Monthly Archives: July 2005

Little League parents

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

TBogg writes about his and his daughter’s experiences with Little League, in context of the debut of the remake of The Bad News Bears. Having spent seven years toiling in Little League hell, there is so much that is accurate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | 4 Comments

The new drive-ins

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The hot new trend in movies: Drive in theaters. Texas drive-ins are seeing the biggest surge in decades, as Galaxy is among at least five outdoor theaters to open since 2003. The latest debuted in Killeen, near the Fort Hood … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 4 Comments

Weekend special session overviews

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but my weekend was much better for being almost completely special session-free. I’m even about a quarter of the way through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince now – Tiffany, true to form, finished it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Weekend special session overviews

Alt-weekly blogging

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Atrios says he’s “always been puzzled by the fact that alt-weeklies have largely missed the blogging boat.” I don’t quite understand it, either. I don’t know how things work at the Houston Press, but like Atrios I’ve long thought that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Alt-weekly blogging

June traffic report

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

June was a slightly slower month, with about 50,000 total hits. I’m never sure what causes the monthly variations in traffic, though for the most part I suspect it’s search engine referrals. I thought June would herald some summer doldrums, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Traffic Reports | 2 Comments

Terry McEachern’s law license suspended

Posted on July 24, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Meant to write about this earlier in the week but didn’t get to it: Terry McEachern, the Swisher County DA who helped railroad the Tulia defendants, got a very light punishment from the State Bar of Texas for his sins. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

County jail update

Posted on July 24, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a good followup story to the earlier piece which described overcrowded conditions in the Harris County jails and the dangers to guards and inmates that have resulted from them. Couple of items worth noting: First, despite the fact that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 5 Comments

They really are going public

Posted on July 24, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this is standard operating procedure, but it’s still amusing to come across a want ad for the job of Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director. At least, I assume it’s standard procedure, since one presumes that Reagan Greer, who’d … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 1 Comment

Another view of the EBS trial

Posted on July 24, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Via Banjo, local blogger Slampo relates his experience as a juror in a mock trial for Enron Broadband a couple of years ago. There’s quite a bit of grist for the mill there, but his discussion of former EBS CEO … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Another view of the EBS trial

HD143 vacancy criticized

Posted on July 23, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

With one special session on school finance already in the bag and another underway, Governor Perry is being criticized for not calling an election to replace the late Rep. Joe Moreno sooner than he did. Under state law, special elections … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

Step Up Texas

Posted on July 23, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Greg has a roundup of reactions to my Run Every Race manifesto (and here’s another from Hope that came later). Marc Campos says he “will address later” the issue of “running races we can’t win”. I’ll be sure to check … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 4 Comments

It was the insurance companies

Posted on July 23, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

In the Pink and Drive Democracy were on this yesterday: Documents which were ordered to be released by the Texas Association of Business as part of litigation against it have led to the identity of many of its secret corporate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on It was the insurance companies

No more blogger radio

Posted on July 22, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

All things must end, and that includes my Saturday morning stint on BizRadio 1320 AM. Host Jon-Michial Carter emailed me earlier this week to say that he had to stop doing the show because of other time commitments. I greatly … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 4 Comments

Town Hall meeting on Texas Marriage Amendment

Posted on July 22, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Forwarded to me from the DFA-Houston list, there’s going to be a town hall meeting to discuss the Double Secret Illegal Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment tomorrow morning. Click the More link for the details. Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Town Hall meeting on Texas Marriage Amendment

Lottery search update

Posted on July 22, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’m happy to say that it looks like the Texas Lottery Commission really is serious about finding a good director. A lottery critic, the executive director of the State Bar of Texas and a member of the Texas Ethics Commission … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | Comments Off on Lottery search update

District H Cares

Posted on July 22, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I think pretty highly of my City Council member, Adrian Garcia. This is a good example why. On a tolerable summer morning, it’s not unusual to see Ofelia Bennett and her friend and neighbor, Bobbie Sheppard, on the porch or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on District H Cares

Harry Potter is in the house

Posted on July 22, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The good news: Our copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince arrived yesterday from Amazon UK. The bad news: Tiffany got to it first, so I have to wait until she’s done reading it. The good news: She’s a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | 4 Comments

On TxDOT’s end-around

Posted on July 22, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reports on the end run that TxDOT attempted regarding plans for the I-45 expansion. As part of the IH-45 North Hardy Corridor Planning Studies, TxDOT and Carter Burgess first presented the idea of the managed lanes project to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Once again: Run every race

Posted on July 21, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I have to say, I’m at a loss to understand why the concept of running a candidate in every race has less than unanimous acclaim among my fellow Democrats. Still, just as some of us were cheering at the prospect … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 13 Comments

Cybersquatting on City Council

Posted on July 21, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

City Council District C candidate Brian Cweren spent a little money on various domain names and bought himself a pile of publicity. Cweren’s twist — directing people who type those addresses to his own site — is more unusual, his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 4 Comments

The endless legislative summer continues

Posted on July 21, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Governor Perry has called another special session to deal with school finance. The special session that Gov. Rick Perry called to fix the state’s school finance system staggered to an end Wednesday … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 10 Comments

No convictions in Enron Broadband trials

Posted on July 21, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Holy crap. I did not expect this. Three months after the Enron Internet fraud trial began, prosecutors failed Wednesday to win a single conviction against any of the five defendants. After deliberating less than 24 hours over four days, a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 1 Comment

Matt speaks

Posted on July 21, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Matt Glazer, recently mentioned as a possible challenger to Frank Corte in HD122, tells us where he stands on entering the race. Whatever decision he makes, I hope all the eventual Democratic challengers have his level of dedication and passion. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Matt speaks

A response from Maria Isabel

Posted on July 21, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I blogged about this story in the Chron regarding the proposed demolition of a historic home in the Old Sixth Ward. The subject of the article, Maria Isabel, has left a lengthy comment which appears to be a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on A response from Maria Isabel

I-45 Town Hall Meeting on August 13

Posted on July 20, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The following is a message from the I-45 Coalition: I-45 Town Hall Meeting on August 13 We need you to be there! The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will present findings from the I-45 Corridor Study at a Town Hall … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on I-45 Town Hall Meeting on August 13

RIP, James Doohan

Posted on July 20, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

James Doohan has been beamed up for good. James Doohan, the burly chief engineer of the Starship Enterprise in the original “Star Trek” TV series and movies who responded to the command “Beam me up, Scotty,” died Wednesday. He was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 2 Comments

Eminent domain bill dead for now

Posted on July 20, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that bill to restrict eminent domain? Looks like it’s hit a snag. Legislation to protect private property owners from certain land seizures appeared dead Tuesday when the House refused to negotiate a final version of the bill with the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Jon Lindsay to retire

Posted on July 20, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There’d been speculation before that there could be a contested primary in Jon Lindsay’s SD7, and now thanks to Lindsay’s announced retirement, there will be. Lindsay has been a fixture in local politics, serving eight years in the Senate and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 2 Comments

School bill probably, tax bill probably not

Posted on July 20, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

At this point, HB2 (the school finance bill) seems to be headed towards acceptance (or at least an up-or-down vote), while HB3 (the tax bill) is still unresolved. Since HB2 won’t take effect until HB3 does, that means we’re still … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Carly’s legacy

Posted on July 20, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

So what kind of shape did Carly Fiorina leave HP in after she grabbed the golden handshake? Here’s a hint. Hewlett-Packard will cut 14,500 jobs worldwide, including an unspecified number from its Houston campus. Most of the reductions will come … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 3 Comments

Matt Glazer for HD122

Posted on July 19, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

According to Karl-T, San Antonio blogger (and fellow Trinity alum) Matt Glazer was really serious when he said awhile back that someone needs to step up and challenge State Rep. Frank Corte in HD122. Matt, I salute you, I encourage … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 4 Comments

Finding the dark lining in a silver cloud

Posted on July 19, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Awhile back, I noted that the Lottery Commission had gutted its security division, then tried to cover that fact up. This is the sort of work that the Lottery investigators did. A former employee of the Texas Lottery Commission has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | Comments Off on Finding the dark lining in a silver cloud

The continuing funding shortfall for veterans

Posted on July 19, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve written before about the way the Bush Administration has tried to shaft the Veterans’ Affairs Department by grossly underestimating its budgetary needs. At long last, they’ve owned up to this failure. The Bush administration admitted yesterday that its request … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 3 Comments

Doing business the Costco way

Posted on July 19, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Every time I read an article like this, I’m glad to be a Costco member. I also never cease to be amazed at the values of the people who criticize Costco for how they do their business. [N]ot everyone is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 3 Comments