Interesting Links for 08-01-2015

[andrewducker]

• Anesthetics cause electron spin changes (in fruit flies)
  (tags: electrons physics biology brain )
• All Muslims Everywhere Murder French Satirists; Lone Wolf Acting Alone ‘Bombs’ NAACP, Alone
  (tags: terrorism France racism USA viasupergee )
• This Cake Contest Has The Most Amazing Cakes We’ve Ever Seen
  (tags: cakes beautiful owls gameofthrones )
• MP

Comments

[a_pawson]

There are indeed vast differences in the composition of different chocolates. When I was doing my PhD, there was another student working in the same lab who was studying the rheology of chocolate formulations. The work was funded by Mars, and she used to get deliveries of huge quantities of chocolate on a fairly regular basis much of which was melted down and various measurements made on it. The rheology is important for producing the various shapes and textures demanded by different products. If I remember correctly ,they were trying to improve the ripple effect on the top of Mars bars.

[andrewducker]

Any ideas what would cause it to not melt?

[a_pawson]

The chocolate does melt, because all chocolate bars are formed from molten chocolate. However, melting chocolate is not as simple as just heating it, so the likelihood is that blog author didn't melt it under the right conditions

[andrewducker]

Thanks - that was fascinating!

Also just found this, as a comment on the original blog:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/questions/qotw/question/1756/

MP calls for email disclaimer ban (I'd vote for that)

[cartesiandaemon]

I thought "wow, an MP other than Julian is proposing something I agree with!" :)

But it seems designed to reduce the amount of disclaimer people have to _look_ at, which I don't care about as much (I never print emails) -- they suggest you could have the disclaimer in an attachment, which makes worse what I care about, of the proliferation of pseudo-legal useless disclaimers.

Re: MP calls for email disclaimer ban (I'd vote for that)

[andrewducker]

OTOH, I don't care about people having stupid disclaimers so long as I never have to read them!

Re: MP calls for email disclaimer ban (I'd vote for that)

[cartesiandaemon]

:) I guess they annoy me on principle, and having gratuitous non-text attachments annoys me on principle, and generally contributes to a culture of vaguely waving pseudo-legal language at people without expecting it to mean anything. But I can ignore them just as well at the end of an email as in an attachment.

Sharpening Contradictions: Why al-Qaeda attacked Satirists in Paris

[cartesiandaemon]

I emphatically agree with the conclusion! (And the other posts sympathising with the victims without extending the condemnation to all Muslims).

Although I'm not sure it's easy to tell the difference between "they deliberately provoke a backlash to try to radicalise mainstream people who happen to share a religion with them" and "they reflexively attack the highest profile target they can reach", even if the net effect is the same.

Re: Sharpening Contradictions: Why al-Qaeda attacked Satirists in Paris

[cartesiandaemon]

Wait, I think I was doing the "arguing with people I agree with" thing too much. I have a mild clarification of that article. But that shouldn't stop me pointing out that I agree with it much more than other PoVs expressed.

Re: Sharpening Contradictions: Why al-Qaeda attacked Satirists in Paris

[andrewducker]

Oh yes - but then I think that if it was really obvious then it would prevent them from succeeding!

Re: Sharpening Contradictions: Why al-Qaeda attacked Satirists in Paris

[cartesiandaemon]

You mean, if people knew the backlash was planned (or at least, accepted) by Al Queda, they'd not be willing to join Al Queda? But if so, I'm not sure it works like that -- people often have to choose between two sides they don't agree with, and (a) if side A has just committed an atrocity against your family, you're more likely to join side B, even if side B provoked that atrocity and (b) people who are desperate and prone to join a terrorist group, probably aren't weighing up the history, just desperate to join someone who tells them they're worthwhile and fighting is a good thing :(

email disclaimer ban

[channelpenguin]

YES YES DO IT!

Purely because it would sink the business of my horrible ex company with thin miserable boss and fat unpleasant miserable boss [these were guys who harassed a colleague sick with(and having chemo for) bowel cancer to work late/extra/weekend at no notice ]

Re: email disclaimer ban

[cartesiandaemon]

I hope it dies! How on earth was it dependent on email disclaimers?

Re: email disclaimer ban

[channelpenguin]

I think I already gave too much away, I'm not keen on dissing anyone in public. I have to stress that the head guy himself was great, as were the normal employees - just the management (these 2 plus their Stockholm-Syndromed direct subordinate).