Monthly Archives: May 2003

It ain’t Shakespeare

Posted on May 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Why didn’t anyone think of this before? LONDON – Give an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of typewriters, the theory goes, and they will eventually produce the works of Shakespeare. Give six monkeys one computer for a month, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 4 Comments

Tulia update

Posted on May 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

All of the pieces are in place for the 13 people who were convicted in the Tulia drug bust fiasco that are still in prison to be released. A special judge recommended that all convictions be overturned because the state’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Tulia update

State’s lobbying office declared useless

Posted on May 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

You’d think having a President that comes from your own state would mean that your state would never see hard times. You’d be wrong, especially if your state’s lobbyists in DC are nothing more than patronage appointees who don’t feel … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on State’s lobbying office declared useless

A chart is worth 11,483 words

Posted on May 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Mike T has an excellent chart, taken from a study by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California) on the effect of the proposed tax cut on dividends. If you believe that proper presentation is the key to winning political battles, take note … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 10 Comments

Lottery changes enacted

Posted on May 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The state Lottery Commission has rolled out the new version of its flagship Texas Lotto game amid confusion over how to play and grumbles that it’s even more of a ripoff than it used to be. In the past, as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 6 Comments

Marfreless

Posted on May 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who live in or travel to Houston will be pleased to know that Marfreless, the little watering hole often referred to as “the make-out bar” tucked into a corner of the River Oaks Shopping Center, is under … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 8 Comments

Metro-neutering bill may be dead

Posted on May 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

SB 1939, the anti-federalist bill authored by Sen. Jon Lindsay (R-Houston) designed to prevent local voters from determining their own mobility needs, may be dead in the water due to lack of support. “I’m trying to talk common sense to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Metro-neutering bill may be dead

Rockets lose in court (not on it)

Posted on May 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Rockets have lost round one in their bizarre legal battle against members of the Houston minority communities. State District Judge John Coselli issued the 15-day, temporary restraining order after about two hours in his chambers with lawyers representing the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Will state Dems hold the line?

Posted on May 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Almost overlooked in all of the brouhaha surrounding redistricting is the fact that any proposed new maps may never come up for a vote in the State Senate. But Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin, chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, said … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 3 Comments

Earthlink takes new route in spam fighting

Posted on May 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Earthlink is preparing to roll out a new spam blocking service that requires mail senders to verify their identity for mail to be delivered. Known as “challenge-response” technology, the system thwarts the ability of spammers to reach their intended audience … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 2 Comments

The Gambler’s Ruin

Posted on May 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Now that we all know more than we ever thought we’d know about Bill Bennett’s love of slot machines, let’s talk numbers. What are the odds that you can actually break even or come out ahead when playing the slot … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 4 Comments

Giving the people what they want

Posted on May 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

From The Bloviator: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS…EDWARD BARLOW? Bored with blogging? Busy with business? Freak cello accident? At least the last time he took an extended hiatus from providing us with free content, he had the common decency to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Time wounds all heels

Posted on May 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

A few years back, I was visiting the family in New York. While there, I had the opportunity to attend a Yankees game, along with my sister and her then-boyfriend. We scored some tickets from my dad’s old law firm, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 5 Comments

A bumpy ride for Metro so far

Posted on May 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Since first announcing their new longterm vision for mobility in Houston, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has run into the usual opposition from the usual suspects. The most controversial part of Metro’s plan is their proposed method of payment for rail, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 4 Comments

DJs suspended for playing the Dixie Chicks

Posted on May 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Amazing: COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Country station KKCS has suspended two disk jockeys for playing the Dixie Chicks, violating a ban imposed after the group criticized President Bush. Natalie Maines told a London concert audience just before the war in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

OK, guys, joke’s over

Posted on May 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve decided that the neverending supply of proposed redistricting maps is just a joke being played on gullible Democrats like me, designed to distract us from other legislation that the Lege is currently considering (such as this bill to outlaw … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 7 Comments

Feeling a little down

Posted on May 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

We had a tough game on Saturday. The game was originally scheduled for 9 AM on May 3. A few weeks ago, the other team’s coach emailed me to ask if we could move the game to Friday night, since … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | Comments Off on Feeling a little down

Change of venue?

Posted on May 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The attorneys for former HPD Captain Mark Aguirre and Sergeant Steve Wenzel are requesting a change of venue for their upcoming trial on five counts of official oppression, claiming that the local coverage has poisoned the jury pool against them. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on Change of venue?

Talk about a hot stock

Posted on May 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Looking for a nice, recession-proof stock? Try an Australian brothel. “Everyone knows sex is a smart investment,” said Heidi Fleiss, the former Hollywood madam, who helped launch the Daily Planet on the Australian Stock Exchange yesterday. Investors in the Melbourne … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | Comments Off on Talk about a hot stock

Suing the coach

Posted on May 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin Drum points to this LA Times story about a father who is suing his son’s former high school baseball coach over allegations that the coach ruined the kid’s arm and thus his chances to get a college scholarship and/or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

Bill Bennett, moral degenerate

Posted on May 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

That story about Bill Bennett’s little gambling problem sure has tongues wagging, doesn’t it? I’m particularly fond of Michael Kinsley’s piece, as well as Calpundit’s survey of conservative pundit responses. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned much is Bennett’s other … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

Arab American Republicans Against Bush

Posted on May 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Avedon and Hesiod point to the Arab American Republicans Against Bush web page, which could either be the work of a lone crank or could be the start of a backlash against the President by a group that largely supported … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 6 Comments

Jack Chick

Posted on May 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Gary Farber points to this article on Jack Chick, the world’s most widely published author, who specializes in apocalyptic evangelical comics. It’s a fascinating read. Obligatory new-media nod: Chick’s choice of medium was not that odd—for the 17th and 18th … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 4 Comments

Taxes, taxes, taxes

Posted on May 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Elsewhere on the op-ed pages today we get some more serious stuff, as Lt. Governor David Dewhurst pushes his school finance reform plan, while a couple of think-tank theorists argue instead for a state income tax. Meanwhile, Clay Robison notes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Taxes, taxes, taxes

Our poor misunderstood government

Posted on May 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The funniest thing I read today was this opinion piece by Sherry Sylvester of Texas Media Watch, which blames “one-sided and emotional” coverage of the ongoing budget battle to – wait for it – media monopolies. Yes, readers of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Comments Off on Our poor misunderstood government

Still more on redistricting

Posted on May 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Tom DeLay’s redistricting jihad continues on, despite little support outside of the Republicans in the state House. Speaker Tom Craddick has promised to allow a vote on the House floor, but with no enthusiasm from Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 1 Comment

Avedon’s back

Posted on May 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Avedon Carol is back at her original digs, after recovering from eye surgery, and she’s posting up a storm. Drop in and welcome her back. And update those blogrolls. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Avedon’s back

How to make the All Star Game better

Posted on May 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

So Bud and the boys have gone forward with that silly plan to give home field advantage in the World Series to the league that wins the All Star Game, the idea being that this would somehow make the ASG … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 4 Comments

Notice the pattern?

Posted on May 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Big Media Matt points to this article about the US siding with repressive regimes to block language in a United Nations resolution that calls for countries to condemn violence against women and “refrain from invoking any custom, tradition or religious … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 1 Comment

Setting goals

Posted on May 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

We lost again on Tuesday to reach the halfway mark with an 0-6 record. Still, as losses go, this one wasn’t too bad. I thought we got a good effort from everyone, and was encouraged to see some of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | Comments Off on Setting goals

The quotable Carole

Posted on May 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The story you’ll see in the Chron about the Senate’s version of the budget is about how Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn doesn’t like the budget, may not certify the budget, and so on. What you unfortunately won’t see in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The quotable Carole

Our governor loves his secrets

Posted on May 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Awhile back, Governor Goodhair lost a fight to keep his drafts of the 2003 budget secret. Once those drafts were released, it became apparent why he didn’t want the public to know about them, since they broke nearly every campaign … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Lea Fastow does the perp walk

Posted on May 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Federal prosecutors are preparing to announce charges against seven more Enron executives, including Lea “Wife of Andrew” Fastow. Get the cuffs, Ponch! The former executives to be named today are Ken Rice and Joe Hirko, co-chief executive officers of Enron … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 1 Comment