Comments by Ninas Grandpa

Comment #195924 by Ninas Grandpa on June 19, 2008 at 3:35 am

I love the story about Darwin's children, who, when visiting their friends, would ask 'Where does your father do his barnacles?'

2. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #176768 by Ninas Grandpa on May 8, 2008 at 1:54 am

as Richard Dawkins famously said, "half an eye is exactly 1% more useful than 49% of an eye".

This is of course incorrect. Half an eye is about 2.04% more useful than 49% of an eye.

3. Christmas with Christopher Hitchens

Comment #102935 by Ninas Grandpa on December 24, 2007 at 2:19 am

Castletonsnob #34

So no one else is the slightest bit concerned that Hitchens' idea of family fun is vacationing in a communist dictatorship openly hostile toward the United States?

Well, count me in as one of those who isn't the slightest bit concerned about this. Why should I be?

4. God's honest truth?

Comment #79891 by Ninas Grandpa on October 19, 2007 at 1:17 am

Faith schools here in the UK receive the majority of their funding from the state. Most only put around 10% of the costs in from their own pocket.

This is a common misconception. In fact maintained schools (which most church schools are) get much more than 90% subsidy. All of their running costs are provided by the state and at least 90% of their capital costs. Sometimes even the requirement to provide 10% of capital costs is waived.

Also the church does not usually provide their proportion of the capital costs anyway. It is often provided by a (voluntary) levy on the parents.

At a meeting at my local school, I asked how much money the diocese (Southwark) paid for the priviledges associated with running the C of E school. The answer was £0.00.

5. Atheists of the world: unite!

Comment #62723 by Ninas Grandpa on August 11, 2007 at 2:47 am

Got my scarlet letter T shirt today!

6. Stephen Colbert Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #2137 by Ninas Grandpa on October 19, 2006 at 5:44 am

I also think it was a good job by both of them. Despite hs alleged religiosity, it seemed to me that Colbert was very sympathetic towards Dawkins, and handed him some soft balls to hit. Near the beginning when Richard was talking about Thor and Zeus, Colbert said something like "Hey, but those are just pagan gods. Nobody believes in them!". This was a perfect setup line for Richard's one god further comment, and I think that Colbert knew it was just that.