Monthly Archives: July 2005

Lampson and Raymond

Posted on July 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Nick Lampson had himself a fine fundraising quarter for the period that ended June 30. We’re proud to announce that, as of June 30th, you’ve helped us raise $502,736 towards our campaign to return honor and integrity to the 22nd … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 2 Comments

The Road from Bristol

Posted on July 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Do you ever find yourself wishing that ESPN would go back to how it was in the old days, when SportsCenter was about scores and highlights, and not the incessant, over-the-top stylings of a bunch of walking billboards for Prozac? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 4 Comments

Now that we’ve got that whole school finance reform thing under control…

Posted on July 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Governor Perry didn’t waste any time getting a boatload of other items on the special session agenda once there was the slightest movement in the school funding debate. Here’s a brief look at a few of these add-ons: A bill … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 2 Comments

A few announcements

Posted on July 13, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

My mailbox has been humming with items of interest lately, so I’m going to list a few of them here: – Peter Brown, candidate for Houston City Council At Large Position 1 is having a Summer Celebration at Blanco’s (3406 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 4 Comments

Want to be the Texas Lottery director?

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is potentially refreshing. In a gesture of openness, Texas Lottery commissioners announced Monday that, for the first time, a committee of state officials and private citizens outside the lottery will help find the agency’s next leader. […] Commission … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | Comments Off on Want to be the Texas Lottery director?

TRM indictments upheld

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Money laundering: Still illegal. State District Judge Bob Perkins today said he believes two officials with Texans for a Republican Majority should stand trial on felony charges of money laundering. The judge ruled that the state election code is constitutional … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 3 Comments

Give GHASP a hand

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention, also known as GHASP, is looking for some help with its website. Please click the More link for the details, and if you or someone you know can help them out, please contact John … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Give GHASP a hand

It’s all down to the sales tax

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I admit, I didn’t think it would be possible for a school finance agreement to get hammered out in this special session, but apparently I’ve underestimated David Dewhurst’s willingness to sell out his principles. Now that all pretense of ever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

What we’re doing online

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I may not know why we’re not buying DVDs any more, but I can tell you how Americans spend their time online. Not too surprisingly, gambling and naughty pictures are huge growth industries. If only the Lege could figure out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 6 Comments

The Internet in your electrical outlet

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve heard about this technology before, and now it’s looking like it’s getting close to coming to the market. CenterPoint Energy is testing a system to bring high-speed Internet access to consumers through the medium it knows best — the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 3 Comments

Get better soon, Bum!

Posted on July 12, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Former Houston Oilers Coach and Official State Treasure Bum Phillips is recovering from surgery. Doctors discovered blockage in Phillips’ arteries and performed triple bypass surgery on Friday after he was taken to the hospital with chest pains. No evidence of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Get better soon, Bum!

Garnet Coleman sums it up

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I got the same press release Greg did (along with many others), I’m just a little behind in posting it. State Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) began airing a radio ad today in his hometown of Houston urging Texans to “say … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Garnet Coleman sums it up

TxDOT tries an end run on the I-45 plan

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

If you ever wonder why people like me have so little faith in TxDOT’s reassurances about being considerate of existing neighborhoods as they make their I-45 expansion plans, the following email from Robin Holzer of the Citizens Transportation Coalition should … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

There goes another neighborhood

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Stories like this really depress me. Yes, the house’s new owner, Barry Norman, told the city commission, he knew he was buying property in a historic neighborhood, the Old Sixth Ward. But he had no intention of keeping the little … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 6 Comments

What exactly are they doing over there in the Senate?

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Senate passed something early this morning. It’s a muddle, but it’s apparently closer to the muddle that the House passed previously, so that makes it a victory of some kind. I’m not going to bother with any quoting because … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on What exactly are they doing over there in the Senate?

The stripper tax is back

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve already seen several examples of how this special session on school finance has featured little more than a bunch of warmed-over ideas that failed to pass muster before, but Rick Casey finds one more that hadn’t gotten any mention … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 4 Comments

Enron Broadband trial testimony ends

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The defense rested on Thursday in the Enron Broadband trial, and the prosecution put on its brief rebuttal case on Friday, meaning that closing arguments (Tuesday) and jury deliberations are up next. Tom notes that there was some drama on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | 2 Comments

Lea Fastow released

Posted on July 11, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

As of Friday morning, Lea Fastow is a free woman after departing the halfway house she’d been in for the past month. Lea Fastow, a daughter of the prominent Weingarten real estate and retail family, will now be on one … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on Lea Fastow released

A question about “The Closer”

Posted on July 10, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been watching The Closer since it premiered, and have enjoyed it greatly. I just watched the most recent episode, “Show Yourself” today, and am puzzled about its resolution. Sadly, Television Without Pity has failed me by not assigning a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 4 Comments

Will the bad Lottery news ever end?

Posted on July 10, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a little hard to believe after all the Reagan Greer fiascos we’ve heard about lately, but there are still more revelations about Lottery-related shenanigans coming to light. Texas Lottery executives were warned in a draft audit last winter that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 1 Comment

RIP, Ed McBain

Posted on July 10, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The great and highly prolific novelist Evan Hunter, who sold over a hundred million books as crime writer Ed McBain, has died at the age of 78 from cancer. In a 50-year career, Mr. Hunter, sometimes as Ed McBain and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Comments Off on RIP, Ed McBain

Who needs premium cable?

Posted on July 10, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Who needs Skinemax when you have Houston MediaSource? Until now, the battle over Houston MediaSource’s programming largely has been waged on a limited front: the public-access channel’s supporters against City Councilwoman Addie Wiseman. Funny how airing nudity can change that. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

Ultimate Houston

Posted on July 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Chronicle is running an online contest called Ultimate Houston, and its list of nominees in certain categories has generated some complaints. What is odd is that CollectSpace.com was nominated [for Best Blogger]. It’s a big website, but a website … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 9 Comments

Everything old is new again: The Senate version

Posted on July 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Senate has once again chosen to go its own way on a new tax plan. The Senate Finance Committee late Thursday voted 9-5 to pass a bill that links property tax cuts to voter approval of a tax on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Everything old is new again: The Senate version

Baseball and softball dropped from 2012 Olympics

Posted on July 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’m disappointed to read that the International Olympic Committee has dropped baseball and softball as participating sports in the Games starting in 2012. The first sports dropped from the Olympics since polo in 1936, both fell victim to a new … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 8 Comments

Thanks to my guest hosts

Posted on July 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Now that I’ve got my legs back under me, let me extend a warm and hearty thanks to all of my guest bloggers from this past week. I think they did a great job, and it helped me to enjoy … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 2 Comments

Rockets officially dump Calvin Murphy

Posted on July 9, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

When last we discussed this story, I thought the omens for a return to the Rockets’ broadcast booth by Calvin Murphy were looking decent, but it’s not to be. Calvin Murphy, who took a leave of absence last season as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 5 Comments

Reagan Greer resigns

Posted on July 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There were straws in the wind earlier this week that embattled Lottery Commission Executive Director Reagan Greer might get fired by the Commission, but today he spared them the bother by resigning. “It has become clear to me over the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | Comments Off on Reagan Greer resigns

Home again

Posted on July 8, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

We’re back after a lovely week in Portland where (unlike Denver a couple of weeks ago) the weather was actually cooler than it is here in Houston. We had a great time, and of course everyone loved seeing Olivia. Tiffany … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Home again

Housing loans

Posted on July 8, 2005 by admin

Today’s Wall Street Journal has an article about the increasing number of mortgages granted to illegal aliens. I guess I’ve just been out of touch, because this completely surprised me. The piece notes that the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 7 Comments

Catching Up Around Town

Posted on July 7, 2005 by admin

A smattering of events here around town the last few days, so pardon the tactic of lumping together a handful of the best … Addie Wiseman took Houston MediaSource to task for some raunchy programming and got an earful in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

London Terrorist Attack

Posted on July 7, 2005 by admin

I’m sure everyone has heard by now about the terrorist attack on London mass transit (Two BBC stories; Reuters is inaccessible.) I have always thought London would be better prepared for terrorist attacks after its experiences with the IRA in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 2 Comments

ATTN: Reasonable People of Good Faith

Posted on July 6, 2005 by admin

If the allegations against these folks are true, they are actually traitors. Now that we have a sterling example by which to compare other acts against, can we please shut up about innocent peace activists and Democrats who mildly-criticize President … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

New York City: Not one of life’s winners

Posted on July 6, 2005 by admin

London, not New York, will host the 2012 Olympics, according to CNN. But at least the NYC boosters had an opportunity to stick it to the French: In the first round, London got 22 votes, Paris 21, Madrid 20 and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world | 3 Comments