Briggs

What Is A “Climate Change Skeptic”? Assist With Definition

As requested by Richard Drake and J Ferguson, who began a conversation on a similar topic last week, this new post asks what is the best "opinion poll-ready definition of…

Culture Statistics

New York’s Induced Terminations Of Pregnancy

New York City's Health Department (motto: It's for your own good!) released its annual birth and death statistics, and the internet is aflutter, particularly over the numbers on abortion. "Raw"…

Culture Statistics

Internet Porn Reduces Rape?

I want to be charitable. I really do. But as I reviewed the paper "Pornography, Rape, and the Internet" by Clemson professor Todd Kendall (author of "Celebrity Misbehavior in the…

Philosophy Statistics

Ivy League Climate Skeptics

I received this email from Rob Fishman at the Huffington Post. My answer follows. I'm the social media editor here at HuffPost (and a Cornell alum). I came across your…

Fun

Ecoheroes For the Climate Join Global Warming Superheroes!

Remember Global Warming Superheroes? A site where I---cough, cough---made villain of the day? While glancing through my logs, I was led to Timberati: Reasonably green thoughts. The folks there were…

Culture Fun Statistics

Predictions For 2011: Submit Yours Today!

Since everybody remembers what Yogi Berra said about this hoary subject, we can skip it. Still, we can't help but wonder with Calvin, where are all the rocket ships…

Fun

Nanodots, Kindles, And The Future Of E-Books

US News and World Report reprinted a press release from the National Science Foundation which announced that, "Nanodots Breakthrough May Lead to 'A Library on One Chip'." A researcher at…

Fun Statistics

Scientists Too Sure Of Themselves: Except, Of Course, Climatologists And Neuroscientists

Since most of us are ill inclined to labor until Monday next, I don't want to post anything of momentous importance until then---accepting, as we must, that all that appears…

John Pate on Viewer Asks: Why Do I Bother?October 9, 2026
Pretty much anything I write is for myself. I lack the discipline to keep a journal. One of my favourite…
hudbwu on Academics Call For The Killing Of Babies In “After-Birth” AbortionsOctober 8, 2026
Does a spematozoid have an aim? Then frustrating it's aim (by ejaculating wherever) would be harmful to the spermatozoid. Interesting…
John Jorgensen on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 6, 2026
It’s not the machines that are of concern but the models they run with great speed and access to huge…
James on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 5, 2026
Assuming a 100% materialist world view, one must conclude that one's OWN thought processes are just so many particles exchanging…
Tellme on There Are No Such Thing As Gays (Or Transexuals)October 5, 2026
Other than impotent boys before puberty, and old men with low testosterone, all humans masturbate on purpose, or by accident.…