Global Warming: respect for science depends on the convenience of its truth

The BBC tells us that “… Ed Miliband has warned that recent rows over scientific data must not damage efforts to control climate change. (…) I think it would be wrong that when a mistake is made it’s somehow used to undermine the overwhelming picture that’s there …” (source)

OK, let’s first clarify that this is not a matter of ‘a mistake’ being made. People -including scientists- make mistakes all the time. This is one reason why we rely on testing, replication and open debate to arrive at findings which are less susceptible to individual human error.

In the case of the IPCC and its sources, the occasional honest mistake is not the issue. Systematic deceit is and

Sharia in Practice: Don’t just blame the victim …

… punish her too: “A 16-year-old girl who was raped in Bangladesh has been given 101 lashes for conceiving during the assault.” according the the telegraph. (source)

In this case at least, sharia seems to be only informally applied so the state can still act against it.

Banning the ‘Burka’: a poor performance from UKIP

Nigel Farage appeared on the BBC arguing that face covering Muslim dress should be banned on security grounds -which seemed uncontroversial- and because it is a symbol of the oppression of women and of a divided society. On the two latter points he lost the argument to his Respect opponent.

To argue that women who choose to wear burka or niqab are as a rule oppressed -even if they say otherwise- is essentially a feminist argument which requires hefty dose of social determinism to conclude that women can’t make genuine choices within a patriarchal society.

Alternatively, one could argue that the

Muslim Integration in Germany

Necla Kelec, a German sociologist of Turkish origin is again in the news, criticising islamism as well as multiculturalist relativism:

” Kelec pointed out that Islam has a problem: ‘it wants to be the leading culture and aims to regulate not only the life of Muslims but also wants to dictate how the rest of society has to relate to Muslims’. Islam, moreover did not separate religion from politics, it isn’t secular. At the same time, there is generally no consensus on what defines its ideology. ‘Islam is everything and nothing at once. It is a phantom. Islam is -in this way- irresponsible, since believers only have a duty to Allah.’

The onus therefore ought to be on civil society

Henry Porter on the UK Police

“… if I have one overriding concern in 2009 it is about the British police, which every day seem more like a force than a service, whether it is displaying violence at legitimate demonstrations, making secret databases of political and environmental activists, swooping with unnecessary might on innocent people such as the rock band the Thirst, making arrests to add to the DNA database, Tasering members of the public as punishment or treating football supporters with a shocking disregard for their rights. It has been a bad year for the police, and a worrying one for the general public who see an essential trust and respect being lost. The next government must find a way of bringing the police under control and making them realise that they are the servants, not the masters, of the public.” (source)

The Results of the Motoons

The BBC followed a report on the attempted Murder of Kurt Westergaard and a Danish police officer with a review of the earlier Motoon saga. This background report starts of with a rehearsal of the Motoons publication history (they were first printed in Jyllands Posten, later reprinted elsewhere etc.). Then the narrator announces “… and this were the results …” before the clip cuts to archive footage of Motoon riots in the Middle East.

If the riots were the result of the cartoons’ publication then the cartoons must have been the cause,  the riots the effect. The rioters’ ideology

Carbon Tax as Insurance?

Fareed Zakaria has suggested that “Carbon Taxing” and cap and trade arrangements should be understood as insurance against the costs of climate change. By Zakaria’s argument, you pay a small charge now to insure yourself against the larger cost of climate change.

The argument correctly identifies the equivalent to an insurance contribution. What about the payout? Maybe

Britain without the EU

The Tax Payers’ Alliance’s new Book “Ten Years On – Britain Without the European Union” turns out to be a somewhat disappointing read. The book aims to describe Britain’s improving lot ten years after leaving the European Union. It is written as a retrospective comment on the developments that took shape during the ten years after an anticipated Tory election victory in 2010.

The obvious charge against the book is

Daniel Hannan and Enoch Powell

To see what exactly Daniel Hannan said about Powell, take ten minutes and watch this. It is a ten minute clip worth watching. As for Powell himself, Hannan did specifically refer to his views on national independence (not surprising for a Eurosceptic) and advocacy of small government, not his views on immigration.Anyway, it is nice to see some room for dissent in a major party.

Restraining Orders Without Conviction

Yet another fence post: The telegraph calls these ‘restraining orders for violent partners’, yet the article makes it clear that no evidence, just an accusation of violence is needed:

“Judges will now be able to approve an order following any offence and if they are acquitted but the court feels there remains sufficient evidence to require restraint.” (source)

If the court feels there is evidence! Who needs facts when you have emotions?