Monthly Archives: November 2011

No Ball Games Permitted

Posted on November 30, 2011 by the archivist

There’s a little patch of grass up the road from where I live, maybe about 20 yards square, and in the middle of it there’s a sign that says, “No Ball Games Permitted”. Which is a shame, because it’s an … Continue reading →

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Cause and Effect

Posted on November 29, 2011 by the archivist

Chris Snowdon reports on the inexplicable failure of Maltese heart attack rates to fall after their smoking ban was introduced: Malta smoking ban fails to stub out heart disease We are shocked over smoking ban results The smoking ban may … Continue reading →

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Quick New Stability Pact?

Posted on November 28, 2011 by the archivist

“Experience has shown that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” – Thomas Jefferson I guess that I don’t have much interest in the survival … Continue reading →

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Obese Leaves and Phantom Bones

Posted on November 27, 2011 by the archivist

Veteran readers of mine will know that I’ve been spending a while this summer growing theoretical plant cells in a theoretical pond. It’s quite a lot easier than growing real ones, and getting covered in mud, or stung by nettles, … Continue reading →

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Death Of A Currency

Posted on November 26, 2011 by the archivist

The EU crisis continues to roll on, now with even German bonds coming under pressure. And there seem to be mounting calls for a fiscal union. Here’s ECB executive board member José Manuel González-Páramo: …we cannot completely delegate governance to financial … Continue reading →

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Turtles All The Way Down

Posted on November 25, 2011 by the archivist

I’ve been watching Climategate 2 slowly beginning to unfold.  On day 3, the sceptics have gone big on it, while the alarmists are playing it all down. University of East Anglia’s vice-chancellor Edward Acton, who flanked Jones as he addressed … Continue reading →

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Only Themselves To Blame

Posted on November 24, 2011 by the archivist

Simon Clark has the following response by a retired doctor to Brian Monteith’s assertion that, in the light of the BMA’s retraction of the claim that secondhand smoke in cars is 23 times more toxic than in bars, people can no … Continue reading →

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Bad Week for Zombie Science

Posted on November 23, 2011 by the archivist

It’s been a bad week for zombie science. Zombie science is defined as a science that is dead but will not lie down. Instead, it keeps twitching and lumbering around so that it somewhat resembles Real science. But on closer … Continue reading →

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Climategate2: FOIA Strikes Again

Posted on November 22, 2011 by the archivist

This is going to be huge. Two years ago, FOIA left a link to what came to be known as the Climategate files on the Air Vent blog. There had always been a suggestion that there was a lot more … Continue reading →

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A Ray of Spanish Sunshine

Posted on November 22, 2011 by the archivist

H/T Hal in the comments for the following information after the victory of the Spanish Popular Party (PP) in yesterday’s election: Mr. Rajoy (now president) stated a few days ago when asked about the ban:””I am in favor of freedom. … Continue reading →

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