All entries by this author

Sunny Hundal on the Forced Marriage Bill *

Aug 4th, 2007 | Filed by

Rather than a huge leap forward all we have is a small step.… Read the rest



Drivel *

Aug 4th, 2007 | Filed by

Harvard drivel, but drivel nonetheless.… Read the rest



Spam spam and spam

Aug 4th, 2007 9:47 am | By

Sorry I’m a little quiet. You can thank the spambot, for one thing – it deposits comments (porn ads) on an old N&C, and I have to remove them. The number of comments has been steadily rising; it doubled between yesterday and today. Yesterday I had 8 pages to delete, today it’s 18. It’s a slow process – click ‘check all,’ click ‘delete,’ then wait, then click yes, then wait; repeat. 17 times. It’s slow, because I don’t have broadband. I can do other things at the same time, but it’s jerky and interrupted. Deleting 18 pages takes a very long time.

Anyway, it’s just as well for me to be quieter. I’ve learned that JS has to pay more … Read the rest



Dangerous Nonsense *

Aug 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

The notion that faith is a form of moral fortitude needs to be given the full point-and-laugh treatment.… Read the rest



How Not to Do It *

Aug 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

If there is one feature which distinguishes medicine from quackery, it is that tradition of critical self-appraisal.… Read the rest



Ben Goldacre on Blah Blah Cannabis Blah Blah *

Aug 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

What’s really important is what you do with data. You can mispresent it, and scare people. Or not.… Read the rest



‘The Memory of Water is a Reality’ *

Aug 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

Another example of ‘the hassle barrier’: pretend controversies that rely on bald assertion.… Read the rest



Lawrence Krauss Urges: Don’t Vote for Ignorance *

Aug 3rd, 2007 | Filed by

Because scientific literacy does matter, whatever Mike Huckabee thinks.… Read the rest



Johann Hari Replies to Nick Cohen’s Reply *

Aug 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

For the record.… Read the rest



The Barmaid Irritates Jesus and Mo Again *

Aug 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

They get so huffy.… Read the rest



Wendy Kaminer on Supreme Sectarianism *

Aug 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

All five anti-abortion justices are Catholics, but it’s impermissible to mention it.… Read the rest



Nick Cohen Replies to Johann Hari’s Review *

Aug 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

For the record.… Read the rest



The Grand Mufti of Egypt Clears Things Up *

Aug 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

‘If the crime of undermining the foundations of the society is added to the sin of apostasy, then…’… Read the rest



The Apostasy Thing *

Aug 2nd, 2007 | Filed by

‘Only half a dozen or so Muslim countries actually stipulate capital punishment.’ Oh is that all.… Read the rest



Dear Mufti

Aug 2nd, 2007 10:14 am | By

Ah well that is reassuring. The Grand Mufti of Egypt explains about apostasy and stuff.

[F]rom a religious perspective, the act of abandoning one’s religion is a sin punishable by God on the Day of Judgment. If the case in question is one of merely rejecting faith, then there is no worldly punishment. If, however, the crime of undermining the foundations of the society is added to the sin of apostasy, then the case must be referred to a judicial system whose role is to protect the integrity of the society.

Excellent. From a religious perspective, no earthly bastards will punish you for apostasy, it’s only God who will. Of course, God will presumably do a pretty thorough job … Read the rest



Meet ‘Christians United for Israel’ *

Aug 1st, 2007 | Filed by

Its support for Israel derives from the belief that Jesus will return after Armageddon. Wheee!… Read the rest



Student Arrested for ‘Hate Crime’ for Flushing Koran *

Aug 1st, 2007 | Filed by

He put a Koran in a toilet on two occasions.… Read the rest



Man Murders Mother Because He ‘Suspects’ Her *

Aug 1st, 2007 | Filed by

Of having sex with a neighbor.… Read the rest



The Subconscious Mind *

Aug 1st, 2007 | Filed by

Everyday sights, smells and sounds can selectively activate goals or motives that people already have.… Read the rest



Death Sentences for Two Iranian Journalists *

Aug 1st, 2007 | Filed by

Iran has sentenced two dissident journalists for being ‘enemies of God.’… Read the rest