Texas Chili Cook Off's

Ran across a couple of website that list Chili cook off's in the state of texas.

Upcoming Chili Cookoffs

CASI Website

Lone Star Chili Cook Off

Just a bit of FYI on Texas Chili:

There is only one kind of chili recognized by CASI: Texas red. No fillers are allowed, or as the rules state: "NO FILLERS IN CHILI - Beans, macaroni, rice, hominy, or other similar ingredients are not permitted." (In Texas putting beans in chili has replaced horse thievery as the number one hanging offense.)

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Annunciation Catholic Church

If you happen to be visiting houston one location i would suggest is to visit the Annunciation Catholic Church. Here is some breif info about the Annunciation Catholic Church:


Arguably Houston’s most historic church, Antioch Missionary Baptist was founded by nine former slaves just months after June 19, 1865. (Known as Juneteenth, that was the day Texans learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, two years after it was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.) The Gothic Revival building was completed in 1879. And while it has many architectural details to admire, its most prominent feature is the neon “Jesus Saves” sign.

Annunciation Catholic Church was the second Catholic Church established in Houston and was an outgrowth of the original St Vincent’s established in 1839. It was the work of the Very Rev. Joseph Querat, a canon of the Cathedral in Lyons, France and a missionary to Texas from 1852 -1878.

Annunciation Catholic Church

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Resident Evil’s gruesome publicity stunt

this is really kool, i wish they would do something like this in the US. they get all the cool stuff overseas.....

Resident Evil's Publicity Stunt

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Weather

 

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SplatterFest

SplatterFest returns this year with its usual lineup of locally made short films, camp features (“Adopting Terror!”) — and a day full of ’80s awesomeness.

Anthony Michael Hall will spend the day in town Oct. 6, mingling with fans and screening several of his most iconic films, including “The Breakfast Club,” “Sixteen Candles” and “Weird Science.” Hall’s appearance is part of AmazingFest, “an expansion into a broader pop culture festival.” (We were wondering how it fit into the horror theme.)

SplatterFest

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Texas Renaissance Festival

The Texas Renaissance Festival launches its 38th season Oct. 6 and runs weekends from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Nov. 25.

The largest festival of its kind in the United States, TRF drew more than 490,000 visitors in 2011. And we’re pretty sure every one of them had a turkey leg.

The event, which pays tribute to the 16th century, complete with a king and queen, features 60 acres of entertainment, shopping and demonstrations of old-world arts such as coin minting, paper-making and weaving. Spread over more than a dozen venues, all-day entertainment ranges from jousts and men with fiery whips to gypsy musicians and comic theater such as the Ded Bob Show (with a talking skeleton as its star).

Texas Renaissance Festival

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HGTV Houston Castings

HGTV Casting Houston Architects, Builders and Interior Designers for Two Competitive Series

Calling all architects, carpenters, contractors, interior designers, artists, and those with design expertise: HGTV might just be looking for you to star in their hit competitive series Design Star, or a new HGTV competitive series, according to media blog mikemcguff.com.

Applicants should have design experience, a big personality and a willingness to compete for a cash prize.

The Houston open call will take place this Saturday, September 29th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at:

Read Full Article

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Big Bite Nite

Some of the city’s best restaurants and food trucks will be taking part in Big Bite Nite, 6-9 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Drive.
A number of restaurants, including Ristorante Cavour, Sorrel Urban Bistro, TQLA and Le Mistral, will offer small bites to participants strolling through the museum’s exhibits, including the new Hall of Paleontology.

Tickets are $60 ($40 for museum members). Purchase tickets online at hmns.org.

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Houston Area Food Challenges

everyone loves food and everyone loves a good challenge but the question is is everyone up to a Food Challenge?

here is a link to several Houston area food challenges, so if your think you got it in you give them a try when your in houston

Houston food challenges


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Weather

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W7 Tip

Get a Power Efficiency Report

Have a laptop and want to get more battery life out of it? Windows 7 includes a hidden built-in tool that will examine your laptop's energy use and make recommendations on how to improve it. To use it:

1. Run a command prompt as an administrator. To do this, type cmd in the search box, and when the cmd icon appears, right-click it and choose "Run as administrator."

2. At the command line, type in the following:

powercfg -energy -output \Folder\Energy_Report.html

where \Folder represents the folder where you want the report to be placed.

3. For about a minute, Windows 7 will examine the behavior of your laptop. It will then analyze it and create a report in HTML format in the folder you specified. Double-click the file, and you'll get a report -- follow its recommendations for ways to improve power performance.

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Galveston Island Shrimp Festival

Looks like i missed this one but will have to put it on my calendar for next year.

Galveston Island Shrimp Festival

Three full days of shrimp, boats, music, friends and fun returns on Friday, Sept. 21 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012! Event activities include a Shrimp Gumbo Cook-Off, Gumbo Tasting, 5K Fun Run, FREE Boat & RV Show, Live Music, Vendors, Children’s Lil’ Shrimp Parade, Kids Area and Strand Merchant Walk-About! There is plenty for the whole family to enjoy!

Galveston Island Shrimp Festival



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Austin PD It Gets Better Video

Sometimes Texas gets a bad wrap on its inclusiveness of LGBT people. So the Austin Police Department's new It Gets Better video starts with an important message:

"Before we put on our uniform, before we go to work protecting the citizens of Austin, we are a part of Texas, and we are gay," it states, followed by personal stories of officers and other department employees coming out.

"I didn't want to call myself gay because gay meant you' re broken," one officer remembers. Another was afraid being gay might stop him from becoming an officer.

One woman cries as she remembers being told that being gay "is very biblically wrong and I don't want to see you go to hell."

Another came out on her birthday and was told by her family that they didn't want to hear from her again until she was straight.

But the video includes a message from the Austin chief of police, Art Acevedo, about his department's commitment to being inclusive and protecting everyone. And the gay officers emphasize: "I'm a native Texan and very proud of that." And, "This is one of the faces of Texas."

Austin PD It Gets Better Video

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Texas Under the Stars

Generally when visiting Houston the things that come to mind are the galleria, nasa, galveston and a few other locations. the one thing that doesnt cross a visitors mine is Texas Under the Starts. Here is a breif histroy for TUTS:

 TUTS THE BEGINNING

In the 1960s Houstonians saw the first sparks of a new energy that would soon cause an explosion in the theatre world. Those were days of bold new ventures, bordering on what some thought was foolish recklessness. The first phases of the Galleria were built so far out Westheimer Road that getting there was an adventurous trek. The city was moving full-throttle into the jet age with a new airport bearing the awe-inspiring name “Intercontinental.” Skeptics were shaking their heads about skyscrapers with “glass skins” and “loop roads” to circle the entire city. New buildings for symphony, opera, ballet, and theatre were sprouting like mushrooms. National companies and foreign consulates were rushing to establish headquarters here. It was a wonder-filled, visionary time when one could feel the city take a deep breath in preparation for a headlong dash into the future. Excitement was everywhere, and not the least of it was the completion in 1968 of Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, an event that would trigger its own burst of creative energy.
A budding impresario named Frank Young, who had been producing touring musicals in the United States and Mexico, saw the new Miller Theatre and quickly became excited. Only the Houston Symphony had plans to use the facility, and it seemed a natural location for musicals — America’s own form of popular theatre. These performances, Young believed, should be offered free to the public, to bring musical theatre to the entire community. Young received encouragement from City of Houston officials; his coterie of enthusiastic performers contacted their friends; rumors began to bubble; and within a few months a production started to emerge. Cast members worked for free, supplied their own costumes, and even helped raise the $4,400 required to cover production expenses, including the payroll for stagehands and musicians. In a single performance of Bells Are Ringing, seen by 4,500 people on Sunday evening, September 15, 1968, after being rained out the previous night, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) was born.

So to learn more about TUTS visit there website and then when your visiting check to see if there is somthing they are preforming that you want to see

Texas Under The Stars (TUTS)



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Home for sale!!!!

$14.9M home is up for sale in the Memorial area, here is a photo gallery of the home and all i have to say is OH MY

$14.9M Home (Photo Gallery

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Houston Area Haunted Houses

Halloween is scary close.

At least it is for fans of haunted houses.
Screamworld opens Friday and Phobia opens Saturday. Nightmare on the Bayou and Haunted Trails are scheduled to open Sept. 28. The Dungeon of Doom at Kemah Boardwalk is opening Sept. 29. And Terror Dome will open Oct. 5.

Dungen of Doom: 215 Kipp in Kemah, 877-285-3624

Haunted Trails: 11500 Antoine, 713-618-3323, thehauntedtrails.com

Nightmare on the Bayou: 1515 Studemont, 716-868-3344, nightmareonthebayou.com

Phobia: 18777 Northwest Freeway, 713-526-3323, darke.com

Screamworld: 2225 N. Sam Houston Parkway, 713-914-1313, screamworld.com

Terror Dome: 16020 East Freeway, 281-860-9800, houstonterrordome.com


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weather

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Endeavour's final journey

Here is a link to photo gallery of the space shuttle Endeavour in houston on its way to its new home in California.

Endeavour's final journey


This is the photo i love the most being it gives you a idea of the size of the space shuttle and the 747 that brought it into houston



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Trader Joe's to open Friday

Trader Joe's to open Friday in the former Alabama Theater

Within a 2½-mile radius of the Trader Joe's that opens Friday in Montrose are three Krogers, two H-E-Bs, two Whole Foods Markets, a Central Market, a Costco, a Rice Epicurean and a Randalls.

That's how the California-based Trader Joe's likes it.

The competition is intense, but analysts say there is still room for the specialty grocer. Lots of people, they say, will continue to shop where they've always gone while making an extra trip to Trader Joe's.

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Final details on Endeavour

A shuttle is finally coming to Houston — briefly.

Pending one final weather briefing early tomorrow morning, NASA managers have cleared space shuttle Endeavour to leave Florida tomorrow about 4 a.m. CST aboard its shuttle aircraft carrier.

So, with that in mind, here are your options for viewing Endeavour on Wednesday.

IN FLIGHT
NASA still will not provide absolute times for the Houston fly-around because of changes in path and timing related to weather, however the tentative plan is to fly around the following locations between 9 and 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

• George Bush Intercontinental Airport
• Houston Hobby Airport
• Reliant Stadium
• Possibly the Galleria
• San Jacinto Monument
• Fred Hartman Bridge
• Johnson Space Center
• Ellington Field

ON THE GROUND

About 30 minutes after the shuttle lands in the late morning, the public will be able to view Endeavour on the ground.
The general public can get to within about 100 feet of the shuttle on the ground at Ellington Field (see map below

 

Public viewing of the shuttle will end at 7 p.m.
NASA also will provide updates on Endeavour’s cross-country flight via social media using the hashtags #SpotTheShuttle and #OV105.

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Houston Cinema Arts Festival

The Houston Cinema Arts Festival began unveiling its lineup today, with an eye toward Asian cinema.

The main live cinema event is the American premiere of "Super Everything," a kaleidoscopic view of the cultural landscape of Malaysia. It includes multiple projections of documentary footage, motion graphics and an electronic music score. The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 and 10 at the Asia Society Texas Center.

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Public tours set for new ship in Galveston

Public tours are scheduled this week aboard the USS Fort Worth, which arrived in Galveston Monday in preparation for its commissioning on Saturday.

The ship is the second in the U.S. Navy's Freedom-variant of littoral combat ships designed to fight in close-to-shore operations, Navy officials said.

"Fort Worth is an innovative combatant ship designed to operate quickly in shallow water environments to counter challenging threats in coastal regions, specifically mines and fast surface craft," Navy spokesman Lt. Rick Chernitzer said via email. "She is capable of deterring hostility in troubled waters, maintaining a forward presence, and projecting power while maintaining sea control."

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Dine on the water in The Woodlands

This really looks like something to do with that special someone. you cant get more romantic then dinner on teh water

Dine on the water in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, Texas—The Woodlands Waterway Cruisers, which provide catered dinner cruises for groups and corporate events, will present its Fall Series of “Evenings on Board” dinner cruises September 22 and 29, October 6, 13 and 27, 2012.

Each “Evenings on Board” dinner cruise will board at 7:30 p.m. at 1212 Lake Robbins Drive, adjacent to Landry’s Seafood Restaurant on The Woodlands Waterway.

The four-course culinary extravaganza for each evening’s dinner cruise starts with an appetizer of Duck & Andouille Fondue followed by a decadent Avocado Jumbo Lump Crab Salad. Next, guests will select from one of three entrées, including Cedar Plank Salmon, Citrus Grove Mahi and Stuffed Shrimp Enbrochette. The dinner cruise concludes with a dessert choice of Crème Brulee or Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake.

The Fall Series of the “Evenings on Board” dinner cruises is priced at $69.99 per guest. Tax and gratuity are additional.

Reservations are required for all dinner cruises and can be made by calling 281- 363-9750 or by e-mailing.

For more information on The Waterway Cruisers, visit the Waterway Cruisers website.

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Houston Event

Remax Ballunar Liftoff Festival celebrates flight

CLEAR LAKE, Texas—The Remax Ballunar Liftoff Festival returns to the NASA | Johnson Space Center on September 28 to celebrate mankind’s fascination with flight.
The festival will feature over 50 giant, seven-story tall balloons in navigational competition, daylong exhibitions of skydivers in formation, hang-gliders, powered parachutes, model rocket clubs and exotic flying machines.

The family-oriented festival runs through September 30.

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Ballunar Festival

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Explore Houston shops

here is a quick and easy guide to Houston Shops for the shopper in all of us

Explore Houston shops with these quick and easy guides


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Weather

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MetroCooking show

Foodies get in on the action at MetroCooking show

Jeff Amerson had never made a calzone. And he never imagined he'd play sous chef to one of the country's most popular food celebrities.

But the principal of Poe Elementary School in Houston found himself on stage before about 2,000 people after he was plucked from the audience at the MetroCooking Houston show at Reliant Center to assist Giada De Laurentiis during her Saturday morning appearance.

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Houston Event

Houston Re-Market: August!

4302 Harrisburg
Houston, TX 77003

The Houston Re-Market is an innovative monthly market whose goal is to foster responsible consumerism. The market features approximately 10+ vendors who use recycled and reused materials and other sustainable practices in their craft. In addition there are garage sales, a free swap (bring gently used, unwanted items and taking something new home), recycling drop off (plastics 1-5 & 7, aluminum, tin, glass, paper, and cardboard), live music and entertainment, and food. This month's market will feature recycled arts and crafts activities for everyone to enjoy. Come out and be a part of Houston's original green flea the 4th Saturday of every month. This month will feature a voter registration and a Fashion Show!


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Not a happy Home Depot Customer right now

just left home depot, the guy in cabinets only wanted to refer me to the online store and see what store carried the cabinets that i wanted and then go and get them at that store. wouldn't even look to see if i would be able order them and get them delivered to the store. OH but he did advise if i found them online i could have them delivered to my home for a fee.....hummmm......let me think bout that.....I DON'T FRACKING THINK SO...so i left an let him talk to my back as i wheeled my cart back to the front door. i will just go back some other time and see if i can find someone that likes working at home depot and is willing to help me.

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Texas Renaissance Festival

The Texas Renaissance Festival is the Nation's largest, most acclaimed Renaissance fairs where the sights, sounds, tastes and beauty of the 16th Century come alive every Saturday and Sunday for 8 weekends. Dates include October 6th through November 25th, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

So if your going to be in houston this is one of the events that cant be missed, so make plans to visit when your in town


Texas Renaissance Festival

Texas Renaissance Festival on Facebook

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Houston Events

Beach House, Swans highlight week's big events

Cinematic is a term that gets bandied about a lot with popular music, often to indicate some sort of quiet dreamy sound that conjures up landscape-y imagery. “The Seer,” the new album by New York’s legendary experimental post-punk ensemble Swans, is more cinematic in the sense that it unfolds over a lengthy period (two hours) with expert pacing, pitch-perfect dynamics, great variety and a mood that simply doesn’t allow for comfort. Swans is guided by the steady hand of Michael Gira, who reactivated the band in 2010 after a 15-year run (“detour” would sound disparaging for a very different and compelling band). After two very good records — one in 2010 and the other earlier this year — Swans dropped “The Seer” on fans who may not have been suspecting something else so soon, especially the most grand and ambitious album Gira and his crew have made to date. To cite songs seems pointless since the pieces range from 90 seconds to 32 minutes. It’d be like recommending scenes from a movie. It’s an album that demands a dark room, formidable speakers and no distractions. Presumably they’ll unleash most, if not all, of “The Seer” this week in concert

Read Full Article with Event Listings

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Updated iPhone 5

Updated iPhone 5 helps Apple raise the bar

San Francisco - Apple introduced a taller, thinner, faster iPhone on Wednesday, during a packed news conference that contained few surprises but showcased plenty of updates that could extend the product's dominance in the mobile space.

The technology giant also showed off the latest generation of its iPod lineup at the event, along with revamped versions of its mobile software and iTunes media application.

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Houston Weather

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MetroCooking Houston

well this weekend is the MetroCooking Houston event at Reliant Park, if your visiting houston this weekend this may be something that you want to visit.

MetroCooking Houston

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Tech Tip

Move the Taskbar to the Side of the Screen
Widescreen monitors are great for watching movies and for organising windows, but a lot of time the space goes to waste. So why not free up some vertical space by moving the Windows Taskbar to the side of the screen? Windows 7 makes this option particularly attractive option because it adopts label-free icons. Windows veterans may hate this at first, but it's a nice way to gain extra screen estate in your web browser, word processor, and other apps.

1. Right-click an empty area of the Taskbar, and clear the checkmark next to Lock the Taskbar.

2. Left-click and hold an empty area of the Taskbar, and then drag it to the left side of the screen. Once you get close, you'll see it lock in, at which point you can release the mouse button.

That's all there is to it! Give it a try for a few days, and if you don't like it, you can always drag the Taskbar back to the bottom of the screen.



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IOS 6 Info

We first heard about iOS 6 during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, but on Thursday, Apple's senior vice president of iOS Software Scott Forstall finally shared more details about the latest version of the company's mobile operating system — and revealed that we're getting it on Sept. 19.
The new iPhone 5 will ship on Sept. 21 with iOS 6 preloaded, but folks who own an iPhone 3GS, an iPhone 4, an iPhone 4S, a fourth-generation iPod Touch, an iPad 2 or a third-generation iPad will be able to download the software update for free on Sept. 19.

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It's here: Apple unveils iPhone 5

San Francisco (CNN) -- Apple on Wednesday announced the latest version of the iPhone.

The iPhone 5 looks similar to previous models but has a larger screen and is lighter and thinner than the iPhone 4S. The company says the larger screen will make it easier to check and send e-mails and to view Web pages with the phone in your hand.

 

The phone also comes with a new, faster processor called the Apple A6; and it connects to mobile carriers with a 4G LTE connection, making for speedier Internet browsing.

Read Full Article

NBC Tech Blog


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Houston Parks Info

If you have ever wonded what parks are in the Houston area, well here is some information to help with that question.

Dept info from the City of Houston webpage:


The Houston Parks & Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D.) was created by City Ordinance on March 15, 1916. The Department of Public Parks, as it was called at that time, consisted of two parks - Sam Houston Park & Hermann Park. Taken together, they totaled about 465 acres of land.

Today, the Houston Parks & Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D.) stewards & manages over 38,752 acres of parkland & greenspace for the City of Houston; develops & implements recreational programming for citizens of all abilities; maintains greenspace for the Houston Public Library & the Houston Health Department & manages all H.P.A.R.D. facilities.

H.P.A.R.D. works daily to fulfill its mission:

“To enhance the quality of urban life by providing safe
well-maintained parks & offering affordable
programming for our community.”

Houston Parks & Recreation

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Ground Zero will put Texas flag maker in spotlight

SAN ANTONIO - The flags of the Dixie Flag Manufacturing Co. already have made history with three U.S. presidents at their inaugurations, football fans at the Alamodome and drivers stuck in traffic on the George Washington Bridge in New York.

But the Texas flag maker will mark a more solemn affair Tuesday when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey unfurls a new 60-foot-by-90-foot American flag at One World Trade Center, the planned 1,776-foot skyscraper, which will open in late 2013 as part of the World Trade Center memorial.

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A Day to Remember 9/11

Let’s all take a moment to remember those who lost their live on this day 11 years ago. Our heart and prayers go out to the love ones of those that were lost, they will always be remembered.

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Galveston to host Fort Worth commissioning ceremony

The nation's newest Navy warship is slated for its commissioning service in Galveston on Sept. 22, in an event that is expected to draw thousands, including big crowds from its namesake city – Fort Worth.
"When you have a ship named after you, it's just a very special thing," said Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, in a statement released by Lockheed Martin, which helped build the vessel. "When the Secretary of the Navy said we are considering this, we had to prove to the Secretary of the Navy that we would honor the ship and take care of the ship and her crew."

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Shuttle Endeavour's final trip planned

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mounted atop a Boeing 747, the space shuttle Endeavour will fly over key NASA sites as it is ferried from Florida to its future home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

The shuttle will depart Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 17 and fly over Florida's Space Coast, then head west over Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans before landing near Houston.

NASA says the journey continues on Sept. 19 with a refueling stop in El Paso, Texas, and flyovers of White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico and Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where it will overnight.

On Sept. 20, the shuttle heads north over San Francisco and Sacramento, and finally south to Los Angeles.

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Festivals and Outdoors Activities

Outdoors

HummerBird Celebration: The ruby-throated hummingbird is front and center during this 24th annual event celebrating all fall migrants. Visit more than 80 vendors, learn about bird banding, listen to speakers, or take a nature tour.
Thursday-Sept. 16. Rockport. www.rockporthummingbird.com or 800-242-0071. $10-$50.

Bison Celebration Days: Help restore the Texas State Bison herd by attending three days of outdoor activities, re-enactments, barbecue lunches and a benefit concert featuring Asleep at the Wheel.
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sept.16. Briscoe. www.tpwd.state.tx.us or 806-455-1492. Park fees apply; $20-$25 for benefit concert.

Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta: Explore the area on guided walks with park staff, go on a hayride, or take in the educational exhibits of this festival.
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso. www.tpwd.state.tx.us. $5 for park entrance, free to Texas Park Pass holders.

Festivals

Texas State Forest Festival: Who has the best hush puppies in Texas? This festival aims to find out.
Sept. 19-23. Lufkin. www.texasstateforestfestival.com. $6-$20.

Fall Festival: How can you go wrong with an Eve's Seduction Dessert Competition? The two-day festival includes a parade, food vendors, arts and crafts, bull riding and a photography contest.
Sept. 21-22. Eden. www.edentexas.com or 325-869-2211.

State Fair of Texas: Get ready for a visit with 60-year-old Big Tex, music by Kevin Fowler and lots of fried food. Don't miss the art and crafts, auto show or livestock show.
Sept. 28-Oct. 21. Dallas. www.bigtex.com/sft or 214-565-9931. $10-$39.95.


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Adventure high and low

The promise of floating adventures lured me west. From tranquil drifting 3,000 feet above Albuquerque to rafting through rocky rapids on the Rio Grande near Taos, I was in for a double dip of excitement.

Every October, more than 100,000 spectators come to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta for the rainbow colors of more than 600 balloons rising into the sky at dawn. The city's altitude, low humidity and calm, sunny mornings are ideal for ballooning. Commercial balloon operators run daily flights year-round.

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Blondie and Devo

Sep 19, 2012 8:00 pm (Wednesday)

Arena Theatre
7326 South West Freeway
Houston, TX 77074

Buy Tickets at razorgator.com! | Buy tickets at stubhub.com! | Buy tickets at gigaticket.com! | Buy tickets at gigaticket.com!

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Weather

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Texas Camping

With the cooler weather moving in, now is about as good a time as any to explorer the outside. There are many vacation locations in texas that offer an outdoor experence.

 These rental cottages and cabins may not have daily room service or restaurants with expensive mediocre meals but they are typically competitively priced with local hotels and offer twice as much room, sleep 2 to 8 people, and come with full kitchens, BBQ grills, picnic tables, and outdoor patios. These cottages/cabins are fantastic for an overnight stay, a weekend outing, or a week long vacation.

Texas Cabins & Cottages	Description
Austin	Nice cottages in an RV Park with lots of amenities and close to Lake Travis
Brady - San Saba River	Adverture Ranch on 750 acres with 1 mile of riverfront on the San Saba River
Canton	Perfect place to stay to attend First Monday Trade Days - beautiful setting and lots of amenities
Canyon Lake	Cabin or cottages near one of the prettiest lakes in Texas and some of the best tubin'
Corpus Christi	Just south of downtown, this is a great place to stay to enjoy the beach, visit Port A, and more
Fredericksburg	It doesn't get much better than a weekend in Fredericksburg in some really cool cabins or chalets
Georgetown	Relax and enjoy these cabins in Georgetown
Grapevine	Cabins on Lake Grapevine in a top rated RV park with lots of great amenities with plenty to see and do
Houston	New and very clean cabins as well as travel trailers in a great RV park 5 miles from downtown Houston
Kerrville	These cabins are close to the Guadalupe River and in a fantastic park with pools, rec hall, and a saloon
Lake Conroe	Six cabins on Lake Conroe in an RV Park with lots of amenities
Lake Livingston	Cedar cabins overlooking Lake Livingston and resort sytle amenities
Leander - North West Austin	KOA Kamping Kabins in a nice RV park on the outskirts of Leander
Mansfield	One and two bedroom cabins sleeping 4-6 with lots of amenities and many things to see and do in the area
New Braunfels	A perfect place to stay to explore New Braunfels and the surrounding area
Rio Grande Valley	Cabins and Casitas that are well appointed and include outstanding amenities
Sam Rayburn Reservoir	One and two bedroom rustic log cabins on beautiful Sam Rayburn
San Antonio	One and two bedrooms facing a small fishing lake
San Marcos	Two cabins in a peaceful setting along the San Marcos River and access to some great park amenities
Spring	Three cabins, lots of amenities, and a perfect location for golfing, shopping, or exploring the area

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Paula Deen live chat

Full Article and Chat

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MetroCooking brings more to table

Reliant Park is accustomed to noise, from the thunder of the Texans to the howl of a rodeo midway to the ear-piercing screams greeting the biggest musical acts in the world.

But a rock star-like roar for a 65-year-old grandma? You bet. Get ready to feel Reliant Center shake when headliner Paula Deen takes to the stage during MetroCooking Houston Sept. 15-16.

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Weekend Weather

 

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Things to do in Houston - Discovery Green

It’s hard to keep up with downtown’s shiniest jewel; Discovery Greent. The sprawling city park offers so many activities and special events. There’s a festival, so it seems, nearly every week and daily events range from outdoor yoga and movies on the lawn to upscale flea markets and blues concerts.

Discovery Green - Aerial View

Discovery Green

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Football Fans

here is a quiz that was posted on the Click2Houston website for Houston Texasn fans. give it a try and see how you do.


Quiz: Test your Houston Texans knowledge

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Paul McCartney "On the Run" to Houston

Paul McCartney hasn't been to Houston in seven years.

But that's about to change.

The former Beatles' On The Run Tour comes to town Nov. 14 at Minute Maid Park. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 14 via ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.


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Rihanna sets Houston date

Her Diamonds World Tour sparkles April 15 -- yes, next year -- at Toyota Center. Tickets go on sale Sept. 21.

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85 mph!

85 mph! Texas to open toll highway with fastest speed limit in nation

The claim that "everything is bigger in Texas" will likely gain further credence later this year, when the speed limit on a stretch of toll road between Austin and San Antonio hits 85 miles per hour — the highest limit in the country.

Constructions crews on Wednesday began posting 85-mph speed limit signs along a pending section of toll road on Texas' State Highway 130. This 41-mile stretch of highway, which will open for traffic by Nov. 11, is on the east side of Austin and heads southwest toward San Antonio.

Chris Lippincott, an official with the State Highway 130 Concession Co., said that the Texas Department of Transportation has determined that this area is safe to travel at 85 mph.

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Tech Tips

Using the mouse, you can drag-”˜n-dock windows to either side of the screen, or drag it to the top to maximize it. These keyboard shortcuts are even faster:

• Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock the window to the left and right side of the screen
• Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximize and restore/minimize
• Win+M minimizes everything
• Alt+Up, Alt+Left Arrow, Alt+Right Arrow navigate to parent folder, or browse Back and Forward through folders in Explorer
• Win+Home minimizes/restores all open windows except the active window
• Alt+Win+# accesses the Jump List of program number ‘#’ on the taskbar

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Tech Tip

Here is a Microsoft site with various videos showing tips for MS Windows 7 from Wireless networking to Internet Explorer.

IT Pro at Home: Tips and Tricks

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Lady Gaga announces U.S. dates

For all you Lady GaGa fans here is a list of her US concert dates with a show in Houston on January 31st of next year

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Metro Cooking Houston

Star chef De Laurentiis to take stage

She's the chef who probably gets as many questions about her clothes and secrets for staying thin as she does about her linguine and risotto. But curiosity about her personal life is part of the star machine that Giada De Laurentiis has come to live with. And thrive in.

The petite, Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef headlining MetroCooking Houston along with Paula Deen and Jacques Pepin Sept. 15-16 at Reliant Center, is a culinary titanic who just happens to also be a working mom. While running a brand that includes Food Network shows, cookbooks, cookware and specialty foods, De Laurentiis remains a grounded individual who says she can't help but express herself through her food and family.

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Fuddruckers and Luby’s combo in Pearland

The first built-from-the-ground-up Luby’s/Fuddruckers hybrid is now open in Pearland. The 12,000-square-foot building includes a shared patio.

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Apple in the News

Its official apple will hold a event on Sept 12 to announce the new IPhone

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in other news, it would appear that over 1 million apple device id's have been hacked which include full names, addresses and telephone numbers.

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Metro Cooking Houston

just a reminder that from Sept 15-16 is Metro Cooking Houston at Relient Center in downtown houston. celebrity chefs will include; Paula Dean, Giada De Laurentis just to name a few. there will also be cooking demos, vendor exhibits and tasting booths. for more information please visit their website at Metro Cooking Houston

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Houston concerts to pay tribute to innovative composer

John Cage - the brilliant, strange and unique figure who stood at the forefront of avant-garde music for decades - would be 100 years old on Wednesday.

The composer who jabbed foreign objects between the strings of a piano, wrote music by rolling dice and famously created a piece of musical silence died in 1992 - so he won't be around to celebrate the occasion. But devotees scattered around the word aren't letting his birthday pass without notice.

Commemorative events are set in Cage's birthplace of Los Angeles and also in his adopted home of New York. Washington, D.C., is hosting a seven-day Cage Centennial Festival, with performances at the National Gallery and the Smithsonian, among other venues.

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Authors with far-reaching voices to speak in Houston

A youngish, outspoken group of writers rounds out the 32nd season of the popular Margarett Root Brown Reading Series.

"Some of them aren't afraid to shoot from the hip," says Rich Levy, executive director of Inprint, the literary nonprofit that presents the series.

And for whatever reason, Levy adds, many of the featured books are anchored by a strong sense of place:

Junot Díaz straddles New York and the Dominican Republic in his new collection of short stories

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The 2012 Dragon*Con parade

Atlanta (CNN) - Angie Dowling attended her first Dragon*Con with her father when she was 5 years old. Now, more than 20 years later, she’s the parent squeezing her children through the crowds to secure a prime viewing spot for the parade of science-fiction and fantasy characters.

 

“Getting to experience the parade with them is even more incredible because they’re looking at it through fresh eyes with that youthful excitement,” said the 29-year-old English teacher from Marietta, Georgia. “They absolutely love it. They give themselves over completely to the experience.”

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Dragon *Con Photos

ran across before and after pics from Dragon Con on the Cnn.com website, some of the costumes are really good, this is deff something i would like to be able to atten oneday. i dont plan on dressing up but i would deffinately be taking lots of photos.

Before and after: Elaborate costumes of Dragon*Con


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Weather

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Odd Houston: Sites you can't miss

National Museum of Funeral History:

Don’t scrunch your nose. It’s not as macabre as it sounds. This huge, warehouse-like museum houses simple exhibitions tracing the history of funerals in the United States. Among its many treasures: elaborate hearsts, a Snow White glass coffin, a coffin built for three and the original “eternal flame” that burned at John F. Kennedy’s burial site in Washington, D.C. The museum is open daily. Admission is $10.

National Museum of Funeral History
Hours
Monday - Friday: 10am until 4pm
Saturday: 10am until 5pm
Sunday: 12pm until 5pm      

Pricing

Adults: $10.00
Seniors/Veterans: $9.00
Children (Under 12): $7.00
Children (Under 3): Free


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Food Blog

being that i have enjoyed blogging more then i thought, i have decided to have one for all my recepies that i have found and cooked over the years. so give it a visit and i hope that everyone will enjoy it as much as i do


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Dr Who

for all those Dr Who fans out there i ran across a couple of articles online while waiting for the new season to start

UK TV show 'Doctor Who' is setting a US fashion trend

New 'Doctor Who' season

Dr Who - BBCone

Tech Tip

it seems like i keep getting later and later with the W7 tech tips, guess i need to cut back on the job....lol

Reduce eye strain

Very nice feature that most people are unaware of is feature called Clear Type. ClearType is a tool that improves the readability of the text on your LCD screen. So if you feel the text isn't displaying sharply, use ClearType. The tool will take you through a series of screens, much like an eye exam, to help you achieve the sharpest text possible.

1. Open the ClearType Text Tuner by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type cleartype, and then click Adjust ClearType text.
2. On the first page of the tuner, select the Turn on ClearType check box, click Next, and then continue clicking Next until you reach the last page.
3. On the last page of the tuner, click Finish to turn on ClearType. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Carl Jr's

was very impressed with the food and will be returning again for dinner. the one thing i didnt know was that they server breakfast so i will have to give that a try


Carl's Jr (Website)

Carl's Jr (Facebook)

Carl Jr's for lunch

Trying carl jr's for the first time

Allen’s Landing

Houston’s “Plymouth Rock” is a small park on the confluence of Buffalo and White Oak bayous. It was a mosquito-infested marsh in 1836 when brothers John and August Allen stepped ashore and decided this was home. There’s not much there and there are much better spots from which to enjoy the bayou. I only include it here to keep the tourism officials happy.
1001 Commerce St.

Allen's Landing