Monthly Archives: June 2003

I don’t care who started it

Posted on June 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

OK, let me see if I’ve got this straight. Country music radio station program managers are upset with Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks because she wore a shirt that had the letters “FUTK” on it while performing at the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 16 Comments

Great moments in headline writing

Posted on June 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Teen stripper’s mom arrested for driving daughter to work. Apparently, letting her take the bus would have been OK. Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 5 Comments

I think the phrase “drooling moron” was a hint

Posted on June 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

You know, I get the distinct impression that Kevin doesn’t like Kenny Chesney very much. Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Redistricting…drip…drip…drip…

Posted on June 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

You know, with today’s report that redistricting is likely to be on the agenda for a special session that will also revisit the government reorganization bill, I’m almost ready to say “OK, just shoot me now and get it over … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 1 Comment

First witnesses called in Aguirre trial

Posted on June 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The DA called a few respectable suburban arrestees and the defense did its best to hogtie Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford to the defendant in the opening day of former HPD Captain Mark Aguirre’s trial on official oppression charges. Let’s go … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on First witnesses called in Aguirre trial

There’s many ways to be a phony

Posted on June 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Remember David Manning, the movie critic that Sony invented in order to put his rave-review quotes on advertisements? When Sony fessed up and promised not to make up critics and favorable quotes any more, did you breathe a sigh of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on There’s many ways to be a phony

All corked up

Posted on June 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

By now I’m sure everyone has heard of Sammy Sosa’s corked bat. His explanation that he didn’t realize he was using a bat that he normally uses just for practice has been met with some skepticism by other players, on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

A boo from the balcony

Posted on June 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

While the top three state leaders have generally claimed victory for accomplishing many of their stated goals in this legislative session and have received generally positive feedback from the GOP faithful (see here, here, and here for coverage), at least … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

What’s so special about a special session?

Posted on June 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve just put up a post on the Political State Report that attempts to answer the question “Are the rules for bringing a bill to the Senate floor different in a special session than they are in a regular session?” … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on What’s so special about a special session?

Howard Dean and the national security issue

Posted on June 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve mentioned before in this blog that I play tournament bridge. Bridge players often find themselves playing a hand where it’s quite clear that the odds are hugely against them. When this happens, there’s usually a point at which you … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 14 Comments

DPS documents released

Posted on June 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Department of Public Safety documents about the search for the Killer D’s which escaped the shredder’s jaws were released yesterday, and the first thing we see is that Governor Perry had a bigger role than he’s claimed so far. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on DPS documents released

The MLB draft

Posted on June 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Jayson Stark makes a great case for improving the Major League Baseball draft. It seems so obvious, only a chucklehead like Beelzebud Selig wouldn’t get it. Which means, well, you know… Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment

What I’d like to see

Posted on June 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not a blog triumphalist. I think blogging, in some form, will eventually affect how people take in news, but I think that said effect will be largely limited. It takes a certain amount of effort to read blogs that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 3 Comments

In other subpoena and deposition news

Posted on June 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth) gave his much awaited deposition yesterday, in which he swore he’d name sources within DPS. Whom did he finger? Uh, well, that’d be Roberta Bilsky, a staffer of Rep. Kevin Bailey (D-Houston). Deputy Attorney General … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on In other subpoena and deposition news

Wanted: People who don’t follow the news

Posted on June 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Jury selection has begun in the trial of former HPD Captain Mark Aguirre on five counts of official oppression, and everyone involved is having a hard time finding jurors who don’t already have an opinion on the case. At the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Wanted: People who don’t follow the news

Perry signs Tulia bill

Posted on June 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

No matter what, at least we can all agree that one good thing came out of the 78th Legislative Session, as Governor Perry signed a bill that allows the 13 remaining Tulia inmates to post bond and wait out the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Perry signs Tulia bill

We’re on the rail to nowhere

Posted on June 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Chron Editorial Board member David Langworthy writes about rail to Fort Bend County today, in particular a proposal by several towns’ mayors to use an old Union Pacific track to connect their townships to the southern terminus of the Houston … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 8 Comments

I do not think that means what you think it means

Posted on June 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Via Paul Frankenstein, I came across this funny story about what can happen when you mistranslate something. This has never happened to me – sadly, I’m insufficiently mulitlingual to be in this position in the first place – but my … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 7 Comments

Perry sent DPS to neonatal unit

Posted on June 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Craig Eiland has accused Governor Perry of ordering a DPS trooper to search the neonatal intensive care unit where his premature twins are being kept as part of the hunt for the Killer D’s. Rep. Kevin Bailey, D-Houston, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 6 Comments

May traffic report

Posted on June 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

May was my busiest month ever by a lot, with about 8100 visits, according to Sitemeter. That’s over 1500 hits more than my previous high water mark. Without a doubt, the story of the Killer D’s drove much of that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Traffic Reports | Comments Off on May traffic report

Budget passes

Posted on June 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege has passed a budget, literally at the last minute, meaning there’s one less reason for a special session to be called. A late influx of federal cash (decried on the op-ed pages by Ken Bentsen) helped soften the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Budget passes

The Little League All Star Game

Posted on June 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Friday night I was an assistant coach at our Little League All Star Game. The game featured kids from the first-, fourth-, and sixth-place teams (my group) versus the representatives from the second-, third-, and fifth-place teams. Our team lost … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | 1 Comment