People tend to speak at about 39 bits of information per second, regardless of the language they're speaking. Ben Shapiro and Steven Bonnell(Destiny) give the impression of speaking twice the normal English rate.
Spanish tends to use about a third more words than English to express the same thing. Japanese is also less information-dense than English. Vietnamese and spoken Chinese are more information-dense.
This may be a rare instance in history where a greater percentage of the people in a country being bombed are pro bombing than the people in the country doing the bombing.
Perhaps more than you care to know about Norman Lebrecht.
"Ultimately, Norman Lebrecht’s reputation reflects the divided nature of classical music commentary today: a once-dominant voice whose sharp style secured attention and influence but whose methods have increasingly drawn scrutiny, culminating in the loss of his long-standing BBC platform. The evidence from peer reviews, legal records, artist statements, and public reactions points to a figure who remains widely discussed—yet more often as a cautionary example of boundary-pushing journalism than as an unchallenged authority."
Putting this up, in hope that Grok might watch it and pass it on to Charles.
Grok analyzes the video.
"Adult stereotyping exists and can limit options—research consistently shows it. Yet children’s own preferences emerge early (by 18–24 months), show large effect sizes, and appear in primates, suggesting adults both respond to and reinforce existing inclinations. Effective parenting may involve offering a wide range while respecting individual interests rather than assuming all differences are imposed."
Grok 4.20 (Beta) uses a native 4-agent multi-agent system (released February 17, 2026). Four specialized agents run in parallel, debate internally, fact-check each other, and synthesize one polished final response.
It’s potentially a powerful research tool in the hands of an expert, but can’t be relied upon to summarize even a single text without hallucinating material and misrepresenting information.
The version of Grok I'm using is 4.20 (Beta). It's made up of four agents, one of whom fact-checks the results. The claim is that it reduces hallucinations by about two-thirds. So, progress is being made.
wjca: I don’t know about current practice. But when I was growing up, girls were socialized early on to not run around, yell, be generally disorderly, etc.
Say, rather, they have been taught not to behave like they are.
The research indicates that this is only a partial explanation.
nous: That’s a lot of qualifiers for that research (boys in 1) traditional 2) US 3) public 4) primary schools).
I specified traditional public schools since they're the schooling most kids experience, and most of them are of the "sit down, be still, be quiet, and pay attention" type.
How does that compare to boys in other countries?
"Evidence from international assessments and national studies indicates that the gender patterns observed in US primary schools—boys tending toward higher externalizing behaviors like restlessness, impulsivity, and disruption, while girls show stronger self-regulation, compliance, and prosocial engagement—largely hold across other Western countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Western and Northern Europe."
Are their issues related to family socioeconomic status or socialization patterns rooted in those socioeconomic groups?
The research indicates that this is only a partial explanation.
And not specified – when were those studies done?
The dates listed for the key citations are 2010-2025.
Updated link to include information on other countries.
"Research suggests that, on average, boys in traditional US public primary (elementary) schools exhibit more externalizing behaviors—such as higher activity levels, impulsivity, restlessness, and disruption—compared to girls, who tend to show greater self-regulation, compliance, and prosocial engagement."
A libertarian on these very pages years ago, in a fit of drollery, once said that what really bothered him about weaponry near at hand was how bothersomely noisy gunfire can be to innocent bystanders; it hurts HIS ears!
Perhaps I'm somewhere on the spectrum, but loud noises of all kinds have always been a problem for me.
An all-male prison is, by that way of figuring, still a patriarchal society, as is an all-female prison because the larger society in which they exist is patriarchal in structure.
This surprised me: "Inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization: 4% men vs. 21% women (mostly abusive sexual contact)."
"Research suggests male prisons in the US tend to feature more rigid, hierarchical gangs focused on protection, status, and black-market governance, while female prisons more commonly involve pseudo-family or kinship-style groups that emphasize emotional support and relational bonds."
"Ah, yes, masculinity – that North Star our society hands men that says the worst thing you can do isn’t cruelty, the worst thing you can do is act like a girl."
And yet, in Western societies, boys are often expected to act like girls. Starting in school, where they're expected to sit down, be still, be quiet, and pay attention. If they don't, there's something wrong with them.
"In sum, the article offers a coherent, evidence-informed provocation that usefully redirects attention from symptoms to cultural roots. Its strengths lie in synthesizing public-health data with high-profile cases and amplifying survivor-centered prevention. Limitations stem from ideological commitment that may undervalue complexity, yet it contributes meaningfully to ongoing debates about accountability, entitlement, and systemic reform in the wake of the Epstein disclosures."
"Several classic pop and rock songs from the 1960s–1980s contain lyrics that reference “jailbait” (a slang term for someone under the legal age of consent) or imply romantic/sexual interest in young or underage females."
I put it to you that this just means you agree with the viewpoint they advocate.
Perhaps. But The Economist has higher ratings from various media rating services than does Scientific American, for example, a publication of a similar age and stature.
I recently rode in a Tesla in self-driving mode. Impressive but somewhat anticlimactic, having seen several self-driving videos. It would have been more impressive if there had been no one in the driver's seat.
I've already received a benefit from the Court's ruling on Trump's tariffs. On PredictIt, I bet the Court would overturn the tariffs. I've received a 20% return on my investment. :)
The writer knew that Shambaugh hadn’t spoken to him and stuck them in anyway.
The writer's explanation.
"The piece was retracted the same day after Shambaugh revealed that quotes attributed to him were fabricated using AI, violating Ars Technica's policy against unlabeled AI-generated content. Edwards apologized publicly, attributing the error to rushing while ill with COVID and accidentally using ChatGPT-paraphrased text from Shambaugh's blog as quotes; he emphasized it was his sole responsibility and not representative of Ars' standards."
Wait until you start getting phone calls from them. Not from call centers, but because an agent found your phone number and decided to give you a ring. Some people are claiming they've gotten calls from agents acting on their own.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “A little language practice”
How Words Entered the English Language
"
People tend to speak at about 39 bits of information per second, regardless of the language they're speaking. Ben Shapiro and Steven Bonnell(Destiny) give the impression of speaking twice the normal English rate.
"
English vs Spanish: Language Comparison
English vs German: Comparison
"
Spanish tends to use about a third more words than English to express the same thing. Japanese is also less information-dense than English. Vietnamese and spoken Chinese are more information-dense.
On “As it all falls down around our ears: An open thread”
On PredictIt, I bet on Crockett, so no joy. I bet against Paxton, so I'm still in the game on that one.
On “Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb bomb Iran”
This may be a rare instance in history where a greater percentage of the people in a country being bombed are pro bombing than the people in the country doing the bombing.
On “Yuja Wang, networking, transactionality and that guy”
Perhaps more than you care to know about Norman Lebrecht.
"Ultimately, Norman Lebrecht’s reputation reflects the divided nature of classical music commentary today: a once-dominant voice whose sharp style secured attention and influence but whose methods have increasingly drawn scrutiny, culminating in the loss of his long-standing BBC platform. The evidence from peer reviews, legal records, artist statements, and public reactions points to a figure who remains widely discussed—yet more often as a cautionary example of boundary-pushing journalism than as an unchallenged authority."
Norman Lebrecht: Polarizing Classical Music Figure
On “As it all falls down around our ears: An open thread”
Anyone have thoughts on this Anthropic thing?
If software is speech, the government is trying to compel speech, a violation of the First Amendment.
On “Perpwalk Imperial”
Putting this up, in hope that Grok might watch it and pass it on to Charles.
Grok analyzes the video.
"Adult stereotyping exists and can limit options—research consistently shows it. Yet children’s own preferences emerge early (by 18–24 months), show large effect sizes, and appear in primates, suggesting adults both respond to and reinforce existing inclinations. Effective parenting may involve offering a wide range while respecting individual interests rather than assuming all differences are imposed."
BBC Gender Toy Bias Experiment Analysis
"
Grok 4.20 (Beta) uses a native 4-agent multi-agent system (released February 17, 2026). Four specialized agents run in parallel, debate internally, fact-check each other, and synthesize one polished final response.
Grok 4.20 Beta: Four-Agent System
"
It’s potentially a powerful research tool in the hands of an expert, but can’t be relied upon to summarize even a single text without hallucinating material and misrepresenting information.
The version of Grok I'm using is 4.20 (Beta). It's made up of four agents, one of whom fact-checks the results. The claim is that it reduces hallucinations by about two-thirds. So, progress is being made.
"
wjca: I don’t know about current practice. But when I was growing up, girls were socialized early on to not run around, yell, be generally disorderly, etc.
Say, rather, they have been taught not to behave like they are.
The research indicates that this is only a partial explanation.
nous: That’s a lot of qualifiers for that research (boys in 1) traditional 2) US 3) public 4) primary schools).
I specified traditional public schools since they're the schooling most kids experience, and most of them are of the "sit down, be still, be quiet, and pay attention" type.
How does that compare to boys in other countries?
"Evidence from international assessments and national studies indicates that the gender patterns observed in US primary schools—boys tending toward higher externalizing behaviors like restlessness, impulsivity, and disruption, while girls show stronger self-regulation, compliance, and prosocial engagement—largely hold across other Western countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Western and Northern Europe."
Are their issues related to family socioeconomic status or socialization patterns rooted in those socioeconomic groups?
The research indicates that this is only a partial explanation.
And not specified – when were those studies done?
The dates listed for the key citations are 2010-2025.
Updated link to include information on other countries.
Gender Differences in US Primary School Behavior
"
Girls don’t get restless in class?
Less so than boys at the same age.
"Research suggests that, on average, boys in traditional US public primary (elementary) schools exhibit more externalizing behaviors—such as higher activity levels, impulsivity, restlessness, and disruption—compared to girls, who tend to show greater self-regulation, compliance, and prosocial engagement."
Gender Differences in US Primary School Behavior
"
A libertarian on these very pages years ago, in a fit of drollery, once said that what really bothered him about weaponry near at hand was how bothersomely noisy gunfire can be to innocent bystanders; it hurts HIS ears!
Perhaps I'm somewhere on the spectrum, but loud noises of all kinds have always been a problem for me.
"
An all-male prison is, by that way of figuring, still a patriarchal society, as is an all-female prison because the larger society in which they exist is patriarchal in structure.
This surprised me: "Inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization: 4% men vs. 21% women (mostly abusive sexual contact)."
"Research suggests male prisons in the US tend to feature more rigid, hierarchical gangs focused on protection, status, and black-market governance, while female prisons more commonly involve pseudo-family or kinship-style groups that emphasize emotional support and relational bonds."
Gendered Social Dynamics in US Prisons
"
"Ah, yes, masculinity – that North Star our society hands men that says the worst thing you can do isn’t cruelty, the worst thing you can do is act like a girl."
And yet, in Western societies, boys are often expected to act like girls. Starting in school, where they're expected to sit down, be still, be quiet, and pay attention. If they don't, there's something wrong with them.
"
"In sum, the article offers a coherent, evidence-informed provocation that usefully redirects attention from symptoms to cultural roots. Its strengths lie in synthesizing public-health data with high-profile cases and amplifying survivor-centered prevention. Limitations stem from ideological commitment that may undervalue complexity, yet it contributes meaningfully to ongoing debates about accountability, entitlement, and systemic reform in the wake of the Epstein disclosures."
Epstein Files: Patriarchy as Root Cause
There is one word that explains how so many men can be in the Epstein files. So why is no one saying it?: We talk endlessly about the factors that make rape easier, but never about the factors that cause rape in the first place.
"
"Several classic pop and rock songs from the 1960s–1980s contain lyrics that reference “jailbait” (a slang term for someone under the legal age of consent) or imply romantic/sexual interest in young or underage females."
Classic Pop Songs Referencing Jailbait
On “Open Thread”
Care to share names?
These evaluations have text and tables listing media rating services.
The Economist: Reputation and Bias
Scientific American: Legacy and Modern Controversy
"
I put it to you that this just means you agree with the viewpoint they advocate.
Perhaps. But The Economist has higher ratings from various media rating services than does Scientific American, for example, a publication of a similar age and stature.
"
"They still have a bit of a libertarian lean, but rather less than a couple of decades ago."
Decades ago, I subscribed to The Economist when, for me at least, subscribing to magazines was a thing.
The Economist has stayed the course much better than some other major publications that have drifted from journalism to viewpoint advocacy.
"
I recently rode in a Tesla in self-driving mode. Impressive but somewhat anticlimactic, having seen several self-driving videos. It would have been more impressive if there had been no one in the driver's seat.
"
I've already received a benefit from the Court's ruling on Trump's tariffs. On PredictIt, I bet the Court would overturn the tariffs. I've received a 20% return on my investment. :)
"
The writer knew that Shambaugh hadn’t spoken to him and stuck them in anyway.
The writer's explanation.
"The piece was retracted the same day after Shambaugh revealed that quotes attributed to him were fabricated using AI, violating Ars Technica's policy against unlabeled AI-generated content. Edwards apologized publicly, attributing the error to rushing while ill with COVID and accidentally using ChatGPT-paraphrased text from Shambaugh's blog as quotes; he emphasized it was his sole responsibility and not representative of Ars' standards."
Ars Technica Writers' Reputation After Retraction
"
what a wonderful use of technology!
Wait until you start getting phone calls from them. Not from call centers, but because an agent found your phone number and decided to give you a ring. Some people are claiming they've gotten calls from agents acting on their own.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.