Monthly Archives: August 2008

Brett who?

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Am I a bad sports fan if I admit that the whole Brett Favre saga has pretty much bored me to tears? I swear, I think ESPN is starting a new channel just to carry this story. If the coverage … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Harris County keeps on growing

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Some time in the next month or so, Harris County likely welcomed its four millionth resident. Assuming it hasn’t already happened, that is. The county’s population as of July 2007 was 3.94 million, representing a 1.5 percent bump of 60,000 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

HGLBT Political Caucus makes its endorsements

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Alan Bernstein reports from last night’s meeting of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, where the process to endorse candidates for the November election was spiced by the presence and participation of a couple of Republican judicial candidates, which is something … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

The Fort Bend-Medical Center shuttle

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who live in Fort Bend County will soon have a new option for commuting into the Medical Center. Officials with Fort Bend County’s small but expanding public transportation program have set a tentative start date of Aug. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

From the “How to tell you spend too much time thinking about politics” files

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

When you see the headline Ballet will grow by leaps, bounds with $53 million move and your first reaction is “Good Lord, what has Commissioners Court done now?!?” because you read the first word as “Ballot”, it’s time to take … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

The Main Street Sears

Posted on August 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with Lisa Gray – the old Sears store on Main Street at Wheeler is pretty darned ugly. It’s just that I don’t think it stands out in its ugliness, any more than something its size would expect to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Noriega’s immigration plan

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I give to you Rick Noriega’s comprehensive immigration plan (PDF). It has a lot to recommend it, not the least of which in my mind is this: Increase the Number of Annual Visas. To force immigration through legal channels, the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Texans, Rodeo back off Dome hotel opposition

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The most significant obstacle to any kind of Astrodome hotel plan was opposition from the Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It now looks like that opposition has softened somewhat. “We will be pleased to work with the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Edouard’s effects

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Tropical Storm Edouard, now merely Tropical Depression Edouard, was basically a dud around here, but it will be welcomed fondly by other parts of the state. For the thousands who suffered from power interruption — or the travelers who had … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 2 Comments

Murray on Bell

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Dr. Richard Murray has two posts on Chris Bell‘s decision to run for the open SD17 seat and his chances of winning. The main bit of interest for me is in the second post: Money. Bell got in the race … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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More on Ames Jones and KBH

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a short story about that recent report that Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones is contemplating a run for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat in the event KBH steps down to run for Governor in 2010. It doesn’t … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged | 1 Comment

The legacy of Henry Wade

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

With all the attention that the numerous high-profile DNA exonerations have brought to Dallas County and its current District Attorney Craig Watkins, what does it all mean for Henry Wade, the man on whose watch those unjust convictions occurred? Via … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on The legacy of Henry Wade

Edouard: More drizzle than sizzle

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but Tropical Storm Edouard hasn’t exactly been the overwhelming force of nature you might have thought it would be based on the usual TV coverage up till today. It’s been a steady rain since … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Libertarians and the Speaker

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday I blogged at Kuff’s World about a story in the Statesman in which retiring State Rep. Suzanna Hupp placed calls to a couple of Libertarian Party candidates in State House races urging them to drop out rather than risk … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Nothing to do but wait

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Just a few hours out now. Tropical Storm Edouard, whose sudden emergence from the Gulf of Mexico forced coastal residents and state officials to spend much of Monday making last-minute preparations, was expected to make landfall along the upper Texas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Nothing to do but wait

Mayor White talks recycling

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Leo Gold, the KPFT radio talk show host who’s been in the news and at City Hall to push recycling, had Mayor White on his show last week to discuss the topic. You can listen to it here, or download … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

The Twitterati

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I may be a Twitter user, but I would not claim to be a member of The Twitterati. But that’s okay, because you don’t need to be to use it. The Chron story is a pretty amusing piece of fluff … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on The Twitterati

Texas blog roundup for the week of August 4

Posted on August 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So, um, do you have enough batteries and bottled water and gas in your car, just in case? I’m afraid I can’t help you with any of those things, but I do have the weekly roundup of Texas Progressive Alliance … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Don’t need to be a weatherman

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of things will be closed tomorrow, including my office and most likely the girls’ preschool. Oddly enough, Olivia’s dentist appointment is still on the schedule. Check tomorrow and call if you don’t want to drive, they said. Okey dokey. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 6 Comments

Get ready for Edoaurd

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not, here it comes. A storm that appeared as a blip on the Gulf Coast radar late last week could reach hurricane strength before it bears down, possibly on the Southeast Texas coast, by Tuesday morning. Tropical Storm … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Get ready for Edoaurd

Parks and Wildlife versus the border fence

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. The commission, which oversees the state Parks and Wildlife Department, voted last month to essentially tell the feds to get lost, saying no thanks to an offer from the federal government to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

The queue behind KBH

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

If this episode of Waiting for KBH turns out differently than the others and she really does abandon her Senate seat for a shot at the Governor’s mansion, there’s no shortage of Republican wannabees lining up to replace her. DallasBlog … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Still not safe for sex toys

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sad to say that the war on sex toys is not quite over yet, though clearly a corner has been turned. A federal appeals court turned down Attorney General Greg Abbott’s attempt to reinstate a ban on the sale … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

H-GAC explains it all to you

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So I was driving out to Katy this past Saturday with my mother-in-law and Audrey, so I could install a new computer for my mother-in-law’s aunt, and along the way my MIL asked me how the new managed lanes are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Tropical depression

Posted on August 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes, as we know from last year, Gulf storms don’t give much warning before they hit. The season’s fifth tropical depression has formed in the Gulf, according to the National Hurricane Center. Now that the depression has a center of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 1 Comment

School days

Posted on August 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been too long since I’ve posted a picture of the girls. So here you go: That photo was taken one morning as I was herding the girls into the car to go to preschool. Audrey was going through a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 3 Comments

New jail bond to miss the November election

Posted on August 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Voters probably will not see a request to issue bonds for a new downtown jail on the November ballot, as Commissioners Court members voice reluctance over moving so quickly on a project the public already has rejected … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

McCain’s plateau in Texas

Posted on August 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Via Poblano, I see that Rasmussen has a new Presidential poll for Texas. John McCain continues to lead Barack Obama by nine points in Texas. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds the Republican ahead 50% to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Bike rage

Posted on August 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I sense an emerging meme here. When gas prices surged above $4 per gallon earlier this year, it didn’t take Nostradamus to predict that there would be a resultant rush to carbon-free commuting options–especially in a place like Portland, which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

Weekend link dump for August 2

Posted on August 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Get yer links on… Happy 12th anniversary, Mike and Cathy! The football offense of the future. Not to be confused with the ice cream of the future. If you’re the type that cries easily, you probably shouldn’t read this. It … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Use it or lose it time for curbside recycling

Posted on August 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

There’s been talk for a long time now that neighborhoods that have poor participation rates with curbside recycling might lose the service, and now that day of reckoning is at hand. Harry Hayes, the city’s solid waste director, recently sent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

White Linen Night tonight

Posted on August 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Tonight’s the night for White Linen Night in the Heights. Here’s a map of the area – note that there’s shuttle service available as well as pedi-cabs and rickshaws. Parking is at a premium in this area, so if you’re … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Newspapers win against Perry in court

Posted on August 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Houston Chronicle and two other Texas newspapers won access to Gov. Rick Perry’s travel records this afternoon after a district judge apparently found no evidence that their release would place Perry or anyone else in imminent danger. “This … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Newspapers win against Perry in court

UT-Brownsville wins concessions on border fence

Posted on August 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. A federal court agreement reached Thursday with the Department of Homeland Security removes the threat of an 18-foot fence splitting the campus of the University of Texas-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. Instead, the federal agency agreed to accept the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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