What is the newest installment of 'Random Thoughts' on Physics Forums?

[WWGD]

I thought of that! Do men tend to be risk takers as compared to women? Could it be due to the underdeveloped prefrontal cortex in young men?

Likely Testosterone.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Likely Testosterone.

That too!

Over the years I have remembered a few things I did as a teenager or young man that make me shake in my boots today! I am lucky that neither I or anyone else was ever injured or killed because of me. Looking back, it is hard to imagine it was me! WHAT was I thinking?!?!?!

And at that point in life, Freud was right: It was almost all about sex. So, driven by hormones and lacking good judgement = young men.

 

[WWGD]

I too, at one point somehow intuitited, realized, I had used my nine lives. I calmed down , somewhat , after that in terms of arguably -stupid risk taking.

 

[jtbell]

Yesterday while I was driving along, once again I noticed that the recessed manhole covers in city streets seem to be cunningly placed off-center in the driving lane, so that my car's wheels always pass over them, ka-thunk, ka-thunk!

I wonder if the designers of streets and underground utility lines are specifically trained to achieve this outcome. Why not place the manholes in the middle of the lane?

 

[jack action]

How would you like to see people recognized, specifically; who and how?

I don't know but I find it bizarre that somehow we cannot think of any competition where women excel as well as men or even surpass them.

Are competitions designed by men, for men, really the only worthy yardstick to evaluate and compare human beings?

Maybe Women are too smart to think jumping 40 meters out of a helicopter is a worthy passtime.

I thought of something like that too. But what would be the point of a "Woman World Record"? "Congratulations! You are almost as stupid as a man"?

You are acting like the difference is contrived. I don't know why the record for women is so much lower but it isn't due to personal bias. So I guess I don't understand your point.

I just thought of some competition where gender shouldn't matter: Chess. Yet:

Judit Polgár, generally considered the strongest female player of all time, was at one time the eighth highest rated player in the world, and remains the only woman to have ever been rated in the world's top ten. Three women, Maia Chiburdanidze, Polgár, and Hou Yifan, have been ranked in the world's top 100 players.

The point I was trying to raise, to answer your question, was this one:

Some women players believe the major reason is due to cultural expectations and bias. Jennifer Shahade, a FIDE Woman Grandmaster and the women's program director at the United States Chess Federation (USCF), said there is a large drop-off of girls at the USCF around the ages of 12 and 13, which she attributes to the lack of a social network for girls that age in chess. Polgár said that society and some parents may weaken the desire of young female chess players to improve, and that women were often held back by lower ambition by choosing to compete in all-women tournaments rather than open tournaments.

In a 2007 study at the University of Padua, male and female players of similar ability were matched up with each other on online games. When the players were unaware of their opponent's sex, female players won slightly under half their games. When female players were told their opponent was male, they played less aggressively, and they won about one in four games. However, when female players were told their opponent was female, even though they were actually male, they were as aggressive as the male players and won about one in two games. The researchers argued that gender stereotypes may have led female players to lower their self-esteem and self-confidence when they know they are playing male players, causing them to play defensively which worsened their performance.

This leads me to believe that separating women from men is not necessarily a helpful thing to do for women. You are just producing people with low self-esteem and performing less, which in turn reaffirms the initial hypothesis that women need to be separated from men "for their own good".

 

[WWGD]

Women tend to do better than men in Gymnastics. And on average female models outearn male models.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Yesterday while I was driving along, once again I noticed that the recessed manhole covers in city streets seem to be cunningly placed off-center in the driving lane, so that my car's wheels always pass over them, ka-thunk, ka-thunk!

I wonder if the designers of streets and underground utility lines are specifically trained to achieve this outcome. Why not place the manholes in the middle of the lane?

They have been everywhere I've lived, until now. There is a local Hwy like that.

A old friend of mine from either Iran or Pakistan [not sure which friend] said they have triangular manhole covers in his home country.
'
Guess what the teenagers like to do.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Women tend to do better than men in Gymnastics.

And shooting guns.

A big part of sports is not getting psyched out by your opponent or losing confidence. Perhaps this is a fundamental strength that men have over women - they are more competitive.

When I hear women complain about making less in the workplace, I often wonder if competitiveness and confidence is the problem there too. Employers will abuse men just as readily as women if they can get away with it. If you don't ask for a raise, you probably aren't going to get one. And if you aren't willing to walk, you may not get as much of a raise.

 

[BillTre]

I don't know but I find it bizarre that somehow we cannot think of any competition where women excel as well as men or even surpass them.

This is a really complex issue.

First, I would look at this as a population of individuals with population stats. However, some individuals may not follow the statistical trend.
Its my understanding that until puberty boys and girls are about the same physically. Then changes happen, first to girls, perhaps giving them a temporary physical advantage. Then to the boys, which get bigger, are more aggressive (good for many sports).
Women are (generally smaller lighter etc.) able to other things (not normally associated with men) better.

Here is, I think, an interesting example:
I had a roommate who ended up being a national collegiate champ in the rings in gymnastics. I also liked gymnastics, so good match. I like going to their matches. There was also a women's gymnastic team. The men's and women's events were different and build to show off what each group could do best.
The men could not compete successfully in the women's events and visa versa.
Both due floor routines (tumbling), but different aspects are emphasized in the tricks performed and how they are scored.
Maybe vaulting is the competition that would be most similar.

Other events are only performed by one sex:
rings (male, strength)
uneven parallel bars (women, timing)
parallel bars (men, lots of arm power moves)
balance beam (women, balance, flexibility)

Male events emphasize strength, whereas women's events emphasize flexibility (although, they both are good at both).
Women gymnasts are usually smaller lighter and closer to the ground. This advantage makes it possible for Simone Biles to do things that the guys could not.

There are also issues of:

• are women (as a population) as motivated to do these things as guys are?
• If they aren't (for whatever reason), then you are also comparing records from a smaller population. Really outstanding performances (or performers) would be less likely to occur in the under represented group (women).

 

[WWGD]

And shooting guns.

A big part of sports is not getting psyched out by your opponent or loosing confidence. Perhaps this is a fundamental strength that men have over women - they are more competitive.

When I hear women complain about making less in the workplace, I often wonder if competitiveness and confidence is the problem there too. Employers will abuse men just as readily as women if they can get away with it. If you don't ask for a raise, you probably aren't going to get one. And if you aren't willing to walk, you may not get as much of a raise.

There's also the fact that women go into STEM tracks , the highest-paying ones on average, at a significantly lower rate than men. Not sure why.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

There's also the fact that women go into STEM tracks , the highest-paying ones on average, at a significantly lower rate than men. Not sure why.

In many ways, women are outperforming men in the workplace. But if you are willing to work for less, any employer is willing to pay less.

 

[Ibix]

In many ways, women are outperforming men in the workplace. But if you are willing to work for less, any employer is willing to pay less.

There's a phenomenon a lot of women report that men don't listen to them. It usually manifests itself in terms of a woman proposing an idea in a meeting and everybody going "uh huh", then a man proposing the same idea and everbody saying it's great. But it would also be kind of hard to sell yourself in a promotion/pay negotiation if the boss isn't really hearing what you say.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

There's a phenomenon a lot of women report that men don't listen to them. It usually manifests itself in terms of a woman proposing an idea in a meeting and everybody going "uh huh", then a man proposing the same idea and everbody saying it's great. But it would also be kind of hard to sell yourself in a promotion/pay negotiation if the boss isn't really hearing what you say.

So they say... While this was probably true 30 years ago, I think in the US that is mostly ancient history. I struggle for recognition of my work at times too. If I don't stand up for myself, I get walked on. That has nothing to do with gender.

We had a young female engineer, 25 years old at the time, who often took over meetings with a bunch of gray-hair men. She asserted herself and people listened. She ended up being my assistant and I had the pleasure of working closely with her for two years. Everyone thought highly of her. But she didn't get recognition just because she was often right. She had to fight for it just like any man.

People try to take credit for my work too.

PS. I fell in love with my assistant but I was a good dog. She could tell and we had a wonderful personal and working relationship. I looked forward to working with her every day.

 

[gmax137]

Back in the 1980s a female coworker, project manager, was in her conference room with our various engineers waiting for the clients. When the Koreans got there, one of them asked her to fetch coffee for him. "Yeah, right," she said "now let's get started..."

I know we in the US had problems but other cultures we much worse.

 

[WWGD]

I thought it was accepted overall, that in a place with 18 tables, 17 empty ( me in the other one), you don't sit right next to the only occupied table.

 

[WWGD]

There's a city called Sharm-El-Sheikh.

I want to sell Shake N Bake in Sharm el Sheikh.

 

[fresh_42]

There's a city called Sharm-El-Sheikh.

I want to sell Shake N Bake in Sharm el Sheikh.

Believe me, you won't want.

 

[WWGD]

Believe me, you won't want.

They don't like Shake and Bake there?

 

[berkeman]

I thought it was accepted overall, that in a place with 18 tables, 17 empty ( me in the other one), you don't sit right next to the only occupied table.

Was there only one waiter/waitress there at the time?

 

[fresh_42]

They don't like Shake and Bake there?

Let me put it this way:

I would not willingly deprive myself of various personal liberties. There are far too many beautiful places on Earth that I haven't seen yet and where I don't have to.

 

[WWGD]

Was there only one waiter/waitress there at the time?

No waitresses around. You order your food on a screen , pick it up when it's ready, sit and eat it.

 

[berkeman]

Sounds like it's good to have somebody to talk to...

 

[pinball1970]

So they say... While this was probably true 30 years ago, I think in the US that is mostly ancient history. I struggle for recognition of my work at times too. If I don't stand up for myself, I get walked on. That has nothing to do with gender.

We had a young female engineer, 25 years old at the time, who often took over meetings with a bunch of gray-hair men. She asserted herself and people listened. She ended up being my assistant and I had the pleasure of working closely with her for two years. Everyone thought highly of her. But she didn't get recognition just because she was often right. She had to fight for it just like any man.

People try to take credit for my work too.

PS. I fell in love with my assistant but I was a good dog. She could tell and we had a wonderful personal and working relationship. I looked forward to working with her every day.

When I was younger, a lot younger we interviewed for a lab tech.

I was too busy (or not asked ) to be on the panel ,so I did not see any of the interviewees till they got a quick tour of the lab.

I only got a glimpse as I was busy but saw candidate 1. Fat bald guy 2. Pretty blond girl.

When I saw my boss I grabbed hold of her arm and said “get the blond! get the blond! get the blond!” Very professional- she saw the funny side.

Months later (she got the blond) and it turned she was quite fiery and opinionated, we went head-to-head a lot.

At lunch in the canteen, she came out with some stupid nonsense about looks, women or something implying she was stunningly beautiful.

I made a joke at her expense and everyone laughed so she looked right at me said, “Get the blond, get the blond, get the blond!”
My female boss sold me out without me knowing.

A slam dunk. I did kind of pull it back by congratulating her on winning the contest of attractiveness between her and a fat bald guy, however..

She thought on her feet

 

[jack action]

The first human-made object to break the sound barrier was a whip.

 

[WWGD]

#$@ StepTracker App keeps sending me notifications: You've taken too few steps today.

 

[WWGD]

History Channel built, then burst, my bubble. Some fun, interesting shows on food, branding, then back to: Ancient Aliens dreck.

 

[fresh_42]

We live in strange times. Carrington? Overdue! Yellowstone? Overdue! The Big One? Overdue!

 

[fresh_42]

They have a show on one channel here at night called Space Night where they show uncommented satellite pictures, or ISS pictures with some music, sometimes old Apollo shows, e.g. 13, and things like that. Tonight they show satellite pictures (before and after) from all over the world. The copyright marks are from the who-is-who of the sector: ESA, DLR, NASA and USGS, Google Earth.

Quite impressive, or should I say depressive? Especially the screenshots per year from 1986 until today. Glaciers, deserts, rain forests, farmland. Nice pictures, but what they show is dramatic.

 

[WWGD]

They have a show on one channel here at night called Space Night where they show uncommented satellite pictures, or ISS pictures with some music, sometimes old Apollo shows, e.g. 13, and things like that. Tonight they show satellite pictures (before and after) from all over the world. The copyright marks are from the who-is-who of the sector: ESA, DLR, NASA and USGS, Google Earth.

Quite impressive, or should I say depressive? Especially the screenshots per year from 1986 until today. Glaciers, deserts, rain forests, farmland. Nice pictures, but what they show is dramatic.

Dramatic you mean the disappearance of those landscapes?

 

[fresh_42]

Dramatic you mean the disappearance of those landscapes?

Yes. The slide shows, 1986 - 2020 for instance, are very telling.

 

[WWGD]

More Math impossibility results: Changes in my Uber passenger score.

 

[WWGD]

Not likely my command line app will ever work put.

 

[Tom.G]

Not likely my command line app will ever work put.

Gee... wonder why?

 

[nuuskur]

Sank my teeth into Baldur's Gate 3. Holy moly what a game! Packed full of content. Day 3 and I'm still only level 5 and discovering new things around the starting areas.

 

[WWGD]

Only game I really got into was ' Crusin World', much more low tech, a standard arcade game.
Kind of funny I would end up poring sweat while playing. People would often ask me, upon seeing this, whether I just came out of the rain.