Tag Archives: Google

Watch out for Waymo

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve talked a lot about Cruise’s so far ill-fated attempt to do robotaxi service, mostly because it was briefly available in Houston (and may be again soon), but the most successful purveyor of such services out there has been Waymo. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Alphabet, Austin, California, Cruise, driverless cars, Google, San Francisco, taxis, Texas, Waymo | Comments Off

SCOTUS keeps Texas’ stupid social media censorship law blocked

Posted on July 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The US Supreme Court did an awful lot of Very Bad Things this past week. You don’t need me to get into that, the entire Internet is screaming about it, with much justification. They also did at least one not … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Facebook, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

SCOTUS has its hearing on the stupid social media censorship law

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some modest hope, perhaps, that we’ll get a not-terrible ruling. The Supreme Court cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases … Continue reading →

Fifth Circuit upholds Texas’ ridiculous social media censorship law

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Back to you, SCOTUS. A Texas law prohibiting large social media companies from banning users’ posts based on their political viewpoints will go into effect after a federal appeals court on Friday lifted a block placed on the statute. NetChoice … Continue reading →

Multiple restaurants hit by “bad Google review” scam

Posted on July 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is on Google to fix. Multiple Houston restaurants are being targeted by a scam involving one-star Google reviews and a demand for digital gift cards to remove the negative post. The number of restaurants being extorted has grown in … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged Google, Heights, Houston, Instagram, OpenTable, restaurants, Texas, Texas Restaurant Association, Yelp | 1 Comment

SCOTUS puts Texas’ stupid social media censorship law back on hold

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a Texas law that prohibits large social media companies, such as Facebook or Twitter, from banning or removing users’ posts based on political viewpoints. The justices, in a 5-4 vote, granted NetChoice … Continue reading →

Florida’s stupid social media censorship law knocked down by appeals court

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

With an opinion from a Trump judge, no less. A Florida law intended to punish social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment, a federal appeals court ruled Monday, dealing a major … Continue reading →

Texas asks SCOTUS to not block its stupid social media law

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

As you’d expect. The Supreme Court should allow a sweeping Texas law to remain in effect that restricts the ability of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to moderate their platforms, according to the state’s attorney general. In a filing to the Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

SCOTUS asked to again block that stupid social media censorship law

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Please save us from the lawless Fifth Circuit. Having to make such an ask of this SCOTUS sure is a jaw-grinding experience. Lobbying groups representing Facebook, Twitter, Google and other tech companies filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme … Continue reading →

That stupid social media censorship law has been unblocked

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Fifth Circuit continues to debase itself. A federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated a Republican-backed Texas law that prohibits large social media companies from banning users over their political viewpoints. The decision hands a win to Republicans who have … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Briscoe Cain, Bryan Hughes, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 4 Comments

Why do driverless trucks love I-45?

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For a combination of reasons. Texas, particularly the stretch of highway between Houston and Dallas, has emerged as one of the nation’s main proving grounds for autonomous trucking, with freight trucks driving themselves from pickup destinations to shipping warehouses hundreds … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Aurora, Dallas, driverless cars, FedEx, Google, Houston, I-45, Otto, PACCAR, Texas, The Lege, trucks, TUSimple, US Department of Transportation, Waymo | 5 Comments

Social media censorship law blocked

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For now. As long as the outlaw Fifth Circuit exists, we can’t say more than that. A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Texas law that seeks to restrict how social media companies moderate their content and was championed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Briscoe Cain, Bryan Hughes, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

Social media censorship lawsuit has its day in court

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very dumb law that will hopefully be stopped before it takes effect tomorrow. Lawyers for two large tech industry groups appeared Monday in federal court in Austin to argue that Texas’ new social media law — inspired by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Briscoe Cain, Bryan Hughes, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

Lawsuit filed over our very dumb new social media “censorship” law

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So very dumb. Texas is being sued over its new law barring social media platforms from banning users over their political views by two trade associations that represent some of the industry’s biggest online companies. NetChoice and the Computer and … Continue reading →

Twitter lawsuit against Paxton dismissed

Posted on May 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not quite the end of it, though. A federal judge in California on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Twitter against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose legal efforts to investigate the social media platform after it suspended President … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Amazon, Apple, California, Facebook, Google, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Texas, Twitter | 2 Comments

House passes its budget

Posted on April 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The rites of spring in Texas: The start of baseball season, the first 90-degree day, and in odd-numbered years, the House Budget Amendment-Palooza. The Texas House on Thursday night unanimously passed its proposed two-year, $246 billion state budget after members … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged Abel Herrero, Attorney General, budget, Congress, coronavirus, Dade Phelan, Garnet Coleman, Geanie Morrison, Google, Jessica Gonzalez, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Lyle Larson, Medicaid, Senate, special session, stimulus, Texas, The Lege, vouchers | Comments Off

Republicans will never hold Ken Paxton accountable for anything

Posted on March 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t be a chump and expect them to. Texas lawmakers are preparing to arm Attorney General Ken Paxton with $43 million to fight Google in court. A key committee in the State Senate on Wednesday amended its proposed budget for … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged Attorney General, budget, Google, Jane Nelson, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Senate, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

The traveling Paxtons

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously? While millions of Texans languished in their homes last week without heat, many of them racking up astronomical electricity bills, the state official in charge of consumer protection left to take an out-of-state trip. According to a campaign spokesman, … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged Angela Paxton, Attorney General, blackouts, Chris Turner, coronavirus, ERCOT, Freeze 2021, Google, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Senate, Texas, Utah | 17 Comments

So how did Paxton’s budget grilling go?

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Meh. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton violated his budget authority when he transferred $40 million of taxpayer money to cover pay raises for some members of his staff without approval of the Legislature or the governor, triggering an angry response … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Attorney General, budget, Donald Trump, Election 2020, Electoral College, Google, Jane Nelson, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Nate Paul, Paul Bettencourt, Royce West, SCOTUS, Senate, Texas, videos | 1 Comment

Will the Lege cut Ken Paxton’s budget?

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The first draft budget includes a significant cut, but it’s early days. Already under investigation by the FBI and facing calls to resign from both the left and the right, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton now has the Texas Legislature … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged budget, Chris Turner, Google, Jane Nelson, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Paul Bettencourt, Senate, Texas, The Lege | 5 Comments

Let me Google that vaccine locator for you

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. In the coming weeks, Google will begin implementing a vaccine locator service on its platforms for Texans to use, including appointment details, clinic hours and more. The rollout comes as part of a $150 million plan announced by Google … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged coronavirus, Google, Texas, vaccinations, VaccineFinder | 5 Comments

Please don’t ask us about Ken Paxton

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A real profile in courage here. As President Joe Biden’s agenda is dealt an early blow in Texas, the embattled Republican attorney general promising more fights ahead with the new administration is getting little public support from members of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged Attorney General, budget, Election 2022, FBI, Google, Joe Biden, John Smithee, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Nate Paul, Paul Bettencourt, Senate, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

Another way Ken Paxton is costing you money

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He’s something else, this guy. Texas may pay tens of millions of dollars to outside attorneys hired to handle a major lawsuit against Google — money the state did not plan to spend before a scandal enveloped Texas Attorney General … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo, Legal matters, Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged Attorney General, bribery, budget, Darren McCarty, Google, Jeff Mateer, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Mark Lanier, Nate Paul, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Driverless taxis have arrived

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In Phoenix. Google offshoot Waymo announced it is launching the nation’s first commercial driverless taxi service in this and other Phoenix suburbs. The 24/7 service, dubbed Waymo One, will let customers summon self-driving minivans by a smartphone app, a la … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Arizona, driverless cars, Google, Phoenix, Uber, Waymo | 1 Comment

News flash: Businesses still hate bathroom bills

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

IBM hates them. As state lawmakers return to Austin for legislative overtime, tech giant IBM is stepping up its fight to defeat legislation it says would discriminate against children and harm its Texas recruiting efforts. In an internal email sent … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged American Airlines, AT&T, Dan Patrick, Election 2018, Facebook, Google, Greg Abbott, IBM, immigration, Microsoft, Senate, special session, Texas, Texas Association of Business, Texas Competes, Texas Instruments, The Lege, transgender rights | 1 Comment

Senate passes “driverless car” bill

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is a first. Texas took a step toward self-driving vehicles zipping up and down its highways and streets under a first-of-its-kind measure approved Thursday by the Texas Senate. Approved by a 31-0 vote, Senate Bill 1622 would implement minimum … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged Carlos Uresti, Charlie Geren, driverless cars, Google, Kelly Hancock, local control, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Rodney Ellis, Senate, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Once again with driverless car legislation

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Third time’s the charm, right? State Rep. Charlie Geren isn’t about to let Texas get left in the dust when driverless vehicles start easing their way into everyday life. Especially since car manufacturers need somewhere to test them and could … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Charlie Geren, driverless cars, Ford, General Motors, Google, Rodney Ellis, Texas, The Lege, Uber, Volkswagon, Waymo | Comments Off

Ready for driverless cars, Houston?

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, they’re coming, ready or not. Researchers, business leaders and elected officials are about to turn Texas into the biggest laboratory for connected cars in the nation, with the likeliest place to spot a self-driving car in Houston along the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged driverless cars, Google, Houston, HOV lanes, Joe Pickett, Metro, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Transportation Institute, The Lege, US Department of Transportation | 2 Comments

Google enters the rideshare market

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This will be worth watching. Google is moving onto Uber Technologies Inc.’s turf with a ride-sharing service to help San Francisco commuters join carpools, a person familiar with the matter said, jumping into a booming but fiercely competitive market. Google, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged California, Google, Lyft, San Francisco, Uber, Waze | Comments Off

Are driverless cars ready or not?

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

GM and Lyft think theirs are pretty close. General Motors Co. and Lyft Inc. within a year will begin testing a fleet of self-driving Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis on public roads, a move central to the companies’ joint efforts to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Congress, driverless cars, General Motors, Google, hacking, Lyft, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Uber | 2 Comments

Driverless car technology update

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have a personal stake in this story. James Kuffner, the head of Google’s robotics division and one of the original team of ten who started its self-driving car work, has left the company for a job at Toyota’s $1 … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged driverless cars, General Motors, Google, James Kuffner, Lyft, Toyota | Comments Off

Driverless car testing in Austin

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Be on the lookout. After years of experimenting with its groundbreaking autonomous vehicle technology almost exclusively in California, Google confirmed Monday that it has begun testing one of its self-driving vehicles in Austin. A white Lexus RX 450h SUV outfitted … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Austin, California, driverless cars, Google, Texas | Comments Off

Driverless car bill is dead

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. A bill to update Texas law for the age of driverless cars has stalled due to two serious roadblocks: Google and major car manufacturers. Both the technology giant and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, driverless cars, Google, Robert Nichols, Rodney Ellis, Senate, Texas, TxDOT | Comments Off

Reading and writing and operating systems

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Religion, politics, and operating systems – three things sure to start a spirited discussion. By January 2016, when the Houston Independent School District’s latest tech initiative hits full stride, the district will issue laptops to every high school student and … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged Apple, computers, Fort Bend ISD, Google, HISD, Houston, iPads, Microsoft, schools | Comments Off

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