As long as you are in charge of the Army, the Army obeys you. You can be extremely unpopular and still rule.… Read the rest
A Chat With Simon Blackburn
Nov 12th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘I don’t think of myself as diluting philosophy, rather I’m bringing more people to it.’… Read the rest
Clarence Thomas Fumes at ‘Élites’
Nov 12th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThroughout his judicial career Thomas has, in the name of anti-élitism, shown great solicitude for actual élites.… Read the rest
Einstein’s Wife: PBS continues to fail the test of integrity
Nov 12th, 2007 | By Allen EstersonThe story so far: In 2003 the US Public Broadcasting Service first broadcast the documentary “Einstein’s Wife” (co-sponsored by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), which purports to present evidence that Einstein’s first wife, Mileva Marić, was a brilliant mathematician and scientist who co-authored his epoch-making 1905 papers, and whose major contributions to his work had been carefully concealed throughout the twentieth century. In fact, as Alberto A. Martínez has demonstrated,[1] the film is a travesty of the historical record. I belatedly came across the film and accompanying PBS website in late 2005, and, following a close examination of the historical evidence, in March 2006 I submitted a complaint to the PBS Ombudsman, providing documentation of the falsehoods, misconceptions and tendentious misrepresentations … Read the rest
Through a glass darkly
Nov 11th, 2007 6:12 pm | By Ophelia BensonMore again on fiction and why we get so involved in it. There are further posts by Richard at Castrovalva and Dale at Faith in Honest Doubt, twice.
I said something in a comment on Fiction and Unreality yesterday that came back into my head this morning (hours and hours ago, and I’ve done many things and been many places since then; it seems like a lifetime ago) and suggested part of an answer to the original question (why we get so involved in stories and with the characters in them).
… Read the rest…of course the thing that makes (good) novels so engrossing is that in fact we know far more about the point of view characters than we
The Home Office on Hate Crime
Nov 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonLots of hate crime, lots of perps, lots of new laws, lots of ways to report, lots of support, lots of everything.… Read the rest
Ben Catches a Boo-boo
Nov 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFree energy! More comes out than goes in! If your meters aren’t working, that is.… Read the rest
A Masterclass in Spotting Fallacious Science
Nov 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonScience and technology committee report on scientific developments relating to the Abortion Act.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo Discuss Blood Atonement
Nov 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMo thinks it’s sick.… Read the rest
Laws Against Hatred Not Such a Good Idea
Nov 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAny incident perceived by the victim or any other person as motivated by hate is a hate crime. Hmm.… Read the rest
The Crude Dualism of Popular Culture
Nov 11th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMedicine is portrayed in mainstream media as crudely biomechanical, Ben Goldacre notes.… Read the rest
The Turning
Nov 11th, 2007 | By R. Joseph HoffmannRoy Vagaries. I’m pleased to be here today with former world heavyweight atheist, Professor Antony Bird. Professor Bird stunned the world a few months ago in an article where he claimed to have experienced a religious conversion. Professor Bird, can you describe the experience for us?
Professor. Experience. Yes, very important. Believe nothing if you haven’t had one.
Roy Vagaries. Professor Bird, you are the author of several essays in which you claim that atheism is the only reasonable position. And you have changed your mind?
Professor. Mind – very important. Indeed. Believe nothing if you don’t have one.
Vagaries. So you have changed your mind?
Professor. Not so much changed as rotated. Literally … Read the rest
Delaram Ali Faces Prison and a Flogging
Nov 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonShe joined a protest last year calling for greater legal rights for Iranian women.… Read the rest
Report on Cold Reductionist Killjoy Research
Nov 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonBut science journalists are notorious for oversimplifying the science…… Read the rest
Scientists Are Cold Reductionist Killjoys
Nov 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘People are attracted to people who are attracted to them.’ Ow, that’s cold.… Read the rest
MCB Head Speaks Up
Nov 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonStoning is a metaphor for disapproval. Who knew?… Read the rest
Danish Satirical Website Upset Catholics
Nov 10th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSays John Paul was not faultless.… Read the rest
Interview With Azar Majedi
Nov 10th, 2007 | By Rosa ValentiniWould you say that the British have become aware of the danger of multiculturalists’ policies since the London terrorist attacks?
Azar Majedi: It is difficult to judge the British public opinion, as it is usually the media that makes and shapes the public opinion. As far as the British political arena is concerned, I must say no, it has not changed. The British government continues the policy of appeasement of the so-called “Muslim leaders,” who, to my opinion, are self appointed. Consulting with these religious men, in order to “win the hearts of the Muslim community”, is the British government’s key policy.
Unfortunately, an atmosphere of mistrust has developed between the so-called Muslim community and the general public. The Muslim … Read the rest
Chatting With Bari
Nov 10th, 2007 10:13 am | By Ophelia BensonA self-appointed ‘community spokesman’ does some speaking.
Sir Salman Rushdie should never have been knighted, he says. “He caused a huge amount of distress and discordance with his book, it should have been pulped.”
Ah. So any book that causes ‘a huge amount of distress and discordance’ should be pulped? That might include a lot of books, yeh? Plus Bari isn’t altogether consistent.
According to a recent report by the Policy Exchange think-tank, the bookshop at the east London Mosque, which Dr Bari chairs, stocks extremist literature. “The bookshops are independent businesses,” he says. “We can’t just go in and tell them what to sell…”
Or that their books should be pulped? Hmm?
… Read the restHis passion is to integrate Muslim
Bush Maneuver Packed Civil Rights Panel
Nov 9th, 2007 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAppointed two Republicans who then registered as Independents.… Read the rest