George H.W. Bush

The Five Most Disappointing Goth Albums: Sisters of Mercy, Vision Thing

All this week we're going to look back over albums from undeniable goth icons and talk about their failures. I have a feeling this one is going to get me into trouble, but hear me out, OK? Both music editor Chris Gray and I agreed that the debut Sisters of Mercy album First and Last and Always wa ... More >>

One Man's (Idiotic?) 2013 Baseball Predictions

The major league baseball season opened up on Sunday night with the Rangers traveling to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington South to face the Astros. Most of the teams started up yesterday, and the rest of the league will get underway today. With the season getting underway, it's time once again to make ... More >>

George Prescott Bush, Yes, ANOTHER One, Considering Run for State Office

Honestly, I thought George Foreman had a lot of Georges in his family, but now I'm beginning to wonder if the Bush clan doesn't have him beat. First there was George H.W. Bush, then George W. Bush. Now, there's George P. Bush (maybe even P.G. if you count his second middle name), son to Jeb and gran ... More >>

The 30 Best Texas Albums

Ranking the 30 best Texas albums of the past 30 years seemed like an impossible task. We did it anyway.

Former President Bush Still in Hospital

George H.W. Bush is still being treated for bronchitis at Methodist Hospital, negating doctors' predictions that he was to be released last weekend, the Associated Press reports. "There is no timeline at the moment for his release," according to the report. Methodist Spokesman George Kovacik told t ... More >>

Doctor: Former President Bush Doing Well After Bronchitis, Will Leave Hospital Soon

Former President George H.W. Bush is in Methodist Hospital for bronchitis, his chief of staff has told the Houston Chronicle. Jean Becker says the 88-year-old Bush was hospitalized seven days ago, but doctors have said his condition is not life-threatening. He is expected to be released this weeken ... More >>

Forget Reagan's Blood: 5 Other Presidential Fluids That Should Be Auctioned

A European auction company says it plans to sell a vial of Ronald Reagan's blood, taken on the day of his attempted assassination. While any number of Republicans might like to own the fetishistic object in order to aid their rituals which banish from memory all the things Reagan did that meant he ... More >>

For President's Day: The Best Movie Portrayals of 15 Presidents

Portraying presidents on screen is always tricky. Crass imitation makes the thing look like a comedy skit, but completely ignoring the mannerisms and voice that people know doesn't work either. There have been some laughingly inept acting jobs when it comes to the 44 people who have been the countr ... More >>

Executive Entertainers: America's Most Musical Presidents

Big-money supporters were treated to the first indelible moment in Barack Obama's reelection campaign last Thursday when the President crooned the opening lyric from Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" from the stage of the Apollo Theater in Harlem. It was just the sort of off-the-cuff instance that c ... More >>

The Song Stylings Of The Modern Presidents

For reasons better not gone into, Rocks Off has been running around YouTube searching for presidents singing, rapping, and otherwise making music, and YouTube delivered as usual. It's like the Web site is a kind of third-rate God that answers every prayer, but only with penis jokes and Rick Astley, ... More >>

George H.W. Bush Actually Thinks There Are Astro All-Stars

​George H.W. Bush did have some good ideas as president -- for one, he didn't invade Iraq just because he thought he could. But now the dude just seems off his rocker. In a MLB video that's unembeddable but can be viewed here, Bush encourages fans to vote for the hometeam. "Together, we can ... More >>

Seven White House Musical Guests Sketchier Than Common

whitehouse.govWe've always wanted to run that photo credit.​Our man Rizoh did a fine job yesterday detailing how, despite what the Fox News brigade may think, Common is a pretty standup guy. In fact, compared to some of the other musicians who have been invited to the White House, he's practic ... More >>

Best Broccoli in America

​We know Houston has the best hamburger selection in the nation, and coming soon near you, the best real mojito north of Havana. A bigger surprise is that Houston has the best climate for growing rich and flavorful broccoli, and everyone I've served it to agrees that it's the best they've eve ... More >>

Elvis: 30 Famous Quotes About The King

​Rocks Off is celebrating Elvis week this week - the King would be 76 years old on Saturday. (Or hell, maybe he will be 76 years old on Saturday.) That's more than three-quarters of a century, but it just doesn't seem like a very long time. Maybe that's because whether or not he actually died ... More >>

Top 5 Local Ideas: The Gift of Lone Star Deliciousness

Looking to spread Texas-size cheer to friends and family out of state? Need a universally appealing present for employees or clients? Below are five suggestions for food gifts chock full of local flavor and appeal. The "DJ Special." Original BBQ Sauce, Jalapeño Garlic BBQ Sauce, Heavy Garlic BBQ Sa ... More >>

The James Baker Monument: Five Things It Needs

James Baker: Not related to Velvet Revolver​Finally, there will be a reason to visit downtown Houston: A statue honoring former Secretary of State James Baker will be unveiled Tuesday.Why Baker? As the monument's official website so modestly puts it, he's "A Magnificent American."Some people might ... More >>

Chuck Norris Officially A Texas Ranger, Finally

We have to admit, the above Keyboard Cat clip contains the only footage of Walker, Texas Ranger we have ever seen.But the great and august government of Texas must have seen more, for today they officially voted to make Chuck Norris an honorary Texas Ranger.

For Opening Day: The Worst Pregame Renditions Of The National Anthem Ever

What so proudly we hailed... Can you pass the earplugs, please?​ You can be forgiven for not realizing Opening Day for baseball season was here already (yesterday, in fact). Maybe you've been too busy cursing the guy in your NCAA tournament pool that filled out his brackets using the coin-flip met ... More >>

Kay Bailey Hutchison Continues To Nail Down The Inside-The-Beltway Vote So Important To The Texas GOP This Year

​Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison rolled out the big guns today as President George H.W. Bush endorsed her. Coming on the heels of the recent endorsement of former Secretary of State James Baker, Hutchison has ably demonstrated what it takes to win the GOP gubernatorial primary. If it were being run i ... More >>

Net Gains and Losses

Is the Omega Protein company overfishing the most important fish in the sea?

Eleven Days of Giftmas: Cowboy Boots

Photos by Brittanie Shey​Sick of corporate Christmas? Try shopping local. Hair Balls presents a 12-part series highlighting ideas for holiday gifts made and sold in Texas. Cowboy boots are a Texas tradition, and not that Hair Balls cares, but they're apparently a huge trend for this winter. Houst ... More >>

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 ... More >>

George H.W. Bush To Aggies: Please Don't Be Aggies When Obama Visits

​President Obama is headed to College Station Friday, at the invitation of former President George H.W. Bush, to speak about community service and whatnot.Obama, having already spoken at Notre Dame earlier this career, apparently decided to find an even more hostile environment. (Next stop: Bob Jo ... More >>

The Acadian Bakers in Montrose

Photos by J.C. ReidMontrose has seen some exciting new restaurants open lately: Poscol, Little Big's and Feast. It's fun to discover something new. But there's also the opportunity to "discover something old" in the Montrose. For the last 15 years I've lived a block away from the intersection of Wes ... More >>

They're Making A Documentary About The Dome, And They Want Your Family Keepsakes

Via the always-entertaining Bayou City History blog at the Chron we learned of a budding documentary about that quaint old abandoned building that used to be the Eighth Wonder of the World.Chip Rives, one of the producers/directors/writers of The Dome, tells Hair Balls he and his partner have do ... More >>

Guantánamo's Final Days: Profile in Cojones

Top Pentagon lawyer Alberto Mora risked his career arguing against Guantánamo abuses. Now he's an Obama man

Aftermath: Broken Social Scene at Numbers

Photos by Mark C. AustinOn the one hand you have your "scene," you know the one. With the super-skinny jeans, the ambivalently knotted skinny ties, the American Spirits blown carefully through the nose, the ironic hair. And on the other, you have your Broken Social Scene. With the music. And t ... More >>

Living In W's Hood

  Josh Harkinson used to write for us here at the Houston Press before he decided that living in San Francisco was somehow a lifestyle upgrade.Now he writes for Mother Jones, continuing his stellar career of raking muck.It turns out that Harkinson grew up just six blocks from where George ... More >>

The First George Bush, A Houston Stud Muffin

There's a process under way to pick someone to be vice-president of the US.One candidate is "very attractive," but is young and doesn't have much experience.A rival to that candidate moans that he would never "win a personality contest" with the young foe.Who's the sparkling but inexperienced veep p ... More >>

Come On Aggies! Cheer For The President! He's Almost As Good As Your Football Team!

It's not easy being a George W. Bush supporter these days. Even at Texas A&M.The Aggies, of course, have the somewhat dubious honor of having Bush deliver a speech to their December graduates. If there's anyplace in the US outside of Utah, or maybe Kennebunkport, where this event would go over w ... More >>

Get Lit: Always By My Side: A Father’s Grace and a Sports Journey Unlike Any Other, by Jim Nantz

The Simpsons Movie

Breathe easy, Simpsons fans

Conflict of Interest

A gay Republican for City Council?

Getting Schooled

A legendary debate teacher has a lesson plan to knock off Congressman John Culberson

So It's Govt' Money -- Don't Have a COW

Well-Heeled Soirée

Hip-hop as She Is Rapped

Translating the German Wikipedia entries of Houston's top MCs

Art Lite

At two new shows, it's half the substance, all the style

Love It, Fear It

A Brit flourishes by studying Houston

Draining the Swamp

A scorched-earth management philosophy is sucking the life out of our region's wetlands

History for Dummies

Neil Bush touts a school curriculum for guys like himself

Best Role Model

Terry Hershey

Deal of a Lifetime

Drug addicts can get hard cash to be sterilized or go on birth control. Is it ridding the world of unwanted babies -- or just ducking the underlying problems of abusers?

Up In Smoke

Enron used political ties to rid itself of regulators. But in the end, its supposed free-market trailblazing only burned investors.

Stirred and Shaken

The Houstonian's George Herbert Walker Bush martini

A Portrait of the Artist as a Capitalist

Painter Vladimir Gorsky learned how to work the system in the Soviet Union for personal gain. He discovered that things operate much the same way in America.

RodeoHouston: Some 'Splainin to Do

Secret correspondence from the rodeo

Hitchin' the Wagon

A horse trailer turned taqueria gets corralled in Montrose

Hogg Leftovers

Double Image

Does selling George W. Bush mean Mark McKinnon has sold out?