June 2006 Archives

30 June 2006

Mayor BossHoggWhite Has Nothing On This Guy

The real-life Boss Hogg faces his legal hazards (Tom Baldwin, Times)

THE Dukes of Hazzard was a popular TV series in which the attempts of Boss Hogg, a corrupt county commissioner in the American Deep South, to impose his own brand of justice were constantly thwarted by the free-wheeling, fast-driving “Duke Boys”.

Danny Crosby is the real-life Mayor of Coopertown, Tennessee, who — like Boss Hogg — is fond of white stetsons, police cars and speeding tickets. According to court documents filed this week, the similarities do not stop there.

A 17-page “writ of ouster”, a rarely used Tennessee procedure to remove an elected official, was presented to Robertson County Chancery Court on Tuesday by John Carney, the District Attorney, stating the mayor has “exhibited an unworthiness to occupy the office”.

I don't know which is more depressing: That the Dukes of Hazzard reference made it into the Times of London, or that the guy really did seem to fashion himself after Boss Hogg.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/30/06 22:07 | Other | Technorati | Comments (0)

29 June 2006

I Wanna Fire Some Howitzers

San Antonio neighborhood shaken by cannon fire (Associated Press)

Soldiers practicing for Fourth of July festivities aimed World War II-era cannons at nearby homes and cars and fired several loud blanks, upsetting neighbors who complained of ringing ears, shaken homes and frightened pets.

The members of Fort Sam Houston's Honors Platoon usually just pretend to set off the 75 mm Pack howitzers when they practice, post spokesman Phil Reidinger said.

"What possessed them to use the actual blank ammunition, I have no idea," he said.

They're guys. They're Texans. It's not that hard to figure out.

If I had the chance to fire a couple of Howitzers with blanks and do no real harm done, I'd be all over that! It would almost be like an episode of The American Shooter!

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/29/06 22:24 | Texas | Technorati | Comments (2)

28 June 2006

On Its Own Terms?

India embraces Myanmar on its own terms (Sudha Ramachandran, Asia Times)

BANGALORE - Even as India was reaffirming its growing ties with Myanmar at the seventh round of consultations between the foreign offices of the two countries, the US and other countries have been moving forward at the United Nations to have Myanmar's military rulers censured by the Security Council.

The US-led move comes in the wake of the decision by Myanmar's ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to extend Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest. Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been under house arrest since May 2003.

[snip]

The proposed resolution in the Security Council would therefore be unprecedented. But even as the US is considering this resolution, for some of Myanmar's neighbors it is business as usual with the generals. India, for instance, seems unfazed by the proposed US move.

Recently, Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was in Myanmar, firming up energy and economic ties. "The talks covered the entire gamut of India-Myanmar bilateral relations, with special emphasis on issues such as security, energy, trade and economic cooperation and infrastructure projects," a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Indian officials are not worried about the proposed US resolution in the Security Council. China and Russia - both veto-wielding permanent members - and Japan, a non-permanent member, have already signaled their opposition. "I don't consider the situation in Myanmar as a situation that poses a threat to international peace and security," Japan"s ambassador to the UN is reported to have told the Security Council.

While India is banking on the Chinese veto to prevent the US resolution from being adopted, it was China's growing influence in Myanmar that in fact prompted India to begin engaging the generals there.

India desperately needs Burma's natural gas. China desperately needs Burma's natural gas. Both countries have inked deals for the same. They aren't going to jeopardize those deals by supporting "strong action" (whatever) from the UN.

The Japanese ambassador's comment is, of course, true in a limited sense, but it's still kind of despicable to be so indifferent to the junta's behavior and, in particular, its treatment of the opposition. Maybe Japan is looking to get in on Burma's hydrocarbon action as well.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 13:36 | International | Technorati | Comments (1)

They Call That A Navy?

Sailors killed in Sri Lanka clash (BBC News)

Five Sri Lankan sailors have died in a clash with Tamil Tiger rebels off the country's west coast, the navy says.

Navy spokesman DKP Dassanayake said about 20 rebel small craft had attacked two naval vessels near Kalpitiya, about 140km (86 miles) north-west of Colombo.

He said 12 rebels had also been killed. The Tamil Tigers say only one rebel died. A rebel spokesman blamed the navy for provoking the clash.

Worsening violence has claimed about 700 lives in Sri Lanka this year.

Referring to Sri Lanka's "navy" seems a bit of a stretch.

Any "navy" that can regularly be challenged by rebel insurgents on the seas -- and Sri Lanka's "navy" is regularly challenged by the Tamil Tigers -- isn't much of a navy.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 13:23 | International | Technorati | Comments (0)

No German Thatcher (or German Reagan)

Merkel changing her tune on taxes (Judy Dempsey, International Herald Tribune)

BERLIN Eight months into her term as chancellor, Angela Merkel is on the verge of raising taxes for the second time, in this case for a vast and bureaucratic health care system.

The proposal by her coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats envisions an expansion of the system to cover children that could cost taxpayers from €16 billion to €25 billion, or $20 billion to $31 billion.

[snip]

Merkel is already under fire from the business community for doing little on the reform front, and the costly new program will force her to decide how to pay for it. One choice is some kind of indirect tax, such as the value-added or sales tax; another is to raise the income tax.

Either measure is sure to be unpopular, particularly since Merkel has barely weathered the storm over raising the sales tax from 16 percent to 19 percent, an increase that takes effect next January. Economists have attacked this tax, saying it would do nothing to encourage consumer spending and thus to cut the unemployment rate of 11 percent.

Merkel came to office promising to cut taxes, reduce bureaucracy, and encourage competition and transparency.

There was a time when many analysts referred to Merkel as a "German Thatcher" or a "German Reagan."

Those comparisons can stop now.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 12:57 | International | Technorati | Comments (0)

Villepin, Chirac Circle The Bidet

President breaks tradition to prop up failing protégé (Charles Bremner, Times)

PRESIDENT CHIRAC used a rare television appearance last night to attempt to reassert his authority over France by urging Dominique de Villepin, his embattled Prime Minister, to pay attention to unhappy MPs in his ruling centre-right party.

M Chirac, who is 73 and said to be depressed by his country’s recent succession of troubles, gave a live interview to state television in an attempt to end a revolt by MPs against M de Villepin and banish his own image as an “invisible” President.

He also refused to rule out the possibility that he would stand for a third term in elections next spring, although few in the political world regard this as a serious possibility.

Remember Chirac's landslide victory in the 2002 presidential election?

Yeah, nobody else does either, now that Chirac's popularity is down in the toilet bowl with Villepin's (or should I say, down in the bidet?).

Seriously, in the free world, has there ever been such a meaningless "landslide" victory in an election as Chirac's?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 12:52 | International | Technorati | Comments (0)

What Wave?

Incumbent wins easily as Jacob's immigration challenge fizzles (Glen Warchol, The Salt Lake Tribune)

Incumbency overcame the anti-immigration wave in Utah's 3rd Congressional District Republican Primary.

Five-term Rep. Chris Cannon had a commanding lead over political newcomer John Jacob with 89 percent of the precincts reporting at press time.

Cannon had collected 56 percent of the vote to Jacob's 44, with one-fifth of Salt Lake County's ballots still to be counted.

But by 11:05 p.m. Jacob already had seen enough. He called Cannon to concede.

After the call, Cannon triumphantly told a crowd of supporters gathered at Provo's Historic Court House: "This is my sixth time running for office and this is the first concession call I've ever received."

Cannon was surprised by the margin of his lead. "I would have called it much closer than this," he said.

A poll published last weekend by The Salt Lake Tribune also predicted a tighter race.

There are a couple of ways to read this result. One is that the anti-immigrationists in the Republican party don't have nearly as much sway as they think. Another is that the result may be inconclusive, since immigration doesn't have the same impact on Utah as it does, say, on Texas.

The White House must surely be pleased, as a Jacob win couldn't have been read as anything but a rebuke.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 12:45 | American Politics | Technorati | Comments (2)

26 June 2006

Nobody Knows Who Jack Abramoff Is

Call for Lobbying Changes Is A Fading Cry, Lawmakers Say (Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Jim VandeHei, Washington Post)

When Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) announced his resignation as majority leader in January -- soon after lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to corruption charges -- House Republicans panicked. Dozens of GOP lawmakers, fearing a political backlash, flooded the office of House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) with urgent pleas for lobbying reform.

Their message was clear: Hastert needed to champion legislation to crack down on unethical behavior and impose tough new restrictions on lobbyists and congressional perks. Hastert, who had previously shown scant interest in the issue, responded with proposals that surprised longtime reformers with their reach: a ban on privately funded travel by lawmakers and severe restrictions on lobbyist-paid meals.

"We need to reform the rules so that it is clear, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what is ethically acceptable," Hastert said at a news conference 10 days after DeLay stepped down.

But that was then. Six months later, the legislation has slowed to a crawl. Along the way, proposals such as Hastert's that would sharply limit commonplace behavior on Capitol Hill have been cast aside. Committee chairmen once predicted the bill would be finished in March, but the Senate did not pass its ethics bill until March 29 and the House passed its version May 3. The House has yet to name negotiators to draft the final package.

Legislators and public-interest group advocates say the most likely result this year is a minimalist package that would allow members to say they have responded to the Abramoff situation and other scandals but would do little to crimp their ability to accept lobbyist favors.

The change, these people say, reflects a calculation that the political storm has mostly passed and that the need for more intrusive efforts to alter the congressional culture and the lobbyist-lawmaker relationship is less urgent.

For better or worse, most people understand that their Congresscritters are what they are, and don't have much of an attention span for trying to make them other than they are.

The Congresscritters, of course, amply demonstrate what they are by immediately making their perks off limits the minute it seems that any real political danger has passed.

So it goes.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/26/06 22:42 | American Politics | Technorati | Comments (0)

22 June 2006

Guillen Gets Himself In Trouble

Guillen fined, ordered to take sensitivity training for slur (ESPN.com)

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on Thursday was fined an undisclosed amount of money and ordered to undergo sensitivity training for his use of a derogatory term aimed at Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti.

"On Tuesday night, Ozzie Guillen used language that is offensive and completely unacceptable," commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "Baseball is a social institution with responsibility to set appropriate tone and example. Conduct or language that reflects otherwise will not be tolerated. The use of slurs embarrasses the individual, the club and the game."

Guillen went into a profanity-laced tirade against Mariotti before Tuesday night's game against St. Louis and called him a number of names, including a derogatory term that is often used to describe someone's sexual orientation.

Guillen met with reporters Thursday before leaving U.S. Cellular Field to serve his suspension, saying as he did Wednesday that he used the wrong word. He said he agreed with Selig's punishment. He also vowed not to let up on Mariotti.

"The commissioner did what he had to do," Guillen said. "They don't agree with what I say. Me either. I agree with what I say about Jay. ... I'm not going to change. One thing I'm going to make clear is I apologize to the community, but to Jay, no chance. This thing is on and on for good."

Guillen crosses line with latest slur (Greg Couch, Chicago Sun-Times)

Guillen said that in Venezuela, that word is not a reference to a person's sexuality, but to his courage. He said he was saying that Mariotti is "not man enough to meet me and talk about [things before writing].''

He also said that he has gay friends, goes to WNBA games, went to the Madonna concert and plans to attend the Gay Games in Chicago.

In all honesty, it was insensitive. He should have called Mariotti that phrase that is sometimes used to describe a cat and left it at that. It would have been a bomb, but one directed at Mariotti and Mariotti only.

That WNBA crack was/is priceless, though.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/22/06 22:18 | Sports | Technorati | Comments (7)

21 June 2006

Watch The Goalposts Move

The Kos-Armstrong blogola scandal is already hugely entertaining (synopsis here, for anybody who hasn't been following).

The details are fascinating enough -- allegations (from the right, but curiously, also from the left blogosphere) about pay-blogging without proper disclosure, threats of lawsuits, emails urging supporters to starve the story of oxygen. It's a regular blog soap opera. Not quite as good as a full-blown Objectivist schism, but still entertaining.

What is most fun is to watch certain members of the reading-challenged community who were literally frothing about Ben Domenech and Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher (conservatives all) try to explain why this matter is no big deal, and that it's just more treachery from conservative meanies!

Err, yeah, that's what it is.

In any case, feel free to email me if you'd like me to write nice things about someone on the blog. And send money. Lots of it.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/21/06 23:19 | Media Matters | Technorati | Comments (4)

20 June 2006

Back

We rolled in from Chicago yesterday, about noon.

Despite all the hype about the weather, the worst was over by the time we landed, and we didn't have any problems getting home or around town yesterday.

We were delayed for a while at the airport, though. Continental actually lost a checked bag, and I had to fill out a claim form. That's never happened to me in years of flying that airline. About 9 this morning, though, I got a call from the delivery guy, who dropped the bag at my door, so that was cool.

Chicago was great, of course. I love that city. Unfortunately, it was spitting rain on Sunday, so I decided against trying to take in the Cubs. We didn't make it to see Tut at the Field, either. Time just ran short, as tends to happen in a great city. I think another long weekend later this year might be in order.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/20/06 22:49 | Other | Technorati | Comments (1)

16 June 2006

My Kind Of Town

I cashed in some frequent-flyer miles to sneak off to Chicago for the weekend.

Things that are definitely on the itinerary include:

Things that I hope to work in include: One thing not on my itinerary (but perhaps on Callie's) is Bikram Yoga. Observations so far:

Okay, I'm in Chicago to be in Chicago, not to blog. So that's all for now.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/16/06 14:49 | Other | Technorati | Comments (5)

14 June 2006

The Texas GOP Could Learn From The Irish

'The fact is, it's tax.' Blimey, O'Reilly, you never said five truer words (William Rees-Mogg, Times, via Brothers Judd)

Last week David Wighton, of the Financial Times, had lunch with Sir Anthony O’Reilly in Manhattan; the interview was published in Saturday’s FT magazine. It is all well worth reading, particularly for newspapermen; O’Reilly believes that newspaper prices in the UK market are too low. His own Independent ought to be priced at £1, rather than the present 70p; the FT ought to be £1.50, not £1.

Yet the key passage refers to tax. O’Reilly’s view is that the main reason for the Irish economic “miracle” has been the low level of corporate tax in Ireland. He is working to persuade the UK Government to reduce the rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland to that of the south; that is, from the UK’s 30 per cent to the Republic’s 12.5 per cent. He comments that the Irish miracle is not “because the pubs are great, the golf is great and the climate is, well . . . the fact is, its tax.”

This is, indeed, one of the political truths that politicians ignore at their peril. O’Reilly’s “the fact is, its tax,” is just as valid as Bill Clinton’s “it’s the economy, stupid”. Of course, from the British point of view, there can be no question of cutting the Northern Ireland rate of corporation tax without cutting the UK level. If 12.5 per cent is good for the Republic — and it is — then indeed it would also be good for Northern Ireland. If it would be good for Northern Ireland it would be equally good for England, Wales and Scotland. Not only good, but essential.

Most politicians have little understanding of tax. They think it is easier to tax business because global businesses do not have votes. They do not realise that Ireland has found that lower tax rates produce higher yields.

Maybe we could get this O'Reilly guy to come pay a visit to Governor Perry, and all of the Republican defenders of the Perry/Sharp business tax.

MORE: Lunch with the FT: The Life of O'Reilly (David Wighton, FT)

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/14/06 08:38 | Other | Technorati | Comments (0)

12 June 2006

Radnofsky "Twinkie Tour"

The former precinct chair is promoting a "Twinkie Tour."

I think it's cute that the press release refuses to use Sen. Hutchison's name.

Because, you know, people don't know her. :)

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/12/06 22:08 | Texas | Technorati | Comments (3)

07 June 2006

A Very Mediterranean Day

It's going to be a very Mediterranean day.

I just sneaked off for lunch at Mary'z (hint for the Chronicle: It's not a Greek restaurant!), which is an excellent little Lebanese cafe in the Galleria area. It was yummy, as always.

After work, the blogHOUSTON crew will be gathering at Byzantio, a favorite Greek bar/cafe on West Gray.

Maybe I should stream Ouzo-FM in the meantime, just to keep the mood right?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/07/06 12:49 | Houston | Technorati | Comments (1)

It's Not Just A Houston Problem

Houston-area county sees explosive property tax increases (Jeff Ehling, KTRK-13)

You've probably seen the television ads from Governor Rick Perry announcing property tax relief. Well there is one community that is not seeing it.

In some cases those appraisals are up tens of thousands of dollars. It's happening in Wharton County where property tax values are going up, but appraisals have stayed the same for 20 years, until now.

"It's gone nuts, they've gone nuts," said Floyd Fisher of El Campo.

Floyd Fisher's property tax appraisal has him angry. The Wharton County resident says his small piece of land in el campo saw a huge increase this year.

"I had a piece of property that went from $17,000 to $235,000," Fisher said.

And he's not alone, the Wharton County Chief Appraiser says every acre of land and every residential home in the county has been reassessed at the current market value. That is something that had not been done in 20 years.

"I don't believe that property values were at market value," said Wharton County Chief Appraiser Tylene Gamble.

[snip]

People who live in Wharton County say they are not taking these increases lightly and they are even appealing to the governor for help.

"Governor Perry, you better care, because I'm going to tell you the voters, they've had it," Fisher said.

Governor Perry and allies may have ensured the governor's re-election this fall with their education/tax package, but the property-tax revolt is building, as this fine story by KTRK's consumer reporter Jeff Ehling illustrates.

I'm guessing there are quite a few Floyd Fishers across the state who are getting grumpier and grumpier with the crew in charge.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/07/06 11:17 | Texas | Technorati | Comments (2)

06 June 2006

Lincoln Drafted Fourth

UH's Lincoln picked fourth in MLB draft (Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle)

University of Houston junior righthander Brad Lincoln was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the fourth overall pick in today’s Major League Baseball amateur draft. Shortstop/pitcher Kyle Drabek of The Woodlands was selected with the No. 18 pick by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lincoln, the Conference USA pitcher of the year, becomes the highest drafted player ever for the UH program. Previously, pitchers Ryan Wagner (No. 14 by Cincinnati) and Brad Sullivan (No. 25 by Oakland) were first-round picks in 2003. Lincoln was the Cougars’ ace pitcher this season with a 12-2 record and 1.69 ERA with 152 strikeouts in 127.2 innings of work. He also registered a career-high 11-game winning streak that ended Friday against Wichita State in the NCAA Tournament.

Lincoln was also one of the Cougars’ top sluggers, posting a .295 batting average with 14 home runs and a team-leading 53 RBIs. He helped lead the team to a 39-22 record and a second place finish in C-USA behind crosstown rival Rice.

It was a real pleasure watching Brad Lincoln on Fridays this past season. He had great stuff almost every game, and he was just unflappable. And now, he's about to be a few million bucks richer.

The Coogs' season sort of ended with a thud in that Norman regional (when the Coogs should have been hosting, grrr!), but this good news for Brad Lincoln sort of takes the sting out of that just a little. Nice job, BL.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/06/06 22:12 | Sports | Technorati | Comments (1)

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