Monthly Archives: April 2010

MLBPA opposes Arizona immigration law

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. New York, NY, Friday, April 30, 2010 … The following statement was issued today by Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner regarding the immigration law recently passed by the state of Arizona. “The recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: Brought to you by the letter V

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have exactly 38 songs that begin with the letter V. No more than four of them start with the same word (“voice” or “voices”), so I’m just going to pick ten V songs that appeal to me and call … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

You want more information about term limits?

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Of course you do. And I’ve got you covered. Via email from Robert Stein, I give you the following: – A research paper from 2002, co-authored by Dr. Stein, called “Public Support for Term Limits: Another Look at Conventional Thinking”. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The historians have their say

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The various legislative groups held their SBOE hearings on Wednesday. In pointing out the many ways in which that unesteemed body screwed the pooch on social studies, they joined with others in calling for a delay in adopting the new … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I shot a coyote in Austin just to watch it die

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I believe that very little happens in politics by accident, so I feel certain there’s a reason that Rick Perry picked this week to tell us all about that coyote he killed in February. Something like this: WildEarth Guardians, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

DART may take a big step back

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which has built out a much more extensive rail network than Metro and which has plans for a lot more, may instead scrap most of those plans due to serious financial issues. Final decisions are months … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Farmers Branch prepares to waste more money

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It sure must be nice to have all these taxpayer dollars to spend on such frivolities. [Farmers Branch] plans to appeal a court ruling against its ordinance, which would prevent landlords from renting houses or apartments to illegal immigrants — … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

HPD suspends eight for “excessive force”

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Uh oh. Eight Houston Police Department officers from the Westside command’s gang unit have been relieved of duty in an investigation into a videotaped incident of suspected excessive force used against a suspect, Houston police union officials confirmed tonight. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Chula Ross-Sanchez

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have one more interview for the Galveston city elections on May 8, that being with Chula Ross-Sanchez, who is running for Council District 6. She is a former member of the Planning Council whose non-reappointment caused a bit of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Will Texas make like Arizona?

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If there’s been one small positive thing about the ridiculous Arizona anti-immigrant law, it’s been to remind the rest of the country that states besides Texas do crazy, inexplicable things as well. And I do believe that there’s a reason … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Public defender office gets OK from Commissioners Court

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Harris County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to start a public defender office on an experimental basis, as long as the state covers the $4.4 million cost for the first year. The unanimous vote authorizes the county to apply … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Debating about having a debate

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We will eventually have televised debates between Rick Perry and Bill White. But first we have to sit through the kabuki dance. Belo Corp., the company that owns WFAA and TV stations in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, sponsored a … Continue reading →

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The big picture for health care reform in Texas

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The number you need to know is four point two million. Texas’ uninsured population will drop from 6.5 million this year to 2.3 million once the federal health care overhaul is fully implemented, and about a third of the remaining … Continue reading →

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

CCA overturns “checks aren’t cash” appeals verdict

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For once, their pro-prosecution proclivities were good for something. The Austin appeals court erred in deciding that the state’s money-laundering statute – used to prosecute associates of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay – did not apply to transfers … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t play ball with the state of Arizona

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What Kevin Blackistone says. About 10 years ago, the NCAA made one of its most bold and upright decisions: it refused to allow any more of its postseason tournaments, like March Madness, to be held in South Carolina until the … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

It’s always something

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good news for Metro. The “forensic accounting review” by UHY Advisors examined all business expense reports submitted to Metro by its chief executive, Frank Wilson, and chief of staff, Joanne Wright. Both joined Metro in May 2004; Wilson previously was … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Where’s Gail?

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This morning at 9 AM in Austin, a hearing will be held by various legislative groups including the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, the Legislative Study Group, the House Black Caucus, and Senate Hispanic Caucus, to discuss the recent changes to … Continue reading →

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Maybe they should try abstinence-only

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Birth control for feral hogs. It’s not as easy as it sounds. There’s a saying that when a feral hog has six piglets, only eight are expected to survive. That’s no joke in Texas, however, where the 400-pound beasts do … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of April 26

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance can’t believe that school is finishing up and summer will soon be upon us. Before it gets too hot, here’s a look at what’s been going on this past week.

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Why these term limits?

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

David Mincberg has an op-ed about the city’s term limits law that makes some interesting points but doesn’t quite get at the issue of whether the system we actually have now is the best way to meet the goals of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Papers, please

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So if you were to be pulled over by the police today, say for speeding or something, would you be able to prove that you’re a citizen, as the state of Arizona will now require? I don’t know about you, … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

White in West Texas

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

West Texas has not been friendly territory for Democrats lately, and won’t be any more so this year, but that doesn’t stop Bill White from seeking out support there. The Texas Panhandle town of Canadian, where morning weather reports include … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Lawsuit over grading policies

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

A number of school districts, mostly in the Houston area, have a policy of not giving kids a grade lower than 50 in any grading period. The idea is that by setting a floor on grades, it gives kids the … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Still trying to save the Dome

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff reports. A new page has sprung up on Facebook called Save the Astrodome. It was created by the Houstonian behind www.AmnesiaHouston.org, a Web site aimed at bringing attention to the city’s disappearing landmarks. The creator compares the Astrodome … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Joe Jaworski

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the start of early voting for the May 8 uniform election date in Texas. There’s not a whole lot happening in Harris County, but down in Galveston they will be electing a new Mayor to succeed the term-limited … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Where does your school rank?

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

How good is your neighborhood school? Not just in terms of its Texas Education Agency’s rating, but in comparison to other schools? Here’s a way to find out. The greater Houston area is home to some of the best — … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Another step forward for a public defender’s office

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure exactly what this entails, but it’s good to see progress. Harris County plans to launch a limited public defender office in October if it receives a $4.4 million state grant. The office would start with 30 people … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

San Antonio proposes texting-while-driving ban

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It may wind up being a bit more than that. The days of eating double-bacon cheeseburgers, putting on makeup and sending text messages from behind the wheel could be numbered in the Alamo City. Police Chief William McManus on Wednesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Texas Stadium geological survey

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

When Texas Stadium went boom, in addition to providing space for transit-oriented development, the explosion itself provided the opportunity to do a seismological study of the area. Dr. Jay Pulliam is a professor of geophysics at Baylor University and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for April 25

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The day Einstein died. No, the year 1880 wasn’t a libertarian paradise in America. The BYU women’s rugby team had a tough decision to make. The scientific case for butt-slapping. Photographing the Iceland volcano, whose name I can neither spell … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

The anti-red light camera referendum drive begins

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the anti-red light camera forces intend to collect enough petition signatures to put a charter referendum on the ballot this November. On Friday, they got started. Because red-light camera citations remain outside the realm of tickets that … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

Ray Brookins convicted

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Ray Brookins, the former administrator of the Texas Youth Commission facility in Pyote who was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting teenagers at that facility in 2007 was convicted Thursday in Odessa. The one-word verdict came after a four-day trial … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Amnesty for the Driver Responsibility surcharges

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Scott Henson has a nice op-ed in the DMN about implementing a real amnesty program for those who cannot afford to pay Driver Responsibility surcharges and can’t get their licenses back until they do. In 2007, the Legislature gave the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

Posted on April 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the twisted mind that brought us Pride and Prejudice and Zombies comes a new work that sounds just as excellent. Here’s the nickel description, from the Murder by the Book email newsletter: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (by Seth Grahame-Smith; … Continue reading →

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