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

[collinsmark]

Have you ever felt that we sometimes act in opposite way to the other person we're with?
For my example, I experience things like becoming braver around afraid people and step up to protect them, and get unreasonably childish when I'm around close friend who's more mature. Is there already scientific explanation behind this?

And then, this might be out of context, but I find myself being aware of my eating manner from time to time-- I also noticed that I'm more relaxed and unaware when there's someone next to me who eat more 'elegantly'. This is especially bothering me since I want to eat peacefully, but somehow I became aware of how I eat. Is this normal?

I can't say for sure if this is what you mean, but it might be related to humans' innate social dominance hierarchy -- the attempt of humans, like many other social animals, to form a "pecking order," so to speak.

It's not my area of expertise, so I hesitate to comment on it more than that.

This topic is probably worthy of its own thread. Maybe we can get some sociologists and/or cultural anthropologists to participate (and maybe even some zoologists thrown in for comparisons within the animal kingdom).

 

[fresh_42]

I have a new favorite of German words that made it into foreign languages: Zugzwang. (Just seen at the start of a US movie.)

 

[Astronuc]

Media in the modern age - you don't get what you don't pay for.

 

[shadowshed]

You're right. It happens pretty often. If anyone's ever studied it, it would have been under the aegis of psychology. However, I haven't personally seen anyone offer a term or explanation for it, that I can recall.

Ah, thanks. It helps that other people are actually experiencing it.

I can't say for sure if this is what you mean, but it might be related to humans' innate social dominance hierarchy -- the attempt of humans, like many other social animals, to form a "pecking order," so to speak.

It matches with the Interpersonal Complementary section well.. Thank you very much for telling me that!

============
On other random thoughts, do roaches have ears? I wonder if they can listen to sound. If they can, then in what frequency band?
Because I can't help sometimes yell to scare them off.

 

[zoobyshoe]

How did anyone ever discover that nitroglycerine is a good thing to ingest if you have a bad heart?

 

[fresh_42]

How did anyone ever discover that nitroglycerine is a good thing to ingest if you have a bad heart?

If I remember correctly it has been Nobel himself who recognized that it helps him with his heart problems. But I'm not absolutely sure. What is certain is, that it has been at a time when people swallowed a lot of dubious substances as modern pharmacology was yet to start.

 

[Pepper Mint]

How did anyone ever discover that nitroglycerine is a good thing to ingest if you have a bad heart?

Then what do you mean by a "bad" heart ?
This type of nitrate does have its good effect on widening our blood vessels. So the blood flow in them becomes smoother, uhm yeah. And I think it will probably have a bad effect on those with brain injuries instead though.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

How did anyone ever discover that nitroglycerine is a good thing to ingest if you have a bad heart?

See the "History" section of the Wikipedia entry on nitroglycerin.

 

[zoobyshoe]

See the "History" section of the Wikipedia entry on nitroglycerin.

Thanks.

One link lead to another and I got to the original paper:

http://site.hmc.org.qa/heartviews/vol8no3/PDF/HISTORYOFMEDICINE2.pdf

It strikes me as sheer quackery that succeeded by pure accident. He started experimenting with ingesting it to disprove the powerful unpleasant effects a previous writer had reported. When he found out it had the same unpleasant effects on himself, and anyone else he gave it to, he decided to start prescribing it for conditions he had no clear treatment for.

 

[jim hardy]

One link lead led to another and I got to the original paper:

past tense ? fixed it fer ya...

This type of nitrate does have its good effect on widening our blood vessels. So the blood flow in them becomes smoother, uhm yeah. And I think it will probably have a bad effect on those with brain injuries instead though.

I'll attest nitro sure helps a struggling heart
and it does give a headache..

 

[jim hardy]

Grand-daughter, nine, sure increased her prowess at swimming this last week in our lake.
Went from just a couple yards of dog paddle to fifty feet, still dog paddling with arms but good leg kicking,
she's almost ready to put face under water .
Have two days left to advance her to breast stroke, hyping it as "Frog Paddle"
and she tried out the kayak...
it's good for them to succeed.

 

[Sophia]

Grand-daughter, nine, sure increased her prowess at swimming this last week in our lake.
Went from just a couple yards of dog paddle to fifty feet, still dog paddling with arms but good leg kicking,
she's almost ready to put face under water .
Have two days left to advance her to breast stroke, hyping it as "Frog Paddle"
and she tried out the kayak...
it's good for them to succeed.

I'm sure she enjoys the time spent with her grand dad. And once she'll be thankful to you for teaching her to swim :-) same as it was something very special for me when my grandpa taught me to ride a bike.
There's something unique about the bond between grandchildren and grandparents if the relationships in the family are healthy.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/what-is-the-oxford-comma-and-why-do-people-care-so-much-about-it/

 

[Sophia]

I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/what-is-the-oxford-comma-and-why-do-people-care-so-much-about-it/

That's interesting, never heard of Oxford comma before. In fact, I would assume that a comma before "and" is a mistake. I'll be wiser now!

 

[Pepper Mint]

That's interesting, never heard of Oxford comma before. In fact, I would assume that a comma before "and" is a mistake. I'll be wiser now!

I think I like Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty, and also find myself interested in other pop stars.

 

[zoobyshoe]

That's interesting, never heard of Oxford comma before. In fact, I would assume that a comma before "and" is a mistake. I'll be wiser now!

Just to be clear, a comma before "and" is a mistake (or, at least, unnecessary) when you have only two things. It becomes necessary with three or more things (a list) to avoid the sort of confusion that comes from constructions like, "I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty."

 

[fresh_42]

Just to be clear, a comma before "and" is a mistake (or, at least, unnecessary) when you have only two things. It becomes necessary with three or more things (a list) to avoid the sort of confusion that comes from constructions like, "I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty."

My difficulty arises from the fact, that it would be an error in my language. It would only be mandatory, if it was followed by a complete sentence and thus changes the subject.
The distinction between two and more listed objects sounds somehow not logic (to me).

 

[Ibix]

Just to be clear, a comma before "and" is a mistake (or, at least, unnecessary) when you have only two things. It becomes necessary with three or more things (a list) to avoid the sort of confusion that comes from constructions like, "I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty."

I don't think it's so easy. Consider a modification of your list: "I love my mum, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty", which is unambiguous. If I put in an Oxford comma I get: "I love my mum, Lady Gaga, and Humpty Dumpty". That can be read as stating that my mum is Lady Gaga.

Edit: I agree that a comma is unnecessary for a two-element list. Care is necessary when it is possible to read a sub-list as an expansion of the elements preceding it.

I think.

 

[Sophia]

My difficulty arises from the fact, that it would be an error in my language. It would only be mandatory, if it was followed by a complete sentence.
The distinction between two and more listed objects sounds somehow not logic (to me).

Same here. Rule that there should never be a comma before "and" is one of the first grammar rules we learn (unless there's an exception, of course ).
I confess that I haven't studied use of comma in English and that's why I usually use Slovak rules in my writing. There are only some cases when I noticed that it should be used and remembered it after seeing the expressions many times (Eg. "in fact," before "too" and similar).
I should really look into these things. And revise conditionals and phrasals.

 

[fresh_42]

Same here. Rule that there should never be a comma before "and" is one of the first grammar rules we learn (unless there's an exception, of course ).
I confess that I haven't studied use of comma in English and that's why I usually use Slovak rules in my writing. There are only some cases when I noticed that it should be used and remembered it after seeing the expressions many times (Eg. "in fact," before "too" and similar).
I should really look into these things. And revise conditionals and phrasals.

Only thing I know about them is, that there are far less commas in English. In case of doubt, I just don't make one or I make a point.
E.g:

If I put in an Oxford comma I get: ...

would have to be "If I put in an Oxford comma, I (will) get: ..." in German.

The side effect, however, is that I unfortunately kind of randomize the usage of commas in English.
A US-American once told me that our sentences are far too long. That has been a good advice.

 

[Sophia]

Only thing I know about them is, that there are far less commas in English. In case of doubt, I just don't make one or I make a point.
E.g:

would have to be "If I put in an Oxford comma, I (will) get: ..." in German.

The side effect, however, is that I unfortunately kind of randomize the usage of commas in English.
A US-American once told me that our sentences are far too long. That has been a good advice.

Exactly! We would use a comma in that sentence as well. And we are encouraged to use long sentences in essays, which earns you extra points for using elaborate language. And you can prove you know rules about commas, too. .

 

[zoobyshoe]

I don't think it's so easy. Consider a modification of your list: "I love my mum, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty", which is unambiguous.

Actually, this could be read to mean your mum is both Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty. Suppose, for example, your mum played both characters in some theatrical production, or, went as Lady Gaga to one Halloween party and as Humpty Dumpty to another.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Care is necessary when it is possible to read a sub-list as an expansion of the elements preceding it.

Yes.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Exactly! We would use a comma in that sentence as well. And we are encouraged to use long sentences in essays, which earns you extra points for using elaborate language. And you can prove you know rules about commas, too. .

I would have put a comma there, too.

 

[Ibix]

Actually, this could be read to mean your mum is both Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty. Suppose, for example, your mum played both characters in some theatrical production, or, went as Lady Gaga to one Halloween party and as Humpty Dumpty to another.

Could be. Context is key...

 

[fresh_42]

Could be. Context is key...

I tend to say you are right: "I love my mum, Lady Gaga, and Humpty Dumpty." is obviously an apposition.

 

[Pepper Mint]

I don't care about long or short sentences, provided that you know how to rhyme your words to make me/readers feel good while reading your sentences. I would try to read between the lines.

 

[fresh_42]

I would try to read between the lines.

Are you British?

 

[Pepper Mint]

Are you British?

Yes I am a British person born in Africa but bred and living in Asia and Oceania.

 

[collinsmark]

I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/what-is-the-oxford-comma-and-why-do-people-care-so-much-about-it/

The way I was taught, the Oxford comma (as we're calling it here) is appropriate when listing proper names. For example, if you see a sign on small office building, "The Law Offices of Peterman, Miller, and Schmitt," the comma before "and" would be completely appropriate. And in my experiences, most proper names are listed this way (particularly in business names that include several proper names). But when listing mundane things, for example, "I like apples, oranges and pears," just leave it out.

I suppose that's a second reason why it should be used in "...my parents, Lady Gaga, and Humpty Dumpty."