Houstonist

Friday Afternoon Video: Happy Birthday, MF Doom!

Katharine Shilcutt Gleave — 2009-01-09T16:30:00-06:00

Daniel Dumile, better known by the stage name MF Doom, was born on this day 38 years ago to a Trinidadean mother and a Zimbabwean father. And although he was born in London, Dumile moved to Long Island as a child and later became one of the most interesting and exciting voices in American hip-hop.

Originally rapping under the name Zev Love X, Dumile took the stage name MF Doom after his younger brother was killed in a car accident. Distraught by the loss and unable to perform without a mask or stocking over his face, Dumile -- who was heavily influenced by Marvel comic books, the character of Doctor Doom in particular -- began performing as M(etal) F(ace) Doom (after the "Dum" in Dumile). He eventually adopted a metal mask akin to the one that the supervillain Doctor Doom wears and now wears the mask at all times, never performing or being photographed without it.

These days, MF Doom does much more than just rap. Aside from collaborating with Madlib (in the group Madvillain) and DJ Danger Mouse (in the group Doctor Danger), he does voiceover work with the Cartoon Network's [adult swim], providing character voices on The Boondocks and Perfect Hair Forever.

With his last album as MF Doom released in 2005, Dumile is expected to release a new album in 2009 titled Born Into This. What does any of this have to do with Houston? Nothing. But who doesn't like a dude that raps in a metal mask?

See Ya!

Katharine Shilcutt Gleave — 2009-01-09T14:30:00-06:00

Wondering what happened to longtime Houston radio icon Sam Malone, most recently of Mix 96.5? Yeah, we really weren't either, but apparently some people were (we suspect they also listen to a lot of Nickelback and Creed).

Mike McGuff has an insightful interview with the DJ today, in which Malone discusses the abrupt and unexpected manner of his termination from the radio station as well as his views on the evolving nature of the industry itself:

There's a lot of uncertainties in accounting, a lot of uncertainties in sales, computer sales, a lot of uncertainties in retail, you know, automotive. But, nobody ever walks in and changes a Chevrolet into a plane. You know what I'm saying? Let's make planes today!

Choice quotes from the interview reveal that Sam Malone and his longtime on-air partner, Maria Todd, disliked each other intensely at first before eventually becoming the city's most recognized and entertaining morning radio DJs. Malone also discusses what he loves about Houston as opposed to his hometown of Philadelphia and his feelings on his dismissal:

And I'm like, "Well, I happen to have a beautiful big office with lots of stuff in it, so what about that?" "We'll have the movers ship it to your house." I'm like, "Well, what do I do?" They said, "Leave." And they walked me out. They had a guy walk me out to my car. And I'm like, "Do I look like a nut bag or something?"

You can read the rest of the interview here, at McGuff's blog.

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Old-timey radio photo courtesy of Flickr user jeffbalke.

Weingarten + COH Planning Commission

lauren — 2009-01-09T14:00:00-06:00

Weingarten Realty won big at Thursday's Planning Commission hearing - according to Swamplot.com, the retroactive variance was grantedWeingarten made a few concessions for the neighborhood including shortening the balcony seating area (to only 30 inches over the setback), and lowering tiny signage and removing the LED lights on the west side of the building. Swamplot also reminds us that homeowners living along the back side of the new parking garage (on Brentwood Dr.) signed an agreement to keep quiet (to not complain) about the whole situation. Why they opted to do this, no one knows. The video of the January 8th Planning Commission meeting can be seen here. The River Oaks Shopping Center variance starts about 20 seconds in to the "Platting Activity Section H Item 57" section (just after the Director's report) and is presented by Dipti Mathur.

Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - Sunset on the Westpark

Eric S. — 2009-01-09T12:00:00-06:00

Sunset on the Westpark
by Helena's Furie

The over saturated feel of this image really adds to the dramatic sunset in this shot along Westpark.

________________________________________________________________
If you have a passion for Houston and photography, consider joining a whole bunch of Houston's best photographers in the Houstonist Flickr Photo Group. Each day, Houstonist chooses a Photo of the Day and if Houstonist uses your photo, submit it here.

For more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.

Daily-ist: Friday

Brittanie Shey — 2009-01-09T11:40:00-06:00

Museum of Unnatural History

Join Art League Houston tonight for an exclusive viewing of the unusual animals and specimens procured by scientist Dr. Thomas Harrigan during his explorations into an alternate universe.

According to texts by Dr. Harrigan, The Sidereal is "in many ways a mirror image of our world [that] has produced a variety of species possessing adaptations wildly divergent from those we see on earth." Creatures on display will include the Pushmi-pullyu (Tragus januali), a lichen eating two headed sheep; the longcat (Lynx metamorpha), a blue mite covered feline whose powerful limbs and body can expand up to ten times their at-rest length; and the Procyon besheret, fondly known as the "pair-bears" due to the permanent fusing of tails during a secret mating ritual.

In reality, the creatures on view are the brainchild of Houston-based artist Elaine Bradford. Her "Museum of Unnatural History" is a diorama installation featuring sculptures made from taxidermied animals. Some of the animals are in their original state, while others have had their parts mixed-and-matched Dr. Seuss-style. The animals are then clothed in outfits crocheted by Bradford, giving them a macabre but whimsical look.

You can read more about the artist here, including the story of how she came to crochet sweaters for everything in her fridge, even the individual baby carrots. Art League Houston will be offering to free docent tours January 10 and February 7 at 2 p.m. The exhibition opens tonight with a talk by the artist and a reception from 6-8 p.m.

Museum of Unnatural History
Admission: FREE!
Date and Time: Tonight, 6-8 p.m.
Location: 1953 Montrose Blvd

Photo: the Procyon besheret, A.K.A "pair-bears", courtesy Art League Houston

Morning Roundup

Jim Parsons — 2009-01-09T08:30:00-06:00

Did Paul Bettencourt, the former Harris County voter registrar, try to intimidate an election judge who talked to the media about concerns with accepting problem ballots? The judge sure seems to think so

What seems to be the most widely circulating flu strain this season is resistant to Tamiflu, the most commonly prescribed treatment for kids

An ex-HPD officer has been arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault in connection with a September rape

Texans wanting to seek aid from FEMA for Ike-related damage will have to do it by Monday, the feds' deadline

Darren Castleberry, an American man wanted here on charged of child sex abuse, has been arrested in Thailand and could be back in the U.S. within days

In a not-at-all-shocking development, Weingarten Realty was granted a retroactive variance for construction of River Oaks Shopping Center 2.0

A new way to subdue suspects in police chases: hog tie them

Oilfield services company Schlumberger will lay off about 100 of its 5,000 Houston-area workers as part of nationwide cutbacks

In today's world of faltering retail giants, at least one chain of stores is reporting an upswing in business: Beaumont-based Conn's, oddly enough

Thinking of feeding your parking meter so you can hang out in your parking space longer than the posted time limit? Think again and tremble, miscreant

The Chevron Houston Marathon is set for next weekend, but the economic impact is already being felt

HArris County leads the state in rail accidents, with 1,376 accidents and incidents reported between 1998 and 2007

This weekend's weather: Expect sun today, with an afternoon high of 77 before a cold front swings through and drops temps into the mid 50s for Saturday. Saturday night will be clear and cold, with lows in the 30s, followed by sun and a high in the lower 60s Sunday.

Galveston, Oh Galveston, I Am So Afraid of Dying

Katharine Shilcutt Gleave — 2009-01-08T16:30:00-06:00

If you are of the belief that Glen Campbell's ode to Galveston spoke to the city like a deeply-missed and deeply-loved woman, that woman is in awful shape right now.

Nearly four months after Hurricane Ike swept through the city, its eye making landfall directly on the island with a force that belied its Category 2 status, Galveston is making progress towards rebuilding but is still a city in shambles. The city's largest employer, the heavily-damaged University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), recently laid off 3,800 employees while other area businesses struggle to rebuild. Tourism, an industry upon which the island relied heavily, is also moving sluggishly despite recent efforts to clean up the flood-ravaged Strand in time for the yearly Dickens on the Strand. Island residents are still awaiting insurance settlements to rebuild their homes, while entire neighborhoods languish and rot.

Two recent articles in Houston's main papers, the Chronicle and the Press, are asking the tough questions and showing the tough truth about Galveston's efforts to rebuild in the face of national apathy and a brutal recession.

The Chronicle discusses how the island is desperate for funds, to the point that they're begging the Texas Legislature for some assistance:

Revenues from property and sales taxes and other sources are dropping so sharply that layoffs of city employees are imminent even after the city slashed spending and cut all its employees' pay by 3 percent, City Manager Steve LeBlanc told the House Select Committee on Hurricane Ike on Wednesday.

He asked that the state refund all or part of the sales tax revenues generated on the island for two years and provide a long-term, low-interest loan from an emergency fund that's now empty.

"I'm getting to the point of being, in a sense, desperate for help," LeBlanc told reporters after his testimony. "It's becoming very difficult to serve our citizens."

At the Press, John Nova Lomax tries to understand why Galveston's plight has been largely ignored on both a state and national level:

While Katrina's destruction of New Orleans monopolized the eyes of the country and the world for weeks in 2005, Galveston had the misfortune to have Ike fall in the TV-watching dead zone of late night on Friday, September 12, three years later, and then to be eclipsed in the news cycle by even larger national and international events almost immediately.

By contrast, Katrina struck New Orleans at eight a.m. on a Monday in a nonelection year, almost as if it were a gift-wrapped page-one story for news-starved organizations the world over.

The neglect even has a bottom line: Wilma, Rita and Katrina together inspired people to give to all hurricane-related charities to the tune of almost $6.5 billion. The four biggest charities have only been able to come up with $19 million for Ike victims. If you are doing the math at home, that comes up to less than one-third of 1 percent. It's a practically infinitesimal amount, even if you divide the $6.5 billion by three to account for the three storms. One example speaks volumes. The Bush-Clinton fund, run by the former presidents of those names, raised $135 million after Katrina. The same fund only managed to scrape together $2.5 million for Ike victims, despite the fact the storm hit the hometown of one of the principals.

Public consensus seems to lean heavily towards the idea that Galveston will have to rely primarily on private industry and investment to get back onto its feet again, as government and charity spending can only go so far. What this means, however, is a future in which we could see gambling legalized on the island -- harkening back to its old days as a hotbed for organized crime (which is where Tilman Fertitta's family made their fortune, after all) -- and an Atlantic City built on the Gulf of Mexico, the lights from tacky casinos along the Seawall mirroring those twinkling from oil rigs out in the sea.

Would it be worth it? We ask you, readers, would you be willing to see a Galveston in which less focus is on the historical and leisurely aspects of the island -- things like the Strand, the Railroad Museum, Ashton Villa, the Elissa, the beaches and the laid-back vibe -- and more focus is on Landry's-style in-your-face tourism and gambling if it meant that the city could rebuild faster and stronger than before?

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Photo courtesy of Flickr user grovesa16.

Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - Conversation

Eric S. — 2009-01-08T12:00:00-06:00

Conversation
by laanba

Photographers description:

The couple on the left was obviously very engrossed in their conversation. I took several long exposures and they hardly moved at all.

For more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.

Daily-ist: Thursday

Brittanie Shey — 2009-01-08T11:40:00-06:00

Revolutionary Road preview screening

Houstonist has never been the kind of person who reads a book after seeing the movie, but Revolutionary Road has been on our reading list for a while now. We just haven't gotten around to reading it yet, because there are about 200 other books on our list as well.

We didn't even know that there was going to be a movie version until recently, but now we're thinking we might take the easy way out and see the two-hour version of the story instead of devoting a week to the written version.

Tonight would be a good night to do so, as there is a free preview screening of the film, starring Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in their first movie together since, you know, that other movie you might have seen.

The story revolves around a married couple living in 1950s suburbia. They have always seen themselves as different from the typical suburban family, but soon they find themselves turning into exactly the kind of couple they loathe — a salary man and an unhappy housewife. Driven to change their fates, they decide to leave Connecticut for the great unknown of Paris.

The screening takes place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Memorial City Mall Cinemark 16. Free tickets are available at the House of Coffee Beans, 2348 Bissonnet.

Early reviews say the movie isn't a great as the book, but then again, it never is, is it?

Revolutionary Road free preview screening
Admission: Free! Get tickets at the House of Coffee Beans, 2348 Bissonnet
Date and Time: 7:30 p.m. tonight
Location: Memorial City Mall Cinemark 16 theater

Morning Roundup

Jason Bargas — 2009-01-08T08:30:00-06:00

Continental tested green jet fuel with a test flight yesterday

The NTSB released a report on the Denver crash of Continental flight 1404

Galveston is worth saving according to Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas

A local roofing company will roof an Ike damaged home for free

Rice U. gives you the fourth best bang for your buck among private institutions

An impromptu study indicates that wearing your seatbelt is still a good idea

How do you spell deficit? Deficit. T-R-I-L-L-I-O-N. Deficit.

Police tasered a man attempting to flee the scene of an altercation

High school soccer playoffs are looming causing

The Rockets beat the Celtics last night pleasing fans and bookies alike

It's official. Andre Johnson is a Pro Bowler once again.

Ghosts of transgressions past have eaten up Pacman as the Dallas Cowboys gave him the boot

Today's weather: Partly cloudy today with a high of 74 and a low of 58.

H-Town Rock

Adam P. Newton — 2009-01-07T17:00:00-06:00

For the Weekend of January 8th-11th, 2009

Good afternoon everyone. We hope that all of our readers have enjoyed the week so far. This is especially true for all of our schoolteacher friends who are beginning their first full week back in the classroom with the little darlings. Returning to the grind of the school day after two weeks off can be tough for both teachers and students. Luckily for the adults, there's plenty to do this weekend around Houston to help them take their minds off all those papers that must be graded and the fact that Little Timmy still hasn't learned how to sit still during Language Arts. Hopefully, some live music and a few stiff beverages might assist relieving that stress headache building behind the sinuses.

Thursday, January 8th
The Kickback and Free Radicals at Notsuoh
Lotus Effect at Rudyard's
Michael Hardie and Beetle at The Continental Club
Songwriters Night: Featuring Idgy Vaughn, Amy Speace, and Danny Schmidt at McGonigel's Mucky Duck

Friday, January 9th
Initially, we were going to poke a bit of fun at Sister Hazel, mostly because it's easy to mock the cheesy "alternative" bands that were popular in the mid-'90s. However, we really couldn't pass up the chance to harass Céline Dion (and it's difficult to know where to start). At first, we wondered whether or not Céline was risking too much by leaving the safe confines of the Vegas residency she's held since 2003 to get back on the road for the "Taking Chances" tour, but it seems that $236.6 million is a fairly hefty sum to accrue as a touring artist, even in this depressed economy. In the end, what we are left with is the chance to cheekily deride those folks who find musical pleasure in Céline's slickly produced, emotionally exploitative, and lucratively popular romantic ballads. Thus, when we investigate such evidence as "It's All Coming Back To Me Now," "Because You Loved Me," and "My Heart Will Go On," it seems that 200 million people (in terms of records sold worldwide) can be wrong. Do yourselves a favor, fans of decent music: get out to Rudyard's for Alpha Rev or join our crazy roommate at Fitzgerald's for Project H.

Alpha Rev at Rudyard's
Céline Dion at Toyota Center
The Gourds at Cactus Music
The Gourds and Molly and the Ringwalds at The Continental Club
Hunger Project Benefit: Featuring Sybil, Skyblue72, The Tiles, and Gina Chavez at Walter's on Washington
Junior Brown at McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Sister Hazel and Nelo at House of Blues
Versecity, Mind Body Soul, Project H, and From Guts To Glory at Fitzgerald's

Saturday, January 10th
OK - we get it. We watch Metalocalypse (Murderface is our favorite character). Metal is supposed to be brutal, but we do not understand why metal bands have to concoct such atrociously offensive names to represent their art. We've seen many of these groups in action and enjoyed their music (Kerry King of Slayer is a joy to watch shred on stage), but those ever-present death, dying, and destruction-themed monikers will always be a bit confusing to us. Whatever happened to aggressive (but non-bloody) names like Pantera?

Graham Wilkinson and the Underground Township and Spain Colored Orange at The Continental Club
Kristine Mills at McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Necrofaith, Marzi, Within Chaos, Ethreal, Rotting Devastation, and Lycophile at The Meridian (Red Room)
Ram Herrera at The Meridian (Main Room)
Taste of Garlic, World's Most Dangerous Band, and Trian Woodburns at Rudyard's
Truck, Full Service, Free Bleeder, and Detorist at Fitzgerald's

Sunday, January 11th
Austin Collins and Waylon Paine at McGonigel's Mucky Duck
LaShell Griffin and Jeff Majors at Groove Restaurant

We're Number Two! We're Number Two!

Katharine Shilcutt Gleave — 2009-01-07T16:30:00-06:00

In addition to having a lower homicide rate in 2008, Houston has yet another reason to celebrate: we're no longer in the state with the largest number of knocked-up teenagers! Texas once led the nation in the number of pregnant minors, but now that discouraging title has passed to Mississippi. The Magnolia State led the nation with a stunning and unprecendented 60% higher rate of pregnant teens than the national average, while Texas and New Mexico stood at a solid yet regrettable 50%. Now if we could just get that whole "worst city in the nation for recycling due to damnable stubborn streak" monkey off our backs…

Houston's Best Jukeboxes

Rob Hays — 2009-01-07T13:55:28-06:00

So you're out of the town for a night of adult beverages and shennanigans of various and sundry sorts, and you need a soundtrack. To the jukebox! But wait: will you find the right songs to set the mood, or will you find an array of albums seemingly thrown together by a blind chimpanzee with a dart board (or the program director of The Buzz)? Have no fear, as your crack Houstonist staff has pooled their collective intellects and music snobbery into a brief list of machines worthy of your Washingtons and Lincolns.

Before we go any further, though, it's worth commenting on the advent of a technology that (like atomic power or tequila) can be used for ultimate good or ultimate evil. We refer, of course, to the Internet-enabled jukebox. The ability to pull any song out of the ether is an awesome responsibility, and one that the wisest among us must use responsibly. So in our consideration of Internet 'boxes, we'll focus on the albums that are automatically present at a given venue, not the nigh-infinite variety that you have to pony up extra money to hear. Bars choose which albums appear in the regularly-priced section, and as such we'll rank them along with the old-school models.

The runners-up, in no particular order:

Boondocks
This on-the-bend Westheimer dive is one of our long-time faves. The 'box reflects the crowd: grimy punk rubs elbows with classic soul and garage rock to give a backing track that is guaranteed to be as loud and raucous as the bar itself.

The Kelvin Arms
The Rice Village pub that isn't really in the Village does have one of those new-fangled Internet-enabled jobs, but it's stocked with classics ranging from the Dave B's (Bowie, Brubeck and Byrne) to Wilco & Billy Bragg's Mermaid Avenue to the bar rock of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. The wide variety allows you to set the mood to taste, from chill to mayhem and anywhere in between.

The Volcano
Wash down a strawberry-basil margarita with the hands-down most eclectic jukebox in town. Tejano, ska, blues, new wave, country, indie rock and soul all co-mingle in perfect harmony. Bonus points are awarded for focusing on local heroes like Little Joe Washington and Lightning Hopkins.

The Harp
This Richmond mainstay has a strong soundsystem that reaches all the way to its expansive porch. Thankfully, its technological terror of a jukebox has the juice to back it up. M.I.A, Queen, Ella Fitzgerald and Franz Ferdinand are among the highlights of the bar-curated menu.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the best music machine in Houston:

La Carafe
C'mon, like the oldest bar in town would have a crappy music selection. Inside the dark halls of this downtown institution, you'll find a machine packed to the gills with goodness. Big band, classic country, 70's singer-songwriters and bluesmen infuse the bar with its Rat Pack grace and Skid Row grime. Music in its highest forms is all about atmosphere, and the jukebox at La Carafe has it in spades.

Now, we'd also be remiss if we didn't hate on a few places. Some jukeboxes are eclectic to the point of schizophrenia, and others baffle you with songs so mundane that you'd be more inclined to doze off than to pump your fist.

The places to avoid (musically):
The Tavern
The Richmond Arms
Hans' Bier Haus

What are your favorites and anti-faves?
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photo: flickr user mama.harmonica

Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - The Williams Tower

Eric S. — 2009-01-07T12:00:00-06:00

The Williams Tower
by J. Evins

We've all seen many photos of The Williams Tower, but this is an interesting take on photographing this building. The sky was perfect for this shot.

For more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.

Daily-ist: Wednesday

Brittanie Shey — 2009-01-07T11:40:00-06:00

First Wednesday Book Club

Houstonist loves our city's indie book stores, from Domy to Murder by the Book. And nothing is better than finishing a hot page-turner only to find someone else who wants discuss the book with you.

Brazos Bookstore hosts a First Wenesdays Book Club dedicated to discussing intelligent, independent and interesting books. This months' book will be Mudbound by Hillary Jordan, winner of the 2006 Bellwether Prize, which was founded to reward books of conscience, social responsibility and literary merit.

Set in 1946, city-bred Laura McAllan is trying to raise her children on her husband's Mississippi Delta farm. Two young men return from the war to help work the land, forming an unlikely friendship that drives the novel.

Don't worry if you haven't read the book yet. The meeting is open to everyone, and you can show up to help choose the book for March's gathering. Or you can buy February's book, The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

First Wednesday Book Club
Admission: FREE!
Date and Time: Tonight, 7 p.m., and the first Wednesday of every month
Location: Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet, 77005

Miles and Miles of Ugly

Katharine Shilcutt Gleave — 2009-01-06T17:30:00-06:00

"I didn't create this topic to rag on Houston, but I created it so that maybe Houston would get its act together." So begins a rant created by a user on the Houston Architecture Info Forums (HAIF), a user whose ability to criticize anything is severely diminshed when one notices that he's from the "Houston's Far Northwest Xurbs." The post goes on to further insult our city's ancient and beloved tradition of boasting wide swaths of litter-filled empty lots, run down and graffiti-laden store fronts along the most heavily-traveled arteries, and enormous billboards that are more than occasionally for adult-oriented enterprises (among other things). HAIF users were mostly quick to come to the defense of their fair city, but Houstonist has a different question for you: Does Houston need to get its act together? Or do you love it HIWI-style despite the glaring imperfections listed above?

Is Richard Justice on Crack?

Ignacio Salazar — 2009-01-06T14:00:00-06:00

If you read sports blogs regularly, you might think Houston Chronicle "journalist" and University of Texas alumnus Richard Justice might have bumped his head often when he was younger. Some of the things he writes are just downright stupid.

Here is an example from today's blog:

If you're a fan of the Coogs or Aggies or Red Raiders, welcome aboard. Texas is your team, too.The University of Texas was born to give our state one university of the first class. Regardless of where you went to school, Texas belongs to you. Texas isn't No. 1 in merchandise sales because graduates are buying the stuff. Texas is No. 1 because people that went to Tech and UH and A&M and other places want to be citizens of Longhorn Nation.

Really, Dick? Do you have nothing better to do than make up crap? Houstonist understands taking pride in your alma mater but this is just ridiculous. This is a perfect example why a lot of people hate UT alums because of arrogant stuff like this. It's one thing to think it but to write about it and say A&M, UH and Tech alums and students are all T-shirt fans? That's just disrespectful and crappy journalism.

Take pride in your university, Dick. Enjoy the win. Enjoy the recent success. But don't make arrogant statements like this. People say the brain is the first to go when old age comes. It looks like the process has been in full effect for Richard Justice for quite some time now.

Astros Ace Committs to WBC

Ignacio Salazar — 2009-01-06T13:00:00-06:00

Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt has confirmed that he will pitch for Team USA in this year's World Baseball Classic which will begin in March.

Oswalt, who was a member of Team USA's Olympic Gold Medal team in 2000, is eager for another shot at representing his country.

Oswalt told Astros.com, "The way I was looking at it, I might not have but three more years playing. So it's either this year or maybe never." Oswalt's contract is up after the 2011 season and he has hinted at retirement to spend more time with his family.

For more information on the participating teams and rosters for the WBC, please visit
www.worldbaseballclassic.com

Flickr photo: Scott Ableman

Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - texas bowl

Eric S. — 2009-01-06T12:00:00-06:00

texas bowl
by finna dat

This is a great shot of a giant flag that was displayed at The Texas Bowl.

If you are interested in proper etiquette of our flag, please see the U.S. Flag Code for an eye opening experience.

For more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.

Daily-ist: Tuesday

Brittanie Shey — 2009-01-06T11:40:00-06:00

Southern Vampire Novelist Charlaine Harris at the Houston Public Library

Anne Rice may have started it, but more than 30 years later, vampire fiction (Bit Lit?) is still all the rage. Houstonist's little sister wore a Team Edward t-shirt to Christmas dinner, and Let the Right One In is selling out movie theaters everywhere (and is currently playing at River Oaks).

Even HBO has caught onto the craze with their series True Blood, based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by author Charlaine Harris, and produced by Alan Ball of American Beauty and Six Feet Under fame.

Harris, a New York Times bestselling author, will discuss her books tonight at the Houston Public Library Central Branch. The event begins at 7:00 p.m.

True Blood, based on Harris' Southern Vampire Series, is about Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic Louisiana barmaid and friend to vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures. Harris is a native of the Mississippi Delta, and has been a published novelist for over 25 years. She has written everything from ghost stories to murder mysteries to science fiction. Her books have been published in Japan, Great Britain, Greece, Germany, Thailand, Spain, France, and Russia.

Novelist Charlaine Harris at the Houston Public Library
Admission: FREE!
Date and Time: Tonight, 7:00 p.m.
Location: HPL Central Branch, 500 McKinney in Downtown

Photo: Wikipedia

Morning Roundup

Jason Bargas — 2009-01-06T08:30:00-06:00

Ohio State's bowl game victory drought continues as Texas pulls out a victory in a nail-biter of a Fiesta Bowl

Texas will have a new Speaker of the House. Who do you think it should be?

Traveling street artists may be to blame for the rise in graffiti around Houston. Perhaps it is also the popularity of Style Wars - which also happens to be a Bun B fave.

The driver has been charged with manslaughter in a single vehicle accident that left a woman dead on New Year's Eve

Firefighters responded to a warehouse fire and found a closet full of weed

African American males are killing each other at high rates around the country - particularly in Houston. HPD wants your help to fight the issue.

President G. W. Bush is seeking a security gate for his new street similar to the one at his dad's digs near The Galleria

Were your friends and family on your case for Facebooking through Christmas dinner? Tell them to piss off. Everyone was doing it according to Jeff Balke.

T-Mac gets on his own case for his physical issues

The A&M hoops squad closed out non-conference play last night

The Coogs are doing the same tonight

Will Roy O. be the ace for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic? All signs point to yes.

Today's weather: Rainy. Chilly. High: 56. Low: 45.

Houston Radio Gets Classic Cool

Brittanie Shey — 2009-01-05T15:00:00-06:00

Houstonist's AM radio dial has been missing something ever since KBME (The Best Music Ever) went syndicated Animal on us. K-Hits is great if you consider Rod Stewart's music to be "oldies" but for a few years now we've longed for the sounds of Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole. And we've never been happy about the homogenization of our airwaves thanks to Clear Channel's omnipresence.

Today, long-time Houston radio disc jockey Ronnie Renfrow will save the day, just in time for your drive home, by launching Classic Cool Radio, 650 AM. The station will go live today at 4 p.m. and will initially brodcast only during the afternoon drive time, Monday through Friday.

The station will feature both old crooners and the new artists who follow in their footsteps, including Diana Krall and Harry Connick, Jr., according to a press release:

"This is by far the biggest programming void in radio. The artists of Classic Cool are selling millions of CD's annually, but listeners have had nowhere to go on the dial — until now," Renfrow said. "This is definitely not a nostalgia format. Classic Cool is far removed from that approach in that we will feature new music from contemporary artists who are all over the Billboard charts."

Classic Cool will present a blend of singers, classic jazz, Latin, and blues. Stars of the show include Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, and B.B. King, to name a few.

Photo: flickr user fensterbme

H-Town Rock

Adam P. Newton — 2009-01-05T13:00:00-06:00

For Monday, January 5th-7th, 2009

Happy New Year from H-Town Rock! We hope that everyone found an exciting and eventful way to ring in 2009 - ours involved slobbering drunks at 11pm, broken lawn chairs, and a visit from the two constables regarding issues they had with some slightly charred carpet. As we promised at the end of 2008, we are going to begin supplementing our usual list of shows for the upcoming weekend with a rundown of what happens in the first part of the week. It seems that when our eleven readers make a request of a certain feature, we’re going to do what we can to oblige them. Sadly, as many concertgoers can attest, January can prove to be a poor time of year for regional and national touring, but since there are shows available, it is the recommendation of H-Town Rock that our readers do whatever they can to support those artists who are performing around our fair city.

Monday, January 5th
Agartha and Darwin's Finches at Boondocks
Folsom, CDC, Call To Preserve, War Pigs, and Wrong Again at The White Swan

Tuesday, January 6th
Marc Broussard, Sons of William, and Josh Hoge at House of Blues
Songwriters Night: Featuring Sara Hickman and Elizabeth Wills at McGonigel's Mucky Duck
Soul Control, Lie and Wait, The Mongoloids, and Mother Of Mercy at The Junction
The Umbrella Man at The Continental Club

Wednesday, January 7th
DJ Ninja Star and Tobe at Jet Lounge
Sideshow Tramps and The Magpies at The Continental Club

Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - Downtown Houston

Eric S. — 2009-01-05T12:00:00-06:00

Downtown Houston
by Notsuoh Photography

The Preston Street bridge provides this fantastic view of downtown with the Wortham Center in the foreground.

For more great Houston photography, check out the Houston Photobloggers.