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What is it about Atlanta that gets some Houstonians' underwear in a wad?
It's not even about Atlanta, It's the fact that this chart left out one of the most important cities in America. It was based on Business Activity, diversity, cultural experience, urban living, international presence,etc. Houston has more 500 fortune companies than any city besides New York, we are one of the most diverse cities in the US, We rank number one for foreign tonnage in ports. Were home to NASA and Texas Medical District! You can't tell me that Houston dosen't belong on this list.
It's not even about Atlanta, It's the fact that this chart left out one of the most important cities in America. It was based on Business Activity, diversity, cultural experience, urban living, international presence,etc. Houston has more 500 fortune companies than any city besides New York, we are one of the most diverse cities in the US, We rank number one for foreign tonnage in ports. Were home to NASA and Texas Medical District! You can't tell me that Houston dosen't belong on this list.
Although I find some of the Texans reactions to be quite funny on this thread, I do agree that Houston and Dallas belong on the list.
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
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I can see why Houston isn't on the list looking at their criteria. The city has a lot going for it and is well on its way --it's finally addressing quality of life concerns and working on its image and density in the core, among other things-- but it still has a ways to go. #1 priority is getting some good public transportation... #2 more public space... #3 better historical preservation, and celebrating the history, culture, and institutions that are here... #4 zoning... I could go on. In short, Houston needs to become more of a city people want to visit and play in, not just live and work. Basically, the city has got the left-brain stuff covered, now it needs a little more right-brain stuff to propel it into the world-class, global city status it aspires to. It needs to stop being so afraid of spending a little money on aesthetics, like burying the power lines underground, for example! This is one of the things that frustrates me about the city most: its potential. It has all the ingredients, but due to shortsightedness and NIMBYism, the stew ain't cooked yet.
Last edited by houstoner; 10-23-2008 at 12:48 PM..
I can see why Houston isn't on the list looking at their criteria. The city has a lot going for it and is well on its way --it's finally addressing quality of life concerns and working on its image and density in the core, among other things-- but it still has a ways to go. #1 priority is getting some good public transportation... #2 more public space... #3 better historical preservation, and celebrating the history, culture, and institutions that are here... #4 zoning... I could go on. In short, Houston needs to become more of a city people want to visit and play in, not just live and work. Basically, the city has got the left-brain stuff covered, now it needs a little more right-brain stuff to propel it into the world-class, global city status it aspires to. It needs to stop being so afraid of spending a little money on aesthetics, like burying the power lines underground, for example! This is one of the things that frustrates me about the city most: its potential. It has all the ingredients, but due to shortsightedness and NIMBYism, the stew ain't cooked yet.
That's interesting. One thing that Atlanta has had over the past 100 years is a very old and established business elite that engaged in a level of boosterism that rivaled that of Chicago's in the late 19th century. This community was very pragmatic and proactive and made a lot of investments in the city so it could compete on a global scale. Their actions have been especially useful to counteract some of the reactionary politics in Georgia on the state level, which is one of the reasons why Atlanta wasn't so much of a hotbed of racial conflict as was Birmingham (not to say that it didn't exist at all). If you look at many of the museums, libraries, parks, or events you will see names like Woodruff (Coca-Cola) or Allen (major office furniture retailer) behind it.
I know Dallas has a sort of similar tradition. Does Houston?
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