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

[Jarvis323]

Let them do what they choose to do. I don't see anyone stopping them.

I agree, but people don't make choices in a vacuum. This paper offers some insight into the subject.

https://www.washington.edu/news/201...men-than-others-uw-study-may-have-the-answer/

 

[WWGD]

I agree, but people don't make choices in a vacuum. This paper offers some insight into the subject.

https://www.washington.edu/news/201...men-than-others-uw-study-may-have-the-answer/

Still, in Nordic countries, the gold standard for equality, the same holds. And if you group by race, Asian Americans obtain them at a higher rate than Whites , who obtain them at a higher rate than Blacks and Latinos. Should we seek equality here too? How about for teachers, rn's, who are mostly female? I saw during my studies, several very generous scholarships for women and " non-traditional" students that went unused. I know it is just a data point; still, if you need/expect society to approve of what you do, you have your own issues to address. I don't remember anyone cheering me into getting my degree, nor feeling welcome among my group. On the contrary, often. It frankly seems some people don't realize life is hard for all and most of us just have to rough it out. Now, if this was Afghanistan or some other place, I'd agree. But it is nowhere near that way in the West.

Edit: It is also the case that women nowadays obtain around 60% of all college degrees, including graduate ones. This has not been addressed to my knowledge.

 

[WWGD]

Why does dimensional analysis work?

How else will it be able to pay for food and rent?

Kind of hard to understand just what they're asking.

 

[Frabjous]

Why does dimensional analysis work?

It’s as easy as 1 2 3
or 4 for relativity

 

[Jarvis323]

Still, in Nordic countries, the gold standard for equality, the same holds. And if you group by race, Asian Americans obtain them at a higher rate than Whites , who obtain them at a higher rate than Blacks and Latinos. Should we seek equality here too? How about for teachers, rn's, who are mostly female? I saw during my studies, several very generous scholarships for women and " non-traditional" students that went unused. I know it is just a data point; still, if you need/expect society to approve of what you do, you have your own issues to address. I don't remember anyone cheering me into getting my degree, nor feeling welcome among my group. On the contrary, often. It frankly seems some people don't realize life is hard for all and most of us just have to rough it out. Now, if this was Afghanistan or some other place, I'd agree. But it is nowhere near that way in the West.

Edit: It is also the case that women nowadays obtain around 60% of all college degrees, including graduate ones. This has not been addressed to my knowledge.

I think the concepts discussed in the paper apply to any form of self identity. The take away is that people shy away from paths that they (perhaps even only subconsciously) perceive they aren't welcomed to, or cutout for. So the obvious improvement we can make in society is to identify ways to prevent people from forming these kinds of perceptions when they're harmful. That's why you see so much in terms of efforts to increase, and also overtly highlight diversity. It's an implementation of a strategy to improve peoples self confidence and show them examples of valid life paths that they otherwise might shy away from, e.g. due to self doubt.

 

[WWGD]

I think the concepts discussed in the paper apply to any form of self identity. The take away is that people shy away from paths that they (perhaps even only subconsciously) perceive they aren't welcomed to, or cutout for. So the obvious improvement we can make in society is to identify ways to prevent people from forming these kinds of perceptions when they're harmful. That's why you see so much in terms of efforts to increase, and also overtly highlight diversity. It's an implementation of a strategy to improve peoples self confidence and show them examples of valid life paths that they otherwise might shy away from, e.g. due to self doubt.

It would be great if we could have a society that is supportive and where all feel welcome in most environments. But that will not likely happen any time soon. And that applies to most of us. To be realistic, it makes more sense to look within for strength. It is harsh, but if you need approval to the extent you make your choices, however subconsciously, in order to avoid not feeling accepted, it's more a personal than an environmental/ societal issue.

 

[WWGD]

Basically this is imo more of a far left issue; far right has its obvious ones ( stability for it's sake as the greatest good, etc), but that's another ( long) conversation. When someone feels uncomfortable in a setting, it's then assumed to be a societal rather than individual issue; specially for selected groups. As trite as it may be, I don't buy either end. Maybe those who lack confidence or do not feel accepted should at least make an effort to look into themselves rather than expect others, society to change. Of course, this applies within reason.

 

[WWGD]

I ultimately see the two as part of a system of checks and balances. Conservatism is biased towards stability and continuity , while the left is biased towards change. But neither change nor stability are good for their sake alone. Change is needed at times, but sinetimrs it can be harmful. My 2 bits.

 

[Jarvis323]

, however subconsciously, in order to avoid not feeling accepted, it's more a personal than an environmental/ societal issue.

I don't think you can separate the individual from the environment. You are part of your environment, and your environment is part of you. We shape our environment and our environment shapes us. This is why it's such a complex issue.

From historical analysis, without placing an intellectual focus on it, looking inwards and outwards, democratizing our ambitions, and actively trying to do better, we've ended up with thousands of years of terrible oppression.

We've come a long way, but no reason to believe we've just fixed the problems and now we can just move on and let things be and emerge as they will. It's rather a topic well deserving of deep study.

And it goes further than just issues of race and gender, as it pertains to how people view themselves in relation to their environment. There are some other big hurdles I think that people need to get over in terms of destructive collective/group behavior; especially as we become so numerous and technologically advanced.

 

[kyphysics]

*wonders if I've tipped WAY too low*

I don't have any pandemic curbside food pick-up experience. Today was a first. I went to Five Guys burgers and ordered a $33-ish meal (pre-tax). I tipped on my online order $3.50.

As I was eating, I had random thoughts/fears of whether this was right to do? I began Googling "how much to tip curbside" and saw some very high figures. Lots of articles say to tip 20% (although, some differ or don't say on whether that is off the sub-total or fully taxed total)...some say 15%. None really said 10% that I can recall.

My fries were sort of cold and I wondered if I tipped way too low and offended the employees. My rationale was that I was ordering from a place that ALREADY puts food in a to-go bag. There is literally nothing different from what they'd be doing vs. me ordering carryout or dine-in. Same bag! The ONLY difference is the employee walking a few feet extra (probably takes a total of one minute) to deliver me the food in my trunk right outside the restaurant (they have reserved parking in those slots). I could see myself tipping 15% or more for maybe a steakhouse curbside pick-up or maybe even Panera bread, where their food packaging procedures are different. But, with Five Guys, the way they serve food is the exact same whether dine in or whatever. That was the reason for my low tip (a little over 10% of the sub-total).

I worry I violated industry etiquette. Any random thoughts?

 

[Frabjous]

I ultimately see the two as part of a system of checks and balances. Conservatism is biased towards stability and continuity , while the left is biased towards change. But neither change nor stability are good for their sake alone. Change is needed at times, but sinetimrs it can be harmful. My 2 bits.

One could also conceptualize it as part of the positive/negative liberty debate.

 

[Frabjous]

*wonders if I've tipped WAY too low*

I don't have any pandemic curbside food pick-up experience. Today was a first. I went to Five Guys burgers and ordered a $33-ish meal (pre-tax). I tipped on my online order $3.50.

As I was eating, I had random thoughts/fears of whether this was right to do? I began Googling "how much to tip curbside" and saw some very high figures. Lots of articles say to tip 20% (although, some differ or don't say on whether that is off the sub-total or fully taxed total)...some say 15%. None really said 10% that I can recall.

My fries were sort of cold and I wondered if I tipped way too low and offended the employees. My rationale was that I was ordering from a place that ALREADY puts food in a to-go bag. There is literally nothing different from what they'd be doing vs. me ordering carryout or dine-in. Same bag! The ONLY difference is the employee walking a few feet extra (probably takes a total of one minute) to deliver me the food in my trunk right outside the restaurant (they have reserved parking in those slots). I could see myself tipping 15% or more for maybe a steakhouse curbside pick-up or maybe even Panera bread, where their food packaging procedures are different. But, with Five Guys, the way they serve food is the exact same whether dine in or whatever. That was the reason for my low tip (a little over 10% of the sub-total).

I worry I violated industry etiquette. Any random thoughts?

I‘ve been a big tipper during Covid; however, I would guess your issue is that it took longer for you to get there than it took to prepare your food.

 

[WWGD]

I don't think you can separate the individual from the environment. You are part of your environment, and your environment is part of you. We shape our environment and our environment shapes us. This is why it's such a complex issue.

From historical analysis, without placing an intellectual focus on it, looking inwards and outwards, democratizing our ambitions, and actively trying to do better, we've ended up with thousands of years of terrible oppression.

We've come a long way, but no reason to believe we've just fixed the problems and now we can just move on and let things be and emerge as they will. It's rather a topic well deserving of deep study.

And it goes further than just issues of race and gender, as it pertains to how people view themselves in relation to their environment. There are some other big hurdles I think that people need to get over in terms of destructive collective/group behavior; especially as we become so numerous and technologically advanced.

Just how far into oppression and privilege is the US at least, when several majority groups do better than the majority group in terms of income, education

 

[kyphysics]

I‘ve been a big tipper during Covid; however, I would guess your issue is that it took longer for you to get there than it took to prepare your food.

Interesting thoughts. I actually never considered my own driving time. The main thing I considered was what type of extra service was being provided to me?

I realized practically none, aside from walking my bag to my car. As mentioned, the packing of the order is 100% the same as if I just ordered carryout or dine-in. Their style is fast food bagging (no trays or plates, etc.) even for dine-in. That was the main reason I tipped "lower."

Good point about this being a pandemic and maybe considering that. I totally blew that part and didn't consider it in my newbie curbside tipping experience.

 

[WWGD]

Just how far into oppression and privilege is the US at least, when several majority groups do better than the majority group in terms of income, educationView attachment 283004

Several preventive and punitive measures have been taken to prevent racism or oppression of different sorts. Problem I see isthe left believes unequal outcomes are necessarily a sign of structual inequality. I don't think this is necessarily the case. I prefer the mixed approach: partially personal, partially societal. You are affected by society, sure, but for most cases, you can choose how to react. I don't believe that nowadays , at least in the West, that oppression is pervasive.

Edit:And the narrative of a clean description of the west as the oppressor and the restvas oppressed is factually incorrect. Look at the Japanese, Pol Pot, Great Leap Forward, etc. Ultimately, every group has oppressed and has itself oppressed others.

 

[Jarvis323]

Problem I see isthe left believes unequal outcomes are necessarily a sign of structual inequality. I don't think this is necessarily the case. I prefer the mixed approach: partially personal, partially societal. You are affected by society, sure, but for most cases, you can choose how to react.

I realize that your views are well reasoned and not overly simplistic. So just should clarify that my criticisms are not directed at you.

At face value, it's a reasonable sounding viewpoint that people are responsible for their actions and so long as they theoretically have the same opportunities then no one but themselves can be blamed when outcomes are unequal given equal opportunity. But realistically, it isn't that simple. Sometimes the outcomes are predictable based on the situations, and expecting people to have the fortitude to overcome them and assigning responsibility/blame on individuals when they fail, becomes unproductive. The goal should be helping people succeed in my view. If people are having trouble, whether it is due to their shortcomings, or external factors, should mostly be a matter that affects how we try to help. I.e., it's a matter of distinguishing/clarifying the difference between blame and cause, and addressing issues through causal analysis rather than assigning blame.

 

[WWGD]

Nice, simple proof of the irrationality of $\sqrt 2$ : Use rational coefficient theorem for $x^2-2$ . Fancier: Use Eisenstein.

 

[Astronuc]

Cracked Memphis Bridge Remains Indefinitely Closed, Disrupting Supply Chain
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/12/9964...s-indefinitely-closed-disrupting-supply-chain

It didn't just crack. I wonder how they missed it earlier.

This could have been another bridge collapse like I-35W in Minneapolis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Mississippi_River_bridge#Collapse
https://www.lrl.mn.gov/guides/guides?issue=bridges

 

[WWGD]

Cracked Memphis Bridge Remains Indefinitely Closed, Disrupting Supply Chain
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/12/9964...s-indefinitely-closed-disrupting-supply-chain

It didn't just crack. I wonder how they missed it earlier.

This could have been another bridge collapse like I-35W in Minneapolis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-35W_Mississippi_River_bridge#Collapse
https://www.lrl.mn.gov/guides/guides?issue=bridges

Still, does this happen often enough to fall into systemic problem territory/criterion?

 

[dlgoff]

We must start to tell the world that we actually do vegan science!

I should email my daughter this post, as she has been a vegetarian/vegan for a few years now. I too love vegetables, grow them every summer, but not enough to only eat them. The last time she visited, she stocked up my refrigerator with only vegan eats.

 

[WWGD]

I should email my daughter this post, as she has been a vegetarian/vegan for a few years now. I too love vegetables, grow them every summer, but not enough to only eat them. The last time she visited, she stocked up my refrigerator with only vegan eats.

I don't want to get too involved in it because from what I understand, Veganism is not as cruelty-free as its proponents claim. For one, cutting down trees destroys the habitats of several animals which will die as a result. Then there is the use of fertilizers, pesticides causing more deaths. Then there is the fact that most vegans, often out of necessity, import and eat vegetables from far away, which increases greenhouse gases.

Edit: Then there is too, the use of tractors/combines which end up killing more animals. Just mostly not farm animals , but just about every other one.

 

[WWGD]

A redo of an old post.

A recent conversation:
" Sir, what time is it?"
A: " YES, YES, I AM A VEGAN!...er, it's 2 p.m ".

 

[nuuskur]

at times I have the urge to visit this forum and type "psychicsforums.com" in the address bar :D

 

[WWGD]

Wikipedia emailed me and ask me to include it in my will ( I have donated small amounts). Not sure what to make of it.

 

[Ibix]

at times I have the urge to visit this forum and type "psychicsforums.com" in the address bar :D

On Psychics Forums they don't have a homework template because they already know what your question is.

 

[Ibix]

Wikipedia emailed me and ask me to include it in my will ( I have donated small amounts). Not sure what to make of it.

Donate, as long as they create a page in your memory.

 

[WWGD]

Donate, as long as they create a page in your memory.

I doubt I have that much money. I can imagine a Wikipedia guy following me and tryng to push me in front of the bus to get my tiny donation. A bit too vulture-like for my taste. Or emailing me weekly: " Will you be dying soon?

 

[Ibix]

I've been vaccinated and have to sit around for fifteen minutes and I'm watching people queuing for their vaccine. There's the usual serpentine queue with coloured "stand here" dots on the floor. Most people have one or both feet on their dot or are straddling it, but a fairly constant 5-10% seem to stand anywhere but their dot - a half metre past or behind it or just off to one side or other. It's really weird. It's not exactly a difficult task...

 

[Keith_McClary]

Wikipedia emailed me and ask me to include it in my will ( I have donated small amounts). Not sure what to make of it.

I will donate when they tell me who decides what is a "Reliable Source".

 

[WWGD]

I will donate when they tell me who decides what is a "Reliable Source".

I just donated small amounts herr and there, never more than $10 at a time, as I am not by any means wealthy. Just kind of weird to receive that request. But you have a valid point.

 

[WWGD]

But that reminds me of a similar bizarre recent experience involving death. I was getting some take out food , and the person handing it to me, whom I had never seen before, asked me if I thought dying would be such a bad thing . I just thought of that as not being a topic for casual conversation.

 

[fresh_42]

But that reminds me of a similar bizarre recent experience involving death. I was getting some take out food , and the person handing it to me, whom I had never seen before, asked me if I thought dying would be such a bad thing . I just thought of that as not being a topic for casual conversation.

I'm not sure I had the nerves to eat that food anyway.

 

[WWGD]

I'm not sure I had the nerves to eat that food anyway.

Technically, the conversation came up after he gave me the food, but you're right that he may be somewhat disturbed. I should have checked if his name was Jim Jones ( from the 1978 mass suicide in former british guyana).

Edit: But that was around a year ago. So nothing, unless it is an extremely slow-acting poison.

 

[WWGD]

I will donate when they tell me who decides what is a "Reliable Source".

But that is also a maddening issue nowadays. Different people quote different sources to argue opposite points. Which source do you then agree with? Besides, often these studies contradict each other. So we went from the thrill of having all information available at the click of a mouse , to the agony of having to filter through it all and decide which part of it makes sense.

 

[WWGD]

I'm not sure I had the nerves to eat that food anyway.

Just to add context I should have included, the comment was in reference to Covid 19 and not death in general. He asked wether it would be so bad to die from it. Not the type of small talk I would do with strangers: " What time is it , sir?" . " Oh, 3 p.m? Sure, are you afraid of death? And what is your wife's favorite sexual position? ".