Monthly Archives: February 2014

Friday random ten: My gayest list ever

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of Wednesday’s epic ruling invalidating Texas’ Double Secret Illegal Anti-Gay Marriage law, here’s a supersized list celebrating the LGBTQ artists in my collection: 1. We Are The Champions – Queen 2. The Consequences of Falling – k.d. lang … Continue reading →

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Next steps in the Texas same sex marriage lawsuit

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering, Attorney General and candidate for Governor Greg Abbott will appeal Wednesday’s historic ruling striking down Texas’ constitutional amendment barring same sex marriage. The state of Texas has officially given notice that it is appealing a … Continue reading →

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Don’t worry, Abbott and The Nuge are still besties

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone who thinks what happened last week was bad for his campaign is just too stupid to see the big picture. Right about the time Nugent was firing up the second crowd of North Texas voters last week in Wichita … Continue reading →

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The state of HISD

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier assesses the district in his State of the Schools address. While not mentioning the closure controversy Wednesday, Grier touted the district’s progress – being named the nation’s top urban school district in 2013, for example – … Continue reading →

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Texas stands with polluters against the EPA one more time

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. The Obama administration’s climate change agenda on Monday faced one of its first real tests in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, where Texas and a group of industry leaders challenged an Environmental Protection Agency regulation aimed … Continue reading →

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BGT fires back

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Allegations that Battleground Texas broke the law during its voter registration activities are “entirely without foundation,” the Democratic group wrote in a letter to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Tuesday. Dewhurst, citing a secretly recorded video of … Continue reading →

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Cab companies push back on Uber/Lyft

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The first Council action on updating the taxi and limo codes to accommodate Uber and Lyft went about as you’d expect. Houston City Council members struggled Tuesday to strike a balance between ensuring paid rides in Houston are available to … Continue reading →

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Firefighters union sues city to block cutbacks

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure about this. Houston firefighters went to court Tuesday in an effort to block the city from removing personnel, trucks and ambulances from service. But a judge rejected their argument that the “rolling brownouts” plan violates the union’s collective … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of February 24

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks Ted Nugent is an appropriate spokesman for the modern Republican Party of Texas as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Endorsement watch: Hey, there’s still a little bit of early voting left

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the “You just can’t rush these things” department, the Chron endorses James Cargas in the Democratic primary rematch in CD07. Whomever wins in the Democratic primary for U.S. House 7th District will face an uphill battle in a Republican-friendly … Continue reading →

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Federal judge strikes down Texas’ anti-same sex marriage law

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. A federal judge in San Antonio ruled Wednesday that Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutionally deprives some citizens of due process and equal protection under the law by stigmatizing their relationships and treating them differently from opposite-sex couples. U.S. … Continue reading →

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The UT/TT poll’s track record in past Democratic primaries

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The one result in that UT/TT poll from Monday that has people freaking out is the one that shows nutball LaRouchie Kesha Rogers leading the Senate race with 35%, followed by David Alameel with 27%. I expressed my skepticism of … Continue reading →

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And the same old crap begins in Steven Kirkland’s race

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lone Star Q reports that Steven Kirkland received the endorsement of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, just as the same kind of attacks on his character that he dealt with in 2012 cranked up again. Kirkland, a close friend … Continue reading →

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Some Republican candidates are still embracing Ted Nugent

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Why not? He’s an excellent representative of and for them. Sid Miller, a Republican candidate for agriculture commissioner, won’t oust rocker Ted Nugent as his campaign treasurer over controversial remarks made about President Barack Obama and other officials, the Longview … Continue reading →

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Ashby II: Highrise Boogaloo

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Ashby Highrise lawsuit may be over, but its legacy lives on. A lawsuit seeking to stop a 17-story office tower under development in a River Oaks-area neighborhood blasts the project as “abnormal and out of place” in a grass-roots … Continue reading →

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UT/TT poll: Abbott 47, Davis 36

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib publishes its second poll of the Texas gubernatorial race. After what are shaping up to be easy primary wins in March for the leading gubernatorial candidates, Republican Greg Abbott starts the general election race for governor with an … Continue reading →

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Davis outraises Abbott on the 8 day report

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Democrat Wendy Davis reported that she outstripped Republican Greg Abbott in fundraising, bringing in $2.85 million over a 29-day period. His totals were reported here. Davis has $11.3 million tucked away looking ahead to the general election. Her overall … Continue reading →

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On schools and neighborhoods

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Efforts to revitalize neighborhoods in the Fifth Ward are running into HISD’s proposal to close five schools. Nearly half the students who attend Nathaniel Q. Henderson Elementary School live steps away from campus in an aging, rundown apartment complex. The … Continue reading →

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Another way to squeeze the payday lenders

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I wholeheartedly approve of this. The Postal Service (USPS) could spare the most economically vulnerable Americans from dealing with predatory financial companies under a proposal endorsed over the weekend by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). “USPS could partner with banks to … Continue reading →

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Early voting, one (six day) week in

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We have one week completed for early voting, though it was only a six day week thanks to the Presidents Day holiday. Here are the daily totals from the County Clerk. Republicans continue to be the majority of early voters … Continue reading →

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Leave Greg Abbott aloooooooooooooone!

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He’s ready to move on from Nuge-a-palooza. What more do you want? Controversy over Attorney General Greg Abbott’s decision to campaign for governor with Ted Nugent continued to simmer Friday, even after the outspoken rocker apologized for calling President Barack … Continue reading →

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More on the Lyft and Uber entrances

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a new day in Houston for people who need a ride. Brian Walts was out until about 3 a.m. Friday hitting the clubs, but he didn’t have a single drink or set foot on a dance floor. Rather, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Help HISD review its design plans

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

HISD would like your input in determining the designs for the schools to be built or rebuilt with the 2012 bond money. The Houston Independent School District is hosting another series of community meetings for the first 17 schools slated … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for February 23

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Some Sharknade 2: The Second One news, for those of you (and you know who you are) that want it. I love Paris in the modern era, because in the old days it really stank. “Practically every big battle you … Continue reading →

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Revisiting George Fleming

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg catches up with an old friend. Trial lawyer George Fleming was calm and gracious when he took questions back in 2012, insisting that his bankrolling of a respected judge’s no-name opponent had nothing to do with his own … Continue reading →

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DA investigating Judge Pratt again

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Two months after a grand jury cleared embattled state District Judge Denise Pratt of accusations she had tampered with court records, the Harris County District Attorney’s office again is looking into the family court jurist. Houston … Continue reading →

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HFD’s budget problems

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you’ve heard of this by now. The safety of Houston’s citizens and its firefighters will be compromised over the next four months as the fire department limits the number of personnel on duty and removes trucks from service … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of Ag Commissioner race

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s mostly about Kinky and pot, because what else is there to talk about? Democrat Kinky Friedman is attempting to add a little spice to the crowded agriculture commissioner race by being the lone candidate to advocate legalizing marijuana and … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: After You’ve Gone

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This song is almost 100 years old, and it qualifies as a standard. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, here’s the original version, by Marion Harris: I’m impressed there’s still a recording around of that. The first place I … Continue reading →

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Perry schools Abbott

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is how it’s done, son. Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday condemned inflammatory remarks by Ted Nugent that resurfaced when the outspoken rocker this week joined Republican Greg Abbott’s gubernatorial campaign. Nugent was quoted in an interview with Guns.com … Continue reading →

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And here comes UberX

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned this in passing yesterday, but UberX, which is Uber’s ride share service, similar in nature to that of Lyft, is now in Houston as well. Free rides suddenly became available in Houston on Thursday night as two online … Continue reading →

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Leaning towards the over

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Metro is working on a solution to the Harrisburg Line over/underpass problem. “We want the community involved and for this to be as open and honest as possible,” [Metro Board Chair Gilbert] Garcia said. Before Metro makes a decision, Garcia … Continue reading →

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The D-word is back

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s never really gone away since 2009. Locked in a seemingly endless cycle of droughts and brief reprieves, the Houston region has quietly slipped back into yet another drought. Since December Houston has received less than half its normal rainfall. … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Old man and me

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another birthday this week. God, I’m old. 1. The Old Black Rum – Great Big Sea 2. Old Blevins – Austin Lounge Lizards 3. Old Dan Tucker – Bruce Springsteen 4. The Old Dope Peddler – Tom Lehrer 5. Old … Continue reading →

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