According to local news reports, both Secret Service and Dallas police questioned a man after he allegedly lost control of his classic muscle car, and roared onto the estate of the former president.

According to an NBC-Dallas report, neither the former president nor former first lady Barbara Bush were in any danger, nor were any injuries sustained in the incident.

Bush enjoys Secret Service protection since leaving office, though he is the first president in history who won’t enjoy lifetime protective services after leaving office. His protection will expire 10 years after he’s left office.

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan says the single-car accident happened Wednesday, and neither Bush nor his wife were injured.

He says there was no reported damage to their house.

Salmonella is an organism that has the potential for causing extremely serious–and sometimes fatal–infections in young kids, frail or elderly people, and others who have weakened immune systems.

Salmonella infections are zoonotic; they can be transmitted by humans to animals and vice versa. Infection via food is also possible. A distinction is made between enteritis salmonella and typhoid/paratyphoid salmonella, whereby the latter because of a special virulence factor and a capsule protein (virulence antigen) can cause serious illness, such as Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Typhi, or Salmonella typhi). Salmonella typhi is adapted to humans and does not occur in animals.

Enteritis Salmonella (e.g., Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis) can cause diarrhea, that, most of the time, does not require antibiotic treatment. However, people at risk such as infants, small children, the elderly, Salmonella can become very serious, leading to complications. If this is not treated HIV patients and those with suppressed immunity can become seriously ill. Children with sickle cell anemia who are infected with salmonella may develop osteomyelitis.

Homemade Gourmet’s “Tortilla Soup Mix” is distributed nationwide via mail order delivery and through independent consultant sales. The recalled lots are S1004812411 and S1004912111, that were sold 2/17/2010 through 3/1/2010. All known purchasers of the 320 packages have been contacted and told to destroy them. A full refund has been offered to every customer and consultant.

Homemade Gourmet’s “Tortilla Soup Mix” is typically packaged in clear plastic packages and have red and beige labeling. Homemade Gourmet’s “Tortilla Soup Mix” was sold individually in a 1.96 oz (55.6 g) pouch, and as part of two kits including the “Let’s Make Dinner Collection (stock #40.1032) or the “$800 pre-select” order for consultants (stock #37.0320).

To date, no known cases of salmonella poisoning or related illnesses have been associated with Homemade Gourmet’s “Tortilla Soup Mix”.

Homemade Gourmet’s “Tortilla Soup Mix” was made using Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada. The HVP had tested positive for Salmonella at its original manufacturing plant Basic Food Flavors, Inc.

If you have Homemade Gourmet’s “Tortilla Soup Mix” it should be destroyed immediately. Consumers with questions should contact Homemade Gourmet Customer Service Department at 1-888-477-2848 (Monday – Friday 8-5 C.S.T.) for replacement, substitution or refund.

The many miles of groomed trails that we have access to, with lovely wooded areas, rolling hills and beautiful surroundings make The Bridges Equestrian Center a premier facility. When you add the top notch facilities, including the wonderful barns and arenas and the superlative care, this facility is beyond compare.

The Bridges at Preston Crossings will hold a grand opening event on Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Bridges, located at 17970 FM 121 in Gunter, Texas. Event activities include Equestrian Center tours, hay rides, horseback riding, fishing on the 24-acre lake and more.

During the event, The Bridges will offer tours of its exclusive gated neighborhood, Timber Creek, which features one-half to 1 acre wooded and golf homesites. The equestrian complex and former ranch was the site of two Dallas Cattle Baron’s Balls. The facilities have also hosted polo matches and events attended by celebrities, political dignitaries, Grammy award-winning musicians and international royalty.

Centex commissioned the NAHB Research Center to conduct a study modeling the energy efficiency of Centex Energy Advantage-equipped homes. The NAHB Research Center concluded that Centex Energy Advantage homes in the study demonstrated an improvement in energy efficiency of up to 22 percent over comparable homes built to the most widely used energy efficiency code (the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code). When compared to the energy efficiency of a typical 10-year-old home (as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program), the Centex Energy Advantage homes in the study were shown to be up to 40 percent more energy efficient.(1)

A special feature of the Centex Energy Advantage is an in-home energy monitor. Energy monitors provide real-time information about electricity usage and expense and show the effect of turning on and off various electrical components. Based upon the published studies reviewed by the NAHB Research Center, homeowners who use energy monitors to actively manage their consumption of electricity can reduce their electricity use by 4-15 percent. Centex is the first national homebuilder to announce the installation of an energy monitor in every home it builds.

Features of the Centex Energy Advantage standard package include:(2)
— Energy monitor
— Whirlpool or KitchenAid brand ENERGY STAR(R) qualified appliances
— Lennox high-efficiency HVAC system(3)
— Programmable thermostat(s)
— Low-emissivity windows
— Radiant-barrier roof decking(4)
— R-38, R-40 or R-60 attic insulation (varies by climate zone)
— Compact fluorescent lights in high-traffic areas
— Information for maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing the
impact of home operation on the environment

According to the NAHB Research Center, each Centex Energy Advantage home will produce 1.78 fewer metric tons of carbon per year than a comparable home built to 2006 IECC standards. If the same amount of carbon were released, it would be roughly equivalent to:(5)

— Greenhouse gas emissions from the family automobile for four months
— CO2 emissions from 183 gallons of gasoline consumed
— Annual carbon absorption by more than one-third acre of pine or
fir forest

The cumulative effects are significant. For every 10,000 homes Centex builds each year, 17,800 fewer metric tons of carbon could be released than from comparable homes built to 2006 IECC standards. If the same amount of carbon were released, it would be roughly equivalent to:(5)

— Greenhouse gas emissions from 2,957 passenger vehicles in one year
— CO2 emissions from 1.83 million gallons of gasoline consumed
— Annual carbon absorption by 3,670 acres of pine or fir forest

For its most recent fiscal year, the Company sold nearly 25,000 homes.

Dallas-based Centex, founded in 1950, is one of the nation’s leading home building companies. Its leading brands include Centex Homes, Fox & Jacobs Homes and CityHomes. In addition to its home building operations, Centex also offers mortgage, title and insurance services. Centex has ranked among the top three builders on FORTUNE magazine’s list of “America’s Most Admired Companies” for nine straight years and is a leader in quality and customer satisfaction.

CENTEX ENERGY ADVANTAGE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why did you decide to do this now?

We are in the process of a comprehensive redesign of our product line. One of the key principles of our new designs is energy efficiency. Our customers — many of them first-time homebuyers — are very conscious of the impact higher energy costs have on their costs of living. By making our homes more energy efficient and distinctive, we’ll satisfy our customers’ needs and help the environment.

Why did you choose this combination of components?

Centex chose the features included in the Centex Energy Advantage based on company and independent research indicating customer preference and each component’s proven results of efficiency savings.

Some states and localities have efficiency requirements that differ from those provided by this package. How will you implement this package in those areas?

The Centex Energy Advantage is our national standard. Centex will continue to provide additional materials and components as required by state and local regulations or laws.

How will this affect the price of your homes?

It would cost an individual homeowner thousands of dollars to add the Centex Energy Advantage features to an existing or recently purchased new home. We are able to greatly reduce that cost by making the Centex Energy Advantage standard in every home we build. We believe the Centex Energy Advantage will differentiate our homes from competitors. We intend to reinforce that value proposition by offering these features as standard and keeping our prices competitive.

(1) This study evaluated the energy efficiency gains attributable to the Centex Energy Advantage features in a variety of single-family floor plans typical of the Centex product line in the climate zones where the Company currently operates. Not all floor plans, building materials or construction techniques were evaluated in the study. Efficiency gains will vary for other plan types, building materials, construction techniques and change of climate zone.

(2) The Centex Energy Advantage will be supplemented or otherwise adjusted as required by state and local codes. In several markets, Centex is currently building homes with components that exceed the combined efficiencies provided the Centex Energy Advantage.

(3) 14-SEER air conditioning or 90-percent AFUE furnace, depending upon climate zone. SEER is “seasonal energy efficiency ratio,” a measure of seasonal or annual efficiency of a central air conditioner or air-conditioning heat pump that is the average BTUs of cooling delivered for every watt-hour of electricity used by the heat pump over a cooling season. AFUE is “annual fuel utilization efficiency,” a measure of average combustion efficiency in a furnace or heating unit.

(4) By climate zone, as indicated by ENERGY STAR requirements.

(5) Calculations are based on NAHB Research Center estimated efficiency of 1.78 metric tons of CO2 per home equipped with Centex Energy Advantage features, as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator” (see www.epa.gov).

Total, more than 340 million shares of the 461 million total outstanding shares of TXU Corp. common stock were voted “in favor of the adoption” of the merger agreement. The approval required a vote of two-thirds of the total outstanding shares. Of the shares voted on the merger, over 95 percent voted in favor of it.

Upon close of the merger, TXU shareholders will be entitled to $69.25 in cash for each share of TXU common stock held. The merger, which requires approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and completion of other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Upon completion of the acquisition, Mattress Firm will begin the process of transitioning Mattress Pro locations with new signage, its signature store format and expanded product selection.

Mattress Pro operates stores in major cities in Texas and Nevada and its partners include several individuals with past ties to Mattress Firm, including Mattress Firm co-founder Harry Roberts and former franchise owner Philip Busker.

The acquisition of the 35-location chain increases Mattress Firm’s market dominance in several cities, bringing store counts to 19 in Las Vegas, 26 in San Antonio, 23 in Austin, 47 in Dallas and 52 stores in Mattress Firm’s hometown of Houston. The acquisition expands Mattress Firm’s total store count nationwide to more than 440 stores in 36 markets across 21 states.

With impressive feats of aerial acrobatic artistry and eye-catching bold costumes and staging, this exciting production promises to “WOW” guests of all ages with its spectacular display of lights, sound, imagery and jaw-dropping performances.

Cirque Dreams Coobrila will come to life in Six Flags Over Texas’ 10,000-seat Music Mill Amphitheatre. The Amphitheatre has been completely transformed and reconfigured with multiple stages and performance runways designed to connect the performers with the audience for an intimate and engaging experience. An elaborate stage structure complements the special effects, fanciful illuminations and amazing displays of aerial artistry.

The word “Coobrila” was created by combining three key descriptive elements of the show: the outdoor performances will be presented at night when temperatures are COOler, illumination effects throughout the park will make the environment BRIghter, and the park’s operating hours will be LAter to maximize guest enjoyment. These elements also fuel the three principal characters of this new Cirque Dreams Production.

An international cast, including performers from North Texas, will showcase a variety of diverse talents, all highlighted by Cirque Productions’ signature style of wildly bizarre and creative costumes, original music and unlimited imagination — and all blended together to create the world of Cirque Dreams Coobrila, presented exclusively at Six Flags Over Texas! The Coobrila adventure runs June 16 through August 19 and begins each night at 9:30 p.m. For more information go to Sixflags.com .

Six Flags, Inc., founded in 1961, is the world’s largest regional theme park company. Six Flags, Inc. is a publicly-traded corporation (NYSE:SIX) headquartered in New York City.

The new DFW International Airport campaign is focused in several key strategic international cities and will be executed by an organization called “Visit DFW”. Visit DFW is a joint effort of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau. Theis new DFW International Airport marketing initiative will include both consumer and trade advertising and promotion–and will be focused in the countries of Mexico, South America and in Asia.

To fund the campaign, DFW will invest as much as $5 million in the first 18 months of the program. The money spent is going to be tracked for cost effectiveness as the effort progresses. Mexico currently represents the largest international market for DFW International Airport and is a major opportunity for DFW International Airport to increase market share. In addition, the Asian and South American marketing efforts will target the countries of China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

The bipartisan legislation, led by Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale (R – Tomball) and Senator Rodney Ellis (D – Houston), has over 85 co-authors and enjoys tremendous support from both ends of the political spectrum. Religious conservatives and liberal activists found common ground and formed an alliance to pass the legislation in Texas. The bill is similar to legislation that has already passed in 12 states and is currently pending in 15 others.

SB 247 would require the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS) to engage and possibly divest from certain companies doing business in Sudan who substantially benefit the central government, provide little benefit to Sudan’s citizens, and who have failed to address their role in indirectly facilitating Sudan’s genocide.

With an approximate value of $426 million in targeted fund holdings, the financial impact of the divestment effort on the Sudanese government is substantial. The amount represents about 0.59% of the assets under management by ERS & TRS.

Mark Hanis, Executive Director of the Genocide Intervention Network, said, “Today’s actions by the Texas House of Representatives, combined with overwhelming bi-partisan support for Senate Bill 247, establish the state of Texas as a leader in the fight against the first genocide of the 21st Century. Texans should be proud to help lead the world in making ‘Never Again’ a reality.”