links for 2010-09-21


  • Rabbi Daniel Lapin’s words of divine wisdom: “I do believe that atheists are parasites in the sense that they are benefiting from everything that religious culture has built in America, but they’re doing nothing to add energy into the system.”

    The purpose of this blog is to identify several examples of these nasty little atheos parasitus organisms, to demonstrate what a terrible blight they are on our culture, and to warn believers like Rabbi Lapin to stay away from them and all of their disgusting ways.

    (tags: atheism)
  • This year, ILM turns 35 years old, and to celebrate, the Encore cable TV network commissioned Oscar- and Emmy-winning director Leslie Iwerks to make a 60-minute documentary, "Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible," which will air on November 14, about the VFX house.
    (tags: filmmaking)
  • In June 1915, Walter Kirke, deputy head of military intelligence at GHQ France, wrote in his diary that Mansfield Cumming, the first chief (or C) of the SIS was "making enquiries for invisible inks at the London University".

    In October he noted that he "heard from C that the best invisible ink is semen", which did not react to the main methods of detection. Furthermore it had the advantage of being readily available.

  • The fallen soldier's memorial at Flat Top Park in West Richland, Wash. The plaque at lower right says:

    THE FINAL TRIBUTE

    The fallen soldier's temporary grave marker was the inverted rifle placed in the ground by its bayonet with the helmet, boots and dog tags – the final salute for the soldiers who lost their lives.

    FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

    (tags: grave research)
  • Cross erected by French civilians w. note reading: MORT POUR LA FRANCE (Died for France), in front of soldier's military grave marker of rifle topped by his helmet; in memory of American soldier who died during crusade to liberate France from Nazis.
    (tags: grave research)
  • A rifle pointing downwards into the ground is a memorial of a soldier killed in action. Often the rifle is capped by a helmet and perhaps dog tags, and at the bottom, a pair of boots to represent the final march of the last battle – items the soldier has no further need for.

    Sometimes the rifle pierces the ground with a fixed bayonet, defiantly symbolising that the soldier went down fighting. The rifle may be stabbed into a grave-like mound of earth or mounted, as with our illustration, on sandbags giving an image more like Christ's cross on Calvary. This reminds us that the soldier, willingly or unwillingly, sacrificed his life for his country.

  • A potter's field is a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people.
  • China could put an astronaut on the moon in 2025 and launch probes to explore Mars and Venus within five years, according to the boss of a Chinese space programme.
    (tags: space)
  • The BBC's Mike Bushell takes a look at a different kind of motor racing.

    There is no mosquito-like engine roar noise as the cars speed past because the vehicles are electric.

    Could this be the future of the sport?

    (tags: ELECTRICCAR)
  • The winner of the Women's World Gurning Championship was rushed to hospital at the weekend after she collapsed at the end of her performance.

    Anne Woods was taken to West Cumberland Hospital moments after triumphing at the Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria.

    The 62-year-old's four-minute performance appeared to take its toll and she suddenly fell to the ground outside the compeition room after being declared the winner.

    (tags: cumbria)
  • A pilot from the Reno Air Races survived a spectacular crash while running in the Super Sport Gold Race on Sunday.

    George Giboney from Des Moines, Washington, was flying the Thunder Mustang named 'Rapid Travel' when his plane went down shortly after take-off.

    As our pictures show, the plane was virtually smashed to pieces as it skidded across the dusty airfield.

    (tags: aircraft)