July 23, 2013

UT chemists turn seawater into fresh water with a battery

Chemists at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Marburg in Germany are on the verge of a breakthrough in the worldwide quest for potable water.

The new method requires so little energy, in fact, that it can run on a store-bought battery.

By creating a small electrical field that removes salts from seawater, the chemists have found a new method for the desalination of seawater that consumes less energy and is dramatically simpler than conventional techniques, according to a press release from UT-Austin.

The process avoids the problems confronting current desalination methods by separating salt from water at a microscale.

More at http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/UT-chemists-turn-seawater-into-fresh-water-with-a-4679663.php?cmpid=hpts .

July 20, 2013

State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D) hit with new lawsuit

For the second time this month, state Sen. Judith Zaffirini has been sued for alleged “gross mismanagement” of an estimated $150 million fortune in Laredo that she and two others help control.

Josefina Alexander Gonzalez, 98, and deceased sister Delfina Alexander, who owned about 1,000 acres of South Texas land, formed five companies between 1995 and 2002 for developing the property.

The sisters also created the Delfina and Josefina Alexander Family Trust to pass the fortune to Gonzalez's daughter and grandchildren, who live in San Antonio.

The latest lawsuit alleges that Zaffirini, D-Laredo, and co-defendants David Arredondo and Clarissa Chapa have forged documents, committed tax fraud and paid themselves excessive fees for managing the five businesses while scheming to withhold money from the trust.

More at http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Zaffirini-hit-with-new-lawsuit-4675815.php

July 20, 2013

Friday Night Catnip: McCully Workshop - McCully Workshop Inc. (1969)

[font color=green]This adventure into 60s psychedelic rock takes a turn to South Africa to hear the vibes of McCully Workshop so kick back, plug in the vape and enjoy the catnip.



The album draws on a number of musical styles and is influenced by the likes of; The Beatles in particular 'Sgt Pepper', Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, and the Moody Blues 'Threshold Of A Dream'. [/font]

Tracks:
01. Why Can't It Rain - 4:15
02. Hardcase Woman - 2:37
03. Ice Lover - 3:06
04. Four Walls - 2:40
05. Stargazer - 2:51
06. Rush Hour At Midnight - 3:21
07. Jackin' Around - 2:05
08. Head For The Moon - 3:55
09. The Circus - 4:00
10. Years Of My Life - 3:16
11. Fast Car - 1:41
12. Séance - 3:07

Personnel:
- Tully McCully (Terence McCullagh) - vocals, bass, guitar, arranger
- Mike McCully (Michael McCullagh) - vocals, drums
- Richard Hyam - rhythm & acoustic guitars, vocals
- Glenda Wassman - organ, female vocals
- Ian Smith - trumpet, flute, flugelhorn
+
- Allan Faull - lead guitar (01,02,05,09
- Alan Van der Merwe - harmony vocals (01,05), organ (01,05)
- Melanie Hyam - harmony female vocals (01,06)
- Billy Forrest (William Boardman) - producer

July 19, 2013

Lewisville City Council Bans Redneck Heaven's "Anything But Clothes" Day--Cover Them Boobies!

The Lewisville City Council voted unanimously last night to redefine the city's official definition of nudity, thereby outlawing the body paint, gumballs and various other non-clothes occasionally used to cover the lady parts of servers at Redneck Heaven. We covered this way too extensively yesterday.

The whole episode was instructive, not so much for what it says about the sensibilities of suburban North Texas or the undeniable absurdity of the breastaurant concept but as a case study in how the local media outlets that were all over the story like a fresh coat of body paint cover nudity, in both the literal and figurative sense.

More at http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/07/lewisville_city_council_effect.php .[/font]

[font color=green]The article continues with titillating details about the coverage this story received from the other news media outlets.

Meanwhile, there will be a lot of disappointed rednecks who won't be able to get breasts with their Bubba Burgers. [/font]

Related Thread:
Redneck Heaven's Painted Breasts Run Afoul of the Good People of Lewisville (NSFW)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107810534

July 19, 2013

Planned Parenthood to shut down three Texas clinics

On the same day Gov. Rick Perry signed into law some of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, Planned Parenthood announced it would close three clinics in southeast Texas.

Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast announced the facilities, located in Bryan, Huntsville and Lufkin, will be closing at the end of August. Each of them provided health and family planning services including cancer screenings and pregnancy, HIV and STD testing. Only the facility in Bryan performed abortions.

“Deplorably, the combined impact of years of budget cuts to women’s health care services and the dismantling of the successful Women’s Health Program will take affordable, preventive health care options away from women in Bryan, Lufkin and Huntsville — just as these policies have taken health care away from an estimated 130,000 others — when Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast is forced to close these family planning health centers at the end of August,” said Melaney A. Linton, president of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, in a statement.

Hours before the announcement, Gov. Rick Perry signed into law a package of strict abortion measures that include banning abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, requiring abortion clinics meet ambulatory surgical standards and requiring doctors who perform pill-induced or surgical abortions have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic.

More at http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2013/07/planned-parenthood-to-shut-down-three-texas-clinics/?cmpid=hpts .

July 19, 2013

Republicans file ‘fetal heartbeat’ abortion ban, as early as 6 weeks

Hours after Texas Republican lawmakers finalized some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the country Thursday, a bill to ban abortions as early as six weeks, when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, was filed.

State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, filed House Bill 59, which would ban abortions “if it has been determined… that the unborn child has a detectable heartbeat.” North Dakota is the only other country to pass ‘fetal heartbeat’ legislation, and it is being challenged as unconstitutional in court.

A call to King’s office after hours was not answered.

Gov. Rick Perry signed a package of abortion restrictions earlier in the day. Perry called it a “celebratory day” during the ceremony. The law bans abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, requires doctors performing the procedure to have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles, forces abortion clinics to meet standards for ambulatory surgical centers and regulates how doctors administer abortion-inducing drugs.

More at http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2013/07/republicans-file-fetal-heartbeat-abortion-ban-as-early-as-6-weeks/?cmpid=hpbn .

July 18, 2013

Records: Texas teenager raped as men cheered

Source: AP

AUSTIN, Texas — Authorities are investigating the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Central Texas who was assaulted by several men, some of whom used cell-phone cameras to record the attack.

Court records filed in Austin indicate the girl ran away from home June 29 and was approached by a car with three men inside. The girl was driven to an apartment about a mile away.

Records say up to 10 men were at the apartment, with some taking turns having sex with the girl. She told police that some cheered.

The Austin American-Statesman reports (http://bit.ly/16LVN3j ) that two men have been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. Twenty-four-year-old Juan Lozano Ortega and 26-year-old Edgar Guzman Perez were in custody Thursday, each on a $30,000 bond, after being arrested a day earlier.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/07/18/5010781/records-texas-teenager-raped-as.html

---

Austin American-Statesman article:

Police: Two men charged in gang rape of 13-year-old

Two men have been arrested after a 13-year-old girl reported several males sexually assaulted her for hours and recorded the attack with cell phone cameras.

Juan Lozano Ortega, 25, and Edgar Gerardo Guzman Perez, 26, were both charged Wednesday with aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony. They were still in custody Thursday with bail set at $30,000 each, according to jail records.

According to arrest affidavits, the girl ran away from where she was living in North Austin between 9 and 10 p.m. on June 29 when she was approached by a car with three males in it. She got in, and they brought her to an apartment about a mile away near Rundberg Lane and Meadow Vale, the documents say.

Up to seven to 10 males were there, an affidavit said, and she was taken to a bedroom where Ortega assaulted her while several others recorded the incident on their cell phones.

More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/crime-law/police-two-men-charged-in-gang-rape-of-13-year-old/nYt96/ .

July 18, 2013

As Houston Churns: Michael Brown may see jail for contempt charge, demands $45K monthly allowance

The latest installment from epic tragedy of former surgeon and STD spreader, Doc Michael Brown.

Legal troubles for former Houston hand surgeon Michael Brown are piling up, with matters pending in criminal, family and bankruptcy courts.

A Harris County court has found him in contempt again, this time for failing to let a court official inspect his house in Miami Beach.

Brown also claims in court filings that the "chief restructuring officer" in charge of his money during a bankruptcy proceeding has failed to provide him the $45,000 a month he needs for living expenses.

A hearing on the June 28 ruling that found him in contempt has been reset for July 30 in Harris County's 309th State District Court, postoned from its initial date of July 16.

More at http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Michael-Brown-may-see-jail-for-contempt-charge-4670304.php?cmpid=hpts .

July 18, 2013

This will be my hash post on DU!

[font color=green]What did you expect from TexasTowelie?[/font]

July 17, 2013

Gay Republican George Clayton announces campaign for Texas House (Collin County)

[div style="width:25%;"]

Republican George Clayton, a former State Board of Education member who lost his 2012 primary after being outed as gay, announced on Facebook he plans to run in House District 102 in 2014. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Stefani Carter of Dallas, who is stepping down to run for Railroad Commission.

“This will be a difficult challenge,” Clayton wrote. “I hope to have your support. As the days go by, look for me on YouTube at Clayton House 102. I will have much to say between now and the 2014 election, especially about education in Texas. Your support is appreciated.”

In addition to Clayton, former Dallas City Councilwoman Linda Koop, also a Republican, has announced she’s running for Carter’s seat. Koop has generally been supportive of the LGBT community on the council, attending events and the like, but she declined to take a public position on a resolution supporting marriage equality. I guess now we know why.

Clayton couldn’t immediately be reached for further comment. Read our profile of him from last year here.

Source: http://www.dallasvoice.com/gay-republican-run-texas-house-10152903.html


Blaine and Antoine give Clayton two snaps up!