Jeremy Wayne Tate on Twitter - "I know homeschool parents who spend less than three hours a day “doing school” and their kids test three grades above age level. The kids build forts, climb trees, dig holes, help around the house, and read books for fun."
My friend caught me sniffing his sister's panties : Jokes - "He was so mad, maybe because she was still wearing them.
It made the rest of the funeral pretty uncomfortable."
Meme - "i was teaching my grandma to use computer so we can talk on skype and such but today she went kinda mad at me because I didnt show her the knitting programme" and was like what and it comes out she accidentally opened ms excel and found out its a great way to create knitting patterns
my grandma is 82"
Meme - "Fruit-in-Jars 101
Jam
crushed fruit pieces in gelled juice
Jelly
gelled fruit juice
Curd
citrus spread made with eggs
Preserves
chunks of fruit in gelled juice
Conserves
whole fruit in gelled juice
Fruit butter
fruit paste
Chutney
spiced fruit relish
Confit
whole fruit preserved in sugar
Marmalade
citrus rinds in gelled juice"
Meme - "And yet a trace of the true self
Exists in the False Self
*Dinosaurs to oil to plastic to plastic dinosaurs*
*Dinosaurs to chicken to chicken meat to dinosaur nuggets*
*The above two to a child's mouth*
"The illusion... of free choice""
Meme - "You should try yoga. It makes you relaxed, flexible and loose."
"So does vodka without all that sweating."
Meet the Polish LARPers Who Pretend to Be American - "By day, Bartosz Bruski works in computer forensics, but in his down time, the 29-year-old unwinds by heading to a trailer park outside Warsaw, where he directs a group of around 60 Polish people who pretend to be ordinary Americans – people from Ohio, to be exact."
How Fluid Is Male and Female Attraction? - "Women’s interest in becoming intimate the fictitious individual at the bar increased with each drink regardless of that individual’s gender — despite the fact that all of the women in this study identified as heterosexual. By contrast, men’s interest in hooking up with fictitious others remained stable with each drink when that fictitious other was a female. (In other words, alcohol had an insignificant effect upon a male’s willingness to sleep with a woman. They wanted to do so just as eagerly, regardless of their sobriety level.) Men’s willingness to experiment with another male sitting at the bar, however, was responsive to alcohol: The more the men in the study drank, the more open they became to having some type of sexual encounter with a man. Keep in mind that, like the women in this study, every male participant had identified as heterosexual... Such a propensity to explore options outside the straight and narrow may also increase over time; other research suggests that men’s attraction to same-sex partners rises with age. (Interestingly, the study observing this trend also found that women’s sexual interest in same-sex partners decreases with age)."
Video gaming can benefit mental health, find Oxford academics - "The study, which focused on players of Nintendo’s springtime craze Animal Crossing, as well as EA’s shooter Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, found that people who played more games tended to report greater “wellbeing”, casting further doubt on reports that video gaming can harm mental health. Crucially, the study was one of the first to be done using actual play-time data. Thanks to the internet-connected nature of the games, the Oxford University team was able to link up psychological questionnaires with true records of time spent playing games. Previous studies had tended to focus on self-reported time playing, which is, the study found, only weakly correlated with reality."
A followup paper claimed a causal effect, but it just looked at lagged well-being, which doesn't address all causal questions (as the paper admits)
The unexplained rise of cancer among millennials | Financial Times - "The past 30 years have seen an upsurge in cases of so-called “early onset” cancer in the under-50s. So marked is the increase, leading epidemiologists have suggested it should be called an epidemic... The diet and lifestyle to which children are exposed in early life is likely to be a factor in the rise, he says, pointing to childhood obesity which has “become more prevalent and more problematic over the past 30 years”. However, no single factor can explain it, Sinicrope adds. As they explore a connection with diet, researchers are homing in on the possibility that changes to the microbiome — the roughly 100tn microbes that live inside us, mostly in the gut — are increasing susceptibility to cancer... Cancer often develops over decades — people can harbour slow-growing tumours for years — so for those diagnosed in their twenties, thirties and forties “some of the risk factor exposures may have happened when they were a baby or even in utero”, says Prof Shuji Ogino, an epidemiologist at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health who is part of the CRUK/NCI research initiative. The fact that the biggest increases in cancer in the young have been in gastrointestinal varieties — colorectal as well as in the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, bile duct, liver and gallbladder — bolsters the case for a link with diet. Some other cancer types increasingly seen in younger people, such as breast, kidney and endometrial cancers, plus the blood cancer myeloma, may be affected both by obesity and the condition of the microbiome even though they lack an obvious link to the digestive system, Ogino says. Additionally, antibiotic use and medications more generally can affect an individual’s microbiome, sometimes referred to as their “bacterial fingerprint”... The link to the microbiome is still circumstantial, he emphasises. He points to other changes that occurred from the 1950s onwards: more sedentary lifestyles, changes to sleep patterns and repeated exposure to bright light at night that can affect circadian rhythms and metabolism. “All these changes are happening in a really parallel way so it’s hard to tease out the culprit. There are likely multiple culprits which work together,” he says. The rise in cases in wealthy western countries now looks set to find a belated, but resounding, echo in poorer countries where these societal changes happened decades later than in the US or the UK. The FT’s research shows that between 1990 and 2019, cancer rates for 15- to 39-year-olds increased significantly faster in upper-middle income countries, such as Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, compared to high-income countries: by 53 per cent compared to 19 per cent... Women in these countries are having fewer children overall, and at later ages, meaning they spend a shorter period of their lives breastfeeding compared with previous generations. Having a larger family — typically leading to an extended period of breastfeeding — and giving birth for the first time at a young age are factors known to confer protection against breast cancer... an increase in smoking and alcohol use evident in some developing countries, mostly in men, is “narrowing the gap in cancer risk” between rich and poorer nations, while the adoption of a more westernised diet, obesity and lower physical activity were implicated in the growth of colorectal cancer cases... And it may not stop at cancer. The same risk factors may predispose them to conditions such as diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, the scientists said, suggesting a permanently higher chronic disease burden in the future unless action is taken to spur healthier ways of living and eating, and to reform the way that food is produced and distributed."
Meme - "No matter how old you are, you'll always want to imitate The Undertaker *women with eyes rolled back till you see their whites*"
Grocery stores & restaurants may now sell water spinach - "The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Commissioner Gary W. Black has changed the department’s decades-long stance regarding the sale of water spinach in the state. “After reviewing pest risk analyses from USDA and the State of Texas with my staff and talking with other states, we believe water spinach can be safely sold in Georgia,” Commissioner Black said. “I have notified the USDA that as of January 24, 2022, Georgia would begin approving permits for the import and sale of water spinach.” Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) is commonly consumed in many parts of the globe, but is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and many states due to the plant’s invasive qualities. However, the states of California, Florida, Hawaii and Texas allow the cultivation and sale of water spinach under a state permit."
Americans can now try kangkong/morning glory
Alec Stapp on Twitter - "“Haunted” houses are actually just carbon monoxide poisoning 🤯"
‘Unexploded Grenade’ Found in German Forest Actually Just a Butt Plug - "An object thought to be an unexploded World War II-era hand grenade found in woodland in Germany was actually a rubber sex toy, police have said... The bag the grenade was in also contained lubricant, two unopened condoms, and a USB cable – objects which helped bomb disposal experts to reach their conclusion"
Rose McGowan Calls Out Hollywood, ‘Chickensh*t Celebs’: ‘If You Are Profiting from Known Monsters YOU Are a Monster’ - "McGowan responded on Thursday, writing, “Tom Cruise to Trey Parker. They all know.” “Super producer Scott Rudin must be stopped. Enough. What is wrong with you Hollywood?” she asked. “You are putting your values in our minds. Your value system is sick. Stop poisoning us. End power abuse now.”"
We Bond With Fictional Villains Who Resemble Us
Is it wrong the post pictures of your kids online? - "According to "Sensible Sharing" a report by Parent Zone, the average parent shares a staggering 1,500 images of their child before they turn 5 years old. The fact that control over their digital footprint has been taken away often before they can even lift their own head could lead to worrying future consequences. Yet over half of parents in the study claimed they had no concerns over any possible repercussions... up to 92% of 2-year-olds in the U.S. already have "digital footprints", with one-third appearing on social media sites within the first 24 hours of life... nearly 80% of people have seen a parent 'undermine their own experience in a child's life in an effort to get the perfect picture'... an 18-year-old from Carinthia, Austria is suing her parents for sharing images of her as a child on their Facebook accounts. Over 500 images depict a number of moments from her childhood, such as having her nappy changed, sitting on the toilet, and even lying naked on her bed, all of which she claims were shared without her consent."
A work party isn't fun if it's forced — and could trigger resignations - "Once at a hotel, I spied a group of women in sparkly outfits out on their Christmas jolly. They ran to the dance floor, jumped up and down, and shouted, “fun, fun, fun.” Not just once, but for the duration of that banging tune and then the next, before returning to their seats. Was this an expression of pure joy or a protest directed at their employer?... Perhaps it is OK to resist boss-directed jollity? Certainly, it would seem to be in France, where last month, a court backed a man’s right to say no to forced fun. It found in favour of the consultant who had been dismissed after he refused to join in socializing, which, according to the ruling, involved weekend drinks, “excessive alcoholism” and “promiscuity, bullying and incitement to various excesses.”... organized office fun can swiftly stray into un-fun. As management writer Stephen Fineman once wrote: “Fun typically gains its ‘funness’ from its spontaneity, surprise, and often subversion of the extant order.”... Some people are just not wired for office parties. Nancy Rothbard, professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, says some employees are “integrators,” meaning they are happy with work seeping into their home life and vice versa; others, “segmentors,” are not. Managers, she says, must allow employees not to participate and also offer other activities, such as a working lunch or even just mentoring, to forge connections and “build trust.”
Berlin's huge aquarium containing 1,500 tropical fish bursts - "A huge aquarium in Berlin burst early on Friday, spilling 1 million litres (264,172 gallons) of water, around 1,500 exotic fish and debris onto a major road in the busy Mitte district"
"Nuns don't work on Sunday." | Magnum P.I. - YouTube
New study finds that sexual behaviors align with political values - "Published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, “The relationship between sexual preferences and political orientations: Do positions in the bedroom affect positions in the ballot box?” found that the public’s sexual behaviors align systematically with their political values. The trio suggests that social conservatives tend to be happy with one or two sexual positions and with fewer partners, while social liberals are more adventurous, trying many different types of sex with more people, yet remain less satisfied with their sex life. However, the relationship between sexual behavior and political ideology is not as straightforward as stereotypes might suggest and party labels and singular definitions of ‘liberal’ or ‘conservative’ do not necessarily capture the full or accurate profile of people, either sexually or politically. For example, those who are hawkish on National Security issues are more likely to have sex with a prostitute, while those with more socially liberal attitudes are more likely to have sex with a stranger and without protection."
The relationship between sexual preferences and political orientations: Do positions in the bedroom affect positions in the ballot box? - "Sex provides a strong and enduring drive in humans, infusing attitudes and influencing behavior far beyond its immediate activity. Issues involving sex are among the most prevalent and divisive in modern political discourse. However, little is known about whether the actual sexual behaviors of the public align with their political values. Using a web-based US sample, we assess the relationship between individual sexual practices and political preferences. We find that those who engage in more traditional sexual behaviors, such as missionary position sex and kissing, generally have more socially conservative attitudes, ideologies, and partisan leanings, while those who engage in more masturbation, more adventurous sex, such as using sex toys, and those who engage in more risky sex, such as having sex with someone they met on the same day, and who have more lifetime partners, generally hold more liberal positions. Though they engage in a narrower band of activities, those with more conservative orientations tend be more satisfied with their sex life. We also find substantial heterogeneity across political attitudinal dimensions. For example, individuals who hold more conservative outgroup/punishment attitudes appear similar to those who hold liberal social attitudes when it comes to risky sex behaviors."
This won't stop liberals from claiming that conservatives have sad sex lives and are sexually unsatisfied
Meme - "AMERICAN FOOD! ONE SMALL BITE IS ENOUGH TO FILL THE STOMACH OF A GROWN MAN."
Meme - "TED. Ideas worth spreading *Theodore (Ted) John Kaczynski / the Unabomber*"
Meme - "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. *Chicken walking in front of KFC*"
Meme - "Surviving an Actual Tiger Attack
Remember that tigers are simply made up of atoms and various biochemical reactions. The tiger's appearance and behavior may be scary, but do not let your fear get the best of you! Decades of research into biology and physics has shown that tigers are actually composed of very small units called atoms, as well as many biochemical reactions such as the Krebs cycle. Things that initially feel scary can often turn out to be harmless upon closer inspection!
If the tiger attempts to eat you, remember that you yourself are simply composed of atoms, and It is simply attempting to rearrange some of them for you."
What people prefer and what they think they prefer in short- and long-term partners. The effects of the phase of the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception, pregnancy, and the marital and the parenthood status on partner preferences - "The issue with most studies concerned with mate selection preferences in humans is that they rely on declarations and rational actions of experimental subjects, which are affected by their pre-conceived opinions and prejudices. Moreover, current research suggests that subcortical structures and processes, rather than the neocortex, play the principal role in actual partner choice behaviour. Consequently, we have only limited information on how relevant our current knowledge is in relation to real-life human ethology. To address these issues, we surveyed 2718 women and 4073 men between the ages of 16–50 and compared their declared and observed preferences for various properties in short-term and long-term partners. We found differences between what the subjects declared to prefer and what they preferred in reality: for example, men declared that wealth was the second least desirable property out of eleven in short-term partners, but we observed that in reality, they considered wealth the third most important factor after charisma and sense of humour. Similarly, while women declared that dominance and masculinity were desirable properties in short-term partners, in the observational part of the study, they showed little preference for these traits. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of the phase of the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception, pregnancy, and partnership and parenthood status on these preferences. We found some support for the good parents hypothesis and no support for the good genes and the immunocompetence handicap hypotheses when observed, rather than declared preferences were considered. We also detected that hormonal contraception, and parenthood and partnership status influenced declared preferences in considerable ways, but had only a small, if any, impact on observed preferences. We suggest interpreting the results of studies reliant on declarations and rational actions of experimental subjects with great caution."
Why Purpose-Driven Jobs Pay Less: Work Shift - Bloomberg - "It’s been long known that job candidates are willing to accept less pay in exchange for what they consider to be meaningful work — say, at a nonprofit. But why? And what happens when every organization under the sun purports to have some positive social impact? New research from Insiya Hussain, assistant professor at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, explores those questions. She found that jobseekers applying to firms that tout their do-gooder status refrain from negotiating for higher salaries, but not solely because they’ll trade pay for purpose. The study found they’re also scared of “violating organizational norms” — in other words, a cultural faux-pas... “There’s an implicit assumption that money and altruism don’t mix,” Hussain said. “Even if job candidates might not necessarily subscribe to this view, they’re assuming that hiring managers will. They say, ‘I can’t ask for more. It would be greedy.’ ” That reluctance can have long-term financial implications. Previous research has shown that negotiating $5,000 more for a starting salary could lead to incremental earnings of more than $600,000 over the course of one’s career. If you’re wondering whether women were more reluctant to haggle for more pay than men, they weren’t, Hussain found. And even if the jobseekers were skeptical of the organization’s purpose-driven proclamations, that didn’t diminish the self-censoring. “The main effect exists regardless,” she said. “As long as you feel you won’t get the job unless you hold back from asking for more money, that is what matters.”"
Meme - Joseph Maili: "The attention to detail in the new Spiderverse film is top notch. You can tell Miles is Afro Latino by the simple cultural aspects he does and you can tell Gwen is white cus she has her fucking shoes on people's bed"
Google's Incredible New Photo AI Makes 'Zoom And Enhance' a Real Thing - "The technique is called natural image synthesis by Google, and in this particular scenario, image super-resolution. You start off with a small, blocky, pixelated photo, and you end up with something sharp, clear, and natural-looking. It may not match the original exactly, but it's close enough to look real to a pair of human eyes."
“Personal Kanban”: A Life-Changing Time-Management System That Explodes the Myth of Multitasking - "Multitasking is probably the single most overrated skill in modern life. It drains your brain of oxygenated glucose that could be put toward paying more focused attention, makes it difficult for a person to switch between tasks, and is generally an illusion anyway. Only 3 percent of the population are “supertaskers,” according to a study from Ohio University. The rest of us just pretend to be... Personal Kanban works on two principles: Visualize your work, and limit your total number of “works in progress.”... Starting but not finishing too many projects puts a person at risk of the so-called Zeigarnik effect, named for Bluma Zeigarnik, a Russian psychiatrist who, in the 1920s, discovered that people are better at remembering unfinished tasks than completed ones. Unfinished items that we’ve left hanging are like cognitive itches... Several popular software programs are based on the Kanban system, too, including Pivotal Tracker, and Trello. Benson prefers actual boards because “they’re tactile and they live in space and time,” he says, noting studies that have proven we process more information when we write things down. Ultimately, he wants his model to help people find themselves—quite literally"
Bruno Latour, the Post-Truth Philosopher, Mounts a Defense of Science - The New York Times - "The mid-1990s were the years of the so-called science wars, a series of heated public debates between “realists,” who held that facts were objective and free-standing, and “social constructionists,” like Latour, who believed that such facts were created by scientific research. To hint at any of the contention and compromise that went on behind the scenes, the realists feared, would give succor to the enemies of progress: creationists, anti‐vaxxers, flat‐earthers and cranks of all stripes. If scientific knowledge was socially produced — and thus partial, fallible, contingent — how could that not weaken its claims on reality? At the height of the conflict, the physicist Alan Sokal, who was under the impression that Latour and his S.T.S. colleagues thought that “the laws of physics are mere social conventions,” invited them to jump out the window of his 21st-floor apartment. At the time, the science wars struck most people outside the academy, if they noticed them at all, as an overheated scholastic squabble. Lately, however, these debates have begun to look more like a prelude to the post-truth era in which society as a whole is presently condemned to live... Those who worried that Latour’s early work was opening a Pandora’s box may feel that their fears have been more than borne out. Indeed, commentators on the left and the right, possibly overstating the reach of French theory, have recently leveled blame for our current state of affairs at “postmodernists” like Latour. By showing that scientific facts are the product of all-too-human procedures, these critics charge, Latour — whether he intended to or not — gave license to a pernicious anything-goes relativism that cynical conservatives were only too happy to appropriate for their own ends. Latour himself has sometimes worried about the same thing.... Philosophers have traditionally recognized a division between facts and values — between, say, scientific knowledge on one hand and human judgments on the other. Latour believes that this is specious. Many of his books are attempts to illuminate, as he has written, “both the history of humans’ involvement in the making of scientific facts and the sciences’ involvement in the making of human history.” In a formulation that was galling to both sociologists and scientists, he once argued that Louis Pasteur did not just, as is commonly accepted, discover microbes; rather, he collaborated with them.
Ironic
Academic games have consequences (not as much as the Frankfurt School, of course)
Of course only conservatives have a tenuous grasp on reality. The memory hole is working overtime
The Trillion Dollar US Credit Card Bubble Nobody's Talking About - "American credit card debt now stands at $1 trillion – nominally higher than during the 2008 crisis. And delinquencies are rising. At small banks, the delinquency rate is now worse than 2008... More than half of users are rolling balances over every month, incurring record levels of interest. And a third are over-extending themselves, claiming they’re worried about maxing out their card when they make a payment."
From 2019