Interesting Links for 24-01-2016

[andrewducker]

• If 2016's Oscar-nominated movie posters told the truth
  • movies funny Oscars
• Learning to attack unhelpful thoughts
  • psychology counselling thought
• BT should be forced to sell Openreach
  • bt internet UK
• MSP threatens new laws to speed up smartcards for buses
  • transport technology Scotland
• The Facts In The Case Of Dr. Andrew Wakefield
  • vaccination autism

Comments

[gonzo21]

I've asked several doctors and therapists now about SAD lights, and all of them have said not one lick of evidence they help treat SAD. But no harm in trying one if you think it will make you feel better.

So I'm not entirely convinced by the article saying clinical evidence has proven SAD lights work. I'd want to dig more into that.

This Rey thing just gets more and more fucking horrendous. Although the only figure set I've seen:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Awakens-Figurine-Playset-Flamtrooper-Captain/dp/B015AM8P3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453637952&sr=8-1&keywords=star+wars+force+awakens+figure+set

Includes both Rey and Phasma.

[davidcook]

Looks like Lego didn't get the memo :
Rey - minifig in two sets (one small, one large), plus a larger poseable figure.
Poe - minifig in one set, plus large figure
Kylo Ren - minifig in one set, plus large figure
Finn - minifig in two sets, plus large figure

(there's also Phasma in the large figures, not sure if there's a minifig too ... I think Lego will be releasing another wave of sets mid-year, so there could be more of any of the above characters appearing then as well)

[andrewducker]

I'm glad Lego are doing a better job!

[channelpenguin]

I once took a pretest for speed reading. I already read at something like 1100 wpm. I'll kill fiction at 125 pages an hour, non fiction maybe down to half the speed depending on difficulty, and yes, familiarity with the topic. But I have testably good comprehension at what are way above average reading speeds, so I will say it is absolutely possible.

I will certainly utterly contradict "Ultimately, there is no one ability or strategy that will enable us to zip through a novel in one sitting". iIf a couple of hours can be considered one sitting, I have been doing this all my life.

I was a self taught reader at 2.5, and was never formally taught to read (writing took me a bit longer, maybe 3.5 - and I joke that my handwriting never improved much!). I don't know that it is a teachable skill... at least not to an adult.

I was surprised, but heartened to see that this seems also hold for text in German (which I am by no means fluent at yet). I am still a notably very fast reader, nonetheless.

[kalimac]

1) "eliminating the ability to go back and reread previous words and sentences tends to make overall comprehension worse, not better."

Which is why I hate those miniature devices that allow you to read only a few sentences at a time. It's like reading through a periscope.

2) The current government of Israel continues to do everything in its power to dismay those of us who believe in the right of a government of Israel to exist.

[andrewducker]

Yup, they don't make it easy for us!

[channelpenguin]

1) I read, so far as I can describe, by taking in whole chunks at a time, paragraphs, or half paragraphs (left then right half but there's a big overlap on what I take in each of these 2 glances). Something already in columns of the right width would be the only aid for me, I think. I usually make web page windows a bit narrower if I need to read a lot of pure text. I practically never go back to reread any part of a page (unless it's a hard technical text or the like).

[bohemiancoast]

Those movie posters are definitely wrong for Bridge of Spies, where in my case I only saw the movie for Mark Rylance. Tom Hanks is good too. But all the best scenes are Rylance & Hanks, and the next best after that are just Rylance.

[andrewducker]

Who wouldn't love the voice of Flop?

Seriously though, he was amazing in it. The best scenes were definitely his.