OT. Refrigerator Blindness

Sounds something like, "Someone has stolen my socks" ;-)

...Jim Thompson

This could be related to a phenomenon noted in intelligence tests conducted with primates. Orangutans (both female and male) were shown a miniature model of a room and the researcher placed a miniature of a can of fruit drink (which the animals were familiar with) in some location in the model. They were then led into a full sized room in which a can of drink had been placed in the analogous location. The test was intended to see if the orangutans made the connection between the model and actual room.

The female orangutans performed flawlessly, proceeding directly to the drink container. Male orangutans just stood there, staring at their handler.

I was watching this on a TV program with a female friend. She was delighted in what she clearly perceived to be a demonstration of superior female intelligence. Until I pointed out the flaw in the experiment's procedure. It turns out that the orangutan's handler was female. This clearly explained the hesitation on the part of the male orangutan. There was a drink to be fetched, there was a female (species unimportant) available to fetch it. What was she waiting for?

I slept on the sofa for the next few days.

I read parts of it to my wife at breakfast this morning, with breaks to keep her from expiring from respiratory arrest.

I guess it's just funnier if you're a woman...