Harry's Blog

Now before you send the Eco-Stazi round I just want to make clear that I believe that it's more likely than not that mankind is having an adverse effect on our climate. But my beef is the way that views on climate change are being forced on people and the way language is being used to do so.

We're well used to hearing phrases like "holocaust denier" - and rightly such people are pilloried for being ignorant racist fools. But when similar language is applied to people who are unconvinced by what continue to be a lot of contradictory arguments, bad science and total nonsense it's not surprising people remain sceptical about the concept of man-made climate change.

To describe such people as "climate change deniers" is disingenuous, unfair and really a Godwin'a Law own-goal. It also displays a Newspeak style attempt at controlling thought through language.

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Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8152002.stm

What kind of person brings children into the world at the age of 67? This woman lied to get fertiility treatment - though I can't understand why it would be right for a 55 year old woman either - and has now died aged 69. Her astonishing vanity in giving birth at such an age means that these two children are now orphaned.

It's well known among those who can read a book without moving their lips that Dan Brown is a terrible writer. However some of you not be aware of just how bad his research is despite Brown's claim that his books are full of facts. Just take a look at this amazingly long list of factual errors in Angels & Demons.

The nomination of Sarah Palin as the GoP VP candidate in the US presidential election has once again brought the subject of creationism to the fore. When the Republicans cynically decided that what McCain needed in a running mate was someone who owned a vagina I'm not sure they knew what they were letting themselves in for because Palin brings with her a whole heap of down-home nonsense. Like creationism.

One of the most common questions you hear from people discussing creationism is "how can someone intelligent believe in it?" And of course hand-wringing liberals make all kinds of excuses for intelligent people who seemingly believe the world was made in six days 6000 years ago.

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Last week the GLW our progeny and myself decamped to London Zoo for the day. ZSL certainly knows how to make a few quid, charging £11 just for parking before asking for £17 for each adult. They stopped short of requiring a blood sacrifice from our children.

Was it worth the money though?

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I've watched the debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill rather aghast at the unscientific, uncharitable and anti-intellectual guff that has been spouted by various bishops over the last few days.

You would think that science was suggesting we open up the gates of Hell rather than keeping splodges of cells alive for just two weeks to help solve major illnesses and bring relief to millions. There's more life in the potatoes in your cupboard than these embryos. But there are some clerics who think these splodges have more right to life than you mother suffering from alzheimer's, your dad with Parkinsons, your friend with cancer.

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Some terrible news today. It seems the removal of funding will result in the closure of Jodrell Bank Observatory, the home of the massive Lovell Radio Telescope. This country seems hell-bent on forgetting real science completely. You can read more on this story at The Times (open in a new window/tab).

According to the latest research, not only are curvy women more attractive to most men - they are on average smarter too, live longer and have more intelligent children.

You can read more about this at The Times Online (open in a new window/tab)

It looks like driving to the shops is kinder to the planet than walking or taking the train.

How so?

Well it seems the energy expended by a human in walking causes more damage to the environment - in terms of producing the food - than the use of a car for the same journey.

You can read more on this over at The Times (open in a new window/tab).

I'm not entirely convinced, but I've just bought a new car, so am trying to feel better about being yet another of the nutters on the M25.

Kilt wearers north of the border will now have to prove that their otter-fur sporran is made with fur from an animal that was killed humanely. More details over at BBC Online (open in a new window).

I just leapt out of my seat and shouted like a girl. Right overhead was the loudest clap of thunder I've ever heard in my life. It sounded like a train crash or something.

I'm all shaky now, it didn't half make me jump. If you're closer to the centre of London you'll probably be seeing this storm for yourself soon.

You can track the lightning over at Blitzortung (open in a new window).

I've been developing a theory for some time that I want to share with you. It concerns the attractiveness of lasses and how this is linked to their name.

This evening I've even carried out some research to confirm my views and I shall illustrate my theory with a Venn diagram, how's that for clever?

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Storm chasers Reed Timmer and Joel Taylor had a close call with a tornado on Friday in Ellis County, Oklahoma.

Timmer told CNN the wide angle lens doesn't do justice to how close the two really were to the tornado, the twister came as close as 50 yards and took a cell phone they accidentally dropped onto the road.

You can see more of Reed and Joel's videos on their tornadovideos.net page on YouTube.

How exactly do you defrost the largest Squid ever caught? Seems you need a very big microwave.