We resume normal transmission - soon

Just lately, this has turned largely into a blog about art, nudity, and freedom of speech. Those topics will never be far away, because I'm an unashamed free speech advocate. Since I use this place partly to draft up ideas that may later be used in more formal publications, you can bet that I'm thinking about writing much more on these issues.

Meanwhile, however, there's no end to the idiocy from bio-Luddites who want to oppose such obviously beneficial activities as research on embryonic stem cells and therapeutic cloning. I see that there is more debate going on about this in Australia even this week. So, I'll be back to those more usual topics soon. And once again, lurking behind it, is the large streak of irrationality that runs through our society because of its religious heritage. Just as there's still a sense of shame about the body that can lead to visceral, fanatical attacks on Bill Henson's rather cerebral photographs, so there's a ridiculous tendency to treat such insentient entities as early human embryos as if they were fully fledged persons. I won't forget to engage in my usual sniping at religion as a reactionary force that merits greater scepticism.

However, I'll be a bit scarce for about ten days. I'm pretty busy right now and will be away for a week from Thursday. Do drop in with your comments, though. I'll be looking in from time to time and responding as needed.