Monthly Archives: November 2008

SBOE urged to not weaken science standards

Posted on November 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We can only hope. Texas risks becoming a national joke if state educators insist on clouding the teaching of evolution, scores of scientists, science teachers and concerned residents Texans told the State Board of Education on Wednesday. They pleaded with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on SBOE urged to not weaken science standards

The Junior Olympics are coming

Posted on November 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not the main event, but it’s a nice catch anyway. Houston has been selected to host the 2012 AAU Junior Olympic Games, the country’s largest amateur sports event. The Junior Olympics is the annual showcase event held each summer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Where’s the DA?

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

May as well enjoy those indictments of Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales while you can, because it sure looks like they won’t last very long. Lawyers for Vice President Dick Cheney and former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales were bewildered … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Where’s the DA?

Precinct analysis: The Richmond Rail Effect 2008

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Back in 2006, I did a series of posts that examined CD07 election results in the precincts surrounding Richmond Avenue and the route that was proposed at the time for that stretch of the Universities line to try and answer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Pay that ticket or you can’t register your car

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Last month, we heard that the city was considering an ordinance that would let the state deny a vehicle registration based on an unpaid red light camera ticket. City Council has now passed that ordinance. Now, if a driver does … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 4 Comments

Another Final Four for Houston

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like that trip to Indianapolis has paid off. The NCAA announced Wednesday that Reliant Stadium will be the site of the 2016 men’s basketball Final Four, setting the stage for the city to host one of the nation’s premier … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Hand over that BlackBerry, Mister President

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

That does it. I don’t want to be President when I grow up any more. Sorry, Mr. President. Please surrender your BlackBerry. Those are seven words President-elect Barack Obama is dreading but expecting to hear, friends and advisers say, when … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 2 Comments

More on the Cheney indictment

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s some more news on the indictments handed down by a South Texas grand jury against Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzalez, State Sen. Eddie Lucio, and others. Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra himself had been under indictment for more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on More on the Cheney indictment

Precinct analysis: CD07

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The race for Congressional District 7 was one of the top campaigns in Harris County this cycle. It attracted a lot of local and national interest, various polls showed it to be competitive, and there was a boatload of money … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Metro asks for help with its loans

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was to be expected. The Metropolitan Transit Authority joined 10 other transit agencies across the nation Tuesday as they urged Congress for help with financing deals imperiled by the credit crisis. The move is the latest attempt … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Let scientists be scientists

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not too much to ask, is it? it would make them very happy, and would be good for everyone who benefits from the sound application of scientific principles. Which is to say, all of us. The verdict from Texas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on Let scientists be scientists

Yet another Speaker candidate

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Carrolton Republican Rep. Burt Solomons gets in the Speaker sweepstakes. “I did file this morning. I believe it’s time for a change,” he said. “We are in a position now, as Republicans and for the entire body, to have a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Cheney, Gonzalez indicted in South Texas

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Holy crap! A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County’s federal detention centers. The indictment criticizes Cheney’s investment in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Calling all overlords!

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Some things need no introduction. They may have lost ground in the last election, but state House Republicans are playing up their two-seat majority for all it’s worth: They’re asking for “unlimited” corporate and personal contributions to raise money and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The declining Republican brand

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to dive into this one, because the numbers pretty much speak for themselves. The following is a comparison between 2004 and 2008 in Harris County in various Republican districts. I’m comparing John Kerry’s performance to Barack Obama’s, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Meet the new District Clerk

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Loren Jackson, our newly-elected District Clerk, will be sworn in this afternoon to fill out the unexpired portion of former Clerk Charles Bacarisse’s term. He gets to start right away instead of waiting till January because it’s an unexpired term. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

No King?

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Miya passes along a tidbit I had not heard before: It appears that often talked about possible Mayoral Candidate Bill King is steering away from that bid. We first heard rumblings about it before the elections, but things sure have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged | Comments Off on No King?

Texas blog roundup for the week of November 17

Posted on November 18, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, kids you know what time it is: It’s time for another Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup. Click that link and read those highlights. Continue reading →

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Election date set for SD17

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

And the winner is…December 16. Gov. Rick Perry today announced a special runoff election to fill the vacancy in Senate District 17 to be held on Dec. 16, 2008. A special election to fill the seat left vacant by the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Election date set for SD17

IBM is the new Accenture

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

File this under “Privatization Blues”. The $863 million IBM Corp. contract to consolidate the computer data centers of 27 state agencies offered the promise of doing more for less. IBM and its partners — the Team for Texas — would … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The Obama effect

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Ready for some precinct data analysis? Let’s get started. There will be a lot of these entries, because there’s a lot of interesting data. Today let’s take a look at how Barack Obama’s performance in Harris County compared to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Time to gear up for Chris Bell

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still one more election to go before we can put 2008 to bed, and that’s the runoff for the special election in SD17. Democratic candidates got a majority of the vote on November 4, and Chris Bell came out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

The Riddler versus the undocumented

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Observer tells of some pre-filing mischief by State Rep. Debbie Riddle. House Bill 50 would bar undocumented immigrants from paying in-state tuition. Similar bills failed last session. HB 48 would allow for state investigations into employers who have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Cibrian in San Antonio

Posted on November 17, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As entertaining as the Austin Mayor’s race may be, there should be a very interesting battle in San Antonio to replace the term-limited Mayor Phil Hardberger. First term City Council member Diane Cibrian is in. “I’m moving forward,” Cibrian said. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Putting Houston on the right track

Posted on November 16, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I was very interested to see this op-ed in the Chron by Tory, Christof, and former Houston City Council Member Caroll Robinson, in which they describe six infrastructure projects we should undertake in the near future. Some of these ideas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Putting Houston on the right track

Weekend link dump for November 16

Posted on November 16, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

My link dump transition team is in place and we expect no interrruptions in service as we bring you the weekend roundups. Everything you ever wanted to know about becoming a force to be reckoned with on Twitter but were … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for November 16

A word on voter registration numbers

Posted on November 16, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

After I published my post about where and when the vote was in Harris County, I got an email from HCDP Chair Gerry Birnberg regarding the voter registration numbers. He writes: One thing to watch out for as you proceed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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One indecisive grandma

Posted on November 16, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I swear, I am not going to spend much time writing about the Austin mayoral race. There will be much more interesting things for me to blog about in the next few months. But God help me, Carole Keeton Strayhorn … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Lone Star Times calls on Dunbar to apologize

Posted on November 15, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Big Jolly becomes the first prominent conservative to call on SBOE member Cynthia Dunbar to apologize for that unhinged rant she published about President-elect Barack Obama just before the election. We have watched this story for over a week, patiently … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged | 4 Comments

More on UT domestic partner benefits

Posted on November 15, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a report on that rally at the University of Texas in favor of domestic partner benefits for faculty and staff that I blogged about earlier in the week. UT employees said Wednesday that they will take an active stand … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on More on UT domestic partner benefits

Zero Waste Day

Posted on November 15, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Today is America Recycles Day. Some people think this is the wrong idea. Treehugger.com makes the case for emphasizing reusable packaging instead of recyclable. I don’t particularly care for the way they frame this, but I think they make a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Comments Off on Zero Waste Day

The Dynamo Stadium rally

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Dynamo fans have their say about the East End stadium plan and the need for Commissioners Court to get involved for the current financing plan to happen. Houston East End Chamber of Commerce President Diane Lipton said it’s important for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 2 Comments

From the “Predictions that didn’t quite pan out” department

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

While I maintain that only fools make predictions, not all predictions themselves are foolish. I think I did pretty well on mine, all things considered. But not everyone fared so well. For instance, in the comments to this post, the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 4 Comments

The Kino factor

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Last week it was reported that Craddick D Rep. Kino Flores of Palmview was being investigated by both the state of Texas and the feds. The investigation initially involved whether Flores illegally accepted a gift when he traveled at least … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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