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Crane collapses at Houston refinery, killing 4
HOUSTON (AP) — Four people were killed and six injured when a crane collapsed Friday during routine maintenance at a southeast Houston refinery, a company official said.
All the workers were contract employees working at the LyondellBasell refinery in Houston about 2 p.m. when a crane several hundred feet long fell over, said Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Omero Longoria.
The company was preparing to do routine maintenance on one of the units at the refinery. But the crane, operated by Deep South Crane & Rigging, was not scheduled to be active Friday, but the engine was on after it hit the ground, Jim Roecker, LyondellBasell's vice president for refinding, said.
About 1,500 contract workers are employed at the refinery, he said.
Longoria said five people have been transported to hospitals. Two are in critical condition, while the other three have trauma-related injuries.
Crane safety has been getting extra scrutiny in recent months because of an alarming number of crane-related deaths in places such as New York, Miami and Las Vegas.
In New York City, two crane accidents since March have killed nine people — a greater number than the total deaths from cranes over the past decade.
An Associated Press analysis in June found that cities and states have wildly varying rules governing construction cranes, and some have no regulations at all, choosing instead to rely on federal guidelines dating back nearly 40 years that some experts say haven't kept up with technological advances.
HOUSTON (AP) — Four people were killed and six injured when a crane collapsed Friday during routine maintenance at a southeast Houston... more -
Houston Where the World Comes to Buy a Home
By Dave Fehling / 11 News
HOUSTON -- In a new subdivision near Sugar Land, house-hunters are finding homes with a European flair.
In the Galleria, realtors are finding buyers for expensive high-rise condos.
And in Chinatown, one broker said his clients are coming to Houston for their golden years.
But none of those homebuyers are from Texas – they’re not even from the United States.
All over the area, foreigners are snatching up Houston property. For some, Houston homes represent a great bargain. For others, Houston seems like a safe haven in a chaotic world.
One example of that is what’s happening in Venezuela.
The government took over oil projects there, some of which belonged to Houston-based companies.
Now top engineers and executives are fleeing the country, and some of them are heading to the Bayou City.
“They’re coming here for the oil industry,” Remax Realtor Karen Arbelaez said.
Arbelaez said she just sold a home in Sugar Land to one of those foreigners for over $500,000.
So now, builders are constructing homes with more authentic Mediterranean looks to appeal to folks from outside the States.
Wealthy Mexicans also see Houston as a great escape.
Realtors said many of them are buying expensive and secure high-rise condos as second homes – condos like the ones near the Galleria.
“They will not buy something where someone can just come kick in the door,” Uptown Real Estate’s Mariana Saldana said.
The condos are safe, secure and often a steal when compared to prices in other big cities.
What’s more, foreigners from many countries can now buy more because their currency is worth more than the dollar.
It all adds up to an undeniable fact: Houston is becoming an international bargain.
Margaret Jamieson just moved to Houston from Vancouver, Canada. Her husband is an oral surgeon in training.
“I’ve never seen anything like the Medical Center,” she said. “Back home, we came from an 800-square-foot condo.”
But in Houston, they can afford a home triple that size – a key reason they chose the Bayou City over others.
Houston is also getting a growing number of Chinese retirees.
Yao Ming put Houston on the map for many people in China, and Realtors are saying they’ve noticed the beginning of a trend. They believe more Chinese are buying property in Houston, sometimes for retirement, other times for investments.
Century 21 broker Kenneth Li said they’re buying everything from apartments to strip malls to ranches.
“Chinese like to own real estate,” he said.
So while Americans struggle to buy homes all over the country, in Houston, an influx of international cash is helping foreigners do just that.
By Dave Fehling / 11 News HOUSTON -- In a new subdivision near Sugar Land, house-hunters are finding homes with a European flair. ... more -
Michael DeBakey, pioneer of heart procedures, dead at 99
Dr. Michael DeBakey, the world-famous cardiovascular surgeon who pioneered such now-common procedures as bypass surgery and invented a host of devices to help heart patients, died Friday night at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, officials announced. He was 99.
Dr. Michael DeBakey, seen here in a 1985 photo, developed heart procedures used by today's doctors.
DeBakey died from "natural causes," according to a written statement issued early Saturday by spokesmen for Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital.
DeBakey underwent surgery in February 2006 for a damaged aorta -- a procedure he had developed.
DeBakey counted world leaders among his patients and helped turn Baylor College of Medicine in Houston from a provincial school into one of the nation's great medical institutions.
"Dr. DeBakey's reputation brought many people into this institution, and he treated them all: heads of state, entertainers, businessmen and presidents, as well as people with no titles and no means," said Ron Girotto, president of The Methodist Hospital System.
Girotto said the surgeon "has improved the human condition and touched the lives of generations to come."
While still in medical school in 1932, he invented the roller pump, which became the major component of the heart-lung machine, beginning the era of open-heart surgery. The machine takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery.
It was only a start of a lifetime of innovation. The surgical procedures that DeBakey developed once were the wonders of the medical world. Today, they are commonplace procedures in most hospitals.
Dr. Michael DeBakey, the world-famous cardiovascular surgeon who pioneered such now-common procedures as bypass surgery and invented a... more -
Mexican comic-book character called racist
"A comic-book character popular in Mexico for generations has run into a cultural barrier at the border, where Americans see him as a racist caricature. For more than 60 years Mexicans have followed the adventures of "Memin Pinguin." But the dark-skinned Memin's exaggerated features in "Memin for President" came as a shock to Houston, Texas, Wal-Mart shopper Shawnedria McGinty.
"I was like, OK, is that a monkey or a boy?" McGinty said. "To me it was an insult."
She'd never heard of "Memin Pinguin." She bought a Spanish-English dictionary and tried translating but still didn't like what she saw. "So I asked my boyfriend, does that look like a monkey to you?" she said. "And we went back and forth and he was like, no, that's a black woman," referring to the character's Aunt Jemima-like mother.
McGinty and Houston community activist Quannel X want the comic books removed from the stores.
"This is absolutely insensitive toward race, in particular the African-American culture, and also people of color," Quannel X said. "This is poking fun at the physical features of an entire people."
But Mexican readers who grew up following the shenanigans of Memin say critics need to look beyond the cover and understand the stories.
"They will bring a smile to their face because we're so fond of that character," said Javier Salas, a Spanish-language talk show host on Chicago radio station WRTO. "We respect him, we love him. And that's why it's so absurd for us to hear complaints from people who don't know, don't understand Memin."
Memin is a poor Cuban-Mexican kid with bug eyes, thick lips and protruding ears. The mischievous and caring boy helps his mother by selling newspapers and shining shoes.
"We grew up reading, learning and educating ourselves with a lot of the topics they always touched on, which was honesty, justice, tolerance. He was a very unique character," Salas said.
Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said the retailer has instructed stores to remove the books from shelves and discontinue sales.
"We received the customer complaint regarding the book, which we knew was based on a popular cartoon character in Mexico. We looked into it further, and we decided to no longer distribute the book and are in the process of removing the books from the stores"." "A comic-book character popular in Mexico for generations has run into a cultural barrier at the border, where Americans see him as a ... more -
Smelly feet can be deadly: man gets 35 years for Houston stinky feet slaying
A man was sentenced to 35 years in prison for stabbing his roommate to death after an argument in their Houston apartment about stinky feet.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office says 23-year-old William Antonio Serrano was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in prison. He pleaded no contest to murder.
Authorities say 21-year-old Noel Quintanilla-Vaquero complained last October that Serrano's feet had a foul odor. They say Serrano responded to the insult by grabbing a knife and stabbing Quintanilla-Vaquero several times.
The men allegedly had been drinking. Court documents indicate Serrano initially claimed self-defense. A man was sentenced to 35 years in prison for stabbing his roommate to death after an argument in their Houston apartment about stinky... more -
Joe Horn Shot Two Burglars Dead is Cleared By A Grand Jury
A Harris County grand jury decided today that Joe Horn should not be charged with a crime for shooting two burglary suspects he confronted outside his neighbor's home in Pasadena last fall.
The decision to clear Horn of wrongdoing came two weeks after the grand jury began considering evidence in the case, including Horn's testimony last week.
Horn, a 62-year-old retiree, became the focus of an intense public debate after the Nov. 14 shootings. Many supporters praised him as a hero for using deadly force to protect property, while others dismissed him as a killer who should have heeded a 911 operator's instructions to stay in his house and wait for police.
Horn called authorities after hearing breaking glass and seeing two men climb through a window into his next-door neighbor's home in the 7400 block of Timberline.
The 911 operator urged Horn to remain inside, but he went outside with his 12-gauge shotgun and came face-to-face with Diego Ortiz, 30, and Hernando Riascos Torres, 38.
According to a transcript of Horn's 911 call, which he made about 2 p.m., the operator repeatedly urged Horn to stay in his house, but Horn said he did not believe it would be right to let the burglars get away.
"Well, here it goes, buddy," Horn can be heard telling the operator. "You hear the shotgun clicking and I'm going."
The operator replies: "Don't go outside."
Then the tape records Horn warning someone: "Move and you're dead!" Two quick shots can be heard, followed by a pause and then a third shot.
Pasadena police Capt. A.H. "Bud" Corbett said a few weeks after the shooting that a plainclothes detective had parked in front of Horn's house in response to the 911 call. He said the detective saw the men between Horn's house and his neighbor's before they crossed into Horn's front yard.
It appeared that neither Horn nor the men knew a police officer was present, Corbett said.
"It was over within seconds. The detective never had time to say anything before the shots were fired," Corbett said. "At first, the officer was assessing the situation. Then he was worried Horn might mistake him for the 'wheel man' (getaway driver). He ducked at one point."
When Horn confronted the suspects in his yard, he raised his shotgun to his shoulder, Corbett said. However the men ignored his order to freeze.
Corbett said one man ran toward Horn, but had angled away from him toward the street when he was shot in the back just before reaching the curb.
"The detective confirmed that this suspect was actually closer to Horn after he initiated his run than at the time when first confronted," said Corbett. "Horn said he felt in jeopardy."
Ortiz and Torres died a short distance from Horn's house, both shot in the back.
-----MORE AT LINK--- A Harris County grand jury decided today that Joe Horn should not be charged with a crime for shooting two burglary suspects he confro... more -
Obey Obama
Some local street artists painted a 15' Obama mural designed by Shepard Fairey (ObeyGiant) in Houston Texas. I documented the painting from beginning to end... Some local street artists painted a 15' Obama mural designed by Shepard Fairey (ObeyGiant) in Houston Texas. I documented the painting... more
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Houston, We Have Art
Texas Street Artist 'Give Up' talks about who he is and the message behind his work. Give Up's work is currently showing at Aerosol Warfare Gallery in Houston, Texas. Texas Street Artist 'Give Up' talks about who he is and the message behind his work. Give Up's work is currently showing at Aerosol Wa... more
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The Anti-Energy Drink
Turns out, this is a carbonated, grape-flavored beverage spiked with melatonin, valerian root and rose hips. Apparently it is "very, very popular in Houston," and it's sold throughout the south in liquor and convenience stores. Turns out, this is a carbonated, grape-flavored beverage spiked with melatonin, valerian root and rose hips. Apparently it is "very, v... more
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We're an Industrial Band: The Music of Culturcide
Greetings. This is a CULTURCIDE fan-website. I've only obtained basic information about Culturcide from their releases, but I will update the site whenever I hear any news about the band. If you wish to contact the band, you should use one of the addresses listed on the releases. Because of the nature of some of the recordings, Culturcide releases are difficult to obtain, but there are a few leads on the links page. Please e-mail with any corrections, missing information, reviews or personal stories related to the band. All Graphics on the site are from CULTURCIDE releases, flyers & posters. Greetings. This is a CULTURCIDE fan-website. I've only obtained basic information about Culturcide from their releases, but I will upd... more
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Online music project by former members of the controversial band Culturcide
w online. Stabin Cabin is a new musical project featuring Perry Webb and Dan Workman. The website features loads of pictures and a 17 song album available to play or download in mp3 format !!! It is innovative, thought provoking, a little disturbing and it should be heard. w online. Stabin Cabin is a new musical project featuring Perry Webb and Dan Workman. The website features loads of pictures and a 17 ... more
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Robbery attempt ends in death for suspect in Houston
"A roofer fatally shot a suspected robber on Sunday only minutes after the man shoved a pistol in his back in the parking lot of a southeast Houston townhouse complex. Identified by his employer as Juan Ibarra, the roofer was hitching a trailer to his pickup truck about 9 a.m. when the robber moved up behind him, police said.
Ibarra "was ordered to go around to the cab of the truck and give him his money," said Ramon Cervantes, a Houston police homicide detective. The robber grabbed Ibarra's wallet and cell phone then began walking away. Police said he stopped after noticing that some of the cash and fallen to the pavement. He again pointed a pistol at Ibarra, police said, then reached down for the money.
That's when Ibarra pulled out his revolver and began shooting, firing at least three times, police said. The robber was struck in the left chest area and fell to the ground, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A handful of residents watched Sunday as police placed several evidence markers around the white Ford pickup truck.
"If it's a robber who got popped, that's his problem," said John Andre, who lives a couple of houses away.
Police said Ibarra has a license to carry a concealed handgun.
The robber, 21, lived in the area, said police who declined to identify him until his family is notified.
"He (the robber) did have a weapon and we have taken that into evidence," Cervantes said.
Ibarra had been working on the roof at the complex but decided to pick up the work trailer on Sunday so it wouldn't remain unattended for the remainder of the long holiday weekend, his employer said. Ibarra called his boss, Jesus Balleza, soon after the incident.
"He's one of my best guys," Balleza said. "I got into my truck and drove over here."
Ibarra was shaken up, Balleza said, but otherwise not harmed during the ordeal. He was questioned at the scene but later taken to HPD headquarters, police said.
Ibarra was not charged in the fatal shooting. The case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury, police said." "A roofer fatally shot a suspected robber on Sunday only minutes after the man shoved a pistol in his back in the parking lot of a sou... more -
Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle
Red Bull Big Tune is a program created to showcase the talents of established and emerging producers and sound providers. The producers battle head to head through rounds of single elimination competition.
The last producer standing will be the producer with the "BIG TUNE"... And crowned champion of the evening. For RSVP, go to: www.redbullbigtune.com
Hosted by
Vitamin D and J.Moore
with
DJ DV One on the Wheels
@ Historic Sweet's Ballroom, 1933 Broadway, Oakland, CA
Doors open at 7:30pm
All Ages w/ ID
Cover: FREE
Suggested donation $5 Red Bull Big Tune is a program created to showcase the talents of established and emerging producers and sound providers. The producer... more -
Mix Magazine Profiles SugarHill Sessions on Pacifica
With SugarHill sessions voted best radio show by Houston Press..I thought I would share this profile on SugarHill Studio's impressive history.
Last year, SugarHill partnered with the Pacifica Radio Network and launched The SugarHill Sessions radio show, offering a place for local music to shine. Current owner/studio manager Workman said, “With the advent of modern low-cost recording equipment, our new focus is to be the region's production company — the place you go to connect with the people who know how to make your music sound the very best it can. The music can only get better as we are liberated from being ‘the keepers of the holy machines.’ Now, we can concentrate on every aspect of our clients' musical performances.”
With SugarHill sessions voted best radio show by Houston Press..I thought I would share this profile on SugarHill Studio's impressive ... more -
Album Review, "Culturcide, Gigs for an Imaginary Audience"
Back in the early and middle '80s, Culturcide bypassed then-prevalent synth-pop in favor of a form of electronic punk rock that evolved into industrial. This odds-and-sods collection offers 12 demos, live jams and unreleased tracks for the coroner's inquest. It's certainly a horrible place for dilettantes to start, as the raw quality of the recordings — a third of the tracks are rehearsal takes — presents you with something like Culturcide at 151 proof, a glimpse into the hostile recesses of the band's creative process. Back in the early and middle '80s, Culturcide bypassed then-prevalent synth-pop in favor of a form of electronic punk rock that evolve... more
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Billions of electronics-munching 'crazy rasberry ants' invade Texas
A foreign species of ants has been accidentally shipped to the U.S. from the Caribbean. The ants are proving detrimental to electronics and plumbing...
"They have ruined pumps at sewage pumping stations, fouled computers and at least one homeowner's gas meter, and caused fire alarms to malfunction. They have been spotted at NASA's Johnson Space Center and close to Hobby Airport, though they haven't caused any major problems there yet.
Exterminators say calls from frustrated homeowners and businesses are increasing because the ants — which are starting to emerge by the billions with the onset of the warm, humid season — appear to be resistant to over-the-counter ant killers.
"The population built up so high that typical ant controls simply did no good," said Jason Meyers, an A&M doctoral student who is writing his dissertation on the one-eighth-inch-long ant.
It's not enough just to kill the queen. Experts say each colony has multiple queens that have to be taken out.
At the same time, the ants aren't taking the bait usually left out in traps, according to exterminators, who want the Environmental Protection Agency to loosen restrictions on the use of more powerful pesticides.
And when you do kill these ants, the survivors turn it to their advantage: They pile up the dead, sometimes using them as a bridge to cross safely over surfaces treated with pesticide....
..."This one seems to be like lava flowing and filling an entire area, getting bigger and bigger," said Ron Harrison, director of training for the big pest-control company Orkin Inc. A foreign species of ants has been accidentally shipped to the U.S. from the Caribbean. The ants are proving detrimental to electronic... more -
Cultucide song is part of an illegal art exhibit
Interesting article about Culturcide and, more importantly, a discussion board that clears up some of the urban music myths about this wonderfully experimental cult punk band....jump in and set the record straight, no pun intended. Or don't.
When the rest of the world danced into happy post punk disco, chemically induced and carefree. Culturcide assaulted tradition, tried new things, wore unusual trousers and proved that an experimental punk band from Houston was not to be taken lightly.
I had coffee with one of the lads this morning, and at no point did he attempt to bite me. They are generallly agreeable fellows and many own their own homes. Interesting article about Culturcide and, more importantly, a discussion board that clears up some of the urban music myths about this... more -
Culturcide on Wikipedia
Culturcide was a Houston-based experimental punk band, active from 1980 to 1990 and from 1993 to the present day. They were notorious for their 1986 album Tacky Souvenirs of Pre-Revolutionary America, which earned the band a cult following, but also several legal threats. Culturcide was a Houston-based experimental punk band, active from 1980 to 1990 and from 1993 to the present day. They were notorious ... more
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The Art Guys Perform Live at the University of Houston Tonight
HOUSTON’S ART GUYS CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF EXHIBITS, PERFORMANCES
WITH ‘EVENING OF ITTY BITTY WITTY DITTIES’ AT UH<b>
It was 25 years ago that The Art Guys, Michael Galbreth and Jack Massing, met while attending classes at the
University of Houston. At the time, both men had no idea that their zest for humor and art would lead to a lasting
partnership and an international reputation as creative, comedic innovators.
To celebrate their silver anniversary, The Art Guys are returning to the place where it all started to share some of their
most memorable works.
UH’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts will present “Nothing to It (An evening of itty bitty witty ditties)” at
8 p.m., May 3 in the university’s Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre. Tickets are $10. For tickets call 713-743-2929.
Included in this showcase of The Art Guys’ greatest hits are “Wrap Music,” a musical arrangement performed entirely
on industrial strength wrapping material and “Inverted Karaoke,” which features Galbreth and Massing singing songs
karaoke style without the audience being able to hear the music. Additionally, The Art Guys will unveil new “world
premieres never seen before by man nor beast” and numerous surprises throughout the evening.
“We just have this stuff to do and thought we may as well do it on stage with lots of lights,” Massing said.
The Art Guys have become known internationally for their balance of comical performances, public art and entertaining
exhibitions. The New York Times has described the duo as “a cross between Dada, David Letterman, John Cage and the
Smothers Brothers.” To learn more about The Art Guys, visit www.theartguys.com. HOUSTON’S ART GUYS CELEBRATE 25 YEARS OF EXHIBITS, PERFORMANCES WITH ‘EVENING OF ITTY BITTY WITTY DITTIES’ AT UH<b> ... more -
Winter Wallace: a musical talent worth listening to...
Rock and roll by a gifted band let by one of the most talented singer/songwriters that this old pop culture junkie has heard in a long time. I first heard one of her songs two months ago and still catch myself humming "loose like a marionette." Check them out, it' will take a small amount of time and you might find your next favorite band. Rock and roll by a gifted band let by one of the most talented singer/songwriters that this old pop culture junkie has heard in a long... more
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