When police ordered Alan Nystedt of Haverhill to fold up his folding chair and remove himself and his shopping cart from in front of St. Paul's Cathedral on Tremont Street yesterday, he refused. And because he didn't have a permit to "occupy a city sidewalk," they arrested him.

Police say Nystedt had set up shop in front of the church to protest something involving the church (the BPDNews report does not specify what; anybody remember seeing him?).

On arrival, officers observed a white male seated in a wooden director's chair sitting next to a cart filled with religious paraphernalia. The suspect was handing out the paraphernalia while occupying the public sidewalk. Moreover, the suspect was displaying a sign with written statements criticizing and protesting the church. ...

Police say they asked him to move twice - and asked if he had a permit. When he refused to move and said he had no permit, he was taken in, police say.

Jimbo passes along the rumor about Joan Lawrence, formerly principal of the St. Mary's Star of the Sea school, supposedly taken out just before the school was ordered shut.

Somebody recently managed to get lots of red socks into the Yankees' locker room and clubhouse.

Blue Mass. Group has the details on a proclamation by Patrick in support of a national prayer day organized by a fundamentalist group that specifically excludes Jews, Muslims, Catholics and even many Protestants from leading its prayer events that day (see its coordinator application).

Apparently, Fresh City thinks the same thing applies to their wraps. Jocular Schlemiel reports he was grateful the chain had a Passover menu - until he noticed it included shrimp and rice.

... I understand that it is more Kosher style than truly Kosher, and while I think that a Kosher for Passover menu is a great idea, it may have gone over better had there been some research done before drafting an actual menu. The only hint of Passover I really received was a piece of stale matzah. ...

Join Socializing for Justice at the Alchemist Lounge in Jamaica Plain on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 7PM to meet cool, like-minded people and unwind after work.

Somebody's sacrificing roosters in Stony Brook Reservation.

If you've been reading UniversalHub for a while, you may remember the Subway Knitter's CharlieCard mittens, which let you magically tap your hands at the gate to make it open.

Someone recently mentioned the pattern for these mittens on a knitting site called Ravelry. And you should see the discussion that this caused:

At least during certain hours to accommodate some female Moslem students. Miss Kelly suggests why this is a bad idea, including:

... It's sex discrimination, pure and simple. It would be unthinkable to announce that men are "uncomfortable" working out alongside women, therefore Harvard is going to limit some gym hours to men only. It's likely against the law in a federally-funded institution. So how on earth is it acceptable to discriminate against men? ...

Thou shalt not park without authorization at one local Methodist church.