Monthly Archives: July 2015

Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 6

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s their list, and here we go. 1. La Bamba – Los Lobos (orig. Ritchie Valens, #354) 2. Jim Dandy – Black Oak Arkansas (orig. Lavern Baker, #352) 3. The Harder They Come – Jimmy Cliff (#350; also a cover … Continue reading →

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If HERO then no other ballot items

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Makes sense. With her signature nondiscrimination law likely to appear on the November ballot, Mayor Annise Parker left in doubt Wednesday whether she will ask City Council to also place before voters long-discussed changes to term limits and the city’s … Continue reading →

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I’m not the only one who thought the state’s response to the birth certificate lawsuit was specious

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Actual legal experts didn’t think much of it, either. The state of Texas can’t hide behind sovereign immunity to escape a lawsuit for denying birth certificates to U.S. citizen children of undocumented immigrants, the director of the University of Texas’ … Continue reading →

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Who’s afraid of a little climate change?

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We should be in Texas, but we’re not. Texas probably will see a sharp increase in heat-related deaths and coastal storm-related losses in the coming decades if nothing is done to mitigate a changing climate, according to a new study … Continue reading →

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Got questions about the new bus routes?

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

You can get answers, in person, from a Metro staffer. From the inbox: METRO makes it easy for riders to learn more about the New Bus Network through a series of customer information sessions being held across the METRO service … Continue reading →

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Is this the plan that will save the Dome?

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. A few months ago Ed Emmett had a breakthrough moment about how to save the Astrodome, a goal he’s been chipping away at for the better part of eight years. The Harris County judge was driving out of the … Continue reading →

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Allen Parkway 2.0

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Changes are a-comin’. Lane closings are scheduled to start soon along Allen Parkway – slowing traffic – so workers can complete a redesign of the road – meant to slow traffic. The long-planned overhaul, which will add parking along Buffalo … Continue reading →

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Split decision on cross-state air pollution rule

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Not too bad, actually. Texas’ Republican leaders and environmentalists are both claiming victory Tuesday following an appeals court ruling that requires the federal government to ease limits on certain emissions for Texas and a dozen other states. The U.S. Court … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of July 27

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is always on the side of equality as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Interview with Jim Bigham

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

District J is a geometrically compact district with a high population density, carved mainly from the former District F and anchored in the Sharpstown area. It is in Sharpstown that we meet Jim Bigham, who is challenging two-term incumbent CM … Continue reading →

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Judge rules Wilson petitions must be counted

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks, Supreme Court. Thanks a hell of a lot. City of Houston officials must count the signatures on a petition filed by anti-gay activist Dave Wilson, who is seeking a vote to amend the city charter and bar men “who … Continue reading →

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Paxton girding for indictment

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So are we, Kenny. So are we. A Collin County grand jury is expected to weigh evidence brought by two temporary district attorneys assigned to the case. Paxton’s advisers are furiously preparing for a criminal indictment. The looming showdown has … Continue reading →

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Three panels investigating Sandra Bland’s death

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One was appointed by the Sheriff: In the wake of the controversial arrest of Sandra Bland and her jailhouse suicide, Waller County Sheriff R. Glenn Smith has asked for an independent panel of civilians to evaluate all aspects of the … Continue reading →

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A closer look at Controller finance reports

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Last week I took a closer look at the campaign finance reports for Mayoral candidates. Let’s do the same for the Controller candidates. Candidate Raised In Kind Spent Loans On Hand ========================================================== Robinson 46,170 3,908 33,908 0 5,033 Brown 267,750 … Continue reading →

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Woodfill is still pursuing his anti-same-sex benefits lawsuit

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox and the febrile mind of Jared Woodfill: Last year Houston Judge Lisa Millard granted a temporary injunction and ordered Houston Mayor Annise Parker and the City of Houston to immediately stop recognizing same-sex ‘marriages’ and stop providing … Continue reading →

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We wouldn’t be having these problems if we had just expanded Medicaid

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The chickens, they are roosting. Hospitals that serve large uninsured populations in Texas stand to lose critical funding if the state can’t convince the federal government to continue helping with the cost, doctors and health advocates told the state health … Continue reading →

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TOP/SEIU Mayoral forum report

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From David Ortez: After the dust settled, the forum commenced with the hosts explaining the four pillars of their platform. It boiled down to: 1) Good Jobs; 2) Neighborhoods of Opportunity; 3) Infrastructure; and 4) Immigrant Rights. At the end … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Mike Laster

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to the two open District Council seats, there are several District Council members who have drawn opponents for November. I am going to focus on two of these races, with the first one being District J this week. … Continue reading →

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Hall for all the haters

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

He is who we thought he was. Houston mayoral candidate Ben Hall said Thursday he signed a petition seeking to define gender identity and prevent men “who perceive or express themselves as women” from entering women’s restrooms because he wants … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Texas Central Railway gets some initial funding

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They’ll need more than this, but it’s a start. Texas Central Partners, which aims to build a bullet train between Texas’ two biggest cities, announced Wednesday they had raised $75 million in private investments in the company’s first round of … Continue reading →

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BP settlement cash

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The city of Houston, Harris County and Metro netted $23 million in compensation from BP for revenue they could not collect in the wake of the company’s 2010 Gulf oil spill, officials announced Thursday. Houston will pocket about $12.2 … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 26

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

If you can’t read this you are, like me, old. How long will premium providers like HBO allow password sharing for their streaming services? The dark side of barbecue. Excited about the return of Bloom County? Here’s an interview with … Continue reading →

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“Let’s just be real” about charter schools

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. “Let’s just be real,” Chris Barbic wrote last week when announcing his resignation as superintendent of Tennessee’s Achievement School District. Then Barbic admitted what skeptics of charter schools have preached for years — “achieving results in neighborhood schools … Continue reading →

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Revisiting the historic preservation ordinance

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This sort of thing is always fun. Houstonians who live in historic districts, including the Old Sixth Ward, the Heights and the High First Ward, weighed in this week on proposed updates to the city’s rules that create areas preserved … Continue reading →

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To the moon with David Adickes

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. Before David Adickes walked out his door to get to a news conference Wednesday, he decided to paint a 12-13 inch model of an Apollo astronaut perched on a roughly 5-inch base that he was holding. The 88-year-old artist … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Hallelujah

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I know, this song has been covered forty jillion times. But you know what I’d never heard before now? Leonard Cohen’s original version. Here it is: Different from what you’re used to, right? Here’s a live version that’s a bit … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court rules HERO must be repealed or voted on

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that Houston City Council must repeal the city’s equal rights ordinance or place it on the November ballot. The ruling comes three months after a state district judge ruled that opponents of Houston’s … Continue reading →

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Perry wins one and loses one at the appeals court

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

He’s still under indictment. Former Gov. Rick Perry must face one criminal count in the abuse-of-power case against him but another would be dismissed under a Friday ruling by an appeals court. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland’s death ruled a suicide

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

That’s only part of this tragic story. Waller County prosecutors said Thursday that a preliminary autopsy found that Sandra Bland committed suicide, but they pledged to continue investigating the circumstances surrounding her controversial arrest by a state trooper as well … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The conservative case for more rail transit

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. As conservatives, we find it odd that many people expect us to oppose public transportation, especially rail. In fact, high-quality transit, which usually means rail, benefits conservatives in a number of important ways. It spurs development, … Continue reading →

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

Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 5

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s their list. 1. The Wind Cries Mary – The Bobs (#379, orig. Jimi Hendrix) 2. Personal Jesus – Johnny Cash (#377, orig. Depeche Mode) 3. White Room – The Bobs (#376, orig. Cream) 4. Unchained Melody – U2/The Manhattan … Continue reading →

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State wants birth certificate lawsuit dropped

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about that. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday asked a federal district judge to dismiss a lawsuit that claims a state agency violated the U.S. Constitution by denying birth certificates to U.S.-citizen children of immigrant parents. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s a little easier to run for a statewide judicial office now

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the Quorum Report: In a change that flew under the radar for most and was signed by Gov. Abbott, candidates for statewide judicial offices will no longer be required to gather petition signatures from around the state before they … Continue reading →

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Montgomery County hasn’t given up the fight against the high-speed rail line

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Keep hope alive, I guess. A newly formed regional planning commission will enable Montgomery County and the city of Magnolia to monitor and work against any high speed rail projects that may cut through western Montgomery County, said County Judge … Continue reading →

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