Paul Raven @ 15-04-2008
The headlines about the global economic situation aren’t getting any more cheerful right now, are they? While there are many many contributing factors to a complex economic system, a group of UK researchers have suggested that there is a link between the stability of the stock market and the hormonal levels of stock market traders. [image by Petrick]
“But which is the cause and which is the effect? A further analysis showed that traders who started their days with elevated testosterone made more money than those who didn’t. One trader went on a six-day winning streak, making twice as much money each day as the previous one. Over that period, his testosterone levels rose steadily, some 74 per cent.”
The cause and effect question remains open (and probably always will do), but the article suggests that elevated hormonal levels may be very bad for the traders themselves … and that a stock market with more women trading on it might be more stable.
Amen to that.
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Paul Raven @ 25-03-2008
Here’s another bioethics question that’s probably no less contentious than the deaf baby issue. Thomas Beattie is legally married to a woman called Nancy. Nothing unusual there; what’s unusual is that Thomas is transgender - he’s now legally counted as a man, but was previously female. So far, so good.
Now the tricky bit - Thomas is pregnant.
“Sterilization is not a requirement for sex reassignment, so I decided to have chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy but kept my reproductive rights. Wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire.”
In this instance, I find my own attitudes very clear cut - I have no problems with this at all. But I imagine the anti-gay-marriage crowd will be pretty upset about it, which brings us to a question familiar to transhumanist thinkers and readers of feminist science fiction alike - is “gender” a function of genetics, of psychology or of society? [via BoingBoing]
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Jeremy Lyon @ 08-07-2007
Psychology Today, in a transparent bid to stir up a little traffic, has published ten politically incorrect truths about human nature. For example: blondes do have more fun, most suicide bombers are Muslim, beautiful people have more daughters and men sexually harass women because they’re not sexist. [slashdot]
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Jeremy Lyon @ 02-08-2006
Futurismic’s resident purveyor of gender- and identity-bending fiction, Ruth Nestvold, brings us a story about the dangers of escaping your own skin - “Exit Without Saving”.
Exit Without Saving
by Ruth Nestvold
Spending credit illegally was difficult, but there were ways, if you were clever. There were always ways. Using a morph unit illegally was even more difficult, but to Mallory it was worth the risk.
Friends like Lorraine made it possible. Lorraine was a lab technician for Softec, and she was both clever and greedy; to make a little extra on the side, she allowed Mallory to use the units during off hours. Mallory had no idea if any of the other morph agents were also clandestine customers — Lorraine could be trusted to keep her mouth shut.
“I don’t understand why they don’t market these things for entertainment purposes,†Lorraine said as she adjusted the download cap on Mallory’s head. Continue reading “EXIT WITHOUT SAVING by Ruth Nestvold”
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Jeremy Lyon @ 01-07-2006
David Reagan’s “Only The Neck Down” is the kind of story that lands a heavy narrative punch with a few well-placed images. You know how when you like the beginning of a story, you start worrying the writer’s going to screw up the end? David doesn’t.
A word of warning: this story contains explicit sexual imagery, so avert your eyes if you’re a young ‘un or overly sensitive.
Only The Neck Down
by David Reagan
Adrianna loved cool fall evenings without a hair-disturbing breeze — perfect weather for donning a warm and fuzzy sweater. She picked the pink one, a recent thrift store find, because it was a size too small. Fashion’s winter weaponry could be just as devastating as short shorts and a halter top.
She examined herself in the mirror, starting at the floor and working her way up. Nice feet, well proportioned. In the summer, she was fond of sandals and holographic nail polish that shimmered with rainbow colors on each of her toes. Her tight, denim jeans highlighted long legs that tapered up to perfect thighs and hips that showed her femininity without flaunting it. She twisted at the waist, pleased with the firm swells of her rear. Fifteen miles a week on the treadmill were doing their job. Continue reading “ONLY THE NECK DOWN by David Reagan”
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