Five stories that have North Texas talking:The question Texans googled more than any other state is “Where is the internet?”; once again Exxon Mobil rejected climate change proposals; craft beer has transitioned from trend to trademark in D-FW; and more.
Am I cool? When is Jesus coming? Who qualifies for Medicaid? Do zombies exist?
What do these questions have in common? They are some of the most frequent searches Texans entered into Google since 2004. That’s according to real estate site, Estately. Here’s how the site came to that conclusion: “Using Google Autocomplete we compiled hundreds of the most common questions Americans type into the Google search bar. We ran those searches through Google Trends to determine which state queried each of these selected searches the most over the past 12 years.”
The question Texans googled more than any other state and Washington D.C. was “Where is the internet?”
Note from Estately: The questions listed for each state does not represent what each state googled the most, but rather the searches each state googled more frequently than the other 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Here’s hoping Texans found their answers. Read more. [Estately]
- Revisit the devastation endured by residents of the Texas Flash Flood Alley one year ago. A long read in Texas Monthly by Dallas-based writer Jamie Thompson recounts the horror of Memorial Day weekend last year when a storm passed through Wimberley, Texas, causing the Blanco River to overflow, knock out power and rip homes — and families inside them —apart. Here’s an excerpt from “When the River Rises.” [Texas Monthly]
“Then they heard a thunderous crack, and the house trembled. A cypress tree must have crashed into the house, Jonathan thought. The floor shifted, and Jonathan realized, with horror, that the house was moving. The entire structure—with them in it—had broken free of its pilings and was floating.”
- Environmentalists are not surprised Exxon Mobil, the Irving-based oil company, nixed several climate change resolutions. Although shareholders failed to pass the majority of the resolutions at the annual meeting, one key proposal went through. KERA’s Stephanie Kuo reported: “It would allow even small-scale investors to have more influence over who gets put on the board. The company has tried to suppress this so-called "proxy access" measure in the past, saying it would make the company more vulnerable to special interest groups. Environmental activist shareholders could potentially restructure the board and force the oil company to drift away from fossil fuels, its core revenue stream.” Read more. [KERA News]
- Craft beer is alive and well in North Texas. Eleven new breweries are planning to open before the end of the year, Dallas Observer reported. If you live in Dallas, the only new spot coming your way is Steam Theory Brewing Co. on Lower Greenville this fall. Dallas Observer reported owners Chuck Homola and Jonathan Barrows hope to have as many as 24 house brews, rotating them seasonally. Steam Theory will also serve food from executive chef Michael Weinstein. Check out the other breweries set to open in Fort Worth, Denton, Addison, Rockwall and more. [Dallas Observer]
- New to Texas? You’re gonna need to study up before it’s official. Texas Monthly writer Andrea Valdez penned a guidebook for newcomers called, “How to Be a Texan.” Read if this description speaks to you: “There are certain things every Texan should know how to do and say, whether your Lone Star roots reach all the way back to the 1836 Republic or you were just transplanted here yesterday. Some of these may be second nature to you, but others...well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a few handy hints if, say, branding the herd or hosting a tamalada aren’t your usual pastimes.” On a Thursday’s “Think,” host Krys Boyd spoke with Valdez about her new book. Listen to the conversation. [Think]