My post yesterday on the rise of the ideological think tanks and their pernicious influence on high levels of government policy produced some interesting discussion in the comments, with some wondering if I was implying that academics were somehow smarter, wiser, more experienced, even nobler than the people in think tanks, and that discussion prompted this follow-up post. [Read more…]
We may soon have the tools to treat this condition that seems to inexplicably make some people Christians.
Prosecutors in Belgian have apparently enough evidence to charge the Church of Scientology and its leaders as “a criminal organization on charges of extortion, fraud, privacy breaches, and the illegal practice of medicine.” [Read more…]
As I reported earlier, a whole lot of people including me, fell ill over the holiday break with what was very likely a norovirus infection. Carl Zimmer has just written a fascinating article on the remarkable family of noroviruses, based on an paper published in a recent issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases by Aron Hall of the Centers for Disease Control. Zimmer writes: [Read more…]
Back in 2008 I wrote a 12-part series titled The Propaganda Machine in which I traced the rise of the right-wing echo chamber that we now see in full fruition, with its combination of newspapers and radio and TV painting a steady picture of an alternate reality that has persuaded a significant number of people that things which are factually false are really true. [Read more…]
You may have heard of the recent trend of what might be called ‘intellectual cruises’ which are pretty much your standard cruises for those who like that sort of thing and can afford it except that instead of (or in addition to) the usual entertainments provided, one gets to hobnob with writers and political operatives, by having a different one at your table at mealtimes or attending seminars and panel discussions or just mingling with them at social events. [Read more…]
I haven’t been able to digest all the features of the fiscal cliff deal as yet. The White House has put out a fact sheet on what the deal contains. My initial reaction is disappointment that does not seem to go nearly as far in taxing the rich as I would have liked but also relief it did not hammer the poor and the safety net as much as I had feared. [Read more…]
Well I am back blogging, refreshed after nice holiday break spent at home. We had both daughters and their significant others with us and since this happens so rarely now that they are grown and have their own lives and careers, I took advantage of the opportunity to just hang out with them. [Read more…]
There is no shortage of people telling us atheists, especially atheist scientists, how we should talk to religious people and very often that recommendation takes the form that we need to avoid offending them. The problem with all this advice is that religious people will always be offended simply by telling them that you think they are wrong. There is no getting around that. The only way to not offend them is by pretending as if their ideas make sense. And that would be wrong. [Read more…]
I’d like to wish all readers best wishes for the new year, though given that the world did not end on December 21 I don’t see how 2013 could be better.
I am emerging from an enjoyable week of relaxation with family and friends, only interrupted by an outbreak of a vicious stomach flu that incapacitated everyone in the family for a few days.
Regular blogging resumes tomorrow.