HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bickis@skmath3 (M. Bickis)
Subject: Re: Biological Sex Differences? ("Women only" excusable ?)
Organization: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 16:55:50 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.180710.28694@newsgate.sps.mot.com> 
titmas@chdasic.sps.mot.com (Eric Titmas) writes in reply to me:
>|>Although males outperform females on the math SAT, this sex
>|> difference does not carry through in university performance.  

>My university experience was that boys outperformed girls in all math classes
>and that a lower percentage of girls remained as we progressed to higher 
>levels.
>
>Since the overwhelming percentage of mathematicians,  physical scientists,  and
>engineers are male,  on what do you base your assertion?

This observation was made, among others, by Camilla Benbow, who has made a
career of studying sex-differences in mathematical ability.  Her
suggestion was that the SAT actually measures mathematical aptitude
better than university grades, which are also affected by things such as
diligence in working on assignments.

My own anecdotal experience concurs that the proportion of women
decreased in higher level classes, but this phenomenon occurs in many
disciplines and is nothing specific to mathematics.   I never noticed,
either as a student or as a professor, that "boys" outperformed "girls".
I have recently looked at the grades of all our undergraduate courses
over the last four years.  The distribution of grades is very similar
for the sexes: the medians are practically identical, but there is a
slightly larger variation among the males. 

As for the fact that most mathematicians are male--well, most
academics in *any* discipline are male.  That is a consequence of the
sex-roles in our society.  It need not have *anything* to do with
cognitive abilities.  I think it remains an unresolved question to what
extent such imbalances are due to innate as opposed to social forces.
There is much rhetoric on both sides -- and a little bit of good
research.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>bickis@math.usask.ca<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Mik Bickis       \,,,       .*#*.  \    University of Saskatchewan
Department of        \,,,  ^\\|//^  ```\   Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Mathematics & Statistics \   )|(        ```\   Canada      S7N 0W0
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<S|A|S|K|A|T|C|H|E|W|A|N|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Newsgroups: sci.bio,rec.birds
From:  4000@as.khabarovsk.su (Alexandr N. Kulikov)
Subject: The latest info on birds of Russian Far East on your personal computer! 
Reply-To: 4000@as.khabarovsk.su
Organization: Academy of Sciences
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 15:53:21 +1000 


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                        IN YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER !

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    results of the long-term study of birds of the Khabarovsk territory
    generalized by   the   well-known   Far    Eastern    ornithologist
    G.E.Roslyakov,Doctor of  Biology.  These data include the materials
    which are difficult of access for foreign specialists  and  reflect
    the state  of  populations  of  more  then  300 bird species of the
    Khabarovsk territory for the spring of 1992.

    For additional information contact: 4000@as.khabarovsk.su
                  A.N.Kulikov, Senior Scaintific Reasacher
From: love@geophysics.harvard.edu (Jeff Love)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: cells inside of cells?
Date: 15 Sep 92 18:12:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: das.1992Sep15.181239.5679
Reply-To: love@geophysics.harvard.edu
Organization: Dept. of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University


Are there any cells that live inside of other cells? 
(Not counting viruses!)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: Lawrence.London@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Lawrence London)
Subject: Re: herpetology mailing lists?
Organization: Extended Bulletin Board Service
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 15:05:19 GMT

In article <9SEP92.16102968@cc4.crl.aecl.ca> roihar@cc4.crl.aecl.ca writes:
>Are there any herpetology mailing lists out there?

HerpNet--The Herpetological Online Network (SATRONICS BBS)
 215-464-3562
 Sysop: Mark Miller
 City-State: Philadelphia, PA
 Software: TBBS
 Modem: To 9600 Baud
 Description: Herpnet is a menu option on the SATRONICS BBS.  Herpnet is a
national forum for the exchange of information and ideas relating to all
aspects of herpetology. Anyone with an interest in the study or
conservation of reptiles or amphibians is welcome to participate. The BBS
includes message and file areas, as well as the Herp Society Database, and
a calendar of conferences, meetings and events. 


--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: casgrain@CC.UMontreal.CA (Casgrain Philippe)
Newsgroups: sci.bio.technology
Subject: Re: BinHex 4.0 ?
Date: 8 Sep 92 19:40:20 GMT
Reply-To: Biotechnology Discussion List <BIOTECH%UMDD.BITNET@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU>
Distribution: inet
Organization: The Internet

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
In article <9209041346.AA16185@nettlerash.berkeley.edu> Biotechnology Discussion
 List <BIOTECH%UMDD.BITNET@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU> writes:
>could anybody tell me, where I can find the BinHex 4.0 program ?
>Thank you in advance.

	The easiest way is to use the binhex menu options in both Compact Pro
and Stuffit Classic.  Both program are available by anonymous ftp to the
archive Sumex-AIM.Stanford.Edu.  I suggest you use the most excellent shadow
archive WUArchive.WUSTL.Edu, as Sumex is archived there in the /mirrors/info-mac
directory.

-r   165341 Jun 27 15:04 ./util/compact-pro-133.hqx

	You can also get them via e-mail to the fileserver
LISTSERV@RiceVM1.Rice.Edu (subject ignored) with the body of the text
saying:
$MAC GET compact-pro-133.hqx
From: casgrain@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Casgrain Philippe)
Newsgroups: sci.bio.technology
Subject: Re: BinHex 4.0 ?
Date: 8 Sep 92 18:41:37 GMT
Distribution: inet
Organization: Universite de Montreal

In article <9209041346.AA16185@nettlerash.berkeley.edu> Biotechnology Discussion List <BIOTECH%UMDD.BITNET@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU> writes:
>could anybody tell me, where I can find the BinHex 4.0 program ?
>Thank you in advance.

	The easiest way is to use the binhex menu options in both Compact Pro
and Stuffit Classic.  Both program are available by anonymous ftp to the 
archive Sumex-AIM.Stanford.Edu.  I suggest you use the most excellent shadow
archive WUArchive.WUSTL.Edu, as Sumex is archived there in the /mirrors/info-mac
directory.

-r   165341 Jun 27 15:04 ./util/compact-pro-133.hqx

	You can also get them via e-mail to the fileserver
LISTSERV@RiceVM1.Rice.Edu (subject ignored) with the body of the text 
saying:
$MAC GET compact-pro-133.hqx
From: pacoid@wixer.UUCP ("Paco Xander Nathan")
Newsgroups: sci.bio.technology
Subject: Re: BinHex 4.0 ?
Date: 8 Sep 92 12:28:53 GMT
Reply-To: Biotechnology Discussion List <BIOTECH%UMDD.BITNET@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU>
Distribution: inet
Organization: The Internet

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
In article <9209041346.AA16185@nettlerash.berkeley.edu> you write:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear netters,
>
>could anybody tell me, where I can find the BinHex 4.0 program ?
>Thank you in advance.
>
>                               L.B.


Well, I take it you're working on a Mac..  BinHex 4.0 isn't around much these
days but its functions have been subsumed by compaction programs such as
Stuffit and Compactor Pro.  Either should be available via regular s/w
distributors..

pacoid.
From: 100012.1163@CompuServe.COM ("100012.1163@compuserve.com ", Rainer Stumpe)
Newsgroups: sci.bio.technology
Subject: Free information for download
Date: 9 Sep 92 18:48:55 GMT
Reply-To: Biotechnology Discussion List <BIOTECH%UMDD.BITNET@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU>
Distribution: inet
Organization: The Internet

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
To:   >internet:BIOTECH%UMDD.BITNET@pucc.Princeton.EDU

Dear Networkers,
Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, has installed a file server with
information for FREE download.

Among the files stored are cumulative volume indexes for
"Topics in Current Chemistry" and "Structure and Bonding", a
table of contents for the "Landolt-Boernstein Handbook", a
table of contents of the "Enzyme Handbook" (approx. 1200
systematic enzyme names with EC numbers), an interactive demo
for MOBY 1.5, the molecular modelling software distributed by
Springer, and lots of macros for TEX.

News on new titles are regularly updated

Send the message "HELP" to:
     SVSERV@DHDSPRI6.BITNET

Here is a title that might interest you in particular:

R.D. Schmid, Wolfenbttel, FRG
Biotechnology in Japan - a Comprehensive Guide

1991. Approx. 805 pp. 146 figs. 117 tabs. Hardcover DM 348,-
ISBN 3-540-53554-3

This book provides an in-depth insight into Japanese
biotechnology, research policy and the involved private
companies, universities and governmental institutions. It
addresses managers and scientists interested in cooperation
with Japanese researchers and businesses. It is an up-to-date
and complete source of information.

Biotechnology in Japan is a complete guide to economic,
scientific and regulatory aspects of Japanese research centers
and companies. Profiles for more than 400 private Japanese
companies and almost 200 universities and research institutes
are given in great detail. Ministries providing research
guidelines and ongoing research projects are analyzed. The book
is the first comprehensive source in the English language and
is of particular interest to consultants, managers and
researchers seeking cooperation with Japanese partners.

From the Contents: The Industry.- The Ministries.- The Research
Institutes.- The Universities.- Academic Organizations.-
Research Policy and Projects.- Contextual Measures.- Science
Cities and Regional Developments.- Statistical
Data.

For price information outside Germany and for orders please ask
your bookseller

   - For customers in the USA:

     Call TOLLFREE: 1-800-SPRINGE(R) (1-800-777-4643)
     8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (EST)

     In New Jersey call: 200-348-4033
Rainer Stumpe
Chemistry Editorial
Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg
Internet: 100012.1163@compuserve.com
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.skeptic,soc.men,soc.women,comp.ai.philosophy
From: bevans@carina.unm.edu (Mathemagician)
Subject: Re: missing verbs (was: Biological Sex Differences...)
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 11:25:38 GMT
Organization: Society for the Preservation of E. coli

In article <1992Sep10.233546.1057@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com> bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris) writes:
>In article <1992Sep9.230021.5182@news.media.mit.edu> minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) writes:
>)Umm, no.  The problem was to replace phrases like "A defeated B" by a
>)homologous phrase with the same meaning, like "B <verbed> A", where A
>)and B are of equivalent status.  Really, half of the verbs seem to be
>)missing, in this sense.  It is really hard to say that <Jack verbed
>)Jim> in a case in which we regard Jack as coming out the worse for the
>)event. 

>Hmm.  I think there might be a slang expression for 'A deliberately lost'
>though I can't quote one, but it probably wouldn't be in the A <verb> B form,
>it would, like my (deleted) example "A 'choked'" or one of Brian's examples
>above be in the A <past-tense-verb> form.

I threw the game.

This means that the player deliberately lost the game.

Now, as you say, this doesn't normally get used as "A threw B."

I tend to agree with the theory that it's because winning is an active
thing whereas losing is something that happens "to" somebody.  When
you win, you've acquired something.  When you lose, you haven't really
given anything away (what you've won is the game that nobody owns
until somebody wins.)

Now, what *I* want to know is (akin to the comedian I stole this from
but whose name I can't recall) why winners always thank god for their
victories while losers blame themselves ("Yeah, we were doing
great...until Jesus made me fumble!")

-- 
Brian Evans                |     "Bad mood, bad mood...Sure I'm in a bad mood!
bevans@carina.unm.edu      |      I haven't had sex...*EVER!*" -- Virgin Mary
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: le01167@portal.lasc.lockheed.com (Ron Nadel (x2025))
Subject: Re: Biological Sex Differences? (was: something interesting)
Summary: gender bias, metaphor, 
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Co. - Rye Canyon
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 17:37:55 GMT

Well, it seems that this lofty discussion has gone far enough afield of
biology and should no longer be constrained by sci.bio or any other 
earthly bounds, but should probably be resurrected SOMEWHERE ELSE!

What a bunch of silly nonsense bordering on new age "opinion-above-
knowledge-and-anything-I-can-imagine-can-be-possible" gobbledy-gook.

I'm not saying that the topic of biological and cultural sex difference
is not an important one, just that you folks are startin' to sound like
a high school _rap_ group (for those of us who remember when rap was not
an _art_ form).

Ron >8^\
Xref: sparky sci.bio:3184 sci.skeptic:16257 soc.men:16278 soc.women:16444 comp.ai.philosophy:6048
From: arsmith@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Alan Smith)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.skeptic,soc.men,soc.women,comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: missing verbs
Date: 11 Sep 92 01:50:57 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO  80523

In article <BILL.92Sep9232609@ca3.nsma.arizona.edu> bill@nsma.arizona.edu (Bill Skaggs) writes:
>minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) writes:
>
>   > The problem was to replace phrases like "A defeated B" by a
>   > homologous phrase with the same meaning, like "B <verbed> A",
>   > where A and B are of equivalent status.  Really, half of the
>   > verbs seem to be missing, in this sense.  
>
>Yeah, but I'm not convinced that there's anything sinister going on.
>It seems to me that some sort of agent-patient stuff might explain
>what's going on -- in English, agents (entities that cause the state
>of affairs to come about) tend to get active verbs, and patients tend
>to get passive verbs.  If "A defeated B", presumably this state of
>affairs was not desired by B, so B was not the agent, so B should not
>be placed in subject position with an active verb.
>
HA! <flash of light>  Why don't we ask the people in alt.sex.bondage?  In fact,
I'll go ask them, hang on a minute... <turns to type on his computer>

>Anyway, English (and other languages) are full of curious asymmetries.
>For example, it's okay to say "The bicycle is next to the house", but
>it's not okay to say "The house is next to the bicycle", though
>logically they ought to mean the same thing.
>
That's cause odds are the bikes gonna move before the house does.

Big Al.  I'm not a linguist, though I *do* speak english.  Sorta.
Newsgroups: sci.bio
From: roihar@cc4.crl.aecl.ca
Subject: herpetology mailing lists?
Organization: AECL RESEARCH
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 20:10:29 GMT

Are there any herpetology mailing lists out there?
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.skeptic,soc.men,soc.women,comp.ai.philosophy
From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky)
Subject: missing verbs (was: Biological Sex Differences...)
Cc: minsky
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 23:00:21 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.162211.11503@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com> bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris) writes:

>)
>)I'd disagree.  It depends upon what is being spoken:
>)
>)I lost.
>)I lost the game.
>)I biffed it.
>)I ate it.
>)I bit it.
>)I spooged.
>)I fucked up.
>)I bought the farm.

Umm, no.  The problem was to replace phrases like "A defeated B" by a
homologous phrase with the same meaning, like "B <verbed> A", where A
and B are of equivalent status.  Really, half of the verbs seem to be
missing, in this sense.  It is really hard to say that <Jack verbed
Jim> in a case in which we regard Jack as coming out the worse for the
event.
From: ljones@utkvx2.utk.edu (Jones, Leslie Lamont)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: RE: SEXUAL SELECTION
Date: 10 Sep 92 02:21:00 GMT
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article 3525, Josh Hayes writes:

>I would be cautious about confusing preference for novelty
>with preference for a particular kind of trait.

>Nancy Burley has done some intriguing experiments with zebra
>finches, where she attempted to improve males' attractiveness
>to females by using leg bands. They're more colorful, you see.
>It turns out that certain colors helped, certain colors hurt,
>and a few did nothing.

>What was really interesting was that she did some sort of
>control experiments where she put silly little things on the
>birds, like little bird turbans, bells, and the like. The
>females went wild. They loved it.

>Now, these are traits that NO female in this lineage has ever
>encountered. There's no way they could have some "residual"
>preference for the trait - unlike the Xiphophorus study - and
>hence females are simply interested in novel traits.

>It would be interesting to know if this interest is heritable,
>i.e. if Nancy put the same little hat on the male offspring of
>the union of females with hatted males, would she be able to
>drive the hat-preference to fixation? I don't think she's done
>that experiment.....anyway, FYI....

     Don't know who or what you were addressing this to, but it's a good
point. 
     This is a well-documented phenomena, seen also in _Drosophila_ , known as
___________ . (Some kind netter please fill in the blank. Damn I wish I'd
bought my evolution textbook. It's something like uncommon male phenomena or
something.)
     The whole point of the phenomena is that it is based on novelty.
Therefore, female preference for a _particular_  novelty is unlikely to be
driven to fixation, though female preference for novelties in general could
become fixed. 
     Likewise, a particular male novelty could not be driven to fixation _by
this phenomena. If a male trait is driven to fixation by female choice, then
the trait must have some appeal beyond novelty.

--
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Leslie Lamont Jones        ^^    Wildness is our tonic...                     
ljones@utkvx.utk.edu       ^^    We can never have enough of nature.
AOL: LeslieJonz            ^^    -Thoreau                                   
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.skeptic,soc.men,soc.women,comp.ai.philosophy
From: sheaffer@netcom.com (Robert Sheaffer)
Subject: Re: missing verbs (was: Biological Sex Differences...)
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 20:24:31 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)

>>In article <1992Sep9.230021.5182@news.media.mit.edu> minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) writes:
>>)Umm, no.  The problem was to replace phrases like "A defeated B" by a
>>)homologous phrase with the same meaning, like "B <verbed> A", where A
>>)and B are of equivalent status.  Really, half of the verbs seem to be
>>)missing, in this sense.  It is really hard to say that <Jack verbed
>>)Jim> in a case in which we regard Jack as coming out the worse for the
>>)event. 
>

Maybe the reason for these "missing verbs" is a psychological one. If
I say, "I defeated Jack," I can feel good for saying this. If I say,
"I was defeated by Jack," the sentence form tends to absolve me of
responsibility for the loss. The doing was Jack's, not mine. If, however,
we had an active verb whose meaning was opposite of "defeated", and I
said "I <verbed> Jack" (where "verbed" = "took actions to get myself
clobbered by"), then the listener would invariably reply, "Why did you
do that? That was a shameful thing to do!"

After all, it's no secret that we vain little creatures hate to say 
anything that reflects badly on us.


-- 
  
        Robert Sheaffer - Scepticus Maximus - sheaffer@netcom.com
  
 Past Chairman, The Bay Area Skeptics - for whom I speak only when authorized!

       "Beware when the great God lets loose a thinker on this planet.
        Then all things are at risk. It is as when a conflagration has
        broken out in a great city, and no man knows what is safe, or
        where it will end."
                               - Emerson: Essay, "Circles"
From: richard@TIS.COM (Richard Clark)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Toads and Frogs
Date: 8 Sep 92 16:55:43 GMT
Reply-To: richard@TIS.COM
Organization: Trusted Information Systems


	Its them dang cats! Seriously! Cats go over fences with the greatest
of ease, and kill just for the sheer pleasure of the chase. A case in point
is the toad population in my own yard. No lack of toads here, lots and lots!
I encourage my dog to chase the cats out of the yard, but have also taught
her to not bother the toads. I live in the woods, with zillions and
zillions of bugs, and since toads eat bugs I try to keep them fat dumb
and happy!

	I have one big fat toad which hangs out on my front porch munching
on the bugs under the light, and another few which like hanging around
under the deck, and a bunch more which inhabit the flower gardens (shade
plants mostly). I always stop and let them get out of the way when I see
one when mowing the lawn, but otherwise I do nothing to encourage them.
Although I have to step lightly around the gravel driveway at night else
I'd squish the ones that like to hang out there...

	I also do not use anything but 100% natural products on my lawn.
No chemicals, pesticides, or otherwise. Occaisionally I throw down some
soybean meal, but that's about it. I have a well, and I want to keep the
water I drink as contaminate free as possible.

	I would do a study of toad population vs kitty population. I think
you'd find that as the kitty population increases, the toad population
vanishes...



-----------------------Relativity Schmelativity-----------------------------
 Richard H. Clark				My opinions are my own, and
 LUNATIK - watch for me on the road...		ought to be yours, but under
						no circumstances are they
 richard@tis.com				those of my company...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.skeptic,soc.men,soc.women,comp.ai.philosophy
From: minsky@media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky)
Subject: Re: Biological Sex Differences? ("Women only" excusable ?)
Cc: minsky
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 03:41:38 GMT

In article <MELBY.92Sep9005959@dove.yk.Fujitsu.CO.JP> melby@dove.yk.Fujitsu.CO.JP (John B. Melby) writes:
>>I recently read an article which pointed out the bias in the college
>>entrance tests (GMAT?? Sorry, I'm not American) towards males. For example,
>>there were many analogies which dealt in sports terms.
>
>Perhaps a wider array of colorful terms (specifically, synonyms of
>"to bludgeon") are used in sports than in most other American cultural
>establishments? :-)

That reminds me of once noticing that the English lexicon of verbs is
asymmetrical with respect to winning contests of bloody force.  You
can say in only three words that "Boston clobbered Philadelphia" or
"Martina defeated Chris".  But you cannot say "Chris (lost to)
Martina" in three words with Chris occupying the subject-case-slot.
This seems to show that there is a sinister psychological bias
concealed in the very lexicon (not grammar) of the language!  Winning
a contest is an "action" (that is, has an actual verb) on the part of
the subject of the sentence, whereas losing a contest cannot be
expressed as an action.  As though to win is to one's credit, whereas
when you lose, it is the act of someone else and not your own.

More generally, I have found only a very few verbs that reflect any
appreciable discredit upon the subject-agent.  It is almost impossible
to admit to a fault without using the passive, or other form of
periphrase to be evasive.  Could this be a subtle way of imparting a
society's values to its members?  Weird.