Math Is Fun Forum

Awesome.

I really wish I could go...

Parenthesis
Exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction

Is BODMAS the same as PEMDAS? Is that a cultural thing?

That comment just improved my otherwise dull day.

I just had this argument with a friend who intended to vote Richardson. I think that we should vote who we think will do the best job. I feel that Richardson and Kucinich (Sorry John E. Franklin) won't do the best job because they'll never get the chance to. They're both great candidates, but have no chance and I felt that voting for them would be wasting my vote, or worse, giving my vote to Hillary.

Ultimately, it's a numbers game, and I think sometimes you have to pick your second choice if it means defeating your last choice.

The good news is that Obama did when in my tiny little town of Barnstead.

I like your theory.

I was just listening to NPR (National Public Radio) today, and they were making arguments for why they think the polls are a bad thing.

I think another thing that helped Hillary out was the "crying" she did the day before. Alot of people say it humanized her. Frankly, I think it was a planned reaction.

Not that I'm an expert, but I'd say doubtful. Kerry's regarded as little more than a Joke nowadays.

I like what Hillary stands for, but I don't like the idea of four (or eight) more years of a politician. I feel that she's part of the system now, and in order for us to find change, we need someone who isn't a political robot.

I too am from NH, but I voted Obama. I do like Kucinich alot, but I just felt Obama has the greatest chance of making a differance.

Not that it matters, Hilliary took it anyways.

I thought that the Babel fish was used to disprove God...

While we're on the subject here's an interesting God proof:

God cannot be all knowing and all powerful (he can be one or the other).

Assume God is all knowing. That means he knows everything that will happen in the future, including his own actions. Now in the future he is required to do what he predicated he would... meaning he is limited in his power (he can't do anything, he can only do what he predicted he can do).

A similar argument can be applied in reverse. Assume he is all powerful and does not do what he predicted he would do, then he was wrong in his prediction, and thus not all knowing.

Yes, but I think a lot of time religion takes the spirituality out of worship. I feel (especially in the good old US) that church is becoming more of an elitist club used primarily to encourage the right wing agenda.

Personally, when I look at Jesus's teachings, I see a liberal. I see him advocating women's rights, and helping the poor. He administers free health care, and ultimately just says, "Let's all just get along." I don't see those beliefs encouraged in today's Christian movement.

By the way Ricky, what did the Zebra comment mean?

I'm probably going to be way behind the rest of you (I know nothing about Java) but I'd really like to come along for the ride, I think this is really the best way to learn.

Any thing I can do I will, I'm basically on the same boat as mikau on this one.

It was late, I was tired (read: lazy) and I couldn't think of any examples off hand.

Actually, come to think of it, I have no idea why Engineers use log base 10. Mathematicians use base e because it has all sorts of Calculus applications, right?

Also, I forgot to mention earlier, the "... But Sometimes There Is Confusion ... !" chart is really awesome, That's been a real source of confusion to me for a long time.

I absolutely agree. I don't believe that religion is the reason the crusades happened or the reason we are met with terrorism today, those things are inevitable, born out of the violent nature of a few individuals. If there were no God to such things in the name of, they would come up with something/someone else to them for.

I believe in God (and his son in the Christian sense) but my beliefs are personal and don't require me to force you to see it my way. I'm sharing my views here because the conversation calls for it.

mason77: I think you're coming on a little strong. I know where you're coming from, and in many ways I agree, but imagine if someone walked up to you and told you there was no God. You wouldn't believe them. Now they're giving you this book that says there is no God, that's really not making a differance to you still. Really there's nothing this person can say to convince you that there is no God, and they're really just being a pain. You can't force someone to understand you.

Ricky: I can offer the proof of God you asked mason77 for, but unfortunately, "proof" of that sort of thing is very personal. I believe that God is a driving force in my life because he made himself known to me some time ago. The way he went about it would be meaningless to anyone else though, because God has his own sort of relationship with everyone, and it's always different. As a side note, I think writing God off because he does not serve a purpose is a particularly foolish thing to do, especially on a Math website. Think of all the things in pure mathematics (like all of G H Hardy's work and what not) that don't serve a purpose, that doesn't make them any less existent.

All in all this is an awesome conversation, keep it coming!