Student #1: Look, Mr. Orlin, we all signed this petition! Me: “We, the undersigned, would like to have Calculus all day, every day.” Hey, I’m glad you guys are enjoying the class. Student #2: Can you change the schedule? Me: Well, logistics aside, you guys only got two signatures on this. Student #1: What are … Continue reading A Conversation That Made My Day
Month: July 2013
Iron Man 3 Outsold the Entire Book-Publishing Industry
On May 3rd, more Americans bought tickets to Iron Man 3 than bought books. I mean all books. Combined.
History’s Greatest Chess Matches
Anderssen leads his pieces in a suicide charge. He sacrifices a bishop, both rooks, and the queen – nearly all his best material – in exchange for nothing but pawns. It’s like a parent chanting, “Go! Go! Go!” as he sends his children sprinting out into onrushing traffic.
Learning is a Fluorescent Light
I know this new concept feels hard. But you know what it’s like turning on a fluorescent light? It flickers on, then goes dark, then goes bright for an instant, then goes dark again…
A Fight with Euclid
I had a fight with Euclid on the nature of the primes. It got a little heated - you know how the tension climbs.