Monthly Archives: July 2008

DPS director to retire

Posted on July 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The longtime director of DPS is retiring. “After 43 years and 9 months with the Texas Department of Public Safety, I am retiring on Aug. 31, 2008,” Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr. said in a brief statement. Davis, 67, who … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Pee in a cup, go to jail

Posted on July 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This is ridiculous. “I don’t believe in locking people up for dirty urines,” said Bill Fitzgerald, the Chief Probation Officer during an interview in his office with the Trouble Shooters. He says that he expected a spike in positive test … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Texans Against Hunger

Posted on July 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As the economy sags and food prices rise along with gas prices, stories about hunger and the ability of food banks to keep up with demand have been in the news lately. There’s now a blog that is following this … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Texans Against Hunger

RIP, Bobby Murcer

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Former Yankees center fielder and broadcaster Bobby Murcer has died at the age of 62. The Yankees said Murcer died Saturday due to complications from brain cancer. He was surrounded by family at Mercy Hospital in his hometown of Oklahoma … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | 3 Comments

Weekend link dump for July 12

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Time for some more interesting links for the weekend… Americans Against Cornholing. Can Guitar Hero save the music industry (via)? Tony Soprano is dead (via). If so, that probably means there is no Sopranos movie in the works. However, the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for July 12

RIP, Michael DeBakey

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Houston icon Dr. Michael DeBakey has died at the age of 99. Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, internationally acclaimed as the father of modern cardiovascular surgery — and considered by many to be the greatest surgeon ever — died Friday night … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Steffy on the Pickens Plan

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Loren Steffy adds his two cents to the discussion of the Pickens Plan. It’s hard to grasp, though, how parts of the plan would be implemented. Assuming all the rights to millions of acres could be acquired and the wind … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 5 Comments

Mayor White challenges the EPA

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’m always happy to see action being taken on behalf of cleaner air. Mayor Bill White on Thursday challenged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s methods for calculating emissions from large refineries and chemical plants, saying that the approach significantly underreports … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Mayor White challenges the EPA

The 1960 blues

Posted on July 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I couldn’t tell you the last time I drove through the FM1960 area in northwest Harris County, so I couldn’t have told you that it isn’t aging well. But I can’t say I’m surprised. The problems affecting Houston’s aging suburban … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on The 1960 blues

Hopefully the last thing to say about the Twitter battle

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Speaker Pelosi speaks about the great Congressional Twitter battle. I’m going to quote her entire letter to House Minority Leader John Boehner, because it’s worth reading. Dear Leader Boehner: Thank you for your letter on the recommendations by Franking Chair … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

What about Pete?

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So one of the things I wondered about regarding the “nation of whiners” thing was whether or not Pete Olson, the CD22 challenger who once worked for Phil Gramm, would be asked to comment on Gramm’s remarks now that John … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on What about Pete?

Get to know the HDCC

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The following is a guest post from State Rep. Pete Gallego, who is one of the leaders of the House Democratic Caucus. On March 4, 2008, over 2.8 million Texans voted in the Democratic primary. As one of the 2.8 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Get to know the HDCC

Another step forward for Metro

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Federal Transit Administration has approved the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s revised environmental studies for its planned North light rail line, opening the door for possible federal funding. The FTA “record of decision,” granted last week, enables the project to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Another step forward for Metro

Docs abandoning the GOP

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Straws in the wind. For years doctors and many other health professionals showered contributions Republicans, who favored less government regulation of health care and helped scuttle Hillarycare, But no more, as doctors court Democrats now in control of Congress and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Docs abandoning the GOP

Cisneros and Obama

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This is a good start: Former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros is out campaigning for Barack Obama. “I’ll be traveling to a dozen to 15 states to carry the Obama message to the Latino community,” Cisneros said … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Comments Off on Cisneros and Obama

College tuition, the continuing story

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Consider this to be another warmup for the next Legislative session. Tuition at Texas universities rose 58 percent between 2003, when schools were first allowed to set their own rates, and 2007. Student fees have gone up, too. “With tuition … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on College tuition, the continuing story

Mighty big cross you’ve got there

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Um, okay. Grace Community Church is raising money to build two enormous crosses that its pastor says will mark the entrances to Houston on Interstate 45. The crosses will likely rank among the largest in the world. Counting their bases, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 6 Comments

You there! Quit whining!

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your quote of the day, courtesy of John McCain’s good buddy, Phil Gramm. “You’ve heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession,” he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 1 Comment

Capuano responds to Culberson

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Mike Capuano, chair of the Committee on House Administration, who has come under steady assault from Rep. John Culberson and a growing number of Republican activists for his recent letter (PDF) on modifications to House rules concerning standards for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Capuano responds to Culberson

More recycling

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Very good news: The City of Houston’s recycling program will now accept more types of plastic for both curbside pickup and recycling-center dropoff. Up until now the plastic you could recycle was limited to mostly water bottles and plastic milk … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

More on the Twitter battle in Congress

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Following up on yesterday’s post about the battle over Twitter (*) and other uses of social networking software from the floor of Congress, TechPresident’s Daily Digest tries to inject a little calm to counteract some of Rep. John Culberson’s fulminations. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on More on the Twitter battle in Congress

Pickens’ plan for wind and natural gas

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Robert Boyd writes about T. Boone Pickens and his plan for wind and natural gas. The plan, in a nutshell, is this. The U.S. should convert as much of its automobile fleet as possible from gasoline to compressed natural gas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 2 Comments

A rail plan for Central Texas

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Outgoing State Rep. Mike Krusee, one of the biggest boosters of the Trans Texas Corridor in the Lege, is now an advocate for rail in and around Austin. We should schedule an election now for a rail system based on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Three Dallas race overviews

Posted on July 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Carolyn Barta of Dallasblog has been busy doing overviews of various races of interest in the Dallas area. Here she is on the race for HD112: Two Asian-American women are competing to succeed State Rep. Fred Hill in District 112. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Three Dallas race overviews

HouStoned is becoming Hair Balls

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who are fans of the Houston Press’ Rich Connelly, take note: As of July 14, 2008, Hair Balls becomes Web-based. On the Web, it will be expanded, it will be updated constantly, it will become a destination … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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How much overtime is too much?

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I have two questions regarding this front page story that says “Understaffing costs Houston taxpayers $150 million in overtime”. Local governmental agencies spent large sums on overtime last year, in part to compensate for their understaffed police forces, according to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

The Feds inspect the jails

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

It’s inspection time for the Harris County jails. The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday launched what is expected to be a five-day inspection of the Harris County Jail facilities downtown, part of a federal probe to determine whether the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on The Feds inspect the jails

Using less gas

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, even in Texas, people are using less gas as the price has skyrocketed. State gasoline tax collections reported in June indicated taxes fell for two months in a row after a streak of gains earlier this year even as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Believe Texas

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Among the many signs of Democratic resurgence this year is the increase in Democratic fundraising. Groups like Blue Texas and TexBlog PAC have emerged on the scene to help Democratic challengers gain ground in the Legislature and elsewhere. One person … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

New Hot Bagel Shop coming

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who regularly stop for a bagel at the Hot Bagel Shop on Shepherd might have noticed that some of the other tenants in that little strip center where it resides have been moving out. There’s a reason … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Food, glorious food | Comments Off on New Hot Bagel Shop coming

The Texas Blue interviews Diane Trautman

Posted on July 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this when it first appeared: The Texas Blue has a nice interview with Harris Count Tax Assessor candidate Diane Trautman. They’ve got a player embedded in the post so you can listen there, or you can download the MP3 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on The Texas Blue interviews Diane Trautman

Use Twitter for good, not for evil

Posted on July 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Various techies gave US Rep. John Culberson a round of applause last month when they noticed his use of Twitter to post updates from the floor of Congress. But a recent tweet that says Congressional Democrats “want to require prior … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Use Twitter for good, not for evil

One small step for Bell

Posted on July 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Chris Bell for SD17 train gets ready to leave the station. Democrat Chris Bell, a former Houston congressman who made an unsuccessful bid for governor two years ago, is expected to take a big step today toward a run … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Not too fast, not too slow

Posted on July 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I confess, I didn’t know men’s fast-pitch softball leagues existed in Houston. The Lone Star State was a men’s fastpitch mecca in those days. And Houston was one of its epicenters. “Going back 20 to 30 years, Texas was definitely … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment