Search Results for: smoking

Weekend link dump for September 25

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

“Leavitt’s experience is one of a spate of recent examples in which individuals have been targeted with accusations of Satanism or so-called ritualistic abuse, marking what some see as a modern day version of the moral panic of the 1980s, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

What is going on at CrimeStoppers?

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever it is, I’m not sure how to stop it. “Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.” That message, along with the promise of a reward, has appeared for decades at the end of news reports … Continue reading →

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Harris County Attorney sues Juul

Posted on April 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee filed a lawsuit Thursday in California state court against e-cigarette company JUUL and several of its executives. Harris County is the first governmental entity in Texas to join the nationwide fight … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Hemp lawsuit

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. New rules prohibiting the retail sale and distribution of “smokable” hemp products are unconstitutional, companies argue in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Travis County. When Texas legalized hemp last year, the legislation explicitly outlawed manufacturing … Continue reading →

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

The looming unemployment insurance crisis

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Can we please not make the same egregious mistakes as last time? As businesses across the state close to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the mass layoffs that have followed could quickly drain the state fund that pays unemployment … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, The great state of Texas | 7 Comments

ACLU sues the “abortion sanctuary cities”

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This was expected. The ACLU filed a lawsuit against seven Texas cities on Tuesday for passing ordinances that aim to ban abortion by outlawing providers and advocates from doing business in their towns. The suit, brought by the ACLU of … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for November 24

Posted on November 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Say what you want about Bill Belichick, but NFL coaches go for it more on fourth down now thanks to a famous failed fourth-down conversion attempt by the Patriots ten years ago. “The television show The Golden Girls was originally … Continue reading →

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We could have had an excise tax on e-cigarettes

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

But then Greg Abbott got involved. At the urging of the nation’s biggest tobacco company, Gov. Greg Abbott launched a late-hour push to change Texas legislation creating a 10% state retail excise tax on e-cigarette and vapor smoking products. That … Continue reading →

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On special election runoff turnout and HD125

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I figured a story like this was inevitable after Round One of the HD125 special election, in which Republican Fred Rangel got 38% of the vote and four Democrats combined to take the rest, with three of them being close … Continue reading →

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Filing roundup: Other Congressional races, part 1

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We already knew this, but just a reminder there’s at least one Democratic candidate in all 36 Congressional districts in Texas. In deep-red Texas, Republicans will have to fight for every congressional seat in next year’s midterm elections. For the … Continue reading →

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Voter ID back before the Fifth Circuit

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

And the worst judge on the Fifth Circuit does her thing. In Texas’ bid to keep its voter identification law intact, it was its legal foes — lawyers representing voting and civil rights groups and individual voters of color — … Continue reading →

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

Voter ID law declared discriminatory

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Again. A federal judge has ruled — for the second time — that Texas lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino and black voters in passing a strict voter identification law in 2011. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ruled Monday that … Continue reading →

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Smoke-free Houston, ten years later

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: It’s been 50 years since the release of the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health and the harmful consequences from the use of tobacco. 2016 marks the 10th year of the adoption of Ordinance No. 2006-1054 … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Early voting, Day Three: The case for pessimism

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Dave Mann tells Texas Democrats to put those rose-tinted glasses away. On Monday, the Real Clear Politics site declared that Texas is up for grabs in the presidential election. The shift comes after a series of polls showing a tight … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Friday was a very good day for voting rights

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

In North Carolina: The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s opinion in North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. McCrory is nothing short of a beat down. The court does not simply tear apart major provisions … Continue reading →

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Texas tobacco litigation, 20 years later

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting look at something I don’t think about very much. Twenty years ago, then-Texas Attorney General Dan Morales filed a federal lawsuit accusing the tobacco industry of racketeering and fraud. He said the case would make Big Tobacco change how … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Saturday video break: It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie

Posted on April 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Combining two of my favorite things in this post, beginning with the Asylum Street Spankers: Man, I miss these guys. I caught every show they did in Houston for several years running, including some in the most smoke-filled room in … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Why are some people more likely to smoke than others?

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the CDC: American adults who are uninsured or on Medicaid smoke at rates more than double those for adults with private health insurance or Medicare, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: I Wanna Be Like You

Posted on January 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A Disney classic, sung by “King Louie” Prima in The Jungle Book, here’s Los Lobos: That’s from a live morning-show TV appearance; skip ahead to about 1:30 to get past the talk. This is a different rendition than what they … Continue reading →

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Our bail policies are unjust, costly, and stupid

Posted on December 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Any questions about how I really feel? “The numbers clearly tell the story: More than three-fourths of the people in Harris County Jail haven’t been convicted of crime, and the majority of them are sitting in jail simply because they … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of September 7

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes everyone enjoyed the three day weekend provided by the labor movement as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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SCOTUS gives polluters a win

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. t emissions of mercury and other hazardous air pollutants, but it may only be a temporary setback for regulators. The justices split 5-4 along ideological lines to rule that the Environmental Protection Agency failed to take cost into account … Continue reading →

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

Voter ID appeal report

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib reports from New Orleans. A federal appellate judge on Tuesday questioned why the Texas Legislature had not addressed concerns that its four-year-old voter ID law discriminated against minority voters. U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Catharina Haynes … Continue reading →

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

Weekend link dump for March 22

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

California > Texas when it comes to business. Don’t tell Greg Abbott, his head might explode. Buffy The Vampire Slayer is as revolutionary now as it was 18 years ago. “This is like watching bad cosplayers fight at the Comic-Con … Continue reading →

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Banning e-cigarette sales to minors

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

You’d think this would have a decent chance of passing. Legislators in Texas, one of just nine states that permit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, will consider banning such sales amid concerns about growing use of the “safer” alternative … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 7

Posted on December 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s not just make noise, let’s make a difference. If you’re just now coming out of your Thanksgiving coma, this is what put you there in the first place. This is what oligarchy looks like. Tim LaHaye has been wrong … Continue reading →

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Davis’ abortion disclosure

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with PDiddie that this is the big story of the weekend, and likely most of the upcoming week, too. State Sen. Wendy Davis, the Democratic candidate for governor, reveals in her new book that she terminated two pregnancies … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two data points on e-cigarettes

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The World Health Organization wants them to be regulated more strongly. Governments should ban the use of electronic cigarettes indoors and in public places and outlaw tactics to lure young users, the World Health Organization said in a report released … Continue reading →

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Perry’s legal team to try to get indictments tossed

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what any defense attorney would try to do. A lawyer for Gov. Rick Perry said Friday he will challenge felony charges that the governor overstepped his authority when he said he would veto state funding for Travis County prosecutors … Continue reading →

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Vape ’em if you’ve got ’em

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

E-cigarettes are not affected by the city of Houston’s smoking ban. For now, anyway. When city officials announced a sweeping ban on smoking in public parks last month, many in Houston’s growing ranks of electronic cigarette users worried the new … Continue reading →

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More on the Perry indictment

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Just some more thoughts and links relating to the big story that turned a relatively quiet Friday into one of the busiest news day of the year so far. Let’s start with a reality check from Harold Cook. First of … Continue reading →

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Chron calls for end of pot prohibition

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

By which they mean that the federal government should repeal its anti-marijuana laws and leave it to the states to regulate. While there are still questions about long-term health effects of marijuana use or the policy implications of decriminalization or … Continue reading →

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Vaping in jail

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure how I feel about this. As a way to allow some inmates to get their nicotine fix and sheriffs to shore up tight budgets, county jails across the country have begun selling electronic cigarettes. Though the trend has … Continue reading →

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What else is at stake in the redistricting trial

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about more than just the maps. Efforts by the Obama administration to wring protections out of a weakened Voting Rights Act begin Monday in Texas over allegations that Republicans intentionally discriminated against minorities when drawing new election maps. A … Continue reading →

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