Write a controversial opinion

[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.

 

[SkyBubble]

Coffee is better than tea.

A friend in college said he could "prove" that a ham sandwich is better than sex.

 

[iwatchus]

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

I have used trig and algebra in real life many times. They are just part of my everyday toolkit. Calc less so. Of course, that was all high school math as well.

I have also used group theory, abstract algebra, and linear algebra multiple times outside of school, but mostly because of doing technical work.

I would be satisfied if everyone in the public sphere was competent at basic algebra (I have no idea how you get through a day without that) and stats, but they aren't.

On a somewhat related note, my son's partner just nerd sniped, my son, my SO and me, getting us to spend a half hour proving why some art trick worked.

 

[SkyBubble]

There are a lot of authors who, when they write, they seem to be writing with some kind of idea in mind about "what writing sounds like,"

True. It's true that we write differently than we speak, but storytelling should sound natural and not "writer-y."

 

[SkyBubble]

It can be, but it doesn't have to be. Character A forcing character B to do something they don't want to do by taking control of their mind is not the only option. The mind controlling entity could be a third party that knows character A and character B secretly desire each other, and gives them a push to get them together. Or there is the "sex pollen" trope where the mind alteration is a result of a chance environmental exposure and not a malicious sentient being.

Puck in A MIdusmmer Night's Dream.

 

[SkyBubble]

Alright, I think we can call the thread here. It cannot possibly get any more controversial than that.

I'll interject my own opinion here: Hot coffee is better than hot tea, but iced tea is better than iced coffee.

 

[iwatchus]

The Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy is over-rated.

 

[SkyBubble]

See... you lost credibility saying lemon anything taste good. Not that you were right on root beer, anyway.

Lemon meringue pie?

 

[SkyBubble]

If a character happens to be racist or abusive, putting tape over their mouth and hands just so no one gets hurt is nothing short of outrageous.

Sometimes that's a key to the story.

 

[SkyBubble]

Yeah, hot chocolate is the way to go!

Chocolate, period.

 

[SkyBubble]

You’re definitely no Guido Reni, but even you can manage this:

And it should be fun.

I'm not so sure about that.

 

[PennyThompson]

I'm no0t so sure about that.

Skybubble, dude, you just wrote 18 of the last 22 posts in this thread. Please, please, I beg you, start using multi-quotes when you catch up on a thread, making a different one-sentence reply to so many people is super spammy

 

[MelissaBaby]

If I ran the AH there would be a one year moratorium on any mention of Star Wars, Tolkien, Pratchett or Stephen King.

 

[StillStunned]

If I ran the AH there would be a one year moratorium on any mention of Star Wars, Tolkien, Pratchett or Stephen King.

We should have elections.