Monthly Archives: December 2006

New digs for Juanita

Posted on December 5, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Juanita, a/k/a Susan DuQuesnay Bankston, the proprietor of the World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, has herself a spiffy new home. She still refuses to call it a “blog”, but we’re working on her about that. Update your bookmarks accordingly. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on New digs for Juanita

Mighty big downtown you’ve got there

Posted on December 5, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Via Saint Arnold Goes To Austin, this amusing description of Houston geography from USA Today: Located in downtown Houston, this highly regarded beermaker is named after the seventh-century French Catholic bishop who admonished his flock that suds were safer than … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Football at UTA again

Posted on December 5, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Two years ago, I noted a student-led effort at the University of Texas-Arlington to revive that school’s long-dormant football program. Now, via Marc, I see they’re still at it. Sam deBerry had hoped hundreds of people would march to bring … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 4 Comments

Response from the Chronicle regarding the Richmond Rail story

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I received the following email from Rad Sallee, which was copied to James Campbell, regarding my question about the Richmond Rail Effect story: FYI, I sent this to reader rep James Campbell to post online at his discretion: Although I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The overachievers

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with my series of reports on how Harris County candidates did this year, I’d like to focus on three State Rep candidates who clearly exceeded the baseline Democratic performance of their districts. We’ll start in HD129, where Sherrie Matula … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

Richmond Rail Effect followup

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

There seems to be some confusion about what I was trying to show with my posts on the Richmond Rail Effect from this past election. I think way more is being made about what I said and what the data … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

Happiness is…

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

One of Olivia’s current favorite books is a well-loved copy of Happiness Is A Warm Puppy that belonged to me as a kid. I was reading it to her yesterday, and when we finished, I asked her “So, Olivia, what … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | 2 Comments

The state of school building

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

My fellow Stuyvesant graduate Ed Muir has a post on the NCLB blog about the state of school buildings in America today. What we found was sobering, but not surprising. Although many schools are properly maintained and in good condition, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on The state of school building

Some naked calendar news

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

And as long as I’m citing Debutant, I’d like to thank her for reminding me that this is the time of year when all the naked calendars for good causes get released and publicized. Here’s one by a group of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Comments Off on Some naked calendar news

A little shoutout

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I meant to do this last week but didn’t manage it. It’s been a year and a month since Debutant was diagnosed with cancer. She’s free of it now, but there are still plenty of ups and downs. She could … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The sun sets on Shelley

Posted on December 4, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Via The Muse, this week will be Shelley’s last in Congress. And to think, she never got to reform Medicare or cut anyone’s taxes. Hardly seems worth the effort to have elected her in the first place, does it? Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on The sun sets on Shelley

Richmond rail effect revisited

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this Chron article regarding the Richmond rail issue and its possible effects on the Wong-Cohen race: 1. I covered this exact topic more than two weeks ago, both here and at Kuff’s World. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 7 Comments

Why not Michigan

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Let me first state that I don’t really care who will face Ohio State for the BCS championship in January. I don’t care if it’s Florida or Oklahoma or any other arbitrary opponent. As you know, I support a playoff. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 3 Comments

Bell calls for city to fill Shelley’s seat

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The following email was sent by Chris Bell, who as you know was once an At Large City Council member in Houston, to each current member of City Council: Dear Members of Houston City Council: Please consider the message that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 7 Comments

Tom Coleman’s perjury conviction upheld

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The perjury conviction against former undercover officer Tom Coleman, the central figure of the Tulia drug bust fiasco, was upheld last week. The Texas 7th Court of Appeals, in an opinion issued Monday, upheld the aggravated perjury conviction against the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Tom Coleman’s perjury conviction upheld

Robinson Warehouse – The sliding floor

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

The Robinson Warehouse demolition just keeps rolling along. Since Wednesday, the main feature here is the imminent destruction of that third floor area, which thanks to the removal of the second floor appears to be sliding forward into the pit … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

“Enron: The Musical”

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose it was just a matter of time. Jeff Skilling, Andy Fastow and the rest of the Enron gang will have a new home very soon. No, not prison. The stage. Enron – the Musical makes its world premiere … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Enronarama | Comments Off on “Enron: The Musical”

TV’s top 100 catchphrases

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

All right, enough with the politics and environment and stuff. Let’s talk about truly important matters: the 100 greatest television catchphrases, according to the folks at TVLand. The TV Land cable network has compiled a list of the 100 greatest … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | 4 Comments

Ellis files anti-smog bill

Posted on December 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

One of the pieces to the clean air puzzle for Houston is tightening emissions standards for motor vehicles to match the tougher-than-federal California requirements. State Sen. Rodney Ellis has filed just such a bill for the 80th Lege. [Ellis’ bill] … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 5 Comments

Follow the bouncing election dates

Posted on December 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

As we have seen, the runoff dates for CD23 and HD29 are a week apart, with CD23 coming first on December 12. That date, which is the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe for Catholics, has drawn complaints by Latino … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 1 Comment

To have a special or not to have a special

Posted on December 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

On Wednesday at Kuff’s World, I discussed the possibility of Mayor White taking steps to avoid holding a special election to replace Shelley Sekula Gibbs for the remainder of her term on City Council. Today, Kristin Mack confirms that such … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | Comments Off on To have a special or not to have a special

Precinct analysis: One more thing about Danno

Posted on December 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t quite get the chance to do the next writeup that I have in mind, but in the course of noodling around with it, I found another nice little illustration of why Dan Patrick was not exactly all that and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 7 Comments

Progress for the West 11th Street Park

Posted on December 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Since I last blogged about the West 11th Street Park, they have taken an important step forward in their quest to preserve the place: The City of Houston has agreed to put up $4 million towards its purchase. The Houston … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

The hurricane season that wasn’t

Posted on December 1, 2006 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, remember when this hurricane season was going to make last year look like nothing? Those were the days, huh? The forecast service AccuWeather said the northeast United States was “staring down the barrel of a gun,” and respected forecasters … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on The hurricane season that wasn’t