Monthly Archives: April 2009

Seventeen casinos?

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The chairman of the House committee that oversees gambling said Friday he has strong support for legislation that would open the door for 17 casinos, slot machines at racetracks, and Indian gaming in Texas. Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, said … Continue reading →

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“With Brinkley and Huntley describing contrapuntally the cities we have lost”

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

From the “Be careful what you vaguely allude to in a plausibly deniable way in front of a frothing crowd that knows exactly what you’re talking about and is loving every word of it” department: Rasmussen: “75% [of Texans] Opt … Continue reading →

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“With Brinkley and Huntley describing contrapuntally the cities we have lost”

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

From the “Be careful what you vaguely allude to in a plausibly deniable way in front of a frothing crowd that knows exactly what you’re talking about and is loving every word of it” department: Rasmussen: “75% [of Texans] Opt … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

TYD convention

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sadly, I am no longer young enough to be considered a “Young Democrat”. But I’m still young enough to tell you about the Texas Young Democrats convention going on this weekend in Austin. Here’s actual YD George Nasser with the … Continue reading →

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TYD convention

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sadly, I am no longer young enough to be considered a “Young Democrat”. But I’m still young enough to tell you about the Texas Young Democrats convention going on this weekend in Austin. Here’s actual YD George Nasser with the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: When the going gets tough, the tough download some free tunes

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I just passed 5000 songs in my iTunes collection, though that number includes a few duplicates, a couple of misplaced podcasts, and some CD tracks, from live performances and from things like the Beatles anthology, that are spoken intros or … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: When the going gets tough, the tough download some free tunes

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I just passed 5000 songs in my iTunes collection, though that number includes a few duplicates, a couple of misplaced podcasts, and some CD tracks, from live performances and from things like the Beatles anthology, that are spoken intros or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Stem cells and the budget battle

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Other than voter ID, we really haven’t had a big fight in the Lege this session. Burka thinks Sen. Steve Ogden’s scurrilous stem cell rider could be the next big brawl. The Ogden rider is not in the House bill, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Stem cells and the budget battle

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Other than voter ID, we really haven’t had a big fight in the Lege this session. Burka thinks Sen. Steve Ogden’s scurrilous stem cell rider could be the next big brawl. The Ogden rider is not in the House bill, … Continue reading →

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Casey on City Council redistricting

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey provides an update on the City Council redistricting lawsuit. The burning question of whether the city of Houston must immediately expand its 14-member City Council by adding two new districts in time for November’s election, or whether it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Casey on City Council redistricting

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey provides an update on the City Council redistricting lawsuit. The burning question of whether the city of Houston must immediately expand its 14-member City Council by adding two new districts in time for November’s election, or whether it … Continue reading →

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Funding the state cancer research initiative

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. In 2007, Texans voted to give their scientists as much as $3 billion over 10 years to conduct groundbreaking cancer research. The money is supposed to start flowing to researchers this fall. But scientists say the cancer research … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Funding the state cancer research initiative

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. In 2007, Texans voted to give their scientists as much as $3 billion over 10 years to conduct groundbreaking cancer research. The money is supposed to start flowing to researchers this fall. But scientists say the cancer research … Continue reading →

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Now how much would you pay to get rid of those immigrants?

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

They sure do seem to like flushing their money away in Farmers Branch. The Farmers Branch City Council will spend nearly a half-million dollars more to cover the cost of legal fees incurred by two groups that have challenged the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Now how much would you pay to get rid of those immigrants?

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

They sure do seem to like flushing their money away in Farmers Branch. The Farmers Branch City Council will spend nearly a half-million dollars more to cover the cost of legal fees incurred by two groups that have challenged the … Continue reading →

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Senate approves stimulus funds for unemployment insurance

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Senate tentatively approved Sen. Kevin Eltife’s bill to change the state’s unemployment laws so that Texas can accept an estimated $555 million in federal stimulus dollars. […] Eltife’s bill was supported by 22 senators and opposed by … Continue reading →

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Senate approves stimulus funds for unemployment insurance

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Senate tentatively approved Sen. Kevin Eltife’s bill to change the state’s unemployment laws so that Texas can accept an estimated $555 million in federal stimulus dollars. […] Eltife’s bill was supported by 22 senators and opposed by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Perry walks back secession talk

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As the sun rises in the east, so do politicians who say stupid things revise and extend those remarks afterward when people start asking them questions about what they really meant. And so it was the case with Rick Perry, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 4 Comments

Perry walks back secession talk

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As the sun rises in the east, so do politicians who say stupid things revise and extend those remarks afterward when people start asking them questions about what they really meant. And so it was the case with Rick Perry, … Continue reading →

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Perry says “Look at me!”

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In advance of yesterday’s teabag-a-rama, Governor Rick Perry made a successful ploy for a little national attention. WAKE UP CALL: TEXAS GOV. BACK RESOLUTION AFFIRMING SOVEREIGNTY Tue Apr 14 2009 08:44:54 ET AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Perry says “Look at me!”

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In advance of yesterday’s teabag-a-rama, Governor Rick Perry made a successful ploy for a little national attention. WAKE UP CALL: TEXAS GOV. BACK RESOLUTION AFFIRMING SOVEREIGNTY Tue Apr 14 2009 08:44:54 ET AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Extending Medicaid

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas likes to bill itself as a business-friendly state. But there’s one thing that a lot of businesses want that the Republican leadership has been unwilling to entertain, and that’s to make Medicaid renewals an annual event instead of every … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

Extending Medicaid

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas likes to bill itself as a business-friendly state. But there’s one thing that a lot of businesses want that the Republican leadership has been unwilling to entertain, and that’s to make Medicaid renewals an annual event instead of every … Continue reading →

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Revisiting the FLDS saga

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Grits sat in on the House Human Services Committee hearing that looked at how the state handled last year’s child-welfare operation at the FLDS ranch, and he’s got a detailed report on what transpired as well as an analysis of … Continue reading →

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Revisiting the FLDS saga

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Grits sat in on the House Human Services Committee hearing that looked at how the state handled last year’s child-welfare operation at the FLDS ranch, and he’s got a detailed report on what transpired as well as an analysis of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Katy Freeway managed lanes set to open

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Christof notices a banner ad on chron.com for the Katy Freeway managed lanes, which are set to open on Monday, April 18, and gives us an update on them. The lanes will now be open 24 hours a day, 7 … Continue reading →

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Katy Freeway managed lanes set to open

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Christof notices a banner ad on chron.com for the Katy Freeway managed lanes, which are set to open on Monday, April 18, and gives us an update on them. The lanes will now be open 24 hours a day, 7 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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White rakes it in for his Senate bid

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Among other things, today is the deadline for federal candidates to report their campaign finance status. Of the many contenders for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Senate seat, whenever that becomes available, I think it’s safe to say that Bill White had … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | 3 Comments

White rakes it in for his Senate bid

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Among other things, today is the deadline for federal candidates to report their campaign finance status. Of the many contenders for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Senate seat, whenever that becomes available, I think it’s safe to say that Bill White had … Continue reading →

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Vasquez responds to Coleman and Hernandez

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I received the following statement from the office of Harris County Tax Assessor Leo Vasquez, which was sent to KHOU and Fox 26 in response to the charges made by State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Ana Hernandez about the voter … Continue reading →

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Vasquez responds to Coleman and Hernandez

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I received the following statement from the office of Harris County Tax Assessor Leo Vasquez, which was sent to KHOU and Fox 26 in response to the charges made by State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Ana Hernandez about the voter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Clipping the SBOE

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has the quote of the day. The fallout from the State Board of Education’s debate over the teaching of evolution continued this morning in the Senate Education Committee, which held a spirited discussion on Sen. Kel Seliger’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Clipping the SBOE

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has the quote of the day. The fallout from the State Board of Education’s debate over the teaching of evolution continued this morning in the Senate Education Committee, which held a spirited discussion on Sen. Kel Seliger’s … Continue reading →

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Doing the easy part

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. Dan Patrick gets his day in the sun. Wednesday is the deadline for paying federal income taxes, but it’s also when state lawmakers will consider cutting franchise taxes for 132,000 small businesses in Texas including 24,000 in Harris County. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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