Muriel Gray talks a lot of sense on “faith” schools. Let’s stop describing these tax-funded establishments as faith schools. They are superstition schools, for that is what they teach. Alongside hard facts, innocent children are hoodwinked into accepting as real the mythology of virgin births, gods who regard women with bare heads as wicked harlots,… Continue reading Superstition Schools
Speak Your Brains
Following on from the release of the Stern report, the BBC are running a “Speak Your Brains” discussion on climate change. It makes very depressing reading. The majority of correspondents either deny that climate change is a problem or object to the government’s green tax proposals. I’m fast coming to the conclusion that the Earth… Continue reading Speak Your Brains
Kids These Days
If we ever met, I’m sure that Boris Johnson and I would have plenty of ideological differences. But I have to admit that he’s never less than entertaining and his blog is well worth reading. Today’s entry is a good example. He’s interviewing for a new researcher and can’t resist the urge to compare today’s… Continue reading Kids These Days
Gulf Stream Worries
You’ll often hear people complaining about how cold the UK is. What the complainers don’t seem to realise is that considering how far north we are, the climate in the UK is actually far warmer than it really should be. The reason for this warmer climate is the Gulf Stream (or, more accurately, its northern… Continue reading Gulf Stream Worries
Defective By Design
A nice subversive use of technology. Amazon.com has started allowing customers to tag products (don’t think that’s available on the UK site). A group of DRM campaigners have started adding the tag defectivebydesign to products that implement some kind of DRM.
The God Delusion
I wrote a review of The God Delusion on Amazon. Here’s what I said: For the last few years, Richard Dawkins has been becoming more and more open and confrontational with his views on religion. A few of the essays in “A Devil’s Chaplain” and this year’s Channel Four documentary “The Root Of All Evil?”… Continue reading The God Delusion
MySun Goes Live
“MySun“, the first concrete result from News Corporation’s purchase of MySpace earlier this year seems to have been launched with very little fanfare. So if you want start a blog with thesun.co.uk in the URL, now you know where to go. Personally, I’m very afraid.
Action Point: Calling All Humanists
This is all very late notice, but I’ve only just seen it. This afternoon, four MPs will try to raise an amendment to the Charities Bill which will give humanist and secular charities (and organisations seeking charitable status) exactly the same rights as religious organisations. It’s obviously ludicrous that our charity system gives more help… Continue reading Action Point: Calling All Humanists
Tape It Off The Internet
I’ve got a beta membership of Tape It Off The Internet – a new site that aims to make it easier to find episodes of your favourite programmes on the internet. I have a few invitations, so if you’re interested in trrying it out then let me know and I’ll send you one.
Christmas Party
I don’t really go in for christmas. I particularly don’t go in for christmas parties. But news reaches me of a party that I’d love to go to. The BBC Backstage Project are organising a christmas party in conjunction with all of the London geek groups that they can track down. It’s going to be… Continue reading Christmas Party