Monthly Archives: June 2008

The state of wind power in Texas

Posted on June 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

For the most part, the wind power industry is doing well in Texas. Wind power in Texas was mostly a curiosity in 2000 when the state first opened its wholesale electric markets to competition. About 300 turbines were spinning away … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

No excuses for CPS

Posted on June 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

My reaction to this Chron story about how Child Protective Services is just a well-intentioned but misunderstood agency that made a few mistakes that maybe we can now see in retrospect is pretty much the same as Grits’ reaction. We’re … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on No excuses for CPS

Regent Square update: Please leave Allen Parkway alone!

Posted on June 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot has an update on the Regent Square development, which is what used to be the Allen House apartments. One bit of the developers’ plans caught my eye: They had originally asked the city to make W. Dallas one lane … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

On welcoming converts

Posted on June 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Just wanted to note this interesting discussion at TAPPED about how political converts are viewed and accepted by party stalwarts. I hope given current trends it’s a topic we Democrats will have cause to contemplate quite a bit in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on On welcoming converts

A warning about downtown parking

Posted on June 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Olivia and Audrey and I spent a little time this afternoon at the public library grand reopening. It was fun for all, as they burned up some energy in the kids area that they otherwise would have expended at home, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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

Hurricanes are coming – Is your home ready?

Posted on June 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The answer, if your house was built somewhere other than a city like Houston that actually enforces hurricane building codes, is probably not. Since Hurricane Rita, the state’s lack of attention toward its building codes, often characterized as a muddy … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 1 Comment

The fate of the Dome is in his hands

Posted on June 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the man who will decide what happens to the Astrodome. Edgar Colon, a lawyer with a background in negotiating complex financial deals, has been nominated to serve as chairman of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. Colon would … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

For Bell for Senate

Posted on June 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Colin has an excellent BOR diary advocating Chris Bell as a candidate for the now-open SD17 seat. It’s a bit hard to believe, but with some luck, we could pick up three Senate seats this fall, and that’s without a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

The book was different

Posted on June 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So one of the things I did while on vacation last weekend was finish reading Gregory Maguire’s book Wicked, which I’d been meaning to do for awhile. It’s a very interesting book, if a tad bit slow at times, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | 2 Comments