13 November 2008
That's Peter Brown, ARCHITECT
KHOU-11's Lee McGuire has a great quote from Councilmember Peter Brown on some goofy construction at the new Costco on Richmond:
We found a traffic signal and utility pole sticking out of a handicap ramp on the sidewalk.
The maze lines one side of the new Costco shopping complex along Richmond. The sidewalk is part of Houston's effort to become more pedestrian friendly.
[snip]
Houston City Council Member Peter Brown saw the sidewalk for himself on Thursday."Well that's a brand new pole," Brown said. "This is really the dumbest kind of construction I've seen in a long time and you know I'm an architect."
[snip]
"It's really frightening, it's atrocious that this would happen in a new project," Brown said. "But, you know, you can't blame anybody particularly, except I would blame the city for not having standards."
Peter Brown is an architect? Who knew?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/13/08 09:50 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (15)
08 November 2008
Bicyclist Bob Stein goes international, downplays Obama's accomplishments vis-a-vis Hillary Clinton
Bicyclist Bob Stein, Houston's (Democratic) expert on everything and every (lazy) local political journalist's go-to man for the obvious quote, has gone international! The bicyclist is featured in today's Ottawa Citizen:
Bob Stein, author and political science professor at Rice University in Houston, agrees that the Clinton campaign was more substantive than Mr. Obama's.
"She was far more specific on policy," he says. "And my guess now is that she is more interested in her policies than she is in position."Pushing Mrs. Clinton as Senate majority leader would be controversial and difficult, says Ms. Parry-Giles, who is writing a book about media coverage of the former first lady dating back to her pre-White House days.
[snip]
Whatever becomes of Mrs. Clinton, she remains very much in the political game, adds Mr. Stein.
"Nobody thought that either a black man or a woman could be a candidate for president," he says, "and what she achieved was breaking a glass ceiling that was even more formidable than the barriers to electing a black man."
Huh?!
Gee, we wonder whom the bicyclist supported in the primaries? Not that he would ever let us know, given the reputation of impartial bicyclist/political observer that he must uphold (for lazy local political journalists, at least). *wink* *nod*
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/08/08 07:34 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (1)
15 October 2008
Good times with Lee P. Brown!
While recovering from last weekend's backpacking trip, we missed a gem that appeared on the Chronicle's (ethically challenged) editorial page from none other than Lee P. Brown, the former mayor/police chief responsible for so many of Houston's problems.
The cost to maintain the nation's police, judicial and corrections system costs American taxpayers some $204 billion annually.
Costs ... cost?
The temporary drop in the crime rate that has occurred in the past couple of years is not likely to become permanent.
Temporary declines are... temporary?
Deep stuff! Thank you, former Mayor Brown, for a fun flashback to Houston's recent past. And thank you, term limits, for putting an end to it before he could do further harm to the city.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 10/15/08 08:31 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (4)
09 July 2008
Gray: "In his personal life, [Mincberg]'s a teardown kind of guy"
The Chronicle's Lisa Gray expands on a topic covered on local blogs previously in a column about David Mincberg's plans to tear down an architecturally interesting home on his property:
David Mincberg, the Democratic candidate for county judge, promises that if elected to Harris County's top job, he'll do everything possible to save the Astrodome. But in his personal life, he's a teardown kind of guy.
In April, Mincberg bought an architecturally significant house at 6040 Glen Cove, a few blocks east of Memorial Park, with plans to raze it and build a new house for his family.
The Harris County Appraisal District values the house and its land at $2.8 million, an impressive price for a teardown even in this gilded age. (Mincberg has appealed the appraisal.) But the 1.3-acre property, complete with a turtle pond and ravine, is a significant trophy, and it lies in a neighborhood that's a magnet for expensive new development.
[snip]
Mincberg doesn't think that his razing the house will faze voters. ``The public sees an enormous disparity between the Astrodome and a house,'' he says.
The Astrodome, he notes, is a beloved, publicly owned icon in a highly visible part of Houston. He fondly remembers watching baseball there as a boy. ``We have to explore every conceivable option to preserve it,'' he says.
At some point, the expensive albatross known as the Astrodome is going to need to be destroyed. Nobody wants to say it, but that's the most likely scenario. As for Mincberg's home -- it's his property, and if he wants to tear down an architecturally significant home to replace it with a McMansion, that's certainly his right. But Gray's contrast of his rationales in each case is interesting, as is her conclusion:
Mincberg says he hoped his family could live in the Crispin house. But he says previous owners neglected the house, and that it's been flooded.
During the option period, Mincberg had it inspected twice. He says his inspectors found termites, foundation troubles, mechanical problems, ``you name it'' - major problems he says render the house unlivable. But instead of leaving those problems to some other buyer, he closed the deal, with plans to tear the house down and build something new on its lot.
Historic buildings often suffer structural infirmities. And fixing them doesn't come cheap. But TLC has revived many an abused old building - and revived a piece of its city's history along with it.
From what I could tell, the Glen Cove house isn't an extreme case. According to Harris County tax appraisers, the house's condition is ``above average.'' Termites may have chewed some of the house's trim, but it's hard to see how they could hurt a steel frame. And the house certainly looks solid, both from the street and in photos that the previous owner used to market it.
I asked Mincberg to share the inspectors' report with me. He declined.
I trust he'd be more transparent in his dealings with the Astrodome.
Does running government "like a business" include transparency? Hmm, that's refreshing to know.
Previously, Swamplot and Lose an Eye commented on Gray's current subject matter.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/09/08 10:53 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (0)
08 July 2008
Arrogance of power, John Whitmire edition
Gary Scharrer of the Chron's Austin bureau reports on a California activist who's doing the work that once was done by watchdog reporter types:
A California disabled veteran who spends six days a week sifting through campaign finance reports has filed complaints against 10 Texas legislators and 15 judges with the Texas Ethics Commission, ranging from failing to identify campaign donors to using campaign money for personal use.
One of the complaints takes aim at state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, for dipping into his massive campaign chest for $165,061 worth of Houston Astros, Texans and Rockets tickets — expenses the veteran says personally benefit the senator.
"Does every voter get a free ticket to the ballgame?" wonders Dave Palmer, who filed the complaint. "It's a wonder that the Astros don't ask him to call balls and strikes."
In his campaign finance report, Whitmire says the expense was necessary for "constituent entertainment."
Politics is big business, of course, and our politicians have grown very accustomed to the same sorts of perks that many top business executives enjoy.
Besides, Sen. Whitmire told the Chronicle that watchdogs shouldn't be so worried about his political bidness:
"It's a total non-issue by some character out in California, so I don't care what he thinks," Whitmire said Monday when the commission received Palmer's complaints.
As one sarcastic Chron.com commenter wrote, "Ah, the voice of a public servant."
It's not clear that the sports expenditures actually amount to an ethics violation, but there is a clear violation detailed later in the report:
Palmer's complaint against Whitmire also accuses the senator of not fully identifying major campaign contributors by not including the donor's occupation and employer. The requirement became law in 2003 for those who contributed at least $500. Whitmire has failed to fully identify more than 250 supporters whose contributions amounted to more than $400,000, Palmer said.
Whitmire said he was unaware of the requirement and will instruct the person who prepares his reports to amend them.
Wait a second, we thought he didn't care about these alleged non-issues raised by a Californian?
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/08/08 10:07 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (0)
22 June 2008
Peter Brown has figured out the root cause of violence: high gas prices
Really. Anger and violence are caused by high gas prices and job dissatisfaction, so sayeth Councilman Peter Brown:
With word Saturday that yet another parent was implicated in an attack on his children — police say he led them to the partially burned bodies — there was a feeling that something is horribly wrong with some families in the Greater Houston metropolitan area.
"Whether it is high gas prices or people not happy with their jobs or whatever, we have got a lot of anger and violence in our society, way too much, particularly family violence," Houston Councilman Peter Brown said.
It's a complete mystery why the reporter solicited a comment from the elitist mayoral wannabe.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/22/08 01:33 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (14)
14 June 2008
Slumlord-Rep. Vo: I hope voters won't hold this against me
Slumlord-Rep. Vo pats himself on the back, saying "I kept my promise," except that he kept his promise only after he was caught. He certainly didn't keep his promise to his tenants until Councilman Rodriguez raised a stink.
Former Congressman J. C. Watts' definition of character is fitting in this instance: “Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught.”
"I have put into place some procedures to keep this from happening again. [...]"
Maybe he could actually visit his properties once in a while, and talk to his tenants.
Vo said he hoped voters would not define him based on one issue.
"I can't speak for my opponent," he said. "I just hope that people will look at my legislative record and the things that I have done for the district."
Don't forget Vo's motto: Accessible. Responsive. Independent -- "It’s all about being accessible to you and our community, responsive to the needs of your family or small business, and independent enough to put people over politics."
Maybe now Vo will apply his motto to his tenants, and not just voters in his district.
MORE: I had forgotten about Vo's attempt to intimidate HPD to ease up on his slum properties -- he used official Texas House of Representatives letterhead! As Kevin noted at the time, "Nothing like trying* to use your elected position of power to intimidate local law enforcement to the benefit of your private enterprise."
I'll bet Slumlord-Rep. Vo hopes voters won't hold this whole sorry spectacle against him.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/14/08 09:03 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (0)
01 June 2008
Chron profiles one Houstonian's travel hobby
The Chronicle's Dai Huynh profiles a Houston man who makes a habit of being on inaugural Continental Airlines flights:
Circling the Earth by plane would add 25,000 miles to your frequent flier account. Imagine doing that four times a year.
Jim Shelly travels city-to-city, country-to-country for his job as a sports consultant and marketer. He averages more than 100,000 miles per year, or four times around the world. You would think the Houston-based road warrior would have grown weary of life in the sky. Not Shelly, who has boarded every major Continental Airlines inaugural flight of eight hours or longer since a dare in 2001.
He doesn't fly on the inaugural flights for work, either. He does it for fun, and on his own dime.
"It's a buzz, going over and coming back," Shelly said. "There's an excitement that is hard to replicate. Look around, I don't think anybody is going to sleep on this inaugural flight to Mumbai."
Last fall, Shelly was on Continental's first daily, nonstop service between Mumbai and its New Jersey hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. All around him, the mostly Indian passengers were standing in the aisles, chatting about the significance of the nonstop route that would allow U.S. travelers to bypass lengthy connections in Europe. Also, Mumbai is India's commercial center. The new service, several people said, further validates India's influence on the business world.
"They're excited," Shelly said. "Who can blame them? It's almost like they're making history because they're the first on this flight. It's unique; it's something not many people get to do."
Unless you're Shelly. His first inaugural flight was to Hong Kong, followed by Amsterdam, Geneva, Beijing, New Delhi, Mumbai and most recently, London Heathrow Airport. Next year, he plans to board Continental's inaugural flight from Newark Liberty to Shanghai.
Many sane people probably wonder about Mr. Shelly's unusual hobby, but I have to admit being a little envious. I would at least spend a few days at the locations, though. Same-day turns to exotic places don't make much sense to me, but maybe he's already seen it all.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/01/08 09:22 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (1)
26 April 2008
How sweet it's been
Earlier this week, the Chronicle's Fran Blinebury penned a nice profile of longtime Rockets' announcers Gene Peterson and Jim Foley, both of whom will be retiring at the end of the season.
Gene Peterson has always been my favorite "voice" of the local teams -- so much so that it's really hard to imagine anyone but Peterson doing Rockets' games. Depending on tonight's outcome (it's not looking good at the moment), we may have only one more installment of Peterson's sweet announcing. It's too bad injuries and the Utah Floppers are likely to prevent a deep playoff run, which would be a nicer sendoff than another first-round exit.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 04/26/08 11:44 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (1)
20 April 2008
Local busybody says too many of us are driving solo
Last week on METRO's blog, Mary Sit highlighted a recent op-ed in the Houston Chronicle by local bike enthusiast Peter Wang:
Peter Wang, a geophysicist in the oilfield services and a board member of the Citizens' Transportation Coalition, pointed out that with oil topping at $100 a barrel and an apparent recession shrinking our economy, we should consider carpooling or vanpooling if we have a regular office schedule.
Wang said he believes most of us don't do so because of socio-psychological reasons. We adhere to the lone cowboy image - especially here in Texas - and we want to drive alone into the sunset. But that, argued Wang, is not the way to build an efficient transportation system.
In a comment to the post, Wang expands his point in response to a question from Kevin Whited:
Kevin, I don't mean to imply steathily that single-occupant vehicles should be gotten rid of. I myself drive my SOV about 75 miles per week. But I will explicitly and publicly state that SOVs are very much over-used in our society, and this overuse creates lots of problems.
Basically, the current generation of Americans have given their hearts and minds over to the marketing people at the car companies. They really do want to be "Ford Tough" or whatever. They will acquire massive debt and waste all kinds of money and resources to implement the lifestyle that has been hypnotized into their brains.
What kind of lifestyle is it do be perpetually in debt, no cash flow, and no forseeable way to even continue in the current mode into the coming decades?
That's the nightmare we are living. We have to change.
What an astounding mindset.
Who determines what is overuse of single occupancy vehicles? What is the criterion? Why does Peter Wang get to say that everyone is in the grip of automaker marketing? Who is he to say that we all are in massive debt, and that we waste all kinds of money and resources on our lifestyles?
Hypnotized?? Is he serious?!
Who is he to determine what is an acceptable level of debt and cash flow? Does he propose government start monitoring our bank accounts? Does he have a crystal ball that tells him what will happen in coming decades.
Just because Peter Wang wants to ride a bike and use mass transit doesn't mean the majority of us want to. Most of us like to have control of our transportation. We like the freedom of being able to run errands when we want to, pick up the kids when we need to, meet friends for lunch when we like to. If our transportation becomes a hardship, then we will make adjustments.
This whole nanny-state mindset is what eats away at our freedoms, our liberties. For goodness sake, the government is going to mandate what kind of light bulbs we can buy in the future. And the light bulbs the government has chosen are more damaging to the environment, AND give some people headaches! But the decision has been made for us. Soon, no more choice.
If we want to change our driving habits and our lifestyles, then we will change them, but we shouldn't be forced to do so because someone else has set some arbitrary standards. Locally, the real nightmare will begin when Peter Wang and his like-minded friends start running things.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/20/08 07:03 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (60)
17 April 2008
KTRK's Lawson checks in with Priscilla Slade Rehabilitation project
Not even a month since disgraced former TSU president Priscilla Slade copped a plea to avoid prison, her rehabilitation is officially in full swing, beginning with an "exclusive" softball interview with KTRK-13's Melanie Lawson. The text is not available online, but here is the video.
It is not that we were admitting that any criminal acts had taken place.
Rather, she wishes she had communicated better with the regents, because (as she puts it) everything she did was in the interest of Texas Southern University.
Strangely, the "exclusive" interview with Slade also includes a snippet from Slade's attorney blasting Chuck Rosenthal. (It is bizarre that supporters of white-collar criminals like Slade and Jay Aiyer somehow want to blame Chuck Rosenthal and portray these criminals as victims).
However, Slade herself says she forgives Rosenthal. And she hopes to get back into the corporate world or the academic world!
Maybe Slade can even show KTRK-13's "exclusive" uncritical interview to potential employers (and hope they don't deploy the research services of Google.com).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 04/17/08 10:16 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (5)
10 April 2008
State Rep. Vo is a serial slumlord
After last week's news that state Rep. Hubert Vo is a slumlord (who owns a $4.5 million mansion), the Chron's Matt Stiles took a field trip to visit Vo's other properties. What he found is that last week's discovery was not an isolated incident:
Residents in local apartments owned by state Rep. Hubert Vo live in conditions that appear to violate numerous health and building standards, a Houston Chronicle review of the properties has found.
In recent days, the Houston Chronicle documented exposed electrical wires, rotting wood, broken and boarded-up windows and other potential violations of the city's "minimum standards" for occupied buildings.
After seeing the Chronicle's photographs, inspectors from two city departments pledged investigations into properties owned by Vo, D-Houston, saying the conditions could lead to misdemeanor criminal citations.
"There was nothing in those pictures that wasn't a violation," said Jodi Silva, a spokeswoman for the Houston Police Department's neighborhood protection division. "You have to keep your property to certain minimum standards, and that's what these are falling under."
The Chronicle's inquiry began last week after city inspectors, acting on complaints, cited Vo for conditions at an apartment complex he owns in the East End. There, inspectors found open electrical boxes, loose wiring and inadequate balcony railings — all misdemeanor violations.
Vo's other properties, in varying degrees, showed similar problems, though one complex was outside the city limits and not subject to post-construction inspections.
Among other potential city violations at three complexes were overflowing Dumpsters, damaged parking lots and an algae-filled swimming pool — all conditions that could prompt criminal fines.
Vo, who has owned the properties for years, took blame for the problems Wednesday, saying he had not done enough to ensure the complexes were maintained. He said he would improve the conditions, pledging personal inspections of individual units, cooperation with city officials and outreach to residents to encourage them to report concerns.
So, while Vo touts himself as "Dedicated to Public Service" and "Accessible. Responsive. Independent.," he has actually not been interested in serving the people who pay him rent each month, until Stiles started poking around. Examples:
Tomasa Compean, 58, has lived for 18 years in her one-bedroom unit, where she pays $450 a month and has never received new carpet or paint. White powder bug poison outlines her baseboards, and a leaky faucet has left a large patch of rust and mildew in her tub, which apartment officials have covered only with paint.
[snip]
"The worst things are the roaches and mice. That's just too much."
Carmen Aguilar, whose two-bedroom apartment faces a dusty courtyard next to a swimming pool filled with opaque green water, pointed to a buckled wall and a large, moldy hole above her bathtub.
Meanwhile, Vo is having a pity party:
Vo said he knew he would face criticism:
"It's going to affect me very much. It's going to kill my reputation. I just have to move on and try to repair the damage.
It's all about him. Poor Hubert Vo.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: Be sure to click over to the Chronicle photo gallery of the Vo Slums. This photo of a murky green swimming pool is pretty good, although the actual structural violations of the slums are more of a concern. Certainly, the photos are quite a contrast from those of Vo's personal real estate!
RELATED: More Vo Real Estate for Sale: Memorial Mansion with Multiples (Swamplot)
BLOGVERSATION: Houston Politics, Lose an Eye, It's a Sport, Swamplot.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/10/08 05:06 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (14)
03 April 2008
Hubert Vo's "next step toward positive change": ridding himself of slumlord status! (updated)
When state Rep. Hubert Vo (D-Houston) kicked off his reelection campaign, he said:
"We've come a long way in a short time, and now we have a chance to take the next step toward positive change," Vo said. "Let's consolidate the gains of the past three years and move forward together to make our schools better, our families healthier, and our community stronger."
As today's news highlights, he could have done his own part toward making some families healthier and a community stronger:
City building inspectors on Wednesday issued several safety citations against an East End apartment complex owned by state Rep. Hubert Vo.
The citations to the Courtyard Apartments on Villa de Matel allege eight structural and electrical problems, including rotting wood, missing balcony railings, loose boards and broken windows, city officials said.
"There were the kinds of things you'd see in a building that has not been well-maintained," said Susan McMillian, a senior staff analyst in the city's Public Works and Engineering Department. "It needed more intense maintenance than what had been done."
Homeowners in the nearby County Club neighborhood have complained about the property for years, calling it a visual blight and a magnet for crime.
"It's really a deplorable situation, and the sad thing is that people are actually living there," said Charles Mayfield, a member of the area's Super Neighborhood Council. "It's really disheartening to see, and surprising, to say the least, that anybody — no matter who they are — would let the property get into such a condition."
The Chron's Matt Stiles visited the property today and has posted pictures of the dilapidated building on the Houston Politics blog. Stiles also recounts how the property manager tried to shoo him away; however, readers will not be surprised that Stiles wasn't deterred -- he soon was given a tour of the complex to see ongoing repair work.
Let's visit Vo's website again:
Hubert has been responsive when people in District 149 needed help. He led a three year battle against TXDOT’s efforts to build two very unpopular overpasses in the district. When developers attempted to bring more state funded multi-family housing projects to the Highway 6 area he was able to protect the already over-crowded schools and over extended infrastructure in those areas by stopping the new construction. He went to bat for homeowners along the West Park Tollroad for much needed sound walls and he has fought against developers wanting to build houses on a closed landfill in the district. Time and time again he has fought and won for the district.
Too bad he wasn't fighting for decent living conditions for the residents in his apartment buildings.
UPDATE: A reader emails that Vo's $4.5 million abode is for sale. Asking price -- $4.7 million. He's probably just been waiting for it to sell so he could afford needed improvements to his other properties.
I'll bet there aren't any rats in the mansion.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport, Texas Liberal.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/03/08 07:22 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (13)
04 March 2008
Is Quanell the Tenth the new Bob Stein?
Remember when Rice professor and bicyclist Bob Stein used to turn up in the local media all the time, as an expert on everything?
Although he's not really an expert on everything, Quanell the Tenth also seems to turn up all the time in media reports, for reasons that have never been entirely clear. A bemused reader passed along this latest instance from a Chronicle story:
Led by community activist Quanell X, residents of a southwest Houston apartment complex began a grass-roots search Sunday to catch a serial rapist.
Raina Williams, 34, said she wishes someone would come forward with information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect, who police believe has attacked at least four women since September.
"It will be nice if he is caught because it's scary, very scary. Sometimes you don't have a person to meet you at the bus stop," said Williams, who lives with her 11-year-old daughter, 22-year-old sister and her sister's 2-year-old daughter.
Houston police have said they believe the same man has sexually assaulted three women in the 9300 block of Dairy View and one in the 9400 block of Dairy Ashford. They believe the man lives in the area.
Quanell, who along with four other men passed out fliers with composite sketches of the suspect Sunday, said the community wants police and area apartment complexes to increase security. "And we are saying to the rapist, it would be wise if you turn yourself in because if you don't, when the community catches you, we will whip your rusty, raggedy behind," Quanell said.
Allrighty then!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/04/08 08:18 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (8)
06 February 2008
Chris Baker will head to Minnesota
Mike McGuff passes along word that former KTRH-740/KPRC-950 talker Chris Baker will be headed to Minneapolis, where he'll do an early morning show for KLTK-100.3.
The folks at Radio-Info are discussing the move here.
Best of luck to Chris in the COLD north. Brrr!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/06/08 11:24 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (6)
05 February 2008
You decide 2008: Is Borris Miles a "gangsta" or a hugger?
The Chronicle's Allan Turner profiles some of the hits and misses of state Rep. Borris Miles:
At first glance, the June 30 concert at Reliant Arena might have seemed just a routine hip-hop affair. But this one was different. Even though 7,500 teens and young adults turned out to hear Lil' Wayne, J Xavier, Mista Madd and a host of other hip-hop celebrities, the only way to get into this event was to be tested for HIV.
Hip Hop 4 HIV was the brainchild of freshman state Rep. Borris Miles, a flamboyant insurance agent-turned-politician whose heavily black District 146 accounts for three-fourths of Harris County's HIV infections.
To Miles' supporters, the concert was characteristic of the fresh thinking the legislator had brought to his inner-city district after a surprise 2006 runoff victory over 27-year incumbent Al Edwards. But even as backers celebrate Miles' innovations, others are concerned about a series of incidents involving the lawmaker that ranged from awkward to frightening.
The episodes culminated in December when Miles crashed a party at the posh St. Regis Hotel. Party host David Harris said a drunken Miles shocked guests with loud, profane language before planting a Godfather-style "kiss of death" on his cheeks, handing him a pistol and declaring,"You don't know what I'm capable of doing."
After proclaiming himself a "gangsta," Miles then allegedly kissed a female guest on the lips while her husband was away from the table.
Prosecutors are scrutinizing the episode. Meanwhile, the female recipient of Miles' unsolicited smooch filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages and demanding the lawmaker be tested for HIV. A hearing is set for Feb. 15.Other moments include Miles' unilateral decision to censor an anti-death penalty art exhibit at the State Capitol and his profane chastisement of former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell at a downtown party.
Miles, gearing up for a March primary rematch with Edwards, declined to comment on the Harris and Bell incidents. He defends his art exhibit action.
If Rep. Miles wants to call himself a "gangsta," we aren't going to argue with him (we wouldn't want to provoke unwanted groping and/or smooching, after all).
Several days earlier, KHOU-11's Leigh Frillici scored an interview with the "gangsta" lawmaker, who noted that he likes to hug people.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/05/08 01:10 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (5)
10 January 2008
Godspeed, little Frisky
The Simon family has lost another precious kitty -- Frisky, a very fluffy kitty indeed.
One of the funniest things Frisky did was to race outside on those occasions Laurence let him out. Laurence caught the hilarity on video one time, but I can't find it. If I recall correctly, one of those racing adventures led to Frisky getting lost for a day or so, and after he finally returned home, that was the end of the Frisky Races.
He's now free to race again, with his buddies Edloe and Piper cheering him on.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/10/08 08:46 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (7)
09 January 2008
Thoughts on the Rosenthal email flap (parts two and three)
We return to the topic of Chuck Rosenthal and email.
As described in part one, the overly romantic emails from Harris County DA Chuck Rosenthal to a female subordinate were bad enough (maybe if she had just been an intern... but we digress).
Then there was the matter of deleting emails (part two -- which didn't even get its own post because we've moved on so quickly to part three). While we're not entirely sure that the public's right to know legally requires that all emails to/from public officials be preserved forever, we're pretty sure that when a federal judge is interested in the emails, it's not a good idea to go deleting hundreds of them.
And finally, there is the matter of another batch of recently released emails to/from Rosenthal that have been described by various journalists and bloggers as misogynistic, racist, and pornographic for starters. Oh, and throw in some (likely illegal) politicking too.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/09/08 11:34 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (26)
02 January 2008
New GHCVB leader to focus on Houston's strengths
Today's Chronicle runs an L.M. Sixel Q & A with the GHCVB's new leader, Greg Ortale. Here's an excerpt:
What I really want to do is to tie our convention solicitations with the economic demographics of the city.
We're the energy capital so it makes sense to go after the energy conventions.
It's the same with the Medical Center.
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of meetings.
Secondly, because we are a global city I want to go after international meetings and symposia and conferences. Why shouldn't the international AIDS conference be in Houston?
The third is really to position Houston as an international tourist destination.
Q: Are you building relationships with people in the Medical Center and NASA and the engineering industries who have the ties to bring conventions and meetings to Houston?
A: Some of them already exist and some are yet to be built. We're moving in that direction.
He also says there aren't enough hotel rooms in downtown for mid-range conventions that require between 2,500 and 5,000 rooms. Hopefully that's not an invitation for a government entity to build a hotel...again.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/02/08 07:51 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (11)
30 December 2007
Michael Berry worries about Big Brother...sometimes
This Chronicle story on new state laws that take effect in 2008 reminds me of something I meant to pass on before Christmas.
One of the new laws requires most employees of a school district to be fingerprinted for a background check. When the story first came out a couple of weeks ago, I heard Michael Berry doing a promo for his afternoon show, asking if the new law was another example of Big Brother running amok.
This from the guy who said that anyone opposed to red light cameras was obviously in favor of people running red lights.
Sheesh.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/30/07 11:45 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (4)
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ACTIVE TOPICS
The threads above are the most recently active in the blogHOUSTON comments (RSS).
LOCAL BLOG TALK
This section is regularly updated with posts from local bloggers who add to the blogversation about Houston media, politics, and life. It is powered with a little help from Furl.
LOCAL BLOGS
- Pure Bloggers
- +A Certain Slant of Light
- +A Veneer of Certainty
- +Ain't Chicken
- +Around Town Houston
- +B.S. Houston ArtBlog
- +Baboon Pirates
- +Bayou City Madman
- +Beldar Blog
- +Blue Bayou
- +Boyd's Blog
- +Brazosport News
- +Business Unusual
- +By the Bayou
- +Chelsea Hotel No. 2
- +Chief Hurtt's Blog
- +Connections
- +Custos Fidei
- +Defending People (Mark Bennett)
- +Diana's Place
- +Dissonance
- +Down the Writer's Path
- +Fabulous Jen
- +Fireballs, Lightning Bolts and Hell Storms
- +Food In Houston
- +Greg's Opinion
- +H-Town Grooves
- +High Tech Texan
- +Houblog.com
- +Houston Calling
- +Houston Consigliere
- +Houston Photobloggers
- +Houston Strategies
- +Houston's Clear Thinkers
- +Houston, Hot and Humid
- +Houstonist
- +Houtopia
- +Intermodality
- +Jeff Balke
- +John Little
- +Laurence Simon
- +Laurie Kendrick
- +Liberty's Blog
- +Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center
- +Lone Star Times
- +Lose an Eye
- +Lou Minatti
- +Metroblogging Houston
- +Midtown Live
- +Misunderestimation
- +Off the Kuff
- +Perfectly Cromulent
- +Perry vs World
- +Polimom
- +Professors R-Squared
- +PubliusTX.net
- +Quaint Quiescence
- +Rant Fever
- +Red Ink: Texas
- +Rep. John Culberson's Blog
- +Right of Texas
- +Run Houston
- +She Eats
- +Sit, Ubu, Sit!
- +Slampo's Place
- +Stolen Thunder
- +Talk In Texas
- +Texas Liberal
- +Texas Safety Forum
- +Texas Yankee
- +The County Seat
- +The Light Bulb
- +Twelve Two Two Fondue
- +WILLisms
- +Write on METRO
- Journo Bloggers
- +Brent Clanton
- +HC: About Chron
- +HC: About Last Night
- +HC: Baseball
- +HC: Bayou City History
- +HC: Cook's Tour
- +HC: David Barron
- +HC: Hand Stamp
- +HC: Helpline
- +HC: Houston Departures
- +HC: Houston Politics
- +HC: Inside Central Houston
- +HC: Jerome Solomon
- +HC: John McClain/NFL
- +HC: Loren Steffy
- +HC: MeMo
- +HC: Nick Anderson
- +HC: School Zone
- +HC: SciGuy
- +HC: Sports Justice
- +HC: Sports Soup
- +HC: Tag's Baseball Plays
- +HC: Tech Blog
- +HC: Texas on the Potomac
- +HC: The Unofficial Scorer
- +HC: UH Cougars
- +HP: Eating Our Words
- +HP: HouStoned
- +HP: HouStoned Ballz
- +HP: HouStoned Rocks
- +Isiah Carey's Insite
- +KTRK: Consumer Blog
- +KTRK: Miya Shay
- +KTRK: Prof 13
- +KTRK: Roussel Report
- +KTRK: Tim Heller
- +Matt Lavine's Left Field News
- +Mike McGuff
The local blogs above cover topics of interest. Drop us a line if you blog about local topics and would like us to consider your blog. While a link back to blogHOUSTON is not required, it would be much appreciated.
LOCAL NEWS
+Examiner News
+Houston Business Journal
+Houston Chronicle
+Houston Community News
+Houston Forward Times
+Houston Press
+KPRC-2 (NBC)
+KHOU-11 (CBS)
+KTRK-13 (ABC)
+KRIV-26 (FOX)
+KTRH-740 AM
+KPRC-950 AM
+KUHF-88.7 FM (NPR)
LOCAL INFO
+AOL Cityguide
+B4-U-Eat
+Citysearch Houston
+Crime Maps & Stats
+Houston Architecture Info Forum
+Houston Chronicle Dining
+Houston Press Dining
+KPFT Music Calendar
+Links to Houston
+Pollstar (Houston)
+RadioInfo.com (Houston)
+Red Pub
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+Chron columnist Ken Hoffman
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+Slampo
"You harp and whine and snipe. I stopped reading weeks ago, but some guy still e-mails me bits, which I don't have the good sense not to read."
+Chron columnist Richard Justice
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+Former Chron columnist John Lopez
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+Ken Layne
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+Councilman Michael Berry
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+Laurence Simon
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+Rob Booth
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+Charles Kuffner
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+A prominent local PR official
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+Cindy Chaffin
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+Chris Elam
"... blogHouston.net looks *great*."
+Alex Whitlock
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+Vikk Simmons
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+A local news exec via email
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+Aziz H. Poonawalla
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+Greg Wythe
"[A] lot of public masturbation...."
+Bayou City Madman
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+Chron cartoonist Nick Anderson
"[I]t's clear your reality and facts are not one and the same."
+WOAI/San Antonio talker Joe Pags
[T]heir political commentary involves absolutely no analysis, ever.... It's hackery."
+Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
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