Creative Houston

Governing Magazine Lauds Mayor

Governing: Public Officials of the Year. 2007-Oct, by Christopher Swope (via BlogHouston): Bill White may be a businessman-turned-mayor, but he's not one to say government should be run like a business. He's seen too many companies fail to believe that old saw. "It doesn't matter if you're in the public sector or private sector," he says. "If you listen to the customer, you'll be able to run a good organization."

Renovating for Restaurants

Cleverley.com: Wheeler Rescues Hisotric Buildings 2007-Nov-10: Rhea Wheeler and his partners have formed a company and they are buying historically significant properties inside the loop in Houston. They will be turning them into restaurants. They've been working on this for the past two years and have purchased three properties so far. Right now they are getting bids from architectural and construction companies for renovating the acquired properties. Wheeler is working on the three new restaurants simultaneously and he hopes to have them all open by the end of 2008.

BCD Supports Independent Musicians

Houston Chronicle: Some artists need to change their tune. 2007-Nov-24, by Mason Lerner: Before opening BCD, the Blakeslees ran a company that installed computer systems at radio stations. The couple got to know a lot of the unknown musicians who would hang around the radio stations trying to get airplay. "During that time, we met independent artists. We didn't know what independent artists were," Harald Blakeslee said. "And so there were these guys with their music on discs hanging around trying to get a spin, and basically none of them ever get a fair shake. They hang around, and they beg to be on air. Very few times do they actually get on air." After befriending some of these independent artists, the Blakeslees developed BCD to help them get their music out to the public. On top of a shipping warehouse and a state-of-the-art recording studio, BCD also features a staff that provides artists with every tool needed to be the next big thing.

Pumping Up Connections

Houston Business Journal: Medical, energy industries pumped about potential crossover options:. 2007-Nov-16, by Monica Perin: Doctors and oil company geophysicists got together in Houston this week to study the similarities of pumping oil through the ground and pumping blood through the body. The organizers of the Pumps & Pipes symposium hope to see more technology crossover between the medical and oil and gas industries. "There are so many similarities between the energy business and the cardiovascular world," says Dr. Alan Lumsden, a professor of cardiovascular surgery at Methodist DeBakey Heart Center who organized the event. The Pumps & Pipes symposium -- which took place on Nov. 12 at the University of Houston -- featured some 20 speakers from the oil and gas and medical professions. Participants included scientists, doctors and researchers in various disciplines from the oil and gas industry, academia and the medical profession.

Valiente Award goes to Mel Chin

Houston Chronicle: Artist Mel Chin tapped for Valiente Award. 2007-Nov-11: Voices Breaking Boundaries will honor artist Mel Chin with its 2007 Biennial Valiente (Courage) Award. Chin, who was born in Houston in 1950, has made a powerful mark internationally with work that addresses social, ecological and political issues with depth and grace.

Houston Airport Shines in WSJ

WSJ: How 8 Airports Bucked Trend In Late Arrivals, 2007-Nov-7, by Christopher Conkey: Houston's Bush Intercontinental has also relied on a mix of expansion and new technology to keep its on-time arrival rate above 78% and even to improve it slightly from last year....Bush is also harnessing technology to better utilize existing space. Rick Vacar, aviation director for the Houston Airport System, said that with the number of passengers at Bush expected to soar by 10 million to 55 million in 2015, the airport could carve out a new runway...

Texas Lags in International Patents

Philanthropy News Digest: Kauffman Foundation Study Identifies Leading States for Innovation. 2007-Nov-5, press release: Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, California, and Connecticut top the list of states that are leaders in innovation as measured by international patent applications, a new study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation finds.

Kill Attacking Bees, Save the Planet

BeeAlert Solution for Killer Bee Attacks: The developer...is [Houstonian] Will Baird...The purpose of the system is two-fold. First, fend off an attack of stinging swarms and allow victims time to exit the hot zone. Second, protect Emergency Medical Technichians (EMT) or any first responder so they can save the victim without risking their own lives. The BeeAlert Bee Control System uses a patented spray system and non-toxic solution that instantly knocks the bees down, killing them without harming the victim, the operator, or the environment.

Jason's Deli Going Solar

Jason's Deli - Love Bites: Jim Ardoin, senior project manager sat NewPoint Energy in Houston, which suggested the project to Jason's Deli and installed the array on Dowlen Road, said he is unaware of any other solar-electric generating capacity for a commercial client in the area. ... Ardoin praised Jason's Deli founder Joe Tortorice for helping to lead in a new direction. "He was among the first to take trans fats out of his food," Ardoin noted. Begnaud said Tortorice is willing to invest in solar energy for the long term and isn't as concerned as others might be for a quicker payoff.

Houston. It's Worth It. book issued

The art book hailed by internationally renowned NYC Designers and Architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro as “‘… a knockout. Not in the canned way that city sponsored promo books are. Never before has there been such an honest, loving and unflinching testimonial about Houston by and for the residents of Houston. Lo! Chop shops, parking lots and friendly neighbors DO make a good city!’ Order it at Amazon.

From Houston to Marfa

Houston Press: Open House at the Chinati Foundation. 2007-Oct-25, by Troy Schulze: It was great to see so many Houston artists exhibiting in Marfa and enjoying that unique exposure. There were familiar sights like Bexar's No Thanks, a projection of the artist's face, distorted by the addition of actual nails in the wall, and a distilled version of Teresa O'Connor's haunting installation (g)host. Houston photographer Katy Anderson's Texas-themed photo Somewhere I Call Home depicts children in a Kid Nation version of the Lone Star State.