Monthly Archives: May 2007

Super Bowl XLV to be in Arlington

Posted on May 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to the North Texas Cowboys for their successful efforts. The new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington will host the 2011 Super Bowl, the National Football League announced Tuesday. NFL owners, in a secret ballot, chose North Texas over bids … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Rockets hire Adelman

Posted on May 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

He’s a retread, but as retreads go Rick Adelman is perfectly serviceable. I’m still not exactly sure how exactly the wheels came off of the Jeff Van Gundy bus, but given that they did, we could have done far worse. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Rockets hire Adelman

This year’s hurricane plans

Posted on May 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Whether this hurricane season will be active or not, local authorities are planning for the worst. Harris County officials said Monday they are as prepared as they can be for hurricane season, which begins June 1. The key question, they … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 2 Comments

Time for the annual “Very Active Hurricane Season” forecast

Posted on May 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Government forecasters called for a busier than normal hurricane season Tuesday. National Weather Service forecasters said they expect 13 to 17 tropical storms, with seven to 10 of them becoming hurricanes. The … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Time for the annual “Very Active Hurricane Season” forecast

Anti-abortion bills die

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

RIP, SBs 785 and 920. Good riddance to you both. More here, plus a full timeline of SB785’s curious life here. Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on Anti-abortion bills die

“Not if, but when”

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Fred Hill, the most recent entrant into the Great Speaker Sweepstakes of 2007 (okay, second most recent), says it’s just a matter of time before the long-anticipated motion to vacate the Speaker’s chair is made. Hill said if no … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on “Not if, but when”

RIP, SB785?

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope so. Sen. Florence Shapiro’s abortion reporting bill has hit a major snag in the House — a point of order that has forced House sponsor Geanie Morrison to delay the bill three separate times. Latest ETA is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on RIP, SB785?

Dewhurst: Senate will pass CHIP bill today

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope so, that’s all I can say. It’s taken way, way too long. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said that a plan to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program will clear the Senate today. “Of course this bill is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Dewhurst: Senate will pass CHIP bill today

A short rant about TiVo customer service

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Tiffany called me earlier today to say that our less-than-six-months-old Series 3 TiVo was rebooting itself over and over again. Not having anything better to offer, I suggested she call TiVo customer support to see what could be done. She … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 4 Comments

Four! Four for Speaker!

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

And Brian McCall throws his hat in the ring once again. I’m beginning to think Burka is right about the full list of contenders. Where’s Gib Lewis when you really need him? UPDATE: Holy guacamole, we’re up to five now. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 2 Comments

Darned Good Questions Department

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t followed the ins and outs of SB966, also known as the he Free Flow of Information Act or the Shield Law, which was killed on a point of order last night. (Vince has all the background if you’re … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on Darned Good Questions Department

Speed trap camera bill goes to Governor Perry

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

HB922, a bill by Rep. Vicki Truitt (R, Southlake), which would ban the use of cameras to catch speeders and which passed the House earlier this month, has now passed the Senate and is on its way to Governor Perry’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Speed trap camera bill goes to Governor Perry

TRO granted in Farmers Branch lawsuit

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise here. A federal judge on Monday issued an order halting enforcement of a voter-endorsed ordinance preventing apartment rentals to most illegal immigrants, a day before the ban was to take effect in this Dallas suburb. U.S. District Judge … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on TRO granted in Farmers Branch lawsuit

The taxes of sin

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Frankly, I’d have thought the strip clubs would have contributed more in taxes than this, but apparently not. During the 10 years the city has fought in court for tougher rules regulating Houston’s strip clubs, it has also accepted at … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on The taxes of sin

Campos smacks Lopez

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday, I discussed John Lopez’s column from Sunday, in which he introduced a racial angle to the effort by the Houston Dynamo to get a downtown stadium built. Among other things, Lopez said: [Astros owner Drayton] McLane, whose reputation among … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 2 Comments

Byron Cook tells Craddick to resign

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We may not get that motion to vacate today, but this is pretty stunning. COOK: “I’m a Republican who has supported Speaker Craddick three times, but I cannot and will not support him again…I’ve been threatened…and I’ve been told as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 2 Comments

Lawsuit against Roy Morales

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Miya Shay reports: Roy Morales, who is in the run-off race for City Council at large seat against Melissa Noriega, is being sued by a fellow Republican. And not just any Republican, he’s being sued by the Bush/Cheney sign guy! … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | Comments Off on Lawsuit against Roy Morales

And then there were three

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Jim Pitts, who ran against Tom Craddick for Speaker in January, is once again a candidate. Pitts, R-Waxahachie, said he filed for speaker “in case a motion to vacate would be successful.” Pitts said he doesn’t plan to make … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

The effect of SB785

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

SB785 is one of the save-my-job anti-abortion bills that the House will be debating today. It will require that statistics about judicial bypasses granted for underage women seeking abortions without parental notification be published on a county-by-county basis instead of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Sen. Gallegos back in Austin

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m in awe. After hearing the news that Sen. Mario Gallegos had to return to Houston last week due to his health, I thought for sure we’d see that stupid voter ID bill again. I’m absolutely flabbergasted at the level … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 2 Comments

Vacating, all I ever wanted

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Burka says that a coup against House Speaker Tom Craddick “seems inevitable now”, and he ponders how it might play out. Let’s assume that the process of vacating the chair has been set in motion by a resolution. Then what? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Ten years of camera phones

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this story about the ten-year anniversary of the invention of the camera phone: “It’s had a massive impact because it’s just so convenient,” said Philippe Kahn, a tech industry maverick whose other pioneering … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on Ten years of camera phones

Selling out

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Point. Well, as I watch Elvis Costello hawk Lexuses (Lexi?) on TV, I wave goodbye to one of the last holdouts from the pre-80’s era. It’s now assumed that if you were a rock star with any integrity from this … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 2 Comments

You got yours, now we get ours

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

John Lopez lays out an argument that I’m sure we’ll hear more of regarding a possible downtown stadium for the Houston Dynamo. The unwritten message in the letter of agreement with the city: The predominantly white fan base that follows … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

As the session winds down

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron talks about how the 80th Lege has been in many ways an aimless session, one that (like the 79th) will not provide much for Republican incumbents to campaign on. While I generally agree with the piece, there are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on As the session winds down

SB419 on the calendar

Posted on May 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Pete reports that SB419, the bill that would greatly help autistic children and their parents (see here, here, and here for more), is on the House calendar for next week. It’s not the bill that it should be (thanks ever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on SB419 on the calendar

More money for parks

Posted on May 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I like this. As development drives up land prices and neighborhood leaders beg for more green space, city officials are preparing to create Houston’s first dedicated source of public funds to acquire land for parks. An ordinance that would require … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

True Courage Awards

Posted on May 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The True Courage Action Network wants to know who you think should receive their first True Courage Awards: We are honoring the best efforts of legislators and advocates who have shown courage relating to TCAN’s mission to restore strong ethical … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on True Courage Awards

Gallegos’ absence and the last days of the session

Posted on May 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

With Sen. Mario Gallegos back in Houston due to his health, what happens now with HB218? Ailing Sen. Mario Gallegos’ absence from the Capitol leaves his fellow Democratic state senators one vote shy of a procedural tool they can use … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Barry and the Babe revisited

Posted on May 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

In the course of arguing that Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig should attend Giants games as Barry Bonds makes his final assault on Hank Aaron’s home run record, King Kaufman makes the following assertion: Hank Aaron, by the way, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 2 Comments

Meet the BARC boss tomorrow

Posted on May 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

From my Inbox: ATTENTION ANIMAL LOVERS The Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC) and their Chief, Kent Robertson, would like to invite YOU, to a meeting this Sunday, MAY 20TH AT 11 AM in the admin. building meeting room … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Meet the BARC boss tomorrow

Toll road moratorium in limbo

Posted on May 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

HB1892, the toll road moratorium vehicle that was sent to Governor Perry despite his veto threat and warnings of a special session, will be officially vetoed today. HB792, the compromise toll road moratorium that’s supposed to mollify Perry while still … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Toll road moratorium in limbo

CHIP expansion finally nearing

Posted on May 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Still not the best we can do, but better than what we’ve got. Budget negotiators agreed Thursday to spend as much as $89.5 million to expand CHIP, which is for children in families that don’t qualify for Medicaid and can’t … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Anti-abortion bills postponed till today

Posted on May 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Well, we may or may not get another floor fight over HB218 in the Senate, but just to ensure that today won’t be a quiet Friday in Austin, those anti-abortion bills that mysteriously appeared on the House calendar shortly after … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments