that was another 18 hours of sleep. almost. i got up to eat. hopefully, i'm awake....

that angus reid online "poll" is a good example of how the media uses "polling" as propaganda to further it's aims.

i can't say if trudeau's approval rating has fallen below 50%. you'd need to do some polling to determine if that is true or not.

but, the media coverage is intense. every paper - and this is distorted by the fact that there are only a handful of media companies in this country - is screaming it across headlines. it is fact. after all, it is a poll.

but, polls are not facts.

and, it is not a poll, either.

i would suspect that it is probably true that trudeau's numbers have been on a downward trend over the last several months, due to many, many factors - including ennui. whether the numbers have crossed 50% or not is not particularly important, either, as one only requires ~35% to win a majority government, in this country. i'm not exactly disputing the narrative.

i'm just pointing out the process.

this is right-wing media propaganda. stated simply.

(and, angus reid 's track record is so bad that they should not even be consulted any more. they have repeatedly not even been close.)

the last thing the turks want is more kurds.

http://www.ibtimes.com/turkey-high-kurdish-birth-rate-raises-questions-about-future-705488

but it's natural!

http://www.ibtimes.com/secondhand-marijuana-smoke-3-times-worse-tobacco-study-claims-2664187

there's a dumb saying from free market idiots:

those that do do, those that can't teach.

or something along those lines.

it's probably an ayn rand quote, or something.

in math, the only structure that exists is the university; those that do have no option but to teach. there's no free market for abstract math; mathematicians just make it up as it comes to them, and put it aside for somebody else.

we pride ourselves in our platonic disinterest in application.

we openly make fun of engineers....

but i may suggest tracking down the works of alexander grothendieck for some alternative views from a distinguished mathematician.

it's also a strong argument for a gai.

i mean, this is my vision for who takes the gai: artists seeking escape from markets, academics seeking escape from the university, etc.

if you weigh the pros & cons for an independent researcher, disability is a far better choice than lecturing.

the only substantive con that really jumps out is sex; one is less likely to find a partner on disability than as a lecturer. but, if you don't care about that...or even see a less active sex life as a pro....

i had profs describe their jobs like living through groundhog day.

they'd show up drunk. lament about how they're wasting their lives with children. complain that they didn't have enough time for their work.

math probably self-selects for introverts, but it can't be much different than other fields.

this is a part of the reason why i'm an advocate of converting the university system into four extra years of high school, and leaving the universities as research institutions: to emancipate professors from the doldrums of teaching.

the most miserable people i've ever met are profs. you spend enough time around them, you learn the lesson: get out while you can.

i mean, nobody publishes papers on how to understand first year algebra.

it's a dumb argument.

so, am i mathematician or not?

well, it depends on how you define it.

some people will claim that a mathematician is somebody that has a degree in mathematics, and i certainly adhere to that categorization, and then some. my sole awarded degree is a four year b. mathematics (honours) (2006), but i could apply for a graduate degree if i wanted to - although that statement may not be true for much longer, as those extra credits will eventually run out.

others will claim that, to truly be a mathematician, one must work in the field and publish papers. i have not done that and will not be doing that any time soon.

so, if i have a math degree, why don't i get a job as a mathematician? well, it's not exactly something that you apply for online, to start with. that basically means being a math prof. the other option is building weapons, and you know i wouldn't like that. and, let's be real - this is in fact a really shitty job with poor pay, bad benefits, zero security, awful hours and poor career advancement.

the reason i'm not technically a mathematician is in truth because i decided i didn't want to be one. i decided i'd rather be a musician.

if we're having a discussion about deep topics at the graduate level, you can call me on this, and i won't push back. i'm honest about this; i'll defer when necessary. but, you don't have a math degree, do you? and, you don't have a dozen graduate courses under your belt, either, right? or minors in related fields like economics, physics and computer science, either, right? usually, i'm the one that should be deferred to. you'd have to get very specialized to get out of my league...

if we're having a discussion about polling methods, or basic calculus, or introductory game theory, i have all the specialized knowledge you need. and, you can choose not to trust me if you want, but i'd point to my track record on that.

i kind of want to see this devolve into horwath walking up to the podium...

"lisa needs braces."

dental plan.

"i said LISA NEEDS BRACES."

DENTAL PLAN.

to hear this call and response from thousands of people would be...it would be groeningesque. truly.

i never got started today and am about to pass out early, yet again.

i thought i had this fixed. almost all the holes were blocked. finally. but, the idiots downstairs thought it would be a good idea to blow smoke into the apartment from outside by blowing up through the window sill.

no joke: they are sticking their head out their window and blowing the smoke up. i guess they expect me to close the window? they may just be trying to irk me.....

...but, obviously, the more smoke they blow in, the longer it takes to clear out. fucking idiots.

it's going to take all night to clear. but, the effects are felt.

so, i am once again crashing early due to the draining effects of second hand thc. ugh.

the next time that happens, i'm going to have to dump water on their heads. but, this is also getting into the realm of something that i could potentially prosecute as harassment...