Quickies

Skepchick Quickies, 12.31

Jen

Jen is a writer and web designer/developer in Columbus, Ohio. She spends too much time on Twitter at @antiheroine.

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20 Comments

  1. SO thrilled about Pratchett. I am almost done with his latest novel “Nation” and it’s fantastic. Highly recommend. Lots of science and skepticism thinly disguised in a really compelling story.

  2. hahaha I am screwed. I don’t think even 14 years ago as a Senior in HS I could have answered those questions…maybe I should take a night math course?

  3. I have a degree in Computer Science, specializing in Scientific Computing. Admittedly, I’m a little rusty, but I’ve never even heard of the fischer-griess monster group before.

  4. Well, the Monster Group and all the other less monstruous sporadic groups are weird things anyway. In what other context will you need an exact number such as 808017424794512875886459904961710757005754368000000000?

  5. Sir Terry,

    Has a great ring to it.

    Ever since I read, “The Colour of Magic” I’ve always felt the I was to Engineering, what Rincewind was to Magic.

    In other words, when I die mankind’s Engineering ability will go slightly “up”.

    But only I know my true worth. I just have to keep my boss from finding out what it is…

    rod

  6. One thing that surprised me – Nation is a non-Discworld novel. It takes place in ‘our’ world. So, no fantasy or magic. Except in people’s heads. Or is it. It’s nicely done.

  7. Yeah! SIR Terry Pratchett! :-D

    Poor Oprah…she may actually do some source checking before she airs her shows.
    It’s about time…

  8. @writerdd: I know! I mean, I guess it adds a level of intrigue and makes it more likely their story will be sold, but ugh!

    If anything, you can always call it a “fictionalized memoir”!

  9. I had the same teacher for differential equations and real analysis. He would always say things like “What are you going to do when the man on the street stop you and asks for the eigenvalue of this matrix?” I always imagined some shady character in a coat, but never a gun…hmm

    Yay Sir Pratchett!

  10. Sir Terry, well all I can say is that it’s about damn time, he gets way too little credit. And Nation is an excellent sceptical book.

    And on the subject of the geekification of the world, I’m posting this from my iPod Touch. In your face 20th Century!

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