Early Risers.

[southern42]

Re nuisance phone calls; I was unaware until recently that there is a Department of Road Accidents that holds details of the accidents you haven't had.

 

Fine but chilly this morning; will it last? Showers forecast by tv.

 

Have a good day,

 

Pete

 

So....they tick them off as you have them, eh?  :mosking:

 

Polly

[Oldddudders]

Yes, most of us being "of an age" we would all have learnt our times-tables, and mental arithmetic tests in oral form round the class were a regular feature of early skooldays. I have to wonder, though, whether the dunderheads and drongos got much out of it all. Perhaps looking after the less-able, without disadvantaging the bright, is a more equable approach?

[DDolfelin]

Only a brief 'pop-in' today.

A day of legal stuff.

[Oldddudders]

 

A day of legal stuff.

I'm told illegal stuff can be more fun....

[Smiffy2]

Yes, most of us being "of an age" we would all have learnt our times-tables, and mental arithmetic tests in oral form round the class were a regular feature of early skooldays. I have to wonder, though, whether the dunderheads and drongos got much out of it all. Perhaps looking after the less-able, without disadvantaging the bright, is a more equable approach?

That is still done, as well as more effective methods, as Sherry has said. Place value has always been hard for some kids.

Though that said, I don't think the 'new' method is all that new. People should bear in mind that such initiatives aren't done on a whim by people who don't understand maths!

 

Brightish day here, off to the dentist in a bit. More root canal and taking impressions for a crown.

 

I have, however, an incredibly painful foot. I thought it was recurring gout, but it hasn't responded to medication, which it usually does. Are bunions extremely painful? It's right where my grandmother had hers...

 

I've read through the last four pages but my head is swimming - so just a general admonition to have a good a day as possible in the circumstances, which, of course, may vary...

[Tony_S]

When I was at school we learned place value in arithmetic by putting h t and u at the top of the columns. We had squared paper to make it easier. By the time I was teaching I noticed that when the children came to secondary school they seemed to squash up their calculations. They had been instructed to do this to save paper. I thought this was something peculiar to schools in that part of Essex. When Matthew was at primary school they did have exercise books with squares but the teacher insisted on ruling the page into many columns. Due to his dyspraxia this caused Matthew much difficulty. She refused to let Matthew have an exercise book with bigger squares.

[beast66606]

Morning all,

 

Thunder and lightning this morning when we surfaced - around 07:00 - for a while. Once the house had been left to me I sorted work out and then nipped out and got a photo of 2 37s on a test train and then a 57/3 + 47 on the leaf buster going the other way a couple of minutes later - 4 locos in 2 minutes is pretty good.

 

Re teaching methods.

 

Jills daughter had a French test yesterday - on the face of it, nothing to be concerned about but this was not the usual test.

A couple of days beforehand they were given paragraphs in English which they had to translate into French, using whatever they wanted, they then had to learn the French and the test was about that, the issue being the teacher did not check their translations so they could easily be learning the wrong stuff, and I bet there were as many different French translations as there were pupils.

 

One advantage with parrot fashion learning of tables is it sticks, so I don't need to think that 8 x 7 are 56(for example), it's just there, available to use in other calculations.

 

Weather now sunny.

[Tony_S]

That is still done, as well as more effective methods, as Sherry has said. Place value has always been hard for some kids.

Though that said, I don't think the 'new' method is all that new. People should bear in mind that such initiatives aren't done on a whim by people who don't understand maths!

 

Brightish day here, off to the dentist in a bit. More root canal and taking impressions for a crown.

 

I have, however, an incredibly painful foot. I thought it was recurring gout, but it hasn't responded to medication, which it usually does. Are bunions extremely painful? It's right where my grandmother had hers...

 

I've read through the last four pages but my head is swimming - so just a general admonition to have a good a day as possible in the circumstances, which, of course, may vary...

Bunions first! I don't have them but Aditi does. I think the most painful thing for her is that they prevent her having fashionable footwear. They do cause her pain when she is at work and wearing shoes all day. The bunion bump can get quite inflamed. Her father had a similar problem as does her brother.

One of the problems with mathematicians devising schemes is that most of them are quite good at sums!

When spreadsheets first appeared in the Lon

don Borough where I worked, the senior adviser for maths decided that he should take "ownership" and lead all spreadsheet training. I'm not sure why my boss (the IT and computing adviser) sent me down to see what was happening. The maths chap wasn't using any standard terminology, he confused rows and columns and had no concept of replication of formulas.

[The Lurker]

Morning all,

It's turning into a sunny day here. 

 

<RANT>

Helping my son with his maths has been an eye opener. The latest teaching method for "addition", known as "partitioning", is to break each large number down into 100s, 10s & units, add each 100, 10 & unit to the corresponding 100, 10 & unit, then add the 100s to the 10s to the units.

Apparently this is easier than putting them in columns and adding each column up.

How? 

<RANT ENDS>

 

Anyway, have a lovely day everyone. Andy

even more irritatingly you'll find when he gets older that they revert to HTU!

 

Having said that partitioning does approximate what I do mentally when I'm working out something in my head, and it would be useful for estimating as a way of checking a sum. if only my eldest had got the concept of checking his work....!!1

[Judge Dread]

I saw this on the Daily Mail website this morning, and thought it might interest some of the former mariners on here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmlTk_3NN_g

 

Thanks for the posting, now I've got to clean the sick out of my keypad. Up and down, it went up and down.Up and down, it went up and down.Up and down, it went up and down. Oh no not again...........................

[The Lurker]

I suspect partitioning will be as helpful to mathematics as initial teaching alphabet was to literacy.

Tony

I understand ITA was developed by Pitman to help those with poor literacy. My primary school decided to use it for teaching reading to all infants. I escaped because (much to my teacher's frustration) I could already read. IIRC had additional letters to sort out sounds - the "ing " sound had a n with a squiggly g shape underneath, for example. My peers all had to re-learn as they got through the books in upper infants

[AndrewC]

Good day all from the boring and rather damp borough. No rain today they said. It will be cloudy but dry they said. arseclowns the bloody lot of them. They couldn't predict the outcome of a 2 headed coin toss. <and breathe>

 

3 weeks until MiL arrives for a 5 week visit. Massive cleaning and clearing operation in the loft. (no bat in belfry jokes required) Need to clear space to move excess furniture. Lots of other crap needs doing as well. I'm going to be a very busy and grumpy individual for the next 3 weeks. I still have the rest of the patio footing concrete to pour but its been too effing wet. I need at least 3 days without rain. Also need to look at the boiler again. The pressure is jumping when its running. That means either the expansion vessel is borked, or a blockage somewhere. What joy! Not! SWMBO is having a crisis of conscience this week as her manager's mum passed away. She feels guilty for not wanting to go to the funeral. (300km round trip) But feels duty bound to attend.  

 

PPI and other crap calls. I've resorted to old school technology. Basically our landline is only used by the Sky box and to call family overseas. In theory there should only ever be incoming calls from half a dozen known people. I've now slapped an ancient 14,400 modem into an equally ancient PC. If the phone rings the modem software looks at the incoming number. (antiquated bulletin board called quickbbs) If the number isn't on the list, the modem answers. ie: it is actually reverse blocking. Voila no more PPI calls.

 

Had a rather strange visit to the door yesterday. A rather nice chap with a clipboard and van full of oak flooring. At first I thought it was a scam or sales pitch but after a few moments it turned out to be a wrong address on his invoice. Poor b*gger had driven clear across London (recognisable logo on van and paperwork) to deliver this flooring to an installer. House number matched but the post code didn't. Nor did the name. Hopefully he managed to get it cleared up. Otherwise he may still be wandering, lost around SE London.

 

That's about all from me. Have a good day everyone. Congratulations and commiserations as appropriate. Just haven't had time to catch up on several days of ER backlog.

[Killybegs]

A very good friend of ours suffers from bunions (and she's only in her 30's). Not doing anything about them has caused more serious problems with her feet and she is having an operation next month (she's been waiting six months) to, hopefully, put things right.

 

You will all be delighted to hear that our clouds dispersed once the sun came up and we have blue sky again.

 

John

[Coombe Barton]

. People should bear in mind that such initiatives aren't done on a whim by people who don't understand maths!

 

 

As I teach maths at a university i really do wonder at that statement. Teaching analysis, both in maths, and English phoenetics, is no bad thing. All we seem to be doing it struggling to get a result.

 

[EDIT] And tick a box.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Coombe Barton

[Smiffy2]

I've been self-diagnosing on Google (Good Old Dr Google) and I don't think it's a bunioin, as the toe is pointing straight ahead. It's probably still the gout. Which is annoying as I'm at the last day of my medication (Colchicine) today.

Has anyone used Naproxen for gout inflammation relief? Is there a limit to how long I can use it for, and can I use Ibuprofen at the same time? Dottore?

[AndrewC]

Smiffy2, on 18 Nov 2014 - 11:45, said:

I've been self-diagnosing on Google (Good Old Dr Google) and I don't think it's a bunioin, as the toe is pointing straight ahead. It's probably still the gout. Which is annoying as I'm at the last day of my medication (Colchicine) today.

Has anyone used Naproxen for gout inflammation relief? Is there a limit to how long I can use it for, and can I use Ibuprofen at the same time? Dottore?

Dick, I used to use Naproxen for related arthritic inflammation. Fantastic stuff for relief. Trouble for me is after 2 days it up my diverticulitis and rips my stomach to shreds.

[Smiffy2]

As I teach maths at a university i really do wonder at that statement. Teaching analysis, both in maths, and English phoenetics, is no bad thing. All we seem to be doing it struggling to get a result.

 

[EDIT] And tick a box.

You really should have quoted the whole statement. I said that these things are not particularly new or done on a whim.

At the DfE I was involved in commissioning Maths schemes for the most able pupils, and the people we employed had a strong teaching background.

[AndyB]

Meanwhile the elder child, in Yr 6, is doing speed tables, i.e. has to write out and solve up to 100 times tables in 12 minutes. 

Last week she was doing about 71 in 12 minutes and asked me to test her.

I noticed that each time she looked across at the worksheet she was having to flick her hair out of the way and scan down the page to find the next problem on the list, wasting a second or two each time.

"Erm, try putting your hair up in a bunch and keeping your finger on the worksheet."

She's up around the 87 in 12 minutes now. 

Miracle; sometimes dad actually knows what he is talking about! 

 

The Lurker is quite right. In later years they move to the HTU column system. My youngest looked quite relieved to hear that last night. 

 

Had a scrunched up note pressed into my hand this morning by the youngest.... 

 

"I love you mummy and daddee"

 

Hoping that will still be the case when we hit the multiplication and division practice tonight.

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

Lovely way to start my day earlier, touch of Eric Satie's less avant-guarde music, followed by a lovely set of Polly's pictures. I took myself into the study and fired up the PC which has good speakers and a nice large screen to enjoy both to the full - thank you both.

Pete(trisonic), have you heard Steve Hackett's 'Sketches of Satie' on acoustic guitar? It was released in 2001 or 2 I believe; a friend of ours had it playing in the background at a dinner party and I recognised the music but hadn't heard it done like that before - very pleasant! I also like 'Gymnopedies' and 'Gnossiennes, possibly his most popular work. Strange character who appears to have enjoyed causing a stir in the music circles of his time!

Polly, I don't remember that block of flats in pictures 2 and 3 from when I last visited Porthmadog, admittedly it is quite a few years ago now!

Lurker, I regret to say that Mrs L is likely to need your support over the coming weeks as her mum is going to have some awful pressure by the sound of things - I have seen, both in my work with the disabled community, and in the case of my own illness, just how easy it is to forget what the carer goes through. Please try to impress on MiL, the importance of involving the Macmillan organisation who have experts in all areas and can assist in every aspect from monetary entitlement to psychological support. They have been a great help to me and to Joanna's family during the illness of her father, her youngest sister and her nephew, all of whom died of pancreatic cancer. Their help and support was fantastic at all times and you will find them willing to help you and your wife as well with any issues that impact on you. Please feel free to PM me if there is anything you want to discuss, even if it is only to bounce ideas off someone!

Ian(Oldddudders), good news for Alison, sounds like the judge saw through the ex's ploy! Hope your friend Richard gets the chateau at least closed off and safe for the winter, they obviously love the place from what you said earlier and this must be their worst nightmare!

Robert, that is an awesome video - easy to see some of the old rigid designs broke up and disappeared in such seas. How nice to see something 'useful' in the Mail!

Hope it's drier where you are at the minute - we are glad that we live at the top of a hill the way it is falling here!

Kind regards,

Jock. 

[Donw]

I appreciate people expressing sympathy with me needing to Line my model of Taliesin but don't feel I desrve it. I need to give it a go probably practice on some scrap first. It needs more effort on my part.

 

I am amused by the various new teaching methods. I am a fire believer that motivation is the key. It is funny but some who would not have wanted anything to do with maths could cope quite well doing it in their head when playing darts. Perhaps that is it take a dartboard in and get the kids motivated.

 

Don

[Killybegs]

Dick, I used to use Naproxen for related arthritic inflammation. Fantastic stuff for relief. Trouble for me is after 2 days it ###### up my diverticulitis and rips my stomach to shreds.

 

Steph has been suffering with arthritis in one knee after falling and damaging the cartilage which eventually required surgery.

 

She is now using an old Irish remedy of goose grease and garlic (externally). She puts it on before going to bed (well wrapped in polythene and bandages) and takes it off when she gets up. She's been doing it for a couple of weeks and says the improvement is amazing. The downside, the house is getting a bit smelly! There's the smell of garlic, then there's the smell of lots garlic!

 

John

[sixoh8sixoh]

Afternoon all! Not sure how it can be 5 days since I was last here but it is, and I'm not scrolling through 20 pages...!  So congratulations / commiserations as appropriate...

 

I'm seriously considering getting myself cloned. Too little time to do everything. The extra wage would be useful too...

 

Had a good set of meetings / visits etc with the British-Irish Council folk plus a nice Indian tapas dinner on Wednesday night.  Then down to Durham to help Mum and Dad clear out cupboards etc in advance of their shower room being gutted and renovated next week.

 

Work as chaotic as ever and new boss has had some interesting ideas about the team structure which are likely to cause significant problems...

[The Lurker]

I'm intrigued by Indian tapas. Is this like a thali, or is it Indianised versions of little Spanish dishes?

 

And for those who like these sort of things, the linguistic similarity between the words paella and pilau is apparently no accident. There was a big admixture in the 15th and 16th century as a result of the Spanish and Portuguese being in the New World and the sub-continent.

[Ian Abel]

Morning all, not much to report, commiserations to all with varying afflictions/aches/pains etc.

 

A lovely (irony per iD) -13 again this morning, with mostly clear blue sky - and b**uu**gg**er it IS clear and blue when it's this cold!!!

There's a slight breeze, BUT in these temperatures that converts to the "...no exposed skin..." warning for those venturing out in the early hours, frostbite risk exists for exposed skin within about 5 minutes...nothing to fool with.

We're going to struggle to get to -10 today then a few days of the same, before a reprieve over the weekend apparently - it may even reach the dizzying heights of +3 or +4!!!

 

We've now managed the longest below freezing, i.e. 32 or lower ( In Fahrenheit - the standard used here in the US) for a November in something like 40 years, and if it stays as expected will potentially be the longest below freezing stretch in November on record! I'm never keen to be party to those sorts of records <sigh> for reference the "normal" daytime tempertures should be in the low 40's F, that's 4-7 C...

 

Work is calling, see you all later.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Ian Abel

[45156]

I've been self-diagnosing on Google (Good Old Dr Google) and I don't think it's a bunioin, as the toe is pointing straight ahead. It's probably still the gout. Which is annoying as I'm at the last day of my medication (Colchicine) today.

Has anyone used Naproxen for gout inflammation relief? Is there a limit to how long I can use it for, and can I use Ibuprofen at the same time? Dottore?

Dick - Naproxen is a pretty effective anti-inflammatory drug, but my BiL wound up having an overnight stay in hospital from it, as it caused him to have swellings to the mouth and throatand he went into anaphylactic shock.  I had it for a short time, and it did for my stomach pretty quickly - in fact, it is almost as bad as diclofenac for its adverse effects on the stomach - if you do need to go on this drug, you will also need a PPI like Lazoprazole or Omeprazole to keep the stomach acid in check - in fact after I had this type of drug for a couple of weeks, I now need a PPI on a permanent basis, as if I don't have one, my stomach goes acid after every meal.  And no, you can't have Naproxen and Ibuprofen at the same time, as they are both non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs - this answer comes from bitter and very real experience.

Edited November 18, 2014 by 45156