Monthly Archives: May 2006

Dallas is full, please come back another time

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not quite sure what to make of this story about the city of Dallas balking at giving temporary housing to some 40,000 special-needs people in the event they get evacuated from Houston during a hurricane. Texas officials, haunted by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 5 Comments

Will Roger or won’t Roger?

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like the Astros may be getting close to signing Roger Clemens for the rest of the year. Astros owner Drayton McLane negotiated deep into Tuesday night with Roger Clemens’ agents, and he appeared on his way to finalize the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

Kronberg on the special session

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

It’s nothing I haven’t written before, but I like it when folks such as Harvey Kronberg agree with me, in this case about the real outcome of the special session. First, [the West Orange-Cove plaintiffs] correctly said that the recently … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Kronberg on the special session

Fundraisers for Khan and Thibaut

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

We’re definitely getting into election season, because the fundraiser emails are coming fast and furious into my mailbox. Here’s two from this week to be aware of, both scheduled for Thursday. First up, Chad Khan. Hon. Rodney Ellis/ Hon. Hubert … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Fundraisers for Khan and Thibaut

Fundraiser for Spring hate crime victim

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

There is a fundraiser tonight for the family of the 17-year-old high school student from Spring who was viciously assaulted last month (see here, here, and here if you need a reminder of the details of the attack). His family … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Fundraiser for Spring hate crime victim

Rep. Gonzalez’s letter to Accenture

Posted on May 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Previously, I noted that US Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D, San Antonio) and three of his colleagues sent a letter to Governor Perry expressing their concerns over the manifest failures of the THHSC privatization effort. At the time, I could not … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Rep. Gonzalez’s letter to Accenture

New downtown treatment facility set to open

Posted on May 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Another story from the weekend: A new 300-bed drug treatment facility is set to open next week. It’s already in demand. As of last week, county probation officials said, 170 men and 48 women were waiting. Officials hope to cut … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

When bad technology happens to good people

Posted on May 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Via Kimberly, I present to you the 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time. You can mourn the CueCat if you want to, I’m getting an involuntary shudder thinking about PointCast, which our help desk quickly decided it would not … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 2 Comments

Cactus Records to reopen?

Posted on May 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Metroblogging Houston has a heard-from-a-friend report that the late, lamented Cactus Records might be reborn under new ownership at the same location. I say take it with a grain of salt, since a move like this would have (I presume, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Comments Off on Cactus Records to reopen?

Who owns Astroworld now?

Posted on May 30, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

From the weekend, we had this story about the real estate investors who bought the land that Astroworld once inhabited. The biographical stuff doesn’t interest me that much, I was looking for clues about what’s next for that property. Alas, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

“Texas Bigfoot” exhibit at UTSA

Posted on May 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Taking a “serious” look at Bigfoot in Texas. Sure, there’s the Bigfoot conference in the East Texas town of Jefferson each October, and that’s where a permanent Bigfoot museum is envisioned. But here at the University of Texas at San … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Seven fifteen

Posted on May 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to Barry Bonds for hitting home run # 715 yesterday. Whatever you think of him today, and however you think he covered the last steps on this journey, that’s a hell of a feat for a truly outstanding player. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

In memoriam

Posted on May 29, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

From Phillip Martin: Since the commencement of the War in Afghanistan and the War in Iraq, there have been 3,057 coalition deaths, of which are 2,754 Americans, including 234 native Texans. Below are the names, ages, hometowns, and date of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Memorial Day observances

Posted on May 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you in and around Killeen, Mary Beth Harrell will be leading a Memorial Day service at the Central Texas Veterans Cemetery in Killeen at 4:30PM. Eye on Williamson has the details. Here in Houston, the San Jacinto … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

CD22 candidate forum in Fort Bend

Posted on May 28, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Juanita and The Muse report from the latest CD22 candidate forum for Republicans vying to become the Chosen One. This one was in Fort Bend. There’s also podcasts available at Elam’s site starting here if you’ve got the time. Meanwhile, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on CD22 candidate forum in Fort Bend

Noriega getting set to go to the border

Posted on May 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Rick Noriega, whose imminent deployment to the US-Mexican border as part of President Bush’s plan to bolster the patrol with National Guard troops has been discussed here before, talks some more about what lies ahead for him. Noriega, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Noriega getting set to go to the border

The Enron jury

Posted on May 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Just filing this for future reference. Conversations with panelists who sat in judgment of Lay and fellow former Enron executive Jeff Skilling revealed a spiritual group of Texans who went into the jury room teetering back and forth and came … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on The Enron jury

Congressmen attack Accenture

Posted on May 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Accenture/Texas Health and Human Services outsourcing debacle is getting some attention from Congress. Declaring it a failed experiment that is harming the neediest in the state, a group of Texas congressmen including Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, a San Antonio Democrat, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Congressmen attack Accenture

Evacuation authority and other hurricane stuff

Posted on May 27, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Some stuff from Thursday that got lost in the Enron verdict-a-rama: Task force chief dismayed Perry lacks authority to order evacuations The chairman of Gov. Rick Perry’s hurricane task force said Tuesday that he was disappointed the Legislature did not … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Evacuation authority and other hurricane stuff

Radnofsky in Smith County

Posted on May 26, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Nice article on Barbara Radnofsky in the Tyler Morning Telegraph. For an article that’s supposed to be about her, it actually is – her words, her positions on issues, and so forth. Quite a refreshing change from the usual ten-second-summary … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Radnofsky in Smith County

Dewhurst admits it’s not over yet

Posted on May 26, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Via Eye on Williamson, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has admitted that there’s still a few bugs in the school finance system. In a visit with the Chronicle editorial board this week, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst devoted much of his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Dewhurst admits it’s not over yet

State officially free of school finance injunction

Posted on May 26, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Over at Kuff’s World, I’ve got the news that the injunction against the state that forced it to deal with the West Orange-Cove school finance lawsuit by June 1 of this year has been lifted. All the relevant documents are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

After the verdict

Posted on May 26, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

So it’s been a day now since Jeff Skilling and Kenny Boy Lay were convicted on multiple felony counts related to Enron’s collapse and death. As you might expect, the Chron has wall–to–wall coverage of the verdict and reaction to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 2 Comments

Net Neutrality bill passes out of committee

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Good news: the Sensenbrenner-Conyers bill (HR5417, discussed here), passed out of committee on a bipartisan 20-13 vote. Every Democrat who voted, voted in favor, along with six Republicans. I’m especially pleased to see that my rep, Sheila Jackson Lee, did … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Enron verdict in

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I know I haven’t been following the trials of former Enron honchos Jeff Skilling and Kenny Boy Lay, but apparently the jury is back and we’re about to get some verdicts. So consider this a placeholder for when they’re in, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 2 Comments

More on crippling women’s health care

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Eye on Williamson has a followup to the story on how the effort by State Sen. Steve Ogden to divert funds from Planned Parenthood clinics to “first-term providers” has been a disaster in Texas for many women. Check it out. Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on More on crippling women’s health care

Perry signs HB2

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t get to this one yesterday, but Governor Perry signed HB2, the most starkly partisan of the five tax bills from the special session, into law. Gov. Rick Perry signed a law Tuesday assuring that revenue from new, higher state … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Perry signs HB2

From the “People unclear on the concept” files

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I believe we have a new definition of “out of touch”: Uncritically citing a Colbert Report segment as support for your position that evil liberal forces are out to get you. Poor Tom. How the mighty have fallen. Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

Net neutrality: Jackson Lee “on the fence”

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an email action alert that hit home for me: Dear Charles, This is an urgent action alert. Your House member, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, is one of the key votes who have still not declared whether they will support Net … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

What will the West Orange-Cove plaintiffs do?

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Some time before close of business on June 1, the state of Texas will file a motion to lift the injunction imposed by the State Supreme Court ruling in November that declared the property tax system unconstitutional. The plaintiffs in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

Days late and dollars short

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. This Chron article on the results of the unofficial Fort Bend County survey of CD22 Republicans may have set a new standard for lame. That’s saying something. A survey of Republican voters in Fort Bend County showed Sugar Land … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 1 Comment

Orlandomania!

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

With the untimely passing of Harris County Treasurer Jack Cato on Monday, the local Republicans now need to field a replacement candidate. Lucky for them, they’ve got someone who is uniquely qualified to hold this position. Two-time mayoral candidate Orlando … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 5 Comments

New SurveyUSA Governor’s poll

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a new SurveyUSA poll on the Texas Governor’s race. Here’s the result: If the election for Governor of Texas were today, and you were standing in the voting booth right now, who would you vote for? Democrat Chris Bell? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 2 Comments

The Governor’s fuzzy math

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Both the Chron and Express News political blogs note that Governor Perry is rolling out an ad campaign to tout property tax relief. In doing so, he’s playing quite a bit fast and loose with the math. From the E-N … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The Governor’s fuzzy math