Clipmarks | enbar's clips

Innumeracy's John Allen Paulos on credulity and love

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:05:52 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A great post from 3quarksdaily (Feb. 2008) about the human desire to believe in something, even a fraud. Context: Paulos has put together a book debunking probabilistic arguments for God's existence. The clip doesn't do it justice -- RTWT ("read the whole thing").

Clip Source: 3quarksdaily.blogs.com

God and Girls in Thailand

I found myself at loose ends in a beach town in Thailand on Christmas morning, 2006. Away from my family in Philadelphia, I was visiting a friend who was planning an early retirement in Southeast Asia. While wandering near the edge of town, I spotted a spirit house, a sort of miniature temple mounted on a pedestal like a bird house. Although irreligious, I noted the fruit offerings strewn around it and was attracted to its makeshift beauty.

Pausing at the shrine, I saw a small Internet café just beyond it, empty except for three nubile young women who were giggling and periodically running up to one or another of the many computers in the room. The desire for my morning Diet Coke, the need to check my email, and the palpable mirth bubbling out of the women drew me into the place.

Despite the goings-on, I first took care of my caffeine and correspondence demands. Soon, however, I noticed there were Webcams on all the computers.

Tags: religion, atheism, mathematics, blogclip, love, romance

Sixteenth-century "skyscrapers" in Yemen

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:56:17 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Mud-brick buildings, four to five hundred years old, mostly seven to nine stories. Good photos.

Clip Source: www.toxel.com

World’s Oldest Skyscrapers

Shibam, a town in Hadramawt, Yemen, is considered to have the world’s oldest skyscrapers. It has about 7,000 inhabitants and all of the town’s house are made out of mud bricks. Some of these structures rise 5 to 9 stories high.

This technique of building was implemented in order to protect residents from Bedouin attacks. While Shibam has existed for around 2,000 years, most of the city’s houses come mainly from the 16th century.

Shibam is often called “the Manhattan of the desert”.

Tags: via:friendfeed, architecture, photos, cool, random_sh!t, middle_east

Artwork by Robbie Conal: Gandhi, Dalai Lama, MLK

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:28:55 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Visit http://www.robbieconal.com/litho.html for the actual source.

Clip Source: yubnub.org

Tags: art

Using the power of online networks for good

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:08:49 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A blog post gives a brief account of an Austin, TX blood drive that was organized in three days using mainly Twitter (also blogs and Facebook).

Clip Source: everydotconnects.com

We get this question a lot at Every Dot Connects — “What the heck is Twitter, and how can something that sounds so goofy possibly do anything useful?”

Today, many people in Austin, Texas saw firsthand what Twitter can do with a few dedicated people and a great idea.

It was the inaugural Austin Blood Drive Tweetup, perfectly timed for July 3rd, just before an Independence Day weekend when accidents tend to happen, the need for blood is high and supplies run low.

The push started on June 29th, a Sunday – a mere three days for people to find out about it, to perhaps get some time off from work during a four-day workweek, to decide to participate and for many, to face possible needle fears.

100 people signed up online for a donation timeslot to come in and give blood; the Blood Center averages around 40 a day.

The professionals who run the Blood Center said they’d never seen so many first-time donors.

Tags: twitter, blogclip, social, 2.0, web

An updated text of the Declaration of Independence

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:07:09 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Kind of cool, kind of silly, but nicely done -- the Declaration of Independence rewritten in modern language. Meant seriously, not as some kind of joke.

Clip Source: rob.orangejack.com

We the Thirteen

An open letter to the King of Great Britain
Posted July 4, 1776 by John Hancock

Dear King,

Our Congress here in the thirteen united States of America are declaring today that we are separating political ties with you. We believe that it’s only fair that we tell you why.

First of all, there are a few rights that we believe are plainly obvious:

All men are created equal
God has given us rights that can’t be taken away by man: life, liberty, and our pursuit of happiness.

Although God gives these rights, man creates Government to secure these rights. If a Government isn’t protecting these rights then it is the right of the people to make changes to the Government — or make a new one. This new Government should be organized and based on these principles to ensure Safety and Happiness.

We declare ourselves free of the rule of the British crown and all political connection to Great Britain.

We rely on God’s protection and we pledge to each other our lives, fortunes, and honor.

Tags: politics, history, language, law

Group scheduling made easier: WhenIsGood.com

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:55:55 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Tool for group scheduling. Go to their site, look at a calendar, click on the times that work for you, and it'll generate a link that you can send to your people. They visit the page and indicate when they're free. Then you see the results. No registration required.

Clip Source: whenisgood.net

An easy way to find out when everyone is free for your next meeting or event.

	Click the grid for all the times that are good for you - you get a link to email to your invitees.
	They see your proposed times and click on when they are free.
	You visit your results page and see when everyone can do.

No sign-up form. No password to choose. No fuss at all.

Tags: productivity, calendar, collaboration, tool, free, via:twitter

How to be a Christian Darwinist (interview)

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:38:44 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: I haven't read this - I hope it's as good as it looks. Archived: http://www.webcitation.org/5Z2ZIwS5K

Clip Source: www.salon.com

Can't Darwin and God get along?

In his new book, "Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution," Karl Giberson calls this a false choice. A professor of physics at Eastern Nazarene College, and director of the Forum on Faith and Science at Gordon College, Giberson believes in evolutionary theory as adamantly as he does in God. For Giberson, evolution and Christianity are not in competition but complement one another. Holding equal disdain for creationists who read the Bible literally and scientists who disregard God altogether, Giberson seeks a middle way, and attempts to resuscitate Darwin's reputation as both a religious man and a scientist. In conversation, Giberson possesses a boundless inquisitiveness typical of many scientists, but also displays the wry wit of a seasoned polemicist. He seems to know how to counteract your best arguments before you have even made them.

Tags: religion, science, evolution, intelligent_design, interview, via:mento, !toread, webcite

Food allergies as a weapon for school bullies

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:32:57 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A very disturbing story -- some school bullies have been using peanut butter as a weapon to terrorize peanut-allergic kids. Consequences are potentially fatal. Archived: http://www.webcitation.org/5Z2UxH0lU . Story also uses the word "consequating," new on me.

Clip Source: abcnews.go.com

Peanut Butter and Deadly Taunts

A Combination of Bullying and Peanut Allergies May Put Some Kids in the ER

Late last spring, 14-year-old Sarah VanEssendelft of Mastic, N.Y., experienced bullying worthy of a teen movie.

"There was a group of five girls ... and they decided they didn't want me sitting at their lunch table anymore," said VanEssendelft. To get her to leave, they all brought in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

For VanEssendelft, it might as well have been arsenic.

Two weeks later, a boy in the back of her class opened up a peanut butter cup. The smell was enough to trigger VanEssendelft's peanut allergy and send her to the emergency room with breathing problems.

As VanEssendelft knows, when bullies target food allergies, kids and schools face a serious problem. After the peanut butter cup reaction, some of VanEssendelft's classmates didn't believe that her peanut allergy was triggered by smell.

Tags: parenting, children, schools, violence, bad_news, news, food, health, post:twitter(source)

"Believe me, it's torture": Christopher Hitchens gets waterboarded

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:07:05 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Hitchens decided to experience waterboarding for himself. He lasts about twenty seconds and describes having nightmares and panic attacks ever since. Also check the video at http://snipr.com/2sv2d

Clip Source: www.vanityfair.com

The author catches his breath after undergoing his first waterboarding session. Photographs by Gasper Tringale.

Believe Me, It’s Torture

by Christopher Hitchens

You may have read by now the official lie about this treatment, which is that it “simulates” the feeling of drowning. This is not the case. You feel that you are drowning because you are drowning—or, rather, being drowned, albeit slowly and under controlled conditions and at the mercy (or otherwise) of those who are applying the pressure. The “board” is the instrument, not the method. You are not being boarded. You are being watered. This was very rapidly brought home to me when, on top of the hood, which still admitted a few flashes of random and worrying strobe light to my vision, three layers of enveloping towel were added. In this pregnant darkness, head downward, I waited for a while until I abruptly felt a slow cascade of water going up my nose.

I don’t want to tell you how little time I lasted.

Tags: torture, gwot, journalism, violence

I finally made my own homepage

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:43:57 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Okay, tell me the truth, is this ridiculous?

Clip Source: www.nathanrein.com

About me: I am a historian of religion who studies the Protestant Reformation. I teach at a small, private, nonsectarian liberal arts college about 45 minutes outside of the city of Philadelphia, called Ursinus. I live in the town of Phoenixville with my wife, two children, and three cats. The page you're looking at is basically an online calling card; here you can find ways of tracking me down, seeing what I'm doing, or contacting me.

Tags: me, vanity, nathanrein.com, homepage, web, about_me

Passion Fest 2008, Pottstown, PA (July 19)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:23:32 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: I'm seriously thinking about going to this. Out of curiousity, really. My understanding is that it has a heavily evangelical, proselytizing flavor, but that isn't really indicated by the website.

Clip Source: www.passionfest.org

We Build It, You Come!

Between 10 and 14 thousand people attended Passion Fest '07! We can't wait to top that number this year!

Check Out Who Else Will be There

What?

A FREE Community Festival

When?

July 19, 2008

Where?

Grounds of Pottstown High School, PA Click Here for Map

Who?

Bands, Extreme Athletes and More will be Performing
It'll be an Experience for the Whole Family to Enjoy

Why?

Our goal with Passion Fest is to increase the quality of life of Southeastern PA, by developing unity between the people, churches, businesses and organizations within the Community.

How?

Passion Fest can't be a success without your help!
We'd love to have everyone volunteer their time and help sponsor the festival so we can put on a great free event for the community, but even more, we'd just love to have you come out and enjoy yourself at the third annual Passion Fest!

Tags: events, local, pennsylvania, pottstown, christianity, evangelicalism, music, sports

Clipmarks question: did the right-click slider disappear?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:05:07 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Since the most recent upgrade, the clipping tool has lost the old slider gizmo that used to appear on right-click. Is that intentional, or have I found a bug? If it's intentional ... well, I kinda miss it. It was really handy.

Clip Source: clipmarks.com

Tags: clipmarks, feedback, questions, question, clipping tool, bugs, bug report

Twitzer: quick-and-easy workaround for Twitter's 140-character limit

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:50:57 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: A Firefox extension that grabs overlength Twitter updates, sends them to ShortText.com, and inserts the ShortText URL. Looks handy.

Clip Source: shorttext.com

Twitzer - Twitter long text v1.3

Twitzer is a Firefox extension which lets you post text longer than 140 characters on Twitter.com. It can also convert TinyURL.com links to actual links so that you are sure what link will open.

HOW TO TWITZER?

Once installed, log on to the Twitter site normally and type away in the update box (ignore the character count when it goes into minus and turns red).

Once finished with the update, right click anywhere on the page and click "Twitzer text".

The entire text is shortened to <140 characters and the link to the entire text is placed in the update box.

Tags: twitter, tools, firefox

NRA sues San Francisco to overturn public-housing gun ban

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:03:50 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Raise your hand if you think that more guns in public housing is going to result in fewer gun deaths.

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

NRA sues to overturn S.F. gun ban in city housing

SAN FRANCISCO — The National Rifle Association sued the city of San Francisco on Friday to overturn its ban on handguns in public housing, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a handgun ban in the nation's capital.

In San Francisco, the NRA was joined by the Washington state-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and a gun owner who lives in the city's Valencia Gardens housing project.

Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city will "vigorously fight the NRA" and defended the ban as good for public safety.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said that the Supreme Court ruling didn't address gun bans on government property and that he is "confident that our local gun control measures are on sound legal footing and will survive legal challenges."

Tags: law, violence, crime, news, u.s.-news, guns

Keep a handgun at home to defend the family? Not smart

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:58:17 GMT

clipped by: enbar
clipper's remarks: Here are some numbers. Despite the recent SCOTUS decision and Scalia's assertions about the value of a handgun in the home, studies suggest that the gun in your house is twelve times more likely to be used on a resident of the house than on an intruder. In home invasions, the bad guy gets to the gun first in two out of three cases.

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

washingtonpost.com > Opinions > Outlook & Opinions

Guns for Safety? Dream On, Scalia.

In his majority opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia explicitly endorsed the wisdom of keeping a handgun in the home for self-defense.

Just nine of those shootings were legally justifiable homicides or acts of self-defense; guns kept in homes were also involved in 12 accidental deaths, 41 criminal homicides and a shocking 333 suicides. A subsequent study conducted in three U.S. cities found that guns kept in the home were 12 times more likely to be involved in the death or injury of a member of the household than in the killing or wounding of a bad guy in self-defense.

In Atlanta, a city where approximately a third of households contain guns, a study of 197 home-invasion crimes revealed only three instances (1.5 percent) in which the inhabitants resisted with a gun. Intruders got to the homeowner's gun twice as often as the homeowner did.

Tags: violence, crime, commentary, opinion, statistics, guns