Sarah Hey lays the law down: Everyone who has been commenting any length of time here is well aware that we don't allow comments exhorting people to leave TEC or stay in TEC, nor do we allow comments castigating either decision... But for ourselves, we are so determined to have a blog with a larger …
Making Science Into a Religion, and the Nomination of Francis Collins to the NIH
This had to happen sooner or later, and it did in Sam Harris' op-ed piece for the New York Times: One can only hope that these convictions will not affect his judgment at the institutes of health. After all, understanding human well-being at the level of the brain might very well offer some “answers to …
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On the Water: Palm Beach, Yachting, And…
It's generally true that "champagne tastes and caviar dreams" involve a yacht somewhere. Today most of them are fibreglass creations, but as soon as he could see his way clear, my father got us into the era of "iron men and wooden ships." Well, at least the wooden ships... Before we got there: the course …
The Importance of Being Abroad
Shortly after my family moved to Palm Beach, my mother visited the Embassy Travel Bureau to make some arrangements to go to Europe. The Bureau was owned by Nigel and Yvelyne "Deedy" Marix (Deedy was later Mayor of Palm Beach.) Nigel, a very proper Englishman, asked my mother, "Have you ever been abroad?" "All my …
The Real Difference Between the Republicans and the Democrats on Fiscal Policy
It is an enduring mystery why US pundits should see a difference between the philosophy of Democrats (who stand for spending more than you raise) and the Republicans (who stand for raising less than you spend). ROFL, it it weren't true. From this analysis of California's debacle.
Safe in the Harbour (Barely!)
My father always maintained that, when buying yachts, you could never go smaller when purchasing a new one; you always had to go larger. That's the way he bought our boats; first it was a 36', then the 51' (the one we hit the reef with.) Our less than stellar navigation notwithstanding, that boat was …
When You Need a Native Guide
One of the pleasures we enjoyed during our years in Palm Beach were our travels in our family yachts. Our family has a long history of power boating going back to the latter years of the nineteenth century. From South Florida our favourite destination were the Bahama Islands, at the time making their transition from …
On His Level
Readers of this blog have seen the antics of our Applehead Siamese Cat, Buff, who in his day braved both photographers and the high seas. Shortly after we left Palm Beach for Boynton Beach he taught us yet another important life lesson, and as usual he did it the hard way. Florida living has some …
Remembering the Anti-Moon Luddites
Today, of course, is the fortieth anniversary of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon--"one giant leap for mankind," to be sure. It was a great accomplishment and deserves to be remembered. It's easy to forget, however, that at the time there were many--especially on the left--who believed that the whole enterprise was a mistake, …
Reply to Jonathan CHM to his Endless Rant on the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues
Those of you who keep up with this blog have noted the numerous posting of “Jonathan CHM” on my post Charismatic Anglicans: The Missing Link against things that go on in “Charismatic” churches. I’ve let him have space on this blog, and now it’s time to reply. First: I’ve received “heads-up” from another one of …
Positive Infinity 