Subject: Barack Obama

• Capsule Art Reviews: "Heroes Alter Egos," "Houston Collects: African American Art," "Joe Mancuso: Still Still Life," "(Re)Vision: A Preservation of Houston's Inner Loop," "Transcendental Smoothie"

  September 25, 2008

• Capsule Art Reviews: "Heroes Alter Egos," "Houston Collects: African American Art," "Joe Mancuso: Still Still Life"

  October 2, 2008

• Last Night: Barack Obama in St. Paul

  June 4, 2008

• Who Won the Obama Scramble?

  July 16, 2008

• Turning the Screw: H.I.S.D., Ludacris and Obama, KRS-One, Dogg Pound, Outlawz, Biggie Smalls and More

  August 4, 2008

• Will Rappers Cost Obama the Election? Will Big & Rich Cost McCain the Election?

  September 30, 2008

• Obama Ads On The Air In Houston?

  October 13, 2008

• Chronicle Hops On The Obama Bandwagon

  October 20, 2008

• The Straight-Ticket Voting E-Mails: Ignore Them

  October 22, 2008

• Houston Doomed If Obama Wins

  November 3, 2008

• Candidate Cocktails on Election Day 2008

  November 4, 2008

• GOP Party -- Not So Much

  November 4, 2008

• Artist of the Week: Kyle Hubbard

  November 5, 2008

• Barack Obama May Be Our Next President But He Doesn’t Get to Talk on KTRH-AM

  November 5, 2008

• Drunk the Vote

  November 5, 2008

• Six Ways You Know Obama Has Won

  November 5, 2008

• Turning the Screw: DZA, Trae, Al Sharpton, Common, Beyonce, Akon, Mos Def, Vanilla Ice and a Whole Lotta Obama

  November 10, 2008

• Yes, You Can...Make A Giant Obama-Head Sculpture

  It’s pretty easy to guess what was going through the minds of most Houstonians after Barack Obama was elected. When would David Adickes get to work on his 7,000-pound concrete and steel Barack Obama head? The answer: the very next day. All he’s got so far is a model -- in truth, one that doesn’t much look like the president elect yet -- but give the man a few months. Adickes says the head should be done at least by early spring. “I could possibly get it done by inauguration,” he

  November 18, 2008

• Democratic-Donating Chron Editorialist Leaves Paper

  Andrea Georgsson, the Houston Chronicle editorial writer who got in hot water for donating to Democratic candidates, has left the paper.Bloghouston points us to an item on the blog of Richard Prince, who follows black issues in the journalism world, where the news broke.Georgsson, who formerly was an education reporter at the Chron, tells Prince the decision was her own and she is leaving "to just follow my bliss," which is nice.

  November 24, 2008

• Houston Company Tapping Into The Obama Magic

  The election of Barack Obama was a surprising temporary revenue stream for the embattled print media -- papers sold out, additional copies describing the victory sold out, and now companies like The New York Times are offering a cornucopia of Obama-related items for sale. (Framed edition of the front page declaring victory? Fifty bucks.)It's a Houston company, however, that is offering an Obama calendar, just in time for the holidays.Cushcity.com may be under the radar for a lot of us, but the c

  December 3, 2008

• A Hold-Out In The Obama-McCain Election

  The morning commute into town left me near a late-model Range Rover, bottle-blonde, soccer-mom Tanglewood type at the wheel.The luxury car featured two bumper stickers: One, a small decal with the McCain logo and a big drawing of kissy lips that said "Read My Lipstick." Sort of clever, if you're the kind of person who actually believes that Sarah Palin was ready for the Presidency.The other, larger one was in stark black and white. "Barack Obama Is Not My President," it blared.Technically true,

  December 4, 2008

• Rebuilding The Republican Party Without Telling Them

  Some Republicans are still licking their wounds after Obama's big win last month. Others are planning for 2010. One of the "Let's get ready for 2010" groups that has popped up is Rebuild the Party. Founded by Patrick Ruffini and Mindy Finn, both new media activists, Rebuild the Party went live less than 48 hours after Obama's victory speech. The group's agenda is simple: rebuild the Republican party through new technology, new strategies, new candidates and a focus on one-to-one grassroots effor

  December 8, 2008

• There's Some Dispute On The NASA-Obama Dispute

  Yesterday we noted that the Orlando Sentinel was reporting that relations between the Obama transition team and NASA were little better than Madonna and Guy Ritchie.Today, however, everybody is insisting everything's beautiful, nothin' to see her, folks, move along. Sort of.Leading the "everything's terrific" campaign is the Houston Chronicle, which goes to great lengths today to quote everybody possible who's willing to debunk the report, although noting that there is some "natural tension."The

  December 12, 2008

• Local Gays Marching For Obama On Inauguration Day

  The gays haven't exactly been pleased by Barack Obama since he chose Christian conservative Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration. But Obama's inauguration parade will be the first to have an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group -- the Lesbian and Gay Band Association -- marching in the parade proper. And three Houston Pride Band members will make up part of the 177-person marching group.Local Kevin Taylor is excited about marching in the parade. He played a previ

  January 7, 2009

• Scandal Of The Century -- No Obama Tickets Because Of Anti-Houston Discrimination

  U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, a Democrat from California, decided to hold a contest to distribute his supply of tickets to the Obama inauguration.In order to win the coveted ducats, he asked people to tell him why they wanted to go.Winners were announced today. Also announced was the most blatant, stomach-turning example of anti-Houston discrimination since Carlos Beltran left the Astros for the Mets.As the San Jose Mercury News reports: "All told, Honda received 63 education submissions and 69 Facebook

  January 12, 2009

• Obama's Check Was In The Mail For The Galveston Relief Fund

  Kenna Bush, the executive director of the United Way of Galveston, was opening the mail recently, looking for checks made out to the Galveston County Recovery Fund.She found several. Including a personal check from some guy named Barack Obama."We all kinda went 'This can't be real, right? Someone's playing a joke,'" Betty Massey, the Fund's chair, told Hair Balls. "But no, it was the real deal."Massey won't say how much the check was for, except that it was over $1,000."I think it was just an am

  January 13, 2009

• Is Obama's New Family Dog Coming From Houston?

  The saga of the Obama family dog has made the entire nation forget the fact that they soon will be out of jobs, to a degree.The new first family is committed to adopting a rescued dog; an Obama daughter has allergy problems so the process of choosing a pet has become complicated.Now comes word that the lucky dog might just come from Houston.The Examiner cites a brief news report from Dallas about a family up there that was trying to adopt a "Labradoodle," which frankly is a word we hope never to

  January 16, 2009

• Things To Look For At The Obama Inaugural

  You know where you could be right this moment, which is about 7:30 in the morning Houston time?You could be waiting in FREEZING Washington, DC, getting on line to go through security checks so you could wait for hours and hours to watch Barack Obama's inauguration from a half-mile away.On the one hand, you will be able to say you were there. And just like any baby boomer who went to Woodstock forgets about (or romanticizes) the hassles, you will be able to say "I was there." And that's a very, v

  January 20, 2009

• Rosa's Photo Corner: Obama's Pals Extra Golden, and a Shopping Cart of Hope

  Photos by Rosa Guerrero "When the band Extra Golden, which includes two Americans and two Kenyans, approached Barack Obama for help guiding them through the Visa process, the then-senator with Kenyan ancestry was kind enough to help them out. The band was then to able to tour and subsequently record the album Hera Ma Nono, which includes the song "Obama." Extra Golden played The Orange Show last fall."

  January 20, 2009

• Dudes, Time To Get That Thoughtful Anniversary Gift

  Annoyed because you're not able to stand in long, long lines for the Obama inaugural?Why not wait in long, long lines for free make-up?As a result of a court settlement, several of the nation's fancier chain stores -- including ones in Houston -- are giving away free make-up in order to "make up" (ha ha!!) for price-fixing schemes the stores and cosmetics companies practiced on poor, unsuspecting women.Picking a day when it's least likely to get attention, tables will be set up at Macy's, Bloom

  January 20, 2009

• World's Saddest Disclaimer

  In case you haven't made your final Inauguration Night plans, be sure to read the fine print on the ticket page for the bash at House of Blues."The Inaugural Ball for Barack Obama" is selling entry for $55-$100.But tucked deep in the details is this disclaimer: "This is a party for the inauguration. President Obama will not be in attendance."Really? Really? What, he's got something else to do tonight?We're just trying to imagine the angry customer who shows up -- at a House of Blues -- in Housto

  January 20, 2009

• Chamillionaire's Inaugural Diary, Part 3: The Inauguration

  Photos by Massa MohawkThe inauguration events started early. The people that left the hotel late last night were smart. They knew it would be too packed and too crowded. The police were blocking off all of the entrances to where the inauguration of the first black president would be held. My friend who used to play in the NBA emailed me telling me that he had a good spot reserved for me if I could just make it there. I couldn't. Also, it seems that the weather was a lot colder than the n

  January 28, 2009

• Chamillionaire's Inaugural Diary, Part 4: Bush Departs, Obama Arrives

  Photos by Massa Mohawk The sweetest revenge for eight years of failed policies came when the helicopter door opened. To watch former president George W. Bush walk to that helicopter and wave bye to the world had to be the most memorable moment of the entire inauguration. Who would have thought that Bush could have stolen the show without saying anything? The large crowd applauded and erupted in excitement when they saw him boarding his departure helicopter. Everyone in the viewing party stood u

  January 29, 2009

• Chamillionaire's Inaugural Diary, Part 5: Back Home

  I was told by my travel agent that I wouldn't be able to leave Washington D.C. 'til the end of the week because of the lack of return flights, but luckily some seats opened up for me. A high fever had already taken over my body, and I was ready to get home to get some rest.

  January 30, 2009

• The Stimulus Bill's Benefits: Coming Soon To An Unemployment Check Near You

  Photo by borman818The Texas Workforce Commission announced this afternoon that they're upping the weekly payments to people getting unemployment checks, thanks to the Obama stimulus bill.The checks will increase by $25 a week starting mid-March, for everyone receiving benefits as of February 22.Twenty-five bucks a week -- a couple of years ago, maybe we would have made some joke about an extra lap dance. These days, we ain't scoffing.Employers won't be charged the extra money (yeah, yeah, we kno

  February 24, 2009

• David Alan Grier

  January 29, 2009

• Change You Can Dance To: Obama Music Videos

  Show your love for the President-elect by shakin' it in his name

  January 15, 2009

• "A Time for Change"

  Texas artists examine the 2008 race for the presidency at the Deborah Colton Gallery

  October 23, 2008

• Golden Axe

  May 8, 2008

• Annise Parker, The $5 Mayoral Candidate

  Annise Parker's Facebook photoTaking a page from the Barack Obama playbook, Houston City Controller and mayoral candidate Annise Parker announced today that she's launching an "I Can Make a Difference" campaign on the Internet in which she's asking supporters to send her $5. Parker proposes to use the Internet to raise campaign funds just as Obama did so effectively in his presidential run. She made the announcement today on Facebook, Twitter, and AnniseParker.com. The appeal is to those of us

  June 8, 2009

• Right-Wing Nut Says Obama Ordered Bush Tribute At Ellington Erased

  The Right-Wing Nutjob Forces are on the march again!! Today's Target: Houston!!Not all conservatives are "nutjobs," obviously, but Debbie Schlussel is. The Ann Coulter-wannabe spouts nonsense pretty much full-time, and she has a new cause: President Obama has ordered officials at Ellington Field to paint over the "LT G W BUSH" from the F-102 that sits outside the field's gates.Knowing what we know about Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard's Ellington unit, we always thought it was kind o

  July 1, 2009

• KTRH Listeners Speak Out, Inanely

  ​If you've been listening to Rush, Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity, you know that President Obama has called every single police officer in the nation "stupid," and that he has absolutely no respect for them.It's not because he's black, it's because....he's not Republican?We're not sure. Sometime it's hard to follow.At any rate, Obama has proposed getting together over a beer at the White House with the Cambridge cop and the ornery professor so everyone can hash things out. Both sides have accepted

  July 27, 2009

• Exposing Obama's "Brainwash The Kids" Scheme, With KTRH's Michael Berry

  ​You gotta admit this about the right-wing, talk-show-listening, Fox-News-loving one-third of America -- no one can whip up a paranoid kerfluffle like they can.The latest insidious event causing them to storm the barricades is Barack Obama's Stalin-like plan to hypnotize mass numbers of gullible schoolchildren into becoming mindless slaves of the liberal agenda by telling them to stay in school.Even the hard, cold fact that Obama intends to kill your grandparents at the first opportunity is ta

  September 3, 2009

• And So It Begins: Do You Know Where Your Children Are? (Updated With Speech Analysis)

  It's too late, parents....Unless you filled out the proper paperwork offering definitive proof you're a right-wing radical blinded by Fox News, your kid is being subjected to the amazing hypnotic power of Barack Obama at this moment.You can watch here, if you dare.Will you recognize your kids when they come home? Will their eyes be vacant, their minds full of mushy liberalism, their mouths uttering "Stay in school....stay in school"?One can only wonder.We'll update when the speech is over, and t

  September 8, 2009

• Obama, No Way. W And Some Dallas Cowboys? You Bet!

  ​Houston, whenever you worry the right-wing loons are making you look bad, take solace in this: There's always Dallas.North Texas was perhaps the country's capital of the awe-inspiring movement that kept schoolkids from hearing a president speak about staying in school. And the Dallas area played its part.The Arlington school district, for instance, refused to show Obama's speech, no doubt because it was a partisan attempt at political hackery disrupting the sanctity of the school day.Too bad

  September 9, 2009

• One More (Depressing) Statistic On That Very Controversial "Stay In School" Presidential Speech

  ​The Houston school district provided some anecdotal evidence of how many parents ordered their kids not to watch President Obama's speech on education (Westside represent!!), but we wondered if there was a little more info to be gleaned.The district put up on its website a link to a form that could be printed, filled out and taken into school. Of course, parents not aware of the online form could probably have simply sent in a note to school officials saying "I'm a closed-minded Fox viewer an

  September 10, 2009

• The Obama Invasion Of Aggieland Has Almost Begun; Where To Get Live Coverage

  Photo courtesy The Battalion​Some Aggies got upset with our interpretation of President George H.W. Bush's open letter to them saying "Chill out, brosephs, when Obama comes to town."Now the President is in town, and how are they doing?You can follow along at The Battalion, the campus paper, which is offering all kinds of live coverage of the event, which is designed to promote volunteerism (and Marxism, we have to assume.)The paper reports 600 protesters have shown up at Spence Park in College

  October 16, 2009

• It's Funny, What They Graffiti'd On The Obama Mural

  Photo from KPRC​The Obama murals across the street from The Breakfast Klub have welcomed downtown commuters for a year now.Not everyone likes them, apparently.Someone took spray-paint to the signs over the weekend, writing "Puppet" over Obama's face and adding to the "Yes We Can" the words "lose our freedom.""Puppet"? Please don't tell us that's supposed to mean he's a puppet of the Marxist-Socialist International One-World Presidium, or whoever it is running Evil these days.

  October 19, 2009

• No Justice

  October 29, 2009

• When Do We Go After the Crooks Behind Our Financial Collapse?

  ​President Obama and his new administration were going to be so tough on the corporate villains who had such a large role in fostering the recession that has upended the finances of so many. But as author James Lieber points out in this week's cover story "No Justice," that just hasn't happened. As it stands now, there's only one federal prosecution related to the credit crash and bailout cycle, and it was begun by the Bush administration's Justice Department in June 2008. Turns out, mo

  October 30, 2009