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catgrin's Comments
Re: Yuto Miyazawa: Crazy Train
Rock on!
By: catgrin
Re: Yuto Miyazawa: Crazy Train
I agree! There are some really terrific blues singers in Japan who speak no English but sing with no accent whatsoever, because they learn the lyrics by listening to other recordings.
By: catgrin
Re: Yuto Miyazawa: Crazy Train
Dude, do you speak Japanese? She's speaking to him in English so the audience will hear the question.
By: catgrin
Re: Ted Talks: Joachim De Posada Says, Don't Eat the Marshmallow yet
I don't know that your story about the uncle disproves the point that hard work or discipline may be required for later, greater reward and successful people act in kind. Think about this:
What if the uncle had not gone to college first?
Would he have then had to deal with his family treating him as though he was a failure? If so, would his family's perception of him had an effect on his happiness or own feelings of self worth?
Based on the fact that he chose to do what was expected first, I think there's a chance that it would have. So by going to school, he increased his emotional benefit from his final choice of occupation.
Also, by going to college, he can now be assured of his capability and intelligence. That would make him a better problem solver - a necessary skill for someone working alone and fixing a variety of things. By understanding physics (including, electronics, chemical physics, and mechanics among other fields) there's a chance that he can solve those problems faster and is therefore a better, more successful handyman.
Combine the added knowledge with feelings of assuredness that he has chosen a field that is appropriate for him, and I think you may have really grasped the key to his success.
What if the uncle had not gone to college first?
Would he have then had to deal with his family treating him as though he was a failure? If so, would his family's perception of him had an effect on his happiness or own feelings of self worth?
Based on the fact that he chose to do what was expected first, I think there's a chance that it would have. So by going to school, he increased his emotional benefit from his final choice of occupation.
Also, by going to college, he can now be assured of his capability and intelligence. That would make him a better problem solver - a necessary skill for someone working alone and fixing a variety of things. By understanding physics (including, electronics, chemical physics, and mechanics among other fields) there's a chance that he can solve those problems faster and is therefore a better, more successful handyman.
Combine the added knowledge with feelings of assuredness that he has chosen a field that is appropriate for him, and I think you may have really grasped the key to his success.
By: catgrin
Re: James Randi: Dowsing, the Ideomotor Effect
This is just because I've met him and am very fond of him: In person Mr. Randi is a friendly, sweet, pleasant, and wholly lovable gentleman. It is only when dealing with foolishness and deliberate trickery that he takes on the tone of a curmudgeon.
Telling someone that they're wrong, no matter how pleasantly you do it, will always make you seem argumentative, and when people just won't listen, when they believe their own lies - it gets hard not to sound frustrated. Randi's spent decades of his life debunking those who would take advantage of others for personal gain. This is an important thing to do, and he's made it his life's work. After over thirty years of telling charlatans that their tricks are transparent, it's hardly surprising that he sounds like it's old hat.
Telling someone that they're wrong, no matter how pleasantly you do it, will always make you seem argumentative, and when people just won't listen, when they believe their own lies - it gets hard not to sound frustrated. Randi's spent decades of his life debunking those who would take advantage of others for personal gain. This is an important thing to do, and he's made it his life's work. After over thirty years of telling charlatans that their tricks are transparent, it's hardly surprising that he sounds like it's old hat.
By: catgrin
Re: CD Cover Meme
OK - first try and I came up with "Brandt's Guiara" (a South American rodent), the title "it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs" and an image of an axe embedded in a stump. I'm pleased.
By: catgrin
qqq
"What would a bacterium do with only 75% of the parts needed for a flagellum?" Simple. They'd have a syringe (or some other biological device) instead. Many bacteria use air or water currents to travel without the aid of a flagellum. It is not necessary for transport, it is an aid to it. In fact, the existence of the two similar structures on such simple creatures is an argument in favor of evolution!
image of plague @
http://www.rkm.com.au/BACTERIA/Yersinia-pestis.html
general bacteria info @ http://www.lanesville.k12.in.us/lcsyellowpages/Tickit/Carl/bacteria.html
image of plague @
http://www.rkm.com.au/BACTERIA/Yersinia-pestis.html
general bacteria info @ http://www.lanesville.k12.in.us/lcsyellowpages/Tickit/Carl/bacteria.html
By: catgrin
Re: The Simpsons: New Widescreen Opening / Couch Gag
Nope - it was always just the numbers. Her price was $847.63 - the NRA4EVER thing was just a gag.
Now apparently she's $486.52. Go fig'.
Now apparently she's $486.52. Go fig'.
By: catgrin
Re: James Randi in Australia
You've gotta know the tricks to see the sleight of hand. ; )
By: catgrin
Re: James Randi in Australia
I think that this was a group of dowsers who agreed together to take on the challenge. The main question asked in the experiment wasn't "can person A dowse?" it was "does dowsing work?"
I agree that any one dowser with successful results (better than 80%) should have been re-tested to see what their results from 100 readings alone were. They all claimed 80 to 100% success, so anything less than that upon first test reads by an individual would suggest no need for further testing. (Dowsing is not a test of swaying the odds long term, but performing an action that provides an immediately predictable result.)
You're right about the 20% result for the water dowsing. I believe the other items were added in based on the claims from the dowsers that a liquid could leave moisture in a pipe that could be "misread". Unfortunately, this was either not the best designed of experiments as far as the numbers are concerned or clarity of the agreed setup didn't get through to us as viewers.
I agree that any one dowser with successful results (better than 80%) should have been re-tested to see what their results from 100 readings alone were. They all claimed 80 to 100% success, so anything less than that upon first test reads by an individual would suggest no need for further testing. (Dowsing is not a test of swaying the odds long term, but performing an action that provides an immediately predictable result.)
You're right about the 20% result for the water dowsing. I believe the other items were added in based on the claims from the dowsers that a liquid could leave moisture in a pipe that could be "misread". Unfortunately, this was either not the best designed of experiments as far as the numbers are concerned or clarity of the agreed setup didn't get through to us as viewers.
By: catgrin
Re: Cursebird
Oh wow! That is some non-sequitur joy! The best is the contrast between their avatars and the language!
By: catgrin
Re: Joe vs The Volcano - Joe Quits
Ah yeah... such a rockin' flick! for anyone who's only seen it on TV, go rent it, they always edit for time. It's really great if you watch it all the way through. Also, if you're feeling pretty stagnant it's a great pick-me-up film. Thanks for posting!
By: catgrin
Re: John Cleese on Sarah Palin
Ah John, how I love thee. Not to worry, I guarantee there are Americans spending their water cooler moments mocking her. Parrot indeed!
By: catgrin
Re: Orson Welles: Drunk Paul Masson Outtakes
Wouldn't be surprising. He was known as a prankster who told outrageous storied and performed magic tricks at parties. There's an episode of I Love Lucy where she gets hired on to do a trick with him at a benefit and he ends up playing the straight man to her insanity. He pulls it off beautifully!
Since he's getting the dialogue right, just mucking it all about, it's a fair shot that he's just irritated with the whole thing and trying to amuse himself.
Since he's getting the dialogue right, just mucking it all about, it's a fair shot that he's just irritated with the whole thing and trying to amuse himself.
By: catgrin
