Monthly Archives: October 2005

AstroWorld turns out the lights

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

And so it ends: After 37 years, AstroWorld is closing its doors for good. While we wait to see who buys the land it sits on and what they decide to build there in its place, here’s a one last … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

Guaranteed!

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Lottery Commission is set to take action on the recent sore spot of overinflated jackpots by passing a rule to guarantee prize amounts. If the proposed rule is adopted, the grand prize winner will be paid either the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 2 Comments

Alito

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

As was the case with Harriet Miers, I’m not going to have too much to say about the current SCOTUS nominee, Samuel Alito. We’ll all be up to our collective clavicles in commentary on this one, so I see no … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 2 Comments

Another quality committee from Governor Perry

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Grits tells the sad yet predictable tale of what happens when Governor Perry convenes a panel to identify flaws in Texas’ criminal justice system and suggest possible reforms “from the initial stage of investigation into a crime to appellate and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Another quality committee from Governor Perry

McMartin student apologizes

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

This is fascinating. Remember the McMartin Preschool and the intense national hysteria that followed accusations that the owners and their employees spent the days molesting their young charges? It all eventually fell apart as the extremely shoddy interviewing techniques, coupled … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on McMartin student apologizes

RIP, Richard Smalley

Posted on October 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Richard Smalley, a professor at Rice who shared in a Nobel prize for his co-discovery of buckyballs, died last week at the age of 62. Born on June 6, 1943, in Akron, Ohio, Smalley’s childhood was one of middle America … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Zogby fills in the blanks

Posted on October 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Following up on my post about the Zogby Interactive poll from last month, we now have a full report of all the matchups they surveyed, which fills in a couple of blanks from the report they made available to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 2 Comments

So much for the bounce

Posted on October 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry’s approval numbers are back in their usual state of negativity after a one-month bounce from Hurricane Katrina, according to SurveyUSA. You can see the trendlines here. Basically, after recording September numbers of 49% approve/45% disapprove, October checks in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on So much for the bounce

Endorsement watch: HISD

Posted on October 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron puts what I believe are the wraps on its endorsements for 2005 by giving its recommendations in the HISD trustee races, choosing Richard Cantu in HISD1 and challenger Daisy Maura in HISD9. They did the one contested HCC … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: My turn

Posted on October 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

At long last, here’s my list of recommendations for the 2005 elections. I’m only going to make choices for races that will be on my ballot, and as James Campbell wrote today, these are just recommendations, not commands. Mayor – … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 5 Comments

Kaplan’s followup

Posted on October 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s Chron has a fuller story on the closing of longtime Houston Heights department store Kaplan’s-Ben Hur, which I noted last week. It’s mostly a nostalgia piece, with quotes from the currnt owners and several faithful customers, but what caught … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Kaplan’s followup

Poor, poor pitiful Tom

Posted on October 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Poor, poor pitiful me! Poor, poor pitiful me! Oh, these boys won’t let me be Lord have mercy on me! Woe, woe is me! — Various artists, including Terri Clark, Linda Rondstadt, and Warren Zevon It just breaks my heart … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Poor, poor pitiful Tom

How long must I wait?

Posted on October 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Since I’m not feeling like writing much about politics today, I thought I’d take a look at the question of how long baseball teams have waited to win their first pennant and World Series, and how long it’s been since … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 2 Comments

Merry Fitzmas!

Posted on October 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Indictment city. The vice president’s chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Jr., was indicted today on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements in the CIA leak investigation, a politically charged case that will throw a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

HISD1 interview: Natasha Kamrani

Posted on October 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Today I present the second Q&A session with a candidate for HISD trustee in position 1. My first such interview, with Richard Cantu, can be found here. Today’s subject is Natasha Kamrani. Early voting has already started, so if you … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 4 Comments

SCOTUS to review Texas redistricting

Posted on October 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

It’s still not over yet. The Supreme Court will consider Travis County, Texas, et al. v. Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, et al., along with several other related Texas redistricting cases, during its private conference on Friday. They are among … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 2 Comments

I got it all right here

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Elmo in one hand, a cellphone in the other. What more could a girl want? (Picture taken in Dallas while we were on the run from Rita.) Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 7 Comments

Complaint filed against Save Texas Marriage

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll say this for Save Texas Marriage: They’ve stirred up the pot something fierce. An organization of heterosexuals opposed to amending the Texas constitution to ban gay marriage is accused of using automated phone messages to mislead voters. In tape … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 11 Comments

DeLay’s defense fund mistake

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Oopsie. Rep. Tom DeLay has notified House officials that he failed to disclose all contributions to his legal defense fund as required by congressional rules. The fund is currently paying DeLay’s legal bills in a campaign finance investigation in Texas, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on DeLay’s defense fund mistake

Endorsement watch: Council Districts H and I

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

After a two-day hiatus, the Chron gets back in the endorsement business, as they recommend incumbents Adrian Garcia and Carol Alvarado for City Council Districts H and I, respectively. Garcia’s a slamdunk, as Alvarado would have been prior to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 8 Comments

Harriet, we hardly knew ye

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Harriet Miers has withdrawn her nomination for the Supreme Court. In her letter dated today, Miers said she was concerned that the confirmation process “would create a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 7 Comments

A few stories from Father John

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Father John has a number of links to stories about the current state of Health and Human Services privatization in Texas and how the influx of Katrina victims has affected their delivery of services. Two items to highlight, the first … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on A few stories from Father John

Swept

Posted on October 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

What a bummer. I’ll have more later, but for now, there’s no definition of the word “unsuccessful” that accurately describes this season for the Astros. They have nothing to be ashamed of, and they have every right to be proud … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 8 Comments

Sheryl Swoopes comes out

Posted on October 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Comets star Sheryl Swoopes has outed herself in a magazine article. “My reason for coming out isn’t to be some sort of hero,” Swoopes said in an interview that appears in the current issue of ESPN The Magazine. “I’m … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 10 Comments

A committee of one

Posted on October 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember that blue ribbon panel that Governor Perry announced last month to figure out what to do with school finance? It’s been five weeks since John Sharp was named its chair, and he’s hard at work talking to editorial … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

A little piling on Kay

Posted on October 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Another month, another fifty-state report by SurveyUSA on Senator popularity. Our senior member stays in the top half of the Senate with a 58% approve/35% disapprove tally. You can see her tracking numbers here, where the most notable thing is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Is that all there is?

Posted on October 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

For the second consecutive day, there are no endorsements in the Chron’s op-ed pages (though there is the anticipated Rosa Parks obituary), which leads me to wonder if they’ve done all the endorsing they plan to do. Why that would … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 4 Comments

My question for Bill

Posted on October 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

This article on Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist Bill Watterson is interesting, but ultimately doesn’t tell us a whole lot about the famously publicity-shy cartoonist that we haven’t read elsewhere. With one exception: Bill Watterson, 47, hasn’t made a public appearance … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | 4 Comments

Game Three notes

Posted on October 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Crap. Only good thing I can think of to say is that I gave up and went to bed after the ninth. One question: I know she was cute and all, but why did the Fox cameras keep focusing on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment

Behold my power!

Posted on October 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

If only I had such sway over the Chronicle’s editorial page! Thanks for the egoboo and all, but I’ve never even gotten them to print one of my letters to the editor. Believe me, if they were taking orders from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 2 Comments

Toll road privatization followup

Posted on October 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Last month, the idea of Harris County selling off the financial interest in its toll road network to a private firm was first publicly floated. At the time, a feasability study was proposed, with an October 25 deadline for Dick … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Would you like that roof open or closed?

Posted on October 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Tonight will feature the first World Series game ever played in the state of Texas, and what is Major League Baseball talking about? Whether or not the Astros must open the roof on Minute Maid Park. Major League Baseball officials … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 6 Comments

Council race news

Posted on October 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There may not be any endorsements today, but there’s still some local election news, starting with this piece on City Council At Large #1 and its frontrunner, Peter Brown. I just want to point out this bit of muddled thinking … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | Comments Off on Council race news

Endorsement watch: Nothing new

Posted on October 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

For whatever the reason, the Chron has taken the day off from endorsing anyone or anything today, despite the fact that there are still a handful of Constitutional amendments, three contested City Council races, and HISD/HCC trustee races to be … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 2 Comments