Impulsive Approach

Today is the Birthday of The United States Coast Guard !!!!!!!
 
She is 222years old today !!!
 
Coast Guard is always the First One In ... and the Last One Out .......
 
Let us Wish Her All the Best, and Express Our Thanks for the Dynamite Job She Does Protecting Our Country, and Our Interests World Wide !!!

I believe it stems from the male ability to count to 21

It was man who proposed that one and one make two. It was a woman who proposed that one and one make one, but it really turned into three. Now there are billions of us. If you don't believe me, do the math. Y'all have a busy rest of the weekend.  I know I will. Go figure.

Some sums are harder than others. I particularly dislike the checkiing the bank statement sums. Yep, I really did spend that much. Naughty me. As I mentioned yesterday, Wales is very good at rain, so the idea of 'saving for a rainy day' is bad advice. And there are no pockets in shrouds. In the unlikely event that I have 'spare' money, I will enjoy it.

Happy Birthday US Coastguard. A very different remit to that of the UK Coastguards, voulunteers who go out in all weathers to answer costal MAYDAY calls. They rescue everything from kids who have drifted out to sea to fishing boats in distress. All funded by public donations.

Ooops! The kids drift out to sea on those inflatable things.
 

Off topic, just an impulse.

http://vimeo.com/43425677

IVAN.............thanks for the shoutout.................my father-in-law is retired Coast Guard. I just got him a Coast Guard bottle cap fridge magnet at a little festival we went to last month. They do much good.
 
Great Saturday all.
 
 

A new day.

Twenty-four new hours to enjoy all sorts of interests, people, pursuits, creativity.

Twenty-four hours of incalculable joy.

Don't even try doing the math.

Happy Birthday, Coast Guard.  Many people seem to believe that the only coast the Coast Guard works is that of the US.  Not so.  I know guys who guarded the coast of Vietnam.  I am sure they are in the Middle East.  And I know they served overseas in WW II.  Hooray for the brave men and women of the Coast Guard!

Paolos--thank you for that fun link.  It was quite interesting to see stars of yesteryear in recent shots.  Plus the sheer joy of the film.  Thanks.

Teachers in the 1950's stereotyped boys as the future breadwinners, leaders, and kings of the castle. Woman were perceived as future housewives, mothers, homemakers. Men got called on the most, notwithstanding the wobbily accuracy problems of their answers.

The only problem with impulsiveness is the kind which is diagnosed as "attention deficit disorder-hyperactivity." In some professions, if you snooze you lose. Fighter pilots become toast quickly at supersonic speeds if they agonize about the wisdom of their first impressions.

"Occam's Razor" states that all other things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Training, practice, and life experience hone us to the point where we are predisposed to acquire the skills and data base to think on our feet.

Hey Paolos...just officially got off "restriction" for Daddio finally finding out about the true fate of his 63 Riviera with the silver, yes silver, leather interior. Hello all.

Yay! Hello Ummy!

Paulo's .... Good impulse....thanks for the piece

I, too, wish the Coast Guard HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  I know the good ship Eagle is flying the flags today in celebration!
 
As to today's discussion topic, there have also been multiple studies of the brain that indicate that men think on the side of the brain that deals more in mathematical skills; whereas women are the opposite side and work with biological skills.  I know many behaviors can be learned, but how far can we take nurture over nature?  I know of few female mathematicians.  Perhaps they have more testosterone than other females...who has looked into that?  I don't know of any studies, but then I haven't perused PubMed in a long time.
 
More alarming to me was the following headling that Alabama's children rated a "D" in science skills.  As a "contrarian" today, I believe that science has promoted much of our welfare and little to our harm (don't go there with nuclear...that research was funded by the Army, but for the ultimate goal of saving lives---read the estimates of how many lives they believed were saved versus how many were taken by Fat Man's and Little Boy's successors).  Yes, we now have pollution because of science, but we also have longer lives and have a better way of life.  It is up to the sociologists to figure out how to get the wealth shared, not the hard sciences practitioners.  Simplistic argument?  Perhaps, but I think it one worth discussion.
 
And science DOES integrate math!  I had to take far too much of the rotten stuff (and I made "A's" strictly through rote memory) to think otherwise!  Much of chemstry is mathematical in nature...thus most chemists I know are male.  Engineering is mostly mathematical in nature, thus most engineers I know are male.  Most health care workers are female (and lower paid).  More women are becoming doctors (now that the reins have been released by you guys).  More women are becoming marine biologists.  More women work in public health (gee, I wonder if that is why we were paid so little compared with the private sector?).
 
"So tear into me now!  Really let me have it!" (Glenn Close, The Big Chill, and she was a DOCTOR)

Good morning Ivan, RoadYacht, hazel, lotlot, paolos, and bebe!  Hello to Lynn830, Bert, and Ummgawa!  Haven't met you yet!

Oops! I think the quote was "So LAY into me now."  Sorry! 

WOMEN ....... MARINE BIOLOGISTS .......
 
Something very alluring about naked women, and water ....... True Marine Biology ....... The Two seem to go together so well .......
 
Cues an entirely new Concept to, "Biological Warfare" .......
 
Jello Wrestling .......

For me, the less math I have to deal with, the better! I agree with Hazel, just balancing that checkbook with t he bank statement is my math workout each month, and there are always some of those "automatic" deductions that I forgot to enter in my checkbook

All through school I never felt I had a good math teacher who explained it well or made it interesting...I must blame the system's tendency to give the math classes to the old coaches! "Do problems 1-25 on page 60." Then, next day he'd have a student call out the correct answers from the teacher's edition....no explanation, no logic, no process. It was hopeless for me. I understand better if a process is explained and reasoned out. Oh, well, at this late date, it is beyond improvement.

I know girls who are great at math, so it could be just me. I do like words and paragraphs better than numbers.

Thanks for the Coast Guard reminder, Ivan. Semper Paratus!!! Katrina, Admiral Thad Allen's leadership and others have recently renewed my awareness of the importance of this smallest of the military services    Paolos~Thanks for the impulse...I'm not sure why but a joyous diversion! On subject~ Arguendo, if I for a moment  concede that women, in fact do occupy Second Chair, in my experience that position is often more poweful than First Chair in that the agenda is often set and always heavily influenced  at that level.  Just saying...

Ivan, you bad boy!  Jello wrestling?  With maring biologists it's more like jelly-fish wrestling!
 
Mooseloop and Hazel--I'm with you.  I HATE math and will do almost anything to avoid it!

By the way, they usually wear full wetsuits or dry suits (depending on the temperature).  Gee, I really hate to shoot down your fantasy!

The Puff-Ho assertions notwithstanding, a better use of mind power would be to determine what is to be done about the very sad fact that our math students of both genders trail the students of sixteen developed nations.

Stoney~ Why is it needful to be best at everything? I learned a big lesson from my son, aged about 8yrs at the time. His school report said he was poor at sports activities. When I asked him about it, he said it was easy for him to be good at reading, maths, learning Welsh, learning more English reading and doing stuff that other kids in his group struggled with, so he allowed them to win at sports so they could feel good about something. I don't know how I was blessed with this generous little soul in my life, he is an excellent sportsman, climber, racing yacht owner/crew/navigator, enjoys his activities and encourages youngsters - am I a proud Mom or what?

That is sad, and unacceptable, Stoney sir.  I suspect it's not for lack of brain power, I suspect at least in part, an alarming number of our students don't "do" math or arithmetic, because they hate it.  And they get away with hating it, and failing it, because kid's have been relieved of the responsiblity of being not just average (loathsome, that state) at mathematics, but exceptional at it.  ...  Kids need to be told again, as they were not so many years ago, that as a child and adolescent their primary job is to become 1- civilized; and 2- educated.  And 3- independent, since independence is the natural conclusion to #1 and #2.  It's a child's "job" to go to school and to do well, it is a realistic expectation that they do this.  I know all the excuses, but I'm tired of them, and disgusted by what our "nanny" society is producing in the way of 21 year olds.  ....  This is no world for uneducated people, particularly Americans.  We are so much better than what we have been lately.    

Ivan~ You have me thinking of mermaids and seahorses.

Hey friend bebe! Jag tackar!

Hazel ~
"The best" is not important but good enough not to need immigrants to get the work done, is.
And yes, you are proud and right to be so.

Park4 ~
Who could argue with your trenchant assertions?

Well said. PARK4!

Good afternoon, Ginger. I hope you don't get sick riding on trains, should you need fortificaation I suggest that you try one of those colorful Summery cocktails, the bartender of the club car on our Sepia Train is quite extraordinary.....

Haze  -  your 2:30 post.  What a wonderful young man you have raised - you must be very proud of him and of yourself.  You are a kind person and he learned well.
 

Thankyou Giraffe~ nice to see you still browsing in the trees!

HAZEL: I second what The Giraffe and Stoney said.  Your son sounds like one exception human being - and knowing his mum as I do, I can't say I'm surprised.  You did well, Hazel, and you have every right to be proud of him and to shout it from The Giraffe's treetops!

On the playground, giving someone's self esteem an artificial boost sounds endearing because it is.
In a friendly competition, playing down to the opposition is… well, friendly.
Beyond that, the whole point of sport is not about being best but about giving your best.
If, having done so, you are made uncomfortable by victory, pick up a book or something.

exceptional, not exception.  pardon my typing Hazel.  We're under a big wind and storm watch, hail and wind -- and here comes the thunder.  Better shut down and find Britta...she likes to know she's not forgotten when it sounds like the sky is falling....Stoney?  got weather?  PL is right in the danger zone...   Geneva Lake by 4 p.m. -- I'm gone.  Better close up for a while.

Anybody crack those stats? I mean,as long as we're talking math;just how many students in those 16 better country? I mean a significant number would be how many,total,in each country,as well as the total% of students in each of those countries,and by what % are they better than an equal number of our top students....after all WE are landing on Mars, and they are not
.....Jus Sayin

RY ~
I believe without knowing that it was fifteen year olds from each country.
The fact that were are obliged to lure gifted foreigners in to do important work tells you something.

P4 ~
We had one clap of thunder and a nice shower that has slowed just in time to go to dinner.
Daisy slept through it.

My bi-otch of a computer has not allowed me to read Mr.P's link regarding the topic nor did it let me enjoy Paolos' link, but I hope those of you experiencing weather will be fine. I was interested in the link as a person considered to be smart, I had a terrible time with math and never cared for it. However, as a merchant I discovered my arithmetic skills were aces. Put 13 items on the counter and I can tell you what they add up to in a heartbeat. Is motivation perhaps part of the equation?

Hazel~ Hearing your story re: your son makes me feel like I had something to do with it...you impress me with your smarts, goodness, success as a Mother,  a gardener, a prayer, your humanity. I'm a big fan!

George~is that like watching a sports team win,on tee vee, and knowing you had an integral part in their vtctory?Stoney~I believe our country attracts winners, sadly, even of the evil arts,but mostly of all things progressive and good.  My point, however, was that some of those countries that place higher, my be smaller than some of our cities, and have a teacher/student ratio that is more conducive to bringing a possible talent to fruition. Extrapolating that to total numbers,however, can prove a point, but miss the point, if you get my point. Do I get any points for trying?

"In our study, we found that boys were more likely to call out answers than girls, even though they were less accurate early in school," Drew Bailey, who led the study, said in a statement.                   
 I am not one to dispute what others purport to be fact, too often, but when I attended school, boys were the very last to acknowledge that they knew an answer much less blurt out an answer.  To get an answer out of a male student was like pulling teeth. We were too busy pitching pennies against the back wall.  That might explain the test scores.                        UMMGAWA How goes the book tour? I'm happy to see the old man let you out of your room.  No disrespect intended, sir.

PARK........Varsagad.......always...............
 
STONEY....................no excuses, just possibly a few reasons; * there are character ed & self esteem classes & these take away from academics, * there is much less follow up if any in many households, I have 2nd graders who talk about watching tv in their room & playing video games at all hours, * many school districts ( mine!!!!!!!!!!) have tossed aside true teaching for teaching to the test ( we no longer have science or social studies at our primary school. We have worksheets w/ science & social studies that mimic items on the state tests.........that's their science & soc. studies. It's okay you can weep, I did when they took it away.), * There is a real problem w/ out of control chidren at a younger and younger age. I'm talking almost feral behavior that takes over the class. The percent of children who lack self control & have no home parenting seems to be climbing at a high rate. A scarily high rate of speed.
 
 

Happy Coast guards Day! Thanks for the heads up on that one Ivan

Hazel, why am i not surprised that you have a son like that? :))

On more sea creatures, has anyone heard of the sea dragon? Its an exquisite looking marine fish that lives in the southern and western coasts of Australia. It's from the same family as seahorses, and it's lead like protrusions all over gives it its nick name "leafies", it is the emblem of Western Australia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJW0IUwHZ9I&feature=fvwrel

Bebe---You GO GIRL!!!  Absolutley on point!!!

RoadYacht~ That's it! Thanks for that one...I thought I migh thave dug myselff too deep but, yeah, that's it

What tricks did you all use to try and bring maths into your children's lives especially when they were very young? I used to do things like count steps. Another game was to add up the numbers on car licence plates, to see who could come up with the answer first. It's a great game for road trips too. Actually, I confess I still do that today!!

Maths is big in Asia, along with Science. I wonder if it has something to do with cultural and societal inclination, as I think they do poorly when it comes to literary expression. One is more objective (easier when collective thought rather than individual thought is more encouraged), the other more subjective. I found this BBC article that shows an example of a Maths question for pre-university chinese students vs a 1st year English University class. I can't speak for the latter but the Asian example is certainly true. Anyone to illuminate?

http://nomorequo.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/why-asians-are-better-at-math.html

By the way, you got to view the video by Russell Peters on the same link...haha! It is so reminiscent of my (and many Asian families) growing up years

Bert--would love to ride the train with you!  Haven't had a train ride (a real one) in years!  And summery cocktails work for me!
 
Park--couldn't agree with you more!
 
Hazel---it takes a remarkable woman to raise a remarkable child!  Congrats!
 
BTW--today is also the birthday of Champagne!  Dom Perigon, a monk, discovered it...guess that's why they named some of the best after him!  Anyone for a nice glass of his vintage?  Yummmmm!  Bert, we could make mimosas!

I have seen fantastic air rescues by the COast Guard SAVING MANY A POSSIBLE DROWING VICTIM.Thank you Coast Guard for your wonderful dedication and flawless operations.

I raise an (imaginary) glass of Dom Perigon (sp?) to the men and women of the Coast Guard.  Happy Birthday!  May you continue to help us with all you do, from drug interdiction to sea rescues, to overseas action...you're the best!

MISS GINGER:   I don't know wnat Bars you hang out in ... but there ARE NO Wetsuits in the places where the Lime Jello Events take place .......  Maybe you're thinking of what replaced the Kissing Booth at the Church Bazaar !!!

bert....................how so very Mitch from "A Streetcar Named Desire"of you......................

I am glad to live in this country despite the fact that we do not live lives as healthy or as long as some others; we no longer have the highest average income (Canada does) and we trail in infant mortality for God's sake.
We are not especially fit or as smart as we think we are but lead the known universe in births to unwed mothers.
Our government spends hundreds of billions of dollars it cannot afford, much of it on things that make no sense.
What we are the best at is claiming that we are the best… and groping for excuses.

Bebe ~
I hear you baby, I don't know how you do it but it is great that you keep trying. I never could have.

I stayed in officiating long after our kids were out of swimming as clerk of course, the guy who sets up the heats according to the swimmer's previous best times.
I occasionally had to call for and get quiet and stillness so we could do our jobs. One kid, thinking that I couldn't hear him, suggested something I could do to myself.
It got real quiet as I walked down his aisle, tapped his head and said: "Disqualified."
There was a big dust-up and he was a good swimmer but he and his parents finding no satisfaction, stomped out and went back to their town.
I always wondered what John Mac Enroe's career would have been like if somebody had done him that favor.

Do we get The Gold? Or whaaat...Mars,baby....!!!!! USA. USA. USA

The place is going to look like a junkyard:

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-08/indias-space-program-plans-launch-mars-orbiter-2013

And, Stoney~one of the fewer thought of countries was also in earnest trying to launch a vehicle...so they decided to launch one to land on the Sun! "Absurd", the scientific society was heard to exclaim as they sputtered their tea, and ate the crumpets , "Harumph! I say!"  ..but the earstwhile fledgling Solmonaughts gave it no mind, merely answering, "We're going at night

Ivan--not that many bars here in my little burg.. It was a dry county until the state voted to allow "private clubs" which meant bars that anyone could join for a nominal fee.  So no jello wrestling...although it DOES sound interesting.....
 
Stoney, not you, too!

Bebe:  very Mitch in "Streetcar."  Also the Laurence Harvey character in "Summer and Smoke."