101. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #121935 by Sally Luxmoore on February 4, 2008 at 11:34 am

Epinephrine.

Yes, and perhaps we should also take into account the fact that going 'bottle blonde' does not affect the genes!

102. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #121921 by Sally Luxmoore on February 4, 2008 at 11:16 am

I wonder whether the widespread habit in muslim populations of marrying cousins is restricting genetic diversity in those groups? I would have thought that had to happen in such circumstances.
In societies where there is more choice (and contraception), is there any evidence as to which sex predominantly does the choosing and therefore which sex is under the most selective pressure?
Eg: is there a likelihood that blondness in women is a sought-after trait? Or intelligence (= ability to provide financially for children) in men?

103. Pope says some science shatters human dignity

Comment #121154 by Sally Luxmoore on February 3, 2008 at 3:00 am

Leaving aside the possible accidental abberation of a woman pope sometime in the dim and distant past, - WHY does any woman nowadays go along with this?
She has no place in Catholicism other than as a continual breeding machine, oh and of course a cleaner and housekeeper to the clergy. Where's our self-respect?
OK most western female catholics actually pay scant attention to the senile ramblings of this male 'celibate' crew, but not so elsewhere...
This makes me sound like a man-hater, which I am not! Perhaps I'm just a Pope-hater. Hmm, yes, I'm comfortable with that.

104. Dawkins is third most prolific internet Briton

Comment #120014 by Sally Luxmoore on February 1, 2008 at 5:27 am

How about YouTube ???

105. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #117807 by Sally Luxmoore on January 29, 2008 at 5:28 pm

Typical British daytime TV: debate 'lite'.
It was not possible for the debate to reach any level of sophistication as the format did not allow it. Nonetheless, Richard got in some good soundbites and we should at least be pleased that even daytime TV now feels that there should be proper atheist representation in a 'religion-based' debate.
I imagine it must have been frustrating for Richard, but his presence there was still important.
We need to make the god-botherers uncomfortable and keep them feeling they have to justify themselves!

106. Belief in Belief

Comment #117323 by Sally Luxmoore on January 28, 2008 at 2:50 pm

Great.

I also love the 'illustrated' links - lucid, exciting, challenging and funny, as always.
I very much enjoy Mr Hitchens' expansive and interesting vocabulary.
Is there a transcript somewhere?

107. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #116486 by Sally Luxmoore on January 26, 2008 at 3:30 pm

'I think that he should publish an evolutionary version of Of Pandas and People in order to supplement the small amount of evolutionary biology taught in school.'

Hmm. Interesting. I don't know what this book is (I'm English, is it American?) but maybe it's time Professor Dawkins got together with Dorling Kindersley or some other similar children's book publisher to produce a children's book on evolution. (Sorry RD, I do know that you're incredibly busy!)
If this happened, I would be only too happy to get involved in a plan to get a copy into every school in the same way that we gave a copy of the God Delusion to all MPs.

108. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #116480 by Sally Luxmoore on January 26, 2008 at 3:20 pm

Sadly this is just evidence of the fact that it is almost impossible to 'win' an argument with an ignorant person.
I find it amazing that people think it acceptable to be so rude and dismissive towards someone who has spent his whole adult life researching evolutionary biology (amongst other things!) and who is so obviously an expert. Quite apart from the fact that there should be a measure of respect due to such learning, the caller failed to show even common courtesy.
NOT a good advertisement for gentle Christians, meek and mild!

109. George Scales, War Hero and Generous Friend of RDFRS

Comment #111440 by Sally Luxmoore on January 14, 2008 at 3:29 pm

Hello George! Hope all of this is cheering you up as planned. Thank goodness for all the good science and medicine that we all of us hope will now be used to improve your life. I'm glad the Froggies finally got around to showing their appreciation for you. We should do the same. Good luck and very best wishes. X

110. Pupil defends teacher in Muhammad teddy furore

Comment #93121 by Sally Luxmoore on December 2, 2007 at 8:46 am

Still, nice to know it's ok to commit genocide in Dafur, eh? Good to get that cleared up.