HtownWxBoy

It's not that I come across people who think Houston is "small"... it's just some don't seem to know it's as big (population-wise) as it is... that it's the 4th largest city in the Nation after Chicago. I think a lot of that has to do w/ Houston not being as much as a tourist destination as other big cities and the fact that it is spread out more so it doesn't seem as populated. Other misconceptions... - Houston is very conservative since it's in Texas (we may not be San Francisco but we are definitely not as conservative as people think) - It's hot and humid all year round - There are lots of cowboys and cactus

A few comments / opinions with regard to the religion issues we have been dealing with lately... may be off topic maybe not... 1) I find it interesting that riots broke out across portions of the Middle East with many screaming "Death to America" b/c that nutty pastor wanted to burn those Qurans. Did those rioters not see that 99% of Americans where actually against what that whackjob was doing... that 99% of Americans did not want to see the Qurans burn... that 99% of Americans sided with the Muslims in the Middle East on the issue... and yet they still chanted "Death to America". 2) With regard to the Mosque at Ground Zero... what has happened to America? I can totally understand people being upset over it even though the VAST majority of Muslims are not terrorists... but this is America and they have the right to build it if they want. Even if 99% of New Yorkers don't want it built there they still have the right to build it. What makes America so amazing is that people have the right to do things like this even though it angers so many. I always loved this quote from Michael Douglas' character in The American President... America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free". Americans need to stop buying into the fear mongering coming from the right wing in this Nation (e.g. Fox News, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich)... it's only going to cause us more problems in the end. Americans should actually be celebrating that Muslim community center being built near ground zero. We should be showing the world that even after what happened on 9/11 we are still America... we are still a Nation that stands for FREEDOM!

The Intermodal Terminal (now the Burnett Plaza) will be built to accommodate light rail, commuter rail, AMTRAK and METRO buses and possibly things like private bus services in the future. It will be built in phases, however, so my guess is that the parts having to do w/ things like commuter rail won't be built until a later date since Houston doesn't have commuter rail yet. METRO's website basically says the phases will be built as funding becomes available. As for light rail funding... the funding that has been promised is being delayed b/c of mistakes METRO made... this will lead to a delay in light rail construction. As long as they fix the mistakes they will still get the funding promised by the federal government. All 5 lines are still planned to be built it will just take longer to get them all built with the delay in funding.

The contract to purchase 103 LRVs was executed by Frank Wilson, former Metro president and CEO, on April 22, 2009, following board approval. This occurred a week after the FTA sent Wilson a letter saying Metro was not eligible for a waiver from Buy America guidelines, an Examiner open records request showed. “CAF is ineligible for a waiver (from Buy America guidelines) in this instance,” because it has already signed a certificate of compliance, the letter from acting-FTA Chief Counsel Scott A. Biehl said. So let me get this straight... in 2009 METRO gets a letter from the FTA saying that, in a nutshell, to get the federal funding for the rail lines they must abide to the Buy America guidelines. They also tell Metro that basically, in a nutshell, buying rail cars through the Spanish Company CAF would be in violation of the Buy America guidelines. Knowing all of this, METRO still executed a contract with CAF for rail cars. So am I to understand METRO knew the contract w/ CAF was not within the guidelines to get federal funding and they still did it?

From what I understand the delay in funding affects everything... the funding was going towards the entire rail project not just the cars. The good news, it seems, is that while this will cause a delay, the rail lines will still get built b/c the federal government still stands behind the project... METRO just has to redo the bidding process for the rail cars. METRO will still get the funding they just can't get their hands on it until they fix their mistake. That's what I understand if I am wrong anyone can correct me...

Can't speak for Uptown Dallas haven't been there... but I do live very close to the TMC (or as I like to call it... Little Dubai) and I am always impressed at not only how fast the TMC is growing but also in its urbanity. Drive up or down Fannin Street through the TMC during the afternoon and it's bumper to bumper traffic, tons of pedestrian traffic and packed trains and train stations. Plus the TMC will only continue to grow ... as the population continues to rise so will the demand for medical and health care facilities.

From reading all of the articles it seems to me that this thing is gonna happen... it's more a matter of "when" than "if"... very exciting hopefully it happens. With the millions of people living in Houston and the surrounding region there is no reason why we couldn't support at least some sort of amusement park. What I hope is that if this thing doesn't happen someone else comes in and builds a park somewhere in the area. If Dallas and San Antonio can both support amusement parks there is no reason Houston can't... just need to build it in a better location than Astroworld.

Crane is up... passed it today while driving up Main Street... caught me by surprise I was wondering what was going on!

I moved to Houston in July of 2002 after graduating college in Pennsylvania where I am from. I have been living here for 8 years and absolutely love it. Are there things I don't like about Houston... of course, but I focus on the good things. The summers are hot but I have actually learned to like them (pool parties!) ... and I would take the hot summers over the cold northern winters which I experienced for 22 years ANY DAY! The long, cold winters up north get depressing (January through March are just horrible) ... the heat and humidity can get to you here but I never get depressed. The weather here is amazing October through April! I like when it gets cold here in the winter b/c I know it doesn't last. Being from the Northeast where the cities are so much more "urban" I would like to see Houston become more like that but it doesn't make me not like the city. The people are friendly, the restaurant scene is amazing, great theater district, great museums, great shopping, low cost of living... I have made lots of amazing friends... all reasons I love living here. I can't say I will live here forever but if I do I will be happy with it... I have no intention on leaving.

Great news! I would love to visit Dubai someday but would rather wait a few years until a lot of things that are being constructed are finished.

My favorite thing about this building is how "reflective" it is... love the cladding... looks great when you are at Discovery Green!

I really love this building... am loving how it turned out!

I like it...

HBJ Link Continental Airlines Inc. on Wednesday unveiled its revamped Terminal C at its Houston hub and announced plans for new nonstop service from Houston to Auckland, New Zealand starting in 2011. Pending government approval, Houston-based Continental (NYSE: CAL) said it will begin offering nonstop Boeing 787 flights to Auckland on Nov. 16, 2011, making it just one of three carriers offering nonstop flights between North America and New Zealand. Read more: Continental reopens Terminal C, plans service from IAH to New Zealand - Houston Business Journal

I was fascinated to learn Texas leads the Nation in producing wind power.... I guess that makes Texas the tree-hugging, hippy liberal of the wind power producing states... lol.

This may have already been talked about so apologize if it has been... but any idea on what will happen to the Continental building Downtown... will those employees just become employees of the new airline and stay in the building? Any idea?

Phonecia Specialty Store will open on the ground floor of One Park Place in December. Phonecia Specilty Store

Woo hoo!! :-) Very exciting... building another stadium in the Downtown area... and for a team that actually wins championships!

It's really going to look great from the park once it's finished.

That blue coaster looks fun!

ABC13 is reporting this morning an agreement has been reached to build the stadium near Downtown.

I love how "reflective" it is... :-)

Sounds like what Conservatives also do when they don't agree w/ it.

I don't understand the anti-"low-skilled LEGAL immigrants" stance. This great Nation was built by immigrants. Many low-skilled immigrants came here and learned skills they didn't have the opportunity to learn in their home countries. Would you have some test for them at the border where they would have to prove they had skills before they were let in or would you maybe give them 6 months to learn skills and if they don't deport them? Also, would this test be required for all immigrants or just the ones w/ dark skin? I know on Fox News (they are also not fond of immigrants) they have brought up in the past that white people here in America need to start having more babies b/c the brown-skinned folk are growing in numbers at a greater pace. Fox News being pro-white/christian/conservative is obviously threatened by this. That leads me to believe they would accept white immigrants (legal or illegal, skilled or unskilled) for the sole reason that they would add to the white population. I could be wrong, though. :-)

Haven't been paying too much attention to the race as of yet... but I know one person who will definitely not get my vote... Perry! The fact that he even just mentioned Texas possibly seceding from the United States shows how UN-AMERICAN he is... I want to Governor who is PRO-AMERICA! USA!!