For those of you who aren't aware, my daughter just started high school. One of the required items on her school shopping list was a serious, $100+ calculator. The school recommends the TI-83, TI-83+, or TI-84. Do they really need such a serious graphing calculator for algebra? No! Let me back up a little.
When I was in 9th grade, the thought of using a calculator in math class was totally unheard of. I'm not talking about the stone age. I started 9th grade in September 1982. In fact, I didn't have to buy my first calculator until I was taking Math 12. This was a class in analytic geometry and statistics. The calculator wasn't necessary for geometry, but it really allowed me to study the concepts behind statistics without having to waste a lot of time adding up columns of numbers.
Back to the present day:
I wasn't about to buy my 13-year-old a $100+ calculator when I already have a TI-86 that I bought when I first started at RIT back in 1999. The calculator was recommended for my major, but I didn't really use it to it's full potential. It came in really handy for doing calculations in scientific notation and returning the answer in the same format. I even used it for some graphing in my Calculus classes. More often than not, I wasn't allowed to use my calculator on Calculus tests. I was expected to do the calculations and sketch the graphs freehand.
Now, my daughter is starting Algebra learning about quadratic equations. For the math illiterate, a quadratic equation is an equation of the format y=ax^2+bx+c. When graphed, this equation generates a parabola. It may seem kind of complicated, but trust me when I say it is one of the simplest equations in math. Every night for homework, my daughter has to graph about 6 of these equations and find the vertex, axis of symmetry, and assorted other information from the graph. In my day, I had to create a table of values and graph the darn thing on regular notebook paper. Now, the kids can just put the equation into the calculator, push a couple buttons, and they have their graph. Another couple of button presses and they have their table of values.
Now many of you might be saying, "Good for her. She is making use of the available technology." To that, I will reply, "BULLSHIT!!" She is being robbed of the really intimate knowledge that is gained from actually working with and manipulating the letters, numbers, and coordinates that make up the solution to the equation. Because I did these equations, and more complicated equations, by hand, I developed an uncanny intuition when it comes to numbers. If I see an equation, I can probably do a pretty accurate sketch of its graph. I fear that neither of my kids will be taught to develop that ability... All because teachers these days are too lazy to show kids how to elicit the magic that is stored inside those equations.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
(Almost) 14 years and counting....
Marianne and I just returned from a weekend getaway to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. Our anniversary isn't until Wednesday, but I don't think either of us could wait for a weekend escape. It was a wonderful, relaxing weekend, yet it was very tiring.
We had a couples massage on Saturday at 4pm. Of course, we were running a little late, so I don't think we got our full 50 minutes. Regardless, I walked out more relaxed than I walked in, so I guess it was successful. It's a good thing that I didn't see the bill right after the massage or all of their work would have been for nought. All I can say is: I should have gone to school for massage therapy. I'm in the wrong business.
Saturday at 6pm, we had reservations at Bellini's, a little Italian restaurant. The food and service was wonderful and the portions were, to say the least, generous. In fact, Marianne ate so little of her dish before she was full that when the waitress walked by, she offered the obligatory, "Is something wrong with the Cavatelli?" The food was wonderful...there was just a lot of it.
After dinner, we headed to the mall for some shopping. I came out of there with 3 new colognes. I just love new cologne. It's like you get to be someone different...or at least smell like them. We then went to Home Depot to get a new shower hose. I know it's romantic, but in our rush to get to the couples massage, the current shower hose broke. It probably would not be a good idea to leave the house without a working shower for more than a day.
After the shopping, we decided to grab a 6-pack to go and head back to the hotel. We enjoyed a movie and got too little sleep.
We had an 8am tee time. I just love morning golf. Marianne decided that she isn't much good at golf before 9am, so the first 4 holes were pretty rough for her. She still pulled out a 71. I managed to scramble my way to a 54.
All in all, it was a great weekend. We got to enjoy each other's company while doing things that the other enjoyed. (Marianne: spa and shopping. Me: golf and shopping.)
When we returned today, Marianne went upstairs to lie down. I got to stay up and deal with "The Great Escape!!!" Go to our family blog for the whole story.
We had a couples massage on Saturday at 4pm. Of course, we were running a little late, so I don't think we got our full 50 minutes. Regardless, I walked out more relaxed than I walked in, so I guess it was successful. It's a good thing that I didn't see the bill right after the massage or all of their work would have been for nought. All I can say is: I should have gone to school for massage therapy. I'm in the wrong business.
Saturday at 6pm, we had reservations at Bellini's, a little Italian restaurant. The food and service was wonderful and the portions were, to say the least, generous. In fact, Marianne ate so little of her dish before she was full that when the waitress walked by, she offered the obligatory, "Is something wrong with the Cavatelli?" The food was wonderful...there was just a lot of it.
After dinner, we headed to the mall for some shopping. I came out of there with 3 new colognes. I just love new cologne. It's like you get to be someone different...or at least smell like them. We then went to Home Depot to get a new shower hose. I know it's romantic, but in our rush to get to the couples massage, the current shower hose broke. It probably would not be a good idea to leave the house without a working shower for more than a day.
After the shopping, we decided to grab a 6-pack to go and head back to the hotel. We enjoyed a movie and got too little sleep.
We had an 8am tee time. I just love morning golf. Marianne decided that she isn't much good at golf before 9am, so the first 4 holes were pretty rough for her. She still pulled out a 71. I managed to scramble my way to a 54.
All in all, it was a great weekend. We got to enjoy each other's company while doing things that the other enjoyed. (Marianne: spa and shopping. Me: golf and shopping.)
When we returned today, Marianne went upstairs to lie down. I got to stay up and deal with "The Great Escape!!!" Go to our family blog for the whole story.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Back again
It took some time, but I found my old blog. This is where I will post my own random thoughts. I found it odd that I haven't posted to this blog in 3-1/2 years. Here we are now, in the midst of another presidential election. Coincidence??? I have no idea. I don't know how often I will post here, or even what I will post about, but I guess it is kind of nice knowing that I have the option to post my thoughts somewhere, even if nobody comes here to read them.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Pataki cannot be the GOP candidate in 2008
Deroy Murdock at National Review has a thorough review of George Pataki's 10-year stewardship of the Empire State.
...and my wife wonders why I am so hot to get out of this state. But, our mutual love of family keeps us here, near our kids' grandparents and great-grandparents.
I also find interesting that 20.26 percent of New Yorkers are on Medicaid. Is it really a tremendous surprise to hear that number, when one can scarcely turn on the TV without seeing the Governor recruiting new mouths to the government teet? One thing I can say, and here I demonstrate my ignorance, is that I was not aware that Healthy NY, or whatever the hell it's called, is a Medicaid program.
I must admit that I am guilty of feeding at the public trough, but only for 2 brief months back in 1998. When my family moved back to NY after 3+ years in Texas, we would have no health insurance for 2 months. We had very little money saved from our foray into military life and the then-recently-passed COBRA laws only said that your previous insurers had to cover you, not that they had to cover you cheaply. We both found this unacceptable for the kids, who were 4 and 2 at the time. So, we took advantage of a program NY had at the time called ChildHealthPlus. If I remember correctly, we paid $13 per child per month for health insurance coverage by BC/BS. Keep in mind that the wife and I did without health insurance for those 2 months. It was a calculated risk, but we are both healthier-than-average adults. Luckily, not one of us had to visit a doctor in that time period.
Then again, there was the time that I filed for unemployment benefits back in 1993. I never collected because I couldn't go to the unemployment office for my next appointment.....I had to work that day. ;-)
There are many more interesting statistics in the article, but I will leave it to you to read the rest.
Recently, I told a friend that the only reason I would vote for Pataki is to get him out of New York. But, I couldn't really do that to the rest of the country. Right now, I'm more worried about whether or not he is going to seek his 4th term as governor in 2006. I really hope not, because I can't bring myself to vote for Eliot Spitzer for Governor.
The Pacific Research Institute recently measured economic freedom in all 50 states. ...New York State was dead last at No. 50. It was rated... 50th on government size, welfare spending, and income redistribution.
...and my wife wonders why I am so hot to get out of this state. But, our mutual love of family keeps us here, near our kids' grandparents and great-grandparents.
I also find interesting that 20.26 percent of New Yorkers are on Medicaid. Is it really a tremendous surprise to hear that number, when one can scarcely turn on the TV without seeing the Governor recruiting new mouths to the government teet? One thing I can say, and here I demonstrate my ignorance, is that I was not aware that Healthy NY, or whatever the hell it's called, is a Medicaid program.
I must admit that I am guilty of feeding at the public trough, but only for 2 brief months back in 1998. When my family moved back to NY after 3+ years in Texas, we would have no health insurance for 2 months. We had very little money saved from our foray into military life and the then-recently-passed COBRA laws only said that your previous insurers had to cover you, not that they had to cover you cheaply. We both found this unacceptable for the kids, who were 4 and 2 at the time. So, we took advantage of a program NY had at the time called ChildHealthPlus. If I remember correctly, we paid $13 per child per month for health insurance coverage by BC/BS. Keep in mind that the wife and I did without health insurance for those 2 months. It was a calculated risk, but we are both healthier-than-average adults. Luckily, not one of us had to visit a doctor in that time period.
Then again, there was the time that I filed for unemployment benefits back in 1993. I never collected because I couldn't go to the unemployment office for my next appointment.....I had to work that day. ;-)
There are many more interesting statistics in the article, but I will leave it to you to read the rest.
Recently, I told a friend that the only reason I would vote for Pataki is to get him out of New York. But, I couldn't really do that to the rest of the country. Right now, I'm more worried about whether or not he is going to seek his 4th term as governor in 2006. I really hope not, because I can't bring myself to vote for Eliot Spitzer for Governor.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
The day the music died
Unfortunately, Rochester radio has lost another member of its family.
92.5 - WBEE-FM's Morning Coffee Club Co-host Bill Coffey passed away on 12/6/2004 of an apparent heart attack.
Mornings will never be the same again, Bill. May you rest in peace.
[Ed. - edited to remove link]
92.5 - WBEE-FM's Morning Coffee Club Co-host Bill Coffey passed away on 12/6/2004 of an apparent heart attack.
Mornings will never be the same again, Bill. May you rest in peace.
[Ed. - edited to remove link]
Friday, November 19, 2004
Sage Words From Jim Carrey?!?!?!
This via Drudge.
"I'm a Buddhist, I'm a Muslim, I'm a Christian. I'm whatever you want me to be...it all comes down to the same thing," he tells Kroft.
That is perhaps the smartest thing I have ever heard come out of Hollywood, and it has to come from one of the funniest men in the business?
It sounds like Jim Carrey may have found true enlightenment. May Buddha/Allah/God bless you, Jim Carrey!
[Ed. - edited to remove link]
"I'm a Buddhist, I'm a Muslim, I'm a Christian. I'm whatever you want me to be...it all comes down to the same thing," he tells Kroft.
That is perhaps the smartest thing I have ever heard come out of Hollywood, and it has to come from one of the funniest men in the business?
It sounds like Jim Carrey may have found true enlightenment. May Buddha/Allah/God bless you, Jim Carrey!
[Ed. - edited to remove link]
Monday, November 15, 2004
Post-Therapy Kerry Supporter Speaks Out Publicly
(Hat Tip: Drudge)
Karen, whose medical insurance covers the treatment...
If I heard the Kerry '04 campaign correctly, I thought nobody in America had medical insurance. I thought that's why he wanted to give us his.
"Dr. Schooler absolutely understood the pain this election caused me...,"
I'm sure that $150/hour had nothing to do with his *choke* understanding *cough*
"...and he opened my mind to a new point of view," Karen said.
I thought liberals were already open-minded. In fact, I would say most liberals are so open-minded that their minds fell out a long time ago.
Why can't the left get the hint that we heard their message loud and clear and that more than half of us have no interest in entitlements and wealth redistribution?
Karen, whose medical insurance covers the treatment...
If I heard the Kerry '04 campaign correctly, I thought nobody in America had medical insurance. I thought that's why he wanted to give us his.
"Dr. Schooler absolutely understood the pain this election caused me...,"
I'm sure that $150/hour had nothing to do with his *choke* understanding *cough*
"...and he opened my mind to a new point of view," Karen said.
I thought liberals were already open-minded. In fact, I would say most liberals are so open-minded that their minds fell out a long time ago.
Why can't the left get the hint that we heard their message loud and clear and that more than half of us have no interest in entitlements and wealth redistribution?
Just what I was thinking
This thought, in one form or another, has been bouncing around in my head for months. Leave it to a satirist to put the thought to cyber-paper.
Note for the incredibly thin-skinned: ScrappleFace is strictly satire. If I have to explain satire, do us both a favor and don't click the link!
[Ed. - edited to update link]
Note for the incredibly thin-skinned: ScrappleFace is strictly satire. If I have to explain satire, do us both a favor and don't click the link!
[Ed. - edited to update link]
Pretty well sums up liberals
You really need to read this over at Cold Fury.
I especially like the part about the liberals not even believing half of what they say:
You don’t even believe half the stuff you’re currently crying about yourselves.
Because if you did, you wouldn’t be talking about it. You wouldn’t be writing whiny letters to the editor; you wouldn’t be fearfully mincing down to the Canadian Consulate to half-seriously inquire about moving; you wouldn’t be sitting in coffee houses denouncing the moronic inhabitants of Jesusland with your fellow smug, self-satisfied pseudo-hip doofuses. You’d be gearing up and arming yourselves for the fight of your lives. And much to your surprise, you’d have a lot of us over here on the right offering to help load mags.
I guess actions speak louder than words. If liberals really believed half of the crap they were spewing, they would be revolting against the establishment, instead of just revolting.
I especially like the part about the liberals not even believing half of what they say:
You don’t even believe half the stuff you’re currently crying about yourselves.
Because if you did, you wouldn’t be talking about it. You wouldn’t be writing whiny letters to the editor; you wouldn’t be fearfully mincing down to the Canadian Consulate to half-seriously inquire about moving; you wouldn’t be sitting in coffee houses denouncing the moronic inhabitants of Jesusland with your fellow smug, self-satisfied pseudo-hip doofuses. You’d be gearing up and arming yourselves for the fight of your lives. And much to your surprise, you’d have a lot of us over here on the right offering to help load mags.
I guess actions speak louder than words. If liberals really believed half of the crap they were spewing, they would be revolting against the establishment, instead of just revolting.
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