Monthly Archives: January 2010

The Church of Climate Change (Again)

Posted on January 17, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Via Andrew Sullivan, I read that the FrumForum’s Andrew Gelman is unhappy about the way that “the newest way to slam a belief you disagree with — or maybe it’s not so new — is to call it “religious.” For … Continue reading →

Posted in Science & Faith | Tagged | 12 Comments

A Charter of Kumbaya

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

The myth that all religions are basically the same—and basically benign—is a nonsense that could only flourish in a society that has little knowledge of the past and, for that matter, of the nature of religious belief. Naturally it’s an idea that … Continue reading →

Posted in politics, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Salem’s Lot

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Andrew Stuttaford

Over at the Corner yesterday, I linked to Dorothy Rabinowitz’s fine WSJ piece on the involvement of Martha Coakley, the Democratic candidate in the Massachusetts senate race, in the persecution of the Amirault family, the true victims of a now notorious sex … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Magical thinking watch: Eternal, unchanging racism chapter

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Heather Mac Donald

New York Times columnist Clyde Haberman seriously considers whether President Obama’s failure to enthusiastically back three black politicians–David Paterson, William Thompson, and Harold Ford–shows “how much remains to be done” regarding civil rights.   Maybe Obama has “a problem with blacks,” … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | 10 Comments

Health care favoritism

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Heather Mac Donald

Having initially cast aside their usual view that “from those to whom much is given, much shall be taken away” in battling the tax on Cadillac health insurance plans, government and private sector unions have now won a five-year exemption … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | Tagged | 1 Comment

Pat Robertson: Politically, but also theologically incorrect?

Posted on January 14, 2010 by Heather Mac Donald

Human compassion has produced the usual generous outpouring of aid to devastated Haiti.  Meanwhile, Obama has shown himself in a statement today to be a standard American politician, having included among the admirable qualities of the Haitians the fact that … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Haiti & charity

Posted on January 13, 2010 by David Hume

A reader asked about donating to alleviate the suffering in Haiti. In particular, making sure that the donations don’t go toward religious or Leftist ends. My own personal assumption is in line with the recommendations of the The GiveWell Blog: … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 17 Comments

Differential Earthquake Mortality

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Bradlaugh

From the Yahoo News report on the Haiti earthquake: Even relatively wealthy neighborhoods were devastated. That is an odd thing to say. It was a commonplace in the ancient world that earthquakes differentially afflicted the rich. Those who lived in … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | 10 Comments

The Confucian conservatives

Posted on January 13, 2010 by David Hume

I highly recommend John Keay’s China: A History to any readers who wish to familiarize themselves with this civilization. Keay’s narrative is aimed at the general reader. Specialists will no doubt find themselves irritating by the simplifications, or even errors … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 13 Comments

Terrorism and opportunism

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Heather Mac Donald

I recall a time in the not-too-distant past—just over one year ago, say–when being a “war-time president” carried a certain aura of sanctity, lest criticism of the Commander-in-Chief demoralize the troops fighting that “war.”   Times have changed along with the … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | Tagged | 10 Comments