European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday August 31, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 7difference found in Gay men s brains one area appears to be larger in heterosexuals researcher Simon Levay says he has discovered a particular Region of the brain is twice As Large in heterosexual men As in homosexual men. Washington up1 the brains of homosexual men appear to be structurally different from those of other men. A researcher said. Simon Levay of the Salk Institute for biological studies in Sim Diego said thursday he found a particular Region of the brain was twice As Large in heterosexual men As in homosexual men. Furthermore the Region a located in a portion of the brain called the hypothalamus that regulates sexual behaviour a was found to be about the same size in homosexual men and apparently heterosexual women. A the findings do not say whether you Are born Gay but it suggests that we can study this aspect of human nature with biological tools instead of just talking about it. It could give us new understanding about How sexual orientation develops a Levay said. In a study published in the journal science Levay Analysed 41 brains of homosexual and heterosexual subjects who died Between Ages 26 and 59. Although most of the subjects had died of acquired immune deficiency syndrome no significant difference was found Between heterosexual men who died of aids and those who died of other causes. What the research did not show is whether the brain Region that differs Between the heterosexual and homosexual men is responsible for a persons sexual orientation. A we done to know whether there is a causal relationship Between the size of this group of cells or whether the size results from sexual orientation a the neuroscientist said. Other brain experts said further studies Are needed to confirm lev Aye a findings but he noted a study published last year reported differences Between homosexuals and heterosexuals in another brain Region. A if its True the implications Are amazing. It would begin to suggest Why male homosexuality is present in most human populations despite cultural restraints. It suggests its a biological phenomenon a Dennis Landis a neurologist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland told science. However Landis said this study is not conclusive. A these Are observations by one investigator. Good observers can disagree on cell group Borders a he said. Homosexual rights activists thursday expressed concern about the research. A used in an ethical non prejudicial Way it could prove what we have known All along a that homosexuality is not a Choice a said Robert Bray of the National Gay and lesbian task Force in  Index offers Hope for recovery Washington apr the governments chief economic forecasting gauge jumped 1.2 percent in july the strongest gain in More than three years the government said Friday. The report offered Hope that the economic recovery was on track despite a recent spate of weak numbers. It was the sixth straight gain in the Commerce departments Index of leading economic indicators which is intended to forecast economic activity six to nine months in Advance. The Index Rose 0.6 percent in june and 0.7 percent in May. July a gain was the largest since june 1988, when it shot up 1.6 percent. Eight of the 11 components in the Index advanced but the Index was heavily influenced by strength in manufacturing. Separately the Commerce department said factory orders soared 6.2 percent the largest increase since december 1970. The strength was concentrated in orders for durable goods especially aircraft. The positive reports followed a series of bad news. Statistics earlier this week. The Commerce department reported that the Economy shrank 0.1 percent in the april june Quarter revising an estimate that the Gross National product had expanded a modest 0.4 percent. The revision dampened Hopes that the first recession in nearly eight years had ended in the Spring Quarter. Other negative signs included Sharp drops in both new and existing Home sales a sector that normally leads the Economy out of recession and a 0.1 percent tick Down in americans personal income. That last development had been viewed with particular seriousness because Consumers can to sustain in e reused spending without growing income. Consumer spending a at two thirds of the Gnu a is crucial to any recovery. Fridays leading Index report has been wrong in the past so the string of increases while bolstering the views of optimists will not necessarily convince pessimists that they arc incorrect. Part of the problem is that during turning Points in the Economy statistical evidence tends to be erratic. Different sectors tend to recover at different rates. Manufacturing bolstered by rising Export sales has been one of the strongest sectors and that was reflected in the leading Index. The biggest positive contributor was an increase in factory orders for consumer goods. Hispanic rights group votes to oppose Thomas Washington up a National hispanic civil rights organization said it opposes the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the supreme court because of his a callous disregard for the rights of hispanics while head of the equal employment Opportunity commission. The National Council of Lara a said 21 of the 26 members of its Board of directors voted to oppose Thomas while two voted to support him and three abstained. A it is highly unusual for the Clr to take a position on a judicial nomination a said Tony Salazar chairman of the Board of directors. A in this ease however the boards sentiment is Clear. We could not avoid taking a stand against this nominee who has demonstrated callous disregard for the civil rights of hispanics during his tenure As chairman of the equal employment Opportunity  Thomas 43, was head of the Leoc for eight years during the Reagan and Niin stration. He has been a Federal judge in Washington since March 1990. The groups president Raul Yzaguirre said a hispanics who suffered employment discrimination had trouble even getting into Clarence Thomas a Agency. Once inside their cases were Likely to be thrown out. Those Lucky few that remained were less Likely than others to be represented in court by the Leoc. A finally even those hispanics who prevailed in court were compensated at lower Levels than other groups a Yzaguirre said. A it is hard to avoid the conclusion that under Clarence Thomas the nations most important civil rights Agency was itself guilty of discriminating against the hispanic Community. No one with such an egregious record is qualified to serve on the nations highest  acting Cia director chosen Washington a Richard j. Kerr the Deputy director of the Cia will take Over next week As acting director to replace William Webster who is retiring from government service the Agency said thursday. The Cia Public affairs office said Kerr 55, will become acting director tuesday and will serve until a new director is confirmed. Webster announced his retirement in May and said he would leave the Agency at the end of july to go into private Law practice. But he extended his service at the request of president Bush alter the Senate held up confirmation of his designated successor Robert Gates. The Senate intelligence committee which was supposed to Start its Gates confirmation hearings july 15, postponed them until sept. 16 to pursue new information regarding Gates role in the Iran Contra affair. The information stems from testimony by former Cia officer Alan Fiers who pleaded guilty this month to two misdemeanours in connection with the diversion of Iran arms sales profits to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Fiers said he reported the diversion to three of his superiors one of whom told him to withhold the information from Congress. During some of that time Gates was Deputy director to William Casey. He became acting director of the Agency in december 1986 when the late Cia chief became too ill with a brain tumor to work. Gates served in that capacity until Webster became Agency director in the Spring of 1987. Bellamy s condition serious but improved Santa Monica Calif. A Veteran character actor Ralph Bellamy who has appeared in More than 100 movies during his six decades in show business is hospitalized in serious condition. A a he a seriously ill but shows guarded improvement a Susan Solomon spokeswoman for St. Johns Hospital and health Center said Friday. Solomon said she  release any further information about the 87-year-old actor. Bellamy nominated for a Best supporting actor Oscar for the 1937 film the awful truth also appeared in stage door canteen the court martial of Hilly Mitchell and Rosemary s baby. More recently he was in trading places a 1983 film with Eddie Murphy and Don Ameche