Saturday, February 02, 2013

better living through chemistry and biology


A recent article on modifying ethical and virtue behavior, from the Journal of Medical Ethics talks about the ethics of modifying human behavior.  From the paper:
Here are some examples of non-traditional means of moral enhancement:
▸ Glucose as a means of increasing resistance to temptation to do something wrong or to stop trying to do what one should
▸ Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as a means to being less inclined to assault people
▸ Propranolol as a means of decreasing unconscious racial bias.
▸ Deep-brain stimulation (eg, electrical stimulation of the amygdala) as a means to reducing aggression
▸ Neurofeedback to increase sympathy and/or treat antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy)
▸ Selection of embryos that contain a gene coding for a greater disposition to altruism
▸ Genetic interventions to gametes, embryos or postnatal human beings as a means to the same end
▸ Embryo selection or genetic engineering as a means of avoiding or neutralising genes associated with antisocial personality disorder
▸ Either of these means as a way of securing a stronger predisposition to fairness
▸ An artificial chromosome that includes multiple genes coding for stronger predispositions to a variety of moral virtues\

The original article can be found at 

Or, a copy is available here:

How do we differentiate between "moral improvement" (that is, reducing tendency for aggression, violent assault, antisocial personality disorders)  and the improvement obtained by athletes using doping (thank you, Lance Armstrong)?


Friday, February 01, 2013

one-take music video

This entire clip was done in ONE TAKE:

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

misheard lyrics

from kissthisguy.com
I'm only stealing the first 20. Go see the rest for yourself.
This week's pick: I left my brains down in Africa ??? This Week: I left my brains... 
Then there's Creedence Clearwater's "Bad Moon Rising" - "there's a bathroom on the right"
You will never hear these songs the same way ever again.

All Time Funniest 100 Misheard Song Lyrics
Here are the top 100 misheard song lyrics of all time as ranked by our viewers!
The ranking is automatically updated daily. Enjoy, Review, Vote and Save to your Favorites!
Robert Palmer: Addicted To Love
Might as well face it, you're a dick with a glove.
Abba: Dancing Queen
See that girl, watch her scream, kicking the dancing queen
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody
The algebra has a devil for a sidekick eeeeeeeeee....
Traditional: We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Now bring us some friggin' pudding
Madonna: Like a Virgin
Like a virgin touched for the thirty-first time.
Bee Gees: Stayin' Alive
Steak and a Knife, Steak and a Knife
OneRepublic: Apologize
It's too late to order fries
Bee Gees: More Than A Woman
Bald-headed woman... bald-headed woman to me
Fifth Dimension: Aquarius
This is the dawning of the Age of Asparugus, Asparugus

Sunday, January 27, 2013

food in food

http://twistedsifter.com/2012/11/snacks-dishes-served-inside-other-foods/

12 Delicious Dishes Served Inside Other Foods
Categories: LISTS Tags: · food · Leave a Comment

Recently I’ve noticed a trend where treats and snacks are served inside other edible goods. My first experience was a bowl of clam chowder soup served inside a bread bowl. Since then, I’ve seen bacon, chocolate and hollowed out apples used as a bowl. I’ve even seen eggs cooked inside other vegetables to give it a unique shape or extra flavour.

With the popularity of food and recipe sites and the explosion of ‘foodie’ culture on Instagram and Pinterest, I thought I would take a stab at compiling some of the more popular images floating around online. I’ve also tried to mix in a few delicious examples you may have not seen before. Bon appetit!

1. Bacon and Egg Cupcakes


hurry up and die


Tuesday 22 January 2013 03.42 EST
Let elderly people 'hurry up and die', says Japanese minister

Taro Aso says he would refuse end-of-life care and would 'feel bad' knowing treatment was paid for by government
Taro Aso referred to elderly patients who are no longer able to feed themselves as 'tube people'. Photograph: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

Justin McCurry in Tokyo

Japan's new government is barely a month old, and already one of its most senior members has insulted tens of millions of voters by suggesting that the elderly are an unnecessary drain on the country's finances.

Taro Aso, the finance minister, said on Monday that the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to relieve pressure on the state to pay for their medical care.

"Heaven forbid if you are forced to live on when you want to die. I would wake up feeling increasingly bad knowing that [treatment] was all being paid for by the government," he said during a meeting of the national council on social security reforms. "The problem won't be solved unless you let them hurry up and die."