Clipmarks | MagusLEN's clips

Cloud Computing And Borders

Tue, 27 May 2008 23:59:38 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: Way too often, governments keep trying to edge in on the freedom of the net. The tail end of this article has merits.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

In the real world national borders, commercial rivalries and political imperatives all come into play, turning the cloud into a miasma as heavy with menace as the fog over the Grimpen Mire that concealed the Hound of the Baskervilles in Arthur Conan Doyle's story.

The issue was recently highlighted by reports that the Canadian government has a policy of not allowing public sector IT projects to use US-based hosting services because of concerns over data protection.

Under the US Patriot Act the FBI and other agencies can demand to see content stored on any computer, even if it being hosted on behalf of another sovereign state.

Perhaps it is time for the UN to consider a cyberspace rights treaty that will outline what it's acceptable to do when other people's data comes into your jurisdiction.

Pagans and Gay Marriage

Tue, 27 May 2008 14:39:18 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: The rest of the article is cool too.

Clip Source: www.wildhunt.org

"Let my worship be with the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you." - Doreen Valiente, "The Charge of The Goddess"

"I celebrate the California Supreme Court decision. It's just, and it affirms an even deeper principle: that civil rights belong to everyone, not just those groups whose behavior meets popular approval. That principle protects us all." - Starhawk, "A Sacred Choice and a Civil Right"

Ghandhi The Wise

Tue, 13 May 2008 23:10:14 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN

Clip Source: www.positivityblog.com

Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problem.”

“If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide.”

Mahatma Gandhi needs no long introduction. Everyone knows about the man who lead the Indian people to independence from British rule in 1947.

Tags: changing the world

Computer Sayings

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 13:28:19 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Bought a smile to my dial.

Clip Source: wilk4.com

There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.

A printer consists of three main parts: the case, the jammed paper tray and the blinking red light.

At the source of every error which is blamed on the computer, you will find at least two human errors, including the error of blaming it on the computer.

Beta. Software undergoes beta testing shortly before it's released. Beta is Latin for "still doesn't work."

If your computer says, "Printer out of Paper," this problem cannot be resolved by continuously clicking the "OK" button.

It said "Insert disk 3..." but only 2 fit in the drive.

My software never has bugs. It just develops random features.

"To know recursion, you must first know recursion"

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.

As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

Tags: humour/reality

Check out these cans!

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:56:03 GMT

clipped by: swampfoxz
clipper's remarks: Architect and engineers compete to see whose team can build the most spectacular structure using little more than cans of food at Canstruction, the 13th annual NYC Design and Build competition in New York .
All these cans will go to the food bank afterwards…

Clip Source: www.bored-night.com

Check out these cans!

Architect and engineers compete to see whose team can build the most spectacular structure using little more than cans of food at Canstruction, the 13th annual NYC Design and Build competition in New York .
All these cans will go to the food bank afterwards…

Tags: cans

The Pagan Christ NT based on Egyption Mythology

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:04:14 GMT

clipped by: photowriter
clipper's remarks: I grew up as a fundamentalist Xian X= Greek letter chi for Christ. I have read several of Tom Harpers books and have found him to be one of the most honest Anglican Priests I have ever met in book and person.

What we find now is that the literal interpretation of the Bible is producing a very dangerous culture, focused in the US where military culture and war are often seen as part and parcel of the religious right's political theology.

Clip Source: www.cbc.ca

THE PAGAN CHRIST

There are 2.1 billion Christians on the planet – roughly one third of the entire human population. At the heart of their religion is the New Testament and the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. To Christianity, the written word is the glue that binds the faith of its followers.

Based on Tom Harpur’s national bestseller, The Pagan Christ examines these very questions. During his research, Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that – indeed – the text was always meant to be read allegorically. It was the founders of the Church who duped the world into taking a literal approach to the scriptures. And, according to Harpur, this was their fatal error – and the very reason Christianity is struggling today.

So, what if it could be proven that Jesus never existed? What if there was evidence that every word of the New Testament

is based on myth and metaphor?

Tags: christmas, christianity, pagan, bible, literal, mythology, myth

New Diagnosis for Old Problems

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:11:28 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: Amazing how people are just now discovering that these things exist.

Clip Source: www.time.com

Sensory Therapies and Research [STAR] Center, just south of Denver, which treats about 50 children a week for a curious mix of problems. Some can't seem to get their motors in gear: they have low muscle tone and a tendency to respond only minimally to conversation and invitations to play. Others are revved too high: they annoy other children by crashing into them or hugging too hard. Many can't handle common noises or the feel of clothing on their skin. A number just seem clumsy. Adults can remember kids like these from their own childhood. They were the ones called losers, loners, klutzes and troublemakers. At STAR Center they wear a more benign label: children with sensory processing disorder (SPD).

Never heard of it? You're in good company. Neither have many pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists and teachers. But in the parallel universe of occupational therapy, which focuses on the more primal "occupations" of life--dressing, eating, working, playing--SPD is commonly treated.

Tags: mental health, health, healthcare, science, children, disorders

‘Golden Compass’ raises religious debate

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:28:03 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

Is the book an atheist manifesto for kids, or theological masterpiece?

The plot sounds familiar: movie takes on religion, angers some faction of believers.

But the furor surrounding “The Golden Compass,” a $180-million fantasy epic coming to theaters next Friday, is more complex than that.

Based on the first volume in the award-winning trilogy “His Dark Materials” by religious skeptic Philip Pullman, the movie already has been condemned by conservative Roman Catholics and evangelicals. They say it will hook children into Pullman’s books and a dark, individualistic world where all religion is evil.

But at least one liberal scholar has called the trilogy a “theological masterpiece,” and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rates the film “intelligent and well-crafted entertainment.”

Meanwhile, some secularists complain the movie from New Line Cinemas waters down Pullman’s religious critique. They feel sold out by the author, who has described himself as both an atheist and agnostic.

Tags: religion, atheism, movie, faith, debate, controversy, theology, book

Groaner Time

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 01:28:44 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: Need I say more?

Clip Source: www.beliefnet.com

A Well-Known Monk

A wandering monk walked barefoot everywhere he went, to the point that the soles of his feet eventually became quite thick and leathery. And because he ate very little, he gradually became very frail. Several days often passed between opportunities to brush his teeth, so he usually had bad breath. Therefore, throughout the region, he came to be known as the super-calloused fragile mystic plagued with halitosis.

Tags: geek, humour

Are you getting enough?

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:52:35 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: I loved the original headline, so had to borrow it.
I could have used this article years ago to try and get myself to sleep.
Better late than never...

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Ask someone how they are and their response, more often than not, is "fine but a bit tired". Not surprising when one in three of us have sleep problems, according to recent research.

The medical profession calls it tatt, short for "tired all the time". It's one of the most common complaints that doctors hear.

Sleep is so important because it allows the brain to recover from the rigours of the day. Not getting enough has been found to increase the risk of obesity, heart disease and depression.

But even if you cut back on the late nights, how to tackle the problem of falling asleep? Here are some tips:

dusting down old and familiar CDs

Just repeating "the" could be the solution. It's known as a blocking strategy

Popular in the 1980s, power naps have a fast and effective restorative power that is hard to beat

Napping at work isn't acceptable in the UK, but in Japan dozing

is allowed.

Tags: news, health, wellbeing, sleep

British Schoolteacher Faces Lash Over Teddybear

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:37:26 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: Not much I can say on this one. The responses from the general public over the world speaks volumes.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

British officials are trying to secure the release of Gillian Gibbons

A British schoolteacher in Sudan may face blasphemy charges for insulting Islam's Prophet after letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad.

If she is convicted, the punishment could be six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.

BBC News website readers, as well as readers of BBCArabic.com, have been sending their reaction to this story.

From BBCArabic.com: My name is Mohammed. Should my parents be tried for insulting Islam?
Mohammed

From BBCArabic.com: Why did she choose this name in particular? There are many other names for these toy bears and children's TV shows are full of them. It is actually an insult to Prophet Mohammed.
Amira al-Marani, Yemen

Tags: islam, politics, world issues, religion

Special Needs Kid told saying God in School Against the Law

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 02:05:25 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: "The bottom line is the dad got nowhere but did inform them that they had best call him first if they ever are about to discipline his son for speaking about Jesus as it will not be tolerated."

Now I normally don't post stuff like this, but this got to me just a bit. I know a couple of Special Needs children and what the teachers did to this child really steams me.

What steams me even more is that the clause in the US Constitution has nothing to do with speaking about one's faith in schools or other government buildings. It has to do with not establishing a State Religion. Some people get worked up if you say "God Bless You" to someone.

Let's uphold the Constitution without trying to destroy the free will of our kids!

Clip Source: jojosays.wordpress.com

There is a story of a young boy in 5th grade who has special needs…think along the lines of autism.

And because of his disability, his innocence far surpasses most 5th graders. He believes everyone is good and kind and that everyone believes in Jesus and God. It has never even occurred to him that there are people out there that don’t believe.

So in class in a public school, he started talking about Jesus and his teachers immediately told him to stop.

So the next day at school, the boy had kept his promise and in fact had not mentioned God or Jesus at all, and when he was suppose to start his spelling test, they sent him down to the school social worker.

The social worker told the boy that it was against the law to speak of Jesus or God in the public school.

The social worker informed the dad that there was separation of church and state issues and ranted on about the forefathers.

Tags: inhumanity, politics, religion

Johnny Steaked to the Bus

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:57:51 GMT

clipped by: MagusLEN
clipper's remarks: This is totally ridiculous, what is the world coming too? This is a rather old article, but there was something similar to it in the USA Today for Monday.

Clip Source: www.progress.org

The USA is suffering from a sexual-harassment mania. Originally, sexual harassment meant coercing someone to engage in sex, or exploiting someone sexually, such as when a boss pressures an employee to provide sexual favors. These are surely bad acts.

The sexual harassment mania has spread to children. Six-year-olds who don't even know what "sex" is are being accused of being sexual harassers. A boy who kissed a little girl in school was accused of sexual harassment and sent home. It seems that boys and girls may no longer hug, hold hands, or show any affection or display friendship. Affection is now sexualized. Should we be surprised when children grow up to be violent thieving drug addicts?

The latest casualty to the sexual harassment mania is the naked human body, including the bodies of innocent children. In Canton, Ohio, a six-year-old boy took a bath

He heard the school bus outside, and ran out to stop the bus - still naked. He was suspended by his school for sexual harassment.

Tags: news, politics

The End of America?

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:30:42 GMT

clipped by: JICWyllie
clipper's remarks: Fascism has always portrayed itself as the antidote to economic collapse.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

Naomi Wolf's newest book, The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot

lays out the 10 steps that dictators (or aspiring dictators) take in order to shut down an open society. "Each of those ten steps is now under way in the United States today,"

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

I could tell last fall when a law was passed expanding the definition of terrorists to include animal rights activists, that people who look more like you and me would start to be called terrorists, which is a classic tactic in what I call a fascist expansion.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

In the book you say that fascists have great skills at changing public opinion.

NW: That's correct. That's exactly right. They've been very skillful at creating extremely terrifying narratives. And this is why looking at Goebbels is so instructive. Our leaders have been busy creating footage and sound bites that can be petrifying, and as a result, some of us live in a state of existential fear.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

We really don't read history in America, so we don't notice warning signals.

Tags: government, i-democracy, i-risks, i-increase

Church, state and the founding fathers

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:21:27 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.tribstar.com

Quick quiz.

How many times does the U.S. Constitution mention God?

How many times does it talk about the Bible?

In what sections does it address Christianity?

The answers: None, none and none.

As for religion, as physicist Ellery Schempp recently observed, the Constitution “mentions religion just twice, and both times the word ‘no’ is attached.”

“The Bible never once mentions democracy, a republic or anything related to American values,” he said. “The Bible never once mentions freedom of speech or freedom of religion … separation of powers and limitations on the power of the executive; nor an independent judicial branch … elections or voting. The Bible provides no model for ‘good’ government or for personal freedoms. It is a purely religious/theological document.”

Tags: church, state, government, religion, constitution, god, bible, law