Toyota Prius

Shallow Pool: Adding Musicians (and Silly Theme Songs) to TV's Splash

As often as I've been complemented on my taste in music, I've been ridiculed for the horrible television programs I sometimes watch. Case in point: my DVR's arteries were recently clogged with episodes of the ABC celebrity competition, Splash. For those who may have missed it, Splash was a taped an ... More >>

NFL Free Agency 2013: Assessing The Texans' Damage

"Wheels up! GM Rick Smith is on his way to pick up free agent S Ed Reed in #Texans chairman & CEO Bob McNair's private jet!" -- @HoustonTexans, Thursday morning The Texans' Twitter proclamation about Rick Smith's early morning travel schedule on Thursday served a dual purpose, providing a symbolic ... More >>

Texas Joins In $29 Million Settlement With Toyota Over Sudden Acceleration, AG Announces

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced today that Texans will be part of a $29 settlement with Toyota over its actions after claims that various models had sudden, unexplained accelerations that endangered drivers. Texas and 27 other states "investigated whether Toyota adequately and promptly ... More >>

2012: Year of the Texans

Assessing all their strengths and weaknesses, we could be looking at a repeat or better.

How to Speak Republican

Leaked document reveals the secrets of the GOP's coded language.

The 2012 Houston Web Awards

The Houston Press rides the wave to the next group of winners.

Last Night: Les & Friends at Fitzgerald's

Les featuring Slim Thug, Killa Kyleon, Mug, Doughbeezy, Propain, Amber London, Roosh Williams, DJ Mr. Rogers Fitzgerald's June 27, 2012 Twice this year already, Les, one of the new rap generation's most interesting performers, has released mixtapes. Neither of them were anything less than Absolutel ... More >>

Justin Bieber's Believe: Dubstep, Dick Talk, Nicki Minaj & Exactly One Good Song

I listened to the new Justin Bieber album, Believe, twice this afternoon so I could write this. I am not looking for sympathy because I took it upon myself. I did this so you wouldn't have to, though if you are cool enough to read our blog, the thought of listening to Justin Bieber's Believe wasn't ... More >>

Will You Turn into a Hoarder? See What the Stars Have to Say: Astrology Signs, Ranked for Hoardiness

Will you turn into a hoarder? Let's see what astrology says, courtesy of our favorite local astrologer, Figgy Jones. Here's what she told us: On June 11, the big ol' jolly planet of abundance and goodies, Jupiter, moves into the sign of Gemini -- the most garrulous sign. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, ... More >>

12 Music Business Predictions for 2012

Photo by Robert Bejil​Where were we? Oh yeah, crystal ball and prophesies. You ready for this? OK. What follows is a list of events we expect to befall the music industry in 2012. Yes, these are etched in stone and should be regarded as gospel. Full prophetic titillation ahead.

Eight Businesses We Expect Will Be Getting Custom Texas License Plates Soon

​We recently wrote about a new crop of Texas license plates with a variety of themes, most of them sports related. One of the designs, however, was for the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain that isn't even based in the Lone Star State. We certainly understand the passion of a sports fan, but ... More >>

The Heights-Montrose-Museum District Council Seat: A Checklist for Potential Candidates

Must love Jon Stewart.​The proposed new map of city council districts includes one carved out of the Heights, Montrose and the Museum District, uniting the richest, hippest, proud to be Inner Looper bunch of white people possible. If you're planning to run for the seat, here are some things y ... More >>

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: Lady Gaga Covers On YouTube

​Tomorrow night Lady Gaga returns to the Toyota Center for her third packed show at the venue in less than a year. Last July, she held all the Little Monsters and pop fans hostage at TC for two blood-smeared, fiery, glittered, and hit-filled shows. Rocks Off was there for the first night, th ... More >>

App of the Week: GasBuddy

Find cheap gas with GasBuddy.​App: GasBuddy Platforms: iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile Web site: GasBuddy.com Cost: Free People love their cars in Houston. More specifically, people love their enormous, gas-guzzling, monster-mobiles. With the turmoil in the Middle East driving gas prices ... More >>

The Houston Rodeo: Ten Classic Pictures

Photos courtesy HLS&RLook closer​Rodeo excitement is here, as our version of the State Fair ramps up with the trail riders nearing the city and Go Texan Day Friday. The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo people were nice enough to let us rifle through their archive of pictures, and we've presente ... More >>

Next to Nothing

Paul Haggis shows no improvement.

Intelligent Life

When NASA employee April Evans questioned animal experiments, her career fell apart.

Townie Made Good

Ben Affleck as a conflicted bank robber

Cop Out

Will Ferrell and Adam McKay re-team, with decreasing ­returns.

Passionate Prius Drivers

A Facebook page for the victims

Cop Out

Will Ferrell and Adam McKay re-team, with decreasing ­returns.

Prius Is Looking For Passionate Fans On Facebook; We Deliver

Toyota launches its Prius Facebook competition; we launch our Prius Facebook page.​To celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of the Prius, Toyota is launching a Facebook competition to find "the most passionate Prius fan in the United States." From Toyota's press release:As a result, this car with the si ... More >>

Basketball Diaries

Readers respond to "Trash Talk"

"Safety Deaf" Toyota to Pay Record Fine

​Toyota announced today that it would pay the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration $16 million to settle allegations that it kept quiet about safety defects on its cars. The penalty is the largest that the federal government has collected from a car company."Toyota could have contested t ... More >>

Baseball on the Brain

Readers are gearing up for the Astros' 2010 season.

You Heard It Here First

The Press reported on the Prius long ago.

More Fallout for Toyota

Plus: Why are Mormons annoyed with Houston?

Aftermath: Flogging Molly's Celtic-Punk Puppet Show at House of Blues

Photos by Marco Torres / Click here for a slideshow​Aftermath tuned up for Flogging Molly Wednesday night with a Jameson on the rocks and Steve Earle's "The Galway Girl" on our iPod. One of those should be obvious. As for the other, we needed the whiskey because it was kind of a long day at ... More >>

Toyota And Unintended Acceleration: A Lawsuit And A Car Show

​Toyota has announced during the last several months a series of recalls to fix the problem of its cars accelerating out of control. Last week, in perhaps the most dramatic move, the company said it would stop selling eight models of cars and trucks. Each of those fixes involved floor mats or gas ... More >>

Game Time: Bad Boys, What'cha Gonna Do

​That noise you hear is Florida coach Urban Meyer laughing his ass off. In case you missed it, news broke this morning that three University of Tennessee Volunteer football players -- freshman defensive backs Janzen Jackson and Mike Edwards, as well as freshman running back Nu'Keese Richardson -- ... More >>

Los Angeles Times Takes On Toyota's Acceleration Problems

​The Los Angeles Times published a lengthy story this weekend about unintended acceleration in Toyotas, something the Houston Press and Hair Balls have written about from time to time, starting with a cover story in April.The Times wrote the story in response to a highly publicized crash this summ ... More >>

Feds Not So Sure About Toyota's Claims That Floor Mats Are The Problem With Priuses

​The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a statement yesterday indicating that problems of unintended acceleration in Toyotas might be caused by something more than faulty floor mats. The statement from the federal agency was a response to Toyota's claims, released on Tuesday, ... More >>

Make It Stop: Now DPS Is Messing With Our Inspection Stickers

​First they came for the driver's licenses. Then they came for the license plates.Now, the DPS's March to Mediocrity continues with...inspection stickers.Texas inspection stickers have been pretty low-key since they've been invented, but no more. Now they will feature a cowboy on a bucking bronco, ... More >>

Car Trouble

Readers respond to "Wild Ride"

The Joys Of Forwarded E-Mail

Ah, the joys of replying to forwarded e-mail.You get an e-mail forwarded to you from someone, you think you're replying to the guy who forwarded it but instead you're replying to the original sender. So your e-mail that says something like "This is the single most idiotic pitch from a PR person ever ... More >>

Wild Rides

Between serious safety and environmental concerns, the Toyota Prius isn't the angel that everyone thinks it is.

Zipcar Comes To Houston (To Rice, At Any Rate)

Emo Poems About Adult Every Day Life

For What It's Worth

Anniversaries

It's a Gas

Pump pains constrain some musicians and inspire others

Dragon Slayer

A new Republican challenger steps forth to take on Tom DeLay

Blood for Oil

The brilliant, confounding Syriana digs for a necessary truth

Got Your Health

How much more can you cut?

Lineup Change

The pressure is on the Chron's sports columnists

Plugged In

Like little Energizer bunnies, electric-car proponents keep going and going and going