Ideally, we would not have ventured out to do this, but this is the right thing to do,” Wolterman said Thursday night. “The southwest (Houston) market is a difficult market. Just going back seven or eight years ago, there were multiple hospitals serving that market — today the (Memorial Hermann) Southwest Hospital is the only one there.

“The neighborhood surrounding (Memorial Hermann) Southwest Hospital has experienced significant demographic decline over the last 10-plus years. That has caused some difficulties in running this hospital efficiently as you are inundated with uninsured and underinsured patients and government patients from Medicare and Medicaid ... We have seen a slight deterioration in its profitability and in the volume of patients we treat on any given day. But it's not been significant — just a slow, steady erosion.”

Wolterman said the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System's network is not overleveraged or overextended. He also said the proposed hospital sale was not driven by a need to “dump” some of its property.

The entire Memorial Hermann system just experienced one of its most successful years ever, he said, with the nonprofit network's earnings exceeding its budgeted income by 62 percent. Actual earnings across the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System as a whole have exceeded budgeted income for nine consecutive years, he said.

“This (proposed sale) was not done out of a position of weakness or problems,” Wolterman said Thursday night. “This was done out of a position of strength. We are very strong financially and have been.”

County hospital district officials stressed they have no plans to close any of its other hospitals, such as LBJ Hospital.

Besides adding more beds, the proposed purchase also will allow the county hospital district to pick up more Medicare and Medicaid patients, as well as privately insured patients, which will ultimately help subsidize the costs of its charity and indigent care, said David Lopez, chief executive officer of the Harris County Hospital District.

“The demand for acute care is going to continue to grow,” Lopez said Thursday night. “This gives us an opportunity to take responsibility for the individuals that are considered gold-card members in our community. So there's a lot of reasons why this makes sense for us.”

If the hospital sale is approved, Lopez said, he hopes to staff the facility with a mix of doctors already working there and physicians affiliated with the county hospital district.

Memorial Hermann officials said they do not anticipate any layoffs will occur as a result of the proposed sale. If any jobs are eliminated, employees would be moved to other Memorial Hermann hospital campuses, Wolterman said.

The county's proposed purchase encompasses the hospital building and four medical office buildings, a Heart and Vascular Institute, an accredited cancer center, a surgery center and an outpatient imaging center. The wellness center and the University Place Retirement Community on the hospital campus would not be included.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said more health care facilities are needed on Houston's southwest side and the deal could benefit both institutions by shifting patients who rely on Medicare or Medicaid to a public facility.

Members of Commissioners Court were told recently that a deal was in the works, Emmett said, but hadn't been provided with details before Thursday's announcement.

County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia said she is open to the proposal if the price is reasonable and no tax increase is required.

“Anything the hospital district can do to enhance its delivery of services and increase the access to care is a positive thing,” Garcia said.

But Radack was more skeptical. “Obviously, this is a huge potential expenditure,” he said Thursday.

Radack said he is particularly concerned the hospital's location, near Fort Bend County, will make it a magnet for residents of other counties seeking free health care.

“I've been very concerned, now more than ever, with all the free care we've been giving to people from other counties, which needs to stop,” Radack said.

The Chronicle's Mike Snyder contributed to this report.

Keep in mind that the Beltway 8 designation only applies to the feeder roads. The mainlanes are the Sam Houston Tollway, which is what the ramps from 288 would connect to. That means TxDOT and HCTRA would likely split the bill if the time came to build an interchange.

Thanks for always keeping us honest about street and freeway names.

I'm not generally a big fan of loud religion, but from a marketing perspective I don't really object to this. With the prominence of the Med Center, it's tough for other inner-loop hospitals to attract attention to themselves, and St. Joseph's has been struggling to survive over the years. Somehow I see this more as an attempt to draw attention to its differentiating characteristic (its Catholic affiliation) than to blast Houston with religious symbols.

What has always seemed strange to me about St. Joseph's is that its professional building is across the Pierce Elevated from the hospital. It's not exactly a dense section of downtown today -- when it was built, were all the blocks north of I-45 occupied?

That's the problem. The cross causes some confusion. St Joseph is no longer affiliated to the Catholic Church. It's been bought by Hospital Patners of America, a struggling hospital group that also owns River Oaks Hospital (formerly Twelve Oaks) and pockets of hospitals in Austin and one of the Carolinas.

We use Vonage. Service is good. Along with the US and Canada you can make free calls to UK, France and Italy I think. Many other countries, eg. China are 1c / min. The few times That I'd called customer service I talked to people in India but it's no problem to me. You probably won't have to call often. I pester them a lot and keep getting the unlimited plan for 14.99/month.

There's this new thing called Magic Jack. I think it's 14.99 a year. A year. I know three people that use it and they said call quality is good. You basically get two lines. You can take one overseas and call US numbers for free with it. If you can scour for their international rates it might be the way to go.

For the 288 tollway project, HCTRA is considering tollway-to-tollway direct connectors, but that isn't set in stone. I don't know anything about direct connectors to the 288 mainlanes.

If that's what they plan on doing then I'm sure 288 mainlanes users will have to go wait at the light under the bridges, or cough up $1 for faster connection.

I am one of those patiently waiting for that too. These links might help a little:

ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/hou/sh288_us59/official_record.pdf

http://www.paradigmconsultants.com/files/301_Beltway_8_-_288_Bridge.pdf

http://houstonstrategies.blogspot.com/2007/02/big-plans-for-288-but-it-could-be.html

There is a before-and-after picture of the interchange hiding somewhere in the TxDOT document.

I don't think that you need the caveat about where you live.