Monthly Archives: June 2013

Saturday video break: Tainted Love

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #15 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Tainted Love”, originally by Gloria Jones and covered by Soft Cell. Here’s the original: I’ve covered this before, if you will. It’s still pretty mind-blowing to hear this as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

TPJ alleges Perry broke the law when he threatened to veto Public Integrity funds

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well, now isn’t this a nice little can of worms. In a complaint sent to prosecutors today, Texans for Public Justice alleges that Governor Rick Perry potentially committed several criminal offenses related to his recent threat to use his discretionary … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Senate approves redistricting bills

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As pro forma as they wanna be. The Texas Senate voted to ratify court-drawn political maps that were used for legislative and congressional races in 2012. The bills now head to the House. In party-line votes, Senators voted 16-11 to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Overview on criminal justice legislation from the regular session

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I tried to pay attention to as many issues as I could during the legislative session, but no one can keep track of it all. Criminal justice bills were one area that I lagged on. Fortunately, there are people like … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Overview on criminal justice legislation from the regular session

Sebastien De La Cruz

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You da man, Sebastien. A soft-spoken boy with a big voice isn’t about to let obnoxious online remarks bring him down — especially when he has so many positive ones in his virtual corner. Fans of Sebastien De La Cruz … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sebastien De La Cruz

Friday random ten: The city never sleeps, part 9

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Time for a quick visit back to my old hometown for this week’s musical geography. 1. Snow In Austin – Ellis Paul 2. Staten Island Hornpipe – Flying Fish Sailors 3. St. Louis Blues March – Glenn Miller 4. Staten … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: The city never sleeps, part 9

Even Rick Perry thinks the slash and burn crowd is nuts

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Insert pithy quote about reaping and sowing here. Gov. Rick Perry shot back Monday at conservative critics who say the state budget is growing too fast, offering the clearest signal yet that he plans to sign the two-year, $197 billion … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Budget time in Houston

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Houston City Council has begun the process of debating Mayor Parker’s budget for the next fiscal year by proposing 60 amendments to it. Parker’s budget would spend $4.5 billion, including fee-supported enterprise funds such as the aviation department and utility … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Budget time in Houston

MBIA appeals lawsuit dismissal

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the brief that MBIA has filed with the First District Court of Appeals to overturn the dismissal of their lawsuit against the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. The issues presented for review … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on MBIA appeals lawsuit dismissal

Here are the Texas Monthly Ten Best and Ten Worst lists for 2013

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This came out Wednesday, but the full story will not be published till next week. BEST: Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen) Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here are the Texas Monthly Ten Best and Ten Worst lists for 2013

RAND reminds us what we’re not getting

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not expanding Medicaid is a really bad deal for Texas, and all those other states like Texas. States that choose not to expand Medicaid under federal health care reform will leave millions of their residents without health insurance and increase … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

So many Dome ideas

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation has plenty of material to work with as it prepares to make a recommendation to Commissioners Court about the Astrodome. Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. staff will spend the next week evaluating … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on So many Dome ideas

They name the development after whatever they bulldozed in order to build it

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The title of this post is an old joke, but what happened recently at Woodland Park is not. Nonsequiteuse explains. I was alerted to an egregious clear-cutting along Woodland Park, a City of Houston public park at the edge of … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of June 10

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks that we should have tried to get redistricting done right the first time instead of waiting till now to involve the public as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of June 10

Senate committee passed redistricting bills

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As is, no amendments. After a two-hour hearing this morning, the Senate redistricting committee voted out bills that would make the three interim legislative and congressional maps permanent. The votes on the bills were all on party lines 8-6. Greg … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate committee passed redistricting bills

So where are the jobs he’s been trying to poach?

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s an obvious question to ask about this story, but I don’t see it being asked. After a couple of high profile job-poaching trips to California and Illinois, Gov. Rick Perry is planning a new raid — this time on … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Texans and the Rodeo will have their say on the fate of the Dome

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s this little matter of their lease agreement to deal with. Five years ago, Harris County appeared on the brink of striking a deal with a group of entrepreneurs to turn the Astrodome into a 1,300-room hotel and convention center, … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Perry will veto Integrity Unit funds unless Lehmberg resigns

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This could be checkmate for Rosemary Lehmberg. Gov. Rick Perry will veto financing for the public integrity unit — the state’s ethics enforcement division — unless embattled Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg resigns, an official close to the governor … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Redistricting deal in the works?

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Color me skeptical of this. The contours of an agreement might have emerged Monday as a special committee of the Texas House debated maps of congressional and legislative districts. A Republican lawmaker and an attorney for the Mexican American Legislative … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Opposition gearing up for the water fund amendment

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The legislation to create a state water infrastructure fund, and the joint resolution that authorized tapping the Rainy Day Fund for up to $2 billion to seed it, had a rocky road in the legislature and wasn’t completed until the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Perry signs HB5, adds transportation to the special session

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There had been some buzz about a possible veto, but in the end this was to be expected. When Gov. Rick Perry signed House Bill 5 on Monday, he ended weeks of speculation that he might veto the high-profile education … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Perry signs HB5, adds transportation to the special session

Patrick involved in another Senate squabble

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Must be something in the water. A powerful Republican urged the Senate last week to strip a plum committee chairmanship from a GOP colleague who voted against the state budget, six senators said Friday. Chief Senate budget writer Sen. Tommy … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Astrodome-palooza

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In case you aren’t completely full of my opining on the Astrodome and its possible fate, I was the author of a op-ed in the Sunday Chron on the subject. It’s kind of the Reader’s Digest version of the things … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Astrodome-palooza

Taking back the Texas Senate

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Colin Strother says the Democrats should not overlook opportunities to make gains in the upper chamber of the Legislature. The conventional wisdom is that Democrats need a miracle to pick up any single seat, much less turn the chamber Blue. … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Big week for the Dome

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This week things start to get real for the Astrodome. Monday is an important deadline for those who are determined to save the historic Astrodome, as private firms turn in renovation proposals to the Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Big week for the Dome

HCDE fills its vacancy

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. I received the following in my inbox on Friday afternoon: Hello all, Please see the information below: “Yesterday, the Harris County Board of Education voted to appoint Mr. Howard Jefferson of the NAACP national board to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend redistricting update

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I couldn’t find any news coverage from Saturday’s Senate Redistricting Committee hearing at UH, so you should read Greg’s liveblog of the event to find out what happened. The roadshow is in San Antonio today, and there will be two … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Weekend redistricting update

Weekend link dump for June 9

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m recovering from my daughter’s sleepover birthday party today, so forgive me if I’m a little groggy and/or grumpy. Having said that, better to host a sleepover party for a bunch of 9-year-old girls than to have a pencil in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for June 9

Uptown transit plan gets key funding approval

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Plans for bus-only lanes along Post Oak Boulevard in the Uptown area moved forward Thursday when a key committee recommended spending $62 million in federal funds. Members of the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s transportation improvement program subcommittee approved the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The fault lies not with Commissioners Court

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Chron columnist Ken Hoffman fired a shot in his Sunday column. What to do with the Astrodome? It’s had its day. Let it go before it becomes even more of an embarrassing money pit. Dump the Dome! M. Meagher, Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From the “It could happen, but it won’t” department

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose it could be the case that Texas could get federal pre-K funds, but nobody really expects that to happen, right? Texas could get an estimated $308 million in grants to fund one year of early childhood education if … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on From the “It could happen, but it won’t” department

Hello, Motorola

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to Texas. Cellphone pioneer Motorola announced Wednesday that it’s opening a Texas manufacturing facility that will create 2,000 jobs and produce its new flagship device, Moto X, the first smartphone ever assembled in the U.S. The company has already … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Saturday video break: The Man Who Sold The World

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #16 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “The Man Who Sold The World”, originally by David Bowie and covered by Nirvana. Here’s the original: It’s a great song, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard the Bowie … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Feisty redistricting hearing in Dallas

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There really aren’t any other kind of redistricting hearings, when you get right down to it. Most of the testimony centered on whether to approve interim political maps used in the 2012 elections, or toss those lines out in favor … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment