Judge Denies Hobby Lobby's Right to Freedom of Religion

US District Judge Joe Heaton has rejected Hobby Lobby's request for a waiver from Obamacare.

The owner's of Hobby Lobby had argued that Obamacare's contraception mandate is unConstitutional as it attacks a business' right to freedom of religion.

Heaton ruled that, "the court has not found, any case concluding that secular, for profit corporations such as Hobby Lobby have a constitutional right to the free exercise of religion."

Hobby Lobby's owners plan to appeal the decision.

The Christian company strongly believes against the use of morning after or week after pills, but accepts the right to use condoms and birth control.

Under Obamacare, they will be forced to provide their employees with all of those.

Hobby Lobby, which is self insured, says that it will face fines of $1.3 million a day, beginning January 1, if they do not obey the law.

The owners say their other choice is to drop coverage all together, as they will not go against their conscience and provide products that they see as immoral.

Girls Arrested Over Facebook Status

When Shahien Dhada, twenty-one, posted a complaint about her city shutting down for a day, she didn't expect it to land her in jail.

Dhada posted a Facebook status saying that the city of Mumbai should not have been completely shut down, after a controversial Indian political and religious leader died.

Her friend, Ruhi Shrinivasan, twenty-one, was also arrested, because she liked her friend's status.

They were only released after international outcry over the reason for the arrest.

 The charges against the girls were dropped.

This isn't the first time that simple freedom of speech has landed people in jail, in India.

It's actually almost common for Indians to find themselves harassed by police if they publicly say something against the government, officials, or leaders.

Political activists are especially targeted by the government and police.

Many of them hope that the case of the two girls will not just bring international notice of the struggle Indians face, but also begin a change in how the Indian government handles things.

McAfee Continues Hiding in Belize

John McAfee continues his hiding from police in Belize.

Police in Belize are looking for him as a suspect in the murder of his neighbor.

McAfee professes his innocence, claiming that he is in hiding in fear of his life.

His blog details some of the ways in which he is hiding.

In it he claims to be watching his home and the investigation of police.

He says that the police aren't even bothering to investigate the murder, but are solely seeking him.

According to McAfee his close friends and associates have been arrested, on trumped up charges, for over a week now.

Sixty-seven year old McAfee is most well known for his creation of McAfee antivirus software.

Reversing Paralysis Using Nose Cells

Jasper, who regained full use of his legs

Researchers at the University of Cambridge were able to reverse paralysis in a dog, by using cells from it's nose.

In their study they took thirty-four dogs that had suffered spinal injuries, which had caused paralysis in their hind legs.

Twenty-three of the dogs were given an injection containing cells from their noses, while the other eleven were given a neutral fluid, as a control group.

Most of the dogs given the special injection recovered their ability to walk, on a treadmill, with a harness.

One dog, Jasper, regained full control of his legs and no longer even requires the harness.

Nose cells were taken as olfactory nerves are the only ones which continue to grow, at any age.

Olfactory ensheathing cells are found in the back of the nasal cavity and are what allow for the sense of smell.

The OECs constantly replace the cells, allowing for the sense of smell to always continue.

Scientists chose them due to their regenerative nature.

In the case of the dogs, the OECs were able to regrow the nerve endings along the dog's spines, allowing for paralysis reversal.

The researchers are hopeful that this is a step towards allowing for the reversal of human paralysis.

Maryland Leaving ACC For Big 10

Well it seems the Big 10, will be expanding from twelve to thirteen.

The University of Maryland will be leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference to join the Big 10 in the 2014-15 season.

Maryland is hoping that the move will bring in more revenue for the school, which had to cut seven varsity sports programs in 2012.

Reaction from students, alumni, and fans has been extremely negative.

They feel at home in the ACC and not just for historical reasons.

The rest of the ACC has a similar mindset as Maryland and shares geography with them.

Moving to the Big 10 will take Maryland from their region and put them up against teams from the Midwest.

Either way, the deal has gone through, and only time will tell how it turns out.

Rocky Das Musical Opens in Hamburg

Monday night saw the opening of Rocky Das Musical: Fight From The Heart, in Hamburg, Germany.

The musical is based on the 1976 film and includes most of the original soundtrack, with some additions in German.

While the story line has been kept intact, translation into German was required.

Sylvester Stallone is one of the producers and was in attendance for the musical's debut.

He's hopeful it will do well enough in Germany, to allow for an American version in 2013.

2014 Ford Focus Given 3 Cylinder Engine

Ford announced, on Monday, that the 2014 Ford Fiesta won't just be it's smallest vehicle.

Fiesta's will also be the only car in the US to have only a three cylinder engine.

Last year, Ford introduced the 2013 Focus models, with a three cylinder option, only available in Europe.

About thirty percent of their European 2013 Focus sales went that direction.

The one liter engine is rated at one hundred and twenty-three horsepower with one hundred and forty-eight feet of torque.

It is currently undergoing EPA testing, but is expected to have at least thirty mpg city and forty highway.

Islamists Reject Syrian Coalition

A group purporting to represent thirteen Syrian rebel groups, based in Aleppo, has rejected the coalition government that was supposed to represent all Syrian rebel forces.

In an internet video they state that they will not support the Western backed coalition, but instead will ensure that an Islamist state takes over Syria.

It is unclear if the video is real or is a fake created by the Assad regime, in order to discredit the coalition.

Eight countries have so far recognized the coalition as the only representative of the Syrian people.

On Monday, the EU recognized them as a "legitimate representative", but stopped short of giving them the sole title.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague is supposed to make a statement to Parliament, on Tuesday, during which he is expected to recognize the coalition.

Kenyan Soldiers go Berserk After 3 of Their Number Killed

Smoke from Garissa's market

Reports out of Garissa, Kenya say that government troops went on beating spree after three of their number were gunned down, on Monday.

The three Kenyan soldiers were fixing a truck when gunmen shot them.

Before they could be caught, the gunmen fled into the crowd, which then tried to block pursuing soldiers from chasing them.

It was then that the soldiers went berserk, tearing through the crowds, hitting anyone who was present and not wearing a uniform.

The main market of Garissa was set on fire before the troops could be calmed down.

Kenya is blaming the attack on Al Shabaab terrorists, in continued violence from the group against Kenyans.

Judge Stops Hostess From Closing

Twinkies, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, Wonder bread, and the rest may yet be saved.

US Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain has ordered that Hostess and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union meet for mediation, in order to resolve things in way that would avoid the closure of the company.

At the hearing Drain said that there are "serious questions as to the logic behind the decision to strike".

He further pointed out that his main goal is to keep more than eighteen thousand people from losing their jobs.

Hostess announced the closures after they could not keep the union from striking, even after the company warned that they were not financially stable enough to withstand a strike.

Mediation talks will be kept private, with Drain acting as mediator.

If the two sides can not come to an agreement, Drain warned that he will ensure mediation takes place in a very public setting, and at great cost to both sides.