Whats with white people and cold weather?

Page 3 of 3 [ 43 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3

Hovis
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 9 Jul 2006
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 936
Location: Lincolnshire, England

27 Sep 2006, 9:54 am

Living in a 99% white town, I can state that other white people I see are just *very, very* stupid when it comes to cold weather, especially girls. Because it's not that the cold genuinely doesn't bother them. No, they go out in sub-zero temperatures wearing short skirts, thin-soled fashion boots, little thin jackets and no gloves, hats or scarves, then stand there whining about how cold they are.



en_una_isla
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,876

27 Sep 2006, 10:17 am

Hmmm, maybe you're on to something! I wear sandals until it is 43 F or colder, and layer sweaters in winter instead of wearing a coat. I wear a hat though almost always.



Corcovado
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Jul 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 562
Location: Right in front of my pc

27 Sep 2006, 10:51 am

lawpoop wrote:
people are lighter skinned near the arctic and anartci. And the anthroplogists measure 'where the sun don't shine', like the armpit and groin, so they aren't just measuring amount of skin tan.

And there is a biological reason -- you need a certain amount of sunlight to synthesize vitamin D. Melatonin blocks sunlight. If you have too much melatonin, you don't get enough vitamin D. It you have too little, you can get sun poisoning.

For instance, in Finland, they have taken a lot of Somalians in as refugees. They have a lot of problems with vitamin D, especially in the winter, and they have to take supplements.


Actually the inuits on Greenland are have much darker skin than the scandinavian people, also be armpit meassure.

The problem somalis have in scandinavia is not only due to their dark skin, in Denmark it's mostly the women who lack vitamin D, and it's mostly because they cover themselves so only the face shows, both summer and winter.



lawpoop
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: 25

27 Sep 2006, 12:03 pm

Corcovado wrote:
lawpoop wrote:
people are lighter skinned near the arctic and anartci. And the anthroplogists measure 'where the sun don't shine', like the armpit and groin, so they aren't just measuring amount of skin tan.

And there is a biological reason -- you need a certain amount of sunlight to synthesize vitamin D. Melatonin blocks sunlight. If you have too much melatonin, you don't get enough vitamin D. It you have too little, you can get sun poisoning.

For instance, in Finland, they have taken a lot of Somalians in as refugees. They have a lot of problems with vitamin D, especially in the winter, and they have to take supplements.


Actually the inuits on Greenland are have much darker skin than the scandinavian people, also be armpit meassure.

The problem somalis have in scandinavia is not only due to their dark skin, in Denmark it's mostly the women who lack vitamin D, and it's mostly because they cover themselves so only the face shows, both summer and winter.



You're right, when you compare groups of people to each other, some groups have darker skin than others.

However, when you look at the *overall*, *general* picture, people living closer to the equator are darker than those living closer to the polls, with pretty much an even gradient *on the *whole*.

Yes, you can find an albino guy on the equator, and you can find a really dark guy whose skin highlights are purple in a research center in Antartica. You can even find groups of people living in two neighboring villages that are darker or lighter than the other group.

However, *on average*, there is an even gradient of skin color from the equator to the poles.

As far as the Somali women having vitamin D problems from covering their skin, why don't they have the same problems in Somalia? They are covering their skin in Somalia, right? It's because their darker skin blocks more ultraviolet light than lighter skin, and there is less ultraviolet radiation in Scandinavia than there is in Somalia.

And in my experience, *everyone* covers their face in Finland in the winter. Bare skin is rather painful. And in the winter is when you have the least sunlight and at the lowest angle.



lawpoop
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: 25

27 Sep 2006, 12:07 pm

MrMark wrote:
Litigious wrote:
MrMark wrote:
I get SAD. I try to remain in denial of winter for as long as possible. People make fun of me for wearing shorts in December.


Oh, petty you, it must be very cold in Florida, according to my uncle who lives there. :roll:


Month Avg.High Avg.Low Mean RecordHigh RecordLow
Jan ~~ 62°F ~~ 38°F ~~ 50°F 84°F (1953) 4°F (1985)



The low is 38° ? Here in Ohio, when we thaw out in the spring, and the thermometer hits 40, we break out the shorts and tee-shirts!

Of course, at that temperature, your body generates plenty of heat when it is used to sub-freezing temperatures.



Corcovado
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Jul 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 562
Location: Right in front of my pc

27 Sep 2006, 5:19 pm

lawpoop wrote:

As far as the Somali women having vitamin D problems from covering their skin, why don't they have the same problems in Somalia? They are covering their skin in Somalia, right? It's because their darker skin blocks more ultraviolet light than lighter skin, and there is less ultraviolet radiation in Scandinavia than there is in Somalia.

And in my experience, *everyone* covers their face in Finland in the winter. Bare skin is rather painful. And in the winter is when you have the least sunlight and at the lowest angle.


I think you got some good points and I generally agrees with you, I have been thinking along the same lines myself.
My point with the somali women is that it's not just because they are black. Other black people don't have the problems they have.



BazzaMcKenzie
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Aug 2006
Age: 64
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,495
Location: the Antipodes

28 Sep 2006, 1:17 am

ma_137 wrote:
Not being caucasian ...What is with white people and cold weather? Specifically, without fail, every winter, I see many many many white people walking around without jackets on.


Firstly, there's caucasian and there's caucasian. I am fair hair, blue eyes, freckles. I get 3rd degree sunburn if I go unprotected for more than about 4 minutes (exageration). In summer (usually >35C or 100F) I wear long sleeve cotton shirts, UV block sunscreen, wide brim hats.

When the temperature drops below 20C (about 65F) I reach for a wollen jumper. I think this is about acclimatisation.

Where you are, its probably about black body (sorry about the pun) radiation. :D


_________________
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.
Strewth!


cruimh_shionnachain
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Aug 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: 913
Location: Looking for the ubermensch

28 Sep 2006, 3:28 pm

Most middle-aged caucasian men, as far as I know, the sitcom soccer-parent type, tend to have a sort of contest amongst themselves, to exert their 'manliness', by wearing shorts and t-shirts as long as possible. It is really funny to watch my uncles get together at christmas and profess that they've all been wearing shorts, and the only reason they're wearing pants and a sweater is because their wife made them, which is, of course, a huge lie.


_________________
I'm like an opening band for the sun.
-Pearl Jam

Apathy is not a vice, it is a relieving and downright enjoyable life-choice.


hyper_alien
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,039
Location: In the arms of me lover

28 Sep 2006, 3:51 pm

I love the cold

I also love to feel the rain on my arms

:D


_________________
Me.


Sedaka
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,597
Location: In the recesses of my mind

28 Sep 2006, 10:36 pm

you prolly can't get any whiter than me..... and i hate being cold.

i wanna live somewhere so hot and humid that you can drink the air!

that being said~~ i work in a cold room everyday (10 degrees celsius) and have to wear layers of clothes be it winter or summer.

but i still dream of warmer days



TigerFire
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Mar 2006
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,904
Location: Cave Spring GA USA

29 Sep 2006, 9:55 am

I'm white skinned but my skin have been known to become red as if it was on fire. I like hot weather but I hate cold. I really dislike it a lot.


_________________
Beauty is in the eye of beholder but to a theif beauty is money.