Monthly Archives: August 2004

Lawsuit in Waller County

Posted on August 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

A lawsuit has been filed in federal court in Houston which alleges that there is an organized campaign to harass and intimidate black elected officials. HEMPSTEAD, Texas – Six black Waller County leaders filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against white … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Lawsuit in Waller County

They get letters

Posted on August 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

If the letters to the editor are any indication, no one is buying Tom DeLay’s flip-flop on METRO. The letters are reproduced below for posterity. In all fairness, it should be noted that one of the letter writers is Mike … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on They get letters

Poor Pete

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Suppose you’re an incumbent Congressman, and you’re locked in a tight and expensive battle for reelection against another incumbent Congressman (thanks to the magic of redistricting). One day you take your kid to school and see a ton of signs … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 2 Comments

My son, the baseball player

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Bonassus notes that the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame is going to honor the 143 Jewish men who have played in the bigs. I don’t really have anything to add to this except to note that this is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on My son, the baseball player

Let’s make more!

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Political Wire asks the following: Q. Which state is most over-represented in the Electoral College? The answer is Wyoming, whose 3 electoral votes cover just over 500,000 people, or about 167,000 per person. California, with over 35 million people and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 5 Comments

It’s not just Houston

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

We know, as Ginger among others has noted, that the national political conventions don’t bring in that much money to the host cities. It happened in Boston, and it’s expected to happen in New York (if Zoe’s research is any … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Must be nice to have so many friends

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Becky Klein is running against Rep. Lloyd Doggett in the new CD25. Nobody thinks she’s going to win, but an array of corporate benefactors are throwing money her way anyway because she might someday be the head of the FCC. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Must be nice to have so many friends

Some CHIP funds restored

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

About damn time. After months of increasing pressure, Gov. Rick Perry on Monday approved spending $561 million to restore some of the cuts made last year in health care for the poor. The money will reduce by half the estimated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Some CHIP funds restored

Texas Tuesdays: Scott Hochberg

Posted on August 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s special guest star is Rep. Scott Hochberg from SD 137. Scott is a Rice grad, a go-to player in the House on all things education, and one of the all around good guys in Austin. Check out the brief … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Texas Tuesdays | Comments Off on Texas Tuesdays: Scott Hochberg

Texas Artists against Bush

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

A group of Texas writers, musicians, artists, and other interested people are raising some money to run a full-page NYT ad with the aim of letting people know that President Bush does not speak for everyone in Texas. You can … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 6 Comments

Local angles

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Still working my way through Fifty Years of the Texas Observer – these things do go in fits and starts sometimes, you know? The book is divided into sections, with an intro and an afterword by founding editor Ronnie Dugger. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Comments Off on Local angles

A tale of two newspaper blogs

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

In this corner, we have the Statesman’s Lasso blog, which features permalinks, categories, archives, and (yes! finally!) an RSS feed. More of a linker than a thinker, and author Bill Bishop does refer to himself in the third person, but … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

A helping hand from Kerry

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Kerry campaign has given $3 million each to the DCCC and DSCC. Smart move, since money spent on battleground Congressional and Senate races – like Nancy Farmer and Joe Hoeffel – should also give a boost to the top … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on A helping hand from Kerry

Property tax blues

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This Sunday Chron article on property tax variances was a bit of a disappointment to me. I don’t think it’s any great secret that some municipalities in Harris County, like Southside Place, have lower taxes than others – I mean, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 4 Comments

What makes a candidate credible?

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Recently, I posted about Tom DeLay’s apparent change of heart regarding METRO. This led to speculation that DeLay’s about-face was caused in part by Richard Morrison‘s aggressive campaigning on local issues such as transportation alternatives. Kevin then commented that Morrison … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

A little bait and switch in Fort Bend

Posted on August 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Albert Hollan, a Democratic candidate for judge of the 400th District Court in Fort Bend County, is a wee bit upset. He’s upset because Cliff Vacek, his opponent, was just appointed to the bench they’re both running for. The incumbent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on A little bait and switch in Fort Bend

What terms did you get on that phone?

Posted on August 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Man. I had no idea that people still leased telephones. Twenty years after the government’s breakup of the Bell monopoly, nearly 1 million consumers still lease their telephones from an affiliate of AT&T, paying anywhere from $4.45 a month for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 6 Comments

Vedic, schmedic

Posted on August 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Gary Farber points to this Wired article about something called “Vedic math” – what that is, they never really tell us – which has some practical application if you’re interested in quickly solving some arithmetic problems. Since the example given … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 4 Comments

DeLay embraces METRO

Posted on August 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Has anyone noticed an upswing in dogs and cats cohabitating lately? Rivers running upstream? I’m at a loss for how else to explain this. Houston leaders responded with enthusiasm Friday to an apparent warming of relations between U.S. House Majority … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 6 Comments

I’ve been deputized

Posted on August 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

As of yesterday afternoon, I am now an official Deputy Voter Registrar for 2004 in Harris County. You can do it, too – it’s as easy as dropping by the Harris County Tax Office and filling out a form. I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

What they’re really not telling you

Posted on August 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

There are many things about the Houston Chronicle that I’d change if I were given the freedom to do so. If I were limited to just one thing, I’d see to it that they never printed anything by Michelle Malkin … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 7 Comments

That voodoo that you don’t do

Posted on August 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I guess you could call this I Got My Mojo Workin’ But It Just Don’t Work On You: The head of a multistate drug ring that paid a voodoo priestess for protection from federal agents might want a refund. John … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on That voodoo that you don’t do

Airport shuttles

Posted on August 13, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

It boggles my mind that there are no airport shuttle vans outside of a few select locations in Houston. Thankfully, that may be about to change. “Airport passengers look for this kind of service, and we don’t have it,” Houston … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 3 Comments

RIP, Julia Child

Posted on August 13, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Julia Child has stirred her last pot. Julia Child, whose warbling, encouraging voice and able hands brought the intricacies of French cuisine to American home cooks through her television series and books, has died. She was 91. “America has lost … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | 3 Comments

Rodriguez concedes defeat

Posted on August 13, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The longest primary election is finally over. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez has conceded defeat in his legal challenge to primary recount winner Henry Cuellar after the Texas State Supreme Court once again rejected his appeal. Rodriguez threw in the towel late … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Rodriguez concedes defeat

Santayana was not a Cowboys fan

Posted on August 13, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

History. The cost of building Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium and Toyota Center rose by $37.2 million this week when the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority voted to issue new bonds. Issuing the bonds was necessary to persuade one of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 4 Comments

Governor practices Enron accounting

Posted on August 13, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

What do you do when you promise to cut your costs but you don’t want to actually cut them? Transfer them to another department and claim it as savings anyway. Gov. Rick Perry last year ordered state agencies to reduce … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 3 Comments

Google reveals too much

Posted on August 13, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

In a Playboy interview, which we’ll all read because that’s what we all buy Playboy for, right? According to Thursday’s Wall Street Journal, Google Inc. is now being investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an interview its … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Comments Off on Google reveals too much

Hit me baby one more time

Posted on August 12, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The only thing I can imagine that would be better than Britney Spears at the national GOP convention would be the national “family values” crowd throwing a hissy fit over the Britster’s appearance. No excuse for poor TV ratings here! Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 5 Comments

Morrison in Austin

Posted on August 12, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Say what you want about Richard Morrison, the man is fearless. If fundraising is any indicator, Morrison shouldn’t be brushed off too lightly: “For the people that said we could raise no money and money would be hard to raise, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 7 Comments

Stadium debt

Posted on August 12, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorializes about the financial woes of the Harris County Sports Authority. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority is not responsible for economic factors that make the sale of $37.2 million in new bonds necessary. The terrorist attacks of Sept. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 4 Comments

So where are they?

Posted on August 12, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Jesse points to this initially promising but ultimately frustrating article about the race in CD17 between Rep. Chet Edwards and Arlene Wohlgemuth. What’s frustrating about it? In the campaign, Edwards is trying to position himself as a moderate Democrat who … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 3 Comments

Kenny and Jeff, together again

Posted on August 12, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Kenny Boy Lay and Jeff Skilling made their first joint appearance in awhile, in court. Former Enron Chairman Ken Lay won’t get his requested September trial date. Lay and his former second-in-command Jeff Skilling were in federal court Wednesday for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 1 Comment

Bible display to be removed

Posted on August 11, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The lawsuit to remove a Bible display from outside the Harris County Civil Court building (first noted here) has been decided for the plaintiff, with an appeal pending. As I noted in my original post, I support this ruling, though … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 12 Comments