Monthly Archives: August 2009

Much Ado

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Bradlaugh

I have responded to some of the comments on my Friday post "There Ain’t No Nothin’," putting the responses in a comment (#29). I’m never quite sure what should be a comment and what should be a posting and will … Continue reading →

Posted in science, Science & Faith | 4 Comments

Death panels

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

On the question of whether health care is a market commodity or a human right, conservatives tend to come out on the commodity side, when they address the issue at all.  Not so in reacting to Obama’s tentative application of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 20 Comments

Are secular conservatives more libertarian? Yes

Posted on August 15, 2009 by David Hume

There were some comments below to the effect that secular conservatives tend to be more “libertarian” than religious conservatives. Anyone who has moved in libertarian circles knows that atheists & agnostics are well represented; after all, many libertarians are strongly … Continue reading →

Posted in data | Tagged | 12 Comments

There Ain’t No Nothin’

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Bradlaugh

This is very striking. It is a curious thing that we find ourself saying similar things about the material world at both its largest and its smallest scales. The thing we find ourself saying here is: “There is no such … Continue reading →

Posted in science, Science & Faith | 35 Comments

Oh Dear

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Andrew Stuttaford

News From Tulsa: Republican mayoral candidate Anna Falling said Tuesday that putting a Christian creationism display in the Tulsa Zoo is No. 1 in importance among city issues that include violent crime, budget woes and bumpy streets. “It’s first,” she … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 15 Comments

Self-help in Harlem

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

I’m no fan of the death penalty, having concluded that its massive costs outweigh its obvious justice and that its deterrent effect is next to nothing, given the decades-long due process gauntlet that the courts have imposed on its exercise.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 11 Comments

Regional differences in voting for Barack Obama

Posted on August 12, 2009 by David Hume

I’ve been playing with quantitative data and mapping recently (numbers & maps are two things I’m rather preoccupied with). I was curious as to geographic variation in support for Barack Obama as a function of the % of a county … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Magical thinking watch: the social engineering strain

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

Westchester County in New York just settled a lawsuit charging it with not building enough subsidized housing for minorities.  Announcing the settlement, HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims observed that studies show that zip codes can predict life expectancy and illness, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Meanwhile, over in Taiwan

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Heather Mac Donald

While the Ficarra town fathers wait to see whether the Virgin will respond to their lotto hopes, and believers elsewhere pray for a reduction in their credit card debt  (I have witnessed this), devastating typhoons pummel East Asia.  “How dare … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment