Monthly Archives: December 2024

The SCOTUS gender affirming care ban case is about much more than that

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about equal protection under the law. In a striking echo of how they dispensed with abortion rights, many right-wing justices Wednesday advocated for a “leave it to the states” approach on trans health care, rhetorical cover for a legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

I do not expect any aspect of the rural health care problem to be addressed by the Lege

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, I just don’t see it happening. Twenty five years ago, the Texas Legislature passed a sweeping set of reforms to resuscitate the state’s collapsing rural health care system. Now, health care providers, advocates and local leaders are proposing similarly … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, December 6 edition

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth, we have another grab bag thanks to the long holiday weekend. This update includes: news from the … Continue reading →

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Texas does not want to know what the post-Dobbs maternal mortality rate is

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not at this time, and not if it can help it. Texas officials will not investigate pregnancy-related deaths for 2022 and 2023, skipping over the years immediately following the state’s controversial abortion ban, which critics say has led to more … Continue reading →

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Buc-ee’s versus Duckees

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Our most litigious roadside attraction is at it again. The beloved Texas Buc-ee’s Beaver is making its way into Chiefs Kingdom, but recent court filings show it’s trying to own the convenience store lane. This week, the beaver took a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

I guess we have to talk about fluoride again

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

deep sigh Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, is taking a swing at fluoride in drinking water. In a post earlier this month, Kennedy said the Trump administration … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of December 2

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is now willing to listen to Christmas music as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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The I-45 project is officially underway

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourselves. Houston drivers are facing more than a dozen years of work on freeways in and around the central business district — at a cost that could come close to or exceed $6 billion. All that work, however, will … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On landfills and methane

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

To the extent that we can, we should capture methane gas from landfills and use it for energy. Around 20 miles north of downtown Houston, seated between Interstate 69 and the Sam Houston Tollway, acres of pipeline weave through piles … Continue reading →

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The Taco Cabana renaissance

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m interested in this story for two reasons. Taco Cabana is expanding its signature pink restaurants into nearby states, with redesigned stores and blue agave tequila in every margarita, but San Antonio will remain home to its headquarters and its … Continue reading →

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Something calling itself “Enron” claims to be back

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Oh my God. Out of all the possible things to revive from the early 2000s, the return of boot-cut jeans was welcomed by many of my fellow Gen Xers, but no one — no one — was asking for this. … Continue reading →

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We may learn more about how much power cryptominers are using

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas’ utility regulator on Thursday adopted a rule requiring cryptocurrency mining facilities connected to the state’s main electric grid to register with the state’s grid operator. The rule, which was mandated by lawmakers in a 2023 bill, requires crypto … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“MLB for softball”

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. For the first time since its founding in 2020, Athletes Unlimited (AU) is organizing a traditional team-based league meant to be “Major League Baseball for softball,” in the words of former Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng, the senior … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A couple of thoughts about moving forward

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve got the canvass data for Harris County and will be working on it to bring you the usual analyses and insights. For whatever the reason, the voting precincts are presented differently than they were in the May/June elections, which … Continue reading →

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The wild turkeys of East Texas

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. Thanksgiving turkeys are abundant this time of year. But their wild brethren — the less plump variety strutting around the edge of forests — are less plentiful, especially in East Texas where researchers and state officials have spent decades … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 1

Posted on December 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“This means the United States would be kept in the dark about a lot of things going on in the world.” “McBride’s response is a masterclass in dealing with bullies.” “Now, reproductive rights groups are preparing for legal and legislative … Continue reading →

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Beryl’s effect on the Texas coast

Posted on December 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It was pretty significant. Parts of Texas’ shoreline were unrecognizable after Hurricane Beryl wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast, destroyed dunes and immediately caused the shore to become largely inaccessible, new drone imagery shows. University of Houston researchers captured images … Continue reading →

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The Ashby Highrise is getting close to being finished

Posted on December 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Wow! Developers recently hit a key milestone in the construction of a high-rise apartment complex in Boulevard Oaks that sparked one of the fiercest land battles in Houston’s history, more than 17 years a high-rise on the site was initially … Continue reading →

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