Monthly Archives: May 2008

The rarest play in baseball

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Three words: Unassisted triple play! Indians second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera turned the 14th unassisted triple play in major league history, accomplishing the feat Monday night in the second game of a doubleheader against Toronto. Cabrera made a diving catch on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 6 Comments

More financial gloom from the school districts

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, school districts are sounding the alarm about their rising costs and the lack of capability they’ve been given to deal with those costs. Here’s more about this problem. Unless a fix is enacted during next year’s legislative … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on More financial gloom from the school districts

Art Car Museum curator killed in crash

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

How sad. The parade was over, and Tom Jones had parked his eye-catching ride, Swamp Mutha, inside the Art Car Museum. He and two friends sat on the curb in front of the museum, reveling in the afterglow of their … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Art Car Museum curator killed in crash

Early overview of the County Attorney race

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

At this point in the overviews, I’ve basically covered the races where I think the candidates have a good chance to affect their vote totals in a significant way. The remaining races, for County Attorney, District Clerk, and Harris County … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Restaurants and the rising price of food

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The folks in the food business are feeling the pinch. Restaurants across town are facing the same problem this Mother’s Day, one of the busiest dining-out days of the year: a reluctance to pass on their higher costs to customers … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Comments Off on Restaurants and the rising price of food

Bad franchise!

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

While I mostly agree with this list of the Top 10 Worst Sports Franchises, I can’t really take seriously any list that would overlook the Philadelphia Phillies. The Twins, for all of Calvin Griffith’s penny-pinching, have had far more postseason … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

“You walk wrong”

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Ever wonder why your feet hurt? Apparently, shoes are the problem. Not just stiletto heels, mind you – pretty much all shoes, including and especially shoes designed to cushion the feet, are problematic. Last year, researchers at the University of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

Gas prices and sports fans

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The rising price of gasoline has many effects. Soaring gasoline and food prices and the nation’s housing crisis have local sports fans reconsidering how they will spend their money this summer. For now, most fans aren’t ready to part with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Gas prices and sports fans

The “virtual fence” gains fans

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Despite a bad review from the Government Accounting Office, the so-called “virtual fence” managed to impress some Congressfolk recently. Sections of Texas’ border with Mexico eventually could be secured by the same kind of high-tech “virtual fence” that’s been deployed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Where the people will be

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I love stories about demographics. By 2050, the area between Houston, San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth will become a single “mega-region” containing 70 percent of the state’s population, city planning experts said at a national forum on Friday. Experts attending … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 6 Comments

Bike to work

Posted on May 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

You don’t need subtitles to enjoy this pro-bike-riding ad from Hungary: But if you really want to know what they’re saying, Ezra has a translation. Now here’s the real question: What kind of a reaction do you think an ad … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Let’s get serious about innocence

Posted on May 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron had a story yesterday about an “Innocence Summit”, which focused on matters of wrongful convictions and what can and must be done about them. The first thing to remember here is that this isn’t an abstract issue: Nine … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Let’s get serious about innocence

Another Republican for SD17

Posted on May 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We have a second announced candidate for State Sen. Kyle Janek’s soon-to-be-open seat. Houston lawyer Grant Harpold has announced that he will run to replace outgoing State Sen. Kyle Janek. Harpold, a Republican precinct chairman, said if elected, he will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Another Republican for SD17

ICE versus employers

Posted on May 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Jay Aiyer, who is an immigration attorney, has a suggestion for the process of verifying eligibility to work. The reality is that the overwhelming numbers of businesses never knowingly hire anyone they believe is here illegally. They are required by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

The feathered look

Posted on May 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

And now for a little weekend frivolity: The Top 10 Feathered-Hair Wearers Of All Time. I might try to work up an argument for including some other people on this august list, but I’m laughing too hard at the pictures … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Comments Off on The feathered look

Kelly Siegler resigns

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise. Kelly Siegler, a longtime prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office who lost her bid for the top job there in April’s primary elections, resigned today. Siegler, 45, who had worked at the office since 1987, submitted … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

The Chron on jail overcrowding

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron hits all the right notes on the Harris County jail overcrowding problem. Holding 10,245 inmates as of midnight Tuesday, the Harris County Jail is so crowded that Sheriff Tommy Thomas has already sent 600 inmates to a lockup … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on The Chron on jail overcrowding

Another good poll for Noriega

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

On the heels of that Rasmussen poll showing him within four points of Sen. John Cornyn, a second poll has confirmed that Rick Noriega is running a close race. Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 5/5-7. Likely voters. MoE 4% (9/24-26/07 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Another good poll for Noriega

Update on the East End rail routes

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Christof brings news of an update to the downtown alignment of the Harrisburg and Southeast rail lines, which have undergone some major alterations and solved a lot of previously noted problems, though in doing so made numerous compromises that will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Update on the East End rail routes

Once again with the penny

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, one of the arguments for abolishing the penny (and the nickel) is the high cost of manufacturing them, due to the rising prices of zinc and copper. Congress has tried but not succeeded in passing a law … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

A roundup of voter ID editorials

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

BOR has a nice roundup of editorials from state newspapers about the recent voter ID ruling by the Supreme Court and the sure-to-follow effort by the State Lege to pass a similar law here. For the most part, they get … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on A roundup of voter ID editorials

See ya, Vito

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

If I were still living on Staten Island, this guy would be my soon-to-be-former Congressman. Speculation on the political future of Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) is running rampant today after he acknowledged that he is the father of a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

We’re all newbies next to Christine

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Christine has now been blogging for eight years. In Internet time, that’s approximately since the dawn of the Paleocene epoch. Speaking as someone who’s been at it for a mere 6.5 years, all I can say is “We are not … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on We’re all newbies next to Christine

The Galveston option

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

One possible option for dealing with the overcrowded jails, at least until a more permanent solution can be implemented: Ship some inmates to Galveston. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said he planned to speak with Galveston County Judge James Yarbrough … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on The Galveston option

TSU-Dynamo update

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The TSU-Dynamo Stadium marriage is inching closer to reality. Two weeks after he first expressed interest in the project and a couple of meetings and phone conversations later, newly appointed TSU athletic director Charles McClelland said the school is willing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on TSU-Dynamo update

Early overview of the Tax Assessor race

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The first thing you have to come to grips with in discussing the race for Harris County Tax Assessor is that Paul Bettencourt got almost 25,000 more votes than George W. Bush did in Harris County in 2004. No other … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 6 Comments

The Speaker wars have begun

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Last Friday the Statesman wrote a story about Capitol employees who earn a part-time wage but are listed as full-time and receive the same health insurance and pension benefits as full-time employees. Capitol insiders say that hiring employees as full-time … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on The Speaker wars have begun

Rosenthal’s effect on the DA race

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Politics blog flags a fundraising letter and accompanying clip sheet (both PDFs) from the Clarence Bradford for DA campaign, which prominently feature Chuck Rosenthal’s follies, and ask the question “Is Rosenthal still a campaign issue?” To which my … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Rosenthal’s effect on the DA race

Hispanic candidates in Farmers Branch and Irving

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I give these candidates a lot of credit for guts. Hispanic residents making their first run for office are on Saturday’s ballot for City Council in Farmers Branch and Irving, where illegal immigration is a major issue. […] Farmers Branch … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Hispanic candidates in Farmers Branch and Irving

High oil prices are good for Texas

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

At least, they’re good for the budget. The nation may be on the verge of a recession, but the Texas economy is doing well enough for Comptroller Susan Combs to predict Tuesday that the Legislature will have a $10.7 billion … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

The DA’s information office

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this is reasonable enough. On the heels of unprecedented scrutiny of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, interim District Attorney Ken Magidson won approval from Commissioners Court on Tuesday to create a public information office at a cost … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on The DA’s information office

Please support Diana Maldonado and TexBlog PAC

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I am a member of the TexBlog PAC board. The following email was sent to our supporters list yesterday. Please donate to Diana Maldonado and TexBlog PAC! Last week, TexBlog PAC made its inaugural endorsement. After a lengthy discussion about … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Please support Diana Maldonado and TexBlog PAC

Strip clubs ask again for a halt to the new fee

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The state’s strip clubs had thought they’d won an injunction against the $5/person fees imposed by HB1751, but that victory was short-lived when the Attorney General ruled that the fee was still in place while the state appealed the ruling. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

The real fix for the jail overcrowding blues

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I identified one simple fix for the Harris County jail overcrowding problem yesterday, but there is another, hopefully more permanent solution, one that can be implemented in six months’ time. As Grits puts it: As long as Sheriff Thomas, Chuck … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment