Monthly Archives: June 2005

Rumors in HD134 and HD146

Posted on June 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

PinkDome is first to report a rumor of a challenger for Martha Wong in HD134: Ellen Cohen, Executive Director of the Houston Area Women’s Center. Today the Houston Democrats blog gives what appears to be confirmation of this, in quoting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

You’re negotiating! You’re really, really negotiating!

Posted on June 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Perry hopeful schools deal will surface Gov. Rick Perry is optimistic about reaching an agreement on school finance after meeting separately this week with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick. “It’s very fair to say he feels … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on You’re negotiating! You’re really, really negotiating!

Is Sharp jumping in?

Posted on June 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’m a little late on the draw with this, but it’s been a weird week for me. In the Pink and PinkDome both report on the rumor that two-time near-miss Lt. Gov. candidate John Sharp is about to throw his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 4 Comments

Susan Gates

Posted on June 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I join with Stace in saying a sad goodbye to HCDP Executive Director Susan Gates, as she and her husband prepare to move to Portland next month. I haven’t known Susan for as long as Stace has, but like him … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

RIP, Anne Bancroft

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Actress Anne Bancroft, known best for her iconic role as Mrs. Robinson in “The Graduate”, has died at the age of 73. Not only did the actress seduce Broadway, movie and TV audiences in roles ranging from the aging ballerina … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 5 Comments

Lactivism

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

My view on breastfeeding in public is pretty much the same as Hope‘s. If the sight of a woman feeding her baby makes you uncomfortable, then look somewhere else. Babies operate on their own schedule. When they need to eat, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 4 Comments

Let’s hear it for Canadian drugs!

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Chris Bell has a question for Governor Perry: When are you going to get around to signing SB410, which would enable and assist Texans to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada? You’d think providing that kind of relief for Texans … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

More like this, please

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

You know how I’ve been agitating lately for Democrats, in particular State Reps, to talk about school finance and their alternative plan? This is the sort of thing I have in mind. Thank you, Rep. Garnet Coleman! (And on a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on More like this, please

Courage for Congress, continued

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Karl-T gives a thumbs-up to the idea of John Courage re-challenging Lamar Smith in CD21. He also reprints an email from Courage outlining his reasons for considering the rematch, and his plan for proceeding. Check it out. I should mention … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Courage for Congress, continued

Hardberger wins in a close one

Posted on June 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Got a minute at a borrowed computer, so now’s a good time to note that Phil Hardberger is the newly elected Mayor of San Antonio. Retired Judge Phil Hardberger, a City Hall outsider with a storied past but no municipal … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | Comments Off on Hardberger wins in a close one

In The Woodlands

Posted on June 7, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’m about to head up to The Woodlands, which is where I’ll be until Thursday morning. The good news is that I’ll get to meet and have lunch with Tom Kirkendall tomorrow. The bad news is that since I’m laptop-challenged, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on In The Woodlands

Hey look! Voter fraud!

Posted on June 7, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure Mary Denny is all aquiver over this announcement by State Attorney General Greg Abbott. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today announced his office’s first indictments for alleged voter fraud in Texas, returned in separate cases by grand juries … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 4 Comments

NYC Olympic bid appears dead

Posted on June 7, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Well, a proposed stadium deal in New York has been killed by the State Assembly, meaning the City’s bid for the 2012 Olympics are very likely dead. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno instructed their representatives … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 5 Comments

The time is now, Democrats

Posted on June 7, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve written before that now would be an excellent time for Democrats to start talking about their proposed alternative for school finance reform. This Waco Trib article gives further evidence in favor of that thesis. On the hottest partisan issue … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 3 Comments

Star Bock Beer case heard in court

Posted on June 7, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been following the saga of Star Bock Beer since it first made the news after Starbucks hit it with a cease-and-desist letter for allegedly violating its trademark. See here, here, here, and here for prior bloggage on the case. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | 8 Comments

Runoff today in San Antonio

Posted on June 7, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s the day in San Antonio when the mayoral race gets settled once and for all. Phil Hardberger continues to hold a slight edge in the polls. On the eve of the election, the race was too close to call, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | Comments Off on Runoff today in San Antonio

An exception for TXI?

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve written about the cement plants in Midlothian before (see here and here for recent entries). Today I got the following press release: (DALLAS) — While the Dallas-Ft. Worth area struggles to find a way to reduce smog, the state … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 3 Comments

Attorney General says no toll roads secrets

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

This is a victory for transparency. The Texas Attorney General’s Office agrees with the Chronicle that citizens have a right to know how a private development group plans to build and finance a toll road from Dallas to San Antonio. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Attorney General says no toll roads secrets

Lea Fastow gets out of jail

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Lea Fastow has Left the pokey, but she still has five weeks in a halfway house to go. Hand-in-hand with her soon-to-be-imprisoned husband, Lea Fastow walked out of a downtown Houston prison before dawn today, then took a short ride … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Lea Fastow gets out of jail

Gathering the statistics

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I present the following as an FYI for those who are into this sort of thing (you know who you are). Greg posted a couple of days back that precinct-level data was now available statewide for all elections from 1996 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

The Sugar Land Kiddie Roundup

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There’s enough grist in this story about an overzealous police raid on a parentally-unsupervised high school party to power about a half-dozen mills. What really dropped my jaw is this: Static blares and bounces around the room of Gary Franks’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

What kind of primary do you think we’re going to have?

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Sunday Chron had this op-ed, which was written as a response to an earlier piece by former Gov. Bill Clements decrying the possibility of a bloody GOP gubernatorial primary. The central point of yesterday’s piece is this: Not just … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

One year of Olivia

Posted on June 6, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

One year ago today, Olivia Rose Kuffner made her appearance in our lives. Today, on her first birthday, she’s given us a year’s worth of joy and happiness. She’s walking now, though she still crawls when she wants to get … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 17 Comments

Far out!

Posted on June 5, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There’s some good conversation going on around suburbia versus inner-urbia and the nature of mixed-use development – see Atrios, Kevin Drum, and Jim Henley. Taking the point closer to home, at least in some sense, is Ginger, who writes about … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 6 Comments

On trading Roger Clemens

Posted on June 5, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I think Richard Justice is very likely correct in saying that Roger Clemens is not going to get traded – apparently, he feels so strongly about this that he’s said it twice. I think the main reason why Clemens isn’t … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

Parenting 101

Posted on June 4, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who are parents can read what Julia has written and nod your heads. Those of you who aren’t but plan to be can read and learn (and you should). Those of you who plan to remain child-free … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 7 Comments

Strayhorn certifies the budget

Posted on June 4, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has certified the state’s budget as balanced, meaning it can go to Governor Perry without further intervention from the Lege. In 2003, Strayhorn initially refused to give her seal of approval, and that action, which came … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Strayhorn certifies the budget

When was the last time you listened to Blogger Radio?

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that’s too long, as they say. Fortunately, you can rectify that situation at 10:15 AM on Saturday at the usual place, BizRadio 1320 AM. I’ll be there, as will Kevin, who’s presumably tanned, rested, and ready after his weekend … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Jefferson responds to Keel

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey’s column today is devoted to State Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, who responds to the accusation of Rep. Terry Keel that Jefferson threatened to recruit an opponent against him when they spoke on the phone about the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Parker to audit SafeClear

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Cinty Controller Annise Parker has announced an audit of the SafeClear program in order to get a better grip on how much the free tows are costing the city. Mayor Bill White admits there have been a lot of changes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Parker to audit SafeClear

DeLay starting early

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Via The Stakeholder, I see that the DeLay ’06 campaign is already getting into gear. With Democrats gunning for him and an ex-congressman already working to take his seat, Majority Leader Tom DeLay is wasting no time getting into campaign … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 6 Comments

Why you can safely ignore the special session talk

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

You’re going to continue to hear Governor Perry rattle his saber about calling the Lege back for a special session on school finance. Actually, from what I’ve seen, Perry will continue to push the notion that the Lege will quickly … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Why you can safely ignore the special session talk

Fundraising at the White House

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, Lou Dubose advances the ball on things scandalicious and DeLay-related, this time documenting a political fundraiser at the White House involving disgraced lobbyist and DeLay crony Jack Abramoff and should-be-disgraced conservative activist Grover Norquist. Read and enjoy. Some … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 2 Comments

Castles in the sand

Posted on June 3, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

How can you tell it’s summertime around here? Well, beyond the onset of 90+ degree days whose monotony is broken only by violent thunderstorms? That would be the annual Sand Castle competition in Galveston, which is taking place tomorrow. Castle … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment