Monthly Archives: August 2004

Swift Boat Veterans

Posted on August 6, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Swift Boat Veteran Roy Hoffmann, part one: Retired Adm. Roy Hoffmann, head of the Swift Boat group, said they respected McCain’s “right to express his opinion and we hope he extends to us the same respect and courtesy, particularly since … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 14 Comments

Morning News overstates circulation

Posted on August 6, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. An internal investigation by Belo Corp. has uncovered practices and procedures that led to an overstatement of circulation at the media company’s flagship newspaper, The Dallas Morning News. Dallas-based Belo said Thursday that the overstatement will cause an estimated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 2 Comments

Let me be your sweetheart dealmaker

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

And another entry in the Gregg Phillips files. A deputy human services commissioner awarded a $1.2 million consulting contract to a company whose lobbyist employed the commissioner’s former business partner as a consultant. Gregg Phillips oversaw the Texas Health and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 2 Comments

Texas Supremes reject Rodriguez

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose one has to give Rep. Ciro Rodriguez credit for persistence in the face of continued rejection. In a move expected by many legal and political observers, the Texas Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal filed by U.S. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Texas Supremes reject Rodriguez

“It’s Worth It”

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’m moderately surprised that as of this blogging, none of my fellow Houstonians have commented on this. Throughout its existence Houston has struggled to come up with an effective image campaign. There have been many attempts, but none like the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 16 Comments

Bazan withdraws lawsuit against Jackson Lee

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Nice catch by Kevin: independent Congressional candidate Tom Bazan has withdrawn his lawsuit that alleged Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee failed to file her candidacy papers on time. A candidate hoping to unseat U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, in November … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 5 Comments

The Keyes to the Senate

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

So the Illinois GOP has asked Alan Keyes to run for Senate against Barack Obama. Keyes told a news conference Wednesday night that he would make an announcement by Sunday. “If I do step forward to accept this challenge, I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Buh-bye, Ron. State Rep. Ron Wilson of Houston, a 27-year legislative veteran unseated in last spring’s Democratic primary, has resigned from the Texas House five months before his final term ends. “It was fun. Now, it’s time to move on,” … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 5 Comments

Guilty plea in SI Ferry crash

Posted on August 5, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The captain of the Staten Island Ferry that crashed into a concrete pier and killed 11 passengers has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting that he was drugged up and completely derelict in his duty. The report mentions but goes into … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Now that’s rocking the vote

Posted on August 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

You know what the worst part about the Vote for Change music tour? They won’t come anywhere near Houston. Oh, well. I’m not as free to see live music right now as I used to be anyway. You folks in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 11 Comments

The great Congressional debate

Posted on August 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

There’s been an interesting and I think fairly useful debate going on regarding how Congressional races can and should get funded, how candidates come to be supported by the netroots and party establishment (read: DCCC), and how the two philosophies … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

ClearPlay followup

Posted on August 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Awhile back, I posted about a proposed change to copyright laws (HR 4586) and an apparent contradiction it led to in GOP philosophy as espoused in their platform. That generated some really good comments, including one today by Bill Aho, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 3 Comments

It’s a spammer’s life

Posted on August 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Note: Since I first posted this, Ryan Pitylak has completely abandoned the spam business, and in fact has become an ardent anti-spammer. Please see this post for an update. UPDATE: As this post is no longer accurate, and is apparently … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 1 Comment

National Night Out

Posted on August 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Olivia and I attended National Night Out last night – NNO is always a big deal in our neighborhood. (Tiffany is taking a Tuesday night Pilates class, in case you were wondering.) Thankfully, there are no kleptomaniac cats – that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 7 Comments

There they go again

Posted on August 4, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Via The Stakeholder, some familiar shenanigans by a Republican Congressional candidate. In this case, the perpetrator is Louie Gohmert, challenger to Rep. Max Sandlin in CD01. Gohmert said he would be more effective than Sandlin in making sure the proposed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

Three out of four ain’t bad

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Three out of four letter writers (scroll to “Undecided? Not Election Day yet”) agreed with me on various aspects of David Langworthy’s op-ed from yesterday. For what it’s worth. Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on Three out of four ain’t bad

How’m I doin?

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Eh. I got 5.5 questions right on the CJR News Quiz. More importantly, I got three of the five “substantive” questions right, so that’s cool. Check it out, it’s pretty good. Get eight more more, and you’re not only a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on How’m I doin?

Divorce

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Rusty and Andrea Yates are getting divorced. In his divorce petition, Rusty Yates, 39, says he and his wife of 11 years ceased to live together as husband and wife on or about June 20, 2001 — the day Andrea … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

Roller Derby!

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Via Tom Kirkendall comes the latest extreme sport craze in Austin. Leave it to Austin, which prizes its weirdness, to foster this contagious blend of high performance sport and campy theatrics called not games but bouts, fought on traditional four-wheel … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 21 Comments

Seven years probation

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

That former right-wing radio talk show host whose name I will not mention has been sentenced to seven years’ probation for exposing himself to an eleven-year-old neighbor girl. I’m not all that interested in the details, but I gagged when … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

Celebrities and Congresspeople

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Big Media Matt, Zoe, and Ezra talk about the Kerrycentrism of the Democratic Convention, how the national media covers elections, and the triumph of celebrities over politics. (It’s all connected, I promise!) There are two points in there that I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Celebrities and Congresspeople

DCCC may invest in Morrison

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Byron reports (yes! reports! you know, the thing that Journalists do but that Bloggers don’t! reports!) the following: I had the chance to speak with some high ranking DCCC folks for a little bit at the convention, and they are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 3 Comments

Tuesday twofer

Posted on August 3, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Twofer Tuesday on Texas Tuesdays today, as we feature Charlotte Coffelt and Wade Weems, two Houston-area candidates who are trying to conquer some challenging territory. Read about Wade here and here, and about Charlotte here and here, and if … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Texas Tuesdays | Comments Off on Tuesday twofer

New East Texas blog

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Also via FSS, we have new Texas blog, The Left Wing, by Kenna Kempton of Tyler, Texas, who calls herself “both a liberal Democrat and a Christian”. Check it out. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on New East Texas blog

That’s how they support the troops

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Republican Congressional delegation here in Texas sure does seem hell-bent on providing campaign fodder for their opponents. Look at the slapdown handed out by the Abiliene Reporter-News. Before its summer recess, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed and sent to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on That’s how they support the troops

Subway caves

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Behold the power of The Hammer. Sandwich chain Subway Restaurants today said it was ending a promotion at its German franchises that used an image of a fat Statue of Liberty. The promotion sparked outrage from a leader in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

What criteria are you using?

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I know everyone has their own criteria for voting for a particular candidate. My primary concern has always been “which one do I agree with more?” I’ve never quite understood why this isn’t universal. Why does anyone care if a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 12 Comments

The railroad connection

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Sunday Chron had an editorial that connected a few of the more recent DeLay dots. First came the grand jury investigation. The Travis County district attorney is trying to find out whether House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s Texans for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

Complaint against Frost dismissed

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Travis County DA Ronnie Earle has dismissed a complaint against Rep. Martin Frost that he made illegal use of corporate campaign donations. U.S. Rep. Martin Frost has been cleared of an allegation that he illegally funneled more than $100,000 in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Complaint against Frost dismissed

Remembering Thurman Munson

Posted on August 2, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the 25th anniversary of the day Yankees catcher and captain Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash. I still remember it like it was yesterday. My neighbor Neil told me the news as I was getting out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

Atrios turning to other races

Posted on August 1, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Now that John Kerry Thursdays are a thing of the past, Atrios is looking for new races to support. Check out his criteria and leave your suggestions in the comments. Richard Morrison gets a gold star for being Johnny-on-the-spot here … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Atrios turning to other races

The trading deadline

Posted on August 1, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

First of all, everybody knows that July 31 isn’t really a “deadline” for making a trade in Major League Baseball, right? It just means that now teams must put any player they want to trade on waivers first, which allows … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 2 Comments

Photoshop opportunity

Posted on August 1, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Clay Robison piles on Tom DeLay for being unclear on the concept of “parody”, and makes a suggestion that I think needs a little blog publicity: Fortunately, I am not in the corporate or political consulting business, but Democrats who … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad

Posted on August 1, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Today is my parents’ fortieth anniversary. They’ve come a long way – literally, since they got married in Staten Island, NY, and now live in Portland, OR. Four kids and four grandkids later, they’re doing great and having fun. A … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 6 Comments