Monthly Archives: August 2002

RIP, Dr. Marnie Rose

Posted on August 24, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Some sad news: Dr. Marnie Rose, a 28-year-old medical resident at Memorial Hermann Hospital who was featured on the show Houston Medical, has lost her battle with brain cancer. She died on Friday afternoon at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 73 Comments

K-Mart Kiddie Roundup: Still getting stranger

Posted on August 24, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

In the continuing saga of the story that just keeps getting stranger, we now learn that freshman City Council member Michael “Boy Wonder” Berry knew about the raid and had actually attended the August 17 raid at James Coney Island. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on K-Mart Kiddie Roundup: Still getting stranger

Rudy and Kermit, 25 years later

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

25 years ago this November, LA Laker Kermit Washington nearly killed Houston Rockets forward (now head coach) Rudy Tomjanovich with a punch to the face. A book called The Punch about what happened is due out around then. According to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 4 Comments

Rate of low birth-weight babies rises in suburbs

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting story about an increase in the rate of low birth-weight babies being born in Houston suburbs. There seem to be a number of factors driving this – more multiple births due to older mothers and in vitro fertilization and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Rate of low birth-weight babies rises in suburbs

K-Mart Kiddie Roundup Update

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Also noted by Kevin Whited, the manager of the Sonic drive-through was not happy with the police raid on Saturday, and unlike the James Coney Island manager, hadn’t agreed to cooperate with police on it. Sonic officials said Thursday that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 1 Comment

Coincidence or sinister marketing plot?

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Checking the referral log is always fun. Seeing new links in the referral log is even more fun, even if they’re apparently random links that couldn’t actually be referring to you. Once in awhile you come across a link in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 3 Comments

Opie and Anthony canned

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Shock jocks Opie and Anthony have been fired by radio station WNEW and their syndicated show has been cancelled. They’d gotten into trouble for broadcasting a live account of a couple supposedly having sex in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. They’ve been … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Opie and Anthony canned

Republicans for Sharp

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Fellow Houston blogger Alex Whitlock has endorsed Democrat John Sharp for Lt. Governor, noting that the race is all about qualifications, and Sharp has them in spades. Moreover, he notes that his fellow Republicans are starting to see it that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 3 Comments

Speaking of term limits

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Press has another good argument against term limits in this impressive hatchet job on freshman City Council member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (formerly Sekula-Rodriguez). The law restricts elected city officials to a maximum of three two-year terms, so every two … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Who elected whom?

Posted on August 23, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Nathan Newman was pretty upset by Cynthia McKinney’s loss in the Democraatic primary on Tuesday. See here and here for his reaction. The particular bone of Newman’s contention is the amount of outside money, much of it coming from the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on Who elected whom?

It could be worse

Posted on August 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

For all the bashing I give the Chron, I have to admit that they could be worse. They could be like the NY Post, for example, who has given us such immortal headlines as HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR. I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on It could be worse

K-Mart Kiddie Roundup Prequel

Posted on August 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out the same Captain Aguirre who ordered the K-Mart Kiddie Roundup also was in charge of a raid at a James Coney Island which netted customers as well as trespassers. It just doesn’t look good for Captain Aguirre, does … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on K-Mart Kiddie Roundup Prequel

Never let an ugly fact slay a beautiful column

Posted on August 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

This is too funny. A conservative writer named Joseph Perkins has denounced the DNC for ads they didn’t create. The ads in question (you’ve probably seen them, they’ve been widely linked to) can be found here, along with a letter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Never let an ugly fact slay a beautiful column

News flash: Work sucks

Posted on August 22, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Two and a half Claudes to this headline: More Americans unhappy at work. I’m even more shocked to report that people who make less money are also less happy at their jobs: Households earning less than $15,000 a year were … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Comments Off on News flash: Work sucks

WNBA referee’s condition upgraded

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

WNBA referee Bill Stokes, who collapsed during last night’s Comets-Starzz playoff game, has been upgraded to serious condition. Still no details on what happened to him, but that’s good news. Via Larry, who gives a more detailed description of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on WNBA referee’s condition upgraded

Makes for a great “I Never” question, though

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Two New York deejays have stirred up a hornets’ nest after broadcasting a live, eyewitness account of a couple having sex in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Opie and Anthony, co-hosts of WNEW-FM’s popular afternoon drive-time program, remained off the air for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 2 Comments

Enron movie in the works

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Chron society columnist Shelby Hodge has the scoop: You loved Mike Farrell as Dr. B.J. Hunnicut on TV’s M*A*S*H, but will you love him as Ken Lay in the CBS-TV movie The Crooked E? The lanky Farrell with the hangdog … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 3 Comments

More good budget news (not)

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that $5 billion budget shortfall that’s predicted for next year? It’s now $7 billion. And both candidates for governor know exactly what they’re not going to do about it: “We’re going to scrub the budget. We’re going to look … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Free speech upheld at UH

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The University of Houston has agreed to give unrestricted access to its main plaza next month to an anti-abortion group. I’m as pro-choice as they come, but UH was wrong to restrict these guys to a quieter corner of campus. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Thom Marshall agrees with me

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Ginger notes that Chron columnist Thom Marshall asked some pretty good questions about the K-Mart Kiddie Roundup. He also agrees with me in that towing fees should be refunded and all convictions should be overturned. Not that I normally brag … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 2 Comments

Must the show go on?

Posted on August 21, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Last night I attended the Comets-Starzz playoff game (which, alas, the Comets lost) along with Larry. We had fun at the game, even if Larry was confused by Haley, the Comets mascot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all fun. With about 15 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Ginger has the goods

Posted on August 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Ginger has found two stories in the Houston Press about HPD Captain Mark Aguirre, who appears to be the bad guy (or perhaps just the fall guy) for the ill-advised K-Mart Kiddie Roundup from Saturday. Check ’em out. Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 1 Comment

Not what I had in mind

Posted on August 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Tom Tomorrow points to this story which asks where the “peace candidate” is in regards to the possible/pending/inevitable Iraq invasion. Glad as I am to see people talking about alternatives to war, I’m not sure that this article presents the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 2 Comments

How do you figure that?

Posted on August 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Atrios prints a letter from a reader named D.M. which discusses this Thomas Sowell column. He notes the following items from Sowell: According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, in 2000 median income in the United States reached `the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 23 Comments

Kmart Teenager Roundup gets ugly

Posted on August 20, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

This is really ugly: The weekend bust of a couple hundred teenagers in a Kmart parking lot was supposed to be a raid on illegal drag racing, but when no such activity was found, the order was given to arrest … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 3 Comments

The season has begun

Posted on August 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

We had the local newscast on during dinner, and there were at least five political ads during that half-hour. The Big Issue appears to be insurance rates, as that was the focus of spots by Governor Goodhair, Tony Sanchez, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 1 Comment

RIP, Doris Wishman

Posted on August 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Doris Wishman, whom Joe Bob Briggs hailed as “the greatest female exploitation director in history”, has died at the age of 82. She was famous for making about nudist camps, often running into problems with censors as a result: “Nude … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on RIP, Doris Wishman

Get the Ig Nobel committee on the phone!

Posted on August 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Presented without comment, as there are some things that need no embellishment: Scientists have proven that alcohol helps people get laid. Want to be more attractive? Then make sure those around you are having a drink. British scientists have found … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 3 Comments

Drop the Blue Light Special and slowly back away

Posted on August 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Houston police conducted a massive raid on a K-Mart parking lot on Saturday night, arresting over 400 teenagers who were supposedly loitering. (Do I really need to make the obvious Martha Stewart jokes here? Talk amongst yourselves.) I don’t have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 3 Comments

Baseball fans: The Next Generation

Posted on August 19, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Jeff Cooper has a really cute picture of his eight-month-old son on his page, which you’ll have to scroll down to see as another variant of the Evil Blogspot Permalink Bug ™ appears to have reared its head again. Of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 2 Comments

Richard Justice seems to get it

Posted on August 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Given the way I’ve bashed sportswriters for their ignorant parroting of MLB owners’ talking points, I’m glad to note that Chron baseball writer Richard Justice seems to get it, especially since I’ve barked at him in the past. That’s two … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Richard Justice seems to get it

It’s Praise The Chron Day at Off the Kuff

Posted on August 18, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

For all the gritching I do about Houston’s Trailing Information Source, the least I can do is single them out when they tell me something useful. Today’s front page contains a story about how people abuse the privilege of temporary … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 7 Comments

Strike date set

Posted on August 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The MLB Players’ Association has finally set a strike deadline date of August 30, and the reaction from the sportswriters is sadly predictable. Jack cites this article from Arizona, while Rob has this one from MSNBC. I’ve left comments on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 5 Comments

“Nemesis” news

Posted on August 16, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Via Josh Trevino comes some news on the upcoming Star Trek: Nemesis from Wil Wheaton. It’s not a spoiler, so click away. Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on “Nemesis” news