Bombero451

Excellent and good luck! I think that area may have been where the old Chia Star was located, or maybe it's where the parking garage is now.

I pretty excited about this game, not because I like all-star events, but that I'll actually be in town for business and will have a cool soccer related event to go to. I contacted one of my fellow Chicago Fire fans who I know has connections, so I have a couple tickets for the match next Wednesday. I'll be there, sporting my Chicago Fire jersey. See y'all there.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt. - Abraham Lincoln Thank you for your commentary.

Fact: FIFA allows soccer to be played on artificial turf and indoors. Fact: several European clubs and some national teams play on Field Turf (Russian, Austrian, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish leagues, etc). Fact: MLS clubs currently play on Field Turf (New England, Seattle, Toronto). Fact: Saprissa of the Costa Rican league and the Costa Rican national team plays on Field Turf. Fact: Stabæk IF (Norwegian Tippeligean - top flight) play all their games indoors on artificial turf at Telenor Arena. Impact de Montreal played indoors at Olympic Stadium on Field Turf against Santos for their home leg of the Concacaf Champions League semifinal round last year. Fact: The Pontiac Silverdome hosted several matches for World Cup 94. Detroit was willing to lay down natural grass on pallets in order to host games. If the US gets to host World Cup 2018 or 2022, Houston will have a tough time hosting any matches given the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium. USSF will want to spread the games around the country like they did in 1994 and there may only be one spot for Texas to host, and I doubt it will be Houston. On the bright side though, Chicago will almost certainly host several games! And since I live in Chicago, that's alright by me!

If Houston is going to make a serious dent in rail transportation, it will be made via commuter rail from and to the suburbs. Here in Chicagoland, we have Metra which leaves from all the outlying suburbs into Union Station. From there, one can take the CTA (bus or tain, aka "the L") to all points around the Loop, south, north, Midway airport, O'Hare airport, etc. Metra shares the commercial rail lines and are totally packed during commute hours, while CTA rides on proprietary lines and is full of city dwellers. As far as costs, Metra and our bus system in the surrounding suburbs (PACE) are barely keeping up with their budgets. The CTA is, and has been . . . well, insolvent.

Not sure it's been mentioned here, but growing up in Houston I remember going with the family to a special steak place off nroth Shepherd several times per year during the 1970's and very early '80's. Ducho's Steak House. I loved that place. The real baked potatoes with the condiments tray, the ice burg lettuce salads and juicy steaks cooked to order . . . and the little picks that were stuck in each steak to confirm your steak choice.

Why? That's a funny statement. Why shouldn't people buy things they want? if they can afford the vehicle and the additional fuel costs to operate them, then Detroit, the unions, the economy and the government will be happy for the revenue.

Thanks for that list Firebird, and the memories. I used to go to that mall back in the late 70's when I lived off Louetta near Kuykendahl. Greenspoint was THE mall for the northwest suburbs, and I loved going to Oshman's and the movies. I stopped going when Willowbrook Mall opened up and haven't been back since the late '80's. Whenever I fly into town and take 45 into the city these days, I always look over at what used to be palace of north suburbia. BTW, before Greenspoint went up in what was the far north, Aldine was a pretty nice suburban area full of young families. I lived there through Kindergarten . . . Hidden Valley Elementary!

My thoughts exactly (sans the mayo). Whenever I get back to Texas, I always find time to visit Whataburger.

I think this news is extremely over blown. Watching cnbc just now and they have a "Breaking News" reporter on location in front of the Ernst & Young NY headquarters telling us that one employee may or may not have the swine flu and has been out since last Thursday. One employee.

That's how I got into the oil/gas industry. Received my BBA in finance, worked in commercial banking and found my way in the industry. Currently I'm a trader, but started in the finance group/treasury dept. of a growing company (back in the mid '90's).

When I used to go out to West Texas for business in the mid 90's I like staying at the The Gage in Marathon and the Holland in Alpine. Alpine is a nice town, pretty good arts scene and a few good steak joints.

Yes, the suburbs here are actual towns, with established, active downtown areas, Main Street shopping/restaurants/cafes & neighborhoods. Chicagoland ends up being a city of neighborhoods with their own festivals, parades, etc. I don't live in downtown Naperville, but I'm just SW of it - off Rickert Rd. near the brand new Whole Foods (about a 5 minute drive or 20 minute bike ride to Centennial Beach). As far as taxes go, the taxes here in Naperville, Dupage County aren't too much less than Houston, and Naperville, Will County taxes are even closer.

Yes I could . . . I'm not looking to do so, but unlike pretty much everyone I know in my industry in the MW, NE and Canada who despises Houston and it's sprawl, I could move there. It's my home town. In fact, if I came back to Texas, I would only do so if I could live in Houston. As mentioned by sowanome, Houston is a very underrated city and most who aren't familiar with it or those who've lived there their whole life and think the grass is greener elsewhere couldn't be more wrong. Houston is a fine place to live. Houston is a great town and has made a lot of life style improvements . . . but Chicago and its neighborhoods, culture and my favorite sports teams are all here. And unlike sowanome, I like the changing weather up here. Besides, this is home to my kids (13 and 11 years); their whole life is here. But being an energy trader, if the right job came up (along with a promotion), I'd come back to Houston after my kids have moved out or going to college. Houston is the mecca for my industry which is good professionally and I'd be able to either buy a helleva lot bigger house in the burbs or a nice home near downtown after selling my home here.

Hey now . . . not everyone that posts on this forum lives in Houston or the surrounding area. Some of us have been in Chicagoland for over a decade, but are native Houstonians.

Thank you, made it myself. The river area is nice. I live just south of downtown Naperville, 5-7 minutes by car and 20 or so by bike. I''ve been here for over 10 years and love the place. I'm also a bigtime Chicago Fire fan, so if you make your way to Bridgeview ever, let me know. My friends and I tailgate before every game (3+ hours before kickoff). Come on by.

Frankly, I'm surprised there are idiots like you still around. Go to the next Dynamo game and stand with all the "gays" in the El Batallon or Texian Army supporters sections and offer up your unique point of view, and bring your friends. I'm sure all those Eurotrash, Latino, Homosexuals will be impressed by your frankness and probably too scared to say anything to your face. Better yet, wait until Aug. 9th when I'm in town and I'll buy your ticket and beer on one condition. I get to witness your internet bravery in person. Love, - Native Texan - Former football player for 7 years (and the bad knees, pins, and arthritis to prove it) - Pickup truck owner since I was a teenager (I'm almost 40 now) - Copenhagen user - NFL, MLB and MLS season ticket holder.

It's been pretty impressive to see this project go up over the past several years. Hey editor, good to see another Chicago area Houstonian. I'm over in Naperville, but make my way into the city for Bears and White Sox games frequently, not to mention the museums and dinner outings for work.

In the late 70's I pretty much got all my clothes from Sears - Tuffskins jeans and my shoes from K Mart - Traxx. In the early 80's, I liked going to Hobie for my cool Hobie t-shirts, OP shorts and my checkered Vans. In fat, I still have my old red/white velco OP wallet somehwere in my house. In the mid to late 80's I shopped mostly at Millers Outpost for jeans, pants, Cosby-esque sweaters and remember going to the mall to buy my penny loafers and boat shoes.

I really like Terminal 3 at O'Hare Airport, it's the American Airlines terminal. I really don't all of DFW or the international terminal at the Calgary Int'l Airport.

I'll also visit UH when I come to town. Love walking around the campus of my alma mater. I also like to see how my small donations get spent.

I haven't lived in Houston since the mid '90's . . . but Sparkle's Burger Spot anyone? Big, greasy cheeseburgers $3; chili cheese $4. A Houstonian's burger joint for sure. I'll be in town in mid January for business and look forward to getting away from the snow and ice and getting me a Sparkle's burger (Leeland and Dowling).

Welcome to Chicago politics, the Machine. Daly (jr.), Blago, Jackson (jr.), Stroger (jr.), house leader Madigan (father), AG Madgian (daughter) the assembly of aldermen, Obama, et al. This state's dirty laundry is just starting to make national headlines. My state is a pit of corruption, a panacea for social welfare; high taxes, increasing transportation costs, we've mortgaged our state income for money today in order to pay for broke social programs and growing pension expenses. We've sold or tolls, our lottery, our parking garages and soon our parking meters for money now so we can keep the healthcare open, pour more money into the failing CPS, and keep the children of our long term politicos on the state payroll. I hope for your sake that our new president doesn't export Chicago style politics and economic disincentives to the rest of you. Though, if you'd like to help pay my increasing property taxes and the higher state income tax that's sure to come next year, I'll be more than happy to share my pain with you. We'll all be Illinoisans soon.

Reds? No. = = Da'BEARS!!!!! I live in Chicagoland, since the mid '90's.

Shoveled another 10" or so today . . . wet, heavy snow. That sucks. Here's my work . . . 1 1/2 hours or shoveling, ice breaking and salting a few slippery spots. But it's worth it.