Early Risers.

[New Haven Neil]

The Grammar-Technical school I attended embraced the School Mathematics Project, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_Mathematics_Project starting with our 1st year.  All Venn diagrams and sets, etc, it seems to have a relation to the Kent scheme.

 

After two years they abandoned it, got out all the old dog eared traditional maths text books, and started again.  This of course set us all two years behind which when it came to REAL maths at O and A level and subsequently engineering 'kollege' made for a very hard first year for me.  It all came together later, but it took a lot of hard work.  I've still never used a Venn diagram.

[New Haven Neil]

7 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Yeah, Donk Enterprises Inc. do have a cheap product. So?

 

But can they provide @polybear and Mr Basil Bear free travel to Switzerland, accommodation in a 4-Star Hotel with all meals (inc LDC) provided 4 times/year?

 

CCI PharmaCo has very deep pockets.....

 

 

No problemo.  Toblerone city, our mountain redoubt.  Right here, on the Matterhorn. Mrs NHN demonstrating.

 

[TheQ]

Maths for me, in fact most subjects were a point of confusion, having done, 1 3/4 of school years in England, 1/4 school year of a school with a no chance, no exams, school in Scotland, before going to a proper equivalent of a secondary modern in Scotland, many of my previous English school subjects just did not align with Scottish subjects , either being out of order or just different...

 

Bin wet and windy here, strong enough to rip green leaves off trees in some places. Blew the bin over too.. It's not been emptied of course,  they officially changed to a Wednesday but still don't collect till Saturday on overtime.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Managed to get a bit of the G word done before the rain started. I've removed a fair chunk of the ivy that had taken hold of the fence and smothered a few plants. It then started to rain so I'll have to clear up the trimmings tomorrow and put it in the green bin. The rain also brought out Arthur Itis, Nurofen has been deployed.

[BoD]

40 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

I've still never used a Venn diagram.

I did a (compulsory) module at uni called ‘Modern (Boolean) Algebra and Set Theory’.  
I’m sure Andrew C would have been able to come up with suitable word to describe it.

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

deepevali'

We were talking at some length on different Anglicization of south Asian languages. I assume this word is the holiday I see more commonly spelled as Diwali, coming up on October 24?

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

I've still never used a Venn diagram.

The principles are useful to a number of Boolean logic applications. The wider world of 'sets' have many applications in higher mathematics. Neither are particularly helpful in day-to-day activities.

 

EDIT

Ooops, just noticed @BoD's post.

 

Such things were helpful to me in my chosen field of study, and occasionally, professionally.

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

used a Venn diagram.

If you had continued, the nomenclature for Venn diagrams would have led to you the equivalent Boolean algebra which is quite handy in logic circuit design. 
I did something called Midland Mathematical Experiment. My maths was a bit shaky for the first two years of a degree course but during the third year we started using some of the stuff I had studied at school. MME was probably good for mathematicians, it was a bit of a  disaster for scientists and engineers. 
Just noticed other references to use of Venn. I type slowly!

Edited October 5, 2022 by Tony_S

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

This must be a shop owners paradise. From now until February or so we have Deepevali, followed by Christmas, the Gregorian New Year followed by the Chinese New Year. All of which are heavily promoted by shops.

The 'primary' retail calendar at this time of year in the US is:

• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

All of these will feature seasonal items for sale. In the new year many retailers will also invoke

• Presidents' Day* (featuring mattress sales for some obscure reason)
• St. Patrick's Day
• Easter
• Cinco De Mayo

* A February holiday combining Federal Holidays for Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays

 

Some retailers** will also make a big deal over Star Wars Day/May the Fourth.

 

** Mostly selling Star Wars related toys and merchandising.

 

In some places (like the Santa Clara, aka Silicon, Valley) the Lunar Harvest / mid-Autumn Festival (mooncakes etc) and Diwali will be featured, along with Lunar New Year.

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Tony_S]

23 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

commonly spelled as Diwali, coming up on October 24?

It is usually Diwali now but used to be often spelt Divali . With Aditi’s family the w and v sounds seem flexible. MiL tells people her name is Ved (like in Darth Vader) but Aditi's Dad used to pronounce it more like Wade. Deepawali is a South Indian name. As well as Hindus, Jains also celebrate Diwali. Sikhs have a festival at the same time as it coincided with a major event concerning one of their Gurus. 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, Tony_S said:

It is usually Diwali now but used to be often spelt Divali .

I've seen the "Divali' spelling.

 

2 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Sikhs have a festival at the same time as it coincided with a major event concerning one of their Gurus. 

It's funny how that seems to happen so often with 'holidays' where different traditions overlap in a region.

[monkeysarefun]

6 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

 

 

Bear did more Metalwork; I've a suspicion that it's come in much more handy that knowing what a Verb is (and no, I don't know.....).  I do know my alphabet and can list all the vowels though - which is bluddy good for a Bear.

 

If only you'd studied more  you could have become a Chair at a University.

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

She watches the BBC news every day but likes the entertainment on Indian channels.

 

 

I'm a fan of Indian Superman, though Indian Chuck Norris is pretty good too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

Four more days of rain and flood alerts . If we get the rain this week that is forecast it'll be the wettest year in Sydney since European settlement (Media is saying "in History" when they mean  since 1788), with  just under 2.2 metres (sounds more impressive in metres) with 3 months still to go

 

. Just looked up the UK's wettest city which is apparently Cardiff.  In comparison its average rainfall is 115cm so we have doubled that, and tripled that of Manchester where it always looks like its raining in Joy Division music clips and photos.

Edited October 5, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Mark Saunders]

12 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Four more days of rain and flood alerts . If we get the rain this week that is forecast it'll be the wettest year in Sydney since European settlement (Media is saying "in History" when they mean  since 1788), with  just under 2.2 metres (sounds more impressive in metres) with 3 months still to go

 

. Just looked up the UK's wettest city which is apparently Cardiff.  In comparison its average rainfall is 115cm so we have doubled that, and tripled that of Manchester which always looks like its raining in Joy Division music clips and photos.

All without the aid of Dennis Howell minister for drought!

[simontaylor484]

Another contender for a Darwin Award 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-lincolnshire-63148321

[Ozexpatriate]

37 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Four more days of rain and flood alerts .

No sign of rain here, though this morning saw heavy fog, mist and very high humidity - well over 90%. It was forecast to be sunny this afternoon but it is still grey and overcast at 1:00pm and doesn't look like clearing very soon. It remains cool (15°C) despite a forecast high of 24°C.

 

It's odd to have fog and humidity with no prior (or forecast) precipitation.

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

Maths for me, in fact most subjects were a point of confusion

Not for the same reason, entirely, as TheQ but very much a comment I can relate to.  

 

We did move around rather a lot whilst my sister and myself were in our school years but sometimes we managed to stay within the same school catchments.  I found the fairly frequent moves unsettling but wasn't able to express that at the time.

 

If I were assessed now I should probably score quite highly on the Asperger's spectrum.  I know enough about myself these days to know that I match many of the defined symptoms / conditions / manifestations or call them what you will.  In school I was always thought of as a bit slow and lacking in attention, was therefore either sidelined or punished rather than coached or supported and I'm quite sure both parents felt that I could - and should - have done much better than I did.  

 

To this day I don't know how I might have done better.  I just don't think that way.  The brain isn't hard-wired the same as many.  I can remember every phone number and every address - in order - that I have ever had.  I have near-eidetic memory when it comes to the ability to browse a map and know where I am without ever having visited a place.  I can near-instantly memorise complex timetables - right across whole networks - and can instantly "update" when changes occur both immediate short-term ones and longer term planned / permanent changes.  That's quite a bonus at work these days but still gives rise to some people thinking of me as "a bit unusual"

 

But learning in the normal academic environment just didn't happen.  Everything merged into confusion and a blur.  Maths - forget it.  I can manage the four basic arithmetic functions mentally but was well into my teens before I had the "times tables" memorised to the then-required exam standard.  Classmates were reciting them aged 10 or thereabouts.  I am told my French, Welsh and German pronunciation is excellent but I can't learn the languages conversationally no matter how I try.  

 

And I am the World's Most Frustrated musician.  I have only ever mastered Percussion of the Patella despite having spent many years attempting guitar and, since Dr. SWMBO now plays them, ukulele.  I abandoned any pretence of learning piano at a young age and have never mastered the reading of music, understanding of keys, chords, scales nor anything else much.  And despite having a handy voice I can't sing in tune either.  But rhythm - I got it.  I can hear the beat and can often tell the time signature.  

 

It gets so incredibly frustrating at times.  I'm no conversationalist either which can also be rather isolating though can write well enough and have been published on occasions in magazines and newspapers, and included within books compiled by others.  

 

Enough.  It's time for a metaphorical chill-pill.  I don't want to hop into bed with the brain buzzing with negativity.  Maybe a bit of relaxing music first then ..... 

 

[BoD]

42 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Another contender for a Darwin Award 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-lincolnshire-63148321

Notwithstanding the seriousness of the situation, it would have been most amusing if the barriers could have been raised whilst he was still astride.

Edited October 5, 2022 by BoD

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I was feeling a bit cream crackered after my bit of gardening this afternoon and was considering an early night. However I'm feeling a lot better now so shortly I'll be tackling Farcebook.

[Coombe Barton]

... I’m inflicting the method on my students tomorrow ……

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/10/05/still-going-up/

[Mark Saunders]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

Another contender for a Darwin Award 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-lincolnshire-63148321

Failed the application stage as he survived to tell the tale!

[New Haven Neil]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The principles are useful to a number of Boolean logic applications. The wider world of 'sets' have many applications in higher mathematics. Neither are particularly helpful in day-to-day activities.

 

EDIT

Ooops, just noticed @BoD's post.

 

Such things were helpful to me in my chosen field of study, and occasionally, professionally.

 

 

Yes I recognise the uses, but this brain (a bit like Rick in some ways) doesn't work like that, so programming etc was never going to 'be me'.  Thermodynamics though, mechanics, and especially electro-technology as used in heavy machinery.....is where my head lead me.  Thankfully we're all different!

 

[polybear]

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

Like the Bear they charge ~£50 for inflicting pain and bloodshed on the gums round these parts.

 

And then I thought, I wonder if Dave meant "not occupied at the time"?

 

 

Puppers obviously inhabits a higher degree of cleverness than this Bear does..... 

 

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

If only you'd studied more  you could have become a Chair at a University.

 

 

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.................................😭

 

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

Another contender for a Darwin Award 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-lincolnshire-63148321

 

A certain Bear came close to following thru' when the driver blew his 'ooter......

 

Bear here.....

A morning of serious kitchen cleaning - and pondering where the new Air Fryer is to live; that's a morning I'll not see again.  In the afternoon the AF was delivered, so all the fun of unboxing, placing, washing the bits that the instructions say should be washed - and then giving it a test run (as recommended by the instructions).  All good so far.  I've also ordered a (washable) silicone liner for the inner basket - as well as a heat proof silicone mat to place it on (though during the test run the outer didn't get overly warm anyway); I figure that it's a worthwhile - and inexpensive - measure to protect the granite worktop (which can be damaged by localised heat).

Bear is currently feeling less than bouncy - I was feeling somewhat dizzy earlier and now have that "fluey lurgy" kinda feeling; I guess it's all down to the two jabs over the last couple of days.  Turdycurses.

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Four more days of rain and flood alerts . If we get the rain this week that is forecast it'll be the wettest year in Sydney since European settlement (Media is saying "in History" when they mean  since 1788), with  just under 2.2 metres (sounds more impressive in metres) with 3 months still to go

 

. Just looked up the UK's wettest city which is apparently Cardiff.  In comparison its average rainfall is 115cm so we have doubled that, and tripled that of Manchester where it always looks like its raining in Joy Division music clips and photos.

 

Its amazing what you can do with a piece of glass and water pistol held in front of the camera.

 

It doesn't really rain all the time in Manchester. We just tell people it does to stop those soft southners visiting us and pinching all the rhubarb and the whippets.

[Adam88]

Whether or not you need to use Venn diagrams depends on which circles you move in.