Email Author John Nova Lomax

2009 Stories by John Nova Lomax

• Sadly, It's A Busy Time At Houston's Suicide Hotline

  published Feb 10, 2009

  A week ago, The New York Times reported  that demands on the city's 24-hour suicide hotline had ballooned as never before. Alan Ross, a veteran employee of the hotline's sponsor - the Samaritans ... More >>

• R.I.P., The ClobberLine (As Big-City Prices Rejoice)

  published Feb 04, 2009

  Somewhere in Hempstead, there's a big red phone that will never ring again. Lawrence Marshall has announced that the 40-year-old dealership is closing its doors, and thus no dotty old ladies will eve... More >>

• Say Hello to EaDo

  published Feb 03, 2009

  We once described the area immediately to the east of the George R. Brown Convention Center as a "silent, godforsaken stretch of no-man's-land" that is neither the Warehouse District, nor the Third W... More >>

• Black Day For What Makes Houston Houston

  published Jan 29, 2009

  Chase Bank recently announced that it will close 36 of its newly acquired Houston-Area WaMu locations over the next month. (Leaving a mere 220 behind.) Starbucks likewise announced 200 upcoming nation... More >>

• When It Comes To Fossils, Only Houston Says "I Love Lucy"

  published Jan 27, 2009

  When Lucy came to Houston's Museum of Natural Science, she was a smash hit. Over 200,000 people came to see the 3.2 million year-old bones of the humanoid ape that (or is it whor) might have been an a... More >>

• The `80s, As Revealed By Local TV Ads

  published Jan 23, 2009

  As Cairo is to fine Mexican cuisine, so Houston has long been to the fine art of local TV ads.A few more gems from our proud history have popped up in the past few months. (We examined some others her... More >>

• On-The-Scenes Report From DC: It's Cold

  published Jan 20, 2009

  A few minutes ago, my 12-year-old son John Henry rang in from Washington, where he attended the Inauguration with a group from Pershing Middle School."Did you hear Senator Kennedy had a seizurer" he a... More >>

• Catfish Reef Celebrates the Inauguration

  published Jan 20, 2009

  On this most momentous of days, it's hard to imagine any song on Earth sounding better or more appropriate than this Houston classic: (Apropos version) (High-quality version)... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Houston: Come for the Renovations, Stay for the Electric Cabs

  published Jan 19, 2009

  While trolling the nether regions of the UK press, we came upon this, touting the wonders of Houston as a luxury vacation spot. It's all enough to make Hair Balls wish it didn't live here already so i... More >>

• Circuit City, Don't Let The Doorknob Hit You In The Ass

  published Jan 16, 2009

  So Circuit City is calling it quits, shuttering the remaining 13 stores in the Houston area.Hair Balls had the misfortune of buying the worst TV I have every owned there a couple of years ago. The bui... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Sole of Houston: Airport Drive, The Finale (Including Unwanted Puke)

  published Jan 15, 2009

  And here is the final installment of David Beebe and John Lomax's 20-plus mile hike from Intercontinental Airport to Spanish Flowers restaurant. Part one is here and part two is here.David Beebe's acc... More >>

• Houston: The Cutting Edge of Fast Food and Obesity Since 1942

  published Jan 14, 2009

  The University of North Texas's Portal to Texas History has put the WPA's 1942 book Houston: A History and Guide online. It turns out that the somewhat enigmatically named chapter "Strangers at the Ga... More >>

• Houston: The Cutting Edge of Fast Food and Obesity Since 1942

  published Jan 14, 2009

  The University of North Texas's Portal to Texas History has put the WPA's 1942 book Houston: A History and Guide online. It turns out that the somewhat enigmatically named chapter "Strangers at the Ga... More >>

• Sole of Houston: Airline Drive, Part 2

  published Jan 14, 2009

  The longest walk in the history of the Sole of Houston requires the longest piece. This being a blog and all, we have decided to break it up into three installments.This is part two. Yesterday's is he... More >>

• Sole Of Houston: Airline Drive, Complete

  published Jan 13, 2009

  The longest walk in the history of the Sole of Houston requires the longest piece. This being a blog and all, we have decided to break it up into three installments. Coming today, tomorrow and Thursd... More >>

• California Standardizes Olive Oil; Texas to Followr

  published Jan 12, 2009

  As of January 1, California became the second state in the union to enact laws enforcing standardization of the olive oil industry. (Connecticut became the first late last year.) Texas olive grower ... More >>

• Hurricane Ike's Wake

  published January 8, 2009

  Sean Penn did not patrol Galveston's streets in an airboat. Kanye West didn't offer unscripted barbs about George Bush's opinion of black... More >>