TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalShreveport passes nondiscrimination ordinance, Baton Rouge law stalls
Shreveport passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that protects LGBT people in housing, employment and public spaces.
The law passed the city council with a vote of 6–1 on Dec. 10. The mayor signed it, and it has gone into effect.
Councilman Ron Webb, who cast the only vote against the ordinance, introduced a motion to repeal it on Dec. 20. He said he didn’t want to be in the business of policing private industry. Other council members said they didn’t want to rehash issues that already had the support of six of seven councilmen.
Shreveport is the second Louisiana city to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance after New Orleans.
More at http://www.dallasvoice.com/shreveport-passes-nondiscrimination-ordinance-baton-rouge-law-stalls-10164307.html .
Cross-posted in LGBT Group.
Shreveport passes nondiscrimination ordinance, Baton Rouge law stalls
Shreveport passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that protects LGBT people in housing, employment and public spaces.
The law passed the city council with a vote of 6–1 on Dec. 10. The mayor signed it, and it has gone into effect.
Councilman Ron Webb, who cast the only vote against the ordinance, introduced a motion to repeal it on Dec. 20. He said he didn’t want to be in the business of policing private industry. Other council members said they didn’t want to rehash issues that already had the support of six of seven councilmen.
Shreveport is the second Louisiana city to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance after New Orleans.
More at http://www.dallasvoice.com/shreveport-passes-nondiscrimination-ordinance-baton-rouge-law-stalls-10164307.html .
Cross-posted in Louisiana Group.
A new life for Spindletop
BEAUMONT — Hard-hatted roughnecks returned to Spindletop this week, aiming to make another historic strike on the storied grounds.
“This is one of the best Christmas presents I have ever had, getting this well spudded on the 22nd of December,” said Bud Tippens, a landman who has worked on the Southeast Texas project since 1999.
“Spudding” a well means getting it started, and under crystal-blue skies on Monday the sprawling worksite was teeming with workers and heavy equipment. Trucks ferried in tanks of drilling mud and flatbeds full of pipe. Long sections of that pipe were connected together and fitted into the freshly drilled well hole, as mud splashed up from below.
Once that pipe reaches 10,000 feet, probably around the third week of January, a team of geologists will arrive to begin analyzing the findings to see if there really are deep undiscovered pockets of oil and gas at the Spindletop dome, site of the huge discovery in 1901 that transformed the oil industry and American life.
More at http://fuelfix.com/beaumont/2013/12/26/a-new-life-for-spindletop-photos/ .
Woman accuses Swisher County sheriff of retaliation after sexual harrassment claims
Former Tulia Sheriff Emilio Benavidez
Alleged Scumbag
A Swisher County employee who sued the county, the county judge and former Tulia Sheriff Emilio Benavidez over sexual harassment and retaliation claims now plans to sue Sheriff Burnie Wells, alleging he fired her in retaliation for filing her original lawsuit.
In a court motion filed Monday, attorneys for Cassie Pointer, the sheriff and the county agreed Pointer could add Wells to a lawsuit she filed in October.
Pointer and another female Swisher County employee, Tara Rasmussen, sued Swisher County, Benavidez and County Judge Harold Keeter on Oct. 2 in Amarillo’s federal court, alleging Benavidez fondled himself in front of them and that Keeter retaliated against them for reporting the incidents.
On Oct. 21, Randall County authorities filed a criminal misdemeanor official oppression charge against Benavidez, alleging he engaged in improper conduct against a female Swisher County employee.
More at http://amarillo.com/news/latest-news/2013-12-25/woman-accuses-swisher-county-sheriff-retaliation-after-sexual .
Cactus Canyon in Victoria accused of kicking out gay couple for second time in two years
For the second time in two years, gay customers are alleging they were kicked out of the same bar in South Texas because of their sexual orientation.
In 2011, three women said they were kicked out of the Cactus Canyon in Victoria by an employee who told them, “This is a country western bar, not a gay bar.” Two of the women reportedly had been holding hands.
Now, a gay couple says they were kicked out of the Cactus Canyon on Saturday night for dancing together.
Justin Meyer and James Douglas were also issued a trespassing warning, according to UPI.com.
“He told me they have a policy that states that they don’t allow males to dance with males to country songs. I said just country, and he said yes,” Douglas said.
More at http://www.lonestarq.com/gay-couple-kicked-texas-bar-dancing-together/ .
Follow-up story:
Gay couple say they were threatened with arrest after being kicked out of S. Texas bar for dancing
http://www.lonestarq.com/gay-couple-say-threatened-arrest-kicked-s-texas-bar-dancing/
Cross-posted in LGBT Group.
Cactus Canyon in Victoria accused of kicking out gay couple for second time in two years
For the second time in two years, gay customers are alleging they were kicked out of the same bar in South Texas because of their sexual orientation.
In 2011, three women said they were kicked out of the Cactus Canyon in Victoria by an employee who told them, “This is a country western bar, not a gay bar.” Two of the women reportedly had been holding hands.
Now, a gay couple says they were kicked out of the Cactus Canyon on Saturday night for dancing together.
Justin Meyer and James Douglas were also issued a trespassing warning, according to UPI.com.
“He told me they have a policy that states that they don’t allow males to dance with males to country songs. I said just country, and he said yes,” Douglas said.
More at http://www.lonestarq.com/gay-couple-kicked-texas-bar-dancing-together/ .
Follow-up story:
Gay couple say they were threatened with arrest after being kicked out of S. Texas bar for dancing
http://www.lonestarq.com/gay-couple-say-threatened-arrest-kicked-s-texas-bar-dancing/
Cross-posted in Texas Group.
Steve Stockman Not Getting Much Endorsement Love From Republicans
Whether you think it's a serious challenge, the tribulations of a madman, both, or a thinly-veiled attempt to exit politics in a blaze of glory instead of face mounting ethics violations, Steve Stockman is running against John Cornyn. In that effort, it would be useful -- maybe crucial, fundraising-wise -- for Stockman to rack up support from Republican politicians. So far, though, such support has not been forthcoming.
"Maybe all he can tolerate is one term," said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, referring to the fact that Stockman was voted out of office in 1996 after his first term. Jordan is former head of the Republican Study Committee, which Stockman sits on. "He served one term, then left. Now he's served one term, and he's leaving."
As Jerry Seinfeld once said: "That can't be good."
Texas Republicans have been no more embracing. "I was surprised and shocked that he's decided to take on someone who I think is a really great senator for our state," said Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland. "I don't see Stockman being particularly competitive."
More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/14566/steve-stockman-not-getting-much-endorsement-love-from-republicans .
Big gig for Ted Cruz: Gridiron dinner
WASHINGTON — The trick at the annual Gridiron Dinner is to singe without burning, and Washington’s political and media establishment will soon find out whether Sen. Ted Cruz is up to the task. Today, the venerable club, whose sole purpose is to host an annual white tie shindig, announced that Texas’ junior senator has agreed to serve as the Republican speaker.
President Barack Obama is expected, though occasionally, presidents decide that sitting through a few hours of musical skits spoofing their foibles (and those of the opposition party) in white tie is just too much, and they leave the honor to the vice president. Last March, Obama poked fun at Cruz (in absentia).
“With all these new faces, it’s hard to keep track of who is in, who is out. And I know it’s difficult for you guys as reporters. But I can offer you an easy way of remembering the new team. If Ted Cruz calls somebody a communist, then you know they’re in my cabinet,” he said.
It can be a tough assignment to share a spotlight with the president. But as Gridiron members note, plenty of speakers have gone on to win their party’s nomination for president.
More at http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/12/big-gig-for-ted-cruz-gridiron-dinner.html/ .
Ted Cruz’s Daddy Issues
Most Texans probably didn’t realize that when they elected Ted Cruz to the U.S. Senate, they were getting his dad thrown in at no extra cost. Lately, Rafael Cruz has been working overtime to offend everyone from President Obama to the LGBT community. The senior Cruz falsely claimed that the president doesn’t say “one nation under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance. He accused Obama of being a Marxist. He called for him to be sent “back” to Kenya. It’s almost as if Rafael Cruz is trolling us. And it’s working. The media has been lit up for weeks with lists of all the crazy things that have come out of his mouth.
Ted Cruz (né Rafael Ted Cruz) acts as though the media is picking on his father. “Some folks have decided to try and go after him because they want to take some shots at me,” he said recently on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
But it’s not as if journalists are exploiting privileged information from Rafael Cruz’s private life. These are claims he’s made in public forums. Moreover, the evangelical pastor is part of the senator’s inner circle. The two were billed together at September’s Family Leadership Summit in Iowa as a “Father-Son Team.”
It was in his speech at the Family Leadership Summit that Rafael Cruz told the audience that gay marriage is “really more about the destruction of the traditional family than about exalting homosexuality because [for socialism to work] you need to also destroy loyalty to the family.” Huh?
More at http://www.texasobserver.org/ted-cruzs-daddy-issues/ .
Tiger fatally mauls mate at San Diego Zoo
Source: AP
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Zoo said Monday that a female Malayan tiger was fatally mauled by her intended mate during an attempt to breed.
The female tiger, named Tiga Tahun, died Saturday of neck injuries and breathing difficulties, the zoo said. It was the first breeding encounter for either animal, the only Malayan tigers at the facility. No visitors saw the attack.
"
The encounter) began with positive interaction between the two big cats. Unfortunately this changed quickly and zookeepers were unable to separate the two animals," the zoo said in a statement.
The tigers had rotated between being on exhibit and in their bedrooms, making them familiar with the other's scent, zoo spokeswoman Jenny Mehlow said. They had seen each other often and even touched noses, separated by a barrier.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Tiger-fatally-mauls-mate-at-San-Diego-Zoo-5088658.php?cmpid=hpbn
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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Current location: Bryan, Texas
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