Daily Archives: December 15, 2011

Brian’s Links 15 Dec 2011: Medical Ethics, Fruit, and Water

The “Battle of Seattle” (1999 WTO protests) police chief defends the Occupy movement against police brutality, saying “even as we cull ‘bad apples’ from our police forces, we recognize that the barrel itself is rotten.” Strong words.

To control a network (and everything is a network), find the nodes of power and learn to manipulate them.

An anti-aging breakthrough?

And now, a most important question: professor or hobo?

Science fiction author and Christian mystic Phillip K. Dick’s newly published exegesis. Ethics was always a huge concern of PKD; for him goodness was the mark of an authentic human.

First the speeding neutrinos and now this! The fine-structure physical constant of the universe may not be so constant – it may vary depending on your location.

And you thought organ donors were supposed to be dead

Well, finally someone is interested in medical pollution of water.

So transvestitism is actually a reproductive strategy

Ever wonder if something got retracted? Go to this website. (Mostly bioscience.)

Did you know linking arms is an acts of violence? “The individuals who linked arms and actively resisted, that in itself is an act of violence,” UC police Captain Margo Bennett said. “I understand that many students may not think that, but linking arms in a human chain when ordered to step aside is not a nonviolent protest.” Makes hugging sound violent.

Lost Libyan civilization: their fossil water dried up.

Grapefruit cause numerous drug interactions. How weird. Just another fruit-related public service announcement to follow up on the one about persimmon bezoars.

Kansas bans the practice of evolution (The Onion, 2006). Teaching it is bad enough, but actually doing it? No you’re not.

Not all labeled as “Permanent Vegetative State” are actually PVS. Many are misdiagnosed.

Surfing on enormous waves is of ethical interest… Because of DEATH!