Monthly Archives: March 2003

More Enron charges

Posted on March 18, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Back here on the domestic front, four Merrill Lynch execs have been charged with civil fraud (which sounds more like an oxymoron than a legal term) in helping that accursed company cook its books. Charged with civil fraud were Schuyler … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on More Enron charges

Rudy T has bladder cancer

Posted on March 18, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich has been diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer, according to the team. The good news is that from reading the story, it sounds eminently treatable and shouldn’t even keep him off the Rockets’ bench for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Rudy T has bladder cancer

No Irish Need Apply

Posted on March 18, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

There’s an interesting discussion going on in the comments to this post about St. Patrick’s Day. Reader alkali pointed out this article (warning: page includes music) by historian Richard Jensen, which claims that the legendary “No Irish Need Apply” signs … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 4 Comments

Off to war

Posted on March 18, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Well, Dubya’s about to get his wish. The prospect leaves me depressed, worried, and angry. I do not believe this invasion will make us safer – quite the contrary. I do not believe that Saddam was an imminent, uncontainable threat. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 6 Comments

On the wearin’ of the green

Posted on March 17, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

So today is Saint Patrick’s Day, a day for the wearin’ of the green, when people say things like “Begorrah!” and “Erin go bragh!” (whatever they mean) and the general spirit is that Everyone Is Irish On Saint Patrick’s Day. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 11 Comments

When freedom fries aren’t enough

Posted on March 17, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Some knuckle-draggers in Kingwood have decided that removing the word “French” from our lexicon doesn’t doesn’t express their disapproval strongly enough: Residents of a quiet, quintessentially American subdivision in Kingwood laughed about “freedom” fries and the petition to rename New … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on When freedom fries aren’t enough

Barbecue contributing to smog?

Posted on March 17, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I always knew that Houston had poor air quality. I just never knew that barbecue was a contributing factor: Analyzing particles in Houston’s air, environmental engineer Matt Fraser of Rice University detected fatty acids among the millions of tiny organic … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | 3 Comments

In fairness to New Mexico

Posted on March 16, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Having had my fun with New Mexico’s recent spate of legislative looniness, I feel compelled to point out this affirmation of civil rights and liberties which has been introduced into their state house. Go read the whole thing and ask … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Texas fires back at New Mexico

Posted on March 16, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. The pressure of New Mexico’s recent legislative goofiness was too much for our own elected officials to bear. Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson was the first to break when he proposed resolving the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

The price of doing business

Posted on March 16, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s Chron has a rather dispiriting piece about support for the death penalty in our great state: The recent flurry of news about capital punishment has not swayed the opinions of Texans, who remain committed to the death penalty, even … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

Little Hipps update

Posted on March 16, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Found the following link in the comments to this entry about the closing of San Antonio landmark Little Hipps, from reader Mags. Here’s the relevant bit: Have you missed Little Hipps? You may want to load up for a drive … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | 2 Comments

One-liner of the day

Posted on March 15, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The best one-liner I’ve heard today goes to Joni Electric: The price of gas in Texas has gone so high that women who want to run over their husbands have started carpooling. She’ll be here all week, folks. Be sure … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 8 Comments

And speaking of spring break…

Posted on March 15, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to being spring break for the local school district, it’s also the big week off for UT and Texas A&M, which means that South Padre Island is overrun with college students. This island has been hoppin’ from the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Don’t worry, I won’t let it go to my head

Posted on March 15, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I have somehow made it to #84 in BlogStreet’s Top 100 Most Important Blogs, just below Virginia Postrel but ahead of Media News and TAPPED. I’ve read their FAQ and I’m still not sure how it is that I’m related … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 2 Comments

Spring break takes its toll

Posted on March 15, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

We had three and two kids for the last two practices, today and Thursday. HISD is now on spring break, so some kids are out of town (including two who are off at spring training), and Thursday was a school … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Just call me Coach | Comments Off on Spring break takes its toll

UT hacker caught

Posted on March 14, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

The hacker who broke into the University of Texas’ computer system and grabbed personal information, including Social Security numbers, on over 50,000 students and faculty, has turned himself in to federal authorities. Christopher Andrew Phillips, a computer science major, was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on UT hacker caught

The dogs get their day

Posted on March 14, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Several bloggers have heeded my call for more dog pictures. Go check out Speck, Dirac and Markov, and of course the well-initialed CK, who seems to be fond of extreme closeups. It’s actually difficult to get a good picture of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 2 Comments

Maybe there is some there there

Posted on March 14, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Rob Humenik attended a DHA Downtown Forum Lunch recently which featured Mayoral candidate Michael “Boy Wonder” Berry as the speaker. Despite being a card-carrying member of the Heights Area Axis of Left-Leaning Bloggers, Rob came away with the impression that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 1 Comment

It’s not just us

Posted on March 14, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Molly Ivins once wrote that when she does radio interviews around the country, the question she always gets asked is “So just what is it about Texas, anyway?”. Doesn’t matter where she is, doesn’t matter what else is going on, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Comments Off on It’s not just us

I’d like to thank the Academy

Posted on March 14, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Says here I’m an interesting newcomer, which is rather amusing as I’ve been doing this blog thing since last January 1. But hey, it beats being an annoying newcomer. Don’t know how long I’ll be visible on this link, so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Border war

Posted on March 13, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. A New Mexico state legislator is introducing a bill that would force that state’s Attorney General to sue the state of Texas for some 600,000 acres of border land that were incorrectly given to the Lone Star … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

Wedding bells behind bars?

Posted on March 13, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Diane Zamora, the former Navy cadet now serving life for her role in the murder of Adrienne Jones, has petitioned Bexar County for a marriage license. Her potential groom is not her fellow killer David Graham but a soon-to-be-released inmate … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

EBS execs arrested

Posted on March 13, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

As expected, the feds arrested two Enron Broadband Services executives and charged them with a variety of fraud-related offenses for their role in the whole EBS/Blockbuster/movies-on-demand fiasco. As is so often the case with these Enron arrests, there’s a nugget … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on EBS execs arrested

Reason #27694 why the Internet is cool

Posted on March 13, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I play a regular game of bridge on Wednesdays using the online game OKBridge. We have a regular group that gets together, but we don’t always have a full foursome. When that happens, we play with whatever random person or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on Reason #27694 why the Internet is cool

Delma Banks granted stay of execution by Supremes

Posted on March 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Delma Banks, scheduled to be the 300th Texan to die by lethal injection, was given a last minute reprieve by the US Supreme Court. The court was acting on appeals by lawyers who raised questions about the legitimacy of his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

Elizabeth Smart found

Posted on March 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. SALT LAKE CITY — Elizabeth Smart, the 15-year-old girl who vanished from her bedroom nine months ago, was found alive today, riding in the car of a drifter who had once done work at the family’s home, police said. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Elizabeth Smart found

Back off, man, I’m a scientist

Posted on March 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Stephen Hawking is in town to give a lecture tonight. He’s spending some time at Texas A&M thanks to some grant money. I hope someone has informed him that driving his wheelchair over the grass outside the Memorial Student Center … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on Back off, man, I’m a scientist

Another blogging imbalance

Posted on March 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

What’s the deal with bloggers and cats? Kevin, Digby, Gianna, Ginger, Larry (what happened to the cat cam, Larry?), Meryl…the list goes on and on. What the blog world needs is more dogs. Right, Harry? Harry says he’ll get back … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | 5 Comments

Another anniversary

Posted on March 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

I managed to miss an anniversary last week. Fortunately, it’s not one that involves Tiffany. On March 6, I marked 25 years of playing the saxophone. When I transferred from Sacred Heart Elementary School to William Morris Intermediate School in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 4 Comments

Big Mac, fries, and WiFi

Posted on March 12, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

McDonald’s will be offering high speed wireless Internet access with the purchase of a combo meal at select restaurants starting today. That’s pretty cool, though I can’t say it’s something I’d ever take advantage of. Personally, I go to lunch … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Enron Broadband charges coming

Posted on March 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Prosecutors are preparing to file charges against a number of Enron Broadband Services (EBS) executives for various shady deals involving movies-on-demand over the Internet. It’s the usual gaggle of booking vast future projected earnings as current income, accounting skulduggery, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 1 Comment

Finding terrorists in the Bible

Posted on March 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

Unbelievable. The man responsbile for writing the long-discredited book The Bible Code, Michael Drosnin, gave an intelligence briefing to the Pentagon and has reportedly given others to the Mossad. This article suggests that the officials didn’t know what a loon … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Skepticism | 2 Comments

Trying to maintain one’s sense of humor

Posted on March 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

‘Peace On Earth’ Shirt Sparks Arrest Authors Arrested in Protest at White House These stories are fairly old news by now, of course, but I got to thinking about them yesterday and they reminded me of an old joke, one … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | Comments Off on Trying to maintain one’s sense of humor

Berry makes it official

Posted on March 11, 2003 by Charles Kuffner

One-term City Council member Michael “Boy Wonder” Berry has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor in 2003, joining Bill White as an announced candidate. Standing in a southwest Houston neighborhood that has had problems with city street and storm sewer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2003 | 2 Comments