Write a controversial opinion

[Britva415]

Ironically, the story that I submitted for Crime & Punishment, which I pulled after it sat in limbo for weeks, used/uses this construction in its second opening paragraph ... setting the scene in a law office with a male MC who's a lawyer:

It wasn’t as if he lacked work to do, even though he had already billed a hundred hours this month and it wasn’t even the fifteenth of said month yet.

Not completely facetious. Maybe a little. But it set the foundation that the POV character is a lawyer. That said, I can't even completely say myself if I'd have written it differently ("the month" instead of "said month") had said MC been some other profession than a lawyer, consultant, MBA, or other profession where the use of "said" is common.

There is nothing ironic about that, since it's used appropriately and not in a way that's "by accident" or otherwise malapropos.

 

[SkyBubble]

cereal being soup

I don't know about that, but you can argue that coffee is. It's beans in hot water.

 

[EmilyMiller]

An appropriate exemption / adjustment for people with dyscalculia is different from allowing generic humanities students to opt out from learning basic life skills surely.

I’d argue that we’d be in a better place of more people had basic numeracy skills.

 

[SkyBubble]

That is controversial, because "penis" is sooo ewww to me.

The only time the letters P-E-N-I-S ever appeared in a New York Times crossword; "The _____ mightier than the sword." (2 words"

 

[SkyBubble]

I was always grateful that my grandpa loved it, because it gave me someone to give my black jelly beans to at Easter.

The black ones are better if you eat them with the orange ones.

 

[SkyBubble]

Math classes should not be required in order for a humanities major to graduate college. It is not fair for folks with dyscalculia.

As an English major, I strongly disagree.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

An appropriate exemption / adjustment for people with dyscalculia is different from allowing generic humanities students to opt out from learning basic life skills surely.

If you don't know basic life skill math you don't belong in college in the first place.

That's what high school teaches you.

 

[SkyBubble]

Writers who treat writing as fun make fine cartoonists.

Writing is fun, and I can't draw.

 

[StillStunned]

If you don't know basic life skill math you don't belong in college in the first place.

That's what high school teaches you.

Primary school, surely? I can't think of any maths that I was taught after age 12 that I've used in a real-life situation. Besides helping my niece with her homework.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Primary school, surely? I can't think of any maths that I was taught after age 12 that I've used in a real-life situation. Besides helping my niece with her homework.

I'd be open to that point of view as well. I don't recall when exactly we did compound interest, but it may have been after age 12 and that's pretty useful.

 

[SkyBubble]

Come on we all know 99.99999999999% of the story's on here fictional.

More or less.

 

[TheLobster]

I'd be open to that point of view as well. I don't recall when exactly we did compound interest, but it may have been after age 12 and that's pretty useful.

Not sure if it’s the case in the US, but the basics of probability and statistics are typically taught only in high school, and these days they are more or less essential if one doesn’t want to fall prey to rhetorical tricks with numbers that media and politicians love to pull.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’d argue that we’d be in a better place of more people had basic numeracy skills.

Of course some may view it as convenient to have an ill-informed populace.

 

[SkyBubble]

Hemingway wasn't a very good writer. Boring as hell.

 

[SkyBubble]

Apples exist in a strict hierarchy. Fuji, then Honeycrisp, then everything else, then Granny Smith.

No, no, no -- Red Delicious!

 

[SkyBubble]

Yep, just dry cereal. Imagine eating Chex like it's popcorn.

Apparently, some people eat cereal straight out of the box like people eat potato chips.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Not sure if it’s the case in the US, but the basics of probability and statistics are typically taught only in high school, and these days they are more or less essential if one doesn’t want to fall prey to rhetorical tricks with numbers that media and politicians love to pull.

Fair, but at some point we move past "basic life skills".
I'd categorize stats as "Good to know" but not a basic life skill. We covered statistics in High School.

 

[StillStunned]

The prose of The Lord of the Rings is a masterpiece of writing that holds up even today.

 

[StillStunned]

I'd be open to that point of view as well. I don't recall when exactly we did compound interest, but it may have been after age 12 and that's pretty useful.

Compound interest is basic multiplication once you understand the principle. But I've never had any use for calculus, trigonometry, or algebra.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Compound interest is basic multiplication once you understand the principle. But I've never had any use for calculus, trigonometry, or algebra.

True, but they don't teach it as a distinct concept until High School, if memory serves.
In Jr High it was just simple interest problems.

“The most powerful force in the Universe is compound interest.” -Albert Einstein

 

[SkyBubble]

mention something

then call it "said something" later

said post

 

[SkyBubble]

If you never defend the speech of people you disagree with, then you don't really believe in free speech.

100% true.

 

[SkyBubble]

Yes, I think the point of the saying is reciprocity. It's not a command not to judge. We can't function as a society if we don't judge when necessary, and it makes perfect sense for a moral person to judge others who act immorally. But we have to expect the spotlight to shine on us as much as we shine it on others. So think carefully before you shine that spotlight, bub.

Christ left out the "bub" part.

You judge the act -- maybe. Murder is wrong.

 

[SkyBubble]

I don't think it's wrong of me if I write something that happens to offend some readers.

Ultimately, you can't offend anyone. Offense can only be taken, not given. If I refuse to be offended, then you cannot offend me no matter how hard you try.

 

[SkyBubble]

Compound interest is basic multiplication once you understand the principle. But I've never had any use for calculus, trigonometry, or algebra.

Algebra is just teaching logic in numeric form.