Monthly Archives: November 2014

The Dark Side Of Divorce

A while ago I read The Nurture Assumption and found myself convinced by its basic thesis that genetics completely trumped parenting. The argument was that there are lots of studies showing that parenting has important effects – for example, if … Continue reading

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How To Use 23andMe Irresponsibly

As you might remember, the FDA stomped on 23andMe for using too many irresponsible genetic tests that purported to tell you things about yourself and your health with limited support. They eventually worked out a deal where the FDA allowed … Continue reading

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OT8: Love Is An Open Thread

This is the semimonthly open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. Also: 1. In case you missed the belated announcement last Open Thread, Ozy has a blog again. Since I ban discussion of race and gender … Continue reading

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More Links For November 2014

Today’s thing which affects weight gain and is neither eating less or exercising more: exposure to ultraviolet radiation (warning: in mice). And it seems to work independently of Vitamin D, which has some relevance to the many studies showing sunlight … Continue reading

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Growing Old

A while ago a friend asked me to critique her writing. I said “You sound like a teenager”. It was less patronizing than it might have been, because she was a teenager, although I guess still pretty patronizing. Then she … Continue reading

The Right To Waive Your Rights

I do understand the logic behind not allowing just any old contract to be legally binding. The reductio ad absurdum is the EULA that says “By opening this product, you agree not to sue us if this product malfunctions and … Continue reading

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Ethnic Tension And Meaningless Arguments

I. Part of what bothers me – and apparently several others – about yesterday’s motte-and-bailey discussion is that here’s a fallacy – a pretty successful fallacy – that depends entirely on people not being entirely clear on what they’re arguing … Continue reading

All In All, Another Brick In The Motte

One of the better things I’ve done with this blog was help popularize Nicholas Shackel’s “motte and bailey doctrine”. But I’ve recently been reminded I didn’t do a very good job of it. So here is a clean new post … Continue reading

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Links For November 2014

The Dutch are pioneering crops fed by sea water. Which sounds like just a cute trick, until you realize that saltwater floods destroy a lot of cropland, and fresh water shortages are one of the biggest problems facing the 21st … Continue reading

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