#Modal Analysis

[ajayexplore]

TEFUGEN: Redefining Engineering Excellence through Finite Element Analysis

WHY USE FEA IN YOUR ENGINEERING PROJECTS?

At the forefront of engineering excellence, TEFUGEN offers exceptional Finite Element Analysis (FEA) services in India. Utilizing FEA yields unparalleled benefits, offering profound insights into your project's performance prior to physical model construction. It aids in pinpointing stress points, identifying potential weaknesses, and assessing material durability under diverse conditions, effectively mitigating the risk of failure and associated costs. With its ability to conduct precise simulations, FEA empowers informed decision-making in design modifications, guaranteeing optimal performance and safety.

Structural Integrity Assessment:

In engineering, FEA, an indispensable method, meticulously assesses structural integrity by simulating material responses to diverse conditions. This predictive analysis is pivotal for guaranteeing the safety and reliability of designs. TEFUGEN, as a FEA consulting service in India, provides expert assistance, enabling engineers to identify potential weaknesses and optimize for durability.

Thermal stress analysis:

FEA analysis services play a key role in assessing heat distribution within structures or components. Engineers leverage this analysis to model and analyze thermal behavior meticulously. By doing so, they optimize designs for efficient heat dissipation or retention, ensuring the performance and reliability of the system. This detailed analysis enables engineers to make informed decisions regarding material selection, insulation, or heat management strategies, ultimately enhancing overall system efficiency and longevity.

Mechanical Component Design:

FE Analysis plays a crucial role in optimizing mechanical component design by accurately predicting stress, strain, and deformation. This ensures components can effectively withstand operational loads while minimizing material usage, thereby enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Fatigue Analysis:

Engineers use FEA for fatigue analysis, predicting the lifespan of components subjected to cyclic loading. This is crucial in industries like aerospace and automotive, where understanding material fatigue is paramount.

Fluid Structure Interaction:

Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) is a crucial aspect of FE Analysis, examining the dynamic interaction between fluids and structures. By simulating how fluids affect nearby structures and vice versa, FSI enables engineers to optimize designs for enhanced performance and durability across various industries.

Modal analysis Modal analysis using FEA techniques enables the simulation of eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes, revealing the vibrational characteristics of a structure. Meanwhile, harmonic analysis facilitates the emulation of peak responses to specific loads, offering insights into system behavior. These analyses are indispensable tools for understanding structural dynamics and optimizing performance.

Motion study Unlocking insights into structural behavior through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) motion studies. Discover the intricate dynamics of systems, optimize designs, and ensure structural resilience with FEA motion analysis.

[beneathsilverstars]

Was explaining my thoughts about Vaugardian attitudes towards mental health and therapy as part of a different topic, but it got really long so dfjkghdf here it is as a whole post! Starting with some more general worldbuilsing but hold on, we’ll get there.

Since Houses canonically contain libraries and infirmaries and provide things like education and transition care, I see them as a center of not just community but specifically community resources. If you have a problem or a question, you go to the local House, and if they can't solve it themself they'll point you in the direction of whoever can! Thus Housemaidens generally fill a role similar to social workers, and specific Housemaidens will have specialties like being a doctor, cook, teacher of a particular subject, etc. In larger cities, a lot of the more specific or labor-intensive resources would probably be outsourced to other charities/companies/organizations, or perhaps split into specialties by House, to better serve a dense population instead of trying to cram every resource into every neighborhood's House. But you would still go to any House first to find these other resources, so every House would maintain a focus on educating and advising. Combine this with the fact that religious leaders are often one of the first people that followers go to for personal guidance, and it makes sense that Housemaidens would provide all sorts of counseling, filling the role of everything from job coach to therapist.

If Housemaidens are the people providing all or at least most of the therapy in the country, then even if they're not trying to push religious doctrine, the Change belief is still going to be the source of the values and philosophies that their therapeutic models are based in. They can try to be nonpartisan and avoid mentioning Change in so many words, but it'll still be baked into the default assumptions of the local modalities in a self-perpetuating manner. If you want an entirely different approach, you're probably going to have find someone who specifically studied alternate modalities from other countries, any of which would have a much smaller market share than Change-based therapies.

So! Vaugardian therapy will focus on questions like "What Changes have been happening in your life lately, and how do you feel about them?" "What would you like to Change in your life?" "What can you Change about your thought processes and habits to address the things that trouble you?" and "Who do you want to be?" Which sound like just a particular way to word fairly common topics, but! These questions would be asked in pursuit of Change-y goals, as well.

The goal of irl mental healthcare as an industry is to make sure people can be productive. A common diagnostic question is "does this symptom interfere with your ability to work and otherwise get things done?" But Vaugardians are friendly and helpful to the point of approaching utopia, so I could see them being less concerned with this, because they're more willing to accept that some people can't work and some people need more support. In fact, in keeping with their distaste for carcinization, they might actively oppose the idea that there is any particular goal that people should be working towards. If there's one type of existence that is best for all people at all times, reaching it would mean there's no reason to ever Change again! So instead of any particular milestones, the goal is simply to set and strive towards goals that feel right to you.

I also think they'd be less likely to work off of a diagnostic model at all; you can't just say that someone inherently has depression. They may be depressed right now, but that can Change! The Change might require constant upkeep, but some Changes are like that, and it doesn't mean the Change is any less real. Instead, they'd probably be more focused on individual symptoms (and traits!), which might tend to come in certain clusters, but those clusters would be seen as trends rather than criteria. The Change modality would be less concerned with whether a state of being is disordered vs normal/healthy (and they'd be less likely to conflate "normal" and "healthy"), focusing instead on whether you're happy with where you're at, but also willing and able to Change as suits you.

So, "I feel apathetic all the time, I don't want to put effort into anything and I don't care about anything, I don't know who I am or who I want to be" would be an experience of depression symptoms that a Vaugardian therapist would prioritize helping you Change. But "I don't care about any of the things I used to care about, I think I want to quit my job and cut off all my friends so I can spend more time sleeping" would be... an idea a good therapist may recommend you spend some time exploring, to make sure that's what you really want and you're ready for the ramifications... but they wouldn't say, "No, that's a bad thing to want, we need to treat your depression so that you no longer want to do that." If you really do hate your job and your friends right now, stagnating in that because you feel like you ought to would be the worst case scenario! If pursuing this Change ends up making you feel unfulfilled and lonely and sick of sleeping all day, then, well, you can just Change again at that point, once you've decided that's what you want to do.

In an opposite example, a common criticism of irl therapy is that it provides bandaid solutions for structural issues. "I'm anxious about losing my job" might be addressed by mindfulness methods to lessen anxiety, which is better than nothing, but if you're genuinely in danger of losing your job and thus access to shelter and food, that's not something you can mindfulness away. Versus, in Change-based therapies, they would focus on discussing what you get out of that job and what about it makes you anxious. You might decide that you want to change careers to something that fits you better right now — which would be a lot easier to accomplish in Vaugarde than it would be irl, because of the resources provided by the Houses and general community. Or, you might decide that there's something about yourself that you want to change in order to better fit the job. So instead of working on the feeling of anxiety, you might work on building new skills, or building better relationships with your coworkers.

... I wrote this post thinking that Vaugardian therapy might use similar techniques to CBT (therapy), since CBT focuses on understanding the patterns of thought, behavior, and belief that lead to psychological issues, so that you can replace negative patterns with habits that serve you better. Sounds like making mental changes in order to change your feelings and actions! It would just be in favor of different goals than irl CBT under capitalism.

However. I did some more research, and it looks like Humanistic therapy is very similar to what I made up just now? According to this text, humanistic therapy "emphasizes growth and self-actualization rather than curing diseases or alleviating disorders." Psychological issues are "viewed as the result of inhibited ability to make authentic, meaningful, and self-directed choices about how to live," so it focuses on "helping people free themselves from disabling assumptions and attitudes so they can live fuller lives."

It's less of a set of techniques and more of a philosophy. According to this website, the key is empathy and "unconditional positive regard," which means the therapist "shows warmth, is receptive, and is nonjudgmental." They cultivate a casual, friendly atmosphere, instead of positioning themself as an authority figure. Client-centered therapy is a subtype that sounds like the most cliché sort of talk therapy; the therapist "listens, acknowledges, and paraphrases your concerns," giving you a space where you can be honest and accepted as yourself. Another subtype is gestalt therapy, which "focuses on the skills and techniques that allow you to be aware of your feelings and emotions," and encourages a focus on the present and self-responsibility.

So! That sounds about right! Vaugardian therapists aim to help you recognize your emotions and figure out who you are and who you want to be, through casual conversation and empathetic active listening, without judgement. They help you look at your skills, emotions, desires, and struggles, and guide you to consider the full breadth of options available to you, so you can decide what Changes will lead you to happiness and fulfillment. They especially try to avoid diagnosing, prescribing, or otherwise telling you who you must be or what you must need. They may provide suggestions — help you put something into words, or bring up options that professionals are more familiar with such as medication, or challenge you to re-examine your assumptions — but it's a collaborative brainstorming, and they want you to freely choose the option you think is best for you.

[neokamui414]

I really really really really want to write like a 50,000 word essay talking about the success and popularity of horror movies within the last 2 years that reflect on and explore the late 20th century phenomena of the Satanic Panic; so stuff like Late Night With The Devil, Maxxxine, Longlegs etc. and compare and contrast them with the fact that we are seeing a simultaneous reemergence of Japanese media that does the same with what could arguably be seen as the closest cultural equivalent to the Satanic Panic in East Asia, known as the Japanese Occult Boom. So stuff like the Silent Hill 2 Remake and anime like Dandadan.

And then juxtapose all of that against the current sociopolitical and economic circumstances around the world, since it is a very well documented fact that interest in the supernatural, paranormal, mystical and occult, all grow exponentially during times of sociopolitical uncertainty and upheaval.......

The problem is that my autism and ADHD would make it very very difficult for me to actually write it down in essay format so someone should bother me on this app and get me to talk about my thoughts and feelings on this topic. Please please please let me rant about my current biggest sociological/anthropological special interest!!!!

[relicsongmel]

Being a music-based synesthete with absolute pitch is wonderful but so frustrating because the vast majority of people have no context for the way I experience music and thus whenever I try to explain it it makes no sense to them. What do you mean you can't tell what color this song is. What do you mean you don't hear a Bb minor chord and feel your body react to it before your brain does. What do you mean you can't feel the warm sunbeams of D major dancing across your face. My world is filled with musical color but even if people think it's cool they will never really see it and it makes me sad

[dizzydjc]

From riot to red carpet — how Stravinsky’s chaos shaped the soundtracks we love. 🎬🎻 #FilmMusic #Stravinsky #StudioDJC

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Metaontology

Metaontology is a branch of philosophy that examines the nature, methodology, and foundations of ontology itself. Ontology is the study of what exists, the categories of being, and the relationships between entities. Metaontology, therefore, addresses questions about how we should approach ontological questions, what methods are appropriate for determining what exists, and what it means for something to be considered part of reality. Here’s an in-depth exploration of the philosophy of metaontology:

1. Key Questions in Metaontology

What is Ontology? Metaontology seeks to clarify what ontology is about, exploring its scope and limits. It asks whether ontology is about listing all the entities that exist or about understanding the fundamental structure of reality.

How Should Ontological Disputes Be Resolved? Metaontology investigates the methods and criteria for resolving disagreements about what exists. It questions whether ontological disputes are substantive or merely verbal disagreements.

What Are Ontological Commitments? This branch of philosophy examines the commitments we make when we assert the existence of certain entities. It explores how language, logic, and theoretical frameworks influence these commitments.

2. Approaches in Metaontology

Quinean Metaontology: W.V.O. Quine, a significant figure in metaontology, argued that ontological questions should be framed within a scientific and empirical context. He famously said, "To be is to be the value of a variable," suggesting that our ontological commitments are tied to the variables in our best scientific theories.

Carnap’s Framework: Rudolf Carnap proposed that ontological questions are internal to linguistic frameworks. According to Carnap, ontological disputes are often about choosing a convenient framework rather than discovering objective truths about reality.

Neo-Fregeanism: Neo-Fregeans, like Crispin Wright and Bob Hale, argue that certain abstract objects, such as numbers, can be said to exist based on their necessity for our best explanatory theories, particularly in mathematics.

Modal Realism: David Lewis's modal realism posits the existence of a plurality of possible worlds, treating them as just as real as the actual world. This view brings metaontological discussions to the forefront by challenging conventional notions of existence and reality.

3. Substantive vs. Deflationary Ontology

Substantive Ontology: This approach asserts that ontological questions are meaningful and substantive. Proponents believe that there are objective facts about what exists and that ontology aims to uncover these facts.

Deflationary Ontology: Deflationists argue that many ontological questions are not substantive but rather hinge on linguistic or conceptual frameworks. They suggest that resolving ontological disputes often involves clarifying language and concepts rather than discovering new facts about reality.

4. Ontological Commitment and Language

Ontological Commitment: Metaontology explores how our language and theoretical frameworks commit us to certain entities. For example, using terms like "numbers" or "universals" in scientific or mathematical theories involves an implicit commitment to the existence of these entities.

Reference and Existence: The philosophy of metaontology examines how the reference of terms in our language influences our ontological commitments. It questions whether referring to something implies its existence or if reference can be understood in a more flexible way.

5. Methodological Considerations

Naturalized Ontology: This approach, influenced by Quine, suggests that ontological questions should be addressed using the methods of natural science. It emphasizes empirical evidence and scientific theories in determining what exists.

Conceptual Analysis: Some metaontologists use conceptual analysis to clarify and resolve ontological questions. This method involves analyzing the concepts and categories we use to talk about existence and being.

6. Contemporary Debates

Realism vs. Anti-Realism: Metaontology engages with debates between realists, who believe that there are objective facts about what exists, and anti-realists, who argue that existence is relative to conceptual schemes or linguistic frameworks.

Ontological Pluralism: This view holds that there can be multiple, equally valid ways of describing what exists, depending on the context or framework. Ontological pluralists argue that reality can be understood in various ways without privileging one over the others.

The philosophy of metaontology is a rich and complex field that delves into the foundations of ontology, examining the nature of existence, the methods for resolving ontological disputes, and the commitments we make when we assert the existence of various entities. From Quinean naturalism to Carnap's linguistic frameworks, metaontology offers diverse approaches to understanding the nature of being and existence. It challenges philosophers to consider the deeper implications of their ontological commitments and the methods they use to explore the fundamental structure of reality.

[elblogdecleo]

Effective Research Process: From Problem Identification to Reporting Findings

In the realm of academia and beyond, research serves as a pivotal tool for uncovering new knowledge and solving complex problems. Whether you’re a seasoned scholar or a curious beginner, understanding the research process is essential for producing impactful and credible work. In this article, we’ll explore the fundamental stages of the research process and the various modalities that guide…

[michaelgabrill]

Operational Modal Analysis of the Artemis I Dynamic Rollout Test

Operational modal analysis (OMA) techniques have been used to identify the modal characteristics of the Artemis I launch vehicle during the Dynamic Rollout Test (DRT) and Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) configuration prior to launch. Forces induced during rollout and on the launch pad are not directly measurable, thus necessitating a unique approach. NASA is developing […] from NASA https://ift.tt/2V4NoCE

[elysiansparadise]

Astrology Paid Readings

ꨄ︎ Status of the spots: NO SPOTS LEFT ꨄ︎ || Ko-fi || Back to the masterlist || ꨄ︎

After a couple of years of blogging and continuing to study astrology, I'm pleased to announce that I will finally be offering astrology readings.

🔒 By requesting a reading with me, you agree to the following terms:

You'll first contact me via email (elysiansparadise27@gmail.com) and tell me which reading you're interested in. Once I send you confirmation of the service, you'll send me your information along with a screenshot of the payment made to my PayPal account. (No reading will be done if payment has been made before my confirmation!)

Readings are delivered within 2 to 10 days after receiving payment and all requested information. If there is any delay, you will be notified in advance.

No refunds are offered once the reading has been started or delivered. Only in exceptional cases (such as my inability to deliver the reading) may a partial or full refund be issued.

To write the reading, I need: Date of birth; exact time of birth; city and country of birth; [And depending on the service: name and gender of partner; date, time and city of birth of the other person.]

Astrology is a tool for self-knowledge, not a substitute for therapy, legal advice, or medical advice. The service offered is informative and advisory.

Your personal information and your reading are completely confidential. I don't share your data with anyone.

Feedback is not mandatory, but it will be greatly appreciated. You can choose to keep it anonymous!

Basic Analysis → $30.00 USD (7-9 pages)

An analysis of your Big 6 (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Rising) including sign, house, and aspects.

An analysis about your Retrograde Planets (if you have).

Major Aspects (Conjunctions, Oppositions, Squares, Trines & Sextiles).

Natal Chart Reading → $40.00 USD (10-12 pages)

Modalities, Elements, and Ruling Planets. It also includes an observation about the least present element and how it influences your personality.

An analysis about your Retrograde Planets.

Planets in Signs and Houses.

Major Aspects (Conjunctions, Oppositions, Squares, Trines & Sextiles).

Astrological Signature Sign.

Extensive Natal Chart Reading → $50.00 USD (15-17 pages)

Includes the same points previously mentioned.

Asteroids analysis (Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta, Chiron).

North Node and Lilith analysis.

Solar or Lunar Return Chart → $40.00 USD (10-12 pages)

A detailed reading of the chosen return chart, including planetary positions, Chart ruler, and Part of Fortune.

(For any of these I will need you to tell me the city in which you will spend this return, just in case you spend it outside of your place of birth.)

Synastry Reading → $40.00 USD (10-12 pages)

Aspects between planets.

Overlays (your big 6 falling in each other's houses).

Practical solutions that can soften squares or oppositions.

Composite Chart reading → $30.00 USD (8-10 pages)

A look through the planets in the signs and houses.

Analysis of the twelve houses and its rulers.

North Node and Juno in the composite chart.

Rulers of the houses in the houses → $30.00 USD (12 pages)

The state of the ruler (sign & aspects).

The meaning of its position in other house.

Future Spouse Reading → $20.00 USD (4-6 pages)

Deep analysis of the 7th house (sign, planets there and ruler)

Juno reading (placement and aspects)

Derivative house system & the future spouse → $20.00 USD (6-8 pages)

Using the derivative house system, I will explore different aspects of your future spouse (positioning the 1st house in the 7th; I explain this better here).

I deeply appreciate your support over the years. Thank you so much for your love, for sharing, and for learning alongside me. I wish you all a wonderful day.

[gemsofgreece]

Farya Faraji did it again! This is a great episode presenting most Greek music instruments, while providing a lot of context, information, jokes, history lessons and as always he debunks all the myths and stereotypes about Greek music. In this video he is interviewing Demetrios Dallas, a Greek American polymusician (if that's a term in English) who can literally play ALL.

Chapters:

Intro

Bagpipes and reeds

Flutes and clarinet

Bowed instruments

Lutes

Kanonaki and Santouri

Percussions

Context of Greek music

Regional diversity

Rhythmic patterns

It's always changing

Pitch in the modal traditions

Westernisation and revival

The last chapter is thematically the most important and Farya is at the moment the most well known person / youtuber who calls out this massive misconception about Greek music. You see there is this whole, extremely rigid notion in Western Europe that Greek music was western but it was orientalized because Greeks were conquered by the Turks and were turkified and lost their identity. It was exactly the opposite in fact. Greek music was what you 'd call "eastern" (yes, including ancient Greek music, yes, including Homer times, Pericles times, blah blah blah) and it actually started westernising itself ONLY by the mid to late 19th century, meaning after the independence from the Ottomans and the establishment of the modern Greek state and the reason was the severe trauma of this whole ordeal. After its independence Greece SO did not want to have anything to do with Turkey and the East in general that for the first time it oriented itself totally towards the west in most everything. Farya is a bit bitter about it (you know, being of Iranian descent and interested in folk music and all) but because he's great and very knowledgeable at what he does, there is also all this analysis about how (especially after the population exchange with Turkey in which Anatolian Greeks moved to Greece) the eastern element re-established itself in the country. It remained marginalised for a long time but as it happens with things that are essentially your identity, it resurfaced and almost claimed its natural place. However, the biggest talents and minds of Greek music in the 20th century were largely trained in western music tradition and the music legacy they left behind is so monumental that the Greek music will almost certainly never become again as eastern as it once was. And that's okay because what was produced by these people was so essentially and uniquely Greek that it is now part of the Greek heritage, an eastern foundation glossed in western styles and the product is our trademark modern music.

*I loved when mr Dallas says how he has noticed that this aversion for heritage is being changed by the young generation and how just 20 years ago he could not find anyone in Greece to make him an askomandura and now he picks up the phone and there are at least 20 instrument makers who can do the job. It's amazing and it's not that far from what I was saying some time ago that I see it's the young people who slowly slowly try to make a change.

[aeth-eris]

★ eris' readings menu ★ [offering astrology & tarot]

★ astrology readings ★

60+ pages in writing including:

★ advanced natal report $45 ★

★ mock up example ★

★ planetary placements by house & sign, angles (asc, dsc, mc, ic), dominant themes (element, modality, sign, etc.), aspect configurations (t-square, yods, grand trines, stelliums etc.)

★ major aspects & minor aspects

★ also, a glossary for astrological terms which can be used for studying.

★ I also include tables and pie charts regarding element/modality/house/sign distribution.

★ mini natal report $15 ★

★ big six description (house & sign)

★ major aspects only

★ glossary

★ "ask me anything" chart question $10 ★

★ ask me anything related to a certain topic/area in the natal chart, such as; career, relationship, mental health, etc.

★ I will provide an analysis of the related planets (relevant aspects), houses & their rulers.

*disclaimer: I am not a licensed therapist nor health practitioner, so consult with a professional before making any decision regarding your health.*

★ tarot readings ★

★ 3 card spread $3 ★

★ ask me anything.

*disclaimer: I am not a licensed therapist nor health practitioner, so consult with a professional before making any decision regarding your health.*

★ 5 card spread $5 ★

★ ask me anything.

*disclaimer: I am not a licensed therapist nor health practitioner, so consult with a professional before making any decision regarding your health.*

★ decks I own ★

★ tarot decks ★

★ rider waite

★ the wizards tarot

★ oracle decks ★

★ universal folk oracle

★ island time wellness: love oracle

★ the rose oracle

★ black moon astrology

★ rebel deck

★ love letter affirmation deck

★ ameo deck (astrology)

★ I accept inquiries via dm.

★ the product is sent via email as a .pdf file. payment is accepted via zelle, paypal, or venmo.

(currently allowing 4 slots atm)

★ allow up to 2-3 business days for delivery just in case.

★ slots ★

★ open

★ open

★ open

★ open

[evidence-based-activism]

men have significantly faster reaction times than women.

So, in general, no.

This 2011 review of research [1] found that gender differences in reaction time depend on the type of test. Males performed faster on some tests, females performed faster on others, and on others there was no difference. Further, the size of these differences was extraordinarily small (e.g., milliseconds). Not seeing the same results across multiple testing modalities suggests the observed differences are likely spurious.

Further, this 2006 meta-analysis on 21 studies over a 73-year period [2] found that the sex difference in "simple visual reaction time" has decreased over the past seventy years. The gap is also considerably lower outside of the USA. Together, this suggests that, like many other purported sex differences, the observed gap is the result of cultural differences. They specifically suggest that women's increasing participation in sports could account for both the historical gap and the closing trend.

An additional confounding factor was proposed in 2006 [3] which found "women were initially slower than men, but became faster than men across a block." After the first two trials within a block, the gender difference in simple visual reaction time disappeared. They also describe how "women, although initially slower, were also initially more accurate." Suggesting that "men are less cautious than women when approaching a new task." So, in other words, this is – again – likely a result of differences in gendered socialization that encourage women to be more cautious and careful than men.

Furthermore, the utility of reaction times is an open question, even within psychological research [4]. In the "real world" there is little evidence of any meaningful differences in reaction time. For example, there were no gender differences in reaction time in a driving simulator [5], between male and female police academy students [6], or for emergency medical workers [7].

The only scenario in which this may be relevant is in the most elite sprinting sports. Even then, the evidence is mixed. Some evidence suggests men may have a faster reaction time to the sprinting events; other research contests this. Some suggests they do, but only under specific circumstances. Other evidence suggests the point is moot since initial reaction time isn't correlated with performance; other work disputes that. [8-9] (Or is the observed difference not due to reaction time at all, and instead a side effect of some other known physical sex difference?)

Ultimately, there is little evidence supporting the idea that men have faster reaction times than women. Observed differences are likely an artifact of research design and/or a result of gendered socialization. Most importantly, there is even less evidence of any “real-world" impacts, with the only possible concern being for the most elite athletes in very specific speed sports.

References under the cut:

Roivainen, E. (2011). Gender differences in processing speed: A review of recent research. Learning and Individual differences, 21(2), 145-149.

Silverman, I. W. (2006). Sex differences in simple visual reaction time: A historical meta-analysis. Sex roles, 54, 57-68.

Reimers, S., & Maylor, E. A. (2006). Gender effects on reaction time variability and trial-to-trial performance: reply to Deary and Der (2005). Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 13(3-4), 479-489.

Draheim, C., Mashburn, C. A., Martin, J. D., & Engle, R. W. (2019). Reaction time in differential and developmental research: A review and commentary on the problems and alternatives. Psychological bulletin, 145(5), 508.

Dickerson, A., Gartz Taylor, R., Register, J., & Miller, M. (2024). The impact of age, sex, and position on visual-motor processing speed and reaction time as measured by the Vision CoachTM. Occupational therapy in health care, 38(1), 26-41.

Marković, S., Vučković, G., & Janković, R. (2019). Simple visual reaction time in students of Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies. Безбедност, 61(1), 25-39.

Ordudari, Z., & Habibi, E. (2024). The Relationship between Job Stress and Reaction Time in Emergency Staff. Journal of Health, 15(1), 124-134.

Tønnessen, E., Haugen, T., & Shalfawi, S. A. (2013). Reaction time aspects of elite sprinters in athletic world championships. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 27(4), 885-892.

Pilianidis, T., Kasabalis, A., Mantzouranis, N., & Mavvidis, A. (2012). Start reaction time and performance at the sprint events in the Olympic Games. Kinesiology, 44(1), 67-72.

[socoolinmypajamas]

Rayashki and Zeno: How a harsh environment shapes actions.

Sometimes, a perception is taken as a principle. A "cruel reality" can be described as a negative perception of the material world, used to assert a situation. "Reality is cruel", however consists in using the previously descrived perception as a fundamental truth or a proposition in which to base the foundations of a system of belief, of behaviour or of a chain of reason. Both are heavily present in Farewell Rayashki, a story all about the strenght of the colective, the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity and what shapes the actions of those who persue a goal. With that in mind, I wanted to write... Not an analysis per se, but rather to build some sort of structure or perspective (whatever you want to call it) through which the story can be analyzed.

Now, imagine a matrix diagram where the X-axis goes from "Gemeinschaft" (Community) to "Gesellschaft" (Society), two terms taken from german sociologist, Ferdinand Tönnies, and the Y-axis goes from "Deontic" to "Epistemic" in a mix between a Gretchen McCulloch's linguistic sense and a Józef Maria Bocheński's philosophical sense. If everything I just said made no sense, don't worry. Here's a (very) rough explanation of what I'll mean with these two dichotomies through this post: X-axis: A classification of societal ties. "Gemeinschaft" refers to personal, direct interactions with emotional relationships (such as families or small towns like Rayashki) formed by people who strive to archive the goals of a collective. "Gesellschaft", on the other hand, is about indirect and formal interactions, with more rational relationships (like a company or an institution like Zeno) in which everyone band together to persue personal goals in common. Y-axis: A classification of actions as both modality (McCulloh) and authority (Bochenski). Roughly: "actions based on interpretations and beliefs done by someone with an authority based on their ammount of knowledge and experience" (Epistemic)" vs "actions based on rules and/or desires done by someone with a role or position that gives them the power to enforce them" (Deontic).

Upper-left: Gemeinschaft/Epistemic

Windsong's quest, mostly percieved as a fool's errand, is a classic underdog story. The lone reasercher who, disheartened by the lack of support from all the important academic institutions and societies, finds in the small town of Rayashki a more hospitable enviroment to persue her goals. She creats emotional conections with the community and soon finds more self-fulfilment in helping the townfolk than in other things like taking Zeno's offer or abandoning her studies, which are presented as more beneficial options from a rational point of view.

She confronts the notion of "cruel reality" and rejects "Reality is Cruel" as a principle. This action comes from what she knows (her study of ley lines) and beliefs (the people of Rayashki, the usefullness of her field of research).

Bottom-Left: Gesellschaft/Epistemic

You'll think he should be at the opposite side of Windsong BUT Bertolt, as the classical evil guy in your everyday underdog story, actually rejects the notion of "cruel reality", and accepts "Reality is Cruel" as a principle. His emotional detachment from the people of Rayashki, their values, and even their very same idea of community, comes from his role as a member of Zeno, an institution that exemplfies the impersonal and formal relationships of the Gesellschaft. He doesn't see himself as the evil corporate guy who's there to destroy their dream for a greedy goal, but as the savior who comes to provide the light of rationality to this uncultured rural people who are willing to risk their lives for the sake of primitive traditions and values. He defines himself as a "simple representative of Zeno, bound by their rules and orders, working tirelessly to help people in a world wreaked by The Storm", a description that allows him to minimize his negative perception of the reality of others while justifying operating under the principle of Reality is Cruel.

Bottom-Right: Gesellschaft/Deontic

Evgeni is shown through the story as a leader of Rayashki who deeply cares about his community BUT is willing to destroy it for the sake of a rational goal: protecting the lives of the townfolk.

He embraces the notion of "cruel reality", and accepts "Reality is Cruel" as a principle.

But how is HE in the opposite side of Windsong, instead of Bertolt? In Tönnies dichotomy of Gesellschaft and Gemeinschaft, the relationships that are meant to keep people in communities and societies can also push them out: is all about wether the social ties become too tight or too lose to help us find self-fulfilment in them. Windsong found in a community what she couldn't find in society (validation and encouragment for her study of ley lines), while Evgeni thought he found in a society what he couldn't find in his community (a positive prospective for the people of Rayashki).

Upper-Right: Gemeinschaft/Deontic

While Bertolt is a man of the world, trying to expand the benefits of globalization by placing the needs of bigger groups above those of the little ones, what Vila is persuing isn't just a goal to archive, but a dream to share. She didn't became a part of Rayashki only to build an utopia: everyone living there were already doing that and Vila found meaning in developing strong emotional ties with everyone as they strive together to work hard for Rayashki.

However, unlike Windsong, she accepts the notion of "cruel reality", even if she doesn't agree with "Reality is Cruel" as a principle. This one si a bit tricky to explain.

It all comes down to their experiences while chasing their dreams and how that shaped their understanding of what a dream is.

For Vila, is something that kept her going. A cherished wish that inspired her to leave the rusalki and search for a new home. A goal she could share with the people of Rayashki. A hope to cling unto while she nourishes the sprouts of Rayashki while they are passengers of the ship called "St Pavlov's Foundation" while adrift in the vast sea of the outside world, so they can carry on the spirit of Rayashki. She accepts the "cruel reality" as something that could hinder her dreams, force her to adapt them, but never crush them.

For Windsong, the dream was but a promise turned into a burden. It was not something that comforted her if held tight, but rather something it pained her to let go. Accepting the "cruel reality" meant letting something die, and for someone who was struggling in all fronts, it meant taking a toll way to big for her to handle.

As the last ley line hunter, the dream is but a gamble turned into an investment. The chance of failure is there no matter what. Only thing she can do, is to work hard to reduce it as much as possible. To her, a "cruel reality" is something that crushes dreams. Is not enough to reject the use of this perception as a principle: her own experiences taught her that the perception itself can be a cancer. She might have a tendency to put herself down, to have doubts on what she does and to even be "realistic" in any situation she encounters. But there's ALWAYS a part of her fighting her perception of reality from turning into a negative one even if she lacks the proper arguments or mental state to do it effectively. Vila noticed that from day one, and began to slowly share with her the tools Windsong lacked, helping her become a more confident and capable person, while inadvertibly gaining a trusty partner to rely on.

Their experiences shaped them into people who complement each other incredibly well. Leaning into each other, they'll plant their seeds of hope into a new generation. For the study of ley lines; for Rayashki; for those who live in a world affected by The Storm; for those who'll survive it. *** To anyone who'll read this... whatever the hell it was till the end, thank you for time! Feel free ask me anything, correct me, chew this to bits with your bare teeth, whatever you like. I just haphazardly wrote it because I love this game so much.

[rocky-mountain-elk]

Analysis on Doctor Champ & the Pastiches arc

I've had this sitting in my files for a year now or so, now that I have a new (and potentially more organized) blog, I'll be slowly posting my writings as I work on them. Consider this like, my debut post.

Although I am arguably this fandom's #1 Doctor Champ stan, this is NOT apologism. The horse is fucked up and did stupid shit, but that's kinda the point of him.

Analysis below the cut for space reasons :

The rehab arc was really an excellent commentary/critique on IRL addiction treatment. There was a lot of criticism of the 12-step program, in particular. To give credit where credit is due, 12-step programs can be a very successful and widely accessible program for many, but it is still a pseudoscientific method with religious undertones that have the potential to be alienating. Pastiches in particular is a parody of Passages Malibu, which IRL is a "holistic" treatment center which rejects both the 12-step treatment modality and the disease model of addiction, but in BJHM Pastiches, they really push the 12-step narrative. The themes of the rehab arc are 'accountability vs powerlessness' and 'responsibility vs blame,' which are best illustrated by contrasting Bojack's flashbacks to periods in his life in active addiction to his time in rehab, the most notable revolving around the water bottle motif. When Sarah Lynn got drunk off the vodka Bojack had hidden in plain sight on the set of Horsin' Around, Bojack was entirely at fault, yet he chose not to take any personal or professional accountability. However, when Dr. Champ drank Bojack's contraband vodka, Bojack was not to blame, yet he tried to take responsbility for Dr. Champ and help him, up until the moment Dr. Champ began lashing out. Sure, it was stupid to have a bottle of vodka in rehab -- but it must have been obvious to Dr. Champ that it was not water. Even so, the "screw it, accidental relapse, make the most of it and go all out" sort of mentality that followed (and can often ends up killing addicts who now have much lower tolerances than prior) was in no way Bojack's fault. Yet this lack of personal responsibility and sense of powerlessness that hardcore 12-steppers like Dr. Champ internalize -- the exact sentiment Bojack criticized in the therapy session we saw -- leads him to believe that it was inevitable. Even though his observations about himself are tainted with negative self talk, for the most part, Bojack is aware of himself, his behaviors, and their implications. For most of the series, though, instead of even trying to make a change he embraces his shittiness, oftentimes choosing the shittiest option when presented with solutions, and continually expects the people in his life to continue to forgive him, cater to him, or operate within the rules of his world. After relapsing, Dr. Champ displays this exact pattern back to Bojack, who now sober, realizes it's bullshit. Like he tells Diane in s6e7, "You know, someone got really mad at me recently.. .. and he said, 'Bojack, you ruin everything. That's what you are.' And it actually took him saying it out loud for me to realize how stupid that is, even though I believed it for so long. I bought into this idea that I was a thing that couldn't be changed." (Sidebar, because I feel like it's an important detail, what Dr. Champ actually told Bojack was "Of course you did this to me, because I cared about you. And you ruin people who care about you." Which so strongly resembles Bojack's internal dialogue, like in S4E6, when he was worried about ruining Hollyhock; "You're making your daughter hate you. Which is good, because look what happens when people love you. Look at Penny. And Herb. And Sarah Lynn. It's because you made them love you, Bojack." Dr. Champ specifically used one of Bojack's deepest insecurities, likely told to him in therapy to lash out and cut him deep, which is beyond messed up and I am so glad that Bojack saw straight through that - not only that it didn't apply in this case, but that it was stupid to believe that he was powerless over his own actions and "inherently bad" or that it is inevitable that he ruins people, which I feel only further solidified his desire to take accountability and make lasting change).

Not only was it both a great commentary on some of the flaws of 12-step programs, it was a great way to demonstrate the ways in which Bojack has actually grown. Arguably, within those six months, he outgrew and became far more stable than Dr. Champ himself; that whole interaction was almost like being able to speak with a version of himself in active addiction, and his response illustrates how far he had come. I don't believe that Dr. Champ was ever stable enough to take on the sort of role he did. He reminds me of people I went inpatient with who started to feel things on a 6 or 7 which is a major improvement from feeling things all the way at 10, all the time, and suddenly think they're cured and say "as soon as I get out of here, I'm gonna get a job here and make a difference and pay it forward!" and then we're both back in inpatient together a few months later (no judgement there tho, I was also one of these people but IRL you realize you really need to get your own shit together first. I don't think anyone is inherently wrong for that sentiment -- I mean, look at Marsha Lineham, who felt the treatment for BPD to be inadequate, and created Dialectical Behavior Therapy to treat her own condition.). I think Dr. Champ is one of those people, that feels a strong sense of security and comfort in these environments, and also wants to give their suffering some sort of bigger meaning or purpose. Again, all great things, but his execution in particularl was flawed. Though his backstory is never revealed, it seems obvious that he received treatment with a 12-step modality, found relative success with it, (though the looming threat of losing your family is a pretty strong motivator too) and genuinely believes in this particular philosophy. I agree that Dr. Champ is a toxic person, but not in the way I think people believe him to be. I don't think that he is a scammer, or taking advantage of addicts. It's clear that he genuinely cares about his clients, ie, wanting Bojack to leave once he was no longer in crisis and wasting a bed. Though, it could also be argued that Bojack made him uncomfortable by poking holes in both Dr. Champ's personal lifeline, the 12-steps, which was (barely) keeping him sober, as well as Dr. Champ's thinly veiled facade of wellness. When Dr. Champ tries to reassure Bojack about leaving, using himself as a success story ("but I found my way"), Bojack immediately counters ("Yeah, found your way back to rehab"), which makes Dr. Champ visibly nervous, though he tries to brush it off. It's obvious that Bojack hit the nail on the head with that one -- even Dr. Champ's actual title/position implies impulsivity, as there was no deliberate planning or concrete steps taken to receive any sort of formal education or training to be anything other than a "therapy horse", which he was likely not in any sort of headspace or position to pursue. Beyond whatever sort of 12-step-esque treatment program he went through, he clearly never addressed whatever deeper mental health issues and briefly mentioned family trauma he went through, choosing instead to 'fake it til you make it,' therefore jeopardizing his own recovery and the recovery of the people in his care. The decision for him to enter that field was ill-informed and motivated by both self-serving AND altruistic reasons. For a character with very few appearances, he is complex, reinforcing both to Bojack and the general audience that you can appear well-adjusted, seek treatment, have good intentions.. and still do shitty things, or fall back into old patterns, falling in line with a larger tone of 'greyness' and dialectics that the writers tend to favor and argue for against this good or bad, black or white, all or nothing thinking that Bojack engages in and oftentimes uses as an excuse for his shitty behavior.

Touching again on themes of accountability vs. powerlessness, I find it amusing that that Dr. Champ, who so heavily pushed the 'you are powerless over your addiction' sentiment in response to Bojack wanting to find some sort of accountability, is ultimately the one who gives Paige and Max the information needed for the general public to hold Bojack accountable. Bojack told Dr. Champ, "I came here to take responsibility for myself, and all I keep hearing is, 'It's not your fault, you are powerless over your addiction.'" Bojack repeatedly criticizes both the 12 steps and residential facilities in general ("this is an industry that profits off of repeat customers, so maybe they don't have your best interests at heart!"), and Dr. Champ never actually gives a rebuttal or refutes Bojack's claims, instead becoming weirdly defensive about them, even telling Bojack that if he didn't want to be here, he could leave. If he weren't struggling himself, it would have taken an entirely different tone, but I think that as Bojack tried to casually deconstruct some of those basic principles, Dr. Champ's own sense of security began to crumble. When he goes to the bar to binge drink and he sees Bojack, he says "Okay, so this mood about never have another drop of alcohol again, are we sure about this? [Bojack: So you're telling me the guiding philosophy of the six months of rehab I just paid for is complete bullshit?] … Hey man, if it [the 12 steps] works for you, works for you, as for me .." Dr. Champ put too much faith in a pseudoscientific treatment program, had too many external pressures for staying sober with serious consequences, and when Bojack put even a small amount of pressure on the framework of the philosophy that barely, but for the most part, kept him sober.. he completely fell apart. I don't believe that he inherently believed that it was bullshit from the start, he himself used it, and was passionate about it to a corny and almost cringeworthy degree (I cannot stand the phrase "Soberopolis, USA"). I think that Bojack began to shake an already unstable foundation, and Dr. Champ was already heading towards a relapse before the contraband vodka. The contraband vodka merely gave him an out, an excuse to just completely let go of any self control. Again, to reiterate: none of this was Bojack's fault, but Dr. Champ blamed Bojack on a subconscious level for tearing down a way of thinking that he had genuinely found purpose and meaning in. Instead of actually addressing that discomfort or reframing it into something productive (re: Marsha Lineham and DBT), he follows in Bojack's footsteps of seeking outward blame and excuses, and falling deeper into the original problematic behavior. He was NOT honest with himself (which makes many of his nonsensical oneliners even funnier), and was NOT ready to take on the level of responsibility that he did. He was fixated on being a good role model, being an 'example of success', which again I think comes from both altruism/the desire to pay it forward ANDa deep rooted insecurity, as if he was trying to prove to his progress to himself just as much as others (whether thats his clients or his family). It's safe to assume, by the fact that he is still drinking heavily in his last appearance (and Bojack wrote "Got Dr. Champ fired" on his big whiteboard of 'mistakes'), that he lost his job and his family, justifiably so. Good intentions do not excuse reckless behavior. He got as much out of his recovery as he put in, which ended up sucking for him, but it was great for Bojack in the sense that he got something from it all despite how nonsensical the rest of it was.

[qweerhet]

I think it’s because people have often used ‘TERFs hate men’ as a way to implicate trans women as men or argue that TERFs focus primarily on men and not trans women, so people are sort of trying not to do that, plus the fact that TERFs do the most damage towards trans women. In my opinion, I do think TERFs hate men but trans women are A. minorities and B. radical feminism often manifests by just trying to sex segregate as much as possible, so the people they don’t like way over ‘there’ are much less likely to be direct targets of vitriol and violence than the people messing up their dichotomy and trying to come over ‘here’

i agree with your basic analysis, but i stop short of the conclusion that radical feminism's targeting of trans women isn't fundamentally rooted in the way it analyzes men and manhood. many transfems are not men (some are, important to note when making broad generalizations about gender and feminism); radical feminism targeting transfems is targeting women (among tons and tons of other genders, transfem men included), however, the political ideology itself is premised on the idea that the groups it is targeting are solely made up of men, and it is positing an entire framework for how gender operates as an axis of oppression that casts these demographics as male.

like it is factually true that radical feminism's Transgender Problem flows directly from the fact that it perceives gender as the radix of oppression within a binary sex modality. it is patently garbage analysis because sex is not binary and gender is, in terms of societal forces, an abstract set of social conditions enforcing the constructed sex binary (rather than any material or ontological trait of individuals). radical feminism perceives trans women as dangerous, predatory, and a threat to cis women precisely because it perceives sex as a binary that is fundamentally immutable and unchanging. it wholly perceives anyone with an arbitrary number of primary and secondary sex characteristics as a man, on a level where "man" is a biological category that bodies themselves slot into. it's based on an understanding of patriarchy as a structure controlling the means of reproduction, and gender as solely a weapon with with which to maintain control over the means of reproduction (a lot of it is really just failed attempts at transplanting, unchanged, marxist analysis onto the concept of childbearing and its relationship to patriarchy).

i think it's important to keep your analysis grounded in this fact because, well--yes, radical feminism explicitly targets transfems and is a massive source of violence toward transfems in particular and trans people overall, but laser-focusing in on only how it interfaces with transness--particularly to the degree of arguing that it only targets trans women, and doesn't have anything in particular to say about men, because it does not categorize transfems as men within its ideology but rather as super-abusable women that are only misgendered for the purpose of manipulation and extortion--that throws out an entire section of analysis that's. genuinely important to how it affects the material world. like, radical feminism's framing of men and manhood directs a significant amount of violence toward intersex people, for example, and casting sex as an immutable binary category is the entire basis for that violence. if it didn't analyze sex as an immutable binary in which men are cast as owners of the means of reproduction by virtue of their unchanging sex characteristics, that would not have the same interaction with intersexism. you can't accurately analyze the political movement's fundamental intersexism without first understanding this.

[transmutationisms]

any controversial thoughts on psychoanalysis?

now why would you just assume that about me. yeah though. psychoanalysis gets a lot of shit these days for being, like, 'subjective' and 'not verifiable' and 'kind of made up and prone to bias' and so forth. and a lot of that is basically true imo but it's equally true of today's more respectable talk therapy methods, and critics of analysis really lose me when they start caping for therapeutic modalities that are like, literally only 'evidence-based' insofar as they're endorsed by nhs-funded studies run by people who make their careers off promising to reduce welfare rolls. like lmao.

also, "psychoanalysis" is obviously a pretty broad term encompassing a lot of different theories but in general, these modalities tend to be marked by an emphasis on exploring and accepting internal conflict and contradiction (this is the import of formulating the subconscious, mechanisms of defence & repression, &c) in a way i personally find a lot more useful than the kind of post-70s self-help style of, like, "think better, feel better" and the focus on 'practical strategies' for overcoming your dysfunction or whatever. like i'm so tired of that sort of presumption of what a 'healed' or 'healthy' psyche looks like, as though we are all striving to reach a condition in which we no longer admit of contradiction or self-negation or abnegation. i think most psychotherapy that tries to consciously excise the spectre of psychoanalysis just ends up falling back on this sort of relentlessly positive & positivist understanding of the psyche that is totally incapable of dealing with any kind of interior dialectical process or multiplicity of identity. it sucks so hard and makes me feel a thousand times more miserable and insane than old man freud ever could. reichian revival when ‼️