Republican National Convention

Space Memorabilia Up for Auction Includes Canceled Checks, Postcards from the Moon, Carl Sagan Letters

My friend, Frank, is a bit of a space enthusiast and by that I mean the walls of his office are lined with autographed photos of NASA astronauts. When I read about an upcoming auction of space memorabilia, he was the first one I thought of. The auction, hosted by RR Auctions, includes a ton of space ... More >>

Paul Ryan's Airplane Stuck in Houston -- How'd He Spend the Delay?

On the campaign trail, there's not a moment that goes unused. BlackBerries -- oh, the BlackBerries. While the iPhone triumphs in the general population, it appears the only subspecies of man still trolling with BlackBerries are the political stooges and groupies. Every time there's a lapse in schedu ... More >>

Keith Morris Talks OFF!, Politics & Touring In 2012

Next Thursday night, punk legend Keith Morris comes to Warehouse Live for his second Houston visit in a year with his group OFF!. The band is made up of Morris, Steven McDonald of Redd Kross, drummer Mario Rubalcaba, and guitarist Dimitri Coats, also front man of Burning Brides. OFF! was birthed o ... More >>

Which Fake Randy Travis Should You Follow?

The passion of Randy Travis has been one of the saddest and most compelling musical dramas of the past year. One of Nashville's most beloved and seemingly mild-mannered singers (now a North Texan) has suddenly gone full-on Johnny Paycheck, brawling in church parking lots, popping out to buy smokes w ... More >>

Thus Endeth The Republican Convention: The Best Of Our Miami Sister Paper's Coverage

Florida has survived the 2012 Republican National Convention, which perhaps should not surprise too many people because Florida has always shown a knack for surviving whatever gets thrown at it. Even if it's Clint Eastwood arguing with a chair. The RNC was in Tampa, but our sister paper Miami New ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Ted Cruz & The GOP Convention Playbook

We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning or afternoon from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula i ... More >>

From The GOP Convention: The Seven Craziest Souvenirs

Our sister paper Miami New Times is hard at work covering the 2012 Republican convention in Florida. To which we say Thank Christ because, you know, someone has to. We did our time in the Dome in 1992. New Times' Victor Gonzalez has been roaming the halls, looking for the mementoes available to att ... More >>

RNC Hoopla: Ted Cruz Saying Stupid Things, Fitting in Just Fine

Ah, the Republican National Convention. Glitz. Glamour. Ted Cruz -- our newly-anointed Texan conservative savior -- saying really dumb things. And Christianity. Lots and lots of Christianity. But first, back to Cruz, who's scheduled to address the convention tonight. So here's the deal: This is his ... More >>

The Republican Candidate's Guide To Picking Campaign Music

This week Republicans from around the country gather in Florida to celebrate all things conservative and curse Issac for stealing the national spotlight. For me the 2012 Republican National Convention marks the true start of the presidential campaign season, the playoffs to the primaries' regular se ... More >>

Your Gonzo Guide to the Republican National Convention

From cash-hungry strippers to protesters dressed as vaginas.

New Lynyrd Skynyrd: What Have We Been Missing?

Though the plane crash that claimed the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zandt and guitarist Steve Gaines looms horrifically large over the history of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band's legacy is as much about survival as it is tragedy. More than 35 years since the band was nearly snuffed out for good, their clas ... More >>

Uh-Oh, Texas: Why You Shouldn't Ignore Tropical Storm Isaac Just Yet

With all the advances in computer modeling and meteorological technology, ultimately, weather is just sometimes difficult to predict. Case in point: current Tropical Storm Isaac, floating along in the Caribbean Sea worrying the crap out of people all along the Gulf Coast. For the past couple of day ... More >>

Bye, Bye Rick Perry: How Ted Cruz Became Texas' Most-Important Republican -- and He's Not Even Elected!

Rick Perry, it's so over. Sure, you've been fun. Hell, you've been great to us here at Hair Balls. Like that time you thought Solyndra, a solar company, was a country? Or, when you applauded George W. Bush for all his work defending us from freedom? Oh, man. That was a good one. And just recently wh ... More >>

DPS Says It's ID'd "Persons of Interest" in Governor's Mansion Arson

DPSThe car in question​The seemingly unbreakable case of the 2008 arson at the Governor's Mansion may be a step closer to being solved. Or maybe not. DPS has just announced they have "a person of interest" in the case and are offering a $50,000 reward for him. Also, they're blaming GOP-hatin ... More >>

Your Buzzword Is My Band Name, Part 1

Friedrich Glorian via Flickr​It's a Google-rific society we be a-living in, and the fastest way to notoriety is to coin a phrase that, when Guantanamo Bayed safely between quotation marks in a search field, will bring up endless debate upon your win or fail. We have been blessed with some rea ... More >>

Ten Fun Facts About "God Bless The USA"

​As America (fuck yeah!) prepares to celebrate its 234th birthday over the long July 4 weekend, our proud yet troubled nation is about to be inundated once again by Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA." About as innocuous as a song can be on the surface, it's become one of the most polarizing t ... More >>

Houston To Be Transformed Into District 9, Entirely Plausible Radio Host Says

​Alex Jones, the sometimes-entertaining nationwide radio host based out of Austin, has seldom met a conspiracy theory he didn't embrace whole-heartedly. He's the author of 9/11:Descent Into Tyranny which, as you might guess, outlines the New World Order's plans to enslave us all.His latest call to ... More >>

Breathe Easy, Houston: We're Not Getting The GOP Convention

​Yesterday we noted that respected national publication Hotline had reported that Houston was one of four finalists for the 2012 GOP convention. Naturally, this caused much panic among  those people who aren't the kind to listen to Glenn Beck and nod their head saying "Damn, that man makes se ... More >>

Guilty Plea In The Trial Of Texans Involved In GOP Convention Protests

Photo by Zack AkukumbaWe've written before about the tangled set of circumstances revolving around Brandon Darby, a Pasadena native who was an FBI informant on a group staging protests at last year's GOP convention.Darby Darby has become a villain to the left. He was a key piece of the case against ... More >>

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

Five Spot: Love's What I Got, Don't Start a Riot

John Royal’s NFL Season Picks

Clear Channel Has The Balls CBS Doesn't, When It Comes To Semi-Controversial Billboards

Ron Paul, the Jason Voorhees of Presidential Candidates

No Gerrymandering Required

Unholy Matrimony

Dubya would be aghast at Here Come the Brides

Veggie Tales

An alternative to gasoline-based fuel gains traction in Houston

Chasing Its Tale

The Chron gets scooped on Bush -- by one of its own

Beating Around the Bush

Politics are hot in Houston at large, but lukewarm in "The Voting Machine"

Rockin' in the Free World

Soundtracks for your Election Night shindigs

Playbill

Clash Course

Warriors of the right take their battle against the left to the streets of New York

Hair and Now

TUTS's version of the hippie musical parties like it's 1968

Sweet Charity

For years Tom DeLay has used nonprofits to help himself. Now the heat is on.

Super Bowl Special

Houston's game will beckon the big leagues of a profession far older than the NFL

Art of the Deal

Plus: Grim Reality, Hale to the Chief, Get Some Class

He's Still Our Guy

The Chronicle stays loyal to Kenny Boy

Tuning Out the Static

Protesters scream about censorship. The board denounces potentially crippling boycotts. Will the two sides in the Pacifica conflict ever learn that, beneath their shrill cries, they're on the same team?

Same As the Old Boss

A lack of Bush means a lack of news in Houston

Subpoena Envy

A legislative panel summons local GOP leaders to a show-and-tell

Letters 08-03-2000

The Harley Party

Texas Motorcycle Rights Association

The Good, the Bad, the Imprisoned

Houston's best politicos were not always the ones elected -- or the ones who stayed in office

Which Bug Gets the Gas?

Will the next house DeLay fumigates be that big White one or his own?

Rogue Elephant

Log Cabin Republicans want to be part of the GOP, which wants no part of them

Press Picks

Fast Eddie's Getaway

Insider deals. Outrageous perks. Exorbitant salaries. No wonder Eddie Webster's taken a permanent vacation from the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Static

Maxwell's Demons

If you get crosswise with Larry Maxwell, beprepared to go to court

Sam Nuchia in Black and White

Houston's top cop has been a pleasant surprise to the city's black community. But in his own department, it's a different story.