Search Results for: hpv

The HPV vaccine

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This story about HPV and its vaccine is from a couple of weeks ago, but it needs to be read. The vaccine that blocks a sexually transmitted infection that causes cervical, oral and other cancers was hailed as a home … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The HPV vaccine

HPV showdown looming

Posted on April 26, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The HPV conference commitee did its work in short order, and now HB1098 is on its way to Governor Perry’s desk. There was no word on what Perry would do about House Bill 1098. He has 10 days from the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on HPV showdown looming

Senate blocks Perry’s HPV order

Posted on April 24, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Well, in one area at least, the Lege is standing up to Governor Perry for his attempts at grabbing power. The Senate Monday passed a bill overturning Gov. Rick Perry’s order that middle-school girls be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on Senate blocks Perry’s HPV order

More on Abbott’s HPV opinion

Posted on March 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday, after AG Greg Abbott issued an opinion regarding Governor Perry’s HPV vaccine executive order, I was a little puzzled by what it all meant. I’m still a little confused today. Attorney General Greg Abbott has informally told two top … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on More on Abbott’s HPV opinion

Abbott says Perry’s HPV order “does not carry the weight of law”

Posted on March 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m trying to make sense of this, but the more I read, the more confused I’m becoming. Gov. Rick Perry exceeded his authority in ordering middle-school girls receive a new vaccine against cervical cancer, Attorney General Greg Abbott has told … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

Perry sued over HPV order

Posted on February 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

All things considered, this is probably moot, but Governor Perry has been sued over his HPV executive order. Here’s Courthouse News: Parents of three girls have sued Gov. Rick Perry to protect their daughters from inoculation with a vaccine against … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | 2 Comments

McCown on the HPV order

Posted on February 8, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Scott McCown of the Center for Public Policy Priorities wades in on the HPV vaccination controversy and makes the same point I did, with a lot more detail. Both the vaccination order and the 65 percent order, however, violate the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on McCown on the HPV order

Endorsement watch: Travesty

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have to link to this atrocious Chron endorsement of Republican Alexandra Mealer, but I refuse to quote from it. Instead, I’m going to crib from the daily Texas AFL-CIO email newsletter, which had its own thoughts on the matter: … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The battle for the Lege is gonna be lit

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Fasten your seat belts. While the Texas Senate appears safe for Republicans, Clinton’s comments underscored the emphasis that some Democrats — both in Texas and outside it — are already putting on the fight for the majority in the state … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We’re going to be fighting about vaccinations for a while

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I wish it weren’t so, but it is. Texas is one of 18 states that allow non-medical exemptions to the vaccines required for school attendance. California had a similar law allowing non-medical exemptions, until last year when it enacted a law that … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We’re going to be fighting about vaccinations for a while

SCOTUS upholds CSAPR

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Some very good news for people who like to breathe. The question was who should pay for air pollution that crosses state lines. The answer, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, is blowing in the wind. States in the Midwest and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Weekend link dump for December 22

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A link dump for kids from one to ninety-two… A long but provocative read on smarm and snark. From the Is Our Children Learning? department. RIP, Peter O’Toole, and RIP, Joan Fontaine. Hollywood is a little less royal today. Sergio … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for December 22

With Rick Perry, you always have to ask “Who benefits?”

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Politics had an item on Friday that perhaps should have received a higher profile. One of the controversial tenets of the abortion restriction bill would require all abortions to be performed in ambulatory surgical centers, which are a distinct … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

From the “If pigs had wings” department

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s never a bad time to construct a counterfactual. What if Rick Perry had never said, “Oops”? What if he could have, for Christ’s sake, just remembered that he had wanted to gut the Department of Energy? What if he … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bye-bye, WHP

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks, Rick! Federal health officials announced Thursday what state leaders have predicted for weeks: that they are halting funding for Texas’ Women’s Health Program. Cindy Mann, director of the federal Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, said Texas left her … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: All for Bill White

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t have another sweep yet, as the Star-Telegram hasn’t weighed in quite yet, but all the endorsements so far have gone Bill White‘s way as expected. A sample: The DMN is particularly pointed. Perry, 60, has done relatively little … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Statesman for White

Posted on October 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Two for two. If you’re driven by campaign-trail zingers, [Bill] White might not be your candidate. But a longer listen produces the inescapable conclusion that White is a thoughtful, experienced, unifying leader — just what Texas needs now. That’s why … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Statesman for White

Interview with State Rep. Senfronia Thompson

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Senfronia Thompson is an institution in the Texas House. First elected in 1973, she is the longest serving female member, and the longest serving African American member of that chamber. Her list of achievements is long enough that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

TPA endorsements for Democratic primaries

Posted on January 15, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

There are a lot of contested Democratic primaries this year, more than most of us can remember there being in a long time. For the most part, this is a good thing, as many of these contests indicate a greater … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Why I’ll be voting for Jessica Farrar in HD148

Posted on December 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I see Marc Campos has picked a side in the upcoming primary fight between State Rep. Jessica Farrar and her opponent. Commentary’s friend Jose Medrano is running for State Representative, District 148 in the Dem Primary. Jessica Farrar is the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

RIP, Heather Burcham

Posted on July 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Heather Burcham, who was a leader in the effort to make the HPV vaccine mandatory this past spring, has died of cervical cancer. She was 31 years old. Burcham was misdiagnosed by a half dozen doctors over a five year … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on RIP, Heather Burcham

Rep. Farrar’s personal privilege speech on HB1098

Posted on May 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The following speech was delivered on the floor of the House by Rep. Jessica Farrar after HB1098 became law without Governor Perry’s signature: Mr. Speaker and Members- I come before you today to deliver the first personal privilege speech of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

More HB13 debunking

Posted on May 7, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

HB13 is scheduled to be on the floor of the House yet again today, at which time we may get some answers to the questions Scott Henson raised concerning federal funding questions that its sponsor, Rep. David Swinford, had claimed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on More HB13 debunking

And the toll road confrontation is on

Posted on April 28, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

HB1892, the much-ballyhooed two year toll road moratorium, has passed the Senate and is headed back to the House for final passage before going to Governor Perry and a potential veto. The state Senate voted 27-4 on a transportation bill … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on And the toll road confrontation is on

“Jessica’s Law” passes out of Senate

Posted on April 25, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

And speaking of “Jessica’s Law”, it’s out of the Senate and into a joint committee. The Texas Senate passed its long-awaited “Jessica’s Law” Tuesday to protect children from sexual predators, but it reserved the death penalty for those twice convicted … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on “Jessica’s Law” passes out of Senate

To override or not to override

Posted on March 23, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t made up my mind about this yet. In another rebuff to Gov. Rick Perry, the Texas House passed a proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday for an automatic special session during which lawmakers could attempt to override gubernatorial vetoes. “I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Bye-bye, TYC board

Posted on March 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. The entire Texas Youth Commission board will resign on Friday after approving a rehabilitation plan for the agency, a spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry said today. The rehabilitation plan is to be presented by Ed Owens, the acting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Bye-bye, TYC board

Sixty down, eighty to go

Posted on March 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We’re almost halfway through the 80th Lege, and I agree with Burka that it’s been a bizarre session. We’ve had the Speaker’s race, the four-fifths rule non-suspension, the shenanigans to bypass the constitutional spending limit, the TYC and Jessica’s Law … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 1 Comment

Of molehills and mountains

Posted on February 25, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reviews Rick Perry’s history of executive orders, in comparison to his predecessors, and finds that he really has been doing things that weren’t tried before. I’ll leave it to you to read, but this pretty much sums up … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Warren Chisum: Man of nonsense

Posted on February 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

SciGuy brings the depressing news of State Rep. Warren Chisum’s bizarre anti-science crusade in the House – see here and here for the letter he distributed to all House members regarding the teaching of evolution. I’m not sure what’s more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | 3 Comments

CPPP urges Abbott to rule against Perry

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Scott McCown of the Center for Public Policy Priorities has sent a letter (PDF) to AG Greg Abbott urging him to rule that Governor Perry has overstepped his bounds with his recent executive order on the HPV vaccine. It’s a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on CPPP urges Abbott to rule against Perry

Lobbyist connections: Not just for vaccine orders!

Posted on February 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you’ll be as shocked as I was to learn that Governor Perry’s harebrained scheme to sell off the Texas Lottery comes complete with its own cozy lobbyist connections, just like the HPV vaccine order did. Former U.S. Sen. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 3 Comments

What does the Constitution say?

Posted on February 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Paul Burka considers the constitutional aspect of Governor Perry’s executive order regarding the HPV vaccine, for which AG Greg Abbott has been asked to issue a ruling. I’ll leave the details and the politics of it to Burka, who covers … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on What does the Constitution say?

Where were you in 2005, Jane?

Posted on February 7, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I knew that there had to have been a previous example of an inappropriate Executive Order by Rick Perry that usurped the Legislature, and Paul Burka reminds me of it: the Sixty-Five Percent order for public schools. If anyone can … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Where were you in 2005, Jane?