Vatican dug in its heels, then had the gall to claim it “shared the outrage.”… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Roy Sablosky on the myth of Christian charity
Dec 11th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe statistical studies that supposedly demonstrate that religion has a positive influence in charitable giving do not hold up when examined carefully.… Read the rest
American Anthropological Association: no science for us
Dec 11th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe AAA decided at its recent annual meeting to strip the word “science” from a statement of its long-range plan.… Read the rest
Local customs
Dec 10th, 2010 4:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’m reading Charles Freeman’s AD 381.
This sounded familiar already; it’s only page 2.
Theodosius was not himself a fanatical Christian, and despite the harshness of the language in which his decrees were expressed, he showed some restraint and flexibility in the way he applied them. In a vast and administratively unwieldy empire, any law lost its impact as it filtered down into the provinces, and some may never have been systematically enforced. However, this worked both ways – a law might be ignored, or it might be imposed with brutality by a local enthusiast.
Ahhh yes – that does sound familiar. It sounds exactly like Pakistan. It sounds exactly like a lot of places. There is never any … Read the rest
Discussing science and morality
Dec 10th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSimon Blackburn, Sam Harris, Steven Pinker, Patricia Churchland, Peter Singer, Laurence Krauss.… Read the rest
US: most scientists are Democrats
Dec 10th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWell no kidding. Sarah Palin anyone? John Shimkus? James Inhofe?… Read the rest
Lehrer on Lehrer on the decline effect
Dec 10th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIn poll after poll, Americans have dismissed two of the most robust theories of modern science: evolution by natural selection and climate change.… Read the rest
Coyne on Lehrer on the “decline effect”
Dec 10th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt’s a mistake to imply that all scientific truth is simply a choice among explanations that aren’t very well supported.… Read the rest
BBC on Ashtiani “confession”
Dec 10th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAnd the difficulty of getting at the truth about what is happening to her and her son and her lawyer.… Read the rest
Reality tv in Iran
Dec 9th, 2010 5:54 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo those bastards in Iran were having a little joke. Ashtiani isn’t free at all.
Contrary to a vast publicity campaign by Western media that confessed murderer Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has been released, a team of broadcast production team with the Iran-based Press TV has arranged with Iran’s judicial authorities to follow Ashtiani to her house to produce a visual recount of the crime at the murder scene.
Well that’s the right way to determine guilt: take a tv crew to someone’s house and force her to agree with you that she’s guilty guilty guilty.
Bastards bastards bastards.… Read the rest
Double-plus ungood
Dec 9th, 2010 5:50 pm | By Ophelia BensonIn much less good news, our friend and fellow-troublemaker Josh Slocum had a very serious heart attack a couple of days ago. He’s fine now, he assures us, but it was Bad and Scary and Horrible, and he’s only a youngster. So send him your affection and raillery and friendly insults and other helpful things.… Read the rest
Press TV boasts of Ashtiani show
Dec 9th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRead and feel sick.… Read the rest
Good news for a change
Dec 9th, 2010 12:39 pm | By Ophelia BensonSakineh Ashtiani is free.
Her release is a triumph for an intensive international campaign launched by her son Sajad Ghaderzadeh…Ecstatic campaigners hailed the news. “This is the happiest day in my life,” said Mina Ahadi of the International Committee against Stoning (Icas).
So maybe international pressure does work.… Read the rest
Guardian reports Ashtiani is free
Dec 9th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEcstatic campaigners hailed the news. “This is the happiest day in my life,” said Mina Ahadi of the International Committee against Stoning.… Read the rest
Ashtiani and her lawyer are free
Dec 9th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWe have got news from Iran that they are free,” Mina Ahadi, spokeswoman for the Anti-Stoning Committee, told AFP.… Read the rest
Zimmer posts full responses to arsenic article
Dec 9th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhat 13 scientists told him.… Read the rest
Martin Robbins on NASA’s arsenic debacle
Dec 9th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIt’s a story of everything that’s wrong about the relationship between science, peer review, publishing, and the media.… Read the rest
Aasia Bibi’s family is on the run
Dec 9th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMurderous thugs are panting to kill her and her husband and 5 children.… Read the rest
Rushdie gets Lifetime Achievemen Award from PEN
Dec 8th, 2010 | Filed by Ophelia BensonSo there ha.… Read the rest
Further reading
Dec 8th, 2010 1:12 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe reaction to the NASA-arsenic based life story makes a nice study guide to epistemology and how scientists think and how various distorting influences (like media priorities and funding needs) can bollix things up. PZ set us straight last week almost before the ink was dry, Rosie Redfield wrote a scathing analysis on Saturday, Carl Zimmer talked to a dozen experts on Monday.
… Read the restAlmost unanimously, they think the NASA scientists have failed to make their case. “It would be really cool if such a bug existed,” said San Diego State University’s Forest Rohwer, a microbiologist who looks for new species of bacteria and viruses in coral reefs. But, he added, “none of the arguments are very convincing on their