31 March 2005
What's Jon Lindsay up to now?
Houston Architecture Info Forum has posted a bill that state Sen. Jon Lindsay (I'm suspicious already) has filed "relating to the planning, construction, and operation of toll road projects by certain counties."
Since Sen. Lindsay is doing his darndest to get the Grand Parkway segment built through Spring, I am concerned that his proposed amendments are to facilitate that construction through the Harris County Toll Road Authority.
It looks like some of the HAIF folks are trying to decipher the intent of Lindsay's bill. If any of our readers have legislative-speak deciphering abilities, I would appreciate your thoughts on what Lindsay is trying to do.
Thanks goes to the blogHOUSTON reader who alerted me to the thread at HAIF, and for also pointing out that the Trans-Texas Corridor Committee has been selected. If you scroll down to the thirteenth entry in the thread, you'll see the names of people selected to the committee.
UPDATE: In the forum, Bill F has translated the bill and it's not good.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/31/05 07:27 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (2)
Councilwoman calls for SAFEclear audit
KPRC-2 is reporting that Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is requesting an audit of the SAFEclear program:
Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs asked the city controller for a thorough accounting of the controversial program.
"It's important to know not only things about the efficiencies of the program, but it's also important to know the price tag of the program," she said.
Sekula-Gibbs is concerned that taxpayers are not getting their money's worth for the program.
"What resources are going to be cut? Is it going to be from the health department? Is it going to be from the police department? Where are we going to take the money in order to pay for Safe Clear?" she said.
On Tuesday, the mayor touted the program as a success story. It began on Jan. 1.
"This is one of the most cost-effective programs," Houston Mayor Bill White said.
The mayor confirmed that the price tag has risen to nearly $900,000, mainly due to the city offering free tows to some motorists.
"I'm very comfortable with $900,000 going to this program because 2 million people or 3 million people are benefiting by less congestion and fewer accidents and lives saved," Houston City Council member Michael Berry said.
The audit of Safe Clear is expected to take six months.
We would certainly appreciate the unfiltered facts.
I've decided the mayor has a SAFEclear motto: "less congestion, fewer accidents and lives saved." Lather, rinse, repeat.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/31/05 06:55 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (3)
Texas shield law for journalists rears its head again
A few weeks back, the Chronicle editors wrote an editorial encouraging the Legislature to pass HB188, a bill that would give journalists special privileges -- in essence, a shield law. We pointed out then that the bill is poorly worded and it would be unwise to grant special privileges to journalists.
A blogHOUSTON reader gave us a heads up today that the Senate side has its own bill -- SB604 -- introduced by state Sen. Rodney Ellis (D), and the reader suggests that Ellis may have the votes needed to move it out of committee.
We cannot emphasize enough what a lousy piece of legislation this is. The press already has a protection in place -- it's called the First Amendment.
Amusingly, in its earlier editorial, the Chronicle said:
The bill would not create a special class of persons. Journalism is an activity open to anyone with a copier or Web site. The bill stipulates only that the journalism must be disseminated, drawing the distinction between reporters and commentators, and diarists and people who merely agree to keep a secret.
However, the two bills do not make that distinction. Here is how the (identical) bills define "journalist" and "news medium":
(1) "Journalist" means a person, or an employee,
independent contractor, or agent of that person, engaged in the
business of gathering, compiling, writing, editing, photographing,
recording, or processing information for dissemination by any news
medium.(2) "News medium" means a person who in the ordinary
course of business publishes, broadcasts, or otherwise
disseminates news by print, television, radio, or other electronic
means accessible to the public.
There is nothing in those definitions that draws a distinction between reporters and commentators. How many times have we seen columnists and bloggers dig up news that the "professional" media doesn't, for whatever reasons? And bloggers and columnists use the internet which would be included in "other electronic means accessible to the public."
My question then, as now, is if Rick Casey is covered, in the Chronicle's interpretation? What about Clay Robison or Cragg Hines? They are commentators. What about Kyrie O'Connor? She writes the blog MeMo, which is available online only. Are bloggers considered journalists?
These definitions are muddy and open to numerous interpretations. We don't agree that "professional journalists" should be given special privileges that would not be given to any average citizen -- including diarists and secret-keepers. The First Amendment is sufficient protection.
If you are so inclined, please call your state representative and senator and politely voice your opinion on this proposed journalist shield law.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/31/05 05:59 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
I-45 meeting this Saturday
Charles Kuffner has information on a meeting this Saturday to discuss TxDOT's plan to widen I-45.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/31/05 10:59 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (0)
Groups fret over Taser usage; Chronicle hops to attention
The Chronicle's Roma Khanna -- who has done yeoman's work for Jeff Cohen in exposing the shocking fact that HPD officers have actually had to use their guns when dealing with bad guys, and in doing makeovers of death row killer guys -- has a story today about Tasers being disproportionately used on minorities:
Houston police officers used Tasers on minorities in almost 90 percent of the incidents in which they shocked people in recent months, prompting civil rights groups Wednesday to call for tighter controls on the use of the stun guns.
Leaders from the ACLU, LULAC and NAACP requested a meeting with Police Chief Harold Hurtt to express concern about officers' use of the 50,000-volt alternative weapons since the police department bought 3,700 of them last year.
Officers stunned people with Tasers in 144 incidents between Dec. 3 and March 10, according to the department, shocking blacks or Hispanics in 125 cases, or 87 percent.
"It always seems that the minorities are the first to get a taste of something like this," said Sylvia Gonzalez, director of the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens. "We are very concerned."
Executive Assistant Police Chief Charles McClelland said, however, that the racial breakdown on Taser use mirrors statistics of other police interaction with minorities.
"The Taser itself is not a racial device," he said. "Officers' decision to deploy the Taser is based on the suspects' behavior and the officers' training."
In police shootings throughout the county, however, about 70 percent of people shot from 1999 through August 2004 were minorities, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis.
I don't know why, but I am constantly amazed at "professional" journalists' inability to do any critical thinking. Does Khanna really think that HPD officers specifically target minorities? REALLY?
The Chronicle was supportive when HPD purchased Tasers to use as an alternative to guns. Are we now seeing another crusade, to completely disarm law enforcement? We've asked this before, but what exactly would the Chronicle like HPD to do when faced with bad guys? Hand them a cookie? Give them a gift certificate? Maybe a teddy bear? WHAT should HPD do?
And let's not forget what happened when the Chronicle's editorial board was invited to test a law enforcement training simulator:
Earlier this year, Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal invited members of the editorial board to the basement of the Harris County Court House to experience the Shoot/Don’t Shoot Course – a state-of-the-art virtual reality program used to train law enforcement officers how to deal with a variety of simulated, life-threatening scenarios. According to those who witnessed the exercise, a majority of the editorial board members “killed” both innocent citizens and unarmed suspects. One reportedly shot a child – and was, understandably, so upset by their decision they could not continue the course.
Split-second decision-making, in potentially life-threatening situations, is not easy.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/31/05 10:34 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (5)
Chron garners award for Enron-related coverage
The Houston Chronicle, criticized for its coverage of Enron as the company was unravelling, has won an award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers in the Breaking News category, for its more recent coverage of the indictment of Ken Lay.
Local business/legal blogger extraordinaire Tom Kirkendall has followed the Enron saga closely, and his site remains an invaluable local resource for opinion on recent and past developments.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/31/05 09:30 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
30 March 2005
New mainstream = secretive group that targets GOP?
Orrin Judd points us to an editorial posted to The Hill that excoriates Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), an interest group that promotes greater transparency in politics but, as the editorial points out, doesn't much believe in transparency for itself. As the editorial also points out, the group tends to target Republican lawmakers.
What does this have to do with Houston?
As it turns out, this secretive group that targets Republicans played a role in helping Chris Bell (D) file his ethics complaint against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R) after Bell lost his Congressional primary to Democrat Al Green in a redrawn district:
CREW assisted former Rep. Chris Bell (D-Texas) in drafting a complaint against Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) that resulted in the majority leader’s admonishment by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
More on CREW's role is revealed by liberal columnist Katrina vanden Heuvel:
CREW proved its mettle when it used the ethics process in the House to expose House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's corrupt activities (including allegedly bribing his Republican colleagues to win their votes for the GOP's sham Medicare legislation, engaging in quid pro quos with corporations seeking legislative favors and violating campaign finance laws in Texas in 2002.) Sloan discussed filing a complaint against DeLay with members of the House, but nobody bit. But then, Chris Bell, the Congressman from Texas whom DeLay had effectively redistricted out of his seat, phoned her. He agreed to take the complaint to the Ethics Committee.
A former Assistant US Attorney from 1998 to 2003, Sloan drafted the complaint as if "I was writing an indictment." After Bell and Sloan traded several drafts, the complaint was filed.
It's always good to know which interest groups constitute "the new mainstream."
UPDATE: Betty Friedan, Howard Metzenbaum, and Jim Hightower lend their names to a different group that seems to be clamoring to be part of "the new mainstream" also.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/30/05 09:44 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (4)
HPD crime lab has new leadership to conduct probe
The Chronicle is reporting a development in the HPD crime lab probe:
The former inspector general for the U.S. Justice Department will head the probe of the Houston Police Department's embattled crime laboratory.
The City Council this morning approved the hiring of Michael R. Bromwich to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the work of the HPD lab — in some cases going back as far as 1987.
The contract calls for Bromwich, and the Washington, D.C. law firm that employs him, to be paid as much as $2.2 million to carry out the investigation.
According to the contract, Bromwich and his crew of assistants and subcontractors will examine the operations of these crime lab divisions during the period from 1998 through 2004: trace analysis, controlled substances, firearms, questioned documents and toxicology.
The investigators will review the work of the department's serology and DNA labs, dating back to 1987.
Previously, Chief Hurtt has been criticized for not moving faster to deal with crime lab problems.
RELATED: HPD crime lab fails to gain accreditation (blogHOUSTON), HPD Chief says crime lab to be accredited soon (blogHOUSTON)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/30/05 03:43 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Houston's tricky water billing method
I'd call this a creative way to increase water revenues:
Let's say your March bill says you used 3,000 gallons, but unknown to you, you actually used 3,800 gallons.
The additional 800 gallons are rolled over to the next month, even though the bill doesn't explain this.
In April, let's say you used 3,600 gallons. With the rollover, it adds up to 4,400 gallons. The cost then rises to the higher rate of $27.
Then the remaining 400 gallons roll over to the next month.
I saw the original KHOU-11 story last week and was absolutely floored by this method of water billing. It sounds like some councilmembers were surprised, too:
The leaders at City Council made it clear that they were unaware of this billing practice.
"Your presentation on the television was very interesting. I am glad you brought this to our attention," said councilmember Shelly Sekula-Gibbs.
[snip]
"Mr. Miller you shouldn't be mad at the water department that has to execute. That's our fault that we put in place a system that works this way, and I will tell you, it's the first news to me. OK, it's a big city. I will be the first to admit that I did not realize that that is the way it works," said Councilmember Michael Berry.
Here's the water rate chart on the city's website. If you use KHOU's example of 3,600 gallons rolling over to 4,400, you can see what a jump in rate it is.
I suppose we shouldn't be surprised by something like this, but it makes me wonder what other unknown surprises like this are out there.
UPDATE: KHOU-11 now has a story about water rates going up.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/30/05 12:20 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (6)
Chron: high gas prices makes Metro appealing
Owen Courreges points out that in today's Chronicle editorial on high gas prices, the editorial board takes an opportunity to promote Metro:
The more the price of gasoline increases, the better Houston Metro's $2 day pass for bus or light-rail service starts to look.
Aha. This would be the bus service that continues to be cut and "improved," and the light rail service that covers a whopping 7.5 miles of downtown streets.
Probably not.
By the way, I wonder if the Chronicle is putting its advocacy into practice yet, by getting rid of its parking garage, or if Metro has cancelled a planned parking area for its senior staff?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/30/05 10:48 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Hispanics support school vouchers
A large percentage of Hispanics in Harris County support school vouchers, according to a new poll:
In a poll sponsored by a group working to pass a school voucher bill, almost 73 percent of Harris County Hispanics support the proposed legislation for at-risk children.
"This poll unequivocally verifies what we have known for a long time: Hispanic parents, particularly those in Texas' largest, inner-city school districts, understand school choice offers their children a better future," said Rebeca Nieves Huffman, president and CEO of the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options, the group that sponsored the poll.
The poll of about 1,000 Hispanic voters in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Travis counties shows that almost 76 percent favor a pilot voucher program in Texas' largest, inner-city school districts.
The other side, of course, cries foul:
Carolyn Boyle, coordinator of the Coalition for Public Schools, said Tuesday the poll is "totally bogus," because it didn't give the full story.
"The people who promote private school vouchers always want to ask nebulous questions, and they never ask about the cost," she said. "Had they asked, 'Do you think we should spend a couple of hundred million dollars taken away from neighborhood schools?' they would have said no."
In a Scripps Howard Texas Poll earlier this year, 55 percent said they were opposed to using taxpayer-funded vouchers to allow public students to attend private schools, and 39 percent were in favor.
That's irritating, when the Chronicle reporter assists Carolyn Boyle by adding a reference to a Texas Poll question, because as I have pointed out before, the Texas Poll is not available for public scrutiny. It is only available to subscribing media outlets.
So, since we can't see exactly what the Texas Poll question asked, let me guess how the question was framed: Do you support the state providing private school vouchers, if it would take money away from schools that have already seen a (fill in the blank) percentage drop in funding?
THAT is what's bogus, Ms. Boyle. Why be afraid of a little competition?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/30/05 10:15 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
Filling city coffers
Here's a letter to the editor in today's Chronicle:
A tax to fill coffers
If the city of Houston is broke, then why not just say so and stop coming up with all these ways to collect additional revenue for the city?
Mayor Bill White ran on the campaign promise that he would not raise taxes — and he hasn't, but he has found ways to raise revenue for the city at the expense of taxpayers. Why not just tell everyone that the city is broke and raise the city sales tax? That way, everyone would pay their fair share.
MARTHA HERNANDEZ
Houston
We agree. Mayor White should come out and sell Houstonians on the need to raise revenue. Stealth taxes are unfair and often, I would argue, disproportionately affect those least able to afford them.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/30/05 08:18 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
29 March 2005
KTRK runs a story on Galveston's Social Security experiment
We recently wondered when the Chronicle would ever get around to reporting on the Galveston Social Security model. Well, now there's an AP story on the subject that is making the rounds, and KTRK-13 is running a shortened version of it:
When county employees in Galveston learned 25 years ago that Social Security could be in trouble, they took a gamble on their retirement and opted out of the federal system.
A similar private plan was later adopted in neighboring Brazoria and Matagorda counties.
Residents say they haven't hit the jackpot, but they maintain it is possible to retire more comfortably with their plan than with Social Security.
The county plans let workers invest a portion of their income in annuities and bonds, as a model for the privatization of Social Security.
About five million Americans in government jobs already rely on retirement plans other than Social Security.
The three Texas counties are among a small number of state and local governments around the country that opted out of Social Security for government employees or never joined up at all, like Massachusetts and Ohio.
There's no sign of the AP story on the Chronicle's website yet.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/29/05 07:49 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
A Houston protest in support of Terri Schiavo
It's too bad this protest didn't take place in front of the Chronicle building:
Disabled Houstonians held a protest in downtown Tuesday over the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, Local 2 reported.
The severely brain-damaged woman has gone without food or water at a Florida hospice since March 18 after years of legal battles between her husband and parents.
ADAPT, which stands for American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today, protested in front of the municipal courthouse, 1400 Lubbock, at noon.
The small group of wheelchair-bound protesters displayed handmade signs that said "Disabled Americans Have Rights Too" and "Save Terri's Life."
"I've been on life support twice. I’m very thankful to be alive," protester Andre Gaines said.
"Now I'm thinking, 'How many tubes are going to be pulled? What's going to be next?'" another protester said.
RELATED: When relatives file suit to overrule physicians and keep loved ones on artificial life support, everybody loses (Houston Chronicle)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/29/05 07:06 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Houston is #1 in rental car sticker shock
The disparity between the base rate for a rental car and the final bill is higher at Bush Intercontinental than at any other airport:
Rental car customers experience more severe sticker shock at Bush Intercontinental Airport than any other airport in the country when it comes to the final bill, according to a study released Tuesday.
A study conducted by online travel agent Travelocity.com found that the difference between the base rate and the actual price paid by car renters at the Houston airport is 66.1 percent -- the highest discrepancy in the country.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport swept in second behind Houston, Austin Bergstrom International Airport flew in at fourth, and San Antonio International Airport landed at sixth on the list of top 10 airports with the largest difference in price between daily rental car base rates and the total amount due at airport locations.
Other cities in highly taxed states like California and New York include taxes in their base rates, which study administrators say kept them off the list.
That last paragraph is interesting. So, either Houston needs to change its base rate (it actually sounds deceptive to have a big difference like that), or else it will stay atop the discrepancy list. I hope all those tax dollars are being put to good use.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/29/05 04:52 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (1)
SAFEclear success?
This morning the Chronicle ran a story that said Mayor White was going to announce some SAFEclear statistics.
Matt Bramanti at Lone Star Times has some thoughts on the story that was running earlier this morning.
Now the Chronicle's story includes the details of the mayor's announcement:
Collisions on Houston freeways dropped 12 percent in the first two months of this year compared with the same period in 2003 and 2004, Mayor Bill White announced today, attributing the improvement at least partly to a mandatory towing program that took effect Jan. 1.
The mayor reported 2,177 freeway crashes in January and February of this year, down from 2,489 in the first two months of 2003 and 2,469 last year.
Um, okay. That's our SAFEclear success? I was hoping for more. Can a reduction in collisions really be attributed to SAFEclear? Apparently so.
And there's this:
"It's easier to get around Houston," said White, who previewed his announcement last week in a meeting with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board. "Every day people come up to me and other members of council ... and say, 'I notice a difference.' "
Does that seem odd to anyone else? The statistics are what they are -- why did he need to preview them for the Chronicle's editorial board? I find that really strange.
Of course, if the Chronicle took one of our suggestions and put editorial meetings on the record, we'd know the answer to those questions. But as it stands now, it was an exclusive meeting between some very influential people in Houston.
What was it the Chronicle was touting recently? Oh yes -- Sunshine Week for open government.
Let's cut to the chase: Mayor White desperately needs to sell SAFEclear as a successful program. We know that other cities are looking at SAFEclear as a model for their own traffic problems, and the mayor may have further political aspirations. He needs to be able to point to SAFEclear as an example of his innovative and bold thinking, in order to get things done.
I hope the Chronicle won't blindly accept the mayor's announcement without asking some hard questions and doing some thorough checking. Sunshine Week should also extend to city government.
UPDATE: I've had some time to ponder this and I am completely underwhelmed with the mayor's announcement. Well, guess what? I'm not the only one. Matt Bramanti dissects it:
The Mayor’s office has unveiled statistics "proving" that the Safe Clear program has been an unbridled success. The lack of consistency and detail in these numbers is simply stunning
Follow the link to see his full take.
Also, Chris Baker is talking about the mayor's announcement and he's doing some "redneck math." He sounds underwhelmed, too.
RELATED COVERAGE: KPRC-2, KHOU-11, KTRK-13
UPDATE (03-30-2005) Don't miss commenter Bill F's analysis of the mayor's numbers.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/29/05 12:25 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
DMN: Rodeo gives Houston reporter a rough ride
As usual, Dallas Morning News Houston reporter Bruce Nichols is beating the Chronicle in their backyard, with a solid story on Wayne Dolcefino and his recent dustup with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (and apparently his own television station).
Here is news that we haven't seen elsewhere:
When Mr. Dolcefino pressed questions about how charitable the rodeo actually is – asking about cushy offices, high staff salaries and how much officials pay big-name musical acts – the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo filed suit to rein him in.
Mr. Dolcefino's employers, KTRK-TV, a longtime rodeo supporter and ABC affiliate, declined to air his story. Mr. Dolcefino threatened to quit and went on what amounts to a strike. He's had little to say publicly, and station officials have declined to comment.
This is amusing:
Journalists worry when it appears community pressure is blocking a news inquiry, but the dust-up has gone almost unnoticed outside media circles. The Houston Chronicle, which touted the rodeo's success on the front page, has run two inside stories on problems in Wayne's world.
Where is the Chronicle on this local story?
Trailing the Dallas Morning News, once more.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/29/05 10:24 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (1)
28 March 2005
Chron editorialists reject the Constitutional Option
The Chronicle editorialists try to pull a fast one in today's ranting against what the Powerline crew has dubbed The Constitutional Option:
Frustrated that Democratic senators have used extended debate to reject seven of Bush's judicial nominees, some Republican senators want to implement what has come to be known as the nuclear option: allowing 51 senators (or 50 senators and the vice president) to end debate on judicial nominees. They wish to forget that Republicans held up or rejected confirmation of an even greater number of President Clinton's judicial nominees.
Note that the last sentence implies that Republicans used the filibuster to hold up or reject confirmation of that "even greater number" of Clinton nominees. But they did not use the filibuster.
Rather, the filibuster has become a mechanism by which the Democratic minority in the Senate has frustrated judicial nominations in an unprecedented manner, because they realize those nominees would command a simple majority if allowed to proceed to an up/down vote on the floor. However, the maneuver is only possible because of Senate rules, and is not required by the relevant portion of the Constitution, which states:
[The President] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
Nope, nothing there that requires a filibuster-proof majority to confirm judges.
One can understand that the Chron editorial idealists aren't too happy with the ideological inclinations of an electorate that has chosen Republican control of the Presidency, House, and Senate, but sometimes democratic republicanism results in outcomes that don't please everyone.
Republicans may well decide not to exercise the Constitutional Option. Still, the best way for the minority party to ensure that Republicans don't exercise the Constitutional Option is not editorial whining or relying on the whims of Susan Collins, but beating the Republicans in elections.
UPDATE: The New York Times weighs in against the Constitutional Option, while admitting they supported nearly full obliteration of the filibuster when it was used to delay the Clinton Administration's agenda. They also admit -- honestly -- that "the filibuster has not traditionally been used to stop judicial confirmations...."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/28/05 09:46 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
A perplexing correction from the Chron
The Chronicle ran a confusing correction today:
An article on page A12 of Sunday's Chronicle inaccurately described President Bush's explanation of Mexican Independence Day. In a television interview, the president said the day is celebrated on "Dieciseis de Septiembre" and added in English that the date is Sept. 15. The holiday is celebrated on Sept. 16.
In the original article, Julie Mason of the Chronicle's Washington bureau wrote:
A bit of a Spanish flourish is typical of Bush, even if it sometimes goes awry.
He once famously informed Chris Matthews on Hardball that Mexican Independence Day is "el Dieciseis de Septiembre," or Sept. 16. In truth, the date is Sept. 15, but he gave it a shot.
Here's a bit of information that is readily available from Wikipedia on Mexican Independence Day:
Dieciséis de septiembre commemorates Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's Grito de Dolores — "cry of Dolores"; "Dolores" also means "sorrow", and it comes from the Virgin of Dolores, the village's patron — on September 16, 1810, in the village of Dolores, near Guanajuato. Hidalgo called for the end of Spanish rule in Mexico. On September 16, 1825, the Republic of Mexico officially declared Dieciséis de septiembre its national Independence Day.
[snip]
Contrary to popular wisdom (particularly as manifested in the United States), Cinco de mayo is not the most important national holiday in Mexico. That distinction is reserved for Dieciséis de septiembre, which is celebrated from the eve of September 15 with a re-creation of the Grito de Dolores by all executive office-holders (from the President of the Republic down to municipal mayors) and lasts through the night. In contrast, Cinco de mayo is observed as a notable date, but it is not considered more or less important than the other holidays excepting Dieciséis de septiembre
So, President Bush was actually right to suggest that the celebration of Mexican Independence Day begins on September 15, even though the anniversary itself is September 16.
And the Chronicle correction taken with Mason's original prose doesn't especially enlighten the reader.
But why let facts get in the way of spreading the "President Bush is dumb but well meaning" meme, right?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/28/05 09:14 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
MetroRail's service disruption inconvenienced Lucas Wall
Poor Lucas Wall was inconvenienced by Metro. It's really not wise to do that to the Chronicle's transportation guy, because then he doesn't write a happy column:
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/28/05 10:40 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
27 March 2005
When will the Chron version be posted?
The LA Times runs a piece today on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R), and his family's decision in 1988 to refrain from extraordinary measures to keep his terminal father artificially alive.
The point of the story is so obvious that it will be shocking if the Chronicle doesn't run some version of it (likely a chopped version).
Orrin Judd dismisses some of the nastier insinuations of the story with his usual precision:
Even by its own abysmal standards the press has done a terrible job covering the issues surrounding the Schiavo case--there's a great difference between the question of whether it's morally necessary to initiate heroic measures to prolong life and whether it's morally permissible to withdraw simple sustenance from someone who isn't otherwise terminal.
One local editorialist is likely to express more concern for her leftovers.
So, any thoughts from readers on which day of the week the Chronicle posts a chopped version of this story?
UPDATE: The Chron posted the AP version this afternoon (the timestamp on their posting is 1:23 pm as of this update). That renders our little contest among commenters moot, but just to keep reader interest -- how long before the Chron editorial board follows up on the AP story by blasting their favorite bad guy?
UPDATE (03-29-2005): The Chron posted a slightly edited version of the original LA Times story, one day later.
Also, Just One Minute weighs in with It Doesn't Always Matter What The Facts Are.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/27/05 12:13 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (5)
Chief Hurtt: New Chron "good guy"
Today, the Chronicle runs a puff piece by Joe Stinebaker on police chief Harold Hurtt, a local "exorcist with a badge" (but until recently, no uniform).
The article celebrates council's decision to spend $5 million on tasers on the chief's recommendation (the graphical blurb says $4 million has been spent) and to install revenue-generating red-light cameras.
While the crime lab is mentioned in the article, no mention is made of the harsh criticism the chief has received for moving so slowly on the crime lab. Nor is there any mention of the criticism the chief has received for implementing a "productivity policy" that looks suspiciously like a ticket quota system. And the article does not mention one of the biggest problems facing HPD -- a worsening manpower shortage -- or give any indication of how the chief bureaucrat plans to deal with it.
As a puff piece, it fails in one major regard. We expected a big celebration of the chief finally being able to don the HPD uniform, roughly a year after taking the job! But no such celebration is offered by Stinebaker. We'll celebrate it again for him -- and call attention to his new grooming standards as well! These are exciting times at HPD.
Interestingly, the article refers to tasers as tools by which local law enforcement can overcome the chief's perception that HPD has an "excessive force" problem. That's an interesting concern in light of KTRK-13's current story of an off-duty officer (not identified as HPD, but not identified otherwise) using a taser to subdue two women in a dispute at a local bar. One supposes that's preferable to shooting the lady dead, but it seems that Hurtt's "excessive force" concerns might still need a little work.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/27/05 11:40 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (3)
Chron: Resurrection should comfort those upset by forced starvation
Just when I thought the Chronicle editorial board could no longer shock me with their offensiveness, here comes today's Easter editorial:
Schiavo's case is a tragedy that has sparked roiling debate and dueling accusations of indifference to life, severely impaired, and political cynicism. Some believe the contention of Schiavo's husband, Michael, that his wife did not wish to be kept alive by artificial means and that her wishes should be honored. Others argue whether withholding water and nutrition is tantamount to killing Schiavo or simply removing the impediment to the dying process that already is under way.
The horror of Schiavo's situation has prompted many people to discuss with family their wishes about end-of-life care and to make living wills.
The participants and observers in this conflict might find some solace, if not resolution, in the story of Jesus Christ's resurrection, which believers say took place more than 2,000 years ago. Easter, celebrated today at churches throughout the world, provides a comforting alternative perspective on when life ends.
It is stunning that on the most important Christian holy day, the editorial board would lecture us to find comfort in Schiavo's impending (forced starvation) death by reflecting on the Resurrection. The editors, of all people! These are the same people who told us last Christmas that Christianity is ruining peace and good will on Earth!
Contrast this idea that Michael Schiavo was "simply removing the impediment to the dying process that already is under way," with the editorial board's horror earlier this week over terrorists being tortured:
Earlier this month, the Pentagon reported that abuse by American troops had caused the deaths of at least four prisoners in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan. More recently, Army and Navy officials acknowledged that homicide is suspected or had been confirmed in at least 26 prisoner deaths.
Goss did say during the congressional hearing that techniques employed "at this time" to squeeze information out of suspected terrorists are legally permissible. But that is cold comfort in light of reports that American troops and intelligence officers routinely, in the name of homeland security, cross the line that separates humane from inhumane treatment.
I have to wonder if starvation would now be a permissible technique for squeezing information out of suspected terrorists? If it's humane for Terri Schiavo, certainly it should be humane for terrorists, right?
The barbaric treatment of prisoners, whether in Iraq's notorious AbuGhraib prison or at the detention center for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, undermines the United States' stature in the world.
[snip]
The United States must do more than just politely demur on the subject of torture. If the president abhors torture, he should end the policy of kidnapping suspects and placing them in the custody of barbarous, tyrannical regimes. If the Republican leadership in Congress feels moral outrage at the abuses that have taken place at U.S. military outposts, Congress should investigate and then outlaw the practice.
Unbelievable.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/27/05 07:58 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (6)
26 March 2005
Ask President Bush and God to fix MetroRail's crash problem
Here's quite a column from the Springfield (MO) News-Leader:
And then there's Houston. A year and a half ago, Houston put in the first segment of a projected light rail system, 7.5 miles of it. In the first eight months, they had 40 collisions between trains and cars. Forty.
Sacramento, on a similarly situated line, suffered only four car-train collisions during a like period.
But are people in Houston taking a hard look at their driving habits? No. They're blaming the trains.
"Are you from America?" yelled a Houston driver at a reporter. "I'm from America, 49 years. Here, you're taught as a kid that flashing lights, arms come down --trains coming."
The truth is, Houstonians are terrible drivers. They have an accident rate nearly twice the national average.
"It's the general perception," said the chief executive of Houston's Metro. "People in the street, elected officials. They say, 'What's wrong with Metro? Why is it blaming these motorists?' As if it's a God-given right in Houston to run red lights."
We should ask President Bush. He's been to Houston and he has chats with God often.
The author, Donald Kaul, is the former Washington columnist for the Des Moines Register, according to the byline.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/26/05 10:18 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (10)
Another poll story to dismiss -- if we can even figure it out
The Chronicle has a poorly edited Knight Ridder Tribune News service story about President Bush's latest poll numbers. It's poorly edited because there are two polls mentioned -- Gallup and CBS News -- but no clue as to which results belong to what poll. It's a very strange piece.
Perhaps we should attribute it to Friday night on a holiday weekend. Who knows, but it appears to be a chopped-up piece, and someone at the Chronicle made the decision to run it.
We can go to USA Today and see first hand that the Gallup poll has suspect numbers:
The poll also found an increased number of Democrats. In this survey, 37% said they were Democrats and 32% said they were Republicans. Last week, 32% said they were Democrats and 35% said they were Republicans.
So, last week's poll surveyed 32% Democrats to 35% Republicans and this week the numbers are 37% Democrats to 32% Republicans. You don't think that could have contributed to the president's "drop" in numbers? What does this say about the previous week's numbers? This is why polling has shown time and again to be suspect.
I love this paragraph from the USA Today story:
The new poll found the largest drop for Bush came among men, self-described conservatives and churchgoers.
Well, duh! If one week Gallup is polling more Republicans than the next week and the number of Democrats polled shoots up, it stands to reason the new poll would show a drop in conservative supporters for President Bush.
Here is a Seattle Times story that appears to be a longer version of the Knight Ridder Tribune News service story the Chronicle used, although this story never mentions the CBS News poll. Did someone at the Chronicle just throw that reference in?
RELATED: CBS News poll
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/26/05 09:15 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Ratcliffe mischaracterizes House republicans on term limits
The Chronicle's R.G. Ratcliffe includes this line in the latest speculation about whether Kay Bailey Hutchison will run for governor of Texas:
Term limits were a popular Republican campaign issue in 1994, serving as a centerpiece of Newt Gingrich's Contract with America. Term limits also were one of the first agenda items dropped by Republicans once they gained control of the U.S. House.
Does anybody check facts at the Chronicle?
Here is the relevant excerpt from the Contract with America:
Thereafter, within the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, we shall bring to the House Floor the following bills, each to be given full and open debate, each to be given a clear and fair vote and each to be immediately available this day for public inspection and scrutiny.
[snip]
10. THE CITIZEN LEGISLATURE ACT: A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career politicians with citizen legislators....
Here is the roll call vote on House Joint Resolution 73, a proposed constitutional amendment to limits terms of Senators and Representatives. The joint resolution actually received a plurality in favor (227 to 204), but failed because a proposed constitutional amendment requires a 2/3 vote in favor to pass.
The resolution did NOT fail because, as Ratcliffe erroneously asserts, Republicans dropped it as an agenda item. Rather, it failed because Republicans were not able to bring enough Democrats on board to secure a 2/3 majority. However, as with other key elements of the Contract with America, Republicans did bring the matter to a roll call vote on the floor of the House, as promised.
Whatever Ratcliffe's intent, the effect of this erroneous characterization in a "news" article is to paint Republicans as hypocrites -- a view certainly consonant with recent Chronicle editorializing, but not consistent with facts.
UPDATE: I should add that this is not information that is hard to find. Google is very useful, but most everything a person would need is in the Wikipedia entry on the Contract with America.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/26/05 09:08 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (4)
25 March 2005
Food and drink roundup (03-25-2005 edition)
Houston's food and drink reviewers get us ready for this Easter weekend.
Robb Walsh turns in a classic Walsh review, visiting Segari's on Shepherd (really!) this week.
Alison Cook visits Sugar Land's Cupcake Cafe, which she thinks would be right at home in Montrose.
Dai Huynh reviews Polonia, "Houston's hub of Polish cuisine."
Finally, Joey Guerra checks out Club Ice & Mantra Lounge.
Happy eating and drinking!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/25/05 11:27 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (0)
Houston's lobbying team isn't wowing Austin
Kristen Mack has a story today about the efforts of Houston's lobbying team:
With the session half over and the bill-filing deadline long passed, White and his new in-house lobby team are struggling to get the city's priorities passed, legislators say.
"Under this new administration, so far the city has limped a little bit at the beginning of the session, in understanding how Austin works and traversing that system," said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston.
Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, said he was optimistic early on that the city would keep the delegation informed, but that has not materialized.
"I don't know what their priorities are," Elkins said. "Their lobbying team has not informed us of what the issues are."
It's interesting to contrast this with a column Mack wrote back in January, where she reported that the city had retained the services of a 13-member lobbying team for $520,000 +:
Mayor Bill White's administration says it saved money, since lobbying teams in the past have had as many as 18 members and cost $1 million. The 2003 contract was for $840,000.
Whether it's a bargain, though, will depend upon the team's effectiveness in pushing the mayor's agenda, and that could be trying.
Time will soon tell us how that bargain worked out:
Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, said most city issues have not resonated beyond the committee level yet. "April and May will be bigger months for the city," he said.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/25/05 03:04 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (1)
Houston gets nearly $3 million to ease traffic congestion
Mayor Bill White and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay have secured almost $3 million for "traffic management projects" in Houston:
Nearly $3 million is headed this way for traffic management projects on US 59 and the Katy Freeway. Mayor Bill White and Congressman Tom Delay worked to secure these funds to help ease congestion and ensure increased safety on Houston's busiest highways.
One part of the Freeway Incident Management Program will include cameras on roving helicopters that will quickly respond to traffic scenes. That will help ensure the proper emergency vehicles respond to scenes in as quickly as possible.
[snip]
The US Department of Transportation has announced it will release $1.9 million of the nearly $3 million that will fund the first phase of the project, which targets the I-10 West Katy Freeway from downtown to the Grand Parkway and US 59 from downtown out to Highway 6. The program will also focus on major thoroughfares and access points along these corridors. These targeted areas experience approximately 5,500 freeway incidents annually.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/25/05 01:38 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (6)
Guess what? Metro's proposed rail lines have been approved
Remember the Chronicle's outrage that Rep. Culberson and Rep. DeLay messed up Metro's funding:
The voters have spoken. Houston needs mobility improvements that include an expanded rail transit component as well as one of the nation's better bus systems. The next time Metro and the majority of voters in its service area say "Jump," their representatives in Congress should ask, "How high?"
A funny little thing popped up in Houston's Daily Information Source today:
A U.S. agency notified Congress on Thursday that it will approve the next two segments of Houston's MetroRail system and recommend their eligibility for federal funding.
Just as Rep. Culberson tried to explain to the Chronicle, Metro's funding would be approved as soon as its faulty application was fixed, resubmitted and reviewed. He inserted language in the appropriation bill specifically assuring that would happen.
Here's Lucas Wall's context paragraph, in today's story:
Metro submitted its two projects for federal review in August, hoping to obtain a recommendation by February, when the FTA makes its annual report to Congress. The MetroRail lines were not rated in that report last month, however, and the federal agency said at the time it was still reviewing the application.
He writes very nonchalantly and dispassionately this time, as opposed to his fit of pique a few weeks back:
Language that would have sped up Metro 's light rail expansion got stripped out of a massive appropriations bill in the last Congress, prompting a debate about whether two Houston congressmen are still blocking the city's rail plan.
[snip]
"It's an affront to the citizens of Houston," said Ed Wulfe, chairman of the Main Street Coalition, who has promoted development along the 7 1/2-mile light rail line that opened last year. "Somebody is putting their personal agenda ahead of what the people want."
What's an affront to the citizens of Houston is that we have a newspaper and a transit agency that are so woefully inept and out-of-touch. Metro is supposed to serve the citizens of Houston, but appears much more interested in sacrificing all at the altar of light rail. And the Chronicle -- please. It has done more to cover up Metro's shortcomings than any other media outlet in town. It's disgraceful.
There is some funding information in this story that is interesting. Metro needs $60 million for preliminary engineering costs, and it wants the feds to cover the whole amount. Here we go again!
Congress typically offers only minimal funding assistance for preliminary engineering. Metro estimates that work will cost $60 million and is asking Congress this year to fund all of that.
Houston will be competing with at least 25 other cities that also have projects in preliminary engineering this year. The FTA has recommended Congress appropriate $122 million for all of these projects in the next fiscal year. If Metro only gets an average allocation, it can expect $5 million from Uncle Sam next year.
Wilson said Metro will make its case for the $60 million request, but could sell some bonds to pay for preliminary engineering if needed.
And here are the quotes of the day:
"This puts us on the map," said Metro President & CEO Frank Wilson. "This is an extremely important leap forward for us but it's not the end of the process by any means."
[snip]
Metro Chairman David Wolff said he's pleased the proposed rail segments have passed a rigorous review, showing they meet federal standards.
"It's a great positive step in the direction we want to go," he said. "It's an affirmation of our program and it's good to get that from an impartial federal source."
That's some serious chutzpah. So, let's review: Metro screwed up its original application; Rep. Culberson came to Metro's aid, in at least two very big ways; Metro responded by stabbing Rep. Culberson in the back, with the Chronicle's help; and now that the work Rep. Culberson did to help Metro has paid off, Metro takes credit for getting federal approval.
I think that pretty much sums it up.
RELATED: Laurence Simon is waiting for the Chronicle to apologize to Rep. Culberson. Hahahahaha! That's a good one. I would only add that Metro officials should also apologize to Rep. Culberson, but that's not going to happen either.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/25/05 11:30 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Old, outdated equipment to blame for 911 call center failures
The audit of Houston's troubled 911 call center has been completed and recommendations have been made. It appears the technical problems stem from old equipment:
The $53 million Houston Emergency Center, which has experienced 17 computer shutdowns since it started taking calls in September 2003, is more than 99.7 percent reliable, according to independent auditors.
MITRE Corp., hired by the city for $192,000, blamed most of the shutdowns on outdated equipment outside the HEC facility, located at 5320 N. Shepherd. Most of the problems have been fixed and are not are expected to occur again, while several are still being addressed.
[snip]
Dennis Storemski, director of the Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, said that Northrop Grumman, the Los Angeles-based contractor that provided the dispatching software wasn't at fault.
[snip]
The auditors made several recommendations that the city has already implemented, or plans to implement soon. They include:
•Establishing staff positions to manage some technical aspects of the dispatching system;
•Increasing maintenance and testing;
•Replacing old equipment and software;
•And developing better ways to ensure data is not lost.
On a KTRH news break yesterday, I heard a recommendation that the city should also consolidate and upgrade the emergency radio system used by Houston police and fire personnel. KHOU-11 covered the story of Houston's inadequate emergency radio system in February, and at that time Mayor White said this:
"It's not a problem that's going to be solved in one day. It will be over a period of years," said Mayor Bill White.
Maybe now Houston's emergency system infrastructure will become a priority for city officials.
RELATED: Fixing HEC (blogHOUSTON), Can the Houston Emergency Center be fixed? (blogHOUSTON), Public safety priorities (blogHOUSTON)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/25/05 08:45 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (4)
Smoking ban fever is spreading
Kemah is considering a smoking ban similar to the one Houston recently passed:
Mayor William King will present the ordinance to ban smoking in certain public places to the City Council Thursday.
The proposed ban is very similar to the ordinance recently adopted by the city of Houston.
"I personally would like to see a stronger restriction, but I think the other cities in the area follow Houston's lead on this issue. It is important that the restaurant owners do not have different rules in different jurisdictions and that no one can claim a competitive advantage from differing restrictions," King said in a news release.
That strikes me as a strange bit of reasoning.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/25/05 08:15 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (1)
Buying groceries online in Houston
While some notable dotcoms weren't able to make a go of online grocery shopping, there are still some internet options available to Houston grocery shoppers.
KTRK-13's Michael McGuff posts an interesting report on online grocery shopping here in town.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/25/05 12:01 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (1)
24 March 2005
Houston utilities in the news
KHOU-11 ran a couple of interesting stories involving Houston utilities this week.
Wendell Edwards reported yesterday that Reliant Energy would be turning off approximately 100 streetlights in the Mission Bend area over a billing dispute. That area has suffered through numerous home invasions and driveway robberies over the last year.
Also, Jeff McShan reported on a citizen's complaint about water billing practices by the city of Houston:
Public Works spokesperson Wes Johnson confirmed the rollover billing process. Pat Trahan, with the mayor's office, says the Public Works Department will be looking into the billing process, and there's a chance there will be some changes.
Changes or not, the billing process should be better explained.
If you buy water from the city of Houston, it might be worth checking your water meter against your bills from the city.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/24/05 11:55 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
What's a few billion here and there?
Today, the Chronicle posted the following lengthy correction to an editorial that appeared in yesterday's newspaper:
An editorial on Page B10 of Wednesday's City & State section said the state budget approved by the Texas Senate Finance Committee would allocate only $1.8 billion in additional dollars to public education. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said the Senate also intends to approve an additional $300 million to subsidize teachers health insurance and $400 million for textbooks. Also, $3.2 billion in fees and current taxes would be shifted from other agencies to education, and local taxpayers could elect to contribute as much as $1.1 billion to enrich local districts.
The editorial's main contention was that the plan allocated "too little money" to education and healthcare needs.
Perhaps the editorialists should have spent a little more time researching their numbers, and a little less time researching movies starring Walter Matthau.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/24/05 11:39 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Better late than never?
On March 21, the Chronicle's Mike Glenn reported that HPD is considering the use of reserve officers.
That same day, we commented that the move was, at best, an inadequate solution to HPD's manpower shortage.
Today, the Chronicle editorial board finally weighed in on this local issue, criticizing the potential use of reserve officers because of concerns over training. The editorial offers no suggestions for Mayor White and Council regarding their priorities (or lack thereof) for funding new HPD hiring.
One supposes incomplete and a little slow on local issues is better than never on the Chronicle editorial page. Perhaps the idealists were distracted by the death of Bobby Short.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/24/05 11:23 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (0)
Trying to figure out what White and Hurtt are really upset about
Mayor White and Chief Hurtt are upset that a federal drug enforcement program might see some cuts in funding:
Houston Mayor Bill White and Police Chief Harold Hurtt have vowed to fight President Bush's proposal to slash 60 percent of funding for a federal drug-enforcement program that has been more successful in Houston than in many other parts of the country.
The Houston Police Department receives about $3 million a year from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, and the 16-county Houston region from Beaumont to Corpus Christi receives an additional $7 million a year.
HPD has been receiving $3 million from the HIDTA program. That's a big chunk of change!
I actually had to read the story a couple of times to grasp what is going on here, but the other side of the story (and the reporter, Ron Nissimov, did include both sides of the story) is that Houston will most likely NOT lose HIDTA funding, and there is a possibility that Houston will see an INCREASE in funding, with the proposed changes:
Federal officials have said the Houston area might receive more than $3 million in HIDTA funds because Bush wants to refocus the program on high-trafficking areas.
[snip]
Steve Katsurinis, a native Houstonian who is Walters' chief of staff, said Houston could end up getting more than $3 million even if the cuts are approved because of the proposed change in focus. He said unlike many other HIDTA programs, the Houston program has shown positive results.
That's right -- Houston could get MORE money. So what are Hurtt and White complaining about?
Oversight of the program would be taken away from local groups and given to the U.S. Department of Justice.
There you go: losing local control of HIDTA money is probably what this is all about.
Hurtt claimed that HPD would lose 14 "positions" from the proposed cuts, the sheriff's department would lose 15 positions, and Sam Houston State University would lose 12.
Stan Furce, director of the Houston HIDTA, said the 41 employees Hurtt cited are civilian analysts.
Furce, who is opposed to Bush's proposal, said funds allocated to the Houston HIDTA are typically used to pay overtime for task forces composed of federal and local law enforcement agents, and their vehicles.
Would the Department of Justice say that HIDTA money has to be used differently from how Houston is currently using it? That could be, and it would explain why Hurtt is so vehement in denouncing cuts that probably won't even happen, as far as Houston is concerned.
All we have to do is look at what has happened with Homeland Security funding to see why it can be a good idea to put some controls on federal money. We have seen plenty of stories of Homeland Security money being used by local governments in unique, and some might even say questionable, ways. The federal government has a right to say how federal funding is spent.
There is one more quote in the story that I found interesting:
"Most people are not as concerned about planes running into our buildings as somebody breaking into our houses," said White, citing Bush's emphasis on homeland security and claiming that many home burglaries are drug-related.
Instead of wasting energy fighting a proposal that may give Houston MORE federal money, maybe White could work on some full-time, permanent Houston police officers.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/24/05 04:20 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (8)
23 March 2005
Did Cragg Hines buy into a fake memo?
A couple of days ago, ABC News said it had obtained a memo of GOP talking points on Terri Schiavo. The memo explained the political benefits the Schiavo legislation would have for Republicans. Of course, the media and others were highly critical. Today, Cragg Hines uses the memo as part of an attack on Republicans in an op-ed column:
The political landscape of the last few days is littered with delicious contradictions, as liberal bloggers have relished pointing out.
Most interesting is a talking-points memo from the Senate side of the Capitol that spells it right out in stark electoral terms: "the pro-life base will be excited" and "this is a great political issue, this is a tough issue for Democrats."
It's nice to know that Hines reads blogs. Maybe he should expand his horizons and check out some conservative blogs as well. If he had, he might have learned that the memo's authenticity is in doubt, as shown by the Power Line guys, who have dissected and dismantled it, to the point that ABC News may now be backpedaling:
ABC News, the original source of the story on the alleged "GOP talking points" memo now appears to be backing off the story. Blogger Josh Clayborn has been talking to ABC representatives, both on and off the record, and they are now telling him that they never meant to imply that the "talking points" memo originated with the Republicans--only that it was given to some Republican Senators.
[snip]
ABC's current position, as reported by Josh, makes little sense, as their coverage certainly did say that this was a Republican memo. (ABC's website described the memo as containing "GOP talking points.") But the fact that they are now backing off suggests that in reality, they have no idea where the memo came from.
Doubts are starting to appear in other quarters, as well. Just a little while ago, the memo's authenticity was discussed on MSNBC[...]
But it gets better. Earlier today Power Line noticed Hines' column:
ABC News and the Washington Post have described--but not actually produced--a memorandum relating to the Terri Schiavo case which they have described as "GOP talking points" that were "distributed only to Republican Senators." Many other news outlets have picked up on ABC's and the Post's reporting, such as this Houston Chronicle article, which relies in part on the memo to support a bitter attack on the Republican Party[...]
I wonder if this op-ed has the "elegance, wit and insight" one would expect from an editorial page in its ideal state?
I did email Hines today, asking if he was aware of the controversy surrounding the memo, and if he had seen the actual memo. I have not heard back from him, but if I do, I'll be sure to post an update.
(Power Line's other posts on the suspect memo are here, here, and here.)
UPDATE (03-24-2005): No, I don't have a reply from Hines. But Power Line has an email from an ABC "source."
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/23/05 09:49 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
A LiveJournal entry in an ideal state?
It's understandable that a New York newspaper might post a note on the passing of Bobby Short on its editorial page.
It's less clear why the interim editorial page editor of the Houston Chronicle felt the need to reminisce about the fine time he and his brother had listening to Short in New York, effectively treating the editorial page with which he's entrusted as his own personal LiveJournal.
No disrespect is intended to Short, but the column just seems out of place (though perhaps less so than Andrea Georgsson's past adventures with leftovers). Perhaps our readers can explain it to me in the comments.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/23/05 08:29 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (7)
Chron hard news: Illegal aliens want to become legal
Today's Chronicle runs a story by Zeke Minaya on protests by immigrants in favor of immigration "reform" that concludes as follows:
For Gladys Chibez, a 54-year-old housecleaner from Houston who was at the rally, change cannot come soon enough.
She crossed illegally into the United States through McAllen in 1989.
"I came here like so many other people," she said, "I came in the dark." During her time in the United States, Chibez was absent for the death of her parents and missed the birth of her grandchildren back in El Salvador, she said. Chibez did not dare return home because of the fear that she would not be allowed to re-enter the United States, she said.
If repatriated in El Salvador, Chibez would have doomed her family to crushing poverty without the dollars from her American wages, she said.
"The United States country is a country of opportunity," she said. "And I live with the hope that one day I will be allowed to become a part of it."
Certainly, Miss Chibez's vision of America as a "country of opportunity" is laudable. However, the fact is that she is in this country illegally. While the Chronicle writer may well sympathize with the woman because she missed the death of her parents and birth of her grandchildren, the fact that she is an illegal alien is not trumped by the touching anecdote.
Immigration reform may well be smart policy, but we wouldn't especially know one way or the other from this story.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/23/05 08:13 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
The end of the downtown trolleys, Lucas Wall-style
Today, Lucas Wall tackles the subject of Metro cutting downtown trolley service and some "low-performing" bus routes, and the result is (unintentionally) humorous. Just remember, these Metro officials are highly paid professionals who REALLY know what they are doing; and Wall is the Chronicle's resident transportation expert:
Death of the trolleys is not a surprise. The Metropolitan Transit Authority placed them on probation last fall because of poor ridership. It gave the trolleys, and other low-performing bus routes, six months to increase ridership or face the chopping block.
We're glad it's not a surprise to Wall. But maybe it's a surprise to the people who used to depend on it -- you know, back when it had thousands of daily riders, before the trolley service was "improved":
Ridership has steadily dropped since reaching a peak of 10,384 average weekday boardings in August 2001. After getting down to half that number — 5,011 riders per day in May 2004 — Metro reconfigured six trolley routes into three and designed them to tie into the Main Street light rail line. That move resulted in an immediate drop of 2,000 riders per day, according to statistics from the authority.
Metro proposed killing trolley service last fall but agreed to instead reduce the hours of operation and implement a 50-cent fare to help recover some of the operating costs. Once the free service ended, ridership plummeted almost 90 percent. Last month, an average of only 302 people rode the trolleys each weekday.
"Their performance is worse than ever," Wilson said. "The fare had such a negative impact on ridership, the revenue return was insignificant."
THAT is an amazing quote. How much is he paid for expertise like that? You know, it's almost like Metro didn't want the trolleys to succeed:
Wilson said trolley service began in October 1998 to help relieve congestion caused by the Downtown/Midtown Transit Streets Project, Metro's massive effort to rebuild 14 streets in the city center. That project is down to the final two segments, Smith and Travis downtown, and is expected to be completed by fall.
"The reason why the trolleys were there is going away in a matter of months," Wilson said.
"You can look at it as we jumped the gun a couple months. But we just made a business decision on how to allocate our resources."
Metro has to juggle a declining ridership problem, a hefty debt, and save some money to fund expansion of rail lines, all at the same time. No doubt that's where Metro will allocate its resources, at the expense of "low-performing" bus routes, Park and Rides and the downtown trolleys.
(How long will the public stand for Metro's questionable decision-making, and how long will local media continue to (mostly) cover for the unaccountable government entity?)
As for Laurence Simon's forum question:
Are there still going to be trolleys from the rail stops to Minutemaid on game days, or will people have to walk all those blocks and back? What about Toyota Center, too?
Wall's story doesn't address this. But then again, Wall isn't generally known for asking probing questions of Metro officials. His curiosity is definitely lacking!
RELATED: Metro cuts bus routes and downtown trolleys (blogHOUSTON)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/23/05 09:16 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (0)
22 March 2005
Chron: Schiavo GOP advocates are hypocritical, cynical, power-hungry
Readers here are probably sick to death of our comments on the Schiavo affair, even though we've tried to keep those comments within the context of local media, political, and medical issues.
Still, it's difficult to refrain from comment when the local newspaper treats the matter in that condescending, partisan, one-sided manner that so frequently drives us to distraction.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/22/05 11:01 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Vonage's 911 service and journalistic responsibility
Texas is suing Vonage, the internet-based phone company, saying the company doesn't make clear that its 911 service is a separate offering:
Abbott said information about the type of emergency service Vonage offers is found only in the fine print on the Web site.
But Vonage disputes that:
Vonage spokeswoman Brooke Schulz said customers are informed of the separate activation on two pages on the Internet registration form. She also said that e-mail notifications are sent to customers who fail to activate the emergency service.
At this point, Laurence Simon asks a great question:
Why didn't the Associated Press reporter just roll up their sleeves, sign up for the service, and post a few screen shots? I hear that there's a "Print Screen" key on the keyboard for that kind of thing.
[snip]
Where's the curiosity? Where's the thirst for knowledge? Doesn't the reporter want to know one way or the other which is right? Especially when you consider that SOMEONE COULD DIE if it's done wrong?
He goes on a fine tear, and it's well worth reading.
This apparent lack of curiosity within the ranks of professional journalists today is strange. After all, journalists like to tell us THEY are the professionals. THIS is what they are trained to do.
Of course, what we have seen lately, in some instances, is bloggers filling this role -- getting curious, digging deeper -- and providing more details than professional journalists seem to be interested in providing.
RELATED: Vonage VoIP and personal responsibility (blogHOUSTON)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/22/05 08:08 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Metro cuts bus routes and downtown trolleys
Metro has finalized some "service improvements":
Effective Monday, April 4, METRO will discontinue three Local bus routes and the two Downtown Trolley routes due to low performance. These routes were given six months' probation last fall, with the understanding that unless ridership on the routes improved during the probationary period, they would face discontinuation.
The ridership goals on the routes have not been met during the past six months, so the following routes will be discontinued on April 4: 35 Leeland, 41 Gulf Meadows Circulator, 89 South Park Circulator, St. Joseph/Preston Trolley and the Main Street Square Trolley. However, the Fairview portion of the 35 Fairview/Leeland route will be retained at this time.
Two other routes that were on six months' probation - the 54 Aldine-Hollyvale and 64 Lincoln City Circulator - will not be discontinued April 4 as originally proposed. However, the routes will be reconfigured in an effort to improve their operational efficiency while maintaining service to community service centers such as hospitals and clinics.
It appears a little publicity helped save route 64, although it is being reconfigured. I hope someone follows up (hint, KHOU-11) to see if the reconfiguration is unduly burdensome for riders.
Also, cutting back the hours of the downtown trolleys and adding a fare for the first time didn't increase ridership (go figure!), so the trolleys are history.
I wonder how Metro is doing with its Metro Solutions goals?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/22/05 04:06 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (6)
A Houstonian gives back to his community
I need a feel-good story today. Desperately. KHOU-11 provides one:
Every year Victor Washington's company, Washington & Sons Air Conditioning and Heating, gives away dozens of window units and installs several furnaces, all free of charge.
When Washington knocks at the door, people in this community know help has arrived.
"This is the new furnace we actually installed," Washington explained at the home of someone he helped. "The previous one that we pulled out of here was extremely dangerous."
For the past seven years, Washington has been providing heating and cooling services to people who can't afford to pay for them.
"I bought back when we bought this house, back in '65. They came up and inspected it. They red-tagged it and told me 'don't turn it on anymore', so I didn't turn it on," said homeowner Eartha Rawlins.
"He's a senior citizen on a fixed income. It's just not safe for him going out and buying a space heater," said Washington.
A nearby child development center had both of its window units stolen last summer. Washington didn't wait for them to call -- he called them and offered his services.
"It was right in the middle of the summer so we were very grateful. The kids were grateful," said Angela Garica with the YMCA Preschool Child Development Center.
"You know, it's not all about the money sometimes. You must realize that you must be able to give back to the community," said Washington.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/22/05 03:41 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
21 March 2005
Houston gets world class DMN treatment
The Pegasus crew calls our attention to the weekend travel section of the Dallas Morning News, which featured a story on our own light rail train, a story on Houston museums and their architects, and a very exciting Pocket Guide to Houston by rail (pdf file).
One can just imagine Lee Brown filing a copy of this Dallas Morning News issue on the "World Class" shelf of the Endowed Dumpster.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/21/05 10:40 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (0)
Is KTRK spinning news ratings?
Various sources have noted the KHOU-11 news team's recent ratings victories.
Recently, a reader asked the Chronicle's Ken Hoffman why KTRK-13 keeps saying it's still tops:
Q: About two weeks ago I read a piece in the Chronicle which said Channel 11 news had swept the No. 1 news slots in virtually all time periods for the first time in at least a decade This morning, while watching Channel 13's local news blurb during Good Morning, America , Channel 13 ran an ad proclaiming itself numero uno in ALL local news time slots. Is this a case of Enron-style accounting, are Channels 11 and 13 using different sets of statistics, or did someone forget to tell Channel 13 they're no longer top dog in town? What gives?
Kurt V. Rich, Houston
A: What gives is called "spin." Every station is No. 1 in some sort of demographic or time slot. For example, Channel 39 News, which has a struggling rating, can still say "We're the fastest growing news in Houston!"
If indeed KTRK is still claiming it's tops in every news slot, that would seem to be some kind of spin.
UPDATE (03-22-2005): Laurence Simon chimes in with "Houston's News Liar."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/21/05 10:24 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (1)
Feeling our way through the end of life
In what has turned out to be an increasingly popular post in light of recent events, we criticized a recent Houston Chronicle editorial for what seemed like a callously indifferent regard for innocent (albeit impaired) life.
In that editorial, the Chronicle trumpeted a Texas law in which hospitals may decide to terminate care of certain patients without regard to the wishes of relatives:
Texas law is considered among the most progressive in the nation and was designed to keep such cases out of court. It requires a hospital's ethics committee to approve a doctor's recommendations to remove life support if the patient's family or guardian disagrees. If the committee concurs, the hospital must wait 10 days before shutting off support in order to give the family time to seek an alternative institution willing to provide such care. The latest Texas cases occurred when no institution could be found to take over care of the patients.
This is touted by the same newspaper that gives us the Chron Eye for the Death Row Killer Guy as equitable, humane, and -- yes -- progressive.
Today, environmental writer Dina Cappiello weighs in to tell us this Texas law wouldn't "help" in the Terri Schiavo case. That's readily apparent, since the Schiavo case revolves around two parties competing to decide her care (with one working to terminate care) and courts trying to divine her intent without the benefit of a written directive, while the two Texas cases revolve around hospitals making decisions to terminate care against the wishes of family. Indeed, Cappiello later admits the law itself didn't actually help in the case of one Spiro Nikolouzos:
Nikolouzos' brain damage, on the other hand, is so severe he cannot breathe on his own or move, according to Dr. David Pate, St. Luke's chief medical officer. Over his wife's objections, the hospital's ethics committee decided to remove his breathing tube, setting in motion the 10-day period in which his family could move him to another hospital under the 1999 law.
A judge extended that period as the family tried to find another facility.
His wife ultimately did find another facility willing to take him on, but the law strictly interpreted didn't help him -- rather, a compassionate judge who had doubts about terminating the man after ten days granted enough extra time for the man's family to have him treated as they desired.
There's been some back and forth on various blogs as to whether the Schiavo affair merited federal intervention, especially given the existence of this Texas law signed by then-Governor Bush in 1999, and whether some parties are being hypocritical. Readers are welcome check out this blog post, to follow the links, and draw their own conclusions on that.
We've been consistent (since March 8) in our criticism of that original Chronicle editorial for the seeming ease with which the editors advocate state sanction for the termination of innocent life based on the judgment of "experts." When I was an undergraduate in Missouri, the "right to die" issue presented itself forcefully in the case of Nancy Cruzan. It's only 15 years later, and unsurprisingly we're still feeling our way through the legal and ethical issues involved in deciding about the end of life. In my mind, this Texas law does need to be revisited, in order more properly to balance the rights and desires of family members against medical corporations, and as Anne put it previously, to err on the side of innocent life.
UPDATE (03-22-2005): The Chronicle editorial linked above has vanished (despite working last night), and the newspaper does not archive its editorials. Fortunately, the google cache still has it (and my furl archive if that stops working).
UPDATE 2 (03-22-2005): Apparently, editorials are now archived, and are accessible if you have access to the archives. The google cache works as well.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/21/05 10:08 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (11)
Jackson-Lee always finds the press
KTRH-740 news just ran a blurb that included comments from Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D) that suggested that she supported the Terri Schiavo legislation passed by the House early this morning.
That's all well and good, but Sheila Jackson-Lee did not vote one way or the other on the legislation.
However, Democrat Al Green of Houston did vote in favor of the legislation that was blasted through the House by the Republican leadership. If KTRH wanted to talk to a local Democrat who crossed party lines to support this legislation, perhaps the reporter should have talked to one who actually voted for it.
Then again, Representative Green's press secretary told me they didn't have a statement as to why he voted for the legislation before she hung up on me, so perhaps the same thing happened to the KTRH reporter.
Other local Congressmen who voted in favor of the legislation include Tom DeLay (R), John Culberson (R), and Ted Poe (R). The recorded vote is located here.
UPDATE (03-22-2005): The Chronicle gets around to covering how the Texas delegation voted in today's edition. Sheila Jackson-Lee says she would have supported the measure, and then complains about the scheduling of the vote. Never mind that a woman's feeding tube was removed, and any delay of the vote would have just moved the woman closer to death -- we wouldn't want to inconvenience Sheila Jackson-Lee. The Chron reporter did find out that Al Green was doing his laundry when summoned back to Washington, and even manages to get a quote from him.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/21/05 03:33 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (6)
Florida State dean is new UH provost
UH has chosen a new prov