My math is weak – very very weak. As in, about 6th grade level. Which makes a degree of sense, because it was in 5th grade that I said “to hell with this shit” where school was concerned. I’ve recently decided to improve my Math skills a bit, so I started looking around for a curriculum, since I want to get up to doing Algebra, at least. And I want it to be useful math, which I can apply. Like the below word problem

“Lauren spent 20 percent of her money on a dress. She spent 2/5 of the remainder on a book. She had $72 left. How much money did she have at first?”

Being able to do that sort of Math is useful. At first, I couldn’t even figure out where to start cracking into the above. Then I watched Pam work it, using Algebra. After watching her do it, I looked at it again, and figured out how I would it. (Sans Algebra).

72 dollars is 3/5ths of something, what? Divided 72 by 3. Get 28. Double it to 48. Add 48 to 72. Get 120. 120 is 80% of something, what? Divided 120 by 8. Get 15. Double it to 30. Add 30 to 120, get 150. So, Lauren started with 150 dollars. Pam says this is the most back assword, hard way of working this problem that she has seen.

Anyway, despite my weak math, I’m going to improve it. I’ve got a couple of books ordered, and I’ll sit down and work through them. I expect it will be fun. And, what is equally amusing to me, is that I am faster at basic math than many people. Including Pam for several things (like figuring percentages).

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/01/19/truth-about-sopa/

The above is the originator of SOPA (the stop online piracy act) propaganda piece on his piece of crap bill. He includes the problem with the bill within it

The activity these foreign websites are engaged in is already illegal in the U.S. But because they are operated overseas, the sites are out of reach of current U.S. laws that protect intellectual property. The Stop Online Piracy Act simply applies to foreign illegal websites similar standards that are already in place for domestic sites.
This is a constitutional bill that protects free speech and America’s intellectual property. It’s not censorship to enforce the law and stop criminal activity.

Here is the deal. The U.S. laws apply online to activities within the borders of the U.S. If a website is operated oversea’s, then its not within the borders of the U.S. Thus our laws don’t apply to it. It IS censorship to enforce a law on someone, or something to which that law doesn’t apply.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/13/health/prescription-for-cheating/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

For years, doctors around the country taking an exam to become board certified in radiology have cheated by memorizing test questions, creating sophisticated banks of what are known as “recalls,” a CNN investigation has found.
The recall exams are meticulously compiled by radiology residents, who write down the questions after taking the test, in radiology programs around the country, including some of the most prestigious programs in the U.S.
“It’s been going on a long time, I know, but I can’t give you a date,” said Dr. Gary Becker, executive director of the American Board of Radiology (ABR), which oversees the exam that certifies radiologists.
Asked if this were considered cheating, Becker told CNN, “We would call it cheating, and our exam security policy would call it cheating, yes.”
Radiology residents must sign a document agreeing not to share test material, but a CNN investigation shows the document is widely ignored. Dozens of radiology residents interviewed by CNN said that they promised before taking the written test to memorize certain questions and write them down immediately after the test along with fellow residents.

Look, memorizing a question and then sharing it later, is not cheating. Considering it cheating is a crutch, for the reason outlined below

In a statement, Dr. Christine Cassel, president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine, said, “Sharing test questions from memory is a serious problem that threatens the integrity of all standardized testing. Test takers need to know that this kind of ‘brain dumping’ is grossly unethical and the American Board of Internal Medicine will not tolerate unethical behavior from physicians seeking board certification. ABIM will take appropriate action against anyone who seeks to compromise the integrity of our examinations.

Above bolded by me. Its a crutch to give some validity to a dumbass testing methodology. Multiple choice questions don’t test knowledge. It tests your ability to memorize. Knowledge is the ability to take facts and apply it to the real world – which standardized tests can’t do.

Morons.

Boy,I’m really letting the blog lapse, aren’t I?

Anyway, me and Pam are participating in Frog watch, to help map changing frog ranges and populations. So, I’ve been studying my frog and toad calls. Well, when I came in to work this afternoon, there was a lone Upland Chorus frog calling out behind the building.

I didn’t even know about Upland Chorus frogs until I started this.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/04/politics/iowa-exit-polls/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

As for the young, they went for the 76-year-old Paul by one of the most lopsided margins of the night. Over half of voters age 17 to 29 backed Paul, while Santorum ran second best among this group with a distant 23%.

That gives me some hope about the long term future of America. Not much though, considering the indoctrination of youth in general…..

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2011/12/19/picky_eaters_are_thwarting_the_l_a_school_district_s_attempts_to_improve_school_lunches_.html

Swept up in a Michelle Obama-led tide of enthusiasm for healthy eating, the school district kicked off this year by banning nachos and chicken nuggets from the cafeterias, and feeding the kids healthy and often vegetarian food. Many kids seem to be responding by skipping lunch entirely, and eating bags of chips brought from home instead.

http://www.aza.org/PressRoom/detail.aspx?id=22702

Good news!

An email from Pam..

OK, floors are done. I just took hot water and a cap full of vinegar and got on the floor and scrubbed the spots up. It only took like 10 mins to get the three main areas and the one spot by Harley’s boxes (I had swept in there before I emailed you.)

<......>

Anyway, the worsts spots are done. Kermit is a little pain in the butt. I cleaned the area near her cage first, and I thought it was cute that she got down on the grate to watch me. When I moved on to Harley’s cage I glanced back over just in time to see her STICK HER BUTT THROUGH THE LARGE GAP AT THE BOTTOM ON THE GRATE AND POOP DIRECTLY ON THE FLOOR, then climb back to her perch making happy little conure noises. What the heck?

That bird is smarter than I give her credit for.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/harveysilverglate/2011/12/09/blago-sentenced-he-joins-the-justice-departments-smoke-and-mirrors-show/

But the lesson we should learn from Blago’s plight is not simply that “corrupt” governors should beware, nor that a cynical confession of guilt can ameliorate sentences; rather, Blago’s prosecution demonstrates the extent to which the federal government claims for itself the power to indict whomever it wants–even if the alleged behavior breaks no state laws and violates no clear federal law–and the way in which most federal judges go along with the charade and enable violations of the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of “due process of law.” (Due process is supposed to assure, for one thing, that citizens be prosecuted criminally only if the law is sufficiently clear to give them advance notice of what the law requires of them.)

Worth reading. Its an example of the growing tendency to ignore the rule of law.

So, I am finally getting serious about memorizing my frog and toad calls. Pam and I want to participate in an amphibian study project, which is short and sweet. Simply drive to a few spots twice per year, and get out, listen for five minutes while making some notes about what species were heard, in what quantity, etc. Just basic scientific information gathering.

The last two days we have been listening regularly to the frog/toad calls of Ga. Even the South Ga calls, for frog and toad species not found in our general area. We are making progress. As with most things, her skills are better than mine.

IMG_3320

Originally uploaded by The_Gut.

The two of us at the start of our twelve mile adventure. That poplar is the second biggest tree in Ga.

a warm fall day,
learning from this rock
to do nothing
Paul O. Williams

I might have to read some of his science fiction.