MathPlus's definitions

Simpsons Math

A pop cultural term for counting in base 8, because each character in the Simpson family was born with four fingers on each hand, which means they would count like this: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, …, such that all eight-fingered members could do without the symbols 8 or 9.

In Simpsons math, “If Homer and Marge and their four kids looked at two spiders, how would they write and pronounce the total number of their legs?” 20 and “two-zero” rather than “twenty.”

by MathPlus June 12, 2021

Vaccine Hesitancy Is Healthy

When the decision to vaccinate or not is too important to be left in the hands of so-called health experts, university hospital professors and researchers, pharmaceutical firms, and politicians, who all have a vested interest in promoting vaccination, be it for herd immunity; economic recovery; vaccine diplomacy, supremacy, or nationalism; profiteering; popularity; or politics—their mantra is that the benefits of getting a shot outweigh the risks, whose short-term advice may not always be in the long-term health interest of the general public.

Just because a decent proportion of the population have been partially or fully vaccinated for whatever personal, selfish, or altruistic reasons, this doesn’t mean that others too should blindly or ritually follow suit, because groupthink or the “wisdom of the crowd” doesn’t always translate in all spheres of life, particularly when potential long-term adverse effects associated with nontraditional techniques of producing vaccines cannot be discounted—when vaccine hesitancy is healthy for those who won’t let themselves easily fall for, or be fooled by, any health expert’s recommendation.

by MathPlus June 13, 2021

Psalm 70

A sinner’s prayer to God to come quickly to save them, so that those who want them to die be ashamed and confused, or who wish to hurt or laugh at them be disgraced for what they have done, while those who seek Him will rejoice in Him and proclaim, “Praise God!”

Psalm 70 reminds believers that the weight of their enemies’ shame, who rejoice in their misfortune or misery, would force them to turn back, and that God is the One who helps them and saves them.

by MathPlus June 14, 2021

Mask Mafia

When unlicensed businesses illegally produce sub-standard face masks, or repackage and rebrand imported masks in unhygienic or unsanitary conditions—users may experience skin irritation and respiratory symptoms.

In Singapore, mask mafias, if caught and convicted, may be jailed for up to two years or fined up to $50,000, or both.

by MathPlus June 15, 2021

Pitrified

When someone is mentally or psychologically frozen at the sight or sound of the irrational number π, which reminds them of their negative experiences or recurring failures of school math.

Guesstimate how many millions of otherwise educated folks worldwide would be pitrified at birthday parties or social functions, when the beauty of math or geometry suddenly popped up in their casual conversation.

by MathPlus June 15, 2021

Coviderate

Being informed and updated about the facts and fake news about the coronavirus and its deadlier variants, especially the bogus corona cures and conspiracies—the lies, damn lies, and Trump lies on Covid-19.

Had his diehard supporters been coviderate, the trumped-up stories concocted or tweeted by the ex-president would have been trashed straightaway, thus preventing thousands of infections and deaths.

by MathPlus June 16, 2021

Mask Mania

When people blindly or religiously follow the directives of the authorities to wear a face mask at all times, as two barriers are debatably better than one—the sick person wears one, and the well person also wears one to protect themselves and others regardless of where they are in public at any time of the day, and whether they are alone or not.

Are these examples of mask mania? Cab drivers sitting in car by themselves wearing masks. People walking their dogs outdoors wearing masks, and nobody near them. People wearing masks at home, because they want to protect their pets.

by MathPlus June 16, 2021