The struggle over science

Bush administration's hostility to science.... Surely the Bush cabinet are intelligent men, but their continued bungling of international affairs and unsubtle pandering to industry at home are pretty baffling. What long-term good can come of pretending climactic catastrophe is not happening? more...

Math Education from 1950 to 2000

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 exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set "M" of money.
The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The set "C", the cost of production contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following
Question:
What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?

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:
By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers.

Teaching Math in 2000:
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $120.
How does Arthur Andersen determine that his profit margin is $60?

A Simple Lesson (Humor)

No Child Left Behind

When you hear this, what picture comes to your mind?

I see a pack of kids enthusiastically following the leader with a goal to scale the peak, no matter what it takes, before sunset. There are few kids struggling in the back and the leader of the pack keeps pushing them and motivates them to make sure that the peak is scaled before sunset or even before.

OK, that is dreaming. The reality is that when the kids in the back start struggling and whine and make noise, the leader commands to everyone to slow down. Slow enough that everyone can walk together - even if the peak is scaled next day, it is OK as long as statistically all of them suceeded. That will account for 100 % success rate. Not bad. That, Ladies and Gentlemen is No Child Left Behind act.