Monthly Archives: November 2002

EPA to relax clean air rules for utilities and refineries

Posted on November 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

From today’s Chron: The Bush administration today eased clean air rules to allow utilities, refineries and manufacturers to avoid having to install expensive new anti-pollution equipment when they modernize their plants. The long-awaited regulation issued by the Environmental Protection Agency … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on EPA to relax clean air rules for utilities and refineries

Burdine update

Posted on November 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The retrial of Calvin Burdine continues to be a total pooch-screw, as two attorneys that Judge Joan Huffman has assigned to assist his court-appointed counsel have been rejected by both Burdine and his lawyer. State District Judge Joan Huffman appointed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

UBS Warburg Energy to close Houston office

Posted on November 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

UBS Warburg, which bought out Enron Online for a share of future profits, is closing down its Houston office and letting go of most of the 380 people employed there. This closes out another chapter in Enron’s history. Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on UBS Warburg Energy to close Houston office

Barkley pays off

Posted on November 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Charles Barkley is a man of his word, and Kenny Smith managed to keep his dignity intact. Best damn pregame show ever, with the added bonus that I got to mute Jesse Ventura. The silliest part of the whole thing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Beating the Press

Posted on November 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin has been kind enough to note that I’ve beaten the Houston Press‘s Richard Connelly to the draw several times, so I’m happy to note that he’s done the same here. And I second the notion that Connelly should get … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Comments Off on Beating the Press

Lieback v. McDonald’s

Posted on November 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I knew if I brought up tort reform as I did in the previous post that someone would mention Liebeck v. McDonald’s, the infamous case in which a woman was awarded a multimillion dollar amount for spilling coffee on herself. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 24 Comments

Insurance reform looming

Posted on November 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Two Republican state Senators have prefiled legislation to deal with the insurance crisis in Texas. Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, and Sen. Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, prefiled a package of bills that would bring all insurers under rate regulation. Currently, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Grand jury probe focuses on Captain Aguirre

Posted on November 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Captian Mark Aguirre and an unnamed sergeant are the apparent targets of the grand jury investigation of the K-Mart Kiddie Roundup. “After reviewing all the evidence, my impression is that Aguirre and one other sergeant who is his right-hand man … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Grand jury probe focuses on Captain Aguirre

Health care blues

Posted on November 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Jay Zilber has a great rant about the state of health insurance and how it affects a self-employed person such as himself. [I]nstead of reflexively trotting out the old, weatherbeaten scare-arguments — which have been stripped down to PowerPoint bullet-point … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Comments Off on Health care blues

The kiss is tonight

Posted on November 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready, America – Charles Barkley is paying off his bet to kiss Kenny Smith’s ass tonight, though apparently it will be on the new TNT talk show Listen Up! instead of the TNT NBA pregame show as originally indicated. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on The kiss is tonight

The old switcheroo

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Before November 5, there was speculation that if the Republicans gained a 50-49-1 majority in the Senate that Lincoln Chafee would switch parties to leave the Senate in Democratic control. Switch talk is still alive, only now there are more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 1 Comment

What Would Jesus Drive?

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Jesus says “Don’t drive SUVs”. Well, a coalition of environmentally-conscious religious leaders say that Jesus says not to drive SUVs. I swear, even on issues I agree with, it gets harder every day to distinguish the news from The Onion. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

What I did for love

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

From today’s Chron: GALVESTON — The desperate pursuit of love from a man who demanded expensive gifts, lavish lifestyle and lots of money led a woman to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Gulf Greyhound Park dog track, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on What I did for love

Water fight brewing in San Antonio

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

A plan has been proposed to divert some water from the Guadeloupe River into the San Antonio Water System and two other water entities to meet its growing needs. This will put them in direct competition with the San Marcos … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 6 Comments

Score one for Mainstream Montgomery

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Perfectly Normal and It’s So Amazing, two books that had been temporarily removed from the shelves of the public libraries in Montgomery County have been returned after a newly expanded panel that reviews children’s books which have been challenged … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Score one for Mainstream Montgomery

Oh, well, that’s all right, then

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I’m at a loss for words after reading this interview with James Kopp, the man who shot and killed Dr. Barnett Slepian in his home in 1998: “The truth is not that I regret shooting Dr. (Barnett) Slepian. I regret … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 2 Comments

Grand jury convenes for K-mart investigation

Posted on November 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

A grand jury has been impaneled to investigate whether any police officers involved in the raid broke the law when conducting the mass arrest. As yet, no officers have been charged for their role. We’ll see how this plays out. Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Grand jury convenes for K-mart investigation

Dick Armey: Card-carrying ACLU member

Posted on November 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Now that he’s done his best to give a helping hand to pharmaceutical companies in the name of Homeland Security, what’s next for Dick Armey? Why, consulting for the ACLU, of course. It’s not as big a leap as it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 2 Comments

Homeland Security and autism

Posted on November 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

In what’s sure to be the first of many “victories” for the President, the Homeland Security bill has passed, with an amendment to strip a few odious favors to GOP benefactors being defeated on a mostly party-line vote, 52-47. Three … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Pay up, Chuck

Posted on November 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Before the Rockets-Lakers game on Sunday, Charles Barkley announced that if Yao Ming were to score as many as 19 points in any game this year, he’d kiss Kenny Smith’s ass on national TV. Well, it’s time to pay up, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 2 Comments

More on Libertarians and the GOP

Posted on November 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Walter in Denver, a Libertarian Party member, has some thoughts on the recent election: So, why do I, a partisan Libertarian, see a positive in Republican victory? After all, gridlock is the next best thing to libertarian government. It’s because … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on More on Libertarians and the GOP

Dept. of Anecdotal Evidence

Posted on November 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin offers his opinion of Heather Hurlburt’s article about the Democrats’ lack of strength on foreign policy as well as his personal experience: When I was working on a masters degree in defense and strategic studies, I can’t recall any … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Dept. of Anecdotal Evidence

Naughty words

Posted on November 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I’m in a class this week, learning Visual Basic for Microsoft’s .NET platform. Unlike some other classrooms I’ve been in, the computers in this one are connected to the outside world. Usually, training facilities leave classroom computers on an isolated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 3 Comments

Looking forward: Libertarians

Posted on November 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Jim Henley has some sharp words for libertarians regarding the Homeland Security Act and the Information Awareness Office. If you imagine yourselves as part of some coalition, ask yourself what you’re getting for your trouble. You lost HSD. You lost … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 11 Comments

RIP, Comdex?

Posted on November 17, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The long running granddaddy-of-them-all technology show Comdex is on the skids after a couple of bad years: But at the 23rd annual show, which starts Monday, the crowds will be smaller, the exhibit area more compact and the mood subdued. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 1 Comment

We’re not Number One!

Posted on November 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks in part to more favorable weather, Houston finished third in the Smoggiest City sweepstakes behind Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley. Take that, LA! Does this mean the air is cleaner? Don’t hold your breath, the experts say. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

Watkins resigns from Enron

Posted on November 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Sherron Watkins, the Enron vice president who wrote the infamous memo to Ken Lay in August of 2001 warning of her fear that the company was about to “collapse in a wave of accounting scandals”, has resigned her position with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 2 Comments

Wanted: Dead or alive

Posted on November 15, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Matt Yglesias writes about Tom Daschle’s criticism of George Bush in light of revelations that Osama bin Laden is likely still alive. First of all, I agree with Matt that they key to beating Bush is in making the case … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 1 Comment

The real question

Posted on November 15, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin Drum asks the real question about Martha Burk and the Augusta National golf club: Martha Burk is waging a war of ideas and words, not a legal battle, and her idea is simple: Augusta National is not the Girl … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 1 Comment

KIKK and KHJZ followup

Posted on November 15, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Last week I wrote about the demise of KIKK, which suddenly switched from its longstanding country music format to a “smooth jazz” playlist. That entry drew several comments from locals, so I thought I’d do a followup. First, to answer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 8 Comments

The Road to Surfdom

Posted on November 14, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Tim Dunlop has gone Movable Typing at a new address, so update your blogrolls and pay him a visit. Looking good, Tim. Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on The Road to Surfdom

The Sopranos

Posted on November 14, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

TalkLeft points me to this piece by Jay Caruso about the most recent episode of The Sopranos. I’m going to put this post under the More link, since it’s got a major spoiler if you haven’t seen the show yet … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 1 Comment

Obligatory Humor Dept.

Posted on November 14, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Headline in today’s Chron: Miss Cleo must make $500 million in customer bills vanish. Wait for it… The operators of Miss Cleo’s psychic hot line agreed today to cancel $500 million in customer bills to settle federal charges that the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 1 Comment

And you thought the national Democrats were rudderless

Posted on November 14, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Tim Fleck has a pretty damning article about the haplessness of the Harris County Democratic Party, which is basically 0 for the last three elections. It’s pretty ugly. I’m up to my ass in alligators right now, but rest assured … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on And you thought the national Democrats were rudderless