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

[Sophia]

Nutella in the US has been runnier over the last several years. I think that they changed their formula for the worse.

OK, I'm glad you confirmed my observation. I haven't bought it since then. I like another brand that resembles the original Nutella more.

 

[fresh_42]

Nutella in the US has been runnier over the last several years. I think that they changed their formula for the worse.

Can't think of a similar effect here. It's been pretty much the same for decades. It's viscosity is only a function of temperature. Global warming ...?
Two things I've always to think about when it comes to Nutella:

• None of the products that came afterwards by other producers never came even near its taste.
• I can't remember a single time I managed to make a sandwich without having Nutella somewhere it wasn't supposed to end up.

 

[Sophia]

Can't think of a similar effect here. It's been pretty much the same for decades. It's viscosity is only a function of temperature. Global warming ...?
Two things I've always to think about when it comes to Nutella:

• None of the products that came afterwards by other producers never came even near its taste.
• I can't remember a single time I managed to make a sandwich without having Nutella somewhere it wasn't supposed to end up.

If my observation is right, they changed a type of fat. They use some kind of liquid oil now. I don't want to describe my observation in order not to ruin the experience for others who still like it.
But I won't eat it anymore after seeing it.

In my original post I said that many brands use different receptures in different countries. It had been recently investigated by the EU. It's possible they didn't dare to lower the standard in DE but did so in other countries.
Eg when speaking of German brands, we get lower quality Danone yogurts then you. Proved by comparison of ingredients and laboratory.
EDIT : Danone is French, sorry

 

[Borg]

It's viscosity is only a function of temperature.

With all things being equal, I would agree. I believe the oils have been changed causing it to be more viscous and separating in the product. Whenever I use it, I have to stir it first because the top third is practically liquid. I never had to do that before. And, even after it's been stirred, it still isn't that firm.

If my observation is right, they changed a type of fat. They use some kind of liquid oil now. I don't want to describe my observation in order not to ruin the experience for others who still like it.

Exactly.

 

[fresh_42]

In my original post I said that many brands use different receptures in different countries.

I once experienced this with Heinz ketchup. I bought a hot version in Spain only to experience, that back home ours wasn't even nearly as hot.

 

[fresh_42]

Exactly.

You made me curious. Here's what I've found (on Wiki): (Sorry for mistakes, I used Google translate for all the adjectives I don't know.)
The recipe is not the same everywhere. In Europe Nutella is produced according to two different recipes. In Germany, a formulation is marketed which is mat glossy and spread resistant and has a slightly higher cocoa content. Nutella is more sweet and nutty in other countries (eg France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Switzerland).

 

[Sophia]

You made me curious. Here's what I've found (on Wiki): (Sorry for mistakes, I used Google translate for all the adjectives I don't know.)
The recipe is not the same everywhere. In Europe Nutella is produced according to two different recipes. In Germany, a formulation is marketed which is mat glossy and spread resistant and has a slightly higher cocoa content. Nutella is more sweet and nutty in other countries (eg France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Switzerland).

Exactly. We used to have the first type years ago when I loved it and ate it with spoon without bread. Now we have the other kind and that's why I choose the alternative brand. I miss the normal Nutella :-/

 

[Psinter]

But I don't know why, when I ate it years ago, it was more solid, like butter, but when I bought it after a longer pause last year it was more liquid, as if melted.

I believe the oils have been changed causing it to be more viscous and separating in the product. Whenever I use it, I have to stir it first because the top third is practically liquid.

Really? I don't have to do that. The one I know is very homogeneous. You don't notice any kind of oil in it. What could it be...
__________________________________________________________________________________

I once lived in an apartment whose door had an electronic lock. Like an electromagnet. And you had to put a code to be granted access. If the electric service failed, the door could be opened by anyone. I don't think thieves knew because I never got robbed. And even though there were also cameras pointing to the entrance, if there was no electric service, the cameras weren't going to work either.

 

[zoobyshoe]

According to the news there was some sort of huge cyber attack against the internet yesterday. Personally, I didn't have any trouble accessing anything. Did anyone else among you have any internet troubles that seemed to be non-standard?

 

[jim hardy]

My ISP didnt recognize my password anymore . They're a shaky outfit at best . Anybody who hacked my email will be really bored .

 

[Evo]

According to the news there was some sort of huge cyber attack against the internet yesterday. Personally, I didn't have any trouble accessing anything. Did anyone else among you have any internet troubles that seemed to be non-standard?

Nope, I read it had to do with twitter and other social sites I don't use.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Nope, I read it had to do with twitter and other social sites I don't use.

The one I use that was on the list was Amazon, but I checked and had no trouble accessing it.

 

[fresh_42]

Just read the tip of the day: "Next time someone asks you about your favorite color, answer him in nm!" - Good idea.

 

[Sophia]

According to the news there was some sort of huge cyber attack against the internet yesterday. Personally, I didn't have any trouble accessing anything. Did anyone else among you have any internet troubles that seemed to be non-standard?

Oh, I had a message on fb to join some unknown people in their conversation. I don't know who they were but they discussed some private random topic and I was called to join them. It seemed weird but I didn't even read the whole thing and didn't think much about it and closed it. I don't know if it had to do with that hacking or not.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Oh, I had a message on fb to join some unknown people in their conversation. I don't know who they were but they discussed some private random topic and I was called to join them. It seemed weird but I didn't even read the whole thing and didn't think much about it and closed it. I don't know if it had to do with that hacking or not.

The hacking was supposed to have made it not possible to access certain big sites like Twitter and Amazon. Facebook wasn't listed among the affected.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/...-east-coast-netflix-spotify-twitter/92507806/

It was first aimed at the east coast but the news said it later hit the west coast as well.

 

[Sophia]

The hacking was supposed to have made it not possible to access certain big sites like Twitter and Amazon. Facebook wasn't listed among the affected.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/...-east-coast-netflix-spotify-twitter/92507806/

It was first aimed at the east coast but the news said it later hit the west coast as well.

I see, so it probably wasn't caused by the attack.

 

[Astronuc]

Tokyo (AFP) - The first woman to conquer Mount Everest, Junko Tabei of Japan, has died aged 77, media reported Saturday.
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/first-woman-atop-everest-dies-aged-77-reports-005027587.html

Tabei succumbed to peritoneal cancer. In 1975, Tabei completed the first conquest of Mount Everest by a woman. She went via the southeast ridge route.

She went on to conquer soaring peaks in several continents -- Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount McKinley in the United States and the Vinson Massif in Antarctica -- heralding the era of women climbers.Olympic gold medal swimmer thanks fan who spotted suspicious mole
https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/18c36cf9-8d49-3630-a43d-bf68f602cb27/olympic-gold-medal-swimmer.html

Apparently one of the moles may have been malignant or pre-cancerous.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Walking Dead season premiere was an hour of pure torture with no relief at the end.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Father makes "real" version of small son's drawings:

http://www.sadanduseless.com/2016/10/real-drawings/

 

[Ibix]

In a similar vein, I recall a mother who took her child's scribbles and added colour and extended lines to "discover" pictures in them.

 

[Psinter]

Scapegoating.

At my place, they are making commercials to influence people to vote. I have never had problems with adequate and educated arguments regarding that... The problem is always their illiterate approach. Besides the common every 4 year term mockery and deliberate circus show, this time they are doing something called scapegoating. I don't know if you have heard about it (below are some definitions, courtesy of Wikipedia ). They are saying that if you don't vote, anything bad that happens to the place in the next 4 year term, will be your fault. They are dictating that if the next leader does something bad, it will be the fault of those who didn't vote. And of course my face after hearing that:

Spoiler: When you hear something ludicrous

Lesson of the story: Ignoring the political part and in all seriousness, don't scapegoat. It looks very, very ugly. Not to mention it shows responsibility denial. That said, when you think about it, scapegoating is used very frequently in other areas. This is only but a small example. As if there is always someone looking for excuses and make others responsible. Makes you think... and cringe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapegoating]Scapegoating[/PLAIN] (from the verb "to scapegoat") is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame as a scapegoat.

Specifically:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_guy]Fall[/PLAIN] guy is a colloquial phrase that refers to a person to whom blame is deliberately and falsely attributed in order to deflect blame from another party.

 

[Astronuc]

Don't do this - The video shows Eric Dossantos, of San Diego, soaring over rocky mountain slopes and outcroppings before reaching a pine forest, at which point the pilot starts to weave through gaps in the trees in a nail-biting sequence that ends with a dramatic thud.

https://gma.yahoo.com/man-wingsuit-survives-high-speed-tree-collision-daring-112903076--abc-news-topstories.html



There is a point at which he should have veered left where the slope and trees drop below his glide plane. He kept right - and into the trees.

 

[jim hardy]

At my place, they are making commercials to influence people to vote.

I've come to resent the psychological manipulation since hearing a TV writer in an interview say "It is your job as writer to deliver the audience to the commercial in a receptive state of mind." I guess i'd noticed they always leave you hanging but thought it was so you wouldn't switch channels during the break ...

Then i started paying attention to commercials with an eye to "what is the real message?"
Usually it's "You're inadequate but our product will change your life you'll become one of the 'beautiful people' of magazine lore surrounded by beautiful women , excitement and affectations of wealth".

But i did love the
"Have you some Grey Poupon? " ads with the yachtsmen.

Made the ridiculous somehow sublime.

 

[mheslep]

Don't do this - The video shows Eric Dossantos, of San Diego, soaring over rocky mountain slopes and outcroppings before reaching a pine forest, at which point the pilot starts to weave through gaps in the trees in a nail-biting sequence that ends with a dramatic thud.

https://gma.yahoo.com/man-wingsuit-survives-high-speed-tree-collision-daring-112903076--abc-news-topstories.html

...

Yes, recent fatalities are approaching one every couple weeks or so. Wingsuit flying risk seems to be akin to something like, setting yourself on fire and then running 50 yds or so to pre-positioned extinguisher to put yourself out. Wow, I made it. Wow, I made it. Ooops.

Seeker:

...a 2012 study of BASE jumpers reported that 72 percent of jumpers “had witnessed death or serious injury of other participants in the sport, 43 percent (of) jumpers had suffered a significant BASE jump injury, and 76 percent had at least one 'near miss' incident (an incident which would most probably result in serious injury or fatality but was avoided),

 

[mheslep]

There is a point at which he should have veered left where the slope and trees drop below his glide plane. He kept right - and into the trees.

I see the point that I think you mean at ~40s, but even taking that veer left then his glide path does not appear to offer sufficient altitude above ground to open his chute, not anywhere before reaching the valley floor already in view. By 25s he is already below tree top height, without a path to regain ground clearance. Thus he might have staid right intentionally to take his chances with the tree tops.

I suspect his mistake was earlier, the dive and acceleration he committed at ~22s (or, downdraft off the mountain?), giving up what he might have thought was excess altitude. Perhaps his intended path was to clear the treeless ridge in view at 22s and gain steeper ground on the other side. By 25s, his best glide path never again offers chute altitude, AFAICT.

 

[strangerep]

I just read some media reports about the new Russian "Satan 2" ICBM which can (supposedly) destroy an area the size of France.

Suddenly, those 1-way Mars missions are looking far more attractive...

 

[Astronuc]

new Russian "Satan 2" ICBM which can (supposedly) destroy an area the size of France.

or Texas. - https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/e7f35523-f274-391f-b0a9-12fc3193cefd/russia-publishes-image-of.html

I am highly skeptical.

 

[Sophia]

Scapegoating.
At my place, they are making commercials to influence people to vote. I have never had problems with adequate and educated arguments regarding that... The problem is always their illiterate approach. Besides the common every 4 year term mockery and deliberate circus show, this time they are doing something called scapegoating.:

They do it here all the time, since I can remember. There's always this One Bad Guy who will ruin everything and everyone hates him and they tell you that if you don't vote the Bad Guy will win and it will be your fault. And all the time they say if you don't vote you have no right to complain etc. Though I don't think it's scapegoating in the full sense because technically, it's true.

Then i started paying attention to commercials with an eye to "what is the real message?"
Usually it's "You're inadequate but our product will change your life .

So true.

I just read some media reports about the new Russian "Satan 2" ICBM which can (supposedly) destroy an area the size of France.

Suddenly, those 1-way Mars missions are looking far more attractive...

I'm 100% sure that the US has similar weapons. And it's equally scary to me as Russian ones.

 

[zoobyshoe]

They are saying that if you don't vote, anything bad that happens to the place in the next 4 year term, will be your fault. They are dictating that if the next leader does something bad, it will be the fault of those who didn't vote.

There may or may not be something wrong with this idea, but it is actually not an example of scapegoating. There's quite a bit of difference between a "fall guy" and an "enabler." The commercials you speak of sound like they're implying the latter, not the former.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm 100% sure that the US has similar weapons. And it's equally scary to me as Russian ones.

I think as much as 30 years ago it was common to hear people say both sides had enough bombs stockpiled to destroy the planet several times over. So, whether you destroy an area the size of France with 10 smaller bombs or 1 large bomb, it's just as destroyed and it's destroyed just as fast, and destroyed for just as long. In other words, if this new super bomb is real, it doesn't actually change anything, it just sounds worse.

 

[strangerep]

[...] So, whether you destroy an area the size of France with 10 smaller bombs or 1 large bomb, it's just as destroyed and it's destroyed just as fast, and destroyed for just as long. In other words, if this new super bomb is real, it doesn't actually change anything, it just sounds worse.

Yeah, after thinking about it for a few minutes I realized it's propaganda. What would be the point of throwing that much radioactive fallout into the high altitudes over France? The jet stream(s) would carry it back to... oops.

 

[zoobyshoe]

What would be the point of throwing that much radioactive fallout into the high altitudes over France? The jet stream(s) would carry it back to... oops.

If PF were a musical, this would be my cue to say, "Be such an ignorant thing to do, if the Russians love their children, too." :

 

[Psinter]

Though I don't think it's scapegoating in the full sense because technically, it's true.

The arguments of those commercials are a fallacy.

There may or may not be something wrong with this idea, but it is actually not an example of scapegoating.

It is scapegoating. The definitions are clear and I'm not inventing anything (I have the source). I do not write details and point to the sources because I wrote it as a random thought and not a separate thread. Plus we were told this is not a chat and I don't want to get banned so I leave it there. You can reply to me and I will read it , but it will be very unlikely for me to reply anything back. Despite the fact that my sources are very academical and are a very nice read/listening regarding fallacies, this is as much as I reply in this thread in relation to that post of mine because I previously concurred that this was not a chat. I do not wish to call attention unto me .

 

[zoobyshoe]

The arguments of those commercials are a fallacy.

They may or may not be, but not all fallacious accusations are scapegoating.

It is scapegoating.

There is a difference between saying someone is the primary cause of something and saying they are complicit, that they enabled it by doing nothing to stop it. Consider if you saw someone throw a molotov cocktail into a building and you didn't call the police or the fire department. There is a difference between someone accusing you of having thrown the firebomb, which you didn't, and someone accusing you, rightly, of having done nothing to stop the fire or the arsonist.

 

[Sophia]

For those interested in scapegoating in religion and society https://www.amazon.com/dp/0801839173/?tag=pfamazon01-20