Monthly Archives: November 2003

Tom DeLay jumps the shark

Posted on November 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, guess what? You may have already won a free telemarketing call from Tom DeLay and the chance to write a fabulous check to one of his political action committees! AIR FORCE CHAPLAIN James Helton says he was flabbergasted when … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 4 Comments

Planned Parenthood update

Posted on November 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Byron points to this update on the construction of a new Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin: It’s going forward, with Planned Parenthood of Austin acting as their own general contractors. Good to know that Chris Danze and his harassment campaign … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Comments Off on Planned Parenthood update

MT Blacklist updates

Posted on November 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The clearinghouse for stuff related to Jay Allen’s comment spam disabler is here. Note that you can submit spams you’ve received for possible inclusion into the master list, something which will help others as well as yourself. If you’re feeling … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 2 Comments

Jon Matthews update

Posted on November 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

This is the first update I’ve seen on radio talk show host Jon Matthews’ situation since the original story appeared. RICHMOND — Radio talk show host Jon Matthews appeared before a Fort Bend County grand jury Tuesday less than a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 142 Comments

More fame

Posted on November 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

This entry of mine, on what to do with the Astrodome, made it into this week’s Chronicle Hotlist. More proof that if you hang around long enough, you can clog up almost any Google search. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Two thousand white crosses in mute witness stand

Posted on November 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

One of the things we saw a lot of in France, out where we were in the champagne country near Epernay and Reims, was war memorials. An awful lot of WWI and WWII happened right there, and there’s no forgetting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 1 Comment

DeLay proposal spiked

Posted on November 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Hot dog! Tom DeLay’s insidious Bacardi-benefitting provision that he tried to sneak into the 2004 defense appropriations bill has been killed. House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), under pressure from the Senate, has ended an attempt by rum maker … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on DeLay proposal spiked

Wilson vs Craddick?

Posted on November 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I came across the following curious entry in the Quorum Report the other day and have been trying unsuccessfully to find out more information about it. AUTOMATED PHONE EFFORT TO RECRUIT OPPONENT FOR CRADDICK Calls blanketing Midland today [11/7] Dave … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Wilson vs Craddick?

John Kerry

Posted on November 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

So I see that John Kerry Version 2.0 is ready for shipping, and now he’s even anti-Deanier than before. Can’t you just feel the excitement? No? Me neither. And it’s a damn shame. John Kerry, is smart, good looking, a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 2 Comments

IRS to investigate DeLay’s PACs

Posted on November 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be fun. Two political action committees formed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to push Republican causes have failed to disclose required information about their finances, national watchdog groups said in a complaint filed Monday with the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

More state secrets

Posted on November 10, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

From the continuing story of Things Rick Perry Doesn’t Want You To Know: Gov. Rick Perry’s office has filed a lawsuit seeking to keep secret the financial incentives offered to Boeing Co. to build a plant in Texas. The lawsuit … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Enough of “get tough”

Posted on November 10, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Seems we’ve finally found the cure for “git tuff on crime” syndrome: Massive state budget shortfalls. Fourteen years ago, Maryland opened its ultramodern Supermax prison, a high-tech fortress to hold the “worst of the worst.” In contrast, a few blocks … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

Gabriel Vasquez

Posted on November 10, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

John Williams speculates about the future of soon-to-be-former City Council member Gabriel Vasquez, who surprised many people (including at least one of his opponents) by jumping into the City Controller race at the last second. I confess, I liked Vasquez … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Gabriel Vasquez

Military families protest in San Antonio

Posted on November 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

From the AP wire: SAN ANTONIO — A number of Texas families with husbands, sons and other relatives serving in Iraq gathered in a drizzle Saturday morning here to voice their opposition to how the U.S.-led war is being handled. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 2 Comments

Campaigning on the web

Posted on November 9, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

During the time that I was undecided about which candidates for City Council I should support, I spent some time looking at the various candidates’ web pages. I came away very unimpressed with their efforts, and with a few simple … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Another front in the abortion war

Posted on November 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

This story really makes me mad. Construction on Planned Parenthood’s South Austin clinic took a hard hit this week when the project’s general contractor walked away because of intense pressure from abortion opponents. Planned Parenthood officials said Browning Construction — … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 8 Comments

Upgrades

Posted on November 8, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

With a big assist from Michael Croft, I finally got the Movable Type 2.64 upgrade installed, and as an extra added bonus got migrated from the BerkeleyDB to MySQL. I think I’m going to have fun playing with MySQL, which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 8 Comments

Public Citizen on Dean

Posted on November 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Public Citizen’s White House for Sale blog has some good coverage of Howard Dean‘s referendum on whether he should abide by his original statement to participate in the presidential public financing system (see here and here), as well as a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on Public Citizen on Dean

Art Car Parade in trouble?

Posted on November 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I completely agree with Larry: if the Art Car Parade withers and dies due to lack of sponsorship money, it will be a cultural disaster in Houston. We’re talking about one of the few genuine grassroots institutions that originated here … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Lea Fastow to plead out?

Posted on November 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

From today’s Chron: Lea Fastow, the wife of ex-Enron Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow, is in negotiations with prosecutors for a plea bargain that could send her to federal prison for five months or more. She could appear in court … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 2 Comments

One for two

Posted on November 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The sleazy anti-Adrian Garcia mailer that went out in the days before the election did not have their intended effect, as Garcia was the leading vote getter and the candidate that everyone believes was behind the mailer failed to make … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 1 Comment

Ah, fame

Posted on November 7, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Blog long enough and sooner or later you’ll be a result in enough Google searches to really get noticed and/or become a pain in the butt to anyone trying to find good data. However you slice it, The Register picked … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Ah, fame

What they don’t want you to know

Posted on November 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve probably read about the Texas Clemency Memos, in which we learned about the extremely casual way that Alberto Gonzales advised then-Governor Bush about the death penalty clemency process. What you probably didn’t know (I sure didn’t) was that one … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 1 Comment

Zinging Zell

Posted on November 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Wythe has a long and in depth review of Zell Miller’s book “A National Party No More” that’s well worth your time to read. Greg is someone who’s closer to Miller’s end of the party spectrum than I am, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Sitemeter

Posted on November 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Is it just me, or has Sitemeter been sucking rocks the past few days? The reports are often unavailable, and I lost about half a day’s hits on Sunday. Not such a big deal, but my blog at least seems … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 2 Comments

Ahead of my time

Posted on November 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I once lived a pretty good bachelor’s life. Oh sure, the place was always a mess, the fridge was full of beer and accidental science projects, and the decor could charitably be described as “the lease says no holes in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 9 Comments

Off and running

Posted on November 6, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

And so now the candidates who couldn’t quite clear the 50% pole are gearing up for the runoff. Bill White and Orlando Sanchez are all about the money right now. White, CEO of the Wedge Group, an investment consortium, indicated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 3 Comments

Rum punched

Posted on November 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Tom DeLay continues to catch heat for his shameless shilling of Bacardi’s corporate interests at the potential expense of every other company in America that would like some day to do business in Cuba. It’s so bad that some House … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Rum punched

Perry rewards donors – Film at 11

Posted on November 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Perry’s perks go to big spenders, says the Chron. Fetch me the smelling salts, quick! In a solicitation delivered to companies and business-related groups this week, the governor’s office asked for donations ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 to fund Perry’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

The other races

Posted on November 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

If they mayoral runoff leaves you cold, there will be other races to settle in December as well. The Comptroller’s race is down to Annise Parker versus Bruce Tatro. Parker had 42%, Tatro 21%, and three other candidates had between … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 3 Comments

It’s White versus Sanchez

Posted on November 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Bill White led the pack, but as expected there will be a runoff, with White facing Orlando Sanchez. Sylvester Turner finished third, which has to be a tough blow for him. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, White had 38 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 5 Comments

Rail wins!

Posted on November 5, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Woo hoo! Let me hear those sweet sounds of concession: Anti-rail group Texans for True Mobility broke up its party at midnight but refused to concede defeat until the final precincts report. Rail foes acknowledged likely defeat, however, while maintaining … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 16 Comments

Run those numbers by me again

Posted on November 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

El Gato has a long and detailed post about Comptroller Strayhorn’s recent announcement that the state of Texas will kick back $8.7 million to the city of Houston, the Super Bowl Host Committee, and Harris County to help defray expenses … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 4 Comments

Redistricting trial date set

Posted on November 4, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

A trial date has been set for the redistricting lawsuits, but strangely enough I can’t tell what it actually is. There’s a bunch of motions and hearings going on, so read it and see which date seems the most likely. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Killer D's | Comments Off on Redistricting trial date set