Comments for Elements

Comment on The search for weapons of maths communication by Dr Shirleen Stibbe

Dr Shirleen Stibbe — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:31:25 +0000

Who could fail to appreciate such things as these – predisposed to mathematics or not!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68029339@N02/6917403417/in/set-72157629420595605/

Comment on The search for weapons of maths communication by Harriet Bailey

Harriet Bailey — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:34:36 +0000

I think you need to be predisposed to a mathematical way of thinking to find geometric shapes and hyperbolic surfaces "pretty". Number patterns are stunning but only if you understand how they work, they aren't immediately aesthetically pleasing. Whereas anyone can look at a painting and appreciate it without an underlying knowledge of how the paint was applied, most would look at a rhombicosidodecahedron and see a slightly odd football, not a work of art.

Maybe "accessible" would've been a better word, maths art is fairly niche!

Comment on When cutting kills by Daryl Ilbury

Daryl Ilbury — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:32:35 +0000

Hugh7, you of course bring up a sensitive issue – whether or not to perform a medical procedure on a person without their permission. Personally I support the notion that such an operation should only be performed when an individual is considered old enough to make such a decision without undue pressure from others – parents included.

This concept could, it be argued, be applied to other things that have a defining component in a child's development, such as religious affiliation – but that's a different argument best left for another day.

Comment on The search for weapons of maths communication by Dr Shirleen Stibbe

Dr Shirleen Stibbe — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:49:18 +0000

How can anyone who claims to like maths use a phrase like "Maths may not be pretty …"???????

Maths can be stunningly, overwhelmingly, awesomely gorgeous!

Think fractals. Think tilings and friezes and lattices. Think geometric solids – look at a rhombicosidodecahedron, for goodness sake! Think hyperbolic surfaces. Think number patterns – 11×11=121, 111×111=12321, 1111×1111=1234321, 11111×11111=123454321, …

The "not pretty" stuff is the way we introduce our kids to mathematics via joyless, dreary arithmetic calculation. Then we wonder why they don't like maths.

Comment on Elements podcast #1: talking about dinosaurs, pandas, hairy fish and urine by Doris Marcello

Doris Marcello — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:05:27 +0000

Very interesting podcast, well done every body!

Comment on Panda Wars by Doris Marcello

Doris Marcello — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:03:57 +0000

Totally agree; what a waste of money! Let the pandas in the wild where they belong and protect their environment! No in the Zoos! Use this money to protect the human race threatened by diseases, starvation and war!

Comment on When cutting kills by Hugh7

Hugh7 — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:38:55 +0000

"If done properly" Aye, there's the rub. There is no dotted line and no rule about what is "proper".

Using the same knife on a succession of boys is of course a recipe for spreading HIV, not preventing it. Several recent studies (http://tinyurl.com/7deqtap , http://www.salem-news.com/fms/pdf/2011-12_JLM-Boyle-Hill.pdf , http://www.publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/jphia.2011.e4/html_9 ) indicate that it may not prevent it either. Circumcising men not only fails to protect women from infection by men, the Wawer study in Uganda started to show that it may actually INcrease the risk to them, but it was cut short before that could be confirmed.

The foreskin has several functions, especially protective and as a source of pleasure. With its unique rolling action and its strategic placement, it would be astonishing if it was not.

But you've left off the main reason the South African Medical Association (among others) condemns the circumcision of young boys – human rights. Many men bitterly resent that they were circumcised before they could refuse, and they have every right to do so.

Comment on When cutting kills by Jonathon Conte

Jonathon Conte — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:38:15 +0000

"However, what cannot be denied is that, if done properly, it is a relatively straightforward procedure with few side effects."

Male circumcision ablates the most sensitive parts of the penis and destroys its gliding action. The foreskin has numerous functions (both sexual and protective) so its amputation most certainly does have side effects. The foreskin of an adult male is approximately FIFTEEN square inches of erogenous tissue.

http://www.norm.org/lost.html
http://www.circumstitions.com/Functions.html

Comment on Panda Wars by Tom Francis

Tom Francis — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:00:27 +0000

I like Pandas they taste delicious

Comment on Panda Wars by Michael Roberts

Michael Roberts — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:35:01 +0000

I look forward to the next in the series.