- Vilnius mayor takes on illegally-parked cars with a tank
- I often see people claim that popular atheist blogs (or “new atheism” in general) is devoid of substantive content. Many of those claims come from atheists and Pharyngula is often the prime example due to its uberpopularity and PZ’s style of writing. I think that’s all nonsense so I was very pleased to find this post about the two types of god called on by religious believers. I think it’s perfectly sufficient as a reply to the “sophisticated philosophy” the handwringers are into. And since the handwringers appear to be into qualifications, I have a Grad Diploma in the History and Philosophy of Science which obviously makes this whole remark carry so much more weight!
- The economics of Somali piracy
- Luddite alarmism at its worst from the evidence-free queen of “the internetz are CHANGING our brains!!1!” Baronness Greenfield herself. “I point to the increase in autism and I point to internet use. That’s all.” Carl Zimmer has started a Twitter meme on this. An example: “I point to Alzheimer’s and I point to cheese doodles. That’s all.”
- SMBC’s take on optical illusions
- I’m shocked, SHOCKED that the Westboro Baptist Church is also antisemitic!
- Are chess players getting better over time?
Friday Links (12-Aug-11)
August 12th, 2011
3 comments ↓
(1) Thanx for the PZ link — I think defining various meanings of god is most helpful!
(2) I wish I understood the point about Chess. I am being a bit lazy in reading perhaps. Could you restate it more simply?
(3) Check out my last cartoon about prayer if you have a chance.
Hi Sabio — thanks I did see your cartoon in my RSS reader along with the XKCD original about a week before that. A great take, you should submit yours to the XKCD forums! (They have a new thread on each cartoon so will be quite specific.)
On chess the answer is yes. The ratings of top players today are higher than (say) of the best players 50 years ago. This has led some people to suspect a kind of “inflation” where an increased rating doesn’t mean an increase in ability. However, the paper in question did a massive datamine analysing the moves themselves and has concluded that indeed players are getting better. (And I guess this means that the greats of today would probably have beaten the greats of several decades ago.)
Hey, Michael.
Much clearer on the chess situation. Boy, if they would only come out and say that. Philosophers and Mathematicians are often such poor writers.
I did not know there are XKCD forums — thanx.