Monthly Archives: January 2003

The state of education

Posted on January 31, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Awhile back I asked When is a tax increase not a tax increase? Answer: When you can get someone else to do the tax-increasing for you, as the Lege is fixing to do by cutting $1 billion out of their … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

The state of the state

Posted on January 31, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Things were pretty busy for me this past week, so I haven’t had much time to write any analytical stuff. I’m finally getting things back to normal, so in that spirit let’s take a look at the state of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The state of the state

Dubious Distinctions Department

Posted on January 31, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

One of the underappreciated aspects of our Governor Goodhair is his high standards. How else can you explain his recent remarks in which he said that he doesn’t want Texas to be “like Mississippi”? [Rick] Perry, a Republican, was quoted … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 3 Comments

What if there are others?

Posted on January 30, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

By now I expect most of you have heard about the affair of John “More Guns, Less Crime” Lott and his missing survey and bogus statistics. Were it not for the revelation that Lott has posted defenses of himself under … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 2 Comments

The state of the union today

Posted on January 30, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

One look at today’s business section and it’s obvious why President Bush had so little to say about the state of the Union in his State of the Union address. We’ll start with Markets Dipping in Shaky Session, in which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 2 Comments

He’s gone

Posted on January 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t take long to find out Captain Mark Aguirre’s fate: He’s fired. Acting Police Chief Tim Oettmeier announced Aguirre’s firing during a briefing to City Council on the Kmart raids. “What we witnessed was nothing more than the political lynching … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 1 Comment

Will he stay or will he go?

Posted on January 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Now that we know that while Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford may have a potty mouth, he at least doesn’t lie about it (and I for one am sleeping better at night with the security that this knowledge brings), we can … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Will he stay or will he go?

RIP, Maury Maverick, Jr.

Posted on January 29, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Attorney and writer Maury Maverick, Jr., died Tuesday at the age of 82. SAN ANTONIO — Attorney Maury Maverick Jr., a descendant of early Texas settlers and known for his passionate legal defense of the downtrodden, feisty wit and unrelenting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Room for one

Posted on January 28, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting article in the NYT about how colleges are starting to accomodate the growing number of students who’ve never shared a room with anyone and don’t want to start now. Colleges have always offered single rooms, and students have long … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 5 Comments

A little obsessiveness goes a long way

Posted on January 27, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

A national figure makes a racially insensitive remark. The mainstream media doesn’t pick up the story for several days. Meanwhile, a lone website operator who operates anonymously beats the drum until the rest of the world is forced to take … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Politics, schmolitics

Posted on January 27, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Ginger says the following in the comments to this entry about the decision to prosecute Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford for perjury: Anyone who didn’t think this was all about HPD internal politics wasn’t paying attention. At least it didn’t result … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Politics, schmolitics

Tell me more about that work/life balance thing

Posted on January 26, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like putting in a 15-hour day at the job on a Saturday, especially after having been there till 1:30 AM on Friday. Yes, I was affected by the latest Internet worm. No, it wasn’t my job to fix it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on Tell me more about that work/life balance thing

Let the second guessing begin!

Posted on January 25, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Now that a judge has unceremoniously tossed the perjury charge against Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford, the dogs are howling about the District Attorney’s lack of judgment: “I bet if you spent the rest of your days looking for a lawyer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 3 Comments

The sex offender next door

Posted on January 25, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s one of those stories that’s so forehead-slappingly obvious it makes you wonder why, exactly, it’s news: Residents of poor neighborhoods are shocked to find registered sex offenders living among them, and where you find one, you tend to find … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 13 Comments

Man versus dog

Posted on January 25, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Came across this story on Larry’s page about a man who attempted to beat his dog to death with a shotgun and wound up shooting himself dead instead. It would be nice to say that this is a case of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 1 Comment

I’ll stick with Supercuts, thanks

Posted on January 24, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Female office workers in Japan have a thing for English soccer star David Beckham. They like him so much, in fact, that the hip thing to do is to have their pubic hair styled to match Beckham’s hair. “All women … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 1 Comment

Jerry! Jerry!

Posted on January 24, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Once again I marvel at The Onion‘s ability to stay ahead of the satire curve as I read this story about Jerry Springer, who’s contemplating a run for US Senate in Ohio in 2004. Springer, a Democrat, said he’ll decide … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 4 Comments

Bradford speaks

Posted on January 24, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Along with the story about the directed verdict of “not guilty” in his perjury trial, the Chron has a short interview with Police Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford. Nothing much of great interest, though it’s pretty clear that he plans to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Bradford speaks

Bradford acquitted by judge

Posted on January 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Police Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford was acquitted by a directed verdict this afternoon. That’s pretty much a slam dunk for those who thought this whole trial was borderline at best. Minutes after the state rested its case against Bradford, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Bradford acquitted by judge

Yes, you can change the world for the better

Posted on January 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a fantastic story about the international campaign by the Rotarians to eradicate polio. They started in 1985, have raised $1.8 billion, worked with WHO and UNICEF and government health agencies everywhere, and have reduced polio outbreaks to almost nothing. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | Comments Off on Yes, you can change the world for the better

Your daily Chief Bradford Perjury Update

Posted on January 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The trial of Houston Police Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford has begun, and the fur is flying. Bradford’s lawyers say the whole thing is a political vendetta. The prosecutor says it isn’t. I can barely keep track of who’s saying what, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Your daily Chief Bradford Perjury Update

Roosters from the sky

Posted on January 23, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

What does it mean when you and your dog are nearly beaned by a rooster that’s falling from the sky? In this particular case, it means a neighborhood pet has had a close encounter with a hawk. On a cold, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

For thee but not for me

Posted on January 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Rob reports on this article about abstinence-only education as it’s practiced in Lubbock, Texas (which as Rob also notes has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Texas). Abstinence-only is how Team Bush wants sex ed taught around the country, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 26 Comments

Why blogging is better than old media

Posted on January 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Blogging is better than old media because I can do things like quote Ted Barlow: From today’s Howard Kurtz profile of Paul Krugman: Online columnist Andrew Sullivan, a frequent Krugman antagonist, derides “the extreme partisanship, the self-righteousness and the moral … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Comments Off on Why blogging is better than old media

Next on COPS: When political extortionists attack

Posted on January 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Michael Morales, brother of onetime Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Attorney General Dan Morales, will plead guilty to a charge that he attempted to extort money from the Tony Sanchez For Governor campaign. The criminal investigation began churning last September … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Next on COPS: When political extortionists attack

The Bradford trial: Why are we here?

Posted on January 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Several jurors in the perjury trial of Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford expressed confusion and frustration about why they were all there in the first place: “I don’t see how this issue is worth the court’s time. … It seems like … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on The Bradford trial: Why are we here?

Fifty thousand

Posted on January 22, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Well, by my inexact and arbitrary reckoning, my 50,000th visitor arrived last night at 11:54 PM CST. Woo hoo! At my current traffic rate, visitor number 100,000 will likely arrive in September. Thanks again to everyone for reading. Continue reading →

Posted in Traffic Reports | 5 Comments

Bradford trial begins

Posted on January 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Jury selection is complete for the cussin’-and-lyin’-about-it trial of Houston Police Chief C.O. “BAMF” Bradford. Twelve stouthearted and true fellow citizens will get to decide if he perjured himself or just has a (possibly convenient) leaky memory. Twenty potential jurors … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Bradford trial begins

Latino voting

Posted on January 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Received a link to this interesting study of Latino voting patterns in my mailbox the other day. Here are the highlights: * The Latino vote for GOP Senate candidates was similar to prior years, at about one-third; gubernatorial candidates fared … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002 | 1 Comment

Closure

Posted on January 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Salon has a nice article (in Premium, alas) about how executions are often seen as giving “closure” to the families of the victims, when in reality this is not the case. Here’s an excerpt: No psychological study has ever concluded … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 1 Comment

Sponsored by…

Posted on January 21, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Today is Inauguration Day in Texas, and like many things here and elsewhere it’s being brought to you by the generosity of a variety of corporate sponsors. Atop the list of contributors is ACS, a Dallas-based government services firm awarded … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Can idiots ever really be useful?

Posted on January 20, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Jim Henley, Oliver Willis, Atrios, and Patrick Nielsen Hayden say they are not bothered by protesting the specter of war in Iraq alongside some extremely disreputable characters. Tacitus and Greg Wythe say they should be. I’d like to come out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 25 Comments

To the Batcave!

Posted on January 20, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Now here’s a made-for-TV movie that looks promising: Hollywood- Holy blast from the past, Batman! Adam West and Burt Ward are reuniting for a TV movie they hope will score bop-socko-pow ratings for CBS. But West and Ward aren’t playing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 1 Comment

“The Crooked E” wrapup

Posted on January 20, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Former Enron employees pretty much hated The Crooked E, that cheeserrific made-for-CBS movie from a couple of weeks ago. Of nearly 200 SEEC [Severed Enron Employees Coalition] members who responded to an e-mail survey, 58 percent found the CBS movie, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 2 Comments