Put this post in the Total Conjecture File. A story about the decline in male fertility and increasing birth defects among male babies got me to wondering: Is it possible that human biological evolution can be impacted by the changes in perception caused by radically evolving cultural trends? From . . . . Continue Reading »
We get stories like this from time-to-time: There was Washoe the chimp who could supposedly converse intelligently through sign language that turned out to be training and subtle prompts. And now, a researcher has written a book about her claims that a parrot named Alex the parrot had the . . . . Continue Reading »
Biologist/atheist polemicist Richard Dawkins, whose WEB site is self-described as “a clear thinking oasis,” seems to be having trouble in that department of late. First, in an interview with Ben Stein in Expelled, he claimed that it is an “intriguing possibility” that life on . . . . Continue Reading »
President-Elect Obama has named Rahm Emanuel to be his Chief of Staff, perhaps the most important single figure in his inner circle. In January 2005 Representative Emanuel was interviewed by the late Tim Russert, and asked about the Iraq war. MR. RUSSERT: You voted—you said you would have . . . . Continue Reading »
“As powerful as anything you’ll encounter on the stage or big screen this year,” wrote Anthony Sacramone earlier this week, reviewing God on Trial , a “compelling and disturbing television drama to broadcast on PBS stations Sunday, November 9.” It opens with a bus . . . . Continue Reading »
This passage from The Economist ‘s report on the 2008 gubernatorial elections caught my eye: In 2004 Christine Gregoire, a Democrat, defeated Dino Rossi by just 133 votes. Mr Rossi did not concede the battle until June 2005. This election was an ugly reprise. Democrats filed a lawsuit to . . . . Continue Reading »
Today’s Wall Street Journal profiles “The Priests”, a trio of priests from Northern Ireland that is releasing an album of sacred vocal music with Sony BMG later this month: . . . they’ve been navigating an unusual path between piety and pop culture. With the help of . . . . Continue Reading »
We have an organ shortage that desperately needs ameliorating. With such pressing needs, some wish to bend or even break important ethical rules by, for example, obliterating the dead donor rule so that people can be killed for their organs.We can’t go down that road, but if it works, we can . . . . Continue Reading »
Mary Pilcher Cook is a terrific politician who is right as a good rain on the issues we cover here at SHS. I have just heard from Mary and learned that she won her seat to the Kansas Senate by a comfortable 10% margin. I am thrilled. She is the kind of young leader who stands on principle that this . . . . Continue Reading »
Slate is conducting an online discussion on the future of conservatism, titled The Conservative Crackup with contributions from Tucker Carlson, Ross Douthat, Douglas Kmiec, Jim Manzi, and Christine Todd Whitman. Kmiec weighs in with, “The Not-So-Grand, Really-Old-Idea Party” and Douthat . . . . Continue Reading »
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