U.S. Department of Defense

NASA's New Astronauts: Half Women, None Alive for the Moon Landing

There was a generation of kids who grew up idolizing the astronauts. The men of the Mercury missions, the Apollo crews -- the guys who risked everything, put it all on the line to beat the Russians and launch into outer space. John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong -- these guys were national he ... More >>

The Manhattan Project Is Finally (Sort of) Coming to Texas

Back in the early 1940s when the U.S. Department of Defense was looking for some remote corner of nowhere to work on the Manhattan Project, maybe Texans were just a bit hurt that none of the out-of-the-way corners of our state (ahem -- the Panhandle) got picked. Alas, Texas wasn't even on the list, ... More >>

Films of 2012: Ten Best Films of 2012

Just because you live in Houston doesn't mean you can't see all these films.

Combat Veterans Fall Prey to Gambling Addictions at an Alarming Rate

where's the military when the chips are down?

Breaking It Down: The Hard Stuff

Painkiller addiction is one of the largest and fastest-growing problems among today's younger veterans.

Breaking It Down

It may not be PTSDs or brain injuries that pose the most long-term danger to our surviving vets from their Middle East tours.

Blood Money

More than 200 soldiers are suing KBR for knowingly exposing them to toxic chemicals in Iraq, whose effects started with nose bleeds and could end with cancer. KBR says that didn't happen. But even if it did, the company isn't responsible. Taxpayers are.

Día de los Muertos

BestFest Finalizes Lineup, Releases Schedule

​As much as Rocks Off has been talking about it, planning it, and writing about it these past two months or so, it doesn't seem possible that our first-ever Best of Houston® BestFest is only 10 short days away. By the time we finish coughing up all the dust from our trip to the no-smoking Aus ... More >>

Knocked Out: Bell Ringing

Further studies at UCLA sounded the alarm about concussions and their treatment

American Grocers

Samir Itani got rich sending expired food overseas to U.S. troops in the Middle East.

Texas Is Selling Your Baby's Blood Without Consent, Lawsuit Says

Lawsuit: Your baby's blood is secretly being sold to science. ​A lawsuit's been filed by lawyers at the Texas Civil Rights Project because, allegedly, for the last seven years, the state's Department of State Health Services has "deceptively and unlawfully sold, traded, bartered, and distributed b ... More >>

Army Helmets Made By Beaumont Prisoners Are Recalled For Safety Hazards

Vic Morrow, dealing with the scum who made him a crappy helmet​It looks like it's getting harder to find good help these days -- especially when the help are federal prisoners: earlier this month, the U.S. Army recalled 44,000 helmets manufactured by Beaumont inmates working for Federal Pris ... More >>

I Wanna Be Your Dog (Or Cat): One For You, Nineteen For Me

Ah, April 14 -- the last day before taxes are due. If you listen closely, you can hear the frantic panic of folks who waited until the last minute to file. And this tax season was especially rough, what with the Obama administration's new mandate that even domestic animals have to pay taxes. Does th ... More >>

Mission Finally Accomplished

American hero Matt Damon and his WMD of a movie Green Zone confirm the big lie, Hollywood-style.

"Day of the Dead Rock Stars"

Carlos Hernandez turns Día de los Muertos into an homage to rockers

Want to Levitate the Pentagon? These Songs Might Help

​On this date in 1967, some 50,000 protesters marched on the Pentagon with the intention of levitating it and exorcising any "evil spirits" within. The effort was led by Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman, poet Allen Ginberg, and Ed Sanders and satirically-minded rockers the Fugs. As we all know, th ... More >>

John Cornyn Has KBR's Back In Any Future Rape Cases

​We've written several items about Jamie Leigh Jones, the local woman who is suing KBR over a gang-rape she says happened while she was working for the company in Iraq.The company put up roadblocks to her attempts to resolve the situation and her claims of rampant sexual harassment in KBR camps, b ... More >>

Doctors from Hell: The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans

Web exclusive!

Army Chaplain Has Plenty Of Medals, But Can't Get Insurance For His Kids

When it comes to being covered by your insurance company, years of dedicated service in the Army and all the Purple Hearts in the world don't mean squat. At least that's what one decorated Iraq War serviceman says he's finding out.According to a lawsuit recently filed in Houston federal court, Major ... More >>

Prisoners In Beaumont Federal Pen Sue Over Work Conditions

Earlier this year, we brought you the story of the hundreds of inmates at the maximum-security federal penitentiary in Beaumont who sued the U.S. government claiming officials did not evacuate them during Hurricane Rita and thereby forced them to endure inhumane, medieval conditions. While that lega ... More >>

Artist of the Week: Room 101

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 introducingliston@gmail.com. Here at Rocks Off we’ ... More >>

Back from Iraq with Plenty of Problems

Paul Miles returned from Iraq needing help with the death in his head. He got prison.

Blood Business

Why We Fight probes America's passion for war

Don't Ask, Don't Be

A Houston-area man leads the fight against the ban on gays in the military

Letters

"I Raq and Roll" vs. "We Can't Make It Here"

Two Houston-connected musicians offer up different takes on the war. One veteran tells Racket which he thinks is better and why.

Brave New Art

Artists take on corporations and the government in "Thought Crimes"

Downtown Cubs

Tilman's tigers are on the prowl

Rocket Man

How one enterprising Johnson Space Center physicist followed his dream to Hollywood and porn stardom

Hissin' Dixie.

Country stars battle it out on the eve of war

Young Guns

Some are ready to die. Others aren't -- they just want a chance at a better life. But even the most careful of local teens who enlist in 2003 may find their plans for a desk job interrupted by war.

For Whom the Belt Tolls

The curse of the area rocket men continues with California convictions

Man's New Best Friend

In the wake of September 11, security dogs have become must-have items. Prices have skyrocketed. There aren't enough German shepherds.

Files Not Found

Thousands of missing FBI documents in the Timothy McVeigh case? It comes as no surprise to the survivors of Operation Lightning Strike.

The Empire Strikes Back

The once-proud Rap-A-Lot rediscovers its fury with four new releases

Later, Floyd

Laser rock shows at the Museum of Natural Science go the way of the dinosaurs

News Hostage

Love and Rockets

FAT! SO?

Cathy Woods weighs 500 pounds, wears a 50DD bra and an XXXXXXL dress. She loves her body. And so does her man.

Seafood for Thought

Fly Like an Eagle

With Black Eagles, the Ensemble takes wing

The Insider

Reverse Sting

A Lightning Strike target turns the tape on the FBI

The Last Battle of Chau Minh Nguyen

An ex-commando claims the U.S. owes him for 19 lost years

Letters

The Case for Gulf War Gate

The Insider

Last Strike?

The FBI's NASA sting operation may finally be headed to court

The Cloud Over Lightning Strike

Did the U.S. government spend $2 million just to nail little guys like David Proctor?