Posts by Rich Lock
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Just to be contrary about science education, aren't there two parts to it?
In maths, we mostly want kids to learn arithmetic and useful techniques - we don't in fact teach them much if anything about induction and proof. And in science, don't we really also want to impart a lot of handy basic facts? I'd say that evolution just squeaks in on that count, if only to make sure they understand why they have to finish all their antibiotics, but I reckon a curriculum that was really focussed on applying empirical techniques to establish a body of provisionally provable "knowledge" wouldn't bear much resemblance to school science as we know it at all. Plus all those skeptical experimenting kids would drive every adult in the vicinity insane.
Yes, but the scales are at present a little too tipped towards the rote-learning of a whole bunch of (what can appear to be meaningless) facts.
A mate of mine was fond of observing that he was interested and motivated enough to get his physics Phd in spite of 13 years of science teaching from the state.
Another mate gave up on his physics degree after being taught by rote that the correction factor of 10 he was required to apply to his calulations was there 'just because, alright?'. When he started asking difficult questions about dark matter and various other possible explanations, he was told to STFU and stick to the syllabus.
Teaching by rote is far, far easier than teaching people to observe facts, apply an analysis, and arrive at an independently verifiable conclusion, unfortunately.
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I think having the comma in the superhero name would be a little awkward. I mean, who has a comma in their name?
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You need 10 million to be a megacity.
Everyone git breedin'.
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I so prefer the way they serve booze at many UK festivals.
Tend to agree. First (and so far only) BDO I attended, I was ID'd by some control-freak state-trooper idiot who refused me a wristband on some spurius ground (I was 33, and look it). Went back five minutes later and got someone who actually knew what they were doing to give me a wristband.
I also intensely disliked being herded into a designated drinking area, and being offered a choice of export gold, or....nothing. I took the nothing.
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This one from Joseph Young. Firmly in the comments era.
My very first PAS comment is in that thread.
As you were.
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the prick still has plenty of money for his purposes.
I know, but the kind of finance guru who gets hit by this crisis with "disorienting speed"? (implication: he didn't see it coming and wasn't prepared).
The kind of finance guru who has to sell 50% of his company at 50% of it's previous worth?
The kind of finance guru who has to axe 1/3 of his employees from the core businesses, and even then only just manage to avoid following Lehman down the tubes?
Now that's the kind of success New Zealand really needs at the moment, right?
The last bulletpoint was truly alarming
More alarming than: "His solution includes...abandoning MMP for [a] system that allows the Government to make "bold" decisions."?
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I do wish we didn't have to go through the by-now familiar cause-celebre set-piece in the media.
I was under the impression that it was the Harold's 'your views' column wot won it.
GOTCHA! The PEOPLE have SPOKEN! We asked YOU! if you thought he should be charged. And a STAGGERING! 94% of you said NO! AND WE FORCED THEM TO LISTEN!
NEXT! WE ask YOU! for Your Views on Your Views!
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I find it *absolutely fascinating* how whenever a spec-fic work is acknowledged as a work of literature, it undergoes a mysterious transformation into "normal" literature (whatever that is)
Hmmmm, this book/film/whatever is amazing! Such rich characters! Such a well-developed and paced plot! Truely, this is a rarely crafted quality work!
But....wait a minute. Despite the lack of dragons/elves/epic-space-battles-which-will-decide-the-fate-of-an-empire-taking-place-beyond-the-outer-rings, there are certain elements in this which I'm not comfortable with.....certain not-quite-entirely-reality-as we-know-and-love-it elements....that if I'm right....would make this <gasp> Science Fiction! But I can't be enjoying Science Ficition! Only nerds and losers enjoy Science Fiction! I'm not a nerd loser! Therefore...this....isn't....can't be...Science Fiction! QED!
God, that's much better.......
Having said that, I do think Paul has a point. This BSG thing is getting out of hand.
Perhaps Russell could set up a thread dedicated entirely to geeking out - BSG, Star Trek, Dungeons and Dragons...
Anyone who wants to can indulge until their heads explode, and it might help take some of the heat off the 'serious' threads. Just a thought.
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Clarke, Asimov, what's the difference?
Don't try to bring facts into this, man!