Float

Float

Saturday 6 March 2010

Reason to be cynical

This is an outrage!!! What is this man! Just got back my Maths test on standard deviation and mean, etc., don't so much care for the marks but the last question was just BLASPHEMY!! I thought teachers were NOBLE and ABOVE the kind of degrading society we have, unfortunately, they are governed by social norms as much as us. "Li Keen, now they you know ah!?" FINE ok I've been optimistic, too trusting or whatever but anyway here's what happened.

The question is about this tuition teacher and his/her student's scores in I forgot what. The last sub-question was comparing two sets of mean and standard deviation derived from slightly different sets of data. The first one calculates both based on each individual student's score and the 2nd one is putting the range (like students between 60 to 70 marks all one column), so the mean will be just 65 x the frequency, it you think about it, obviously the first set of data will be more accurate (the 2nd doesnt take into account extremes in the range).

So they ask you to choose which the teacher should include in a progress report. So I put the first one cause its more accurate... However, the TEXTBOOK and the TEACHER both say the correct answer is the 2nd one because the mean is bigger and standard deviation smaller, so it shows her teaching better. IN OTHER WORDS LYING. GOSH!!! This is mathematics!! Not FALSE ADVERTISING. K its not false but isnt this the kind of business tactics that errrrrr BUSINESS TACTICIANS USE?

As it turns out, Singapore's education system is craftily teaching us to be good businessmen and possibly LAWYERS. Yes lawyers. Why lawyers? I don't know. I don't like lawyers. Lawyers suck. Ok that's enough.

Anyway today I went for Flag day. I don't need to elaborate too much, just look at this rough statistics I estimated based on whom I asked/pleaded/begged or made eye contact with.

A: Donated
B: Politely refused (Verbal/non-verbal)
C: Totally DAO/装聋作哑/Instinctively takes out phone/找借口

Hougang
Elderly (35%)...A: 60% B: 23% C: 17%
Adults (40%)...A: 59% B: 21% C: 20%
年轻人(25%)...A: 7% B: 7% C: 86%
Special mention: Cripple donated $1, two girls holding expensive looking phones, wearing jewellry and designer bags completely ignored me

Lavender
Elderly (37%)...A: 51% B: 7% C: 42%
Adults (25%)...A: 62% B: 12% C: 26%
年轻人(38%)...A: 5% B: 3% C: 92%
Special mention: Hunchback donated $1, group of 7 girls walk past me, first 6 DAO, last one "Oi come on la donate" all donated a dollar or more in the end.

Other observations: Male teenagers donated more than females though numbers still small. Males usually give stone face after I say thank you for donating.

So well, you can see the trend bah. This could possibly be like 报章报道 question lol. So now must give possible reasons. PERSONIFICATION MODE ACTIVATE!#!# I DO NOT NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP.

年轻人/Teenagers: "We're obviously richer and therefore more BOOMZ than others cause we can afford 10 EYEphones and the homeless can't, of course we shouldn't donate! Plus our hands ache when we try and take out coins because they are like in our wallet and stuff and the zipper is rustyyy you know what im sayin? SHINGZ! Why should we itch our hands for the homeless and poor discriminated ex-convicts? That's so likee... unfair SIOL!

Adults: "Argh there's a flag day volunteer standing over there, crap he's strategically stationed in front of the MRT entrance! Dang it, should I donate? Maybe if I check my smses and act like I totally didn't see him and therefore am unable to donate cause I'm obviously busy and in a hurry. Yeah I'll do that...DANG he saw me! Oh no his asking me to donate, got to rush to my business meeting hiya just give him notes if I can't find some coins and maybe he'll go away!

Elderly: "Aiyo aiyo 那个男孩那么poor thing! 整天在太阳下站,天气这么热!哎哟看他全省流汗了!这么可怜!看来我给他一笔钱吧。。。=) (Hey you know one lady so caring she even dragged me out of the hot sun into the shade =O I'm grateful though, don't know why I want act tough for lolz)

Cripples: "I understand the kind of hardships that these poor people have to go through, it is only right that I help them get back on their feet!" < I think I'm going to cry ='( so touching sia

Not my christmas tree.

2 comments:

Xtreme said...

I like Halo Wars but I think it's probably the only game better modded for the PC. Seriously, the cursor can't fly across the screen fast enough in the Xbox 360 version. It's bloody irritating. But other than the cursor problems (and maybe the lack of short-cuts, sub-group key, control group keys etc due to the controller having what, 8 buttons?) I'm fine with buying Halo Wars. I'm not sure how we can play multi-player though since fog-of-war is taken into account...

About your mathematics question, I obviously don't have the whole story, but you shouldn't get so hmm... well as in, it's normal for these things to happen (well for me) so just let it slide. Anyway, you probably got your A1 right? (x

If I see you I'd probably donate $1 as well. Or depending on the society you are representing and stuff. It also really depends on my mood =/ Anyway it's the social norm for teenagers not to donate and ironically for the elderly to donate.

I didn't think your perception of their thoughts were accurate but hey, I wouldn't know any better would I?

Oh and, that's a christmas tree? o.o

One for thing, lawyers make hell lot of money by doing 2 simple things. Debate/Argue and throw away any bit of conscience. Or that's what the stereotypes are. Lawyers are always viewed as gutless, heartless and mindless agents that serve their purpose for the incentive known as money. I'm just guessing, but it's probably due to something called "Client Confidentiality". =/

Li Keen said...

halo wars cant play mutliplayer on one xbox wat oic lolz, but neways u but reach better since its newer, saw a trailer, looks well as good as halo is ever gonna get u noe?

Its just very surprising that they would say such a thing, thought singapore education suppose teach us to be honest? 8(

Ya I know, it jus sort of confirmed it since I saw first hand.

lol DUH i wasnt being serious GOSH. u cant tell im joking me lolz. its based loosely on some very singaporeanish behavior.

No idea, lolz nethin thats temperate coniferous looks lik a christmas tree lolz.

haiyo, the steorotypes come bcuz some evil ppl use lawyers to get away wif evil deeds though there shldnt even b any arguement! The system of justice is diluted by corruption and money