Monthly Archives: November 2006

Another contender for Council?

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I’m hearing rumors that two-time Congressional candidate Tom Reiser will be throwing his hat into the ring to replace Shelley Sekula Gibbs on City Council. Reiser spent big bucks in losing a 2000 primary for what was then CD25 to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 3 Comments

Robinson Warehouse – Seeing daylight

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Well, the weather permitted but my schedule didn’t, so the next chance I had to take a picture of the Robinson Warehouse demolition was yesterday. They’ve clearly made a lot of progress, and at first glance I thought my initial … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 4 Comments

More on Houston’s smog extension

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Baytown Sun has an article on Houston’s smog problem, with more details from GHASP’s Sabrina Strawn about why the TCEQ’s response is so lame. Sabrina Stawn, executive director of the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention, bemoaned the SIP revisions. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on More on Houston’s smog extension

Explaining the spending cap

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The CPPP has a nice, concise explanation (PDF) of the constitutional spending cap and why it must be lifted to pay for the property tax reductions that were passed in the special session this year. Among other things, they note … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Explaining the spending cap

So much for beautification

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Scenic highways. Hike & bike trails. Graffiti abatement. Who needs ’em? State transportation officials have abruptly ended a program aimed at making roadways prettier, safer and historically relevant, blaming federal budget pressure caused by war and hurricanes. But the Texas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on So much for beautification

Cuellar backs Ciro

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe this has something to do with his rumored interest in the 2008 Senate race and maybe it doesn’t, but I for one am glad to see Rep. Henry Cuellar bury the hatchet and get behind Ciro Rodriguez in his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 2 Comments

The WiFi contenders for Houston

Posted on November 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t manage to get to this yesterday: We’re not officially down to two finalists for the city WiFi contract, but we’re close enough to tell who’s leading. San Francisco-based EarthLink Municipal Networks, run by one of the nation’s largest high-speed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on The WiFi contenders for Houston

The Legislative Study Group

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

And as long as I’m touting sites with information about the bills that the Lege will be considering, let me also give a shoutout to the Legislative Study Group. They’ve been around since 1995, they do a ton of research … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Expanding the death penalty

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Via DallasBlog, I see that Rep. Debbie “Pit of Hell” Riddle wants to expand the death penalty to crimes other than murder. So far, two bills have been filed in the Texas Legislature that would make aggravated sexual assault of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

TEC backs Farrar

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Remember State Rep. Jessica Farrar’s complaint to the Texas Ethics Commission about pressure by lobbyists on her fellow legislators to support Tom Craddick for Speaker? Well, the TEC has addressed her complaint and found that it has merit. In a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on TEC backs Farrar

Precinct analysis: SD07

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I was going to save this one for later, but given the mostly fawning profile that just ran in the Statesman, plus my own recent tweaking of him, I suppose now is as good a time as any to analyze … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Precinct analysis: SD07

Who’s got bad air? We’ve got bad air!

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

From yesterday’s Chron: Houston still can’t get its air clean enough to satisfy federal requirements. The greater Houston area will remain too smoggy to comply with federal clean air standards by a 2010 deadline, Texas officials say. This almost certainly … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

A story about “A Christmas Story”

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I like this deconstruction of “A Christmas Story”. I think it gets at the melancholy that underpins the movie without overdoing it. Think of all the despair that grinds through the movie. The horrible department-store Santa Claus. The Old Man, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on A story about “A Christmas Story”

The McGwire conundrum

Posted on November 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

It’s that time of year again, when the Hall of Fame ballot is released. This time, it comes with a side order of heartburn. Mark McGwire, Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. headline the first-time candidates on the 2007 baseball … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on The McGwire conundrum

Tax cuts or spending caps? You decide

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

This has the makings of an interesting conundrum for some legislators. Paying for promised cuts in local school property tax rates over the next two years would put lawmakers at least $4 billion over a constitutional cap on state spending, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on Tax cuts or spending caps? You decide

TEC reiterates its “no disclosure” ruling on cash gifts

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Ethics Commission does what it does best, which is to say, “nothing”. A Texas official who receives any sum of cash as a gift can satisfy state disclosure laws by reporting the money simply as “currency,” without specifying … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on TEC reiterates its “no disclosure” ruling on cash gifts

Precinct review: CD07

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Since my examination of the Richmond Rail effect generated a lot of good feedback, I’m going to start my tour of the Harris County precinct data with a look at CD07 and the race between John Culberson and Jim Henley. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

Bowling in New Orleans

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

It’s still technically unofficial until a formal announcement by Conference USA at noon today, but as Moisekapenda Bower reports in the Chron, the Rice Owls will be headed to New Orleans for their bowl game. If you plan to attend … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Robinson Warehouse demolition update

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Robinson Warehouse demolition is proceeding apace. I’ve decided to try and document its progress, since I drive past it so often. Beware of doing that on a weekend, however – all but one of the southbound lanes of Montrose … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

WSJ on CD23

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Wall Street Journal has an article on the CD23 runoff that’s worth a read. It’s for subscribers only, but Phillip has a copy. One bit of interest: [I]ndependent handicappers say Mr. Bonilla has the edge. “[Ciro] Rodriguez isn’t known … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

Who cares what the beat writers think?

Posted on November 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

You might have missed the announcements of the MVP awards, as decided by the Baseball Reporters Association of America (BBRAA). No great loss if you did, as they made two poor selections, one defensible and one not. Joe Sheehan has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment

Is the end of the TAKS test in sight?

Posted on November 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Now that they’ve got the court order regarding property taxes off their backs (temporarily, anyway), the Lege can actually visit the idea of school finance (read: figure out how they’re gonna pay for those property tax cuts) and maybe even … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 5 Comments

Dallas and Williamson

Posted on November 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Meanwhile, as you wait for me to give you more data about Harris County in 2006, here’s a couple of things to read about how things went elsewhere: Via Vince comes this Statesman article about the closer-than-most-people-expected race in HD52 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Dallas and Williamson

Time to start a tour through the precinct data

Posted on November 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been slowly making my way through the Harris County precinct data, with a goal of analyzing all of the interesting races that took place here this year. I’ve got a couple of reports prepped and ready to go, but … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

Blowing things up in the name of science

Posted on November 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

A catch-up item from last week: this NYT article on the show Mythbusters as science-teaching tool. To me, the value of the show is that it shows the thought process that one must go through to set up and then … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 1 Comment

Who we’re paying to lock up

Posted on November 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Local attorney Randall Kallinen, who was a candidate for judge in Harris County this year, has an op-ed in the Sunday Chron about the makeup of the Harris County jail population. The Harris County jail has reached 102.31 percent of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

The Christmas Story house

Posted on November 26, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I love stories like this. Ralphie Parker and Brian Jones know what it’s like to want something. For Ralphie, the object of desire was an official Red Ryder, carbine-action, 200-shot, range model air rifle. (Go ahead, say it, “You’ll shoot … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on The Christmas Story house

Bowl bound, baby

Posted on November 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Rice Owls are going to a bowl game. For the first time since 1961. Holy $#|+! I’m still getting used to the idea. After all I’ve seen since 1988, it’s a little unreal. But at least it’s unreal in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 8 Comments

A deserving turkey

Posted on November 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Press has given its uncoveted Turkey of the Year Award for 2006 to Shelley Sekula Gibbs. I realize there’s been plenty already written about her farcical “term” in office so far, but for my money, this is the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

RIP, Frank Madla

Posted on November 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Former State Sen. Frank Madla and his mother-in-law died this morning in a house fire. A man who was killed in a fire that struck a South Side home early Friday morning was confirmed to be former state Sen. Frank … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Hands off!

Posted on November 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

In writing about why Dennis Franchione is the right coach for Texas A&M, Richard Justice says the following: The Aggies aren’t going to get anyone better. Franchione is tough, organized, smart and detail-oriented. Unless the Aggies are willing to enter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Cuellar for Senate?

Posted on November 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Hotline offers up an intriguing new possibility for the 2008 Senate race against John “Box Turtle” Cornyn. Despite Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R) resounding ’06 win, one TX Dem insider says Dems are hopeful that a strong challenger to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 6 Comments

What I’m thankful for today

Posted on November 23, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I think it’s pretty obvious… I am thankful for my family – Tiffany, Olivia, my parents, my siblings, my in-laws, my aunts, uncles, cousins, assorted others, and those who are family by choice rather than by blood. Among all the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 6 Comments

My mom’s most memorable Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story from my mom of a legendary Thanksgiving dinner at our old house in New York several years ago. Sadly, I was not there to witness this, but I’ve laughed at the tale many times. My Most Memorable … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on My mom’s most memorable Thanksgiving