23 February 2007
A new, but different, Chron eye!
We've frequently pointed out the Chron Eye for the Death Row Killer Guy, the anti-death-penalty Houston Chronicle's ongoing effort to focus sympathy on criminals who have been sentenced to die in the state of Texas.
Today, Matt Bramanti found and forwarded us an unusual variant on the theme: The Chron Eye for the Anti-War Army Deserter Guy!
Several of the familiar Chron Eye rhetorical devices are present. There's the effort to portray the "victim" as a good guy:
Wilkerson hoped to avoid a prison term after fellow soldiers testified he had an outstanding service record during a yearlong stint as a military policeman in Iraq in 2004.
[snip]
"I think he's brave," said Iraq Veterans Against the War Executive Director Kelly Dougherty. "Everyone has to make their own decision, of course."
And there's the obligatory reference to a troubled childhood:
Wilkerson traced his woes to childhood, when, he said, he witnessed his stepfather killing his mother's male companion and attempting to kill his mother.
When the stepfather committed suicide about two years later, Wilkerson said he internalized the trauma, which thrust him into the role of peacemaker in his troubled family. Later he said he grew interested in the anti-violence movement after the massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo.
There's no reference to the HPD Crime Lab for obvious reasons, but otherwise the story follows the Chron Eye formula pretty faithfully.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/23/07 11:30 AM |
Breaking news you CAN get elsewhere (02-23-2007 edition)
The Chron.com Froot Loop Bureau has been busy (badly) rewriting the television news this morning, after a relatively quiet couple of days.
First, there's this:
Four teens were arrested after assaulting several people overnight, according to reports this morning from KTRK (Channel 13) and KHOU (Channel 11).
Authorities gave reporters this account: Five men were attacked by the group in southwest Houston over the course of an hour. One victim was assaulted with a baseball bat while the other was stabbed.
Police caught the teens after a foot chase around Hillcroft. One teen was found with keys from a stolen vehicle. They were also identified by eyewitnesses.
And this:
A Fort Bend medical facility was forced to decontaminate an emergency center after a poison scare Thursday night, according to KTRK (Channel 13).
Authorities gave a reporter this account: Police responded to a to a home in the Pecan Grove subdivision after a man apparently tried to commit suicide. The man was rushed to the Oak Bend Medical Center.
That's where authorities learned the man had tried to use potassium cyanide to kill himself.
The emergency center was shutdown [sic] and the man's family was called to the center to be decontaminated.
KTRK must LOVE that they are the unofficial "partner" of the Chron.com Froot Loop bureau!
UPDATE: The stories have mysteriously been "updated" with actual reporting by Kevin Moran.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/23/07 07:58 AM |
22 February 2007
Siemens: Stray current costs aren't our problem
Local METRO watchdog Tom Bazan's latest public information requests of the transit agency have yielded some interesting information regarding the ongoing stray-current problem.
Recall that back in November, KTRH-740 and KHOU-11 reported that nearly $1 million had been spent trying to solve the problem. A Chronicle story in December also covered the issue. All three stories gave the impression that METRO fully expects the contractor (Siemens) to reimburse it for these costs.
A letter from Siemens to METRO dated 21 November 2006 suggests that the contractor isn't nearly as amenable to reimbursing the agency for stray current costs as METRO may have suggested to local media. Here is an excerpt from the document forwarded by Bazan:
In response to METRO letter MSG-10708 dated 8/17/06, STS provides the following:
It is Siemens position that the costs delineated by METRO that may be related to stray current investigations, i.e., testing, repairs, management and any other costs that may have been incurred by METRO during the stray current investigations are considered consequential in nature. Consequential damages are expressely excluded from the Siemens/Metro Contract as stated in Article 87 .... "The contractor shall, to the extent permissible by law, be exempt from incurring consequential damages from METRO when such consequential damages relate to the performance of this contract."
In conclusion, STS is not liable for Metro's claim related to the costs incurred by METRO which may be related to stray current efforts."
It doesn't really sound as though Siemens is very receptive to METRO's suggestions that it pay back the transit organization for the growing costs of a stray-current problem that neither the contractor nor METRO seems able to fix.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/22/07 10:49 PM |
Did Mayor White really rule out Gus Wortham redevelopment?
The Chronicle's Mike Snyder reports that Mayor White seemingly has backed away from plans to redevelop the Gus Wortham golf complex into a playpen for the Houston Dynamo:
Mayor Bill White on Tuesday all but ruled out use of the Gus Wortham Golf Course on Houston's East End as the site for a new soccer complex.
"I'm not going to support something over the strong objection of the council member from that district, period," White said after Councilwoman Carol Alvarado, who represents the East End, said the golf course is not the right place for the soccer facility.
[snip]
Asked by Alvarado whether the Wortham golf course was "off the table" as a site for the soccer fields, White repeated his earlier statement that he would not support it over strong opposition from the community and the district council member.
Mayor White is usually more determined than this to have his way. Don't be surprised if he finds some way to bring Councilmember Alvarado on board with his plans.
RELATED COVERAGE: KTRK-13.
BLOGVERSATION: Newswatch: City Hall.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/22/07 10:19 PM |
Eckels: Where did the love go?
Most politicians want to be loved. It's the nature of their craft.
And politicians who have mostly been loved while in office really get used to it.
Sometimes they don't take criticism very well.
Today, we're treated to an example of that, as the Chronicle's Bill Murphy reports that Judge Robert Eckels -- who has been criticized on blogs (including this one) and in the MSM for his bad timing in stepping aside from an elected term that he just won, which will result in a replacement being appointed for nearly two years -- is trying to rehabilitate his image and recapture the love:
Resigning County Judge Robert Eckels said Wednesday that he weighed not seeking re-election last year but worried that lame-duck status would hamper his efforts to help the area recover from the 2005 hurricane crises.
The hurricane emergency convinced him he should run, Eckels said in a meeting with the Houston Chronicle editorial board.
The judge, who is taking a job with the Fulbright & Jaworski law firm, has drawn criticism from stepping down so soon after being elected to a fourth term in November.
The area has recovered. And seriously -- lame-duck status? Leaders lead, whether they are lame ducks or not. (See Giuliani, Rudy, re: 11 September 2001).
This seems like obvious political spin concocted by Eckels and handlers to deflect what is legitimate criticism of the timing of his decision to leave public office to become a member of the lucrative pull-peddling industry. Eckels would probably be better served if he simply stopped digging what is becoming a deeper hole, but politicians who have been loved sometimes don't understand that.
The story goes on to make the following points:
Under federal ethics law, high-ranking administrators in federal government, members of Congress and their top staff are banned from lobbying their former departments or agencies for one year after leaving government.
The county has no similar revolving-door policy.
It may be time to consider one.
The county paid Fulbright $255,000 last year for work on bond transactions. Eckels said he wasn't hired to increase that business.
He declined to pledge that he would not be involved in Fulbright's county business in the next year, though he has no plans to do so.
Check that earlier uncertainty -- it definitely is time to consider a revolving-door policy.
BLOGVERSATION: Off the Kuff.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/22/07 07:49 AM |
21 February 2007
Chron.com launches Cancer Diva blog
Today, Chron.com launched a slightly different kind of blog from its usual fare: Cancer Diva.
It's written by a Chronicle staffer, Terry Hayes, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Hayes seems determined to spend what time she has left joyfully -- and to write about it. Here's a blurb from her first post:
On the medical end, I've had... two major surgeries; countless CT scans, ultrasounds and blood tests; two colonoscopies and an EGD; installation of a "port" for chemo infusion; three MRIs, a bone marrow extraction, and a PET scan; malignant ascites (my personal favorite!); shingles on my neck and shoulders; bright red rashes on my face; hair thinning at an alarming rate; oily, zit splattered skin (like being a teen again!); and skin so dry and tight that I couldn't turn my neck; and more!
But even through all the badness (and the weirdness), LOTS of awesome stuff has happened, too.
I traveled to New York City, San Francisco, London and Paris. I bought a tiny dream car. I threw a Halloween/Dia de los Muertos party. Most importantly, I realized I have a remarkable family, friends who would do anything for me, and co-workers with hearts of gold.
There's a lot to like about this lady's outlook (and a lot not to like about her terminal illness). I've added Cancer Diva to my feedreader. Maybe some readers here will find it compelling also.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/07 04:32 PM |
Pesky walls and roofs may perpetuate "the digital divide"
On the Chron.com City Hall blog today, Alexis Grants links to a New York Times story that discusses one of the big problems with the type of citywide wifi network that Mayor White hopes will be built by Earthlink:
The impulse behind these projects is noble. It’s a shame, however, that lots of street lamps and lots of dollars — a typical deployment in an urban setting will run $75,000 to $125,000 a square mile, just to install the equipment — do not really solve the last-mile problem.
If you’re sitting with your laptop at an outside cafe, you’ll be happy with the service. But if you happen to be at home, you realize that service to the doorstep is not enough: you still need to buy equipment to bolster the signal and solve the “last mile plus 10 more yards” problem — that is, getting coverage indoors.
Wi-Fi signals do not bend, and you usually can’t get much of a useful bounce from them, either. Because Wi-Fi uses unlicensed bands of the radio spectrum, by law it must rely on low-power transmitters, which reduce its ability to penetrate walls. Travel-round-the-world shortwave, this ain’t.
Trying to cover a broad area with Wi-Fi radio transmitters set atop street lights brings to mind a fad of the 1880s: attempts to light an entire town with a handful of arc lights on high towers. But overeager city boosters around the country soon discovered that shadows obscured large portions of their cities, and the lighting was not as useful as had been expected. Municipal Wi-Fi on streetlamps, another experiment with top-down delivery, may run a similarly short-lived — and needlessly expensive — course.
Unfortunately, the story is behind the Times Select firewall, but here is a reprint from another newspaper.
The Chronicle's own Dwight Silverman experienced the problem when he tried to use the municipal wifi network in Corpus Christi. The signal didn't penetrate his parents' home, and he had to stand outside to connect.
Grant's story in the Chronicle today indicates that Earthlink is downplaying the problem:
A wireless modem or a device called a repeater, which enhances the indoor signal, usually will solve the problem at a cost of about $100.
About one-third of users need one of these to prevent spotty service, Berryman said, so EarthLink provides one free to subscribers who sign a one-year contract. The modem EarthLink provides now can be used only for one computer, but the device the company expects to distribute to Houston users will repeat the signal for several computers.
Ultimately, that's a clumsy, unsatisfying workaround that adds expense to the provider and inconvenience to the end user. Requiring a one-year service commitment for the needed repeater also makes the terms of service much like those for the cheapest tiers of DSL service (if slightly more expensive). The one-year commitment may also hinder efforts to "bridge the digital divide." But maybe the city can lean on Earthlink to provide the repeaters free of charge to poor people.
Thank goodness the city is contracting out with a third party to handle this effort, since it is Earthlink's capital at risk if the boondoggle fails miserably because most people who would pay for broadband (customers!) actually don't want to stand outside holding their laptops. But who knows -- by 2009 (when the buildout is scheduled to be complete), maybe better technology will make the notion of ubiquitous municipal broadband a little less farfetched.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/07 12:12 AM |
20 February 2007
Air continues to go out of Ruben Cantu story
The Chronicle's hopes of winning that elusive first Pulitzer via the Victor Cantu story continue to dwindle.
Here's the latest from Lise Olsen (and Maro Robbins) on what was once thought to be the Pulitzer beat:
Once the star witness in a capital murder case, Juan Moreno is convinced that his testimony sent the wrong man to the execution chamber, but he's having trouble convincing others.
Memory lapses and apparent contradictions emerged as Moreno, a San Antonio construction worker, told Bexar County prosecutors this month that he buckled to police pressure and falsely accused a San Antonio teenager named Ruben Cantu of murder in 1985.
The Feb. 8 interview is among the final tasks in the district attorney's yearlong examination of claims that Cantu was wrongly executed in 1993 for the robbery murder of Moreno's friend, Pedro Gomez. More than four hours of questioning left prosecutors more skeptical than ever.
When asked later by reporters if he still believed Cantu was innocent, Moreno hesitated at first. A few minutes later, he insisted: "I've always known he was innocent."
Moreno had not spoken publicly since November 2005 because he had been threatened with prosecution for potentially perjuring himself at Cantu's original trial.
Moreno's own lawyer doubted the eyewitness account would be enough to conclusively establish Cantu's case as the nation's first undisputed example of an innocent man's execution. Later, Cliff Herberg, a supervisor in the district attorney's office, said it appears Moreno doesn't remember much of what happened.
"At this point, he is just spouting back the misinformation (and) lies that have been fed to him by the anti-death-penalty people," Herberg said.
Credit goes to the Chronicle for reporting the facts in this latest story, even though they cast further doubts on Moreno's reliability as a witness (and the Chronicle's efforts to win a Pulitzer by "proving" an innocent man was executed in Texas). While it is possible mistakes were made in this case, activists are going to have to produce more substantive evidence than they have so far in the Cantu affair.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/20/07 11:26 PM |
Eckels to announce his contribution to cynicism about politics
The Chronicle's Kristen Mack reports that Harris County Judge Robert Eckels has found his lucrative landing spot:
Harris County Judge Robert Eckels plans to put his decades-long experience in public service to work as a lobbyist with the law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, he told the Chronicle on Monday.
Eckels will publicly announce his plans after this morning's Commissioners Court meeting, which may be among his last.
"This is a new stage for me to play on. It's an international firm, and it has a broad range of expertise," Eckels said, citing the firm's energy and public finance practice. "I could have jumped last year if I was ready to go. But I wasn't. Now, mentally, I'm ready, and operationally, the county is ready."
We have already addressed Eckels' poor timing, so a link will suffice.
Most reporting has described Eckels' upcoming move to the "private" sector. We would suggest it's more of a lateral move within the political pull-peddling industry than a true move to a private sector that builds and sells things and contributes to the economy, but that's just one view.
In any case, Eckels -- whom we always thought of as a pol of some integrity -- will officially announce his personal contribution to cynicism about American politics and pols following this morning's meeting of Commissioner's Court.
BLOGVERSATION: Off the Kuff, HouStoned.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/20/07 07:47 AM |
19 February 2007
METRO's transparency in action
Last week you'll recall METRO CEO Frank "Procurement Disaster" Wilson stated that the government agency operates "in a completely transparent manner."
So, let's check in on that transparency. Rad Sallee writes this in today's Chronicle, regarding Northside property owners who fear METRO is ready to gobble up their property:
Metro Vice President George Smalley declined to release an up-to-date list of properties targeted for acquisition, noting that certain information about pending real estate purchases is exempt from Texas open records law.
The Chronicle has filed an open records request for the information.
Yep, completely transparent.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/19/07 07:13 PM |
Breaking news you CAN get elsewhere (02-19-2007 edition)
The Chron.com Froot Loop Bureau apparently takes weekends off, but not federal holidays (like Presidents' Day):
Multiple fires kept firefighters extremely busy overnight all over the Houston area, according to KHOU (Channel 11) and KTRK (Channel 13)....
That's some gig, watching the TV news with breakfast down at 801 Texas Avenue and then writing it up!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/19/07 01:24 PM |
18 February 2007
Pappasito's employee tests positive for Hepatitis A
If you recently ate at the Pappasito's on 15280 I-45 North, then you may want to pay close attention to this bit of news from KPRC-2:
Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES) has been notified that a member of the wait staff at Pappasito's Cantina has tested positive for Hepatitis A.
The employee was reported to have worked at the restaurant while he was infectious.
Any one working or eating at the restaurant between Jan. 23-27; Jan. 30-31; Feb. 1, 3 and 7-8; may have been exposed to the liver disease.
[snip]
HCPHES said they highly recommended that anyone who worked or ate at Pappasito's Cantina, located at 15280 I-45 North, receive an immune globulin (IG) shot which will help prevent developing disease.
RELATED COVERAGE: KTRK-13.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/18/07 08:49 PM |
Chron runs a very smart quote
Thanks to the Chronicle's Kristen Mack for a nod to our own Kevin Whited:
County Judge Robert Eckels, drawing some heat for his decision to leave office just months after voters gave him a fourth term, offered no apologies Friday, and he noted that he had to file for re-election more than a year ago.
New opportunities since then, and introspection as he approached age 50, convinced him — as he said in announcing his departure Thursday — that "the time is now."
Generally conservative Web site BlogHouston.net's response to that quote was typical of critical sentiment. "Actually, no. The time would have been right before the last election, so voters could have picked your replacement," wrote BlogHouston's Kevin Whited. "Thanks for your years of service and solid conservative governance, but jeers for the way you decided to quit."
Kevin does have a knack for putting a nice finishing touch on an issue, something I appreciate as a reader.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/18/07 01:01 PM |
Congratulations to the Kuffner family
This is belated, but heartfelt nonetheless: Congratulations to Charles Kuffner and his wife Tiffany on the newest little Kuffner -- beautiful Audrey.
The picture of adorable Olivia holding her baby sister is just precious!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/18/07 11:22 AM |
17 February 2007
Quality Hill homes set to anchor regional tourism center
Two historic homes in downtown Houston would become the center of a new regional tourism center if all goes according to plan:
A multimillion-dollar initiative is under way in downtown Houston that will convert two historic houses into what will become a regional heritage tourism center, Mayor Bill White announced today.
Subject to approval by Houston City Council, the city and the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GHPA) will enter into an agreement that will lead to the renovation of the historic William L. Foley House, built in 1904, and the Arthur B. Cohn House, built in 1905. Together, the two side-by-side structures, which front Avenida de las Americas between the George R. Brown Convention Center and Minute Maid Park, will form the nucleus of a tourism center that will serve the 18 counties of the Upper Texas Gulf Coast.
[snip]
Plans call for a lease agreement in which the GHPA would raise funds from the private sector to renovate the two houses and the rest of the property. The GHPA will also maintain permanent offices in one of the two structures, which are the last remaining homes of the once-fashionable Quality Hill neighborhood.
The City's Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department will partner with the GHPA in the design and construction of the property and then will ultimately be responsible for operating the regional tourism center.
Is one of those old houses currently decorated with numerous umbrellas? If so, will the umbrellas have to go?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/17/07 10:48 AM |
County judge successor already chosen?
Along with other local news outlets, KUHF-88.7 is reporting that the person who will replace Harris County Judge Robert Eckels may be former state Rep. Ed Emmett:
[I]t seems the decision for a successor may already be made. At least three members of the court appear to favor local consultant Ed Emmett, including Commissioner Steve Radack.
"He's very talented, very intelligent from Rice University, graduate of Rice University. A number of people have talked to me about him and I've yet to hear one negative word about Ed and I think he'll be a -- you know if Robert does go and Ed gets the vote of the Commissioners' Court -- I think he'll be an excellent county judge."
[snip]
University of Houston Political Science Professor Dick Murray says Ed Emmett has support from both political parties.
"To the average voter he's an unknown person, but he served with Robert Eckels and with El Franco Lee in the legislature so he's known to two of the five votes on the court pretty well and apparently is a well-liked person. And it looks like he may be an acceptable compromise to the members of the court that have to make the replacement."
This appears to be a bio of Emmett.
Back room deals that choose "elected" officials really stink.
BLOGVERSATION: Off the Kuff
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/17/07 08:25 AM |
Press release journalism
The Chron's Lori Rodriguez decided to help out a newly formed local activist group by publicizing an upcoming protest event the group is trying to put together:
A coalition of community leaders, grass-roots groups and elected officials will march through downtown Houston on March 24 to protest Bush administration policies they say hurt the working poor.
The newly formed Coalition for Working Class Americans wants residents of all backgrounds to join them in the demonstration that will culminate with a City Hall rally aimed at showing concern for economically squeezed Americans.
"We have assembled to express our gross dissatisfaction with the country's growing insensitivity to the enormous burden that our nation's economic policies continues to place on those who can least afford it," said Bishop James Dixon II of Community of Faith Church on Pinemont, where the coalition announced its plans.
The march will take place against a backdrop of heated, partisan debate about the president's proposed budget, which contains cuts to social services including Head Start and workfare programs.
A proposed increase in minimum wage also is generating a political tug-of-war.
Organizers hope to draw as many as 1,000 marchers.
Among participants in the coalition are the Harris County AFL-CIO, the Houston Area Urban League and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.
Apparently that qualifies as a news story. One that required using local news-gathering resources.
Do you think if a right-of-center group sent a press release to the Chron announcing an upcoming protest, the same resources would be devoted to covering the announcement at all, let alone so uncritically? Of course, the answer is no.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/17/07 08:06 AM |
16 February 2007
Gus Wortham Park soccer development is for the children!
This week, the Chronicle's soccer columnist unsurprisingly came out strongly in favor of a plan being "quietly" discussed among city officials to turn the Gus Wortham Park golf course into a soccer playpen that would benefit the Houston Dynamo:
It is encouraging to see that city officials have been exploring the possibility of changing the Gus Wortham Park golf course in the east end into a youth facility that focuses on soccer. The field could positively affect local youth who live close to the facility and even those who live around the country if national events were put together.
Ah, we stand corrected. It's not just for the Dynamo. It's also For The Children!
Matt Stiles reports on Chron.com's City Hall blog that some leaders from the East End are not as enthusiastic as the Chronicle's soccer columnist:
City Council candidate James Rodriguez is siding with his former boss, District I Councilwoman Carol Alvarado, in opposing plans to build a youth soccer complex at historic Gus Wortham Park golf course.
[snip]
In an e-mailed campaign news release, Rodriguez criticized city officials for not discussing the plans with neighborhood leaders. His statement said civic associations around the park are siding against the idea.
Does that put Rodriguez on the wrong side of The Children?! Oh my!
Stiles also posts Mayor White's response to questions about the potential development, along with an mp3 of the mayor's press conference.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/16/07 11:04 PM |
Some Hearst newspapers don't like plagiarism
The San Antonio Express-News recently had an incident of plagiarism on its commentary pages. In a blog post on the topic, public editor Bob Richter wrote the following:
For the record, lifting another writer's words is a cardinal sin of journalism. It's a cardinal sin even if you're not a full-time journalist, such as people who submit letters to the editor and other opinion pieces.
Express-News writers who plagiarize other writers' work typically are summarily fired. In an era when nearly anyone can publish nearly anything — on blogs, personal Web sites and the traditional ways — newspapers and media Web sites must be ever vigilant against plagiarism.
It's a good thing columnist Rick Casey moved from the Hearst-owned Express-News to the Chronicle several years ago. It doesn't sound like his former employer would have handled his plagiarism quite like the Chron.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/16/07 09:58 PM |
Breaking news you CAN get elsewhere (02-16-2007 edition)
The Chron.com Froot Loop Bureau has been watching KTRK-13 again this morning:
Two fires broke out in the Houston area early this morning, destroying a family's home and gutting another one that was vacant, according to a report by KTRK (Channel 13).
Authorities gave a reporter this account: The first blaze occurred at a home at the 8100 block of Record near Denton in northeast Houston. Around 12:30 a.m., a family of six rushed out of the home after flames raged through the residence.
When firefighters arrived at the scene they found the father of the family trying to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters had to battle several hot spots that kept reigniting, but finally put on the flames.
Authorities believe the fire was accidental, but an arson investigator was called because of the size of the blaze.
No one was injured, but the home was a complete lost.
Nice copy errors.
Maybe Toucan Sam's strength as a bureau chief is fact checking, and not copy editing?
UPDATE: The errors are now corrected. Does the Chron.com Froot Loop Bureau read the little blog in addition to watching KTRK? Hmm.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/16/07 07:34 AM |
[Previous 20 Entries] [Next 20 Entries]