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Monthly Archives: September 2010
God, that is SERIOUSLY depressing
For reasons of… ego? boredom? curiosity? … I just took a 15 question quiz via the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. I am a militant atheist. I don’t DO Bearded Sky Gods. It’s just terror management and a … Continue reading
The smugosphere’s a fine and private place…
Some of you may have had the misfortune to see my Youtube video “Welcome to the Smugosphere”. Its basic argument is that “activism” (especially on climate change) is an adventure playground where there is no rigorous feedback, and you can … Continue reading
Trolls trolls trolls TROLLS
I am sanely jealous of Leaving Babylon and its author. It has more regular commenters (ok, that includes me) than Dwight Towers. And a focus (DT is pretty scattergun, no?). And its author writes absolutely bloody brilliantly. Limpid, witty, clever … Continue reading
“There’s a storm coming.” “I know.” Oh baby…
So, I haven’t even read to the end of this post by Chris Hedges yet, but feel the need to share. It’s called Retribution for a World Lost in Screens and it starts thus – Nemesis was the Greek goddess … Continue reading
Franzen on ankle-biters
“Given a world of rather strikingly finite resources and a rather inflated and already unsustainable population, it’s an interesting thing to call a childless person selfish”. Jonathan Franzen
Nietzsche market
According to Clive Hamilton, interviewed in the Australian “Green Left Weekly” [Philosopher Friedrich] Nietzsche distinguished between what he called the “pessimism of strength” and the “pessimism of weakness”. Pessimism of weakness means succumbing to apathy in the face of overwhelming … Continue reading
The name game
There’s a fascinating piece from the New York Review of Books called “The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment,” written by Peter Beinart. Anyone with a passing or more interest in the Middle East should read it. It’s full of … Continue reading
There’s a lesson here somewhere…
The Absurder has a piece where they interview coppers about a ‘stand out’ case in their career. I’ve only read the first one (about a guy who’d murdered and chopped up a woman). This stood out. “You’re trained not to … Continue reading
Antimony – who knew?
I love the Financial Times – it’s like leaning over the shoulder of our overlords as they screw up any hope of a habitable planet. I’ve learnt to at least turn every page, because you never know what gem might … Continue reading
This isn’t about me
Which is unusual in a blog (well, this one). I’d been deferring the 200th post (which this is) – should it be an overview? A look forward? Some navel-gazing? But then encountered this, via Climate Progress. Species wipe out and … Continue reading
