Monthly Archives: January 2005

Spector in State House race?

Posted on January 17, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Via Byron, former State Supreme Court Justice Rose Spector is mulling a run at the newly open HD121 seat. Spector, one of the last Democrats to hold statewide office in Texas, is the second potential Democratic contestant for the special … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Spector in State House race?

“Desperate Housewives” felony count

Posted on January 17, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’m a fan of Desperate Housewives. I enjoy the show, I’m glad they won some awards last night, and I like seeing feature articles on various cast members. But man, is it just me, or could we see a nationwide … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 7 Comments

One year of light rail

Posted on January 17, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

So we’ve had one year of light rail, and there’s some development along the line but not as much as maybe there could have been. And rail ridership is great on a per-mile basis though it’s still a small number … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 5 Comments

“Unforgivable Blackness”

Posted on January 17, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, the story of Jack Johnson, the first black man to win the heavyweight boxing title, and the man who has made it his crusade to get Johnson’s hometown of Galveston to honor him. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 2 Comments

Perranoski voting begins

Posted on January 16, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

If your head is still spinning from having to pick just one winner from all the fabulous entrants in each of the nominating categories for the Koufax Awards at Wampum (current contest I’m pulling my hair out over: Most Hmorous … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Elizabeth Ames Jones

Posted on January 16, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Catching up on some older stuff: The State House is down to 149 members as Elizabeth Ames Jones (R, San Antonio) declined her seat after being named to the state Railroad Commission. On the morning she was to be sworn … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 4 Comments

So where’s the fraud?

Posted on January 16, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Sure does look like Andy Taylor’s wild claims of massive fraud in the Heflin-Vo race are melting away, doesn’t it? This article says that maybe a hundred noncitizens applied to vote in Harris County, a third of whom were rejected … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 2 Comments

The 1965 AFL All-Star Game

Posted on January 16, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

This is a story I’d not known before. In 1965, the All-Star Game for the American Football League was to be played in New Orleans. Upon arrival in New Orleans, the 21 black players in the game quickly realized that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 4 Comments

It’s worse than I thought

Posted on January 15, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it beyond any doubt for the whole fricking world to see. James Howard Gibbons will not be getting chocolate from me anytime soon. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 6 Comments

Looks like probation for Coleman

Posted on January 15, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t think this is sufficient. Tom Coleman was acquitted of testifying falsely in a 2003 hearing that as a sheriff’s deputy he never stole gas from county pumps, but he was found guilty of saying that he didn’t learn … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Bev Carter censured

Posted on January 15, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Bev Carter, publisher of the Fort Bend Star, was censured by the Fort Bend County GOP for endorsing Richard Morrison in the CD22 election last year. Carter, the founder and publisher of the weekly Fort Bend Star, said she will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 5 Comments

Blogging the state house

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I heartily endorse this idea. Newspapers clearly are embracing the idea of staff blogs, and one area of news coverage that’s ripe for blogging is the politics and government beat. At the Times Argus and Rutland Herald in Vermont, a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 2 Comments

The calendar girls of Port Aransas

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like a naked calendar to raise money for the arts. “The flesh may sag,” said calendar cover girl Judith Greer, “but skin still sells.” Greer’s wisdom draws laughter loud enough to drown out the sea gulls floating over the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Who needs 527s when you have reality TV?

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Jolanda Jones: attorney, civic activist, City Council candidate, contestant on Survivor. I think Keir is right when he says “No amount of money could buy her potential campaign the kind of notoriety she would gain from an extended run … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 1 Comment

Coleman convicted of perjury

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The lone undercover agent in a sting that sent dozens of black people to prison on bogus drug charges in Tulia was convicted today of one of two perjury counts. Tom Coleman was acquitted of testifying falsely in a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Coleman convicted of perjury

Baseball’s new steroid policy

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

So Major League Baseball has implemented a new steroid policy which includes random testing and suspensions for violations. What reaction I’ve seen so far has been mixed – King Kaufman approves, while AP’s Steve Wilstein disapproves (latter link via Eric … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

Strayhorn’s money

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like Comptroller Strayhorn will be in decent financial shape for any GOP primary she chooses to participate in. Republican Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn said Thursday that she has $5.7 million in cash on hand for her next campaign. […] … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Strayhorn’s money

UT spammer sued by AG

Posted on January 14, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

UPDATE: This post about Ryan Pitylak is no longer accurate, and as it is apparently causing Ryan some harm, I have removed it. Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Comments Off on UT spammer sued by AG

Opiela to drop electoral challenge?

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Developing, as they say, at The Red State. Suspicion all along has been that like Jack Stick, Eric Opiela’s challenge was a stalking horse for Talmadge Heflin and his quest to overturn the election of Hubert Vo, but if both … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | Comments Off on Opiela to drop electoral challenge?

Daily DeLay in Sugar Land

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

David Donnelly of The Daily DeLay was in town yesterday to meet up with various locals and talk about the lay of the land for 2006. You can read his writeup here. He’s here today and in Austin tomorrow, so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Another rock station bites the dust

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The DC area loses a longstanding rock station. WHFS-FM, the Washington area radio station that was a pioneering purveyor of alternative rock to generations of young music fans, did a programming U-turn yesterday by ditching the genre for a Spanish-language, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Tulia update: The sheriff needs a lawyer

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The prosecution has now rested in the perjury trial of disgraced former undercover cop Tom Coleman, and the first witness for his defense, Swisher County Sheriff Larry Stewart, may be in legal trouble of his own. “We believe there are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Tulia update: The sheriff needs a lawyer

Will this ruling help Ronnie Earle?

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The US Supreme Court has apparently made it easier to get a conviction in cases involving money laundering. Justices [unanimously] upheld the convictions of two people accused of pocketing more than $1.2 million as part of a nationwide religious investment … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

First school finance ideas floated

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

In the 78th Lege, the Senate and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst took the problem of school finance seriously (unlike Governor Perry and Speaker Craddick), and proposed a real overhaul to both the state tax structure which would allow for a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Yates juror speaks out

Posted on January 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

One of the jurors for the Andrea Yates case says his decision to convict was affected by Dr. Park Dietz’ testimony. Ron Jones, juror No. 7 on the panel that decided Yates’ fate, told state District Judge Belinda Hill in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

And the Brazosport News

Posted on January 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Naturally, as soon as I hit Publish on that last post, I realize I should have noted that I’ve also started reading The Brazosport News, which returned from a multi-month hiatus in December. You want to know about the City … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 2 Comments

The Red State and By The Bayou

Posted on January 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Couple of new and new-to-me Houston blogs to check out. First is The Red State, run by Eddie Rodriguez, who used to work for State Rep. Carlos Uresti (D, San Antonio) and served as the Chief Clerk for House Committee … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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NCAA academic reform

Posted on January 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Some long overdue reforms are looming for NCAA Division I member institutions. On the last day of the NCAA convention, the Division I Board of Directors approved the Academic Progress Rate (APR), the standard teams in every sport must reach … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 4 Comments

More deals in the works

Posted on January 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

We know that Sears and Diversified Collections Services have cut deals with the Travis County DA’s office to get the charges related to TRMPAC dropped in return for cooperation on the case. Now we see that progress is being made … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

And they’re off

Posted on January 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

And so the 79th Texas Legislature is officially in session, with the usual pronouncements of bipartisanship, Serious Talk about Serious Solutions to Serious Problems, and miscellaneous pomp and circumstance. Let the wild rumpus begin! Three new Houston legislators were among … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Better than a sharp stick in the eye

Posted on January 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Comptroller Strayhorn has given her revenue report to the Lege, and it’s much better than the last time. Strayhorn estimated legislators will have $64.7 billion in state revenue to spend in the upcoming two-year budget — $6.4 billion more than … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Voters subpoenaed

Posted on January 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Like Greg, I note that three of the four people quoted in this Chron story about subpoenas being sent to testify before the State House in the Heflin contest voted for the Republican. I think that ought to put a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2004 | 5 Comments

Coleman pleads Not Guilty

Posted on January 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The perjury trial of disgraced gypsy cop Tom Coleman is underway. He has pleaded “not guilty” to the charges before him. Tom Coleman is accused of lying under oath during a March 2003 evidentiary hearing about his investigation, which led … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Coleman pleads Not Guilty

Online newspapers come to a fork in the road

Posted on January 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

This way (via Greg and Keir)? 1.) More blog-style journalism done by the News & Record staff. This is not exactly a surprise, since it was the blogging boss who asked the blogger Lex to compile the report. 2.) More … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 3 Comments