mardi 31 décembre 2013

When corporate boards fail

We all know all the stuff about capitalism rewarding those that do and punishing those that don't. And yet we have the ongoing problem here in America where corporate boards just rubber stamp whatever management wants to do, leave and collect their annual $250,000 check for being glorified lapdogs to CEO's that garner extravagant wages even while driving their companies off cliffs into ruin.



Compounding this problem is the fact that numerous people serve on multiple boards and a CEO at one company might be a board member at another where the CEO is a board member at his own company. Basically a situation where they can't oppose each other without their own interests being compromised. This leads to an increasingly incestuous pool of big shots who make decisions not in the interests of the shareholders—let alone the company itself—but to further enrich their own social bubble even while destroying all that which they are supposed to guiding and leading.



Is it any wonder that in America the CEO earns many hundreds of times what their average employee does even though they often only succeed in ruining the company then moving on to do it all over again? If we actually tied CEO earnings to their performance wouldn't the companies be better served?



So, what do we do about this? Is there anything we can do about this?



Is this a case where capitalism has become its own worst enemy?







I debated putting this in the economics section but as it seems to be about a larger social problem I thought it would also work here.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271215&goto=newpost

It is proven: Democrats are Idiots

The home state of the Obama and the House, Senate and Governor controlled by the democrats prove themselves to be the worst run State in the Country.



http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...llinois-credit





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271203&goto=newpost

Drug Enforcement on Purpose

In this video Mike Ruppert said that the amount of cocaine in the U.S. increased ten times between the 70s and the 80s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQR2z4YCzDw



"The Drug Enforcement Administration was established on July 1, 1973, by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1973, signed by President Richard Nixon on July 28." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_En...Administration



Notice the term enforcement here. Law enforcement is about enforcing laws, obviously. Drug enforcement is..... well, you guess.



The real purpose of the DEA, Drug Enforcement Administration, seems to be precisely what its name says, namely to enforce rather than prevent the use and availability of illegal (and legal?) drugs.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271197&goto=newpost

Woo-Hoo

This is supposed to be a site of skeptics not juvenile individuals who degenerate what they don't understand or fit their self-conditioned and perceived views.



I'm fairly sure this is likely to offend someone and that's not the intention which is why I put the thread in Education.



I stand by my beliefs and have always considered myself willing to evolve them if more information is presented that is more fitting. Other than that I don't change my views back and forth with the popular view or peer pressure.



The only thing I have to say so far about the site which bothers me is the way that people throw the word woo around to degenerate and ridicule people and topics on this site. The word association of the word woo is offensive in ways that just grind my last nerve to say the least.



If before you read this thread you've come across any of my other thread posts they as I said I stand by my views and they have a woo-ish bent. SO you; whomever you may be; who don't know or have any woo ability of your own to so casually continuously throw the word about because you can't do or understand resort to grade school ridicule. I don't know about where your from but woo is a word association for crack rolled up and smoked with tobacco or pot for crackheads. Which is the general mentality when you people use the word woo for the crackpots who come up with the ideas your ridiculing in one way or another. Well I admit to a bit crazy I am no crackpot so the insolent usage of the word woo is like a white person saying the word ****** trying to be cool and fit in with everyone else.



And before someone has a hissy fit over my stand over the use of the word woo-much less how I put it-something I highly doubt any of the other woo believers have ever dared do before on the site, but then personal arrogance toward my beliefs in regard to 'woo' and the formations of my own woo-ish ideas and speculations. The way your own personal arrogance seems to think that it's appropriate to ridicule people whom you yourselves state may or may not be unbalanced because of said belief in woo-ish topics and subjects. And before someone goes oh no she didn't use the n-word, I'm black and I have never used the word before except it seemed appropriately offensive to get the point across how the word 'woo' is and could be just as offensive to some.



The sad part is that I am aware that woo isn't a slang term reserved for the JREF forums for years now- so why bother pointing it out. Well for one I could never abide a bully and that is what you attempt to do with the usage of the word.



So yeah I'm a Solitary/Heathen/Witch and my practice and belief is woo I don't hide or deny it and have embraced it since I was 16 years old. And I personally am tired of the ridicule, superstitious dogma and conditioning people have toward the subject because of their own ignorance and lack of understanding or ability themselves in what they perceive as woo-ish arts and crafts. I have a modicum of intelligence to expect to some extent just such behaviour up to and until such a point because that's how people are. Which means as I go through the thread just like any poster of woo will be looking for concepts and conversations that are not just woo but I will be interjecting some woo if I deem respond. So either your gunna get some good laughs or learn something the same way I will.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271194&goto=newpost

Rich Man to Pope: Watch Your Mouth or No Dough

Ken Langone, a billionaire businessman, someone you might say is blessed with great fortune, doesn't like New Pope© spouting all this nonsense about income inequality. As a rich man, he feels that this talk is exclusionary. It makes him feel bad. So bad that he may have to stop giving $millions toward the restoration of St Patrick's Cathedral in NYC.



Note that Cardinal Dolan, the church's main supplicant for Mammon's largess, seems caught in the middle here. He's been twisted in knots lately updating his political bent in order to veer closer to the new boss.




Quote:








Pope Francis' critical comments about the wealthy and capitalism have at least one wealthy capitalist benefactor hesitant about giving financial support to one of the church's major fundraising projects.



At issue is an effort to raise $180 million for the restoration of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York being spearheaded by billionaire Ken Langone, the investor known for founding Home Depot, among other things.



http://www.cnbc.com/id/101302230





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271192&goto=newpost

Fixing NSA Exploits

Question came up on our security and compliance meeting at work today. I thought I'd solicit some opinions...



A number of device makers and IT professionals are learning their secretly-compromised-by-the-NSA hardware/software is not so secure.



article is Dell specific, but MS and others have provided exploits to NSA

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/201...bios-bug.shtml



$64,000 question: at what point does the government/auditors start telling us our security is inadequate because it’s vulnerable to now-public NSA exploits?



Will we rely on private orgs to come out with patches and updates or will the public companies issue patches and updates to correct the exploits?



Ethics of the NSA, Snowden, Companies aside. As info-sec professionals our job is to protect the data we've been entrusted with.



Most articles I've seen online for CSO's and ISO's have been about how to defend against insider threats..."is there a Snowden lurking in your company" and not how to defend against the exploits made public.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271185&goto=newpost

Where's the outrage?

I figured you guys would be all over this.



http://tv.yahoo.com/news/msnbc-host-...023826137.html





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271183&goto=newpost

The Minaret Skull

This story is commonly repeated as proof that bigfoot skulls have been found and are being covered up.



Here's a video interview with the guy who found it.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYGlu_qPseY



The problem I have is that we don't have any word from anybody ease involved.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271182&goto=newpost

Bigfoot, What's the harm?

There are already five threads about Bigfoot on the front page of this section. I don't care enough to read a single one. Bigfoot is kindergarten skepticism. With all the pseudoscience really causing harm like quacks and SCAM, why is everyone obsessed with Bigfoot. I see no harm having naive Bigfoot hunters combing the woods. Where do they bother anyone outside this forum? At least they get outside some. So much fretting about Bigfoot only means that someone has way too much time on their hands.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271178&goto=newpost

What's a reliable scientific source on the internet for dark matter/dark energy?

in a discussion about the evidence for dark matter or dark energy, I was convinced that Wikipedia gave me some reliable information.



Wikipedia about dark matter:

"Dark matter is a type of matter hypothesized in astronomy and cosmology to account for a large part of the mass that appears to be missing from the universe."



Wikipedia about dark energy:

In physical cosmology and astronomy, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to accelerate the expansion of the universe.





Definition of hypothesis noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary:



an idea or explanation of something that is based on a few known facts but that has not yet been proved to be true or correct





Wikipedia about 'a scientific hypothesis':



a scientific hypothesis is not the same as a scientific theory. A scientific hypothesis is a proposed explanation of a phenomenon which still has to be rigorously tested. In contrast, a scientific theory has undergone extensive testing and is generally accepted to be the accurate explanation behind an observation





My question is: Wikipedia says that dark matter (and dark energy) are 'hypothesis'. Wich means: "not yet been proved to be true".



But people here on the forum claim that there is evidence for dark matter and dark energy. So, they actually are saying that Wikipedia is wrong.



Why is no one here changing this Wikipediapage?



When we do some research, we can find this statement:



The first results from the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector are null, scientists say, indicating that the invisible matter thought to make up a large chunk of the universe is even more elusive than many experts thought.

source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...er-null-result



This article debunks the claim that there is evidence for dark matter. They are still searching for it, but do not detect anything.



So, why are people here on the forum still claiming that there is evidence for dark matter, while scientists are still searching for it? (see Reality-Check and others) While Wikipedia and recent research says otherwise? The detectors haven't even detected anything yet. So, why exactly are people claiming that there is evidence, while scientists are still looking for it?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271172&goto=newpost

Why do Architect Examiners in texas need tobe finger printed

Just came across this, does this law only extend to Archtiect Examiners?



http://www.tbae.state.tx.us/Registrants/FingerScan





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271168&goto=newpost

It's proven: Republicans are idiots.

According to this, only 43 percent of Republicans -- a shrinking percentage -- accept evolution, and 48 percent believe that all living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slate...=hpsponsoredd2

http://www.pewforum.org/2013/12/30/p...man-evolution/





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271167&goto=newpost

Saudi blogger may be out to death for apostasy














YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.
I AGREE





What a peaceful, tolerant religion.:rolleyes:





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271162&goto=newpost

Girl Refused EpiPen...... Dies.

I was kind of shocked by this story. Of course it goes without saying that she should have had an EpiPen on her....but in this instance she did not.



More unfortunate was she happened to be right beside a pharmacy where she was served by probably the only employee in the world who would not simply give the 14 year old an EpiPen to save her life. How stupid can one person be?



http://www.medicaldaily.com/dublin-g...-epipen-265670




Quote:








When 14-year-old Emma Sloan began gasping for air during an allergic reaction, her mother, Caroline, thought her daughter would be fine after they located a nearby pharmacy. However, with no prescription on hand, Caroline was refused the EpiPen she required to save her daughter’s life. According to Caroline, Emma died on a Dublin, Ireland, street corner in front of her 20-year-old sister Amy and 2-year-old sister Mia.








via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271160&goto=newpost

Operation American Spring couldn't possibly fail

Rejecting other rally titles such as Eagle Bloodgasm or Patriot Flag Awesomeness a bunch of right wingers eventually settled on calling their upcoming mass convention to overthrow the Obama adminstration Operation American Spring.



So what would it exactly be?



Well, says the founder, it would be:




Quote:








It’s modeled after the people in Egypt(Cairo) who said “enough is enough” and went to the streets by the millions and stayed there until a resolution. We surely in America are saying “enough is enough”. That’s what we’re doing with OAS. It’s not the typical “go to D.C. for a day” and then go home, and we’re not having stages, speakers, etc in our plan. If someone else want to do that, have at it. We’re going with millions in the streets for a day or two and then leave a million or so in D.C. for weeks, months, whatever it takes. We’ll interfere with traffic, bridges, make our mandate known and stay there until..........?



Yeah. He actually put the ".......?" in there.



So it will be a huge rally that by virtue of being huge will somehow cause positive things to happen. I'm somehow reminded of the episode of South Park where a bunch of college aged hippies decide a huge music rally will change the world because.....you know....huge rally.




Quote:








Assumptions:



Millions of Americans will participate.



Ah, optimists. Gotta love that.




Quote:








American veterans and patriots are energized to end the tyranny, lawlessness, and shredding of the US Constitution.



Another assumption: veterans are all on our side. I mean no way do the former Marines I know that are possibly more liberal than me actually exist.




Quote:








Government is not the target, it is sound; corrupt and criminal leadership must be removed.



We shall define the corrupt ones as those that propose laws we dislike.




Quote:








Those in power will not hesitate to use force against unarmed patriots exercising their constitutional rights.



Patriots may be killed, wounded, incarcerated.



Yeah the Obama administration's long track record of crushing protest rallies with force just speaks for itself.




Quote:








Those with the principles of a West, Cruz, Lee, DeMint, Paul, Gov Walker, Sessions, Gowdy, Jordan, Issa, will comprise a tribunal and assume positions of authority to convene investigations, recommend appropriate charges against politicians and government employees to the new U.S. Attorney General appointed by the new President.



Ooh! A tribunal composed of far right politicians get to investigate and pass judgement on those politically opposed to them! There is no way that could go wrong!




Quote:








There is not much time and the only planning necessary is to select a starting date, which we have done, and then show up in Washington, D.C. on that date, and plan to stay for the duration.



We are assuming that Occupy Wall Street accomplished many things. Therefore it will be our model.




Quote:








The goal is restoring the US Constitution as the law of the land, removing the lawless leadership.



We will be ignoring many amendments after the second one though. We might also ignore the first one. Heck let's just pretend the second one is the only one!




Quote:








Will this be a cake-walk? No, it will be painful, and some people may die because the government will not be non-violent; some of us will end up in a cell, and some may be injured. If that’s what it will take to save our nation, do we have any choice?



You made me hit you! Why'd you make me hit you? I had no choice. I had to do it to save you from your freedom!




Quote:








Freedom loving Americans will say there is no choice, we must begin the second American Revolution.



DISCLAIMER: That freedom will not include things like your religion or sexuality. But man you will have so much gun freedom you might just shoot off prematurely.




Quote:








Not with guns, but with millions of Americans demanding a return to constitutional government and the resignation of Obama, Biden, Reid, McConnell, Boehner, Pelosi and Holder as a start...then the constitutional restoration process can begin. An AMERICAN SPRING can be avoided only if the above mentioned officials resign.



Yeah, I hate these non constitutional governments. They are just so.....non constitutionally irritating. :rolleyes:



Roll Tide American Spring!





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lundi 30 décembre 2013

Why are Federal Deficits Bad?

Why are Federal Deficits Bad?

Should the Federal Government always run a surplus?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271154&goto=newpost

Would this 1st Aid technique work?

Ok, different cultures. But saw this 1st aid technique and wondered if it would actually be effective.



http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=289_1388450133





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271153&goto=newpost

Right Wing in the Bedroom

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewir...exual-position



"Spooning is a sexual position". Waiter, bring the reality check, please!



Those who are supporting the right, apologizing for the hate speech from the right, accusing the LEFT of censorship (never mind Joe McCarthy was a republican), and claiming that the LEFT is anything more than "slightly right of center" are responsible for this kind of nonsense going out over the airwaves without being jeered all the way to the middle east.



The apologetics for the Hagee's, Robertson's (meaning Pat, not the duck doofus), Hannity's, Limbaugh's, O'Reiley's, Bachman's, Boehner's, Cruz's, etc, of the world: Take responsibility for what you have brought into existence, and prove you are actually pro-freedom by raising your voice relentlessly against the Hagee's, Shepherd's, etc of the world in the name of FREEDOM.



Free speech carries absolute and irrevocable responsibility for that speech.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271151&goto=newpost

Dog breeds vs human diversity

Many dog breeds are known for their specific behavioral tendencies.



We accept these tendencies and embrase them as just part of who these dogs are due to generations of breeding.



And yet all dogs can mate & reproduce with all other dogs, regardless of breed.



So if we are so very willing to accept that different groups of dogs tend to have certain personality traits, why do we refuse to accept the same personality trends among different human population groups?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271150&goto=newpost

expensive booze is like expensive audio equipment

How is paying $500 for a bottle of champagne or single malt whiskey or fancy french wine any different from overpaying for a power cord?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271111&goto=newpost

Post Your 2014 Predictions Here



Quote:








Originally Posted by Doubt (Post 8851386)

74. In late 2013, Brown will start a new thread for 2014 predictions.




A HIT! Spot on, in fact!



My record for 2013 was not quite as remarkable as my record for 2012, but I still demonstrated prescience greater than many self-proclaimed "psychics," those wimps.



For 2014, I offer the following SERIOUS predictions for actual events that may or may not come to pass before 1 January 2015. Others may offer their serious predictions as well.



A tragedy with a drone will call the program into question.

Hillary Clinton will expressly deny that she is a lesbian.

It's the end of the line for a famous voice.

A great grief turns to white-hot anger.

New planets outside our solar system will continue to be discovered, but one will arouse extra-special interest.

A wealthy loudmouth suffers humiliation, and sues the person believed responsible for the embarrassment.

C.O.M. will make news, even though it may have been known about for years.

At least two prominent companies disappear.

A nap leads to serious consequences.

Look for new frontiers in adult entertainment.

One of the 2014 elections will be challenged, and the courts will get involved.

Scandal rocks the sporting world.

P.B. shuffles off.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271139&goto=newpost

The Thunderbirds were real

Discounting the USAF demonstration team it is quite clear the Thunderbirds were real just look at this youtube footage....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9rVRuehGU



it must be real its on youtube



There is a secret base and everything



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1faTFQ-5LQ





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271138&goto=newpost

What to do About Dr Julian Whitaker

I recently received an email from an old friend who has had MS for the last 30 years. She was enthusiastic about a new clinic in Newport Beach Ca. It turns out it is run by Dr Julian Whitaker who claims he can harvest pluripotent stem cells from fat tissue and use them to treat MS. You may remember he debated Michael Shermer a few years ago near TAM, http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/...t-freedomfest/



There is some evidence that pluripotent cells can be harvested from fat, http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...from-fat-cells

There seems to be some research on rodents but so far I can't find any clinical trials addressing stem cells and MS.

Whitaker's clinic only has one other doctor who is a plastic surgeon listed. It would seem that he would need a much larger staff and lab to extract stem cells. Has anyone else heard of this clinic? What should I tell my friend?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271137&goto=newpost

Media player that can loop video seamlessly?

Does anyone know of a media player for Windows which can loop videos seamlessly? GOMPlayer used to, but the last few updates have seen it have a frame or two of blackness between the end and the start of the loop. So far I've tried Windows Media Player, VLC, Winamp, and even QuickTime. QuickTime actually has the smallest gap between ending and starting, but also the worst quality rendering.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271133&goto=newpost

Why ? What is he purpose of such threads ?

Sometime a new poster come and peper the forum with a few threads with bare assertion and no discussion. Today it was Tom Skylark.



UFO in ancient egypt http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271118

Paranormal something http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271122

bible math http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271122

ocean dying http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271124



Why do you think he did so ? trolling (a lark ?) ? What isthe purpose if not trolling ? I find that a interressant question (more than the content of the individual threads).



What do you think ? I am toroughly puzzled.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271132&goto=newpost

You Guys are STILL here!!

Congratulations! It's a testament to your resiliency and fortitude that, in the face of overwhelming and ever mounting evidence to the contrary, to the fact that your ranks are diminishing rapidly, and that more and more people around the world see the absurdity of the official explanation of 9/11. . . here you stay, secure in your denial of the Truth.



Truly and inspiration to us all.



Best to all for 2014!!:eye-poppi





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271128&goto=newpost

Corporation Mergers Continue

Notice all the corporation mergers lately? The world's marketplace of buying and selling is shrinking. Will the buying and selling be reflected like in Revelation 13:17?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271126&goto=newpost

Does the Oceans appear to be dying?

There are so many sea creatures dying lately. The radiation from the nuclear power plant leaking from Japan seems to have harmed sea life. There in Revelation 16:3 it states all sea life will be dead someday.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271124&goto=newpost

The Paranormal

Israel's king Saul visted the witch of Endor proving there are paranormal events which can take place.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271122&goto=newpost

The USS America

We the American people are on a large sinking ship. The insurance companies, the American employers and American politicans are all on the life boats letting us drown.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271121&goto=newpost

Are We Seeing The End Of Capitalism In America?

Obamacare seems to be the major tool which will destroy American capitalism.

Tax the middle-class to death and make America a banana republic seems to be Obama's real goal.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271120&goto=newpost

UFO's Appeared in Ancient Egypt

There were UFO's which appeared in Thutmose III reign shortly after queen Hatshepsut had died. Queen Hatshepsut called princess Thutmuthis by the ancient historian Josephus came from the Thutmosis family and she was the princess who saved the infant Moses who would lead his people out of Egypt in the Exodus.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271118&goto=newpost

Biblical Mathematics

How many years is it from the Exodus to Judah king's Rehoboam's 5th year?



Solomon's 4th year was 480 years after the Exodus. (1 Kings 6:1) Solomon reigned 36 more years (1 Kings 11:42) The total is now 516 years. Rehoboam 5th year (1 Kings 14:25) Egypt's first Libyan pharoah Sheshonq I (Biblical Shishak) attacked Jerusalem in the 521st year after the Exodus.



Is the math correct?





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January 2014 CNY Skeptics Meeting

"Alternative Medicine: Alternative to What?"



Presentation by Mahlon Wagner



Sponsored by CNY Skeptics



Time: Wednesday, January 15, 2014, 7:00 PM EST



Where: Dewitt Community Library, Friends Room



3649 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13214, USA



Event is Free and Open to the Public



Light refreshments will be served



Please contact 1-315-636-6533 or email info@cnyskeptics.org for more information



https://www.facebook.com/pages/CNY-Skeptics/12591847671



http://cnyskeptics.org



Presentation Summary:



After receiving a Ph.D in experimental psychology, Mahlon Wagner taught statistics and research design in a University setting. Based upon these two topics it became "natural" for him to look at “alternative” medicine and the claims made for “alternative” treatments in the light of existing experimental evidence. In his talk, Mahlon Wagner will look at the abundance of “alternative” medicine in Central New York and discuss how to detect the "code words" that can suggest if a treatment is “alternative” medicine. He will also discuss some of the main types of alternative medicine (such as chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, reiki, and therapeutic touch) and examine what, if any, evidence exists for their claims to effectively treat medical conditions.



Presenter Biography:



Mahlon Wagner is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at SUNY Oswego. He has been a long-time member of CNY Skeptics, and has given several presentations in Germany and the UK on various skeptical topics. He has written on and lectured about the effectiveness of various forms of “alternative” medicine.



Central New York Skeptics (CNY Skeptics) is a community organization dedicated to the promotion of science and reason, the investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims, and the improvement of standards for science education and critical-thinking skills.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271115&goto=newpost

Left-wing America stands alone

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3106467/posts




Quote:








American progressives like to think of their country as backward and reactionary compared to Europe. And they have never been more right than now when Europe and the rest of the First World have gone right while America under Obama has been left back.



In America Alone, Mark Steyn envisioned the United States as a beleaguered hope in a dying West. Seven years later, American politics are much less healthier than those of the rest of the free world.



America does stand alone. It stands alone in embracing the rule of the left.



Recently Australia, Japan and Norway welcomed in conservative governments. Tony Abbott, Australia’s new prime minister, is a former heavyweight boxer who attended Oxford and is putting a spoke in the wheel of the Global Warming ecohoax. Japan is casting off its pacifism and standing up to the People’s Republic of China and Norway gave its left-wing government the boot and moved in “Iron Erma” in a coalition with the libertarian Progress Party which opposes taxes and immigration and supports free enterprise.



Australia, Japan and Norway are not outliers. The majority of First World countries now have conservative governments.



Canada has embraced a patriotic foreign policy and energy exploration under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his conservative Likud party have continued to move Israel’s economy toward free enterprise. And even in the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron, for all his follies, is a conservative, even if he is more McCain than DeMint, and has pushed for deregulation and welfare reform.



Sweden’s center-right coalition government has won re-election for the first time in a century. Norway and Sweden, countries that Americans used to consider the very embodiments of Socialism, now both have conservative governments......








via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271113&goto=newpost

expensive booze is like expensive audio equipment

How is paying $500 for a bottle of champagne or single malt whiskey or fancy french wine any different from overpaying for a power cord?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271111&goto=newpost

Router question

I get the idea that my router uses DHCP to assign IP addresses to the computers on my local network and the router gets an IP address using DHCP from the ISP which it uses as its address when it communicates with the ISP.



As I understand the situation a computer on the local network will send a message to the router with the address of the site it wants to communicate with. The router will then pass that message into the internet and it will eventually be transferred to the desired web site that will respond by sending data addressed to my router.



OK, but when that data gets back to the router how does the router know which computer on the local network to address the message to? Is it just based on fact that the router knows which guy on his local network sent data to a particular address so that when data comes back from that address the router knows where to send it? It seems like there might be problems with this method if two computers on a local network request data from the same server in a similar time frame.





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dimanche 29 décembre 2013

9/11 Conspiracy Theories in Mainstream Media

"Canadians wary of 9/11 explanations - and of US officials



An advertising campaign in Canada raises questions about the US government's official account of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Are Canadians more sympathetic to anti-American conspiracy theories than Americans themselves?" -- Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25370076





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Von Braun's moon plan...vintage book

http://yankeeskeptic.com/2013/12/29/...ith-von-braun/



I found this vintage book for only a few dollars. It is a wonderful plan, presented to the public , of how we can reach and colonize the moon.



It's rather sad, because while much of the book came true, it was cut short. But I love how there was a detailed "look, we can actually do this, and this is how" book released to the public in the 1950's.





Also, it's amazing what you can find for only a few dollars at a used book store.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271103&goto=newpost

(Why) are certain vaccine combinations not available?

e.g. Combining MMR, varicella or PCV with DTaP, IPV, Hib, HepB, etc.



Is it impossible to combine a live vaccine with an inactivated one?





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Wife stabs husband with ceramic squirrel after he comes home without beer

Wife stabs husband with ceramic squirrel




Quote:








A police report says that Williams’s 41-year-old partner went out on Tuesday night to buy groceries but because the shops were closed he came back empty-handed, NBC reported.



She is then alleged to have grabbed a ceramic squirrel, struck him over the head with it before stabbing him in the chest with the item.



:eek:





This is nuts.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271101&goto=newpost

Who destroyed the Soviet empire?

Ronnie? Gorby? Pope John Paul II? Lech Walesa?



Guess again ...



The Mother of God Destroyed the Soviet Empire

Zenit (Roman Catholic news agency)



:)





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glucosamine in pets

I know the data is pretty clear that glucosamine and chondroitin don't really help human arthritis in placebo-controlled studies, but I hear persistent rumors that it works for dogs. This topic was broached a few years ago on this forum, but the thread seemed to die without any links to solid evidence. I'm wondering if there is any new information on this.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271097&goto=newpost

Get paid to upload!

I have been downloading books from Mobilism.org and they have a button on the lower right hand of the page that you can click to give the uploader of the book $1.00 Warez gift.



They also have an upload site that pays money for the uploads you make($50.00 per 10000 downloads)

http://hugefiles.net/pages/paid-upload.html.



My questions are 1. Am I pirating files illegally by downloading from them? 2. Is it dangerous to click the Warez button? 3. Are these type of "get paid to upload" sites just a scam or what?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271096&goto=newpost

Michael Schumacher in critical condition

Forgive me if already posted.



In a coma after ski accident.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271095&goto=newpost

What anti-virus?

I'm running MS security essentials.

Is that any good? Do I need to run something next to it, like an anti-spyware program? Or does MS cover that?



Your advice please. I don't mind paying for good security so it doesn't have to be a free option.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271093&goto=newpost

Dean Clifford Discussion Thread

This thread is started to encourage a discussion of the theories and exploits of Dean Clifford.



I offer the news section of his web site http://deanclifford.info in the hopes it will prompt discussion.



Freemen, Dean Clifford in particular, are welcome to register at this forum and join in the discussion.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271090&goto=newpost

Limiting salt intake

Reading this link I learned my suggested intake is even lower than I thought: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284



:boxedin: I have cut back considerably on this (when I was younger I was horrible about it, love that salty taste). I almost never salt food before eating and minimal when cooking. And I only occasionally buy salt pills like chips and pretzels. I do have my vices though: I still tend to snack on stuff like lunchmeat, cheeses, and crackers, which are usually high in salt (mostly I have gone to purchase the "hint of salt" crackers, which helps). I've also become a "Mrs Dash" fan for seasonings. Still as I started to add it up, there's still work to do.



Just throwing it out for general discussion - how good/bad are you and what "tricks" have you used to get better?





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A Good Scam Never Goes Away....

Watching Alien on FXHD, and up pops a commercial for "EnzyteMRC". For those with shorter memories, the product Enzyte was heavily marketed a few years ago with their way-cheesy "Smilin' Bob" character.

The stuff is supposed to be a non-prescription testosterone booster.



The company almost immediately ran into trouble and the owner was indicted and convicted for mail fraud, fraud, and a variety of other charges and so far as I know is still in jail.



But the corporate entity lives on. The "new" product (who knows what "MRC" stands for....) is advertised exactly the same way, promising to "support" male health complete with graphics of various phallic stand-ins.

No positive statements are made.



They have a website:



https://www.enzytemrc.com



and guess what....You get a free sports bag!





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UK Labour Party on public transport reform

For my fellow non-UKers:

"Labour's shadow transport secretary" means she'll be transport secretary when Labour gets in.

So on transport matters she speaks with authority for the Labour Party.



Thomas the Tank Engine needs more female trains, Labour MP says

The Telegraph (UK)




Quote:








Thomas the Tank Engine is setting a poor example to children and needs more female engines to encourage girls to become train drivers, Labour's shadow transport secretary has said.



...



:)





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My mom is going blind, and gets this from a relative

I know it's not going to help her. She is seeing the top doctors at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for her macular degeneration and they are doing a terrific job delaying it as much as possible.



My mother in law, also claims she has macular degeneration and she used THIS and it "cured" her. She sent this to my mom.



Now, my mother in law has her masters degree and taught high school biology for years. So, when someone with a masters degree sends this to my mom, who graduated high school (but she's pretty darn smart), she will read it. She asked me what to do.



The paper the flyer is printed on is pretty cheap. Also anything that claims to help autism sends off warning signals. But I don't know what to tell her. Also, I wonder if I can write about this or reprint it on my small blog. I am supposing I would be sued? How can I legally write about this, block out the name and address and phone number?



Plus, all I know is the warning signs. Are they doing anything legally wrong here? Or are they very careful in their wording? Or am I too ignorant myself to know if this is good or not.



I assured my mom that if this worked, Johns Hopkins would be using it. But this was also very hard on her. To be sent this, "hey look THIS would fix you up" is just cruel in this case. My mother is very active, very healthy, very bright, and losing her sight is truly an agony for her. The treatments at Hopkins include shots to the eye.



For someone with a masters degree in science to send this to her, and a family member, I want to be able to write at least about why it will not cure or perhaps even help her.



http://i.imgur.com/IazrmH6.jpg





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Global Warming Conspiracy Thories [Split from: Global Warming Discussion]



Quote:








Originally Posted by Red Baron Farms (Post 9723830)

You do know that sometimes a political ideology may latch onto a new concept or new understanding of the world we live in faster than another political ideology. Especially if that new understanding has social and political ramifications.



However, when this happens it is important to objectively analyze the new information instead of becoming mired in political dogma. There probably was a time that the concept of AGW was in fact a "feel good" view held by the far left because it fit with their political ideology and agenda. That time has long passed. No doubt the far left will continue to use the information to promote their ideology, but whether they do or not has little to do with whether AGW exists or not.



A much better political strategy for anyone not agreeing with the political ideology of the far left is to develop a way to incorporate this new information about AGW into the framework of their political agenda instead of becoming mired in dogma.



However, no matter which side of the political isle you are on, the climate doesn't care. It has no "thoughts" on the matter, and is warming the planet equally for both the left and the right.



So if you have a problem with the way the left has latched onto the issue, make a mitigation plan that fits your ideology, don't just stick your head in the sand and pretend AGW doesn't exist. That's foolishness. That's how you loose political influence, not gain it.




Agreed , thank you



And maybe that is my whole point ... there is ideology on both sides which taints what possibly could be important science.



But I would trust Exxon before I would trust socialists who want to control the world by climate legislation + taxes on my tailpipe.



Exxon supplies me with all the fuel I need at low cost and right across the street. It is Exxon's interest to keep me reasonably satisfied as a customer . They have never forced me to do anything. They are not my enemy.



The socialist-warmist tries to blame the oil companies for everything , but I have never believed their lies. It is a weakness I have and I will never change.





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SCROOGLED! Chromebooks get 21% of holiday notebook sales

Three of the four best-selling laptops on Amazon are Chromebooks.



http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile...iously-1211128



I just ordered one, the Acer C720. It cost $200 and will replace the ancient Gateway with Bodhi Linux that now resides on my kitchen table.



I am also considering a selection from Microsoft's Scroogled store, so I can show the world that I'm tired of having my digital life monetized by Google.



http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...oryID.67575900



All profits go to charity! This is too amusing.





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American Thinker thinks Russian anti-gay laws are necessary

Yes, this is from the American Thinker. Where all Real Americans™ get their ideological talking points.



It goes into depth about how Russia is on the right track in regards to homosexuality.




Quote:








Over the last few years I have pondered the question -- what would have happened had the gay rights movement not made so many mistakes? What if they had focused on building up a functional, healthy gay culture, rather than ignoring the problems under their noses and waging pointless symbolic wars over marriage, not to mention the fool's errand of adoption, which is the wrong thing to propose to a community full of men who sodomize boys?



Did you know that the gay community is full of men that sodomize boys? Neither did I. In fact this kind of made up "fact" is the kind of thing I constantly run into when I troll through the latest rantings of the anti-gay community. Something I do quite frequently since, you know, I hate conservatives.




Quote:








Gay male culture in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and much of Europe is sick. It is literally plagued with disease -- not only HIV (which is rising again), but also syphilis (which has made a comeback). And Michelangelo Signorile, the dowager prince of gay news at the Huffington Post, admitted at long last what gay watchdog groups had been denying for decades upon decades: the chronic, timeless state of the homosexual man is to chase after pubescent boys.



Hmm, here we have some actual claims. Is HIV climbing again?



Well, it seems for the overall population that it isn't. Yes it seems there has been a recent uptick in gay male infections. But what about lesbians? Apparently still almost nonexistent.



But what is the point in even bringing this up? You know what also is good for spreading std's? Large heterosexual orgies. Yet, strangely, people engaging in them are allowed to marry, adopt and generally get on with their lives.



Funny how discordance like that shows up.




Quote:








Perhaps, if the West's gay community had not become so sick, there would be no "anti-gay" law in Russia, and perhaps the judges in India would have been less inclined to uphold the ban on sodomy. We will never know what might have been. We know what is. The West's gay community is sick, and I cannot blame countries outside the West for deciding to take extreme measures.



Oh you silly gays. Look what you made me do? Why'd you make me hit you? Can't you see how it hurts me to have to harm you?



:rolleyes:





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samedi 28 décembre 2013

Noob questions about Gallium

Rounding out my amateur mad-scientist routine, I bought 100 grams of Gallium to mess around with.



I've read the WP page and am as informed as that makes an amateur such as myself. The stuff has a couple of interesting properties that have created a couple of questions, both general and specific, and I hope here to impose on the wisdom of the far-more-well-informed-than-me forumati as follows:



1) Of course, the cool thing about Gallium is that it melts at about 85 degrees. My Gallium, alas, came pre-melted in its little tube. It does not re-freeze at 80 degrees, nor at whatever temperature my home freezer maintains. I have read that it "supercools," which I get, but do not understand how to go about "seeding" it to induce crystallization or at least freezing. I've tried dropping in a shaving of dried - "frozen" gallium from the side of the bottling, but no luck. First, am I understanding the concept of "seeding" correctly? Second, what can a homebound fool like myself do to get this stuff to freeze?



2) Gallium "wets" both plastic and glass, leaving a silvered-trail inside of each vessel I've tried to move it to. WP suggests that it does not wet polyethelyne, but the #2 bottle I had around got wet just the same. I'm wasting xx amount of the stuff every time I transfer it from one vessel to another. How is this stuff kept? It's got industrial uses that require it to be blended in exact amounts with other things, so surely "eh, a little stuck in the test tube is no problem" isn't the answer.



3) The foregoing led to the maths question - as I squandered the substance, pouring it from one sized (and composed) tube to another, I began to wonder, assuming its wetting properties, if I "wasted" more in a narrow, tall test tube or a broad, short one. Or in the long flat bottom of a mason jar. Basically, the question I found myself pondering is the degree to which the surface area (which in this context I mean the part of the substance touching the vessel, not the actual "surface" exposed to the air - so, maybe, the "contact" area) of a given substance changes depending on the shape of the vessel it's in. My thought process (such as it is) went as follows:



- No, the contact area stays the same. A wider test tube has a broader base, and vice-versa. Same amount of stuff, same amount of contact area.

- No wait, that can't be right. If I, say, studded a test tube with rubber dots all over the inside, they'd create a lot more contact area than they would cause the substance to creep up the side of the tube. If I dented a malleable vessel inward, I'd be creating MORE contact area on the inside than there was before. I think.

- OK, so assuming this to be the case, what's the ideal shape for a vessel to minimize loss, that is, what shape produces the LEAST contact area per volume of stuff contained therein? Probably a perfectly spherical one, or some sort of oblate one, for reasons that feel intuitive but are beyond my ability to reckon with words, much less formulae.



Finally, any safety concerns beyond the obvious? I've not been touching it directly, and already know it not to poison you in the fashion of mercury (hence its appeal), but can I freely hold it in my hand? Can I let my middle-schooler freely hold it in his hand? How hard to we have to scrub our hands afterwards?



I know it reacts with some other metals, but is it the sort of thing where I need to be REALLY careful not to let it come into contact with, say, copper?



Look, I already observe best amateur mad scientist practices (the fools at the academy! I'll show them!), but while heeding warning labels I still value the real-world insights of anyone who knows more about this stuff than I do, which is every actual chemist everywhere.



So, there you have it. Anyone who feels like schooling the noob (and I'll take all the maths and vocabulary corrections you care to offer), I would be obliged for the benefit of your experience and insight on any of the above.



- Ian





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Kid performs badly at school: gets empty PS4 box as punishment






via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271057&goto=newpost

Why do many Atheists support the “Santa is real” lie?

If Atheists are going to lie to kids that “Santa is real” to “enhance” the Christmyth experience, and to use it as a “be good or else” blackmailing parenting tool, then why don’t they also use the “God is real” lie to “enhance” kids life experience and use it as a “be good or else" blackmailing social engineering tool?



If any Atheists on this forum tell kids “Santa is real” I would really like them to explain why they do this (please be honest).





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How probable is an "inside job"

Given that truthers wish to invoke an unnamed vastly powerful, massively funded, shadow organization capable of pulling off the mass murder of thousands while video cameras run, I must ask what are the odds that such was the case for the events of 9/11/01?



My opinion, that given the fact that this organization's very existence has never been illustrated as true, and that all the various mihop 911 conspiracies imbue this unknown agent as having almost god-like powers and ability, that it if extremely improbable.





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Serious question; how does a seed know how to make anything?

How does a lifeless seed know how to replicate what it came from?

The fact its a genetic blueprint?

That answers nothing, actually. That only sounds good for those not willing to think deeper.

What makes something super small and dried out come to life?

What/who is the director of operations telling each atom where to go exactly, and what its function is?

I can draw a blueprint, but THAT wont come to life or turn ito some big structure.



Take grass seed. Seems dried out and lifeless. Why should water and sun give it life, and cause the seed to know what to do?, rather than wreck the kernel? There`s got to be some kind of brain(director of operations) involved here. But how can some stored dried seed have a living brain? Or even have a brain blueprint come to life by adding water and sun? Why wouldnt it be dead?

If you crack open a seed and look under a microscope, is anything in motion in that seed, other than whirling electrons and protons within an atom?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271040&goto=newpost

Latest Viz

If you haven't already bought it then I thoroughly recommend you to nip down to WH Smiths post haste. Its worth buying just for the yellow pages Builders section but I am posting here because it includes mention of Richard Dawkins' latest (apparently) publication - 'Baby Jesus Was A Right C***'.



Very funny though certainly not as good as it used to be.





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Taxpayer bailout for insurance companies coming?

http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/12/ob...ies-next-year/




Quote:








....“Right now, it’s the only way Obamacare will survive. It ought to be stopped before it happens. ....








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Did CBS air vaccine conspiracy shows?

Some vaccine conspiracy sites are posting that CBS aired two vaccine conspiracy documentaries, 'Vaccines are 100% Poison', and 'Big Pharma is Poisoning Us'.



Is this true?





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271021&goto=newpost

vendredi 27 décembre 2013

Deception of a Generation as reviewed by the Cinema Snob

Earlier this year, Brad Jones, aka The Cinema Snob posted a two part review of an 80's Christian propaganda video called "Deception of a Generation," which posits that contemporary cartoons and toys were tools of Satan and in no way innocuous forms of escapism for children who aren't even thinking of invoking the occult anyway. Here are the two parts.















YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.
I AGREE

















YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.
I AGREE





As Brad pointed out, these guys seem to almost willfully ignore the fact that most of the bad stuff that happens is the work of the bad guys and take everything out of its context to make it look like there's a Satanic conspiracy to control your kids through obvious conflicts of Right and Wrong.



What exactly compels fundies to misread stuff like this?





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3D Printing

I didn't want to step on Dessi's thread so I thought we could discuss 3D printers here in more detail.



There are two kinds of plastic resins. The first are thermoset resins like epoxy. These are liquid to start with and then set like glue. Once they've set, they are rigid and can no longer be molded or formed. There is a special kind of light curing resin which includes catalysts that cause a chemical reaction under ultraviolet or laser light which then causes the hardening of the resin. These were more prominent in the early days of prototyping machines.



The second type of resins are thermoplastic resins. These act much like wax or hot glue. They are solid but can be melted with heat and then they become solid again as they cool. These are the plastics that are being used these days in low end 3D printers. So, let's go over how this works.



A regular printer uses stepper motors. Unlike a regular motor which spins when power is applied, a stepper motor only rotates a fraction of a revolution with each pulse. The amount that it turns depends on the windings so a given motor might rotate 1/8th of a revolution with each pulse. Printers use one stepper motor to move the printer head left and right, and use a second stepper motor to roll the paper forward. Since printing with ink only requires two dimensions, two stepper motors are enough.



With a 3D printer, you need a minimum of three stepper motors. Given the size of the parts, these can be the same stepper motors that are used in regular printers. Obviously, your object is going to be built on a platform. So, these can either be design to move the platform or to move the printing nozzle. However, unlike a regular printer, a third function will be required to move the nozzle or the platform up and down.



The feedstock is wound, plastic filament which looks remarkably like weed trimmer line. Basically, this line comes off of a big spool and is then carefully advanced to a heated nozzle where it melts and is applied to the project surface. This is quite similar to a hot glue gun but the nozzle is much, much smaller. A typical nozzle is 0.4 millimeters (1/64th inch) wide and the depth that is built up with each pass is around 0.2 millimeters (about 8/1000ths of an inch). In comparison, a human hair is about 0.1 mils or thousandths of an inch thick. A roughness 100x that of a hair would be pretty bad but since the plastic smooths somewhat as it is applied, this improves a bit.



Having each application adhere to the old one is a problem. It is necessary to have the plastic hot enough to partly melt the original surface. If this doesn't happen then you end up with a loose aggregate like some types of Styrofoam that will break apart into little beads. However, this also depends on the type of plastic used. Some plastics require a heated base so that the project stays warm enough to melt where the new plastic is added. This is not unusual with ABS.



ABS and PLA are the most common plastics used with low end printers. These require temperatures around 400 degrees F to melt. ABS takes about 430 degrees while PLA only needs about 360. Because of this, PLA doesn't usually need a heated base. It also puts off less odor than ABS. Since both of these cost about $20 a lb, it is easy to see why PLA would be preferred. However, neither ABS nor PLA are durable plastics. Actual weed trimmer line is made from tough nylon which has a similar cost per lb. Unfortunately, it requires about 600 degrees F to melt nylon and when used with a standard printer, it tends to pull strands off the newly applied plastic which can leave the surface spiky or hairy. PET or polyester is something of a compromise since it is stronger than PLA but only about half the strength of nylon. It also melts in between at 500 degrees F. Unfortunately, PET costs more a lot more at about $50 a lb.



The length of movement determines the size that a finished product can be. Cheap printers seem to have a span of 100mm or about 4 inches in each direction. I guess that would let you make something the size of a croquet ball which would cost about $25 in plastic. Larger, low end printers have a movement of about 200mm or about 8 inches. This would let you make something the size of a soccer ball. Of course, a plastic ball this size would weigh about 10 lbs and therefore cost about $200.



Some other things that are not necessarily mentioned are that these plastics tend to absorb moisture so you have to make sure the plastic is dry before you use it. This isn't too bad though since it could be as simple as putting the spool inside a garbage bag with drying crystals after each use. If you don't have drying crystals handy, you can use baking soda or some kinds of cat litter. Also not mentioned is that nylon is slippery so getting enough traction on the feed mechanism can be more challenging. Also, the nozzle will tend to put down a round pattern so there needs to be a slight overlap in positions to avoid gaps. Things like cleaning the nozzle head before you start may also not be mentioned.



The starting procedure typically involves putting a layer of blue, painters tape on the plate. This lets you remove the project when you are done because otherwise it would end up welded to the plate and be very difficult to remove. However, the plastic also has to partly stick to the tape since you don't want the project sliding around and you also don't want to have to scrape the tape off. Nylon will not stick to painters tape but some have suggested that you can use spray adhesive on the tape to get it to work.



A printer kit can run from $200 to $1,000. The options seem to open up a lot around $600. One of the problems though with having truly nice 3D printer work is tuning. The best way of tuning would be to video the action with a high speed camera so you can identify the problems. Then, you need to be able to make detailed adjustments to the control software to tweak the process. However, most people don't have a high speed camera and not all of the control software can be easily adjusted. I might also mention printing speed. Typical movement rates are 20 - 40 mm per second. I suppose the worst case would be a solid cube 200x200x200mm. This would take 6-12 days of nonstop printing to complete.





via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271004&goto=newpost

Bigfoot has his/her own gameshow

I've been seeing this advertised on the Spike network recently.



http://www.spike.com/articles/xpekll...t-bounty-is-on




Quote:








"10 Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty," which will feature scientists, zoologists, seasoned trackers, and actual Bigfoot hunters who all believe in the infamous creature's existence. The teams will be faced with the daunting task of proving to a group of experts that Bigfoot, the hairy ape-like sasquatch, exists with the irrefutable evidence. The winner will be the first team to secure proof – and win the unprecedented $10 million bounty."



I got my popcorn ready.





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Is Philosophy Stupid? - Richard Carrier - Skepticon 6














YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.
I AGREE





Richard Carrier's notes on the lecture: http://richardcarrier.info/philosophy.html



I haven't watched it, but it should be interesting.



I suppose a part of it is semantics. Carrier makes the point that the word "science" (and "scientist" and so on) didn't become commonly used until very recently. But the history of science without a doubt goes much further back than the 19th century (even though if you go back far enough the borders of exactly when science started become fuzzy).



By the same token, the word "philosophy" was coined Socrates or Plato if I'm not mistaken (and fully systemized by Aristotle). Yet the pre-Socratics are still considered philosophers even though neither them or their contemporaries would have recognized the word.



But I agree that philosophy should not be dismissed. Science is indeed based on philosophical assumptions that should be examined. But to say that science is philosophy seems a bit misleading to me. In our modern world, science is staunchly empirical and in the nitty-gritty process of trying to figure out what makes the universe tick. Not exactly what modern philosophy is about.





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What does the Objectivist "A = A" even mean?

That ”A is A” is one of the fundamental principles of Objectivism. However, it is not terribly unequivocal, or at least not to the degree that proponents would have it be. What exactly does it mean? In propositional logic, the formal definition of ”=” is, roughly, that A = B iff P(A) iff P(B); e.g. A is B if and only if all predicates applied to them result in the same truth value. There’s a pretty important distinction from the Objectivist version here – propositional logic offers a test for when A = B; and A = A is just a trivial case of that. From an objectivist point of view, how would you go about demonstrating that A = B? A = A and B = B are both valid, but there seems to be no chain of operations that can connect them.



As far as I understand, the ”axiom” derives from a Socratic dialogue, where Socrates says something along the lines of, ”Do you agree that everything is the same as itself, and different from another?”. I’m not certain of the context of that line, regardless, the language is hopelessly imprecise and incomplete. ”Is” is infamously one of the most ambiguous words in the English language; it can imply existence, equivalence and attributes.



I understand that the axiom is supposed to be a distancing from epistemological relativism; and yet, it is not a useful principle. How would an objectivist go about to demonstrate that two propositions are equivalent, for instance? Well, I’m not even sure if that sentence, or something like ”A is B” would be meaningful within the framework of Objectivism. The equality seems to be nothing but a symbol with the trivial attribute that x = x is valid for all x.

Anyone care to elaborate on this? I’ve tried to read a few sites attempting to explain the epistemology of Objectivism, but I’ve generally found them sloppy and very ipsedixitous. Surely someone must have attempted to straighten things out properly?





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The Battle of the Judges: NY Judge Says NSA Metasearch Legal

As recorded two weeks ago, a judge for the Washington DC federal district ruled the NSA's data collection program was likely unconstitutional.



Today, another federal district judge (for the New York district) ruled the other way: N.Y. judge rules NSA phone surveillance is legal




Quote:








A federal judge on Friday found that the National Security Agency's bulk collection of millions of Americans' telephone records is legal and a valuable part of the nation's arsenal to counter the threat of terrorism.



U.S. District Judge William Pauley said in a written opinion that the program "represents the government's counter-punch" to eliminate al-Qaeda's terror network by connecting fragmented and fleeting communications.





Dunh-dunh-duuuuuuun!



Next stop, the United States Supreme Court. This is going to be a profound ruling on the future direction of the country.





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Eerie lucid dreams

Last night I dreamed an alien was beside a woman somewhere in space where humans had set up a habitat. The alien was a dark grey legless armless blob with a large very dark circle in its abdomine. It was egg shaped and slimy looking. it had no eyes that I could see and I had no idea how it moved or whatever although I was expecting to see something at any second. I felt a sense of dread like we were trespassing and it was angry.



I believe what caused this dream was a conversation I had with a friend concerning what an intelligent being from outside our solar system would possibly look like. Since the creature in my dream had no face or anything earthlike this was the best my subconcious mind could come up with.



I woke up and I actually felt a sense of pride that I had not dreamed of a humanoid spaceman type creature.



Its my guess that theres quit a few intelligent beings in our universe. None of them looks like a Kligon.





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Hitler Born a little Bastard Whose Father was a Wife killing Bastard

I was forced to start this thread once I was challenged in another thread regarding Hitler's origins.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler#Ancestry




Quote:








Ancestry

Hitler's father, Alois Hitler (1837–1903), was the illegitimate child of Maria Anna Schicklgruber. Because the baptismal register did not show the name of his father, Alois initially bore his mother's surname, Schicklgruber. In 1842, Johann Georg Hiedler married Alois's mother, Maria Anna. After she died in 1847 and Johann Georg Hiedler in 1856, Alois was brought up in the family of Hiedler's brother, Johann Nepomuk Hiedler.[2] In 1876, Alois was legitimated and the baptismal register changed by a priest to register Johann Georg Hiedler as Alois's father (recorded as Georg Hitler).[3][4] Alois then assumed the surname Hitler,[4] also spelled as Hiedler, Hüttler, or Huettler. The Hitler surname is probably based on "one who lives in a hut" (Standard German Hütte for hut) or on "shepherd" (Standard German hüten for to guard); alternatively, it may be derived from the Slavic words Hidlar or Hidlarcek.[5]



Nazi official Hans Frank suggested that Alois's mother had been employed as a housekeeper for a Jewish family in Graz and that the family's 19-year-old son, Leopold Frankenberger, had fathered Alois.



The fact that Hitler's father was a bastard is confirmed.



Now comes the dark facts about Hitler's own birth:



The "official" story of the marital status of Hitler's mother is parroted on her Wikipedia page.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klara_P%C3%B6lzl




Quote:








In 1876, three years after Alois Hitler's first marriage to Anna Glasl-Hörer, Alois hired 16-year-old Klara as a household servant. After the death of his second wife — Franziska Matzelsberger — in 1884, Alois and Klara were married on 7 January 1885 in a brief wedding held early that morning at Hitler's rented rooms on the top floor of the Pommer Inn in Braunau. Klara found the wedding to be a short ceremony.[3] Alois then went to work for the day at his job as a customs official. Their first son — Gustav — was born four months later, on 15 May 1885. Ida followed on 23 September 1886. Both infants died of diphtheria during the winter of 1886-1887. A third child, Otto, was born and died in 1887.



There are a few points worth noting here:



There are NO RECORDS OR WITNESSES TO THE MARRIAGE! We have NO proof they were ever actually married. There is quite literally more evidence Obama's biological parents were married than Hitler's.



It looks like Klara was ALREADY PREGNANT when Anna died. IF they had been married at some point, Hitler's mother would have been the THIRD wife of Hitler's Father Alois.



Adolf was born on April 20, 1889. This means Klara and Alois had not been cohabiting as if married for long enough for them to be declared common law spouses.



Alois outlived two of his wives, both of whom died under questionable circumstances. He always took up with a much younger woman after the previous woman died. He didn't marry all of them.



Klara would have had a strong motive to pretend to be married to Alois. Inheritance laws in Germany at the time meant any bastards he fathered by her would have been left destitute at her death. Unless she was an idiot, his track record probably lead the desperate Klara to believe Alois would kill her sooner or later, so she had to secure as much protection as she could before her inevitable murder. Remember, she had lived as a virtual prisoner and slave in the Hitler household before Alois impregnated her and murdered her predecessor.



The death of Alois is itself suspect:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_Hitler#Death




Quote:








On the morning of 3 January 1903, Hitler went to the Gasthaus Wiesinger (No.1 Michaelsbergstrasse, Leonding) as usual to drink his morning glass of wine. He was offered the newspaper and promptly collapsed. He was taken to an adjoining room and a doctor was summoned, but Alois Hitler died at the inn



Who poisoned him and why? Klara is a likely suspect, as she had already given birth to a number of children, most of whom died. Her looks, the thing that had kept her alive so far, were fading fast.



The biggest kicker however is that the claim that Klara and Alois were married was never made by either of them! It was HITLER HIMSELF who made the claim years after BOTH of them were dead! He made this claim while pursuing a political career, where being a bastard would have been a MAJOR barrier.





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