Thomas Jefferson

What's In a Name? A Look at "American Harvest" and the Nasty Business of Nationalism

I get a lot of bizarre press releases. Men's speedos packaged with cans of tuna. A recipe for an Empty Nester cocktail that blends red wine with tequila. A flyer touting a penis-shaped muffin restaurant. The press release I received yesterday doesn't fall within that bizarre realm. It's a perfectly ... More >>

Bonus Rocks Off 100: Clint Broussard, Blues In Hi-Fi Man Now Back On FM

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there too. Who? If you're a fan of Texas R&B radio, and you definitely should be, there is no gre ... More >>

T for Textbooks

A new doc explores the Texas Board of Education's fight against science, history.

The Land of Tomatoes and Honey: A Tour of the White House Kitchen Garden

Although it's not officially fall yet, plump orange pumpkins are resting on mounds of hay and dirt in and around two plots that -- along with dozens of others -- makes up the 1,100 square feet White House Kitchen Garden. It's a warm day in early September and the garden is sprawled out like a sunbat ... More >>

Facebook Weirdness

A&M Shooter Thomas Caffall's Disturbing Facebook Page: Yoda, Emily Dickinson, Commie Guns

Thomas Caffall's mother told the media yesterday that she had been worried about her son's mental state, and from looking at his Facebook page, it's easy to see why. Having a right-wing gun nut in the family is one thing. Having one who goes around quoting Yoda and Emily Dickinson is another. Caffa ... More >>

Top 5 All-American Red Wines for July 4th Grilling

It seems only natural to go All American for our Fourth of July recommendations. After all, wine -- and our nation's bizarre relationship with alcohol -- have been part of our history since the time of the Founding Fathers. "In nothing have the habits of the palate more decisive influence than in ... More >>

Texas Freedom Network: SRO Crowd Hears How To Get The Crazies Off The State Board Of Education

The Texas Freedom Network has one litmus test when it comes to electing members to the State Board of Education: Do they love public education? Sure, the question sounds a sappy, but the State Board of Education was stacked, for a number of years, with those who had nothing but contempt for those t ... More >>

No, George Washington Doesn't Want You Armed Against the Government: E-Mail Debunking Part II

This little infographic has been making the rounds on Facebook among the more pro-gun people... especially a certain kind of pro-gun people. See, there are hunters, there are people who want to own guns for home protection, and there are people who want to own guns simply because they are adults who ... 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 >>

ESPN's Jon Gruden Mistakes the First Lady for Lisa Salters (w/ VIDEO)

It's hard to find a reason to stick around and watch a college bowl game where the score is 63-20 in the third quarter, so if you caught the moment that I am about to lay out for you from last night's Orange Bowl, then you are likely a) a family member of a West Virginia Mountaineer football player ... More >>

The Embargo Act of 1807, And 5 Artists We'd Miss If It Was Still Here

​We're living in a globally connected world right now. Goods of all kinds are available from anywhere in the world in days, or in cases like music and films instantly. Our favorite expression lately is, "Living in the future is awesome," and if anyone argues with you punch them in the face and ... More >>

Difficult Gifts

What Terrence Malick has to offer is worth working for.

The Five Hottest Presidential Mistresses (Not Including Marilyn Monroe)

The item we did earlier this week on the five horniest presidents included research that could led us to conclude either one of two things: Either a) America's presidential mistresses don't photograph well or are painted badly, or b) Not many of them are what you'd call "hot." Still, it's possib ... More >>

Top 5 Off-The-Wall Musical Instruments In Regular Use

John Cage is playing a cactus. Your argument is irrelevant.​ Last year at Free Press Summer Fest, we saw Stars haul out this little thingy that was basically a tiny keyboard with a mouthpiece you could blow into. It was the first time we'd ever seen a melodica played live. Since then, Rocks O ... More >>

Who Makes The Mt. Rushmore Of Houston Rap?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. cred​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Z-Ro, Chamillionaire, Lil Flip, E.S.G., Paul Wall, Fat Tony, A.D.D., Matt Son ... More >>

Slutwave: Pop Phenomenon Or Feminist Scourge?

"Every generation needs a new revolution." - Thomas Jefferson Marc BrubakerKe(Dollar Sign)ha at House of Blues, July 2010​As one of the few women on the Rocks Off writing team, we were fervently proud to take an introspective stab at the new, curiously named micro-genre that 2010 bestowed upo ... More >>

2010 Turkeys of the Year

Metro chief Frank Wilson is our biggest gobbler.

Is hasHBrown Houston's Rap Mayor?

​Relatively speaking, producer turned rapper turned producer/rapper hasHBrown has mostly operated outside the reach of local acclaim; he has received zero HPMA nominations, zero print features and zero retweets by Slim Thug. It's less indicative of his talent (of which he has plenty) and more ... More >>

Rick Santorum Coming To Houston To Rebut JFK, Constitution

Rick Sanotrum -- defined as "a deep thinker" by UST, as something else by Dan Savage​Fifty years ago, then-presidential candidate JFK delivered a historic speech on the separation of church and state to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association. As the first Catholic candidate for president,&nbs ... More >>

Summertime Blues: MADD And Cops Gather To Threaten Drunk Drivers

Photo by John Nova LomaxHave props, will travel​In what is now a time-honored pre-Labor Day Weekend/dog days of summer ritual, police and members of several anti-drunk driving advocacy groups gathered yesterday to stress what they claim is a multitude of alternative modes of transport for nocturn ... More >>

Target Free First Sunday: America the Beautiful

Celebrate the country’s birthday at the museum

Target Free First Sunday: America the Beautiful

Celebrate the country's birthday at the museum

The 4th Of July Is Coming: Break Out The Cameras And Win Prizes

Free food and drink for the winners!!​The 4th of July is a holiday made for cameras, and we want to see your work.Take your best pictures showing the essence of the 4th -- whether it's a backyard barbecue, fireworks, or a drunk uncle knocking over lawn furniture -- and upload them to the Houston P ... More >>

Rod Paige, Late Of HISD & The W Administration, Thinks The State Board Of Ed Has Gone Off The Deep End

Rod Paige, flaming liberal and commie-lover​Former Houston school superintendent Rod Paige has emerged from his lucrative consulting and speaking career to criticize the right-wingers trying to politicize the state's curriculum.Several sites have been liveblogging or otherwise updating today's mee ... More >>

Texas Textbooks Ignore Hip-Hop, Thomas Jefferson

"...But history is written by those who have hanged heroes" - Braveheart ​What do you need to know about history? They are the stories that made up America. They are the stories that America made up. That's actually not ours. If you've seen Assume The Position on HBO, you know it's a comedic but a ... More >>

Texas Textbooks Ignore Hip-Hop, Thomas Jefferson

"...But history is written by those who have hanged heroes" - Braveheart ​What do you need to know about history? They are the stories that made up America. They are the stories that America made up. That's actually not ours. If you've seen Assume The Position on HBO, you know it's a comedic but ... More >>

The Ron Paul Minions Get Greedy

​FLASH ALERT from the Lew Rockwell blog, home to all things libertarian: Ron Paul, the Thomas Jefferson/John Adams/Solomon of our benighted day, needs your help.Warmonger Michael McCaul is gaining on Ron Paul in the final bracket of the Houston Chronicle's online poll to determine the most effect ... More >>

(Very Possibly) Excerpts From The State Board Of Education's Curriculum Standards For The 2012-13 School Year

​There's been a whole lot of hooting and scorn from a nation who has watched as far-right-wingers have forced their odd, minority political views into Texas textbooks. There are some carping liberal complainers who think -- difficult as it may be to believe -- that Thomas Jefferson should be menti ... More >>

State Board Of Education Right-Wingers Remove The Word "Capitalism" From Textbooks

​If your mind, heart and stomach can stand it, you should be regularly checking in today with the live-blogging of the State Board of Education meeting that the Texas Freedom Network is doing.The board is debating what should and should not be included in social-studies texts, and, as always, thin ... More >>

Urban Gardening: Deer Tongues and Kumquats

​I had one of the best salads in recent memory yesterday. Urban gardening expert Jim Sherman cut a bunch of greens and herbs from one of his demonstration gardens in the Fifth Ward and filled up a plastic shopping bag for me. I took the fresh greens home and tossed them with a simple mustard v ... More >>

Racism Goes Unchecked at Regent University, Meanwhile the Melanin-Challenged Turn Out to Protest... Something.

Highlights from the Blog at HOUSTONPRESS.COM

On The Scene At The Houston Tea Party

In the end, it exceeded the expectations of even its once-seemingly wildly overenthusiastic organizers. Approximately 3,500 pissed-off demonstrators packed Jones Plaza for a warm-up blues-rock concert and harangues about high taxes, debt, bail-outs, and socialism.     You'd have t ... More >>

Don’t Blame Me. I Voted for the Duck.

The Station Showcases Work "Defending Democracy"

Making Change

It's In The Cards

The Nick-and-Jessica split, tarot-style

Cameron Crowing

Best Place to Launch Fireworks

Crystal Beach

Cold Comfort

Though their usefulness melted away long ago, icehouses continue to float to the surface

The Spirit of '76

A musical history lesson

Trying to Make Amens

If only there were school prayer. If only it were that simple.

Blackieballed

Almighty Municipality

With League City controlled by the Christian right, citizens can rezone - and repent

Rewriting History

One Little, Two Little, 40 Little Indies

Worldfest-Houston offers movies you won't otherwise see

Lover Men

Three films offer differing takes on the myth of the romantic hero

Diner's Notebook

Letters

Arming Peggy MacGregor

Why is this winsome public sculpture, created by Mount Rushmore's sculptor, languishing in disrepair? And where is her arm?