Category Archives: Websurfing

What’s going on at the Houston Landing?

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever it is, it’s not great. Before the Houston Landing even had a name, it was already powered by one of the biggest investments in any single nonprofit local news startup. A full year before launch, the project had secured … Continue reading →

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Say goodbye to 2023, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As I mentioned yesterday, we do have some traditions at this here weblog, and the Mel Torme Christmas story is one of them. 2023 was a year, that’s for sure, and 2024, well, we’d probably do best to keep our … Continue reading →

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Project Texas versus Project Texas

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s gotta suck. Kendall Hill was in a meeting at Pegasus Park as TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in front of Congress on March 23. As Chew spoke to U.S. officials, Hill received a vague message from a friend. … Continue reading →

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The Texas Observer lives again

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Now here’s some good news. The board of the Texas Democracy Foundation, the nonprofit parent organization of the Texas Observer,  on Wednesday voted unanimously to rescind its earlier plan to lay off the 68-year-old magazine’s entire staff and cease publication. “This is … Continue reading →

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RIP, Texas Observer (maybe?)

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A real shame, and a real loss. The Texas Observer, the storied progressive publication known for its feisty, combative and often humorous investigative journalism, is shutting down and will lay off its 17-person staff, including 13 journalists, several members of … Continue reading →

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Say goodbye to 2022, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

We have our traditions at this here weblog, and this is one of them. Enjoy, as I know you will, my favorite Christmas story. And may 2023 be better than 2022. Stay safe and warm and be well, y’all.

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Say goodbye to 2021, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We have our traditions at this here weblog, and this is one of them. Enjoy, as I know you will, my favorite Christmas story. And may 2022 be better than 2021. Stay safe and be well, y’all.

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It’s never to early to wish you all a good night

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And yet another viewing of my favorite Christmas Eve video: May you have a safe and joyous holiday. See you on the flip side.

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Say goodbye to 2020, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You know the story by now, my favorite Christmas story ever. If you know it, treat yourself and read it again. If you don’t know it, if you’re new here and you have no idea what I’m talking about, go … Continue reading →

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I’ll have a Mel Torme Christmas, please

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

You know the story by now, my favorite Christmas story ever. If you know it, treat yourself and read it again. If you don’t know it, if you’re new here and you have no idea what I’m talking about, go … Continue reading →

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Mel Torme once again wishes you a Merry Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You know the story by now, my favorite Christmas story ever. If you know it, treat yourself and read it again. If you don’t know it, if you’re new here and you have no idea what I’m talking about, go … Continue reading →

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And so I offer you this Mel Torme Christmas story

Posted on December 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Every year on Christmas Day, I link to my favorite Christmas story, which stars Mel Torme. This has been a rough year in many ways, but reading that story always makes me happy, and I hope it will do the … Continue reading →

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Snopes’ world

Posted on December 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

These are busy times for fact checkers. The last line of defense against the torrent of half-truths, untruths and outright fakery that make up so much of the modern internet is in a downscale strip mall near the beach. Snopes, … Continue reading →

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It isn’t Christmas without Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Every year on Christmas Day, I link to my favorite Christmas story, which stars Mel Torme. It is often shamelessly ripped off a lot, which is a Bad Thing that one Should Not Do. So click over and read it, … Continue reading →

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Wednesday video break: A visit from St. Nicholas

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Still my favorite rendition of this classic poem: And now I’ve got to dash away as well. Merry Christmas to all, and I’ll see you on the flip side.

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Tracking city performance

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. The City of Houston launched a website Monday pulling from a massive database of 311 service requests that allows visitors to create custom graphs counting everything from bad tasting water and missed yard waste pickups to storm sewer odors and traffic signal timing. The site also includes links to the … Continue reading →

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Tuesday video break: With how much care are your stockings hung?

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Christmas Eve, y’all. You know what that means. I’ll post the Mel Torme story tomorrow. Until then, Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

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First Hackathon project released

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Budget Bootcamp, a new city website application that provides easy access to city budget information, is the first Houston Hackathon project to become reality.  Budget Bootcamp is hosted on the Finance Department’s website and provides citizens an educational walkthrough of the … Continue reading →

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The Houston Hackathon

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Mayor’s office: Houston Mayor Annise Parker today announced the City of Houston will host a 24-hour “Open Innovation Hackathon” on May 17-18 at the Houston Technology Center and at Start Houston. A hackathon is a day-long event in … Continue reading →

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BeCoveredTexas.org

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The insurance exchanges are coming. Whether we get some form of “Medicaid” expansion or not, this will be a key part of bringing health insurance to many currently uninsured Texans. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, the state’s largest health … Continue reading →

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Check your DNS

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Your computer may be infected with a virus that will cause it to lose connectivity to the Internet in July. For computer users, a few mouse clicks could mean the difference between staying online and losing Internet connections this summer. … Continue reading →

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Pinterest

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Rachel brings up a topic that I admit had not occurred to me. Raise your hand if you’ve heard of Pinterest. Chances are, if you’re a woman, your hand is up right now. Chances are, if you’re a man, you … Continue reading →

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From the “More things you need to be slightly paranoid about” department

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like a new domain suffix to remind you of the potential for creative malfeasance. The University of Kansas is buying up website names such as www.KUgirls.xxx and www.KUnurses.xxx. But not because it’s planning a Hot Babes of Kansas site … Continue reading →

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A Survey of Uses and Users of Online Sources of Political Information

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have been asked to pass along the following survey of uses and users of online sources of political information by researcher Tom Johnson, who tells me that “the vast majority of our survey respondents [so far] have been conservatives” … Continue reading →

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One more time, Merry Christmas, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Every year on Christmas Day, I link to my favorite Christmas story, which stars Mel Torme. Apparently, this story is so popular now that it gets ripped off a lot, which sure seems to be contrary to the Christmas spirit … Continue reading →

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Social media guidelines in San Antonio

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. There’s no standard policy or set of procedures governing how public entities or their employees should use social networking sites. Agencies are in various stages of evaluating what constitutes proper online conduct. Bexar County is writing a social media … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: That was the year that was

Posted on January 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For one last look back at 2009, via the folks at Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, here is Videogum‘s roundup of the year’s best viral videos. Top that, 2010.

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Charging for Twitter

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure something like this will eventually happen. Twitter Inc.’s co-founders say the rapidly growing online communications company will eventually charge fees for its services, but it’s unclear which ones and what will drive revenue. “There will be a moment … Continue reading →

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Tweet it! The cops!

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

New frontiers in social networking and law enforcement. Milwaukee’s department is one of a growing number of police and fire agencies turning to social networking Web sites such as Twitter, which lets users send text-message “tweets” to a mass audience … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Tweet it! The cops!

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

New frontiers in social networking and law enforcement. Milwaukee’s department is one of a growing number of police and fire agencies turning to social networking Web sites such as Twitter, which lets users send text-message “tweets” to a mass audience … Continue reading →

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Texas lawmakers on Twitter

Posted on March 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Elise Hu has compiled a list of elected officials in Austin who use Twitter, for those of you who are into such things. It’s a shorter list than I would have expected, but I’ll bet it grows before the legislative … Continue reading →

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Texas lawmakers on Twitter

Posted on March 4, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Elise Hu has compiled a list of elected officials in Austin who use Twitter, for those of you who are into such things. It’s a shorter list than I would have expected, but I’ll bet it grows before the legislative … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Non-profit social media

Posted on January 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Ever wonder if your favorite Houston non-profit does social media? The Commit for Life blog rounds up the various social media sites for the local orgs. Check it out, and tell them who they might have missed. (My contribution to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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And may all your Christmases be white

Posted on December 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Not gonna happen here in Houston, but no matter. Merry Christmas to all anyway. Thanks to Mark Evanier for the link. Continue reading →

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