George Bush Intercontinental Airport Like riding horses? Hate terrorists? Well, now's your chance to trot ol' Trigger around the trail and keep a lookout for Osama at the same time. The Houston Airport System's Airport Rangers are volunteers who patrol the 34-mile perimeter of fencing around Intercontinental. You have to pass a background check, of course. "It's not just Joe Blow coming in," says airport spokesperson Ernest DeSoto. "You have to be badged." The airport system has set up 25 miles of trails with water stops and port-a-potties for volunteers, but those hankerin' for more rugged country are welcome to veer off the paths, DeSoto says. If a ranger sees anyone unusual (vagrant, poacher, dude with a rocket launcher), he or she must report it to airport authorities. Otherwise, Airport Rangers are free to ride from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Like riding horses? Hate terrorists? Well, now's your chance to trot ol' Trigger around the trail and keep a lookout for Osama at the same time. The Houston Airport System's Airport Rangers are volunteers who patrol the 34-mile perimeter of fencing around Intercontinental. You have to pass a background check, of course. "It's not just Joe Blow coming in," says airport spokesperson Ernest DeSoto. "You have to be badged." The airport system has set up 25 miles of trails with water stops and port-a-potties for volunteers, but those hankerin' for more rugged country are welcome to veer off the paths, DeSoto says. If a ranger sees anyone unusual (vagrant, poacher, dude with a rocket launcher), he or she must report it to airport authorities. Otherwise, Airport Rangers are free to ride from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Fit Holy biceps! Fit's got more hot bods than an I-10 traffic jam in July. And they've got state-of-the-art equipment and a really nice view of downtown, plus helpful trainers who aren't annoying. At Fit, there are fewer cheesy, too-tan bimbos and beefcake macho men than you'd find at other chain-type gyms in town. Here, there are just nice folks who work hard. But that's not the best part. Fit rules because they have so many lazy-people amenities: massages, steam rooms, Internet access, tanning booths, meditation classes, gigantic plasma screen TVs and Starbucks. Since working out is beginning to feel more like being a lazy slob, Houston could be on its way to skinniest-city status.

Fit Holy biceps! Fit's got more hot bods than an I-10 traffic jam in July. And they've got state-of-the-art equipment and a really nice view of downtown, plus helpful trainers who aren't annoying. At Fit, there are fewer cheesy, too-tan bimbos and beefcake macho men than you'd find at other chain-type gyms in town. Here, there are just nice folks who work hard. But that's not the best part. Fit rules because they have so many lazy-people amenities: massages, steam rooms, Internet access, tanning booths, meditation classes, gigantic plasma screen TVs and Starbucks. Since working out is beginning to feel more like being a lazy slob, Houston could be on its way to skinniest-city status.

Jonathan Feigen As streaky and uneven as the Rockets' 2003-2004 season was, Houston Chronicle readers could count on NBA beat writer Jonathan Feigen to get his touches and make it look sweet without fail. Sports writing is a province inherently booby-trapped with clichés. West Coast late games, repetitious seasons and predictable jock-talk quotes ensure that if you haven't heard it before, you're going to hear it repeated a thousand more times. Feigen cuts through that stale routine with graceful description, sharp analysis and the ability to be clever without being smug.

Jonathan Feigen As streaky and uneven as the Rockets' 2003-2004 season was, Houston Chronicle readers could count on NBA beat writer Jonathan Feigen to get his touches and make it look sweet without fail. Sports writing is a province inherently booby-trapped with clichés. West Coast late games, repetitious seasons and predictable jock-talk quotes ensure that if you haven't heard it before, you're going to hear it repeated a thousand more times. Feigen cuts through that stale routine with graceful description, sharp analysis and the ability to be clever without being smug.

The Tavern on Gray Cutthroat, eight-ball, nine-ball -- it doesn't matter what game you play, or even if you're any good. As long as you've got a buddy and a beverage, you're gonna have fun playing pool at the Tavern, where happy hour is 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day. This sprawling, laid-back sports club has plenty of booths and seating at its insanely long bars. While you're waiting for your pool partner to sink that stripe, you can watch a plethora of TVs, choose from dozens of brews, chow down some buffalo wings or dial up "Bad to the Bone" on the Internet jukebox. If you need some fresh air, you can always slip outside to one of the picnic benches, or challenge a friend to a game of Ping-Pong.

The Tavern on Gray Cutthroat, eight-ball, nine-ball -- it doesn't matter what game you play, or even if you're any good. As long as you've got a buddy and a beverage, you're gonna have fun playing pool at the Tavern, where happy hour is 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day. This sprawling, laid-back sports club has plenty of booths and seating at its insanely long bars. While you're waiting for your pool partner to sink that stripe, you can watch a plethora of TVs, choose from dozens of brews, chow down some buffalo wings or dial up "Bad to the Bone" on the Internet jukebox. If you need some fresh air, you can always slip outside to one of the picnic benches, or challenge a friend to a game of Ping-Pong.

Sheryl Swoopes The Comets' Sheryl Swoopes has jumped to a level of success guys like Yao Ming and Steve Francis can't touch. She's the first woman to have a Nike shoe named after her, and the WNBA's first marketing campaign was built around her. She's a two-time WNBA MVP and a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Swoops led the 1996 and 2000 USA teams to Olympic gold and was a key part of the Comets' 1997-2000 championship teams. And she's accomplished all of this while giving birth, raising a child and missing a season to recover from a serious knee injury. Swoopes continues to play for the U.S. National teams, and she's still one of the Comets' leading players, even in this, her eighth season. The future of the WNBA is always in doubt, but as long as it survives, the best and classiest basketball player in Houston can be found down at the Toyota Center playing for the Comets. Yeah, she's got game.

Sheryl Swoopes The Comets' Sheryl Swoopes has jumped to a level of success guys like Yao Ming and Steve Francis can't touch. She's the first woman to have a Nike shoe named after her, and the WNBA's first marketing campaign was built around her. She's a two-time WNBA MVP and a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Swoops led the 1996 and 2000 USA teams to Olympic gold and was a key part of the Comets' 1997-2000 championship teams. And she's accomplished all of this while giving birth, raising a child and missing a season to recover from a serious knee injury. Swoopes continues to play for the U.S. National teams, and she's still one of the Comets' leading players, even in this, her eighth season. The future of the WNBA is always in doubt, but as long as it survives, the best and classiest basketball player in Houston can be found down at the Toyota Center playing for the Comets. Yeah, she's got game.