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
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $20.1 million contract to provide components for the transfer of two F-35s to Israel, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—Buyer Group International Inc. acquired option rights to the majority interest in Caribou Greenland Corporation (GCG) based near the town of Isortoq, Greenland, including lands and surface rights approximating 360,000 acres, and a 50% interest in the meat processing facility, equipment and small hydro facilities, and live herd, all valued at approximately $4,000,000.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $31.4 million military contract change to support and do training for Iraqi aircraft, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Texas Business reports: SAN ANTONIO—TransAct Energy Corp. initiated the permitting/permissions process for the development of its Scotland based 500 tonne per day energy from waste plant.
Texas Business reports: IRVING—PLH Group Inc., a portfolio company of private equity firm Energy Capital Partners, acquired Pipeworx Ltd., a pipeline contractor in Western Canada.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Hainan Dongfang Henghe Energy Development Company Ltd., based in Hainan Province, China, selected Synthesis Energy Systems Inc. for a 10 billion RMB (US$1.6 billion) coal waste to synthetic natural gas (SNG) project in Jiangxi Province, China.
Texas Business reports: A Grand Prairie firm won a $19.9 million contract to provide support to a missile system, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH—The second Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II for the Netherlands rolled out of the F-35 production facility earlier this week.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Harvest Natural Resources Inc. announced that the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) between PT Pertamina (Persero) and HNR Energia B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harvest, for the purchase of Harvest's interests in Venezuela for $725 million has been terminated as a result of the Government of Indonesia, in its capacity as sole shareholder of PT Pertamina (Persero), voting not to approve the transaction.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Synthesis Energy Systems Inc. completed steps toward finalizing the commissioning of the remaining equipment systems at the Yima Joint Venture project in Henan Province, China.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Clariant Mining will increase its global footprint in the production of PIBSA emulsifiers with the expansion of its plant in Victoria, Australia.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON— Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited, a specialty hospital management solution provider and operator of the largest network of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in China, closed the acquisition of 19.98% of indirect ownership of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Proton Therapy Center (MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center).
Texas Business reports: ABERDEEN, Scotland— Proserv Group Inc., an energy production technology services company, acquired Total Instrumentation & Controls (TIC), a specialist in in advanced process and control systems equipment, based in Houston.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $563 million contract change on an older model of fighter jets for foreign governments, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $12 million contract to support F-16 aircraft for foreign militaries, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Shell Offshore Inc.'s (Shell) Olympus hull, the approximately 32,500-metric ton main body of the Olympus TLP, departed from South Korea today to begin its two month journey to the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Texas Business reports: NIXON, Texas—The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Vann Energy Services LLC in Nixon with 13 safety and health violations – including two willful and three repeat – for exposing workers to flash fires and other hazards.
Texas Business reports: A Florida firm won a $250 million contract to train Fighting Falcon jetfighter personnel from other countries in Fort Worth, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Texas Business reports: McALLEN—Beatriz Ramos, 28, of Edinburg, a former biller for RGV DME, a now defunct McAllen area durable medical equipment (DME) business, pleaded guilty today for her role in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through fraudulent billings, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced along with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $28.6 million contract change for F-35 aircraft parts for Italian jetfighters, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Texas Business reports: COLLEGE STATION – China has gone nuts over pecans, which is great for U.S. growers but might have consumers shelling out more money for the fall food favorite.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH—Despite strained relations with China, a Fort Worth firm is selling a billion dollars worth of upgrades for Chinese jet fighters made by the U.S.
Texas Business reports: SAN ANTONIO—Texas Armoring Corporation, producer of lightweight armored passenger vehicles, said bulletproof vehicle sales rose dramatically after Muslim protests erupted last week due to a short video which was posted online portraying the Prophet Mohammad in a negative light.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN, Texas and NANJING, China—China Comservice Jiangsu Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Communications Services Corporation Limited (CCSJS) and InRoom Broadcasting Network LLC, (InRoom) signed a five year agreement to provide IPTV and cloud computing systems and services to the global hospitality market through at least August 2017 and to share respective technology and expertise.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $206.8 million contract change on jet fighters destined for Israel, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Synthesis Energy Systems Inc. announced the syngas production facility for its Yima Joint Venture coal-to-methanol project in Henan Province, China, completed a test run of the first of three gasifiers currently under commissioning.
Texas Business reports: DFW AIRPORT—Singapore Airlines Cargo launched its first freighter flight connecting DFW International Airport with Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Texas Business reports: A Dallas firm won a $15.9 million contract change for support at Navy facility in the Indian Ocean, the U.S. Department of Defense.
Texas Business reports: THE WOODLANDS—Huntsman Corporation acquired the remaining ownership of Russian joint venture Huntsman NMG (HNMG), giving it full ownership of the company.
Texas Business reports: GUELPH, ONTARIO—Texada Software Inc. entered into a non-binding agreement to acquire selected operating assets of Bane Machinery Houston LP located in Houston.
Texas Business reports: A Greenville firm won a $321.7 million contract to buy military transport aircraft for Australia, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm won a $19.8 million contract change for jet fighters going to Norway, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Synthesis Energy Systems Announces India Coal Test Agreement Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Synthesis Energy Systems Inc. entered into an agreement with a large steel-making corporation in India for analysis of their high ash coal for potential use in SES' advanced fluidized-bed gasification technology in a number of planned coal gasification projects in India.Full Story » TexasBusiness.com
Texas Business reports: LAREDO - Laredo dentist Dr. Carlos Armin Morales-Ryan, 45, and his wife local orthodontist Dr. Nelia Patricia Garcia-Morales, 42, have pleaded guilty to a criminal information admitting they made false statements on bills to Texas Medicaid, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced.
Texas Business reports: Persistent euro-zone turmoil has kept the world economy on edge, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Doubts about the ability of many countries in the single-currency region to service their sovereign debt are rising along with the interest rates the affected nations must pay to roll over maturing obligations.
Texas Business reports: OKLAHOMA CITY & AUSTIN, Texas—Caisson Biotech LLC, a biopharmaceutical company with a patented heparosan-based drug delivery technology, entered into a development and license agreement with Denmark's Novo Nordisk A/S, a provider of diabetes care.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Energy production technology services company Proserv expanding its subsea capabilities and specialist integrated services and increasing its workforce by more than 300 people.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—An Atwood Oceanics Inc.’s subsidiary won a drilling services contract by a subsidiary of Noble Energy Inc. for the Atwood Hunter for three firm wells with a minimum total duration of 150 days plus one option well.
Texas Business reports: A Fort Worth firm wins $15.3 million contract to support the operations of 30 utility helicopters in Iraq and Tennessee, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH—Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company won a contract from US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Alabama for the procurement of contractor logistics support for 30 Bell 407 helicopters in service with the Iraqi Army.
Texas Business reports: ARLINGTON— Shimadzu Scientific Instruments opened the Shimadzu Center for Advanced Analytical Chemistry at The University of Texas at Arlington.
FALFURRIAS — The Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint, the most effective operation of its kind in the nation, has been so successful at stopping traffickers from moving drugs and immigrants through the area that it has created a new problem: teenagers are doing more of the dirty work and suffering no consequences if they’re caught.
Texas Business reports: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, and FORT WORTH, Texas—RadioShack Corp., a national retailer of mobile and technology products, services and accessories, and Berjaya Retail Berhad, a Malaysian retail group with diverse franchised brands, have signed a master development agreement that substantially expands RadioShack's global footprint across 10 Southeast Asian countries.
Texas Business reports: Long hours of backbreaking work in the fields, on construction sites or as day laborers, along with being away from family and friends for days, months or years can take a toll on the mental health of migrant workers.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Bureau Veritas signed an agreement to acquire TH Hill, a worldwide leader in oil & gas drilling failure prevention and analysis services. The transaction is expected to be completed in April, upon clearance by the relevant authorities.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH—American Airlines and Beijing-based Hainan Airlines implemented their new codeshare agreement, providing significant opportunities for American in China and for Hainan in the United States.
Texas Business reports: THE WOODLANDS—TETRA Technologies Inc.’s subsidiary, TETRA Investments Company U.K. Limited, acquired Optima Solutions Holdings Limited ( Optima ) for GBP 40 million (approximately $62.7 million equivalent) plus contingent consideration to be paid in the future depending on profitability.
Texas Business reports: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport, operator of the DFW Airport Foreign Trade Zone, and the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding which creates a framework for a collaborative alliance between the two organizations.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—The U.S.- and Singapore-based creators of the I-slate educational tablet and local government officials in India’s Mahabubnagar District plan to adopt 50,000 of the low-cost electronic educational slates into middle and high school classrooms throughout the district over the next three years.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Physicians and patients in Brazil now will have access to advanced genetic testing technologies through a new partnership between Baylor College of Medicine’s Medical Genetics Laboratory and DASA, a major, Brazil-based medical diagnostic laboratory that serves as the largest medical reference lab in Latin America and is the fourth largest provider of diagnostic services in the world.
Texas Business reports: ADDISON—ULURU Inc. received an Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods Certificate from the Therapeutic Goods Administration to market the drug Altrazeal in Australia.
Texas Business reports: An Arlington firm won a $19.5 million contract for a flight trainer and support of the air force of Malaysia, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—A subsidiary of Atwood Oceanics Inc. won a drilling services contract by Shemen Oil and Gas Resources Ltd., an Israel-based oil and gas company, for the Atwood Beacon.
Texas Business reports: SHANGHAI— Huntsman Corporation began construction on its Asia Pacific Technology Center in Shanghai's Minhang Economic & Technological Development Zone.
Texas Business reports: The state is investing $1.2 million through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) in Continental Automotive Systems Inc., to relocate production of its sensors and actuators from Europe and Asia to its plant in Seguin, reportedly creating 300 new jobs and $113 million in capital investment.
Texas Business reports: DFW AIRPORT—The inaugural Emirates flight from Dubai to Dallas/Fort Worth arrived today at DFW International Airport, welcomed by a traditional “shower of affection” water cannon salute and a gathering of community leaders.
Texas Business reports: GLASGOW, Scotland—The Weir Group PLC plans to acquire Novatech LLC, a US manufacturer of well service pump valves and valve seats for upstream oil and gas applications, for $176 million in cash.
Texas Business reports: CARROLLTON—FASTSIGNS International Inc., reached a deal with three business leaders in Puerto Rico to bring five locations to the island in the next five years.
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: Pipeline ruling strengthens Texas private property rights; Texas Bowl seeks new title sponsor; Insult to Injury: Texas Workers’ Comp System Denies, Delays Medical Help; American Airlines continues to shed jobs; Chemical Safety Board shut out of West probe by ATF; 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; and more.
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