#2 2011-04-11 15:46:16
Sure the PC angle is obnoxious but the abuse of geometry bothers me more. Eggs are not spherical and elementary students should know that. Is there a better term? Thesaurus.com lists "elliptical, oblong, ovate, ovoid and pear-shaped" as synonyms for egg-shaped. I don't think any of these are technically correct. "Elliptical" and "oblong" are out as an egg has only one axis of symmetry and ellipses and oblongs have two. "Ovate" and "ovoid" work better but all of these synonyms refer to 2D figures as the longitudinal cross section of an egg. "Egg-shaped items" sounds even worse than "Spring Spheres." Any mathematicians out there who can help? This year I'm hiding ovate doohickies.
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#3 2011-04-11 16:11:53
Like most major religions, the Buddhist temple of which I'm a member also has a notable spring observance which typically falls right around Easter. Kids show up for service wearing new Easter clothes, excitedly hauling along their Easter baskets, and Easter candies, and Easter eggs. Somehow, our temple survives, Christianity survives, and everything keeps rolling right along.
People clearly need something more important to worry about.
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#4 2011-04-11 18:42:55
In three dimensions, ovoid is the correct term.
The shape of an egg is approximately that of half each a prolate (long) and roughly spherical (potentially even slightly oblate/short) ellipsoid joined at the equator, sharing a principal axis of rotational symmetry, as illustrated above. Although the term egg-shaped usually implies a lack of reflection symmetry across the equatorial plane, it may also refer to true prolate ellipsoids. It can also be used to describe the 2-dimensional figure that, revolved around its major axis, produces the 3-dimensional surface. Refer to the following equation for an approximation of a 3D egg where a is any positive constant:
x^2 + y^2 + z^2(1.5cos((z+a/2)/a))^2 = a\!
Furthermore, in two dimensions an oval with one axis of symmetry is very nearly egg shaped. An oval with two axes of symmetry is what is commonly called an oval.
However, this geometrical problem can best be addressed by reminding them that it's a fucking egg and slapping them HARD upside the head. Happy Easter!
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#5 2011-04-11 19:11:29
So it's resolved. The PC Fucktard Indoctrinator should have referred to them as "Spring Ovoids" in order to impart mathematically correct information to her indoctrinees.
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#6 2011-04-11 19:31:23
If you are going to be PC you have to be at least mathematically correct. OTOH... seeing as this is actually celebrating Eostre, which has nothing to do with that Semite fellows nailing, passing, then flying, I could care less. Once more something stolen from the pagan past and dressed up all sweet and cuddly.
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#7 2011-04-11 19:32:04
Thank you TP. I needed that.
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#8 2011-04-11 20:15:41
Wow
Dmtdust wrote:
Once more something stolen from the pagan past and dressed up all sweet and cuddly.
From mathematics to ... ?
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#9 2011-04-11 20:57:40
MSG Tripps wrote:
Wow
Dmtdust wrote:
Once more something stolen from the pagan past and dressed up all sweet and cuddly.
From mathematics to ... ?
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#10 2011-04-11 21:11:04
Don't spray much myself. I am a fairly accurate shot.
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#12 2011-04-11 22:35:03
Hey George Orr
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#13 2011-04-12 00:45:17
I wish you people would stop rebranding my distant ancestors' beliefs, and come up with something new.
On second thought, the last time that happened we got Scientology.
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#14 2011-04-12 01:06:23
Watch it Opie, this is Troll territory.
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#15 2011-04-12 01:30:51
Dmtdust wrote:
Watch it Opie, this is Troll territory.
And the time before that we got the Mormons.
Why do belief systems keep getting LESS rational?
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#16 2011-04-12 08:43:50
opsec wrote:
Why do belief systems keep getting LESS rational?
Because the rational people turn to mathematics (see Tall Paul) instead of inventing new belief systems.
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#17 2011-04-12 17:49:03
Speaking of irrational beliefs, Dusty should love this story.
UNITED NATIONS — Bolivia will this month table a draft United Nations treaty giving "Mother Earth" the same rights as humans — having just passed a domestic law that does the same for bugs, trees and all other natural things in the South American country.
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#18 2011-04-13 05:32:30
phreddy wrote:
Speaking of irrational beliefs. . . .
Irrational is believing we can get away with what we are doing forever.
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#19 2011-04-13 08:48:47
But "Ovoid" is a self-referential definition and therefore useless.
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#20 2011-04-13 19:16:08
GooberMcNutly wrote:
But "Ovoid" is a self-referential definition and therefore useless.
Only when applied to eggs. Even so, 'ovoid' refers to a platonic ideal, not to the shape of an actual egg so it isn't self-referential.
Last edited by Tall Paul (2011-04-13 19:16:41)
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#21 2011-04-15 11:25:31
Tall Paul wrote:
GooberMcNutly wrote:
But "Ovoid" is a self-referential definition and therefore useless.
Only when applied to eggs. Even so, 'ovoid' refers to a platonic ideal, not to the shape of an actual egg so it isn't self-referential.
The original article IS referring to eggs. I stand by my statement. So nanny-nanny-boo-boo.
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