Anything You Want

[AtticaFlinch]

I'd like to find a city with good temperatures, mature transit, a large clean downtown, and reasonable taxes. Any suggestions?

Lisbon - depending on your definition of clean, and considering the downtown is moreso located in the 'burbs. Taxes are reasonable (for a European city). It has solid underground and aboveground rail service, plus busses and taxis. The city bears more than a passing resemblance to San Francisco, but the temperatures are far nicer and (believe it or not) the taxes and COL are better.

[ricco67]

I am soooooo over Chicago winters. And taxes (14%+ sales tax on Vitamin Water and Starbucks!)

I like most things about Houston except its transit and August. My wife misses Houston a lot. Especially the food.

I'd like to find a city with good temperatures, mature transit, a large clean downtown, and reasonable taxes. Any suggestions?

I have been told time and time again that the eating is better in chicago than Houston with more variety. So, I assume that's BS?

My daughter is learning to hate winter now.

[editor]

I have been told time and time again that the eating is better in chicago than Houston with more variety. So, I assume that's BS?

My daughter is learning to hate winter now.

It depends on what you're into. If you like the tomato quiche they call "deep dish pizza" around here, then it's fine. Dining out isn't a problem, but the grocery stores are lacking in quality compared to Central Market. Grocery store steaks are better in Texas, but dairy is better here; which makes sense when you consider the kinds of cows raised in different parts of the country (I had an interesting discussion about the cattle industry with a farmer on a plane recently).

My wife is kind of a... fussy... eater. If we had access to Frank's pizza, Chik-fil-a, and Central Market steaks, cheese, and bread I think she'd be OK. I've considered seeing if some HAIFer who works downtown would FedEx her a couple of orders of Frank's pepperoni rolls.

[musicman]

People STILL listen to his stuff? Wowugh.

what surprised me was the crowd was really younger vs what i thought it would be. with little advertising, he still sells out his shows.

[LTAWACS]

Dude, you got this started when you insulted my taste in music, then extrapolated based on my taste in one band that I must be incapable of appreciating some mandolin concertos, then insulted my taste in music again and finally directed me to a list of your favorite radically obscure world music as if it proves your taste in music is more valid than anyone else.

I did no such thing. I just said the beatles are not THAT good. Which they are not. "World music"? Lol. You are assuming that my taste is more valid than yours. It does not matter to me what you listen to. You can continue listening to that homogeneous drivel all you want.

If you haven't heard of Buddy Guy, that's just a sad, sad shame. Life has not been fair to you. BTW, he plays a guitar and sings in English. So do many of the other people and bands I listen to. But, that's not exclusive. Despite what you may believe, I have an interest in pretty much everything, from well-known music to more obscure stuff (including world music). It is safe to say I don't typically favor top 40 corporatized, focus-group-approved pop, but I guess since you read the list of just the bands I listened to last night, you've learned enough to make a final pronouncement, huh?

Why is it a sad sad shame that I've never heard of Buddy Guy? Life has not been fair to me? Really, AtticaFinch? I hardly think so. What if I told you my ears bleed when I hear his music? What if I told you I lose IQ points everytime I hear The Mountain Goats? I dont like their stuff. I consider it junk. You may not. But I do. And I'm glad you have an interest in pretty much everything - it makes one a well-rounded and more balanced individual. Including "world music" - wherever the heck that's from. It's not "world music". What I posted is some Andean influenced Mexican, some band from Zimbabwe (which were in L.A. last year I think), some Chinese classical, and Bollywood.

The big difference between what I did and what you did is I didn't start flinging insults, dismissing other people's opinions on probably the most subjective topic on earth: music quality.

If you are insulted by my thinking you listen to top 40 corporatized, focus-group-approved pop, then I dont know what to tell you. You listen to what you listen. It is what it is.

Isn't that the same way memebag left, too? (with less drama, of course)

OK...so AtticaFlinch is the new RedScare, and I'm compared to "Plastic"...who the heck was Plastic, anyhow?

I think he was like FutureMan.

[TheNiche]

Yep. That's exactly what happened. When Red, who claimed he was leaving HAIF, returned to HAIF and started whining it reminded me to turn off the PM feature, too. I'd forgotten to do it the first time. I would thank RedScare for reminding me, but he says he's no longer interested in participating in HAIF. Except, of course, that he still visits HAIF.

It's a web site, not an ICBM installation. There is no thick black book listing security procedures. Sorry to disappoint.

So... do you think that because I forgot to turn it off before, I shouldn't turn if off when I remember? You think I should leave an open vector for spammers to operate on HAIF?

Because he indicated that he was through with HAIF. He did not state that he was no longer going to post and merely lurk. He stated that he was leaving the community. As stated before, all RedScare has to do to have his posting privileges restored is ask. He has my e-mail address. But I haven't heard a peep from him.

Memebag claimed he was leaving a good long ways back (for similar reasons as Red). And just a little bit ago, he came back...after not even having checked the forum for four months. He was able to post. Now he's gone again. Are you going to suspend his privliges too?

I'll bet you're wondering right now whether you can do exactly that and then deflect blame onto me, since I reminded you. It's all very Hugo Chavez of you, and something I've increasingly come to expect.

Earlier in the conversation I was naively willing to accept your security protocol on the grounds that I haven't seen any problems and that that must mean that you ought to be credited with preventing them in the first place. However...if your security protocol is in fact not so tight as you lead me to believe earlier, and in spite of many hundreds or thousands of privliged lurkers we don't currently seem to have many (if any) problems of the nature that you described, then I must sincerely question the wisdom of removing posting and PMing privliges from someone who has logged in several times since announcing his departure and attempted to participate in the community only to complain publicly about restrictions against him.

I suspect that you're waiting for a 'hand-and-knees' gesture on his part, or perhaps an apology. I assure you that that isn't going to be forthcoming. He's already demonstrated that his intention to leave completely was false (he was on HAIF just 24 hours ago according to his profile). Just humbly turn RedScare's posting and PMing privliges back on...and see what happens.

I can only assume that you're trying to be funny here. All I did was remove a sentence of name-calling from one of RedScare's posts and he had a tantrum.

Hate to break it to both you and RedScare, but name calling isn't exactly intellectualism.

My hyperbole is still very much based in reality. You are not powerful enough to commit true atrocities.

As I've already remarked several times previously, it was not the namecalling bit that caused the issue to explode. It was that you immediately turned around and attacked the attitudes of all Houstonians and also pretty clearly attacked a number of HAIFers (without naming names) who are not content to support massive public undertakings without engaging in reasoned debate over whether those projects are worthwhile as proposed. It smacks of hypocracy and anti-intellectualism.

I'm still not sure why he thinks he doesn't have to respect the other HAIFers.

What comes around goes around.

[editor]

As I've already remarked several times previously, it was not the namecalling bit that caused the issue to explode.

According to the e-mail I got from Red, it wasn't about what I said it was that I dared edit something he wrote. Perhaps in your mind it helps you to think it was something else, but as I already told you in PM, RedScare was very clear about this in his e-mail to me. It appears that you're insisting on going the "repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth" route with this.

As I have stated previously, I am not interested in debating RedScare with you. If RedScare has something to say, he can say it to me. He doesn't have to pass notes through you in study hall.

[sarahiki]

I didn't see the thread in question, but Niche's comments sound a little over the top to me. We are very lucky here to have a very even-handed moderator who is also willing to discuss policies. In contrast to, for example, another forum that shall remain nameless in Houston, where posts get deleted if they offend the moderator's personal politics.

I will miss Redscare's contibutions, and will especially miss Memebag, but I think Niche is being way too hard on Editor. I say, keep up the good work.

[TheNiche]

And I think everyone should be allowed to express themselves without fear of being ridiculed or belittled. But RedScare, and his proxy TheNiche, seem to think that name calling and ridiculing others is OK. It is not. It's not my fault if Red can't play by the same rules that govern pre-schoolers.

I'm no longer interested in debating this with you, Niche. If Red wants to talk to me, he can do so directly. He has my e-mail address. He used it as recently as a couple of weeks ago. But communicating through a surrogate is not productive, and not the best use of my time. If anyone else on HAIF has questions, they can contact me as well. I've never hidden my e-mail address: editor@houstonarchitecture.com.

False. I've said time and time again that you probably did the right thing by removing a personal attack (and by indicating that the post had been edited). I can't say for sure, but only because I didn't see it--which is kind of the point. So I'm very willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on that one; it is not a matter of contention.

You say that Red believes that the portion of that particular post that was deleted is the source of contention. Based upon my discussions with Red and on what he posted before he left, I cannot corroborate your claim.

You claim that I am acting as RedScare's proxy. I've posted a couple of communications that I've received from him, but not at his request or on his behalf. The arguments and inquiries made are mine and mine alone, and I firmly believe that I am a proponent of a course of action that benefits you as well as RedScare and the HAIFing community at large.

...and please make no mistake, this is an issue that affects everybody. It is not merely between you and he.

[TheNiche]

According to the e-mail I got from Red, it wasn't about what I said it was that I dared edit something he wrote.

Red had indicated to me a month ago that your deletions of his legitimate content had been increasingly frustrating. And you've done the same thing to me on occasion (example: 2727 Kirby thread). Deletion of content clearly is an issue for him, but from Red's last post on the forum, your subsequent hypocracy seemed to be the last straw.

It appears that you're insisting on going the "repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth" route with this.

Funny, I was just thinking a few minutes ago that that was what you were trying to do.

[AtticaFlinch]

I did no such thing. I just said the beatles are not THAT good. Which they are not. "World music"? Lol. You are assuming that my taste is more valid than yours. It does not matter to me what you listen to. You can continue listening to that homogeneous drivel all you want.

Oh, ok, I get it. Insinuating that one must "snort LSD [sic] or smoke weed" to enjoy it is no insult. In fact, referring to my taste preferences as "homogeneous drivel" is not an attempt on your part to automatically assert the validity of your taste over anyone who happens to prefer it. Please. You did indeed insult my tastes, and everyone else's taste, and you're doing it again. Then you indeed did explicitly insinuate I couldn't possibly appreciate Vivaldi's madolin concertos because I happened to also listen to the Beatles. Oh yes you did. And then, when I mentioned I was really only familiar with Vivaldi's violin concertos, the Four Seaons in particular, you dismissed my affinity for that music as "blah." And then, you did indeed list some rather obscure musical offerings (from around the world) as if to prove your opinion was the most valid opinion. Yes you did. Have you read your posts since you wrote them? You can't spread your inflammatory, fatuous pap and then hide behind the just-my-opinion excuse as if it excuses your horrid manners.

Why is it a sad sad shame that I've never heard of Buddy Guy? Life has not been fair to me? Really, AtticaFinch? I hardly think so. What if I told you my ears bleed when I hear his music? What if I told you I lose IQ points everytime I hear The Mountain Goats? I dont like their stuff. I consider it junk. You may not. But I do. And I'm glad you have an interest in pretty much everything - it makes one a well-rounded and more balanced individual. Including "world music" - wherever the heck that's from. It's not "world music". What I posted is some Andean influenced Mexican, some band from Zimbabwe (which were in L.A. last year I think), some Chinese classical, and Bollywood.

I know! Where did I come up with such a strange description?! It must be all that LSD I've snorted, huh? Interesting that you insist you'll lose IQ points from listening to a band or a musical style after having had said you'd never even heard of (either of) those bands. So, if you do in fact decide to tell me your "ears bleed" when you listen to Buddy Guy, I'll know your grasp of the truth is beyond suspect. You've demonstrated no clear grasp of reason here, and I'm certain it's not the cacophany of homogenized drivel that's affected your IQ. I'd be interested to hear your viewpoint on other subjective art subjects. Is your view there just as myopic, hyperbolic and d**kish?

If you are insulted by my thinking you listen to top 40 corporatized, focus-group-approved pop, then I dont know what to tell you. You listen to what you listen. It is what it is.

But it isn't, is it? Since you've felt a need to denegrate mine and a host of other people's preferences, it isn't "what it is."

[HoustonMidtown]

Red had indicated to me a month ago that your deletions of his legitimate content had been increasingly frustrating. And you've done the same thing to me on occasion (example: 2727 Kirby thread). Deletion of content clearly is an issue for him, but from Red's last post on the forum, your subsequent hypocracy seemed to be the last straw.

Funny, I was just thinking a few minutes ago that that was what you were trying to do.

Nobody is forcing you to read/post/browse/lurk on this forum - if you dont like the way it is handled, you can start your own forum where you can make your own decisions, etc....the owner/editor can do as he pleases... if he's ticking off that many people (I dont think he is) - they will all leave and there wont be that much of a forum

[TheNiche]

Nobody is forcing you to read/post/browse/lurk on this forum - if you dont like the way it is handled, you can start your own forum where you can make your own decisions, etc....the owner/editor can do as he pleases... if he's ticking off that many people (I dont think he is) - they will all leave and there wont be that much of a forum

As I mentioned earlier, I could never hope to do nearly as good a job as Editor has at managing online forums. That doesn't mean that he does not commit errors in judgement from time to time.

[editor]

As I mentioned earlier, I could never hope to do nearly as good a job as Editor has at managing online forums. That doesn't mean that he does not commit errors in judgement from time to time.

I never claimed that I didn't make errors in judgement, which is why I publicly asked the moderators to decide if I should be sanctioned for what I wrote.

I guess my question is -- what's your point? Why do you keep flogging this dead horse? What is it that you want me to do to make you happy? You seem more interested in continuing an argument than coming to a resolution.

[crunchtastic]

I have been rather busy for a couple of weeks and have limited myself to reading certain topics.

As I've told my daughter, egos need a little TLC they can be shattered easily or hidden away if its wounded.

I may be one of the more ignorant members of the system, just because I'm a guy, I'm not a complete idiot.

Of course you're not an idiot! But i still think it's true that men and their egos ruin lots of things. Although, I must admit I'm sort of enjoying RedScareGate. .... not quite the Atlanta Housewives, but close. Me and the cap'n are having fun trying to figure out who is the HAIF's NeNe. It's certainly more interesting than a thread about a new texmex-flavored Sysco restaurant in midtown.

[editor]

Lisbon - depending on your definition of clean, and considering the downtown is moreso located in the 'burbs. Taxes are reasonable (for a European city). It has solid underground and aboveground rail service, plus busses and taxis. The city bears more than a passing resemblance to San Francisco, but the temperatures are far nicer and (believe it or not) the taxes and COL are better.

I haven't been to Portugal (or Spain) yet, but you're not the first person to recommend Lisbon to me. It's supposed to be oozing with "old world charm" but without the modern problems of a London or Paris.

[AtticaFlinch]

I never claimed that I didn't make errors in judgement, which is why I publicly asked the moderators to decide if I should be sanctioned for what I wrote.

I guess my question is -- what's your point? Why do you keep flogging this dead horse? What is it that you want me to do to make you happy? You seem more interested in continuing an argument than coming to a resolution.

Can you declare me King of Houston? That would make me happy.

But not like one of those British Kings... I want absolute power, and I want to use public money as my personal piggy bank. Then, I'll build a building so tall it stretches halfway to space. Its footprint will be the whole of Midtown. It'll take 100 years to build, but then, maybe then, some people on this forum will stop pissing and moaning about how Houston never does anything totally rad anymore.

[names]

Of course you're not an idiot! But i still think it's true that men and their egos ruin lots of things. Although, I must admit I'm sort of enjoying RedScareGate. .... not quite the Atlanta Housewives, but close. Me and the cap'n are having fun trying to figure out who is the HAIF's NeNe. It's certainly more interesting than a thread about a new texmex-flavored Sysco restaurant in midtown.

:popcorn:

[AtticaFlinch]

I haven't been to Portugal (or Spain) yet, but you're not the first person to recommend Lisbon to me. It's supposed to be oozing with "old world charm" but without the modern problems of a London or Paris.

One of these days I'll dig up some photos and post them in the appropriate forum. I've see a lot of Western Europe, and after awhile, most of the cityscapes start to blur together for various reasons or another. Lisbon is the most unique city on the continent that I've been to, and certainly the most distinctive in my memory. As an added bonus, aside from the positives mentioned already, the city isn't overinundated with fat, fanny-pack sporting midwestern tourists. There aren't a lot of English speakers, but I imagine Portuguese can't be too difficult to learn. It sounds like a hybrid of French and Spanish, so there's at least some familiarity there.

[editor]

One of these days I'll dig up some photos and post them in the appropriate forum. I've see a lot of Western Europe, and after awhile, most of the cityscapes start to blur together for various reasons or another. Lisbon is the most unique city on the continent that I've been to, and certainly the most distinctive in my memory. As an added bonus, aside from the positives mentioned already, the city isn't overinundated with fat, fanny-pack sporting midwestern tourists. There aren't a lot of English speakers, but I imagine Portuguese can't be too difficult to learn. It sounds like a hybrid of French and Spanish, so there's at least some familiarity there.

Sounds really appealing. What little I know about Lisbon comes from a couple of episodes of House Hunters International. I like the idea of there being few English speakers. It seems that the fewer people around me I can understand, the more I enjoy my trips.

[TheNiche]

I never claimed that I didn't make errors in judgement, which is why I publicly asked the moderators to decide if I should be sanctioned for what I wrote.

You privately asked the moderators for input and then unilaterally stated the outcome of the private discussion before closing the thread. Given the attempt to shut down the discussion and also on account of that you have repeatedly taken to misstating my arguments, I am hesitant to trust that your decree of absolvement was delivered in good faith.

I guess my question is -- what's your point? Why do you keep flogging this dead horse? What is it that you want me to do to make you happy? You seem more interested in continuing an argument than coming to a resolution.

As memebag's ability to post and PM demonstrates, RedScare's fate is an inequitible one, suggesting that your actions were punitive. You have claimed otherwise, that this is standard procedure for inactive accounts. Yet RedScare has demonstrated by his actions that his account is not inactive. Do you see it as unreasonable to treat RedScare like other people in a similar situation?

I started out by seeking an apology for attacks on your part. It seems as though no sincere attempt at apology will be forthcoming, though. At this point, I'd settle for an outcome such as I described earlier today:

Just humbly turn RedScare's posting and PMing privliges back on...and see what happens.

Doing this will not cure the bitter taste in my mouth, but the outcome in real terms will be satisfactory.

[editor]

I started out by seeking an apology for attacks on your part.

I don't recall where you asked for this. Can you point it out to me?

Just humbly turn RedScare's posting and PMing privliges back on...and see what happens.

I'm not sure how many times I have to say it -- All RedScare has to do is ask to come back and I'll restore his posting privileges. Let me know how many more times I need to repeat this both in the forum and in PM for you to understand it.

I'm not going to make a change to one user's account settings because another user asked for it. That's just bad policy. Red will have to ask for himself.

[TheNiche]

I don't recall where you asked for this. Can you point it out to me?

Pretty sure it was on the other thread, where so many of us were offended by your rant.

I'm not sure how many times I have to say it -- All RedScare has to do is ask to come back and I'll restore his posting privileges. Let me know how many more times I need to repeat this both in the forum and in PM for you to understand it.

I'm not going to make a change to one user's account settings because another user asked for it. That's just bad policy. Red will have to ask for himself.

Red had publicly expressed outrage at having discovered that his posting privliges taken away when he tried to participate on HAIF. So there you have it. He obviously didn't want to lose those privliges. If you continue to deny them to him, I can only take from that that you are engaging in a punitive action against him.

It's actually kind of telling that your behavior matches exactly what RedScare figured you'd do when he first discovered that his posting privliges were suspended; he said at the time: "So, his claim that I left is bogus. He has banned me. Probably wants me to beg or something." You disputed that he was banned as a matter of technicality, but I honestly don't see much difference between being banned and being forcibly shut up. But it is pretty clear that you're looking for a symbolic act of submission from him...and you know you aren't going to get it. You wouldn't give it, either.

Let me refine my request from earlier. I'm asking you to be the bigger man. And I'm not going to tell you how to be the bigger man, but I and everybody else will know evidence of it when we see it. This'll probably take more effort on your part than just restoring Red's posting and PMing privliges (though that remains an option), but this allows you the potential to demonstrate your good faith and character and to begin a healing process with the HAIF community. There's no downside to you. Do it not because I'm asking you, but because it's the right thing to do.

[editor]

We've already been over this. You seem more interested in arguing than accomplishing anything. All of your points have already been addressed either in this forum or in PM. I'm not going to argue in circles with you.

[AtticaFlinch]

Anyways...

I seem to be the only person in my office who can smell the coffee pot burning.

[Booboo]

Boy oh boy. Some things never change. I used to post here as 20sGirl and remember some pretty nasty arguments taking place. Then I had a baby and disappeared for a while and forgot all my login info. Looks like things are right on track where I left them...

[IronTiger]

Anyways...

I seem to be the only person in my office who can smell the coffee pot burning.

Do your coworkers have no sense of smell, then? Or do you just have a hypersensitive one?

[editor]

What's worse in an office environment? Burning coffeepot smell or burning microwave popcorn smell?

[IronTiger]

Burning coffee. Hey, I don't mind my popcorn a bit well-done.

[editor]

Boy oh boy. Some things never change. I used to post here as 20sGirl and remember some pretty nasty arguments taking place. Then I had a baby and disappeared for a while and forgot all my login info. Looks like things are right on track where I left them...