Tag Archives: activism

Texans take a knee

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. On Sunday afternoon, before the Houston Texans faced off against the Seattle Seahawks in Washington, all but approximately 10 Texans took a knee during the national anthem. This was a direct response to Texans owner Bob McNair … Continue reading →

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JJ Watt announces his plan for Harvey relief funds

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This had been much anticipated. Hurricane Harvey victims, nonprofits and Texans fans alike have been on the edge of their seats to hear what J.J. Watt planned to do with the $37 million he raised for storm relief. As of … Continue reading →

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“Not One Penny” rally

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Indivisible Houston ​to​ ​Host​ ​“Not​ ​One​ ​Penny”​ ​Rally and Press Conference at John Culberson’s Office​ ​to​ ​Demand​ ​Congress Stop​ ​Robbing from the Poor to Give to Big Business Local Organizers Join Nationwide “Not One Penny” Campaign to … Continue reading →

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Charity Navigator on your best bets for Harvey relief

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In case you’re still making up your mind about how to donate to Harvey relief. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday evening, August 25th, as the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Charley in 2004. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Now is an excellent time to give blood

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You want a simple but vital thing to do to help with Harvey recovery? Schedule a blood donation. The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is appealing for donations after a four-day stoppage in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey that … Continue reading →

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Harvey was hard on farms, too

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It wasn’t just the cities like Houston that suffered a lot of damage from Harvey. Harvey did more than transform cityscape by turning highways into rivers; It also upended life for farmers and ranchers across dozens of counties that Gov. … Continue reading →

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Look for the lawyers

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’ll be helping a lot of people who are going to need Harvey-related legal advice. While rescue workers, including recreational boaters, pull frightened Houstonians out of flooded homes, lawyers are preparing the establishment of a network to give advice to … Continue reading →

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A smattering of Harvey news

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

If you are among the lucky ones whose house or apartment remained dry and you want to help those in need, here’s a handy guide to where and how to volunteer. If you want to go to the George R. … Continue reading →

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More ways to help

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I posted a couple of links with ways to help with Harvey relief below, but there are some more good suggestions in this Chron story as well. The American Red Cross is encouraging people to donate money on its website or to text … Continue reading →

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HISD cancels classes for a week

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another effect of Harvey. Houston Independent School District schools and offices will be closed all week, from Monday, Aug. 28 through Friday, Sept. 1, due to widespread damage from Tropical Storm Harvey. HISD officials have been closely monitoring the forecast … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mayor Turner requests study of Confederate statues

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox. Mayor Sylvester Turner has asked top staff members to study whether statues related to the Confederacy should be removed from city property. The mayor commented about the statues Tuesday at a City Council meeting after members of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 36 Comments

White nationalist rally at A&M canceled

Posted on August 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been on the road with limited Internet access, so I’m just now catching up on recent events. Unlike our garbage president, I wholeheartedly condemn the appalling racist violence committed in Charlottesville by a bunch of Nazi scum. As such, … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 52 Comments

Anticipating the future bathroom-related litigation

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It will be a matter of when, not if, should a bathroom bill passes. [B]oth sides agree if any version of the bathroom bill becomes law, it will likely trigger a protracted legal battle that could have implications for the … Continue reading →

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Senate will hold bathroom hearing tomorrow

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They just can’t wait. From the inbox: BREAKING: The Senate State Affairs Committee is pushing for a hearing on anti-transgender “bathroom bill” legislation this Friday at 9AM, Charles. Intel from the Capitol tells us that Sen. Lois Kolkhorst will introduce … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Help Metro figure out its Regional Transit Plan

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your chance to get involved and shape the direction of transit in the greater Houston area going forward. What is your vision for transit service in the Greater Houston region? METRO needs your help in creating a bold vision … Continue reading →

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Session ends in chaos

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seems fitting. The normally ceremonial last day of this year’s regular session of the Texas Legislature briefly descended into chaos on Monday, as proceedings in the House were disrupted by large protests and at least one Republican representative called immigration … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Metro begins regional transportation planning

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Metro wants your input. We want to hear your ideas for a regional transit plan for the future. METRO, led by its Board of Directors and chair Carrin Patman, is developing a new plan for transit services. It will build … Continue reading →

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The SB4 protests

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I admire the hell out of this. At least two dozen protesters on the grounds of the Texas Capitol on Monday evening were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, the culmination of a day-long sit-in. The demonstration began around 10 a.m. Monday … Continue reading →

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Progressives in East Texas

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, they exist, and they are coming out of the woodwork these days. “It was remarkable,” says Lee Hancock, a Tyler resident of over 20 years who formerly covered East Texas for the Dallas Morning News. Hancock is now a … Continue reading →

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Hate groups are getting busy on college campuses

Posted on April 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Anti-Defamation League, another reason to be worried, if you needed one. White supremacists, emboldened by the 2016 elections and the current political climate, are currently engaged in an unprecedented outreach effort to attract and recruit students on American … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Millennials for office

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. These days, Kylie Mugleston spends a lot of time on street corners, piquing drivers’ curiosity with a sign that says “Talk to Your Future Politician.” The 19-year-old is heading a political campaign … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Athletes against SB6

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From Athlete Ally: Dear Texas, The love of sport is in part what makes Texas great. The passion and competitive spirit that reverberates throughout the Texas athletic community is hard to match across the United States. It’s that passion – … Continue reading →

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The bathroom bill is still terrible (and still about bathrooms)

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t care what they do to it. It’s discriminatory, it solves no problems, and it will hurt many people as well as the state’s reputation and economy. With the measure scheduled for a committee hearing Tuesday, Texas Republicans are … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Keep those calls and letters coming

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Dan Patrick needs to hear from you. As Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick relentlessly pushes a bill that would restrict the public restrooms transgender people can use, opposition to the measure is pouring in to his office. Patrick’s office received more … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Artists against SB6

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad to see this, but I have some questions. More than 135 musicians and artists are joining the chorus of opposition against Texas’ so-called “bathroom bill.” Singers and other artists including Lady Gaga, Cyndi Lauper, Alicia Keys have signed … Continue reading →

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How all that activism is being received

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly looks at the recent spate of rallies and visits to Texas elected officials’ events and offices to see what’s up. John Simpson and Mark Leech had never participated in a protest before last month. In fact, the couple—who … Continue reading →

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Alternate funding sources

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s one way to do it. State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, announced plans Friday to raise public funds for Travis County, days after Gov. Greg Abbott canceled about $1.5 million in criminal justice grants over the county’s new “sanctuary” policy. … Continue reading →

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Look for the helpers

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’re at the airports now. Luis Ruiz, an immigration attorney with his own practice, set up shop early Sunday at Bush Intercontinental Airport. He’d seen news of attorneys around the country flocking to airports to help people detained under the … Continue reading →

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Marching

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In Austin. Up to 50,000 activists swarmed the Capitol grounds on Saturday to fight for women’s rights on the heels of Trump’s inauguration. The high-spirited crowd joined more than a million protesters nationwide. The Austin march was so large that … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

The coming measles outbreak

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I hope we’re wrong about this. Peter Hotez used to worry mostly about vaccines for children in far-away places. An infectious diseases researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, Hotez is developing shots against diseases in poorer countries … Continue reading →

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Here’s your chance to give feedback on special education

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The feds are coming to Texas to hear what you have to say about it. The U.S. Department of Education is sending representatives to tour Texas and take comment from school community members on special education, continuing to look at … Continue reading →

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What do our elected officials think about the plan to kill off Medicare?

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember when this was a major campaign issue? With all the other things we’ve discussed so far today, I wanted to return to one critical one. It’s not about mights or maybes or fears of what’s to come. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Houston Furniture Bank

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Get to know them, they do great work. [Oli] Mohammed, a native of Bangladesh who has devoted his life to helping the poor, came to Houston after several years of working with refugees in Kenya. “I’m from Bangladesh, and poverty … Continue reading →

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What can we do to increase the odds of a downballot Democratic victory?

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday, I raised the possibility of downballot Democrats winning statewide races if 1) polling in the Trump/Clinton matchup remained at or below the six point spread in the recent PPP poll and 2) Democrats did a better job voting all … Continue reading →

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