Monthly Archives: November 2010

UTSA and TSU officially join the WAC

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to the FBS, y’all. Separated by roughly 35 miles of I-35, UTSA and Texas State have long been adversaries — for victories, for attention, for prestige. Heated enough as it is, their rivalry became even more contentious on Thursday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Straight ticket voting and the city propositions

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the Chron recently wrote an editorial decrying the rise in straight ticket voting. Among other things, they said: In two highly publicized Houston propositions on the ballot last Tuesday, nearly 56,000 voters did not register a choice … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Who’s your nanny?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Everything you need to know about the potential Republican effort to opt out of Medicaid can be taken from this quote: “If people are in superbad poverty, that’s one thing,” says state Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, the state’s most vocal … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

How anti-immigrant is this session going to be?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It will likely be very strongly anti-immigrant. It’s really just a question of how far the Republicans pushing this will go. The Democrats can’t stop them – I’m not expecting the Senate’s two thirds rule to be much of an … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Get ready for UT TV

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Longhorn television network, coming soon to a cable or satellite provider near you. University of Texas regents on Wednesday gave their blessing to the school’s pursuit of a so-called Longhorn network of cable TV sports programming. Regents met behind … Continue reading →

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

Weekend link dump for November 14

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Did you know that the Apollo 12 mission, the second manned flight to the moon, was launched on this date in 1969? That’s less than four months after Apollo 11. I didn’t know that. RIP, Jill Clayburgh. What is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Galveston’s housing issue

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Got the following email from Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski: Kuff – here’s what I just posted on my facebook pages: “Catch Mayor Joe Jaworski on Houston PBS Channel 8 discussing Galveston’s need for affordable housing and how he intends positively … Continue reading →

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Red light cameras to be turned off Monday

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. This week, officials with American Traffic Solutions Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz., received a letter dated Nov. 10 from city attorney David Feldman, who reversed his previous opinion that the contract requires Houston to give ATS a 120-day … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Get ready for some Sharp-mentum

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Towards the end of her column, Peggy Fikac reminds us that everything old will be new again in 2012. Here’s the text I got from former state Comptroller John Sharp on election night, as Democrats were going down in flames: … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Is this the end for truly open beaches?

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday the state cannot take private property for a public beach when a storm moves the vegetation line landward — a decision that may lead to restricted access along the coast. Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Saturday video break: If there were a Top 500 list for videos…

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

…then this one would have to be in it, for its excellent use of Dick Van Patten among other things: Having seen Weird Al perform live a couple of times, I can tell you that the cheerleaders and the singing-with-a-mouth-full-of-water … Continue reading →

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An answer in the Claude Jones case

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Back in June, I noted the case of Claude Jones, who had been executed in 2000 for a murder committed in 1990. The main piece of evidence used to convict him was a single strand of hair that a forensic … Continue reading →

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

San Antonio solar farm

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There’s more solar energy available in Texas now than before. [Texas’] first solar farm, an array of 215,000 photovoltaic panels that capture sun rays and turn them into power, went on line Thursday in San Antonio. Statewide, at least six … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Friday random ten: The top 500, part 1

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So I was surfing around the other day and I came across this Rolling Stone article from 2008 that listed their opinion of the Top 500 rock songs of all time. Which made me wonder how many of those songs … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Some people just can’t handle prosperity

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Infight away, y’all! House Republicans have launched open warfare against one another as they vent spleen and fight over whether Joe Straus should remain speaker. In open letters and news releases that came very close to being vitriolic, members on … Continue reading →

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The single easiest pickup opportunity Democrats will have in 2012

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I trust you are familiar with Roy Morales. He’s run for City Council, he’s run for Mayor, this year he ran for Congress (he lost to Rep. Gene Green), and I presume he’ll run for something in 2011. And in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How much would you pay for those inmates?

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County has a new plan for dealing with its overflow jail population. Under the new plan, the county’s purchasing agent would ask for all interested bidders to submit their lowest prices for taking inmates, much like it does for … Continue reading →

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

Special election to succeed Rep. Kuempel set

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Not surprisingly, Gov. Perry has set it for as soon as possible. The election for the term beginning in 2011 will be held Dec. 14, the governor’s office said. Candidates for District 44 in Texas House of Representatives must file … Continue reading →

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On Latino turnout

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how to make more Latinos vote. But I do know these things: 1. Whatever it is that Texas Democrats have been doing, assuming there is something that qualifies as some kind of action in this area, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

How long is this thing gonna take?

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We may have the Tom DeLay trial to entertain us into December. [Monday] prosecutors announced that they might be done by next Tuesday. That would give the defense only a couple of days if they want to make final arguments … Continue reading →

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Harris County appoints its public defender

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Alex Bunin, who was unanimously appointed by Commissioners Court to be the chief of Harris County’s first ever public defender office. Bunin, 51, set up federal public defender offices in southern Alabama, Vermont and northern New York. He currently … Continue reading →

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

It’s official, Keller skates

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. Bitterly disappointed, but not surprised. A special court of review on Monday declined to reconsider a decision to void an ethics rebuke given to Sharon Keller for her role in a botched execution-day appeal, apparently ending … Continue reading →

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

The anti-immigrant hysteria has officially begun

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t take long. State Rep. Debbie Riddle camped out and endured “creepy” noises inside the cold, empty Capitol to be first in line Monday morning to file legislation targeting illegal immigration and ballot security. The Tomball Republican said she remained … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

If you’re looking for a focal point

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Democrats will have no shortage of opportunities to play offense in 2012, but if you want to get a head start on that, I have a suggestion. Here’s a bit from this story about Commissioner Sylvia Garcia’s electoral defeat to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rep. Donna Howard wins re-election

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The closest election of this cycle has been decided, for now. State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, has defeated Republican challenger Dan Neil for state representative in District 48 by 16 votes. The count came after Travis County officials tallied all … Continue reading →

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

Spreading the wealth

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s something that occurred to me after this year’s World Series concluded: In the past ten seasons, an awful lot of teams have celebrated milestones. Consider: In 2001, the Arizona Diamondbacks won their first pennant and their first World Series … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

So was this a one-time thing or not?

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So was the Republican showing in this year’s election an aberration or not? I’m going to limit this discussion to Harris County here. It’s clear by now that what we saw here was an unprecedented spike in Republican turnout. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

On straight ticket voting

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After Democrats made big gains in 2008 in Harris County thanks in part to straight ticket voting, I defended the practice from the Republican concern trolls that came out to wring their hands about it now that they were no … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

They picked a good year to have a scandal

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Reps. Joe Driver and Linda Harper Brown made it through the election and now just have to worry about what a prosecutor might think. The Travis County district attorney’s office is looking into Driver’s travel reimbursements. An official there last … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of November 8

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance remains committed to moving forward as it brings you this week’s blog roundup. CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is still reeling from the republican blowout. Say goodbye to your Social Security and hello to Warren Chisum … Continue reading →

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More on Medicaid

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Mike Tomasky on the question of Texas ditching Medicaid: The states’ share of Medicaid costs has been an immense burden for two decades, there’s no denying it. I remember Mario Cuomo complaining about it when he was governor, when I … Continue reading →

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

How many votes did we think we’d need?

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve already established that this election saw an historically high level of turnout in the county, and an historically high level of vote support for Republican candidates. It’s clear that Republican candidates rode a wave of voters who don’t normally … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who needs Medicaid?

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an early peek at what we have to look forward to next year. Some Republican lawmakers — still reveling in Tuesday’s statewide election sweep — are proposing an unprecedented solution to the state’s estimated $25 billion budget shortfall: dropping … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

DeLay trial update

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The state keeps presenting its case. A former Republican National Committee official testified Thursday that he was told Tom DeLay wanted the RNC to swap corporate money for campaign donations to Texas candidates during the 2002 election campaign. Terry Nelson, … Continue reading →

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