Aztec Rental: The Backfill

Temporary Fencing:
If you haven’t thought about using it, how it can be a benefit to you or your company or even not sure what it is, let The Backfill try to clear the muddy water for you.

Portable fencing is a sturdy affordable asset that can be used in many applications from complying with building and safety codes on construction sites to crowd control.  In some areas a fencing perimeter is required by law around project sites. Temporary fencing can also help prevent theft and outside injury while providing overall control and safety for construction sites, special events or home renovations.

Adapts To You:
Fencing is versatile in installation, configuration and set up locations. Whether you site is on a hard surface, such as concrete, where stands are used or softer surface, such as grass, and an in-ground installation can be used; temporary fencing can be erected to fit your sites requirements.

Purchasing or building fence is costly and time-consuming. When you add in the volume of pieces and its space requirements, storing it is a hassle and can be costly, which is just not feasible. This is where rental companies become your source as they alleviate these problems. A phone call is all it takes to have fencing delivered and installed at your job site or event. [ Temporary Fence Rental ]

Parents want to give your kids a great holiday experience?

Better yet, Fellas we are going to do you a solid.  You take this and suggest it to your family, kids or significant other and you will look like a hero in your kids eyes, earn some monster brownie points with your significant other or maybe even get you a second date.

SANTA’S WONDERLAND in College Station, Texas.

With a spectacular and creative drive through light tour and the entertainment, food and shopping in Santa’s Town there is nothing they left out of this Texas holiday experience.  You can take pictures with Santa, sit around a camp fire, watch a holiday movie, listen to some tunes and even ride a mechanical bull if you have the nerve. 

Ok that’s all you’re getting, we don’t want to give away too much.  Just take our word for it, It’s worth the visit!

You can thank us later.

Here is the website: Santa’s-Wonderland

Texas sits atop the list as one of the leaders in the slow recovery process this country is facing.

Fueled in part by rising but stable oil prices, Texas continues to lead the country’s recovery, albeit at a relatively slow pace, according to a fourth-quarter regional economic forecast.

A report issued Monday by economists with BBVA Compass bank said that besides rising energy demand, Texas’ relatively stable housing market, continued private job creation, limited fiscal challenges and strong exports – notably petroleum and coal products – will sustain the state’s recovery into 2011.

“Although most states have experienced a growth deceleration in the second half of 2010, Texas’ growth has accelerated and remains solidly positive,” the report said.

The report predicts that Texas’ gross domestic product will grow by 3 percent this year and 2.8 percent in 2011, with both rates above the projected U.S. average of 2.7 percent in 2010 and 2.3 percent next year.

Through the first nine months of the year, Texas created 182,200 private sector jobs – approximately 16 percent of the U.S. total and the highest state total in the country

Read more: Texas leads U.S. recovery, report says | Houston Business Journal

NEWSWEEK has compiled a list of the 10 American cities best situated for the recovery.

These are places where the jobs are plentiful, and the pay, given the lower cost of living, buys more than in bigger cities. In other words, places unlike much of the rest of the country. The cities, most of which lie in the red-state territory of America’s heartland, fall into three basic groups. There’s the Texaplex—Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston—which has become the No. 1 destination for job-seeking Americans, thanks to a hearty energy sector and a strong spirit of entrepreneurism. There are the New Silicon Valleys—Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Salt Lake City; and urban northern Virginia—which offer high-paying high-tech jobs and housing prices well below those in coastal California. And then there are the Heartland Honeys—Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, and Des Moines, Iowa—which are enjoying a revival thanks to rising agricultural prices and a shift toward high-end industrial jobs.

Read more from Newsweek: Greetings From Recoveryland

Be safe. Have Fun. Celebrate independence.

The huge NCAA realignment, alignment, realignment story from last week has left a bad taste in the mouth of Aggieland.

Most Texas A&M students, alumni, fans and followers are upset or disappointed at the very least that the Aggies did not pull the trigger and head to the SEC.  This most likely caused an onslaught of emails, phone calls and text messages to Texas A&M brass, most of which was likely directed to Athletic director Bill Byrne.

Most likely reasons for such reactions:

1) A&M had chance to go to best conference in NCAA football and gain long-term stability
2) A&M fans wanted to go to the SEC to finally escape the shadow of the Univ. of Texas.
3) A&M fans are upset that Texas essentially dictated the conditions required for the Big 12’s survival.

He received one email he thought he would handle himself.

Email from fan:

Hey a–holes [edit]

I am a third generation aggie and class of ‘06. my family and I, including many extend family members have had season tickets at kyle field for up to 20 yrs.

We also tailgate spending a lot of time and money during the fall in college station. That all ended today

We are canceling our season tickets and will never again donate to the 12th man until there is all new board of regents minus Gene Stallings, a new ad, new president (that guy is a disgrace).

Dollar bill, I hope you have time to pull your tongue out of dodds butt to read this email

Sincere regards

[name redacted]

AD Bill Byrne’s response (allegedly):

Classy.

[Sports By Brooks]

Current state of the NCAA realignment, via song/video.  Pretty good stuff.

*NOTE - Some explicit language and images

Song and video by: 1560 The Game

Texas Ahead as put together a rundown on some key economic indicators for Texas.

We skipped economics while in school.  Is this good or bad?

Consumer Price Index

1982-1984 average = 100

Change from previous year:
The Texas Consumer Price Index is up 1.6%.
The U.S. Consumer Price Index is up 2.2%.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Consumer Confidence Index

1985 U.S. Average = 100

*Includes Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma (per source’s data groups)

Change from previous year:
West-South-Central Region is down 2.1%.
U.S. is up 41.9%.

Source: The Conference Board

Unemployment Rate
(percent)

Change from previous year:
Texas unemployment is up up 1.0 points.
U.S. unemployment is up 1.0 points.

Sources: Texas Workforce Commission, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Texas vs. U.S. Nonfarm Employment
(in millions)

Change from previous year:
Nonfarm employment for Texas is down 0.4%
Nonfarm employment for the U.S. is down 1.0%

Sources: Texas Workforce Commission, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Change in Nonfarm Employment in Most Populous States
(in thousands of jobs)

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Texas Sales Tax Collections, Retail Establishments
(in millions of dollars)

Change from previous year: up 4.3%

Includes eating and drinking places.

Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Texas Housing Permits
(units)

Change from previous year:
Single-family permits are up 50.4%.
Multi-family permits are up 10.3%.
See note on percent change data

Source: The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University

Existing Single-Family Home Sales in Texas
(units)

Change from previous year:
Existing home sales are up 26.5%.
Median sales price is up 3.1%.
See note on percent change data

Source: The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University

Industrial Production Index
(index)

2002 = 100

Change from previous year:
Texas index is up 1.9%
U.S. index is up 5.2%.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Leading Economic Indicators Index
(index)

2004 = 100

Change from previous year:
The leading indicators for Texas are up 6.5%
The leading indicators for the U.S. are up 10.5%

Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, The Conference Board

Value of Contracts for Non-Residential Construction in Texas
(billions of dollars)

Change from previous year: down 4.0%.

Source: McGraw-Hill

Mortgage Foreclosures

Change from previous year:
Texas is up 16.1%
U.S.is down 2.4%.

Source: RealtyTrac

U.S. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(index)

1982-1984 average = 100

Change from previous year:
The Overall Consumer Price Index for the U.S. is up 2.2%.
The Food and Beverage Consumer Price Index is up 0.5%%
The Transportation Consumer Price Index is up 12.8%.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices in Texas
(dollars)

Change from previous year:
Gasoline prices are up 39.6%
Diesel prices are up 37.7%.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Note: Percent changes on Tracking the Texas Economy graphs and tables are calculated using raw monthly figures. Some of the annual percent changes in the Comptroller’s Economic Outlook are based on annualized figures that show longer-term trends, and therefore may differ.

Texas Production and Consumption Indicators

Notes:
Crude oil and natural gas figures are net taxable values. Gasoline gallons include gasohol. Auto sale values are calculated from motor vehicle taxes collected on new and used vehicle sales. All figures are not seasonally adjusted, except for industrial production, leading indicators and employment/unemployment. Figures are based on the most recent available data. Annual figures are for calendar years.

Sources:

• Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Motor Fuel, Auto Sales, Cigarettes: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Active Oil & Gas Drilling Rigs: Baker-Hughes Incorporated
• Median Sale Price, Existing Single-family Home: The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University

For historical data, see Texas Production and Consumption 1989-2009

Lawsuit gaining traction, or just spinning its wheels?

Five more states will join a federal lawsuit, which includes Texas, challenging the newly passed health care reform law.  Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, who led the suit, said that Indiana, North Dakota, Mississippi, Nevada and Arizona are adding their names to the list of plaintiffs that filed the case on March 23 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.

South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho and South Dakota had previously joined Florida’s lawsuit. A hearing is scheduled for April 14.

The suit alleges that the new law infringes on the constitutional rights of Americans by mandating they have health care coverage or pay a tax penalty.

Agree with the decision?

“Yes”  is in the lead.  Take the Houston Business Journal poll here.

Discuss.

An air hog excursion goes tragically wrong.  [Full Story]

KSAT news [video.]

Forum discussion [Whitetail Domains]

Our thoughts and condolences goes out to the families.

The nominations for governor have been elected, now the real fight [begins].

Republican Gov. Rick Perry and Democratic former Houston Mayor Bill White clinched their parties’ nominations for governor Tuesday, setting up a fight over whether the problems in Washington or Austin are more relevant to Texans’ everyday lives.