Fresh coffee IS better

Why does coffee taste like donkey's butt when it's reheated?

The brewing process releases chemicals call lactones that are slightly bitter. As coffee cools, lactones break down into smaller carboxylic acids, which are unpleasantly bitter. When coffee is reheated, these carboxylic acids remain along with the bitter taste. 

However, when fresh coffee is poured quickly over ice, carboxylic acids have less time to form so your coffee tastes better. 

The best is cold press coffee as carboxylic acids don't form at all.

For more scientific breakdown, see here. For original source, see here. 

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Lookalikes

Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States, looks so much like Alec Baldwin, it's borderline creepy.

See many more here.

Lions vs. tigers

If a tiger fought a lion, which animal would win? This Quora answer favors the tiger:

While it would depend on the size, age and aggressiveness of the specific animals involved, generally tigers have a significant advantage. On average tigers are larger, but more importantly they are more capable of fighting standing on their hind legs.

Read the whole article, it's pretty interesting.

Hipster as American Psycho

I live in the American Gardens Building on W. 81st Street on the 11th floor. My name is Patrick Bateman. I'm 27 years old. I believe in taking care of myself and a balanced diet and rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower I use a water activated gel cleanser, then a honey almond body scrub, and on the face an exfoliating gel scrub. Then I apply an herb-mint facial mask which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an after shave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.

That's a quote from American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, a novel that's (partly) about the lead character's superficiality and unashamed pursuit of status, wealth, pleasure and visual appeal at any cost.

A Twitter user finitor makes an interesting observation:

Finally read American Psycho, and you could totally swap it to 2013 Williamsburg with startup people namechecking artisanal food & cocktails
— finitor (@finitor) May 28, 2013

Can't you just see 2013 Patrick Bateman living in Brooklyn and obsessing over polyorganic maple syrup from Vermont, hand produced by blind artisan monks, that's slowly poured over gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, nut-free, fodmap-free crepes based on a French recipe by Andre Papalmous Njienxga, a Filipino-Ghanian chef who grew up in Chile, all served on jar covers that were hand designed by Syrian refugees.

Less therapy = less trauma

Andrew Sullivan's blog links to an interesting study that suggests many single counseling therapy sessions are not only ineffective but counterproductive:

In our trauma-focused society, it is often forgotten that the majority of people who experience the ravages of natural disaster, become the victims of violence or lose loved ones in tragedy will need no assistance from mental health professionals. 

Most people will be shaken up, distressed and bereaved, but these are natural reactions, not in themselves disorders. Only a minority of people – rarely more than 30% in well-conducted studies and often considerably less – will develop psychological difficulties as a result of their experiences, and the single most common outcome is recovery without the need of professional help. 

… [W]hat the individual therapist can’t see is that [recovery] would happen more effectively, leaving less people traumatised, if they did nothing. 

More here.

What does Europe think of Europe?

In surprising turn of events, the French find themselves to be the most AND least arrogant of all EU nations.

Hat tip to marginalrevolution.com