Racist Eugenics Scholar Makes A Positive Difference
Category: Health
From the point of view of "racial purity", few populations could beat the Lister people since they were so unwilling to mix.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 13 Comments •
Aardvarchaeology
Martin Rundkvist's blog. Archaeology, skepticism, Sweden. And books and music and stuff.
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Dr. Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, chairman of the Swedish Skeptics Society, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.
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Blogroll
Politics:
Does Judicial Punishment Mainly Serve A Revenge Motive?
Category: Politics
If people weren't so emotionally invested in revenge they would demand that public funding for the judicial system be invested only in well-studied, evidence-based, efficacious methods of deterrent, containment and reform.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 34 Comments •
How Can We Keep Students From Jobless Subjects?
Category: Politics
The problem is actually due to the orthodox marketism that the Confederation espouses, where universities compete for students according to the students' demand.
Posted by Martin R at 4:09 AM • 50 Comments •
Draft Bill Threatens Future Quality Of Swedish Contract Archaeology
Category: Archaeology
Contract archaeology cannot be put out to tender in the manner of asphalt work: the people forced to buy contract archaeology have strong incentives to ignore the quality of the product.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 1 Comments •
Global Population Speak-Out
Category: Environment
A lot of humanity's main problems could (and will) be solved by shrinking the planet's human population drastically.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 37 Comments •
Swedish Cabinet Opens Door to New Metal Detector Legislation
Category: Archaeology
"Cabinet believes that there may be reason to question whether the current general ban on metal-detector use is entirely appropriate, and is therefore prepared to re-evaluate the extent and design of the ban."
Posted by Martin R at 12:22 PM • 4 Comments •
European Commission Rules Against Swedish Metal-Detector Legislation
Category: Archaeology
If Sweden doesn't take measures towards legislative reform within two months, the issue will be referred to the EU Court of Justice.
Posted by Martin R at 8:29 AM • 37 Comments •
Elitism?
Category: Politics
I can really see why people would be angry with their political class, their "elite", if the only way to join it was to pay huge term fees at Harvard or Princeton. But in Sweden, that is not the case.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 38 Comments •
Swedish Populists Want Folksy Art
Category: Art
Anyone with some knowledge about the issues at hand will recognise the whole thing from senator Jesse Helms's attacks 20 years ago against Robert Mapplethorpe, Andres Serrano and other Entartete artists. It's a breathtakingly naïve move.
Posted by Martin R at 11:59 AM • 34 Comments •
Swedish Election Results
Category: Politics
The only real reasons for me to rejoice somewhat after this election is that my housing estate's participation was significantly less crap than usual and that the anti-immigration party remains unrepresented in our municipal hall.
Posted by Martin R at 2:54 PM • 27 Comments •
New Albums: Roy Zimmerman, George Hrab
Category: Music
Californian Roy Zimmerman is a satirical singer in the vein of Tom Lehrer (who endorses him). He recently released his seventh solo album, Real American, and I'm happy to say that Zimmerman has lost none of the brilliance us fans...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 1 Comments •
From Gaza to the Museum of National Antiquities
Category: Archaeology
I am a friend of all peaceful and non-nationalistic Israelis. But I must admit that I look forward to the day when I no longer have to pass their embassy on my way to my country's main archaeological museum and research library.
Posted by Martin R at 8:15 AM • 5 Comments •
Nigerian Islamist Senator Outdoes Catholic Church on Child Rape Issue
Category: Children
"History tells us that Prophet Muhammad did marry a young girl as well. Therefore I have not contravened any law. Even if she is 13, as it is being falsely peddled around."
Posted by Martin R at 6:09 AM • 3 Comments •
On Moral Relativism
Category: Politics
Morals are collectively negotiated and enforced constructs. It works fine since mentally healthy people are basically decent by nature and have a strong innate capacity for empathy and solidarity.
Posted by Martin R at 10:49 AM • 71 Comments •
University Degrees that Lead to Jobs in Sweden
Category: Politics
Here are the degrees where there will be a labour shortage in Sweden for the foreseeable future.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 30 Comments •
Population Will Come Down -- We Choose How
Category: Biology
It's up to us to decide if it should happen through contraception and a global single-child policy or through a catastrophic die-off.
Posted by Martin R at 2:45 PM • 88 Comments •
When Labour Union Idealism Backfires
Category: Politics
The Swedish Association of University Teachers is demanding that foreign PhD students be paid as much as native ones. This suggests that they don't know how research projects are organised and funded.
Posted by Martin R at 10:40 AM • 13 Comments •
Reform English Libel Law
Category: Politics
In England, a libel case is always a major pain for the defendant regardless of whether he wins or not. He has to prove that he's innocent (!), the damages are 140 times as high as in other European countries, and even if you win it costs you huge sums of money.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 3 Comments •
Misogynist?
Category: Politics
In the 1970s mode of thinking, feminists accept and celebrate the female body for what it is. Attempting to look like 20 when you're 35 is seen as a symptom of patriarchal repression.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 30 Comments •
Anti-Monarchist
Category: Politics
Last night somebody googled the phrase "martin rundqvist republikan" and ended up here on my blog. Note the K: this person probably didn't wonder if I'd vote for Sarah Palin. They wondered what I think about the Swedish constitution,...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 29 Comments •
UK Contract Archaeology in Deep Slump
Category: Archaeology
The Institute for Archaeologists announces that one in six jobs in UK contract archaeology have been lost since the start of the recession, with more losses likely in the near future.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 12 Comments •
Ireland and Lithuania Pass Old Testament Laws
Category: Politics
In the West we shake our heads, and very rightly so in my opinion, at sharia, Islamic law rooted in the culture of 7th century AD Arabia. This is the body of thought that leads to judicial stonings and mutilations...
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 42 Comments •
Libertarian Columnist Smears Sweden in the Guardian
Category: Politics
Andersson has fed his editor a scary interesting story that happens not to be true. His choice of words suggests that he has pretty extreme libertarian opinions that cause him to want the Swedish system to fail.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 14 Comments •
Never Mind the Burkas
Category: Politics
If president Sarkozy really believes that Muslim women are subservient to male members of their families, then he shouldn't try to regulate their clothing. He should draw the full consequences of his beliefs and forbid Muslim women to vote in...
Posted by Martin R at 5:22 PM • 9 Comments •
Silence is the Enemy: But What is Wrong With Those Men!?
Category: Children
In the long run, Darwinian selection acts upon cultures. But us in the world at large can't wait for that to make the current cultures of Liberia and Congo go extinct.
Posted by Martin R at 1:40 PM • 51 Comments •
Archaeology Misused in Jerusalem
Category: Archaeology
If you want to evict people forcefully to get at an archaeological site, you're doing it all wrong and for the wrong reasons.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 7 Comments •
What's The Financial Crisis Got To Do With Me?
Category: Homeownership
The only effect of the financial crisis on my life that I am aware of is that our mortgage is absurdly cheap.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 17 Comments •
Let's Turn The Population Trend
Category: Politics
Woman or man -- thy loins must never issue more than two children, preferably less!
Posted by Martin R at 10:37 AM • 48 Comments •
The Nation Approves Sb
Category: Politics
Most of us at Sb are screaming pinko dirty commie hippies.
Posted by Martin R at 8:38 AM • 9 Comments •
The Ethics of Overpopulation
Category: Biology
Our goal should never be to rid the planet of humans.
Posted by Martin R at 8:20 AM • 98 Comments •
Only Population Size Really Matters for the Environment
Category: Biology
There is no way of life that is ecologically sustainable for a global population of more than a billion.
Posted by Martin R at 5:17 AM • 68 Comments •
Swedish Peace Activists Vandalise US Arms
Category: Politics
Among other things, they rendered twenty m/48 Carl Gustaf bazookas inoperable.
Posted by Martin R at 7:14 AM • 26 Comments •
Pokémon and the Financial Crisis
Category: Politics
A timely must-read: Kevin Nguyen explains the financial crisis to his kid sister using Pokémon cards as an analogy.Kevin: Imagine that I let you borrow $50, but in exchange for my generosity, you promise to pay me back the...
Posted by Martin R at 11:35 AM • 5 Comments •
Guantanamo Prisoner Sentenced to -1½ Years
Category: Politics
The US owe Hamdan one year and four months' imprisonment.
Posted by Martin R at 4:15 AM • 9 Comments •
Hymen Reconstruction and Public Healthcare
Category: Politics
Hymen construction is a silly pointless procedure in demand among certain immigrant groups.
Posted by Martin R at 9:35 AM • 3 Comments •
Aard Regular Makes Headlines Bashing Christian Right
Category: Skepticism
It's great to live in a country where run-of-the-mill Dominionist statements piss the right wing off most mightily.
Posted by Martin R at 9:05 AM • 31 Comments •
Science Debate 2008 Invitations Issued
Category: Politics
Science Debate 2008 is an initiative to inject more science policy into the run-up to the US presidential elections. Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum over at The Intersection just announced that they have sent formal invitations for an April 18...
Posted by Martin R at 2:09 PM • 0 Comments •
US Politics Have No Left Wing
Category: Politics
None of the presidential candidates would be a viable politician in Sweden.
Posted by Martin R at 5:26 AM • 280 Comments •
Science Debate 2008
Category: Politics
Wherever we all are in the world, we need the next US president to be science-friendly, science-savvy and reality-based.
Posted by Martin R at 3:20 PM • 0 Comments •
Passenger Flight Needs to be Heavily Taxed
Category: Environment
The system is grossly inefficient. A bit of tax pressure would do wonders to tighten it up.
Posted by Martin R at 8:50 AM • 31 Comments •
Swedish Right-Wing Populist Receives Zionist Award
Category: Sweden
The WZO realised that their net had caught a somewhat unusual breed of young political activist.
Posted by Martin R at 8:50 AM • 4 Comments •
Selling Stuff With Liberal Chic
Category: Politics
Give the magazine's white academic readers a warm fuzzy feeling.
Posted by Martin R at 8:50 AM • 32 Comments •
Mugabe's Chinese Tech Support
Category: Politics
You scratch my dictatorial back, I'll scratch yours, little brother.
Posted by Martin R at 9:05 AM • 2 Comments •
