Monthly Archives: April 2010

Saturday video break: The pale blue dot

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of Earth Day, a few minutes with the late, great Carl Sagan. You can read the text of his narration here. Sadly, he never does say “Billions and billions”. Rest in peace, Carl Sagan.

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: The pale blue dot

Forensic Science Commission finally gets back to Willingham case

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start, but it’s not much more than that. Meeting for the first time since January, the nine-member Texas Forensic Science Commission voted to obtain and review the complete transcript of the capital murder trial of Cameron Todd Willingham, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NCAA tournament expands

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

To 68 teams, which is a lot less than 96. The three-team expansion is much more modest than 80- and 96-team proposals the NCAA outlined just a few weeks ago at the Final Four. The move coincides with the new, … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Valero effect

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is just what all of our cash-strapped local budgets need right now. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is not typically a big player in school finance debates. But an upcoming decision by the commission could strike a major … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Meet Steve Brown

Posted on April 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Steve Brown, the new Chair of the Fort Bend Democratic Party. Steve Brown, a 35-year-old with a résumé of political experience, has big plans for the moribund Democratic Party in Fort Bend, and his confidence in the party’s ability … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Meet Steve Brown

Friday random ten: Unconventional love songs

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Chad Orzel last weekend gave a list of “songs about love or people in love, but not quite the sort of thing you should expect to hear as the first dance at a wedding any time soon”. I figured I … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Local food

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One of the more interesting results from this year’s Houston Area Survey was the attitude expressed about locally grown food. From a Houston Tomorrow press release: An overwhelming majority of Houstonians feel that it is important to be able to … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Gay divorce lawsuit update

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all a little surreal. A man seeking to end his same-sex marriage in Dallas County is arguing an ironic point in a state that doesn’t recognize his nuptials: Grant the divorce and there will be one less gay marriage … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Who’s using electronic textbooks?

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

According to this DMN story, the electronic textbook revolution hasn’t exactly taken hold just yet, at least not in the Metroplex. The [Texas Education Agency] has budgeted more than $800 million for textbooks in 2010-11, but it’s not clear how … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Filling the void

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve heard a number of reasons why we “need” video lottery terminals at horse racing tracks, but this one, espoused by Texas Racing Commission Chair Rolando Pablos, may be the most entertaining. Though he does not gamble, Pablos studied gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Disclose, please

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough by itself. The U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for corporations to pour money into influencing Texas elections, but the state ethics commission today is taking up a … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Disclose, please

From the “Tell us something we didn’t know” department

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t actually need the CREW crew to tell us that we have one of the worst Governors in the country. We’ve known that for a long time. But it never gets old saying it, and I must admit their … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on From the “Tell us something we didn’t know” department

HPD and HFD overtime

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As is the case with the Harris County Sheriff’s office, the Houston Police Department and Houston Fire Department spend a lot of money on overtime. A Houston Chronicle analysis shows that most of the money — $50 million — went … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How much would you pay for those border cameras?

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Remember all those border cameras Rick Perry wanted to install so ordinary citizens in the comfort of their living rooms could help catch people entering the country illegally? How have they worked out? Perry has invested a total of $4 … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day?

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Alliance for a Clean Texas has a suggestion: Texans expect our environmental agency to protect our health. TCEQ too often falls short of these expectations due to lax enforcement of existing clean air and water laws. The sunset review … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day?

A gloomy Survey

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The 2010 Houston Area Survey is out, and not surprisingly the results are pretty gloomy. Harris County residents this year offered the bleakest assessment of their personal finances, past and future, in the 29-year history of the Houston Area Survey. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on A gloomy Survey

Council adopts higher water rate hike

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

City Council voted to adopt the higher water rate hike that was proposed this week. And apparently set the stage for a lawsuit. Council members Mike Sullivan, Oliver Pennington and C.O. Bradford voted against the plan. Pennington, Bradford and several … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wrapup from “Houston Have Your Say: Education Crisis”

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I thought last night’s broadcast of Houston Have Your Say: Education Crisis went very well. You can see rebroadcasts of the show on Thursday, April 22, at 1:00 am; Friday, April 23, at 8:00 pm; and Sunday, April 25, at … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council may consider higher water rate hikes

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, a water rate hike of about 12 percent was proposed by Mayor Parker earlier this month. That ran into some resistance from apartment dwellers, since the hike would be higher for multi-family residences than it would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

SCOTUS officially endorses hot judge on prosecutor action

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I wish I could say I was surprised by this, but I’m not. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday from Charles Dean Hood, a Texas death row inmate who complained that he was denied a fair trial because … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Where there’s a sacred cow, there’s a lobbyist protecting it

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Star-Telegram reminds us that while legislators may be hunting for sacred cows to help fill the budget gap, actually bagging them will be hard to do. The renewed look at tax breaks has generated a widespread case of jitters … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of April 19

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Time for another roundup of the week’s blog highlights from the Texas Progressive Alliance. Click on for more.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of April 19

Join the chat for Houston Have Your Say

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m here at the KUHT studios for Houston Have Your Say: Education Crisis. There’s a Cover It Live chat available, so head over and let us know what you have to say about it. There’s a lot of brainpower among … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Join the chat for Houston Have Your Say

Rasmussen: Perry 48, White 44

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just in time for his closeup, Rasmussen has a poll result that shows Governor Perry with a four point lead over Bill White. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely Texas voters finds Perry with 48% support. His Democratic … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Trib interviews Rick Perry

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s here, and there are links to audio snippets, if you just have to hear his voice. The interview was part of a Texas Tribune collaboration with Newsweek, and kudos to them for that. For those of you who have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The coming train wreck

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Two local school superintendents – HD Chambers from the Stafford Municipal School District and Louis Stoerner from the Alief Independent School District – wrote an op-ed for the Chron about the financial catastrophe that school districts are facing. With a … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The coming train wreck

Counting inmates where they’re from, not where they’re incarcerated

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve noted before that prisoners in Texas are considered for Census purposes to be residents of the county in which they are incarcerated, not the county where they were actually living at the time of their arrest. This tends to … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Counting inmates where they’re from, not where they’re incarcerated

Pauline Higgins sues Metro

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Pauline Higgins, the former chief counsel for Metro who was fired in the wake of the document shredding scandal, has now sued the agency for wrongful termination. “This case involves cut-throat politics and cronyism at Metro,” Pauline Higgins said in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The costs and rewards of pursuing Tier I

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to cost a lot of money for the schools that have been authorized to pursue Tier I status to actually achieve it. The University of Houston estimates it would cost an additional $70 million a year to reach … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The costs and rewards of pursuing Tier I

Solving the jail overcrowding problem is everybody’s responsibility

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Putting it another way, we need to be choosier about whom we arrest. The Houston Police Department stopped arresting people for minor traffic violations late Thursday, hours after Sheriff Adrian Garcia told the city to slow down the flow of … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Solving the jail overcrowding problem is everybody’s responsibility

“The school-to-prison pipeline”

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Read this. When it comes to discipline, Aldine ISD doesn’t mess around. The large suburban district expelled more students last year — 525 — than any other district in Texas, despite being a fraction of the size of large urban … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on “The school-to-prison pipeline”

Collecting sales tax on Internet purchases

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Tax revenues are down in nearly every state. Most states rely on sales taxes for a significant portion of their revenues. Purchases made over the Internet are generally exempt from sales taxes. You do the math. In recent weeks, legislators … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MayorBob on water rates

Posted on April 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Former Mayor Bob Lanier has an op-ed in today’s paper in support of Mayor Parker’s proposed water rate hike. I believe Mayor Parker will work with council members, homeowner associations and the Houston Apartment Association to develop a plan that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on MayorBob on water rates

Weekend link dump for April 18

Posted on April 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, when even these guys don’t want anything to do with you… Some people are well qualified to judge who is a feminist icon and who isn’t. Some are not. We really could make doing taxes a lot easier for … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for April 18