Evolution Stein is right: Darwinism causes antisemitism 1 Apr 20084 Oct 2017 I have yet to see the film Expelled, because it hasn’t come to Australia yet, but I have become absolutely convinced that Ben Stein is correct. Darwinism causes antisemitism. I have therefore conveniently listed all the cases known of this below the fold. I’ll stick with those in which Jews… Continue Reading
Race and politics Obama on race 19 Mar 2008 So one of the most inspiring and intelligent political speeches of my time, comparable with Kennedy’s, has been delivered while I was either in transit or sleeping (I can’t work out which). I have read it, and I have this to say. Continue Reading
Politics The law, Sharia, and religious control 12 Feb 2008 Language Log recently took apart the speech and interview by the Archbishop of Canterbury that the media are, inaccurately, reporting as advocating the introduction of Sharia law into British and by implication other common law jurisdictions. Its conclusion was that Abp Rowan Williams did not advocate Sharia law, but instead… Continue Reading
Politics The Haneef washup 1 Feb 200818 Sep 2017 Readers will know that I got very angry about the Haneef Affair, in which a muslim Indian doctor was accused of being a terrorist and deported by the improper abuse of power by the minister for immigration of the previous government [here, here, here, here, here and here]. Now his… Continue Reading
Politics What must a citizen know? 3 Jan 2008 The previous Australian junta introduced a “citizenship test” for those wanting to become naturalised Aussies. It includes such gems as who Don Bradman was, who wrote a song that isn’t even officially our anthem (Waltzing Matilda – Tom Wait’s version is way better), and other fluff. About one in eight… Continue Reading
Politics Haneef: the final chapter 21 Dec 2007 Well the mills of God and the justice system grind exceeding fine, but they sometimes come up with the right conclusion. Haneef has been given back his visa, as was obviously going to happen from the beginning. Ex-minister Kevin Andrews did a bad thing, knowingly, I warrant, and has been… Continue Reading
Politics Rudd, religion, and the body politic in Australia 25 Nov 200718 Sep 2017 As I watched the total collapse of the conservatives in the federal election, and the landslide of Labor wins, I mused… Continue Reading
Evolution A quote 31 Oct 2007 From J. B. S. Haldane’s 1932 The Causes of Evolution: … I must … discuss a fallacy which is, I think, latent in most Darwinian arguments, and which has been responsible for a good deal of poisonous nonsense which has been written on ethics in Darwin’s name, especially in Germany… Continue Reading
Politics Another reason why the Howard government must go 15 Oct 2007 They are now toadies of the Exclusive Brethren, who fund campaign advertisements for the Liberal Party. Add to this Cardinal George Pell’s support, Catholic minister Tony Abbott’s attempts to control who can use RU486 on an individual basis (i.e., never), Peter Costello’s links with Hillsong, the Assemblies of God megachurch… Continue Reading
Politics People or classes? 10 Oct 2007 It seems that almost nobody can mention Jews without making an inadvertent or deliberate ass of themselves. Most recently, Richard Dawkins put his foot in it in this Guardian article. He said: When you think about how fantastically successful the Jewish lobby has been, though, in fact, they are less… Continue Reading