Interesting Links for 18-06-2024

[andrewducker]

1. Amazon-Powered AI Cameras Used to Detect Emotions of Unwitting UK Train Passengers

(tags:uk surveillance trains transport )

2. First-ever randomized trial of Ozempic for alcohol use disorder shows significant reductions in drinking

(tags:alcohol healthcare research psychology )

3. But *when* was being gay invented?

(tags:LGBT gay prehistory )

4. Rogue Austrian minister burns bridges to save EU nature law

(tags:europe nature law green viaPatrickHadfield )

5. How writers see their own work is very different to how others see it

(tags:writing sandman neilgaiman comics )

6. Anyone want to buy a bunch of Church of Scotland buildings? You can have your own church for £38k...

(tags:religion scotland housing viaDanielDWilliam )

7. How had I never seen "Patrick Stewart's Cowboy Classics"?

(tags:cowboy PatrickStewart video wtf )

8. New coastal town for Edinburgh reaches next major milestone

(tags:edinburgh housing )

Comments

8

[danieldwilliam]

Last year I did the Kiltwalk along the North Edinburgh foreshore, including by the Granton Gasholder. The landscaping around it is very pleasant.

Re: 8

[andrewducker]

We were up there the other day (got the #9 to almost the other end of the route and then walked down to the shore) and it was rather nice.

2

[danieldwilliam]

That group of drugs looks like it is going to do wonders for all sorts of people and society as a whole.

Re: 2

[andrewducker]

Agreed!

Re: 2

[armiphlage]

With a sample size of n=1, I can state that going on semaglutide reduces OCD symptoms, although symptoms return when ceasing usage.

Re: 2

[danieldwilliam]

As a drug it seems to do the job that humans seem bad at which is controlling those of our natural inclinations that were useful adaptions before the agricultural, industrial and green revolutions.

Re: 2

[andrewducker]

I'm glad it helped you.

[nancylebov]

3. _Straight: The Surprisingly Short History of Heterosexuality_ by Haane Blank, about the history of the concept of heterosexuality. If she's right, the idea of heterosexuals and homosexuals being different sorts of people is pretty modern.

[calimac]

Yes. "Being gay" (or "being straight") is not simply an accounting of what sexual preferences you have, or that you act on. It's an identity, a self-perception, and at times that was simply not available.

[vivdunstan]

Re 6 there are a lot of houses on there, probably ex manses. When we moved from Hawick to St Andrews in 1991 my family sold our bungalow to the Church of Scotland, to be a new Wilton parish manse. I don't know if it still is lived in by the minister. And the CoS are still rationalising/merging parishes down there. But yup, sold to the kirk. Certainly avoided a chain ;P

[fanf]

Judging by the variation in prices of those redundant churches, it looks like the cheaper ones come with about £250,000 buyers remorse.

[andrewducker]

Oh yes. You buy the one for £38k you'll deserve all of the maintenance bills that come with it!

[danieldwilliam]

I think many of them are listed with all the associated difficulties of getting planning permission for any sort of change in use or structure of the building.

I know Aberdeen pretty well and St Marks in the city centre is for sale. The land must be worth a few million. the building appears to be for sale for several hundred thousands.

[andrewducker]

The one in Dumfries must surely be because you can't do much with it, and it needs a load of work.

1.

[channelpenguin]

There are very specific laws banning most video surveillance here in Germany. It is ( was a VERY hot topic post-DDR [East Germany] (for obvious reasons .. Stasi etc.)

[bens_dad]

The first film appearance of DeForest Kelley (Bones McCoy) was in an MGM musical and he appeared in many western films and TV shows before his big break in Star Trek.

[andrewducker]

That's very cool. I'm glad he had more of a career.

[bens_dad]

I believe he was the big name "star" in the original cast.