Interesting Links for 27-08-2022

[andrewducker]

1. When the Pope is clearly an end of level boss

(tags:games Pope funny )

2. Synthetic embryo with brain and beating heart grown from mouse cells for first time ever

(tags:mice biology organs )

3. Satellites have identified 21 Russian facilities that are forcibly detaining thousands of Ukrainians, as well as possible mass grave sites

(tags:russia ukraine murder war WarCrimes )

4. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy dropped heavy drinking days amongst people with Alcohol Use Disorder from 23% to 9% (compared with placebo-assisted psychotherapy)

(tags:psilocybin hallucinogenics alcohol )

5. Music based on Scotrail announcements goes viral

(tags:music trains scotland )

6. Sweeteners can significantly impair glycemic responses

(tags:blood sugar insulin food taste )

7. A Florida Judge Who Denied A Teen Girl An Abortion Because Of Her Grades Was Voted Out Of Office

Do many countries appoint judges through voting?
(tags:USA law abortion )

8. Socialite, Widow, Jeweller, Spy: How a Russian Agent Charmed Her Way Into NATO Circles in Italy

(tags:Russia Italy spying NATO )

9. Sunak is trying to rewrite history on the Pandemic

(tags:Pandemic conservatives lies )

Comments

[snippy]

7. Even in places that elect judges, many are nevertheless appointed. E.g., in my state judges are elected and are nominally not partisan (that is, they don't run as Democrats or Republicans). However, retiring judges retire early enough to enable the governor to appoint the successor, and re-election rates are astoundingly high largely due to name recognition.

[andrewducker]

Yeah, political appointments seem awful too.

The UK has the Judicial Appointments Commission who are as independent and transparent as possible. In France they're civil servants who work for the Ministry of Justice. The thought of directly appointing judges because of their political views seems appalling from over here - but then our judges seem to have less freedom than yours do to make sweeping changes, that's in the hands of parliament.