Monthly Archives: October 2002

Fastow indicted on 78 counts

Not much new in the story, which is hot off the presses. I just like the sound of “78-count indictment”. Give your throat a nice spritz, bubbe. It’s time to start singing. Continue reading

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Fastow indicted on 78 counts

40% turnout predicted

Texas Secretary of State Gwyn Smith is predicting 40% turnout, or approximately 5 million voters, in this year’s election. That compares to 32.4% and 3.7 million voters in 1998, though it’s nowhere near the level of Presidential elections (6.4 million … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on 40% turnout predicted

Sleazy tech tactics

I received this in a Windows 2000 tech newsletter today. It’s amazingly sleazy. Don’t fall for it. * SNEAK ATTACK THROUGH A LICENSE AGREEMENT Have you ever received a Web-based greeting card from a friend or relative? They’re common these … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on Sleazy tech tactics

More poll numbers

A Scripps Howard poll is showing a sizeable lead for Governor Goodhair over Tony Sanchez, a tie in the Lt. Governor race, and slight leads for the Republicans in the Senate and Attorney General race. I’ll get to all that … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on More poll numbers

The 25th CD race

I haven’t paid much attention to the Congressional races around here, mostly because I live in Sheila Jackson Lee’s district, which means for me there is no race. Over in the 25th CD, which is an open seat due to … Continue reading Continue reading

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Coming attractions

The big thing next year in Houston is going to be the mayoral election, which will be wide open since Mayor Lee Brown is prohibited from running again by our stoopid term-limits law. Former City Councilman Joe Roach, who announced … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2003 | 2 Comments

The secret is revealed!

Dwight Meredith points me to this startling revelation about the DC snipers from NewsMax: On Wednesday night, shortly before the capture of Muhammad and Malvo, Chief Moose acquiesced to the sniper’s demand and read publicly a statement: “You asked us … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in General snarkiness | 2 Comments

New home for The Poor Man

Andrew Northrup has moved to his own domain and Movable Type. Drop in, say Howdy, and update your blogrolls. Continue reading

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Go get ’em, Ann

Ann Richards is in Austin campaigning for the Democratic ticket. The story contains some interesting tidbits about polls and female voters: In November 2000, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures, 3.3 million men and 3.7 million women voted in Texas. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | 2 Comments

The wreck of La Belle

I attended a lecture last night at the Houston Museum of Natural Science with Tiffany and her parents that was about the excavation of the ship La Belle, which wrecked in 1686 in Matagorda Bay. It was a part of … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on The wreck of La Belle

Doing homework

Alex Whitlock compares the policy statements on Rick Perry and Tony Sanchez’s web pages. Check it out, he’s done some good work. Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on Doing homework

Suspense list snafu

Apparently, the “poll books”, which list all 1.9 million registered voters in Harris County, are missing those who have moved and not updated their addresses. This is an issue because you’re allowed to vote at your old polling place for … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | 1 Comment

Trick or treat

Tim Dunlop has been enjoying his first Halloween season, as has his six-year-old son Noah, who’s quite excited about trick-or-treating. Dunlop and his family live in the DC area, which led to this observation: You want to know another reason … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Society and cultcha | Comments Off on Trick or treat

Overlooking the obvious

Tony Adragna points me to this Tim Noah piece, in which Noah attempts to uncover the reason for all those nice obits for Paul Wellstone that various right-wingers have been writing: Conservatives grieve Paul Wellstone because there is little or … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Other punditry | 3 Comments

Alison and its aftereffects

In 2001, Houston Press writer Richard Connelly and his family were flooded out by Tropical Storm Allison. More than a year later, his house was torn down after they got a FEMA buyout. Allison has had a huge effect on … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Judge declines to intervene in Burdine case

Federal Judge David Hittner has declined to force the appointment of Calvin Burdine’s appeals lawyer to his retrial case, agreeing with the argument that forcing the change would enjoin the trial. Looks like I called that one wrong. The ACLU … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Judge declines to intervene in Burdine case

“Can we count on your vote?”

I spent two hours last night at the Houston headquarters for the Tony Sanchez campaign. I’d volunteered to help call supporters to remind them to vote. It was a good night to make phone calls – it was raining and … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | 4 Comments

Webhost update

According to my webhost, everyone on my server has been moved to a new box. They’re still not sure why the old one was failing, but so far everything looks good on the new one. Thus, I can post normally … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Administrivia | Comments Off on Webhost update

Congrats to the Angels

Congrats to the Angels, a truly fine team, for winning the World Series. It was a great Series and it’s a shame that not too many people watched. BTW, I lost count of how many times the announcers mentioned that … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Congrats to the Angels

Hard to imagine it getting any worse

In response to an ad that attempts to link him to the 1985 murder of DEA agent Kiki Camarena, Tony Sanchez has called Governor Goodhair “the most disgusting human being I’ve ever known.” In the ad, one of the DEA … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on Hard to imagine it getting any worse

For better or for worse, but not for much longer

Lynn Johnston will retire her comic strip For Better Or For Worse sometime in the next five years. Johnston believes that her retirement will come at a good time as the lives of her characters are coming full circle. April, … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Society and cultcha | 2 Comments

Screaming about ice cream franchises

Disgruntled Marble Slab Creamery franchisees are suing the company over claims of misleading business plans. I wouldn’t have bothered blogging this except for the following quote: But [Hal] Cook and other former Marble Slab franchisees said the often-crowded stores come … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Bidness | Comments Off on Screaming about ice cream franchises

Races enter homestretch

Tony Sanchez is working to get out the vote as the campaign enters the final week before Election Day. The conventional wisdom continues to be that it’s too little, too late: The pollsters concluded that a victory by either Sanchez … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on Races enter homestretch

Prairie dog saga continues in Lubbock

Animal rights activists are protesting the city of Lubbock’s attempts to forcibly remove prairie dogs from a large site where wastewater is treated. The controversy began in June, when the then-Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission cited the city of Lubbock … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Prairie dog saga continues in Lubbock

Still having hosting problems

I have heard from my web host that one of their servers (namely, the one that I’m hosted on) has been having sporadic problems running CGI scripts. This has the effect of causing “Internal Server Error” messages to pop up … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Administrivia | Comments Off on Still having hosting problems

Vote early and often

I voted yesterday, making it to the polling place a few minutes before they were scheduled to shut down at 4:30. There were a few other voters there, including one that I overheard who had not used the eSlate machines … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on Vote early and often

Hispanics and Kirk

Ron Kirk was in town again, this time at a campaign event designed to drum up Hispanic support. In Houston, several Hispanic leaders turned out for the Kirk event at Don Carlo’s Restaurant near Hobby Airport with the same message: … Continue reading Continue reading

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Bad dog!

An English setter pup on a hunting trip stepped on a shotgun and shot his master in the ankle. Fortunately, the only serious injury suffered was to his dignity: [Michael] Murray admits there is a certain amount of notoriety that … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on Bad dog!

Political ad uses image of WTC

Republican Congressman Lamar Smith is airing an ad that uses an image of the World Trade Center as it burned following the September 11 terrorist attack. San Antonio ad man Arthur Emerson, whose agency cut the commercial for Smith, defended … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | 3 Comments

RIP, Paul Wellstone

MyDD pays tribute to Paul Wellstone in a fitting fashion by casting his vote today. I join him and many others in saluting a truly principled man who served his country with valor. Rest in peace, Senator. Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on RIP, Paul Wellstone

Tis better to have linked and lost…

From TNR’s &c blog comes this story about race baiting in the Michigan governor’s race. TNR notes that the fairly nasty ad run by trailing Republican Dick Posthumus (ed. note: Oh, the juvenile humor potential in a name like “Dick … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2002 | Comments Off on Tis better to have linked and lost…

SNL and the Dead Parrot

Did you know that John Cleese and Michael Palin once did a guest shot on Saturday Night Live where they did the famous “Dead Parrot” sketch and apparently bombed? Mark Evanier has the details here (scroll down), here, and here. Continue reading

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on SNL and the Dead Parrot

An axis of one

Ginger has retired. Michael has always published infrequently. Ted went on hiatus Wednesday. Rob joined him yesterday. If it makes anyone feel better, I’m not going anywhere. Enjoy the break, but do hurry back, y’all. It’s lonely being an axis … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | 2 Comments

MasterCard Memorable Moments

Derek Zumsteg snarks all over the whole overblown Baseball’s Most Memorable Moments As Brought To You By MasterCard thing. I’m right there with him. What makes a moment memorable is what it meant to you at the time and what … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment