Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Research finds 'US effect' exaggerates results in human behaviour studies
http://gu.com/p/3t99n
Scientists who study human behaviour are more likely than average to report exaggerated or eye-catching results if they are based in the United States, according to an analysis of more than 1,000 research papers in psychiatry and genetics. This bias could be due to the research culture in the US, authors of the analysis said, which tends to preferentially reward scientists for the novelty and immediate impact of a piece of work over the quality or its long-term contribution to the field.
Scientists who study human behaviour are more likely than average to report exaggerated or eye-catching results if they are based in the United States, according to an analysis of more than 1,000 research papers in psychiatry and genetics. This bias could be due to the research culture in the US, authors of the analysis said, which tends to preferentially reward scientists for the novelty and immediate impact of a piece of work over the quality or its long-term contribution to the field.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Banish the trolls but web debate needs anonymity The Huffington Post's insistence on real names won't stop bad behaviour and risks stifling lively exchanges
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/aug/25/web-trolls-anonymity-huffington-post
Interesting article. I have always thought "pseudoanonymity" was a promising compromise...real names exposes people too much, anonymity priest masks the trolls too much....what is needed is some kind of "anonymous accountability"
Women poker players, and finance
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/25/women-poker-players-financial-crisis
Victoria Coren:
The millions of new young players, many with maths degrees, brought a revolution in technical strategy. Belligerent old Texans, still relying on primitive ideas of aggression and bluster, have been left in the dust. You do not succeed by being more "competitive" than your opponent, but by being cleverer.
In other words, Mr Wheeler's poker point proves that he overestimates the value of muscle. We have all realised this in poker, but the business world is glacially slow to catch on.
It is the masculine prejudices of the stock market, towards big-hat aggression and high-pressure manoeuvres, that led to the financial mess where we currently find ourselves. Macho competition on trading floors led to over-reaching, borrowed money, crashes – and subsequent demands for huge bonuses from the men who triggered them, on the grounds that this bull-headed approach is a rare and special skill.
If Stuart Wheeler approached me for poker advice, I would tell him what I tell all aspiring players: the first rule is not to go skint. The second rule is to make a profit, however small. Those who are blinded by ego, interested only in vast wins and huge adrenaline rushes, end up trapped in the escalating debt scenario that currently threatens the entire western economy.
Victoria Coren:
The millions of new young players, many with maths degrees, brought a revolution in technical strategy. Belligerent old Texans, still relying on primitive ideas of aggression and bluster, have been left in the dust. You do not succeed by being more "competitive" than your opponent, but by being cleverer.
In other words, Mr Wheeler's poker point proves that he overestimates the value of muscle. We have all realised this in poker, but the business world is glacially slow to catch on.
It is the masculine prejudices of the stock market, towards big-hat aggression and high-pressure manoeuvres, that led to the financial mess where we currently find ourselves. Macho competition on trading floors led to over-reaching, borrowed money, crashes – and subsequent demands for huge bonuses from the men who triggered them, on the grounds that this bull-headed approach is a rare and special skill.
If Stuart Wheeler approached me for poker advice, I would tell him what I tell all aspiring players: the first rule is not to go skint. The second rule is to make a profit, however small. Those who are blinded by ego, interested only in vast wins and huge adrenaline rushes, end up trapped in the escalating debt scenario that currently threatens the entire western economy.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Whole-Grain Foods Not Always Healthful: Scientific American
Whole-Grain Foods Not Always Healthful: Scientific American
- ?whole grain? refers to any mixture of bran, endosperm and germ in the proportions one would expect to see in an intact grain?yet the grains can be, and usually are, processed so that the three parts are separated and ground before being incorporated into foods. (Refined grains, on the other hand, are grains that have been stripped of their bran and germ.) For a food product to be considered whole grain, the FDA says it must contain at least 51 percent of whole grains by weight. Compared with intact grains, though, processed whole grains often have lower fiber and nutrient levels
- One problem with the current definition of ?whole grain? is that it doesn?t account for fiber?and many whole grain products on supermarket shelves contain very little
- Individuals also absorb the sugars from some processed whole grains more quickly than they do those from intact whole grains, triggering blood sugar spikes that can ?possibly increase hunger, lead to overeating and increase the risk for diseases related to insulin resistance, like diabetes and heart disease,?
- If one clear piece of advice is emerging about whole grains, it is that individuals should buy whole grains that are high in fiber: All of the diets that reduced disease risk in the ASN?s review were high in fiber or fiber-rich bran, and Ludwig and his colleagues found in their 2013 study that whole-grain foods with a ratio higher than one to 10 of fiber to total carbohydrate also contained less sugar, sodium and trans fats than other whole-grain products. People should consider cooking with intact whole grains, too, such as whole-wheat berries or spelt. And when in doubt, consumers should always trust their nutritional instincts. ?If it?s a whole-grain cookie, you probably don?t need it,? Slavin says. Deep down, most people already know that.
Monday, July 29, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
British news site offers ‘Republican’ option for readers sick of royal baby news
it may be one more filter bubble - but at least it's up front.
British news site offers ‘Republican’ option for readers sick of royal baby news
British news site offers ‘Republican’ option for readers sick of royal baby news
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
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