07.21.08
Posted in News at 12:11 am by Paloma Cruz
Tropical Storm Dolly could become a hurricane
– KHOU CBS Channel 111
Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the western Caribbean, but 11 News meteorologist Mario Gomez says even if Dolly becomes a hurricane quickly, it’s still unclear if it will strike anywhere in Texas.
[snip]
The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning Sunday for the Yucatan Peninsula from the Border of Campeche, Mexico. The storm is currently moving toward the northwest at 17 mph.
Dolly is the fourth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30.
Footnotes
1 = may require free registration.
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07.12.08
Posted in News at 6:44 am by Paloma Cruz
Did you know that Houston has the cheapest gas in the state? That’s according to the Houston Chronicle2. They report that, statewide, gas is averaging for $3.94 (a figure they got from AAA). That’s good news… sort of.
The Houston Business Journal reports that CNBC ranked Texas #1 for business. “To create the list, CNBC scored all 50 states in an number of categories, from education to economy and transportation to cost of living. The financial and business news channel says Texas’ booming energy industry in these times of record oil prices is the main reason the state rose to the top this year.” Want to see where everyone ranked? www.cnbc.com/id/25447829
HBJ also reported that the population growth in Houston topped the nation. “More people moved to Houston than to any other large city in the United States in the 12 months up to July last year, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau.” According to this, we have nearly 40,000 more Houstonians this year than last year. I think they’re all on my morning commute with me.
Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks.
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07.11.08
Posted in News at 11:04 pm by Paloma Cruz
Need to figure out how much money you need to retire? Wikihow has step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish this. Putting it on my to do list. (Found via Lifehacker.)
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Posted in News at 11:03 pm by Paloma Cruz
I don’t approve, don’t agree, do not like the idea of the Houston Chronicle making a database (searchable database) that gives you the names and salary of every public servant in Houston/Harris County. Is it legal? Probably. But it’s not right. How is it news what every individual, every nondescript loyal hardworking person makes… attached to a name?
This is just a ploy to get people to visit, to read, and to increase their advertising revenues. And more than 80,000 have been used to make it happen. Sad.
And, yes, I know that I’ve just included a link to it, thereby increasing their traffic. I debated that and decided that I can’t really just ell you that I don’t like it. I’ve gotta show it.
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07.06.08
Posted in News at 3:26 pm by Paloma Cruz
It seems that times are so bad that even teenagers are having to tighten their belts. Best known for their overabundance of time and disposable income, teens are being hit by a combination of lack of jobs and increased prices. Bad news for retailers who depend on their purchases.
Teens forced to bite the bullet on spending, too
They’re among the last group of consumers cutting back
– Houston Chronicle2
The financial pressures of adults are finally catching up with American teenagers. Since summer jobs dried up, gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon and parents ran out of spare cash, teens have had to cool it on spending for clothes.
[snip]
Retailers dependent on that group are feeling the pinch. First-quarter net income at American Eagle plunged 44 percent because of discounting, and the retailer may post its first annual profit drop in five years. Same-store sales have fallen for the past two quarters. At Gap’s Old Navy chain, sales in May were off 25 percent from a year earlier. Abercrombie’s same-store sales dropped in five of the past six quarters.
[snip]
Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks.
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07.05.08
Posted in News at 6:11 am by Paloma Cruz
Fewer than 10 percent of high school seniors are fit, tests show
– Houston Chronicle2
Results of a new state physical fitness test confirmed fears that Texas children, especially teenagers, are seriously out of shape.
The fitness assessment of 2.6 million students, touted as the largest exam of its type, shows that only 30 percent of third-graders reached healthy performance levels in all six areas tested. By the 12th grade, less than 10 percent made passing marks.
[snip]
Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks.
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06.30.08
Posted in News at 11:54 pm by Paloma Cruz
It’s official, the face and voice of the Houston Independent School District, has resigned effective the end of August 31st. Often criticized for his dealings with the media, mostly by the media itself, he’s leaving to join former HISD staffer Adriana Villarreal in her PR agency.
I’m curious to see who they choose to take his place.
FYI, I think this is Adriana Villarreal’s agency: Orquesta Communications.
Source: the Houston Chronicle’s School Zone blog.
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06.28.08
Posted in News at 5:08 am by Paloma Cruz
Track open records requests in Houston
The Houston Chronicle’s Houston Politics blog reports that blogHOUSTON has “launched a new forum to let readers post their open-records requests for everyone to read.” Worth watching, even if you aren’t subject to TPIA requests.
Recycle your compact flourescent lights
The Big Green Purse is reporting that the Home Depot is recycling compact fluorescent light bulbs. Good news for those of use who have been using them but were worried about what happens when they have to be replace.
Simply bring in your expired, unbroken CFL bulbs, and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will be handled by an environmental management company that will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.
Houston is getting a new stadium
Whether you’re a fan or not, sports attracts tourism to Houston and improves national and international perceptions of the city. The Houston Business Journal is reporting that the city of Houston and the Houston Dynamo team are proceeding with a plan to “fund development of a major multi-use sports and recreational project in South Houston adjacent to State Highway 288.”
What kind of stadium?
The complex, on a 100-acre site purchased earlier this year by the city, will include as many as 18 outdoor soccer and athletic fields with natural and artificial turf, plus recreational parks. Part of the facility will house a practice field for use by Dynamo that would include site improvements paid for by the team.
The site is bordered by Sims Bayou on the south, Highway 288 to the east and Kirby Drive to the west. The first phase of the project, worth about $10 million and to be completed by the end of 2009, will focus on infrastructure work and construction of 8 athletic fields, as well as an extension of Kirby Drive south to Sims Bayou.
Houston ISD to get pay raises
The Houston Chronicle reports that there’s some good news for teachers of Houston Independent School District. “After some infighting this week, the Houston school board on Thursday unanimously approved a $1.6 billion budget that includes pay raises of at least 3 percent, plus millions more for library books, computers, fine arts programs and principal training.” The good news is that this doesn’t call for a tax-rate increase.
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Posted in News at 3:31 am by Paloma Cruz
The Houston Business Journal is reporting that things are looking up, or at least they will begin to soon.
The current economic crisis is being driven more by fear than facts and should begin to ease in the second half of 2008, an economic forecaster told a group of executives in Houston on Thursday.
[snip]
Source:
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06.24.08
Posted in News at 10:59 pm by Paloma Cruz
Pessimism
The Houston Chronicle recently ran a story about the lack of optimism worldwide1. “The can-do, bootstrap approach embedded in the American psyche is under assault. Eroding it is a dour powerlessness that is chipping away at the country’s sturdy conviction that destiny can be commanded with sheer courage and perseverance.”
Is Houston’s economy slowing down?
According to the Houston Chronicle Houston’s economy is expanding, but is showing some signs that it’s going towards a slowdown1. “The slowdown shows up in key sectors, including construction, manufacturing, retail trade and professional and business services, according to data released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission.”
Houston is the Best City
Yahoo! Finance named Houston the #1 city in their list of the Best Cities for 2008. “Our approach this year to picking the ten best cities in which to live and work was simple: Look for places with strong economies and abundant jobs, then demand reasonable living costs and plenty of fun things to do. When we ran the numbers, some of the names that popped up made us do a double take at first. So we hit the road to meet movers, shakers and regular folks, experience the ambience and take in the sights.” (Found via Lifehacker.)
Footnotes:
1 = Story found on the Houston Chronicle. Article may expire in a few weeks.
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