Monthly Archives: January 2016

Fighting pertussis

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sure hope these folks can make a lot of progress in their work. Of the more than 30,000 children hospitalized with pertussis in the United States each year, 10 to 20 will die. Worldwide, pertussis infects more than 16 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Fighting pertussis

Saturday video break: I Put A Spell On You

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A song made for the voice of John Fogerty, with Creedence Clearwater Revival: Easily one of the most iconic voices in rock and roll. How can we make this any more enjoyable? By hearing Pete Townshend sing it at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: I Put A Spell On You

More special prosecutors for Paxton

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Uh, oh. Two additional special prosecutors have been appointed to look into other allegations of criminal misconduct involving Attorney General Ken Paxton, News 8 has learned. The two Fort Worth attorneys – Miles Brissette and former state district Judge Bob … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Inevitable “birther” lawsuit filed against Ted Cruz

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Houston, represent! Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz should be disqualified from the race because he isn’t a “natural-born citizen,” a fellow Texan claims in a “birther” challenge filed against the senator in a U.S. court. The suit seeks a court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Transgender people can now get correct birth certificates

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent news. Last week, Texas began giving trans people the option of sealing their old birth certificates and issuing new ones, according to Dallas attorney Katie Sprinkle. Previously, Texas issued amended certificates and those were only issued with a surgeon’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Transgender people can now get correct birth certificates

Know any good, solvent highway construction firms?

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

TxDOT is looking for a few. Drivers on Interstate 45 will wait longer for better connections to Loop 610 and U.S. 59 because a Woodlands-based contractor will have to be replaced. The jobs, totaling about $102 million, were won by … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Know any good, solvent highway construction firms?

Friday random ten: Noisetrade and other collections from 2015

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

My other main source of music for 2015 was Noisetrade. I’m not sure how they got my email address in the first place – oddly, they got my secondary address, not my main one – but I have been a … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Noisetrade and other collections from 2015

Selecting a successor for El Franco Lee: What I’m looking for

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Building on what we discussed last time, what am I, as one of maybe 100 people who has the privilege of selecting a Democratic nominee to take El Franco Lee’s place on the November ballot – and most likely, on … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Planned Parenthood sues over those anti-abortion sting videos

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Game on, indeed. Planned Parenthood is suing the people behind the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), the anti-abortion group that released a series of misleading videos this summer claiming that the women’s health organization sells fetal tissue for profit. “The … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

High speed rail opponents write a letter to Japan

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously? Thirty-three East Texas officials sent a letter to the Japanese ambassador to the United States on Monday to express their opposition to a private Texas firm’s proposed high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston that has strong ties to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on High speed rail opponents write a letter to Japan

New La Marque ISD trustees want to stop lawsuit against the TEA

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure about this. Last month, the La Marque Independent School District’s board of trustees voted to mount a legal challenge to the state’s decision to close the troubled Galveston County district after years of academic and financial problems. Now, … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New La Marque ISD trustees want to stop lawsuit against the TEA

Judicial Q&A: Joshua Verde

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Joshua Verde

Selecting a successor for El Franco Lee: Process and questions

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, sent by Carroll Robinson. The Issue During the past few days, there has been a great deal of speculation about the legal process for selecting someone to replace the late Commissioner El Franco Lee on the November … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Collin County agrees to pay Paxton prosecutors

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Grudgingly. For now. The special prosecutors handling the criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be paid for their work so far at the rate they were promised. Commissioners voted 3-2 on Monday to pay the more than … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Collin County agrees to pay Paxton prosecutors

Texas blog roundup for the week of January 11

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance wouldn’t trust Greg Abbott to write a grocery list as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of January 11

Interview with Ann Harris Bennett

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As I said in my earlier entry, Democrats came close to winning the office of Harris County Tax Assessor in 2012. The candidate who turned in that performance is Ann Harris Bennett, who is back this year to try again. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is Green v Garcia about “the power of the Latino vote”?

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

To some degree, but I wouldn’t overstate it. When Adrian Garcia called last month asking for support in his congressional bid, East End community activist Jessica Hulsey did not hesitate. “I said, ‘Adrian, you’re my brother,’ ” Hulsey, 65, recalled. “ ’I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is Green v Garcia about “the power of the Latino vote”?

“Bad, but not awful”

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Your Houston economy, folks. As Houston enters the second year of the worst oil downturn in decades, its once-booming economy has sputtered, and the strain finally is starting to show. Houston could flirt with recession in 2016 as the oil … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on “Bad, but not awful”

Environmentalists petition EPA to strip Texas of some authorities

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This unfortunately is not likely to go anywhere, but I relish the idea anyway. Alleging that Texas has dramatically eroded its safeguards against air and water pollution, two environmental groups are asking the federal government to step in. The Environmental … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Environmentalists petition EPA to strip Texas of some authorities

Judicial Q&A: Greg Glass

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Judicial Q&A: Greg Glass

When will there be a special election to fill Mayor Turner’s legislative term?

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Leader News brings up a point that I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere, namely that HD139 is now vacant since the inauguration of Mayor Sylvester Turner. They have their top-of-page-one story devoted to this, but of course you can’t find … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Syrian refugee litigation update

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Trail Blazers: The legal jousting continues over Texas’ effort to bar the settlement of Syrian refugees in the state. Attorneys for the federal government and an aid agency this week filed briefs reiterating their opposition to Attorney General Ken … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

RIP, Yale Street post office

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gone. Clues could have been the overgrown landscaping, multiple notices taped to the doors and, for the keenest observer, the bare pole without a U.S. flag or clanging metal cables. Headed back to his SUV on Thursday, one man … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on RIP, Yale Street post office

Interview with Brandon Dudley

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Democrats haven’t held the Harris County Tax Assessor’s office since long-serving Tax Assessor Carl Smith passed away in 1998. They came close in 2012, as first term incumbent Mike Sullivan won a three-way race with a shade less than 49% … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Republicans sure are hoping to get a bailout on school finance

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Am I the only one who thinks that a lot of this sounds like wishful thinking? The Texas Supreme Court may punt in a far-reaching school finance case, asking a lower court to assess the Legislature’s latest efforts on public … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Republicans sure are hoping to get a bailout on school finance

Another Uber lawsuit update

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like we are headed towards a jury trial soon. U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore has denied Uber’s request for summary judgment and rejected parts of the company’s motion to dismiss. “This court has found that the question of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another Uber lawsuit update

Things I Did Not Feel Like Blogging About This Weekend

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

1. Greg Abbott’s pathetic plea for attention. It’s one part wish fulfillment and one part right-wing pornography. It also has a certain “be careful what you wish for” element to it, specifically with the proposal that only a seven-justice super … Continue reading →

Posted in See, I do have a life! | Comments Off on Things I Did Not Feel Like Blogging About This Weekend

Weekend link dump for January 10

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good news: Really rich people are suddenly paying quite a bit more in taxes. Star Trek postage stamps are now available. RIP, Wayne Rogers, best known as Trapper John on M*A*S*H. RIP, “death panels”. And good riddance. All politicians lie, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for January 10

County finally takes jail overcrowding seriously

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see what this actually becomes. Chasing $4 million in grant money, Harris County officials on Thursday announced reforms in the criminal justice system to unclog dockets, lower jail population and address racial and ethnic disparities. And because the changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Paxton motion to cap prosecutors’ fees rejected

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. A state district judge Wednesday rejected Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to drastically cut legal fees for prosecutors in the criminal case against him. District Judge George Gallagher issued two orders overruling Paxton’s objections to the prosecutors’ fees … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

B-Cycle’s 100,000 rides

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Okay, almost 100,000. Still impressive. Houston’s growing bike sharing system – poised for a big 2016 – nearly pulled off 100,000 checkouts last year. After adding two stations in the last weeks of the year, bringing the total to 31 … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , | Comments Off on B-Cycle’s 100,000 rides

Saturday video break: I Knew The Bride

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the prolific and often covered Nick Lowe: That song will either elicit a conspiratory laugh by people enjoying a private joke, or it’s an exercise in passive aggression by someone who needs to get over an ex-girlfriend. All depends … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: I Knew The Bride

Astros-hacker pleads out

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

One chapter closes in of one of the stranger sagas I’ve seen in sports. The former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to hacking into the player database and email system of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Trooper Encinia turns himself in

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Six months after arresting Sandra Bland during a now-infamous traffic stop, state trooper Brian Encinia on Thursday returned to the Waller County jail where Bland died – this time to surrender to authorities on perjury charges. Encinia, 30, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Trooper Encinia turns himself in