Boy Scouts troop leader in Texas compares gays to criminals, says he’ll refer gay Scouts to counseli

A Boy Scouts troop leader in Marble Falls, Texas, is under fire for comparing gay Scouts to criminals and suggesting that he’d refer them to counseling. Austin’s KEYE-TV reports:

Boy Scouts troop leader in Texas compares gays to criminals, says he’ll refer gay Scouts to counseli

A Boy Scouts troop leader in Marble Falls, Texas, is under fire for comparing gay Scouts to criminals and suggesting that he’d refer them to counseling. Austin’s KEYE-TV reports:

Boy Scouts troop leader in Texas compares gays to criminals, says he’ll refer gay Scouts to counseli

A Boy Scouts troop leader in Marble Falls, Texas, is under fire for comparing gay Scouts to criminals and suggesting that he’d refer them to counseling. Austin’s KEYE-TV reports:

Readers outraged over San Angelo newspaper’s coverage of gay former mayor’s wedding in Mexico

J.W. Lown, the former mayor of San Angelo who made national news when he came out as gay and resigned in 2009, married his partner in Mexico in November.

Lown was very popular in San Angelo, and his departure shocked the city just as he was about to be sworn in to a fourth term. Lown moved to Mexico so he could remain with his boyfriend, an undocumented immigrant.

More than four years later, the San Angelo Standard-Times published a special report last Sunday, titled “Love and Exile,” about Lown’s wedding in Mexico City. The report consisted of multiple stories and an online photo slideshow from the ceremony.

The newspaper’s conservative readers were outraged, prompting editor Michael Kelly to pen an apology of sorts this week — in which he drew a rather unfortunate comparison between Lown and Warren Jeffs:

Fort Worth Star-Telegram admits report on ACA left out key information

How Do Infants Understand and React to Music? – UT Professor Investigates

For many people, most days would not be complete without music. Whether it's exercising to your favorite playlist or jamming along to the radio on your way home for work.

But how much do infants get out of music? And are there types of music that babies prefer?

A professor at the Children’s Research Laboratory on the University of Texas at Austin campus is trying to find out.

-snip-

“We know that infants are drawn to speech," {Dr. Eugenia} Costa-Giomi says. "They prefer to listen to speech {over} almost any other sound and there have been so many studies done on that. However, none of the studies have used sounds that could be classified as music.”

More at http://kut.org/post/how-do-infants-understand-and-react-music-ut-professor-investigates .

Anti-gay Dallas Councilman says God’s law prohibits gay marriage, tells me to read Bible (w/ video)

Anti-gay Dallas City Councilman Sheffie Kadane was surprisingly quiet during a committee briefing Monday on same-sex marriage. However, I unexpectedly got an opportunity to chat with Kadane immediately after the briefing.

Last June, Kadane railed against a proposed resolution in support of same-sex marriage. Kadane, a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, repeated his opposition to the resolution during a committee briefing last month.

On Monday, Kadane basically told me he would support equal benefits for LGBT city employees as long as they don’t violate state laws banning recognition of same-sex marriage. He also told me same-sex marriage is against God’s law and that I need to read the Bible because I’m evidently not a Christian.

Watch the encounter below.

Anti-gay Dallas Councilman says God’s law prohibits gay marriage, tells me to read Bible (w/ video)

Anti-gay Dallas City Councilman Sheffie Kadane was surprisingly quiet during a committee briefing Monday on same-sex marriage. However, I unexpectedly got an opportunity to chat with Kadane immediately after the briefing.

Last June, Kadane railed against a proposed resolution in support of same-sex marriage. Kadane, a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, repeated his opposition to the resolution during a committee briefing last month.

On Monday, Kadane basically told me he would support equal benefits for LGBT city employees as long as they don’t violate state laws banning recognition of same-sex marriage. He also told me same-sex marriage is against God’s law and that I need to read the Bible because I’m evidently not a Christian.

Watch the encounter below.

Texas health advisers blast new proposed rules

AUSTIN, Texas —

Counselors who help Texas residents up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act criticized proposed state rules Monday that would require them to undergo additional training and pay fees, saying the regulations would impede people from getting health care.

Texas Insurance Commissioner Julia Rathgeber held a public hearing on the rules who agency generated after Gov. Rick Perry called for stringent regulation of so-called navigators, whose job is to help people sign up for health insurance using new health care exchanges. Perry and other Republican leaders say the rules are needed to protect consumers from fraud and bad advice.

But state Sen. Kirk Watson, the Austin Democrat who wrote the law allowing the commissioner to draft rules, told Rathgeber, a Perry appointee, that the proposed regulations go too far. He specifically cited requirements that the navigators have 40 hours of training — in addition to the federally-required 20-30 hours, get liability insurance and pay fees for fingerprints, tests and classes.

"That kind of training requires real time and costs real money. Where did the additional 40 hour requirement come from exactly? Who is it truly meant to help?" Watson asked. "TDI has failed to provide any explanation although repeatedly requested to do."

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/legislative/critics-blast-proposed-rules-for-health-advisers/ncdP8/

Cross-posted in LBN.

[font color=green]Later in the article, it states that the Department of Insurance estimates that the cost to obtain and retain a health navigator license at $800 each year. Federal law does not allow for the navigators to recoup those costs.[/font]

Texas health advisers blast new proposed rules

Source: AP

AUSTIN, Texas —

Counselors who help Texas residents up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act criticized proposed state rules Monday that would require them to undergo additional training and pay fees, saying the regulations would impede people from getting health care.

Texas Insurance Commissioner Julia Rathgeber held a public hearing on the rules who agency generated after Gov. Rick Perry called for stringent regulation of so-called navigators, whose job is to help people sign up for health insurance using new health care exchanges. Perry and other Republican leaders say the rules are needed to protect consumers from fraud and bad advice.

But state Sen. Kirk Watson, the Austin Democrat who wrote the law allowing the commissioner to draft rules, told Rathgeber, a Perry appointee, that the proposed regulations go too far. He specifically cited requirements that the navigators have 40 hours of training — in addition to the federally-required 20-30 hours, get liability insurance and pay fees for fingerprints, tests and classes.

"That kind of training requires real time and costs real money. Where did the additional 40 hour requirement come from exactly? Who is it truly meant to help?" Watson asked. "TDI has failed to provide any explanation although repeatedly requested to do."

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/legislative/critics-blast-proposed-rules-for-health-advisers/ncdP8/