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Interesting Links for 19-06-2014
Sep. 2nd, 2014 02:00 pm- Government bans all existing and future Academies and Free Schools from teaching creationism as science » British Humanist Association
I'd call that good news.
- Facebook down today, not working say users | Product Reviews Net
Probably will be back up before anyone reads this…
- Zuckerberg dies turning Facebook back on
'Internet user Tom Logan said: “That’s cool but I was momentarily inconvenienced so fuck him and Facebook, I’m 100 per cent Twitter now.”'
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Interesting Links for 24-04-2013
Apr. 24th, 2013 05:00 pm- BBC News - Same-sex marriage: France changes law
'becomes the 14th country to pass a law allowing gay marriage, and follows New Zealand last week.'
- Fox Censors Cory Doctorow’s “Homeland” Novel From Google | TorrentFreak
DMCA notices for a Creative Commons book. Faaaaaaaiiiiiiillllll.
- Clay Nikiforuk: I Was Detained and Interrogated at the Border for Carrying Condoms
- The Scale of the Universe
Rather awesome little flash thing showing everything from the universe to quantum foam
- Is your Twitter password secure?
'It's a scary world right now, guys. Your Twitter password can cause the Dow Jones to drop nearly 150 points and compel dozens of blogs to write breathless posts about the future of online journalism. You should be worried.'
- Russell's teapot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
'an analogy first coined... to illustrate that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making scientifically unfalsifiable claims'
- Large Hadron Collider putting family-run particle colliders out of business
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Interesting Links for 27-03-2013
Mar. 27th, 2013 04:00 pm- Do four out of five people really believe in prayer? | Science | guardian.co.uk
No. 4/5 people are able to think up an answer to "What would you pray for?"
- David Miliband to quit as MP, taking up dream charity job in New York triggering South Shields by-election - Mirror Online
'intends to step down with immediate effect, triggering a by-election in May'
- BBC News - Brick up spare rooms, urges Labour MP Frank Field
'said landlords should "brick up" doors and "knock down the walls" in defiance.'
- Video: water appears frozen in sine wave - Boing Boing
- Police Issue ‘Scratch and Sniff’ Cards to Help Weed Out Marijuana Growers | TIME.com
- PGN-The Philadelphia Gay News. Phila gay news. philly news - Archive looking for Philly gay couple from 1950s ceremony
'they likely eagerly awaited the return of their photos of the big day — which they may soon finally receive, nearly 60 years later.'
- 21 graphs that show America’s health-care prices are ludicrous
'pay much, much more than other countries do for the exact same things'
- Ed Miliband to join Scooby Doo Gang
'admitted last night that his brother David becoming the head of International Rescue is more impressive than him becoming prime minister. But he now believes he can leapfrog his brother by joining an organisation that has a much better 'hit-rate' in apprehending evil-doers'
- South Shields: Why bother with a by-election?
It's been Labour since 1935, and in that time, only one MP there has had a local connection, he was the only one from there to not become a cabinet minster.
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Interesting Links for 26-03-2013
Mar. 26th, 2013 04:00 pm- Are the cis supremacists winning? | Another angry woman
- ATHEIST SHOES - USPS Discrimination Against Atheism?
The one comment thus far is kinda telling
Interesting Links for 11-03-2013
Mar. 11th, 2013 04:00 pm- Linear A - Sunday Sermonette: The Prodigal
The Catholic church is saying 'Welcome home!" to its lapsed members. But are they listening?
- Facing the future: an interview with Jim Al-Khalili | Rationalist Association
Theoretical physicist and star science presenter Jim Al-Khalili has just become the President of the British Humanist Association.
- Why should married women change their names? Let men change theirs | Jill Filipovic
- Ticking time bomb scenario - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
'a thought experiment that has been used in the ethics debate over whether torture can ever be justified.'
- David Cameron in peril as discontent in Tory ranks rises - Telegraph
'Up to 25 Conservative MPs are planning to oust David Cameron if the party’s fortunes do not improve within the next two months'
- Schneier on Security: Hacking the Papal Election
'As the College of Cardinals prepares to elect a new pope, people like me wonder about the election process. How does it work, and just how hard is it to hack the vote?'
- Scotland's top judge summoned to appear before MSPs after trying to block register of interests - Daily Record
'A Holyrood committee want the law chief to explain why he tried to halt a register which would reveal judges' business, professional and financial links.'
- 'If I turn a green field into an estate then I’m not doing it for peanuts' - Telegraph
'Three councillors reveal their involvement with consultancies which specialise in helping companies to win planning permission for developments across the country.'
- E.U. to Ban Cosmetics With Animal-Tested Ingredients - NYTimes.com
'expected to announce Monday a ban on the import and sale of cosmetics containing ingredients tested on animals and to pledge more efforts to push other parts of the world, like China, to accept alternatives.'
- Study debunks notion that men and women are psychologically distinct | The Raw Story
'there are not two distinct genders, but instead there are linear gradations of variables associated with sex, such as masculinity or intimacy, all of which are continuous.'
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Interesting Links for 05-03-2013
Mar. 5th, 2013 04:00 pm- The BBC Will Make You Sick | The Quackometer Blog
'How media reports of electrosensitivity may be responsible for electrosensitivity.'
Interesting Links for 08-02-2013
Feb. 8th, 2013 04:00 pm- Damsel, Arise: A Westboro Scion Leaves Her Church — Reporter’s Notebook — Medium
- Nancy A. Collins calls for DragonCon boycott over ties to co-founder | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment
Because money from it is still going to said person, who is using it to fight his court cases against his arrests for child abuse
- Scottish independence: bread and circuses | Brian Wilson | Comment is free | The Guardian
'The Scottish nationalists' promises are getting more fantastical. No wonder: their support is dwindling'
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Interesting Links for 05-11-2012
Nov. 5th, 2012 04:00 pm- Fears grow over Conservatives' links to fossil fuel lobbyists | Environment | The Observer
'Sacked energy minister warns Britain must not 'bet the farm' on shale gas extraction'
- MP's expenses: maxed out | Editorial | Comment is free | The Guardian
'Denis MacShane's fall from grace ought to be the final chapter in the saga of politicians cheating the public purse, but …' they're still renting out houses to each other and doing other dodgy things.
- Stonewall unapologetic over Scottish cardinal's 'bigot of the year' award | World news | The Guardian
And I'm glad they are. It's not that the cardinal in question is against gay marriage, it's the level of vitriol he's directed towards it and towards gay people.
- Why MPs' best ripostes get left out of Hansard - Telegraph
'As cost-cutting puts an end to MPs' bound copies of Hansard, a former parliamentary sketchwriter says the Commons' report of proceedings is only half of what goes on in the House'
- slacktivist » The ‘biblical view’ that’s younger than the Happy Meal
In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal. Sometime after that, it was decided that the Bible teaches that human life begins at conception.
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- scotland,
- stonewall,
- uk,
- westminster
Interesting Links for 20-05-2012
May. 20th, 2012 05:00 pm- For People Who Don’t Believe In God, You Atheists Sure Do Talk About Him A Lot « The Dixie Flatline
'Problem is, those nonexistent gods might not affect us, but belief in those gods does.'
Interesting Links for 02-05-2012
May. 2nd, 2012 05:00 pm- Cute cat theory of digital activism - Wikipedia
The tools people use to look at cute cats help activists, and shutting them down shuts down the cute cats, which annoys non-activists.
- iprl.wz.cz
A 12-15 foot high clock of wooden planks, updated by workmen each minute (probably not actually live). - FAQ - The Flat Earth Wiki
'Q: "Why do you believe the Earth is flat?" A: It looks that way up close. … Q: "Why do the all the world Governments say the Earth is round?" A: It's a conspiracy'
Interesting Links for 27-03-2012
Mar. 27th, 2012 05:00 pm- MPs try to overturn 'God can heal' ad ban | Total Politics
'they want the Advertising Standards Authority to produce "indisputable scientific evidence" to say that prayer does not work - otherwise they will raise the issue in Parliament.'
- May be months to stop North Sea gas cloud - Total | Reuters
'A cloud of explosive natural gas boiling out of the North Sea from a leak at Total's abandoned Elgin platform forced wider evacuations off the Scottish coast'
- BBC News - Google under fire in UK MPs report into privacy
'called on Google to introduce an algorithm to remove search links found to be in breach of privacy - or face legislation to force it to do so.'
- How GPs are set to make a killing out of NHS reform - UK Politics - UK - The Independent
'One in three who publicly supports change may have conflicts of interest'
- O2 forced to expose 'porn downloaders' - Telegraph
'personal details handed to a pornographer who claims they unlawfully downloaded his films'
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- if you can't prove my invisible sky frie,
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- scotland,
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Interesting Links for 20-02-2012
Feb. 20th, 2012 04:00 pm- Linear A - Sunday Sermonette: Pennies From Heaven
Quantum pennies; a rather good way of describing how some theists describe put over their beliefs. I particularly like the 'I'll meet you in the middle' bit.
- When did 8/10 become a bad score? | bit-gamer.net
'The first rule laid down to any new writer looking to publish a piece of work online should be this: do not take some of the comments to heart.'
Interesting Links for 16-02-2012
Feb. 16th, 2012 04:00 pm- Breaking news: A look behind the curtain of the Heartland Institute’s climate change spin | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine
'Someone going by the handle "Heartland Insider" has anonymously released quite a few of what are claimed to be internal documents from Heartland, revealing the Institute’s strategies, funds, and much more.'
- Washington state's governor signs gay marriage law | Reuters
'but opponents vowed to try to prevent the law from taking effect.'
- slacktivist » When the bias of our blinders changes the Bible
Junias, the made-up person created to hide a female apostle.
- I'm all for sharing, but why the online obsession with revealing every detail of your life? | Charlie Brooker | Comment is free | The Guardian
Pretty much my reaction to discovering I had to sign up to Spotify via Facebook, and it was broadcasting everything.
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- america,
- belief,
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- censorship,
- charlie brooker,
- christianity,
- climatechange,
- comment,
- comment is free,
- compters,
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- environment,
- history,
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- lies damn lies and statistics,
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- the bible,
- via andrew ducker,
- women
Interesting Links for 29-01-2012
Jan. 29th, 2012 04:00 pm- Apple, America and a Squeezed Middle Class-NYTimes.com
“Made in the U.S.A.” is no longer a viable option for most Apple products.
- Richard Dawkins Opposed to Temple for Atheists Planned for London | Christian News.
There does seem a pattern of the humanist atheists replicating aspects of religion, and often it feels like they're going "Look! This means we're alright people, really!"
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Interesting Links for 04-01-2012
Jan. 4th, 2012 04:00 pm- Wikipedia co-founder threatens blackout over anti-piracy law - Telegraph
'a “public uprising” was required to halt the progress of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) through Congress.' (half a month old story)
- SOPA opponents may go nuclear and other 2012 predictions | Privacy Inc. - CNET News
'…these companies have yet to roll out the heavy artillery.'
- Parents 'should correct toddlers' pronunciation'
'…though toddlers can easily detect how words are pronounced by others…they do not react to hearing their own voice in the same way adults do.' I note that the article says 'until the age of four they are unable to hear that they have got it wrong, a study claims.', whereas my reading of what the study claims is that at the age of two they are unable to hear that, whereas at the age of four, and also once an adult they can — that doesn't mean its at four that they get that ability, just that it's between two and four.
- Notorious Nigerian witch-hunter to preach in the US
'…one of the leading figures in the persecution of alleged "witches" in West Africa, is to preach in the United States in March.'
- An Express Year
The last years express headlines, grouped for your amusement.
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- wikipedia
Interesting Links for 01-12-2011
Dec. 1st, 2011 04:00 pm- Ask Chris #81: Scooby-Doo and Secular Humanism - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
'I will fight tooth and nail over the idea that there should never, ever be even a trace of the supernatural in the world of Scooby-Doo.'
- Gavin Mackey's Pokemon Redesigns Will Haunt Your Nightmares [Art] - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
'In Mackey's art, [pokemon] take an insidious turn toward resembling Renée French subjects or that creepy baby in David Lynch's Eraserhead.'
- Comics, Everybody: The History of Captain America Explained - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
'Curt Franklin and artist Chris Haley of Let's Be Friends Again have broken down the history of Marvel Comics' esteemed Sentinel of Liberty. Read all about the fabled ascent of Steve Rogers from weakling to Nazi-smasher to Avengers Leader to head of S.H.I.E.L.D'
- EU: Copyright Doesn't Cover Functionality, Programming Language
'Yves Bot, an advocate-general at the Court, has stated that functions provided by computer programs, as well as the programming languages they're written in, do not receive copyright protection.'
- US judge orders hundreds of sites "de-indexed" from Google, Facebook
'After a series of one-sided hearings, luxury goods maker Chanel has won recent court orders against hundreds of websites trafficking in counterfeit luxury goods.'
- BBC News - Fahrenheit 451 becomes e-book despite author's feelings
Best line in the article? This: '"We have too many cellphones. We've got too many internets. We have got to get rid of those machines. We have too many machines now," he said.'
- Paul McMullan lays bare newspaper dark arts at Leveson inquiry | Media | The Guardian
''Privacy is for paedos," declared former News of the World man and tabloid veteran Paul McMullan in the midst of his evidence at the Leveson inquiry. He had only just observed that "in 21 years of invading people's privacy I've never found anybody doing any good" – statements that together amounted to a credo for the brutal Sunday tabloid world of which McMullan became the chief spokesman in the otherwise stifled confines of courtroom 73.'
- BBC News - Is £40,000 really a liveable income for families in the UK?
Perhaps a bad idea for them to lead with the family where the lady of the house "spends £10,000 every couple of years to buy a new car and likes to go on two or three package holidays a year." and yet complains of money being tight. The later couple who's café collapsed, leaving them with lots of debt, that I can more emphasise with.
- BUSTED! Secret app on millions of phones logs key taps • The Register
'…Trevor Eckhart showed how software from a Silicon Valley company known as Carrier IQ recorded in real time the keys he pressed into a stock EVO handset, which he had reset to factory settings just prior to the demonstration.'
- BBC News - Ministers announce U-turn on mobility benefit cut
'Controversial plans to axe some benefit payments to disabled people living in care homes are being dropped.' Very glad to see this, as the plan to drop it felt very much like "If you're in a care home, you can stay there, you don't need to see the outside world"
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- europe,
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- tv,
- uk,
- via andrew ducker,
- wtf
Interesting Links for 6-11-2011
Nov. 6th, 2011 08:40 pm- 10 More Stubborn Food Myths That Just Won’t Die, Debunked by Science
'We asked our nutritionists back to debunk some more common misconceptions about food, health, and nutrition that are still widely believed, even though there's overwhelming evidence to the contrary.' - CBS 5 Investigates mail order diseases - CBS 5 - KPHO
Doctors and medical experts are concerned about a new trend taking place on Facebook. Parents are trading live viruses through the mail in order to infect their children. - Daily Kos: Loudoun County Republican wants voters to stand with Soviet communists
'In a recent mailer, she calls out [Virginia Democratic State Sen. Mark] Herring for not thanking veterans -using a picture of a SOVIET officer. Look closely and you'll even see the "CCCP" in one of the medals on his chest.' - Mightygodking.com » Uber-Time: A Theory of Time Travel In Doctor Who
- BBC News - Self-extinguishing cigarettes and other curious little safety inventions
'In Europe, "self-extinguishing" cigarettes are about to become law but where do they stand in the pantheon of safety innovations?' - Psychologist admits to faking dozens of scientific studies
'"We have some 30 papers in peer-reviewed journals where we are actually sure that they are fake, and there are more to come," says Pim Levelt, chair of the committee that investigated Stapel's work. If all of these papers are withdrawn, Stapel's will become one of the worst cases of scientific misconduct in history.'
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