Monthly Archives: March 2004

Baby booming

Posted on March 10, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Texas is the fastest growing state for people under 18. The new data show that Texas added more than 350,000 residents under 18 between 2000 and 2003, 75,000 more than Florida and 183,000 more than California, the next two fastest-growing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Baby booming

Doggett wins, Bell and Wilson lose

Posted on March 10, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of stuff happening from yesterday’s primaries. Let’s go to the videotape. The big local news is that Rep. Chris Bell lost to former JP Al Green by a fairly substantial margin. With all votes counted in the primary for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 3 Comments

The case for paper ballots, as if you needed more ammo

Posted on March 9, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

From the LA Times: Poll workers struggling with a new electronic voting system in last week’s election gave thousands of Orange County voters the wrong ballots, according to a Times analysis of election records. In 21 precincts where the problem … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 2 Comments

It’s the School Finance Reform Tango

Posted on March 9, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The ongoing will-they-or-won’t-they tango on school finance reform took another step closer towards that dreaded special session. Talk at the Capitol finally turns to taxes this week, the remaining piece in a school finance puzzle that could lead to a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on It’s the School Finance Reform Tango

Houston wilderness

Posted on March 9, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This is a pretty neat site for those who think it’s nothing but a concrete jungle around here. Be sure to check their little Flash movie about what you can find near here, too. Now of course, the 24-county area … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Houston wilderness

Money bridge

Posted on March 9, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to try to get a statement out of the Harris County DA’s office regarding poker tournaments, but in the meantime I can confirm that playing bridge for money is indeed an option here in Houston. As I recall, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Comments Off on Money bridge

Votacion Hoy

Posted on March 9, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

At long last, it’s primary day in Texas, and there are some rumblings that a few incumbents might be in trouble in their primaries. The Quorum Report is suggesting that early voting is favoring Judge Leticia Hinojosa in her race … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 2 Comments

USA Today on Metro Rail

Posted on March 9, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I was doing a little channel surfing last night before Tiffany and I headed out to childbirth class, and one of the Happy Talk Local News anchors popped up on my screen to say something like “MetroRail slammed by national … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 3 Comments

Calpundit goes pro

Posted on March 8, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Congrats to Kevin Drum for landing an honest-to-goodness paying blog gig for a real, respected publication. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Way to go, Kevin! Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Calpundit goes pro

Auschron discovers blogs

Posted on March 8, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Among the many signs of spring around here is South by Southwest, which begins this Friday in Austin. Blogs have been an increasing focus of SXSW in recent years, and so with the background of the Presidential race, the Austin … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Poker tournaments illegal

Posted on March 8, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, citizens of Lubbock. You can’t play in poker tournaments that offer cash prizes. LUBBOCK — Do bar and restaurant card tournaments requiring entry fees and promising prize money violate state gambling laws? District Attorney Bill Sowder says they do. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 19 Comments

Bush to visit rodeo

Posted on March 8, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Never one to refuse an opportunity to show just how down-home, Real America, Mom & apple pie he is, President Bush will pay a visit to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo today. When President Bush drops by the Houston … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 2 Comments

VP poll

Posted on March 7, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Keith Berry surveyed a few bloggers to ask who they thought Kerry’s VP choice would be, and he found the most popular answer was…”Beats me!” I picked John Edwards, mostly because I didn’t feel like coming up with some too-clever-by-half … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on VP poll

Spam fight!

Posted on March 7, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

It’s headlines like this that make reading the Sunday paper special: Hawaiian Spam fans tempted by pork rival. Not since the overthrow of Hawaii’s last queen has a foreigner dared to wage a battle so fierce against an island institution. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | 10 Comments

Kerry in Houston

Posted on March 6, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I got a recorded phone call yesterday about attending this John Kerry event, but it was scheduled for 7:30 AM, and I really needed the sleep. If anyone reading this did attend, please leave a comment. One item of interest: … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 3 Comments

Early voting ends

Posted on March 6, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

With early voting over and the regular voting to take place on Tuesday, we’ll finally get a better picture of who’s in and who’s out in all of these hotly contested primaries. Among others, we ought to know who’ll carry … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 4 Comments

Down doobie doo down down

Posted on March 6, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

And here’s the story of that Texas Poll that I alluded to yesterday. Controversial budget cuts and the bitter congressional redistricting battle apparently have turned Rick Perry into the most unpopular Texas governor in 14 years, according to a poll … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Perry attacks rumors, bloggers

Posted on March 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

So now that the rumors of his infidelity and impending divorce have been discredited and mostly disappeared from the discourse, Governor Perry has gone to the effort of calling in the Statesman to work up a high dudgeon and deny … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Baseball Day

Posted on March 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This is an idea I can get behind: Make baseball’s Opening Day a national holiday. It’s especially appealing for those of us who get no holidays between New Year’s and Memorial Day – we could use something to break the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

Am I my brother’s lobbyist?

Posted on March 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Forwarded to me from the Congress Daily: HE AIN’T HEAVY. How hard can it be to lobby the Hill when your name is DeLay? Just ask Randolph DeLay, brother of House Majority Leader DeLay. Last week, DeLay the lobbyist registered … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

New nickels

Posted on March 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The US Mint will be rolling out new nickels soon to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase, then even more new ones with a Lewis & Clark theme. Millions of the new nickels have been shipped to the Federal Reserve, supplier of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 3 Comments

Hitch in Enron building sale

Posted on March 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Uh oh. The sale of the Enron building has hit a snag over promised tax abatements. ChevronTexaco spokesman Mickey Driver said Thursday that the San Ramon, Calif.-based oil giant assumed it would get millions in tax breaks from the city … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Hitch in Enron building sale

Consultants deny responsibility for pension plan screwup

Posted on March 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Towers Perrin, the firm which gave us that bogus report on pension fund costs, says that the city did too know that its liability was going to skyrocket. In its first public statement, actuarial giant Towers Perrin said “those involved … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Consultants deny responsibility for pension plan screwup

Getting Kinky again

Posted on March 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Yet another profile of Kinky Friedman, self-proclaimed independent candidate for Governor of Texas in 2006. For all of those wondering why the front man for the country music group ‘The Texas Jewboys’ wants to run the Lone Star State, Kinky … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 1 Comment

Schools to serve less junk food

Posted on March 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Texas school cafeterias have been told to shape up or ship out. The new food rules limit everything from fund-raising bake sales to grams of fat and will have an impact on 93 percent of Texas public and charter schools, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | 6 Comments

Primary primer

Posted on March 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve told you about Local Voter and its many useful resources for determining who your incumbents and candidates are. The folks at E-The People have also created some voter guides that are worth a look, for Houston (in conjunction with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

The documents keep flying

Posted on March 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

More documents from the civil lawsuit against TAB/TRM were released Wednesday, and they appear to bolster the criminal case against those groups on charges of illegally using corporate money in the 2002 campaign. This is a really long post, so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on The documents keep flying

Congressional roundup

Posted on March 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Some stories of interest as the primary date draws near. An overview of the new CD 10, the Austin-to-Houston barbell district whose representative will be the winner of the GOP primary. Among the GOP primary candidates, former Houston City Councilman … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

Let the VP sweepstakes begin!

Posted on March 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Well, barring anything truly wacky, John Kerry will be carrying the Democratic banner this fall. Kerry was not my first choice, but that was based as much on my perception of his early campaign missteps as anything. As with any … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 10 Comments

More secrets for the Governor

Posted on March 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Now that he’s tanned, rested, and ready after his five-day cruise in the Bahamas with fat-cat lobbyists, Governor Perry has had to defend himself against the slings and arrows of a bunch of good-government namby-pambies. “We could have gone a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

RIP, Marge Schott

Posted on March 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Marge Schott, the former owner of the Cincinnati Reds, died yesterday at the age of 75. For someone as well known as she was for making racist statements, there was a fair amount of effort to find nice things to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on RIP, Marge Schott

Yet another overview

Posted on March 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Observer moves the ball farther forward in the TAB/TRMPAC scandal. Among other things: – The Travis County grand jury expires at the end of March, so any indictments handed down should be made public before then. – The … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Yet another overview

Happy Independence Day

Posted on March 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

That would be Texas Independence Day, and today is the 168th anniversary of this state’s declaration of independence from Mexico in 1836. Too bad there won’t be a parade. AUSTIN — Longhorn-riding cowboys, honky-tonkin’ Alvin Crow, and the big beats … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 3 Comments

Will they or won’t they?

Posted on March 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

If that pension shortfall problem isn’t enough to raise your general stress level, how about that oft-promised special session on school finance reform, which still may or may not happen, especially now that they have other things to worry about? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Will they or won’t they?