Tag Archives: Rice University

Friday random ten: 25 and up

Posted on August 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For the third and final entry in my numeric theme list, here are ten more songs with numbers in the title, starting with the number 25: 1. When I’m 25 or 64 – Jonathan Coulton 2. Section 29 – The … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Ike Dike gets a study

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The “Ike Dike”, a network of dikes and gates off the coast of Galveston that was first proposed last year by William Merrell as protection against storm surges from future hurricanes, is being discussed more seriously by the Gulf Coast … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blog Stars

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Press surveyed the local blog scene and picked out ten “Blog Stars” to highlight and profile. I’m pleased to say that they did me the honor of including me and my blog on that list. I always find … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

CD18 public forum at Rice

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Forum Houston Enriches Rice Education (HERE) Speaker: Robert Stein – Moderator Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science Rice University District 18 Congressional Political Forum Monday, February 22, 2010 6:00 PM  to 9:00 PM Rice Memorial Chapel  RMC/Ley Student … Continue reading →

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

No Rice-BCM merger

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The longstanding merger talks between Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have been terminated. Rice President David Leebron and Baylor College of Medicine President Dr. William Butler gave no reason for the talks ending in their statement. “Since we … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Budget cuts coming for Rice

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a tough budget year for Rice University. Rice President David Leebron set the stage for the coming year in an address to faculty this fall, warning that coping with endowment losses is one of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with City Controller Annise Parker

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We wrap up our 2009 interview season with a conversation with Annise Parker. Parker is serving her third term as Houston City Controller, having served three terms as an At Large Council Member before that. She is a native Houstonian … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ike Dike update

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As the first Atlantic tropical storms of the year make their appearance, we get an update on the proposed Ike Dike. One of Hurricane Ike’s legacies may be the hardening of the upper Texas coast against hurricane storm surges. Within … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Oliver Pennington

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Moving over to District G, my next interview is with Oliver Pennnington. Pennington is a retired attorney, a partner at Fulbright and Jaworski, whose practice focused on municipal law, and a Rice alumnus. Pennington has lived in District G for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Should the Aggies move to C-USA?

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m unsure if Richard Justice is kidding or not in his apparently annual suggestion to the Aggies that they realize they’re in over their heads in the Big XII and join C-USA instead. I mean, his serious stuff often reads … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Rice gets stimulus funds for physics building

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Go Owls! Rice University narrowly missed a chance at federal funding for a new physics building last year. The $787 billion federal stimulus plan offered a second chance. The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced Monday that Rice will … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Shine on

Posted on July 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Let us pause for a moment in appreciation of the Spoetzl Brewery, makers of Shiner beer, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year. By all accounts, Shiner beer shouldn’t have made it this long. The Spoetzl Brewery ferments its brew … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Shine on

More Tier One schools

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s some genuine good news from Sunday night’s chaos. Legislation intended to lift some of the state’s public universities to top-tier status has passed the House and Senate and now goes to Gov. Rick Perry, who is expected to sign … Continue reading →

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

Faking it convincingly

Posted on May 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I totally relate to this. For classical-music fans, nothing ruins a good story about a violist beating the odds, or love in the woodwind section, quicker than musical fouls. So the moment in The Soloist when Jamie Foxx picks up … Continue reading →

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Senate panel approves budget

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the Lege has one task they absolutely must do every biennium, and that’s pass a budget. The Senate Finance Committee has taken its first step towards doing that. A two-year state budget that accepts federal stimulus money … Continue reading →

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

Chronicle cuts

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Brutal day at 801 Texas yesterday, with more today. I confess, I don’t understand how getting rid of the people who create the content helps make the product more viable going forward, but what do I know? I’m sure they … Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Chronicle cuts

Is there are revolt brewing against Straus?

Posted on March 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Insider passes along what is probably a rumor. Word around the Texas House of Representatives is that a phantom list of nearly 76 signatures is circulating that will take out Speaker Joe Straus when the time is right. A … Continue reading →

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Close enough for computer work

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. Engineers have long lived by a simple, seemingly obvious rule when designing new computers: The machines have to deliver correct answers. If asked to compute two plus two, a computer should answer four. But what if computers didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Close enough for computer work

Who are you calling a knucklehead?

Posted on January 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This article about a panel of experts coming together in Houston to assess the city’s readiness to deal with disasters is moderately interesting – I look forward to reading their conclusions, that’s for sure – but what really caught my … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Who are you calling a knucklehead?