Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: One sleep to go

113 Responses

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  • Hadyn Green,

    sorry 3410, i misspelt your name

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts

  • 3410,

    Well, you learn something everyday. I did check my dictionary (.com) but it wasn’t there. Frankly, I’m disappointed with the answer.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts

  • Rob Stowell,

    I don’t know what numeric system the Chinese have now. But I seem to remember learning in history that they used base 60. (!?)And that this meant only the educated classes could use big numbers….

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts

  • 3410,

    Rob, you might find this interesting

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts

  • Hadyn Green,

    Isn’t it the French that use base 60?

    I thought that the Chinese count like Maori. i.e. to say 11 you say “ten and one”, to say 342 you say “three hundreds and four tens and two”.

    but I don’t speak Chinese, anyone?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts

  • Hadyn Green,

    3410: that was fun for a Friday arvo, cheers! (also glad I’d get into a British Uni)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts

  • Emma Hart,

    Isn’t it the French that use base 60?

    Only briefly. So, seventy-nine is sixty-nineteen, but then eighty-five is four twenties and five. I think they just make shit up, honestly.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts

  • Heather Gaye,

    I thought that the Chinese count like Maori. i.e. to say 11 you say “ten and one”, to say 342 you say “three hundreds and four tens and two”.
    but I don’t speak Chinese, anyone?

    Correct, without the “and”. Also, pointy -finger stuff!

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts

  • Heather Gaye,

    Sorry, messed up the linky.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts

  • Emma Hart,

    Cheers, Heather, it was really interesting to see how that compares with NZSL number signs.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts

  • Jackie Clark,

    Now she really does think it was the tooth fairy, and how do I tell her!

    Well, you don’t, obviously. I hate it when adults try to ambush kids’ fantastic belief systems. I’ve taught with people who’ll read a book to the kids ( and remember this is 3-5 year olds) and say at the end ” Do you think that really happened? It’s only pretend, eh?” WTF is that about? Childhood is all too short and the magic lasts for ever such a brief period in their lives – let them believe fabulous things. It’s healthy! I vote for more magic in our lives, not less. And by the way, I love that you put a flower in a glass of water – that’s so lovely, and so very like the tooth fairy.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts

  • Bart Janssen,

    First
    Happy Birthday MM

    I inherited real Mechano and used to save up money to buy expansion sets which I still have:). Never did get to Set 10

    Balaclava is a town in Crimea.

    Its a typo

    And I’m not certain anyone knows if stars are infinite, probably depends on whether all universes have stars and if there really are an infinite number of universes … universi?

    As for what you can tell kids…

    My father (who sadly died 18 months ago) discovered that he got considerably less of the chocolate in a bar after my older brothers got old enough to want some.
    So
    When I came along he decided to do something about it
    From about 2 years old he told me with absolute conviction that chocolate was made of poos – hence the brown colour.
    To this day I can’t eat chocolate, the smell puts me off. milo is OK though (shrug)
    All I can say is that it probably saved me a lot of pimples.

    He really was a very nice man honest.

    cheers
    Bart

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts

  • Rob Stowell,

    I’m a little wary of infinity. A mathematician friend (actually he’s now an actuary) insists that infinity plus one is one more than infinity. I reckon they’re the same number.
    But if there are infinite universes, wouldn’t it be enough if one in 100, or a thousand, or one in a trillion- has stars to make stars infinite as well?
    Back on this planet- and we only have the one- amusing to think I could get into a British university. I hope my maths averse 15 yr-old would have a shot. What are we losing when we abondon a tool like this?

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts

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