Recent Comments

1. over 4 years ago on Dilbert Classics

   In a college math class, we were given the Tower of Hanoi problem, except that it was just assumed that we’d very quickly figure out how to do it, and the most efficient way. The professor just wanted us to write a recursive formula to describe the minimum number of moves necessary to “solve” the puzzle with n disks. Even that only took a few minutes. It was just a warm-up, because it had been a while since any of us had used recursive formulas.

   This is why we need so much math and science in schools, guys. “But I won’t need to use the quadratic formula in real life!” I don’t care. You need tools for your mental toolbox, and you need to learn how to choose the right tool and use it. You need fluency in logic. You need enough context to be able to responsibly supplement your knowledge with Google.

   Nobody ever “taught” me the Tower of Hanoi, but my math education prepared me to solve it on my own. Problem solving is one of the most important skills you can learn.

2. over 4 years ago on FoxTrot Classics

   His politics have been all over the place, over the years. He’s always been on the narcissistic side, and I think that ramped up in a more public way with his vocal Trump support. I think he cares much less about the actual politics than about the personality.

   Personally, I think people are largely reacting to some of his values that aren’t typically thought of as political. For example, it seems to me that he supports whoever the thinks will succeed—not to brag that he was right, or that he somehow “won,” but because he thinks that’s the correct way to choose.

3. over 4 years ago on Dilbert Classics

   Last night is the first time I’d thought about “emoticon” meaning emote + icon, even though that word is rarely used, due to emoji.

   Sorry, I enjoyed your joke, but it’s a weird coincidence, and I’m a chronic joke ruiner, anyway.

4. over 4 years ago on FoxTrot

   You clearly haven’t been in the same GoComics sections that I have. That being said, my experience is that it’s much easier to have civil, informed conversations about disagreements with online strangers than with people you know in real life.

5. over 4 years ago on Dilbert Classics

   It’s not much better if millions of sheep are voting on who’s in charge of them, and their only choices are two wolves.

6. over 4 years ago on Dilbert Classics

   I didn’t even tell you about the time my economics professor was infuriated that we tried to tell him .60/-.40 doesn’t equal -1.25!

7. over 4 years ago on Dilbert Classics

   Is it worth a read if I’ve had one economics class and hated every minute of it? I’m a CPA, but first I was a math major. I’m used to, “IF p is true, then q is true,” and economics has always come across as, “We ASSUME p is true, therefore q is true,” and then people yell opposing assumptions at each other.

8. over 4 years ago on Basic Instructions

   Ah, good, time for the argument based around people’s inability or refusal to distinguish between “Chiropractic that reliably works is just medical treatment, so anything that’s purely chiropractic is pseudoscience,” and “Everything that any chiropractor has ever done is inherently bad and can never work.”

9. over 4 years ago on FoxTrot Classics

   Nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff. Nerds are allowed to LOVE stuff, like, jump-up-and-down-in-your-chair-can’t-control-yourself LOVE it. When people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is, ‘You like stuff,’ which is not a good insult at all, like, ’You are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness."

   —John Green

10. over 4 years ago on FoxTrot Classics

    Lara can only DREAM that Spear of Justice is her theme song!