Potassium Iodide Not a Cure-All for Radiation, and Other News
Last Thursday morning, you could buy a packet of potassium iodide tablets for $10. Tuesday morning it would have cost you $540. (HT to Tyler Cowen)
Pagophagia: It means addicted to eating ice. Other bizarre eating addictions listed.
Scientists: Alien life found in meteorite. Robin Hanson: Why other scientists refuse to accept that finding.
Another NASA “scientific” breakthrough. First global warming, now this. And they want more of my money?!
Taller people are happier? I watched a documentary on PBS where men and women were tested at a speed-dating event. The test subjects would surreptitiously turn a knob during phases of the meeting to register varying degrees of attraction. The subjects were videotaped and their attraction recorded.
Results: For short men and average men, the degree of attraction recorded by the electronic device was a predictor of whether a woman was willing to go on a date with a man. This was not the case with tall man — the indicated attraction was not a good predictor. Women registered a relatively high degree of attraction to tall men they would not date. Basically, the study found women enjoy flirting with the tall men even if they did not like him.
The question is: did scientists really find life on a meteorite? I’m not sure what the answer is.
Interesting item about potassium iodide. I’m not sure it’s worth buying — even at $10.
If you let tall people read that article while sitting in the center seat of a transatlantic flight, you might hear a different story about happiness. A 6’4″ friend of mine complained about it all the time: he couldn’t fit in most cars, he hated flying, he had to special order pants, his knees always hurt because the chairs weren’t made for his height, so his legs were always bent at strange angles.
The major benefits for him: social advantage (people think taller=smarter), financial compensation (the guy made lots of money), and dating (woman loved the “strong and tall” thing).
I suppose it’s a wash at the end of the day.
@ Ian That is hilarious; I totally agree.