That purely boggles the mind. So many pieces of this seem beyond belief. Holding your breath for 3:30 of moderate to heavy physical activity. The compression of the chest cavity due to the ~8 atmospheres of pressure at that depth...I'm amazed his ribcage didn't collapse.

"However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself"

I have been going to church for 37 years and I can tell you religion is harmful. It is an oversimplification of decision making and morality. This is right and that is wrong and we have God to back up what we say. This leads to intolerance and an unwillingness to explore different views. Churches and theologians do not rely on scientific advances that help us understand why people do what they do. They know their rights and wrongs. They don't care about hormones, pheromones, cognitive developement, cognitive biases... They already have the answers from God.

A religious upbringing and a religious wife have made my life and sex life more difficult and less happy than it should be. It amazes me that Christians think they get their sexual morality from the Bible. The hypocracy found in the Bible and with Christians is one of the reasons I am no longer a Christian.

Science, logic, reason and respect for others will produce a far better society than religion.


In reply to this comment by thepinky:
Something is wrong with both their religious and sex educations if they think that anal sex is preserving their virginity. It's an oversimplification to say that religion and abstinence-only sex education are to blame. The type of religious parents that shove dos and don'ts down their children's throats, shouting "LOVE JESUS" without bothering to check whether their children have real values, faith, and integrity, are the type of people that are harming their children. The kids aren't truly converted to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and they obviously don't understand them. Perhaps they're addicted to the high that they get when they hear a live band in church. If they're having anal sex, they have a very misguided concept of virginity brought on by parents and church leaders that sensationalize religion to the point that children are confused beyond belief. If this is all that you know of religion, I can understand why you despise it. However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is, yes, extraordinarily evil and damaging to both straight and gay people.

Let's not forget that other types of sex education fail, too. However, abstinence-only sex education is bogus. The way I see it, if abstinence isn't being taught in the home, the school will probably be ineffectual, anyway. They might as well do some damage control and educate kids about safe sex and birth control. If parents are teaching abstinence, why should they worry that schools are encouraging teenagers to have sex? Stop expecting the government to fix your problems!

Something is wrong with both their religious and sex educations if they think that anal sex is preserving their virginity. It's an oversimplification to say that religion and abstinence-only sex education are to blame. The type of religious parents that shove dos and don'ts down their children's throats, shouting "LOVE JESUS" without bothering to check whether their children have real values, faith, and integrity, are the type of people that are harming their children. The kids aren't truly converted to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and they obviously don't understand them. Perhaps they're addicted to the high that they get when they hear a live band in church. If they're having anal sex, they have a very misguided concept of virginity brought on by parents and church leaders that sensationalize religion to the point that children are confused beyond belief. If this is all that you know of religion, I can understand why you despise it. However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is, yes, extraordinarily evil and damaging to both straight and gay people.

Let's not forget that other types of sex education fail, too. However, abstinence-only sex education is bogus. The way I see it, if abstinence isn't being taught in the home, the school will probably be ineffectual, anyway. They might as well do some damage control and educate kids about safe sex and birth control. If parents are teaching abstinence, why should they worry that schools are encouraging teenagers to have sex? Stop expecting the government to fix your problems!

>> ^Winstonfield_Pennypacker:
Section 1233 gives the doctor the mandate to 'initiate' so-called 'end of life couselling' to patients, and who is to say that at some point the government won't apply pressure to doctors to do this less as an 'option' and more as a 'you really should do this...' approach? For government to even brush against these kinds of issues is creepy beyond belief.


Funny. Hospitals, nursing homes, hospice programs and other medical facilities are already mandated to counsel patients on end of life issues. Why doesn't Fox news mention that part? Probably because it was signed into law by George H.W. Bush (hint: not a liberal democrat) back in 1990.

The proposal you misquote simply allows reimbursement when the Medicare patient talks to their actual doctor (who normally wouldn't be able to be paid for their time) instead of hospital staff.

What could be more important? In the near future, health care will be 16% of our GDP, far more than any other first world country. We're going to piss the riches of our nation down the toilet to prop up an insurance industry that does nothing but push paper around?

You - like Obama - offer a false choice. Health care costs are increasing. This is true. Something should probably be done to help reduce costs. This is also true. What is NOT true is that the proper, correct, wise course of action is to accept Obama's plan.

In fact, it is something of a misnomer to even call it "Obama's Plan". Obama doesn't really have a plan. For all his rhetoric and his speechifying, Obama has never once put forward a concrete, solid "plan" that is written down on paper for people to discuss. The plans we are discussing today are the House plans (of which there are 4 or 5 different ones in 'draft' form) and to a lesser extent the Senate plan (which is largely unknown and unwritten).

Now - there are some pretty alarming provisions in the House bill. Page 18 is a provision that will essentially put private insurance offerings out of business within a few short months to years. Page 838 has language that suggests government will be required to visit the homes of new parents to advise and consent on educational and social choices. Page 22 mandates audits of all companies who self-insure. Page 30 establishes a government committee to decide on patient health care options. Page 59 gives the Federal government involuntary, uncontested access to your personal checking accounts in order to draft for payment. Page 65 ensures taxpayer subsidization of Union health care in perpetuity. Page 72 and 84 forces all private insurance to use the government's rules, and also forces them to be 'part' of the government system (effectively making 'private' insurance an 'in name only' option). Pages 95 turns ACORN and other liberal interest groups into an army of 'enrollers' to recruit people into the plan. Page 102 automatically enrolls any Medicaid qualifier into the national plan. Page 124 shuts the door on suing the government plan for malpractice, price fixing, or any other consumer recourse for mistakes & constested decisions. Page 127 gives the government panels the right to set doctor wages. Page 145 forces all companies to auto-enroll employees in the system whether they participate or not. Page 149 forces all companies to pay health care for part time employees and family members. Page 150 forces anyone with a salary of 250K+ to pay a 6% tax if they don't participate in the national "option". Section 1233 gives the doctor the mandate to 'initiate' so-called 'end of life couselling' to patients, and who is to say that at some point the government won't apply pressure to doctors to do this less as an 'option' and more as a 'you really should do this...' approach? For government to even brush against these kinds of issues is creepy beyond belief.

Now - the neolibs of Congress and the Senate are defending the umbrella term "health care reform" by saying that the bill really DOESN'T do all these things. The problem is, there is concrete language right there in the bill that says YES the government IS going to get involved in these things. The American people have seen it, and they don't like it. The language in the bill is vague, indeterminiate, and smacks of the 'public option' really being a Trojan Horse to a nationalized, mandatory, compulsory system. And what is more - Barak Obama (and the neolibs) have for YEARS said that what they are really after is a nationalized system. Why in the world should we believe them when they say they DON'T want a national system when (A) the bill is leading towards nationalization and (B) they have said that's what they want?

The fact is that the Health Care plan that is going through Congress is a horrible plan, and the American people have seen it for what it is. They don't want it. And they are NOT satisfied with politicians who make vague, non-committal excuses that the bill really ISN'T what the people think it is (when all evidence contradicts them). Should health care be reformed? Probably. Should the government be solution to the problem? Pht - not in a BILLION years.

The demand being made by Obama and the neolibs that THIS PLAN be passed now now now now now NOW over the objections of the majority of the American people is not flying. There is no reason to be so hasty. It makes the neolibs look shifty, desperate, and untrustworthy - and the American people as a whole are not falling for it. If it is SOOOOOO all-fired important, shouldn't Obama have a plan on paper? Shouldn't Congress be willing to address the SPECIFIC objections over language in the bill rather than just whining "No no no - you're wrong!" Can't we just admit the House bill is crap and broom the whole thing and start over with a bill that DOESN'T contail all these suspicious provisions? If you're answer is "NO NO NO - we need THIS bill NOW!" then I have no choice but to conclude that you're a partisan zombie. Something this important should be done slowly, carefully, with rigorous testing, and with the consent of the majority of the American people.

I really don't know much. One day I read he got a 40 year sentence, months later the sentence gets changed, and then later on, it changed again until I lost track. Last I heard, the sentence was 52 years. I do know that he is in a maximum security prison and has tried to take his life several times, cut off his arms, smash his head against the walls, etc.

He is completely isolated from the rest of the prisoners, and is also receiving a lot of psychological treatment. He also converted to some sort of Christian cult and every week he is allowed to receive a visit from the members of the cult. I don't know the extent of self harm he has done, but for some reason (I guess to try to calm him down) he is now able to talk on the phone 4 to 6 hours a day and he is allowed to paint and write things from some club he is in.

In reply to this comment by inflatablevagina:
holy shit! I havent ever heard about this guy. Did he get set free?

In reply to this comment by mauz15:
"Not much else to explain here..."

I beg to differ, before the subtitles start the reporters say that this man, has been given only 40+ years in jail but that he MAY get out in 3 years. Why? well because Colombia's justice system is fucked beyond belief. I know because I am Colombian. But then again, this case is quite old so perhaps they have re examined the case and given a proper sentence.

His name is Luis Alfredo Garavito, and he not only killed 140 children but he also raped and mutilated them. Most were homeless kids or kids that were street vendors. He would trick them by giving them money, or dressed as a monk, or even pretended to be a street vendor like them. Anything to gain their trust.

He is an alcoholic who was raped as child, and consequently entered a state of depression. I suppose this is when Hitler's life and words as well as Satanic ideas influenced him. So labeling this with the 'religion' tag is kind of misleading, since this person experienced other things of psychological nature BEFORE his obsession with Hitler and Satanism. The title of this makes it seem as if this guy picked a Hitler book and a satanic bible one afternoon and *poof* just like magic he became a murderer.

The authorities found a massive grave of about 40 corpses in a Colombian town, that is when a full investigation across the nation to find the murderer began and a couple more graves were found thereafter.

btw, he confessed to 140 murders but as far as I know he has been linked to about 190

holy shit! I havent ever heard about this guy. Did he get set free?

In reply to this comment by mauz15:
"Not much else to explain here..."

I beg to differ, before the subtitles start the reporters say that this man, has been given only 40+ years in jail but that he MAY get out in 3 years. Why? well because Colombia's justice system is fucked beyond belief. I know because I am Colombian. But then again, this case is quite old so perhaps they have re examined the case and given a proper sentence.

His name is Luis Alfredo Garavito, and he not only killed 140 children but he also raped and mutilated them. Most were homeless kids or kids that were street vendors. He would trick them by giving them money, or dressed as a monk, or even pretended to be a street vendor like them. Anything to gain their trust.

He is an alcoholic who was raped as child, and consequently entered a state of depression. I suppose this is when Hitler's life and words as well as Satanic ideas influenced him. So labeling this with the 'religion' tag is kind of misleading, since this person experienced other things of psychological nature BEFORE his obsession with Hitler and Satanism. The title of this makes it seem as if this guy picked a Hitler book and a satanic bible one afternoon and *poof* just like magic he became a murderer.

The authorities found a massive grave of about 40 corpses in a Colombian town, that is when a full investigation across the nation to find the murderer began and a couple more graves were found thereafter.

btw, he confessed to 140 murders but as far as I know he has been linked to about 190

You're in your death throes QM. Remember the cleansing has begun.



Thanks for your helpful critiques and ideas once again. Dghandi actually offered to help with coding... but you are a true revolutionary. You just make fun of an idea because you're scared and mad no one likes you. It's sad but annoying beyond belief.

Why can you never think of any ideas by yourself? Because you don't really believe what you say? Well then there is no reason not to ban you.

Oh yea.. fuck off. SSD's are but one of the neato things that didnt exist at the capacity and price they do now a few years ago. They could indeed help change the world.

www.innodisk.com

So, back to trolling on things you (think) you know about. Loser. I know someone like you can never think of anything original, so it makes you upset that you are so worthless... but even a shit head like you could shut up and at least let the people who are willing to do the work hash out ideas.

Is that really too much? to not run your mouth when the adults are talking? Mommy didnt give you enough attention? What exactly is your medical condition. I know you have one, because you are fucking insane at the least. Tell me and maybe i can understand why you spew hate and fear like people need more of those things. Please, try.

Please everyone, i beg you to ban this asshole, and myself, and take back your sift. I've never been more serious.

Hey Radx,
Glad it was helpful. I'd recommend the video link I put up if you want to hear more, also on the same site are some other discussions of the issue. I dont have a lot of links to articles but I will keep an eye out. Theres a lot about Michael Woods the negotiator of the deal and how he kept the lawyers from examining the deal.... Maybe you already read it?
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/0525/1224247322672.html

This is probably the best known irish investigative report show from Tuedsday night on the subject:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0521/primetime.html

Also if you havent already seen it I'd recommend "Sex in a cold climate" thats on the sift:
http://www.videosift.com/video/Sex-In-A-Cold-Climate-Documentary-The-Magdalene-Asylums

I'm trying to find versions of some other documentaries online wihtout much luck. I'd recommend "Suing the Pope". It took the BBC to lift the lid on an absolute horrorstory in wexford. Traumatic viewing, beyond belief. Article about it here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/correspondent/1879407.stm

Heres a step by step on the same incident in the Ferns diocese: http://the-knitter.blogspot.com/2005/10/countdown-to-scandal-how-evil-unfolded.html

If I find the docs I'm looking for I'll send you the links!

creepy beyond belief, your response typifies exactly what's mentioned in the article, and i quote "The fact that so many reflexively move to defend these light-hearted ads, comic strips, and so forth is just more proof of how insidious our ideas of gender relations are".

are you HONESTLY asking how this is misogynistic? did you watch the ad? did you read the thread? it's pretty fucking cut and dry, the guy treats his wife as though she is furniture.

i should have known better to post something like this to the sift, though. this place is a shithole when it comes to feminist issues.

She has spent 5 years out of TWENTY is a hell hole, is suffering beyond ANYTHING you can imagine, endured one of the most blatant show trials of modern times in which her human rights were systematically trashed... and you "think it's pretty likely that she did it.".

What sort of person says that? What sort of person is that callous?

How about looking here:
www.schapelle.net/propositions/hiddentruth.pdf

Or at the proven human rights abuses:
www.schapelle.net/trial.html

Or head over to JournOz.Com and see how public opinion was subdued to allow her government to maintain its political stability with Indonesia.

This is barbaric cruelty almost beyond belief: yet some people post as though it was a game of football.

It is an innocent young woman struggling to survive on a daily basis. A REAL person, being crucified for politics (for and mega War on Drugs funding) over a few pounds of dope.

This beautiful song is a cry of despair. Some people though will never care about others, however desperately they need help.

This makes me depressed beyond belief.

Their cultural background is so different from us. Understandable, United States is a big country,but we are still living in the same country, and two people living in the same country not being able to understand each other on the level of each culture's common sense, is extremely alarming.

Because surely if Rep. Joe Barton were to be questioned about what happened to Peter when he was being crucified he would know the answer, while Dr. Chu may not have a clue.

Unbelievable. There's just no other word for it.

The arrogance and outright denial on display here are just... beyond belief. I honestly think the guy hit Rush so hard between the eyes that he couldn't even process what he said. The caller is the only one offering up facts in the exchange and yet Limbaugh calls him ignorant, claims he "doesn't know diddly" and puts forth only ad hominum attacks.

Can you say irony?

Rush can't...

Tags for this video have been changed from 'id, neil, degrasse, tyson, not dawkins' to 'id, neil, degrasse, tyson, not dawkins, Beyond belief' - edited by mauz15

Tags for this video have been changed from 'universe, space, earth, live, die, mammals, defects' to 'universe, space, earth, live, die, mammals, defects, Beyond belief' - edited by mauz15