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

[Ibix]

Doesn't happen in English. In fact there's a tendency to use the male version as the collective one for a group of both sexes (where there's a male and female version of a word at all), which also irritates some people.

I take it your language has gendered nouns?

 

[Sophia]

Doesn't happen in English. In fact there's a tendency to use the male version as the collective one for a group of both sexes (where there's a male and female version of a word at all), which also irritates some people.

I take it your language has gendered nouns?

Yes, it does. We also always use the male version to indicate collective group. We only use a female form if we speak about one person, eg. "I went to my female doctor". This crazy system that I described above has only been used in few recent years in certain leftish media, but I'ḿ afraid it might become a norm if we don't stop it :D

I noticed the exact same thing in a German book by Hans Kung called Woman in Christianity. Naturally, my German is very poor so I read a translation, but I know that German has female forms of occupations, so I suppose they were used in original form.
Actually, Kung went crazy naming all the occupations of Jewish people and writing both genders. There was more than half of a page where both forms of occupations were listed.
I wonder if @fresh42 has noticed something like this in mainstream German media.

 

[Ibix]

I see where they're coming from, but it does seem an awfully clumsy solution.

 

[fresh_42]

It's funny to listen to or read certain media.

A friend of mine told me that there is a study that showed that Fox News watchers actually know less than people who don't listen to News at all.
I found this very funny.

I noticed the exact same thing in a German book by Hans Küng called ...

What the h... are you reading? This self announced selfish apostle? One of my triggers to change channels when he appears on the screen.

But the excesses that a political correct German produces is horrible. E.g. Doktor/in, DoktorIn, Doktorin / Doktor - simply awful and source of many stand-up comedy jokes.

 

[Sophia]

A friend of mine told me that there is a study that showed that Fox News watchers actually know less than people who don't listen to News at all.
I found this very funny.

LOL may be true!

What the h... are you reading? This self announced selfish apostle? One of my triggers to change channels when he appears on the screen.

Yes, I had a religious period that lasted about 10 years. I was interested in everything from Christianity (I even used to be a crazy evangelist for about 6 months until they kicked me out and told me Christ wasn't the centre of my life and to prepare for hell. I'm laughing now but it didn't seem so funny then), to Islam, modern Paganism, Taoism, also read Dawkins and satanism, parapsychology, etc. So one of the authors I run into was Kung.

But the excesses that a political correct German produces is horrible. E.g. Doktor/in, DoktorIn, Doktorin / Doktor - simply awful and source of many stand-up comedy jokes.

ok, I'm glad you have the same observation

 

[Psinter]

Regarding Sophie's post: It does sound funny, if not ridicule at times, but there is an explanation.

There are some people who have written social theories about the male dominant societies and how males control everything including the language and how it is unfair because it perpetuates their bad treatment, etc. In a class I took at uni, one professor was sidetracking a little (because that was not the subject of the class) and began talking about it. That some females have written about how the very language of English is male dominant because they use words to supposedly represent females as an extension of men. Like the word "women" which has in it the characters "men". That such things were done on purpose to represent them as nothing more but an extension of men and ends up having the effect of them being unequally treated, abused, etc.

The result is that those in charge of writing the news have been accused in some places of being misogynists (the accusers basing themselves on those theories) and they have had to mention every little detail to avoid being bashed by those people who think that way. However, it ends up in stuff like that which sounds funny when read.

On the other hand, some internet communities have decided to make fun of such social theories with memes even though most of them themselves have not taken the time to sit down and read the theories. The "Triggered" meme is one of those, where they show something that has characters symbolizing males in it (like "men" in "women", "king" in "United Kingdom", "Male" in "Maleficent", "Son" in "Sony", etc.) and a picture of a woman reading it accompanied with the text: "Triggered" below. That's pretty much how they use the meme to ridicule those social theories and those who abide by them.

“Trigger”[/PLAIN] is a term referring to any stimulus that evokes the memory of a traumatic event or episode. While the word is most commonly used in the context of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it has been since adopted by those in the social justice blogosphere to refer to any topical issue that is deemed contentious or debatable, and to a lesser extent, the term has been also re-appropriated as an ironic term used by their detractors to criticize certain issues that may be seen as too trivial or irrelevant to discuss in length.

 

[dlgoff]

Old used vacuum pump oil smells really bad.

 

[Astronuc]

Easy come, easy go.

From Bad To Worse: Forbes 400's Biggest Drop-off Elizabeth Holmes Announces More Grim News
http://www.forbes.com/sites/luisakr...ff-elizabeth-holmes-announces-more-grim-news/

Dozens Arrested In IRS Phone Scam Call Center Raids
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyph...rs-phone-scam-call-center-raids/#10d294b81f46

Nice. I periodically get those annoying robo-calls about an IRS audit. I simply block the caller, but I'd like to forward them to the IRS for prosecution.

 

[jim hardy]

Nice. I periodically get those annoying robo-calls about an IRS audit. I simply block the caller, but I'd like to forward them to the IRS for prosecution.

I did that one day.
I'd been pestered for a week or so , got ready for them.
one Monday morning i got the robocall . Caller ID just said "Oregon Call" so i pressed "1".
a foreign accent answered , i said "This connection is awful can i call you back ? " He gave me a number to dial which i did after blocking caller ID. Same foreign accent answered so i hung up.
Then i called the IRS internal fraud hotline that i'd looked up and written on the fridge, and told the nice lady who answered :
"Ma'am, i know this is not in your job description but please bear with me just a moment - have you heard of that IRS telemarketer scam ? (she said 'yes') Well they just called me and i got a number where they answered. It's an Oregon area code but i think it's foreign. . Please run this up the chain of command quickly - if they dial (whatever was the number) right now they'll get to talk to somebody running the scam. . Surely IRS has a pal at NSA who can link that number to an address. Try it yourself so you know I'm telling the truth."
She said "Thank you" but didnt commit.
That was Monday morning.

On Friday evening news i saw IRS had busted a Pakistani guy in Oregon for running an IRS phone scam. He said something to the TV reporter in the same thick accent i'd heard over the phone.

Dont know if they were connected. I like to think so.

Do fight back.
If i can get telemarketers talking and find out where they are located i fill out the FTC complaint form.
Took about fifty of them to get this guy Hilgar, and a letter to my congressman to get FTC to acknowledge the complaint submittals.

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/141113worldinfoorder.pdf

old jim

 

[Astronuc]

Then i called the IRS internal fraud hotline that i'd looked up and written on the fridge

Nice. I'm going to look at reporting the suspicious phone calls, including some voice messages with a call back number.

It would be nice if telecom providers had an app that would allow reporting scam/crackpot phone numbers, like reporting spam emails.

 

[Astronuc]

First farm to grow veg in a desert using only sun and seawater
https://www.newscientist.com/articl...-veg-in-a-desert-using-only-sun-and-seawater/

This looks great. Then I remind myself of the concentrated solar power station in California that incinerates birds that fly into the concentrated sun light.

 

[Astronuc]

Actually, I just used https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1 to forward a spam email. It looks like they have a section for reporting robocalls.

Working on reporting fake IRS phone calls
https://www.irs.gov/uac/report-phishing

 

[jim hardy]

Thanks for those links Astro. The IRS one is new since i last looked.

 

[Borg]

Very worried for a friend in the hospital.

 

[Sophia]

Very worried for a friend in the hospital.

Sorry to hear that, Borg :( Hope everything's going to be ok. Sending positive energy to him!

 

[Borg]

Sorry to hear that, Borg :( Hope everything's going to be ok. Sending positive energy to him!

Her. Thanks for the positive thoughts Sophia.

 

[WWGD]

Weird situation yesterday. Someone mistakenly took home (or at least outside of the place) my lunch at a fast-food place. I sat down to find someone else's lunch ( it was wrapped in a non-translucent paper; maybe transparent paper would be better) and waited for around 15 minutes before eating the other guy's lunch. He then arrives back after some 45 minutes huffing, and seems frustrated that I did not wait. Seriously, I am supposed to wait for 45 minutes? I offered to pay him for a new meal, he refused, looking all upset. What else could I have done?

 

[WWGD]

Did that happen in a restaurant or a prison ?

Do you think people in prison have regular internet access?

 

[WWGD]

It is possible. See http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/how-do-criminals-keep-updating-facebook-from-prison/333728
And at the end of the article

Well, no, whatever would make you believe I am in prison, just because some inmates may update their Facebook, there are millions, if not billions of people in Facebook. And, still, what does have to see with anything? I don't get the connection.

 

[fresh_42]

Well, no, whatever would make you believe I am in prison, just because some inmates may update their Facebook, there are millions, if not billions of people in Facebook. And, still, what does have to see with anything? I don't get the connection.

Neither did I. However, the imagination of, say a Subway in prison is quite amusing.

 

[Ibix]

Her. Thanks for the positive thoughts Sophia.

Hope she's doing ok, Borg.

 

[Sophia]

Neither did I. However, the imagination of, say a Subway in prison is quite amusing.

Everything's possible in Norway http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1989083_2137374,00.htm

 

[Psinter]

I called an old acquaintance of mine to ask for something of mine that she has in her possession. Only that since it's been so long, I forgot her name and I asked her what her name was again. I think she's mad at me now because I asked for her name again .

Now I'm troubled. I need those papers.

Random thought and personal note: Don't forget people's names.

It's just that it's hard to remember their names when you haven't talked to them in ages.

Spoiler: Forgetting names

 

[jim hardy]

I called an old acquaintance of mine to ask for something of mine that she has in her possession. Only that since it's been so long, I forgot her name and I asked her what her name was again. I think she's mad at me now because I asked for her name again

When you're as absent minded as me that's something you learn - dig up the name before you dial...

Boy Scout Motto "Be Prepared"

 

[WWGD]

I called an old acquaintance of mine to ask for something of mine that she has in her possession. Only that since it's been so long, I forgot her name and I asked her what her name was again. I think she's mad at me now because I asked for her name again .

Now I'm troubled. I need those papers.

Random thought and personal note: Don't forget people's names.

It's just that it's hard to remember their names when you haven't talked to them in ages.

Spoiler: Forgetting names

I think that is why/how the whole " hey man" (maybe the "hey" in general) came about. So you use it when you don't have a name. Better than " Hey, whatever your name is, give me my %^&* papers back ".

 

[Psinter]

Did you pay her for what you asked her to do ?

Yup, it was included in the contract.

When you're as absent minded as me that's something you learn - dig up the name before you dial...

Boy Scout Motto "Be Prepared"

I will remember that.

I think that is why/how the whole " hey man" (maybe the "hey" in general) came about. So you use it when you don't have a name. Better than " Hey, whatever your name is, give me my %^&* papers back ".

My language doesn't have an equivalent for that . The closest translation I can find would be too obvious.

What didn't happen, but could have happened:

Me: Um, Stacy? Kacy? Kelcy?
Then she yells at me: It's Lucy!
Me: Of course, Luigi, my friend! I need my papers back.
Me: Wait, Luigi! Where are you going?! My papers! Luigiiiiii!

Then I lose my papers forever.

Another situation is when you are walking and someone seems to know you, but you can't remember knowing them and they wave at you:

Spoiler: Just wave back

 

[fresh_42]

Yup, it was included in the contract.
My language doesn't have an equivalent for that . The closest translation I can find would be too obvious.

If someone answered your call by his / her name, you simply could have said: "Hello! Is you daughter around?"

 

[Psinter]

If someone answered your call by his / her name, you simply could have said: "Hello! Is you daughter around?"

I don't get it fresh. Can you please explain?

 

[fresh_42]

I don't get it fresh. Can you please explain?

I mean, you could have pretended, there has been someone else (her mother) picking up the call. That probably would have provoked an answer like: "It's me, <name>, have you forgotten how my voice sounds?" And in case of a female voice, you could always say, mother and daughter have a similar voice. (Untold assumptions: you knew her mother and you can't know whether she is still alive.) In the end you know the name without asking.

 

[Psinter]

I mean, you could have pretended, there has been someone else (her mother) picking up the call. That probably would have provoked an answer like: "It's me, <name>, have you forgotten how my voice sounds?" And in case of a female voice, you could always say, mother and daughter have a similar voice. (Untold assumptions: you knew her mother and you can't know whether she is still alive.) In the end you know the name without asking.

Oh, I see.

Makes sense. I have been told before that my voice sounded like my mom's voice. That was before my voice changed. I found it weird to be told so, I never noticed myself.

 

[1oldman2]

Then I am thinking whether or not you are actually respecting people around you most of the time. You don't know who you are addressing because you only know about you as the only address in your work and you are forcing people to cooperate with you after many times you've looked down on them as cheaper hires.

This has me thoroughly confuzzled.

 

[Psinter]

Then I am thinking whether or not you are actually respecting people around you most of the time. You don't know who you are addressing because you only know about you as the only address in your work and you are forcing people to cooperate with you after many times you've looked down on them as cheaper hires.

Um... That wasn't work.

I am thinking whether or not you are actually jumping to conclusions without adequate data. Not that it matters much to me anyway. I mean, I could not know who I am addressing for many other reasons.

This has me thoroughly confuzzled.

You are telling me .

 

[Sophia]

It's strange that he didn't remember her name (I wonder under what name was her number saved in his phone).
But not always when someone forgets name or face it means that he doesn't care. For example, I do care about people I meet but it takes me a long time to remember their face. It happens often that I don't recognize someone on the street if I don't see them often. (though I have no problems to recognize certain people from the past that I haven't seen in years. I really don't know what are the exact factors in my case) Or if they change haircut or are dressed differently than usual. I really try to remember, I just physically can't.
So while this forgetfulness may be caused by lack of care and egocentrism, it doesn't have to be. There really are other reasons that can explain the situation.

 

[Psinter]

She has been angry because she might be thinking she meant nothing in your work.

For the 7th time titatos, it wasn't at work! I'm just kidding with you . But yeah, it wasn't work.

It's strange that he didn't remember her name (I wonder under what name was her number saved in his phone).

Ah yes, the little detail is that it wasn't on a cellphone. It was written on a piece of paper and the paper had the name of a business, not her name. Her name also sounds foreign to my language.

Unlike, for instance, your username. This is just an example. If I were to meet someone who had your username for name, it would be harder to forget. It doesn't sound foreign in my language, it sounds cool, and it's not complex.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because I'm so random and I'm speaking of usernames, I'm starting to regret my username. I should have chosen: Fluffy Bunny.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another random thought: How are they doing that? I'd very much like to know the equations. Whether it is really a function or whether it is just lines animated with an equation. I think it is the latter.

 

[JorisL]

Another random thought: How are they doing that? I'd very much like to know the equations. Whether it is really a function or whether it is just lines animated with an equation. I think it is the latter.

I guess that can be achieved as the visualisation of the surface of a water tank with a continuous spherical wave originating from a vibration at the center of said image.
Should be easy enough to get using e.g. Mathematica.