• Welcome to the Off-Topic/Schweb's Lounge

    In addition to the Mac-Forums Community Guidelines, there are a few things you should pay attention to while in The Lounge.

    Lounge Rules
    • If your post belongs in a different forum, please post it there.
    • While this area is for off-topic conversations, that doesn't mean that every conversation will be permitted. The moderators will, at their sole discretion, close or delete any threads which do not serve a beneficial purpose to the community.

    Understand that while The Lounge is here as a place to relax and discuss random topics, that doesn't mean we will allow any topic. Topics which are inflammatory, hurtful, or otherwise clash with our Mac-Forums Community Guidelines will be removed.

A funny e-mail I received satirizing the state of the U.S. educational system...

Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
124
Points
63
Location
Where the old Baker farm used to be.
Your Mac's Specs
Apple Black MacBook 2 GB RAM, 2.0 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo Proecessor, 120 GB HD. 30 GB Black iPod Video
My cousin sent me this e-mail and I felt obliged to share it with you all. I think it really captures what's wrong with our educational system.

Evolution of Teaching Math in the U.S.

Teaching Math In 1950

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1960

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price, or $80 What is his profit?

Teaching Math in 1970

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 1990

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and
inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the
preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of
$20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class
participation after answering the question: How did the birds and
squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)

Teaching Math In 2006

Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera por $100. El cargo de
produccion es $80. Cuantas tortillas se puede comprar?
 
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
1,409
Reaction score
101
Points
63
Location
arizona desert
Your Mac's Specs
2007 iMac 10.6.8 | 2009 MacBook uni 10.6.8 | 2010 MBA 10.8.5 |
This is satire? :yinyang:
 
OP
TheCustomer99
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
124
Points
63
Location
Where the old Baker farm used to be.
Your Mac's Specs
Apple Black MacBook 2 GB RAM, 2.0 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo Proecessor, 120 GB HD. 30 GB Black iPod Video
This is satire? :yinyang:

sat·ire [sat-ahyuhr] –noun: the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.

I think so.
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
939
Reaction score
84
Points
28
Location
Akron, Ohio
Your Mac's Specs
C2D MacBook Pro
Yes, it's satire.

...Although education was not anywhere near as good in the 50s as it is now.
 
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
1,409
Reaction score
101
Points
63
Location
arizona desert
Your Mac's Specs
2007 iMac 10.6.8 | 2009 MacBook uni 10.6.8 | 2010 MBA 10.8.5 |
LOL ~ my question was totally...
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]fa·ce·tious [/SIZE][/FONT] (f
schwa.gif
-s
emacr.gif
prime.gif
sh
schwa.gif
s)[SIZE=-2][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1] ADJECTIVE: [/SIZE]
Playfully jocular; humorous: facetious remarks.
 
OP
TheCustomer99
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
124
Points
63
Location
Where the old Baker farm used to be.
Your Mac's Specs
Apple Black MacBook 2 GB RAM, 2.0 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo Proecessor, 120 GB HD. 30 GB Black iPod Video
LOL ~ my question was totally...
[FONT=arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]fa·ce·tious [/SIZE][/FONT] (f
schwa.gif
-s
emacr.gif
prime.gif
sh
schwa.gif
s)[SIZE=-2][/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1] ADJECTIVE: [/SIZE]
Playfully jocular; humorous: facetious remarks.

Your definition looks more professional than mine. Where'd you get it from? I used dictionary.com.
 
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
724
Reaction score
60
Points
28
Location
Blacksburg, VA
Your Mac's Specs
13'' Macbook w/ 2Ghz Core Duo, 2GB DDR2, 250GB HD, 10.5.4. iPod Touch.
Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera por $100. El cargo de produccion es $80. Cuantas tortillas se puede comprar?

National language anyone? I'm ready to pass the law and build the wall :bone:

EDIT: Sweet, 200th post :)
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
61
Points
48
Location
California, the golden state
Your Mac's Specs
G4 AGP 400 MHz 1.34gb RAM
My cousin sent me this e-mail and I felt obliged to share it with you all. I think it really captures what's wrong with our educational system.

Evolution of Teaching Math in the U.S.

Teaching Math In 1950

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1960

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price, or $80 What is his profit?

Teaching Math in 1970

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 1990

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and
inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the
preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of
$20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class
participation after answering the question: How did the birds and
squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)

Teaching Math In 2006

Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera por $100. El cargo de
produccion es $80. Cuantas tortillas se puede comprar?

It is a racist joke. It is a joke, because "Teaching math in 1990" is also not the correct picture of how math was thought back then.
 
OP
TheCustomer99
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
124
Points
63
Location
Where the old Baker farm used to be.
Your Mac's Specs
Apple Black MacBook 2 GB RAM, 2.0 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo Proecessor, 120 GB HD. 30 GB Black iPod Video
It is a racist joke. It is a joke, because "Teaching math in 1990" is also not the correct picture of how math was thought back then.

I think he sacrificed accuracy for comedic effect.
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
939
Reaction score
84
Points
28
Location
Akron, Ohio
Your Mac's Specs
C2D MacBook Pro
National language anyone? I'm ready to pass the law and build the wall :bone:

Yeah...I totally disagree. We have better things to spend money on than a wall.

Oh...like education.

National language? Sounds like politics to me. Why do people fear other cultures so much? Hispanics are as much a part of this country as any other group, including whites. ...this country is so great because of our diversity, not in spite of it.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,572
Reaction score
173
Points
63
Location
Southern California
Your Mac's Specs
Macky the 21.5'' iMac 2.7ghz i5 8GB, Mr. Pink 64GB iPhone 6, iPad Jr. 16GB Air 2, 13'' MBAir 1.6Ghz
Yeah...I totally disagree. We have better things to spend money on than a wall.

Oh...like education.

National language? Sounds like politics to me. Why do people fear other cultures so much? Hispanics are as much a part of this country as any other group, including whites. ...this country is so great because of our diversity, not in spite of it.

Thanks for that. My family is from Mexico and I'm sensitive to the whole wall building/immigrant subject. My parents came here legally but I still think it's wrong what has been said about illegal immigrants. Building a wall is not going to solve anything. Mexico needs to improve their economic system, have better jobs, so that people will stay there. As for the immigrants here, they should pass the law for a pathway to citizenship.

Just my $.02 My intention is not to turn this into a debate. I'm just stating my opinion. :)
 
OP
TheCustomer99
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
124
Points
63
Location
Where the old Baker farm used to be.
Your Mac's Specs
Apple Black MacBook 2 GB RAM, 2.0 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo Proecessor, 120 GB HD. 30 GB Black iPod Video
Ok, I'm officially abandoning this thread if this turns into an illegal immigration debate thread.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,572
Reaction score
173
Points
63
Location
Southern California
Your Mac's Specs
Macky the 21.5'' iMac 2.7ghz i5 8GB, Mr. Pink 64GB iPhone 6, iPad Jr. 16GB Air 2, 13'' MBAir 1.6Ghz
Ok, I'm officially abandoning this thread if this turns into an illegal immigration debate thread.

The e-mail was pretty funny though. :D It reminds me of my math for teachers class. We always have to come up with word problems.

Ex. Jenny ate 1/4 of an orange on the way to school. On the way home she ate 1/3 of an apple. How much fruit did Jenny eat?
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
61
Points
48
Location
California, the golden state
Your Mac's Specs
G4 AGP 400 MHz 1.34gb RAM
We don't have to be all from the same block of cheese to like eachother.
Even though I came to study and my stay here could have been temporary, the main thing I was excited about coming to this country years ago was that I was going to meet so many people and learn about so many different cultures.
 
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
724
Reaction score
60
Points
28
Location
Blacksburg, VA
Your Mac's Specs
13'' Macbook w/ 2Ghz Core Duo, 2GB DDR2, 250GB HD, 10.5.4. iPod Touch.
I love diversity. Legal diversity. I do not love having to press 1 for English and I do not love dumping enormous amounts of money into the federal tax system so that more illegal aliens can suck our healthcare, penal, and social systems dry.

EDIT: Thread hijacking, I'm sorry :(. Back to the OP, regardless of the 2000 education status, the 1990 one made me laugh.

A lot :)
 
Joined
Dec 18, 2005
Messages
2,288
Reaction score
51
Points
48
Location
Devon, England
Your Mac's Specs
ibook g4, imac 2ghz c2d, mbp 2.4ghz c2d - 10.5.1
lol. kl - some of its true tho.
 
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
4,934
Reaction score
207
Points
63
Location
Anytown, USA
Your Mac's Specs
27" iMac 2.7GHz Core i5, iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, 4th gen Apple TV
yeah, this shouldn't get into a debate, because the people who complain about immigrants depleting federal tax dollars from the healthcare have no idea how much more those immigrants actually contribute to the US economy.

I believe that anyone who chooses to live in a certain country outside their own with a different language base should take the initiative to learn the language, but I don't have a problem pressing one for English on the phone.

I worked in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale. A woman walked up to the desk and began speaking Spanish. I told her I don't speak Spanish and she looked at a girl next to me who did and said "how can he not speak Spanish, he lives in Florida". After she asked her question and it was interpreted to me, I answered, but before the girls could interpret it back, the lady said she understood, in English, and left. Basically, she refused to speak English to me.

I mentioned this experience as an example of how intolerance can come from both sides and doesn't help anything.

Oh yeah, and our education system is total crap. To get into graduate school I had to take an exam (the GMAT) that was nothing more than basic high school math and English composition. If this is all we require from out best minds, we do have a serious problem.
 
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
162
Reaction score
10
Points
18
Location
USA
Your Mac's Specs
15.4" MBP Core2 Duo, 2.33MHZ, 160GB HD, 2GB RAM, ATI X1600 256 MB
Just my thoughts on education - quickly. It differs dramatically from school to school. My 8th grader is learning things that I was never taught in high school - and my 11th grader is learning things that I never even saw in college - our schools challenge our students and encourage growth. My educational experience was different - most teachers were only there for the paycheck, and students were not encouraged to really strive for excellence. I don't consider myself old, but I went to HS in the 80's and times were different -- and I grew up in a different state than my children have...where blue-collar working families were the majority, and a child was only expected to do the minimum for graduation.

The internet has opened the entire world to our children for knowledge - and I am grateful that they can learn about things that cannot be covered in a school textbook.

I digress - threadjack over. Carry on... :)
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
1,301
Reaction score
62
Points
48
Location
The home of the free and the land that did for Bra
Your Mac's Specs
24"iMac, 15"MB-Pro, MacBook, G4 iMac, PM G5 2x2Ghz, G4 iBook & Some PCs
Ex. Jenny ate 1/4 of an orange on the way to school. On the way home she ate 1/3 of an apple. How much fruit did Jenny eat?

To which I would have replied 2/7 of the recommended daily amount.

OR

Depends on what she had for lunch.

(depending on what mood I was in)

Amen-Moses
 
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
724
Reaction score
60
Points
28
Location
Blacksburg, VA
Your Mac's Specs
13'' Macbook w/ 2Ghz Core Duo, 2GB DDR2, 250GB HD, 10.5.4. iPod Touch.
yeah, this shouldn't get into a debate, because the people who complain about immigrants depleting federal tax dollars from the healthcare have no idea how much more those immigrants actually contribute to the US economy.

Sounds like a debate to me :tusks:

Since I have no idea, how much do these aliens contribute to the US economy?
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top