Monthly Archives: September 2003

Democrats will return

Posted on September 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The remaining members of the Texas 11 in Albuquerque announced late last night that they would return to Texas on Thursday for the hearing in front of the three-judge panel in Laredo. “We will say goodbye to the great people … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 2 Comments

The Right of Trial By Jury Shall Be Preserved

Posted on September 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s one for Charles Dodgson’s files on how private entities can limit one’s rights as much as, if not more than, any government entities: Many consumer contracts now come with restrictive and expensive mandatory arbitration clauses. [E]very day, consumers sign … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 1 Comment

Identity politics

Posted on September 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t usually link to specific posts by Atrios since I figure everyone is reading him anyway, but his post about identity politics is one that I really want to make sure everyone sees. I also recommend what Steve Gilliard … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Comments Off on Identity politics

Early voting ends tomorrow

Posted on September 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder that early voting in Texas for our deliberately misplaced referendum-only special election ends tomorrow night. (I did my civic duty on Friday, in case you’re curious.) As that article notes, turnout for elections like these generally sucks, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 3 Comments

And speaking of mayoral candidates…

Posted on September 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Wythe attended a candidates’ forum sponsored by the Houston Democratic Forum and the R Club last Thursday, and he was kind enough to write about it. Executive summary: He likes Bill White, too! There’s a lot more than that, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | Comments Off on And speaking of mayoral candidates…

Bill White and one little letter

Posted on September 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Now that we’ve all had our fun at the expense of Out Of Town Orlando Sanchez, Kevin is turning his attention to Bill White, who most of you know is my preferred candidate for Mayor of Houston. Says Kevin: He’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 12 Comments

A tort reform plan I can support

Posted on September 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

RealityChecker suggests a way to help curb the scourge of frivolous lawsuits filed by corporate law firms: Public embarrassment of the firms responsible, much like Bill “Roll ’em!” Bennett’s suggestion of same for unwed mothers. You can help by linking … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 4 Comments

Whitmire will attend the next session

Posted on September 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Just a brief overview from here: Sen. John Whitmire is now saying that he will definitely attend the next special session, whenever that may be, in order to fight redistricting on the floor of the Senate. This guarantees a quorum, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 1 Comment

August stats

Posted on September 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just back from an out-of-town trip and still feeling a bit mellow, so regular blogging will resume tomorrow. Meantime, I had about 27,000 hits in August, making it by far my best month yet. Having a full month of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Traffic Reports | Comments Off on August stats

Spurs hire Mario Elie

Posted on September 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The San Antonio Spurs have hired three-time NBA champion Mario Elie as an assistant coach for the 2003-04 season. “I’m the happiest man in the world right now,” Elie said. “When I retired two years ago, I let everyone know … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Spurs hire Mario Elie

It’s my fault

Posted on September 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin Raybould notes the latest ravings from the best and brightest at the National Review and takes it to its logical conclusion. I now see that the mess in Iraq is not the Administration’s fault. No, the fact they involved … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 3 Comments

Texas Ten update

Posted on September 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The remaining holdout Democrats are taking their case nationwide, with the support of MoveOn. The tour, financed by the Internet-based liberal activist group MoveOn.org, will complement the organization’s radio, TV and newspaper ads. MoveOn.org will spend about $1 million on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 3 Comments

Flood The Zone Friday: America the Free?

Posted on September 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The topic de la semaine for Flood The Zone Friday is that unholy and un-American abomination ironically called the PATRIOT Act. The Not Geniuses boys recommend support for the Murkowski-Wyden bill, which would place some limits on some of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Flood The Zone Friday: America the Free?

Old-fashioned punditry

Posted on September 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

New Houston blogger Jaye Ramsey Sutter has an op-ed in the Chron today in which she criticizes the new moment-of-silence and pledge-to-Texas state laws. She adapted the piece from a recent blog entry. Way to go, Jaye! Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 4 Comments

Don’t Mess With Texas

Posted on September 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Commenter Matt Weiner, over at Perverse Access Memory, asks about the origin of the phrase “Don’t Mess With Texas”. Is it true, he wants to know, that it was originally an anti-litter slogan? That’s right! What’s more, it’s still in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Ted “Crooked Timber” Barlow

Posted on September 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t tell you how happy I am to see Ted posting at Crooked Timber. I know I speak for many when I say I’ve missed my regular fix of Barlow-y bloggy goodness, and he’s been in fine form over there. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Ted “Crooked Timber” Barlow

The Presidential shrug

Posted on September 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who’ve been following the Bush Administration’s rather indifferent treatment of veterans may be wondering if it’s a story that’s mostly being confined to the more obsessive corners of the blog world. Here’s one indication, from the President’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on The Presidential shrug

Whitmire fallout

Posted on September 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Back in Houston, Sen. John Whitmire has his say about Albuquerque and his still-boycotting colleagues. As the hotel walls grew more confining, the options of returning to Texas to deliberately get arrested or persuading 51 House members to take a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 3 Comments

The Hammer

Posted on September 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Salon has a thorough look at the life and times of Rep. Tom DeLay and his moneymaking machine. It’s pretty comprehensive, and more than a little appalling, so I commend you to check it out. One side note that I’ll … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on The Hammer

Latino voting again

Posted on September 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an article about another study telling us something we already knew – Latino voters are not a monolithic bloc. The study, released Tuesday by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, surveyed 4,676 Hispanics and 79,000 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Strayhorn for Governor?

Posted on September 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman sees another sign that Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn is planning to run for Governor in 2006. Strayhorn on Tuesday rehired longtime political operative Mark Sanders for more than $120,000 a year to oversee her public relations and press … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Big Trouble in Little China

Posted on September 3, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

My buddy Pete has been reviewing movies at Film Threat for a year now, and to celebrate he takes a fond look at one of his (and my) favorites, Big Trouble in Little China. (Note to self: put the DVD … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on Big Trouble in Little China

Whitmire to return to Houston

Posted on September 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. John Whitmire has announced that he will return to Houston tonight, thus abandoning the ongoing boycott of the Senate in an attempt to kill redistricting. Whitmire, who had not even unpacked his bags after returning today from Houston where … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 7 Comments

Whitmire calls for an end

Posted on September 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Well, it looks like I was wrong about how much longer the Texas 11 will stay away, at least if Sen. John Whitmire gets his wish. Sen. John Whitmire said today he secretly spent the last five days in Houston, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on Whitmire calls for an end

No good deed goes unpunished

Posted on September 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Abar Rouse, the assistant basketball coach at Baylor who taped a conversation with disgraced former head coach Dave Bliss in which Bliss discussed labelling slain player Patrick Dennehy as a drug dealer in order to cover up Bliss’ illegal payments … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on No good deed goes unpunished

Open Source Politics

Posted on September 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a new group blog in town, Open Source Politics, which features a few bloggers familiar to me (such as Jack and Jesse and a number of people I’m not so acquainted with but who look interesting to me. They’ve … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Open Source Politics

Approaching the end?

Posted on September 2, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Monday’s Chronicle had an article that paints a pretty bleak picture for the Texas 11. With almost all hope gone that state or federal courts will intervene on the Democrats’ behalf, the self-exiled senators now appear to have two basic … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | 1 Comment

This almost makes baseball look like a well-run sport

Posted on September 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, what do you know? A couple of oligopolists are conspiring to restrain the market in NFL fandom. You already knew this, but Houston isn’t big enough for the Texans and Cowboys to co-exist, either on the football field or, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 11 Comments

He’s there if you know where to look

Posted on September 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been way too long since Ted last updated his blog, but if the comments he posted on Soundbitten are any indication, he still has the blogging instinct. UPDATE: Well looky here. I guess I no longer have any excuse … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on He’s there if you know where to look

Lap dance customers of the world, unite!

Posted on September 1, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

From today’s Chronicle: DON’T YOU just hate it when it costs more to stuff your MasterCard card into someone’s G-string than if you slipped the dancer cash? Well, apparently Houston-area resident Paul Brian Meekey has had enough. He is the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 3 Comments