Out of 26 million Texans, you may have an idea to change the world. You may have had several ideas to change the world. But only a tiny minority of you pushed through the U.S. Patent office from application to successful patent. We've seen Texans change the world many times over. Jack Kilby did it with Texas Instruments in 1958 with the integrated circuit, causing the start of the digital revolution, which, in part, is why you can read these words over your electronic device.
Over the last few years, Texas Business has brought its feature: Texas Business Patent of the Day. This list is of the ones that were either extremely clever, odd or strange. One thing becomes apparent from these patents and the patent that runs daily in Texas Business—Texans have a unique mind set.
Though the history of the Corn Dog is disputed, the State Fair of Texas claims to have introduced the Corny Dog sometime between 1938 and 1942. As a paean to that invention that now sits in the freezer section of every grocery store in the southwest, here are the fried foods the State Fair of Texas has introduced, or tried to introduce, in the last seven years.
Dead Texas musicians live on every time you hear their songs. Their songs play everywhere, so the dead Texas musicians appear to be immortal. Here's the short list.
Don't get caught up with John Wayne religion. For one thing, he's not Texan. He's in some fine movies involving Texas, most notably The Searchers, but none of his movies can make the best cut of Texas movies. Here's the short list.
Unsung Texas Business Journalists Mention that one is a reporter, and there's a spark of interest. Mention that one is a business news reporter, and watch the eyes glaze over. Except to the players, business and economic journalists are unappreciated. While many wish to become sports reporters when they grow up, most do not realize that business journalists cover the Real Game. Mention that reporter covers business, and watch the eyes glaze over. A toast to these below on the short list and the numerous unnamed ones slogging away. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Best Texas Mexican Food: The Short List No, we're not going to debate the difference between Tex-Mex, Mex-Tex, Mexican and Texican food. Just know these establishments are the pinnacle of Texas Mexican fare. No brag, just fact. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Best Texas Burgers Texas Burgers. . While a hamburger is merely sustenance and gratification for a meal, the memory a good Texas burger can give rise to Homeric odes. The short list. Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Its official name was the Ronald Reagan Center for High Energy Physics.
I was in Waxahachie when the collider was announced. The euphoria was distinct as that elation when the U.S. was working to put men on the moon and the astronauts lived in the Houston area. We were going to build a 54-mile circle to study fundamentals of the universe. The Super Collider’s office was to be in Ellis County and operated by a consortium of 66 universities called the Universities Research Association. Roy Schwitters of Harvard was to be the director.
All the glory of the Large Hadron Super Collider was to be in Texas. The Texas collider was to be three times the size of the Swiss structure. Land was acquired through eminent domain and sales, and 17 shafts to 14 miles of tunnel had been built.
Several friends relocated Ellis County to be a part of the scientific and technical infrastructure. The structure of space and time was to be discovered.
Then the bubble popped.
When the project was almost a quarter done, and more than $2 billion spent, Congress terminated the project in 1993. My friends along with 15,000 others lost their jobs. The economic hit created a mild recession for that area of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The land was deeded to Ellis County. After proposals ranging from mushroom farms to underground prisons, Ellis County unloaded the property a few years ago to a data company.
Since that time, the U.S. spent $5 billion to participate in the much smaller Swiss collider. Data already is being generated by the facility. All that investment and brain power now revolves that 17-mile circle near Geneva.
The Texas News Scrawl is a handy reference to stories Texas Business recommends from other news sources. Some of the stories that Texas Business currently suggests include: America’s greatest threat: Unsafe work conditions; The West News proves the value of a great weekly newspaper in a community torn up with grief and chaos; Chinese investors checking out Texas, Austin; Texas makes bounce house operators carry liability coverage, but not plants like West Fertilizer; bSpaceX’s Grasshopper leaping to NM spaceport;American Airlines, US Airways to name post-merger leadership within weeks; Texas power cushion seen at lowest level in a decade; Media outlets reflect Houston's diversity; and more.
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