nmainguy

SENATE COMPOSITION:

Democrats - 50

Republicans - 49

Independents - 1

50>49>1

Democrats have a majority.

Because your "tyranny" allowed congress to go entirely Democrat

51% v 49% does not represent an entirety. Everyone seems to get that but you.

Because your "tyranny" allowed congress to go entirely Democrat and will likely step down in 2008. People in the U.S. take peaceful and regular regime change for granted.

The US Congress is not entirely Democrat. The Senate is 51% Democrat/Independent caucasing Democrat and 49% Republican. The House is 53% Democrat and 47% Republican. Looks like Kink's "tyranny" isn't so tyranical after all. I'll post again when the Democrat's majority in the Senate increases in 2008. (Open and/or up for election: 21 Republicans and 12 Democrats.)

All the five SCOTUS judges have done is drive the wealthy abroad for safe abortions and the poor to the back alley for coat-hanger jobs. Too bad they and others still cling to the fantasy that they can ultimatly stop all abortion.

I also wondered where the crack hookers that hang out on Crocker street get there food from...

From money they make off the hookees?

Being 2,000 miles away I think you may have lost touch with your old environs.

Maybe the groups who hang out in the street are not part of Covenant House, but that intersection is now ground zero for street kids.

So what do you do? Do you contribute to and/or volunteer for "Stand up for Kids" or Covenant House? Or do you just perform your usual schtick of delicate flower and moan while the rest of us do the heavy lifting?

I do have to admit Coog, you are a ready source of endless entertainment.

I've always liked it. Hasn't it been mentioned who designed it on HAIF before?

Golemon & Bolullo Architects. Mario Bolullo was chief designer.

http://www.stoaintl.com/stoa/profile.htm

Personally I've always had an affinity for the GRB. It always looked like a cross between a giant Lego set and Centre Georges Pompidou.

It's not the best conference center in the world, no, but it's an OK citizen for its class.

I'm with Ian.

Nice photos there.

Thanks

Btw, this is at a standard four-way intersection, like exist in hundreds of other places downtown.

Ummmm...no. It's a three way intersection like exists in tens of other places downtown. But when did my little rhinestone ever let facts stand in his way?

Could you imagine what would happen if people on here were ridiculing the design of a mosque or a Buddhist temple, and putting quotes in the mouths of the leaders of their respective faiths? They would probably be banned in a heartbeat.

It's the message of today's multicultural world... be tolerant and respectful of all religions, EXCEPT Christianity.

Could you imagine what would happen if people on here were ridiculing the design of a co-Cathedral?

http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...hp?showtopic=36 post #22

Could you imagine what would happen if people on here were ridiculing the design of a mosque or a Buddhist temple, and putting quotes in the mouths of the leaders of their respective faiths? They would probably be banned in a heartbeat.

Well, since the editor doesn't have a ban on death threats, I can't imagine him having a problem with ridiculing any building of any kind.

Whatcha think, JP?

EWWWW!!!! Make it go away!

Darn, and I was thinking "Caption Contest" material for this.

That's the first I've heard of a church policy that cathedrals should be "mediocre."

The Architectural Commitee

Yeah but the church is not a good example, the pope approved it because it was mediocre, as they desire them to be all over the country. There was a great explination of this on the thread for the cathedral.

Wrong denomination, wrong location, wrong "explination," Lucy.

OH MY GOODNESS, someone in Houston finally admitted this?!?!

nmainguy, you are correct in good architecture doesn't always require a lot of money, but embracing a habit of building on the cheap certainly can open the door to mediocre designs, and that hasn't been more evident than in Houston over the past decade.

A recent example is the Christ Church Cathedral addition on Texas. It is a great example of for-profit architecture that exceeds long-term design, style and cost-effectiveness for a non-profit.

My mother-in-law was here 2 weeks ago and we walked from Main down Texas to MMP. Now she hasn't been exposed to alot of design in her 67 years outside of Milam and Hemphill but I was taken aback when she stopped midway in the block and looked up at the trellis. Then she started to explain to us how pleasant it was to walk under this shaded trellis and how beautiful yet inexpensive it must have been to contruct in the overall scheme of the design Then she commented on the structure and it's windows and how energy efficient it must be and how great it was that the church had the buisness and esthetic sense to choose a beautiful and lasting yet cost effective design that included parking, office and green space.

So yes, Velvet: you are correct. Houston is a captive of mediocre design. It's a quick-fix for the shortsighted which has unfortunatly become the hallmark for developers/investors/architects. It seems the days of long-term planning that not only benefits the developer but the public which he/she relys on have past.

The uncertain height of the building seems like an impediment to good design. Stretching a building from 30 to 50 stories can wreak havoc with proportions.

Exactly. Imagine Pennzoil at 60 floors or a widened Transco. Conversly, a shortened Wells Fargo or removing one of the Flemish row houses from BOA woud make them look cartoonish as well.

I'd be elated if it were. Anything is better than cheap unimaginative faux-architecture IMO.

Actually many things are better than a dull and cheap One Houston and cheap unimaginative faux-architecture. Any Aggie can copy that. Why settle for the mundane?

What "sleek native style"? Since when does downtown have anything that could be considered a "native style"? A bunch of skyscapers that happened to be designed in the late 1970s-early 1980s doesn't constitute a native style, it just indicates a historical coincidence.

We have no "native style." We have a group of buildings that you could plop down in any large city. Few were ever exceptional; Pennzoil, The Menil and Transco come to mind as exceptions. Houston builds on the cheap-although really good architecture doesn't always require alot of money. Knowing Houston's provincial background, I'm not expecting anything more imaginative than One Houston Center.

If you are attempting to sell this property, your post belongs here http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...hp?showforum=76

They had quail in their room before they went down to the LULAC dinner and then to the Albert Thomas dinner.

(My mom was a voracious note-taker and a good friend of Max Peck, the GM at the Rice. He set me up on the back of a motorcycle so I could see Kennedy. He and Jackie moved by pretty fast but LBJ worked the line and patted me on the head.)

They used the Imperial Suite on the 5th floor to rest and change. He gave a speech at the Coliseum that night and went straight to the airport. They flew to Ft. Worth where they spent the night at The Texas Hotel.

That was the first time I had ever seen a President and future President and the next day was the first time I ever saw my Dad cry.

Except that I won't be able to afford to bowl there. Wow, that's crazy.

Lock,

Go to http://www.bowlluckystrike.com/ ;pick a location then choose "Bowling Rates"

I didn't see anything that costs $100.