Target Corporation

The 10 Most Bizarre David Bowie-Themed Items on Etsy

Somehow I became an expert in messed-up offerings on Etsy at this job, and today I'm hear to show you what dedicated, and slightly lunatic, fans of the Thin White Duke are handmaking just for you. Necklace It's not that this necklace is bad, necessarily. The setting is nice and the quote from Labyr ... More >>

Top 5 Reasons Bon Iver Is the Clown Prince of Hipster Doofuses

Who is Bon Iver? The name originally referred to a band, I guess in the same way Nine Inch Nails referred to a "band," but since hitting it big, it's mostly just a nickname for frontman and songwriter Justin Vernon, who, depending on who you ask, may either be Jesus or the antichrist. Consulting my ... More >>

Um, Thanks? FBI Releases Exceedingly Unhelpful Pictures Of Most-Wanted Houston Bank Robbers

For all you gumshoes out there, the FBI just made your job exactly no easier than it was before. Yesterday, the agency released photographs of the top 10 most wanted bank thieves, most of their faces hooded, masked, or behind sunglasses. The hunt is on for, it seems, people who wear hooded sweatshir ... More >>

Alleged Credit Card Thieves Lead Constables Right to Their Door

From reading his most recent arrest affidavit, it looks like Darren Patrick Scheper had a good thing going there for a while. As his friends would later tell police, Scheper's hustle was to break into cars, steal whatever valuables he could find inside, and if he was lucky enough to find a wallet st ... More >>

Gunilla Klingberg: Wheel of Everyday Life

Vinyl Gets Another Spin

Showing it has more lives than a cockroach, vinyl has been reborn, resulting in some beautiful music. But sometimes production values in records and turntables are lacking.

All the Wu's Down in Wu-ville

We couldn't wait to see how the Jason Wu for Target event on Sunday stacked up against the insane frenzy of the Missoni event last October. We woke up bright and early on Sunday morning and went to the Target on Sawyer, off of Washington Avenue, where about 30 women -- and a few men -- were lined up ... More >>

Google Auto-Complete Answers: Why Are My Pants...

All good questions.​Randomly typing the start to questions into Google launches a whole host of weirdness that changes depending upon the searches people type into the search engine giant. Not only are they often interesting, but down right strange? I've been sampling this phenomenon lately a ... More >>

Beyonce's Baby Shower: Celebrity Gift Suggestions

With every gossip site on the planet reporting that Beyonce has given birth to Blue Ivy Carter just yesterday, Rocks Off suddenly realized that we haven't gotten her a thing! While we make a quick Target run, we thought it might be fun to ponder what sort of gifts Beyonce and Jay's rich celebrity p ... More >>

Top 5 Reasons Cyber Monday Is Better Than Black Friday

To bastardize a line from Groundhog Day, "Well, it's Black Friday...again." It's that oh-so-magical time of year when the strong walk away from predawn shopping trips with armfuls of electronic goodies while the weak get treated by EMS for boot marks left by shoppers stampeding into Best Buy. Since ... More >>

5 Reasons You Should Skip Black Friday for Cyber Monday

Well, it's Black Friday again. I sincerely hope you and your loved ones remain un-trampled and filled with holiday spirit or, if retailers got their wish, with carloads of merchandise. Since 2005, the nerdy cousin to Black Friday has been Cyber Monday. Traditionally, and I hesitate to even use that ... More >>

7 Gifts for Your Nerdy Little Audiophile

In a classic bit of stand up comedy, Steve Martin described his obsessive search for the best stereo system of the day. He kept adding more and more speakers until he finally reached the "google-phonic" stereo with the closest number of speakers to infinity, which, like all the rest, sounded like sh ... More >>

Hail, Hail: 10 Things You Should Know About Pearl Jam

Mark C. AustinPearl Jam at ACL '09​Amongst all the Nevermind love running rampant this week, people seem to forget that Nirvana contemporaries Pearl Jam are also celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. Obviously the Nirvana tributes are different since one member is not living and the we ... More >>

Middle of the Road

Tom Hanks ages into mid-life obsolescence in the middling Larry Crowne.

Sony May Reunite Destiny's Child If Beyonce Album Stiffs

Daniel KramerBeyonce at Toyota Center, July 2009​Following the lackluster response to Beyonce's 4, which leaked onto the Internet wholesale earlier this month, the singer's label has gone into crisis mode and is even considering another Destiny's Child reunion, The New York Post reported today ... More >>

Saturday Night: Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne & Friends At Toyota Center

Photos by Marco Torres​Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Rick Ross, Bun B, Trae, Yelawolf, Travis Barker & Mix Master Mike, Twist, Shanell, Birdman Toyota Center April 16, 2011 7:22 p.m.: We had not planned on getting here until way later tonight, but Bun B mentioned on his Twitter that the show ... More >>

Christmas Eve Store Hours, For All You Procrastinators

The doors!! They are closing!!​Maybe you've got today off and are planning to do your Christmas shopping. Maybe you don't have today off, or maybe you just like putting things off to the last minute. A Friday Christmas Eve shopping trip sounds like hell to us, but if you're determined to go t ... More >>

Shop 'Til You Drop: People Already Lined Up for Black Friday

Like Blair Witch Project, but without the death and black and white photography.​If you're wondering if it's too early to get in Black-Friday mode, no, it's not. Customers are already lining up in front of Best Buys, Targets and other popular stores for those early Friday morning openings. (Ta ... More >>

Sad Yao Ming Is Sad

Photo by Groovehouse. Photo illustrations by Monica Fuentes and Brittanie SheyYao Ming, contemplating his retirement and the existential quandries of life.​Like manna from the Meme Gods, we give you Sad Yao. This picture, taken during last night's fourth-straight Rockets loss, conveys all the ... More >>

Walmart's Greatest Hits... Or Maybe Not (NSFW)

​Growing up in Pearland, Craig's Hlist didn't know anything was inherently wrong with Walmart. We didn't see it as trashy. How could a place where we got baseball cards and metal magazines every Saturday be trashy? But when we got older and heard the tales of Walmart's wrongful business prac ... More >>

Twenty Eleven: Houston's Answer To B.o.B.?

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Photos by Brad GilmoreTwenty E ... More >>

Heights Walmart: City Council Gets An Earful

No Walmart, no peace​Members of the "Stop Heights Walmart" group came out in force to the City Hall meeting Tuesday to let officials get a glimpse of a small part of the opposition that has grown to more than 4,000 members in the past few weeks.Meanwhile, Houston officials told Hair Balls they are ... More >>

Heights Walmart: Lots Of Questions, Few Answers At Meeting

Walmart: concerns about crime, infrastructure and transparency​Even though it's not yet been signed and delivered, Heights residents are already trying to figure out how to deal with the possibility that a big-box monster might be moving in next door.Residents spoke at the Greater Heights Super Ne ... More >>

Man vs. Megastore

Readers respond to "Walmart vs. the Heights."

Battle in the Heights

Walmart brings out the passion.

Walmart Vs. The Heights: About What You'd Expect (Plus Annise Parker Weighs In)

Trouble in Quirkytown​The Heights may soon be dealing with an unwanted resident, and they're going to have to put up a strong fight to keep them out. The possibility that Houston's seventh Super Walmart could land in the historic area has residents squirming, and a strong reaction for and against ... More >>

Tips from Rick Bayless - with Beer!

​We recently headed over to Sam's Club to pick up some provisions. After our customary Polish Hot Dog Combo for $1.50 plus tax, we headed over to the beer aisle. This place always has a limited beer selection, with a few standards like the 24-pack of Corona 7-ounce bottles or the Shiner Fami ... More >>

Midwinter Graces

The sounds of Christmas 2009 from Bob Dylan, Sting, Tori Amos, Rob Halford and more.

Inquiring Minds: AC Pianist Jim Brickman, More Than Just "Jingle Bells"

​Rocks Off spoke with songwriter/pianist Jim Brickman recently. True, the AC piano king isn't the type of musician we usually focus on, but talent is talent and oh, yeah, a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Age Album for his CD Faith doesn't hurt.   Rocks Off: First, congratulations o ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: A Christmas Album That Doesn't Suck

It's no secret that Lonesome Onry and Mean usually thinks of Christmas music at about the same moment the concept of suicide pops into our head. But a few days ago we were pleasantly surprised to receive a Christmas album that actually doesn't suck. Along with 2002's excellent 'Tis The Season for L ... More >>

When Black Friday Comes, I'll Stand Down By The Door: Tips On Surviving

​If the excessive Black Friday advertising has you overwhelmed, don't fret, we're here to help.  We've been scrutinizing the quadrillion press releases and ads that have been bombarding us in e-mails, on TV, in last Sunday's paper and in any other existing media form you can think of to come ... More >>

While You Weren't Tweeting: It's Back to School Time

​Take a stroll down any aisle in Target.  Pirouette through the airy walkways at the Houston Zoo.  Squint your eyes in disbelief at a nearly abandoned Discovery Green.  Go ahead; try it.  There's something markedly different in the world today, isn't there?Oh, helloooooo, ... More >>

Miss Pop Rocks: Target v. Wal-Mart, the Battle Royal!

Vinyl Heads

They're turning to needles, looking for purity

DISConnect

Sales of CDs are falling faster than you can say iPod

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Wack's Very Special Holiday Music Guide

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Drastic Unilateral Action

Universal hopes to JumpSTART flagging CD sales with aggressive price cuts. Who benefits the most?

A Prickly Pair of Problems

Cactus Music and Video battles to keep its marquee and to get the Eagles on its shelves

Showdown at the Shore

Thrill to the battle of the boardwalk brawlers of Kemah versus the maulers of Clear Lake Shores. Sales-tax slugfests, counterpunches to kayo streets and a flurry of jabs have jolted city services in a municipal grudge match yet to end.

Nine Inch Nails

And All That Could Have Been (Nothing)

When In Doubt...

Classic gifts

What A Girl Wants, What A Girl Needs

Women's gifts

Not Your Standard Issue

Architects design one-of-a-kind houses for the Fifth Ward, trying to prove that even lower-end houses don't have to be a cookie-cutter box

Butthead, Be Gone

Striking Out

Reid Ryan embarked on a new career as a team owner facing one big obstacle: voter approval of a new stadium. Then he called in a campaigner with the perfect pitch: a father named Nolan.