pineda
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Posts posted by pineda
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I realize that the Woodlands is suburbanite Viagra,
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I believe there was also a Baskins and Robbins or something like that across the fountain from Cargo Houston.
I think it was called Rumpleheimer's.
(Thanks for the photo, Subdude. Of Westbury Square, not the weird robot-dude below...
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The thing that is hurting Westbury is the string of roach motel style apartments on Gasmer and all of the junky looking auto repair shops on Chimney Rock near the post office. if those things were removed and all of the C-stores and gas stations ____ down and demolished to have new single family homes built on them the area would be much like Bellaire is today.
Wow, this same quote could have been said in the 1970's, when I moved to Westbury.
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Yep, I'll be there. Will you? If I see you there, I'll let you know. (I actually like both candidates and I'm hoping that the forum will help me decide which one will be better for the board.)
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I can't see the Klein district even considering the petitions of Northgate/Old Oakes. Number one; I agree with the poster that said it would be all residential, which is why Klein is considered a "poor" district already under the Robin Hood school funding plan. IF they could even consider annexing anything at all, I would imagine they'd want commercial/industrial/retail to up their tax base. We're already too loaded up with "rooftops" to consider taking in more of them. Number two; the Klein district is already so busy with its' own growing pains/possible solutions that I just don't see them realistically considering getting into a battle over neighborhoods with Spring ISD. Plus, Northgate/Old Oakes would be a heckuva long drive to Klein Collins! Klein Collins itself does not NEED more neighborhoods like this piling into it, it's filling up rapidly on its' own zoned neighborhoods up and down F.M. 2920 as it is. My own take on the Klein/Spring issue is that Spring is playing "catch-up" these days, dealing with problems on a reactive basis only and dealing with a recent parade of successive Superintendents for the district who only stuck around long around to collect a fat salary and screw up the district royally. I think Klein has been paying close attention to all this and is trying to deal with problems on a more proactive basis as a result. We have a very good Superintendent, Dr. Jim Cain, who makes it a point to consistently meet with not just administrators and school board officials, but also the teachers, students, parents and "community stakeholders", i.e. taxpayers. Also, I haven't heard any discussions regarding re-zoning between already established neighborhoods and already established schools, such as Greenwood Forest going to Klein High instead of Klein Forest. Both these schools are at capacity now, although Klein Forest just added a new wing to their school to accomodate more students. Klein Forest has been mentioned as becoming a magnet school in 2007. A few years ago, the Klein district considered re-zoning Spring Creek Oaks to Klein Oak, rather than keep them at Klein High. I attended that meeting as a parent from Klein Oak. Boy, that was soooo much fun, listening to all the parents from Spring Creek Oaks practically screaming that their child would attend Klein Oak "OVER THEIR DEAD BODY FIRST" and threatening lawsuits. Klein Oak had just lost a significant amount of their student population when the too-closely-placed Klein Collins opened, and the district school board saw the overcrowding at the rapidly deteriorating Klein High and thought people might like their kids at a less crowded school. Big mistake, turns out they'd rather have their kids at Klein High which is surrounded by strip shopping centers and high traffic rather than at "that hick school, Klein Oak"! What a hoot! Several people actually stood up at a podium to say that they couldn't imagine sending their children to a school "out in the middle of nowhere" with "no shopping at all(?)" and "all those cows in the fields" surrounding Klein Oak. I didn't understand this because I'd much rather have my kids at a school surrounded by fields filled with cows, rather than within easy walking distance of neighborhood bars and liquor stores, but to each his own. Needless to say, the measure failed and the Spring Creek Oaks kids got to stay at Klein High. Meanwhile, Klein Oak is already back up to capacity.
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Let's hope that this bodes well for poor, neglected Pinecroft Center. The new owners of that strip center still haven't announce any plans for revitalization. Have you heard anything, Bach?
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I miss "Oxford's, A Civilized Restaurant" in downtown Houston. It lasted almost two years. The downfall came when the City of Houston decided to erect a bus stop directly in front of the restaurant. You'd think that would be good, but it killed the business almost overnight. Weird...
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The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is definitely one of the premier events held every year in Houston, and we always look forward to it. The music line-up is always interesting to hear about, but there are so many other parts to the show. The parade down Memorial, the trailriders arriving from all over the place, the animals exhibited at the show, the art contests for schoolchildren, the quilt contest, the educational programs put on during the show, the myriad of vendors, all the countless volunteers who love to help out, the chili cook-off, the bull riding contests, meeting people from all over the state, the animal auctions that help fund the scholarships for college, etc. There's so many different parts to love about the rodeo, the music is just one. If I had the chance to determine the line-up, I would pick all Texas artists, with Shake Russell and Dana Cooper as the rodeo opener singing "The Eyes of Texas"
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In my opinion, you wouldn't be able to find any place better for a first date than the Spindletop in the downtown Hyatt Regency Houston hotel. First dates are tough to get through, and if you run short on small talk, the view is always there to enjoy together. Food is moderately priced and reasonable, nothing really stand-out, but you can save that kind of place for your first anniversary!
Good luck to you! -
From the article:
"The memo acknowledged that Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, had to walk a fine line in restraining benefit costs because critics had attacked it for being stingy on wages and health coverage. Ms. Chambers, Wal-Mart's executive vice president for benefits, acknowledged that 46 percent of the children of Wal-Mart's 1.33 million United States employees were uninsured or on Medicaid.
Under fire because less than 45 percent of its workers receive company health insurance, Wal-Mart announced a new plan on Monday that seeks to increase participation by allowing some employees to pay just $11 a month in premiums. Some health experts praised the plan for making coverage more affordable, but others criticized it, noting that full-time Wal-Mart employees, who earn on average around $17,500 a year, could face out-of-pocket expenses of $2,500 a year or more.
The theme throughout the memo was how to slow the increase in benefit costs without giving more ammunition to critics who contend that Wal-Mart's wages and benefits are dragging down those of other American workers."
A couple of questions:
How does the fact that 46% of the children of Wal-Mart's 1.33 million U.S. employees are uninsured or on Medicaid stack up against other large retail corporations?
Why is allowing employees to pay just $11.00/month a sensible way to handle skyrocketing health costs? This doesn't seem realistic to me, and the figure of $2500.00/year for out-of-pocket does not seem unrealistic either. How does this compare to other corporations?
It will be interesting to follow this story, because as Wal-Mart leads, others will follow, good or bad.
Open question: Have any of you ever met and talked with any Wal-Mart employee who is happy with their job, their pay, their benefit package, their company? I haven't yet, still searching...
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Steve Ray Vaughan's "The House is Rockin'" gets my vote...
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(saw this on www.offthekuff.com this morning:)
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I heard on Channel 11 tonight that it will officially close after Fright Fest this year. As for what the future holds for the land, I predict a big parking lot, or maybe another park-n-ride, something boring....
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Wow! Just today I was looking at a flyer for Astroworld's Scout Day in October. I wasn't really interested in taking the kids (both Scouts) to Astroworld, but now that it's closing, I suppose we'll have to go just to take some photos and say good-bye to a Houston institution. Bummer for all the kids, though...
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Houston Public Library Children's Book Sale
Date: September 9-10, 2005
HISD Doris Miller Center, 5216 Feagan (near Memorial Drive and
Shepherd), Houston
Annual Sale of Children's Books
Friday, September 9, 2005
11am - 6pm
Saturday, Saturday 10, 2005
10am - 4pm
This years annual sale will feature the same excellent selection of
Childrens Booksabout 9,000that Houston parents and educators come
for. Most books are $1 - $2, but prices start at 50 cents! The selection
includes picture books and readers, books in Spanish, Caldecott and
Newbery books, encyclopedia sets, and history and science project books.
Cashiers accept checks and cash, no credit cards please. Educators,
bring your tax-exempt ID.
www.hpl.lib.tx.us/hpl/ <http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/hpl/>
http://www.friendsofhpl.org/childrens_sale_2005.pdf
www.friendsofhpl.org/sales.html <http://www.friendsofhpl.org/sales.html>
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The story of the Good Samaritan (or the Good Houstonian...)
One day a lawyer came to Jesus and asked, "What should I do to get to heaven?"
Jesus answered, "What does the law say?"
"You should love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself," the lawyer replied.
"That's right," Jesus said. "If you do all of that, you will be able to get to heaven."
But the lawyer, thinking he could ask Jesus a question that could not be answered, asked, "But who is my neighbor?"
Jesus answered him by telling this story:
One day, a man who was traveling from a far away city, suddenly met up with a group of thieves. The thieves took everything he had, and then they beat him up and left him lying half dead by the side of the road.
As he lay there in pain and misery, he heard footsteps. "Ah! Someone is coming!" he thought. "I hope he will help me! . . . I hope it isn't one of the same men who beat me up, coming back to find out if I am dead." He waited and listened for what seemed like hours, as the footsteps faded in the distance.
It happened to be a priest who came by, but when he saw the man lying beside the road, he decided to take a different road because he was in a hurry and didn't want to be bothered.
The poor man was certainly glad that it wasn't one of the robbers, but he surely wished SOMEBODY would come along to help him.
After a little while, he heard footsteps again.... He wanted to call out and get the attention of the person walking by, but he was in so much pain, all he could do was moan. "Maybe this person will see me and help me," he thought anxiously.
This time the man who passed by was a Levite, a well-known teacher in the temple. SURELY HE would want to help the poor man. But when he saw the man lying on the side of the road, he looked down . . . then turned his head . . . then walked right by, completely ignoring the poor, hurting man.
It wasn't long until the man heard ANOTHER set of footsteps. He wanted to believe that this person would reach down to help him, but he had already been passed by twice and dared not even hope for relief. By this time, he had given up all hope and was sure he was going to die right there on the side of the road.
The man who was traveling down the road this time was a stranger from Samaria. Nobody even liked people from Samaria. It was very unlikely that he would want to help. But as he passed by, he noticed the man who was lying beaten and bloody on the side of the road. He felt sorry for him and wanted to help. He got off his donkey and bent down next to the man to get a closer look at the wounds. Gently, he wrapped bandages around the sores and helped him to his feet. THEN . . . he carefully put the man on his very own donkey, and took him to the nearest hotel. He stayed with the man overnight and took care of him.
The next morning he had to leave, but he knew he couldn't take the man with him. When he paid the bill, he gave the innkeeper extra money, saying, "Take care of him, feed him, and make sure he has everything he needs. If he owes you any money after he gets well and leaves, write it down, and I will pay the bill the next time I come by."
Jesus, after finishing the story, asked the lawyer, "Which of these three men was a neighbor to the stranger on the street?"
The lawyer sheepishly answered, "The one who stopped and helped him."
And Jesus said, "That's right. Now YOU go and do the same."
REMEMBER:
Loving God includes showing love to all people.
A VERSE TO LEARN
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Galatians 5:14).
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Dear God, help me to be kind today even if
people are not kind to me. Help me to do what
You want me to do. Thank You for loving me.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Lenny's Sub Shop, located at 1500 Research Forest Drive (at Six Pines Drive), is a wonderful place to get either a sub or a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich. Even the kids loved their ham and cheese sandwiches, complete with chocolate chip cookie. The person we spoke to there said that there are already approximately 90 of these sub shops, but this is the first one in the Houston area. They have plans to open 80 in the Houston area within the next five years, mostly franchises. The one we visited has been open about five months now, is very clean, very fast with friendly employees, and as I said, really good sandwiches!
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Good luck to you!
Westbury High School At 11911 Chimney Rock Rd.
in Other Houston Neighborhoods
Posted · Edited by pineda
I attended Westbury in the late '70's. I thought it was a great school at the time also. But, even though the new building is beautiful and expensive-looking, I believe that the recent TEA rating for Westbury was Academically Unacceptable. What a sad legacy...