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    A Bitcoin Bentley

    Houston restaurateur first in U.S. to buy Bentley with bitcoin from Tilman Fertitta's luxe dealership

    Eric Sandler
    Sep 17, 2018 | 3:48 pm
    Ken Bridge Bentley bitcoin
    Ken Bridge bought a Bentley with bitcoin.
    Photo by Violetta Alvarez

    Tilman Fertitta has found his first Bitcoin buyer. Less than two weeks after announcing that his car dealership, Post Oak Motor Cars, would accept the popular cryptocurrency for the purchase of a Rolls Royce, Bentley, or Bugatti, a local businessman has stepped up to turn his coins into a car.

    On September 17, Ken Bridge, the owner of local restaurant group Delicious Concepts (Ritual, Ready Room, Blackbird Izakaya, etc), used a portion of his bitcoin holdings to purchase a Bentley Continental GT. He appears to be the first person in the country to use cryptocurrency to purchase a vehicle from a dealership.

    “I have always had tremendous respect for Tilman and all that he has accomplished, and I wanted to demonstrate my support towards his pioneering efforts,” Bridge said in a statement. “Blockchain and crypto are undoubtedly the technologies of the future, and I applaud Tilman for making massive strives in Bitcoin consumerism.”

    Although the purchase price was not disclosed, Bridge tells CultureMap that his decision to invest in Bitcoin years ago means his cost in dollars is much lower than if he had paid for the car in cash. Although one coin is currently worth about $6,300 (down from its high late last year of almost $20,000), Bridge's early investments at lower valuations have paid off.

    "The first time I ever purchased bitcoin I bought in at $648 per unit," Bridge says. He later bought another block at a little over $1,200.

    "I try to take advantage of when Bitcoin is at low ends to buy different blocks," Bridge explains. Later, he adds, "I think that paints a pretty good picture of the advantages of [this method] of purchase."

    In fact, Bridge has become so enamored with cryptocurrencies that he's developed a new restaurant point-of-sale system that utilizes blockchain technology and its own coins. Dubbed Roobee, the system pairs with an app that allows users to order dishes from their phones. With each purchase, users earn a certain amount of Roobee Coin that they can redeem for goods and services at merchants on the platform. Ultimately, Bridge plans to let Roobee Coin holders trade them on cryptocurrency exchanges, which means the coins someone gets for purchasing gyoza at Blackbird Izakaya could someday be worth enough to buy a whole dinner at Ritual — or maybe even a luxury automobile.

    “Still today, most people remain unaware of the potential of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, and the global impact they will have on all of us in the very near future,” Bridge added in the release.

    That awareness grows with each major purchase, especially one as splashy as something off the Post Oak Motor Cars showroom floor.

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    flexible learning

    4 Houston-area universities have the best online degree programs in U.S.

    Amber Heckler
    Jan 28, 2026 | 3:00 pm
    Rice University
    Rice University/Facebook
    Getting your degree doesn't mean having to go to class in-person.

    Four Houston-area universities have earned well-deserved recognition in U.S. News & World Report's just-released rankings of the Best Online Programs for 2026.

    The annual rankings offer insight into the best American universities for students seeking a flexible and affordable way to attain a higher education. In the 2026 edition, U.S. News analyzed nearly 1,850 online programs for bachelor's degrees and seven master's degree disciplines: MBA, business (non-MBA), criminal justice, education, engineering, information technology, and nursing.

    Many of these local schools are also high achievers in U.S. News' separate rankings of the best grad schools.

    Rice University tied with Texas A&M University in College Station for the No. 3 best online master's in information technology program in the U.S., and its online MBA program ranked No. 21 nationally.

    The online master's in nursing program at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston was the highest performing master's nursing degree in Texas, and it ranked No. 19 nationally.

    Three different programs at The University of Houston were ranked among the top 100 nationwide:
    • No. 18 – Best online master's in education
    • No. 59 – Best online master's in business (non-MBA)
    • No. 89 – Best online bachelor's program
    The University of Houston's Clear Lake campus ranked No. 65 nationally for its online master's in education program.

    "Online education continues to be a vital path for professionals, parents, and service members seeking to advance their careers and broaden their knowledge with necessary flexibility," said U.S. News education managing editor LaMont Jones in a press release. "The 2026 Best Online Programs rankings are an essential tool for prospective students, providing rigorous, independent analysis to help them choose a high-quality program that aligns with their personal and professional goals."

    A little farther outside Houston, two more universities – Sam Houston State University in Huntsville and Texas A&M University in College Station – stood out for their online degree programs.

    Sam Houston State University

    • No. 5 – Best online master's in criminal justice
    • No. 30 – Best online master's in information technology
    • No. 36 – Best online master's in education
    • No. 77 – Best online bachelor's program
    • No. 96 – Best online master's in business (non-MBA)
    Texas A&M University
    • No. 3 – Best online master's in information technology (tied with Rice)
    • No. 3 – Best online master's in business (non-MBA)
    • No. 8 – Best online master's in education
    • No. 9 – Best online master's in engineering
    • No. 11 – Best online bachelor's program
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