My KHOU 11 Nintendo Wii post was a response to an Engadget post and the tech blog linked back to me after I found out more information. For those of you who do not know, Engadget is one of the top blogs in the world! Now the mikemcguff blog has been linked to both Engadget and BoingBoing (another top blog)!
- KHOU 11 makes Net news for Wii traffic remote
- PICTURE: Wedding gun cake - only in Texas
promo
Friday, October 30, 2009
Chance McClain of 1560 The Game talks about new film "Horrible Turn"
Chance McClain is the program director of 1560 The Game KGOW but is also a man of many, many talents. You probably know him for his music releases such as Yao Ming Song and The Big Puma. Now he and collaborator Frank Bullington (KGOW too) have shot an entire musical to release on the Internet. The film is called Horrible Turn and hits the Web for your pleasure November 10, 2009. [WATCH FULL MOVIE HERE]
Mike McGuff: So what made a radio guy like yourself think, "It's time to shoot a full musical?"
Chance McClain: I have wanted to write and direct a movie for a long time. I got swept up in Dr. Horrible mania and decided to give it a go. I figured if I was going to shoot a movie , why not do a musical? Most of the people that worked on the film have some kind of musical background so everything came very naturally to us.
MM: What's the summary of Horrible Turn?
CM: Boy meets girl, love blossoms, bad things happen, boy turns evil.
MM: Was it all shot in Houston? Where did you shoot?
CM: The movie was shot in and around Houston. We used my house in Spring, the office at 1560 The Game, Upper Hand Hair Salon in River Oaks, Strake Jesuit High School, a residence in Memorial, and a surprise shot in Galveston.
MM: How long did the production take?
CM: The first draft of the script was completed on March 11. Most of the music was written by the end of May. We shot over the summer in 24 days. Editing and post-production has taken us up to now.
MM: Who are the stars of the film and where did you find them?
CM: All of the actors are local. Most from around the musical theater scene. Tyce Green plays Billy. Jacob Buras plays Kenny. Kristin Massa plays the Aussie Katie. Christian Haile is Johnny. Dominic DiFelice is Wade. We did a casting call in June. I think and a lot of the actors were cast from that.
MM: Any celebrity cameos in the film?
CM: A certain Spencer Tillman gets behind the newsdesk again...Sean 'The Cablinasian' Pendergast is in the movie. Raheel Ramzanali and Kevin G. Joseph wear skirts in the film.
MM: How many 1560 The Game references did you fit in?
CM: There are a ton. The mic flag in a shot is the only obvious one.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
CM: Dr. Horrible is pretty much required viewing to fully appreciate the movie. It stands on its own ok but I highly recommend folks picking up a DVD of Dr. Horrible or watching it on Hulu before peeping Horrible Turn. Remember, it is fan art. I am a fan of Joss Whedon and wanted to make a movie about Dr. Horrible. Part of the marketing they did with Dr. Horrible was inviting the fans to submit video applications for the Evil League of Evil. Unfortunately we did not have time to send one in so went the prequel route instead. I hope the music is well received, we busted our ass on it. I hope people can appreciate that the film was done by volunteers, in spare time, and on a limited budget.
http://horribleturn.com/
RELATED
Houston Internet musical "Horrible Turn" debuts with KTRK 13 cameo
Mike McGuff: So what made a radio guy like yourself think, "It's time to shoot a full musical?"
Chance McClain: I have wanted to write and direct a movie for a long time. I got swept up in Dr. Horrible mania and decided to give it a go. I figured if I was going to shoot a movie , why not do a musical? Most of the people that worked on the film have some kind of musical background so everything came very naturally to us.
MM: What's the summary of Horrible Turn?
CM: Boy meets girl, love blossoms, bad things happen, boy turns evil.
MM: Was it all shot in Houston? Where did you shoot?
CM: The movie was shot in and around Houston. We used my house in Spring, the office at 1560 The Game, Upper Hand Hair Salon in River Oaks, Strake Jesuit High School, a residence in Memorial, and a surprise shot in Galveston.
MM: How long did the production take?
CM: The first draft of the script was completed on March 11. Most of the music was written by the end of May. We shot over the summer in 24 days. Editing and post-production has taken us up to now.
MM: Who are the stars of the film and where did you find them?
CM: All of the actors are local. Most from around the musical theater scene. Tyce Green plays Billy. Jacob Buras plays Kenny. Kristin Massa plays the Aussie Katie. Christian Haile is Johnny. Dominic DiFelice is Wade. We did a casting call in June. I think and a lot of the actors were cast from that.
MM: Any celebrity cameos in the film?
CM: A certain Spencer Tillman gets behind the newsdesk again...Sean 'The Cablinasian' Pendergast is in the movie. Raheel Ramzanali and Kevin G. Joseph wear skirts in the film.
MM: How many 1560 The Game references did you fit in?
CM: There are a ton. The mic flag in a shot is the only obvious one.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
CM: Dr. Horrible is pretty much required viewing to fully appreciate the movie. It stands on its own ok but I highly recommend folks picking up a DVD of Dr. Horrible or watching it on Hulu before peeping Horrible Turn. Remember, it is fan art. I am a fan of Joss Whedon and wanted to make a movie about Dr. Horrible. Part of the marketing they did with Dr. Horrible was inviting the fans to submit video applications for the Evil League of Evil. Unfortunately we did not have time to send one in so went the prequel route instead. I hope the music is well received, we busted our ass on it. I hope people can appreciate that the film was done by volunteers, in spare time, and on a limited budget.
http://horribleturn.com/
RELATED
Houston Internet musical "Horrible Turn" debuts with KTRK 13 cameo
Pixies, U2, Sublime, Megadeth and more
Pixies Announce Support Acts For US 'Doolittle Tour'
U2 Upset About Their Last Album
- Eno, Lanois Talk “Unforgettable Fire” as U2 Reissue Arrives
Sublime Debut New Singer at SmokeOut Festival Despite Nowell Family Protests
Bands want to know if their music was used on Gitmo detainees (Thanks Will-E)
- Agency names 35 artists, songs used on U.S. military terror suspects
Megadeth Radio' Channel Now Broadcasting
- DAVE MUSTAINE Says He Plans To Add METALLICA's 'No Life 'Til Leather' Demo To 'Megadeth Radio'
Halloween songs: scary mix and more
SLASH Talks SCOTT WEILAND, 'Chinese Democracy'
- Lull Your Baby to Sleep With Lullaby Versions of Guns N' Roses (Thanks Jennifer)
LIMP BIZKIT Frontman: 'We Have Recorded What We Feel Is Our Most Addictive Album Yet'
RATT: New Audio Interview With STEPHEN PEARCY, WARREN DEMARTINI Available
Michael Jackson’s Final Dreams Come to Life as “This Is It” Film Premieres
Tommy Lee moratorium proposed
“Led Zeppelin II” Turns 40
Trent Reznor Celebrates 20 Years of NIN’s “Pretty Hate Machine”
Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith review
Google, Facebook Plan to Beef Up Music Features
U2 Upset About Their Last Album
- Eno, Lanois Talk “Unforgettable Fire” as U2 Reissue Arrives
Sublime Debut New Singer at SmokeOut Festival Despite Nowell Family Protests
Bands want to know if their music was used on Gitmo detainees (Thanks Will-E)
- Agency names 35 artists, songs used on U.S. military terror suspects
Megadeth Radio' Channel Now Broadcasting
- DAVE MUSTAINE Says He Plans To Add METALLICA's 'No Life 'Til Leather' Demo To 'Megadeth Radio'
Halloween songs: scary mix and more
SLASH Talks SCOTT WEILAND, 'Chinese Democracy'
- Lull Your Baby to Sleep With Lullaby Versions of Guns N' Roses (Thanks Jennifer)
LIMP BIZKIT Frontman: 'We Have Recorded What We Feel Is Our Most Addictive Album Yet'
RATT: New Audio Interview With STEPHEN PEARCY, WARREN DEMARTINI Available
Michael Jackson’s Final Dreams Come to Life as “This Is It” Film Premieres
Tommy Lee moratorium proposed
“Led Zeppelin II” Turns 40
Trent Reznor Celebrates 20 Years of NIN’s “Pretty Hate Machine”
Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith review
Google, Facebook Plan to Beef Up Music Features
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Susan Farb is Houston's PR Fairy
Susan Farb is a well known PR pro in Houston. She just launched a new site called the PR Fairy:
http://www.prfairy.com/
Houston-based Susan Farb Public Relations has launched the website farbulous.com featuring the first-ever blog of the PR Fairy. The 19-year-old Houston public relations firm and its site are owned and operated by public relations and media relations consultant Susan Farb Morris. “Our clients can think of us as their PR Fairy — with a wave of the media relations wand, articles and interviews ‘magically’ can appear in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, blogs, e-zines, social media and in optimized news releases that are often tops on Google searches,” says Farb Morris. “However, we all know that it’s hard work, not magic, that creates the desired results,” said the Houston public relations consultant. READ MORE
http://www.prfairy.com/
Westheimer Block Party 2009
It's that time of year again for Montrose:
Westheimer Block Party returns this Fall with a now- 2 day Celebranza of arts and music. The festival will be November 14th and 15th and will host more than 250+ bands. We recommend doubling your B6 intake and wearing fresh socks. Spread thine word. Also- Saturday Night the 14th will host a finale with Dead Prez, Japanther, Eastern Sea (CD Release), Black Congress, and DJ Melodic.
Buy tix at http://www.freepresshouston.com/block_party.html
Why is the Guy Expo coming to Houston and what are the Almost-Darwin Awards?
To find out even more about this big event, I interviewed the expo's producer Shawna Suckow via email.
Mike McGuff: How would you describe The Guy Expo?
Shawna Suckow: I would describe it as everything guys love under one roof. We have beer tasting, a beer garden, a tailgating zone, home improvement, 3200 square feet of indoor laser tag, all the major Houston sports teams, Hooters, and the Houston Fire Department’s Street Machines Car Club will be there too. Also the Eat more Heat Zone will feature fiery foods from Houston and elsewhere. There’s something at the Expo for every guy out there. As a woman, a lot of this stuff appeals to me too, but I have to admit that every now and then something has to be explained to me. I didn’t have a clue about MMA until we started working on the Expo.
MM: Where did the idea come from?
SS: We wanted to create an Expo that didn’t exist, something unique that we all would enjoy working on. We used to produce all kinds of other conventions for real estate and government – beer and cars definitely are a lot more fun.
MM: Why was Houston picked as the second place to hold the event?
SS: We were considering several major cities for the next Expo, and Houston was the most welcoming by far. They partnered with us from the beginning, working with us in ways that other cities weren’t willing to. It’s enabling us to give this Expo some legs in a down economy, but also benefit the City of Houston while we do it. For selfish reasons, I’m happy to be headed to Houston and getting the hell out of Minnesota in November.
MM: How will Houston's sports teams participate?
SS: The Tailgating Area is hosted by the Houston Texans, who will bring a life-size inflatable goal post so guys can try their skills at kicking a field goal, and the cheerleaders will make appearances on Saturday and Sunday. The Houston Energy will feature a quarterback toss contest in the same area, and will bring some players as well. In the Fox Sports Team Zone, we’ll have the Rockets Power Dancers and Clutch along with some interactive contests. The Aeros will have an inflatable slapshot contest and will bring the AeroDynamics and Chilly. The Astros will be featuring some contests, and The Dynamo are bringing an inflatable field and possibly some players. For some reason, it seems like everything I just mentioned is inflatable.
MM: The Almost-Darwin Awards must spark interest?
SS: It’s a completely ridiculous contest that’s a lot of fun. Guys basically get on stage and share the story about the stupidest way they almost died. We’ve had some hilarious ones, let me tell you. I can’t wait to hear what Houston brings. There will be some great prizes for all our contests, so it’s completely worth the humiliation. Contestants can learn more and enter the contests by visiting www.theguyexpo.com.
MM: What type of guy will want to come to the Expo?
SS: We’ve got 12 different themed zones, so I believe there’s something of interest for almost any guy. If they like beer, then it’s a no-brainer. It’s also completely interactive wherever you go, so there are things to do, not just to look at. Any guy wanting a few hours of complete guy-ness should come and check it out. If they’re worried about missing the game, we’ll have 7 big screen TVs, including an 82-incher, in the Hooters Novemberfest Beer Garden.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
SS: Yes – the Houston Women Fire Fighters have put together their inaugural calendar, and they’re unveiling it at our Expo, so come on out to meet them and get signed copies of their calendar, all to benefit charity. We’re also giving away certificates for free beer for a year every night of the Expo. No catch, except we encourage everyone to donate to the Houston Fire Fighters Burned & Crippled Children’s Fund. Also, the Houston Habitat For Humanity is building the Ultimate Tricked-Out Garage, and auctioning off the materials at the end to benefit their organization. Tickets are eight bucks, but you can get in for half price from 5-6pm on Friday,10-11am on Saturday, and all day on Sunday. Fire fighters, police and military all get in free with their ID.
theguyexpo.com
VIDEO: Guy Fieri at Houston's Niko Niko's Greek restaurant
The Food Network's Guy Fieri with Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives at Niko Niko's Greek restaurant in Houston's Montrose. READ MORE
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Guy Fieri gets a taste of Houston
Texas Tribune to debut in realm of nonprofit journalism
I told you in September how The Texas Tribune raided journalism houses for employees and now we are starting to see media coverage in anticipation of the site's November 3rd launch. Kevin Brass of The Austin Chronicle brings us this piece on how the site is funded, what it will cover and what the top dogs are making salary wise:
Houston based TexasWatchDog.org is another similar entity that is open for business and already breaking some big stories.
To many industry observers, the Tribune (www.texastribune.org) and nonprofit operations like it represent nothing short of the future of journalism. While traditional media organizations continue to shrink, dozens of nonprofits have sprouted around the country in the last year, hoping that public funds will maintain investigative and public service journalism. Established players like Voice of San Diego and the MinnPost are already affecting their communities, breaking stories, and exposing the gaps in coverage supplied by newspapers and TV. READ MORE
Houston based TexasWatchDog.org is another similar entity that is open for business and already breaking some big stories.
15 Hottest Newswomen in America
This must be an important article, because multiple people have called and emailed to make sure I saw it. It's even better that one of Houston's own made the list. The site Manolith rated the 15 hottest newswomen in America and KPRC Local 2's Daniella Guzmán made the list. She is the only current Texas news talent to make the list. Read more about Guzmán.
My friend Sonia, who I have mentioned on this blog before, was a sorority sister of Lily Jang from Q13 Fox News Seattle. I think if Sonia would have stayed in TV news, she could have made this list.
Here she is and this photo isn't even all Photoshopped like those rated on Manolith:
If I had remained in Waco instead of returning to Houston for KTRK, Sonia and I could have been coanchors!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
HISD comes under fire in TexasWatchDog.com investigation
Texas Watchdog has an investigation on some Houston Independent School District (HISD) employees who have been issued credit cards and have bad credit or bankruptcies:
The Houston Independent School District has given out credit cards to more than a dozen employees with bankruptcies on their credit records, including some who ran up debts to local school districts, according to a review of records by Texas Watchdog.
At least two HISD employees who currently hold district-issued "procurement cards" or "p-cards" -- a form of credit card -- previously had their HISD wages garnished to pay off creditors, Texas Watchdog found.
Those with tarnished credit backgrounds included a school psychologist, a high school registrar, a grant writer and several teachers. One card-holding teacher filed for bankruptcy twice, once in 1996 and again in 2007, and in the latter filing claimed to own $2,500 in furs and jewelry.
A Texas Watchdog review turned up 18 HISD p-card holders who disclosed in bankruptcy court documents that they were employed by the school district. Texas Watchdog researched the bankruptcy status of only a fraction of the the HISD p-card holders, so there could be many others among the list of 1,200 card holders.
Read the full story Thursday at www.texaswatchdog.org
KPRC Local 2 reporter Elizabeth Scarborough exits
I heard a rumor that KPRC Local 2 reporter Elizabeth Scarborough was leaving TV news and it is true. What a shocker. She says she is leaving to start an Internet venture. Good luck Elizabeth!
(Image courtesy of Flickr user littlelostrobot)
KHOU 11 makes Net news for Wii traffic remote
KHOU 11 is in the Web spotlight today for an Engadget post. Seems Katherine Whaley who replaced Darby Douglas on the morning traffic beat uses a Nintendo Wii remote to transition the traffic slides (maps/graphics).
Naturally the folks at Engadget are excited about this. {You can insert your Wii bowling joke here.}
SEE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF
UPDATE
Readers wanted to know if this was some kind of hoax and how did KHOU achieve this. I asked BELO KHOU-TV Director of Digital Media Christine Di Stadio about the Wii traffic remote, here is what she told me:
Thanks Christine!
(Thanks to Matt and Brooks)
Naturally the folks at Engadget are excited about this. {You can insert your Wii bowling joke here.}
SEE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF
UPDATE
Readers wanted to know if this was some kind of hoax and how did KHOU achieve this. I asked BELO KHOU-TV Director of Digital Media Christine Di Stadio about the Wii traffic remote, here is what she told me:
KHOU-TV and KHOU.com recently partnered with Beat the Traffic. Here is some information from their website......
Beat the Traffic® is the fastest-growing provider of vehicle traffic reporting solutions for broadcast media. The award-winning solution features 3-D, high-definition animated maps, compelling on-air, on-line and mobile components, lower-third tickers and a one-of-a-kind traffic forecasting system.
Acclaimed for its visually-striking graphics, simple setup and user-friendly interface, Beat the Traffic® received the Television Broadcast magazine’s Top Innovation Award at the annual NAB trade show. The station-specific, artist-enhanced viewer presentation incorporates industry-leading traffic data providing the highest accuracy and broadest coverage... for breaking news and traffic.
*****
One of the newest integrations is the seamless integration of the Wii Mote traffic tool which means the 11 News Traffic Reporter, Katherine Whaley, does not need to be at the computer while delivering the traffic report. She can make last minute adjustments that occur as traffic conditions change. This serves Houston viewers well with real time traffic reports especially when conditions change while Katherine is on the set.
Beat the Traffic and Wii Mote is an elegant traffic solution for broadcasters and provides television stations with the most best-of-breed traffic reporting technology out there.
Thanks Christine!
(Thanks to Matt and Brooks)
Bikinis and travel mark new San Antonio show
Vanessa Macias Ballou is turning the heat up on San Antonio TV screens with a new travel show called Vamos! Jeanne Jakle of the San Antonio Express News tells us that the new local show features travel to Mexico and other locales and features Ballou (married to KEYE Austin sports director Bob Ballou) in lots of bikinis.
The Express News offer video here. Sounds like a hit already and I can't even watch it in Houston. It only airs on FOX 29 KABB in San Antonio! Well you can watch it online.
That's great that a local station would pick up a show like this. You don't see that too often. This show sounds like it has potential to be syndicated too.
If this is such a big hit in SA and already getting good press, maybe Vamos! should air on the new ABC Live Well HD network!
- Catch saucy video of Vanessa surfing, then watch 'Vamos!'
- Blast in a bikini: Vanessa spices up new travel show
- Bikinis and beaches! Vanessa of World Car fame gets new show
http://www.vamostravelshow.com
(Image courtesy of musicseensa.com)
Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith review
by Stephen Davis and if you are an Aerosmith fan, you have to read it (You might remember me boasting that Stephen Davis wrote the best Guns N' Roses bio of all time). Even if you are only slightly an Aero fan, but enjoy rock, you need to read Walk This Way. The book originally came out in the late 1990s but that doesn't matter. The bulk of the book takes place way before that obviously. You can divide Aerosmith into two versions - Aerosmith 1.0 and 2.0. The first half of the career exists in the 70s to 85. Version 2.0 starts with the Permanent Vacation
album when the band started using outside writers. I am a bigger fan of Aerosmith 1.0. Try to find better 70s rocks songs than Mama Kin, Toys in the Attic, Walk this Way and Back in the Saddle are amazing rock songs. Strangely enough only available to buy on Amazon.com and not iTunes. I created this Amazon widget so you can hear five classic Aerosmith classics:You've probably heard of the bands dependency problems. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were called the Toxic Twins for a reason. The book goes way into depth about the bands depravity. Maybe more than you even care to know.
Since I missed most of the 70s, and not for the reasons that phrase normally goes with, I learned a lot about the band. For example, Aerosmith was the underdog from the beginning. The band's first album came out at the same time as Bruce Springsteen's. Both bands were on Columbia and all of the promotional money went to Bruce. The press hated the band, but the fans loved them. After reading the book, I think Steven Tyler has a man crush or one sided bromance with Joe Perry. Joe Perry was one of those guys who is so into a relationship that he could not focus on the outside world. Maybe that has changed now. Overall Aerosmith was a band that would not give up no matter how bad they had it.
If you are a fan, I suggest reading this book first, then going in for the supplemental information with Hit Hard by Aerosmith's Joey Kramer.
More book reviews here.
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- Slash
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Most Expensive Colleges for 2009-2010
CampusGrotto compiled the list of the most expensive colleges for the 2009-2010 time frame. SEE THE LIST
(Thanks Brian!)
(Thanks Brian!)
Fox 26 KRIV anchors also in movies/TV shows
Leave it to Bob Martin aka "The Accountant to the Stars" to uncover that even more Houston anchors have appeared in movies.Martin lets us know that Fox 26 morning anchors Jose Grinan and Sibila Vargas have both appeared on the silver screen according to IMDB and independent confirmation. Don't forget, Martin is a Fox 26 contributor you know.
Grinan played a racecar driver who was killed in his first race in the movie The Daredevil (1972) with George Montgomery.
Vargas has appeared in a bunch of TV shows (mostly as a TV reporter) such as ER, Charmed and The Practice. This makes sense because prior to Fox 26 KRIV Vargas was the entertainment reporter for CNN. According to IMDB, Vargas is married to Alexander J. Pappas who has worked as a Second Unit Director or Assistant Director on a variety of Hollywood projects.
I guess it's time to hit IMDB and start looking up all of the Houston anchors...who knows what we'll find!
(Image courtesy of Flickr user Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner and was pleasantly suprised to hear the sequel SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
was out. Sounds like the global cooling part of the book has angered the global warming activists.
The authors discuss that and other aspects of the book in this NPR interview from the Diane Rehm Show that aired this week. LISTEN
KTRK and WFAA .2 channel news
I told you in September how WFAA 8 in DFW was getting This TV on 8.2. Well guess what happened? READ MORE (Thanks Murdock)
Next there is big news for ABC's Live Well HD network which can be viewed on KTRK 13.2 in Houston. At this point the network is only available around the country on ABC owned and operated stations but Mediaweek reports that could change soon. READ MORE
RELATED
- The Wash Allen Show goes national on Live Well HD
- This TV comes to WFAA 8.2
- KPRC launches new digital channel
Next there is big news for ABC's Live Well HD network which can be viewed on KTRK 13.2 in Houston. At this point the network is only available around the country on ABC owned and operated stations but Mediaweek reports that could change soon. READ MORE
RELATED
- The Wash Allen Show goes national on Live Well HD
- This TV comes to WFAA 8.2
- KPRC launches new digital channel
Kevin Whited talks to Mike McGuff about blogHOUSTON changes
A few weeks ago, the gang at blogHOUSTON announced some changes for the blog. I have to say I really like them.
This is one of the blogs that got me blogging (along with Laurence Simon). In fact I interviewed Kevin Whited and Anne Linehan of blogHOUSTON (and also uber blogger Charles Kuffner) about the Houston blogging scene way back when (and months before I started this blog in late 2005).
Kevin Whited answered some questions for me about his blog's changes and how the scene has developed over the five years he's been posting on blogHOUSTON.
Mike McGuff: You've gone with super short posts with no titles, why?
Kevin Whited: Part of it was just personal. I think both Anne Linehan and I were getting tired of the customary Intro-Link-Blockquote-Analysis-Conclusion style for every single post, whether it was just a news item we wanted to call attention to, or some issue we wanted to analyze, or some pol we wanted to mock. That style of post takes considerable time to put together, which usually left it for early morning or late in the evening, when the topic might not even be that timely anymore, so it was getting to be the case where a lot of potential posts just seemed like too much trouble at the (literal) end of the day. Plus that style didn't really fit all the sorts of posts we wanted to do.
So we started thinking more about how to structure the sort of blog we wanted to do (linky, pithy, timely) and still retain the ability to post something longer. We looked around at some of the blogs we like that were doing posts like that. Of course, Instapundit is the blogger who popularized this linky/pithy/timely format, and even though Professor Reynolds gets tons of accolades, he probably still doesn't get enough credit for his unique style. Locally, we liked the pithy commentary Cory Crow was offering on his linkposts at Lose an Eye (the 2009 Houston Press Best Blog) and now Harris County Almanac. So we borrowed a bit from both and just decided to go with a stream of local "stuff" that interests us. I don't know what we are doing qualify as "blog" posts anymore! Seriously, do they?
We got the headlines out of the way except as reference matter -- since the commenting is handled by forum software, the posts needed a subject anchor for the forum. But on the main page, the thought was that headlines were unnecessary clutter that got in the way of the daily stream. That's borrowed from Instapundit because I think it really works for this sort of posting. And for the occasional longer post or guest post/essay, we still have the "old" blog, with headlines and such. When something goes up there, we'll link from the stream.
MM: What caused this shift in blogging style to happen?
KW: When we first started blogHOUSTON, I'm not so sure readers followed links as well as I think they do now even though we've always been pretty link heavy. Part of that was probably the deep excerpting that we sometimes did, and that many bloggers still do (tiptoeing up to the point of copyright abuse in some instances). Even in the old format, we were doing local blog post roundups, we also had a sidebar for those links, and we had added local news headlines and blogroll pages that attract a surprising number of visitors. Readers just seem a little more inclined these days to follow organized sets of links now. Maybe the rise of Twitter has influenced this. Or maybe our attention spans are just shorter than ever! *laugh*
So in addition to us just personally wanting to do more of that style of blogging, we actually thought readers might be receptive to it. So far, so good. Nobody has emailed that they hate the new format.
MM: I can see there are already a lot more daily posts, how many do you think will publish in a day? Will they happen all through the day?
KW: Assuming we're not just overwhelmed with "real life" or traveling or some such, I would think we could knock out 8-12 posts per weekday pretty easily, although that partly depends on the news cycle and other bloggers. If it's a slow news cycle, we aren't going to be posting just to have something up or to fill some silly quota. Weekends will probably be slower.
We'll likely post a little through the day. Obviously, our employers aren't paying us to be posting to our blogs during the workday, but popping out a short post during a coffee or lunch break doesn't strike me as much different as workers rushing out to suck on the cancer sticks or chat at the coffee bar or what have you. Still, the bulk of the posts would probably come during non-work hours I would think.
MM: You mention blogging with more attitude, what does this mean?
KW: One of my mentors at UH, the late great Ross Lence, was famous (or perhaps infamous) for giving undergrad and grad students essay questions of dissertation depth that he required us to answer in no more than three pages. That forced students to get to the point. And I am thankful to that magical man to this day for teaching me to economize my writing and analysis. I think our new format is going to force us to get to the point. A link post will be a link post, but if we're trying to make a point, I think it will come through pretty clearly. More opinion, much less filler!
MM: What kind of changes will we see on the blog when you go to the mentioned new software?
KW: Obviously, the current layout is kind of dated, and kind of busy. So I think as we move to new software, it gives us a perfect opportunity to offer readers a freshened layout. I hand roll these things and haven't even started yet, so all I can say is the goal will be a cleaner and less cluttered layout. There will be big benefits on the publishing side, but I hope to offer a few new nice wrinkles for our little community. I just ask that folks have patience. As you know, these rollouts take crazy amounts of time!
MM: Since you first started the blog, how have things changed for bloggers and the media over the years in your opinion?
KW: I'll just speak to the hyperlocal, because that's always been our niche. I think when we started, local blogs were much more personal and much less political. Now, there aren't so many indy/personal blogs that focus on politics, or at least local politics. They have been displaced by folks who have taken a much harder partisan line with their blogging. That's disappointing to some extent, because I think political parties have ample resources to get out their message. I don't really care to read local blogs that just pound away on the message of a political party, whatever the party might be. I don't hide the fact that I'm a libertarian/conservative/post-objectivist (good luck figuring that combo out!), but we just try to present an alternative (when compared to mainstream corporate publications like the Chron or Houston Press) perspective with a focus on traditional values and transparent, limited government.
To broaden the focus just a bit -- I hope that blogs and mainstream media have become slightly less combative since we got blogHOUSTON running five years ago. I know some of the higher-ups at the Chron ordered a scrubbing of blogHOUSTON and that Dwight Silverman and Dean Betz apparently went along (sadly enough) because some higher-ups don't get new media, but they clearly don't comprehend what our occasional criticism was about. We just want smart local news coverage! And like any good consumer, we complain when it isn't good. I hope that most good local journalists who stumble across the blog understand that we are obsessive about good (and bad) local news coverage.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
KW: Just a BIG thank you for this conversation and the blogging you do. You did great, sometimes unrecognized, work for KTRK-13, as well as your ongoing work on the Mike McGuff blog. It's a go-to blog for Houston media, and we appreciate the attention you've always given our little alt-media indy blog.
This is one of the blogs that got me blogging (along with Laurence Simon). In fact I interviewed Kevin Whited and Anne Linehan of blogHOUSTON (and also uber blogger Charles Kuffner) about the Houston blogging scene way back when (and months before I started this blog in late 2005).
Kevin Whited answered some questions for me about his blog's changes and how the scene has developed over the five years he's been posting on blogHOUSTON.
Mike McGuff: You've gone with super short posts with no titles, why?
Kevin Whited: Part of it was just personal. I think both Anne Linehan and I were getting tired of the customary Intro-Link-Blockquote-Analysis-Conclusion style for every single post, whether it was just a news item we wanted to call attention to, or some issue we wanted to analyze, or some pol we wanted to mock. That style of post takes considerable time to put together, which usually left it for early morning or late in the evening, when the topic might not even be that timely anymore, so it was getting to be the case where a lot of potential posts just seemed like too much trouble at the (literal) end of the day. Plus that style didn't really fit all the sorts of posts we wanted to do.
So we started thinking more about how to structure the sort of blog we wanted to do (linky, pithy, timely) and still retain the ability to post something longer. We looked around at some of the blogs we like that were doing posts like that. Of course, Instapundit is the blogger who popularized this linky/pithy/timely format, and even though Professor Reynolds gets tons of accolades, he probably still doesn't get enough credit for his unique style. Locally, we liked the pithy commentary Cory Crow was offering on his linkposts at Lose an Eye (the 2009 Houston Press Best Blog) and now Harris County Almanac. So we borrowed a bit from both and just decided to go with a stream of local "stuff" that interests us. I don't know what we are doing qualify as "blog" posts anymore! Seriously, do they?
We got the headlines out of the way except as reference matter -- since the commenting is handled by forum software, the posts needed a subject anchor for the forum. But on the main page, the thought was that headlines were unnecessary clutter that got in the way of the daily stream. That's borrowed from Instapundit because I think it really works for this sort of posting. And for the occasional longer post or guest post/essay, we still have the "old" blog, with headlines and such. When something goes up there, we'll link from the stream.
MM: What caused this shift in blogging style to happen?
KW: When we first started blogHOUSTON, I'm not so sure readers followed links as well as I think they do now even though we've always been pretty link heavy. Part of that was probably the deep excerpting that we sometimes did, and that many bloggers still do (tiptoeing up to the point of copyright abuse in some instances). Even in the old format, we were doing local blog post roundups, we also had a sidebar for those links, and we had added local news headlines and blogroll pages that attract a surprising number of visitors. Readers just seem a little more inclined these days to follow organized sets of links now. Maybe the rise of Twitter has influenced this. Or maybe our attention spans are just shorter than ever! *laugh*
So in addition to us just personally wanting to do more of that style of blogging, we actually thought readers might be receptive to it. So far, so good. Nobody has emailed that they hate the new format.
MM: I can see there are already a lot more daily posts, how many do you think will publish in a day? Will they happen all through the day?
KW: Assuming we're not just overwhelmed with "real life" or traveling or some such, I would think we could knock out 8-12 posts per weekday pretty easily, although that partly depends on the news cycle and other bloggers. If it's a slow news cycle, we aren't going to be posting just to have something up or to fill some silly quota. Weekends will probably be slower.
We'll likely post a little through the day. Obviously, our employers aren't paying us to be posting to our blogs during the workday, but popping out a short post during a coffee or lunch break doesn't strike me as much different as workers rushing out to suck on the cancer sticks or chat at the coffee bar or what have you. Still, the bulk of the posts would probably come during non-work hours I would think.
MM: You mention blogging with more attitude, what does this mean?
KW: One of my mentors at UH, the late great Ross Lence, was famous (or perhaps infamous) for giving undergrad and grad students essay questions of dissertation depth that he required us to answer in no more than three pages. That forced students to get to the point. And I am thankful to that magical man to this day for teaching me to economize my writing and analysis. I think our new format is going to force us to get to the point. A link post will be a link post, but if we're trying to make a point, I think it will come through pretty clearly. More opinion, much less filler!
MM: What kind of changes will we see on the blog when you go to the mentioned new software?
KW: Obviously, the current layout is kind of dated, and kind of busy. So I think as we move to new software, it gives us a perfect opportunity to offer readers a freshened layout. I hand roll these things and haven't even started yet, so all I can say is the goal will be a cleaner and less cluttered layout. There will be big benefits on the publishing side, but I hope to offer a few new nice wrinkles for our little community. I just ask that folks have patience. As you know, these rollouts take crazy amounts of time!
MM: Since you first started the blog, how have things changed for bloggers and the media over the years in your opinion?
KW: I'll just speak to the hyperlocal, because that's always been our niche. I think when we started, local blogs were much more personal and much less political. Now, there aren't so many indy/personal blogs that focus on politics, or at least local politics. They have been displaced by folks who have taken a much harder partisan line with their blogging. That's disappointing to some extent, because I think political parties have ample resources to get out their message. I don't really care to read local blogs that just pound away on the message of a political party, whatever the party might be. I don't hide the fact that I'm a libertarian/conservative/post-objectivist (good luck figuring that combo out!), but we just try to present an alternative (when compared to mainstream corporate publications like the Chron or Houston Press) perspective with a focus on traditional values and transparent, limited government.
To broaden the focus just a bit -- I hope that blogs and mainstream media have become slightly less combative since we got blogHOUSTON running five years ago. I know some of the higher-ups at the Chron ordered a scrubbing of blogHOUSTON and that Dwight Silverman and Dean Betz apparently went along (sadly enough) because some higher-ups don't get new media, but they clearly don't comprehend what our occasional criticism was about. We just want smart local news coverage! And like any good consumer, we complain when it isn't good. I hope that most good local journalists who stumble across the blog understand that we are obsessive about good (and bad) local news coverage.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
KW: Just a BIG thank you for this conversation and the blogging you do. You did great, sometimes unrecognized, work for KTRK-13, as well as your ongoing work on the Mike McGuff blog. It's a go-to blog for Houston media, and we appreciate the attention you've always given our little alt-media indy blog.
Monday, October 26, 2009
UPDATE: Indiana University to name atrium in honor of alumnus Tavis Smiley
I told you earlier today how Texas Southern University was taking Tavis Smiley's name of its communications school. Then a press release was commented in my post saying Smiley will get his name on an atrium at Indiana University where the PBS broadcaster is an alumnus.
Baylor University wants to sic independent alumni group
There has been a battle brewing between Baylor University and the independent alumni association for a few years now:
(Thanks Will-E)
First, Baylor University stopped giving money to the independent Baylor Alumni Association.
Then it purged the association from Baylor's Web site, e-mail service and toll-free phone line.
Now Baylor leaders want the group to dissolve itself and become part of the Baptist university in Waco.
University regents and other top officials say they're just trying to bring all alumni outreach efforts in-house for quality and efficiency's sake, a setup that most other private universities have adopted. Association leaders suspect a more sinister intent. READ MORE
(Thanks Will-E)
PICS: Ballunar Liftoff Festival glow
The annual Ballunar Liftoff Festival took place at the Johnson Space Center last weekend and Jay Lee aka The Bald Heretic was there to capture the the balloon glow.
SEE HIS PHOTOS
VIDEO: Top TV news bloopers of the week
CNN's Jeanne Moos presents TV news bloopers of the last week in the unique style only she can pull off. WATCH IT
(Thanks Murdock)
(Thanks Murdock)
TSU drops Tavis Smiley's name from communications school
Jeannie Kever of the Houston Chronicle reports that Texas Southern University has dropped the name of PBS talk show host Tavis Smiley from its communications school:
Smiley promised in 2004 to donate $1 million and to raise another $1 million for TSU. The school later created the Tavis Smiley School of Communication in his honor. In return, Smiley made one $50,000 donation in mid-2005 and raised $250,000 from three corporate donors.
But he said Friday that he had intended to fulfill his personal $1 million pledge.
“Any institution that turns away a $1 million gift in this economy, I think ought to have good reason for doing that,” he said in a telephone interview.
He also said former university President Priscilla Slade offered to name the school for him before he pledged any money.
“I even made a joke, how much is this decision going to cost me?” he said. “She said, ‘This decision has already been made.'” READ MORE
Bad song for kids birthday party
I promise I am a good father. But some of James' birthday party guests this past weekend sure got a shock based on my iPod playlist providing the day's musical entertainment. Trust me, I couldn't get to the iPod and unlock it fast enough to hit next.
You figure my classic rock playlist would be fairly family friendly for everyone, but I forgot about The Door's An American Prayer album consisting of Jim Morrison's poetry readings. It was released after his death. Click on the image below to listen to track 15 called Lament (even the limited audio sample has the NSFW part).
You figure my classic rock playlist would be fairly family friendly for everyone, but I forgot about The Door's An American Prayer album consisting of Jim Morrison's poetry readings. It was released after his death. Click on the image below to listen to track 15 called Lament (even the limited audio sample has the NSFW part).
The Cross Movement (pioneering Christian rap group) founder Juan "Enock" James passes away in Houston
Sketch the Journalist informs us on the death of a pioneering Christian rap group founder:
RELATED
- Houston organizes benefit concert in memory of former Cross Movement founder Juan "Enock" James
- Juan "Enock" James: July 12, 1974 to October 17, 2009
Don't know if you've ever heard of The Cross Movement or Juan "Enock" James, but I wanted to let you know he passed away in Houston last Saturday.
Benefit concert
Tuesday 7-10pm
The Price Complex
3000 Jensen Dr.
The Cross Movement was a pioneering group for our genre that, in the mid-90's, reminded cats that hip hop did indeed exist on the East Coast. Around 2000, one of the group's founding members, Juan "Enock" James relocated to Houston and recorded "AWEthentic" with Much Luvv Records.
RELATED
- Houston organizes benefit concert in memory of former Cross Movement founder Juan "Enock" James
- Juan "Enock" James: July 12, 1974 to October 17, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Houston Area Arcade Group (HAAG) 8th Annual Arcade Expo
The Houston Area Arcade Group (HAAG) is holding its 8th Annual Arcade Expo November 6 and 7th at the Crowne Plaza Reliant Center Hotel cross the street from Reliant Center:
arcadecenter.com/
There will be over 150 classic and current coin-op pinball machines, video arcade games, penny arcades, and console video games ready for attendees to play on free play or buy them for their home. There will be Tournaments, events, music and workshops to keep the young and young at heart entertained. Retro Pinball, inc will be showing off their new pinball at the show this year, a remake of the 1967 King of Diamonds. They will be speaking and showing it off as they launch it for sale to the operator and home amusement markets.
Speakers will include Dan Ferguson (Lone Star Pinball Museum) on the History of Pinball, Ken Graham former Williams Programmer, Retro Pinball talking shop about their new pinball and many more.
There will be Basic electronics, Pinball, and Arcade repair clinics to help attendee’s to get thier machine’s back up and running or just to do basic maintenance. Classic Console games will be returning to the mix this year! Game systems. This includes Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, ColecoVision, Vectrex, Intellivision, and other classic consoles.
Sat Nov 7th at noon Star Wars http://imperial1.501stforums.com/ will be at the show come and meet your favorite member of the Empire!!!
arcadecenter.com/
Friday, October 23, 2009
Top guy movies - this is a tough list
In anticipation of the Guy Expo coming to Houston (I'm helping get the word out), I thought about the top guy movies of all time. This is a tough list to assemble. You have to get in the action, comedy, music...etc. (Should you slip in emotional overtones and admit {gulp} you might be able to cry?)
In no particular order, I banged this list out. No thought, just banged on the keyboards like a real man - then scratched.
Scarface
Al Pacino as Tony Montana...classic. He has the swagger and the attitude to go down in a hail storm of bullets and 1980s excess.
Fight Club
Fighting + insomnia = cool
Caddyshack
Loud golf clothes, a gopher and dynamite. Sounds like an afternoon.
Star Wars
The classic epic tale with blasters and spaceships. Then there was that weird sister/brother and father thing.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
I just like this movie. No more explanation needed.
First Blood (Rambo)
The kick off to the 80s war hero that cannot be killed!
Terminator
A killer robot with an Austrian accent and a liking for Philip K. Dick themes. Time travel is the bonus.
Die Hard
A smart ass cop with guns and no shoes who destroys a building during the holidays. His adversary is an evil German man played by a British guy.
Animal House
What you want to be in college but are afraid to totally embrace because you want to be able to make a living one day.
Pulp Fiction
Out of order scenes, snappy fast food talk and guns.
*BONUS: Office Space
The average dude trying to escape the average corporate world and live.
Naturally I can't attempt something like this alone. That's why we have social networking so I can ask the late night question, "DUDES...What are the top guy movies?"
@dellbillings Depends. Crazy stupid fun: "The Warriors"..Sports: "Rocky"..Movies we cannot ever mention: "Brian's Song" "Field of Dreams"
@texasnate 300
@mattbramanti Big Lebowski. Chicks hate that movie. Also, Spinal Tap.
@robmd21 Top Gun has gotta be on that list.
Wes Hohenstein commented on your status:
"Swingers, Office Space, Beaches....I mean Die Hard."
August Endsley commented on your status:
"Godfather series, Goodfellas, Heat, Full Metal Jacket, Ferris Bueller, Mr Mom, Raising Arizona, Braveheart, Bourne series, A Christmas Story, Anchorman, Real Genius, Office Space, Unforgiven."
Steven Safran commented on your status:
"Stripes."
JVConcep RT @texasnate: // Agreed!!
@ThatEricMiller The Goonies, I love you man, d
Mario Segura commented on your status:
"Animal House, Blues Brothers, Anything with Clint Eastwood."
Andy Garcia commented on your status:
"Top Gun, Fight Club, Swingers, Godfather, Reservoir Dogs, Usual Suspects, Apocalypse Now, Scarface, Easy Rider, American Pie..."
TJ Aulds commented on your status:
"Godfather 1. Goodfellas. Caddy Shack. Original Oceans 12 with Rat Pack. "
Brian Holson commented on your status:
"Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Raging Bull, Rocky 1-3. The Holy Grail."
Mark Garay commented on your status:
"Spinal Tap, Animal House, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Blues Brothers, High Fidelity and Goodfellas. "The Godfather" has too much crossover appeal, and therefore doesn't qualify enough as just a "guy" movie. But it is worth an honorable mention."
I think we have our list!
The Guy Expo runs Friday, November 6th from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 8th from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Tickets are $8 for adults, free for kids 12 and under. Police, fire and military get in free, along with anyone wearing an Elvis jumpsuit.
For more information about The Guy Expo Houston, please visit www.theguyexpo.com.
In no particular order, I banged this list out. No thought, just banged on the keyboards like a real man - then scratched.
Scarface
Al Pacino as Tony Montana...classic. He has the swagger and the attitude to go down in a hail storm of bullets and 1980s excess.
Fight Club
Fighting + insomnia = cool
Caddyshack
Loud golf clothes, a gopher and dynamite. Sounds like an afternoon.
Star Wars
The classic epic tale with blasters and spaceships. Then there was that weird sister/brother and father thing.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
I just like this movie. No more explanation needed.
First Blood (Rambo)
The kick off to the 80s war hero that cannot be killed!
Terminator
A killer robot with an Austrian accent and a liking for Philip K. Dick themes. Time travel is the bonus.
Die Hard
A smart ass cop with guns and no shoes who destroys a building during the holidays. His adversary is an evil German man played by a British guy.
Animal House
What you want to be in college but are afraid to totally embrace because you want to be able to make a living one day.
Pulp Fiction
Out of order scenes, snappy fast food talk and guns.
*BONUS: Office Space
The average dude trying to escape the average corporate world and live.
Naturally I can't attempt something like this alone. That's why we have social networking so I can ask the late night question, "DUDES...What are the top guy movies?"
@dellbillings Depends. Crazy stupid fun: "The Warriors"..Sports: "Rocky"..Movies we cannot ever mention: "Brian's Song" "Field of Dreams"
@texasnate 300
@mattbramanti Big Lebowski. Chicks hate that movie. Also, Spinal Tap.
@robmd21 Top Gun has gotta be on that list.
Wes Hohenstein commented on your status:
"Swingers, Office Space, Beaches....I mean Die Hard."
August Endsley commented on your status:
"Godfather series, Goodfellas, Heat, Full Metal Jacket, Ferris Bueller, Mr Mom, Raising Arizona, Braveheart, Bourne series, A Christmas Story, Anchorman, Real Genius, Office Space, Unforgiven."
Steven Safran commented on your status:
"Stripes."
JVConcep RT @texasnate: // Agreed!!
@ThatEricMiller The Goonies, I love you man, d
Mario Segura commented on your status:
"Animal House, Blues Brothers, Anything with Clint Eastwood."
Andy Garcia commented on your status:
"Top Gun, Fight Club, Swingers, Godfather, Reservoir Dogs, Usual Suspects, Apocalypse Now, Scarface, Easy Rider, American Pie..."
TJ Aulds commented on your status:
"Godfather 1. Goodfellas. Caddy Shack. Original Oceans 12 with Rat Pack. "
Brian Holson commented on your status:
"Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Raging Bull, Rocky 1-3. The Holy Grail."
Mark Garay commented on your status:
"Spinal Tap, Animal House, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Blues Brothers, High Fidelity and Goodfellas. "The Godfather" has too much crossover appeal, and therefore doesn't qualify enough as just a "guy" movie. But it is worth an honorable mention."
I think we have our list!
The Guy Expo runs Friday, November 6th from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 8th from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Tickets are $8 for adults, free for kids 12 and under. Police, fire and military get in free, along with anyone wearing an Elvis jumpsuit.
For more information about The Guy Expo Houston, please visit www.theguyexpo.com.
VIDEO: Try to top this Halloween costume!
The guy has literally made a transforming Transformers costume! (via kylejack)
RELATED
- PICS: The wildest jack-o-lanterns ever
- Is it Halloween? Don't ask the kids
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen review
Former KTRK 13 anchor Stephanie Guadian returns home to El Paso's KFOX
Gustavo Reveles of the El Paso Times reports that former KTRK 13 weekend anchor Stephanie Guadian is leaving Houston for the region where she grew up. She will work for KFOX 14 in El Paso, TX:
Congrats to Stephanie for the new gig. I worked with her for a number of years and always found her to be very nice.
Stephanie Guadian, a Las Cruces native and Mayfield High School graduate, will join Noreen Jaramillo in the morning desk starting on Monday.
She comes to El Paso via Houston, where she anchored the weekend news at KTRK-TV, the ABC affiliate. She has also worked in Phoenix and San Francisco. READ MORE
Congrats to Stephanie for the new gig. I worked with her for a number of years and always found her to be very nice.
NFL's Top 10 Tailgating Towns - Texans on the list
The Houston Texans make it in the Forbes Traveler NFL's Top 10 Tailgating Towns list. See the rest.
CHECK IT OUT
(Thanks Brian!)
CHECK IT OUT
(Thanks Brian!)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Investigation into Houston city controller race
Just when you though the upcoming Houston elections had the feel of a Lunesta pill taken with a nice glass of milk, Steve Miller of Texas Watchdog starts digging. READ MORE
Come on, seriously...this election cycle has been so uneventful that the latest Houston Press cover is the only thing people are sort of talking about. I think the candidatessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.....
Oh, I must have fallen asleep on my keyboard from boredom. Never mind.
Come on, seriously...this election cycle has been so uneventful that the latest Houston Press cover is the only thing people are sort of talking about. I think the candidatessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.....
Oh, I must have fallen asleep on my keyboard from boredom. Never mind.
VIDEO: Mr. Belding gets his own web series
Dennis Haskins might be best known as Mr. Belding from Saved By the Bell but he also does other acting work. One of his latest projects is a web series called the Acting School Academy. It's totally making fun of Hollywood and is actually funny. Watch out...
BTW, if you want to hire Haskins to play Mr. Belding for your next event, click here. He'll even sing Karaoke with you.
RELATED
- Acting School Academy Skewers the L.A. Acting Scene
- The Saved By the Bell reunion...sort of
- Saved by the Bell reunion taking shape
- Saved by the Bell: Remixed
Foreign repair work on US airplanes investigated
Sure the US airline industry is considered pretty safe, but NPR's Daniel Zwerdling takes a look at the globalization of airplane repair work and some of the problems associated with it:
Shortly before sunrise on Jan. 23, 2009, passengers on US Airways Flight 518, who were flying from Omaha to Phoenix, were startled by a terrifying shriek. The pressure seal around the main cabin door was failing, and that shriek was the sound of air leaking through. The plane diverted to Denver. Everybody was safe.
But that and other recent malfunctions affecting US Airways planes, which NPR is reporting for the first time, raise questions about a controversial and growing practice at most U.S. airlines: The industry is sending 1 of every 5 planes to developing countries, from Central America to Asia, when the planes need to be overhauled and repaired. READ IT
Houston's Alabama Theater opens without books
I had no idea someone was restoring the Alabama Theater to its original purpose after the Bookstop closed. READ MORE(via blogHOUSTON)
RELATED
Houston to lose West Alabama Bookstop
(Image courtesy kshilcutt)
PICS: The wildest jack-o-lanterns ever
Halloween is just around the corner and you won't believe how these jack-o-lanterns were decorated. SEE THEM
(Thanks Brian)
(Thanks Brian)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Kings of Leon, Jim Morrison, U2, Megadeth and more
Kings Of Leon & White Lies at Toyota Center
ACL Festival 2009 photos
“Unexplainable” Photo Snapped at Jim Morrison’s Grave
Def Leppard Cancel US Tour
Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor Marries Mariqueen Maandig
Corgan Talks Pumpkins’ Plans: “I’d Rather Be Free Than Rich”
A Long Interview with The Edge's Guitar Tech
Original KISS drummer celebrates surviving breast cancer (Thanks Will-E)
Five Decent Bands Named After Star Wars Terminology
DAVE MUSTAINE: Why I Lost My Job With METALLICA
- DAVE MUSTAINE: Why MEGADETH's 'Endgame' Is Better Than METALLICA's 'Death Magnetic'
- Kirk Hammet: Big Four Tour 'rumors aren't true'... Too Many Conflicts
Guns n’ Roses Bringing “Chinese Democracy” Tour to Canada
Fascinating, Book-Length Expose On Pandora's 'Music Decoders'
ACL Festival 2009 photos
“Unexplainable” Photo Snapped at Jim Morrison’s Grave
Def Leppard Cancel US Tour
Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor Marries Mariqueen Maandig
Corgan Talks Pumpkins’ Plans: “I’d Rather Be Free Than Rich”
A Long Interview with The Edge's Guitar Tech
Original KISS drummer celebrates surviving breast cancer (Thanks Will-E)
Five Decent Bands Named After Star Wars Terminology
DAVE MUSTAINE: Why I Lost My Job With METALLICA
- DAVE MUSTAINE: Why MEGADETH's 'Endgame' Is Better Than METALLICA's 'Death Magnetic'
- Kirk Hammet: Big Four Tour 'rumors aren't true'... Too Many Conflicts
Guns n’ Roses Bringing “Chinese Democracy” Tour to Canada
Fascinating, Book-Length Expose On Pandora's 'Music Decoders'
ABC's Jim Avila latest KENS 5 anchor candidate?
It was a big deal when KENS 5 anchor Chris Marrou announced his departure as main anchor after 36 years. Then we heard former WFAA 8 anchor Jeff Brady could come back from Dallas to take over.
But now Jeanne Jakle says a bigger figure could be coming to sit in that San Antonio anchor chair. Yes, current ABC newsman Jim Avila:
Network reporters coming to Texas to anchor must be catching on. Jakle says the decision could be reached in the next few weeks.
(Image courtesy the Maynard Institute)
But now Jeanne Jakle says a bigger figure could be coming to sit in that San Antonio anchor chair. Yes, current ABC newsman Jim Avila:
I'm told Avila, the senior law and justice correspondent for ABC News — as well as newsmagazines "Primetime" and "20/20" — recently auditioned for the main anchor job and KENS bosses were very high on him.
That's the buzz around KENS anyway. When I called the station for official confirmation, management didn't return my call. Avila also has family in San Antonio. His brother, Jaie Avila, co-anchors "News 4 San Antonio Today," the morning program on competitor WOAI. READ THE REST
Network reporters coming to Texas to anchor must be catching on. Jakle says the decision could be reached in the next few weeks.
(Image courtesy the Maynard Institute)
Top 10 Places to Eat in Rice Village
Sarah Rufka of the Houston Press rates the Top 10 Places to Eat in Rice Village. My wife would agree with the number one spot that's for sure.
SEE THE LIST
Now that we are parents, pretty much the only place we eat at The Village anymore is Jason's Deli. We can get everything we want including soft serve ice cream before James gets tired of sitting there!
SEE THE LIST
Now that we are parents, pretty much the only place we eat at The Village anymore is Jason's Deli. We can get everything we want including soft serve ice cream before James gets tired of sitting there!
H1N1: Most Dangerous To Young People
Naturally 60 Minutes has some of the best coverage on the H1N1 outbreak.
Ninety-nine percent of the people who get it suffer just a few miserable days at home. But it is also true that for something less than one percent, H1N1 can be fatal. And many of them are the last people you'd expect to see rushing to an emergency room. READ AND WATCH
KHOU 11 honored with a dozen Lone Star EMMY Awards
In a follow up to my Monday post 7th Annual Lone Star EMMY Award winners, KHOU has let us know it did very well in the contest:
KHOU-TV Channel 11 has won twelve EMMY Awards from the Lone Star Chapter of the National Television Academy – once again, more than any other television station in Houston. The 2009 awards, which recognize news excellence across the state of Texas, were announced during a ceremony on October 17th in Dallas.
KHOU went into the night with a whopping 35 nominations, topping all other stations in its market. The 11 News team took home the EMMY for best Team Coverage in recognition of its outstanding work during Hurricane Ike. Of the dozen honors, five were presented to veteran reporter Brad Woodard, an impressive feat that included awards for Breaking News, Specialty Assignment Report, Weather Story, On-Camera Talent and Writing.
2009 Lone Star EMMY Awards Presented to KHOU:
BREAKING NEWS
Ike: Before, During and After -- Brad Woodard Reports
Brad Woodard, Reporter
TEAM COVERAGE
15 Minutes of Ike
Keith Connors, Executive News Director
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT - SINGLE STORY
Iraq Water Investigation
Jeremy Rogalski, Investigative Reporter
HUMAN INTEREST - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE
Hearts for Hunter
Kevin Reece, Reporter
Todd Rogenthien, Photographer/Editor
SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT REPORT - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE
Slaughtergate
Frank McBride, Photographer
Brad Woodard, Reporter
WEATHER - NEWS SINGLE STORY/SERIES/FEATURE
Return to Bolivar
Brad Woodard, Reporter
WEATHER - PROGRAM/ SPECIAL / FEATURE/SEGMENT
Storm Warnings: Lessons Learned
Chris Nocera, Producer
Gene Norman, Host
EDITOR - NEWS
Overcoming Ike
Chris Nocera, Editor
ON-CAMERA TALENT - REPORTER - FEATURES / HUMAN INTEREST
Kevin Reece
Kevin Reece, Reporter
ON-CAMERA TALENT - REPORTER - LIVE
Ike This!
Jeremy Desel, Reporter
ON-CAMERA TALENT - REPORTER - SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT / CONSUMER / MEDICAL
A Voice for the Voiceless: Brad Woodard Reports
Brad Woodard, Reporter
WRITER - NEWS
In Woodard's Words (Brad Woodard Writing Composite)
Brad Woodard, Reporter/Writer
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Continental flies into the heart of pilot divorce
Houston-based airline Continental is in the news for something kind of odd. Seems Continental Airlines pilots have been accused of getting short-lived 'sham' divorces to collect large pensions:
The Houston-based international carrier smelt a rat when a spate of its cockpit crew members dissolved their marriages between 2005 and 2007, only to remarry shortly after their spouses had obtained up to $900,000 under a loophole permitting lump sum pension payouts to divorced partners of staff members.
Continental fired the pilots and sued, claiming it had been duped into distributing between $10m and $11m under false pretences. But at a federal court in Texas, a judge has sided with the pilots, ruling that, irrespective of its employees' motives, Continental cannot hold itself up as an arbiter of marital authenticity. READ THE REST
Survey: Should TV anchors run their own teleprompters?
After I posted Big market TV anchors working their own teleprompters yesterday, media jobs Web site TVjobs.com posted a survey on the topic.
As you might imagine, the majority of voters think anchors need a prompter operator. Make sure to check out the comments.
As you might imagine, the majority of voters think anchors need a prompter operator. Make sure to check out the comments.
Darby Douglas' near death experience, plus life after KHOU 11
UPDATE JUNE 13, 2018
Darby Douglas exits KHOU 11
UPDATE JUNE 11, 2014
Darby Douglas to return to KHOU 11
UPDATE JULY 16, 2014
Darby Douglas' father dies hours before his KHOU return
If you look at all the viewer comments that have come into the mikemcguff.com blog in support of Darby Douglas since he was terminated, you know one thing, the former KHOU 11 morning traffic anchor was very popular.
This native Houstonian helped commuters get to work on time from 1996-2009 on KHOU. He was voted "Houston's Ultimate Traffic Reporter" by the Houston Chronicle in 2005 and "Houston's Ultimate TV Personality" honorable mention in 2007. WATCH VIDEO OF HIM ON AIR
Douglas was kind enough to answer some questions for me over email about his time after Channel 11 KHOU and what's next for the Houston broadcaster.
Mike McGuff: So what have you been up to since leaving Channel 11?
Darby Douglas: I've been staying busy to say the least! First off, I must tell you that two weeks after KHOU terminated my services, I came down with pneumonia. It was a bad case. The doctor said had I waited much longer, I might not be interviewing with you right now. That was in mid March and after all the anti-biotics, inhalers and steroids they pumped into me, I was a physical mess. Hey, but I'm still here! The recovery has been slower than I expected, but then I'm no spring chicken. My lung capacity is just now starting to come back. I mean there for a while, walking up a flight of steps felt like running a mile. It would take 20 minutes to recover! Not fun. Anyway, while my recovery was slow going, my calendar was not. You see, I'm married to an Italian, part of the Mandola family. When you're married to an Italian, you inherit a lot of cousins. To date it's about one thousand and growing! There's always something going on in the family. Plus, I've been doing a lot of volunteer work. You know, emceeing events and golf tournaments (my favorite), volunteering at my daughter's high school when needed, and making road trips to Texas Tech for my oldest daughter. Now I have my Facebook page, I'm writing a blog called Darby's Alternate Route and I've downloaded a video on YouTube for anyone who would like to reminisce.
MM: Clearly lots of people miss you on the air, what reaction have you received from the public?
DD: The reaction has been amazing and quite humbling. Just the comments on your blog you did when you found out I was let go is amazing in itself! I googled my name after I started to recover from pneumonia and all the comments were of a positive nature. When does that ever happen? It is nice to know that people do care and that I was a part of their lives every morning. Even now, people come up to me and say that they miss waking up to me in the morning. I miss being there with them. Trust me.
I recently talked to an anonymous person at KHOU and this person said they still get multiple calls every day wondering where I am. I am told that KHOU had a forum on their website where you could make a comment but it has been removed.
MM: Why do you feel you connected with the public so much?
DD: You tell me! I will say this though, I have always made it my first priority to inform my viewers (hopefully intelligently) to the best of my ability. But right behind that, and I mean RIGHT behind that, I also wanted those who watched me to know me, know my family, know what I did not just for a living, but for fun. I wanted them to know me on a personal level (my wife still winces at that one) so if they saw me on the street, they wouldn't hesitate to come up to me and say hello. I hope I've done that. For the record, at this time my wife's hair is straight! Thank God for cooler weather.
MM: What are your future plans?
DD: To continue to volunteer my time to those that need me and get back to what I do best, entertaining others. I love doing traffic and I hope to continue to do that in some form or fashion, but there are other things I'd like to do. As you recently blogged, I had an audition for a guest host position on 790 "The Sports Animal" with Ted Deluca. That was a total rush! I could see myself being very comfortable doing something like that or even having my own show. I'd like to be the next Ed McMahon (God rest his soul), we need one! I want to run a 10K. After having pneumonia, I've come to cherish breathing. I even have plans to start my own foundation sometime in the future. Either way, I'm eagerly awaiting my next opportunity.
MM: What will you be writing about on your new blog?
DD: I'm going to write about the things that interest me. I know that sounds self-serving but I hope you won't take it that way. Look for me to write about local events in and around the Houston area as well as current events. If I'm doing something that will be in the public eye I'll give it a mention. I'll be writing about Tiger Woods (my wife wants to write a book about how Tiger ruined her life) and other sports stories as they arise. I might do some political commentary, but then again maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
DD: Yes. First of all, thanks to you Mike for giving me a forum to reach out to those who have been looking for me. Secondly, I want to thank each and every person who has made a comment on the blogs (yours in particular), come up to me at all the events I've emceed, and have stopped me on the street or in a store to tell me how much I meant to them and how they miss me. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life and I hope to reconnect to you soon. In the meantime, become a fan of mine on Facebook, or subscribe to my blog, Darby's Alternate Route to keep in touch. Otherwise, stay tuned...
UPDATE JUNE 11, 2014
Darby Douglas to return to KHOU 11
RELATED
- Watch Darby Douglas do traffic on KHOU 11 once again
- Darby Douglas to guest on 790 KBME The Sports Animal
- Where is Darby Douglas on Channel 11 KHOU?
Darby Douglas exits KHOU 11
UPDATE JUNE 11, 2014
Darby Douglas to return to KHOU 11
UPDATE JULY 16, 2014
Darby Douglas' father dies hours before his KHOU return
If you look at all the viewer comments that have come into the mikemcguff.com blog in support of Darby Douglas since he was terminated, you know one thing, the former KHOU 11 morning traffic anchor was very popular.
This native Houstonian helped commuters get to work on time from 1996-2009 on KHOU. He was voted "Houston's Ultimate Traffic Reporter" by the Houston Chronicle in 2005 and "Houston's Ultimate TV Personality" honorable mention in 2007. WATCH VIDEO OF HIM ON AIR
Douglas was kind enough to answer some questions for me over email about his time after Channel 11 KHOU and what's next for the Houston broadcaster.
Mike McGuff: So what have you been up to since leaving Channel 11?
Darby Douglas: I've been staying busy to say the least! First off, I must tell you that two weeks after KHOU terminated my services, I came down with pneumonia. It was a bad case. The doctor said had I waited much longer, I might not be interviewing with you right now. That was in mid March and after all the anti-biotics, inhalers and steroids they pumped into me, I was a physical mess. Hey, but I'm still here! The recovery has been slower than I expected, but then I'm no spring chicken. My lung capacity is just now starting to come back. I mean there for a while, walking up a flight of steps felt like running a mile. It would take 20 minutes to recover! Not fun. Anyway, while my recovery was slow going, my calendar was not. You see, I'm married to an Italian, part of the Mandola family. When you're married to an Italian, you inherit a lot of cousins. To date it's about one thousand and growing! There's always something going on in the family. Plus, I've been doing a lot of volunteer work. You know, emceeing events and golf tournaments (my favorite), volunteering at my daughter's high school when needed, and making road trips to Texas Tech for my oldest daughter. Now I have my Facebook page, I'm writing a blog called Darby's Alternate Route and I've downloaded a video on YouTube for anyone who would like to reminisce.
MM: Clearly lots of people miss you on the air, what reaction have you received from the public?
DD: The reaction has been amazing and quite humbling. Just the comments on your blog you did when you found out I was let go is amazing in itself! I googled my name after I started to recover from pneumonia and all the comments were of a positive nature. When does that ever happen? It is nice to know that people do care and that I was a part of their lives every morning. Even now, people come up to me and say that they miss waking up to me in the morning. I miss being there with them. Trust me.
I recently talked to an anonymous person at KHOU and this person said they still get multiple calls every day wondering where I am. I am told that KHOU had a forum on their website where you could make a comment but it has been removed.
MM: Why do you feel you connected with the public so much?
DD: You tell me! I will say this though, I have always made it my first priority to inform my viewers (hopefully intelligently) to the best of my ability. But right behind that, and I mean RIGHT behind that, I also wanted those who watched me to know me, know my family, know what I did not just for a living, but for fun. I wanted them to know me on a personal level (my wife still winces at that one) so if they saw me on the street, they wouldn't hesitate to come up to me and say hello. I hope I've done that. For the record, at this time my wife's hair is straight! Thank God for cooler weather.
MM: What are your future plans?
DD: To continue to volunteer my time to those that need me and get back to what I do best, entertaining others. I love doing traffic and I hope to continue to do that in some form or fashion, but there are other things I'd like to do. As you recently blogged, I had an audition for a guest host position on 790 "The Sports Animal" with Ted Deluca. That was a total rush! I could see myself being very comfortable doing something like that or even having my own show. I'd like to be the next Ed McMahon (God rest his soul), we need one! I want to run a 10K. After having pneumonia, I've come to cherish breathing. I even have plans to start my own foundation sometime in the future. Either way, I'm eagerly awaiting my next opportunity.
MM: What will you be writing about on your new blog?
DD: I'm going to write about the things that interest me. I know that sounds self-serving but I hope you won't take it that way. Look for me to write about local events in and around the Houston area as well as current events. If I'm doing something that will be in the public eye I'll give it a mention. I'll be writing about Tiger Woods (my wife wants to write a book about how Tiger ruined her life) and other sports stories as they arise. I might do some political commentary, but then again maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
DD: Yes. First of all, thanks to you Mike for giving me a forum to reach out to those who have been looking for me. Secondly, I want to thank each and every person who has made a comment on the blogs (yours in particular), come up to me at all the events I've emceed, and have stopped me on the street or in a store to tell me how much I meant to them and how they miss me. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life and I hope to reconnect to you soon. In the meantime, become a fan of mine on Facebook, or subscribe to my blog, Darby's Alternate Route to keep in touch. Otherwise, stay tuned...
UPDATE JUNE 11, 2014
Darby Douglas to return to KHOU 11
RELATED
- Watch Darby Douglas do traffic on KHOU 11 once again
- Darby Douglas to guest on 790 KBME The Sports Animal
- Where is Darby Douglas on Channel 11 KHOU?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Houston rodeo announces some musical acts for 2010
We now know four musical acts playing the 2010 Houston rodeo:
http://www.rodeohouston.com/
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials announced today four exciting superstars as part of the lineup for the 2010 RodeoHouston(TM), as well as Season Ticket and Mini-Season Ticket options.
ENTERTAINERS
Sunday, March 7 -- Jonas Brothers
Monday, March 8 -- Tim McGraw
Thursday, March 11 -- Brad Paisley
Saturday, March 20 -- Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo Tour
http://www.rodeohouston.com/
Watch Darby Douglas do traffic on KHOU 11 once again
Consider it the "best of" Darby Douglas doing traffic on KHOU Channel 11 in Houston.
RELATED
- Darby Douglas' near death experience, plus life after KHOU 11
- Darby Douglas to guest on 790 KBME The Sports Animal
- Where is Darby Douglas on Channel 11 KHOU?
RELATED
- Darby Douglas' near death experience, plus life after KHOU 11
- Darby Douglas to guest on 790 KBME The Sports Animal
- Where is Darby Douglas on Channel 11 KHOU?
EX-TV reporter loses bid for piece of Taub estate
Here is an update to a story I told you about in August.
Dr. Oz photos from his Houston show
JL Watkins of KPRC 2 got a chance to freelance for the Dr. Oz show when it came to Houston. SEE HIS PHOTOS
The lowdown on Windows 7
Are you experiencing stockholm syndrome with Windows Vista? Or too scared to leave the reliable Windows XP? The Houston Chronicle's Dwight Silverman answers your questions about the new Windows 7 operating system coming out this Thursday. For those of you who didn't know, yes Microsoft is moving to the next OS this week. Goodbye Vista. READ IT
Big market TV anchors working their own teleprompters
This could be the sign of end times:
I loved this line, "viewers may notice some awkward cranking and pumping beneath the anchor desk." Some anchor should use that for an autobiography title.
WTTG, known as Fox5, intends to train its newscasters to operate prompters using a series of hand levers and foot pedals, all while they're reading the news as it scrolls by.
Some at the station worry that such a roll-your-own system could increase the potential for on-camera blunders, as anchors fumble for the right spot in their scripts. They also say that viewers may notice some awkward cranking and pumping beneath the anchor desk. READ THE REST
I loved this line, "viewers may notice some awkward cranking and pumping beneath the anchor desk." Some anchor should use that for an autobiography title.
Photographer "reveals himself" outside balloon boy house
Bob Martin, aka "The Accountant to the Stars," saw this clip on the news Sunday night. Some photographer got caught on camera doing his best impression of Dan Ackroyd's Norge repairman from Saturday Night Live! CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE TO SEE
7th Annual Lone Star EMMY Award winners
I shared the good news concerning those nominated for a 7th Annual Lone Star EMMY Award, so here are the big winners.
CLICK TO SEE THE WINNERS
The awards were handed out in Dallas over the weekend. Congratulations to all of the winners.
I have to personally give shout outs to TV photographer Michael 'Skyj' Lukaszewskyj who won for lighting, KTRK 13 meteorologist Tim Heller for weather - news weathercast, KTRK 13 mega-producer Adam Darsky for the news producer category, Ernie Manouse at KUHF 8 for his multiple wins and Eileen Teves of KENS 5 for her win in magazine program - feature segment.
CLICK TO SEE THE WINNERS
The awards were handed out in Dallas over the weekend. Congratulations to all of the winners.
I have to personally give shout outs to TV photographer Michael 'Skyj' Lukaszewskyj who won for lighting, KTRK 13 meteorologist Tim Heller for weather - news weathercast, KTRK 13 mega-producer Adam Darsky for the news producer category, Ernie Manouse at KUHF 8 for his multiple wins and Eileen Teves of KENS 5 for her win in magazine program - feature segment.
Woozyhelmet rolls through Houston
Last week was a wild rock n' roll kind of week for me. It started out with Alice Cooper at the Verizon Wireless Theater, U2 at Reliant Stadium and ended Saturday night with Woozyhelmet at Mango's Cafe.
Woozyhelmet is a half Houston/Austin punk rock band, but they are so much more. The trio does not take itself too seriously and knows how to put on a show. Here is more info on the band's latest album Get Down, plus a few free mp3s for you.
Woozyhelmet is a half Houston/Austin punk rock band, but they are so much more. The trio does not take itself too seriously and knows how to put on a show. Here is more info on the band's latest album Get Down, plus a few free mp3s for you.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Photos: Innovations Still on the Drawing Board
PC World gives us a glimpse into the future of possible upcoming mobile tech:
(Thanks Danny)
From new materials to new shapes to new ways of keeping things powered up, portable gadgetry has a bright future. Individual designers, design firms and computer manufacturers continually come up with inventive ideas for new products. We picked out our favorite would-be tech products from drawing boards across Silicon Valley and around the world. SEE THE LIST
(Thanks Danny)
Mike McGuff teams up with Guy Expo Houston
It's going to be big:
The Guy Expo hits the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston November 6-8. It’s all about guys and it’s all in one spot. We’ll have beer, chicken wings and chicks at the Hooters November-fest beer garden. We’ll have Fox Sports Houston, fiery foods, home improvement gear, pro sports teams, a NASCAR race car and a tricked-out garage. Not to mention contests, prizes and autographed sports memorabilia.
Houston is the second city to host the event; it debuted in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It caters to the guy’s guy and there’s nothing wimpy or soft spoken about it. It aims to be fun, loud, entertaining and slightly irresponsible. Want proof? The Almost-Darwin Award goes to the guy with the best story about the way he almost died.
“The Guy Expo is a cross-section of every cool show that comes to town,” says Shawna Suckow, event organizer. “We have twelve different themed zones full of demonstrations, food and fun. There’s literally something for everyone who walks through the door.”
The Elvis portion of the program is “The King’s Wings” chicken wing eating contest, sponsored by Hooters. The twist is that contestants need to wear an Elvis jumpsuit. The Miss Guy Expo contest asks participants to wear a tool belt, slam a beer and answer guy trivia. November-fest, the Expo’s beer garden, lets you sit back, enjoy a cold one and watch your game of choice on eight big-screen TVs, after visiting the Houston Texans Tailgating Zone, of course.
Habitat for Humanity will create a tricked-out garage: think plasma TV, hydraulic lifts, bar area and tool bench. Speaking of tools, you do-it-yourselfers needing to start just one more project might want to see the Home Improvement Zone.
Like sports? The Texans, Rockets, Astros, Dynamo, Aeros and Energy will host contests, games and giveaways. A few players are scheduled to show up, too.
The Guy Expo organizers are a group of fried food-eating sports fans who came up with the idea when they realized expos for just about everything existed – except one that brought all things guy-related together. “Guys have all dabbled in home improvement, envied their neighbor’s grills and wanted bigger, better electronics,” says Suckow. “We wanted to give guys a glimpse of the coolest stuff we could find.”
The Expo runs Friday, November 6th from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 8th from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Tickets are $8 for adults, free for kids 12 and under. Police, fire and military get in free, along with anyone wearing an Elvis jumpsuit.
For more information about The Guy Expo, please visit www.theguyexpo.com.
VIDEO: KTRK's Dave Ward vs the aliens?
Charlie, a keen mikemcguff.com blog reader, emailed me this very funny observation about the 1953 version of War of the Worlds. If you fast forward to 2:35 of the above clip, there is a musician that looks a lot like KTRK Channel 13 anchor Dave Ward!
Is this actor even wearing a channel 13 pin on his collar? Do time machines really exist? Did the aliens do this?
(Thanks Charlie)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
What happened to the old Houston accent?
Slampo writes an interesting post about the disappearance of the Houston accent:
I've noticed this too. Earlier this year, I was watching some KTRK archival film from the 50s and the voices were noticably Southern sounding. Forget a Texas accent, some of the people interviewed sounded like they were from the Deep South.
Houston has so many folks moving here from all over the world that it would be hard to maintain that Southern drawl. I was born and raised here (yeah can you believe you know an actual native Houstonian?) and it seemed like most of my friends had no identifiable accents (most of their parents were from other parts of the country or world). So much for audible roots.
Think about it, even the Kennedy family lost the NE accents. When Sen. Edward Kennedy passed away earlier this year, interviews with his son proved that point. Think back to JFK and Bobby - to us, those were pretty intense accents.
If you have time, listen to this interview from NPR's Talk of the Nation. It is with linguist David Crystal on regional accents. Interesting stuff.
We’re moved to pose this question after listening to the almost 60-year-old taped radio broadcasts of then-roving crime reporter Marvin Zindler posted by the Chronicle’s “Bayou City History” blogger, J.R. Gonzales (this stuff is absolutely fascinating, by the way). Gonzales and several of his commentators noted the datedness of the soft, deeply Southern drawls of the crime victims (and perpetrators) in whose faces Zindler stuck his roving microphone. The kind of accent that you don’t hear that often these days, unless its from the mouth of a really, really old person. READ THE REST
I've noticed this too. Earlier this year, I was watching some KTRK archival film from the 50s and the voices were noticably Southern sounding. Forget a Texas accent, some of the people interviewed sounded like they were from the Deep South.
Houston has so many folks moving here from all over the world that it would be hard to maintain that Southern drawl. I was born and raised here (yeah can you believe you know an actual native Houstonian?) and it seemed like most of my friends had no identifiable accents (most of their parents were from other parts of the country or world). So much for audible roots.
Think about it, even the Kennedy family lost the NE accents. When Sen. Edward Kennedy passed away earlier this year, interviews with his son proved that point. Think back to JFK and Bobby - to us, those were pretty intense accents.
If you have time, listen to this interview from NPR's Talk of the Nation. It is with linguist David Crystal on regional accents. Interesting stuff.
Top 10 American muscle cars
As the American car industry fades away, lets take a look back at the glory days of the top 10 American muscle cars. SEE THE LIST
(Thanks Brian)
(Thanks Brian)
Todd Duplantis returns to Houston TV
There is buzz in the Houston TV world about former Fox 26 KRIV reporter Todd Duplantis returning to the industry. I've received several emails about this. Word is that Duplantis now works the news desk at KHOU Channel 11.
Those who have followed his career might remember Duplantis was also a VJ on MTV competitor Hit Video USA in the 1980s. That was a full video music network located in Houston that also aired in town on Channel 5. You probably only really could pick it up over the air on Houston's east side.
If I ever return to the Houston TV world how much buzz will I generate? Zero.
(Thanks Susan)
Those who have followed his career might remember Duplantis was also a VJ on MTV competitor Hit Video USA in the 1980s. That was a full video music network located in Houston that also aired in town on Channel 5. You probably only really could pick it up over the air on Houston's east side.
If I ever return to the Houston TV world how much buzz will I generate? Zero.
(Thanks Susan)
U2 lands in Houston at Reliant Stadium: The review
Who knew that Bono and U2 really, really like NASA and the astronauts? We learned that Wednesday night at Reliant Stadium as the world's biggest Irish band played Houston. Basically the group "landed" a space station we'll call a stage inside a football stadium. The band's performance was mixed in with space video and shuttle launch sounds (David Bowie's Space Oddity played before the show). Bono took a moment to mention U2's trip to NASA's Mission Control the other day which you can watch some of here.
This was quite an amazing U2 show in my opinion. It had to be the largest stage I've seen since the time I saw the band's Pop Mart Tour in 1997 at the Astrodome. And since then I've seen The Rolling Stones twice...so that tells you something. This performance was much better than the last time I saw U2 at The Toyota Center with a more stripped down stage. I like the big stages and theatrics. That's why I went to see Alice Cooper in Houston last Sunday after all.
The show kicked off with a lot of energy and Bono took it to the next level by not only saying the usual "Hello Houston" but he also said hello to Harris County too. How many singers mention the county they are playing in?
The star of the show was the massive stage and of course the 360 degree screen. Oh, and this screen is even more impressive than Jerry Jones' at Cowboy Stadium. The U2 screen actually came apart and grew longer while still displaying an image. Beyond that, Bono came out at one point wearing a suit jacket made of lasers (trust me, it is hard to explain). He also sang into an interesting looking microphone at this point. Mikemcguff.com blog contributor Michael Penix texted me with the thought, "is this a secret ad for Target?" I thought the same thing.
The set list (I think this is an accurate song list) was full of hits and new songs, but the band also played some deep tracks. I actually heard two dudes on the escalators as we were leaving complain about this fact. Other fans I talked with wanted more Joshua Tree era material. The song selection stopped mattering to me because the entire event put me into a trance like state. And no, I did not ingest any drugs or alcohol before, during or after the event.
It wouldn't be a Bono event without some inspiRED talk. He talked about jailed Burma (Myanmar) leader Aung San Suu Kyi. You might remember Suu Kyi from the American swimming to her home this year causing her to be under house arrest for a longer period.
But I have to mention the opening band Muse. If I remember correctly, a few years ago when Muse played Houston, it was on the UH campus. Now it is Reliant Stadium. Muse was freaking awesome. I often wondered how the trio could play these amazing songs live. Don't worry, they did not have a problem. Muse could be the band that fills U2's shoes one day. Bono mentioned this was the last show Muse was opening. We were so lucky then.
Make sure to check out Groovehouse's photos of the U2 stage from before the concert.
I made sure to link to U2 Houston concert photos and video.
- CLICK FOR PHOTOS
- CLICK FOR VIDEO
RELATED
- U2 tour review
- PIC: What U2's concert stage looks like this year
- The news anchor in the Desire (Hollywood Remix) U2 song
(Thanks Matthew)
This was quite an amazing U2 show in my opinion. It had to be the largest stage I've seen since the time I saw the band's Pop Mart Tour in 1997 at the Astrodome. And since then I've seen The Rolling Stones twice...so that tells you something. This performance was much better than the last time I saw U2 at The Toyota Center with a more stripped down stage. I like the big stages and theatrics. That's why I went to see Alice Cooper in Houston last Sunday after all.
The show kicked off with a lot of energy and Bono took it to the next level by not only saying the usual "Hello Houston" but he also said hello to Harris County too. How many singers mention the county they are playing in?
The star of the show was the massive stage and of course the 360 degree screen. Oh, and this screen is even more impressive than Jerry Jones' at Cowboy Stadium. The U2 screen actually came apart and grew longer while still displaying an image. Beyond that, Bono came out at one point wearing a suit jacket made of lasers (trust me, it is hard to explain). He also sang into an interesting looking microphone at this point. Mikemcguff.com blog contributor Michael Penix texted me with the thought, "is this a secret ad for Target?" I thought the same thing.
The set list (I think this is an accurate song list) was full of hits and new songs, but the band also played some deep tracks. I actually heard two dudes on the escalators as we were leaving complain about this fact. Other fans I talked with wanted more Joshua Tree era material. The song selection stopped mattering to me because the entire event put me into a trance like state. And no, I did not ingest any drugs or alcohol before, during or after the event.
It wouldn't be a Bono event without some inspiRED talk. He talked about jailed Burma (Myanmar) leader Aung San Suu Kyi. You might remember Suu Kyi from the American swimming to her home this year causing her to be under house arrest for a longer period.
But I have to mention the opening band Muse. If I remember correctly, a few years ago when Muse played Houston, it was on the UH campus. Now it is Reliant Stadium. Muse was freaking awesome. I often wondered how the trio could play these amazing songs live. Don't worry, they did not have a problem. Muse could be the band that fills U2's shoes one day. Bono mentioned this was the last show Muse was opening. We were so lucky then.
Make sure to check out Groovehouse's photos of the U2 stage from before the concert.
I made sure to link to U2 Houston concert photos and video.
- CLICK FOR PHOTOS
- CLICK FOR VIDEO
RELATED
- U2 tour review
- PIC: What U2's concert stage looks like this year
- The news anchor in the Desire (Hollywood Remix) U2 song
(Thanks Matthew)
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