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Apparently, someone in the marketing department has been doing a great job of it.  There is no doubt as of late, Houston has gotten more than its fair share of national attention.  Sometimes for the wrong reasons but far outweighing those rare national news moments are the positive landmark moments this city has received.  Fresh off the heels of hosting the NBA All-Star Weekend, it is now announced that we have been selected to host Super Bowl LI in 2017.  The second time since 2004 and beating out Miami in the process.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, doesn’t even touch the surface of our recent recognition.

A new Houston image campaign featuring local celebrities called “Houston Is” (Houston Is Tasty, Houston Is Inspired, Houston Is Hip), has been targeting readers of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and even Cooking Light magazine to capitalize on Houston’s growing reputation as a regional culinary and cultural arts capital.  It’s the largest destination image campaign in the city’s history in terms of its national reach and features 32 Houstonians, most of whom are in the restaurant and cultural arts communities, in themed group portraits, among others.

In 2012, the NY Times rated Houston as the 7th best place to visit in the entire world, and Forbes Magazine rated it the coolest city in America.  If you don’t think Houston is full of terrific things to do and full of diverse and amazing people and places, you haven’t looked very hard.

Congratulations to Bob McNair, Mayor Parker, the Super Bowl bid committee and the entire great city if Houston!  It’s game on, baby!

Understanding “Dog Speak” is Key to Avoiding a Potential Bite

Did you know that Houston ranked among the top 10 cities where mail carriers are attacked by dogs last year?  Houston was ranked number 9, with 27 attacks reported in 2012 by the United States Postal Service.  And children are, by far, the most common victims and are more likely to be severely injured.

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BUSINESS: A young Houston couple is planning to give away $4 billion — but only to projects that prove they are worth it.  Can they redefine the world of philanthropy?

According to at least one U.S. Senator, Elizabeth Warren, the biggest banks in the country — the ones that wrecked our economy and cost millions of Americans their jobs — pay next to nothing on the debt they owe the government, while students pay nine times as much.  And she argues that isn’t right.

So she introduced the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act to let students take advantage of the same low rates offered to banks for one year while Congress finds a fair, long-term solution on student loan interest rates.

The interest rate on federal subsidized Stafford student loans is set to increase from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1st.  If Congress doesn't act soon, millions of college students will see their student loan payments jump.

Some argue that it’s too expensive to keep government loans at low interest rates, but the federal government makes low interest loans all the time — just not to everyone.  Big banks can borrow money through the Federal Reserve discount window at a rate of about 0.75%.

A petition started on MoveOn’s site says:

Wall Street banks—the ones that wrecked our economy—should not be getting a better interest rate on their government loans than young people trying to go to college.

“Unlike the big banks,” U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren says, “students don’t have armies of lobbyists and lawyers.  But they do have us.  Let’s do what’s right and bank on students.”

More than 375,000 MoveOn members have signed on in support of Senator Elizabeth Warren’s first bill—the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act.  Houston Weekly Magazine received no funding for this awareness piece.  To join them click here.

More like the mayor with an interest in the homeless.

Mayor Parker and 120 Volunteers Canvass Downtown Houston in an Effort to get 2,500 Homeless Individuals Off the Streets

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The Houston Rockets saw their season come to an end on Friday night at Toyota Center in a 103-94 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 6 of the Western Conference playoffs, but things could be looking up for one of the youngest teams in the NBA.

See who Houston’s newest sports columnist, Matt Tasler, thinks might — or should — be on their radar and why in sports.

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Galveston is full of unique stories and iridescent charm; and this one doesn’t disappoint in either way:

Legend has it when Magnolia Willis Sealy presented her husband, George Sealy, with their fifth child — and fourth girl — in 1885, she offered him a rather expensive proposition: “Sir, I’ll give you a second son if you’ll build me the finest home in Galveston.”

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