OK, so I need to remind everyone that males have more accidents than females? Greater injury rates? More traffic violation fines? Higher drink driving rates? (Even after controlling for greater time on the roads).
No, I probably don't because the fact that men are (on average) worse drivers than females on pretty much every measure is well known. Judging by the sexism of a lot of these posts (above and below), this really pisses some people off.
Huh? Graphs are very definitely not my thing, so I'm not confident but... Surely, given that the common meaning of "steep learning curve" is "a lot to learn in a short time", the x-axis must be "time" and the y-axis "mastery". So the "what you have learned line" rises steeply (???)
BTW, the Oxford English Dictionary has the meaning as the opposite (something that's quich and easy to learn). So they must have the x-axis as "mastery" and the y-axis as "time". I think. But my sudden insight into graphs is fading a little.
I am a psycholgist who works in occupational health and safety, and I have a problem with the release of the results of an unpublished study, which has yet to be read, judged and verified but which draws a conclusion that could lead to more chemicals being introduced into workplaces. They clearly have never looked at the rates of occupational asthma or considered how little information we have about the synergistic effects of the multitude of low hazard chemicals which already exist.
I have no problem with the study (in so far as it can be judged from the press release). Obviously, since they only measured smell vrs no smell they can only conclude that the smell was the cause of the difference in behaviour. But studies are always constrained by money/time/space constraints. But they haven't waited for the studies which look at "hamburger" smells or cultural differences or been cautious in their reporting.
They think thay windex is a "clean" smell rather that a "chemical smell" and "pleasing" rather than "annoying". If the article had been published I would have looked at how they accounted for the possibility that they been seduced by the obvious liguistic association between "clean" and "ethical" which may well be an artifact of (the english) language. There could have been other reasons, such as it gave the impression that the room was better tended or less neglected. This matters because this impression could then be created in ways that do not involve spraying more chemicals into workplace air.
Of course, all this is speculation, because we can't read the bloody study.
The assumption is that the subjects are drawing an unconscious assocation between Windex = Cleanliness = Spotless conscience = Honest behaviour. But why not Windex = Someone's cleaning the freakin' windows = I can be seen = honest behaviour.
As I female, I've been to a work-thing where the club we had drinks at turned out to have strippers. It was difficult for me to know what to do. Sit an smile and risk looking like I'm comfortable sitting next to my collegues who are gawping at strippers? Leave and miss out on the networking? Insist we go somewhere else and look like a sour old bag? It was awkward - for most of us, male or female. The worst thing was that one of the men who was himself offended - for religious rather than feminist reasons - insisted on bringing me into it when he complained ("She looked really embarrassed"). So it ended up looking like I was on-side with the office wowser.
It's always going to end up embarrassing or offending or excluding someone, so best keep it out of work functions.
Books are physically beautiful. I love looking at my hardbacks on the shelf - the artwork on the covers and spines, the smell and feel of the paper. So, while I'm interested in ebooks for (a) reading on planes and in hotel rooms (b) journal articles (c) newspapers & (d)texbooks, I don't want to read literature on them - there's far more pleasure in owning a book and turning the pages.
Apart from that, bookshelves and books are the main decoration in my tiny flat.
I notice that in the US that only 12.4% of your workforce is in unions (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf). So, lordy knows why people are crediting them with such astonishing power - they can't even get people to join, let alone "obey" them. To say they have the same power over a worker as an employer is crazy. If people don't agree with or want to be in a union they leave.
My understanding of the US industrial landscape is scanty, but I've been told that in a minority of cases there are still "closed shops" (I know they aren't called that in the US) in industries like construction. And, yes, for all practical purposes, being a member in those instances probably isn't optional. But that's a very small minority of cases.
The main reason people join - and stay in unions - is not because they are forced to. It's simply that unionized workplaces have higher wages and lower accident rates (once industry differences in these rates are factored out). Relying on the employer to do the right thing is noticably flawed as a strategy
At least Astrogirl's not in it! I also hate the way that sex is brough in it now-a-days, but I hated it just as much when romance crept into the stories back then.
It's always been the case that the vast majority of main characters are male (on the logic that girls will relate to both male and female characters, but boys will only relate to male characters). I remember being quite annoyed when the shows would suddenly introduce the female, waste-of-space version of the male character (Astrogirl/Batgirl/that stupid girl-lion from Kimba). Those female characters were so puke-making.
Astroboy was such a pretty, asexual character, so much so that I could relate to him as much as my brother could. Now they have him looking more masculine (and a little older, I think). So I hope they don't sexualize his behaviour. I'll also be interested in seeing how the Cora character is rendered. (?)
The solution here is to make "guilty of something" the default for everyone and we can then do things to prove we are decent citizens. I imagine a points system.
It's not aimed at her. The link says: "Saatchi & Saatchi told the marketing magazine OMMA last year that it had developed the campaign to target men under 35 who hate advertising." The idea was to get their attention and then it would increase brand recognition for the car.
Problem is that it may have created an association that people who buy this car do so because they find the idea of a woman being punked by a friend and stalked by a car company funny, or a least inoffensive enough that they weren't put off buying it.
But you are forgetting the radio! As a teenager I couldn't afford LPs, and most of my friends couldn't either, so I'd keep a tape parked in the cassette/radio and hit the record button when I liked a song. Of course, all of these songs had the first 3 seconds missing, but it did me fine.
I don't find it in the least odd that the kid feels the need to turn up the stereo. It's like hearing someone in the toilet - sure it's natural and not the end of the world if you hear someone thundering away, but if you can turn up the TV then that's best for everyone.
This is why rich people live in big houses with thick walls - they can afford more privacy.
I work for a non-government organisation (NGO) and we get part of our money in Government grants and part of that is used for research. We publish the research, but it's mostly in academic journals so the public would need to pay for access (either by subscribing to the journal or via the online services). So what happens in that case? Sure we could just stick up the report on our web page, but then the whole peer-review process goes out the window. BTW, we don't get paid for publication as individuals - we just get a wage and co-authorship.
There might be something suitable at http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/ Yes - many are low-tech and old hat, but there are easy to follow instruction sheets and also science information so you can go into the theory of what they have just made. To my mind, you can't beat the old coke bottle vortex. http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/vortex/assembl.html
Even if this isn't what you are after, it's worth checking out.
I'm also remembering that my brother had an electronics-for-boys kit and built his own lie detector back in the 70's. I remember it as two wires you held while you lied and a sound tone went off. I'm certain it must have been cheap and easy because he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't. I mention this because it could lead to some sort of interesting discussion about technology, reliability, privacy etc. (Mind you virginity is probably what they'd ask about).
As a female, I need to add a key point to this debate. There is a world of difference between a guy who plays guitar in a band (hot) and a guy who isn't but when you go to his place for the first time he picks up a guitar from beside the couch and begins to play Stairway to Heaven (seriously offputting).
We're taking this to literally. Surely? I mean Windows isn't seriously thinking people will host one of these parties. Do they?? It looks to me like they are just carving up the demographic. So they realise that Apple has captured the cool, gadgety, expensive people and rather than competing with that they've figured OK we'll just go for those daggy people who plan parties around themes and eat cubes of cheese speared on little sticks. The tupperware people versus the Arne Jacobsen cutlery set
The distinction you are drawing between "fatal" and "non-fatal" crashes doesn't move me. A "non-fatal crash" includes everything from a minor paint scrape to a permanent brain injury.
The University of Adelaide paper on tailgating (http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/casrpubfile/18/CASR046.pdf) seems to conclude that it's "following too closely" plus "inattention" that causes the rear end collisions and not "tailgating" per se. I can't quite understand the distinction they are making.
OK - "Austrlia" is a locally accepted variation of "Australia". A "prawl trawler" is a highly specialised type of "prawn trawler". This is what happens when work pressures impede on my slashdot time.
FYI "trolling" and "trawling" are pronounced differently here in Austrlia. The "o" in "trolling" is the same as the "o" in "patrolling"; in "trawling" the "au" is the same as in "hauling/falling and calling". Mind you, whenever I've heard someone say they are "trawling the internet" I've always understood it to mean seeking information (in the same sense as prawl trawlers trawl for prawns). Maybe I should get out it the troll community more.
Slashdot Mirror
Seriously, do you have any stats to back up your claims that Asians are bad drivers?
No, I probably don't because the fact that men are (on average) worse drivers than females on pretty much every measure is well known. Judging by the sexism of a lot of these posts (above and below), this really pisses some people off.
BTW, the Oxford English Dictionary has the meaning as the opposite (something that's quich and easy to learn). So they must have the x-axis as "mastery" and the y-axis as "time". I think. But my sudden insight into graphs is fading a little.
p.s. When I say the common meaning, I mean here in Australia and (judging by newspaper use http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2009/07/steep-learning-curves.html) also in the US.
I have no problem with the study (in so far as it can be judged from the press release). Obviously, since they only measured smell vrs no smell they can only conclude that the smell was the cause of the difference in behaviour. But studies are always constrained by money/time/space constraints. But they haven't waited for the studies which look at "hamburger" smells or cultural differences or been cautious in their reporting.
They think thay windex is a "clean" smell rather that a "chemical smell" and "pleasing" rather than "annoying". If the article had been published I would have looked at how they accounted for the possibility that they been seduced by the obvious liguistic association between "clean" and "ethical" which may well be an artifact of (the english) language. There could have been other reasons, such as it gave the impression that the room was better tended or less neglected. This matters because this impression could then be created in ways that do not involve spraying more chemicals into workplace air.
Of course, all this is speculation, because we can't read the bloody study.
The assumption is that the subjects are drawing an unconscious assocation between Windex = Cleanliness = Spotless conscience = Honest behaviour. But why not Windex = Someone's cleaning the freakin' windows = I can be seen = honest behaviour.
If I had mod points, I'd mod you up for that.
It's always going to end up embarrassing or offending or excluding someone, so best keep it out of work functions.
But it's so small!!! I can't get absorbed in what I'm reading.
Apart from that, bookshelves and books are the main decoration in my tiny flat.
I guess I wait till the price comes down.
My understanding of the US industrial landscape is scanty, but I've been told that in a minority of cases there are still "closed shops" (I know they aren't called that in the US) in industries like construction. And, yes, for all practical purposes, being a member in those instances probably isn't optional. But that's a very small minority of cases.
The main reason people join - and stay in unions - is not because they are forced to. It's simply that unionized workplaces have higher wages and lower accident rates (once industry differences in these rates are factored out). Relying on the employer to do the right thing is noticably flawed as a strategy
It's always been the case that the vast majority of main characters are male (on the logic that girls will relate to both male and female characters, but boys will only relate to male characters). I remember being quite annoyed when the shows would suddenly introduce the female, waste-of-space version of the male character (Astrogirl/Batgirl/that stupid girl-lion from Kimba). Those female characters were so puke-making.
Astroboy was such a pretty, asexual character, so much so that I could relate to him as much as my brother could. Now they have him looking more masculine (and a little older, I think). So I hope they don't sexualize his behaviour. I'll also be interested in seeing how the Cora character is rendered. (?)
The solution here is to make "guilty of something" the default for everyone and we can then do things to prove we are decent citizens. I imagine a points system.
Thanks for that info. Ok, so now I know that people who buy these cars are ... peculiar. And I shall avoid them.
Problem is that it may have created an association that people who buy this car do so because they find the idea of a woman being punked by a friend and stalked by a car company funny, or a least inoffensive enough that they weren't put off buying it.
As for me, I prefer not to read upside down. I can do it, but it's a bit of a strain.
But you are forgetting the radio! As a teenager I couldn't afford LPs, and most of my friends couldn't either, so I'd keep a tape parked in the cassette/radio and hit the record button when I liked a song. Of course, all of these songs had the first 3 seconds missing, but it did me fine.
This is why rich people live in big houses with thick walls - they can afford more privacy.
I work for a non-government organisation (NGO) and we get part of our money in Government grants and part of that is used for research. We publish the research, but it's mostly in academic journals so the public would need to pay for access (either by subscribing to the journal or via the online services). So what happens in that case? Sure we could just stick up the report on our web page, but then the whole peer-review process goes out the window. BTW, we don't get paid for publication as individuals - we just get a wage and co-authorship.
Even if this isn't what you are after, it's worth checking out.
I'm also remembering that my brother had an electronics-for-boys kit and built his own lie detector back in the 70's. I remember it as two wires you held while you lied and a sound tone went off. I'm certain it must have been cheap and easy because he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't. I mention this because it could lead to some sort of interesting discussion about technology, reliability, privacy etc. (Mind you virginity is probably what they'd ask about).
As a female, I need to add a key point to this debate. There is a world of difference between a guy who plays guitar in a band (hot) and a guy who isn't but when you go to his place for the first time he picks up a guitar from beside the couch and begins to play Stairway to Heaven (seriously offputting).
So where the fuck does that leave me?
The distinction you are drawing between "fatal" and "non-fatal" crashes doesn't move me. A "non-fatal crash" includes everything from a minor paint scrape to a permanent brain injury.
The University of Adelaide paper on tailgating (http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/casrpubfile/18/CASR046.pdf) seems to conclude that it's "following too closely" plus "inattention" that causes the rear end collisions and not "tailgating" per se. I can't quite understand the distinction they are making.
OK - "Austrlia" is a locally accepted variation of "Australia". A "prawl trawler" is a highly specialised type of "prawn trawler". This is what happens when work pressures impede on my slashdot time.
FYI "trolling" and "trawling" are pronounced differently here in Austrlia. The "o" in "trolling" is the same as the "o" in "patrolling"; in "trawling" the "au" is the same as in "hauling/falling and calling". Mind you, whenever I've heard someone say they are "trawling the internet" I've always understood it to mean seeking information (in the same sense as prawl trawlers trawl for prawns). Maybe I should get out it the troll community more.