Who woulda thunk it: It’s August and our Texas Rangers are somewhat in a pennant race. GM Jon Daniels may get credit for putting this team together, but the real architects are Sterling Barnett Little, who office in an outfield suite at The Ballpark. And a sweet deal Jaime Pacilio and SBL have, with two sets of two tickets for Monday Aug. 17 and Tuesday Aug. 18. Wow, four winners of two tickets. Minnesota, Mauer and Morneau are the opponents.   Eats feat: Your New Year’s resolutions are long dead by now, and Restaurant Week hasn’t started, so why not preview some great food at the Taste of Northeast, on August 20th from 5:30-9p.m. at NYTEX Sports Center. There’s beer, BBQ and burgers, all fine members of the B family, and it benefits ARTSNET. Five winners get a pair of tickets.   Is this card in your wallet? When you donate to the Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County, you receive an ARTScard, which is good for discounts at many of the area’s cultural events. So, while the Arts Council does all the work promoting, nurturing and supporting the arts, you get the benefits. Paints a nice little picture, huh; so nice that Cathy Neece Brown, the director of Development, accepted Mr. B’s donation and made it fruitful and multiplicative. We have five ARTScards as gifts for readers.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK         Pepper Hudson, Pepper-L-Specialties and Mary Woods, Direct Sales Communications, enjoyed the noshing and networking at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth at last week’s Business After Hours. More than 230 Chamber members filled the spacious, contemporary lobby for a cool evening of sophistication -- and a little bit of plain ol’ fun -- after a hot August day.     Sponsored by

Lookin’ fine: Are you looking for a new Facebook/MySpace photo? Need a photo for your wedding announcement? Are you into cowboys and cowgirls? Jami Hoffman, executive director of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, has just the answer. Her gift certificate for a Jersey Lilly Photo Session will give you that vintage style, old-tyme classic look. You will be a new you. While there, you can see the hall, which honors Texas men and women who have excelled in the sport of rodeo, cutting, performing, ranching and rodeo sports medicine.

One great leap for womankind: Six years ago, the leaders of Girls Incorporated of Tarrant County came to Mr. B and wanted his help to start the Strong, Smart and Bold “NO LIMITS” luncheon. "You are our role model, Mr. B. But we're looking for women." The fibbing and flattery worked and Mr. B got involved. This year's luncheon is Friday at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel and the speaker is Mae C. Jemison, the first woman of color in space. There's networking galore, auctions and raffles and fun, fun, fun. Gal pal Carroll Burney gave us two seats to give away (if the Renaissance will let them go, take the seats, too.)

THIS is stress: We’ll let Elaine Cole, TCU’s PR for the pupils, share her (run-on sentence) story from last month – “Home today because my car had a flat yesterday and the nice policeman who came to help broke the tire key so I had to call Acura roadside assistance to send a tow truck and I had my friend's baby kitten in the car because I was bottle feeding him for the day while she was at a temp job and he was hungry and crying and I was near tears. I slept late today.” Gave her plenty of time to go to the Chamber’s online member discount page and check out TCU’s season football ticket special. Yes, she has to buy, too.

Give your business some fuel: Give these facilitators 10 weeks, and they’ll enhance your business to new levels of growth. It’s time for FastTrac—sounds like Racetrac--Growth Venture, a practical, hands-on business development program designed for entrepreneurs. Classes meet Thursdays from 6-9:30pm, beginning August 27th. Call Small Business Development at Tarrant County College for more info.

Looooong distance: William Lang’s company, TechnoBridge, helps smaller companies expand and trade internationally. That’s a BIG bridge.

Birthing a biz: Mr. B thinks there’s a future for a business that gets college graduates back out of their parents’ house. Gonna ask loan lady Ann Boulom of Wells Fargo if she might find financing.     Kitchen help: Member-owned Mira Vista Country Club was looking to make some clubhouse changes and hired Café Aspen owner David Rotman as a consultant. He consulted himself into the job of Clubhouse Manager—food, beverage, pool, maintenance, etc. Double duty work includes morning ‘til afternoon at his restaurant and afternoon ‘til late night and weekends at the country club.

She’s electric: She went on vacation to Lovers Key Resort as Lacy Walker, a brown-haired, sparkplug/ball of fire/advocate for TXU Energy. She returned from vacation as the future Mrs. Josh Sperry…and a brunette. Wow, what changes! Congrats!

Very graphic exhibition: Just in time for the Chamber Trade Show this fall, Skyline DFW Exhibits & Graphics and Freeman Decorating made an exhibition of things to Chamber members last week. If you missed out on Skyline’s 60 tips in 60 minutes, Skyline marketing maven Lyndsay Hendon said to contact her and she’ll share the info. Or you can sign up for its free seminars Aug. 26.

Just wondering: If FedEx and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed Up?

Plumb confusing: New Chamber member is Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. Wasn’t Uncle B known more for electricity?   The cycle of life: Laura Myles is the assisted living director at Lakewood Village, Mr. B’s future home. Laura brought 14-year-old daughter Heather to work recently to assist the activities director with the seniors. That night, Heather was assisting the church activities director with some 3-and-4 year olds. “Not a whole lot of difference between the two groups,” Heather told mom.

Who ordered this? Sue Johnson of Printing Plus has a great line for salespeople that she picked up from a consultant: “Keep calling until you get an order—a printing order or a restraining order.”

Private dressing room: Mr. B knew there were a lot of Academy sports stores, but was surprised it had its own clothing store—Academy Uniforms.com. Oops, fashion faux paus. It’s an online store for private schools and recently opened at 4555 Bryant Irvin Rd. Am-Bass-Adorables will be there tomorrow for a ribbon cutting. You can see tons of Chamber photos online by clicking here.

15 seconds near fame: A while back, we told you about Jake Richter’s 8 Seconds of bronc busting in Hollywood. Recently, while the EdwardJones financial planner was fine dining at Simply Fondue, Newz-E-Letter non-reader and Idol Kelly Clarkson was at a nearby table. Neither asked for the other’s autograph, but they did stare at each other. 

Will Klinger be there? The name Monty "Hawkeye" Henson screams rodeo cowboy and he was/is one of the greatest, a Hall of Fame saddle bronc buster who now teaches and lectures about rodeo. You can see him free Aug. 19 at 6:15 p.m. at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in the Stockyards. 
 

No respect: Rodney Farrell of the Brinkley Insurance Group was wearing an issued, pre-printed name tag at a recent event that said “Ridney.” Were they wondering how do we get rid-ney of Rodney?   No respect II: Kay Colley, smart, fair and objective, is the perfect justice of journalism for students at Texas Wesleyan University. She’s asked Mr. B to talk with her students about being an editor’s nightmare -- writing rumors, gossip and innuendo. It’s the “how not to be a journalist” lecture.

Parental pride? At last month’s Chamber luncheon at TCU, Big Boss Bill (BBB) was making introductions to the attendees. "Also here … is my cool, goofy son, Cole. He’s a big Frog fan and fan of Coach Patterson."

Kudos: To Sherry Green, owner of Technology Team, who is the local National Association of Women Business Owners’ 2009 Established Woman Business Owner of the Year. Just 95 characters, so start tweeting.