Monthly Archives: April 2004

Compare and contrast

Posted on April 23, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry, last year: “Betting the economy will pick up to solve our budget challenges, rather than making the hard decisions needed, is a recipe for an eventual tax hike,” he warned. “If you remember the cartoon Popeye, then surely … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

Perry plan dead, real work to begin

Posted on April 23, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Perry Plan for school finance reform appears to be officially dead, and other plans are starting to come out of the woodwork. “We’re starting out with a clean slate,” said Rep. Kent Grusendorf, chairman of the House Select Committee … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Perry plan dead, real work to begin

DriveDemocracy

Posted on April 23, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I got email from Nathan Wilcox yesterday about a new site he’s been working on called DriveDemocracy, which got some startup help from MoveOn. Their first task is to advocate for a school finance reform plan that actually puts the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on DriveDemocracy

Super Bowl streaker wants trial

Posted on April 23, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m trying, I’m really trying, not to make a joke about what a jury of his peers might look like: With more than 70,000 witnesses, it will be hard for Mark Roberts to claim innocence. But the 39-year-old Briton, also … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Bahamas brouhaha

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Ethic Commission is investigating Governor Perry’s trip to the Bahamas to discuss school finance reform with various well-heeled contributors and anti-tax ideologues. At issue is the money Perry used to pay for himself, wife Anita and several top … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 4 Comments

Feds push for Skilling smackdown

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The feds are attempting to have Jeff Skilling’s bail revoked by claiming that his recent drunken shenanigans violated the terms of his release. Federal prosecutors say ex-Enron CEO Jeff Skilling violated his $5 million bond in New York City earlier … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 1 Comment

Fixing the Fan Cost Index

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve probably heard of the Fan Cost Index, which is the Team Marketing Report’s annual tally of how much it costs for a family of four to attend a sporting event, in this case a Major League Baseball game. I’ve … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 5 Comments

The cost of stealing an election

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Via Seeing the Forest comes this analysis of the cost of stealing an election. It doesn’t go into any technical details, but it does show that it wouldn’t take that much of an investment to have a sizeable impact. Check … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 3 Comments

And over the edge we go

Posted on April 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

You know when you’ve taken a good idea too far? Looks like Carole Keeton Strayhorn doesn’t. Opening another front in her criticism of Gov. Rick Perry’s school finance plan, Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn on Wednesday said that instead of taxing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 7 Comments

Golf fans gone wild!

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m pretty sure this is a sign of the impending apocalypse: The PGA tour is concerned about obnoxious fans. Jerry Kelly was standing over his ball at the 18th tee at TPC at Sawgrass. Last group, third round, The Players … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 5 Comments

Pelosi to press Bush on Iraq

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Look for more criticism of Team Bush for its colossal bungling of the Iraq invasion, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi, who voted against the war in October 2002 and against the $87 billion spending package, has been relatively … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 4 Comments

Kerry in Houston

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

John Kerry will be in Houston tomorrow for Earth Day. The scoop, via Get Donkey: Earth Day with John Kerry Rally for the Environment April 22 – This Thursday Doors open at 11:00 AM University of Houston Main Campus 4800 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 1 Comment

Perry, Strayhorn spar: Film at 11

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This is getting to be a sun-rises-in-the-East thing: The Governor and the Comptroller are bickering again over school finance reform proposals. I’ll leave it to you to determine for yourselves who’s zooming who, but in the meantime I’d like to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 6 Comments

Score one for the Hotshot

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

For all the dumping that some of us smartass local bloggers do on Chron hotshot columnist Rick Casey, he is occasionally able to print something new and interesting. The shadow of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison already looms over Austin. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Score one for the Hotshot

Let’s all play nice now

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

How civilized. Everybody seems to have kissed and made up in the state Senate. The Texas Senate sought to rediscover its clubby self Tuesday. The start of a special session on school finance marked the first time the full Senate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on Let’s all play nice now

Fiscal conservatives for Kerry

Posted on April 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute makes A Conservative Case for Voting Democratic. Complaints about Republican profligacy have led the White House to promise to mend its ways. But Bush’s latest budget combines accounting flim-flam with unenforceable promises. So how … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 5 Comments

Congressional roundup

Posted on April 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Another long newsie roundup. Hey, at least I’m sparing you the agony of long page-load times, right? Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Congressional roundup

Nader tries to get on the ballot

Posted on April 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Ralph Nader isn’t on any state’s ballot yet, but he’s still trying. Texas has the earliest deadline and some of the toughest requirements to secure a place on the ballot. Nader supporters have until May 4 to collect 64,000 signatures. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 5 Comments

And so it begins

Posted on April 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This is a really long post rounding up news stories about the just-begun special session. I didn’t feel like taking up all of the front page, so click on the More link to wade through it all. Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

Lobbying fees investigated

Posted on April 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I know, that’s not exactly the kind of headline to make you swoon with anticipation, but in this case we are talking about a couple of DeLay cronies and the millions of dollars they’ve apparently bilked from various Indian tribes. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

On steroids and asterisks

Posted on April 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Bleacher Guy takes ESPN talking head Stephen A. Smith to task for what he believes is a disingenuous defense of Barry Bonds and his achievements against critics who assail him for alleged steroid use. Says Smith: It’s curious considering … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 13 Comments

Craddick: “The check’s in the mail”

Posted on April 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

House Speaker Tom Craddick’s lawyer says he wasn’t a bagman for TRMPAC, though someone in his office may have been. A lawyer for Speaker Tom Craddick said Monday that his client never personally delivered campaign checks to GOP House candidates … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Craddick: “The check’s in the mail”

Nothing like a discussion of bad music

Posted on April 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

All right, it’s time to generate some real controversy around here: Via Norbizness and The Agitator comes this list of the 50 Worst Bands in the history of rock. Naturally, one cannot link to such a thing without offering some … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 17 Comments

Is there anyone here who isn’t running for Governor?

Posted on April 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Via Kevin, I see that there’s yet another Republican name being tossed around as a potential challenger to Rick Perry in 2006: Karen Hughes: Following her impressive performance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” April 4, Bush adviser Karen Hughes’s friends … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 6 Comments

Supremes deny Senate case on redistricting

Posted on April 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal of one of the lawsuits filed against last year’s redistricting. The Supreme Court refused today to consider if Texas Republicans went too far last year in their strategy to enact new … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 4 Comments

Problems in the Galapagos Islands

Posted on April 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I hate stories like this. GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, Ecuador — Armed with spray guns and tanks of herbicide, 15 Ecuadoreans descended into the crater of an inactive volcano to beat back one of the Galapagos Islands’ most voracious foes: the blackberry. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 3 Comments

Oklahoma City

Posted on April 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the ninth anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City, a despicable act of terrorism that killed 168 people. This is what I wrote about it two years ago. My thoughts and prayers … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Oklahoma City

Destination: Dallas

Posted on April 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

You know, if there’s going to be a large city in Texas that feels misunderstood and underappreciated by those who don’t live there, it may as well be Dallas. Dallas is going through an identity crisis. With no singular defining … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 10 Comments

Happy Birthday, Jack!

Posted on April 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Birthday to Jack Cluth, Lord High Executioner and Chief Bottle Washer of the People’s Republic of Seabrook. Have an age-appropriate amount of fun today, dude. Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Jack!

Send a blogger to Washington

Posted on April 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

From the Things I Meant To Mention Earlier This Week But Unaccountably Forgot About department: Greg Greene‘s boss is running for Congress. Check out her record, and if you like what you see, drop her a few dimes to help … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Send a blogger to Washington

The real last refuge of a scoundrel

Posted on April 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Samuel Johnson once said that patriotism was the last refuge of the scoundrel. Apparently, he lived in a time before partisan politics. Partisan attacks on the Sept. 11 commission escalated Friday when House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, said … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 7 Comments

The sweet smell of non-consensus

Posted on April 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Dewhurst and Perry, not on the same page. Signaling deep differences on the threshold of a special session, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Friday the Senate wants to enact a more comprehensive overhaul of education funding — including deeper, immediate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The sweet smell of non-consensus

A little weekend surfing

Posted on April 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

A few good things for you to read this weekend: Matt Stoller says Release the blogs! and I’m inclined to agree. Mark Evanier foresees a day when regular TV viewers will have more choices about when to watch a given … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 1 Comment

The worst actress

Posted on April 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Jim Capozzola at The Rittenhouse Review has asked for nominations to settle the burning question “Who is the worst actress in the world?” While his list certainly includes some suitable choices, I’m just gobsmacked that no one so far has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 3 Comments