Wordless Wednesday (4)
Tuesday, July 31st, 2007
Archive for July, 2007
SeaWorld
Monday, July 30th, 2007If you are in San Antonio- SeaWorld is a must do!
A little history lesson:
Milton C. Shedd, Ken Norris, David Demont, and George Millay brought SeaWorld to life, yet that was not the initial idea. The four graduates of UCLA originally set out to build an underwater restaurant and marine life show. When the underwater restaurant concept was deemed unfeasible, they scrapped those plans and decided to build a park instead, and SeaWorld San Diego was born on March 21, 1964. With only a few dolphins, sea lions, 6 attractions and 22 acres, the park proved to be a success and more than 400,000 guests visited there in just the first 12 months.
After considering other locations in the midwest, including the Lake Milton/Newton Falls area west of Youngstown, Ohio, it was decided that Aurora, Ohio would be the new home of a SeaWorld. The Aurora site was approximately 15 miles northwest of the Lake Milton site, and 30 miles southeast of Cleveland. By this time the founders of the company had captured a few more species of animals including an Orca that would call the new facility home. The Ohio site would prove to be challenging. The harsh winter climate permitted the park to be open only from mid-May until mid-September. However, the vast population of the Midwest and Northeastern states lived within a day’s drive of the park, which would eventually add to the success of SeaWorld of Ohio.
The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida opened near the end of the second operating season of SeaWorld of Ohio. The success of Disney in Orlando provided another ideal spot to capitalize on the mass number of tourists that would make their way to central Florida for vacations. Since opening day in 1973, SeaWorld Orlando has thrived in a place known as ‘the theme park mecca of the world’.
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. (HBJ) purchased the company in 1976 and 12 years later they ventured deep into the heart of Texas. In 1988, SeaWorld San Antonio opened just a few miles outside of San Antonio. The parks had really big maps of the United States in them at that time. Although the climate was more like that of its Ohio counterpart, the park did have a longer operating season. Still, this park was not open year-round like its sister parks in California and Florida. The stress and financial resources it took to build and maintain a state-of-the-art marine mammal facility in the late ’80s eventually took its toll on the company.
HBJ, whose primary focus was producing school books, needed to reduce its assets in order to avoid a bankruptcy.
The Anheuser-Busch Company made an offer to purchase the SeaWorld parks. However, HBJ also owned and operated two other parks, Cypress Gardens and Boardwalk and Baseball, and out of fear of not being able to find a buyer for the two other parks HBJ refused to sell the parks individually. Despite a long negotiation, Anheuser-Busch bought all six parks: SeaWorld in San Diego, Aurora, Orlando and San Antonio as well as Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven and Boardwalk and Baseball in Haines City. Soon after the sale was final, Busch sold Cypress Gardens to the park’s management and closed Boardwalk and Baseball. Anheuser-Busch put millions of dollars back into the parks to revive and to prolong their longevity. In February of 2001, Anheuser-Busch sold the Ohio park to Six Flags, Inc., operators of neighboring Six Flags Ohio.
SeaWorld’s main attraction is its Orcas (killer whales), several of which are housed in 7-million-gallon habitats that are each known as Shamu Stadium. It is important to note that there is not just one Orca named Shamu. Shamu was the name of the first Orca ever to be brought to SeaWorld San Diego in the 1960s. ‘Shamu’ is now used as a stage name for adult Orcas in performances at SeaWorld parks. The Orcas all have real names. Currently, Sea World houses 22 Orcas in its three parks. Seven Orcas live in the San Diego park: Corky, Kasatka, Ulises, Orkid, Sumar, Nakai, and Kalia. Nine live at SeaWorld Orlando: Katina, Kalina, Tilikum, Taima, Takara, Kayla, Trua, Nalani, and Malia. SeaWorld San Antonio holds six Orcas: Taku, Kyuquot, Keet, Unna, Tuar, and Halyn.
SeaWorld, San Antonio, Shamu, Anheuser-Busch Company, Anheuser-Busch
Only in Texas
Friday, July 27th, 2007I recieved this in an e-mail from a fellow Texan~ it is too funny not to share!
*********************************************************
DUI - TEXAS STYLE
Only a person in Texas could think of this.
From the county where drunk driving is considered a sport, comes this true story. Recently a routine police patrol parked outside a bar in Austin , Texas after last call the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so apparently intoxicated that he could barely walk.
The man stumbled around the parking lot for a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing. After what seemed an eternity in which he tried his keys on five different vehicles, the man managed to find his car and fall into it.
He sat there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off.
Finally he started the car, switched the wipers on and off–it was a fine, dry summer night–, flicked the blinkers on and off a couple of times, honked the horn and then switched on the lights.
He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained still for a few more minutes
as some more of the other patrons’ vehicles left.
At last, when his was the only car left in the parking lot, he pulled out and drove slowly down the road.
The police officer, having waited patiently all this time, now started up his patrol car, put on the flashing lights, promptly pulled the man over and administered a breathalyzer test.
To his amazement, the breathalyzer indicated no evidence that the man had consumed any alcohol at all!
Dumbfounded, the officer said, I’ll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station.
This breathalyzer equipment must be broken.”
“I doubt it,” said the truly proud Redneck. “Tonight I’m the designated decoy.”
State joins fight against child obesity
Thursday, July 26th, 2007Texas Comptroller Susan Combs is releasing $20 million from the state’s coffers to help public and charter schools fight childhood obesity.
The new Texas Fitness Now grant program will support in-school physical education, nutrition and fitness programs for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
The grant program will be available over the next two years. The program will be open to schools with a student enrollment that is at least 75 percent economically disadvantaged. Some 700 schools throughout the state will be eligible to apply for grants.
“Texas Fitness Now will provide crisis money for our schools,” Combs says. “Childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes among children is an epidemic that we, as a state, must address now. Obesity cost Texas businesses an estimated $3.3 billion in 2005 and could cost employers $15.8 billion annually by 2025 if the trend continues.”
The U.S. Surgeon General’s office indicates that overweight children have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese as adults.
The minimum grant is $1,500 and schools can receive more, based on their enrollment. An estimated 270,000 middle school students in Texas could benefit from the grants.
The deadline for schools to apply for a Texas Fitness Now grant is Oct. 1.
Web site: www.window.state.tx.us
Thursday Thirteen
Wednesday, July 25th, 2007
13 facts about San Antonio
1.) San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas
2.) San Antonio is the seventh most populous city in the United States
3.) San Antonio is the 29th-largest metropolitan area in the USA.
4.) San Antonio has influences of both the American South and Southwest.
5.) San Antonio was named for the Portuguese Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day it was (June 13) when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691.
6.) The city has a strong military presence—it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks City-Base, with Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley right outside the city.
7.) San Antonio is home to the South Texas Medical Center, the largest and only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region.
8.) San Antonio is famous for its River Walk, the Alamo, Tejano culture, and being home to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks.
9.) The city is visited by 20 million tourists per year.
10.) San Antonio claims the most successful National Basketball Association teams in league history, the San Antonio Spurs.
11.) The San Antonio Convention Center hosts more than 300 events each year with over 750,000 convention delegates from around the world.
12.) The jewel of the city is the River Walk, which meanders through the downtown area.
13.) The Fairmont Hotel, built in 1906, is in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the heaviest buildings ever moved intact. It was placed in its new location, three blocks south of the Alamo, over four days in 1985, and cost $650,000 to move. The Fairmont houses the “Sage Ristorante e Bar.”
For Parker!
Tuesday, July 24th, 2007The following has been paraphrase from Melody’s blog, Slurping Life. Melody is having a fundraiser for a special little man named Parker, please take a few moments and go see how you can help.
Those of you who landed here yet somehow missed the blogosphere buzz about Love For Parker may not know him…let me introduce Parker. TopBlogMag has graciously published my interview with Parker’s mommy, Tammy, and reading it is the best way to get to know him. Parker is an adorable, but medically fragile child who requires an extraordinary amount of care. His care is extremely expensive, and his parents’ insurance company leaves a huge portion of the financial burden on the family. His parents have been unable to qualify Parker for other forms of assistance.
Torrents of rain leave residents stranded, Amtrak train stuck
Monday, July 23rd, 2007It just keeps getting worse!
Hundreds of people sought higher ground — or were pulled there by rescuers — Saturday morning after the torrents that had battered New Braunfels and Seguin moved west of San Antonio overnight, causing flooding and evacuations in Medina County.
Floodwaters shut down a 36-mile stretch of railway in Medina and Uvalde counties for hours, a railroad spokesman said, marooning a westbound Amtrak train carrying 176 people near the tiny town of Knippa until late in the afternoon, when buses offloaded perturbed passengers.
There were dozens of calls for rescue in Bexar County, where rain fueled by gulf moisture continued to fall at historic levels and again inundated roadways.
Four young adults returning to retrieve a stranded truck were overwhelmed by floodwaters near Leon Creek off Grissom Road, in Northwest San Antonio.
The two men and two women, ranging in age from 19 to 25, sought safety in a tree and were happened upon by a passing police helicopter. They were rescued by a Fire Department boat, officials said.
Medina County saw heavy flooding in D’Hanis — where a National Weather Service spokesman estimated 17 inches of rain fell in 12 hours, closing U.S. 90 — and near Tarpley and along Hondo Creek at Texas 173.
About 300 people were evacuated along Hondo, Seco and Verde creeks and emergency workers rescued people from low water crossings and roofs, a Hondo police dispatcher said.
The area along Seco Creek in D’Hanis was evacuated in the morning, and a voluntary evacuation was under way along Hondo Creek.
A shelter was set up in Hondo at Woolls Intermediate School.
“We have no choice. We have to stay here,” said Debbie Nolasco of D’Hanis, who was at the school with her husband, having left her dog Chiquita behind at home.
She seemed resigned to events. In flooding there in 1987, days before her wedding, she said, “I had to throw my wedding dress in the car and drive away.”
Hondo Mayor James Danner said the shelter could hold 200, adding, “Our problem is getting people to come over here.”
Road closures and rescues were reported in Kendall County and campgrounds along the Medina River were evacuated in Bandera County. Wilson County also reported many road closures.
Police in Uvalde reported street closures across the city, but no mandatory evacuations or rescues.
Overnight, high winds possibly spun from a twister damaged four businesses and at least one house in southern Guadalupe County, said Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Department Cpl. John Batey.
At one point Friday night, Guadalupe County reported close to 120 road closings. Batey said he believed the Guadalupe River flooded at least a couple of homes on the lower end of Lake Placid.
Pat McDonald, a forecaster at the National Weather Service office in New Braunfels said parts of northern Uvalde and Medina counties received up to 17 inches of rain between 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.
Rainfall for the region already is the second greatest total on record from the start of the year to this date, he said. As of Saturday, 34 inches had fallen since January. The all-time mark to this point, some 36 inches, fell in 1993. The city averages 32.93 inches per year.
McDonald said the culprit — an upper-level low pressure system in New Mexico — was dissipating and high pressure from the Central Plains was coming in, which could allow for some drying out over the next few days. Sun baking the saturated ground could cause evaporated moisture to aggregate into yet more thunderstorms, he warned.
Though the rainfall amount was historic, McDonald said, it had the benefit of being steady and had not fallen in the concentrations of 1998 and 2002, which brought dozens of flood deaths and more than $2.5 billion in estimated property damage.
About 300 children and staff at the Bandina Christian Youth Camp in Bandera were stranded by the rising Medina River and were forced to leave through the back of the camp property, said camp nurse Cindy Donahoe.
In Bexar County, the Medina River was forecast to hit minor flood stage and the San Antonio River near Elmendorf was expected to reach moderate flood stage, with pastures, cropland and livestock affected. In Frio County, the Frio River, Hondo Creek, Nueces River, Sabinal River and Seco Creek all were in flood stage.
The San Marcos River below Luling in Gonzales County was forecast to reach 10 feet above flood stage, which would inundate most of Palmetto State Park and could extensively damage park facilities. The Guadalupe River in Gonzales was forecast to inundate most of City Park.
Rivers also were at flood stage or forecast to reach flood stage in Guadalupe, Hays, Karnes, Kerr, Uvalde and Wilson counties, among others. Most of the rivers were not threatening homes.
The floodwaters gave passengers on Amtrak’s westbound Sunset Limited an unscheduled stop in Uvalde County. Carmen Harris, a clerk at the SWT Supermart in Knippa, said she watched the stranded train all day until late in the afternoon, when a conductor came into the store to buy some snacks, including ice cream.
“He said, ‘Everybody’s mad at me, but it’s not my fault,’” she said. “They were uneasy and restless because they’d been there for hours and hours.”
An Amtrak spokeswoman said a “bus bridge” was taking the passengers to El Paso and on to their destinations.
It was just as well, said Harris, since Knippa, without any motels, could not accommodate any refugees. And Harris had no room on her couch, she said: “That’s for my husband.”
***************************
A 30% chance of rain is being forecast through Friday, then a 60% chance through next weekend. When will we have a break??
Flooding closes area highways
Friday, July 20th, 2007As heavy rains continued to fall this afternoon, rising creeks shut down several major highways and prompted sporadic evacuations in San Antonio area counties.
Texas 46 between New Braunfels and Seguin was closed near the Las Brisas subdivision at about 2:30 p.m., and Guadalupe County officials were beginning evacuations of some neighborhoods fronting Guadalupe River locations called Meadow Lake and Lake Placid this afternoon.
“It’s areas south of Highway 90,” said Guadalupe County Sheriff Arnold Zwicke. “The houses closest to the water have water right up to them, but none have water in them yet.”
The county’s Emergency Operations Center was opened early in the afternoon. Santa Clara Creek was nearly topping the Interstate 10 bridge near Marion for much of the afternoon. The interstate remained open, but deputies were monitoring the creek and were ready to close the interstate if fresh rains made the creek rise further, Zwicke said at 5 p.m.
Texas 46 between New Braunfels and Seguin was closed in mid-afternoon and remained closed at 5 p.m., although the water had started to recede.
A voluntary evacuation was started in the Glen Cove and Knot Hill subdivisions along the Guadalupe River in Seguin. A couple of homes in Elm Grove subdivision were beginning to flood at about 4:45 p.m., Zwicke said.
He said his department was involved in at least three water rescues, but no one was injured.
About a dozen homes were evacuated in the Stockdale area in Wilson County due to flooding along Cibolo Creek, although not all the residences had water in them. Water was receding in that area by late afternoon.
New Braunfels and Seguin also reported several low water crossings closed to traffic.
Ranch Road 12 was closed early in the afternoon between San Marcos and Wimberley and Hays County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Leroy Opiela advised drivers to stay where they are if possible. Numerous smaller roads in Hays County were closed, and Ranch Road 12 was expected to be cut for hours by a creek near its intersection with Hugo Road.
State cracking down on unregistered child care providers
Friday, July 20th, 2007Neighborhood nannies care for your children at an affordable rate, but are those providers registered with the state?
By Texas law, anyone who cares for more than four unrelated children, for an extended amount of time, must list their services and comply with state standards.
Little lives entrusted to strangers … homes that house the health and safety of your child. Yet, among the credible child care providers, illegal operations exist.
“We have had some cases where children have been seriously injured and even died in unregulated care,” said Yvette Gutierrez, an investigator with the San Antonio Department of Child Care Licensing.
Neighborhood nannies who open their doors without the state’s knowledge aren’t subjected to strict standards, and many times lacking the training, knowledge and regulation necessary to ensure a child’s well-being.
“The oversight is not there. They’re not being monitored in any manner. There’s no checks and balances. They’re not properly trained to care for children,” Gutierrez said.
The statistics are staggering — as is the caseload for Child Care Licensing investigators. Each is responsible for 120 facilities within South Texas.
“Children in unregulated care are 16 times more likely to be seriously injured or even die in unregulated care than in regulated care,” Gutierrez said. “We can’t be everywhere at all times.”
Often times, that means investigators miss those that operate under the radar, like one Marion woman. Her name was found her name on Craig’s List, and found she’s operating illegally.
She’s not the only one.
According to Child Care Licensing, 74 home day cares have been busted for operating illegally. Of those, only 15 have obtained licenses from the state.
The other 59 have either closed their doors, or are currently seeking a license. Meanwhile, they are frequently inspected by the department to ensure compliance.
“There are legal avenues that we can take, such as an injunction, to legally stop someone from operating. We will not hesitate to do so, especially if we feel the children are at risk,” Gutierrez said.
A strong position taken by the state, which wants to watch over those who watch over your child.
“These types of homes have to be reported, in order for us to ensure it is a safe environment for children,” Gutierrez said. “If it’s not, then we need to ensure they cease operating.”
To find out if you child care provider is operating legally, visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Navarra Williams selected to lead San Antonio’s largest homeless ministry
Thursday, July 19th, 2007SAMMinistries‘ board of directors approved a new president and CEO of the organization to replace the retiring Bob Martindale.
After conducting a national search, the board voted to select Navarra R. Williams, the president of Time Warner Cable San Antonio from 1991 to 2002, to lead one of the city’s largest providers of services to the homeless.
Williams will officially start his first day on Wednesday, Aug. 1. He is currently area vice president for Comcast Cable in the Silicon Valley — a territory which includes 400,000 customers in San Jose, Monterey and Santa Cruz, Calif.
When Williams last worked in San Antonio, he served as vice chairman and later chairman of the Greater Kelly Development Authority from 1996 to 2000. From 2001 to 2003, he was acting president of the board for the David Robinson’s Carver Academy.
Ann Hutchinson Meyers, board chairwoman of SAMMinistries, says the entire organization is excited to have Williams on their team.
“He brings amazing talents to the organization as well as a heart for the homeless and a strong faith that believes in giving back to the community,” Meyers says.
“We provide services to the least, the last and lost of San Antonio, and we feel blessed to have Navarra leading the ministry into our next quarter century,” she says.
SAMMinistries is in a transition period of the organization’s nearly 25 years in San Antonio. The organization will serve as the flagship nonprofit emergency services provider for the new Haven for Hope campus. In addition, SAMMinistries will continue to place homeless individuals in transitional and permanent housing.
Construction has begun on Haven for Home, a 200,000 square foot facility on the city’s West Side that will provide a range of social services for homeless individuals from medical and dental care to treatment for substance abuse. The center also will provide job training, education, legal support and identification assistance to individuals.
An estimated 25,000 people in San Antonio are homeless. Of those, 40 percent are families with children, while a significant number of others suffer from either mental illness or substance abuse problems.
SAMMimistries, San Antonio, Homelessness, Navarra R. Williams
Thursday Thirteen
Wednesday, July 18th, 20072.) SeaWorld
3.) The River Walk
6.) San Antonio Botanical Gardens
8.) Ultimate Mirror Maze Challenge
10.) Spanish Governor’s Palace
11.) San Antonio IMAX Theatre Rivercenter
12.) Plaza Wax Museum & Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Wordless Wednesday (2)
Tuesday, July 17th, 2007
Restaurants to visit!
Monday, July 16th, 2007Tower of The Americas
Outstanding cuisine with the best view in San Antonio, a must for anyone visiting San Antonio. Visitors dine at the Tower’s revolving restaurant or enjoy the scenery from the observation deck offering the most breathtaking view of the Alamo City.
More Information
*****
Paloma Riverwalk
Enjoy delicious Mexican Continental cuisine with a beautiful view of the River Walk. Located one block away from the Alamo in the heart of San Antonio.
More Information
*****
Mad Hatter Tea House
Madhatters serves an eclectic breakfast, lunch and dinner and is located in the heart of the historic King William neighborhood. We are walking distance to the San Antonio River Walk and just minutes from all the San Antonio Missions.
More Information
*****
The Iron Cactus
The Iron Cactus blends integral Mexican attributes with a progressive technique to create unique and flavorful dishes. Named one of the top ten tequila bars in the country featuring over 80 selections of tequila from Mexico and specialize in a variety of margaritas and tequila drinks unique to Texas.
More Information
Weekend Happenings!
Friday, July 13th, 2007There is plenty going on around San Antonio this weekend, check it out!
Donald Lokuta Photographs - George Segal: An Intimate Portrait
(Exhibit ends Sunday, July 22, 2007)
Description: Donald Lokuta took over 10,000 photographs documenting the daily life of George Segal. A selection of these images comprises the exhibition Donald Lokuta Photographs: George Segal, An Intimate Portrait, on view in the Focus Gallery.
Venue: San Antonio Museum of Art
More Info: 210/978-8100 or http://www.samuseum.org
*****
Viva San Antonio!
Description: Viva San Antonio! celebrates the city’s patron saint by bringing together paintings and sculpture from half a dozen countries in Latin America and Spain.
Venue: San Antonio Museum of Art
More Info: 210/978-8100 or http://www.samuseum.org
*****
On Parade: Fiesta in the 1920s
Description: In conjunction with San Antonio’s most famous 10-day celebration, Fiesta®, the Witte Museum will unveil annual Fiesta exhibition which highlights a vital decade in Fiesta’s history.
Venue: Witte Museum
More Info: 210/357-1900 or http://www.wittemuseum.org
*****
Artmatters 11: Lynda Benglis
Ends July 29, 2007
Description: Best known as a prominent sculptor who exhibits internationally and whose public works dot sites across the United States, Lynda Benglis has also worked extensively in video, printmaking, painting, drawing and ceramics. Two-and three-dimensional works by Benglis are presented as part of the McNay’s Artmatters series of exhibitions of work by living artists. An illustrated gallery guide accompanies the exhibiton.
Venue: McNay Art Museum
More Info: 210/824-5368 or http://www.mcnayart.org
*****
Return of the Dinosaurs: Extreme Makeover
Description: The Witte Museum is bringing dinosaurs out of extinction! Using robotic technology, interpretive panels, interactive displays and dioramas, Return of the Dinosaurs: Extreme Makeover gives visitors a closer look at these Cretaceous creatures highlighting new scientific information and discoveries.
Venue: Witte Museum
More Info: 210/357-1900 or http://www.wittemuseum.org
*****
Madame Butterfly: From Puccini to Miss Saigon
Ends Sunday, July 29, 2007
Description: In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s classic opera ’’Madame Butterfly’’, this exhibition charts the history of the story from Pierre Giacomo Loti’s novel/travelogue ’’Madame Chrysantheme’’, John Luther Long’s novella ’’Madame Butterfly’’ and David Belasco’s play ’’Madame Butterfly’’, leading to Puccini’s masterful opera. The exhibition features an array of diverse works including manuscripts, photographs, posters, playbills, costumes and programs.
Venue: McNay Art Museum
More Info: 210/824-5368 or http://www.mcnayart.org
*****
Intricate Simplicity
Description: Lucy Fradkin’s gouache and collage portraits are at once beguilingly complex in imagery and naive in form. Juxtaposing delicately painted, boldly colored figures with found imagery such as birds and flowers, Fradkin’s works invite the spectator into the narrative of the painting, as well as spaces of reflection and wonder.
Venue: San Angel Folk Art
More Info: Henry Lee 210/226-6688 info@sanangelfolkart.com or http://www.sanangelfolkart.com
*****
Botero: Beloved Artist of the Americas
Ends Saturday, July 21, 2007
Description: Family Day Events. In collaboration with exhibits at the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Southwest School Art & Craft, free events for families will be held at local branch libraries. The day includes informational fun, educational activities and hands-on projects, including painting, sculpture, ideas about art in social protest, Colombian art and culture, style and sytlization, studio practice and Botero’s life as an artist.
Venue: Various Locations
Organization: San Antonio Museum of Art
More Info: 210/978-8100 or http://www.samuseum.org
*****
Texas Trails and Tales
Ends Saturday, July 28, 2007
Description: What was life really like for Texas’s earliest pioneers? Come see for yourself!
Venue: UTSA’s Institute of Texan Cultures
More Info: 210/458-2330 or http://www.texancultures.utsa.edu/events/txtrails.html
*****
A Rainforest Adventure - Bugs!
Description: A Bug’s Eye-View of the Fascinating Universe of Insects Magnified up to 250,000 Times Their Normal Size on the Giant Screen. Highlighting the extraordinary world of insects, the movie focuses on the life cycles of a prying mantis and a butterfly from their birth to their inevitable encounter in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia where predator meets prey. Narrated by the distinguished English actress, Dame Judi Dench, the audience will view a wide variety of tropical insects and animals making their way across the giant screen including tarantulas, scorpions, vipers, millions of bats and many, many more. The film was shot on location in the jungles of Borneo and in the UK. A film for all to enjoy.
Venue: Aztec on the River
More Info: Kim Youngblood 210/227-3930, Extension 405
The Alamo
Thursday, July 12th, 2007My last post was a beautiful picture of the Alamo Mission. Here is a little more information on the Alamo.
On the east side of Alamo Plaza is the most famous spot in Texas where 189 defenders fell on March 6, 1836, after repeated attacks by Mexican General Santa Anna’s army. Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo) was established in 1718 as the city’s first mission. The chapel, one of the most photographed facades in the nation, and the Long Barracks are all that remain of the original fort. Long Barracks Museum and Library are near the chapel. The museum contains relics and mementos from the Republic of Texas and offers narration on the fall of the Alamo. The Alamo is located in the heart of the city, inside beautifully landscaped grounds.
Hours of Operation are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunday. Closed December 24 and 25. Admission Free: donations accepted. Call for more information.
Alamo
300 Alamo Plaza • San Antonio • TX 78205
Phone: (210) 225-1391 x34 • Fax: (210) 354-3602
www.thealamo.org
American Cities Channel Posts
- Alot of Beer and Cherry Poppin' Daddies in Chattanooga this Saturday
Are you ready for a road trip? Big River Grille & Brewing Works, a sister restaurant of Rock Bottom, is proud to present the 14th Annual Southern Brewers Festival... Twenty-one microbreweries [...] - From the Mayor...
“Tulsa Talents” Results At Final Neighborfest Hundreds of Tulsans braved the August heat to cheer on their favorite acts in the final round of competition at the final Neighborfest of the [...] - Lower ... the DRINKING AGE?!?!?
Man, are they SERIOUS?!?! By now, you've heard that certain colleges want to lower the drinking age to EIGHTEEN! And why?? 'Cause they wanna end "binge" drinking on their campuses! Now, how do [...] - NiN in Dallas
I had the opportunity to see Nine Inch Nails in Dallas last night at the American Airlines Center. This was the second time I've seen a concert at this venue and I quite like it. According the the [...] - Daniel Cobb is ready to open your eyes, and maybe ears again. Some public service announcements
Hello, I am part of a Santa Fe non-profit and am doing a series of presentations during the month of August. I am hoping that you will use the following as public service announcements: [...] - News from the SF Brew: A little repition helps the memory work
This will be short because I have 2 more blogs to write tonight. Just came back from a dinner training at PRANZO Restaurant in Santa Fe. It was one of the best meals I had there in a long time. [...] - Vickery's 25th Annual Crescent Crawl this Sat. August 23rd
Vickeryʼs Bar & Grill is proud to celebrate its 25th Anniversary with Crescent Crawl presented by SweetWater Brewing Company. 3pm: Crescent Crawl Registration 4:20: Vickery's Party [...] - Why Recycle?
Why recycle? It’s one of the “greenest” things you can do. When you recycle a plastic bottle: It keeps that item out of the landfill, or trash heap, or ocean; It allows [...] - CSI, L&O:CI and Channel 3
Well, it's now official: Two of America's top sleuths will be leaving us ... but two more are waiting in the wings, ready to take their place! As we'll see over the next few weeks, Gil Grissom, [...] - Kindergarten Days Remembered
Today, kindergarten enrollment begins, huh?? Geez ... how well I remember: No, we didn't have the luxury of kindergarten back when I was a young'un ... but the teachers I had growin' up in [...]
Hot Off The Press
- WWE on MyNewtorkTV Website, Stone Cold at Cyber Sunday
-MyNetworkTv website has got a section on their webiste for WWE's Smackdown!. You can view all the superstars of the Smackdown Roster, here. -At WWE's pay per view Cyber Sunday has a special guest [...] - The Rocker watch: A whole lot of Rainn Wilson
Because his movie, The Rocker, is opening today, August 20th; and because we want to acknowledge his work; and because we want a lot of people to watch this movie (and have Jenna free, now!) --- [...] - Lower ... the DRINKING AGE?!?!?
Man, are they SERIOUS?!?! By now, you've heard that certain colleges want to lower the drinking age to EIGHTEEN! And why?? 'Cause they wanna end "binge" drinking on their campuses! Now, how do [...] - Brand New Tracy (Niki) Wallpaper for Season 3
The Heroes official MySpace page has released the third in their series of Season 3 wallpapers. This one is of Tracy, the new character played by Ali Larter. Take a look: This is the third [...] - TV on DVD Review of Week: Handy Manny - Manny's Pet Roundup
Handy Manny's Pet Roundup is the latest DVD release with episodes of the Handy Manny Playhouse Disney show for preschoolers. This is a decent release of the show for a three main reasons. One [...] - Dana Davis Confirms She is Leaving ‘Heroes’
In a new interview with PopWrap, Dana Davis confirms that her character, Monica, will be wrapping up her storyline “fairly quickly” in Season 3. When asked why, Dana explained, “Heroes [...] - NiN in Dallas
I had the opportunity to see Nine Inch Nails in Dallas last night at the American Airlines Center. This was the second time I've seen a concert at this venue and I quite like it. According the the [...] - Breaking Down the Kingsolver Formula
I have read two books by Barbara Kingsolver recently: I just finished Animal Dreams (1990), and two books before that, Prodigal Summer (2001). I would still call Kingsolver one of my favorite [...] - Top Five Running Backs
While there is an excess of serviceable to good running backs, there is a shortage of great ones. Going into the 2008 season the top five running backs seems pretty straight forward, and has been [...] - The First Episode Is Useless
I've said it before and I'm going to say it again. You have to watch more that 1 episode before making up your mind. I was reminded of this recently when I checked out the anime Air. I'll be [...]