The Endless Benefits of the Oculus Rift

Every week it seems there is some new and awesome development with the Oculus Rift and the VR technology on which is it based. I have read about the gadgets being made to go alongside it to complete the virtual reaity experience – the treadmill-style stand pad, for instance, designed to keep players in one place to stop them from wrecking their houses. I have heard a lot about the games being made for it. Mostly exploratory games designed to make the most of the totally immersive technology, there is also set to be a huge market for games featuring a lot of shock and gore. This is not all that surprising. A California based firm called Sinful Robot is dedicated to creating “reality adult encounters”, which is only odd because this kind of thing usually comes from Japan.

And then I found something that can only be described as noble.

A psychologist called Albert “Skip” Rizzo has been working on the VR technology developed by Oculus to treat people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. His work utilises reality-based exposure to ease patients based into a state of health. He is also working with VR applications for things such a physical rehabilitation, the improvement of motor function and various programmes designed to help children suffering from all manner of problems spanning pain following operations to autism.

In 2010, he was presented with the American Psychological Association's Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Treatment of Trauma.

And with good reason.

Finally, A Break for the Bacon-Loving Vegetarian!

A little while ago I came across this lovely story. Featuring bacon at its centre, it inevitably caught the attention of nerds (such as myself) from across the world.

Probably the chickeniest
McNugget ever made...

Basically, some clever Dutch bunnies have developed a way of growing bacon, and other kinds of meat (but mostly importantly bacon), from stem cells. This means that a burger can be grown in a lab. It means that there is no need for a chicken to live, suffer and die horribly just to end up as whatever sliver of a McNugget actually is chicken.

Although still in its early stages, this innovation has the potential to remove the need to farm animals for food from modern civilisation because meat - and all it's lovely, protein-y, meaty goodness - can go from stem cell to plate without the bother of raising and harming any animals.

Accepting for the time being that stem cells are all very well and good (which they are), this could mean massive benefits to the world. It would mean less animal cruelty on farms and it would mean that there is a more efficient way to feed the starving millions in third world countries who are in desperate need of more nutritious food.

Plus, it would mean that pigs could be bred for cuddling instead of eating...

It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!!!!

And now I sort of understand why you would avoid eating them...

But I do have a question for those who choose not to indulge in the general loveliness of bacon.

Look at that. How can you resist?

The point is, if you have up until now, do you still have to?

I am genuinely curious about this, but I am not really close enough to any vegetarians or vegans to demand that they read articles and offer opinions purely for my benefit. So, Intenet; it is up to you.

Excusing those people who choose not to eat meat for medical reasons, and focussing instead on those who choose to avoid meat because they think that eating the flesh of a once-living thing is immoral, would this meat be alright to eat? Would you consider trying genetically-engineered, no-animals-harmed, test-tube-to-frying-pan bacon?