What are you watching tonight?

[William the White]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

And, allegedly, experts in aero dynamics have proved bumble bees can't fly...

[Daxter]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

Quite to the contrary. Always excelled in English at school and that's what I'm still doing at College along with History and Communications. Find the things I learn in them far more useful than anything I might learn by studying crazy maths. Ok with basic algebra but then it just gets to a stage where it takes the piss.

A few of my mates do maths at A-level though, and I do marvel at how they can do it. It's a completely different way of thinking and you have to be extrmely skilled to do well. I look at one of thier worksheets and I might as well be reading a different language.

[Verbal]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

And, allegedly, experts in aero dynamics have proved bumble bees can't fly...

I always thought that was one of those old wives' tales...that the flight of bees defies the laws of aerodynamics. The evidence I have to back that statement up being zip.

[Verbal]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

Quite to the contrary. Always excelled in English at school and that's what I'm still doing at College along with History and Communications. Find the things I learn in them far more useful than anything I might learn by studying crazy maths. Ok with basic algebra but then it just gets to a stage where it takes the piss.

A few of my mates do maths at A-level though, and I do marvel at how they can do it. It's a completely different way of thinking and you have to be extrmely skilled to do well. I look at one of thier worksheets and I might as well be reading a different language.

Lit. or language? I did english language, history and media at college, and ended up doing Politics and Economics at uni.

Indeed, whenever I look at some of the equations Mech Eng. students deal with it's like reading a foreign language. Having said that, whenever I told them I had a 3000 word essay to do they look at me like I'm insane.

[William the White]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

And, allegedly, experts in aero dynamics have proved bumble bees can't fly...

I always thought that was one of those old wives' tales...that the flight of bees defies the laws of aerodynamics. The evidence I have to back that statement up being zip.

the evidence i have isn't compelling - i read it in, I think, a pop sociology book attempting to prove that capitalism, despite all its contradictions, was the only socio-economic system that could fly... I suspect the author of that might have had a vested interest...

somewhere we must have an aerodynamics expert on this forum. Perhaps shy, not wanting to boast, been lurking for years, but could now make his (or her, of course) debut...

[Daxter]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

Quite to the contrary. Always excelled in English at school and that's what I'm still doing at College along with History and Communications. Find the things I learn in them far more useful than anything I might learn by studying crazy maths. Ok with basic algebra but then it just gets to a stage where it takes the piss.

A few of my mates do maths at A-level though, and I do marvel at how they can do it. It's a completely different way of thinking and you have to be extrmely skilled to do well. I look at one of thier worksheets and I might as well be reading a different language.

Lit. or language? I did english language, history and media at college, and ended up doing Politics and Economics at uni.

Indeed, whenever I look at some of the equations Mech Eng. students deal with it's like reading a foreign language. Having said that, whenever I told them I had a 3000 word essay to do they look at me like I'm insane.

Yup, different people, different skills and all that.

Re English, I do English Lit and Lang combined. Nice combination that allows you to create original writing as well as analysing literature. Still trying to decide what to do at Uni. Thinking along the lines of journalism or English and Comms combined.

How was doing politics and economics at Uni, given that you hadn't done either at college?

[superjohnmcginlay]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

That'll explain why the designs never work correctly and cost double what they should.

[Verbal]

As far as I'm concerned Mathematics should stop being taught in school, right before they start introducing algebra into the mix.

Right up until year 9 I was a maths genius, then you bring in letters and rediculously worded equations and I hadn't a clue. Totally pointless.

'You're son isn't dyslexic Mrs. Daxter, he's just very very stupid.'

I was reet with the letters, didn't do maths at a-level. Doing economics at uni was a shock...the letters aren't pointless though. Good for theoretical models.

According to my mate who does maths, engineers design building using impossible numbers...

Quite to the contrary. Always excelled in English at school and that's what I'm still doing at College along with History and Communications. Find the things I learn in them far more useful than anything I might learn by studying crazy maths. Ok with basic algebra but then it just gets to a stage where it takes the piss.

A few of my mates do maths at A-level though, and I do marvel at how they can do it. It's a completely different way of thinking and you have to be extrmely skilled to do well. I look at one of thier worksheets and I might as well be reading a different language.

Lit. or language? I did english language, history and media at college, and ended up doing Politics and Economics at uni.

Indeed, whenever I look at some of the equations Mech Eng. students deal with it's like reading a foreign language. Having said that, whenever I told them I had a 3000 word essay to do they look at me like I'm insane.

Yup, different people, different skills and all that.

Re English, I do English Lit and Lang combined. Nice combination that allows you to create original writing as well as analysing literature. Still trying to decide what to do at Uni. Thinking along the lines of journalism or English and Comms combined.

How was doing politics and economics at Uni, given that you hadn't done either at college?

Cool I was always more inclined to writing and analysing my own work which is why i plumped for language. I've got into reading books a lot more recently though.

I was going to do journalism, had Kingston and UCLAN in my thoughts as they seem to offer good degrees on it (The Kingston course FWIW offers placements at national newspapers in their course). Then I had a think and thought I could still get into journalism regardless of degree, so I thought I'd try something different. indeed, when I got to uni, I found myself working for the student newspaper and *touchwood* will be editor next year, so it is the best of both worlds.

The politics bit isn't too bad - once you get your head around the concepts there is a lot of history iinvolved, which was fine by me. Economics on the otherhand...f*cking hell, it's tough at the beginning as for us we shared lectures with people doing straight economics, so you were chucked in at the deep end. Worked through it though and when second year rolled around I was pretty comfortable with it.

You in your final year of college then or first?

[Puskas]

I really don't understand this.

There's a tendency in this country for people to almost boast at their lack of mathematical ability.

"Oh, I've never been able to do maths - it's all beyond me"

Compare and contrast with:

"Oh, I've never been able to read - it's all beyond me".

What's the feckin difference?

And the great pity of it is all the dazzling beauty and brilliance you miss out on.

[superjohnmcginlay]

Dunno about beauty and brilliance but its pretty essential in construction.

[William the White]

I really don't understand this.

There's a tendency in this country for people to almost boast at their lack of mathematical ability.

"Oh, I've never been able to do maths - it's all beyond me"

Compare and contrast with:

"Oh, I've never been able to read - it's all beyond me".

What's the feckin difference?

And the great pity of it is all the dazzling beauty and brilliance you miss out on.

Dreary, dull and dismal.

[Puskas]

I really don't understand this.

There's a tendency in this country for people to almost boast at their lack of mathematical ability.

"Oh, I've never been able to do maths - it's all beyond me"

Compare and contrast with:

"Oh, I've never been able to read - it's all beyond me".

What's the feckin difference?

And the great pity of it is all the dazzling beauty and brilliance you miss out on.

Dreary, dull and dismal.

FFS.

And if I were to say Shakespeare is just dreary, dull and dismal? Don't bother reading him or seeing the plays, you're not missing out on anything? And I've never laughed once at his so-called comedies...

[superjohnmcginlay]

Make a poll. Which is the most useless boing old shite? Maths or English?

[Puskas]

Make a poll. Which is the most useless boing old shite? Maths or English?

Popular vote. That's always a good way of determining art.
We could, of course, infer that the winner of X-Factor produces great music.
I'd rather not.

[hisroyalgingerness]

Make a poll. Which is the most useless boing old shite? Maths or English?

Why, when chemistry would clearly win

[David Lee's Hair]

Why, when chemistry would clearly win

Whats not exciting about Chemistry. You get to burn stuff, and make things explode!!

French, now that's a dull subject! All you need to know in French is Course loin, after that everything is a waste!!

[Lord Kangana]

I've a feelin if I write "whats so wrong with French" this could turn into a circular thread....

[hisroyalgingerness]

Why, when chemistry would clearly win

Whats not exciting about Chemistry. You get to burn stuff, and make things explode!!

French, now that's a dull subject! All you need to know in French is Course loin, after that everything is a waste!!

Interesting at school. Completely useless now.

French I cannot argue with either. Those that have gone on to use it I do envy, and there's a gal in our office who speaks orgasmic Italian down the phone to people. I can only really remember to say how many brothers and sisters I have, and what their names are. And I doubt I'm going to get to that level of intimacy with a frenchperson

[Puskas]

Interesting at school. Completely useless now.

French I cannot argue with either. Those that have gone on to use it I do envy, and there's a gal in our office who speaks orgasmic Italian down the phone to people. I can only really remember to say how many brothers and sisters I have, and what their names are. And I doubt I'm going to get to that level of intimacy with a frenchperson

So you don't use, for instance, anything made of plastic?!

As for me, I wasn't trying to describe English as useless, merely make a point that anyone who thinks of themselves as being in some way "cultured" but then goes on to dismiss maths as dull and dreary is making the same mistake as someone who would say the same thing about Shakespeare.

Although his comedies aren't funny - I stand by that. Having someone called Bottom turn into an ass? Really? Makes Russell Brand seem almost like an adult.

[Verbal]

The Beautiful Mind was a good film. Interesting bloke too - it's also pretty cool to understand how he thought up game theory

Having said that, I prefer writing over anything else.

is this going to turn into a Mathematical Scientists vs. cultured artists, Gangs of New York styleee battle?