Monthly Archives: May 2007

The new trash fees

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Trash has been in the news quite a bit lately, from the solid waste management task force (whose report is here) to the new pickup schedules. The initial report called for a $3.50/month trash fee to cover things like enhanced … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on The new trash fees

No! Don’t come back!

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Listen to me carefully here, people. Be very careful what you wish for. Consumer groups are calling on Gov. Rick Perry to order the state Legislature back into session to make changes to Texas’ competitive electricity markets. AARP Texas and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

More on Turner for Speaker

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Burka thinks the Turner for Speaker campaign is a stalking horse. There’s no way for Sylvester to win. Republicans can’t vote for a Democrat for speaker. The best Turner can hope for is to hold the Craddick Ds (who may … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

600 Sq Mi deadline tomorrow

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Houstonist reminds us that the deadline for submitting entries for the 600 Sq Mi photo show is tomorrow (Friday), June 1, at 11:59 PM CDT. 600 sq mi is a juried exhibition of photos from Houston. We’re leaving it up … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on 600 Sq Mi deadline tomorrow

Why do they call you “Hot Tub Tom”, Hot Tub Tom?

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you who have not yet read Jeffrey Goldberg’s New Yorker article on the current unpleasantness within the Republican Party, let me nudge you towards it, as it’s a fine read. I’ll outsource the Tom DeLay-related snarkery to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Why do they call you “Hot Tub Tom”, Hot Tub Tom?

How to speak to global warming skeptics

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’d recommend that you read Grist’s How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic page, but be warned that the weight of evidence they bring is depressing. File it away for future reference in any event, as you’ll be sure to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Henry Cisneros to buy Carol Burnett’s house

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Sort of. A local organization led by former U.S. housing secretary Henry Cisneros has committed to raise enough money to save the childhood home of comedian Carol Burnett. American Sunrise, a nonprofit housing and education program, said it will raise … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Metro’s partnership

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

This article on the status of Metro’s current projects such as the North Line BRT is both encouraging and frustrating. Two of Metro’s bus rapid transit projects will be part of a federal pilot program to measure the potential cost … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Metro’s partnership

Sly for Speaker?

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday, the Chron Texas Politics blog reported that House Speaker Pro Tem and staunch Tom Craddick ally Rep. Sylvester Turner was non-committal about who he’d support in 2009. Turner says he’s a free agent as far as the 2009 speaker’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 5 Comments

Fox versus Crosby

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Diane Trautman alerts me to an interesting town hall meeting that took place in Crosby (small town northeast of Houston) last night. [A] recent Fox-26 news [report] showed that supposedly 1 in every 30 residents in Crosby is a child … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Governor Perry’s first veto

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

According to Grits, Governor Perry’s first veto of 2007 was for Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

“We’ll go somewhere where there’s cheese!”

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of California comes to the Panhandle. “It is remote, and I’ll tell you what: It took a little getting used to,” said Richard Avila, who’s in the process of moving much of his family’s 119-year-old Northern California … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on “We’ll go somewhere where there’s cheese!”

“Lost” Season 3 screen cap recap

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Did I mention that I finally got to see the Lost season three finale over the weekend, thanks to my in-laws’ TiVo? For those who still haven’t seen it, all I’ll say is Wow. Just, wow. Now, for those of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 2 Comments

CD Death Watch: One more Christmas

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Another post in my occasional series on the impending death of the compact disc. Today’s entry: This could be the last good Christmas for the music industry and its CD sales. Despite costly efforts to build buzz around new talent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 2 Comments

On the wrong TEAM

Posted on May 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall that some counties experienced problems with the statewide voting records system during early voting for the May 12 elections. As a result, some of them are now abandoning that system for one that is used by Harris … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Eight for ’08

Posted on May 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

With the 2007 Legislative session at a merciful end, it’s time to start thinking about what comes next. It’s clear that the 2008 election will go a long way towards determining who the Speaker is in 2009, and it’s equally … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 18 Comments

At long last, sine die

Posted on May 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The legislative session is finally over. Before they adjourned, the House voted to finish up business left undone by the Sunday quorum busting, which meant the last day was a lot busier than usual. The good news is that this … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on At long last, sine die

Barry vs the Hall

Posted on May 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Sigh. As Barry Bonds nears his record 756th home run, he’s stockpiling quite a collection of souvenirs — bats, balls, helmets and spikes, pieces of baseball history perfectly suited for the Hall of Fame. Whether he’ll donate any of them … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 2 Comments

Another Corpus Christi WiFi update

Posted on May 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Dwight pays another visit to Corpus Christi, and says their WiFi installation is much better than it was the last time he was there. Yes, EarthLink is their provider, so that’s very good to hear. Check it out. Continue reading →

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New trash days coming for some

Posted on May 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

If you live in Houston, be prepared for a possible change in your garbage pickup schedule. On July 2, the city’s trash trucks will begin navigating new routes, changing the regular garbage and yard-waste collection days for about one in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Lampson not running for Senate

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I had been aware for quite some time now that Rep. Nick Lampson was strongly considering a run for the Senate next year instead of a re-election bid in CD22, so this comes as a surprise to me. Mustafa Tameez … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Lampson not running for Senate

What passes for normal

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Talk about your anti-climaxes…After the fireworks this week and especially last night, the House appears to be conducting its normal business today, what will hopefully be the last day they’re in session until 2009. Bills are moving, with the parks … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Quorum busted after budget vote

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

If passing the budget wasn’t the big news yesterday, then this would have to be it. Tempers finally spilled over on the House floor this morning with two lawmakers shoving each other and members walking out of the chamber after … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Budget passes

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

What can you say when the budget gets passed and that’s nowhere near the biggest news of the day? The Texas Legislature approved the $152.5 billion state budget after midnight, with supporters defending it as fiscally responsible and critics calling … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Budget passes

Duck and cover, or head for the hills?

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I have a feeling that this is a subject we’ll visit again and again in the coming years. More than half of all evacuees from Hurricane Rita lived on ground high enough to avoid a surge of water from even … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 4 Comments

North Line BRT groundbreaking in July

Posted on May 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Lawsuit or not, at least one part of the Metro expansion plan is moving forward. Metro officials Thursday told Greater Northside Management District executive director Rebecca Reyna and other members of the North Corridor Coalition that construction of the 5.4-mile … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on North Line BRT groundbreaking in July

Reports of HB13’s death were exaggerated

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Cripes. Some bills just won’t stay dead. Rep. Frank Corte, the House’s number one law-and-order-civil liberties-be-damned legislator is trying to ride to the rescue. According to sources on the conference committee, Corte is trying to shovel some of the worst … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Talton the Torpedo strikes

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Robert Talton, the biggest bill-killer this session, has apparently called a point of order on the budget bill, HB1. He was one of a few anti-Craddick Republicans to complain about pork in the budget, and it looks like he’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Talton the Torpedo strikes

Comments on Memorial Day

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from Rep. Rick Noriega: Comments on Memorial Day LTC Rick Noriega May 27, 2007 Our great country is at war. This Memorial Day weekend, as we move from barbecue to pool, we need to take a moment … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Oh, yeah, the budget, too

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We may finally get to some budget debate today, too. If you want to know where things stand, the CPPP, in particular Scott McCown, says: “While the budget will spend almost 95% of General Revenue on education, health care, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Oh, yeah, the budget, too

CHIP deal reached

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

With all the craziness in the House yesterday, the news that a CHIP deal was reached by Senate and House conferees got overlooked. Which is too bad, because it looks like it’s a pretty good deal. Under the agreed-to plan, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on CHIP deal reached

What next in the House?

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

So we’re down to the wire for the Lege this session, with a lot of unfinished business to deal with amid all the Speaker strife. I know that Tom Craddick will be more powerful if he makes it through to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Strip clubs get an stay of execution

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Astrodome may have lost its reprieve, but it appears that the local strip clubs have gained one for themselves, at least for now. On Friday, a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans issued … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Strip clubs get an stay of execution

Not so fast on that Astrodome reprieve

Posted on May 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Miya Shay reports that the effort by Sen. Kyle Janek to make the Astrodome redevelopment project eligible for certain tax rebates may not make it through after all. With all that’s happening in the House, if this wasn’t a sure … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Not so fast on that Astrodome reprieve