Monthly Archives: December 2010

Friday random ten: The top 500, part 7

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We end the year with another set of songs in my collection from the Rolling Stone Top 500 list. 1. Foxy Lady – Jimi Hendrix (#152) 2. A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles (#153) 3. Proud Mary – Creedence … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 1 Comment

TPA announces its Texan of the Year for 2010

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

While this was a pretty lousy year for progressive politics in terms of election results, it was in many ways a great year for progressive achievements, from the passage of the Affordable Care Act to the repeal of Don’t Ask … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Willingham documentary

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: As you’re reading this, Steve Mims and Joe Bailey Jr. are putting the finishing touches onIncendiary, a new documentary about theCameron Todd Willingham case that focuses almost entirely on forensics — on the science behind arson investigations … Continue reading →

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

Amicus briefs filed in Galveston beach case

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good for you, Vince Ryan. Harris County today joined other public agencies and activists in urging the Texas Supreme Court to reconsider a recent opinion that critics contend blocks public access to most beaches on Galveston island. County Attorney Vince … Continue reading →

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A brief history of Houston-based political corruption

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Nice overview of the political crime scene. Houston’s political landscape is littered with careers wrecked or damaged by allegations of wrongdoing, and for watchers of the political scene, the sight of [County Commissioner Jerry] Eversole in cuffs likely rekindled memories … Continue reading →

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

What now for Sylvia Garcia

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This story about Sylvia Garcia’s last Commissioners Court meeting leads to the obvious question of what she might do next. A former Houston city controller and an attorney who hasn’t practiced for more than 25 years, she’s still interested in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The coming fight over class sizes

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve discussed the looming cuts to public education, in which the focus of the battle will be class size limits, which are currently mandated at 22 students per classroom. That was part of the sweeping 1984 overhaul of the education … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Whatever happened to renaming UH-Downtown?

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been more than two years since regents at UH-Downtown first proposed changing the school’s name to something that didn’t include “UH” in it. An attempt to get a bill through the Lege in 2009 failed, in part to there … Continue reading →

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

What today’s budget cuts will mean tomorrow

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We know cuts are coming to public education and higher education. Let’s turn once again to Steve Murdock, the former State Demographer who is now a professor at Rice University, to hear what that will mean for Texas’ future. Texas’ … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Deferred adjudication for DWI

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There are thousands of drunk driving cases on district court dockets around the state. To try and help get them cleared out, a bill has been filed to allow first time offenders to get deferred adjudication. First-time offenders could be … Continue reading →

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

Killing the DREAM in Texas

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Something else to look forward to. State Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington) has filed legislation that would abolish Texas law granting in-state tuition to certain undocumented college students. The 2001 law, written by then-state Rep. Rick Noriega (D-Houston), was a precursor to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Howard files formal response to Neil’s election contest

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just before Christmas, Dan Neil filed an election contest that challenged the result of his race against Rep. Donna Howard in HD 48, in which Neil lost by 12 votes. Howard filed a response called “special exceptions” at that time, … Continue reading →

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Teaching safe social networking skills

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This seems like a good idea. The all-boys San Antonio Academy has long used an internal e-mail system provided by a company called Gaggle. So when Gaggle launched the Social Learning Wall application this year, the private academy’s administrators jumped … Continue reading →

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

More non-specific cuts discussed: Film at 11

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this story about impending budget cuts to public higher education. Colleges and universities expect double-digit cuts. Financial aid may be cut, too. “There’s no way to get through this without somebody being impacted,” … Continue reading →

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“Children of God”

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You really need to read this Houston Press story about homeless students and how one HISD elementary school tries to deal with them. Of the 800 kids at Grissom Elementary, 300 of them — or 37 percent — are classified … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Driver records available online

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You know how you need to mail a request to get a copy of your driver’s record when you request to take a defensive driving course to get a ticket dismissed? Now you can save yourself a stamp and order … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 27

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes Santa Claus was good to you as it delivers the last blog roundup for 2010.

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Don’t fall for it, Mr. President

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Congressional Republicans are pronouncing President Obama’s proposal that the next Congress overhaul the country’s immigration laws as dead before arrival. In his year-end news conference Wednesday, Obama said his biggest regret about … Continue reading →

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A little nuclear waste in your stocking

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a reason why stories like this tend to appear just before a big holiday weekend. Potentially sidestepping political obstacles, a commission overseeing radioactive waste disposal could decide in early January to open a radioactive waste dump in West Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Here comes the EPA

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The EPA has seized control of the permitting process in Texas for refineries, power plants, and the like. In a letter sent this week to state regulators, an EPA official wrote that 167 facilities in Texas – many of them … Continue reading →

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Spin insurance

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some things just defy parody. If things go really wrong for the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority in the coming year, an insurer now will cover what the public agency spends on spin. This new kind of insurance kicks in, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for December 26

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Boxing Day! Not all regulatory agencies need to be adversarial. The US Chamber of Commerce is truly vile. Why any local organization would want to be linked to them is beyond me. No sexy time on your Kinect. Yet. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Trying Eversole

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron wonders if the freshly-indicted Jerry Eversole can beat the rap. That will depend on whether federal prosecutors can convince a jury that the gifts Surface gave Eversole and the actions the commissioner took that benefited Surface constitute conspiracy … Continue reading →

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A message from Metro

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Spotted by me at the Smithlands light rail station: I believe this subject came up in my interview with Gilbert Garcia and Christoph Spieler but figured it deserved its own mention regardless. Expect the Board to explore further changes to … Continue reading →

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One more time, Merry Christmas, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Every year on Christmas Day, I link to my favorite Christmas story, which stars Mel Torme. Apparently, this story is so popular now that it gets ripped off a lot, which sure seems to be contrary to the Christmas spirit … Continue reading →

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Katz’s finally kloses

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

An era comes to an end. Marc Katz’s delicatessen on West Sixth Street is finally closing. Katz, whose business M&M Katz Inc., has been mired in U.S. Bankruptcy Court since 2004, said his business is shutting down Jan. 2 after … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Special Friday video break: Dash away all

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Once more with my favorite narration of “Twas The Night Before Christmas”: Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

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Friday random ten: The Top 500, part 6

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on with the songs in my collection from the Rolling Stone Top 500 list. 1. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? – Carole King (#125, orig. The Shirelles) 2. Shake, Rattle & Roll – Bill Haley and The Comets (#126, … Continue reading →

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Preparing to implement Prop 1

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Proposition 1, originally known as Renew Houston but now apparently dubbed “Rebuilding Houston”, was passed by voters last month, which means that the Mayor and City Council must come up with a way to raise the $125 million per year … Continue reading →

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

Where the state cuts meet the local budgets

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Via Grits, an editorial in the Longview News-Journal of interest: Routine mental health services were the first to fall during the 2003 budget crisis, which was preceded by pre-session cuts the fall and summer of 2002. East Texas mental health … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

RIP, RSVP?

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m always amused by stories like this. From casual get-togethers to catered affairs, the once-common act of replying to invitations has become an often lost and much lamented cause. Parenting and bridal blogs seethe with tales of tracking down invitees … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of December 20

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is tracking reports of sugar plum sightings as it brings you this week’s blog roundup.

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Special Thursday video break: It’s hard out here on an elf

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Elf’s Lament, by the Barenaked Ladies: Thanks to Ezra for the link.

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Civil rights complaint against Texas curriculum

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Two civil rights organizations are seeking a federal review of public school education in Texas, accusing state school administrators of violating federal civil rights laws after curriculum changes approved earlier this year by the Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments