Yearly Archives: 2007

A drive-by

Posted on February 23, 2007 by acb

I know haven’t been blogging much. I’ve been busy, and will be at least until Easter, with bookish things, earning a living, and so forth. I’ll try to manage little bursts of entertaining procrastination from time to time. Here’s one. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in God | 1 Comment

Since the Reformation

Posted on February 15, 2007 by acb

I have always suspected that the number of stories Ruth Gledhill has covered which involve something being the first, or greatest, of its sort since the Reformation was remarkable and this morning, being in need of distraction, I did some … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 4 Comments

I’m glad I’m not the Holy Ghost

Posted on February 14, 2007 by acb

Because, to judge from the reports emerging from Dar-es-Salaam, the Holy Spirit has told Rowan Williams to recognise two Anglican churches in the USA; it He has told Katherine Jefferts Schori that one is quite enough. So what it She … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in God | 5 Comments

marriage and markets.

Posted on February 7, 2007 by acb

When Rowan Williams praises marriage, everyone assumes that this is because he is the Archbishop of Canterbury, and it’s the Christian thing to do. Well, it is a Christian thing to do, but no one could claim that it was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 9 Comments

Shorter Nick Cohen

Posted on February 4, 2007 by acb

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders, and convert them to feminism.1 Not being as ambitious as Nick, I’d settle for being able to convert the more backward parts of Birmingham, which has the advantage that we don’t need … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 7 Comments

Russian Gynaecology

Posted on January 30, 2007 by acb

Svenska Dagbladet has a review of a book about European demography, Barren States, in which I found the following anecdote: In Russian, mothers are also young: a woman of 27 is considered too old to give birth vaginally, and encouraged … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Travel notes | 9 Comments

Snake venom salesman

Posted on January 28, 2007 by acb

Dr Majid Katme (who really exists, and has been at it for years; I have talked to him) is telling Muslim women that they must not get their children vaccinated because some of the products used to make vaccine are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in God | 3 Comments

Just a thought

Posted on January 27, 2007 by acb

I watched Easy Rider last night, for the first time in about thirty years, and pretty much completely sober. The soundtrack is still remarkable, but I was surprised to discover at the end, when the rednecks shot Hopper and Fonda, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | Comments Off on Just a thought

A reader writes

Posted on January 26, 2007 by acb

WHO ARE YOU? The web suggests you provide such details. It does not say whether you are Religious or Irreligious, Conservative, Liberal or Socialist, A Darwinite, Creationist or other. It does not tell us what you majored in. Alan W. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 2 Comments

Lost ejaculation

Posted on January 25, 2007 by acb

Somewhere on this blog is a scan from a Biggles book, where the hero is surrounded by “a circle of ejaculating natives” — but actually we have lost rather a useful word. What is now the proper term for sudden … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 4 Comments