Monthly Archives: March 2011

UBB – How Should Cost and Price be Linked?

Posted on 2011-03-29 by alan

Michael Geist is concerned because internet service providers do not match price of service at all levels to its actual cost. But when a commodity is in short supply, selling at the cost price will lead to shortages. (In the … Continue reading →

Posted in canada, web | Tagged UBB | Leave a comment

Anti-Nuclear Inflation

Posted on 2011-03-26 by alan

I was disappointed to see Geoff Olson’s citation of a totally bogus figure for the number of deaths due to Chernobyl in his anti-nuclear panic piece in the Vancouver Courier on Friday. The particular figure, which he quoted fourth hand … Continue reading →

Posted in politics, technology | Tagged energy, nuclear power | 1 Comment

And They have the guns!

Posted on 2011-03-25 by alan

From Discover Magazine:

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Moral Realism

Posted on 2011-03-24 by alan

Sean Carroll has taken issue with Richard Carrier over the latter’s position on Moral Realism. On reading Carrier I think that his real point is (or should be) that realism and relativism are not in conflict. Moral values, like the economic … Continue reading →

Posted in psychology | Tagged ethics, moral realism | Leave a comment

New Atheism=The Tea Party?

Posted on 2011-03-23 by alan

I do not self-identify as an “atheist” let alone a “new” one and certainly not a wildebeest (with which I only identify in the context of computer software). But having read a bit of what is written by some of … Continue reading →

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Don’t Stop Darlington

Posted on 2011-03-22 by alan

Here is my (slightly edited) version of the Greenpeace Letter. Dear Premier McGuinty: I’m writing to support your plan to maintain the nuclear option by continuing with the development of new reactors at Darlington and to encourage you not to be … Continue reading →

Posted in canada, technical issues | Tagged nuclear power | 1 Comment

The Sine Qua Non

Posted on 2011-03-18 by alan

. . .for inclusion in an interfaith convention is to have a representative to whom one delegates moral authority, be (s)he priest, rabbi, imam, or “secular chaplain”. But that excludes all who reject such immoral authorities whether they be true atheists or … Continue reading →

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Looking a Gift Horse

Posted on 2011-03-18 by alan

(via Michael Geist) Some have objected to restrictive license terms on our nation’s new “Open Data Portal” which would stop someone from using the data “in any way which, in the opinion of Canada, may bring disrepute to or prejudice the … Continue reading →

Posted in canada | Tagged open data | Leave a comment