Monthly Archives: November 2004

Meanwhile, over in the Senate

Posted on November 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. Jeff Wentworth will serve as the master of discovery for the challenge to Sen. Mario Gallegos’ election. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst appointed the San Antonio Republican to supervise discovery proceedings and to take depositions and gather evidence on whether … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Meanwhile, over in the Senate

Heflin replaced as Appropriations chair

Posted on November 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

What Greg heard yesterday is now being reported: Talmadge Heflin is no longer the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. House Speaker Tom Craddick on Friday appointed state Rep. Jim Pitts to replace Talmadge Heflin as chairman of the budget-writing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Heflin replaced as Appropriations chair

Go placidly

Posted on November 20, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Remember “Desiderata”? If you grew up in the 70s, you surely knew someone who had that poem hanging on their wall. Those of you who know what I’m talking about will especially enjoy this Flash animation of the National Lampoon … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 1 Comment

Observing the Morning News

Posted on November 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Dallas Observer has an interesting article on the recent woes of the Morning News. Much of the problem is blamed on recommendations by consultants from McKinsey, who have pushed to process DMN stories for all Belo news outlets, causing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Observing the Morning News

Upgrade

Posted on November 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Had a little time to myself this afternoon, and upgraded to MT 3.121, apparently without any problems. I was a bit macho about it, in that I didn’t make a backup of my existing installation first, but I figured if … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 3 Comments

Paging Charles Soechting

Posted on November 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Good damn question, from Mark Kleiman. Is anyone rallying the law enforcement folks behind Ronnie Earle? I’ve only met him at a few conferences, but I know his reputation, and he rates about as high on professionalism as any D.A. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

Steffy and Lomax on KLOL

Posted on November 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Loren Steffy is in the same boat I am, radio-wise. I’m not a good demographic. That’s not an easy thing to admit. No one likes to be unloved, even if it’s only by marketers. Clear Channel Communications’ decision to pull … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 3 Comments

The DeLay Rule

Posted on November 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I’d noticed Tom DeLay’s use of the phrase “politics of personal destruction” in his defense of the newly adopted Tom DeLay Scoundrel Protection Act (which has been simply designated the Tom DeLay Rule in the blogs), but I hadn’t twigged … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

Vo certified

Posted on November 19, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Secretary of State has officially certified Hubert Vo as the winner in the HD149 race over Talmadge Heflin. Democrat Hubert Vo officially defeated veteran Republican state Rep. Talmadge Heflin by 32 votes in the closely watched House District … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 3 Comments

How long has it been since you loved the 80s?

Posted on November 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that’s just too long. It wasn’t so long ago that rock music of the ’80s was punchline nostalgia along with the Rubik’s Cube and Miami Vice. In 1998, Adam Sandler spent a whole movie, The Wedding Singer, poking fun … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 4 Comments

Another look at Hispanic voting for Bush

Posted on November 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Oddly buried in the This Week community section of today’s Chron is this article on Hispanic voting patterns from the 2004 election. This bit in particular piqued my interest: Nationally, Latinos cast 8 percent — a little more than 9 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 2 Comments

SafePlace endangered

Posted on November 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Sarah brings us some bad news about SafePlace: Seven months after being named one of the nation’s best programs for victims of violence, SafePlace is slashing jobs, cutting services and closing one of its emergency shelters because of money problems. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on SafePlace endangered

Blurker Amnesty Week

Posted on November 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Given the vast everflowing river of comments that my recent KLOL-related posts have become, I should perhaps be hesitant to mention this, but I will anyway. Christine says this is Blurker Amnesty Week. Says she: Yo! You! There in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 9 Comments

Two billion dollars

Posted on November 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Two years after the ferocious budget-cutting of the 78th Lege, we still have a budget deficit. “It looks to me like we’re going to be short about $2 billion,” said [Lt. Gov. David] Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate. “That’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Two billion dollars

Rules are for other people

Posted on November 18, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

The Tom DeLay Scoundrel Protection Act is now official Republican policy. House Republicans moved to protect House Majority Leader Tom DeLay from a Texas political corruption case, deciding Wednesday that he will not be automatically forced to give up his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 13 Comments

Is there a political consultant in the house?

Posted on November 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Morat is contemplating a run for his local school board here in the Houston area, and he’s seeking advice from anyone who’s been there and done that. Drop by and help him out if you can. And good on you … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Is there a political consultant in the house?

Abramoff and Scanlon sued

Posted on November 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

DeLay cronies Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon have been sued by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana over the $32 million the two men bilked from them. The lawsuit, filed in state court in Louisiana by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 4 Comments

Still waiting

Posted on November 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Still no new news in the Heflin-Vo saga. While we’re waiting, the Star-Telegram weighs in with another don’t-challenge editorial. Heflin could justifiably request a recount and hope that Vo’s scant margin of victory will disappear. If it doesn’t, he then … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 3 Comments

What if it’s all a hoax?

Posted on November 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin notes that the powers that be at Clear Channel in Houston have pulled a few stunts in the past, and wonders if maybe the furor over KLOL’s format change could be another trick on their part. Who knows? I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Look out, Linda!

Posted on November 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, the humanity! Federal authorities are investigating whether former Enron Chairman Ken Lay’s wife acted improperly when she had their family foundation sell large quantities of Enron stock just days before the company’s bankruptcy. Mike Ramsey, lawyer for Ken Lay, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Look out, Linda!

Turnout followup

Posted on November 17, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Greg makes a pretty good case (here and here) that turnout was as good as you could reasonably expect in the uncontested Democratic districts, thus rebutting HCDP Chair Gerry Birnbirg’s assertion that this was our primary failure in 2004. That’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

There is something to the “we didn’t turn out our voters” stuff

Posted on November 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing the 2004 postmortem, looking at the turnout-versus-message argument (see here, here, and here)… I had a chance to hear Gerry Birnbirg’s analysis of the 2004 election, and how Democrats did in Harris County. He downplayed the importance of message … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on There is something to the “we didn’t turn out our voters” stuff

And get me some skirts for those piano legs!

Posted on November 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

I admit, I was almost fooled by this. I mean, it’s not like The Onion hasn’t been a bit too realistic some days, right? Read and laugh. Via Pandagon. Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 1 Comment

It’s OK if you’re Tom DeLay

Posted on November 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

No one should be the least bit surprised if this comes to pass: House Republicans have until noon today to propose any rules changes to inoculate Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) from losing his leadership position should he be indicted … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

Who’s in Heflin’s office now?

Posted on November 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Talmadge Heflin may yet challenge his electoral loss to Hubert Vo, but in the meantime, he’s been evicted from his office in the Capitol. Some people in Austin already are waiting to move in, with a senior legislator claiming Heflin’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Who’s in Heflin’s office now?

As long as we’re on the subject of bad Houston radio ideas

Posted on November 16, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Found this blast from the past while searching for old KLOL stories. There will soon be something new on the radio: Houston’s first all-talk station on the FM dial — and the first talk station to bill itself as ideologically … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 3 Comments

School funding poll

Posted on November 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Are you a smoker who opposes a state income tax or an increased sales tax? One way or another, you’re gonna get screwed. More than three out of four Texans say the state should put more money into public schools … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 4 Comments

Harris County grand juries

Posted on November 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

As long as we’re talking about a judicial system that’s bending way over to be nice and accomodating to prosecutors, check out this article from Sunday’s Chron regarding the grand jury system in Harris County. Here’s the crux of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 4 Comments

What to do about the CCA

Posted on November 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Scott points to this Texas Monthly article about the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals and its head hack, Sharon Keller. They lead off with a discussion of the infamous Roy Criner case, which thrust Judge Keller into the national spotlight. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on What to do about the CCA

RIP, ODB

Posted on November 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Russell Jones, also known as Ol’ Dirty Bastard, died yesterday at the age of 36. A founding member of the groundbreaking Staten Island rap group the Wu-Tang Clan, ODB – whose real name was Russell Jones – collapsed on the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 6 Comments

More mourning for KLOL

Posted on November 15, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

When was the last time a radio station format change generated this many articles in the newspaper? Clear Channel Radio’s format switch Friday at KLOL-FM (101.1) from rock ‘n’ roll to Spanish hip-hop and other pop styles aimed at a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 19 Comments

October traffic report

Posted on November 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

October was my busiest month ever, with about 58,000 visits. Obviously, the election drove a lot of that. Things have slacked off a bit in November, but not all that much so far. We’ll see what happens. I expect to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Traffic Reports | 1 Comment

Will Heflin challenge or not?

Posted on November 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

This week is the deadline for Talmadge Heflin to take some kind of action in his electoral loss to Hubert Vo. I’ve seen different dates cited – the 17th and the 20th, to name two – but one way or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 3 Comments

“Lost” and found

Posted on November 14, 2004 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a great article on how the hit show “Lost” came to be in almost no time. There are times when I feel like the writers are going by the seat of their pants, and the heavy meet-the-characters plots of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 1 Comment