Comments for neoHOUSTON

Comment on An interesting take on Congestion Pricing by awp

awp — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:22:32 +0000

What people who make this argument are missing is that the toll is effectively replacing the cost of lost time sitting in traffic. The only way that would work is if the toll was high enough to keep people from traveling during otherwise congested times. The toll doesn’t directly make freeways freeflow, it makes them freeflow by reducing the number of cars entering the freeway, at any given time. Also the other environmental benefit is the lower level of emissions due to the fact that emissions are lower per mile for cars going 55 mph than those going 10mph.

It seems that what they are arguing is that it might be theoretically possible to have a congestion toll high enough to keep freeflow but lower than the previous cost of congestion, but if that were true then everyone who was on the congested road in the first place would be willing to pay the toll and we would be back to where we started.

Comment on An interesting take on Congestion Pricing by Andrew Burleson

Andrew Burleson — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:53:45 +0000

I’m right there with you, APR. I don’t think this guy is getting the complete picture. Still, he had an odd enough opinion that I thought it worth passing along…

Comment on An interesting take on Congestion Pricing by Appetitus Rationi Pareat

Appetitus Rationi Pareat — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:27:45 +0000

I’m not sure how raising more money through congestion pricing and then using those increased monies to fund improvements in public transit couldn’t be a plus for public transit and the environment. Maybe I am missing something?

Comment on Tour De Houston Preview and a teaser… by Cyclist

Cyclist — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:42:37 +0000

THe 40 miler is a predominently “out and back” course. Should it be renamed “Half de Tour”?

Comment on Tour De Houston Preview and a teaser… by The Tour of Houston took my advice

The Tour of Houston took my advice — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:15:27 +0000

[...] sort of. As you may recall, last year I observed that the Tour of Houston needed a user-friendly route map, and that it needed to go on Memorial [...]

Comment on Russian predicts imminent collapse of US by Cameron

Cameron — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:09:31 +0000

Don’t get me wrong I definitively believe that that map of what is supposedly going to be a separated United States is just propaganda but there must’ve been some key bits of information that would cause this supposed professor to come up with such a wild idea!

Comment on Common Law, Civil Law, and the Supreme Court by Liberal conservative

Liberal conservative — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:33:32 +0000

I liked your explanation of from where the concepts of common law and civil law come. And I do agree that many conservatives are very confused about what they really want and chase conservative populism as easily as the socialist.

When I object to Sotomayor it is not because an activist court would make law. It is her, I believe, unconstitutional belief that the rights of individuals are only those rights that are given to the individual by the State. As opposed to the classical liberal view, and Constitutionaly based, the individuals are endowed with natural rights (whether by “creator” or not does not consern me) from birth. The conservative principle should be that we agree to forfeit a very few rights in return for protection by the State but judges should stick to the Constitution. To make sure that the legislative body does not impede on the Constituional Rights of the individual. Sotomayor’s record shows she does not believe in individual Constitutional rights, nor does Obama for that matter.
Once again, I agree that consevatives should know why they believe what they believe, it would certainly help with many of the contradictions that come from the various conservative pundits.

Comment on Perception vs. Reality by Philip

Philip — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:21:38 +0000

I’d be interested in seeing the geographical extent of the study, so as to get an idea of where the statistics are coming from. It could help localize much of the opinions, and perhaps help to facilitate congregation and dialogue within the communities.

Comment on Discovery Green Thrives while Boston’s Greenway Struggles by Mohammed

Mohammed — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:44:42 +0000

I agree with the person above me,

It isn’t that the Discovery Green was designed so much better than the Boston Greenway. The success is due to the lack of anything in Downtown to do. There is no other place like it in Houston. So people that live in the surrounding areas don’t really have an alternative.

This is where, in my opinion, the article lacked. It didn’t mention the void and absolute need for such a place in Houston. There are even people that drive in from the surrounding suburbs because there isn’t another place where one could enjoy the views in a safe park.

But that shouldn’t takeaway credit from the designers and builders of Discovery Green they did a good job, but it would be unfair to say that they did a MUCH better job than their counter-parts in Boston

Comment on Comparing Interfaces: Real Urbanism versus Immitation Urbanism by Houston's Pedestrian Culture - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

Houston's Pedestrian Culture - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:54:16 +0000

[...] Originally Posted by irishlover Why do people always try to wish a place into something it isn't and won't ever be? Houston is Houston partly because of a lack of pedestrian culture the OP mentioned in other cities and partly because of a hundred other reasons that make our city unique. Get over yourself already. Yes Yes, woe are the people that would love to see Houston's urbanity improve. Non Natives and even Natives want a more walkable city. This is a perfect discussion and link about related to this thread. It centers around the development in Midtown in Houston. Comparing Interfaces: Real Urbanism versus Immitation Urbanism [...]