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
A Colorado Springs firm won a $1million Army contract to provide actors to play Civilians on the Battlefield.
Somehow, I doubt the role players will have to be members of the actor’s guild.
Huckstep Holdings Corporation of Colorado Springs, Colorado won the award. The Army Contracting Command at Fort Hood handled the contract.
Huckstep Holdings is to provide a four-month interim contract to sustain role players (known as Civilians on the Battlefield (COB) support of the 120th Infantry Brigade at Fort Hood.
The service consists of providing all management, supervision, personnel, and all other items necessary to provide COB services for assigned Fort Hood Soldiers, other DoD and federal agency personnel in support of Theater Specific Individual Readiness Training (TSIRT), and pre-deployment collective unit training.
Civilians on the battlefield, of course, is a modern fact of warfare. Fort Hood, which has been conducting urban warfare training since the 1980s, built its first ruined city complete with sewers and narrow alleys and homes and businesses more than twenty years ago. The official army designation has become COB (Civilians On The Battlefield). The U.S. Army’s official position are that civilians are 1) a source of intelligence, 2) a threat to the mission, 3) an opportunity to show the U.S. resolve, 4) a cover for insurgents and 4) a target for insurgents.
Clothing for COBs are not expensive, conservative, and subject to damage. The lettering, logos and graphics on the clothes cannot have anything that specifies or imples U.S. military or Americans in general. One army tasking letter regarding COBs states that a local high school football jersey is prohibited, but “Nike on the other hand, would be allowed because it is internationally worn and recognized, and is not specific to the U.S.”
The total contract award amount was $1,001,800.71. The contract was not competitively bid, according to the U.S. Army award notice, because “there is only one responsible source due to a unique capability provided, and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.”
The procurement was made with the “incumbent” Techwise Inc. of Colorado Springs. According to Techwise’ website, Shawnee Huckstep is the chief executive and co-founder of TechWise, a Professional Services Company headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO.
“Beginning in 1994 as a two-person organization with her husband Arran, specializing in custom database development, TechWise is now a strong, 8(a) Woman-Owned, Small Disadvantaged Business with proven Program Management capability and robust infrastructure support for successful execution.”
Both Shawnee and Arran Huckstep are graduates of Baylor University.
FedSpending.org states that federal contracts awarded to Huckstep Holdings from 2000-2009 totaled $23.8 million.
The Texas News Scrawl is a handy reference to storiesTexas Business recommends from other news sources. Some of the stories that Texas Business currently suggests include: Will Summer Blackouts Doom The Texas Boom;Texas Governor Comes To NY To Recruit Businesses To Move To His State; Texas airport to begin dual customs operation with Mexico; Texas becomes one of 23 states to use electronic insurance proof; Emcor agrees to $455 million deal for Texas company;Volkswagen to open dealership in Waco; American Airlines To Add More Seats To 737s, MD-80s; Police officer says helicopter from gun range endangering his cattle; Contractors get OK to build new Beaumont Army Medical Center;Midland looks to join spaceport race; and more.
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