The Globe is telegraphing the pass, folks:
Somerville startup building atomic bomb detectors
See where it starts?
Why would radical Islamists (or Iran, right?) want to attack a place with which they have so much in common?
"Indiana governor asks for changes in religious freedom law" by Richard Pérez-Peña, New York Times April 01, 2015
Facing a national uproar over a religious freedom law, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana said Tuesday that he wanted the measure changed by week’s end, even as he stepped up a vigorous defense of the law at a news conference in Indianapolis.
He acknowledged that the law, called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, had become a threat to the state’s reputation and economy, with companies and organizations signaling that they would avoid Indiana in response to it. Pence said he had been on the phone with business leaders from around the country, adding, “We want to make it clear that Indiana’s open for business.”
But the governor, clearly exasperated and sighing audibly in response to questions, seemed concerned mostly with defending the law and the intent behind it, saying, “We’ve got a perception problem,” not one of substance. He referred to “gross mischaracterizations,” “reckless reporting by some in the media,” “completely false and baseless” accounts of the law, and “the smear that’s been leveled against this law and against the people of Indiana.”
Like the Republican legislative leaders who said Monday that they intended to clarify the law, the governor said he could not say what form that clarification might take. “The language is still being worked out,” he said.
The law has set off a firestorm, with both critics and some supporters saying it would allow businesses to deny service to lesbian and gay customers if doing so would offend their religious beliefs, days before the NCAA is to hold the men’s basketball Final Four in Indianapolis.
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Business executives, notably leaders of tech companies like Apple and Yelp, have spoken out against the law, and Angie’s List cited the law in canceling plans to expand its facilities in Indianapolis. Celebrities have ridiculed the law, entertainers have canceled tour dates in the state because of it, a gaming convention is considering going elsewhere, and the governors of Connecticut, New York, and Washington have imposed bans on state-funded travel to Indiana.
Several Republican presidential contenders have spoken out in favor of Indiana’s law, which could affect the presidential hopes of Pence himself. The law risks alienating centrists who favor gay rights, but backing away from it could anger Christian conservatives.
The uproar in Indiana has drawn attention — and the same kind of fire — to similar bills working their way through other legislatures. Lawmakers in Arkansas on Tuesday gave final approval to that state’s version, while the governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory, a Republican, said he would veto a bill there.
Pence said Tuesday: “If this law had been about discrimination, I would have vetoed it. I don’t believe for a minute that it was the intention of the General Assembly to create a license to discriminate, or a right to deny services to gays, lesbians, or anyone else in this state, and that was not my intent, but I appreciate that that’s become the perception.”
But some of Indiana’s and the nation’s most prominent antigay rights groups have been among the most prominent supporters of the bill, including the American Family Association, the Family Research Council, the Indiana Family Institute, and Advance America. And some advocates of the law have disagreed with Pence, saying that it could be used to defend the right of a business to deny service to gay people.
Fellow Republicans have said the governor added fuel to the fire on Sunday, when he did not directly answer some questions about the law in an interview on the ABC program “This Week,” in particular a question about whether a florist could deny service to a gay couple on religious grounds.
“I could have handled that better,” he said Tuesday. “But....”
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Related: Indiana’s ‘religious freedom’ law should be repealed
Also see: Cleaning Out the Closet
Related: No-frills Irish carrier Ryanair to begin flights to US
Is that how the terrorist will be delivering the bomb?
NDUs: NCAA monitoring new Indiana religious objection law
Doesn't look very good for Duke:
"School president Richard Brodhead and provost Sally Kornbluth later sent a joint e-mail to students, saying the Duke campus ‘‘has been jolted over the past few weeks by several racial incidents.’’
Another hoax, or do they just hate Christian Laettner?
"Arkansas governor urges changes to religion bill; Bows to pressure from son, state’s major businesses" by Andrew Demillo, Associated Press April 02, 2015
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Asa Hutchinson faced pressure from the state’s top employers, including Walmart, which has asked for the bill to be vetoed.
Other big names in business, including Apple, Gap, and Levi Strauss, have also spoken out against the religious-objection measures.
Analysts say companies are increasingly concerned about any laws that could alienate customers, hurt state economies, or limit employers’ ability to attract and retain talent.
Arkansas-based Walmart Stores Inc. is particularly influential because it is the world’s largest retailer and the nation’s largest private employer.
Neither the Indiana nor Arkansas law specifically mentions gays and lesbians, but opponents are concerned that the language contained in them could offer a legal defense to businesses and other institutions that refuse to serve gays, such as caterers and florists with religious objections to same-sex marriage.
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Opponents of the law were encouraged by Hutchinson’s comments.
‘‘What’s clear is the governor has been listening,’’ said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights group. ‘‘The governor listened to business leaders in this state and around the country, and the governor listened to tens of thousands of Arkansans. . . . Now what we have to do is keep the pressure on.’’
Conservative groups that pushed for the measure questioned the need for changes.
‘‘I’m very puzzled at this point to see why the bill would need to be amended at this late date, considering everybody in the chamber has had a chance to see it,’’ said Jerry Cox, head of the Arkansas Family Council. ‘‘I think it’s been thoroughly vetted, and it’s a good law.’’
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Related: Arkansas House panel supports joint Lee, King holiday
Not as much of a fuss over that one.
Thankfully, baseball season is almost here.
You can fool around with Feldman if you want (sigh; maybe he should take his "experiment" down to Wall Street). I'm done fooling around with this.
UPDATE: Jade Helm 15 – To “operate undetected amongst civilian populations”
To be kicked off this weekend?
