POLI: Proof From Houston Things Arn't So Peachy

Nancy Pelosi was in Houston on June 12th, 2009. In the city to promote her new book. The Houston Tea Party Society, the same people who put together the Tax Day Protests in the city of Houston were in attendance protesting her and her policies. Ironically at the same place the Tax Day protests took place. I was on my way to attend their protest with them. To write an article about why they were there.

by Virginia Tentickles Nicholson

While driving to Down Town, an epiphany struck. Not even making it 10 miles into the city I decided that attending the protest wasn't needed. Explanations of why The HTPS members were protesting was too easy of a story to write.

Most already know why The HTPS sets up protests, like so many other organizations across the country; they are fed up with government lies.

The theme, The HTPS had decided upon, for the protest was "Pellossiho," a clever reference to Pinocchio and his nose. Just like Pinocchio couldn't cover his lies the government cannot cover theirs anymore. They say almost every day that the economy is in recovery and the recession is close to being over but I found evidence, a short few miles from my own home, which shows contrary.


Driving down the freeway, passing many signs similar to this one (above) with open spaces where business names should be, it is easy to grasp the severity of our situation. The sheer number of signs similar to this is staggering; everywhere your eyes travel there are signs of businesses and retail stores closing, some which have been in the same location for decade or more.

To put more insult to injury, the above advertisement sign is next to two car dealerships, one already closed and the other in Liquidation.


Even the electronic based businesses are not immune to the economy, many suffering from the decreased spending of consumers’ right along with the retail stores and car dealerships. Right outside one of the last major electronics stores is this empty storefront (above), which used to be a computer shop in May 2009.



These two store fronts (above) are right next to each other in a strip mall. They are not in Houston, they are bordering the suburban maze of houses just outside the city limits. Right behind these two store fronts are an extensive patchwork of neighborhoods. This strip mall contains more than 10 store fronts, with these two as blatant reminders that the economy is not in recovery. To offer even more photographic evidence of government and media lies of economic recovery there is a vacant building a mere 300 feet from the strip mall.


As an ironic testament to its demise, a local area law firm called "Lawless & Lawless" has also closed its doors. The sign above used to display proudly, "The Offices of Lawless & Lawless." Right next door is another sign without words on it.

Not only is there photographic evidence that the city of Houston is hurting from the countries' economic woes but there is also testament from the homeless who dot the side of the freeway, unable to get jobs or a place to stay for various reasons.


Of the many I spoke to, there was one man who's story was the most interesting. I found Steve sitting outside this recently built, and closed, WaMu bank (above). I walked up to him offered him my recently bought fast food dinner and asked him to tell me how he came to be there.

Steve, like everyone else had made bad decisions in his youth. His bad enough to land him in prison 6 times. He told me he was not a violent man, a drug addict or alcoholic. He accepted he made bad decisions and they had put him where he was today. His real story though was how people reacted to him and his situation.

Steve sits under the freeway at an intersection, which is busy almost the entire day, with a sign and a bottle of water to keep him company. He talked of how some people would yell from their cars, "Get a job!" and others would hand him $100 dollar bills, then even more that would ignore him all together. His most interesting comments though were about a mother in a van. She stopped at his intersection opened her window and chatted with him for a short period of time. What struck him most was when she said, "I have to file bankruptcy, so my family and I will probably be joining you." She then proceeded to had him a 20$ bill and drive off.

What this all culminates down to is the fact that the current administration seems to be ignoring the truth and spouting lies to make our economic situation seem less harsh. As if they wish for the citizens of the country to be completely in the dark about how bad this really is. All one has to do is open their eyes and see the truth around them.

All the pictures above were taken within 10 miles of my own house! Imagine if I had gone farther into Houston and documented every closed business. Imagine if I had not stayed close to the freeway and ventured into the side streets of the city. You cannot travel down the highway without seeing vacant store fronts and signs with nothing on them.

These businesses were open in 2007.

(edited to add author's name by author's request)

[edit on 27-8-2009 by Byrd]

I've always said this is not a recession, or even a depression, it's a collapse of the entire system.

I definitely agree with you on how the economy is not recovering. I am seeing the same thing take place slow within the suburbs surrounding Dallas. Funny thing is that Texas supposedly has a very strong economy with lower unemployment rates than in most of the country. Gerald Celente was right about a coming commercial real estate crisis.

Much to worry about; however my neighbor(s) and HOA are still more concerned with assembling to complain about a few weeds they do not like in the neighborhood instead of assembling for anything that may save our economy. They think I am a nut when I tell them there are far greater concerns than a minor manicured bush and that without saving our country there will be no need to complain of such matters anymore.

The only question is when are they going to be done buying raw materials and other currency with the rest of their dollars and let ours collapse.

China is buying up copper like there's no tomorrow, because for the dollar, there might not be one.

If what this gentleman is explaining is true, then I would expect things to get vastly worse, and most likely never return to the norm: Chris Martenson: Crash Course.

If we have truly peaked on all our resources, and it continues to take more resources to extract smaller returns, then the value to everything goes up, buying power goes down, and there is no clear way to reverse the process especially in a consumer driven, debt based economy. As Chris states, you cannot have unlimited growth in a world with limited resources.

I think the rats smelled the water as the ship started flooding, looted what they could, and took the lifeboats leaving the rest of us to face the impending situation. I can think of no other reason why these people would be so brazen, not even attempting to hide their robbery of the system, other then its life or death, and they feel they have nothing to lose.

The best course of action is to start learning usable, survival type skills. We are heading back to the dark ages, in my honest opinion, only question is how long it takes us to get back there.

reply to post by Tentickles

---

Agreed. I have been seeing it happen before my eyes the past few years. The job I had was a warehousing job. When I joined in late 2006, business was still doing well, there were over 150 employees there and the place was hopping. They would hire more and more people because even though there were lots of people working there, the workload was to much. But then in the course of a year, the decline was starting. One month, it was to busy to keep up with orders, then for a month or two, it would be way too slow. Then it just got slower and slower. Employees that had been there for over 10 years were getting suspicious because they had never seen it slow during the known very busy times such as back to school inventory, or christmas sales.

Plus they started down sizing, but started little. They started making bonus almost impossible to achieve. They started firing a lot of people. But heres the thing with that, people that didn't really need to be fired were getting the ax. The laziest people of course were fired, but employees that were actually really good were getting strange write ups that eventually led to termination. But this wasn't happening at a grand scale yet. Longtime managers then started quitting for reasons of finding a better job. One manager got fired for supposedly having a sexual relationship with one of the female employees. But that was pure hogwash, for the real reason was that he was trying to fix the system to where people would start getting bonuses again because their standards were very impossible to meet.

Every month during the meeting the main manager would go on about how close we were to a bonus, but just not good enough by half a percent, oh bummer." But even before things started getting out of hand, there were suspicions that the warehouse is closing down due to a possible recession. This of course was denied, "everything is looking up and going great!" they would say. No one was stupid. But once a a few more of the long time supervisors were gone, things really got interesting. A regional manager called a meeting, did a good job of acting like "one of da boys, he was one of us, so he understands" act.

He announced a base pay raise, which of course everyone was happy. It went from $9.25 to 9.95. See when you got hired, you started at 9.25, would go up to 9.50 in 90 days, then 9.75 in another 90 days, then after you've completed your first year 10.15 an hour. Well, theoretically, if the base pay goes up, everyone else's does right? Not exactly. Few of the long time employees got a small raise, but everyone else stayed the same. So at the time I had been there over a year busted my tail and now the idiot who want's to "chill" rather than work that started a month prior to this will be making the same as me and be able to make more in less than 90 days because i wouldn't be due for another raise for another six months because i have been there a year.

This was strange to the long time employees because they remember when the base pay went up, everyones pay went up. It was believe this was designed to cause people to either quit, or get an excuse to be fired. Also to make everyone bitter. Then the "purge" began. Employees that were very good workers for eight, ten or even fifteen years were starting to get fired for the strangest of things. Of course the write ups would be first, but then the firings. All the good and experienced that were making the house limit were getting axed, and they replaced them with newbees that didn't have a care in the world. These careless, lazy people were keeping their jobs while the ones who were hard working were being let go. It was obvious the company was trying to save money this way because of a sinking ship.

I eventually got fired for showing up late on a day that was considered a snow day. My car was frozen, it took me nearly two hours to get it running, and i ended up being only 10 mins late for work because i knew it would probably take long to get the car started. My brother worked for the same company and in the year that I was gone, he told me how half the building was bought, so they downsized the warehouse, fired more employees and then was announced they were shutting down that warehouse. This was of course after certain managers had left the company. Now the place is a vacant building from what I've heard.

I tell this story because of my first hand experience in seeing all of this. The collapse was on the horizen even just a few years ago. Plus, I can see the similarities in what happened to this company to what is going on in the country. People are being reassured all the time that things are going to be ok. First we bring in the "messiah" that is going to bring hope and change to all of our problems. Gas is still ridiculously priced, as is food. The fools in charge are giving everyone the false sense of security that the recession is over and all is ok, so much so that the president is going on vacation again. But as you said in the OP, that is pure, 100% steaming B.S. I'm hearing of people everyday talking about their husband or so and so who lost their job and can't find anything because places are closing down.

I have been out of work for nearly a year and a half now. My girlfriend just finished college and cannot find work herself, plus she's pregnant (not planned, but still happy) but we are freaking out because, we cannot find work, especially when it's really needed more than ever for us. You brought up the story with the homeless man being told to get a job. When I'm in the car or in presence of someone who shouts "get a job!" to a homeless person, I tell them, "hey, you might very well be in that persons shoes soon enough, don't be too arrogant on that high horse".

This country is finally starting to collapse after many decades of termites (politicians of course) eating away at the very foundation of our nation. It wasn't as noticable, but thought the patch ups were doing the job, right now unless some miracle happens nothing is going to stop the eventual collapse if things keep going like this. Unfortunately, this is happening on a global scale, too. I do try hard to remain positive, though it is getting very difficult to do so. But hey, let's all rush to buy nancy pelosi's book, why not make her life richer, she deserves it so much!

Just a quick response to this crap... You would think that with all the decline in business, you could probably get those spaces pretty cheap right? WRONG!

Thats what else is wrong with the economy. Supply and demand aren't meaning a damn thing right now. People are artificially propping up these industries and its causing havoc on the economy.

I mean it makes sense to me. Business goes out, no one takes over rent, value drops, RENT SHOULD DROP RIGHT? But it doesn't. Hardly ever.


BTW: I apologize if this makes no sense...I'm all hopped up on DayQuil and Sudafed. I think I've become Oklahoma's second case of the swine flu.

[edit on 27-8-2009 by midnightbrigade]

reply to post by Darth Lumina

---

Lumina, your story is all too true and too numerous these days. My family and I are in the same boat as you. I am even living with my mother right now to save money. As is my older brother and younger sister. None of us can find jobs either! I've gone so far as to apply to fast food chains and pizza delivery services and I still cant get a job. It's down right horrible.

The county I live in has the official unemployment of 5.6%, which is great compaired to the rest of the country. More lies! LIES!

Texas is supposed to have one of the strongest economies right now...

Yeah, We're the one of the strongest houses about to collapse in on itself while surrounded by rubble of other states.

I have always maintained that we were beyond the point of no return before we even really knew there was a problem.

All of the "stimulus" packages and bailouts were and are nothing more than delaying the inevitable. With the added bonus of paying-off corporations who those in power have personal relationships and investments with.

It really is robbery of the people on a grand scale.

The car maker collapse was the first sign of the corruption at the highest levels. These three companies were supplying vehicles to a market that didn't exist. They were bailed out to continue operating when the appetite for their product was zero.
If you have no buying market, you have no business, this is a fundamental fact.

So what was your government doing throwing your money at them to keep them going for a little while longer?
It was a delaying tactic, to manipulate the figures and give the impression that there was light at the end of the tunnel. Just as this so called "recovery" we are seeing is a delaying tactic to manipulate the public into spending, and that alone will only delay the collapse and lengthen the process.

We get a local magazine at work, and I picked up a copy of it yesterday to have a look through on my break. Usually there are one or two pages of property, normally newly built units, to let.

This month there are eleven pages, of newly built units, old and recently vacated units, retail units etc.

This is not imaginary. Yes, it might take a while for such a "recovery" to filter through and be reflected in such publications and on the street, but it's already far more widespread and serious than it was previously said to be.

A few things I think everyone should absolutely know:

1. The Stock market is not an indicator of the wider economy (you'd be surprised how many people think it is).

2. Do not trust a word the government says about the economy, it is their job to lead the public and they have no interest in telling you how bad it really is.

3. Investing in anything other than self-sufficiency is pretty pointless, what you should be doing is teaching yourself and your family that money is a worthless invention and personal wealth/gain is not admirable. And you should be doing this while planting, while making agreements with those who can supply food in exchange for whatever you can do, and while buying water butts and solar panels.

4. The basics of water, food and shelter (along with family, friends and community) are the priorities that demand attention above and beyond everything else. Even if there is a magical and miraculous recovery tomorrow, you have lost nothing and gained a lot.

I honestly believe that this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. The worst scenario is the complete collapse of the $ and the £. This would lead to chaos like never before seen. We have never been so dependant on money as we are right now. We have allowed the basics of life; the fundamental access to food, water and shelter, to be controlled by greed and profit, which will leave many millions without anything.

At the very least, even without a complete collapse of the monetary system, the vast majority will struggle with higher taxes, lower standards of living, access to basic needs, rising crime, a constant threat of war, insecurity in employment and so on.

The second scenario is what Governments are hoping for. They know what the situation is, and an immediate and complete collapse of the $ would indeed be catastrophic for national security. They know what is now inevitable, and that is why they are making the process slow and gradual.

We are the frogs in the pan of increasingly hot water. And the only control the PTB have is how fast the temperature rises.

I say secession is the only way out. The agrarian states combine and pool our efforts, and to hell with the rest of the country. Let them pay in taxes to a corrupt government, let us adhere to the true law, the Constitution. You know how much money would be available to seceded states if we stopped paying it to the Fed, and only to the States?

Remember, be kind...still trippin on cold meds

[edit on 27-8-2009 by midnightbrigade]

reply to post by midnightbrigade

---

That's how I would go, and further.

The only way forward is to create smaller economy, smaller governance (ones actually connected to reality and to the people they serve) and smaller ecology.

We all need community halls, elected mayoral governance voted on democratically by the people of that community, housing built and supplied by the community, farming by and for the community...
Do away with national and international corporations.

Centralised governance should be in place for one reason and one reason only; national security. And even then it should only be in effect as needed.
Imagine how low taxation would be if all you had to pay for was a military and your local elected officials?
The beurocracy would be gone, the endless stream of government agencies and meddling departments would cease.

This will happen eventually, either through catastrophic war, through the choice of the people, or through the complete collapse of the monetary system.
I had always wished it would happen through choice and in my lifetime, but I honestly think it will take another force to make it a reality.

Just wanted to add my personal take on this...I am about an hour north of Houston now. A year and a half ago, I lived in an affluent neighborhood, and with my husband and 3 children were living comfortably. Now I live with my parents, as does my brother and his wife and child.

I was laid off because my company could no longer afford me. Since that time I have not missed a single day of searching for work, turning in applications, and dropping off resumes. I was a very specialized administrative assistant in the construction industry. Now, I have applied at every fast food chain, department store, and mom and pop shop still open and still no luck. Thankfully, my husband is still employed, but for the last month he has managed to make no more than 20 hrs per week.

When I hear how much better off Texas is economically, than the rest of the country, I don't know whether I should laugh or cry. As far as I can see, things are not getting better and the only hope that the average citizen has is to have close family and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make ends meet.

[edit on 27-8-2009 by Cameoii]

If it makes you feel any better, jobs in the pacific north west are returning. I can only speak for montana, washington and idaho but things are getting better around here.

I dont think you should use pictures of closed stores as your evidence that the economy is not recovering. Give me a break, These stores arn't going to open right back up its going to take some time.

You post pictures of electronic/ Computer stores, a law office, and a closed bank. Maybe some of these stores closed because their wasnt enough customer supply to keep them open. I mean you could probley drive down the street two more blocks and find other computer stores, law offices and open banks that are open and running. This isnt proof of a recession its just supply and demand.

Then you talk about the homeless. There is always homeless people on the side of the freeways. There always will be and always have been. Then you talk about steve your homeless friend. Steve has been in jail 6 times you said. I would also say that nobody is going to admit that they are a drug addict or violent man. but how do you go to jail 6 times and not learn that the something isnt working. No wonder nobody hires him, when there are unemployed people out there with no criminal record and a steady employment history, who do you think will get back to work first, the hobo or the clean cut working professional? How people reacted to him was his story, Telling a hobo to get a job in my mind is trying to help the man and no lady is going to stop and give 20 bucks to a hobo when she is worried about living out on the street with her kids. 20 bucks for the hobo or i could feed my kids for a two weeks....hard choice??

Then you tell me to imagine if you went down the side streets or even farther downtown.....Yea ill imagine what it will look like....Maybe since i just read your opinions and looked at your pictures, ill imagine that it is worse...Come on.

Im just saying what i think and that is the economy is recovering. your pictures and talking to a hobo (who probley didnt have a job 3 years ago anyway) dont prove anything. I just think that your angry and only looking at the bad.

I know ill get hell for this post but whatever. I lived in my car for 8 months after i got layed of in november of 2008. Your complaining about having to look for work at fast food and pizza places. I think you should be happy that you have parents that are providing a shelter and food for you in your time of need. Be happy that you arnt sleeping in your uninsured car stealing food and water and sleeping in parking lots with a pistol under your coat you use for a pillow. If i can find a job living on the street there is no reason why you shouldnt be able to living in your parents house. Quit feeling sorry for yourself and go find a job. If You have time to take and post pictures of closed buildings sayin the economy isnt recovering you arnt looking for a job very hard buddy...

reply to post by CowboyDrifter

---

f it makes you feel any better, jobs in the pacific north west are returning. I can only speak for montana, washington and idaho but things are getting better around here.


(where exactly are you talking about cowboy?) i am from north idaho region and 1 in 10 houses are in forclosure in the cda, hayden area. you can go down any city block in coere d alene idaho and see a house for sale 1 in 4. plz man dont give people a since of false hope. if you want to be accurate in what your saying, then say this. idaho, montana and washington are only doing good where there are colleges!! other than that you are full of !!@@

might be the reason i am back at college

been in survival mode for the last 2 and a half years, that said, with several certs to boot.

reply to post by CowboyDrifter

---

owe forgot i am not quit done here. 3 out of every 10 children in idaho go hungry

4 out of 10 families are under the poverty line. look that up cowboy!!!

wow dont know if there is another idaho, washington, and montana on the other side of the planet, so get your story straight before you blurb out lies

since texas has no state taxes...there is no government back-up for the middle-class and poor. alot more crime and poverty is going to show up in texas. texans will have to carry more guns, they'll have to take more precautions with their family members going out in public. but hey!! without taxes, they can spend more money on security for their own families.

reply to post by tatersalad

---

Foreclosure Rates are because of Sub prime mortages caused by people living beyond their means in homes they couldn't afford.

Idaho has historicaly had problems with child hunger and and poverty rates. This is nothing new.

your first sentence left out..." of which bankers had knowledge of and lent the money anyway"

and your second sentence could have included..." and the idaho citizens could care less, because they have not made any changes to turn this problem around".

For those in Houston looking for jobs, I know it may be a drive and not necessarily your cup of tea but there is a huge distribution center being built between Katy & Brookshire right on I-10.

I know they will be hiring soon because a friend that lost his job last December has been interviewed and is to start training in October.

Give it a try. It might just be the boost you need to get going until you find something better.

I believe the scheduled opening date is to be 4th quarter 09 or 1st quarter 10.

Don't wait that long to start contacting them as I'm sure the competition will be aggressive.

The only thing that is going to get the attention of the sitting congress and senate is to vote them out of office, ALL OF THEM!!!!!! IT IS THE WAY TO RESTART WITHOUT, WELL YOU KNOW WHAT.

They are like a bunch of crazy old coots that hang out at the country club. While they are inside the walls of the club, they think they can do anything that they want and no one can do anything about it. And as long as they pay their dues and make a donation every once and while,well the club admin. is not going to do anything either.

The only way to put a dead stop to this non-sense is to vote them all out, EVERY SINGLE SITTING CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR STARTING WITH THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS. NO MATTER WHAT, EVERY SINGLE SITTING MEMBER HAS TO BE VOTED OUT.

If we fail to do this, things will only get worse and that will lead to a total collapse of our country and an all out civil war. I just can't see things working out in the peoples favor with these members still there.

We can start to show our true feelings about these clowns in DC by paying them a nice visit. If we could get just a few million people to just show up at the nice big open area behind the White House where the big tree is on said date, how about 15 September 2009 just a random date we might be able to get the attention of the whole country.

What do ya say We the People?


Eye of Eagle

Semper Fi