Monthly Archives: May 2004

Polls and parties

Posted on May 25, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

As far as I’m concerned, the main thing to take away from this CBS poll is the following: CANDIDATE SUPPORT BY PARTY John Kerry Reps – Now April 11% 7% Dems – Now April 80% 80% Inds – Now April … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on Polls and parties

We can help with that

Posted on May 25, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Ahem. “It’s extremely difficult to govern when you control all three branches of government.” — John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Any volunteers to give these poor fellas a hand? Via Political Wire. Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on We can help with that

Unitarian ruling reversed

Posted on May 24, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Good news: Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has gotten a clue, and her office has reversed its earlier ruling in which a Unitarian church was denied tax-exempt status for not meeting the approved definition of a religion. Reversing an earlier decision, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 28 Comments

The case for space travel, continued

Posted on May 24, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Christians look to form “new nation” within US Calling the approval of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” a group of Christian activists is in the beginning stages of an effort to have one state … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 7 Comments

RIP, Doug Pappas

Posted on May 24, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

On a much sadder note, I’m as shocked as anyone to learn of the death of Doug Pappas, who succumbed to heat prostration while camping in Big Bend National Park this weekend. Joe Sheehan writes a lovely obituary to his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment

The battle for first place

Posted on May 24, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

With two games to go, both of which were rescheduled due to rain, the Twins were tied for the lead of the Mustang division with a 12-2 record. Their penultimate game was yesterday against the co-leading Cardinals, against whom they’d … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | 5 Comments

Armey v. DeLay

Posted on May 24, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting article in Salon about the falling-out of Dick Armey and Tom DeLay. Hard to believe, but I almost feel a twinge of nostalgia for Armey, puffed-up bloviating ideologue that he is. One item that caught my eye in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Morrison in the Chron

Posted on May 24, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

On the one hand, I should be happy that the Chron has finally written something about Richard Morrison. I’m willing to bet that this is the longest and most in-depth article they’ve ever written about any challenger to Tom DeLay. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

Some local transportation stuff

Posted on May 23, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news: the shutdown of all exits between I-10 and Loop 610 took less time than expected. Between the work on the Loop and the work on US 59, two of my main routes to many of the places … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 6 Comments

State roundup – Lazy Sunday edition

Posted on May 23, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m feeling unmotivated this morning, so I’m going to take the lazy blogger’s way out and link to some fellow bloggers’ posts on recent news items. Please go read: Norbizness on the state’s lack of money to pay for textbooks … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on State roundup – Lazy Sunday edition

Next time, we’ll ask

Posted on May 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

If you thought my world was collapsing when I realized that John Lopez was making sense, get ready for another tremor as I confront the notion that Tom Craddick is making sense. Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick said Friday that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

BlogAds survey results

Posted on May 22, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The results of the BlogAds Reader Survey are out, and they’re pretty interesting. It’s a self-selecting audience and all, but I’m still surprised that it’s male by a 4-1 ratio. I’d love to see more detail about individual blog readership, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on BlogAds survey results

Does this man ever smile?

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Is it just me, or is Vice President Cheney’s natural facial expression a grimace? Hmm. Maybe it’s more of a sneer. What do you think? (PS – The man on Big Time’s right is running against Nick Lampson. Cheney was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 3 Comments

Rice to stay in 1A

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

And the crowd goes wild! Rice University trustees today decided to keep the school’s current athletic program, to stay in NCAA Division I sports, but will increase academic standards for athletes. Trustees said May 5 they favor staying in NCAA … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Mayor White’s first budget

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Not so bad, all things considered. The spending plan he released Thursday includes an increase of more than $47 million for the Police Department and $9 million for the Fire Department in the fiscal year that begins July 1. But … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

MS Blog, coming to you soon

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Bill Gates Likes Blogs Blogs are good for business, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has said. In a speech to an audience of chief executives, Mr Gates said the regularly updated journals, or blogs, could be a good way for firms … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on MS Blog, coming to you soon

I’ll take ’em where I can get ’em

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

What are unusual places to hold voter-registration drives, Alex? Strip club owners are putting a little bada-bing in the presidential campaign by asking patrons to turn their eyes away from the stage for a moment to fill out a voter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 5 Comments

Outsourcing government

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Greg has a long excerpt from this Governing magazine article on the latest trends in outsourcing state government functions to the private sector. Texas is now on the leading edge of this, and if the program is declared a success … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

NCAA v. Super Bowl

Posted on May 21, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

We (or at least I) may not know what the financial impact of the Super Bowl really was, but here’s a story about the financial impact of the NCAA Men’s Final Four in San Antonio. Before the NCAA Men’s Final … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 2 Comments

One more angle

Posted on May 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This AusChron article is about a celebration of the Ardmore exodus by House Dems, but it contains an interesting nugget about the sure-to-be-revisted battle over gambling. Austin Rep. Dawnna Dukes echoed [Waco Rep. Jim] Dunnam’s judgment of the [special] session, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on One more angle

Your tax dollars at work

Posted on May 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently spending another $1.7 million on the Special Session to Nowhere wasn’t enough. We’re now giving a lobbying firm for the gambling industry a cool quarter million bucks to write a slot machine law for us. During a Sunset Advisory … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Checking in with Ron Kirk

Posted on May 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a brief update on once and possibly future candidate for statewide office Ron Kirk. Last summer Mr. Kirk gave $30,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and various Senate campaigns, and $5,000 to the Democratic National Committee. He says … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Another Enron guilty plea

Posted on May 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Former managing director of investor relations for Enron Paula Rieker pleaded guilty yesterday to one felony count of insider trading, and made a deal to work with prosecutors. Rieker, 49, pleaded guilty to one felony count and admitted she made … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Another Enron guilty plea

Interview with Tony Knowles

Posted on May 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Check out the Political State Report for a nice interview with Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Tony Knowles. Author Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins did his homework and asked some good questions. I like this trend of candidates making themselves available to bloggers. At … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Interview with Tony Knowles

Some further thoughts on Strayhorn and the Unitarian Church

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Well, now. I’ve had some posts picked up far and wide, but I do believe this one has gone about as far and wide as anything I’ve ever done. Nearly 9000 visits later, there are a few things to say. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 16 Comments

The high cost of driving

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not quite at the point of gloating as my commute costs about a buck fifty a day, but I sure have no sympathy for all those SUV drivers who are feeling the pain at the gas pump now. Jaime … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 10 Comments

MT Blacklist feedback

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re a user of MT Blacklist (and if you’re not, you should be), now’s your chance to tell Jay Allen what you’d like to see in the next version of his wonderful utility. My wish list item is the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on MT Blacklist feedback

Your irregularly scheduled DeLay sleaze watch

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Tom DeLay’s sham “charity” Celebrations for Children will not be used to shake down GOP Convention attendees in New York this summer. “It has become clear New York around the time of the Republican Convention is too expensive a venue, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 4 Comments

Perfecto!

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to Randy Johnson for throwing a perfect game last night against the Braves. It’s his second career no-hitter (the 14-year span between his first no-no and this game is the longest ever), and the 17th perfecto in major league … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

Perry: Not popular at all

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

If the numbers are mixed for President Bush, they’re awful for Governor Perry: 1. How would you rate the job Rick Perry is doing as governor? Spring ’04 Fall ’03 Spring ’03 Excellent 6% 10% 10% Good 31% 36% 40% … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Bush: Not as popular in Texas as you might think

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the results of the most recent Scripps Howard Texas Poll, which mostly asked approve/disapprove questions about various politicians. We’ll start with the best news for President Bush, which is that he leads John Kerry in Texas by a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on Bush: Not as popular in Texas as you might think

Lampson wrapup

Posted on May 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks once again to everyone who participated in this week’s Texas Tuesday for Rep. Nick Lampson. We’re still trying to get some kind of interview with him up on the Texas Tuesdays site – this is still an experiment, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Texas Tuesdays | Comments Off on Lampson wrapup

Strayhorn gets into the religion business

Posted on May 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m at a loss to describe this. Unitarian Universalists have for decades presided over births, marriages and memorials. The church operates in every state, with more than 5,000 members in Texas alone. But according to the office of Texas Comptroller … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 62 Comments

Contract for a Better America

Posted on May 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I highly recommend reading Arianna Huffington’s Contract for a Better America. Now is the time for big ideas, clearly and simply expressed, and Huffington has some good ones. And yes, her choice of title is deliberately reminiscent of 1994’s Contract … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments