Interesting Stuff Thread

Chuck Stone

James Randi exposes Uri Geller and Peter Popoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9w7jHYriFo

HUNK

joseph brand

http://www.scottklarr.com/topic/453/collection-of-atheist-and-atheism-motivational-posters/

Enjoy.

Galvasean

The evolution of angels:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/12/111223-christmas-angels-evolution-science-history-christianity/

Andrewf20

All I can do is take these stats at face value. Thought it makes interesting reading:

Top 10 most generous European countries vs percentage of that countries population who believe in God.

10. Germany – 40% (10th most generous euro country - 40% of Germans believe in God)
7 Luxemburg – 44%
7 Switzerland – 48%
7 Finland – 41%
6 Malta – 95%
5 Denmark – 31%
4 Iceland – 31%
3 Netherlands – 31%
2 UK – 38%
1 Ireland – 73%

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism
http://www.businessinsider.com/charity-giving-europe-2011-12#1-ireland-20

recedite

Andrewf20 wrote: »

All I can do is take these stats at face value.

Its never a good idea to take statistics at face value. The "measure" used for "charitable giving of money" was to ask people if they had given money to charity in the past month. Churchgoers who had given a few cent to their own church would probably answer yes to that.

The Scandinavian countries where only a minority attend a church don't feature high on your list, even though the amount they actually give away is far more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_charitable_countries

Amalgam

robindch wrote: »

Here's the Beeb underneath the antarctic ice, time-lapsing a 'brinicle':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMhBuSBemRk

Full article here.

The BBC have fattened up your link, robindch, at a different page. Just stumbled across it now.

A lot of technology discussion and human endurance issues surrounding the Brinicle filming.

Great audio of a Weddell Seal, who lived in the Brinicle cavern\clearing. (pushed over one of the time lapse cameras too..)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/16250444

---

Andrewf20

recedite wrote: »

Its never a good idea to take statistics at face value.

"Face value" perhaps not the best choice of words. I mean to say - assuming the stats are correct as they are. Your link shows some interesting numbers. I hadnt come across that page before.

amacachi

Anyone who doesn't read If This is a Man is not worth talking to. Was about to post this in the "Interesting" thread but it has a nice fit here. Even though it was translated into English it still has an unbelievably power about it.

MOD EDIT:
Moved to the Interesting thread (here) and the zombie book thread has been shotgunned.

amacachi

Lot of edits but just realised I'm the only person who mentioned If This is a Man, it should be on the Primary School syllabus as far as I'm concerned.

magicbastarder

i think primary school is a bit young for it - would certainly agree that it's an incredibly powerful read though.

sephir0th

Zach Wahls, 19, speaks out to support same sex marriage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ

Sarky

Well sh*t, it's not real

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqmdv5iyIOY

Standman

Sweden recognises new file-sharing religion Kopimism

A "church" whose central tenet is the right to file-share has been formally recognised by the Swedish government.

The Church of Kopimism claims that "kopyacting" - sharing information through copying - is akin to a religious service.

The "spiritual leader" of the church said recognition was a "large step".

But others were less enthusiastic and said the church would do little to halt the global crackdown on piracy.

The Swedish government agency Kammarkollegiet finally registered the Church of Kopimism as a religious organisation shortly before Christmas, the group said.

"We had to apply three times," said Gustav Nipe, chairman of the organisation.

The church, which holds CTRL+C and CTRL+V (shortcuts for copy and paste) as sacred symbols, does not directly promote illegal file sharing, focusing instead on the open distribution of knowledge to all. ..

A bit like the rastas use of religion as a loophole to smoke weed. It's funny to see people taking advantage of this ridiculous idea that special allowances must be made for people who believe in nonsense labeled as religion.

Liamario

Standman wrote: »

A bit like the rastas use of religion as a loophole to smoke weed. It's funny to see people taking advantage of this ridiculous idea that special allowances must be made for people who believe in nonsense labeled as religion.

Surely you're not implying that other religions are less ridiculous?

pH

Sarky wrote: »

One of the more obvious applications for quantum levitation. Just scale it up a bit and we have Wipeout in real life.

Not really, rather one of the more obvious applications for CGI,& youtube.

http://z6mag.com/featured/controlled-quantum-levitation-fools-50k-into-thinking-viral-video-was-real-164282.html

Sarky

Noes! Science has failed me, I'm going back to Catholicism.

Calibos

pH wrote: »

Not really, rather one of the more obvious applications for CGI,& youtube.

http://z6mag.com/featured/controlled-quantum-levitation-fools-50k-into-thinking-viral-video-was-real-164282.html

...and this is why it didn't ring any alarm bells for me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6AAhTw7RA

Turtwig

Sarky wrote: »

Noes! Science has failed me, I'm going back to Catholicism.

Science has not failed you. If it had, this would be you.

"Lalalalalalalala not listening...it's real. It's Real. I believe it's real and that's that. Please don't offend my beliefs. My PERSONAL beliefs!! Lalalalalalla not listening."
You, however, changed your position in accordance with new evidence.

Sarky

Calibos wrote: »

...and this is why it didn't ring any alarm bells for me...

... that's actually a much better video anyway.

Sarky

Jernal wrote: »

Science has not failed you. If it had, this would be you...

NO! Science HAS failed me! I can't hear you! LALALALALALALALA NOT LISTENING!

Turtwig

Sarky wrote: »

... that's actually a much better video anyway.

Not really. I still don't get why the fack it's called quantum levitation.

CiaranMT

Sarky wrote: »

Well sh*t, it's not real

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqmdv5iyIOY

Quality soundtrack to that. Love me a bit of Noisia.

Turtwig

I found this to be quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omi5CJofs2Q

Turtwig

Eugh this being 2012 just made me realise we only have three more years to perfect that "quantum" levitation and get our own hoverboards. I wanted one ever since I was a kid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkyLnWm1iCs

Boffins don't let me down!:mad:

Dades

Jernal wrote: »

I found this to be quite interesting.

That family have a very healthy attitude to discussion. Though I'd like to see the next instalment when he comes back questioning the veracity of Christianity itself. :pac:

Liamario

Dades wrote: »

That family have a very healthy attitude to discussion. Though I'd like to see the next instalment when he comes back questioning the veracity of Christianity itself. :pac:

That's exactly where that conversation is going to go. Another 10 years time, and that family will be Agnostic/Atheist.
I didn't watch the whole video, but the parents (especially the mother) seem very open and willing to have serious discussion and aren't afraid of the truth.

Standman

Liamario wrote: »

Surely you're not implying that other religions are less ridiculous?

Surely not.

ShooterSF

Liamario wrote: »

That's exactly where that conversation is going to go. Another 10 years time, and that family will be Agnostic/Atheist.
I didn't watch the whole video, but the parents (especially the mother) seem very open and willing to have serious discussion and aren't afraid of the truth.

I dunno, I have a feeling they're happy to discuss the ancillary topics that don't challenge their deeper beliefs (i.e god). I bet they're a la carte to an extent and when the son gets passed that point things will be a little less civil. They don't seem confrontational and neither does the son and I'd wager it will be an agree to disagree resolution if I were a betting man!

MagicMarker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahXIMUkSXX0