Latest news on "the eye"

"Elise" wrote in message
m...
Jumping up and waving hand Algebra!!! Cut Algebra!!!!! Yeah! When
was
the last time you figured out what "x" was in real life! ;

Hugs,

CatNipped ----- whose gradepoint average was brought down by the
dreaded
math

I must admit to figuring out what "x" is equal to on a fairly regular
basis.
Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school and hated
picking apart various well-told stories to find the deeper meanings
within.

A pet peeve that DH and I were recently discussing: Why can't a story just
be enjoyed as a story? The only one who truly knows the deeper meaning,
if
any, is the author. In the case of most classes in English Literature,
most
of those authors were long since deceased. Perhaps the teachers held
regularly scheduled séances?


I'm with you on this one. If I can read something and enjoy it, what
difference does it make if I can prove to someone else what the author
intended for me to get from it. I honestly believe this is one of the
attractions of junk books. Too many of us spent 12 years being intimidated
by English teachers, most of whom could not write.

I read "A Tale of Two Cities" when I was in the fourth grade. And enjoyed
it. Now I will grant you I didn't conjure up the visuals the author likely
had in mind, and probably missed some of the more subtle points. But I
enjoyed the book. Where was the harm?

Jo

"Elise" wrote in message
m...
Jumping up and waving hand Algebra!!! Cut Algebra!!!!! Yeah! When
was
the last time you figured out what "x" was in real life! ;

Hugs,

CatNipped ----- whose gradepoint average was brought down by the
dreaded
math

I must admit to figuring out what "x" is equal to on a fairly regular
basis.
Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school and hated
picking apart various well-told stories to find the deeper meanings
within.

A pet peeve that DH and I were recently discussing: Why can't a story just
be enjoyed as a story? The only one who truly knows the deeper meaning,
if
any, is the author. In the case of most classes in English Literature,
most
of those authors were long since deceased. Perhaps the teachers held
regularly scheduled séances?


I'm with you on this one. If I can read something and enjoy it, what
difference does it make if I can prove to someone else what the author
intended for me to get from it. I honestly believe this is one of the
attractions of junk books. Too many of us spent 12 years being intimidated
by English teachers, most of whom could not write.

I read "A Tale of Two Cities" when I was in the fourth grade. And enjoyed
it. Now I will grant you I didn't conjure up the visuals the author likely
had in mind, and probably missed some of the more subtle points. But I
enjoyed the book. Where was the harm?

Jo

Elise wrote:

Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school
and hated picking apart various well-told stories to find the
deeper meanings within.

I was also a math lover in high school, especially algebra and geometry.
I went on to major in computer science in college, but this was a long
time ago, before my college had a computer science department, so my
degree is actually in math. I had to take several higher level math
courses to graduate, and I really loved them. My interest was in "pure"
math, where you study algebraic or geometric systems and prove theorems.
Didn't care as much for calculus, as that required doing calculations
(imagine that ). I've never been great at arithmetic, oddly enough!

A pet peeve that DH and I were recently discussing: Why can't a
story just be enjoyed as a story?

I can see both sides of this. I agree that some books are just plain
tedious to pick apart, and it kind of spoils the fun of reading them.
I'm pretty right-brained about art, including music, literature, visual
arts, films, and so forth, and I don't generally use critical thinking
when reading, listening, viewing, etc. That might sound really sloppy
and uneducated, but it's just not where I like to use my critical skills.
I save it for nonfiction, news, opinion pieces, or any expository or
documentary kind of information. When enjoying art, I want to relax and
immerse myself in the experience, and I turn off my left brain. It's a
gut-level response - I don't want to be standing off to the side, coolly
observing and analyzing.

On the other hand, some books have been enhanced by a critical analysis
(which I'd get in classes). I remember reading Lord of the Flies in
school, and our teacher interpreting the book from a Freudian and
sociological viewpoint - how society breaks down under pressure. First
spirituality goes, then intellect, and then leadership, until nothing is
left but savagery. Depressing, but then it's not the most happy book,
is it? Still one of my favorites, though.

Joyce

Elise wrote:

Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school
and hated picking apart various well-told stories to find the
deeper meanings within.

I was also a math lover in high school, especially algebra and geometry.
I went on to major in computer science in college, but this was a long
time ago, before my college had a computer science department, so my
degree is actually in math. I had to take several higher level math
courses to graduate, and I really loved them. My interest was in "pure"
math, where you study algebraic or geometric systems and prove theorems.
Didn't care as much for calculus, as that required doing calculations
(imagine that ). I've never been great at arithmetic, oddly enough!

A pet peeve that DH and I were recently discussing: Why can't a
story just be enjoyed as a story?

I can see both sides of this. I agree that some books are just plain
tedious to pick apart, and it kind of spoils the fun of reading them.
I'm pretty right-brained about art, including music, literature, visual
arts, films, and so forth, and I don't generally use critical thinking
when reading, listening, viewing, etc. That might sound really sloppy
and uneducated, but it's just not where I like to use my critical skills.
I save it for nonfiction, news, opinion pieces, or any expository or
documentary kind of information. When enjoying art, I want to relax and
immerse myself in the experience, and I turn off my left brain. It's a
gut-level response - I don't want to be standing off to the side, coolly
observing and analyzing.

On the other hand, some books have been enhanced by a critical analysis
(which I'd get in classes). I remember reading Lord of the Flies in
school, and our teacher interpreting the book from a Freudian and
sociological viewpoint - how society breaks down under pressure. First
spirituality goes, then intellect, and then leadership, until nothing is
left but savagery. Depressing, but then it's not the most happy book,
is it? Still one of my favorites, though.

Joyce

On Thu, 30 Sep, Elise wrote:


I must admit to figuring out what "x" is equal to on a fairly regular basis.
Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school and hated
picking apart various well-told stories to find the deeper meanings within.

I almost gave up on math and science (like I could -- I love
'em too much) when my plane geometry teacher marked a question wrong
on a test because I didn't do it "his way", but with calculus that I
had learned on my own, two years ahead of schedule.

Allow me a brief poetic interlude:

But what are all such gaieties to me,
who's head is full of indices and surds.
X squared plus seven x plus fifty-three
equals eleven thirds.
(Author unknown -- at least I've forgotten)

Regards and Purrs,
O J

On Thu, 30 Sep, Elise wrote:


I must admit to figuring out what "x" is equal to on a fairly regular basis.
Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school and hated
picking apart various well-told stories to find the deeper meanings within.

I almost gave up on math and science (like I could -- I love
'em too much) when my plane geometry teacher marked a question wrong
on a test because I didn't do it "his way", but with calculus that I
had learned on my own, two years ahead of schedule.

Allow me a brief poetic interlude:

But what are all such gaieties to me,
who's head is full of indices and surds.
X squared plus seven x plus fifty-three
equals eleven thirds.
(Author unknown -- at least I've forgotten)

Regards and Purrs,
O J

Howard Berkowitz wrote:
In article , "CatNipped"
wrote:

Jumping up and waving hand Algebra!!! Cut Algebra!!!!! Yeah! When
was
the last time you figured out what "x" was in real life! ;

Hugs,

CatNipped ----- whose gradepoint average was brought down by the
dreaded
math


Indeed. There are serious concerns that al-Gebra is an international
conspiracy. Their agents often carry Weapons of Math Destruction, such
as protractors and calculators.

*In all cultural fairness, al-gebra is indeed from Arabic, and the
discipline was invented in the Arab world.

Thanks, make things hard for me. Guess what I'm teaching Friday and
next Monday. Right, algebra.

Pam S. who's going to have a hard time NOT looking for signs of the
conspiracy.

Howard Berkowitz wrote:
In article , "CatNipped"
wrote:

Jumping up and waving hand Algebra!!! Cut Algebra!!!!! Yeah! When
was
the last time you figured out what "x" was in real life! ;

Hugs,

CatNipped ----- whose gradepoint average was brought down by the
dreaded
math


Indeed. There are serious concerns that al-Gebra is an international
conspiracy. Their agents often carry Weapons of Math Destruction, such
as protractors and calculators.

*In all cultural fairness, al-gebra is indeed from Arabic, and the
discipline was invented in the Arab world.

Thanks, make things hard for me. Guess what I'm teaching Friday and
next Monday. Right, algebra.

Pam S. who's going to have a hard time NOT looking for signs of the
conspiracy.

"Elise" had some very interesting things
to say about A Miracle Story (WAS: Latest news on "the eye"):

I must admit to figuring out what "x" is equal to on a fairly regular basis.
Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school and hated
picking apart various well-told stories to find the deeper meanings within.
A pet peeve that DH and I were recently discussing: Why can't a story just
be enjoyed as a story? The only one who truly knows the deeper meaning, if
any, is the author. In the case of most classes in English Literature, most
of those authors were long since deceased. Perhaps the teachers held
regularly scheduled séances?

Several books and stories I'd have otherwise loved were absolutely
ruined for me by high school English classes that did this.

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

"Elise" had some very interesting things
to say about A Miracle Story (WAS: Latest news on "the eye"):

I must admit to figuring out what "x" is equal to on a fairly regular basis.
Of course I loved Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus in school and hated
picking apart various well-told stories to find the deeper meanings within.
A pet peeve that DH and I were recently discussing: Why can't a story just
be enjoyed as a story? The only one who truly knows the deeper meaning, if
any, is the author. In the case of most classes in English Literature, most
of those authors were long since deceased. Perhaps the teachers held
regularly scheduled séances?

Several books and stories I'd have otherwise loved were absolutely
ruined for me by high school English classes that did this.

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL