Monthly Archives: February 2007

Why 21?

Posted on February 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

John M. McCardell Jr. used to be the president of Middlebury College. He believes that current law that restricts drinking to those 21 and over is bad social policy, and he intends to prove it. With backing from the Robertson … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

The other Walter Reed

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

If this article doesn’t make you very angry, there’s something seriously wrong with you. Behind the door of Army Spec. Jeremy Duncan’s room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold. When … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 2 Comments

Our deadly jails

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

If anyone reading this lives in Harris County and has received notice that they now have a warrant out for their arrest due to unpaid fines, I suggest you pay those fines posthaste, because you don’t want to wind up … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Chisum apologizes, but still doesn’t get it

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Via Capitol Letters, Rep. Warren Chisum has followed through on his willingness to apologize for the anti-Semitic kookery of his anti-evolution letter, but he still doesn’t quite grasp what the problem is. The Pampa Republican sent a letter late today … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 5 Comments

A back door to more gambling?

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a thought: Could the effort to sell off the Lottery be a back door to expanded gambling? The Texas Lottery might look quite different under a private operator if the state opens the door to online games, casino-style Keno … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | Comments Off on A back door to more gambling?

Pay your fines or go to jail

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Folks who owe fines for traffic and other violations will soon face arrest if they don’t pay up. In what police called the first statewide warrant roundup, law enforcement agencies threatened Friday to arrest scofflaws who haven’t paid their traffic … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Eckels: “Who cares what you think?”

Posted on February 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Shorter Robert Eckels: So I quit. What’s it to you? County Judge Robert Eckels, drawing some heat for his decision to leave office just months after voters gave him a fourth term, offered no apologies Friday, and he noted that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

At home with Audrey

Posted on February 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Audrey came home as scheduled on Tuesday after her time under the bili lights. She gets to spend a little time in the sun now to make sure her bilirubin level stays in the normal range. So far, so good. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 3 Comments

TAB comes out against immigrant bashing

Posted on February 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Association of Business has frequently been a force for bad in this state, but they’re on the right side here by joining with various Hispanic organizations to oppose anti-immigration bills in the Lege. “The Texas Legislature should take … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

House committee follows Senate’s example

Posted on February 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee followed the Senate’s example and voted to exceed the spending cap by passing SCR 20, the Ogden resolution. While three of the Lege blogs covered the happenings, for reasons I can’t adequately explain there … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 3 Comments

Friday random ten

Posted on February 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Since I got the iPod and figured out synching and playlists, one of the things I wanted to do was to load up all the CDs that I seldom or never listened to, put it on shuffle, and see what … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 3 Comments

Warren Chisum: Man of nonsense

Posted on February 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

SciGuy brings the depressing news of State Rep. Warren Chisum’s bizarre anti-science crusade in the House – see here and here for the letter he distributed to all House members regarding the teaching of evolution. I’m not sure what’s more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

Some details about the city Wi-Fi rollout

Posted on February 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We know that Earthlink will be the provider for Houston’s Wi-Fi network when it is rolled out in 2009. But what are the details, and how will it work? I refer you to Dwight, the City Hall blog, and WiFiNet … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Some details about the city Wi-Fi rollout

Red light camera study in Philadelphia

Posted on February 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Via Blue Bayou comes this fascinating data point in the red light camera debate. Evaluating the effectiveness of red-light cameras at two intersections along Philadelphia’s busy Roosevelt Boulevard, researchers from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety separated camera effects from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Eckels says “So long, suckers”

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As expected, Robert Eckels is now the former Harris County Judge. He did not say in his speech when he will resign from the county job he has held for 12 years, or what he will do afterward. He was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 3 Comments

Eckels to tell us what he wants to be when he grows up today

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, today is the day that Harris County Judge Robert Eckels gives the state of the county address. Among other things, we may finally find out what his plans for the next four years are, and whether or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 3 Comments

Senate votes to exceed spending cap

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Though the Senate tried to go the constitutional amendment route, in they end they simply voted to exceed the spending cap on their own. “It’s essential in order to permit us to provide local school property tax (relief) to homeowners … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Senate votes to exceed spending cap

Comets promote Thompson to replace Chancellor

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

New comets owner Hilton Koch has his new head coach: current assistant Karleen Thompson. On Feb. 2, Koch contacted Thompson, who was in Prague, Czech Republic, serving as an assistant coach on a team based in Moscow. After that phone … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Comets promote Thompson to replace Chancellor

Cooler restrictions passed in New Braunfels

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The New Braunfels cooler crackdown has survived a second reading and become law. The measure, approved in a 4-3 vote, limits floaters on the Comal River to one small cooler, big enough to hold six 12-ounce cans. On the Guadalupe … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

News flash: People still like the greenback

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The new Presidential dollar coin, which is already circulating in Houston, goes nationwide this week as people from coast to coast wonder what the point is. An AP-Ipsos poll found that three-fourths of people surveyed oppose replacing the dollar bill, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 7 Comments

Same phony attack, new location

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

This is ridiculous. As supporters of Metro’s planned North Bus Rapid Transit line told reporters Tuesday that the community strongly favors the project, 30 opponents made a long march in blustery winds and said the line will infringe on their … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 3 Comments

Loud and clear, the people say “Support public schools!”

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

This is a real eye-opener. A big majority — 71 percent — agreed that “the school finance plan was only a temporary band-aid because all of the new state tax dollars were dedicated to property tax relief,” according to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Loud and clear, the people say “Support public schools!”

CPPP urges Abbott to rule against Perry

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Scott McCown of the Center for Public Policy Priorities has sent a letter (PDF) to AG Greg Abbott urging him to rule that Governor Perry has overstepped his bounds with his recent executive order on the HPV vaccine. It’s a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on CPPP urges Abbott to rule against Perry

Like father, like son

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t even think of a good snarky intro to this, so I’ll just say it: Governor Perry’s son has been hired by one of the financial consulting outfits involved in the proposed Lottery sell-off. UBS, one of two large … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 2 Comments

Eckels to give State of the County address

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve had the State of the Union, the State of the State, and the State of the City, so all that’s left is the State of the County. The Greater Houston Partnership will host that event on Thursday. From the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Earthlink wins city WiFi contract

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We have a provider. The city disclosed today that it has chosen Atlanta-based EarthLink Municipal Networks to provide a citywide, wireless Internet network within the next two years. An official announcement was scheduled for a 4 p.m. news conference today, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

Under the bili lights

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Tiffany called me after I returned home on Sunday night to tell me that Audrey had an elevated bilirubin count, and that she had been placed under the bili light as a result, in order to prevent any serious problems. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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

Slow down the coal plant fast track

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I have not followed the news about Governor Perry’s intent to fast-track approval of construction of 11 coal-fired power plants for TXU very closely – for background, see here, here, here, and here. I do note that as with so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Shoot! Shoot!

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I must confess, it had never occurred to me that Texas’ laws regarding the use of deadly force to protect one’s property needed to be loosened, but that’s what they’re fixing to do in the Lege. Sen. Jeff Wentworth of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 4 Comments

The most endangered historic places of 2007

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Also from last week: Preservation Texas lists its most endangered historic places for 2007. As noted by Houstonist, five of them are in and around Houston. Some of these you know about, like the River Oaks Theater and Shopping Center, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on The most endangered historic places of 2007

Will the spending cap be punted to the voters?

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Catching up on an item from last week, the Senate moved closer to passing a constitutional amendment that would permanently remove buying down local taxes from spending cap calculations. Despite complaints that they’re trying to pass the buck to voters, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

A quick update on Old Spanish Trail

Posted on February 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

And from that same Rad Sallee column, some feedback on the sorry state of Old Spanish Trail. Rick Beal finds fault with the “he said, she said” nature of much that appears in Move It. “Here is your format,” he … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on A quick update on Old Spanish Trail

Metro responds to North Line complaints

Posted on February 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I was wondering if there was more to this than the original story reported. Turns out, there is. Space was tight in Friday’s newspaper and some important information got cut on deadline. The story was about Northside merchants worried that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Metro responds to North Line complaints

Charges against Scheffey dropped

Posted on February 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

And from the Stuff I Was Going To Publish Yesterday But Didn’t Have The Time Department: Eric Scheffey, the poster boy for tort “reform” opponents who was arrested in 2005 for allegedly practicing medicine without the license he finally had … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Comments Off on Charges against Scheffey dropped