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My test for important a city is: How the nation and world would be effected if a natural disaster completely destroyed the metro area tomorrow. If SF Bay Area left, there'd be pandimonioum in the technological world. The absence of Google in and of itself would affect our daily lives. But it's not in your Top 10. If DC disappeared, there would be far more chaos than if Dallas, Philly, Houston, Miami, Atlanta or Boston left. But it's not in your top five.
Houston holds lots of US oil, we saw what happen when Hurricane Ike came through. The country would suffer if something happen to Houston, that is why it is big deal when we are in danger of being hit by a hurricane.
Houston holds lots of US oil, we saw what happen when Hurricane Ike came through. The country would suffer if something happen to Houston, that is why it is big deal when we are in danger of being hit by a hurricane.
So i guess that's why we are still struggling with the middle east for oil.
That's a bad arguement especially considering Houston is a very large city compared to the others (speaking of land size). The fact that Houston is in the top 10 with 605 sqm says a lot.
The Statistic was per 100,00 of population, not per square mile.
And the award for most obtuse comment of the day goes to...
Quote:
Originally Posted by DC's Finest
Houston? Stop playing. It could fall in the gulf and no one would miss it except people in the Republic of Texas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jluke65780
Your point is??? Exxon Mobil and Shell have their oil in Houston.
It isn't so much where the oil is physically located, but where the distribution of said oil (and energy as a whole) is facilitated, and that is Houston. Until the US weans itself from its energy dependence, Houston will basically continue to pull the strings in Washington and have the ability to bring our infrastructure to a halting standstill. Is Houston important? California heils Schwarzenegger because Enron didn't like Gray Davis. Is Houston important? Six of the last nine presidents were deeply in the pockets of the oil lobby, and fully 1/3 of those nine presidents were at least nominally from the state of Texas.
And even if we pull ourselves away from oil, Texas (and in turn Houston)has already poised itself to become a leader in the so-called "green" energy industry. Already, Texas has more windmills than anywhere else in the country, and is itself eclipsing all but Germany and Spain for a total in the world. The next top producer in the US is California, which has roughly 1/3 the number of windmills as Texas. Third place is, I think, Colorado, which is so far behind the top two as to be negligible.
If I were you, I'd closely watch the current Texas Legislature (dubbed the "Alternative Energy Legislature") to see how what Texas is going to do in the next five years will affect your own state, and indeed the rest of the country. By the way, Texas' government officials are funded more blatantly out of Houston and Dallas boardrooms than our federal government is. It ain't difficult to discern a money trail. But, instead of watching the direction this country will head within the next decade, city-daters instead get caught up discussing Rick Perry's blustery ruse about Texas secession.
Is Houston important? Oh yes... unless you don't ever flip on your light switch, or drive a car, or ride public transportation, et cetera ad infinitum.
That's a bad arguement especially considering Houston is a very large city compared to the others (speaking of land size). The fact that Houston is in the top 10 with 605 sqm says a lot.
You didn't like word problems in math class did you? Check the statistic again, it has nothing to do with land area. It has to do with per 100,000 people...
Unless of course your arguement is to diminish Houston which is surprising coming from a native. By pointing out that 3rd metric, well, it makes it less impressive. If you don't understand why, well, we'll just end this by saying that isn't a smart comparison to add.
And even if we pull ourselves away from oil, Texas (and in turn Houston)has already poised itself to become a leader in the so-called "green" energy industry. Already, Texas has more windmills than anywhere else in the country, and is itself eclipsing all but Germany and Spain for a total in the world. The next top producer in the US is California, which has roughly 1/3 the number of windmills as Texas. Third place is, I think, Colorado, which is so far behind the top two as to be negligible.
If I were you, I'd closely watch the current Texas Legislature (dubbed the "Alternative Energy Legislature") to see how what Texas is going to do in the next five years will affect your own state, and indeed the rest of the country. By the way, Texas' government officials are funded more blatantly out of Houston and Dallas boardrooms than our federal government is. It ain't difficult to discern a money trail. But, instead of watching the direction this country will head within the next decade, city-daters instead get caught up discussing Rick Perry's blustery ruse about Texas secession.
Is Houston important? Oh yes... unless you don't ever flip on your light switch, or drive a car, or ride public transportation, et cetera ad infinitum.
Too bad, in a good and bad sense, Texas is on its own electric grid. What ever Texas does for green energy does ZERO for the national economy minus a few jobs in TX. You have no way to export that energy... Due to this fact, without substantial changes, TX in my mind will have a difficult time being the leader for national "green" power. Businesses may still HQ there with TX energy incentives, but for actual energy jobs, they most likely will be in other areas. Plus, the competition/lobbying from the hydrocarbon giants over these "incentives" (and denying it to companies whose goal is to reduce their profits) will be very difficult for TX to fully adapt. You explained it yourself why.
TX's biggest draw for energy and the country is its refining capacity which is substantial. State wise it does drill the most oil, but most of our domestic oil is Federally owned offshore, and throw in 70% import ratio for oil, and TX as an oil producer for the country and its impact on her is not "gigantic".
Natural gas wise that is another story (and with current prices is one reason the TX economy "might" get shocked a bit this summer).
So i guess that's why we are still struggling with the middle east for oil.
Hey, hurrican Ike, gas prices, remember.
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