Monthly Archives: October 2005

Mr Kurtz goes to Washington

Posted on October 31, 2005 by acb

Is it old age, or just encroaching sanity that means where once I would have dissolved in wet-farting indignation, this morning, I just laughed, happy and helpless, when I read Victor Davis Hansen’s prescription for the Bush administration: “The key … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in War | 1 Comment

Mary Kenny and Herbert Gintis

Posted on October 31, 2005 by acb

I just had a letter from Mary Kenny which seems to illustrate perfectly the gap between evolutionary and cultural explanations of human benevolence. She’s an old friend, and a thoroughly decent person, so I like arguing with her because I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 8 Comments

Three cheers for George Carey

Posted on October 26, 2005 by acb

For once without any irony. He was one of the people who put their name to the motion that eviscerated the Government’s bill to outlaw religious hatred in the Lords yesterday. The case against it was made wonderfully, but what … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in British politics | 1 Comment

Aelurillus v-insignitus

Posted on October 26, 2005 by acb

Thanks to Mrs Tilton, I have found a new friend: as Rupert said, she has wonderful eyes. What is also delightful is that the site works in English, German, or Slovene. More evidence of the splendour of Slovenia. Continue reading →

Posted in Science without worms | 1 Comment

I wish I spoke Finnish

Posted on October 26, 2005 by acb

At least sometimes I do. I found from the referrer logs a page full of people arguing in Finnish about my rant against OOo. I doubt I am missing much. The arguments are almost certainly the same in any language, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in OOo | 5 Comments

A note on the previous title

Posted on October 26, 2005 by acb

“Honest downloading” is exactly the term for alternatives to straight-up file-sharing theft from unwilling artists. It’s not just a matter of legality. I know it’s perfectly legal to offer a DRM-crippled subscription service. But I’m not going to use one … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Net stories | Comments Off on A note on the previous title

Honest downloading wins one

Posted on October 26, 2005 by acb

I don’t know about the States, but the dominant classical CD label in England is Naxos, who more or less invented the paperback CD here — costs £5.00 and made by Lithuanians. I bought quite a lot of them when … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Net stories | 2 Comments

Mary Gauthier

Posted on October 25, 2005 by acb

A couple of months ago, I think, I found an extraordinary album on emusic, Dixie Kitchen by Mary Gauthier. It was twisted country music, with songs about aids, unhappy love affairs, growing up as a tomboy, unhappy love affairs, Jack … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 4 Comments

Gintis plug

Posted on October 24, 2005 by acb

I’ve just been rereading the Gintis essay which is going into Saturday’s Guardian, and it’s not bad at all. Anyone interested in hard sociobiology should definitely be reading him, and I reckon this is a fair introduction to one of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | Comments Off on Gintis plug

Tyler watch

Posted on October 22, 2005 by acb

An occasional series. One of the many delights of the Saturday FT is the superlative ponciness of Tyler Brûlé. His diary is reminds me of those software advertisements showing young men with chiselled jaws punching the air as they look … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 3 Comments