Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Hello Mr. Pot, Meet Mr. Kettle
Ahem. Uh, Kuff. Go to Democratic National Committee. Take a look at the source code. Like here in the opening body tag:I don't like popups or popunders either (Google toolbar blocks them), but don't try to act like it's evil Republicans who only do this.
Guess the side I'm on
Yahoo! News: Woman Challenges Trump 'You're Fired' TrademarkWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chicago pottery merchant Susan Brenner has a message for real-estate mogul Donald Trump: in the Windy City, she'll do the firing.Hint: My wife and I own a ceramics studio.
Capitalizing on the success of his reality-television show, "The Apprentice," Trump has sought to trademark the phrase "You're Fired!" for use on clothing and casino equipment.
But the copper-maned mogul might want to tread carefully in the Chicago area, where Brenner says she has emblazoned the phrase on plates, mugs, birdhouses and other items in her suburban ceramics studio since 1997.
For underlings on "The Apprentice," a "You're fired" from Trump spells the end of a chance to work with one of the most high-profile businessmen of the past 20 years.
For Brenner, "You're fired" is a clever pun on the process of painting and glazing ceramics in her Northbrook, Illinois, studio, said attorney Marvin Benn.
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Free Plug and Thanks!
If you're having a computer problem, you should consider calling Peeples Computers. We had him out to the studio and he's great. XP wouldn't boot, and he figured out that it was the RAM I bought a year ago. I'd have never thought of that.Counting Noses
Like Greg, I went to the Harris County Senatorial District (SD) 17 Convention. Unlike Greg, I went to the Republican version. I haven't had much time to write lately, so forgive the lateness of this post.I was a delegate from my precinct, 0814, along with co-blogger Matt, and a third delegate (Gary). The logistical planning left a bit to be desired. Since there are certainly plenty of e-mails going around GOP circles calling for the heads of the planners, I'll just leave it as "it could have been better." You get what life hands you and make the best of it.
The one thing that really made my time there difficult was the location of the room for the Nominations Committee, on which I sat. The convention was in one building, and our room was in the building next door. So, since my computer held the database of delegates in the committee's room, I spent most of my time close to the room and not on the floor. But, given that we were developing the list of state delegates, I think it was much more important for me to do that job than to listen to politicians speaking on the floor.
We have an excellent system for picking delegates to the state convention. After talking with friends from around the state, I'm even more thankful that we have the people active in my corner of the party that we do. It's pretty long, but here's a description of how the system works:
The state party allocates delegates to the counties/senatorial districts by the number of votes each precinct got for the GOP candidate for governor. By their count, Harris County SD17 got 159 delegates and 159 alternates. (By ours it was 159.58, or 160, but that's neither here nor there.) Now, what most counties do is they have their Nominations Committee pick all the delegates. That makes the Nominations Committee pretty powerful. We do things slightly different, and I'd urge every county to take a look at it.
We give the power to select delegates to the precincts. Before the convention, the Rules Committee hammers out a simple rule that gives the formula for allocating delegates to the precincts. We started by using the same rule that the state party does. Here's the rule:
Rule No. 23A - Delegate Allocations and EntitlementsExcept we go and figure out how to give 1 delegate to the precincts if they got more than 300 votes. But, if we left the formula just like that, we'd have problems. Then, every single delegate slot would be selected by the precincts. That's ok, but, committee chairs could get hosed. Committee chairs are working at the convention, and are not able to sit with their precinct delegation the entire time. You could get a situation where the precinct delegation decides to take the precinct's state slots and leave the committee chairman without one. It would be pretty hard to get someone to volunteer for a chairmanship if that were the case. So, the SD chair makes a list of At-Large delegate recommendations. He includes the various committee chairs, politicians (e.g., Sen. Kyle Janek), and some other people to total 20.
a. The delegate and alternate entitlements to the county or senatorial district and state conventions shall be based on the number of votes cast for the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the most recent gubernatorial general election.
1. [snip]
2. Each county or senatorial district convention shall be entitled to elect one delegate and one alternate to the state convention based on a ratio of one (1) for each three hundred (300) votes and major fraction thereof within the boundaries of the county
or senatorial district and further shown in more detail on the following table provided that any county or senatorial district convention shall be entitled to elect at least two delegates and two alternates:
Votes Delegates Alternates 0-750 2 2 751-1050 3 3 1051-1350 4 4 1351-1650 5 5 etc. etc. etc.
So that number comes off the top, leaving us with 139 delegates for the precincts. But, this is a presidential election year, so we also have to stay within a quota by Congressional District. At the state convention, we'll have one day where we sit by Congressional District, and elect presidential electors and delegates to the national convention. So we have to allocate delegates for the parts of Congressional Districts 7, 9, and 10 that are within our Senatorial District. So out of the 20 people on the SD chair's list, 11 of them are in Congressional District 7 even though the "voting strength" of district 7 is just below 50% of the whole SD. That makes sense, there's a whole lot more Republicans in John Culberson's district than in Al Green's.
We then figure out how high the bar has to be for CD07 precincts to get a delegate slot. We can't exceed their quota, and when figuring out how many slots to give the precincts, we have to predict that every precinct will show up. We know they won't, but if we plan for a couple precincts not to show and they do, then we're in really deep dog doo. Explanation with details:
We can give 75, and no more than 75, delegate slots to the people from CD07. (This is out of the 159 for the whole SD.) You take the At-Large recommendations (11 delegates) off that and you end up with 64. But, if you apply the 300 votes level for a precinct to select a delegate, you give the precincts 70 delegates. We can't do that, so we either have to cut people from the chair's list or up the 300 vote requirement.
We hated doing that. I was at the Rules Committee meeting where they came up with the formula. Good folks all of them, they were really hurt about doing it. So I'm on the phone with the Nominations Committee chair, Bob Blackmer, and he runs the numbers a few ways. The only way around the dilemma is to assume that precincts won't show up. We know that's what's going to happen, but we can't bank on it. So, the Rules Committee upped the requirement for a precinct to nominate a delegate to the following formula:
| Votes | Delegates | Alternates |
| 0-166 | See Below | See Below |
| 167-332 | See Below | See Below |
| 333-500 | 1 | 1 |
| 501-833 | 2 | 2 |
| 834-1166 | 3 | 3 |
| 1167-1500 | 4 | 4 |
| 1501-1834 | 5 | 5 |
| 1835-2168 | 6 | 6 |
| 2169-2501 | 7 | 7 |
| etc. | etc. | etc. |
Precincts with one hundred sixty seven (167) thru three hundred thirty two (332) votes for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election shall be entitled to one (1) alternate, to be included in the at-large alternate selections by the Permanent Committee on Nominations. Precincts with less than one hundred sixty seven (167) votes for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election may nominate one (1) person and the Permanent Committee on Nominations may include that nominee in the list of at-large delegates or at-large alternate positions.Once you've calculated the formula, it's just a matter of paperwork. Having a computer helps. We printed out sheets that precinct delegations filled out during the convention. Bob marked on the sheets how many delegates and alternates the precincts could choose. He also put a notation on the precincts that had more than 300 votes for governor but less than 333. These were the "screwed" precincts, they lost their one delegate slot when we upped the requirement. They still got to put a name down that would go on the At-Large Alternate list. When I put them in the database, I gave them a special designation. Our plan was to immediately make them At-Large delegates, not just alternates, as soon as we determined that enough precincts didn't show up.
So I ate my lunch in front of a computer. One of my fellow committee members read the names of precinct delegates out and I pulled their delegate status (Precinct Delegate, Precinct Alternate) from a drop-down list. I had written queries that would group and count the delegates as we went. While this was going on, the rest of the Nominations Committee was interviewing people in the room next door. These were people who, for whatever reason, couldn't get elected as a delegate out of their precinct. Most of the time the reason would be that there were a lot of activists in their precinct.
So once I was done and the interviewers were done, we all gathered together. We decided to go by Congressional District, and we started with the easiest one, CD09. We had more slots than people. First thing, we moved everyone from the At-Large alternate list to the main At-Large list. The only people on the list were delegates who showed up from the "screwed" precincts and we resolved as a committee to help them first. We didn't even look at their names when making the decision, we just moved them up. (The county party had checked eligibility before hand.)
Then we found that we had one more At-Large slot than people who interviewed for them. Bob asked if anyone knew of anyone on the precinct delegate list who should be bumped up to At-Large and thus opening up their precinct slot for a deserving alternate. I held my breath, no one answered, so I nominated myself. This would give Gary my precinct delegate slot and wouldn't have to endure the pain and humiliation of being an alternate (ha-ha).
CD10 was tight, but not bad. CD07 had about 15 people more interview than we had At-Large spaces for. So we ranked them and then put the rest on the At-Large alternate list. No one can remember the last time Alternates didn't get seated at the convention, so no problems.
We heard that things were wrapping up on the floor, so we quickly printed out a copy of the list. Bob had to read every name on the list out loud on the floor. This way people know the names selected.
Then we waited. It turned out they weren't wrapping things up. They were arguing resolutions. And arguing. And arguing. We finished our committee work at about 3:30 or 4:00. Then we took turns going to check on the status, meanwhile we had to keep an eye on our computer equipment.
Finally, at about 7:00 Bob got to read the report. 233 delegates/alternates and he had to read every name. So he gets to the end and a guy comes up to the microphone. He claims that a lady from his precinct interviewed for an At-Large Alternate position. We said that all alternate candidates had been chosen. Where was she?
A quick check of the voter database and the delegate list. It was my fault, probably. In my Microsoft Access database, I typo'd and didn't set her delegate status correctly. In my defense, 233/234 = 99.57% accuracy. As a self-criticism, I should have done a checksum on the list to make sure we had used all our delegate slots and should have had someone proof the list.
This was my first time on any committee so it was a good learning experience. Bob and I went over every detail of our process afterwards and found a few ways to improve the process for next time.
In closing, I've got to say that I've been really impressed with the people in Harris County's SD17 GOP leadership. Marvin Clede went above and beyond the call of duty in making sure we got a better location than the one the party staff gave us. Bob Blackmer was extremely even-handed in picking members of the Nominations Committee. He got people from the different factions of the party to work together. The Rule Committee was excellent and knowledgeable.
I can't wait to just be a plain old delegate to state.
Friday, March 26, 2004
The Greatest News Organization Ever
News 24 Houston: Where do you take them: The Glazed Over Ceramic StudioNews 24 Houston is the greatest group of people ever. The most talented group of reporters of the highest integrity. I'm not saying this just because they filmed a story on the pottery studio my wife and I own. Not at all.
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Blogging Light
Our Harris County GOP convention is this weekend. I'm on the Nominations Committee (picking delegates to the state convention). Everything's going fine. Bob Blackmer is the chair and he's doing a wonderful job. I just won't be blogging much or reading many blogs in the next few days.Just got to quickly add that I'm more and more happy to support Bob Blackmer in his bid to be a delegate to the national convention. He has bent over backwards to be even-handed and inclusive in the decisions he has made on the Nominations Committee. HE even has taken actions that were the right thing to do, but had a negative effect on his precinct's representation. But he did it because it was the right thing to do. If you're in Congressional District 9, and will be attending the state convention in San Antonio, I recommend that you vote to send Bob as a delegate. He's earned it.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Pray and Hope
Reuters: Helicopter carrying 10 missing in Gulf of MexicoHOUSTON (Reuters) - Searchers scoured the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday for a helicopter carrying 10 people that disappeared overnight en route to an oil exploration ship off the coast of Texas.I know a guy that was on this helicopter. I hope he made it.
The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, owned by offshore driller Rowan Companies, Inc. subsidiary Era Aviation Inc., left Galveston, Texas, on Tuesday evening with two crew and eight passengers, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
...remember the courage...
TSG: Former Terror Chief Richard Clarke's Resignation Letter - March 23, 2004
carl with a k: EXCLUSIVE: Dean Pollster Weighs In
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Two Days
OK. I waited two days before I commented on this. I'm calm and I'll watch my language. Let's review the first paragraph of the ChronicBile's editorial:Last year U.S. Rep. John Culberson tried to persuade the Metropolitan Transit Authority to postpone its November referendum on a long-range mobility plan. Culberson, R-Houston, said it would be unfair to hold the referendum on a day when many minority voters and transit patrons might be expected to turn out.I'd be curious to see what source the ChronicBile would cite to back up the claim that the Congressman said that it was "unfair to hold the referendum on a day when many minority voters and transit patrons might be expected to turn out." They don't put quotation marks around it in the story, so I assume it's not a quote. It's their characterization of what he said.
This attitude that I get from people about Republicans is what gets me steamed. The major media seems immune from proving their depiction of Republicans as racist has any validity. I take it personally, because I'm not a racist and I resent it when I or my friends are smeared as being a racist because we put an R by our names.
Two quick stories about my attitude on race:
1. When I was 18 we went to France as a family. My parents thought that I was the one in the family with the knack for languages, so they gave me the French phrasebook and told me to learn enough French to get us around.
We drove from Barcelona to Lyon. We couldn't find the hotel. My dad found a gas station and sent me in. I felt pretty good about being able to get the words out in French, but not about understanding the answer. I was like hyper alert, trying to will my ears to listen better.
I walked into the gas station and looked at the guy behind the counter. I was real nervous. Probably more than I needed to be, but dang nervous. My family was depending on me and for my dad to stop and send someone else in to ask directions, well, he didn't do that too often.
All of a sudden I saw another person inside the gas station, he was buying something in the food area. I looked at him and thought "Thank God, it's another American. He can help me." I left the guy at the counter and made a beeline for the customer.
"Excuse me sir, but can you help us? We're kind of lost and we're looking for this hotel. Could you tell me how to get there?"
They guy looked at me kind of confused, and started speaking to me in French. I was so let down that I didn't understand a darn word he said. I went out to the car and hung my head in shame at not being able to find our way.
I thought the guy buying food was American because he was black.
I realized in the car after a few minutes that my parents had raised me right. Even though they were now arguing in the front seat, they had done something that made me think, when I was under stress, that a black man was a fellow American first.
2. That has to be specially due to my parents, because I wasn't raised in a racially mixed area. There were some black kids in my schools, but not many. There certainly weren't many when I went to the liberal Mecca of UT.
I had one black guy that I was friends with in high school. I kept in touch with him a little in college, but we lost track. He and I were both into punk rock, so neither of us were stereotypical.
It wasn't until I enlisted in the Navy that I started to get to know folks of other races. (In the Navy it was mostly blacks and Filipinos.) I spent some time on submarines and that's where I think a lot of guys decided if they were racist or not.
One time, we had to sleep in the torpedo room. They had a whole bunch of portable beds. There was one wide open area in the middle of the room, it was under a large rack that held the torpedos. We had about 18 guys sleeping under there. Six across and three head-to-toe. The beds were about two feet across and six feet long. All the beds were jammed directly together so it looked like one big bed.
The guy sleeping next to me was black. I woke up every morning for a couple of weeks sleeping closer to him than I did to my wife.
So, when the left tries to pin the racist label on me, or my friends who aren't racist, I tend to get a little peeved.
I might comment on the rest of the article later.
MSDN Magazine: The XML Files: All About Blogs and RSS
CD10 Watch: Streusand Picks Up Endorsement
Brenham Banner-Press: Streusand: Not running negative campaignStreusand announced Monday that he has picked up the endorsement of the third-place finisher in the primary, Judge John Devine. Devine got 21 percent of the votes.
Devine, who was with Streusand on his campaign stops here, said McCaul is 'a government lawyer, for crying out loud.'
McCaul is a former federal prosecutor who resigned last year to run for office.
Devine said he decided to back Streusand because of his business experience.
'He's had to manage budgets. He's created jobs,' said Devine.
Devine said he met with both Streusand and McCaul and 'evaluated their positions on key issues.'
'I strongly believe Ben will be a representative for the entire district,' he said.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
Song of the Day
Nobody by The ReplacementsHeartaches, on your wedding day
double takes when they look my way
knees quake, there ain't a shotgun in the place
you like the frosting, you just bought the cake
your eyes can't fake
still in love with nobody
and I won't tell nobody
The bridegroom
drags you 'cross that room
said I do
but honey you were just a kid
your eyes said I did
still in love with nobody
nobody, nobody
and I won't tell nobody
Take a look
on your wedding night
in your wedding book
see what name I signed
hey
love nobody,
nobody, nobody
then nobody
nobody, nobody, nobody
Hips shake
to the band for old time's sake
now you make your getaway
and you're waving to the stage
but on the last page says
love nobody
nobody, nobody
and I won't tell nobody
nobody, nobody
yeah you're still in love with nobody
nobody, nobody
and I used to be nobody
nobody, nobody
not anymore
Not Gonna Do It
Houston Chronicle: Metro faces increasing competition for federal fundsLast year U.S. Rep. John Culberson tried to persuade the Metropolitan Transit Authority to postpone its November referendum on a long-range mobility plan. Culberson, R-Houston, said it would be unfair to hold the referendum on a day when many minority voters and transit patrons might be expected to turn out.I'm steamed. I'm not going to blog on something when I'm angry.
You'll just have to wait for me to comment on the latest bullshit from the assholes at the ChronicBile.
Whoops. Did I say that out loud?
If my mother or my Aunt Jan read this, I apologize for my language.
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Flip
Washington Times: Kerry now rejects foreign endorsementsDemocratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry yesterday renounced all endorsements of foreign leaders, after his campaign faced questions this week over his claim that world leaders told him face to face they want him to defeat President Bush.
'This election will be decided by the American people, and the American people alone,' said Mr. Kerry's foreign policy adviser, Rand Beers. 'It is simply not appropriate for any foreign leader to endorse a candidate in America's presidential election.
'John Kerry does not seek, and will not accept, any such endorsements.'
Yee's Free
Washington Times: Army drops case vs. chaplainThe Army yesterday dropped charges against Capt. James Yee of mishandling classified documents at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and will allow the Muslim chaplain to return to his duty station without undergoing interrogations and a polygraph test.Since I blogged on the accusation of CPT Yee's arrest, I'll note here his vindication.
Friday, March 19, 2004
Chuckle
Houston Voice: For one gay Republican, Bush crossed the lineA small business owner, Counts grew up with Republican parents.
"I told them I was gay when I was 18 or 19," he said. "My father’s first comment was, 'But you’re still a Republican aren't you? We can take a homosexual, but we can’t take a Democrat."
Paging Jost
This link, Fundrace.org, comes from Peverse Access Memory. It's a pretty cool tool for looking at contributions plotted on a map.Funny Article
Cameron Herald: I am NOT the Libertarian Party chairman!I've held that position for four years now. And I guess it's not such a bad job, because it requires zilcho work and people address me as 'honorable' no matter how much beer I drink. But I think I'm going to quit, because it just isn't working out. Even though philosophically I still lean towards libertarianism, I don't think I want to be a member of the party any more.Read the whole thing.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
I weep for the future...
Daily Texan: An SG legacy?The major similarity between the 2003 and 2004 Student Government elections isn't that students voted online. It's that one ticket dominated.Why back in my day we had a UT student political party called the Committee to Retire Aspiring Politicians (CRAP). I remember one time there was a guy running for student body president who advocated building a water slide from the Tower onto the West Mall. He promised that he would bring professional hockey to Austin. I voted for him.
SG members differ on how Focus, which swept elections this year, reflected the success of Students First, which won all but one position in 2003.
Leaders of both Focus and the newly defeated Reprezent ticket emerged from Students First.
So, you guys doing this political stuff at UT! Cut it out! Take it from me, soon you'll be old and have plenty of time for this politics stuff. Right now you should be drinking a lot, stealing things from fraternity houses, and getting into relationships that you'll regret later. Trust me, take advantage of the time you have now. It'll be gone soon enough.
Very good review of Chris Difford at Docklands.
Must read
The Austin Chronicle: Politics: While Elephants SleepGood detail in this article. Go read the whole thing. It includes this quote:
Meanwhile, at the apex of their imperium, Republicans grew lazy and complacent and stayed home even in their strongest boxes.Which is one dig at my fellow Republicans that is completely accurate. Now let's get to work.
CD02 Watch: Knight Ridder signs up as Rep. Lampson's spokesman
KRT Wire: Small Businesses in Beaumont, Texas, Disappointed in Bush Administration PlanBuried in this story about Small Business Administration funding is a clue as to where the story probably came from:
In a letter Lampson sent to constituents dated Tuesday, he said, 'Last year, the 7(a) program was so drastically underfunded that it was shut down for a period, leaving countless businesses without the resources they need to create jobs.'Funny headline too, in the story they don't talk to a single small businessperson. They talk to politicans and professors, but no one who actually does something constructive for a living.
CD10 Watch: Money isn't everything....
Houston Chronicle: 10th District Republican runoff hits top dollarThe Republican primary runoff candidates for the 10th District are digging deep into their own pockets to finance what has become the most expensive congressional race in the country.I don't regard money as the perfect barometer of who's going to win a race. If I want to gauge a candidate's chances, it's not the first question I ask. I ask, "How many votes do you need to win?" If they say "50% plus 1" or something equally foolish, I figure they're keeping their strategy to themselves or don't know what in the heck they're doing.
Houston mortgage banker Ben Streusand and Austin lawyer Mike McCaul are among the nation's three largest spenders of their own money for congressional races.
As of Feb. 18, Streusand had contributed more of his own money than any other congressional candidate -- $1.34 million, or 96 percent of the $1.4 million he has raised.
McCaul, meanwhile, was the third biggest personal spender at $647,000, or 70 percent of the $929,000 he raised.
Yes!
You are Walt Whitman! Champion of the
Transcendentalist American Ideal, Walt Whitman
is one of the first poets to use the "free
verse" form in America. He has been
imitated, but will never be duplicated, just
like you! Except for by everyone else who gets
Walt Whitman ;)
Which famous poet are you? (pictures and many outcomes)
brought to you by Quizilla
Thanks to Owen for the link. I love Whitman's poetry. Love it. I'm so happy.
Song of the Day
Lamas fayre by Chris DiffordWe caught the ferry from Stranraer to Larne
over the great waves out under the stars
to sleep in a cabin and look for the shore
at six in the morning when I was a boy
mother would lead me and take me in her hand
combing my parting while back on dry land
we caught the showers that fell on the beech,
sunshine we dreamt of was so out of reach
on Irish mountains the coaches would climb
we'd write out postcards as the drivers unwind
and mother was drinking with her friends at the bar
and I'd run them around but I wouldn't go far
We caught the Ocean that flew on the wind
we sat together and we let the day in
she prayed in her silence for all who she knew
this beautiful landscape was all for my view
and mother would take me to see Lamas Fair
gypsies would see me and they'd play with my hair,
I heard my fortune told so simply there
The rain was falling on the heather and gorse
I had my ice cream with the chocolate sauce
father was frowning a bag on his back
the happier he got the more that he drank
fiddles were playing in the opposite bar
I had my crisps and lemonade in the car
down to the causeway where giants once roamed,
id chase the crabs just before they got stoned
my father my mother my brothers and me
so young and simple in my memory
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
HBJ: Metro to host light rail meetings
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will host two open meetings on the future extension of light rail.
Metro staff and consultants will be on hand to describe the alignments under consideration for the extension of the new rail line now operating from the University of Houston-Downtown to south of Reliant Park. Metro representative will also discuss the environmental study process currently under way on the extension project.
The extension is the next step in an overall plan approved by Houston-area voters in November 2003. The first extension will cover a 7.1-mile section from downtown Houston to Loop 610 at Griggs Road. It will begin construction in 2007 and start operating in 2010.
The first meeting will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 30 at Pilgrim Community Center, 3118 Blodgett St. The second meeting will be held on April 1 at the Business Technology Center, 5330 Griggs Road.
Houston Chronicle: Metro train hits pedestrian
A Metro train struck a pedestrian about 4 p.m. near Reliant Park, then the ambulance carrying the victim was struck by a car en route to Ben Taub Hospital.
The unidentified pedestrian was attempting to cross Fannin Street from the Reliant Park Station platform when he got hit by a southbound train entering the station, said Metro spokesman Ken Connaughton.
[snip]
As the ambulance headed to the hospital, a vehicle smashed into it in an intersection as a television news helicopter recorded from above. Damage appeared moderate; it's unknown whether anyone was injured in the second incident.
News 24 Houston: Pedestrian hit by light-rail train suffers minor injuries
A pedestrian was hit by a METRO light-rail train near the platform at Reliant Stadium this afternoon.
Metro officials say the victim was a man who works at Reliant Park. They say he was crossing the Reliant and Fannin intersection when the train hit him.
Viva la PP!
Reuters: Thousands protest in Madrid against SocialistsSeveral thousand protesters have taken to the streets of Madrid to back outgoing Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and accuse the Socialists of exploiting the train bombings to win power.
'The elections were a robbery,' said high school student Maria Garcia, wearing stickers of Aznar's Popular Party (PP) on her jacket, at the protest outside party headquarters on Wednesday.
Hi, my name's Rob, and I'm addicted to politics.
Brenham Banner-Press Online Edition: County clerk, party chairs call for ballot board meetThe date and time of a Washington County Ballot Board meeting is expected to be announced soon, having been requested by three key officials involved in the recent March 9 party primaries process.I found this article interesting. I need help. Someone intervene, please!
County Clerk/election coordinator Beth Rothermel - joined by both Democratic party chair Duane Olney and Republican party chair Richard Stadelmann - have called for a meeting of the county's full ballot board relative "to issues in conjunction with the March 9 primaries."
Just Looking
Fort Bend / Southwest Sun: Despite poor turnout voters speak their mindsIn the Precinct Chair races, Teresa Raia, the key target of Thode-Wallace camp, emerged victorious. Raia got 429 votes to Carol Hutchens' 329. The names of State Sen. Kyle Janek and Congressman Tom DeLay were dragged into the race.Seshardi Kumar has written much better than this before, but Kumar still knows what I'm interested in and digs out the details. Mrs. Raia is one of the representatives from my Senate district to the state GOP.
Some other key Republican activists like Mickey Mixon and David Stone also won even as the group lost Debora Ross and David Wood, noted social conservatives.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Memo to JAG
Washington Times: Army, captain near deal in espionage caseCapt. James Yee and prosecutors are near an agreement under which the Army would drop its most serious criminal charges against the Muslim chaplain and he would agree to undergo up to 30 days of counterintelligence interrogations and a polygraph test.If you can't prove allegations of espionage, don't leak the info to the press. I blogged on Capt. Yee, and it may end up that he isn't as guilty as they made it out to be.
Once accused of spying, Capt. Yee ultimately was charged with adultery and mishandling classified information while assigned to Task Force Guantanamo, where he tended to the religious needs of Taliban and al Qaeda detainees.
ChronicBile Hatchet Job Falls Flat
Houston Chronicle: Candidate linked to legislators during remapStreusand's campaign manager, Marc Cowart, said that if lawmakers had drawn a district for Streusand, they would not have put his home in the district represented by U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands.That's the clearest evidence right there that there was no collusion. Good grief, we didn't even really have a plan going into redistricting and the whole thing was hanging by a thread when we Republicans started fighting over west Texas.
Cowart said Streusand moved to Spring to run for the 10th Congressional District seat, which has no incumbent.
Monday, March 15, 2004
It's Over!
The Replacements tape is out of my cassette player! It just came out when I pushed on the button. I still love The Replacements, but thank goodness!Another Election Worker Writes
Counterpunch: Greg Moses - Looking for a Coalition with LegsAnd Americans who are caught up in the work day have precious little time. To how many voters did we explain, that this was a party primary? But why did they have to pick a party, some asked? Or why couldn't they pull a straight ticket? Later in news reports, these primary-party voters would be lumped together as 'activists,' when it was clear that political literacy was sometimes quite minimal.I noticed this as well. But bless them, they went out to vote.
No Regulation Without Representation!
Houston Chronicle: Stricter flood rules may reach past city limitsMayor Bill White on Sunday reaffirmed his plan to implement stricter runoff regulations in the city and agreed to extend that effort to Houston's extra-territorial jurisdiction, at least on an interim basis.If you all want to talk to my MUD about ways to work together, fine. I'm all for that. But if you all want to try and dictate to us what we're going to do, well, you ought to have a fight on your hands.
[snip]
The city's extra-territorial jurisdiction generally extends to five miles outside city limits into unincorporated Harris County. As the limit of the city's annexation powers, land within the ETJ is covered by some city development regulations.
[snip]
Jim Box, a development consultant and past president of the Greater Houston Builders Association said last week that developers were mindful of the need to fix Houston's flooding problems and were unlikely to fight the higher runoff standards.
On Sunday, Box questioned whether the city had the authority to impose stricter requirements in the ETJ.
But he suggested it may be a moot point, explaining that any construction that occurs within a municipal utility district in the city's ETJ already is subject to the city's regulations. That covers about 80 percent of the development in the ETJ, Box said.
The remainder already is covered by Harris County's slightly stricter requirements.
What next?
Houston Chronicle: Sounding Board: Second black seat test uneasy coalition"Because I didn't do what white, liberal, extremist Democratic leaders wanted me to do, they're trying to punish me. It's a racist attitude. They think they ought to control the minds and hearts of every black in the Democratic Party, and if you don't do what they say, they're going to try to drag you back to the plantation like a runaway slave," Wilson said in a Houston Chronicle story.I'm curious to see what Ron Wilson does next. Lobbyist? Other office?
Friday, March 12, 2004
One Question
WaPo: Md. Activist Charged With Working for IraqA former congressional press aide from Takoma Park was arrested yesterday for allegedly maintaining an "intelligence relationship" for several years with U.S.-based spies for Saddam Hussein before the Iraqi leader was ousted.If this woman had worked for Republican Congressmen, how high up in the story do you think the Post would have mentioned it? My guess is the headline, definitely before the second-to-last paragraph.
Among other activities, authorities said, Susan Lindauer, 40, cooperated with Iraqi intelligence agents in January 2003 by delivering a letter to the home of a relative, White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr., urging the Bush administration to hold off its invasion of Iraq so weapons inspectors could continue their work.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Ball Bounces
So my Election Day went fine, rather uneventful. No problems with the election in my polling place, no one yelled at me (the Elections Judge) this time.Congratulations to Justice of the Peace Russ Ridgway! I am so happy he won. I could only be happier if Emily Munoz had won Criminal District Court 177, or rather gotten into the runoff, which was our plan. When the opponent gets 66% of the mail ballot, like Devon Anderson did, that's pretty hard to catch up from. We held her below 50% of Election Day returns, but it wasn't enough to counteract the force those endorsements had on the early vote.
So congratulations to Devon Anderson on winning the race, I'm sure she'll make a great judge.
I was rather surprised that Al Green trounced Chris Bell in CD09, the feeling I got as an observer was that it would be a runoff. Shows how much I know about Democratic politics. I suspect that Mr. Green campaigned in the more heavily minority areas. My north Alief/Mission Bend/West Oaks neighborhood is racially mixed, but no one group is in the majority. So he must have avoided us.
So, it's a bad omen for us Republicans in CD09 that both our candidates for Congress combined got 5,198 votes, and the three Democrats got 21,550. That isn't a precise indicator of what we'll see in November, but it sure ain't good. Every other of my elected officials is a Republican though, so I can't complain too much.
Coming Up for Air
This is strange, go read Greg's piece on working the polls on primary day. Then consider this:- I worked the polls for 14 hours in precinct 0814's GOP primary.
- I'm 37 and several people called me "young."
- My co-blogger Matt brought me free Whataburger. (Thanks Matt!)
- I made an error in setting up the handicap access e-Slate.
- We approved all our resolutions in the precinct convention.
Monday, March 08, 2004
Hardcore Politics
I got a 103, which means:You have entered the heady realm of hard-core libertarianism. Now doesn't that make you feel worse that you didn't get a perfect score?I feel pretty good about myself, actually.
Fleck's Back?
I had News 24 Houston on today while I was getting ready for Election Day, and I swear I could have heard them say that Tim Fleck (former Houston Press columnist) would be providing Election Night commentary. I can't find any mention of it on their site and haven't been near a TV for a while, so I'm not sure. You all might want to check it out. His columns were very insightful and original, I hope he comes off as well on TV.The $200,000 Man?
News 24 Houston: City Council member faces incumbent JP for Precinct 5 positionIf Goldberg wins the Justice of the Peace race, a special election will take place to fill his City Council seat. County officials estimate that could cost taxpayers about $200,000.I don't think anyone is worth an extra $200,00. Please vote tomorrow for Russ Ridgway and Emily Munoz.
Sunday, March 07, 2004
The Childless Couple Strikes Again
As you may remember, we have no children. Our niece comes to stay with us every once in a while, she's here this week.So, I ran out to Whataburger for breakfast tacos. Then when we got to the studio, we realized that we hadn't had lunch, so we got her some Taco Bell. Then, one of our regulars had fajitas for their party. They offered them all around and we ate plenty of fajitas.
So, come and stay with Uncle Rob and Aunt Michelle, we'll feed you tacos three times a day. Man, this child-rearing is hard!
Attention Harris County Elections Judges
I picked up my election supplies yesterday. It includes a list of folks who voted in the Republican Primary early. I have to know this so they can't vote twice and they can participate in the GOP precinct convention.I was surprised to find my neighbor's name on the list of GOP voters. Because he's running for Democratic precinct chair. Just to double-check I called him and he is certain he voted in the Democratic Primary. When your own name is on the ballot, you're pretty certain.
If you're an elections judge in Harris County, please double-check your early voters list. I'm calling around now (Sunday morning) and trying to figure it out. It may just be my list, but you've got to be certain.
Update: I found out that the lists they handed out to people who picked up equipment early on Saturday did not contain the field indicating whether the person in the Democratic or Republican primary. If you're an elections judge and your list of early voters does not contain the D or R field, call Election Services Department at (281) 447-2973. They'll fax you a corrected list.
Saturday, March 06, 2004
Don't know much about MS Word...
Geek.com: MS Word document kerfuffle reveals SCO's secret legal strategy to allCurrent versions of Microsoft Word have a little-known, seldom-used "Track Changes" function. Many users have no idea that it exists, and this seems to include SCO. "Track Changes" does precisely what the name implies: it tracks additions, deletions, and modifications to any Word document since its creation, allowing anyone to view what the document looked like in prior states and who modified what.I think that's kind of like saying the glove box is a "little-known, seldom-used feature" of a car. It's right there on the menu bar, if you're concerned about security of your documents, you ought to pay closer attention to the software you're using.
Friday, March 05, 2004
If you search Yahoo! for "purple hair dryer", I'm number 11. I'm sure you were curious.
Racism in the Democrat Party?
No... It can't be.... Racism in the Democrat Party?
Houston Chronicle: New 9th District stokes old tensions
Bell, Green trade allegations in racially charged Dem primary
The two major contestants in the newly drawn 9th Congressional District are fighting a racially charged Democratic primary battle that is creating hard feelings between the candidates and among party loyalists forced to chose sides....
State Democratic Chairman Charles Soechting has sided with Bell, attracting criticism from Green supporters who claim the party has turned its back on African-Americans who have supported it for decades.
Harris County Democratic Chairman Gerry Birnberg has asked Soechting to drop his endorsement for fear of alienating black voters. Soechting declined the request.
And on and on, with most of the allegations and rebuttals teetering along a fine racial line in a district with a higher black population than the constituency Bell represents now....
...."We've propped up white Democrats for long enough," said state Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston. "When we get a chance to elect one of our own, we should." Coleman and Wilson are black.
"The worst-case scenario is that there is sufficient alienation and antagonism between the African-American community and the Anglo community to undermine the way the Democratic Party comes together," Birnberg said.
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Conservative Republicans of Harris County
Conservative Republicans of Harris County has some endorsements.
CD 10 Watch: Game Over, Man
Congressman Ron Paul, MD has endorsed John Devine. Seeing as I agree with Ron Paul on just about everything, this is a done deal regarding for whom I would recommend people vote.Go to the web site to listen to Dr. Paul's message.
Gay Marriage: One Size Fits All?
CNN.com: Senate mulls same-sex marriageBut in an unlikely alliance, some 'limited government' conservatives, gay rights and civil rights supporters all plan to fight an amendment, even though they may not agree on the gay marriage question.
'This is not to say that conservatives such as myself necessarily favor gay marriages, but that we strongly oppose the notion of addressing this issue of social policy in our nation's governing document,' said Chuck Muth, president of Citizen Outreach.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Blogging will be light for the next week due to the campaigns I'm helping and the election I have to run. By the way, next Tuesday I will actually be a government official (elections judge) and can legally arrest people. So if you want someone arrested, send them to the Mission Bend Methodist Church and I'll be happy to place them in custody.
Several people have asked if I have extradition powers and the answer unfortunately is no.
Several people have asked if I have extradition powers and the answer unfortunately is no.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Attention Republican Voters in Harris County, Texas Precinct 0814
Dear Neighbor,My name is Rob Booth and I'm the Republican precinct chair for our area (precinct 0814). I grew up in Houston, left to go to school in Austin and then spent 8 years in the Navy (1990-1998). If you'll notice the years, I served under President Clinton. I decided that politics was very important and resolved to get back to Texas and get involved.
The Republican primary will be held from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 at the Mission Bend United Methodist Church, which is located at 3710 Hwy 6 South.
Following the election at 7:30, we will hold a precinct convention in the church. This is where we select delegates to go to the county convention, adopt resolutions, and conduct the real grassroots party activities. By voting in the Republican primary, you are entitled to attend the convention and I would like to personally invite you to do so.
If you're like me, you've been getting a lot of political junk mail. I've taken a close look at the candidates this primary season and have made two endorsements in judicial races. I thought you all might want to hear an endorsement from someone who doesn't have a stake in who wins. I don't plan on ending up in court, so the people I'm endorsing can't help me in any way.
1. I've whole-heartedly endorsed Emily Munoz for Judge of the 177th Criminal District Court. If you're interested in reading my complete thoughts on the matter, you can take a look at this page on my web site:
http://www.robbooth.net/emilymunoz.shtml
Emily is a hard-working, extremely qualified candidate. She has the energy, commitment, and character to make a great judge.
2. I've also endorsed Russ Ridgway for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 1. I also put up a web page for him:
http://www.robbooth.net/russridgway.shtml
Russ is the incumbent judge. The Harris County Commissioners Court appointed him when the previous judge resigned. I've known Russ personally for the past four years and can't say enough good things about him.
I have an e-mail newsletter that I send out to Republicans in our precinct. If you would like to receive it, please send an e-mail to 0814R-subscribe(at)yahoogroups.com.
It's not too late to work as a clerk in the election. If you would like to get paid to help your neighbors exercise their right to vote, please send me an e-mail at rob(at)robbooth.net. If you can't work the primary election, maybe you could help with the November election.
Thanks for taking the time to read my message. There's supposed to be a disclaimer at the end of political ads telling you who paid for it. Well, I paid for this and I don't expect to get any benefit out of it except for the satisfaction from trying to make a difference.
Regards,
Robert Booth, Jr.
Republican Party Precinct Chair -- 0814
Tuesday Cat Blogging
That's Lily "Wildfire" Booth, the cat that was born to a feral cat in our neighbors' front yard.
Got Sigs?
The Texas Libertarian Party's drive to get on the ballot will be pretty interesting to watch. Texas law makes it pretty difficult for a third party. They say they're going to have to collect 75,000 signatures statewide, but here's the kicker: They have to collect them from people who did not vote in either the GOP or Democratic Party primary. Translation -- From people who aren't that interested in politics. And probably don't like strangers coming up to talk to them about it. (75,000 is their target total, somewhere around 65,000 required plus a fudge factor.)The LP had gotten by without having a ballot drive since 1986 because they had a candidate win more than 5% in a statewide election every other year. That got them automatically on the ballot. In 2002, they didn't make that standard, so they have to collect signatures to get on the ballot again.
And this time, they've got someone competing with them for signatures. If they don't get ballot access, this could lead to the disintegration of the LP. Texas is a major provider of money and manpower to the party, and this effort will suck up a lot of both. If they're unsuccessful, this could lead to fatigue amongst donors and volunteers.
If they succeed, they're still in trouble. I don't see how they're going to get 5% in an election in 2004, so they'll have to do the whole thing over again for 2006. More fatigue. More defections. More people dropping out of politics all together.
I personally am in a funny position on this. On the one hand, they're competition and they take votes that would go to the GOP, for the most part. On the other hand, one of the reasons people pay attention to us libertarian Republicans is that we represent a bridge to a whole faction of American voters that the GOP has to work hard to reach. If they're on the ballot, they hurt my party, but they help me.
Seeing as I find the kind of ballot access requirements that we have in Texas overly restrictive, I can only wish my former colleagues in the Libertarian Party the best of results.
Thanks for the link!
Where Am I And Why Am I Wearing This Funny Hat?My friend Steve did the states-visited map deal and reveals to the world that he's never been to New Jersey. Dude, then you've never had real pizza. Get yourself to Star Tavern in Orange and order a white clam pie. Say hi to my Uncle Glenn and Aunt Gail. They don't work there, they're regulars.
CD10 Watch
HoustonChronicle.com: Revamped 10th likely to become conservativeThe current home of one of Texas' most liberal congressmen is likely next year to be represented by someone on the opposite end of the political spectrum.
Republicans redrew the 10th Congressional District, changing it from a compact spot in the heart of Austin to a sprawling strip spanning eight counties that is dominated by some of Houston and Austin's most conservative suburbs.
Court Keeds, He Keeds
The Baytown Sun: Democratic turnout up in early votingBaytown Democrats are out in full force, with more than twice the number of ballots being cast in the first week of early voting this year compared to four years ago.
[snip]
Court Koenning, Harris County Republican party executive director, said Republicans have not voted as much so far because Republicans are more likely to have jobs and have not been able to make it to polls. This week, polls have expanded hours, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, March 01, 2004
CD10 Watch: Let's Go to the Video
Houston Chronicle: Campaign Notebook: GOP candidates turn to TV in 10th DistrictFive Republican candidates for the 10th Congressional District have turned to television advertising in hopes of gaining an edge in a sprawling district with a crowded primary.
The race for the 10th, which stretches from north Houston to Austin, features eight GOP candidates -- the largest primary field in a busy Texas congressional election season fueled by redistricting.
No Democrat is running in the 10th.
On the air with ads giving their positions on issues or biographical information are mortgage banker Ben Streusand of Spring; former state District Judge John Devine of Tomball; former federal prosecutor Michael McCaul of Austin; public relations director Brad Tashenberg of Katy; and attorney Dave Phillips of Cypress.
I'm Catching Up
News 24 Houston: Two Republican candidates facing off for 9th Congressional DistrictThe new, heavily minority 9th Congressional District covers southwest Harris County and part of Fort Bend County.I don't know how I missed that story.
There are two Republican candidates going up against the three Democrats seeking your vote.
A.R. Hassan and Arlette Molina each say they will be responsive to the constituents while creating a strong relationship with Republican leaders in Washington.
Hassan is an Egyptian immigrant, Molina, a third generation Houstonian, and each is looking for Republican votes on March 9.
Keep Up
So it's been a full weekend of fun and politics. Let me catch you up on what I've been up to.Friday night: Worked in our studio until about 11:30. Got home, did some laundry, watched some soccer, listened to Chris Difford's new album, and got to bed as early as I could.
Saturday 9:00 AM: Meet the candidate coffee at Grace Assembly Church with Arlette Molina. Discussed some strategy with her and her campaign staff.
Saturday 10:00 AM: Meet my friend Pete to go to Katy. My parents are having problems with their ceiling, Pete's pretty dang knowledgeable about these things. We looked at it and decided that it will cost a lot of money. My dad, Pete, and I adjourned to Dozier's Meat Market in Fulshear. Along the way we gave Pete a lesson in Fort Bend County geography. (He gives me geography lessons on inside-the-loop places all the time.)
So the barbecue was good. Pete and I had brisket, sausage, potato salad, and beans. It was all good, the sausage I probably wouldn't order the next time, but the brisket and the sides were very good. The problem was Dad had the ribs and was really enjoying them. Pete and I were envious and resolved to return for the ribs. (Pete and I disagree on minor things like politics, but on the important things like barbecue, we regard it as the ultimate food.)
Back to my house, good-bye to Pete and off to Sam's for paper towels and garbage bags. Back home, my parents come over to take us to Taiko for Japanese hibachi food. It was for Michelle's birthday dinner, we love the food the Japanese cook on the grill. The New York Strip Steak and the chicken hibachi dinner are great. Mother had the scallops and loved them. So, some wine, some more red meat, and back home.
Sunday AM: E-Mail and reading the news online. Getting things together for working early voting.
Sunday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Stood outside the early voting location at the Tracey Gee Community Center cajoling people to vote for Emily Munoz and Russ Ridgway.
I stood out there for several hours with Beverly Spencer, a Democratic candidate for CD09. She was a very nice lady and I enjoyed our conversation very much. A Chris Bell volunteer came out and was trying to drum up votes for him. We had a pretty good time chatting about politics and elections. There were probably only 75 voters all day, so we had plenty of time to gab.
Of course, there was the usual clusterchump about the line outside of which we politickers had to stand. When I arrived, I put on a jacket over my Munoz t-shirt and went in to let the election judge know I would be out there. The woman I was directed to let me know that the 100 foot line was technically in the street, so they put the marker on the sidewalk. I could stand on the sidewalk.
So, 10 minutes later a guy came out and directed me to move down the sidewalk because the line should be in the street. I explained that I had already talked with someone inside and he chose to ignore that and tell me that the line is set as a radius from the polling place. I reiterated that I had already spoken with someone inside who had been presented to me as the person to talk to and that she said the sidewalk was ok. I pointed at that distance marker they had placed on the sidewalk. He tried to explain to me what a radius was. (I really hate it when people don't listen to me.) I went through the same spiel. He finally said that the lady I spoke with didn't know what she was talking about.
Now, I thought about getting an exact determination as to the chain of command of the personnel working inside, but Beverly and I had already discussed moving down the sidewalk to be closer to the driveway. I looked at her and got the impression she was thinking what I was, that further discussion was a waste of time, so we moved down the sidewalk and eventually moved to the back side of the building.
So we greeted all the folks who came in to vote, tried to determine whether they would be voting Dem or GOP, where (what district) they would be voting, etc. Most people didn't want to talk to us at all, I got the distinct impression that we were one level up from telemarketers.
Sunday PM: Picked up some takeout from Olive Garden and we settled down for the Oscars and some work on the computer. The Oscars so far seem to be pretty boring. The one highlight of the show was the opening Billy Crystal movie parody montage, where Michael Moore was shown trying to stop the war in the Lord of the Rings. Shame on you hobbits, shame!
I'll be glad when the primaries are over.
