texas

Texas Standard: January 3, 2020

The killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and the US’ dramatic escalation in the Middle East. What it means today on the Texas Standard.
The end of Julian Castro’s presidential bid may signal the beginning of his new political career. We explore.
How the cost of housing has prompted a new era of student activism in the Capital City.
We look at 150 years of construction at the US/Mexico border. One of the most dramatic transformations of our landscape…
And a story so wild one prosecutor called it “the most lavish scam” he had ever seen.

All that and more- this is the Texas Standard.

Texas Standard: January 2, 2020

The race for democratic presidential candidates started with two Texans. Now there are none. Julian Castro drops out – that’s today on the Standard.

What’s next for the former San Antonio mayor and former US Housing Secretary? We explore some options.

With the new year – come new laws. What are they and how do they affect you?

The woman, the myth, the legend – Emma Tenayuca. A tribute.

How can an organization that started entertaining troops during World War 2 remain relevant with today’s military?

And the best of West Texas. Tips for your next trip.

Start your year with the right sounds in your ear. This is the Texas Standard.

Texas Standard: January 1, 2019

No matter where you are, it’s 2020 and this hour, we’re taking a look at what the New Year may have in store for the Lone Star State. Thanks for joining us and a happy new year to you and yours. Texas’ first international allies have a saying: “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”… The more things change, the more they stay the same. And though issues like immigration, natural resources and politics may sound “par for the course” 2020 looks to be a banner year for change on those fronts and more. We’ll explore on this special edition of the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 31, 2019

Immigration, elections, new laws, challenges to natural resources. What were the top stories in Texas during 2019? That’s our focus for this hour. On this New Years Eve, we’re refocusing the rear view mirror on the year that was. We’ll hear from Victoria DeFrancesco Soto of the LBJ School at UT-Austin, Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston and Lauren McGaughy of the Dallas Morning News as we begin an exploration of the topics that shaped Texas over the past year.

Texas Standard: December 30, 2019

It’s time to take a look at what Texas’ political parties are planning for the year 2020. A sneak peek to their strategies today on the Standard.

With heavy hearts we bring you the latest on the shooting at a house of worship in White Settlement, Texas.

What if what was once a symbol of hatred could be transformed into a symbol of unity? The arts organization that tryign to do just that.

Some numbers at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are not adding up. How did TDCJ so drastically reduce the number of attempted suicides?

And the poetry of a young Syrian boy. Today on the Texas Standard.

Texas Standard: December 24, 2019

It’s beginning to look a lot like 2019 all over again? On this Christmas eve, we’re telling some of our favorite stories from the year that was. From the Texas Capitol City, this hour we’ll be criss crossing the state. From deep west Texas, to the Rio Grande Valley, up and east to the Piney Woods. Along the way, hearing marching bands and matadors and contemplations of our sense of place. It’s a yuletide gathering of stories hand picked by the staff of the Standard. Grab a cup of hot something and pull up a chair for this special holiday edition of the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 23, 2019

He calls it powered by people, but there’s one ex presidential contender clearly powering the group to prominence. What it could mean for Texas in 2020. Also, law enforcement warning that there’s a certain type of trafficking on the rise in the borderlands and its causing cacti to disappear. And why 2020 could turn into a banner year for renewable energy in Texas. Plus the story of some last minute angels helping out a short-handed Santa in some parts of of the Lone Star State. That and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 20, 2019

The president promises 400 miles of border wall within the next year. But something’s in the way: miles and miles of private property. More today on the Texas Standard.
What were the takeaways for Texas in last night’s democratic presidential debate? And what might it mean for Texas’ lone remaining contender in that race?
also, as traffic backs up on Texas highways- are bigger roads better roads?
One of Texas’ most celebrated museums reconsiders Norman Rockwell. Plus, the week that was in Texas politics and more when the National News Show of Texas gets started.

Texas Standard: December 19, 2019

The impeachment of a president- for the third time in history. Where did Texas’ lawmakers come down? The lowdown on how it all went down today on the Texas Standard.

In November a bond proposition failed in Midland. But wait, there’s more: suddenly a box of votes turns up and what do you know- it changes the outcome. Old style Texas election shenannigans or something else?

Social media monitoring–are workers paying the price?

Also Texas Monthly issues this years “Bum Steer Awards”. And there’s tie for first place, or is it last place? All those stories plus a whole lot more when the Texas Standard gets underway.

Texas Standard: December 18, 2019

A major victory against the US Army Corps of Engineers by home and business owners hard hit by Hurricane Harvey. How, and what happens next- today on the Texas Standard.

Another lawsuit, this time coming in the aftermath of tropical storm Imelda raises questions about how the Houston region is grappling with climate change. We’ll explain.

Plus, Texas reputation as the top state for the death penalty may be receding. How new attitudes about capital punishment appear to be leading to big changes.

Plus, a somewhat timely Politifact check of a claim by Ted Cruz. And a whole lot more when the Texas Standard gets started.

Texas Standard: December 17, 2019

A vote to impeach the President of the United States. As the hour approaches, the Texas delegation comes to terms with an historic vote. The latest coming up on the Texas Standard.

How are Texas representatives voting on impeachment? The latest from Benjamin Wermund of the Houston Chronicle.

Also the NBA tries to score big in Mexico- though this won’t be a easy layup, that’s for sure.

And countdown for the President’s much talked about military space force. Almost ready for launch? Or still the stuff of science fiction? All those stories and more as the the Texas Standard gets started.

Texas Standard: December 16, 2019

A behind the scenes drama involving a Texas senator could have major implications for the U.S. and Iran. What’s happening and why it matters, today on the Texas Standard.

Student athletes getting kicked out of college following complaints of sexual assault but getting to start over at other schools. A new report about a “sexual predator pipeline” claims the NCAA is looking the other way.

Also, a new initiative in Cowtown to preserve those wide open spaces Texas is so famous for- before they disappear.

All those stories and then some on the National news show of you know where.

Lone Star Playlist

Texas has inspired many a singer-songwriter. So if you’re traveling across the state, you might consider listening to what others have seen on those wide-open roads. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: December 6, 2019

The system that’s normally entangled in scandal has a couple of highlights to report. We’ll talk about Texas foster care. Also, what happens when the University Interscholastic League tweaks its guidelines? We look at three major implications. And what Texas is willing to do when it comes to vaping and e-cigarettes, we’ll tell you more. Plus, it looks like the stuff of action films: buried walls that come out to shield a building from floods! That’s happening in Houston. And a new LGBTQ task force, the week in politics, and poetry for the soul. All of that and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 5, 2019

The order is out: articles of impeachment are being drafted. Texas A&M Constitutional Scholar Lyn Rambo explains to us what this means. Also, we’ll explore how exactly immigrant detention centers provide a cost savings to the federal government. And why aren’t more democratic presidential campaigns safe-guarding their emails? Our tech expert explains. Plus Fort Worth ISD is working with newly arrived refugee children. How and what are they doing differently? And travel tips and linguistics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 29, 2019

No matter where you are, tis the season to be shopping. But if you’d rather be reading, or giving the gift thereof, you’re gonna enjoy this special edition of the Texas Standard. They are, as Stephen King once wrote, a uniquely portable magic. The quietest and most constant of friends, the most accessible and wisest of counselors, the most patient of teachers, wrote Charles W. Elliott. And a lot of them focus on or are written about the greatest place we know. This hour, we’re talking about books, albeit with a distinctly Texas accent:

Texas Standard: November 27, 2019

Flu season is back in full swing… and some experts are concerned about one especially vulnerable population. Why they’re not getting shots- today on the Texas Standard.

The man behind a 3D gun blueprint company is taking the reigns again after a brush with the law. We’ll explore the legal grey area.

Landowners in the Texas Hill Country continue to fight plans for a pipeline- what they’re up against.

Plus, a language update that was 75 years overdue. The new art exhibit meant to challenge what we mean by communication. And the little-known story behind one word also used as a measurement.

The Distance In Smoots

By W. F. Strong

Shakespeare told us that “some have greatness thrust upon them.” Such was the case for Oliver Smoot. He was born in Bexar County, Texas, and there was nothing in his formative years to predict the events that would push him into international prominence.

Oliver was a fine student and his academic strengths got him into MIT in Boston. It was there that he was pledging a fraternity and his pledge class was given the ridiculous task of measuring Harvard Bridge, which connects Boston to Cambridge, in some new way. The bridge was half a mile long.

His group of pledges decided fairly quickly that since Oliver was the shortest among them, five-foot-seven, they would use him as their “ruler.” Late one night, they laid him down on the sidewalk of the bridge and moved him slowly, one body length at a time, making a mark on the sidewalk at his head every time they moved him. Took five hours because the police dispersed them and they had to sneak back later.

Once completed, they totaled all the times they had moved him and it came to 364.4 times – plus an ear. They decided to immortalize this new unit of measure as a smoot, after Oliver’s last name. Thus the bridge was 364.4 smoots (and an ear) long. You can even see the smoot measurements on the bridge today, no doubt pleasing MIT that Harvard Bridge is eternally branded by the university and pleasing to me that a Texan was used to do it.

Even when the Continental Construction Company reconcreted the sidewalk in 1987, they made the slabs in smoot lengths to commemorate local lore. It’s wonderful to see Work that into a conversation that everyone can work in harmony for a common cause when they want to.

In the category of truth is stranger than fiction, Oliver Smoot eventually became the Chairman of the American National Standards Institute and President of the International Organization for Standardization. He was in charge of weights and measures. How’s that for a perfect fit?

The crowning compliment to the glory of the smoot as a measurement was when the fun-loving geeks at Google, no doubt many from MIT, decided to include the unit of measure in Google conversions. It’s true – try it. In the Google search window you can get any distance converted to smoots.

Distance from Cut n’ Shoot to Dime Box: 112,913 smoots

It’s 5,640,000,000 smoots from Texas to the Moon.

You can even determine how far you boot scooted to George Strait at the dance hall last night. Convert your steps into smoots.

I think it is also fitting to have this relatively new unit of measure – now legitimized in many dictionaries, including the American Heritage Dictionary and the Urban Dictionary – brought to us by a native Texan. After all, Texas itself, as I’ve noted before, has long been a unit of measure. For instance, you could fit 25 Massachusetts into Texas. And, in case you were wondering, Texas has a total area of over 240 trillion square smoots. today.

Texas Standard: November 26, 2019

Mergers. Layoffs. Cuts to coverage. We’ll take a hard look at challenges to the newspaper industry and how it’s affecting Texas- today on the Texas Standard.
Hemp to eat, hemp to wear, hemp as medicine. The agricultural product seems to offer unlimited possibilities. But the hype may be moving faster than the infrastructure.
Plus, a new book about Texas politics in the late 20s and early 30s just might offer some parallels to today. What we can learn from “The Biscuits, the Dole and Nodding Donkeys.”

And, a look at the real impacts of deportation.

Texas Standard: November 25, 2019

2020 doesn’t seem so far away anymore. As Election time nears, we’ll take a look at Texas’ political landscape and priorities. Also, breaking down the effects of a rollback of rule changes put in place to prevent another deadly explosion like the one in West, Texas. Plus, appropriate for this week, what do we have to be thankful for in the energy industry? At least from one perspective. And we’ll introduce you to an odd couple: an avid hunter and a vegan. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard: