Monthly Archives: September 2002

Chron review of Lovett/Raitt

Posted on September 5, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron‘s full review of the Lyle Lovett/Bonnie Raitt concert from Tuesday. Reviewer Michael Clark spends a lot more time on the Lovett half of the show, par for the course when a hometown boy is playing, I suppose. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 2 Comments

The Amazing A’s

Posted on September 5, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Good grief! Twenty straight wins for the Oakland A’s, the last one coming on a walk-off homer after coughing up an 11-run lead. They’ve got the best record in the American League, the best starting rotation anywhere, and speaking as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on The Amazing A’s

Commish feedback

Posted on September 4, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Dan Lewis responds to my to-do list for when I’m named Commissioner of baseball. A couple of points: I’m not sure why draft-pick compensation for losing a free agent leads to higher salaries. I know that the “compensation pool” that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment

Saying “No”

Posted on September 4, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Matthew Yglesias notes that the eeeevil liberal media may be growing a backbone over Priscilla Owen, the judicial activist judge from Texas that Bush wants to install on the federal bench. May the Democrats on the judiciary committee be similarly … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Saying “No”

The Jerry Lewis telethon

Posted on September 4, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Evanier has a good take on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon: Years ago, I got into a friendly argument with a lovely gent named Artie Forrest, who is one of the all-time great TV directors. Artie was then … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 13 Comments

Review: Lyle Lovett and Bonnie Raitt

Posted on September 4, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Tiffany and I went to see Lyle Lovett and Bonnie Raitt last night at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion last night. It was the second time I’d seen each artist – we saw Lovett at the rodeo in March and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Nothin’ but good times ahead

Posted on September 4, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander says the projected state budget shortfall really is only $5 billion, despite what some Gloomy Guses are saying. The Gloomy Guses are sticking to their guns. “There has been recent speculation of a $7 billion, $10 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Nothin’ but good times ahead

Good news, bad news

Posted on September 4, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

The good news: The Metropolitan Transit Authority will have room for a rail line as part of the planned Katy Freeway (I-10) expansion. The bad news: Any such rail line will depend on federal dollars, and that means the blessing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 4 Comments

Anniversaries

Posted on September 3, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Jack Cluth celebrates one year of blogging today. Not to be outdone, Dan Cook celebrates fifty years as a sportswriter for the San Antonio Express-News. Happy anniversary to you both. Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Anniversaries

The baseball manifesto

Posted on September 3, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

With the threat of a work stoppage safely in the rearview mirror for awhile, I’d like to follow through on a promise I made awhile back to say just what I’d do if I were named Commissioner of baseball. I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

What to do with all that spare cash

Posted on September 3, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Got a few extra bucks in your pocket that you just can’t get rid of? Want to help a damsel in distress? Well, look no further. You can help pay off someone’s credit card or help finance someone’s divorce. I’m … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Comments Off on What to do with all that spare cash

Harry Potter and the Vexing Publication Delays

Posted on September 2, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Argh. According to this story, the next Harry Potter book won’t be here until at least 2003, maybe later. The wait is killing me. The good news is that kids haven’t abandoned reading amid the delays, according to local librarians: … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | 9 Comments

Unions make inroads with ex-Enron employees

Posted on September 2, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

I had only skimmed the story when it appeared, so I hadn’t realized that the AFL-CIO played a significant role in the recent severance payment agreement for some 4200 ex-Enron employees. I don’t really expect organized labor to get much … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Unions make inroads with ex-Enron employees

K-Mart Kiddie Roundup: Sister speaks

Posted on September 2, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Captain Mark Aguirre’s sister has spoken up in his defense, saying that he’s the victim of a vendetta by Chief Bradford. She also claims that only the guilty were arrested: “My brother told me the crowd was 500 strong when … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | Comments Off on K-Mart Kiddie Roundup: Sister speaks

There are two kinds

Posted on September 1, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Today Tiffany came back from the Home Depot Expo Center with a bagful of drawer pulls and knobs for the kitchen. Apparently, the ones we have are gold colored, which is all wrong. The ones she bought and is now … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on There are two kinds

Practical polygamy

Posted on September 1, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story about a man who lives in Waller (a mostly rural county to the west of Houston) with his two wives and seven kids. Interestingly, their status is well-known and fairly well tolerated by neighbors, not necessarily what … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

Hang tag scofflaws run free in Houston

Posted on September 1, 2002 by Charles Kuffner

Earlier I pointed to a Chron article about widespread abuse of disability parking hangtags, which showed that some 40% of cars that have them shouldn’t. Now it turns out that there’s almost zero enforcement of hangtag abuse laws here in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 6 Comments