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: FORT WORTH—American Airlines today launched a systemwide boarding process it claims saves overall boarding time by allowing customers who are traveling light to board earlier.
Texas Business reports: GALVESTON, Texas—1 Just as truck drivers want to know about road conditions and airline pilots are concerned with foggy skies, ship captains have an urgent need to know about wave heights – as do surfers and others who spend time on the seas and shores.
Texas Business reports: THE WOODLANDS, Texas—FleetPride Inc., the nation's largest retailer of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts, acquired the assets of Drake Supply Company.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Kirby Corporation completed the acquisition of Penn Maritime Inc. and Maritime Investments LLC , an operator of tank barges and tugboats participating in the coastal transportation of primarily black oil products in the United States.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH, Texas—American Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) aircraft. American is the first U.S. airline to order and take delivery of the Boeing 777-300ER, which will give American's fleet additional network flexibility, while delivering increased efficiency and better operating economics.
Texas Business reports: DFW AIRPORT, Texas—DFW International Airport is expecting more than two million travelers will pass through the Airport during the upcoming eleven-day Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—The Texas Transportation Commission approved the Texas Department of Transportation’s selection of a developer for the expansion of SH 99, or Grand Parkway. Zachry-Odebrecht Parkway Builders will design, develop and construct the next phase of the 184-mile outer beltway traversing the seven-county Houston metropolitan area laying the groundwork for Texans to have yet another option for traveling around the city.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Texans can expect to get some much-needed traffic relief on one of the top 25 congested roads in Texas. Thanks to $168 million in funding provided by state legislators and part of the additional $2 billion TxDOT identified earlier this year, some key construction projects along US 290 in Houston will be completed up to two decades earlier than originally scheduled.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—Millions of dollars are coming to Texas as a result of federal program funding dedicated to upgrading public transportation infrastructure and supporting service operations across the state.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN - State transportation officials provided approval for development work to move forward on the State Highway 183/Airport Freeway project in Dallas County.
Texas Business reports: The Texas Department of Transportation awarded a $1.12 million grant to a UT Arlington civil engineering professor to determine the durability of recycled materials for use in road construction.
Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Sterling Construction Company Inc. announced that its subsidiary, Texas Sterling Construction Co., was apparent low bidder on Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) US 380 Project, with a bid of $39 million.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH— Beginning next summer, customers traveling between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) will have the option to travel on the Boeing 777-300ER, American Airlines announced.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN - State officials gave final approval to approximately $1.9 billion in additional transportation funds to communities across the state.
Texas Business reports: A Gatesville firm won a $50.2 million contract to pave roads or parking lots at Fort Hood, the U.S. Department of Defense announced.
Texas Business reports: FORT WORTH—BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) plans to invest an estimated $199 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement and expansion projects in Texas this year.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—With the upcoming expansion of the Panama Canal, Texas is in a unique position and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will play a defining role in ensuring Texas is well-positioned to capitalize on this economic opportunity.
Texas Business reports: SAN ANTONIO—TruckingOffice formed an agreement to acquire HammerLane Software, a long time provider of desktop applications for owner operators, leased fleets, and full fleets in the trucking industry.
Texas Business reports: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport—The seasonal KLM Royal Dutch Airlines nonstop service between DFW to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has resumed.
Texas Business reports: CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and AUSTIN, Texas—Zipcar Inc., a car-sharing network, expanded the Zipcar car sharing network into the City of Austin.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—In a unanimous decision, the Texas Transportation Commission voted to revise the 2012 Unified Transportation Plan (UTP), formally allocating approximately $1.6 billion to communities across the state using existing funding formulas.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Tuesday that Texas’ North Tarrant Express project has entered the final stage to receive $415 million under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) financing program, advancing a project that will address safety and congestion.
Texas Business reports: DFW AIRPORT—More than one hundred employees and volunteers at DFW International Airport bid farewell to the final departing U.S. military charter flight this week, bringing an end to eight years of scheduled rest and recuperation (R&R) flights at the Airport.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—Portions of two Central Texas highways will soon see speed limit increases following Thursday’s Texas Transportation Commission action approving 80 mph designations for 54 miles of roadway in the Austin area.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN - Nearly 1,200 loaded trucks are needed to bring just one gas well into production— the traffic equivalent to roughly 8 million cars.
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—FleetPride Inc. the nation's largest independent aftermarket distributor of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts, opened a new location in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Texas Business reports: MARSHALL – Amtrak and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) agreed on the scope of a feasibility study for new Amtrak service between the Bossier City -Shreveport area in Northwest Louisiana and along the Interstate 20 (I-20) corridor to Dallas and Fort Worth.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—Intersections of the future will not need stop lights or stop signs, but will look like a somewhat chaotic flow of driverless, autonomous cars slipping past one another as they are managed by a virtual traffic controller.
Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—The greater Houston area is one step closer to reduced traffic congestion for more than 2.5 million people as the Texas Department of Transportation accelerates plans for the completion of the next phase of State Highway 99, also known as the Grand Parkway.
Texas Business reports: BORGER—Mercuria Energy Trading Inc., based in Chicago, has developed a terminal to ship crude oil on the Panhandle Northern Railway (PNR), which operates on 31 miles of track between the towns of Panhandle and Borger, Texas.
Texas Business reports: SAN ANTONIO—Rush Enterprises Inc. acquired certain assets of West Texas Peterbilt, a Peterbilt dealership group with five locations in Texas.
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: 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; Chinese investors checking out Texas, Austin;and more.
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