Monthly Archives: December 2002

A season for giving

Posted on December 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Forty-eight families donated $34 million to the Texas GOP this year, more than half of the $64 million total that the state party raised. I’m not going to act all shocked and indignant about this. “GOP gets big bucks from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 1 Comment

Throw in a large order of fries and you’ve got a deal

Posted on December 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

This, from Jonathan Feigen’s NBA notebook, is exactly what’s wrong with salary caps, in a nutshell: Though he has not played this season and likely will never play again, the Raptors are shopping Hakeem Olajuwon. There does not seem to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Mount Union beats Trinity

Posted on December 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to Mount Union for their impressive win over my Trinity Tigers in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. The Purple Raiders won their third straight national championship and sixth in seven years with a dominating 48-7 victory. Senior running back … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Picture Yourself

Posted on December 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Congrats to Christine for the blurb in the NYT about her self-portrait site Picture Yourself. Here’s the relevant bit for those who don’t feel like registering a bogus logon ID: Self-portraits in words abound on the Web. Now a visual … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Picture Yourself

New frontiers in sports

Posted on December 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve been hearing all along how streaming video on the Internet is going to be the Next Big Thing. Well, Rice University sure hopes so – they just signed a deal to have their basketball and baseball games broadcast in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 3 Comments

What to do with the Dome?

Posted on December 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

So now that we have the shiny and new Reliant Stadium for football, the Rodeo, and presumably monster truck rallies, what shall we do with the erstwhile Eighth Wonder of the World, the Astrodome? Well, State Rep. Ron Wilson has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 6 Comments

Survey says

Posted on December 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the results after one full day of the Who Is Atrios poll: Name Votes Pct ============================= Mahir! 50 27% Sidney Blumenthal 32 17% Bob Shrum 21 11% Mickey Kaus 18 9% Christopher Hitchens 17 9% Mark V. Shaney … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Survey says

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Stagg Bowl

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Less than 24 hours to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the championship game of Division III football. My alma mater, the Trinity Tigers, have the Herculean task of defeating the Mount Union Purple Raiders, by far the best college football … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 9 Comments

Viva prairie dogs!

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a great day for prairie dog fans, as the city of Lubbock has approved a plan to relocate 15,000 of the critters instead of exterminating them from their current home in a wastewater treatment area. Full coverage of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Feds examining Fastow and Lay families

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this yesterday: Federal prosecutors have brought testimony before the grand jury about Lea Fastow, wife of indicted exec Andy Fastow. They have also interrogated Ken Lay’s adult children, though only about Kenny Boy himself. There had been speculation for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Feds examining Fastow and Lay families

Transsexuals

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Ted Barlow has a fascinating post about the mating strategies of straight vs. gay male transsexuals. Go check it out. Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Comments Off on Transsexuals

Instalanche, bah

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

If there were any doubt that Atrios is the Liberal Instapundit, I can offer some pretty conclusive evidence. Since he posted an announcement of my poll at a little after 9 AM CST, I’ve gotten over 400 hits. That’s 400 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Instalanche, bah

Lott Steps Down

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Trent Lott has just announced that he will not seek the Majority Leader post. Good riddance. I think he realized that this story wasn’t going away. Looks like it’ll be Bill Frist replacing him. Wanna bet Frist will be hailed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Lott Steps Down

The immigrant roundup

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with Atrios, this post on eRiposte about the mass arrest of immigrants who had responded to an INS request to come in for some paperwork processing is a must read. This is bad on many levels, and it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on The immigrant roundup

Lott and Hispanics

Posted on December 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Remember how Bush and Rove’s grand strategy was to woo Hispanic voters to the GOP? Well, so far many of them are not impressed by the President’s reaction to L’Affaire Lott: “It doesn’t look good for Senator Lott … but … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

The Truth Is Out There

Posted on December 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Many have speculated about the identity of Atrios, also known as the man behind the Mighty Casio and the Liberal Instapundit. Well, I say there’s only one way to find out: It’s poll time! Go vote at the right and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 6 Comments

Could budget problems slow the War on Drugs?

Posted on December 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Holofernes points me to this NYT story about how state budget battles are affecting the War on Some Drugs and other crimes: After three decades of building ever more prisons and passing tougher sentencing laws, politicians now see themselves as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Could budget problems slow the War on Drugs?

Drinking and driving

Posted on December 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

According to the Chron, “the rate of alcohol-related traffic deaths in Texas has declined 63 percent in the last 20 years”, from 2.24 per 100 million vehicle miles travelled to 0.83. That’s good news, right? Not if you’re MADD: “The … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 3 Comments

Hampton suspended for Stagg Bowl

Posted on December 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Trinity University has suspended All-America quarterback Roy Hampton for the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl that will determine the Division III football champion. “He is no longer with the team in any way,” Trinity Athletics Director Bob King said. “We have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 2 Comments

Trentless Thursday

Posted on December 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of Alex, Off the Kuff will be a Lott-free zone for today. Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Comments Off on Trentless Thursday

Enron Broadband coughs up back taxes

Posted on December 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

My buddy Binkley points to this story about Enron Broadband Services copping to a charge of avoiding over $1 million in taxes. A Harris County grand jury indicted Enron Broadband Services on Monday for claiming that a North Shepherd warehouse … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Enron Broadband coughs up back taxes

Chafee to Trent: Step down

Posted on December 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee says to Trent Lott “Put down the Majority Leadership, and slowly back away.” “I think the biggest problem has been that his apologies haven’t connected,” Chafee told WPRO-AM. But “the only way to have a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

Lincoln v. Calhoun

Posted on December 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin points me to this NRO article which addresses the question “what is it that Republicans really stand for?” I don’t agree with his assessment of what Democrats stand for, but it’s an interesting read nonetheless. One quibble: It was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 2 Comments

Whither the WNBA

Posted on December 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Justin Slotman has been your one-stop-shopping center for all things WNBA lately. Unfortunately, as he notes here, it’s been mostly bad. Two franchises have folded and will either find new homes or have their players dispersed throughout the league. The … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Test your hoax IQ

Posted on December 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The Museum of Hoaxes has a quiz to test your knowledge of hoax photos. I got seven out of ten on both Level One and the harder Level Two. Try it for yourself. Via Mark Evanier. Continue reading →

Posted in Skepticism | 1 Comment

Trinity update

Posted on December 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

It just gets weirder: An assistant coach was also busted along with star quarterback Roy Hampton. Offensive backs coach Mike Burton “was charged with interfering with the duties of a public servant” stemming from Hampton’s arrest. He was released on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Party on down to the station house

Posted on December 17, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Argh. My Trinity Tigers clinch a spot in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and the next thing I know their star quarterback is arrested for public intoxication while out celebrating on the Riverwalk. Help, I’m trapped in an After School … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Party on down to the station house

So what have term limits accomplished?

Posted on December 17, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Chron politics writer John Williams asks a simple question: “Can you list tangible evidence that Houston has benefited as the result of term limits that voters approved in 1991?” He asks several term limits proponents, and not too surprisingly, gets … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 9 Comments

A little humor

Posted on December 17, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Take a break and look at some funny roadside photos. Work safe, standard beverage warning applies. Gave me a Quicktime install prompt, which I cancelled, so do be aware of that. Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on A little humor

Rose redux

Posted on December 17, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Some people were a lot harsher on Pete Rose and his possibly reentry into baseball than I was. Derek Zumsteg at the Baseball Prospectus, who has really dogged Rose and his dupessupporters, minces no words: Pete Rose is scum. His … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Rose redux

Luxury camping

Posted on December 17, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Scott Chaffin gets a nice mention in the San Antonio Express-News in a story about His Tiny Biz, a luxury campground called Buck’s on the Brazos. Now, as a born-and-bred citified Yankee boy, I’m a world-class tenderfoot. To steal a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

What Trent Lott might have said

Posted on December 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Alex points me to this interpretation of Trent Lott’s recent poor-choice-of-words. Author Lew Rockwell does not claim that Lott believes what Rockwell writes, nor does he suggest that choosing these words would have kept Lott out of the soup. He … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 5 Comments

The mistletoe king

Posted on December 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story in the Chron about Robert “Speedy” Tiemann, a West Texas rancher who claims to be the primary provider of fresh mistletoe in the United States. Check it out. Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Not Gore in 2004

Posted on December 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Well, it’s official. We won’t have Al Gore to kick around in 2004, as he has announced that he is not a candidate for President. Part of me is sorry to see this, as I think he’s still the best … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 5 Comments