With the very last of the stimulus checks being sent out to taxpayers this week, economic analysts are looking forward to viewing the full picture when it comes to how (and if) those taxpayers will use this money for its intended purpose. When the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 was passed on February 13th of this year, the idea was that low- and middle-class Americans who had made at least $3,000 in 2007 (and, more......

Good morning, Houston. So this is what it must be like to live in California, huh? We're looking at a string of fantastic days, with highs in the lower to mid 70s and lows around 50 into the weekend. Today, expect a high of 73 with clear skies. You know what that means? We all have to spend as much time as possible outside. Yep, you have our permission to skip school and work......

Good morning, Houston. Time to flex your democratic muscle again: Early voting begins today for the Nov. 6 election. You can check out a map of early voting locations here and get more information on where and how to vote from the Harris County elections website — so now, you can't say you haven't been informed. See you at the polls! >> For some, a flood of bad news: If you're a property owner......

Good morning, Houston. So here's something cool to look forward to for the next two years: In mid-2009, 20 of the famed terra cotta warriors of Xi'an will be on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The exhibition will run from May 18 to Sept. 25; until then, you can visit the local knockoff, which is quite impressive in its own right. >> Early voting begins today: Harris County voters will be......

College hoops heavyweights visit Houston as the University of Texas Longhorns take on the LSU Tigers this Sunday at Toyota Center in a rematch of a 2006 Elite Eight pairing. The 9th ranked Tigers pull into town fresh off their Texas A&M victory. The Aggies were bested as they visited the Tigers at home on Tuesday. LSU was led by a newly svelte, think skinny Shaq, Glenn "Big Baby" Davis who posted a double-double with......

On Tuesday, the American -ists will be celebrating democracy and hitting the polls, letting politicians know what they really think. It just made us wonder: if it were up to the -ist-a-verse, what would we be voting for? Londonist votes for better skincare, alternative spaces for art, cute little birds and the men who keep them, and concrete. Lots of concrete. Shanghaiist votes for one of the Bee Gees and Air Supply (it's a double-ticket),......

On Sundays, Houstonist runs opinion pieces relevant to life in Houston. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author. This Tuesday (November 7) is Election Day. This means only two more days of those terrible TV commercials – the ones with the booming voiceover and no discernable ties to reality. My opponent, Bob Smith, likes children. In fact, he likes them a lot. He may have eaten a child in his twenties while......

Mayor White nixed free flu shots at polling places today due to criticism that the program would give Democrats an unfair advantage in the elections. Up till today, the shots were available at four early voting locations in medically needy areas, primarily populated by black and Hispanic voters. This was part of a national "vote and vaccinate" program that is in place in 20 other US cities. The program targets voters over the age of......

Houstonist loves breaking news, but sometimes news on blogs exists in an echo chamber. Earlier we reported that a poll commissioned by KBH showed Bell within 5 points, which is what was reported on other blogs and confirmed by someone who said they were sure of the same thing and was in a position to know. Well, here's the real scoop from Kuff, who heard the same thing: Burka had heard the poll in question......

The Houston Chronicle's Ultimate Houston weekly Reader Picks poll allow folks to chime in opinions on the best of four categories. This week, polls are for ultimate Mexican restaurant, place to hear live music, bookstore, and Houston Texan. Ninfa's on Navigation, McGonigel's Mucky Duck, the Alabama Bookstop, and David Carr are in the lead, respectively. A couple weeks ago we found out that Barnes & Noble is planning to shut down the Alabama Bookstop, after......

Remember the good ol' days when brothers used to fight over girls, basketball stats and their father's affection? In this day and age, two brothers are perhaps the first Texas siblings to take their rivalry to the polls in the Conroe race for city council. Jay Ross Martin, 57, and Guy Martin, 54, will face each other on the city ballot after Guy decided to run against his brother, the incumbent, for what he......

Last week, Houston landed, yet again, on one of those offbeat national polls. This time, we have the coveted number five spot on the Wild, Weird, and Wacky Street Names Contest, sponsored by Mitsubishi. J.D. Montfort submitted the intersection of Clinton Drive and Fidelity Street, located in east Houston near the Ship Channel, and he’ll receive a life-size replica of those signs for his winning submission. If he’s a Republican, we're sure he’ll proudly......

So the lawyers for ex-Enron bigwigs Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling have been looking at questionnaires sent to potential jurors in the dynamic duo's trial on conspiracy and fraud charges in connection with Enron's collapse. Hang on to your hats, becuase what they found is a shocker: People around here really don't think much of Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling. Of 280 potential jurors who returned polls concerning their feelings about Enron, 80 percent had......