Monthly Archives: January 2005

Boggs, Ryno in the Hall

Posted on January 4, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, thus resolving one puzzling omission but not others. Boggs, a five-time American League batting champion for the Boston Red Sox, was selected by 474 of the record … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

Ron Kirk: What are the odds?

Posted on January 4, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Based on the odds he’s assigned to a somewhat abridged list of contenders for the DNC Chair, this dude seems to think Ron Kirk is the favorite. Not sure what to make of that, but take a look for yourself. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 3 Comments

Mayor White: Year One

Posted on January 4, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Kristen Mack takes a look at Year One of Bill White’s term as Mayor. White can count several successes after a year in office, even as he faces a continuing tight budget, complaints from some City Council members that they’re … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 3 Comments

House committee to investigate Gregg Phillips

Posted on January 4, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

This is a good start. The head of a state House investigating committee said Monday he will look into allegations of cronyism involving contracting at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission. “This is something … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on House committee to investigate Gregg Phillips

DeLay rule rescinded

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. Sometimes outrage gets results. House Republicans suddenly reversed course Monday, deciding to retain a tough standard for lawmaker discipline and reinstate a rule that would force Majority Leader Tom DeLay to step aside if indicted by a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 2 Comments

Dave Barry takes a break

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Dave Barry is signing off for a year or more as the Miami Herald’s weekly humor columnist. Whether you think he “used to be funnier” or not – personally, I think his material is a bit familiar, but he himself … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 2 Comments

Hubert Vo’s journey

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Due to be sworn in to the 79th Legislature in two days but with an electoral challenge still hanging over his head, Hubert Vo talks about how he got here. Vo worked as a busboy and a cook. He assembled … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 1 Comment

I’m just thankful that snarkery is still permitted

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. How big a persecution complex do you have to have to do this? Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 6 Comments

Followup on the Gregg Phillips story

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Kimberly adds quite a bit to my post yesterday on Gregg Phillips and his self-enriching tendencies. She’s got a lot of good insight there, so check it out. Something I want to clarify: I thought the story that RG Ratcliffe … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

Psyche!

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

You know, I’m not actually sure whether the new TV show about the psychic who fights crime will have a higher gobbledygook quotient than the new TV show about the mathematician who fights crime, but doesn’t it just give you … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Skepticism | 1 Comment

RIP, Shirley Chisholm and Bob Matsui

Posted on January 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, has died at the age of 80. “She was our Moses that opened the Red Sea for us,” Robert E. Williams, president of the NAACP in Flagler County, told the Associated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Belated first baby story

Posted on January 2, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

So we do get a first baby of the year story after all. Nearly 30 years ago Maria Ramon missed being a New Year’s Day baby by two days. On Saturday, with her third child, she did not miss. Omar … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

Hutchison on CHIP

Posted on January 2, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison doesn’t attack Governor Perry in her op-ed piece on restoring CHIP funds. She doesn’t even mention him. She didn’t have to. Look at this quote: CHIP requires cooperation between the state and federal government. In 2005, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 2 Comments

Chron investigates Gregg Phillips

Posted on January 2, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a long and detailed story about the tenure of former Health and Human Services Director Gregg Phillips, who was responsible for overseeing the transition of much HHS work to private firms. Phillips, who helped write the infamous … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

Soechting comments

Posted on January 1, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Democratic Party Chair Charles Soechting left the following comment in my post on his statement about Talmadge Heflin. I still disagree with him on this, but as that post is a couple of days old, I wanted to make … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Soechting comments

Happy New Tax Break!

Posted on January 1, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I think this is the first article I’ve read about babies born at this time of year that talks about the tax advantages of December babies. In the final days of 2004, Houston delivery rooms were filled with parents fawning … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 3 Comments

Perry aide fibbed about meetings

Posted on January 1, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

New Year, same old stories. Months before a construction company won a multibillion-dollar road deal in Texas, a man who had worked for the company before becoming a top aide to Gov. Rick Perry met at least five times with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

One, two, three, what are we blogging for?

Posted on January 1, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Happy New Year everyone! Among other things, today marks my third anniversary as a blogger. I’ve seen better political years than 2004, but it was pretty darned good to me personally, and I wish that same kind of success and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 4 Comments