Author: Leon

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News

Neuroscientist’s Life as a Nonviolent Psychopath

The evidence mounts for an epigenetic path that connects violence experienced in childhood with violence perpetrated as an adult. This is the the main conclusion of Molyneux’s Bomb in the Brain series. Want to feel like a hero who saves the world? Practice peace towards all children.

Life as a Nonviolent Psychopath – Judith Ohikuare – The Atlantic

Neuroscientist James Fallon discovered through his work that he has the brain of a psychopath, and subsequently learned a lot about the role of genes in personality and how his brain affects his life.

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News

Meditation Effective Treatment for Depression

Here’s a good summary of a study in JAMA about the usefulness of mediation. Remember how I pointed to the release from Sam Harris of some guided meditations? Since then, my family has been spotty about practicing, but we’ll keep at it because I really want my kids to learn this essential life skill.

Meditation is an Effective Treatment for Depression, Anxiety and Pain | PsyBlog – Understand Your Mind

Data from 47 different clinical trials finds meditation is as effective as antidepressants.

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News Philosophy Politics

Unregulated dinner parties

This happened to me just tonight! My wife prepared dinner for the family, and although she has taken cooking classes in the past, I don’t think any government official ever issued her a license. Help! Help! Does anyone have a license for determining if I might suffer adverse health effects? I’d do it myself, but I’ve let my thinking license expire. Oh, man, I hope I’m not breaking some law by just asking for help.

New York City Overwhelmed by Scourge of Illegal, Underground Dinner Parties

Folks in the Big Apple are illegally eating things! The CBS affiliate in New York City today uncovered the scary, secret world of illegal, underground dinner parties.

No, this is not a joke or a parody, though it will really feel like one for the first few seconds of the clip. The news casters treat this situation with the same slightly amazed and shocked tone that they use when they cover the “underground world of raves.” You know which story I’m talking about. Every local news affiliate runs one every sweeps period.

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News Politics

Half-life city scanner drops in on German chancellor

I’ve just finished playing through all the single-player Half-Life content, which offers a deeply dystopian world littered with hoving drones called City Scanners. Sounds like they are real now. How long until something like HL2’s Manhacks are flying around after “criminals”?

German chancellor’s drone “attack” shows the threat of weaponized UAVs | Ars Technica

At a campaign rally in Dresden on September 15, a small quadrocopter flew within feet of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere, hovering briefly in front of them before crashing into the stage practically at Merkel’s feet. Merkel appeared to be amused by the “drone attack,” but de Maiziere and others on the stage seemed a bit more unsettled by the robo-kamikaze.

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Science

Praise Bacon! And May Bacon Be With You Always.

Escuse me, sir. Can you spare a few moments to talk about Bacon?

United Church of Bacon | Praise Bacon! And May Bacon Be With You Always.

The United Church of Bacon founders have set forth a general mission.

  • First and foremost, Praise Bacon! (Even if you don’t like bacon – gasp – all you have to do is enjoy the scent.)
  • Openly fight religious discrimination against non-religious people and demand equal rights for everyone
  • Provide wedding services to the secular people of the world
  • To encourage people to report violations of the law by church members or officials who believe they deserve special privileges while at church