Monthly Archives: July 2007

GHCVB still suffering leadership woes

Posted on July 21, 2007 by Tiffany Tyler

And here I was thinking I’d only see Jordy Tollett again on some kind of Houston: Where Are They Now? special, preaching the benefits of the three-martini lunch. Perhaps not. According to Kristen Mack, Tollett is hot to get his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on GHCVB still suffering leadership woes

Call it something else, please

Posted on July 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not a hunter. Compared to me, even Mitt Romney looks like Daniel Boone. I have nothing against hunting, it’s just not my idea of a good time. But I can at least understand the allure, on some level, of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 2 Comments

Extreme commuting, Texas style

Posted on July 21, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the concept of extreme commuting? There’s not that much of it here in Texas, at least compared to some other places, but that may change. “Extreme commutes” — those of an hour or more — are much rarer in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Extreme commuting, Texas style

Rick Noriega In Houston On Saturday

Posted on July 20, 2007 by admin

Haven’t heard Rick Noriega speak? Those of you who are up early on Saturday, hop in the car and go to the West Houston Democrats meeting. Rick is the speaker and you are sure to be inspired by his vision … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Rick Noriega In Houston On Saturday

Border fence buyer’s remorse for Cornyn

Posted on July 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to our world, Senator Cornyn. Frustrated by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff’s decision to start construction of a controversial border fence in Texas this year, Sen. John Cornyn pledged today to fight any effort that proceeds without community input. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

The return of the Franchise

Posted on July 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome back, Stevie Franchise. Free to go anywhere, Steve Francis came home to the team and city he never wanted to leave. Once celebrated as the Rockets’ Franchise, the point guard will come back to Houston seeking a return to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on The return of the Franchise

On the record with me

Posted on July 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Blue asked me a few questions about life, the universe, and blogging. I think I managed to give some halfway coherent answers, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

He’d call a special session for that?

Posted on July 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

There have been many reasons floated for Governor Perry to call a special session. I of course don’t agree with any of them, but most of them are easy enough to understand. This is not one that I was expecting. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on He’d call a special session for that?

More toll roads, higher tolls

Posted on July 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Take a look at your future, Texas. Do you like what you see? Texas needs more toll roads, and drivers should pay more to use them, an external audit of the Texas Department of Transportation suggested Wednesday. Sharply increased highway … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

Why should CD22 get all the fun?

Posted on July 20, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

You know, there’s been an awful lot of attention paid lately to all the wackiness in CD22, thanks in no small part to one of the wannabees for that office. As entertaining as that has been, some of us in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Why should CD22 get all the fun?

Council passes wind power proposal

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The $628 million contract that the panel quietly approved devotes a third of the city’s energy purchases to wind-generated sources. [Mayor] White hopes the idea will give the city more stability in its roughly $150 million annual electricity budget, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Support ActBlue on Blogosphere Day

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Today, July 19, has come to be known as “Blogosphere Day” on the progressive side of things. It dates back to 2004, when the confluence of a suddenly open Republican-held Congressional seat in Pennsylvania that had voted for Al Gore … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Mike Engelhart fundraiser

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

If you read that Texas Lawyer article I linked to earlier, you know that there’s a lot of action already by both parties here in Harris County for the 2008 elections. You also got to meet one of the Democrats … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Mike Engelhart fundraiser

Mighty big brick you’ve got there

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one thing to say about this story. Acme Brick took on a heavy task for its 116th birthday celebration: the creation of a 6,400-pound brick nicknamed “Clay.” Is it just me, or is anybody else having visions … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Amarillo says red light cameras are effective

Posted on July 19, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The good news for fans of red light cameras: The city of Amarillo says they’re effective at reducing the number of accidents. The city of Amarillo released its study of red-light cameras Tuesday, giving city commissioners some facts and findings … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Amarillo says red light cameras are effective

Mackey apologizes, but doesn’t quite get it

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

In the “It was bound to happen sooner or later” department, renegade CEO blogger/sock puppet John Mackey has apologized for his actions. Sort of. John Mackey, chief executive and co-founder of Whole Foods Market, apologised on Tuesday for anonymously posting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 1 Comment

Michael Vick indicted

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

You know, I hadn’t really followed the story of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and the investigation of a dogfighting operation on his property very closely. Having now read the gruesome details of the charges against him, I wish I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

City Council legal spending

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As promised, Matt Stiles has started digging into campaing finance reports for city officeholders and seekers. This installment has to do with expenditures a couple of Council members have made on legal fees. Since January, council members Carol Alvarado and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

How the GOP is gearing up for 2008

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

While Rick Noriega was making his announcement yesterday, the Republicans were not sitting idle. The Austin Chronicle describes the kickoff of their “Victory 2008” campaign in Austin. It was scarcely an ebullient exercise. In one of the smaller conference rooms … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Mark Cuban and the Cubs

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

For the good of baseball, I wholeheartedly endorse this possibility. Add Internet billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to the list of potential Chicago Cubs buyers. “I submitted an app,” Cuban said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Mark Cuban and the Cubs

The seven wonders of Houston

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still not sure what I think about this story from Friday, which proposes Seven Wonders of Houston. I guess I don’t necessarily object to any of them, though I feel like the Astrodome is a Wonder of Ancient Houston, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

Farmers Branch seeks a makeover

Posted on July 18, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes, these things just write themselves. Farmers Branch is suffering an identity crisis. So say city leaders who are on a mission to come up with a brand, an identity or an event – something that people will come to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Farmers Branch seeks a makeover

Frisbee turns fifty

Posted on July 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Happy 50th birthday to an American icon. In the beginning, there was a metal popcorn can lid. Walter “Fred” Morrison and his future wife, Lucile Nay, tossed one at a Thanksgiving Day family gathering in 1937 and thought it was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 2 Comments

More on the now-online city campaign finance reports

Posted on July 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a fuller version of yesterday’s story about campaign finance reports for City of Houston electoral offices finally being available online. Today’s story also has data about fundraising totals for current city officeholders and a few candidates, plus a brief … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on More on the now-online city campaign finance reports

Noriega announces

Posted on July 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was the day Rick Noriega made his official announcement that he was forming an exploratory committee to run for Senate. Here’s a roundup of news coverage and related links. News coverage: Texas Politics blog Texas Politics blog again (both … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Noriega announces

Testing TEAM

Posted on July 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Our new Secretary of State is taking a crack at fixing the state’s messed up election management system. [New SOS Phil] Wilson’s office wants to simulate the load that the Texas Election Administration Management system, or TEAM, will handle during … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Sock puppets and the people who love them

Posted on July 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I just can’t get enough of this, can I? The NY Times writes about Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and his sock puppet tendencies. There’s not a whole lot new, but I found this segment to be amusing: In November, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 1 Comment

The McLane factor

Posted on July 17, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m never sure how much weight to give to John Lopez columns, but he does raise an interesting point here regarding Drayton McLane and the ongoing efforts to build a stadium for the Houston Dynamo. You have to wonder how … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on The McLane factor

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 16

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Burnt Orange Report started doing a weekly Texas progressive blog roundup last week, and they’re back this week with another edition. This is going to be a regular feature on BOR, and I’ll join in with my colleagues in crossposting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of July 16

Bolsover bohemian battle details

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

You all remember this picture, right? When last we checked on my favorite proposed real estate project, it was still all about marketing and area residents’ concerns. Now, thanks to Carolyn Feibel, we have some data to chew on as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Bolsover bohemian battle details

City campaign finance reports now available online

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

About time. City of Houston campaign finance reports are due this afternoon and for the first time candidates will be required to file them electronically. Users can search filings by several criteria, including candidate name, contributor name and expenditure payee. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Michael Harris

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I love a story about a former Rice stalwart getting a real shot with the local pro team, as is the case with Michael Harris and the Rockets. [Harris] completed the Rockets’ summer league on Sunday as one of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Michael Harris

Noriega for Senate kicks off today

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Today, Rick Noriega will make the official announcement of his forming an exploratory committee for US Senate. The time and place are the same as they had been for Thursday, for those of you in or near Austin who want … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Noriega for Senate kicks off today

Earle asks CCA to reconsider

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Back in June, when the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the lower courts’ dismissal of the conspiracy to violate the election code indictment, Travis County DA Ronnie Earle said he would ask the court to reconsider its ruling. He … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment