Clipmarks | taksmaster's clips

Deliver us from evil [video has been deleted by Google]

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:31:34 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

[Video]

This documentary is the story of Father Oliver O'Grady (the most notorious pedophile in the history of the modern Catholic Church)and millions of pedophile priests.

Tags: catholic, church, crime, religion, christianity, children, child, abuse

"Belief" in Science

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 13:06:02 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: science, philosophy, logic

Extra-terrestrial life almost certainly exists

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:01:38 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster
clipper's remarks: Nothing new. It's just interesting to hear more and more scientists say they believe extra-terrestrial life exists.

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Intelligent extra-terrestrials almost certainly exist on distant planets beyond our solar system, leading British astronomers told the government yesterday.

The scientists expect that the first evidence of primitive alien life, such as microbes and vegetation, will emerge within 10 years, with more substantial finds following future space missions.

The experts, from high-ranking UK universities and research institutes, were gathered in London by the science minister, Malcolm Wicks, to describe the latest advances in the search for distant, habitable planets capable of harbouring life.

"Twenty years ago we only had one solar system to study and that's the one we live in. But since then, there's been an explosion in the number of planets outside our solar system that we've been able to detect," said Professor Keith Mason, chief executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and former head of space physics at University College London.

Tags: space, universe, life, aliens, ufo, intelligence, astronomy

Origin of Deja Vu Pinpointed

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:51:48 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.livescience.com

The brain cranks out memories near its center, in a looped wishbone of tissue called the hippocampus. But a new study suggests only a small chunk of it, called the dentate gyrus, is responsible for “episodic” memories—information that allows us to tell similar places and situations apart.

The finding helps explain where déjà vu originates in the brain, and why it happens more frequently with increasing age and with brain-disease patients, said MIT neuroscientist Susumu Tonegawa. The study is detailed today in the online version of the journal Science.

Like a computer logging its programs’ activities, the dentate gyrus notes a situation’s pattern—it’s visual, audio, smell, time and other cues for the body’s future reference. So what happens when its abilities are jammed?

Déjà vu is a memory problem, Tonegawa explained, occurring when our brains struggle to tell the difference between two extremely similar situations.

Tags: science, neuroscience, brain, mind, research, memory

Ray Kurzweil on Global Warming

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:32:34 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Ray Kurzweil: None of the global warming discussions mention the word "nanotechnology." Yet nanotechnology will eliminate the need for fossil fuels within 20 years. If we captured 1% of 1% of the sunlight (1 part in 10,000) we could meet 100% of our energy needs without ANY fossil fuels.

I don't see any disasters occuring in the next 10 years from this. However, I AM concerned about other environment issues. There are other reasons to want to move quickly away from fossil fuels including environmental pollution at every step and the geopolitical instability it causes.

Clip Source: money.cnn.com

"These slides that Gore puts up are ludicrous," says the man who once delivered a tech conference presentation as a singing computer avatar named Ramona. (That stunt was the inspiration for the 2002 Al Pacino movie "Simone.") "They don't account for anything like the technological progress we're going to experience."

Tags: science, technology, global warming, climate change, kurzweil, singularity, future, nanotechnology

Global Warming Concensus?

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:23:06 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.canada.com

"Only an insignificant fraction of scientists deny the global warming crisis. The time for debate is over. The science is settled."

S o said Al Gore ... in 1992. Amazingly, he made his claims despite much evidence of their falsity. A Gallup poll at the time reported that 53% of scientists actively involved in global climate research did not believe global warming had occurred; 30% weren't sure; and only 17% believed global warming had begun. Even a Greenpeace poll showed 47% of climatologists didn't think a runaway greenhouse effect was imminent; only 36% thought it possible and a mere 13% thought it probable.

Today, Al Gore is making the same claims of a scientific consensus, as do the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and hundreds of government agencies and environmental groups around the world. But the claims of a scientific consensus remain unsubstantiated. They have only become louder and more frequent.

Tags: global warming, climate change, gore, science, oh noes

Is your anti-virus software working? Here's how to test it.

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:54:45 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster
clipper's remarks: Mine works.

Clip Source: www.gamerenders.com

Creating a test virus

Have you ever wondered if your anti-virus software is really working? Would you like to see what happens when it detects a virus? Here's a safe way to test your computer's virus protection that doesn't require you to have a real virus.

First, open Notepad. Then copy and paste into it the text on the line below. (It should all be on one line.)

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

Then select File, Save, select All Files for the file type, then save the file as eicar.com. The result should look exactly like the screenshot below:

(IMG:http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7906/eicariv4.gif)

Your anti-virus software may prevent you from saving the file as eicar.com, which is a sign that it is working effectively. If it doesn't raise an alert, try scanning the folder where you saved eicar.com. To see what happens if you try to run a file containing a virus, double-click eicar.com to open it.

Explanation

Tags: computer, computers, software, antivirus

A majority of Israeli Jews are in favour of the Apartheid

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 11:59:34 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.voltairenet.org

According to a survey conducted for the Center for the Campaign Against Racism and published on March 20th, 2007:

Culture: 37 % of the Israeli Jews polled think that the Arabic culture is inferior to the Jewish one.
Arabophobia: Each time overhearing someone speaking Arabic, 50 % of Israeli Jews feel fear and 31 % feel hatred.
Security: 56 % of the Israeli Jews think that Israeli Arabs pose a security problem to the State of Israel.
Segregation: 55 % of the Israeli Jews wish that the Jews and Arabs are kept apart in the places of leisure.
Citizenship: 40 % of the Israeli Jews think that Israeli Arabs should be deprived of their right to vote.

Tags: israel, poll, apartheid

NASA Administrator Questions Need to Combat Warming

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:32:53 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.abcnews.go.com

NASA administrator Michael Griffin continues to draw the ire of preeminent climate scientists inside and outside of NASA, as well as members of Congress, after apparently downplaying the need to combat global warming.

In an interview broadcast yesterday on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" program, Griffin was asked by NPR's Steve Inskeep whether he is concerned about global warming.

"I have no doubt that a trend of global warming exists," Griffin told Inskeep. "I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with."

Griffin's comments immediately drew stunned reaction from James Hansen, NASA's top climate scientist at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.

Tags: nasa, global warming, climate change, science

Solar Activity 1996-2005

Thu, 31 May 2007 22:08:51 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

NASA - SOHO Telescope video showing the Sun's activity in periods from 1996 thru 2005. The Sun, in 1996 seems to be sleeping compared to 2005. Scientists suggest that due to increased solar activity our planet is warming and has little or nothing to do with any increase in CO2, but is a natural phenomenon.

Tags: sun, solar system, global warming, climate change, nasa

Adopt a Clitoris

Wed, 23 May 2007 13:05:14 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.clitoraid.org.

The goal of Clitoraid’s “Adopt a Clitoris” program is to create real, long lasting changes for women who have been forced to experience clitoral excision or genital mutilation against their will. To rebuild the female clitoris, a local anesthetic is applied so no pain is experienced when the surgeon uncovers the root of the original clitoris left after the excision. This root and tissues will become the new clitoris. The procedure takes 6 weeks for a woman to completely heal, with sexual pleasure and genetic normality being the end result.

Clip Source: www.clitoraid.org.

It is a crime against humanity that today, in this so called enlightened 21st century, women in under-developed countries are subjected by force to participate in the sex trades, are denied common freedoms as we know and enjoy in the west, and in certain cultures, are slaves to barbaric practices such as clitoral mutilation in the name of religion and, moreover, male dominance. We can all help.

Tags: africa, women, sex, clitoris, clitoraid, feminism

Politician trying to censor church sex abuse documentary

Wed, 23 May 2007 11:44:04 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster
clipper's remarks: Sex Crimes and the Vatican: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6608692729494570044

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

An Italian politician has sparked a furore by urging state broadcaster Rai to block the transmission of a controversial BBC documentary.

The programme, aired in the UK in October, investigates the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church.

The Panorama programme, Sex Crimes and the Vatican, has been Google Italia's most popular online video choice since a version with translated subtitles was put online.

The investigation examines a secret document which sets out a procedure for dealing with child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church.

Tags: catholic, church, abuse, children, censorship

Expanding Veterans' Benefits

Wed, 23 May 2007 11:32:28 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.military.com

WASHINGTON - Military support groups on Wednesday hailed plans to expand military education benefits, VA home loans and small business grants for veterans under new legislation under consideration on Capitol Hill.

The measure was introduced in the Senate by presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and in the House by Iraq war veteran Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa. The lawmakers and their supporters said the Montgomery GI bill, passed in 1994, has been an invaluable tool but one that sorely needs updating.

“The aim isn’t just to get them to simply re-integrate into civilian society, but to give them the means to achieve positions of corporate, federal and private sector leadership,” said Dennis Cullinan, legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Books, room and board, and other associated fees also would be covered. Reservists and Guardsmen who have served at least two years total on active duty since 2001 could see the same benefits.

Tags: military, veterans, education

Dragon skin case goes to Capitol Hill

Wed, 23 May 2007 11:20:55 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: www.military.com

The Army plans to brief Congress about test failures of Dragon Skin body armor after recent news reports touting the vest's capabilities prompted calls from lawmakers for an official explanation.

The service's top soldier equipment buyer, Brig. Gen. Mark Brown, said he plans to meet with lawmakers and staff this week after NBC News broadcast an investigative report Sunday claiming Dragon Skin - which uses a series of interlocking ceramic disks to stop armor-piercing bullets - outperformed armor currently issued by the Army.

"Since the report, we have gotten a flurry of interest" from Capitol Hill, Brown said at a May 21 Pentagon briefing. "We're planning on going over to the Hill ... for discussions with key members."

The Dragon Skin vests tested by the Army in May suffered 13 penetrations in 48 shots, service officials said.

"We ran this vest through the exact same test protocol that every ESAPI supplier goes through," Masters said. "Can you meet the ESAPI requirement or not?

Tags: army, military, congress, government

TEDtalks: The Tragedy of Suburbia

Mon, 21 May 2007 11:58:32 GMT

clipped by: taksmaster

Clip Source: youtube.com

[Video]

In James Howard Kunstler's view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of the common good. Instead, he argues, what we have in America is a nation of places not worth caring about. Reengineering our cities will involve more radical change than we are prepared for, Kunstler believes, but our hand will be forced by earth crises stemming from our national lifestyle. "Life in the mid-21st century," Kunstler says, "is going to be about living locally."

Tags: urban, city, society, housing, civilization