Ad Industry Christmas Card (Charlie Brown Spoof)

Thanks to Heather Cobb for sending this my way!

Congrats to John Arensdorf, Spectra Energy Corp's New Chief Communications Officer

Arensdorf steps up at a time of multiple leadership shifts, as the company gets a new Chief Financial Officer, a new President and Chief Executive Officer and a new Board member.

Based here in the Bayou City, Spectra develops and operates pipelines in addition to natural gas gathering and processing, transporting, storing and distributing for North American markets.

Arensdorf was Baptized by fire as he spoke at the recent Wachovia Pipeline MLP Symposium. The forecast at Spectra? A solid growth position, as the company plows forward with expansion projects and bright prospects.

Houston Stores Spending Less on Christmas Decorations

It seems to start in April or May. The holly. The jingle bells. The--mysterious in Houston--fake snow. And by the time good old Christmas rolls around, even die hard Christmas fans like me are starting to develop a facial twitch upon hearing Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

But yule probably notice a little less of that this year, according to a recent article by the Houston Chronicle's David Kaplan. It seems like the combination of Hurricane Ike and an economic "cone of uncertainty" are driving area stores to spend less, and get more creative, when it comes to in-store holiday decorations.

The same could not be said for Harrods of London.