21 February 2010
Your money: A new $2.3 million soap box derby park!
THE CHRONICLE'S CHRIS MORAN writes about Steve Radack's new $2.3 million soap box derby park.
We are fairly green conservative types here at the little blog, and we like public parks, but I can't come up with any great defense of this one. Knock yourself out in the comments if you can help clarify our thinking on what seems like an expensive boondoggle on its face.
Incidentally, the article points out that Radack's original vision had a pricetag of $300,000. We wish Chron scribes were as diligent in pointing out METRO rail's escalating costs! But kudos to Moran for noting the great power commissioners wield in spending on boutique parks (and other boondoggles).
UPDATE: Cory Crow writes this.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/10 09:33 PM |
Why turn over so much content provision to amateurs?
THIS POST AND THE COMMENTS illustrate the ongoing amateurization of what was once a compelling alt-weekly better than anything we might compose tonight.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/10 09:20 PM |
Slampo: Wait, wait.... Please tell us!
SLAMPO blogs about the new book from anti-death penalty crusader David Dow.
If any professional publication in town had any sense, it would be paying this guy whatever he wants to write as many words as he could put out for their rag. It's so much better than the dreck turned out by Falkenberg/Casey at the Chron or most of the Village Voice amateurs. So if you didn't click that link above, we really encourage you to do so.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/10 09:10 PM |
Area blogs on the vileness of Terry Lowry
MURRAY NEWMAN blogs on the Vileness of Republican "activist" Terry Lowry.
David Jennings has also blogged about Lowry.
We're curious how the folks competing to be HCRP chair feel about the vileness of Mr. Lowry.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/10 09:01 PM |
Kuffner: You are undertaxed
CHARLES KUFFNER, one of 35 people who will shape the future of Texas according to Texas Monthly, restates his notion that you Texans* among our readership are undertaxed.
A Future of higher taxes and greater copyright abuse doesn't sound so great to us, but your mileage may vary.
* That would be most everyone, aside from an odd relative or friend, we suspect.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/21/10 08:51 PM |
Dynamo fan: We're gonna do it until we get a new stadium
RALLY FOR DYNAMO STADIUM: Channel 11 reports "dozens" showed up. And why should taxpayers give millions of dollars to fund another sports stadium? "'It’s an eyesore to come down Harrisburg,' said Gallegos."
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/21/10 11:33 AM |
19 February 2010
Beldar: Press and public mostly misunderstand Keller judicial issues
WILLIAM DYER blogs about the latest developments in the Sharon Keller judicial proceedings.
The substantive posts at the Beldar Blog on this subject so far have treated the legal/judicial issues with much greater precision than partybloggers looking to score political points or even so much of the MSM coverage.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/19/10 08:11 AM |
18 February 2010
Main Street Houtopia: "The vision remains unfulfilled"
THE CHRONICLE'S PRIME PROPERTY BLOG had an interesting post just before Valentine's Day on the Fannin Street "flower district," long one of Houston's cheapest places to pick up fresh flowers. Mike Snyder reports that where there were once a dozen or so shops, the number has dwindled to less than half a dozen (sadly, my favorite place to buy roses closed a couple of years ago).
Interestingly, some years back, cheerleaders for the Main Street light rail line promised all sorts of wonders for the coming Main Street Houtopia, including an enlarged flower market as centerpiece of the Fannin "flower district" (see Snyder's original coverage of the cheerleading here).
As noted in the blog post, the "vision remains unfulfilled."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/18/10 11:22 AM |
16 February 2010
HBJ readers: Free Metro rides not an incentive
CORY CROW notes an unscientific online poll about METRO that the Houston Business Journal posted for its readers:
Houston Business Journal ... asked readers if Metro eliminated fares, would they consider riding the bus?
More than 670 people responded, with a majority — 59 percent — saying “no.” Thirty-two percent said “yes.”
Most readers who commented said that even with free fares, the city’s transportation system did not go where they needed to go, or that it took too long to get there. Others said they liked certain aspects of the light rail system, but that the plans as a whole for Metro were moving too slow.
That last graf sounds very much like the 420/30 comment on Chron.com we blogged about previously.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/16/10 10:26 PM |
McGuff: HMEPS chief David Long is retiring
MIKE MCGUFF informs that David Long, the head of the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System (HMEPS), is retiring in a few weeks.
Long, an effective advocate for HMEPS, seemed not to be Mayor White's favorite person in recent years, probably because Mayor White knew very well that the pension plan's underfunded liability -- a problem he punted to the next mayor, just like it was punted to him from Lee Brown -- remains a ticking time bomb.
Come to think of it, retiring instead of fighting with the mayor who eventually will have to deal with this problem is probably a pretty good deal for Long. Maybe some intrepid watchdog journalist will even tell us how good a deal at some point.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/16/10 09:16 PM |
The first stage of grief, SciGuy blog-style
THE CHRONICLE'S RESIDENT FAITH-BASED GLOBAL-WARMING ENTHUSIAST seems still to be in the first stage of grief (denial) over recent developments in the global-warming debate:
Climate change is now firmly a plank of the Republican party, that is, I believe it is now something of a litmus test for Republican candidates. ClimateGate has legitimized climate contrarianism.
Actually, reality has legitimized healthy skepticism towards climate scientists with political agendas (and not a small number of believing "journalists" for that matter). Three cheers for reality!
That the Chron's global-warming true believer seems to be in something of a shocked state of denial over the effective collapse of the global-warming charade is further illustrated by this bizarre exchange with a reader:
Eric wrote:
What does all this mean? Well, even if every country met its pledge from Copenhagen, according to the Sustainability Institute global temperatures would still rise by 3.7 degrees Celsius
........
Hmmmmm, why is Eric quoting this "prediction" as fact???? We can't even predict weather, much less climate............Posted by: Old Gringo Stan at February 16, 2010 01:55 PM
Stan,
Hmmmmm, why is Eric quoting this "prediction" as fact???
I'm not quoting the statement as fact. It was merely to illustrate that even if all of the proposals on the table are acted upon, according to climate scientists, they would not have a significant effect.
Eric
It's not a fact, merely an illustration assumed to be a fact to make a point.... Got that?
If not, you're probably just a captive of the skepticism plank of the Republican Party!
Let's hope the next stage of grief (anger) over the collapse of the manufactured global-warming consensus is brief (since the newspaper is already bleeding readers, and we prefer that enough ads can continue to be sold to keep paying for those remaining metro desk reporters gathering actual news).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/16/10 09:10 PM |
15 February 2010
He did WHAT?!
UNCA DARRELL spotlights a laugher from the Chron editorial board's endorsement of Bill White.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/15/10 09:36 PM |
Area transit asides
THE CHRON'S INSIDE EAST HARRIS COUNTY blog reports on increasing ridership on three circulator bus routes started by Harris County Transit Services at the beginning of the year.
Elsewhere, Houston Strategist Tory Gattis offers his advice to the committees appointed by Mayor Parker to study METRO.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/15/10 09:26 PM |
Amateur hour in the Dem primary for county judge
THE CHRONICLE recently profiled the two Democrats trying to unseat Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.
Former Council backbencher Gordon Quan, the preferred candidate for some local lefty bloggers, may need a little help with his website. Although it contains the expected "Gordon Quan for Harris County Judge" text in various places, the header graphic gives the impression that Mr. Quan is already County Judge.
Surely that's just an oversight that Mr. Quan will get corrected. And while he's at it, he might take a crack at revising his website's description of the job he's seeking:
What Does the County Judge Do?
Even though the Harris County Judge doesn’t wear a black robe or preside over trials, he or she does go to court every day: to the Harris County Commissioners Court.
Hmm, well, Commissioners Court doesn't actually meet every day. Whoops!
We suspect Harris County voters will agree with Quan's conclusion, though:
Decisions made at the Commissioner’s Court directly affect you. It’s vital that we have a leader at the Court that is experienced, energetic, and effective.
And maybe even one who knows how often the Court meets!
UPDATE (02-17-10): Quan's website has been updated and now reflects the changes we suggested. The campaign can feel free to send our consulting fee to the blogHOUSTON PO Box! :)
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/15/10 08:00 PM |
A day late and a dollar short?
Sunday's Chronicle had an "exclusive" for subscribers (available online today): A look at the city's abandoned/derelict buildings.
The poor writing notwithstanding, the "exclusive" really wasn't even much of an enticement to subscribe to the declining news source, since two TV stations have already covered very similar ground.
We can't wait to see next Sunday's "exclusive" content!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/15/10 07:40 PM |
14 February 2010
Bill White's never-ending introduction
THE CHRON'S JOE HOLLEY provides a little contribution to the Bill White campaign: White works on introducing himself to Texas.
Going into his second year of state-wide campaigning, White is still introducing himself to Texas voters?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/14/10 09:47 AM |
METRO's generosity
CHANNEL 11 REPORTS that METRO has allocated $5 million to give to businesses suffering due to light rail construction:
Business owners adversely impacted by light rail construction will be asked to submit an application for assistance. Final details of the plan are still being worked out but an initial requirement includes that a business would need to have at least a three-year track record at the location in question. Officials said $25,000 is the maximum amount each business could receive, but the grant amount will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Wow -- $25,000.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/14/10 08:39 AM |
Sales tax allocations continue to decline
HOUSTON'S JANUARY SALES TAX ALLOCATION DOWN 12.4%: "The city will receive $51.4 million, down 12.4 percent from $58.7 million in January 2009. This is the third straight month of double-digit declines in the Bayou City’s portion of sales tax revenue." Tom Bazan's latest email blast notes that METRO's allocation was down 14.67%.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/14/10 08:07 AM |
11 February 2010
KRIV: Houston Housing Authority has closed only 7 homes since July
KRIV-26's RANDY WALLACE posts a nice investigative report on recent failures at the Houston Housing Authority. Homebuyers who qualify for assistance complain of moving goalposts and ridiculous red tape. The Housing Authority offers any number of excuses.
Bottom line: Only seven homes have closed since July 2009, according to KRIV, making this one ineffective agency even by quasi-governmental standards.
Interesting tidbit: None other than David Mincberg, who did such a fine job in his last housing post, was appointed by then-Mayor Bill White to chair the organization's board in.... July 2009!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/11/10 10:50 PM |
The poor voters in this district deserve some good drugs
BORRIS MILES, the erratic character who once successfully beat State Rep. Al Edwards, behaved like a buffoon in office, lost his re-election campaign against Edwards, and is now challenging Edwards again for the seat, took a drug test on the air (KCOH-1430) today as a campaign stunt to answer definitively the question of whether he's on drugs (Isiah Carey's Insite, Texas Tribune).
The test came back negative.
Unfortunately, the poor voters in the district must surely wonder if they are somehow under the influence as they watch these two clowns vie to represent them.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/11/10 08:55 PM |
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