august948

4 hours ago, editor said:

No one said any such thing, but if you enjoy living out in a field like a farm animal that's your choice to make, so you have to live with your decisions.

Moreover, the "hive" thing is just a real estate industry meme spread by desperate low-end agents who can't come up with any logical arguments.  It's the real estate equivalent of calling someone a "poopyhead," and reveals more about the writer than the position being argued. 

I hate to break it to you, but the notion of continuously building vast expanses of single-family homes is last century's thinking.  Population decline is a thing, and has already arrived in many developed countries.  Who's going to live in all those empty suburbs?

To @Ross' point about moving because of his job, moving around for work is not unusual.  In the 70's and 80's, there was a joke in the tech industry that IBM stood for "I've Been Moved."  From 1994 to 2006, I had a job that constantly moved me and my family not just from neighborhood to neighborhood, but across the country.  I lived in about 11 states because of it.  But it was a choice I made.  I never thought, "We should spend billions of tax dollars building freeways to accommodate my chosen way of life."

I think the extreme would be wild animal, not farm animal.  Though life on a farm would be nice.

I'm not in the real estate industry and so wasn't aware that "hive" was a real estate pejorative.  I'll keep that in mind now that I know.

Population decline is absolutely a thing.  Though for the US that will happen well into the future and at a much slower pace than the rest of the world.  The big unknown is how population decline will affect the economy and life in general.  It's likely, though, that when the population declines economic activity will also decline.  It's far from certain that economic decline is going to increase urbanization.  It seems more likely that such decline would increase ruralization as people return to greater self-sufficiency out of necessity.  The only example I can think of off of the top of my head is the de-urbanization that happened in Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire.  If you have some other examples of what happens to a society when populations and economies collapse, I'd genuinely like to hear them.

2 hours ago, pablog said:

The ideal is for people to be able to live the life they want/prefer without imposing that lifestyle and negatively affecting the life of others.

Do you love to live in the country or suburbs? Great for you! But your need for a car-dependent city negatively affects the quality of life of people living in the communities or neighborhoods closer to town.

You love dense walkable neighborhoods and towering skyscrapers? Great for you! But your love for those things shouldn’t mean we ban suburbs and cars.

The great thing is that there is a great solution/compromise; trains and public transportation, not wider highways.

Wouldn't requiring the use of public transport negatively affect those living in the suburbs?  How about trains AND wider highways?

10 minutes ago, editor said:

That's a choice you made. Why should the rest of the people on the planet suffer for your lifestyle?

So is the ideal a place where everyone lives in 100sqft rooms in giant towers connected to other giant towers that contain work/shopping/entertainment?  Sort of a hive?

On 5/10/2023 at 11:13 AM, Houston19514 said:

Nonsense.  It is irresponsible to just let a huge asset sit there rotting.  It is not a waste of time to attend to the county's assets (or, if you prefer, its liabilities).  One thing is certain, "leadership" cannot overcome the divide if they don't try.  Another thing is for sure, we don't hire "leaders" to avoid making decisions when they are difficult.

Besides that, Judge Hidalgo has more important things to do now than worry about what happens in Harris county...

Lina Hidalgo named to Joe Biden's 2024 reelection advisory board

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/joe-biden-lina-hidalgo-18091209.php

22 minutes ago, Andrew Ewert said:

Yeah also for most of that we spent the majority of our time hunting and gathering for food...

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

15 hours ago, Blue Dogs said:

NO WAY IN HELL The Astrodome will be torn down anytime soon considering it's now a National Historic Landmark.

There we have it then, it won't be torn down and we won't do anything with it.

Here's the real future of the Astrodome...

5 hours ago, 004n063 said:

I'm referring to the segment at the current west end of the Brays trail, where it hits Braeburn Glen Blvd. I was under the impression that that was going to be extended to Arthur Storey Park, where it can join the budding Westchase trail network.

That's what I heard also, but I haven't looked at it over there.  I'll try to swing by some of those segments and see how it's progressing.

21 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

Anyone got any progress photos on the west end of the Brays trail? I don't often go further west than Hermann Park, so it's been a while since I've been out there.

I recall reading about a Westchase connection on this thread, though. Anyone able to report on how that's coming along? Or is that my next weekend project?

No photos, but I pass it often and the concrete is down between at least Eldridge and West Houston Center Blvd.  They're still working on the connections at each road.  Good sign of progress when they've got the "Trail Closed" signs up.

Are you referring to the road and bike trail work on Westpark west of Wilcrest?

16 minutes ago, samagon said:

https://www.thedestinationtrail.com/engage

31 miles from 6th ward out to JSC and beyond.

Plus, they've been hard at work building out the Bray's Bayou trail past Hwy 6.  With that and this you could bike from Fulshear to JSC.  Now that's a bike ride.

4 hours ago, Reefmonkey said:

But turning the Astrodome into another concert venue, you’d still have the issue of sports games and the rodeo. Look at the parking situation and traffic snarl around NRG when Taylor Swift came to town. No way you’d be able to have a major concert at the Astrodome take place on the same night as a Texans game, let alone during the rodeo. Even a smaller concert not along the lines of a Taylor Swift concert wouldn’t work happening there alongside those events, and for smaller concerts you do have other venues like the Arena and the Bayou Music Center. 

Since it's part of NRG Park I would imagine all scheduling would be coordinated to avoid these issues (like it is today).  But, Judge Hidalgo has pretty much said the dome isn't a priority so I wouldn't expect anything to happen other than it sit there and rot.

44 minutes ago, samagon said:

I'll ride this hyperbole train with you.

then we're probably doomed as a species.

For most of human existence we've roamed the land living in far flung groups of minimal density.  Suburbia is closer to our native habitat.  We will survive.

1 hour ago, JBTX said:

Oh, you haven't seen the new/updated ones yet?

I was visiting a buddy in the area when I saw this sign in a yard. It "accidentally" blew over and found its way to my garage where it now sits for my amusement.

They should build it just like the picture, with a washateria/liquor store/cbd/vape/greyhound station on the ground floor.

On 9/6/2007 at 9:15 AM, EastEnd Susan said:

My brother was in the boy scouts for about 3 months back in 1965. He said he got out because he liked fast cars and girls a lot more than camping and bisquick.

I was in the scouts for a long time, starting in elementary school until I discovered cars and girls in high school.   Having spent 40 years chasing both, I now think I should have just stuck with camping and bisquick.  😜

Now that we have a plan...can someone print up some annoying yellow signs with our demands that we can put up and down Bissonnet for the next 10 years?

21 hours ago, 004n063 said:

I'm still mad about the naming of Taiga. Just about the least Houston biome there is. 

It's like they don't even care about geographic accuracy!!

Given how our summers are, they should take the biome a step further like Dubai did...

47 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

Yeah, I really have no problem at all with how long the project is expected to take. But it's sad to think that the grand vision of Houston in 2050 is still not just car-centric, but car-centric-suburb-centric.

I am somewhat optimistic, however, about the effects of twenty years of construction traffic on mindsets. Maybe it will convince more of the public to push harder for better alternatives? And/or that driving 20+ miles a day is kinda crazy?

What if car-centric-suburb-centric was the most practical grand vision?

28 minutes ago, 004n063 said:

I'm beginning to think that General Motors just hates cities...

General Motors loves cities and wants you to get around yours quickly and in air-conditioned style...

7 minutes ago, mollusk said:

The actual Second Amendment:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

The first part only lost its significance in 2008, when District of Columbia v. Heller erased 200 years of jurisprudence.

And that case happened because DC attempted to really overreach in order to ban handguns.  Very similar in philosophy to how Texas stretched in the recent past in attempts to ban abortions.

12 minutes ago, Amlaham said:

Seems like you have been affecting by the right-leaning media accounts :) Maybe try doing research somewhere other than the media? Like actual research not what some guy mentioned on TV 

 

 

I'm going to guess you've never purchased a firearm.  The background check requirement is federal, not state.  And, regardless of the background check, it's still illegal for convicted criminals and someone who's been certified as mentally ill to posses one. 

4 hours ago, Amlaham said:

Thats what I stated in my previous comments, there will never be a complete ban on guns, however, there needs to be some kind of regulation. It seems that whenever someone brings up any kind of gun regulation, gun activist always try to gas light the idea that the other side is trying to completely ban guns, limited any kind of progress to be done. In fact, I'm sure that we've all noticed gun laws have become looser and looser. There was already an AR ban in the US that ended in 2004, that ended and now states have been pushing other pro gun reforms like open carry and not needed to have a permit on hand. Like I suggested before, for law abiding citizens this does nothing, all it does is help criminals freely and openly carry guns :) 

Again, most of us can agree that crime is one of the biggest issues in the US right now, so if laws could be passed to make it harder for criminals and mentally ill citizens from carrying weapons, whats the problem? 

Federal law already prohibits convicted criminals and those found to be mentally ill from possessing a firearm.  Are you aware of that, or has that point been glossed over by left-leaning media accounts and political gaslighting?

3 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

Do you really have to ask that question?  The right-wing has made it clear by implicitly threatening for years that they'll kill us all if anyone tries to touch their guns ("Come and take it" and "Over my cold, dead body").  Your "armed citizenry" is the army of foot soldiers for the "Nazi tyrant" (your words) who has made it all but crystal clear that if he returns to power he won't be leaving.

I shouldn't have to ask whether or not it's a good idea to abridge the second amendment, but clearly some fall for the media and political hype around it.  And for the fairy tale of nazi's and white supremacists hiding under every bed.  American democracy is a loud and messy thing.  Lot's of sh_t gets said but in the end the system endures.

1 hour ago, Amlaham said:

So who are these elites and wealthy people that we're going into war with? Jeff Bezos? Why do they want to disarm us? You really think the elites are worried about a bunch of citizens that are fighting and killing themselves? By your logic, they're already winning. 

It's not the who that matters.  History is replete with examples of those in power doing whatever they can to stay in power.  It's human nature for this to occur, so it's eminently logical to put safeguards in place to prevent it.  What's exceptional about America is not our people, it's the checks and balances of our system that keep the train on the rails.  Start removing those checks and balances in the name of fixing this problem or that problem and you'll end up paving the way for an actual tyrant.