Monthly Archives: August 2007

Republicans no hablan español.

Posted on August 31, 2007 by Tiffany Tyler

If the GOP is the party that doesn’t “get” the internet, are they also the party that doesn’t “get” Hispanic voters? When only John McCain committed to attending a Spanish language debate in Miami, it was indefinitely postponed: Univisión planned … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 2 Comments

Where are the anti-death penalty candidates?

Posted on August 31, 2007 by Tiffany Tyler

I want to commend Governor Perry for abiding by the 6-1 recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and commuting the sentence of Kenneth Foster Jr. yesterday. From the Chron: For only the third time since he’s been … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

The happy Wanderers

Posted on August 31, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

One of the unfortunate side effects of my recent pneumonia experience was that I was forced to cancel a trip Olivia and I had planned to take to New York to visit family and attend a few minor league baseball … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 1 Comment

EarthLink pays for delay in citywide wi-fi

Posted on August 30, 2007 by Tiffany Tyler

The future of the city’s ambitious wi-fi plan is questionable right now. From a Chron story by Carrie Feibel: Following months of delay, an ambitious plan to blanket Houston with wireless Internet signals now is in serious jeopardy. The city’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on EarthLink pays for delay in citywide wi-fi

Council approves new red light camera rules

Posted on August 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

City Council yesterday amended the red light camera ordinances to comply with new state laws. The more interesting action was about the new cameras that were quietly installed at intersections that were already enabled. The department added the new cameras … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Council approves new red light camera rules

The Woodlands’ destiny is in its hands

Posted on August 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The future of The Woodlands will be determined by the voters this November. The Town Center Improvement District board voted today to call for a Nov. 6 election that will move the community closer to becoming a city in 2014. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on The Woodlands’ destiny is in its hands

A response from the billboard industry

Posted on August 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Lee Vela, the president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas, has responded to the digital billboards story with the following letter to the editor in the Chron. Regarding the Chronicle’s Aug. 22 editorial (“Visual blight / Texas’ policy should … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Let it be up to the neighborhood

Posted on August 30, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Let me register my disagreement with Tory Gattis over the question of closing the “condo loophole” for minimum lot size restrictions in neighborhoods that have them. The new ordinance will only allow a single-family home on the lot (which sounds … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 8 Comments

Bacarisse makes it official

Posted on August 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The worst-kept secret in local politics officially became a non-secret today, as District Clerk Charles Bacarisse resigned his position to run for the GOP nomination for County Judge. Bacarisse, who has served as district clerk since 1994, effectively resigned his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

O’Day won’t seek re-election

Posted on August 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

He’s not resigning, as was previously rumored, but State Rep. Mike O’Day has now announced that he will not run for re-election. “Seeking elective office is something I never intended to do,” Mike O’Day, R-Pearland, said in his announcement. O’Day … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on O’Day won’t seek re-election

Is it Halloween already?

Posted on August 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

It’s often said that Christmas season seems to start earlier every year. Maybe that’s because Halloween season is starting earlier, too. (Another view is here.) This will please Olivia, who loved pointing out the Big Pumpkin every time we drove … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

Sheehan on Purpura

Posted on August 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Since the general consensus around Houston seems to be that the Tim Purpura firing was justified, I thought it might be a good idea to present an alternate view, that of Joe Sheehan from the Baseball Prospectus. Firing Purpura, as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Sheehan on Purpura

And speaking of red light cameras

Posted on August 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Some intersections that currently have them in Houston now have more of them. Houston police quietly have moved to install new red-light cameras at 20 intersections already monitored by the system, allowing citations for motorists traveling in the opposite direction, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Red light camera enforcement comes to The Woodlands

Posted on August 29, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Back in June, Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved the installation of two red light cameras in The Woodlands, though just for “informational” purposes at the time, as the levying of fines was not part of that. Well, now it is, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Red light camera enforcement comes to The Woodlands

Texas Democratic icons endorse Noriega

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

A little video goodness for you this evening: That was from Monday’s press conference at the GRB. Here’s the man himself: Text of Noriega’s remarks are here. As always, if you like what you see and hear, you know what … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Texas Democratic icons endorse Noriega

Bacarisse to step down tomorrow?

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

When I wrote that District Clerk Charles Bacarisse was rumored to be resigning on Friday to make official the run for County Judge that everyone knows he plans to make, I figured if that if the rumor were off it’d … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

U-line DEIS hearing post-mortem

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Tiffany Tyler

Yesterday Metro held the only public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed University Line alignments. The DEIS is a pretty thick volume – two volumes, actually – and I want to thank Christof for summarizing it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 7 Comments

Trees and the Universities line

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We know that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Universities line says that nearly 200 trees may be affected by the construction and location of the line. Christof listed mitigation of this as a wish list item for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Trees and the Universities line

Name, height, weight, URL

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Baby domain names. I keep thinking I’ve heard it all, and I keep discovering that I haven’t. A small but growing number of parents are getting domain names for their young kids, long before they can do more than peck … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

Beautifying the bayou

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I for one certainly hope that the current efforts to turn Buffalo Bayou into a useful recreational resource are a smashing success. This appeals to me as a preservationist, as an environmentalist, and just as someone who wants to see … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Beautifying the bayou

The magic C-note

Posted on August 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Now this sounds cool. A new security thread has been approved for the $100 bill, the Associated Press has learned, and the change will cause double-takes. The new look is part of an effort to thwart counterfeiters who are armed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on The magic C-note

Astros can Purpura and Garner

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

No shock here, that’s for sure. I might have thought they’d have waited till the end of the season, and doing a twofer is slightly more unexpected than just giving the manager the heave-ho, but surely there’s no one in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

Anti-smoking ban lawsuit dismissed

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Score another win for the city in court. After a daylong hearing in which the bar owners sought a preliminary injunction against the ordinance, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller found that the city can regulate alcohol-selling businesses to protect the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Anti-smoking ban lawsuit dismissed

“Did not!” won’t get you out of a red light camera ticket

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t a surprise, right? Of the 111,000 people caught by red-light cameras in the city of Houston since September, only about 360 have challenged their citations, and only 78 were successful, court records show. Court and police officials say … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 3 Comments

Corporations dropped from TAB lawsuit

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this from Friday. Almost five years after the Texas Association of Business secretly rounded up $1.7 million from corporations to influence the 2002 elections, a judge ruled Friday that the group and three officials must face a civil suit … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Corporations dropped from TAB lawsuit

Bacarisse to step down?

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The word I’m hearing through the local grapevine is that District Clerk Charles Bacarisse will resign his position as soon as this Friday to make formal his run for the GOP nomination for County Judge next year. Now, we all … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Bacarisse to step down?

TYC still outsourcing custody of 10-13 year olds

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Previously, I noted that the Texas Youth Commission had a secret (okay, underpublicized) plan to outsource care and custody of 10- to 13-year-old offenders to a private company. Now here’s an update to that story: Upheaval at the Texas Youth … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on TYC still outsourcing custody of 10-13 year olds

Diana Maldonado for HD52

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Eye on Williamson brings word that Diana Maldonado, currently a trustee with the Round Rock ISD, will challenge State Rep. Mike Krusee in HD52. This is a top-tier pickup opportunity for Democrats, as Krusee, who has made himself a target … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Diana Maldonado for HD52

“National Brotherhood Week”

Posted on August 27, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Evanier has been busy digging up old videos of Tom Lehrer performing his wonderful (and, sadly, often still timely) songs. Here is one of my favorites, “National Brotherhood Week”. As they say, it’s funny ’cause it’s true. Other recent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Comments Off on “National Brotherhood Week”

The cost of your wedding is about to increase

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As of this Friday, the Warren Chisum Marriage Tax, along with many other new laws, goes into effect. That means that if you haven’t yet made an honest man or woman out of your current sweetheart, better get cracking while … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 2 Comments

Some endorsements for Noriega

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Fundraising is of course an important aspect of running a campaign. As we know, Rick Noriega has done pretty well in that department so far (and as we also know, you are powerless to resist clicking on that link whenever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Some endorsements for Noriega

From the “Pollsters With Too Much Free Time” department

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

How can you tell when it’s a slow news day? When stuff like this is considered newsworthy. A recent survey of 1,000 Americans who are at least age 50 shows that 29 percent would choose talk show host Oprah Winfrey … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Comments Off on From the “Pollsters With Too Much Free Time” department

Kilgore!

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

What’s the over/under on how many votes this guy gets in next March’s GOP Senate primary? [Larry] Kilgore, of Mansfield, doesn’t say what state he plans to run in (he has endorsements from a legislator in Montana and a congressional … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 5 Comments

Not much bonding

Posted on August 25, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Add State Rep. Sylvester Turner to the list of people who aren’t happy with the HISD bond package. Construction delays at an Acres Homes school have prompted state Rep. Sylvester Turner to pull his support of the $805 million bond … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | Comments Off on Not much bonding