J&J, no blues barred: Sitting around, sharing some of the fine beers with brewmeister Jamie Fulton, Mr. Silver Medalist in Vienna-Style Lager category for The Covey’s Vienna Lager, and after a few rounds, suggest maybe a Newz-E-Letter reader could share a few award-winning rounds with Jamie at The Covey Restaurant & Brewery. Asked for $50 gift certificate; get $100, which buys lots of great food and fluids. Woohoo, Jamie! Of course, if you’re going to imbibe a bit, you don’t want to drive (far). So we called Jodi, the Girl Mostest GM at the Marriott Residence Inn – Cultural District. Asked for half a room, or half a night; get a FULL room for a FULL night in one of their great suites. And lovely as she is, Jodi threw in breakfast.  J.J. jolts! Julie James works for Louis Bull Promotions, Powered by the Lee Wayne Corporation, which is pretty cool to not be powered by electricity. We like Julie’s power. She goes into the boss and without any bull, says, “I need giveaways for Newz-E-Letter.” And voila, we’ve got two technology packs to power you with. Each includes a wireless optical mouse, a USB emergency power pack and a multiple travel outlet strip.

Last Thursday's Lunch and Learn sponsored by Sandler Training welcomed Kelly O'Brien, professor at TCU's Neely School of Business. Scott Sherwin (left) presented O'Brien (right) with a Reata cookbook after his "Communication in Business: A Must-Have Skill for Success" presentation. Check our photo gallery for more photos,   Sponsored by

Metallica: With his raise and two more years of job security, Mr. B upgraded from his leased Neon to a leased Rio. Now he’s considering a 12-inch by 18-inch, full-color magnetic sign that says B All You Can B (if that’s not already taken). Tom Martin at Martin & Company can produce them and he has two for a giveaway. So, why don’t you try them out and Mr. B will see how they look on you and then decide whether to sign on.                                     

Lemonade from lemons: Alison Wise, golf guru G(e)M at Hawks Creek Golf Course, is hosting a  “modified 18 holes” while a pipeline is installed across holes two and three between now and Sept. 1. To get in 18 holes, you play the back nine with two sets of pins and two different tee boxes. All the while, beer, sodas and lemonade have been heavily discounted.  If you draw well and don’t fade this entry, you could win one of four foursomes to play the modified 18. Think of all the cash you’ll have for discounted beverages.

VIP means Very ImProve: Wow, Mr. B's first VIP invitation came from Becky Eaton, the Director of Business Development at CMA. It's to a rollicking Ronald McDonald House young professionals fundraiser TOMORROW night. Unfortunately, Mr. B is interviewing to be the new outside, wave-you-in, stand-up guy for a going-out-of-business furniture company liquidation. Maybe you're not so busy with your career and would be able to attend the performance by improv comedy troupe Gangs of Recess. And VIP means front row, so you're sure to be part of the improv fun. We have five pair of tickets for the 6 p.m. show at 4 Day Weekend Theater.

To Tell The Truth: Evan Smith is one of the tour sales gurus for Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Would it be false advertising if he were wearing a No. 22 Cowboys jersey with E. Smith on the back?

Line in the sand: Reporters and PR folks long have had tenuous relationships. Hmmm. What to think about Star-Telegram reporter Aman Batheja and wife, Amy, a PR perp at Texas Wesleyan School of Law?

Thumbing a ride: Fidelity Investments has opened a state-of-the-mutual-fundamentals investment center on West 7th, just minutes from son NoBGood's apartment. When asked if he might be working there instead of in Westlake, NoBGood said, "Remember the guy last month with the fat thumbs that caused the market to drop 1,000 points? I'm not sure I'll ever get back out of Fidelity's training room."

Typo that worked: When reporter John-Laurent Tronche left the Business Press for Houston, a local bakery mixed the message. It was supposed to say, “We’ll miss you.” Instead, it was “Will miss you.” 

Not your father’s trash: Tarrant County and Waste Management have opened a green, green, Westside Renewable Energy Facility at I-30 and Linkcrest. The landfill takes methane gas created from decomposed waste and generates electricity and fuel for its generators. There also is a Wildlife Habitat project on the grounds. Officers 1: Incoming Chamber Chairman Jeff King of J.P. Morgan told the millions gathered at last week’s Annual Meeting that he wants to “reinvent our relevance” and that he values member input. Outgoing Chairman Wes Turner of Advance Publications called the “talented and dedicated” Chamber staff “the best to work with.” He never had to work with the 13 Newz-E-Letter editors. Officers 2: Mr. B is hopeful new Chamber vice chairman Dan Berce of AmeriCredit reads and enjoys Newz-E-Letter. Perhaps when he is chairman he can securitize a better car than the Neon-upgraded-to-Rio heep that Mr. B drives on his $.375 an hour pay. The new Treasurer and Chair of Finance is Tim Petrus, executive vice president, acquisitions, XTO Energy, Inc. Between XTO and now Exxon, we’re guessing Tim can add and subtract because he’s seen a ton of money.

Are your interns working? The Balcom Agency won a coveted, prestigious, impressive Bronze Anvil award for its work for Healthpoint. So now, in 95-degree heat at 4 p.m. daily, the summer interns have to stand out on the corner at Summit and I-30 and hold the 210-pound anvil aloft to passing motorists.

Slick: Julie Wilson, Vice President of Public Affairs at Chesapeake Energy Corporation, has received a Distinguished Leadership Award. “…She is an outstanding representation of what we as leaders all work toward in our careers,” said Decker Jones attorney Veronica Chavez Law, President of the Leadership Fort Worth Board of Directors.

Spirited exchange: Final note from the Chamber’s Annual Meeting last week. DFW International Airport, which served 57 million passengers and had a $7 billion payroll last year, received the Spirit of Enterprise Award. Well, received may be an overstatement. The award itself wasn’t there because it wasn’t finished. “I’ll take a raincheck,” CEO Jeff Fegan said. “You guys are good for it.”

Saying our prayers: Insurance man Charles Cox, Am-Bass-Adorable of the last quarter century, is under the weather, but has much to live for. His 60-year wedding anniversary is in October and his 80th birthday and 25 years as an Ambassador are in November.

Roses & romance: Mr. B networked Marcelle LeBlanc from The Velvet Box and Martha (Cornbread) White from Boswell Flowers. Martha also owns a boutique store for babies on Camp Bowie and Mr. B asked Marcelle if she had velvety stuff for babies. “Yeah. They’re called diapers,” Martha said.

No respect: Jim Dickenson may “only” be the vice president for Frost Insurance, but he’s the “only” president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Tarrant County.

Plenty of respect: Southwest Bank commercial loan specialist David Milhollon is recently back from a one-year tour of Kandahar. Had another tour in Iraq before that. He’s a Navy reservist

Free labor: This is just like having kids. If you have a real job opportunity and you can hire from a pool of 17-to-21-year-old interns for eight weeks between now and Sept. 17, all wages, fringe bennies and Worker's Comp insurance are paid by Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County. It's the Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County’s Summer Youth Employment Program and all the details are here.

Love that Shack: Mr. B doesn't understand all the money ramifications, but RadioShack is happy and the city is spending less money in the long run. Kudos to the city council, the Chamber and everybody else involved in restructuring the deal.  Read more from our chairman here.