Neurosexism... Again

You'd think word would have spread through the research community that any claims about "hard-wired gender differences" would be closely scrutinized. And, given the rate at which they fail to stand up under scrutiny, you'd think people would think twice before publishing them. But, no....

This article gives a nice clear explanation of why the recent stereotype-infused headlines are so much fantasy.

Source: https://theconversation.com/new-insights-into-gendered-brain-wiring-or-a-perfect-case-study-in-neurosexism-21083

A Different Take on Custody

Interesting what thoughts one can have when one looks beyond the easy answers. It honestly had never occurred to me to look at why one parent appears to be better suited for kid rearing than the other when it comes time to split.

Source: https://everydayfeminism.com/2013/08/bias-against-fathers/?upw

Losing an Excuse, a Stigma, and a Condescending Insult

First off, is there anything better than the phrase, "basket of goddamn sunshine"? Love it. Just love it.

"A growing number of experts are arguing that—as far as mental health is concerned—pre-menstrual syndrome is a culture-bound syndrome, meaning that it's diagnosis is based on societal expectations of how women should behave and feel, instead of biological reasoning."

Sources: Jezebel and The Guardian

Doesn't it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy that stupid cultural expectations, rather than actual science, are being used to marginalize perfectly healthy people? Sometimes I just want to kick people in the teeth 'cuz, well... 'cuz they're stupid. And the rush to declare normal behavior to be a mental disorder of some sort is just ridiculous.

Underwater Sculptures

I love this! I now have a burning need to go back to Cancun to see concrete sculptures underwater.

Source: http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/gallery/evolucion-silenciosa.html

Euphoric, Crabby, and Lacking in Ethics... All at the Same Time

This is not good news for a sleep-deprived populace. It's well known that sleeplessness makes humans crabby, but it also leads to short-term euphoria and risky behavior with questionable ethics. So, your sleep-deprived friend really does need you to drag them back to reality, but expect to get snapped at while you do it.

Sources:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/220044.php
http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/03/does-lack-of-sleep-make-us-unethical/

A Horse With No Hay

This is a wonderful intro to a life-sized horse puppet.

Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/handpring_puppet_co_the_genius_puppetry_behind_war_horse.html

Some Scientists Try REALLY Hard to Prove Their Own BS World Views

This is a nice deconstruction of Simon Baron-Cohen trying desperately to make the evidence fit his preconceived notions, even to the extent of some seriously convoluted logic unworthy of a scientist. Sigh.

Source: http://scottsworlds.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/eating-disorders-and-not-so-female-brain.html

Women Can't Multitask Either

Pretty much nobody can. So get your eyes back on the road, and PUT THE PHONE DOWN! ...ahem...

This is a wonderful infographic on the effects of "multitasking." (Did you see the quotes? Yeah. That's 'cuz it's a myth.)

"Focusing on more than one thing decreases your productivity by 40% and lowers your IQ by 10 points"

Link: http://mashable.com/2012/08/13/multitasking-infographic/

We need not fear wanting

This really resonates with me. I know so many people who are determined to stuff down or push away any and all desires in the name of being spiritual. Seems to me that wanting is part of being human, and any spirituality worth its salt would have room for humanity to be...well, human.

"if we push away desire, we disconnect from our tenderness and we harden against life. We become like a “rock in winter.” When we reject desire, we reject the very source of our love and aliveness."

link: http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/the-suffering-of-rejecting-desire

The Mingling of Grief and Joy

Closure is such a pervasive concept in our society. The assertion that it really doesn't exist and that we should stop chasing it really rings true to me. At the same time, I find in myself a deep longing for the grief to go away leaving only joy. I suppose that's closely akin to the fantasy of a life without problems, work, or traffic.

The blurb: Nancy Berns is a sociologist at Drake University. She looks at the space between grief and closure and has found that not only is closure a fabricated concept, it is doing us more harm than good.

Link: http://youtu.be/w0rCfXSdYPE

No Noodles

Wonderful animation.

http://www.sharesomecandy.com/2012/07/tyler-nicolson.html

Myths and Facts About Gender Differences in the Brain

Great article. Nice and clear.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-myths/201207/two-myths-and-three-facts-about-the-differences-in-men-and-womens-brains

Same Planet. Sorry Y'all.

As usual, the data shows that we're more alike than most people want to admit.

Source: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-women-and-men-really-communicate-different

Yesterday's Toothpicks are Today's Baseball Bats: fMRI ≠ 42

Another in a string of reasons not to get too enamored of the idea that fMRI scans are scientific mind reading. Turns out they miss a lot activity that might be important.

"These papers illustrate the fact that conventional fMRI is a blunt instrument that often only tells us about the most straightforward events that happen in the brain. A bit like how we only hear the shouts and screams from through our neighbor's walls, not their normal conversations, which aren't loud enough to reach our ears."

Source: http://neuroskeptic.blogspot.com/2012/03/brain-scanning-just-tip-of-iceberg.html

For the Douglas Adams impaired, 42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

Hannah Rosin's Lying Statistics

I read Hannah Rosin's "End of Men" article in the Atlantic when it came out. I remember that it just felt wrong, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Well, Derek Rose spelled it out for me. It was wrong. Way wrong.

Source: http://goodmenproject.com/ethics-values/men-at-work-objecting-the-end-of-men-and-celebrating-masculinity-in-the-workforce/

A little cooperation here

Yet more research money spent on questions they could have just asked me. I suppose it's being a small difference s why they felt they needed a study. I'm annoyed enough by the lower level of cooperation in all-female groups to notice it. Source: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-men-or-women-more-cooperative

Multitasking: Another Gender Myth Bites the Dust

This doesn't surprise me in the least. I have always observed that people (myself included, of course) do things poorly or half assed when they try to do multiple things at once, and I know lots of guys who do it as well as it can be done.

Source: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-we-really-multitask-are-women-better-at-i

Sound, Frequency, and Pitch

This is one of the most entertaining explanations of pitch ever.

Source: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2011/08/24/vi-hart-noises/

Another One Bites the Dust - Women and Shopping

Nope. Most women are Not shopping fanatics. Thin women like shopping, the average for the rest is ambivalence. This doesn't surprise me. I know lots of women who despise shopping and get very colorful vocabularies when the topic comes up.


Source: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-all-women-love-shopping

Fascinating Read: The Masculinity Conspiracy

From the about page:

"The Masculinity Conspiracy is a free online book about masculinity. It argues that nearly every assumption about masculinity in contemporary society is wrong. The result is nothing short of exposing a worldwide conspiracy that has been preventing humanity from reaching its fullest potential."

Source: http://masculinityconspiracy.wordpress.com/about-2/