Monthly Archives: October 2008

Endorsement watch: More for Strawn and more

Susan Strawn keeps racking up the endorsements of her candidacy for Texas’ Worst Court. Here’s the Statesman: The Court of Criminal Appeals should be a showcase of Texas justice. Instead, it has become a national embarrassment. It’s time for a … Continue reading Continue reading

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And the Democratic perspective

This article appears to be a companion piece to the earlier story about the Republican game plan, though it’s less about strategy and more about the legislative horse races. [T]hough Texas Republicans dispute any notion of losing their leverage, political … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on And the Democratic perspective

Kennedy and Edwards for the HDCC

I mentioned in an earlier post that the HDCC had a big fundraiser coming up in Houston. Here’s what you need to know: Image courtesy of BOR, which has more details. Click the image to get RSVP info. Any questions, … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Kennedy and Edwards for the HDCC

It wasn’t me, it was my evil twin!

Sometimes, even in Texas, truth is stranger than fiction. Remember the story about Republican CD22 candidate Pete Olson and his multiple voter registrations? Well, the Lone Star Project went ahead and filed a complaint (PDF) about it in the Commonwealth … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Nick Lampson

I’ll say this for the Chronicle: Their pace of making endorsements in maddeningly slow, but at least they’ve been easy to predict. That continues to be the case as they give the nod to Rep. Nick Lampson in CD22. With … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Interview with Kristi Thibaut

Kristi Thibaut is a repeat candidate from 2006, taking another shot in HD133 against now-first term incumbent Jim Murphy. Thibaut’s race got a little lost in 2006, as much of the local action was focused on CD22 post-Tom DeLay and … Continue reading Continue reading

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The Third Court soap opera

Just keeps getting weirder. A 3rd Court of Appeals justice is accusing Chief Justice Ken Law of refusing to file her dissent in a politically charged case involving two associates of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Justice Jan … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Comments Off on The Third Court soap opera

Hold that registration!

The city wants to make it harder to not pay red light camera fines. City officials hope to step up enforcement of Houston’s red-light cameras by getting the state to deny vehicle registration renewal to drivers who do not pay … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Hold that registration!

The cult of Buc-ees

I’m not exactly sure what one has to do to get this kind of free advertising in a major paper, but big props to the guys at Buc-ees for getting it done for themselves. I will say this, they’ve got … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

If you have neither the facts nor the law, pound on the judge

Do you ever get the feeling that Sen. Kim Brimer really really really didn’t want to have to run an actual campaign against Wendy Davis? Because he sure won’t quit griping about the fact that he lost all of his … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on If you have neither the facts nor the law, pound on the judge

Endorsement watch: Planned Parenthood

As a progressive in Texas, I often find myself in the position of having to bite my tongue when it comes to some of the not-exactly-progressive positions that a number of my fellow Democrats take. Some do so out of … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

The GOP aims downballot

There’s a lot to talk about in this front page story about how the Texas GOP is going to focus its efforts on downballot races, but let’s start by talking about the one thing the article doesn’t bring up: Money. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Candidate Q&A: Peter Rene

Note: This entry is part of a series of written Q&As with judicial candidates who will be on the ballot in Harris County. I am also doing recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates. 1. Who are you, and what are you … Continue reading Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Jaworski and Vo

The Chron gives two more fine endorsements today: Joe Jaworski, Texas Senate District 11: In a district that includes portions of hurricane-ravaged Galveston, constituents need a forceful and energetic senator to promote their interests in next year’s legislative session. The … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Jaworski and Vo

Houston Pavilions update

The next big project downtown is still moving ahead, despite the current state of the economy. Chandeliers were being hung in XXI Forever, a trendy apparel store which represents a significant new injection of soft retail downtown. At 25,000 square … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Houston Pavilions update

Texas blog roundup for the week of October 13

Nothing like a weekend of nostalgia to recharge your engines. But 20 years is a long time to look back, so let’s just go for a week, to review the Texas Progressive Alliance’s blog highlights. Click on for the roundup. Continue reading

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Mark your calendars

More info on this event will be forthcoming through the week. Early voting begins on Monday. Time to get fired up! Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Mark your calendars

Endorsement watch: More court action

The Statesman has some things to say about the current makeup of the Supreme Court. Three of the nine seats on the Texas Supreme Court are up for election this year, and all three have Republican incumbents facing competent Democratic … Continue reading Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: State Board of Education

Another good call by the Chronicle: The State Board of Education performs an extremely important function for the state’s school system. It provides direction to Texas schools by adopting policies and setting standards for educational programs. The board is now … Continue reading Continue reading

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Interview with Rick Noriega

I think you all know how I feel about Rick Noriega. It’s been a long and hard race, as statewide campaigns tend to be around here, and there have been a few bumps in the road, but I’ve been proud … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

The border fence boondoggle blues

You ever get the feeling that the border fence just wasn’t a very good idea? Yeah, me too. The federal government has completed just a half-mile section of the 110 miles of pedestrian border fence promised along the Texas-Mexico border. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in National news | Comments Off on The border fence boondoggle blues

Another poll shows a competitive race in CD07

I’ve said before that I wanted to see a poll in which one of the local Congressional challengers broke the 40% mark while also holding the incumbent below 50. Well, ask and ye shall receive. Research 2000 for Daily Kos. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Plaintiff against Sheriff’s office no-billed

Okay, so back in July a part-time municipal court judge named April Jill Walker, who is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the Ibarra brothers alleging that the Sheriff’s office retaliated against people who had filed complaints against … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Plaintiff against Sheriff’s office no-billed

Chron overview of the DA race

Pretty good article on the state of things in Bradford v. Lykos, with a well-needed focus on the issues the office faces and the direction the two contenders want to take it going forward. Harris County voters looking for a … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for October 12

“Let us drink a toast, as each of us recalls Ivy covered professors, in ivy covered halls.” That has nothing to do with link dumping, but I’m attending my 20-year reunion, so please cut me some slack. Suppressing the vote, … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: County Attorney

The Chron gets back on track after yesterday’s oddity by making the right call in the County Attorney race. In the past year Harris County has suffered through a disturbing series of public ethics scandals that resulted in the resignation … Continue reading Continue reading

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Don’t mess with Juanita

You go, girl. Read and enjoy. Continue reading

Posted in Other punditry | Comments Off on Don’t mess with Juanita

Count everybody

Former Texas State Demographer Steve Murdock, now the director of the US Census, sounds an alarm about that upcoming tasks. Fear of the government in some communities after the Sept. 11 attacks and years of debate over immigration policy could … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Count everybody

Endorsement watch: The Chron still loves John

The Chron makes four easy and obvious endorsements today, and one puzzling one. The obvious ones are for Sen. Mario Gallegos in SD06, Reps. Ana Hernandez and Jessica Farrar in HDs143 and 148, and Carol Alvarado in HD145. All have … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 3 Comments

And in those other Senate debates

Tonight is the night that KUHT channel 8 runs the debate between SD11 candidates Joe Jaworski and Sen. Mike Jackson. Or, at least, the debate that would have been between Jaworski and Jackson if Jackson had kept his word and … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Curbside recycling still on hold

I’ve been wondering when the curbside recycling program would be restarted. The answer is “soon, we hope”. Eco-minded residents who normally place plastics, newspapers and other items at the curb for recycling will have to continue to visit city drop-off … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Curbside recycling still on hold

Nostalgia alert

Dateline 1988, somewhere in San Antonio. The shaggy guy in the green shirt and ever-so-fashionable glasses is me. Ten years later, at the Class of 1988 reunion. Tiffany and I had been married for all of three weeks at the … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on Nostalgia alert

Friday random ten: Blues Genius

I mentioned in my last list a couple of ways for the iTunes Genius feature to be improved. That really came home this time around, when I made a list based on “Rubber Biscuit” by the Blues Brothers, as many … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Music | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Texas’ worst court

The Chron makes its recommendations for the Court of Criminal Appeals, and makes the right call. Susan Strawn, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3: The Chronicle believes the best candidate for Place 3 is Democrat Susan Strawn, a fourth-generation … Continue reading Continue reading

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