Monthly Archives: May 2003

Powerball still in limbo

Posted on May 31, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like I may have spoken too soon about Powerball. The House and Senate have not agreed on a bill to authorize it yet, and the clock is ticking. If the two chambers can’t agree on lottery by Monday, dreams … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 4 Comments

And starring as…

Posted on May 31, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Gunther Concept, who avoids the Blogger permalink problem by not having permalinks enabled at all, has what I think is the proper response to the news that a made for TV movie about 9/11 is going to show Dubya … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 1 Comment

Faint, fading, and the FCC

Posted on May 30, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t been beating the drums over the FCC’s proposed rules to allow even more media consolidation, but it’s gaining a reasonable amount of attention. This article raises an interesting question: Here’s a quiz for you: Name the best-known and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 1 Comment

Tell us how you really feel

Posted on May 30, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Jim Henley works up a pretty heavy froth over the current state of affairs in Iraq. Go read it and see if you get as angry as he does. Here’s an idle question to chew on, by the way. Team … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | Comments Off on Tell us how you really feel

Go west, young man

Posted on May 30, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

John McKay and Kos have both made some interesting points about the Western states and the Democrats’ prospects there in the near term and farther out. Check them out, and be sure to read Kos’ comments. Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on Go west, young man

Yard sign silliness

Posted on May 30, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The top story in today’s Chron is about a dustup over yard signs between a homeowner and the neighborhood association. The way Michael Skadden sees it, there is little difference between a sign supporting Bill White for mayor and one … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Governor utters the “S” word

Posted on May 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Governor Perry has declared his intent to call a special legislative session, but not for any of the issues (budget, school finance, redistricting) that have been anticipated so far. He’s vowed to keep legislators in Austin until they pass a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on Governor utters the “S” word

Council passes “unconstitutional” law

Posted on May 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes, I just don’t know what to make of our City Council. Yesterday, they passed an anti-prostitution law which they themselves acknowledge is unconstitutional and a surefire bet to be challenged in court. Under the ordinance, effective within five days, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 3 Comments

Why we fought

Posted on May 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t want to be the last blogger on the planet to link to Billmon’s collection of quotes from Team Bush about why we invaded Iraq. You shouldn’t be the last blog reader to see what he’s got. Once you’ve … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 2 Comments

The Green[e]house Reloaded

Posted on May 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Congrats to Greg Greene of The Green[e]house Effect for getting his own domain and doing the Movable Type migration. Update those bookmarks and drop in to say Hi. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on The Green[e]house Reloaded

Out of the House

Posted on May 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Kevin Bailey (D-Houston) has announced that his committee has finished its investigation of record-shredding by DPS and the security tapes. “It may have been a technical violation of the law to destroy the documents. I don’t think there … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 2 Comments

Separate trials in K-Mart case

Posted on May 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

District Judge Carol Davies has granted a motion by K-Mart Kiddie Roundup defendant Sgt. Ken Wenzel to sever his trial from that of Captian Mark Aguirre. In requesting the severance, [Wenzel’s defense attorney Joe] Bailey argued several points that he … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Separate trials in K-Mart case

Howard Dean, the Open Source Candidate

Posted on May 28, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Archpundit reminds me that I hadn’t yet read Ryan Lizza’s piece about the Howard Dean blogger action network. And I was struck by a thought, right about the time I finished reading this paragraph: Once a month, thousands of self-organized … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 1 Comment

Feel the Powerball

Posted on May 28, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas House has approved a bill that would allow Texas to join with other states in the Powerball lottery, a move that supporters say could bring in another $100 million per year. I guess that means the answer to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 5 Comments

As the investigation turns

Posted on May 28, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Now that all of the security tapes have arrived intact from DPS, a new star is born: Assistant Attorney General Jay Kimbrough, the governor’s “point man” for the Department of Homeland Security, who was there in the command post on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 4 Comments

Backup bill for Tulia 13 passes

Posted on May 27, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

There are now two bills to free the remaining 13 defendants of the Tulia drug bust who are stil in prison, thanks to an amendment on another bill that just passed the House. A special prosecutor has said the cases … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Backup bill for Tulia 13 passes

Joe versus Tom

Posted on May 27, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with Big Media Matt that Joe Lieberman can only help himself in the Presidential primaries by pushing for an investigation of Tom DeLay. It’s an issue that will resonate with partisan Democrats without forcing him to tack left … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 2 Comments

DPS continues its Keystone Kops routine

Posted on May 27, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

You know things are going badly at the Department of Public Safety when they can’t even dupe a tape without screwing it up: “I don’t know if people are trying to run out the clock so we’re not in town … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 3 Comments

Lege does poorly in poll

Posted on May 26, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

A poll taken before the Killer D’s walkout occurred says that 53% of Texans disapprove of the job the Legislature is doing. Governor Goodhair is at 50% approval, pretty much where he was in January but with slightly higher negatives … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

DOT investigating DeLay

Posted on May 26, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been out of town for most of this weekend, so I’ll just point you to Josh Marshall, who’s been on the Tom DeLay story like Rush Limbaugh on an all-you-can-eat buffet. Marshall notes that now the Department of Transoprtation … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on DOT investigating DeLay

And so it ends

Posted on May 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Twins played their final game last night. They played hard and they played well, but they came up short. We finished the season as we started it, looking for our first win. The final loss was really tough. We … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | 2 Comments

Diane Zamora to get married

Posted on May 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Convicted murderer Diane Zamora, who had petitioned the state for permission to marry another inmate named Steven Mora, has been granted that permission. The strange love story got official Bexar County attention earlier this year, when County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 11 Comments

DeLay admits involvement, and other news

Posted on May 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

In the Sky Is Blue And Water Is Wet Department, Tom DeLay has admitted that yes, he did have a role in the DPS investigation of the Killer D’s. DeLay said his staff used public information at the Federal Aviation … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 2 Comments

It’s a Catch-22 for DPS

Posted on May 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

In the comments to this post, Morat suggests the statute that DPS was talking about, and goes to show why it’s not applicable. Josh Marshall is on the same page, and he’s quoted from this Star Telegram article and this … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 8 Comments

Liberal radio

Posted on May 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Jesse points to this interesting article which indicates that the specter of liberal-themed talk radio may be more than just vaporware: At a Saturday talk radio industry event put on by Talkers Magazine, Gabe Hobbs, Clear Channel Radio’s vice president … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 3 Comments

Coverups and criminality

Posted on May 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

It’s really amusing that Texas State GOP Chair Sarah Weddington told her colleagues to use phrases like “on the lam” when describing the Killer D’s walkout because it connotes “criminal wrongdoing”, especially given that the justification being bandied about by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 5 Comments

Darlie Routier loses appeal

Posted on May 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The state Court of Criminal Appeals has unanimously rejected Darlie Routier’s appeal for a new trial. Routier’s attorneys had argued that the trial transcript, which was known to contain many errors, prevented them from raising legal issues, but the court … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 15 Comments

Baseball, money, and meaning

Posted on May 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Unlearned Hand, who just finished watching the 1950s episode of Ken Burns’ Baseball miniseries, has a question: It really is a shame how the money has corrupted baseball. I have no doubt that this is equally true of other sports, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 11 Comments

DPS covers its tracks

Posted on May 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Department of Public Safety is under heavy criticism for how it handled the search for the missing Democratic legislators last week, with allegations of harassment of the legislators’ families and misleading the Department of Homeland Security about Pete … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on DPS covers its tracks

Talk Like A Pirate Online

Posted on May 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

One of the most popular posts I wrote last year, at least in terms of Google searches that led to this site, was this one about National Talk Like A Pirate Day. Well, thanks to an email I received last … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Talk Like A Pirate Online

Have petard, will hoist

Posted on May 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like just yesterday that the main leg breakerpolitical consultant for mayoral candidate Michael “Boy Wonder” Berry was accusing Orlando Sanchez for being soft on tax scofflaws. Turns out that Berry has issues of his own: Monday, Berry’s campaign consultant … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 3 Comments

One month to Harry

Posted on May 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be released on June 21, which will probably do more to stimulate the economy than any Bush tax cut ever will. Book Magazine has several articles on Harry and author JK … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | 4 Comments

Cry havoc, and unleash the consultants of war

Posted on May 20, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Ah, the sweet sound of conservative candidates trashing each other: The political consultant to mayoral candidate Michael Berry has talked about finding a “silver bullet” of an issue to aim at opponent Orlando Sanchez. Monday, the consultant, Allen Blakemore, came … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 2 Comments

New venue denied for K-Mart trial

Posted on May 20, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The attempt by attorneys for former HPD Captain Mark Aguirre and former HPD Sergeant Ken Wenzel to get a change of venue in their upcoming trial on five counts of official oppression has failed. State District Judge Carol Davies made … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on New venue denied for K-Mart trial