Interesting Stuff Thread

joseph brand · 29-01-2013 11:16AM

Comment from Reddit:

Ok but if we swedes are atheists, as statistics suggest, I'd like to say we are definitely not the same as american atheists. All of those swedes saying "no I don't believe in God" when asked, it would probably not even take a minute of talking to most of them to hear them say that they don't know, thus making them agnostic. There is no active anti-religious movement to speak of in Sweden, because there is no religion to be against

Kinda sums it up. Atheism is the default position.

http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/17gntf/atheism_in_sweden/

Dades · 29-01-2013 11:22AM

http://www.euronews.com/2013/01/29/iran-s-space-monkey-causes-a-global-stir/

Iran claims to have successfully sent a live monkey into space, causing international consternation.

The primate made the journey in a pioneer rocket, reaching an altitude of 120 kilometres.

State television showed footage of the monkey strapped into a harness and being placed in the rocket.

I love the bizarre scene at the end of the video with the Iranians grabbing the monkey out a chopper, looking like it was tied to a cheeseboard with a scarf, and the crowd surrounding it like someone was giving out free dates at a market.

Kiwi in IE · 29-01-2013 12:46PM

joseph brand wrote: »

Comment from Reddit:

Kinda sums it up. Atheism is the default position.

http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/17gntf/atheism_in_sweden/

This is how I always felt when I lived in New Zealand. I was never 'anti religion', and didn't describe myself as an athiest even, until I moved to Ireland. Religion is not a problem in NZ as it's not forced on those who want nothing to do with it. It is viewed there as a personal thing that people choose to practice or not in their own homes and churches.

robindch · 29-01-2013 01:00PM

Sod the space monkey. Iran has also developed a faster way of chopping off people's fingers.

http://www.2oceansvibe.com/2013/01/28/iran-shows-the-world-its-finger-chopping-machine-n5fw/

Definitely NSFW.

legspin · 29-01-2013 09:43PM

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/cuba-releases-worlds-first-lung-cancer-vaccine.

Now all they have to do is genetically modify the tobacco to be the distribution system.

Hotblack Desiato · 29-01-2013 11:11PM

robindch wrote: »

Sod the space monkey. Iran has also developed a faster way of chopping off people's fingers.

The man appears to show no pain, and its thought he may have been drugged during the amputation.

See, they're daycent fellas after all, them Eyeranians.

Genghiz Cohen · 30-01-2013 10:53PM

The James Randi bio movie An Honest Liar reached it's Kickstarter goal today!

robindch · 31-01-2013 05:49PM

Genghiz Cohen wrote: »

The James Randi bio movie An Honest Liar reached it's Kickstarter goal today!

And slashdot's hosting an interview with Randi sometime soon too. Questions can be submitted here:

http://features.slashdot.org/story/13/01/30/1531223/interviews-ask-james-randi-about-investigating-the-truth

Meanwhile, here are a few cool trees.

Genghiz Cohen · 31-01-2013 05:54PM

Randi only 'came out' as gay a few years ago, I'd hate to think that it was some kind of perceived distaste for gay people that kept him for saying something sooner. I'd much rather think that he never said publicly because it's nobody else's damn business.

Might submit that in question form.

sephir0th · 31-01-2013 07:51PM

robindch wrote: »

Meanwhile, here are a few cool trees.

9,550 years old! wow that's older than Earth!

Gbear · 01-02-2013 03:41PM

Genghiz Cohen wrote: »

Randi only 'came out' as gay a few years ago, I'd hate to think that it was some kind of perceived distaste for gay people that kept him for saying something sooner. I'd much rather think that he never said publicly because it's nobody else's damn business.

Might submit that in question form.

I heard him say in an interview on Penn's Sunday School that he never explicitly hid it - his family and close friends all knew. He just never made a song and dance about it (gays like that sort of thing, don't they? lulz).

Bannasidhe · 01-02-2013 04:31PM

Gbear wrote: »

He just never made a song and dance about it (gays like that sort of thing, don't they? lulz).

Jodie Foster doesn't.

Dades · 03-02-2013 12:30AM

Or Kevin Spacey! Big fan of KS.

Sarky · 04-02-2013 03:11PM

Strip cells from pig organ, repopulate remaining non-cellular structure with human cells, get new (mostly) human organ with minimal rejection issues. SCIENCE!

Turtwig · 05-02-2013 09:52PM

I'm sorry to say Rob I don't think Boards thinks we're a match any more.:( Last year we were fully compatible this year you're not even mentioned. Maybe Dades or some Admin had some part to play there?

Also, blue, Zombrex, my heart bleeds. I'm sure you guys made the top twenty. How did things change so much in a year?

This years match-up
koth 10
Galvasean 9
strobe 7
Mark Hamill 6
The Mad Hatter 5
Bannasidhe 5
CerebralCortex 4
joseph brand 4
MrPudding 4
Sarky 4
Daftendirekt 3

Koth, man, I think this is destiny calling. Please don't pull a Robindch on me.

Bannasidhe · 05-02-2013 10:27PM

Jernal wrote: »

I'm sorry to say Rob I don't think Boards thinks we're a match any more.:( Last year we were fully compatible this year you're not even mentioned. Maybe Dades or some Admin had some part to play there? Also, blue, Zombrex, my heart bleeds. I'm sure you guys made the top twenty. How did things change so much in a year?

This years match-up
koth 10
Galvasean 9
strobe 7
Mark Hamill 6
The Mad Hatter 5
Bannasidhe 5
CerebralCortex 4
joseph brand 4
MrPudding 4
Sarky 4
Daftendirekt 3

Koth, man, I think this is destiny calling. Please don't pull a Robindch on me.

Hey PopePalpatine - I've got a brand new cordless drill, and I'll give you the chuck key.

Sarky · 06-02-2013 12:53PM

Genomics got a bit more complicated now that Quadruple helix DNA has been found in human cells as well as the more regular double helix structure. It seems to be linked to the S-phase in cell division, which has researchers thinking it might make a good target when dealing with cancer cells.

Penn · 07-02-2013 03:21PM

Not sure how interesting this will be, but I just found out that Megan Phelps-Roper and one of her younger sisters (Shirley Phelps-Ropers daughters) left the Westboro Baptist Church late last year, which is pretty huge as Megan always seemed like one of the most involved young members.

Probably not all that interesting, but I was delighted to find that out all the same. If there's hope for Megan, we may see an end to the WBC in our lifetime.

Bannasidhe · 07-02-2013 03:23PM

Penn wrote: »

Not sure how interesting this will be, but I just found out that Megan Phelps-Roper and one of her younger sisters (Shirley Phelps-Ropers daughters) left the Westboro Baptist Church late last year, which is pretty huge as Megan always seemed like one of the most involved young members.

Probably not all that interesting, but I was delighted to find that out all the same. If there's hope for Megan, we may see an end to the WBC in our lifetime.

Perhaps they thought WBC was being too soft on the fags?

Am especially cynical today - can't imagine why.

PopePalpatine · 07-02-2013 03:27PM

Too bad that the WBC seems to be just one of many homophobic churches. Anyone remember that preacher suggesting that gays be fenced in with an electrified fence?

Dades · 07-02-2013 04:21PM

Penn wrote: »

Probably not all that interesting, but I was delighted to find that out all the same. If there's hope for Megan, we may see an end to the WBC in our lifetime.

Just from watching the Louis Theroux documentary, she always seemed like a candidate for copping-the-f*ck-on.

Glad to see she pulled through.

Penn · 07-02-2013 04:46PM

Dades wrote: »

Just from watching the Louis Theroux documentary, she always seemed like a candidate for copping-the-f*ck-on.

Glad to see she pulled through.

Really? I always saw her and Gael as two of the lifers. Had a feeling her younger sister Grace would leave though. I think she was the one who became really interested in photography.

Hey, any day two vehemently anti-gay people become slightly less anti-gay, is a good day. And if there's hope for someone like Megan Phelps, there's hope for anyone, even those who want to put gay people behind an electric fence.

PopePalpatine · 07-02-2013 05:05PM

I wonder, who else is getting the weird "The World To Come" ads when they're browsing this sub-forum?

Gordon · 07-02-2013 09:45PM

Penn wrote: »

Not sure how interesting this will be, but I just found out that Megan Phelps-Roper and one of her younger sisters (Shirley Phelps-Ropers daughters) left the Westboro Baptist Church late last year, which is pretty huge as Megan always seemed like one of the most involved young members.

Probably not all that interesting, but I was delighted to find that out all the same. If there's hope for Megan, we may see an end to the WBC in our lifetime.

Interesting, here's her blog, seems to be someone else from the family (Grace) that has jumped ship. Snippet:

We know that we’ve done and said things that hurt people. Inflicting pain on others wasn’t the goal, but it was one of the outcomes. We wish it weren’t so, and regret that hurt.

We know that we dearly love our family. They now consider us betrayers, and we are cut off from their lives, but we know they are well-intentioned. We will never not love them.

Penn · 08-02-2013 12:40AM

Gordon wrote: »

Interesting, here's her blog, seems to be someone else from the family (Grace) that has jumped ship. Snippet:

Aye, both left together. Megan is the more interesting case in my opinion as she was really the first one to get the church using social media like Twitter etc.

I remember Kevin Smith telling Megan on Twitter that if she left the church, his wife said she could have a threesome with them. Wonder if that influenced her decision

Hotblack Desiato · 08-02-2013 02:10AM

Gordon wrote: »

Interesting, here's her blog, seems to be someone else from the family (Grace) that has jumped ship. Snippet:

We know that we’ve done and said things that hurt people. Inflicting pain on others wasn’t the goal, but it was one of the outcomes. We wish it weren’t so, and regret that hurt.

We know that we dearly love our family. They now consider us betrayers, and we are cut off from their lives, but we know they are well-intentioned. We will never not love them.

They're not bloody well intentioned though, are they, and while inflicting pain on others may not have been the goal in itself, gaining publicity by inflicting pain on others certainly was. Eyes far from opened yet.

Hotblack Desiato · 08-02-2013 02:11AM

Penn wrote: »

If there's hope for Megan, we may see an end to the WBC in our lifetime.

Screw these fringe nutters, I'm hoping to see an end to the RCC in my lifetime :pac:

pauldla · 08-02-2013 03:14AM

So this asteroid is due to swing by us on the 15th. Which, incidentally, is my birthday.

I really hope the party doesn't go with a bang this year.

How Asteroid 2012 DA14 Will Give Earth Close Shave (Infographic)

www.space.com

Turtwig · 08-02-2013 05:08AM

pauldla wrote: »

So this asteroid is due to swing by us on the 15th. Which, incidentally, is my birthday.

I really hope the party doesn't go with a bang this year.

How Asteroid 2012 DA14 Will Give Earth Close Shave (Infographic)

www.space.com

There's a saying "You don't hear the shot from the sniper rifle that kills you."

Don't think this impact would be any different. Before the asteroid comes anywhere close to hitting the ground the air beneath it would be heated up so much that you'd be, for want of a better description, vaporised in an instant! You might see a bright flash in the sky that'd be it.

Now if the asteroid were to strike the opposite side of the planet that you're on? Well, that would depend on the speed and size of the asteroid. If its momentum is large enough the shockwaves would travel through the earth faster than the speed of sound and they'd likely kill you in an instant.

So, yeah, I don't think there would be any bang at all.

I'm fairly confident for most people there'd just be a bright flash and then nothing.

Gordon · 08-02-2013 06:59AM

ninja900 wrote: »

They're not bloody well intentioned though, are they, and while inflicting pain on others may not have been the goal in itself, gaining publicity by inflicting pain on others certainly was. Eyes far from opened yet.

Well, the thing is, they think they are, so their intentions are so. Obviously we don't think so, and see them as vile individuals, but it's interesting to see someone give up their whole family and friend structure (presumably because they feel the WBC is completely wrong) but still come out feeling that they believe that the WBC believes that their intentions are good. It's the same as religious preachers that we may see as being really fr*ckin annoying by standing on a pedestal trying to convert everyone - we see their intentions as being negative, but they think they are saving the world by turning everyone to god.

It just hammers home how unbelievably detached from reality the WBC are, as they truly believe they aren't being malicious, but instead positive. Not that we really need that hammered home though, I guess!

Interesting Stuff Thread

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