Archive

Archive for October, 2007

more on Chron layoffs

October 31st, 2007

The Houston Press blog has more on this week’s Houston Chronicle layoffs. They posted a copy of the official memo from Jeff Cohen on the reorganization and direction of the media outlet. Worth a read.

General

Wired editor publicly shames PR spammers

October 31st, 2007

In case you missed it, Chris Anderson (editor of Wired) published the email addresses of everyone who sent him an unsolicited email in the last 30 days. It’s his backlash against PR spammers.

Lots of people are commenting on this. I’ll let you read others opinions on the post itself.

What do you think?

General

MECA turns 30

October 31st, 2007

MECA helping youths for 30 years
– Houston Chronicle2

[snip]

The nonprofit organization started at St. Joseph Catholic Church, but
moved in 1993 to the three-story, 45,000-square-foot Dow Elementary
School in 1993. The Old Sixth Ward Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone’s
board purchased the school from Houston ISD for MECA on Jan. 7, 2004.

[snip]

MECA EVENTS

Until Nov. 24: Day of the Dead mask artists, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; free

Nov. 9-30: Celebrating the Life and Passion of Frida Kahlo

Nov. 9: Frida Kahlo’s 100th birthday celebration performances, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7: La Pastorela by La Camerata Teatral de Guadalajara, in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate, 7 p.m.; free

Dec. 10-11: Winter Recitals: Classical Violin and Guitar, 7 p.m.; admission is $1 for children and $2 for adults

Dec. 12: Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Concert Series presents Fiesta Guadalupana exhibit with contributions from Houston artists, 7 p.m.; free

Dec. 13-14: Winter Recitals: Contemporary Dance, 7 p.m.; admission is $1 for children and $2 for adults

All events are at the former Dow School, 1900 Kane. For details, call 713-802-9370.

Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks

News

Texas Book Festsival, this weekend

October 31st, 2007

Authors to converge at book festival
– Houston Chronicle2

Novelist Tom Perrotta, first daughter Jenna Bush and historian Joseph
J. Ellis are among headliners at this weekend’s Texas Book Festival in
Austin. More than 200 writers — some Texas-rooted, others with a
national profile — will be on hand at the annual event on the grounds
of the Capitol.

[snip]

This is the 12th year for the book fest, which Laura Bush started to
raise money for Texas libraries. More than 45,000 people attended last
year. For a complete schedule, visit www.texasbookfestival.org.

Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks

News

best horror flicks

October 31st, 2007

The Houston Chronicle staff list their picks for best horror flicks.

Lana Berkowitz picks “Die, Monster, Die! (1965) / Planet of the Vampires (1965)”
Syd Kearney & Louis B. Parks pick “Alien (1979)”
Andrew Dansby picks, of all things, “Evil Dead 2 (1987)”
Eric Harrison picks “The Sixth Sense (1999)” (with which I agree)
Tracy Scott picks “Audition (1999)” which I’ve never seen
Andy Olin picks “The Shining (1980)”

The Houston Press has this post:

Halloween: The haunting score, the moment
Laurie Strode looks out the window of her high school classroom and
sees Michael Meyers standing in broad daylight staring at her, Donald
Pleasence’s weird little accent, the scene in the closet between Laurie
and Michael. This is a perfect scary movie from start to finish.

Suspiria: When little Suzy Banyon arrives
at a prestigious dancing school, she has no idea what’s in store for
her. Italian director Dario Argento has created a masterpiece of horror
with bizarre camera and lighting effects and an obsession with the
color red. You’ll never walk your dog alone again after this one.

Rosemary’s Baby: Mia Farrow plays the
paranoid pregnant mother of Satan’s spawn with such a mix of fear and
despair it made me want to get my tubes tied. Artsy effects mixed with
a weird theme song (sung by Farrow herself) and Sidney Blackmer and
Ruth Gordon as the nosiest neighbors ever add up to a total frightfest.
This is not a dream, this is really happening!

Scream: Scary and ironic at the same time,
which is a hard one to pull off. Wes Craven filled the movie with so
many inside jokes that horror movie fans needed to watch it at least
three times to catch all the references. Yummy!

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The original, of
course. It’s got odd moments of humor, and Houston’s own Marilyn Burns
as the sole survivor kicks total ass! The blood on her face and body
was really hers as she was filmed being chased through the woods by
Leatherface. She earns every letter of the title Scream Queen. My heart
races just thinking about it.

Which do you think is the scariest movie ever?

News

will the Astrodome makeover be cancelled?

October 31st, 2007

Astrodome plan could be doomed
Rodeo officials and Houston Texans say no to the $450 million makeover

– Houston Chronicle2

The $450 million plan to reinvent the Reliant Astrodome as an
upscale convention hotel may have hit a wall Tuesday when the Texans
and Houston rodeo officials came out against it.

The Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s contracts may
give them veto power over new development at Reliant Park. Also, a
letter of intent signed by the county and Astrodome Redevelopment Corp.
requires the company to get the Texans and the rodeo to sign off on the
project.

An official with the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp.,
which oversees operations at Reliant Park, said Tuesday that the county
attorney’s office was researching that provision.

[snip]

Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks

News

Pasadena pharmacist stealing drugs

October 29th, 2007

KHOU is reporting that a “A Pasadena pharmacist is in jail Monday. She’s accused of pocketing drugs she was supposed to be selling. She worked at an HEB pharmacy on the Fairmont Parkway.

Resources:

News

Houston Chronicle layoffs and buyouts

October 29th, 2007

The Houston Press gives us a first look at who was given the boot at the Houston Chronicle today:

Among the familiar names taking the buyouts are Louis B. Parks of the features section and Salatheia Bryant and Melanie Markley of the news side.

Among those leaving in a less voluntary manner are Steve McVicker, the former Houston Press reporter who’s been bird-dogging the HPD crime-lab scandal, and Thomas Korosec, the former Dallas Observer reporter who has been the Chron’s  Dallas bureau.

General

Museum of Fine Arts leads the nation in donations

October 29th, 2007

Interesting news from Bloomberg.com:

Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts was the top recipient of private donations among U.S. arts organizations in 2006, with a total of $185.8 million, according to a survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy released today.

[snip]

News

Fallen Skateboard Team to visit Baybrook Mall

October 29th, 2007

The Houston Chronicle2 reports, “The Fallen Skateboard Team will be at the Baybrook Mall for a free autograph session from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2.”

Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks

News