October 3, 2013

Despite Glitches, Houstonians Are Flocking to the Obamacare Exchanges

Even as the United States government shut down over a deadlock in Congress regarding the continued funding of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, the insurance exchanges created by the law that allow private citizens to shop for plans that will cover them despite pre-existing conditions opened for business Monday morning. The online servers and even some phone operators themselves occasionally locked up under the flood of people seeking coverage, but many people in Houston were still able to secure new plans -- some of them for the first time in years.

"Who benefits from Obamacare?" asked Martha Vasquez-Delgado on Facebook. "Me, I have a pre existence condition called Multiple Sclerosis, my medications are $4000 a month. Yes, a fucking month .And we just switched insurance. Thank you, President Obama. And forget you opposers."

One person who has been avidly waiting for this day for years is Alexis Kidd, the wife of legendary Houston punk rocker Christian Kidd of The Hates. Christian is retired from his day job working for the City of Houston, and receives a small healthcare package as part of his pension. Alexis, sadly, was never able to be added because of her history with mesothelioma, a rare cancer that attacks the protective lining of many of the body's internal organs.

Though Alexis's cancer has been in remission for years, they've been waiting in fear of its return while the years between the passage of the ACA and the day that she could no longer be denied affordable coverage to treat her disease passed slowly. Aid came from private sources, such as Wish Upon a Wedding, which provides financial help to couples seeking to marry but whose funds are tied up with treatments, and Dream Rooms Furniture, which donated $1,500 to the Kidds after a successful Facebook like campaign.

More at http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2013/10/houstonians_obamacare.php .

October 3, 2013

Problems with CPS Oversight: "Heartbreaking" case results in arrests

A Lubbock County couple — Wonda and Dave Dixon — were arrested at their home Wednesday, Oct. 2, on a single count each of injuring a child.

The Child Protective Services division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services received a complaint about the Dixons, who have adopted 10 children through the foster care system. CPS was assisted by investigators with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office with its investigation.

LSO spokesman Lt. Bryan Taylor said the case was “very heartbreaking” to him. He said it’s one of the worst cases of abuse he’s ever seen.

Charges were filed after officials found a 12-year-old girl who weighed 58 pounds. A county grand jury indicted the Dixons Oct. 1 on charges of injuring a child knowingly or intentionally, resulting in severe bodily injury.

More at http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-10-02/heartbreaking-case-results-arrests#comment-305896 .

Other Texas cases with CPS oversight issues:

http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2011-01-06/man-charged-sons-beating-death

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20130817-toddlers-death-raises-questions-about-how-texas-contractor-screens-trains-foster-parents.ece

October 3, 2013

Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R) Confronts Park Ranger Over Closed WWII Memorial

Conflict over the responsibility for the government shutdown got personal at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Wednesday when a member of Congress confronted a U.S. Park Service Ranger over access to the closed park land.

The congressman was Randy Neugebauer, a Republican representing Texas. He confronted the ranger in the middle of a crowd of tourists as she was keeping most of the public out of the closed World War II memorial.

The Park Service has been allowing World War II vets who have traveled from all over the country to enter the memorial, even though it's closed during the government shutdown; the rangers say they are exercising their First Amendment rights as they let the veterans in.

But they are keeping the rest of the public out of the facility, which is officially closed. And that did not sit well with the congressman, reported News4's Mark Segraves, who witnessed the confrontation.

More at http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Congressman-Confronts-Park-Ranger-Over-Closed-WWII-Memorial-226209781.html .

October 3, 2013

Large El Paso home-care provider to close; 850 jobs lost

A $700,000 cut in Medicaid payments coupled with an expensive employee-insurance mandate under Obamacare were financial punches the struggling Visiting Nurse Association of El Paso couldn't overcome, the agency's chief executive said.

So, the 46-year-old, not-for-profit agency, one of the largest home-care agencies in El Paso, plans to close by early next year.

It stopped accepting new patients Tuesday and hopes to have about 800 patients now receiving personal-care and hospice services transferred to other care providers by the end of December.

That means about 850 people will lose their jobs, said Joe Wardy, the agency's chief executive officer since January 2012 and a former El Paso mayor.

More at http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_24225082/46-year-old-visiting-nurse-association-closing-sending .

October 3, 2013

Home Again: 200 Pound Tortoise Takes A 1 Mile Stroll

GEORGETOWN, TEXAS--Dozer, a 200 pound African Spurred Tortoise, has been returned home. He spent Monday night and Tuesday in Pat and Henry Howard's back yard, after his one mile walk. Apparently he forgot to tell his owners that he planned to take a stroll.

More at http://wilcosun.com/ .

[font color=green]Did anyone think that this was a story about Mitch McConnell?[/font]

October 3, 2013

Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold 'Unfazed' by Government Shutdown, 'Basically A Paid Vacation'

As the Republican-caused government shutdown continues to hurt Texans and the rest of the country, Rep. Farenthold (R-Corpus Christi) is once again reminding us why he is one of the worst things to come out of Texas.

Defending his party's malicious tactics, Farenthold was reportedly "unfazed" by the possibility of a government shutdown, and stated that Congressmembers like himself were "paid the big bucks to figure these situations out," in order to avoid the shutdown that Farenthold failed to avoid.

"Basically a paid vacation," is what Farenthold had to say about the shutdown.

Farenthold and the rest of the Republicans clearly fail to realize the negative impacts their selfish actions are causing the country. Just the figure of 800,000 federal workers furloughed as the result of the shutdown is enough to make anyone angry. In fact, the government shutdown is already affecting Farenthold's district, and here is Farenthold cheering it on without any remorse.

More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/14162/republican-rep-blake-farenthold-unfazed-by-government-shutdown-basically-a-paid-vacation .

October 3, 2013

Northside ISD to pay mother of boy its officer killed

SAN ANTONIO – The mother of the unarmed teenager shot and killed in November 2010 by a Northside Independent School District police officer has agreed to settle her two-year-old federal lawsuit against the cop, the district and its police chief.

Officer Daniel Alvarado, then 45, chased the student, Derek Lopez, 14, into the backyard of a Northwest Side home and shot him, police said at the time.

Alvarado said he witnessed Lopez punch another student at a bus stop off campus and decided to pursue him, ignoring a supervisor's order to stay with the victim, court records stated.

-snip-

Northside will pay Moreno $925,000 and both sides will agree to ask a judge to dismiss the suit in coming days, according to a copy of the settlement released by the district Monday in response to an open records request.

More at http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Northside-ISD-to-pay-mother-of-boy-its-officer-4860739.php .

Additional excerpt:

October 3, 2013

SEC witness says Cuban responded ‘Now I’m screwed’ in pivotal call

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s star witness against Mark Cuban testified Wednesday that he made it clear that the information he provided the Dallas Mavericks owner nine years ago was confidential and that Cuban agreed to not trade on that information.

But former Mamma.com CEO Guy Fauré, testifying by a pre-recorded video deposition, admitted that he never asked Cuban to sign a confidentiality agreement and he never considered letting Cuban know by email that the information he wanted to discuss was confidential.

-snip-

Cuban is accused of using insider information provided to him by Fauré when he sold his 6 percent ownership of Mamma.com in June 2004, just hours before the Canadian search engine company announced it would conduct a private equity offering to raise capital.

By selling before the public announcement, Cuban avoided losing more than $750,000, the SEC alleges.

More at http://www.dallasnews.com/business/headlines/20131002-sec-witness-says-cuban-responded-now-im-screwed-in-pivotal-call.ece .

October 2, 2013

Arlington Megachurch Pastor Gene Lingerfelt -- and God -- Approve of Government Shutdown

Just as God led Moses to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, so He led Faith Christian Center pastor Gene Lingerfelt to 6900 U.S. Highway 287 in Arlington, Texas, to become the bearer of His Word. As befits the digital age, He has swapped stone tablets for Twitter and timeless maxims with snarky, up-to-the-second political and social commentary.

We present below His teachings on the government shutdown, as channeled through his appointed messenger here on earth. The message has been lightly abridged but otherwise untouched, since such lofty spiritual matters are far beyond our understanding. We offer no further comment other than to say that Robert Jeffress better step up his game, and to note that the agents of Satan must have scrubbed Lingerfelt's Twitter account.

After supporting #ArabSpring, #MuslimBrotherhood & #Al-Qaeda, anyone still think the #abortionist & #infanticide promoter's a Christian?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Because he hates America, Zero will make the #shutdown as painful as possible. Still, except for the media and parasites, no one will care.
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

The #shutdown is what America gets for TWICE electing a petulant child Marxist drama queen for Pres. (Yes, I used "queen" on purpose.)
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

With Federal Government shut down, does that mean that my tax dollars will stop being sent to the #Al-Qaeda #terrorists in #Syria?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

With Federal Government shut down, does that mean that my tax dollars will stop being sent to the #PlannedParenthood #terrorists?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

W/Fed Govt shut down, does that mean that #NASA will no longer be able to work at making Muslims feel better about their Stone Age culture?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

With Federal Government shut down, does that mean the Department of Education will have to STOP making homosexual porn flicks?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

W/Fed Govt shut down, does that mean that my tax dollars will stop being sent to Public Schools to teach homosexual fisting to 3rd graders?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Can we shut down the Federal Government until January 2017 when the petulant Marxist man-child has to stop taking Government-paid vacations?
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

When you have a petulant teenage daughter--like Obozo--sometimes an adult just has to take away the car keys.
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Democrats can't have rally. KKK rally at Gettysburg Military Park canceled due to gov't shutdown: http://t.co/LVL8avHFkS
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Liberals are SO stupid, they are now calling NOT spending money (via Govt shut down) "terrorism." But Muslim rape, murder & bombing isn't.
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Had some non-working Govt-dependent Millennial liberals drop me today & send nasty tweets. Oh well, when you make your own $ you don't care.
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Pres O isn't a tough guy. He's the metrosexual who was harassed in school. Now he has power and wants payback.
— Gene Lingerfelt (@GeneLingerfelt) October 1, 2013

Source: http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/10/arlington_pastor_gene_lingerfe.php

October 2, 2013

Patrick: I’ll be easy to reach as lt. governor — on the radio

HOUSTON — Sen. Dan Patrick says he’ll keep doing radio shows if he’s elected lieutenant governor.

“I’ll be the most transparent lieutenant governor in the history of the state,” Patrick said at a debate with his three Republican rivals for the job on Tuesday night.

“People forget about this but as senator, I’ve still been on the radio,” said Patrick, who was first elected to the Senate in 2006.

“As lieutenant governor, when I get time, I’ll be on the radio,” he said. “Any time you have a question, you’ll be able to call up and say, ‘Dan, give me the answer to that question.’”

More at http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/

[font color=green]Bleehh. [/font]