MsAnn

So there is nothing wrong with the law, it's just that everyone has misinterpreted it incorrectly? Of course the media is to blame for all of this. Of course they are. Indiana now has a major image problem on their hands, as major corporations and sports franchises have sent the governor strongly worded letters expressing their concerns. Another GOP spin doctor https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=f476pkzwWps And Haden skipping cfp meeting in Indianapolis...to honor his gay son. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/usc-ad-pat-haden-is-skipping-cfp-meetings-in-indianapolis-to-honor-his-gay-son-164619707.html

Love this Oz. great photographs. Hope you enjoy Istanbul. Do not miss Ephesus, it is a must see, as is the Temple Basilica of St. John.

Thanks for the post Mr. Smith, I will sleep just a tad bit better tonight..

HA! This is spot on...I particularly liked "How the customer was billed"

This is just downright brilliant AS. Where did you find this?

Finally and ass I can kiss. Well God Bless America, and SS.Gov.....

That's the brilliance of Borowitz, but sadly this was not satire.... 1:18 the good Governor gets a little tongue tied, and the reality of the GOP is front and center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hjjyuo921RA

"When does the greed stop, we ask the other side" Thanks Lookin for the reminder...

I can't help but think, that nipple rings would have been a nice accessory for you.

HA! With Barkley wanting to move the 'Final Four' our of Indiana, and Apple and other major corporations speaking out, the good Governor now seems to be backpeddling, and expresses surprise at the backlash..really? http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pro-discrimination-religious-freedom-laws-are-dangerous-to-america/2015/03/29/bdb4ce9e-d66d-11e4-ba28-f2a685dc7f89_story.html Tim Cook: "Pro-discrimination 'religious freedom laws are dangerous to America. Indiana Governor: Lawmakers To 'Clarify' Anti-Gay Law March 29, 2015 8:36 AM ET Scott Neuman Twitter Some of the hundreds of people who gathered outside the Indiana Statehouse on Saturday, for a rally against legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Mike Pence. Rick Callahan/AP Updated at 11:30 a.m. ET Indiana Gov. Mike Pence — facing a major backlash from a new law that would allow businesses in the state to cite religious objections to refuse to serve gay people — says he supports an effort to "clarify the intent" of the legislation while acknowledging surprise over the hostility it has sparked. As we reported on Saturday, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act — approved by the Republican-dominated Indiana legislature and signed by Pence on Thursday — immediately touched off a vociferous online campaign against the law, as well as a protest on Saturday in front of the Statehouse. Indiana's RFRA, which goes into effect in July, has also caused some high-profile businesses, such as Angie's List, to rethink expansion plans in the Hoosier state, potentially costing the economy tens of millions of dollars in and thousands of jobs. Although the law is similar to a federal one and those in 19 other states, sexual orientation is not a protected class in Indiana, leaving the door open for discrimination, critics say. In an interview on Saturday with The Indianapolis Star, Pence, a Republican who served in Congress for a decade before becoming governor, said: "I just can't account for the hostility that's been directed at our state. "I've been taken aback by the mischaracterizations from outside the state of Indiana about what is in this bill," he said, reiterating his support for the legislation. I like how he phrases it: "mischaracterizations from outside the state" AND "I just can't account for the hostility that's been directed at our state" As if to say, it's those outsiders that are the problem. However, he said the governor's office was in discussions with lawmakers this weekend "to see if there's a way to clarify the intent of the law." He said those changes would likely be introduced sometime this week. Asked by the Star if he might make gay and lesbians a "protected legal class" in the state, Pence replied: "That's not on my agenda." Appearing on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Pence talked of an "avalanche of intolerance that has been poured on our state" but declined to answer the question of whether the law makes it legal to discriminate. World News Videos | US News Videos On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered to protest at the Indiana Statehouse. Although police didn't provide an exact figure for the number of people who turned out, member station WFYI reported it was about 3,000. Many chanted "Pence must go!" and others held signs that read "No hate in our state."

I really was a little soft on the whole concept before, but it looks interesting, with the second and third generation models most likely being worthy of a look see. For now methinks Sybil will just stick with her usual.

"Well done sir, well done"

Despite the bullshit that the good Governor of Indiana seems to be regurgitating.....there is this.

Interesting, humorous, and some excellent links.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/indiana-defines-stupidity-as-religion?intcid=mod-most-popular March 26, 2015 Indiana Defines Stupidity as Religion Credit Photograph by Chip Somodevilla/Getty INDIANAPOLIS (The Borowitz Report)—In a history-making decision, Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana has signed into law a bill that officially recognizes stupidity as a religion. Pence said that he hoped the law would protect millions of state residents “who, like me, have been practicing this religion passionately for years.” The bill would grant politicians like Pence the right to observe their faith freely, even if their practice of stupidity costs the state billions of dollars. While Pence’s action drew the praise of stupid people across America, former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was not among them. “Even I wasn’t dumb enough to sign a bill like that,” she said.

The Indiana Governor is just another spin doctor, along with Walker who has stumbled badly in the last few weeks. I am continually baffled by a GOP that continues to exclude instead of being more inclusive and broadening the Republican tent. "No hate in our state" Indiana governor: New law 'not about discrimination' 1 hour ago Raw: Hundreds Rally Against Indiana Law  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Gov. Mike Pence defended the new state law that's garnered widespread criticism over concerns it could foster discrimination and said Sunday it wasn't a mistake to have enacted it. Pence appeared on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to discuss the measure he signed last week prohibiting state laws that "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow his or her religious beliefs. The definition of "person" includes religious institutions, businesses and associations. Since the Republican governor signed the bill into law Thursday, Indiana has been widely criticized by businesses and organizations around the nation, as well as on social media with the hashtag #boycottindiana. Already, consumer review service Angie's List has said it will suspend a planned expansion in Indianapolis because of the new law. Pence did not answer directly when asked at least six times whether under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay customers. "This is not about discrimination, this is about empowering people to confront government overreach," he said. Asked again, he said, "Look, the issue here is still is tolerance a two-way street or not." Pence told the Indianapolis Star on Saturday that he was in discussions with legislative leaders over the weekend and expects a clarification bill to be introduced in the coming week. He addressed that Sunday, saying, "if the General Assembly ... sends me a bill that adds a section that reiterates and amplifies and clarifies what the law really is and what it has been for the last 20 years, then I'm open to that." But Pence was adamant that the measure, slated to take effect in July, will stick. "We're not going to change this law," he said. View gallery Thousands of opponents of Indiana Senate Bill 101, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, gathered o … Sexual orientation is not covered under Indiana's civil rights law. Pence has said he "won't be pursuing that." Some national gay-rights groups say it's a way for lawmakers in Indiana and several others states where such bills have been proposed this year to essentially grant a state-sanctioned waiver for discrimination as the nation's highest court prepares to mull the gay marriage question. Supporters of the law, including Pence, contend discrimination claims are overblown and insist it will keep the government from compelling people to provide services they find objectionable on religious grounds. They also maintain courts haven't allowed discrimination under similar laws covering the federal government and 19 other states. Arkansas is poised to follow in Indiana's footsteps, with a final vote expected next week in the House on legislation that Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he'll sign. Josh Earnest, President Barack Obama's spokesman, appeared on "This Week" just after Pence, and said the debate isn't a political argument. "If you have to go back two decades to try to justify what you're doing today, it may raise questions," Earnest said, referring to the 1993 federal law Pence brought up. He added that Pence "is in damage-control mode this morning and he's got some damage to fix." View gallery Indiana Gov. Mike Pence holds a news conference at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2 … State Rep. Ed DeLaney, an Indianapolis Democrat, told a large, boisterous crowd Saturday gathered outside of the Statehouse to protest that the law creates "a road map, a path to discrimination." Rally attendees chanted "Pence must go!" several times and held signs that read "No hate in our state." Pence addressed the critics Sunday, saying: "This avalanche of intolerance that's been poured on our state is just outrageous." Asked if he would be willing to add sexual orientation to the list of characteristics against which discrimination is illegal, he said, "I will not push for that. That's not on my agenda, and that's not been an objective of the people of the state of Indiana." U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat, released a video statement on his Facebook page Saturday, saying: "We'll work together to reverse SB101 and we'll stand together to make sure that here in Indiana, we welcome everyone, every day." Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, a Republican who opposed the law, has said he and other city officials will talk with businesses and convention planners to counter the uproar. Angie's List had sought an $18.5 million incentive package from Indianapolis' City-County Council to add 1,000 jobs over five years. But founder and CEO Bill Oseterle said in a statement Saturday that the expansion was on hold "until we fully understand the implications of the freedom restoration act on our employees." The Indianapolis-based NCAA has expressed concerns about the law and has suggested it could move future events elsewhere; the men's Final Four will be held in the city next weekend. ___ Associated Press writers Tom Davies and Rick Callahan contributed to this report.

I have to disagree with you Oz when you use phrases like, "Her reputation is ruined forever" and "She will be branded for life".... Back on American soil, I think most Americans felt that she was wrongly convicted. At least I did anyway, and so did apparently did the Italian Supreme Court. Speaking for myself, regardless what the future holds, I wish her the best. I rather suspect that her life will be forever changed, but that is to be expected. Given the circumstances, I think she is doing amazing well. Amanda Knox tried to lead a normal life by getting engaged, graduating from university and writing theater reviews - all with a murder conviction hanging over her head Amanda Knox, 27, was reconvicted of Meredith Kercher's murder in 2014 Since returning to US from Italy in 2011, she has tried to live normal life Graduated from University of Washington with a creative writing degree Has also penned theater reviews for Seattle paper and become engaged On Friday, Knox was sensationally cleared of murder of student Kercher She broke down in tears as she addressed media following court ruling By Sophie Jane Evans For Dailymail.com and Associated Press Published: 01:08 EST, 28 March 2015 | Updated: 01:13 EST, 28 March 2015 With a murder conviction hanging over her head, it would have been easy for her to hide away. But instead, Amanda Knox has tried to lead a normal life in the US over the past three-and-a-half years. She has graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a degree in creative writing, penned theater reviews for a weekly paper and become engaged to musician Colin Sutherland. And now, she has been sensationally cleared, alongside her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, of the murder of her former roommate, Meredith Kercher, who was found dead in Italy seven years ago. Surrounded by her father, Curt Knox, mother, Edda Mellas and Mr Sutherland, Knox, 27, broke down in tears as she addressed the press following Italy's Supreme Court's ruling on Friday night. Scroll down for video +9 Free: Amanda Knox (seen addressing the media alongside her fiance, Colin Sutherland, left, on Friday after she was sensationally cleared of murder) has tried to lead a normal life over the past three-and-a-half years +9 +9 Engaged: She has graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in creative writing and become engaged to Sutherland, a musician. Above, Knox with Sutherland outside her mother's house on Thursday Amanda Knox cleared of murder: 'Meredith was my friend' Placing her hands over her chest, she said: 'Meredith was my friend and she deserved so much in this life. I am the lucky one.' The former inmate added that she is 'so grateful to have my life back'. In December 2009, Knox and Sollecito were convicted of the brutal murder and sexual assault of Kercher, a British student. They were sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison respectively. +9 Studies: Last year, she completed her studies in creative writing at the University of Washington (pictured) +9 +9 Case: Meredith Kercher (right) was discovered dead, with her throat slashed, in Perugia, Italy, in November 2007. Left, Knox, who has always maintained her innocence in the brutal killing, gives a TV interview in 2014 But on Friday, Italy's highest court overturned that murder conviction with its final ruling in the seven-year-long case, definitively ending the grueling legal battle waged by Knox and her co-defendant. Mostly left alone by the media in Seattle since her return from Italy, Knox, who says she will never willingly return to the country, completed her studies at the University of Washington last year. The former exchange student has also spent time with her family and friends over the past three-and-a-half years - and recently started working as a freelance reporter for the West Seattle Herald. The paper's Managing Editor, Ken Robinson, told The Associated Press that Knox has completed pieces on local theater productions for the publication, as well as 'the occasional feature story.' +9 Relieved: In December 2009, Knox (pictured speaking to the press next to her mother, Edda Mellas, right, on Friday) and Sollecito were convicted of the brutal murder and sexual assault of Kercher, a British student +9 Overjoyed: However, after they had already served four years in prison, an appeals court in Perugia threw out the couple's conviction and declared them innocent. Another court reinstated the convictions in 2014 'She's very good. She's knowledgeable about her subjects she writes well and she gets stuff on deadline,' Robinson said. 'She's a local person. We knew that she was interested in writing.' Knox's articles have included a review of a production of the David Henry Hwang play 'Chinglish' and a story about a kidney disease survivor to mark National Kidney Month. She has also written a memoir about her life and her experiences in Italy, which was published in 2013. She was paid a reported $4million for the work. Knox plans to marry Sutherland, a musician who recently moved to Seattle from New York. Family members dance in the street after Knox is cleared

The 'big boy' in the blue suit would probably not disagree with you.

Here ya go.

Money is often the deciding factor. The Texas-Sized Anti-Gay Backlash Over twenty anti-LGBT laws have been proposed in Texas this year, including one just like the maligned bill that passed in Indiana this week. But advocates say they’re not going to pass. Bob Daemmrich/Newscom Jay Michaelson 03.29.15 By now, anyone who follows the news knows what the anti-LGBT backlash looks like. There are four recurring legislative actions: “Religious Freedom Restoration Acts” (RFRAs), or ‘Turn the Gays Away’ bills. The most recent one got passed in Indiana this week to much uproar. Then there are various ways to opt out of recognizing legal same-sex marriages. And don’t forget “Bathroom Bills” that prevent transgender people from using the appropriately-gendered bathroom, or the state laws prohibiting cities from protecting LGBTs. Or, if you’re in Texas, all of the above. And then some. As reported by the Texas Observer, lawmakers in the state that gave us Rick Perry and George W. Bush have proposed over twenty anti-LGBT laws this legislative session. Also reflecting national trends, the batch of hate bills ranges from the familiar to the bizarre. In the former category are all four of the usual proposals: an enhanced RFRA (Texas has had a regular RFRA since 1999), Bathroom Bill, Marriage Refusal, and Trans Bans. This is not a coincidence, since, notwithstanding the “states rights” rhetoric, these laws are usually written by national conservative organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom, whose previous credits include California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). It’s a nice irony: Beltway wonks writing “states rights” laws. But this is Texas, after all, and so everything is bigger – including the unintended consequences of the backlash. First, two of the twenty anti-gay proposals are constitutional amendments that would basically put Texas’s RFRA on steroids. Most RFRAs have the same formula: government may not “substantially burden” religious exercise without a compelling state interest. But Texas SJR 10 and HJR 55 would remove “substantially.” Unlike a lot of legalese, that word can move mountains. If any burden on free exercise, no matter how slight, is forbidden, then it’s easy for any litigant to claim a de minimis burden and prevail in court. As someone who keeps kosher, for example, it definitely burdens my exercise of religion not to have kosher food at the Alamo. Not a substantial burden, but a burden nonetheless. Bring on the Hebrew National! Texas’s conservatives hate gays so much, they’re willing to help Muslim fundamentalists. Or, to take an example from the RFRA fight in Georgia, suppose my reading of the New Testament tells me I should be able to beat my spouse and child. If all I need to show is any burden, should surely get an accommodation from Texas. Do I even need to mention Sharia Law here? Another delicious irony: Texas’s conservatives hate gays so much, they’re willing to help Muslim fundamentalists. Then there are the three “Bathroom Bills” currently circling the Texas legislative drain. Why three? Well, it’s Texas. The winner of Texas’s All-You-Can-Hate contest, however, is Rep. Cecil Bell , who is both the sponsor of four separate bills (and a ringer for Yosemite Sam). Bell’s bills are all pretty bad, but the “Preservation of Sovereignty and Marriage Act” (POSAMA, of course) is the kicker. Remember the Republican-conceived ban on the District of Columbia holding a referendum on medical marijuana? They knew they would lose, so they forbid DC from spending even a penny to count the votes. Bell’s bill is similar. It would prohibit the use of taxpayer funds to license a same-sex marriage. So, you know, you may have a constitutional right to get married – but, alas, we don’t have the money to register it. This last week, however, the Texas House Committee on State Affairs spent who knows how many taxpayer dollars on two hours’ worth of testimony on “biblical” marriage (polygamy—though I doubt that was mentioned), federalism, and so on. Interestingly, POSAMA may end up losing because of another of its provisions: shifting the authority of marriage licenses from county clerks (who are locally based and may vary in their practices) to the secretary of state. County governments are outraged, since they depend on the revenue from marriage licenses. Ironically, the confederate-rhetoric-spewing Cecil Bell ends up being a partisan for centralized government over local control—and has made unexpected enemies as a result. Now, I’ve made plenty of Texas jokes so far, but the truth is, this isn’t your grandpa’s Lonestar State anymore. Contrary to stereotype (and Rick Perry), these bills may all die, for several reasons. First is the most interesting trend to emerge in the culture war this year: the pitting of Republican versus Republican, or Big Business versus the Christian Right. In Texas, the Texas Association of Business – the state’s Chamber of Commerce – has opposed the RFRA-boosting amendments, its president stating that “this will certainly make our state look very much unwelcoming when it comes to business recruitment.” As one would expect, TAB didn’t make moral arguments; it made economic ones. Toyota is moving its U.S. headquarters to Plano, and as part of its corporate policy, worked to pass an anti-discrimination law. One former TAB chair (a Republican) said that the laws would put the 2017 Super Bowl—currently set for Houston— at risk. This is a new reality. And while business opposition wasn’t enough to stop Indiana’s RFRA from passing this week, Texas is not Indiana. TAB is enormously influential, and Texas boasts of being pro-business—which is hard to do when you’re opposing your chamber of commerce. More broadly, this is just bad PR. Texas has changed, and articles like this one undo a lot of the progress the state has made to shed its backward image. Sure, Texans are still cowboys—but they don’t want to be seen as hicks. In fact, Texas is a lot more diverse than stereotypes may suggest, and its business-first conservatism is often more Rand Paul than Rick Perry. Many Texas Republicans may not be pro-gay, but being anti-gay isn’t really at the top of their agendas. In fact, one lesbian state legislator (from Austin, natch) has said that it might be best to just run out the clock on the legislative session, while lawmakers focus on other issues. Reading between the lines, that sounds a lot like a Republican privately saying “I can’t oppose this bill, but I won’t support it either.” Still, old habits die hard, and in a state as large as Texas, there’s a lot of ideological ground to cover between Austin and Rep. Bell’s home town of Magnolia (now an exurb of Houston). There’s also a tremendous amount of rhetorical misinformation out there. Anti-trans “Bathroom Bills” don’t solve any problems: there are no reported cases of transgender women (“biological men” in the bill’s sponsor’s words) exploiting their gender identity to assault women in locker rooms. But there are plenty of cases of those same transgender women—often indistinguishable from cisgender women—being brutally assaulted by men. In addition to hate and fear, Bathroom Bills bespeak a great deal of ignorance of who is really in danger. Nor is it a sin to arrange flowers for a wedding. Nor is a corporation’s owner morally responsible for how an employee uses her health insurance. Nor does it make sense to chant the mantra of “states rights” while trampling on local communities’ authority to pass anti-discrimination laws. These kinds of rhetorical subterfuge can be very effective. (Just ask Hobby Lobby.) “Religious Freedom” bills don’t succeed when people know what they really are. But like a good Texas German sausage, it’s sometimes hard to know what you’re getting.

Everyone seems to be missing the point of it all, which is OK, because there is a reason that God made the Prius.

Many thanks Lookin, that was absolutely delightful to watch again, and I must admit that if some higher power would say to me that I could have a brand new Veyron, but never have sex again...well I would be hard pressed for an answer. I would definitely need a minute to think about it. Methinks that the show will die a quiet death without the 'Three Musketeers'. How they played off each other catapulted the show to astounding numbers and profits for the BBC. A million signatures and counting to bring him back. I read where the victim never reported the incident and it was Clarkson himself who reported it to the powers that be. I will venture a guess, that after a cooling off period they find a way to bring him back, racism and homophobia not withstanding.

Isn't something like 90 thousand plus flights daily and 8-13 thousand flights are flying at any one time. I'd fly long before I got in a car and attempted to drive any distance. This video is 6 years old, but I think the point is still made. I also found it interesting to see the concentration of flights in the US and in Europe as night turns to day.