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stjohn's comments

stjohn | 15 years ago | on: The Billionaire Who Is Planning His 125th Birthday

>> He doesn’t count calories or believe in extreme caloric restriction as a way to extend life.

Not only has caloric restriction been shown to work in mammals (including primates), but it has known mechanisms of action. That's some hefty evidence to ignore.

Well, at 87, it's a bit late to start calorie restriction, anyways.

stjohn | 15 years ago | on: Cannabis and Psychosis

TL;DR:

Conclusion: Cannabis use is a risk factor for the development of incident psychotic symptoms. Continued cannabis use might increase the risk for psychotic disorder by impacting on the persistence of symptoms.

stjohn | 15 years ago | on: The Experience Economy

Your second and third predictions are predicated on economies of scale breaking down. What makes you think that's going to happen?

stjohn | 15 years ago | on: At St. Paul 'wet house,' liquor can be their life - and death

I didn't downvote you, but to answer your question, first, no one is promoting suicide. This system allows people to lead a life you don't consider worthwhile, but they are still living, and the life they are living seems to be objectively better than the one they would be living otherwise. In addition, it's cheaper. So win-win.

If it wasn't cheaper, their would still be an argument to be made in favor of wethouses because it seems to be far more humane than allowing people to rot away on the streets. But then the debate would be whether or not society should have to bear the cost of their poor decisions. In fact, they will have a cost to society no matter what. It just so happens that the best thing for them is also the cheapest thing for society, so there is no possible objection. So the argument goes.

No one is saying, "Do it because it's cheaper." They're saying, "Don't not do it because it's more expensive, because it isn't -- it's cheaper."

stjohn | 15 years ago | on: Ramen May Lead to Chronic Illness Study Says

The article's title is misleading. The study doesn't actually pinpoint ramen noodles as a cause of chronic illness, but rather nutritional deficits, which of course could result from eating nothing but ramen.

"Those who relied on instant noodles and other cheap food with little nutritional content were at greater risk of chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease, the researchers found."

The article title could just as easily have been Spaghetti May Lead... or McDonalds May Lead... Of course, it should be Poor Nutrition May Lead..., but then no one would care.

stjohn | 17 years ago | on: I've met very very few IT workers who are happy with their jobs

But the logic is valid. He should have loved cleaning chemical reactors in comparison (and he never said he didn't). We should always be trying to improve our lives. But sometimes our current situations aren't ideal, and at those times, I think it is appropriate to mentally establish a context in which that situation is still pretty darn good. You might not find the extreme comparisons intellectually compelling, but someone who adopts this attitude will clearly be happier. So who is the fool?

stjohn | 17 years ago | on: Trying to hack a good night's sleep

I've had the same problem. To solve it, I bought a 24-hour timer switch like this one: http://www.cnaweb.com/productimages/215030.jpg, and plugged it in near my bed. To that I hooked up a cheap garden water pump. Next, I cut out the back of a cardboard box and taped it over the timer with lots and lots of duct tape. The box has a lid so that I can adjust everything as needed.

Now, when I need to wake up at a certain time, I set the timer accordingly, lock the cardboard box lid shut with a padlock, and place the key somewhere outside.

In the morning, the water wakes me up and I can't go back to sleep without turning it off. To do that I need to get up and go outside to get the key, and by the time I've returned, I'm awake enough to make a rational decision to stay awake.

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