Monthly Archives: July 2002

Amy, don’t read this entry

Posted on July 25, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The NYT has a mouth-watering article about four great barbecue places near Austin. I’ve been to the Salt Lick in Driftwood several times, and I’m here to tell you, it’s worth every single artery-clogging calorie. I’m Pavloving right now just … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 3 Comments

Who’s your buddy?

Posted on July 24, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The House of Representatives voted 420-1 to expel James “There’s a dead opossum on my head!” Traficant from its esteemed body for being a lying, cheating scuzzball who had the temerity to get caught. Normally, when I see a vote … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Who’s your buddy?

The death penalty

Posted on July 24, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Two recent items have gotten me thinking about the death penalty. This article in The American Prospect talks about recent shifts in opinion on the death penalty. I find that sort of thing to be more wishful thinking than anything … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 9 Comments

Style points

Posted on July 24, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Jim Henley apparently didn’t much care for the light gray color of my text, and proffered the hope that I’d change from this default MT color to something else. Well, I did a little research on cascading style sheets, which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | Comments Off on Style points

TOCTWD

Posted on July 24, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Today was Take Our Children To Work Day here at the office. Last year’s event was so well-received that over 250 kids signed up to come in today at three different locations. I was roped into volunteering to work for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 1 Comment

Time warp news

Posted on July 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I work as an email administrator. Today my boss forwarded this link about HP dealing with employee email abuse in Britain and Ireland to our team as an FYI. What’s surprising about this is not that a company might take … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 2 Comments

Single publication rule upheld

Posted on July 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

My dad sent me word about this recent decision by the NY State Appellate Court, in which the “single publication” provision of libel law was upheld. “Single publication” means “the publication of a defamatory statement in single issue of a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

How’s by you?

Posted on July 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I made a note last week to comment on Meryl Yourish’s link lament. I was amused by it, as I think most people were, but I was a little disappointed that no one mentioned Allan Sherman and his little ode … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 3 Comments

The transition

Posted on July 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve had some requests for details on the steps it took me to transition everything to the new domain and blog editor. I’ve still got a number of things on my to-do list – importing my Blogger archives, getting categories … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 1 Comment

Operation Moon Rocks

Posted on July 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The FBI has busted up a moon-rock-selling operation by arresting four former employees of Johnson Space Center in a sting operation. Sometimes, when the Dow is again in the crapper, and there’s not much interesting going on at work or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Operation Moon Rocks

Come see the violence inherent in the system!

Posted on July 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Ted Barlow has the goods on the threat of violence from unhinged gymnastics fans. Check it out. Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Come see the violence inherent in the system!

Even his driver’s license picture looks better than this

Posted on July 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t made up my mind yet about whether proposed national standards for getting a driver’s license are a good thing or a step down the slippery slope. I just wanted to point out that this picture of Tom Ridge … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 2 Comments

Problem resolved

Posted on July 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Ginger and Ann were kind enough to inform me, via comments and blog entry, that my permalinks were bollixed up. It’s fixed now – I had a bad directory structure listed in my config. Sorry about that! Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | Comments Off on Problem resolved

A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon

Posted on July 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Tiffany and I spent a few hours today as the guests of Spec’s Liquor Warehouse at the Texas Package Store Association (TPSA) convention at the Westin Galleria hotel. This article from the 2000 TPSA shindig should give you some idea … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon

So where’s the flood?

Posted on July 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Despite dire warnings about a “flood” of death row inmates demanding IQ tests, since the Supreme Court halted executions of the mentally retarded exactly one death row inmate out of over 450 in Texas has petitioned to have his sentence … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Calling Ginger Stampley!

Posted on July 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a review of the new Rhino collection Like, Omigod! The ’80s Pop Culture Box (Totally). It looks like a winner. A few comments: Due presumably to licensing issues, not everyone who should be represented in this collection … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 5 Comments

Welcome

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to the all-new Off the Kuff. I’ve said my goodbye on Blogspot, now I’ll say hello on my brand-spanking-new domain. This is very much a work in progress – I’m not sure I want to stick with this color … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 6 Comments

Goodbye, yellow brick road

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

With much gratitude to Larry for the following appropriate sendoff. Eat your heart out, George Clooney. This is a blog of constant sorrow I’ve seen errors all my day. I bid farewell to old Blogspot The place where this was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Goodbye, yellow brick road

Seemed like a good idea at the time

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

From the news wires: A Gaelic football team has been disbanded after players were caught on a hotel security camera playing pool naked during a late night drinking session. County Roscommon’s Gaelic Athletic Association said the drastic decision to sack … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 2 Comments

MPAA, RIAA, it’s all the same to me

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Following the brilliantly successful and customer-endearing strategy of the RIAA, the MPAA is taking steps to crack down on those who swap digital movie files online. Look, I’m not going to defend piracy. Maybe the recording industry really has been … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on MPAA, RIAA, it’s all the same to me

Out of my reach

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I’d been meaning to blog this article from the MIT Technology Review magazine which describes why software is so bloated and buggy for awhile now. Among other things, they quoted my buddy Dan Wallach. Unfortunately, it seems they’ve gone to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on Out of my reach

Meanwhile, from a secure undisclosed location…

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Vice President Dick Cheney was in town to deny allegations of wrongdoing during his tenure as CEO of Halliburton, to support notorious judicial activist Priscilla Owen, and oh yeah, to campaign for John Cornyn in his Senate race against Ron … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Meanwhile, from a secure undisclosed location…

Baby, it’s hot outside

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Football coaches, especially in Texas, are taking extra steps to protect their players during practice. Sadly, every year a few kids drop dead from heat exhaustion. Everyone was shocked when the Minnesota Vikings’ Korey Stringer died in training camp last … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Baby, it’s hot outside

Blog spam

Posted on July 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

To the folks who sent me a note announcing their new blog: First, I suppose I should thank you for cospamming me along with the likes of Josh Marshall, Glenn Reynolds, and Tom Tomorrow. I don’t get mentioned in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Blog spam

Take two

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

This is a second test to see if the blog body will increase in size. I want to get all the archive and link stuff off to the right rather than underneath. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Is this thing on?

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

This is a test of Movable Type. If this had been…oh, hell, you know the drill. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Is this thing on?

Best British Blog competition

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, Avedon! If a few of your friends here on this side of the pond help to stuff the ballot box generate support for your weblog in the Best British Blogs contest, will you buy us all a round with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Best British Blog competition

Think Different!

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Apple has found the perfect spokesperson for their Switch campaign. Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on Think Different!

Another contender

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Former City Councilman Joe Roach has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2003 Mayoral race. “I am running for mayor,” said Roach, 41. “I moved to Houston in 1963. My father helped start NASA here. Houston has given … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 4 Comments

Alternatives to baseball

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re looking for alternatives to baseball this weekend, the Chron has a couple for you: The second International Double Wicket Cricket Tournament is going on at the Astrodome, and the 25th World Series of Dog Shows is right next … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Alternatives to baseball

Another successful Houston blogmeet

Posted on July 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

This time the political bloggers outnumbered the personal bloggers. We had a smallish crowd at Cahill’s pub last night, but we hung out, drank a fair amount of beer, and yakked for nearly three hours. Though the H-Town Blogs group … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Another successful Houston blogmeet

Tough times continue in Central Texas

Posted on July 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Man, it just sucks to be dependent on the tourist industry sometimes: The Guadalupe River could be closed to tubing and other recreation below the Canyon Dam for the rest of the year, compounding the economic hardships wrought by the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Get the cheese, the wine’s on its way

Posted on July 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

From the bidness section of today’s Chron: A judge’s ruling brings University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray a couple of steps closer to sipping what he calls “nature’s great gift to the world” without having to retreat to his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Get the cheese, the wine’s on its way

Priscilla Owen, judicial activist

Posted on July 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

President Bush is lobbying for Priscilla Owen, a Texas Supreme Court judge and nominee for the federal bench, to get a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee. You can argue about whether the Committee is being needlessly obstructionist or just … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Priscilla Owen, judicial activist