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Presents real estate-related news items in Houston, Texas for the week August 28-September 3, 1998. Includes Koll Real Estate Group's purchase of Puget of Texas Inc.'s portfolio; Construction of retirement and assisted living facilities by out-of-state developers; Office building project planned by The Redstone Group.

Reports that architect Mark Wamble is taking an adjunct professor position with Harvard University in the fall of 1998. Splitting time between teaching at Rice University and working at Willis, Bricker & Cannday; Projects in Houston, Texas; Career in the academe.

Presents news items about the real estate business in Houston, Texas as of August 21, 1998. Includes Germany-based Vortisch Holdings LP's purchase of Bissonnet Building from Beal Bank; Dallas-based Dalcor Realty LLC's acquisition of Houston multifamily properties from Westchaste Multifamily LP of New York; Houston Industries Inc.'s deal to lease space in downtown's Travis Tower.

Notes developments concerning real estate in Texas as of August 20, 1998. Includes business openings at the state's Beltway 8 highway; RREEF Funds' acquisition of Freeport Distribution Center; BindView Development's subleasing of office space in its San Felipe Plaza location.

Provides tips when using an executive search firm or an employment agency to fill up important corporate positions. Distinction between the two types of personnel services; Specific skills; Availability of technically trained workers; Scope of the assignment; Performance bonus; Interim management's role; Benefits being provided by the agency to its workers.

Discloses that fraud investigations and forensic analysis are among the fastest-growing niches in the accounting profession in the United States, according to accountant and certified fraud examiner Joseph B. Nelson. Focus of normal fraud auditing; Factors contributing to the proliferation of white collar crime.

Features the Continental Airlines Inc., the ninth biggest publicly listed company in Houston, Texas based on fiscal 1997 revenues. Stock price from January 1997 to May 1998; Strategic partnerships with other airlines; Awards and accolades from industry watchers and customers.

Features the EOTT Energy Corp., the eighth biggest publicly listed company in Houston, Texas based on fiscal 1997 revenues. Stock price from January 1997 to May 1998; Involvement in the energy industries; Capital expenditures; Financial performance.

Features the Coastal Corp., the sixth biggest publicly listed company in Houston, Texas based on fiscal 1997 revenues. Stock price from January 1997 to May 1998; Development of the natural gas business in North America; Boom in the exploration and production side of the business.

Features the NGC Corp., the fifth biggest publicly listed company in Houston, Texas based on fiscal 1997 revenues. Stock price from January 1997 to May 1998; Involvement in energy industries; Effect of merger activity on the firm's operations.

Features the Marathon Group, the third biggest publicly listed company in Houston, Texas based on fiscal 1997 revenues. Stock price from January 1997 to May 1998; Praise for the company's return on investment; Petroleum projects and ventures overseas.

Focuses on Premier Scotland Vacations Inc. which has extended its operations in Texas to offer tours to Scotland. Types of package tours offered.

Reports on the participation of contractors in the bidding for the Ballpark at Union Station in Houston, Texas even during the existence of concrete shortage in the city.

Focuses on car dealerships' efforts to attract more customers for their car leasing operations. Increase in popularity of lease vehicles.

Focuses on the risks associated with the car rental business in the United States as of April 17, 1998. Importance for car rental customers of purchasing collision damage waivers (CDWs); Rental car companies' efforts to increase safety awareness among their clients.

Reports on the growth of Maureen Rhemann's Houston, Texas-based management consulting firm Telecommunications & Business Strategies Group Ltd. Use of technology to maximize resources; Company's winning of a ten-year contract from the US General Services Administration; Offer of consulting services in telecommunications and strategic market planning.

Describes the efforts of former gymnast Jerry Burrell in forming the High Impact Squad, a group providing basketball entertainment in the United States. Acro-dunking concept used by the group; Average number of shows performed by the squad annually; Educational entertainment offered by the squad to middle school students.

Reports the improved bikeways to be completed by the year 2000 in Houston, Texas. Information on Houston's adopted comprehensive bikeway plan in 1993; Other bikeway projects of the state; Other projects supporting the bikeways.

Profiles the Southwest Museum Services in United States. How the museum's exhibit-fabricating business started; Other branches of the museum; View of the company's owner Bill Griggs on the exhibit-fabricating business; Innovative products of Griggs.

Provides information Remedy Intelligent Staffing, one of the handful of firms that gets into employees behavioral testing in the United States. Techniques to find out where people fit; Benefit of the test.

Looks at Outsource Financial Inc.'s use of technology in offering small businesses a way to outsource their accounting functions. Larry Rice as the owner of the company; AccuLink software as the key to the company's efficient service; Description of how their service works.

Looks at the potential impact of the proposed mergers involving Ernst & Young, KPMG Peat Marwick, Coopers & Lybrand and Price Waterhouse on the accounting industry in the United States. Effect of creating four major institutions in the industry; Issue of possible conflicts of interest; Question of whether enough large firms will remain to serve existing large companies.

Focuses on the opening of Headwear Etc., a specialty shop that sells hats, wraps, scarves and wigs to cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy in October 1997. Company history; Suggested retail prices of headpieces; Various headwear presentations at M.D. Anderson Rotary House International in Houston, Texas.

Reports that Applied Training Resources has received the 1997 Chemical Processing Vaaler Award for the Procedure Maker software. Functions and features of the software; Purpose of the award; Comments from Elliot Lander, Applied's president and chief executive officer, on the award.

Focuses on the benefits of hiring an employment agency for fast-growing companies in the United States. Roles of employment agencies and executive search firms; Importance of determining the company's needs when selecting an agency; Need for employers to determine the benefits that an agency can provide to workers.