As mentioned elsewhere, if your vim is compiled with clipboard support(:version and look for +clipboard), you can copy/paste from the clipboard.
* is the Linux selection register.
+ is your clipboard.
So yanking is just set paste, "+y or " * y, set nopaste. Similarly you can do a "+d in vim and ctrl-v it in your browser or anywhere you can access the clipboard. You can " * d/" * y and paste it with your middle mouse button.