Thread Killer Champions: Franzbear & Moonbear

[BicycleTree]

Cronxeh, about 70 degrees is what i meant by "almost." My middle finger is only about 3/4 as long as my palm because of the webbing. I credit the webbing with my fast typing speed.

Moonbear, I stockpile empty jars of peanut butter for no reason--the natural kind, too, where the oil separates on its own and when you first open it there's about a half centimeter layer of oil. It was really the closest thing at hand.

 

[BicycleTree]

I think that shorter fingers and more webbing probably is an advantage, not a disadvantage, at snapping. When you want to produce the maximum finger tension I think it's helpful to have tissue closer to the fingertip for better leverage. It would be a disadvantage at pen spinning only.

You know what's weird, is that my toes have cracked from time to time, and frequently my spine pops and snaps, but never, ever have I cracked my fingers, intentionally or unintentionally. They are almost noiseless except for snapping.

 

[BicycleTree]

Have I scared everyone off?

 

[Moonbear]

Have I scared everyone off?

Nope, I just got distracted by a homeschooler posting on another site. She's one of those annoying people who can't stop bragging about her children, but she "forgives" the youngest for not being as smart as his siblings. Yes, she uses the word "forgives." She's also convinced that the cure for math phobia is to make a kid just keep doing a problem over and over and over again and not move ahead until they can get all their assigned problems 100% correct, because the only cause of the anxiety is the frustration of getting the problem wrong. And franz thinks the politics forum here gets his blood pressure up. But she provides endless fodder for jokes at her expense among the people I email from that site.

 

[BicycleTree]

Well, you know, personally I think that the basics of math are important to get down 100%. I think a big problem with some students is that they "decide" they can't do math, which means they won't try. My sister was like that, she'd quit before even making a good attempt at a problem. If you stick with it until you master the material it's good.

On the other hand, sometimes you don't learn something fully until you use it in other ways. So there is an argument for moving on, with the new material as motivation for mastering the old material. But if there is actual frustration and anxiety on the current material then that's not likely to happen; the student should stick with it until the anxiety goes away. If the student is capable of learning the material, that will happen eventually.

 

[Moonbear]

You know what's weird, is that my toes have cracked from time to time, and frequently my spine pops and snaps, but never, ever have I cracked my fingers, intentionally or unintentionally. They are almost noiseless except for snapping.

I'm thinking you and Cronxeh are too young to be popping and cracking when you walk! I used to be such a horribly chronic knuckle cracker. My grandmother insisted it would give me arthritis. Sometimes my right wrist pops...I think that's because of an old injury, because it was really bad nearer to when I injured it, and has been steadily improving. Nevermind that it's been over 10 years since I injured it! In retrospect, I might have wanted to see a doctor about it at the time, but I thought it was just a mild sprain. I think it was actually slightly dislocated and it suddenly felt amazingly better one day when I had no choice other than to use it for lifting something really heavy, and suddenly it just popped and immediately felt better. Only I could get better by overusing an injured limb. Other than that, just my neck cracks. Some people find that a bit disturbing.

Though I pulled something in my shoulder last night trying to move a microtome in the lab. It's a really old one, and I swear it must be made of solid lead. It's not very big, but it's heavy. I'm not even sure how heavy it is. Must be 80 or 100 lbs. After I moved one, I barely had the strength to tip the other up on just one end (I needed a clean work area, and the absorbent padding under them hadn't been changed in so long it had turned from white to dark yellow ). I always forget how heavy those things are because I don't move them often. I have to remember to do these things when someone else is around to help lift. Oh well, it's going to be a cold, rainy weekend anyway, so can't do any yard work even if I didn't have an injured wing.

 

[BicycleTree]

Yeah, my spine crackles frequently. Not when I walk, but if I flex my back muscles or stretch I can feel and hear the vertebra snapping around. Also, my shoulders tend to dislocate easily when I throw things, but they always chunk right back into place immediately (not that it doesn't hurt for a week or two afterwards...).

 

[Moonbear]

Well, you know, personally I think that the basics of math are important to get down 100%. I think a big problem with some students is that they "decide" they can't do math, which means they won't try. My sister was like that, she'd quit before even making a good attempt at a problem. If you stick with it until you master the material it's good.

Oh, I don't think we disagree there. Concept-wise, yes, you really need to master the basics to move on, but she's talking about redoing a homework assignment until all the answers are perfect. You know, like when you make a dumb mistake and multiply 3X3 and get 6 , well, she would make the kid do the whole assignment again if they did that.

But that's what I really think most of math phobia is, that the kids have decided they can't do it before they ever get into the classroom. I can see being persistent and not letting them get away with just not doing it, because of course that's what a lot of kids with math anxiety do, they just don't do the assignments. But I don't think sitting them down with a sheet of problems that makes their mind go blank and gets them sweating and making them sit there until it's done is going to help; I think it would just make them get more anxious. Anyway, she's not a rational person anyway. She usually presents an argument that is internally inconsistent (she almost always makes at least two points in her arguments that are necessarily mutually exclusive; like we should have the government give all kids school vouchers and privatize all schools to get the government out of the education business). Meh, I don't really want to discuss her here, it was just where I went for a while and got distracted too long by her lack of logic.

On the other hand, sometimes you don't learn something fully until you use it in other ways. So there is an argument for moving on, with the new material as motivation for mastering the old material. But if there is actual frustration and anxiety on the current material then that's not likely to happen; the student should stick with it until the anxiety goes away. If the student is capable of learning the material, that will happen eventually.

I tend to think most math anxiety is just a learned behavior from parents or other students or teachers even. But, as I did some googling on it, it sounds like math teachers are finally catching on that they need to do something different in the classroom to address this problem, something that will give these kids some confidence. And, imagine this, they're suggesting they stop teaching kids by rote memorization and start explaining the concepts! I can't believe that's a novel idea!

 

[BicycleTree]

Well, careless errors do not warrant revisiting the material. One thing the student could do is check his/her work. I never used to like doing that and I would lose about 10% credit on careless errors despite fully understanding everything, but now I always do it, and I make very few careless errors. Also it has to do with age; I think that up to a point, the older you get, the fewer random mistakes you make, a function of practice and normal brain aging.

If the student only makes careless mistakes yet has a math phobia anyway, I think the student should start learning more advanced material.

 

[Moonbear]

Also it has to do with age; I think that up to a point, the older you get, the fewer random mistakes you make, a function of practice and normal brain aging.

More like an inverted Gaussian distribution I suspect. After a certain age, you hit your peak and it's all downhill from there. Though, I'm not quite yet convinced there isn't an absent-minded professor gene that is conditionally turned on by something added to the food at the faculty cafeteria.

 

[BicycleTree]

No, I don't mean just general mental ability, I mean not making random mistakes. I would guess that random mistakes are caused by the same rushing signals that cause the creativity and fast learning of youth; when these signals begin to decrease, there is less interference and processes are less prone to error, although general mental ability would play a role.

 

[Danger]

More like an inverted Gaussian distribution I suspect. After a certain age, you hit your peak and it's all downhill from there.

I don't even know what a Gaussian distribution is, other than that it should have something to do with magnetism.
Please... whoever this ***** is, let me loose on her. It's because of people like her, but in the public school system, that I have only a grade 9 math level. Ironically, two of my favourite subjects are astrophysics and quantum mechanics. Theoretically, you can't understand either one without advanced math, but I seem to do okay.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't even know what a Gaussian distribution is

Sorry, I was just being fancy for the physicists. It's just another name for a normal curve (bell curve).

Please... whoever this ***** is, let me loose on her. It's because of people like her, but in the public school system, that I have only a grade 9 math level. Ironically, two of my favourite subjects are astrophysics and quantum mechanics. Theoretically, you can't understand either one without advanced math, but I seem to do okay.

While a few people have tried to play nice and seek some agreement with her, most of that entire board is letting her have it. But at least since she homeschooled her kids, she wasn't showing up for any PTA meetings, so she's only screwed up her own children (I'm sure they are screwed up, just based on the sum total of her views). I mean, how can that youngest one be normal if he's only being "forgiven" for not doing as well as his siblings? Then again, maybe he's the sane one who rebelled against mom, and that's why she thinks he hasn't done as well, because he didn't follow her plan.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I don't even know what a Gaussian distribution is, other than that it should have something to do with magnetism.
Please... whoever this ***** is, let me loose on her. It's because of people like her, but in the public school system, that I have only a grade 9 math level. Ironically, two of my favourite subjects are astrophysics and quantum mechanics. Theoretically, you can't understand either one without advanced math, but I seem to do okay.

AFAIK: Gaussian distribution = normal distribution = social scientists' "bell curve"

*prepares to be jumped on by mathematicians*

 

[BicycleTree]

Well, Mathworld told me that the Gaussian was the normal distribution, but what is an inverted Gaussian??

 

[ArielGenesis]

how can a stranger sees a connection between inverted gaussian and a championship

 

[Math Is Hard]

Well, Mathworld told me that the Gaussian was the normal distribution, but what is an inverted Gaussian??

It's like pineapple upside-down cake, but different.

 

[Moonbear]

Well, Mathworld told me that the Gaussian was the normal distribution, but what is an inverted Gaussian??

Turn it upside down! You were talking about rate of mistakes with age...at peak performance, you reach a nadir in number of mistakes, not a peak. I don't know, it's closer to dawn now than dusk, so I'm too tired to find out if I can legitimately call it inverted...I doubt it's even Gaussian. It just sounded good dammit!

 

[Huckleberry]

Fingers and toes, one of my favorite topics. My middle finger is about half an inch longer than my index. My ring finger is almost as long as my middle finger. My thumb can touch my wrist. My feet are more like flippers, over 4" wide. My second toe is as long as my big toe, which is big and fat. (I don't like wearing shoes.) I can support my body weight on just my big toes fairly easily, and can turn my feet so they are almost parallel facing backwards. This puts some strain on my knees and hips and feels a bit uncomfortable. Ever have a hip pop? That is a loud snap.

Hope your wing gets better soon Moonbear.

 

[BicycleTree]

Your thumb can touch your wrist? You mean the wrist on the _same arm as the thumb is on_?? You are making it up.

 

[Moonbear]

Fingers and toes, one of my favorite topics. My middle finger is about half an inch longer than my index. My ring finger is almost as long as my middle finger. My thumb can touch my wrist. My feet are more like flippers, over 4" wide. My second toe is as long as my big toe, which is big and fat. (I don't like wearing shoes.) I can support my body weight on just my big toes fairly easily, and can turn my feet so they are almost parallel facing backwards. This puts some strain on my knees and hips and feels a bit uncomfortable. Ever have a hip pop? That is a loud snap.

I don't suggest you share all that information on a first date. BicycleTree has webbed fingers, and you've got flippers for feet. And those creationists all are arguing there are no transitional species around.

Hope your wing gets better soon Moonbear.

Already feeling better today. Thanks.

 

[Huckleberry]

Your thumb can touch your wrist? You mean the wrist on the _same arm as the thumb is on_?? You are making it up.

No, my thumb can touch my wrist on the same arm. I'm double-jointed. I don't know exactly what that means, but I think it means I have longer ligaments, or more stretchable ligaments. I'm not as flexible as I used to be 10 years ago, but my legs and arms are still very flexible. I can still touch any point on my back with one arm and put my feet behind my head. I used to be able to do a split (front to back) but I can't do that anymore.

 

[hypatia]

I also can touch my thumb and wrist, which comes in handy playing odd guitar chords.

and can turn my feet so they are almost parallel facing backwards

:

How does one discover these things about themselfs? Did you just one day say, I'm going to try all kinds of odd stuff with my body?

 

[Moonbear]

I also can touch my thumb and wrist, which comes in handy playing odd guitar chords.

How does it help with guitar chords? I can't think of anything you'd do with a guitar that would require touching your thumb to your wrist.

 

[BicycleTree]

:

How does one discover these things about themselfs? Did you just one day say, I'm going to try all kinds of odd stuff with my body?

You mean you never did that as a kid?

 

[Huckleberry]

I also can touch my thumb and wrist, which comes in handy playing odd guitar chords.


:

How does one discover these things about themselfs? Did you just one day say, I'm going to try all kinds of odd stuff with my body?

Yeah, something like that. Who hasn't at least tried to do a split? What guy hasn't played 'mercy' in grade school? Who hasn't twisted an ankle while walking or running? My ankles twist, but don't sprain. (well, once I sprained an ankle) I rarely won at mercy, but I couldn't be beaten. It seemed natural to test the limits.

What I want to know is how people learn things like eating glass without dying, or breaking boards with their heads, or piercing their body with needles. How many people try these things? Can anyone do it?

 

[Moonbear]

You mean you never did that as a kid?

Must have been a deprived childhood she had.

 

[brewnog]

Moonbear, bet you 20p that you can't lick your elbow...

 

[Evo]

I've noticed that the majority of people have a second toe (the toe next to their big toe) that is as long or longer than their big toe. Mine is shorter. My toes all progressively go down in length with the big toe the longest.

Anyone else with toes like this?

 

[Huckleberry]

You could start a thread called "Comparison of TOEs"

 

[hypatia]

Playing a F chord and reach your thumb up to hit a A note on the E string, most people can't do it.

And no I don't recall trying to twist my feet backwards. Tho I did shove a bean up my nose once.

 

[Evo]

You could start a thread called "Comparison of TOEs"

That's cute!

 

[brewnog]

Evo, my big toe is my longest.

 

[Evo]

Evo, my big toe is my longest.

Really? Then we're the two normal ones?

 

[brewnog]

Really? Then we're the two normal ones?

Speak for yourself...