Rumbles at UH and Construction at Robertson Stadium

HOUSTON–She’s been there less than a year, but maybe just maybe, new UH President Renu Khator knows what she is doing. After recent rumblings about the UH seeking to join A&M and UT as Tier 1 funding status schools, a new Chronicle story picks up on university plans to give the aging Robertson Stadium a much needed face-lift.

The $38 million project, which has currently raised $12 million in funding pledges, would add luxury suites, club seating and team amenities along the current stadium’s northern end zone alignment and tie into the university’s larger campus construction plan.

More Dumb Ideas from Dumbo

 

SEATTLE–Let me preface this by saying that I fully support so-called “green” / sustainable living and environmentally friendly practices and ideas (so long as they have a realizable and tangible benefit and particularly when they have a long-term economic incentive as well). However, Seattle mayor Greg Nickels has gone too far.

Yesterday, Nickels announced a series of “car-free Sundays” to commence August in select Seattle neighborhoods. As part of the pilot for this plan, street closures for four to six hours will take place in the Alki neighborhood of West Seattle, Volunteer Park in Capitol Hill, and Rainier Avenue. If all goes well, Nickels hopes to expand the plan next summer.

On a Personal Note

Whew. A collective sigh of relief from all team members at work today–we passed our audit. I will be home in less than a month. Summer school will be over in less than a month.

Pickens Plan

You may not have heard of this, but I thought enough of it to post a link.

Pay for Plastic? Seattle Approves Fee for Bags and Ban on Foam

 

SEATTLE–In an unsurprising move, the city council voted today (6-1) to impose a 20 cent fee per plastic or paper bag issued at local grocery and convenience stores beginning next January. Additionally, the city unanimously voted to ban foam containers at food-services businesses to take effect at the same time.

METRO versus 3rd Ward: TSU Loses?

HOUSTON–Yesterday, METRO’s board of directors approved yet another modification to the controversy-embroiled University Line, moving the proposed rail line from Wheeler to Alabama amidst complaints by Third Ward residents. METRO officials lauded the decision as an example of how METRO works with rather than against the community in planning for Houston’s growing transit needs.

Toy Train or Transit? You Decide.

SEATTLE–Sound Transit, a regional transit agency, comprising light rail and bus service throughout the Puget Sound announced plans to place another transit package before voters this fall, after a $38 billion roads and transit plan failed last year. This time, the agency says, the transit package would focus specifically on improving the fledgling light rail line currently under construction between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Intl. Airport (approx. 17 miles).

Crunch the numbers any way you like and they don’t look any better than last time around. Taxpayers, who according to  slovenly pig Seattle mayor Greg Nickels would see an average tax increase of $69 per adult, would actually pay roughly $180,000 per person for 100,000 people to ride Seattle’s latest train transit disaster.

Bad Banks, Bad Banks; Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

 

Yesterday, Washington Mutual, the nation’s largest thrift, reported another loss; this time $3.3 billion, or $6.58 a share and more than three times the firm’s Q1 loss. On the other coast, Wachovia, the nation’s fourth largest bank by total deposits, posted a second quarter loss of $8.9 billion and slashed its dividend from 37.5 cents to a measly 5 cents per share. Like WaMu, which recently eliminated over 3000 jobs related to its tanking mortgage business, Wachovia announced plans to cut 6500 jobs in its ailing home loan division and cancel over 4000 open positions. 

Poor customers. Poor employees. Poor risk management.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

I am caught between a rock and several hard places as it were, right now. It really kind of sucks. So much stuff to do and so little time to do it in. I hate, hate, hate, hate this quarter. It is definitely the hardest and worst quarter of my life. My internship is going well–my first press release was picked up for publication in a community newspaper. (That’s the only place I sent it to anyway.)

At work things are very stressful; we will be audited soon and I do not feel ready. I do feel like everyone supports me though. We also hired two new team members, who I think are going to do an awesome job–and the 2Q earnings report came out and we bested our peers by far and raised the quarterly dividend. So work is mostly going well.

School is an utter and complete disaster at this point. I need to get everything back on track and I feel lost and don’t know how. I hope this weekend I can pull it out.

I am so homesick right now I feel delirious when I wake up in the morning and look out my window only to see mountains. As soon as we pass the audit I am going home for a few days to rest. 

The site has been put back online. So it’s kind of a mixed thing now, but the goal is to have the best of both worlds–private hosting and WordPress. This is the best I could do in terms of keeping a consistent lay out and design.