Official DALLAS Forum Off-Topic Chat Thread - Part 2 (Spring, Lancaster: middle-class, to buy)

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by xS☺Be

There are lots of "urban" startups around Dallas, but nothing really fully developed. It's kinda mind boggling to me that in a metro area with 7 million people that there's not anyplace remotely like a dense city typical of Europe, Asia, the East Coast etc. I think the midwest and western US are kinda a unique place on this planet. Billions of people are crowded into dense cities everywhere. The western US is more the exception than the typical.

They definitely broke the mold. Here's Dallas in 1939:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO9J9...e_gdata_player

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

It's not that hard to understand: we don't have the population density of Asia and the Sun Belt/ Western cities were really developed about 200-1000 years after Europe and the East Coast's city centers were built. Most of Dallas was developed post WWII and the suburbs post 1960, so of course they were built with cars & sprawl in mind, not horses, trams, and El's/subways.

AIA Dallas to screen ‘lost’ 1967 film about the future of the city, ‘The Walls Are Rising’ | Dallas Morning News

For those who are interested, that is a really good article that recently came out in the DMN by Robert Wilonsky. It's about a recovered film that discussed what Dallas urban planners in the 1960's wanted to do. It was very similar to todays push by Urbanists for the Trinity River park, better sidewalks, more parks, basically creating a more livable city.

It would have been interesting to see Dallas today, if they had gotten their way then. Obviously, they didn't get their way, and it's crazy the same battles have continued into the 21st century. It's crazy that our own mayor continues to remain one of very few supporters of the tollway in the Trinity, despite it being named as one of the biggest potential boondoggles in the nation.

Mike Rawlings Makes His Pitch | FrontBurner | D Magazine

[Katarina Witt]

Hi. I was doing a search about vaccines, and came upon this recently posted in thread. Since this is an off-topic chat thread, I hope you'll be OK with me posting here, even though I don't live in Dallas.

Originally Posted by 4Movingeast

I would like to see more pediatricians fire patients for not vaccinating. It is ok to have questions as a parent- but unconscionable in my view to choose not to vaccinate in the face of overwhelming evidence of their safety. Why anyone listens to McCarthy, who takes her clothes off for a living, or anecdotal stories, over evidence based peer reviewed scientific research is BEYOND what I can understand. You have struck a deep nerve with me, potential Frisco anti- vaxer, and I hope you choose to make your home somewhere besides my area. I am a pretty open- minded person but we don't need any more anti- science, anti- facts loonies here. I applaud Mississippi (now there's a phrase I didn't anticipate saying) for its "archaic" law.

I think peds who don't "fire" patients hope to be able to convince them to take at least some vaccines.

Originally Posted by MckinneyOwnr

Hmm. Let me just preface my entire post by saying I am not anti-vax. For anyone who wishes to state that I am, refer to the previous sentence until you understand.

I never gave much thought to vaccines, until my daughter was born. Then, I was shocked at the amount of vaccines kids are given these days!

(As a little back story, I'm 37, I went back to college at 31 for my Masters, and I had to get new vaccinations to attend since it was unclear which ones I had growing up.)

At that time, I saw how many vaccines I had when growing up, the number was something on the order of 10-12 vaccines, given from birth to age 6. I saw it myself on my immunization chart. Now, kids will have had 49 doses of 14 different vaccines by age 6.

peaceful parenting: CDC Mandatory Vaccine Schedule: 1983 vs 2014

It's not made up. The number of vaccines has dramatically increased since any of us were born, and it continues to increase. Now, any reasonable person will realize that the number of diseases to be protected from has not increased by 4-500% in the past 20 years.

That amount of chemicals in a tiny baby/child's body is unnatural, and I do believe that some children with weaker immune systems are harmed by that many vaccines. Our daughter in particular, when she turned one, had more vaccines given to her on that date than she'd had yet. She'd never been sick a single day her whole life. However, after getting the MMR, the DTap, the PCV, Varicella... all at the same time, she developed a high fever of almost 104. That can cause brain damage if not treated and controlled.

I personally believe people are right to question the sheer number of shots given these days, and delaying them can in fact be a smart move.

Most people I know who say anti-vaxers are idiots don't even realize just how many shots are being given to children today. Even my veterinarian says giving multiple shots at the same time to a dog (and a 100lb Golden Retriever at that!) can be harmful.

I know quite a few people who have decided to go with an alternative vaccine schedule, that spreads them out over a longer period. That group includes doctors, professors, and other very intelligent people.

Everyone who says that is actually anti-vax. As far as these educated people going with an alternative schedule, here's an interesting article I came upon earlier today. Too rich to get sick? Disneyland measles outbreak reflects anti-vaccination trend | US news | The Guardian It's the wealthy and well educated (though not necessarily educated in health care, esp. pediatrics) who are doing their own 'research' at the U of Google who avoid vaccines, feel that vaccine administration is a matter of "belief" as opposed to scientific evidence. Sure, there are doctors who don't "believe" in vaccines. But there are very few practicing pediatricians in that group. Your vet's opinion is not exactly appropriate either. If a dog gets too sick, you can just put him down. There is no evidence that a fever of 104 can cause brain damage, although it can be scary. The biggest problem with these alternative schedules is that the child is unprotected longer.

Fever - Myths Versus Facts
"MYTH: Fevers above 104° F (40° C) are dangerous and can cause brain damage.

FACT: Fevers with infections don't cause brain damage. Only body temperatures above 108° F (42° C) can cause brain damage. The body temperature climbs this high only with extreme environmental temperatures (for example, if a child is confined to a closed car in hot weather)."

Originally Posted by MckinneyOwnr

You are incorrect. Children who get the varicella vaccine can still get chicken pox. The vaccine is made from a weakened, but still live, virus. Some patients who receive the vaccine will get an outbreak because of it, and EVERYONE who takes it is still at risk for shingles.

CDC - Varicella Vaccine - Vaccine Safety

This is EXACTLY why it's a bad thing to just blindly get any old vaccine shot that comes along. People are completely unaware of the truth of the matter.

Children who get natural chickenpox can get it again, usually a lighter case. There is some evidence that the body clears the chickenpox virus quicker with the vaccine than with natural chickenpox, leading to a lower rate of shingles, as shingles is a reactivation of dormant chickenpox virus.

Originally Posted by MckinneyOwnr

And you should read more carefully... 7 out of 100 children ran a fever after the first dose, 4 after the second, so 11 children out of 100. 3 out of 100 developed the chickenpox rash after the first dose, 1 after the second.

11% ran a fever (no telling how high, but in my daughter's case, it was dangerous) and 1 in 25 will get the chickenpox rash.

All of them will be at risk for shingles in the future, just like anyone else who got chicken pox "the old fashioned way."

No, it's not necessarily 11 children out of 100 total who got a fever from two doses of the vaccine. It could be 4 of the seven who got the fever the first time who got one again.
Fever - Myths Versus Facts

[EDS_]

Amid measles outbreak, critics rip parents who skip kids


This is a big problem in Dallas/DFW. Among certain groups our immunization rates broach third-world levels.

[aggierk]

70F temps Sun-Thu.
Anybody has plans?
I plan to wash my car - it is filthy (dark blue shows it very well).

[aggierk]

I just found this thread - good way to post random thoughts.

I have been trying to exercise this week (new year started late for me).
Ran 7 miles already this week but on treadmill.
Planning to run outside on Sunday.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by aggierk

70F temps Sun-Thu.
Anybody has plans?
I plan to wash my car - it is filthy (dark blue shows it very well).

Hmm...I may wash mine too. I haven't washed it since I bought it on Halloween because we've either had cold temps or lots of rain. But there's no rain in the 10-day forecast so I might go for it!

It'll be weird washing a different car.

[aggierk]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Hmm...I may wash mine too. I haven't washed it since I bought it on Halloween because we've either had cold temps or lots of rain. But there's no rain in the 10-day forecast so I might go for it!

It'll be weird washing a different car.

Washing is the easy part - Drying not so much.
I bought some good microfiber towels to wipe off the water.
Bestsller towel (camois?) from amazon just sticks to surface.
I like the microfiber towels better.


These temps are also great for visiting parks - it is almost like early spring for us while Iola is battering east coast.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by aggierk

Washing is the easy part - Drying not so much.
I bought some good microfiber towels to wipe off the water.
Bestsller towel (camois?) from amazon just sticks to surface.
I like the microfiber towels better.


These temps are also great for visiting parks - it is almost like early spring for us while Iola is battering east coast.

I didn't have any problems wiping the car down; if it dries after you wash it, just get it wet again and THEN dry it. Once the towel gets a little bit damp, it's not really an issue; it'll clean the spots right off.

I use several microfiber small towels to clean the glass so there aren't any streaks. I clean the windows inside and out. On a sunny day like what we had today, you gotta be quick!

(I did wash the car today. It looks awesome.)

[RonnieinDallas]

Who has upcoming Valentine's Day plans? Spring break plans, or other?

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

Who has upcoming Valentine's Day plans? Spring break plans, or other?

Going with my dad to a car show. On the Sabbath, no less.