Did you know that “In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States? It is.

The Wisconsin-based church-state watchdog group Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) claims the engravings are unconstitutional and would exclude the 15% of Americans who identify themselves as non-religious.

Congratulations FFRF, you’re correct about one thing – but wrong about another. First of all you’re correct that the engravings will exclude you. This is the intent. We want you excluded. Keeping idiocy out of the mainstream is a healthy goal. However, you are wrong about something… there are not 15% of Americans who identify themselves as non-religious. At best, (or worst, depending on your point of view) only 5% of our population claims atheist/agnostic status.

Because of the glorious and unique foundation of Christian principles, precepts and beliefs this country rests upon and due to the indelible imprint the founding fathers gave us by using them in our constitution and declaration of independence, these kinds of engravings and inscriptions will never be eliminated from our government.

Red Hat to join S&P 500
Getting in often prompts a rally
_{BY ALAN M. WOLF - Staff Writer
Published: Sat, Jul. 18, 2009 02:00AM
Modified Fri, Jul. 17, 2009 10:22PM}

The financial turmoil that keeps claiming victims on Wall Street has created an opening for Raleigh-based Red Hat.

The software maker will replace floundering CIT Group in the iconic Standard & Poor's 500 Index next week. In addition to the cachet the move gives Red Hat, companies added to the S&P 500 typically rally as investors who track the index buy shares.

Red Hat's stock has climbed more than 50 percent so far this year on investor optimism that its cheaper Linux computer-operating software is winning customers during the downturn. On Friday, the stock closed at $20.60, down 26 cents, but it jumped as much as 10 percent in late trading after the S&P announcement.
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The change will be made after the close of trading July 24. There are only a dozen publicly traded companies with North Carolina headquarters in the S&P 500. In the Triangle, that list includes only one: Raleigh-based Progress Energy.

Denmark: Stop religious soccer
The Danish Football Federation is calling for religious manifestations at soccer matches to be stopped.

Following their 3-2 victory over the United States, the Brazilain team fell to its knees in a ring to thank God for their victory.

"Personally I do not think that sport and religion should be mixed to such a degree that we more or less see a manifestation of a religious stance," says DBU Secretary-General Jim Stjerne Hansen.

"Just as we reject political manifestations, we should also say no to religious ones. There are too many risks involved in clubs, for example, with people of different religious faiths," he says.

Hansen says that the Brazilian 'event' also ran contrary to the international soccer federation FIFA's own rules. (more at link)

Gay sex decriminalised in India

A court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has ruled that homosexual intercourse between consenting adults is not a criminal act.

The ruling overturns a 148-year-old colonial law which describes a same-sex relationship as an "unnatural offence".

Homosexual acts were punishable by a 10-year prison sentence.

Many people in India regard same-sex relationships as illegitimate. Rights groups have long argued that the law contravened human rights.

UK-based designers James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau believe that, if robots are ever to be welcomed into people's homes, they'll need to fit in with the rest of the furniture, and earn their keep. Their prototypes trap and digest pests like flies and mice to gain energy - see video demonstrating how they work.