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Indiana religious freedom act: Does it protect faithful or legalize prejudice? (+video)

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New York Should religious owners of flower shops or wedding photographers or cakemakers have the right to refuse their services to gay couples? Can a religious anesthesiologist refuse to participate if a woman is about to undergo an abortion?

For many religious conservatives, the answer to these questions should be yes. And many are hoping new religious freedom restoration acts, loosely modeled on a federal law passed in 1993, can help carve out space in which they do not have to participate in matters against their religious consciences.

On Monday, Indiana became the latest state to pass such legislation. Indianas Republican-dominated House overwhelmingly passed the bill 63 to 31, mostly along party lines, following the states Senate approval of a slightly different version last month. Republican Gov. Mike Pence has promised to sign the bill into law.

Such legislation has engendered much controversy. Indeed, its one of the latest skirmishes in an expanding cultural and legal battle that often pits religious conservatives against the advocates of gay and lesbian rights and same-sex marriage, now the law in at least 36 states and the District of Columbia.

Over a decade ago, many liberal states, including Connecticut, Illinois, and Rhode Island, passed their own versions of the 22-year-old federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Overall, at least 19 states have passed similar bills, since the federal law does not apply to the states, the US Supreme Court ruled in 1997.

But since last year, the Supreme Courts Hobby Lobby decision has changed the bipartisan tenor of the law. The nations highest court used the federal religious freedom statute to rule that closely held corporations with religious objections to contraceptives were exempt from the Obamacare provision requiring their coverage. Since then, conservatives have seen state religious freedom laws as a means to combat the expanding definition of marriage, as well as other hot-button social issues.

If we truly are doing things unto the Lord, our business can be ... a church or sanctuary, argued Indiana Republican Rep. Bruce Borders on the House floor Monday, bringing up the question of the anesthesiologist. People deserve protection in their businesses as well, not just on Sunday morning.

The Indiana bill, like existing state and federal laws, allows individual religious freedom to trump other laws if they impose a substantial burden on the free exercise of religion. Unless the government can demonstrate a compelling state interest and prove that a laws religious burdens were the least restrictive means of furthering that interest, religious freedom would prevail.

So far, state courts, including one in New Mexico, have rejected the religious conscience arguments for businesses refusing to serve gays and lesbians for religious reasons, ruling that nondiscrimination should hold sway in the public sphere. In 2013, the New Mexico Supreme Court said a photographer that refused to provide service for a gay couple violated the states human rights law, which included sexual orientation.

New Mexico, however, also has a Religious Freedom Restoration law on its books. But the states highest court ruled this statute did not apply in the case, since the government was not involved in the civil dispute.

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Indiana religious freedom act: Does it protect faithful or legalize prejudice? (+video)

Blue Freedom: A mini hydropower plant for charging mobile devices

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The all-new Blue Freedom kit offers yet another alternative to solar panels, fuel cells, muscle-powered dynamos, wind turbines, AC-charged back-up batteries and other portable power solutions. "The world's smallest hydropower plant" transforms the power of running water into phone chatting, internet browsing, music listening, GPS navigating and other mobile device activities, and it does so from a package built to fit in a backpack.

We've covered other portable hydroelectric generator systems in the past, and some like the HydroBee were rather compact. Blue Freedom claims its kit is the smallest. It's close to 2 oz (57 g) lighter than the HydroBee and looks considerably more compact. The relatively lightweight, slim Blue Freedom package can be carried in a backpack.

Developed in Germany, the Blue Freedom charging kit consists of a 4.7-in (12-cm-) -diameter micro turbine, a 5W generator and a 5,000 mAh lithium-polymer internal battery. The turbine takes a plunge into a running water body and the unit's base stays ashore, letting you charge devices directly by way of the USB 2A and 1A ports. You can also store energy in the integrated battery for later use. A built-in LED light helps you see at night.

Blue Freedom tells us that the micro turbine doesn't need to be situated in a specific way in relation to the direction of current, and is instead designed to flow with the water and deliver efficient charging. The kit is designed to operate in temperatures between 41 and 104 F (5 and 40 C) and altitudes up to 16,400 feet (5,000 m).

The idea of a small, packable hydropower system is certainly interesting, and the Blue Freedom appears to be a slickly designed package, but it left us asking: Why? It seems like solar panels are more versatile and easier to set up, allowing you to charge your device on the move as well as in place. Sunlight also tends to be a more readily-available commodity than running water when traveling off the grid.

According to the governments of US and Canada, two world leaders in hydropower production, hydropower is the most efficient means of generating electricity, transforming up to 90 percent of available water energy into usable electricity. Compare that to around 15 percent for solar panels, and you can start to see why a portable hydropower charger could prove quite superior.

Now we have no expectations that a micro turbine bobbing around in a ripple is going to be anywhere near as efficient as a full-sized hydropower plant, but Blue Freedom's estimates do look promising. The company tells us that the hydropower kit should charge its internal 5,000 mAh battery in three to four hours, assuming a water flow rate of 1.2 m/sec (2.7 mph). An iPhone 6 would take about one to two hours at that same water rate.

The Blue Freedom's times are much better than portable solar kits we've covered. For example, the Powertraveller Solarmonkey Adventurer takes 8 to 10 hours to charge its 2,500-mAh lithium-polymer battery. The Solar Joos Orange has received high marks for device-charging speeds from publications like Wired, but its internal 5,400 mAh battery takes 12 hours to charge via solar. So the simple answer to our question of "why" is "because you can power up the internal battery in a few hours, rather than over the course of half a day."

Blue Freedom's charging times are only a manufacturer estimates based on a prototype, so they're not worth getting too excited over yet. Still, assuming the Blue Freedom is well designed, it should be able to offer quicker, more efficient off-grid charging than other portable options.

Depending upon the nature of the trip, the Blue Freedom may or may not be more convenient than other types of chargers. It'd be a good solution for camping (near a suitable stretch of creek or river), in which you're staying in one place for an extended period and would be able to charge at night, when there's no sunshine to harvest. On the other hand, it wouldn't be very useful for trips through the city, desert or any stretch of land not adjacent to a flowing water body, which breaks down to a lot of stretches of land. The base station does include a microUSB port for charging the internal battery, so you could use other forms of energy, including solar panels, in the event that you can't find running water. That will of course add to its 0.9-lb (400-g) pack weight and 7.9 x 2.2-in (20 x 5.5-cm) size.

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Blue Freedom: A mini hydropower plant for charging mobile devices

Freedom Industries and DEP Talk About Future of Spill Site

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Freedom Industries and the DEP are trying to identify risks the site of the chemical spill in 2014 could have in the future.

Officials held a public meeting at the Civic Center Tuesday night.

Freedom is negotiating with the DEP to get into a Voluntary Remediation Program, trying to make sure the site is safe for whatever company uses that land next, and for the residents.

Mark Welch was appointed by the court to facilitate the process as Freedom goes through bankruptcy. He says they've spent more than $11 million on environmental matters

"Everything is going according to plan," Welch said. "It's just taking a lot longer than we anticipated."

Welch says they've collected receivables and sold facilities, and 100 percent of those proceeds have gone back into cleaning up the site.

Welch says they've already removed 600 tons of soil and 2 million gallons of water from the site.

Patty Hickman, the DEP's interim director of the Division of Land Restoration, also addressed the small crowd.

"The basic process will be, we'll assess the site, understand what's still there in the way of chemicals, and decide whether additional soil needs to be removed, or whether some other remedies would be as beneficial," Hickman said.

Phillip Price lives in Charleston and says he had a 40-year career as an analytical scientist working for chemical companies. He attended the meeting but said he felt afterward there's a lack of transparency.

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Freedom Industries and DEP Talk About Future of Spill Site

What’s New Now: Microsoft and Apple Strike a Blow Against Freedom – Video

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What #39;s New Now: Microsoft and Apple Strike a Blow Against Freedom
Microsoft and Apple are both moving to restrict the OSes that users can run on their newest machines, citing security concerns. What #39;s New Now is PCMag #39;s daily report where we cover the most...

By: PCMag

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What's New Now: Microsoft and Apple Strike a Blow Against Freedom - Video

Teqq – Freedom New Best Music for You Electro & House No Copyright Music BMfY – Video

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Teqq - Freedom New Best Music for You Electro & House No Copyright Music BMfY - Video

Freedom Industries pleads guilty to pollution charges in West Virginia chemical spill case

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. A now-bankrupt chemical company pleaded guilty Monday to three pollution charges related to last year's spill that contaminated a West Virginia river.

Mark Welch, chief restructuring officer of Freedom Industries, entered the plea on behalf of the company in federal court to negligent discharge of a pollutant and unlawful discharge of refuse matter, both misdemeanors, and violating a permit condition under the Clean Water Act, a felony.

Thousands of gallons of a coal-cleaning agent from Freedom Industries in Charleston spilled into the Elk River and went into West Virginia American Water's intake 2 miles downstream on Jan. 9, 2014. It prompted a tap water ban for 300,000 residents in nine counties for up to 10 days while the water company's system was flushed out.

Freedom Industries, which filed for bankruptcy eight days after the spill, faces a maximum $900,000 fine. Sentencing was set for June 29.

"Extreme fines would be very difficult for the estate," Welch told U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston. "I have limited resources."

In ordering a presentencing report, Johnston said, "We'll find out how much money Freedom Industries has."

An FBI affidavit says Freedom knew about critical flaws at its Charleston plant but never dealt with them. Federal investigators have said holes in a corroded tank's floor and roof likely helped cause the spill.

Prosecutors have said the tank conditions "put an entire population needlessly at risk."

In September a federal bankruptcy judge approved a $2.9 million settlement between the company and businesses and residents under which a panel would choose public interest projects that would benefit those whose tap water was contaminated. The settlement would rely on insurance proceeds from Freedom Industries.

Former Freedom owners William Tis and Charles Herzing and two lower-level employees pleaded guilty to a pollution charge last week and will be sentenced in June.

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Freedom Industries pleads guilty to pollution charges in West Virginia chemical spill case

Indiana House passes controversial religious freedom bill

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A controversial religious freedom billthat wouldprotect business owners who want to decline to provide services for same-sex couples was passed by Indianas State Housetoday, the latest in a larger battle over same-sex marriage and rights.

The bill reflects a national debate over the dividing line between religious liberty and anti-gay discrimination.The question ofwhether the religious rights of business owners also extend to their for-profit companies has been a flashpoint as part of a larger debate over same-sex marriage.For instance, the bill would protect awedding photographer who objects to shooting a same-sex wedding.

TheIndiana House voted63to31to approve a hot-button bill that will likely become law, andRepublican Gov. Mike Pence said he plans to sign the legislation when it lands onhis desk. The state Senates version of the bill would prevent the government from substantially burdening a persons exercise of religion unless the government can prove it has a compelling interest and is doing so in the least restrictive means.

Supporters say the measure supports religious freedom while opponents fear discrimination against LGBT people. The push towards this kind of legislation comes as same-sex marriage becomes legal across the country. In September, a federal court rulingstruck down bans onsame-sex marriage in Indiana and other states.

Jason Collins, an athlete who publicly came out as gay after the 2013 NBA season, will be in Indianapolis as a Yahoo Sports analyst covering the NCAA Final Four and publicly questioned the bill.

Indianas religious freedom bill is modeled on a 22-year-old federal law calledthe Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, which played a key role in the Supreme Courts Hobby Lobby decision in 2014. The court ruled that closely held corporations with religious objectionsdonot have to comply withhealth-carerequirements that they cover contraceptives like Plan B.

A growing list of cities are passing gay anti-discrimination ordinances, which has raised the ire of more conservative state houses.Severalstates have adopted laws related to religious freedom. Utah recently passed a bill aimingto protect people who are LGBTfrom employment and housing decisions based on their gender identity or sexual orientation, while still protectingreligious institutions that oppose homosexuality. The billdidnot deal with whether a business can deny services because of religious convictions.

In debating the measure Monday, lawmakers on both sides of the issue cited the Bible to defend their positions, the Indianapolis Starreports.

Republican Rep. Bruce Borders spoke about an anesthesiologist who declined toanesthetize a woman in preparation for an abortion. According to the Star, Borders said he believes the Bibles command to do all things as unto the Lord means religious believers need to be protected not just in church but in their workplaces as well.

Democratic Rep. Ed DeLaney argued that Jesus served all people.

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Indiana House passes controversial religious freedom bill

Freedom pleads guilty to criminal pollution

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. Freedom Industries on Monday pleaded guilty to three water pollution crimes that prosecutors said caused the January 2014 chemical leak that contaminated the drinking water supply for hundreds of thousands of residents in the Kanawha Valley and surrounding communities.

The company already facing millions of dollars in bankruptcy claims and major civil lawsuits could be ordered to pay $900,000 or more in fines when it faces sentencing on June 29.

During an afternoon hearing in Charleston, Mark Welch, who joined Freedom as its chief restructuring officer after the leak and the companys bankruptcy filing, appeared before U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston to enter pleas on Freedoms behalf.

Guilty, Welch said in response to questions about the two misdemeanors and one felony contained in a 13-page charging document that was made public more than three months ago. Freedom said in December that it had reached agreement to plead guilty to the three criminal charges.

Freedom pleaded guilty to a negligent discharge of pollution into the Elk River and a negligent discharge of refuse material into the river, both misdemeanor counts. The company also pleaded guilty to a knowing violation of its state Department of Environmental Protection-issued Clean Water Act permit, which is a felony.

Among other things, Freedom admitted to allegations that the company did not conduct proper inspections of a chemical tank containing Crude MCHM and consequently failed to repair and/or replace the tank prior to the Jan. 9, 2014, leak.

Also, the company admitted to not ensuring that the tank had a spill-containment area that would control any material that leaked from the tank and keep it out of the river.

Freedom faces potential fines of between $7,500 and $100,000 per day of violation, or a maximum fine of $900,000, or twice the financial loss or gain resulting from the companys conduct.

The companys plea comes after four guilty pleas that U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin secured with former Freedom officials and as two other former Freedom officials also face criminal charges.

Two former Freedom owners, William Tis and Charles Herzing; plant manager Michael Burdette; and environmental manager Robert Reynolds have already pleaded guilty in agreements with Goodwin. Sentencing hearings for those four officials are set for June.

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Freedom pleads guilty to criminal pollution

Freedom Takes Another Blow From Apple, Microsoft

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Both are reducing OS choices for PC owners, pushing PCs further towards becoming disposable appliances.

Call it another blow against OS freedom, part of the slow creep towards turning PCs into consumer appliances. Call it the choice of security over liberty, one our society has made so many times since 2001. Call it annoying. But in the wake of both Apple and Microsoft cracking down on what OSes can be installed on their PCs, I'd like to call it unnecessary.

This weekend, two irritating stories came out about OS vendors potentially locking popular alternatives out of their platforms. Apple, which happens to make gorgeous Windows-compatible laptops, said its new round of PCs won't support Windows 7. And Microsoft is giving PC manufacturers the option to lock down their hardware and prevent Linux installationsor for that matter any experimental OS.

Security clearly has something to do with these arguments. As ExtremeTech explains, Microsoft's move is designed to protect PCs from particularly sneaky malware. And Apple is just following Microsoft's guidelines on Windows 7, as Microsoft signalled in January that it would like to start dialing back support for Windows 7 in general.

But still, I don't like the precedent. If you build your own desktop PC, none of this will affect you, as motherboard manufacturers will almost certainly leave the security switch that lets you install alternative OSes intact. But more and more people are turning to laptops as their primary machines, and it's very difficult to build your own (adequate) laptop. Having the potential freedom to install other OSes doesn't make a computer more difficult to use in its default mode, and having a security switch which can be disabled by knowledgable users doesn't make a PC, by default, less secure.

Operating system freedom has always been a big difference between desktop and mobile platforms, too. Mobile OS vendors typically forbid end-users from installing any other OS on their hardware. Without built-in restrictions, it's completely possible to do this. Microsoft last year showed off how the same hardware can run Android and Windows Phone, and we've seen both HTC and Alcatel devices offered with different OS options on the same hardware. The CEO of ZTE USA has told me twice how he'd love to sell multi-OS devices. But if there's one thing Google, Apple, and Microsoft agree upon, it's that end-users shouldn't have the freedom to try out alternatives.

And if you have a problem with my wanting to run both Mac OS and the superior Windows 7 versions of both Microsoft Excel and utilities like FastStone Image Viewer, then you need to check your fanboy/girlism.

It's About Planned Obsolescence Locking out competing OSes and "old" OSes is all part of the decade-long shift towards making computing devices less upgradeable, to advance planned obsolescence and force you to buy new machines more often. One of the things about Linux is that it runs really well on older, lower-power machines which might otherwise be sent to the recycle bin. I'm considering installing Linux on a dying old laptop I have around, to use it as a Web terminal.

Yes, you'll be able to run Windows 7 in a virtual machine such as Parallels on a Mac. But Apple's decision to withdraw Boot Camp support just highlights the total consumer failure of Windows 8. (I just checked, and thank goodness, I was never on the Windows 8 bandwagon.) Windows 7 was awesome. I'm still running it on two machines. We all want to pretend Windows 8 never happened. Would it have hurt Apple so much to support the version of Windows that people actually like, until Windows 10 comes out?

The answer for the truly geeky among us is, of course, to build your own desktop. But that's becoming a smaller and smaller group of people, and it leaves out the growing crowd who want mobile, portable or handheld computing experiences. For themfor us, because I'm of course one of those peoplewe're seeing our freedoms sadly, and slowly, erode.

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Freedom Takes Another Blow From Apple, Microsoft

UPDATE: Freedom Industries pleads guilty in court

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UPDATE 5 p.m., March 23: Freedom Industries pleaded guilty in federal court March 23 to three environmental crimes, officials said.

The crimes are in connection with the Jan. 9, 2014 Elk River chemical spill of MCHM.

U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said Freedom, which owned and operated the facility from which the chemical MCHM spilled into the river, pleaded guilty to negligent discharge of a pollutant, the unlawful discharge of refuse, and violating a permit condition.

According to U.S. District Court documents, the company also paid a criminal debt payment of $650 on March 23.

Sentencing of the company is scheduled for June 29, 2015.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Environmental Protection Agency - Criminal Investigation Division.

Original Story, 10 a.m., March 23 (From AP): Freedom Industries is set to answer to a pollution charge stemming from last year's chemical spill into a river in Charleston, WV.

Two former Freedom owners and two lower-level employees pleaded guilty to a pollution charge last week and will be sentenced in June.

The spill of thousands of gallons of a coal-cleaning agent into the Elk River went into West Virginia American Water's intake 2 miles downstream on Jan. 9, 2014. It prompted a tap water ban for 300,000 residents for days.

Another former Freedom owner, Dennis Farrell, and former President Gary Southern face trial later this year on charges related to the spill. In addition, Southern faces charges related to Freedom's bankruptcy.

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UPDATE: Freedom Industries pleads guilty in court


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