Tag Archives: Louisiana

Zack Kopplin

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the name Zack Kopplin. Rice University sophomore Zack Kopplin says he has been called the Antichrist, a godless liberal and, bizarrely, the cause of Hurricane Katrina. Kopplin, 19, has gained notoriety for championing the fight against his home state … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Are vouchers unconstitutional?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Attorney Kelly Frels makes the case that private school vouchers will not pass constitutional muster in Texas. State Sen. Dan Patrick has proposed that the state of Texas provide vouchers to help parents pay for private school tuition. Vouchers are … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Are vouchers unconstitutional?

The opening argument against vouchers

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve been hearing about vouchers since Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst named Sen. Dan Patrick to be Chair of the Senate Education Committee, but we haven’t heard – or at least, I haven’t seen – a lot of information about what … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A matter of priorities

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Compare and contrast. State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, the outspoken voice of the far right in the Senate, said he will be pushing vouchers that parents of school-age children could use for charter schools, online offerings or additional alternatives to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

When monkeys are outlawed, only outlaws will have monkeys

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Or something like that. Even in their Texas hideout, Jim and Donita Clark are terrified that wildlife agents from their home state of Louisiana will descend on their motorhome and seize the four Capuchin monkeys they’ve reared for 10 years. … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on When monkeys are outlawed, only outlaws will have monkeys

The black bears return to Texas

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. SOMEWHERE IN BLUE ELBOW SWAMP — Hope, sometimes, is based on the strangest things. Here, deep in the near-impenetrable thickets of the Sabine River basin, it rides on sardines and tampons soaked in pastry filling. That exotic bait, … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The black bears return to Texas

Outsourcing inmates

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We know Sheriff Adrian Garcia has a plan to fix problems with the Harris County jails. He’s been up front about what he wants to do, and he’s helped create the position of “jail czar”, who is tasked with finding … Continue reading →

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

Our friend the stimulus package

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Embry tells us just how much Texas relied on the stimulus package this year. A new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures shows that federal stimulus dollars played a large role in allowing Texas lawmakers to balance … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How much money would expanded gambling generate?

Posted on March 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Throughout this session, every time the subject of expanded gambling in Texas comes up, along with it comes some kind of projection of how much revenue it might generate. Those estimates always come from the proponent of that form of … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Two stories about gambling

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron’s David Barron talks to some experts about putting slot machines at horse tracks, which is one of several major proposals to expand gambling in Texas this legislative session. William Eadington, an economics professor at the University of Nevada … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Two stories about gambling