Author Archives: Greg Wythe

Armstrong versus secondhand smoke

Posted on January 25, 2009 by Greg Wythe

The Chron had an interview earlier this week with Lance Armstrong, in which they discussed his current focus on getting a statewide ban on smoking in public places passed. Q: What made you want to join the Smoke-Free Texas initiative? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege, The great state of Texas | 3 Comments

The Speaker speaks

Posted on January 24, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Evan Smith had a sit-down with new Speaker Joe Straus, which was broadcast Thursday on KLRU in Austin. You can watch the video of it at that link; it’s a little less than 30 minutes. Straus has made a good … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on The Speaker speaks

Chron coverage of yesterday’s SBOE actions

Posted on January 24, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Here’s the Chron story about yesterday’s happenings at the State Board of Education, in which the good news was that the anti-science “strengths and weaknesses” language had been removed from the curriculum, and the bad news was that a subsequent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People, Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Not so Tolerance Bridge

Posted on January 24, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Remember Tolerance Bridge? When it was first announced, a lot of people expressed ambivalence (at best) about the name. Now the city has joined in on that. “It has too many hints of negativity,” said Councilman Jarvis Johnson. “It’s like … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Update on yesterday’s evolution happenings

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Greg Wythe

In the comments to yesterday’s post about the vote taken by the State Board of Education that stripped out “strengths and weaknesses” language about evolution, Martha noted that there was another vote on this to be taken today. I haven’t … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People, Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: We the people

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Greg Wythe

This just seems appropriate: And now a brief break from all the new music for a selection of patriotic tunes from my collection. 1. The Star Spangled Banner – Eddie from Ohio 2. America the Beautiful – Ray Charles 3. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Beware Lt. Govs bearing gifts

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Greg Wythe

On the surface, hearing that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst now favors tuition re-regulation sounds like a good thing. A lot of people, Democrats especially, have been screaming about this for months. But as always, the devil is in the details. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Beware Lt. Govs bearing gifts

More on Larry Swearingen

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Greg Wythe

I’ve blogged before about Larry Swearingen, who is on death row and is scheduled for execution on January 27 even though forensic evidence clearly demonstrates his innocence of the murder of Melissa Trotter. Multiple experts, including the Harris County medical … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

We have the beginnings of a budget

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Greg Wythe

And with it, some idea of how deep the hole is. Maintaining basic state services over the next two years will cost Texas almost $84 billion, $3.7 billion more in general revenue than the state expects to raise during that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on We have the beginnings of a budget

Evolution remains legal in Texas

Posted on January 22, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Whew! That was a close one. In a major defeat for evolution critics, a sharply divided State Board of Education voted Thursday to follow the advice of a panel of science educators and drop a long-time requirement that “weaknesses” in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People, Technology, science, and math | 7 Comments

When you look up “short-sighted” in the dictionary, this will be cited as an example

Posted on January 22, 2009 by Greg Wythe

That’s our Governor, for whom the expression “penny-wise and pound-foolish” is a way of life. Nearly a year ago, Gov. Rick Perry trumpeted $90 million in savings to businesses by temporarily suspending some of the burden of paying unemployment insurance … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

More on streetcars and sidewalks

Posted on January 22, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Andrew Burleson had a couple of good posts last week that followed up on Christof’s streetcar suggestions and my post about a KIrby light rail line. Here they are: West Gray Streetcar, in which he takes Christof’s concept for a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 6 Comments

UH-Downtown to move ahead with name change

Posted on January 22, 2009 by Greg Wythe

They still don’t know what they want to be called, however. School leaders are going ahead with plans to rename the University of Houston-Downtown, despite opposition from students, alumni and some faculty members. “If it has its own distinctive name, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

You there! Stop evolving this minute!

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Someone once said that no one’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session. I’d extend that observation to note that no one’s intelligence or education is safe when the SBOE is in session. For those … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on You there! Stop evolving this minute!

And now the real work begins

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Yesterday was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? (Well, for most of us, anyway.) I suspect there was a pretty big dip in productivity right around 11 AM at most workplaces. But now that the pomp is over, it’s time … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on And now the real work begins

Now how much would you pay for that toll road?

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Greg Wythe

So we still don’t know how much the Katy Freeway managed lanes will cost you to use. Harris County Commissioners are expected to consider a fee schedule and the opening date next month. The new lanes — two in each … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

Filing report: Noel Freeman

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Noel Freeman, who had been a candidate for the At Large #3 position in the May 2007 special election that was eventually won by Council Member Melissa Noriega, has sent out a press release saying he’ll officially file his Treasurer’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | 1 Comment

Whitehouse.gov

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Greg Wythe

I just love the way Whitehouse.gov looks now, on just about every level. And they have a blog, too, though as some people have noted, one without comments. Not that there’s anything terribly unusual about a commentless blog, mind you. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 7 Comments