Monthly Archives: June 2009

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Two standard deviations from the mean

Instead of our students learning about the technique of calculus, I think it would be far more significant if all of them knew what "two standard deviations from the mean" means, and I mean it.
Arthur Benjamin
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Arthur Benjamin’s Formula For Changing Math Education

I am speechlessly in agreement with this. I’ve ranted about math education before. There’s something just so effective about his three-minute stated solution to the problem. I dig it. I never use calculus, but statistics? Easily on a weekly basis.

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Stormwalking

Stormwalking

Dugg via -Gareth- – RIP MJ.

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Customer Service Win: Liberty Mutual

A little over a month ago, I was gifted with a light-duty trailer. It’s about 15 years old and I’ll use it to haul crap to the local recycling/refuse center, transport craigslist purchases, annoy the cats, etc. The only catch … Continue reading

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Failing Slowly

Not sure which is funnier: the comic, or the ridiculous banter on the dilbert.com website about how “software can’t be 100% bug free” and “it’s impossible to fix every bug”. Oh shut up people! It’s a comic strip! [/Monday]

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I Don’t Care How Good You Are At Programming

I don’t care how good you are at programming, finding bugs, whatever. If you’re rude, or if you speak poorly to people who don’t understand your… quirks…. you will wind up being shunted to the side. No one wants to work with someone who makes them feel beat down all the time, or someone who they simply can’t understand, or someone whose reaction to every issue is to start wailing about the end of the world.
Catherine Powell

Via SvN This is such a great concept to keep at the front of one’s mind. Everyone, from your customers to your co-workers, family and friends, deserve your *niceness*. Their concerns and questions are real. Your attitude can go a … Continue reading

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Two Drums and A Cymbal

Hat tip to @brainopera.

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Clearing the Baffles (III)

It’s been a while since I had baffles to clear, but nonetheless: Software For A New Laptop (categories: geek life, how-to, software notes, windows) Choosing Between Good and Good (categories: management) Finding Notebook Zen (categories: geek life, geek habits) * … Continue reading

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Book-A-Month – June 2009

I set my expectations a bit high for this book, for some reason. The jacket text leads off with a flu epidemic example, and so I thought that there would be a decent amount of text devoted to pandemics (e.g plague, influenza, etc.). Instead, a fleeting reference to the flu gave way to a syphilis outbreak in Baltimore. Not quite as interesting, but mis-set expectations will do that to you. It’s one of the examples from the last rule, however, that made me think the most and therefore kept me from being completely negative in my assessment of the book. Continue reading

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Conservation Win

Conservation Win

Conservation Win « FAIL Blog.

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