Monthly Archives: October 2008

Weekend link dump for October 5

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I got yer doggone weekend link roundup right here, you betcha… In case you missed it before, Michelle Obama posts on MOMocrats. Very cool. The woman behind Miss Piggy. I had no idea she was inspired by Peggy Lee, but … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 2 Comments

Once again with the electrical infrastructure

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Look, I get that a complete hardening of the electrical infrastructure against hurricanes would be very expensive, probably more than it would be worth in savings. We don’t have enough hurricanes around here to make it worthwhile, as it was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 1 Comment

Tell me what that big yellow thing in the sky is again

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Texans home opener will be played today with the roof open, under natural conditions. Apparently, that requires an explanation for people not used to such things. The Texans insist they are ready to play their home opener Sunday against … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Tell me what that big yellow thing in the sky is again

“The Strangerer”

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall the news from 2006 that President Bush read Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” while on vacation in Crawford, the announcement of which caused a few heads to explode. If you think you’ve sufficiently recovered from that, then you … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Comments Off on “The Strangerer”

New Mersenne prime found

Posted on October 5, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Time for some math news: Researchers at UCLA have discovered a new Mersenne prime number. UCLA mathematicians appear to have won a $100,000 prize from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for discovering a 13-million-digit prime number that has long been sought … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on New Mersenne prime found

Voter registration may not reach 2004 levels in Harris County

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Voter registration may be at an all-time high statewide, but here in Harris County we’ll be lucky to match 2004 totals. Ahead of Monday’s registration deadline, about 1,912,000 citizens were on the voter roll as of Friday, county officials said. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 4 Comments

New CD10 poll has Doherty within five

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news for Democratic Congressional candidate Larry Joe Doherty in CD10: A new poll by Goodwin Simon Victoria Research has him trailing incumbent Mike McCaul by five points. Here’s the polling memo (PDF): In the initial trial heat,McCaul gets … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on New CD10 poll has Doherty within five

The city’s plan to cut greenhouse gases

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The city of Houston has a plan to cut greenhouse gases. Mayor Bill White’s plan would reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 11 percent below 2005 levels by 2010. City officials described the target as conservative, because it’s based on existing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on The city’s plan to cut greenhouse gases

Endorsement watch: The DMN on the CCA

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

In my Guess the Chron endorsements post, I wrote that “Any respectable Democratic candidate running for the CCA, a/k/a “Texas’ Worst Court”, should expect to receive an endorsement.” The Morning News comes through for me on that: Susan Strawn in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: The DMN on the CCA

Friday random ten: How station managers do it these days

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

For my next Genius playlist, I went more mainstream, with Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out” as the seed song. That wasn’t my first choice, but it was the first song I tried that didn’t report “no Genius information is available”, so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Comments Off on Friday random ten: How station managers do it these days

Mighty big pile of debris you’ve got there

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a lot of debris. If Ike were a football team, how many fields would it fill? According to Coach — er, Mayor — Bill White, the storm would cover 390 football fields with debris stacked 6 feet high. White … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 1 Comment

The Sheriff debate does go on

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see that a debate between Adrian Garcia and Sheriff Tommy Thomas actually happened. I’d been worried about it, as you know. Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas and Democratic election challenger Adrian Garcia clashed Thursday over inmate deaths in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on The Sheriff debate does go on

Endorsement watch: TLCV and Parent PAC

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The newspapers (some of them, anyway) may be dragging a bit in getting their endorsements together, but the various PACs and interest groups have been busy. I get a lot of these in my Inbox, way more than I can … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Someday, I hope we have clean air

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

According to the Chron, we may have to wait a little longer than we originally thought for that. At the request of Gov. Rick Perry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday granted the eight-county Houston region an extra nine … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Olson gets his vote around

Posted on October 3, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Lone Star Projectdocuments some interesting voting behavior by CD22 candidate Pete Olson. Documents obtained by the Lone Star Project show that Republican congressional challenger Pete Olson (Texas CD22 – Houston) voted in both the State of Virginia and the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Olson gets his vote around

Michelle Obama wants you to register to vote

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Michelle Obama pays a visit to the MOMocrats and issues a call to anyone who is still not registered to vote to please do so before the Monday, October 6 deadline. In many states, you can register at post offices, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Mayorbob for Bradford

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

From the C.O. Bradford campaign: An endorsement from former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier. Lanier appointed Bradford police chief in 1996. He stated that he is supporting Chief Bradford and intends to vote for him because he is the best candidate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Brimer versus Davis in court today

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s the day that the efforts by Sen. Kim Brimer to effectively knock Wendy Davis off the ballot in SD10 come to an end. State Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, filed a lawsuit in July claiming that his opponent should … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Brimer versus Davis in court today

The Woodlands needs your help!

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

In these difficult times, the wants-to-be-a-city of The Woodlands is calling on its citizenry to help it through its hour of need. Citing turbulence in the financial markets, The Woodlands Township, a special district with limited governing power, is turning … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on The Woodlands needs your help!

Candidate Q&A: Kyle Carter

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Note: This entry is part of a series of written Q&As with judicial candidates who will be on the ballot in Harris County. I am also doing recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates. 1. Who are you, and what are you … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Election Procedures and Information Following Hurricane Ike (repost)

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Posted before, now posting again as a reminder. TO: Voter Registrars, County Clerks, and Elections Administrators FROM: Ann McGeehan, Director of Elections RE: Election Procedures and Information Following Hurricane Ike The Secretary of State and her staff would like to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Election Procedures and Information Following Hurricane Ike (repost)

Nine million voters?

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

PDiddie adds on to my post about the Harris County sample ballot, and includes a numerical tidbit of interest: Harris County election officials project that 1.2 million votes will be cast here. That jibes with what I’ve been hearing all … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

No texting while driving in California

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

It is now illegal to send text messages while driving in California. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a law making it illegal to read or send text messages while driving in California. The bill imposes a $20 fine for a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on No texting while driving in California

Rasmussen September Texas polls

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Rasmussen has finally given us some September poll numbers for Texas, and they’re not too shabby. First, for the Senate race. Incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn now leads challenger Rick Noriega just 50% to 43% in Texas, according to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Rasmussen September Texas polls

Will the Sheriff candidates debate?

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Miya reports that a scheduled debate between Adrian Garcia and Sheriff Tommy Thomas may not take place. Challenger Adrian Garcia’s campaign is accusing embattled Sheriff Tommy Thomas of ducking this week’s planned debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Will the Sheriff candidates debate?

Interview with Dexter Handy

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t get a whole lot of contested races for County Commissioner around here. The districts are drawn to elect someone from one party or the other, and as we know the Commissioners themselves have plenty of cash on hand … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Interview with Dexter Handy

Voting in Galveston

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

They’re going to try to make voting as normal as possible in Galveston. I don’t know how successful they’ll be, but they’re going to try. With several polling locations in the southern portion of Galveston County heavily damaged by Hurricane … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Voting in Galveston

City wins billboard lawsuit

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Last September, the city of Houston was sued by billboard company RTM Media after officials threatened to issue citations under the sign code to dozens of advertisers using the company’s billboards in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The intent was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

Fence finds funding

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

By the way, amid all the bailout and debate drama last week, the border fence got the extra money it needed to make up for its budget shortfall. The Observer, which continues to do great reporting on this story, has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Fence finds funding