I’m still adjusting to Cyprus, and it’s tough. Greek lessons, job searches, establishing a new home, trying to lose a few pounds - not easy. The toughest part is of course giving up my support base back home, including my family and long-time friends, and having to rely on my wife’s family who I’m only just really getting to know. Brutal.
So blogging here has taken a back seat. I’ve still been blogging at Bitesize Bio however, on molecular biology and related topics, and I’ve been trying to participate in discussions on other blogs, such as:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, religion and reflection - Razib has some interesting comments on how to view religionists, given that religion is a natural phenomenon. Specific criticism is given to the “New Atheist polemicists,” and I step in to remind Razib that those polemicists do have a point.
The Discovery Institute is beating up Larry Moran - While the post could have been better titled “might better be phrased as “Disco Dancers nip at Larry Moran’s ankles,” I was mostly interested by the fact that Greg refused to link to the Dishonesty Institute. Kudos to Greg.
And Chris Mooney writes that sometimes refuting unscientific nonsense reinforces it - suggesting that people who take on pseudoscience propaganda would do better to ignore such material and remain in their ivory tower. You heard that right, the ol’ “Ignore them and they’ll go away” trick.
Chris Mooney lost a lot of fans with that last bit, including Brian Switek, SA Smith, PZ Myers, and myself.
The delusions of John Gray - A recent article in the Guardian by John Gray revisit the claim that scientific atheism is an ersatz religion, and PZ has his response: “They want more people to think rationally — why, that’s evangelism!” This smells to me of apologist excrement along the lines of Paul Davies’ NY Times article of last Autumn.
New bird species and new population of Blue Whale discovered.
Faith and irrationality - Mike shares a story of fear and self-loathing at Mercy Ministries, where faith becomes mental abuse.
And lastly, Save birds, play with your cat!
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