Tag Archives: videos

Paxton calls on Phelan to resign

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The last few days of a legislative session are always the dumbest days of the session. Attorney General Ken Paxton said Tuesday that state House Speaker Dade Phelan should resign, accusing him of presiding over his chamber “in a state … Continue reading →

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

Chron editorial board interviews Mike Morath

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

There’s video and a transcript here. After explaining that he missed the initial TEA community engagement sessions because he was “under the weather”, he gets asked the key question: Lisa Falkenberg 1:55 Mhmm. Okay, and then, so, we’re trying to … Continue reading →

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

Mammoths and dodos

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

How you feel about this will likely depend on how strongly you identify with that Ian Malcolm quote from Jurassic Park. The Texas entrepreneur working to bring back the woolly mammoth has added a new species to his revival list: … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mammoths and dodos

Saturday video break: The year of Olivia

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

By “Olivia” I mean Olivia Rodrigo, though it was my Olivia who first introduced me to the latter’s music. They share something in common besides their given name, and that’s a love of Billy Joel. My Olivia came back to … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: The year of Olivia

Christmas Eve video break: The luster of midday

Posted on December 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hope you’re staying warm and that your pipes haven’t frozen. To celebrate, or to commiserate as the case may be, here once again is my favorite rendition of “A Visit From Saint Nicholas”, as performed by cartoon and voice actors: … Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , | Comments Off on Christmas Eve video break: The luster of midday

Saturday video break: A brief manifesto about Christmas music

Posted on December 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Been awhile since I’ve done one of these. Maybe I’ll work a few in next year, we’ll see how it goes. I was inspired by the Slacktivist re-running his own Christmas music manifesto from a few years ago. I broadly … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Thanksgiving video break: A return to something resembling normalcy

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s spend a few minutes with an old friend: The day may come when I will get tired of that video, but that day is not today. I am as always thankful for my family and friends, my health, my … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Starting out with Susan

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron kicks off endorsement season with a fulsome recommendation of Susan Hays for Ag Commissioner. Hays, 53, lives in Alpine, where she and her husband purchased land several years ago to grow hemp and hops. Her background is as … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Starting out with Susan

Endorsement watch: Stogner for Warford

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Sarah Stogner, the former Republican candidate for railroad commissioner who forced incumbent Wayne Christian to a runoff and made waves for riding a pumpjack almost naked in a memorable campaign ad, is backing the Democratic nominee for the seat. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Coulda Been Worse

Posted on September 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Are you ready for some attack ads? A shadowy new group has purchased at least $6 million in TV ads ahead of the November election and is airing an ad that targets Gov. Greg Abbott as he runs for reelection. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I’m sure they’ll evaluate themselves objectively

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

What could possibly go wrong? In October, Colorado-based E3 Consulting offered a plan for how the Public Utility Commission should redesign Texas’ deregulated power market. It produced a 44-page proposal, paid for by energy giants NRG and Chicago-based Exelon. Now … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“You put an electric engine…in a DeLorean??”

Posted on February 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Everything old is new again. Hold onto your flux capacitors: The DeLorean Motor Company is back and making San Antonio its home. Economic development officials announced Monday that the once-defunct 1980s-era car manufacturer, whose gull-wing car was best known as … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on “You put an electric engine…in a DeLorean??”

On the campaign trail again

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s good to be back. In the 2020 election cycle, many campaigns in Texas went fully virtual as the coronavirus pandemic, then a new and uncertain threat, bore down on the state. They held virtual rallies, phone banks and fundraisers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On the campaign trail again

An email from Erica Davis

Posted on January 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, sent to Democratic precinct chairs: You elected me to serve as your Trustee for the Harris County Department of Education and I am very proud of what we have accomplished. I too believe in elevating voices, educating … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

It’s never to early to wish you all a good night

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And yet another viewing of my favorite Christmas Eve video: May you have a safe and joyous holiday. See you on the flip side.

Posted in Websurfing | Tagged , | Comments Off on It’s never to early to wish you all a good night

So how did Paxton’s budget grilling go?

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Meh. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton violated his budget authority when he transferred $40 million of taxpayer money to cover pay raises for some members of his staff without approval of the Legislature or the governor, triggering an angry response … Continue reading →

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

Christmas Eve video break: Time for tradition

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

And that can only mean my favorite rendition of “A Visit From Saint Nicholas”: I’ve been posting this on Christmas Eve for over a decade now. I watch it every year, more than once, and I never get tired of … Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Thanksgiving video break: At least we still have old favorites

Posted on November 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I think we can all agree that this is not the Thanksgiving we thought we were going to get when the year started. So let’s be thankful for the things we do have, like the comfort of the familiar. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 5 Comments

November 2020 Early Voting Day Sixteen: All through the night

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This post is scheduled to publish before 5 AM today. When that happens, voting will still be happening in Harris County. In Harris County this year, residents can vote where the Rockets or Texans play, from the comfort or their … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on November 2020 Early Voting Day Sixteen: All through the night

Tuesday video break: It’s Christmas Eve, y’all

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

And that can mean only one thing: Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good afternoon.

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Thanksgiving video break: I haven’t done one of these in awhile

Posted on November 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

So let’s redo one of my greater hits: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Astrodome song

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of nostalgia for you today. Like many of us, Bruce Robison has driven by the Astrodome and gotten emotional. He is of that age — born in 1966, one year after the Dome opened — that gives … Continue reading →

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

Instagram in space!

Posted on April 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Far out. Like, literally. Internet service can sometimes be spotty here on Earth. Just imagine checking email from the moon or searching Google from Mars. A Houston satellite and artificial intelligence company wants to make that possible through an “interplanetary … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Instagram in space!

Dan Patrick declares victory on the bathroom bill

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Um, okay. The “bathroom bill” won’t be back this session, its loudest champion suggested Wednesday morning. At a Governor’s Mansion press conference on the second day of this year’s legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who last session was … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dan Patrick declares victory on the bathroom bill

And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle

Posted on December 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As always, my favorite Christmas Eve video: May you and yours get all your Christmas wishes fulfilled.

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , | Comments Off on And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle

On the air

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You might be seeing some TV ads from Texas Democrats who aren’t Beto O’Rourke or Lizzie Fletcher. There’s Justin Nelson: Attorney Justin Nelson, a candidate for attorney general, on Tuesday became the first — and likely only — Democrat running … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On the air

Saturday video break: Vote ‘Em Out

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Listen to Willie Nelson, y’all. Link via the Current. The deadline to register to vote is this Tuesday, October 9. Early voting begins on Monday, October 22. You know what to do.

Posted in Election 2018, Music | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Vote ‘Em Out

“Viva Texas! Viva Beto!”

Posted on September 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been too long since the last time I posted a video. It all came from a love of the law and a shared dislike of Ted Cruz. It was a few bigwig local prosecutors, a capital defense attorney, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Music | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Viva Texas! Viva Beto!”

It’s been three years since Ken Paxton was indicted

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Surely that’s worth noting. It’s been three years since Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was indicted for securities fraud, and his Democratic challenger marked the date — with cake. Justin Nelson, a Houston attorney vying to strip the Republican incumbent of his title, released a YouTube video campaign ad … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s been three years since Ken Paxton was indicted

Killing Obamacare softly

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

With cuts to the budget for state outreach programs. Which doesn’t scan well lyrically, and I doubt any of the people on the pointy end of this will care about how it came to be, but here we are. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The story behind the MJ Hegar video

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Cool little “making of” feature. Mary Jennings “MJ” Hegar, a 42-year-old mother and Republican turned “independent Democrat” running for Congress in Texas, is an Air Force veteran and retired Air National Guard helicopter pilot who didn’t let an abusive biological father, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The story behind the MJ Hegar video

MJ Hegar introduces herself

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s her opening video: Fair to say it made a good impression, and USA Today, Daily Kos, Slate, Business Insider, and Political Animal all gushed about it. Nancy LeTourneau, who wrote that latter article, used it as a springboard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

If I had a boat…

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

…I wouldn’t have used it to go Harvey-watching. Where does he get this crap? President Donald Trump praised the Coast Guard for its heroics during Hurricane Harvey Wednesday, but credited the high number of water rescues to people taking their … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Paxton versus Miller on barbecue

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Just embrace the fact that this is the world we live in. A nonbinding opinion issued Monday by Attorney General Ken Paxton continues a battle between lawmakers, restaurants and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller over regulation of scales used to measure … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment