Yearly Archives: 2004

God and evolution

Posted on September 5, 2004 by acb

This is an extended response to Louise’s question here Is what you are looking at why religions are ‘adaptive’ despite being counter-factual in so many ways? Well, differing religions are counter-factual in different ways. Classic Calvinism is beautiful, because it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in God | 4 Comments

Is that all?

Posted on September 4, 2004 by acb

Robert X Cringely prepares to flee a hurricane: Given that my personal space in the Town & Country minivan is just enough for a briefcase, here’s what I’m putting in mine. I’m taking my notebook computer so I can work … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Software | Comments Off on Is that all?

Improbable trivia

Posted on September 3, 2004 by acb

I invite you to guess — it’s impossible that even Louise should know — which 19th century authority is quoted 157 times in the OED. Among the words partially defined by her usage are “Celtic”, “darling”, “deodar”, “pelt”, “photo”, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | 6 Comments

Sturgeon’s law confirmed

Posted on September 3, 2004 by acb

On the Internet, of course, it reads that 99.99% of everything is crap. I’ve just found, via Pharyngula, part of the 0.01% — the invasive species weblog. Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 1 Comment

Thought for the day

Posted on September 3, 2004 by acb

It was disillusioning enough that Bush could steal an election last time. But if he actually wins this one squarely, what on earth is the point of democracy? The justification of democracy has always been that it is a mechanism … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in War | Comments Off on Thought for the day

God and climate

Posted on September 1, 2004 by acb

One of the things that I think Richard Dawkins has wrong is that he writes off all religions as equally irrational. I think it is worthwhile to ask why some religions spread and others don’t. Simply to write them all … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in God | 35 Comments

comment spam policy

Posted on August 28, 2004 by acb

Some little slimeball has been spattering the site with these. I thought I might try something different to instant nuking, the usual response. Since comment spams are designed to give Googlejuice to the products advertised, I have simply edited them … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | Comments Off on comment spam policy

ratdog

Posted on August 27, 2004 by acb

Various silly heretics claim to be unable to see the point of the Dead. I suggest a visit to the Ratdog site, where Bob Weir’s spinoff band are releasing live download CDs for a very reasonable $12.50 a concert, which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 3 Comments

Austrian cuisine

Posted on August 27, 2004 by acb

For the first proper meal after ten days in Austria, we ate a curry. It was lamb, not pork, but what seemed really odd was that it came without whipped cream on top. Continue reading →

Posted in Travel notes | Comments Off on Austrian cuisine

Sympathy for Dracula

Posted on August 26, 2004 by acb

Returning to England makes me understand what the Count felt every morning: I have been feeding, flying and wandering in my proper estate; now I must climb back into a coffin fulled with clay, sand and flints and tug the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Travel notes | Comments Off on Sympathy for Dracula