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Be skeptical of everything, even (and especially) your own belief set.

There's a penalty afforded those with the ability to process information most efficiently. There is certainly some merciful bliss afforded the ignorant, but all a blind person wishes for is to see. Charlie Gordon of Flowers for Algernon didn't like everything he could see at the peak of his mental proficiency.

That's all we need, providing everyone with still more access to ancient text.

Two Paragraph spoiler summary if you want the CliffNotes version.

Assuming you do it correctly, you should be able to twiddle the brain's reward systems so as to produce sensations more pleasurable and fulfilling than any lesser stimulus.

That sounds like one of the myriad benefits, to me...

Depends on your definition of "correctly". Based on the rest of your comment then perhaps the Olds' experiments with rats would be ideal:

In 1954, James Olds and Peter Milner discovered that a rat would press a bar to receive a brief impulse of electricity through an electrode implanted in certain areas of the brain. Although it was known that such stimulation in other areas of the brain could produce motivated behaviors of eating, drinking, sexual behavior, or aggression (and that lesions of the brain could produce the converse behaviors), it now appeared that psychologists had discovered a "brain reward" system. The ESB was serving as a reinforcer. Rats bar pressed at rapid rates for 15 to 20 hours until exhausted in order to receive the stimulation. During the process, they ignored food or water, and rat mothers ignored their pups.

I'm libertarian, so I believe it would be your right to choose to pay to implant something like this if you were to make a fully informed, mentally competent decision to do so.

However, I wouldn't want this: every other addiction has some form of intrinsic rate-limiting effect; be it passing out/hangovers for alcohol, male refractory periods for sex, dopamine receptor changes for cocaine, etc, etc. The "correct" implementation of something like this would have no such impediment to instant, ultimate junkie status.

"Again you paste irrelevant links" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @09:12PM (#31042406)

These look pretty relevant here, & especially vs. your errors here quoted directly beneath them:

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http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1535998&cid=31025686

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

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HILARIOUS - Per what's in my 'P.S.' below? Well - IT IS INCORRECT/BAD GRAMMAR TO START SENTENCES WITH THE CONJUNCTION "AND" IN PROPER ENGLISH!

So, get over it. You messed up, laughingly trying to tell me "how to write" and yet messing up hugely yourself on that very account!

And, to what you said? Yea, ok (b.s.)... "Sure, sure" (sarcasm). You just made the exact same mistakes 2 times here as the "AC 'writing critique slinging troll'" -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986 , and I am not supposed to think you are he? Beg to differ!

(Who do you think you are fooling here, other than yourself?)

APK

P.S.=> Learn these facts below, on PROPER ENGLISH (not "ebonics" english), & on how to write properly + especially before you go and try to tell others how to write well (especially a college grad like myself who also scored a 770 SAT verbal score (near perfect)):

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"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

----

apk

"You may be in elementary school, but I don't recall myself being." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @07:31PM (#31041588)

The CORRECT PHRASE FOR THE BOLDED PART ABOVE would be "but I don't recall myself being in elementary school"...

You clearly have a problem with writing sentence FRAGMENTS... and your grammar has problems too (more evidences of that are below, quoted in YOUR OWN WORDS no less). Read on:

Oh - By the by, I am not in elementary school. I have actually completed collegiate degrees and am further doing so again on yet more (2 courses away now/less than a full semester).

Additionally, in order for myself to even get there in the first place, I scored an almost PERFECT "english section" of the SAT (at 770/800 mind you).

So please - get over yourself already, as you have screwed up too many times here in English writing period!

More evidences of those errors on your part?

Ok, here goes:

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http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

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HILARIOUS - YOU DO NOT START SENTENCES WITH THE CONJUNCTION "AND" IN PROPER ENGLISH!

(So, on that erroneous note of yours? Well - what did you do yet again later? Read on):

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http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1535998&cid=31025686

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

----

Yea, ok (b.s.)... "Sure, sure" (sarcasm). You just made the exact same mistakes 2 times here as the "AC 'writing critique slinging troll'", and I am not supposed to think you are he? Beg to differ!

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"I do not hold PHD in English" - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

Dearest "AC writing critique slinging troll":

The correct phrase above would be "I do not hold a PHD in English" (note the "a")?

LMAO!

----

(Who do you think you are fooling here, other than yourself?)

APK

P.S.=> Learn these facts below, on PROPER ENGLISH (not "ebonics" english), & on how to write properly + especially before you go and try to tell others how to write well (especially a college grad like myself who also scored a 770 SAT verbal score (near perfect)):

"Like the above quote states, it is used in elementary school so that kids learn to write complete sentences and don't generate a habit of using conjunction in beginning of sentence. It doesn't mean there wouldn't be places where the correct use of it is appropriate." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @07:31PM (#31041588)

Oh, really? These evidences clearly tend to state QUITE otherwise:

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"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" -

"And I never said your posts were impossible to read, I just said it was hard and frustrating to read them because of the formatting and use of & , @ and unnecessary" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @07:06PM (#31041386)

I have a simple solution for you then: Don't read my posts then (pretty simple). Nobody's "twisting your arm" to do so, after all!

----

"This is why I usually tend to jump past your posts, but wanted to point it out this time." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @07:06PM (#31041386)

Per my subject-line above? Well, I have to point out YOUR blatant errors then, despite your arrogance in attempting to tell others "how to write" or "what good writing style is", when you cannot manage it yourself (per this evidence thereof):

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"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

----

That's what? 3 or 4:1 as a the ratio in favor of my pointing out to you that starting sentences with a conjunction is indeed, BAD ENGLISH... & yet you have the nerve to tell others how to write?? Please...

APK

P.S.=>

"You also conveniently left off this part:" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @06:45PM (#31041218)

Sure, kind of like how you left out the OVERWHELMING BODY OF EVIDENCE ABOVE I USED? Sure, because you made that very same mistake here 2 times now:

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http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

----

HILARIOUS - YOU DO NOT START SENTENCES WITH THE CONJUNCTION "AND" IN PROPER ENGLISH!

(So, on that erroneous note of yours? Well - what did you do yet again later? Read on):

----

http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1535998&cid=31025686

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

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Yea, ok (b.s.)... "Sure, sure" (sarcasm). You just made the exact same mistakes 2 times here as the "AC 'writing critique slinging troll'", and I am not supposed to think you are he? Beg to differ!

(Who do you think you are fooling here, other than yourself?)

All in YOU trying to tell others "how to write", & failing to do it correctly yourself (as you clearly do not write English well yourself per the examples above which are quotes of YOUR OWN WORDS no less. Additionally you possess no PHD in English either to your name establishing you as an expert in English either (while you are admittedly "off topic" the entire time here too, lol)...

Give us a break! apk

"That's because starting a sentence with an "and" is not grammatically incorrect " - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @06:45PM (#31041218)

Oh, really? All of this tends to prove QUITE otherwise:

----

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

----

APK

P.S.=>

"You also conveniently left off this part:" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @06:45PM (#31041218)

Sure, kind of like how you left out the OVERWHELMING BODY OF EVIDENCE ABOVE I USED? Sure, because you made that very same mistake here 2 times now:

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http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

----

HILARIOUS - YOU DO NOT START SENTENCES WITH THE CONJUNCTION "AND" IN PROPER ENGLISH!

(So, on that erroneous note of yours? Well - what did you do yet again later? Read on):

----

http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1535998&cid=31025686

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

----

Yea, ok (b.s.)... "Sure, sure" (sarcasm). You just made the exact same mistakes 2 times here as the "AC 'writing critique slinging troll'", and I am not supposed to think you are he? Beg to differ!

(Who do you think you are fooling here, other than yourself?)

All in YOU trying to tell others "how to write", & failing to do it correctly yourself (as you clearly do not write English well yourself per the examples above which are quotes of YOUR OWN WORDS no less. Additionally you possess no PHD in English either to your name establishing you as an expert in English either (while you are admittedly "off topic" the entire time here too, lol)...

Give us a break! apk

See my subject-line above, & realize that this:

"In the 1700s it was perfectly acceptable to start sentences with a conjunction. And it is becoming increasingly prevalent again now" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @05:13PM (#31040280)

This is not the 1700's, and the literacy rates, ESPECIALLY TODAY? Not good, see here:

Why is the literacy rate going down in the United States?

http://www.literacynews.com/2010/01/why-is-the-literacy-rate-going-down-in-the-united-states/

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Perhaps because a foreign born person is at the wheel in academia now, like yourself, using incorrect grammar as you have?

Bottom-line here, is this: CORRECT ENGLISH SENTENCES DO NOT BEGIN WITH A CONJUNCTION LIKE THE WORD "AND"... get it?

(or doesn't the bulk of this information below tend to back me on that much??)

----

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

----

Yes, the majority of that does tend to back me, & I actually got a 770 on my SAT to get into college (which I graduated from no less, & working on yet another degree to my name now as we speak no less).

Much more seems to gravitate my direction, and it illustrates that what you wrote is NOT CORRECT ENGLISH, period.

APK

P.S.=> So, what did you do here, and here earlier also in attempting to troll me (which you admit you are off topic on to begin with here no less)? Ok:

http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986

Yes, it's obvious that you're the same "AC 'writing critique' slinging troll" who STARTED A SENTENCE WITH A CONJUCTION NO LESS there in the URL above - whom YOU said you were not HE, & that's clearly b.s. period.

Funniest part is, you did the SAME MISTAKE HE DID, right here in this very exchange as well:

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link."

Please - don't attempt to tell others how to write, and don't try to tell us that "ebonics style english" is correct, when the bulk of the evidence I produce above states QUITE CLEARLY OTHERWISE.

Especially when you don't write well yourself, per your mistakes above in starting sentences with a conjunction, using "And" on your part!

(All that, & despite your stating you cannot read my posts? Well, you do an AWFUL GOOD JOB RESPONDING TO EACH POINT I MAKE, "isn't that odd" (sarcasm/NOT)... so who do you think you are kidding? Not I, or anyone else reading, you "AC writing critique slining troll", rotflmao)... apk

"Like I said, English isn't my main language, and forgetting things like "a" is quite an easy thing to do because we do not have such in our language." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @01:27PM (#31037222)

NO, you actually said you write better English than I do, right here ->

"but I still manage to write better English than you)." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

No, you clearly do not, as you begin sentences with a conjunction which is a huge mistake grammatically no less...

It is also QUITE FUNNY HOW YOU NOW ALSO SEEM TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING I WRITE AS WELL TOO ("funny that", eh? NOT!)

And, you said you were NOT the "AC writing critique slinging troll" who bothered me before here on the EXACT SAME THING (telling me "what good writing style is" etc. et al) here -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986

He's the same one who STARTED A SENTENCE WITH A CONJUCTION NO LESS - whom YOU said you were not HE. Funniest part is, you did the SAME MISTAKE HE DID, right here in this very exchange as well:

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

CORRECT ENGLISH SENTENCES DO NOT BEGIN WITH A CONJUNCTION LIKE THE WORD "AND"... get it?

----

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

----

Do you think I believe you at this point? Do you think ANYONE READING HERE BELIEVES YOU OR ANYTHING YOU SAY BY THIS POINT??

(Once more: Who do you think you are fooling, other than yourself???)

All in all, I must actually THANK you... why? For proving that your admittedly OFF TOPIC TROLLING has gotten the better of you, in your attempting to tell me "how t write" you only show how poorly your write this language yourself, and that's you're nobody to take seriously in your 'writing critiques' you sling here is all.

APK

P.S.=>

"However the point here is that your text is really hard to read. I do not need to hold any English master to say it." - - by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 05, @01:27PM (#31037222)

Again - it's rather "odd" (not) how you can read everything I write and respond to it well enough (grammatical mistakes & all on your part nonetheless), isn't it? Not. So... Here's a piece of advice, for you:

LEARN TO READ THIS LANGUAGE THEN, AND BEFORE TELLING ANYONE HOW TO WRITE WELL IN IT - you don't do a good job of it anyhow, on writing it yourself, per the examples thereof above, and TRY TO STAY "ON TOPIC", please. I say that, because as you can see?? Your off topic trolling only ended up making you w

"I do not hold PHD in English" - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

Dearest "AC writing critique slinging troll":

The correct phrase above would be "I do not hold a PHD in English" (note the "a")?

LMAO!

APK

P.S.=> You sure you want to keep telling ME how to write correctly, troll? You did a horrible job of that here too -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986 where you tried to tell me "how to write" and "what good writing style is" (inclusive of stating you were a professional writer no less too, lol (NOT)), and what did you do there?

YOU DID THE SAME THING HERE, LOL, as you did there, only once more here, again:

"And no, I'm not the other AC that commented about your writing style in the link." - by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04, @02:31PM (#31025686)

CORRECT ENGLISH SENTENCES DO NOT BEGIN WITH A CONJUNCTION LIKE THE WORD "AND"... get it?

----

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

----

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward",

ROTFLMAO! Ah... you're just "too, Too, TOO EASY" to get the better of in debate intellectually, and moreso based on your blatant lack of a mastery of proper written english (and, yet you have the NERVE to try to tell others like myself, college graduates (770 on my SAT in English by the by), how to write? Please, you're making my stomach hurt I am laughing so hard by this point)... apk

Per my subject-line above? Yet another screwup, as BOOBY (bobintetley (643462)) has FINALLY given himself away as the "dude troll" who stalks me around here.

FIRST PERTINENT EVIDENCE THEREOF (his constant use of the slang phrase "dude" as he uses here in his first reply to me here -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&threshold=-1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&cid=30721040 :

"Dude, the regular perl script has fewer funky symbols than your post. You may or may not have a good point, it's hard to tell with all that noise in your posts. Hint: Stop using & all the time, there is a regular word you can use instead. 'and'. See? Wasn't that hard to type." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @04:26AM (#30721040)

LOL, now comes the FUNNY part, where he lies about being some PROFESSIONAL WRITER, & got his ass shot down first in his not having a PHD in English, but after his statements of being a "pro writer", lol... HE MADE A GRADE SCHOOLER'S LEVEL ERROR IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR (by starting a sentence with a conjunction, in the word "AND"):

====

http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30729986

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer...)

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... apk

====

Keep stalking me you twisted little freak "Booby"?

Well, then I will just keep shooting you down with your OWN BLATANT SCREWUPS, & lies exposed easily!

APK

P.S.=> Again - "too, Too, TOO EASY"++... apk

http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1505462&cid=30726518

Straight from that URL above, lol, is where this "allegedly professional writer" troll was critiquing me on 'writing style' & what did that outright screwup troll do? LOL: He got "taken down", right on his ballcourt (supposedly, but after what's below, we all know it was a line of b.s., including his running when I asked he his real name &/or books he supposedly wrote etc. et al):

----

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html [english-test.net]

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html [english-test.net]

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html [cliffsnotes.com]

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but [suite101.com]

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer...)

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... apk

----

Now, the REAL beauty of his f-up here? Well, the next time (and there will be one, these nothing to lose (because they haven't done anything notable whatsoever) trolls always come back for more) this 'professional writer (not) troll' tries to "critique my writing" again?

LMAO, I'll just toss this one RIGHT INTO THAT SAME ANONYMOUS TROLL'S FACE... and trust me, it WILL be a pleasure!

APK

P.S.=> Me? I LOVE IT... lol! Thanks troll, for being the PERFECT SCREWUP you always are... more ammo for me, provided by you! apk

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer... but you certainly ARE an OFF TOPIC TROLL, & most likely a liar about your alleged "professional writer" status, because when I asked your name or books of note you have written? YOU RAN, lmao... Utterly hilarious!)

Heh, I "took you out" on YOUR alleged ballcourt too, WITH EASE... too easy.

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... & of course? My usual "too, Too, TOO EASY!"... lol! apk

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer... but you certainly ARE an OFF TOPIC TROLL, & most likely a liar about your alleged "professional writer" status, because when I asked your name or books of note you have written? YOU RAN, lmao... Utterly hilarious!)

Heh, I "took you out" on YOUR alleged ballcourt too, WITH EASE...

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... & of course? My usual "too, Too, TOO EASY!"... lol! apk

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer... but you certainly ARE an OFF TOPIC TROLL, & most likely a liar about your alleged "professional writer" status, because when I asked your name or books of note you have written? YOU RAN, lmao...)

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... & of course? My usual "too, Too, TOO EASY!"... lol! apk

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html [english-test.net]

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html [english-test.net]

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html [cliffsnotes.com]

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but [suite101.com]

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer...)

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... apk

"And no, I don't have a PhD, but I do know spelling, grammar, and usage much better than you do, apparently." - by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 11, @08:42AM (#30722214)

"The rule against starting sentences with and, but or because is a hypercorrection teachers insist on in elementary school so that kids don't stay in the habit of writing fragments" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"I remember learning in grade school that this was absolutely out of the question" - http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic7888.html

"Novice writers should be especially careful not to begin sentence fragments with conjunctions." - http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/Is-it-okay-to-begin-a-sentence-with-and-.id-305408,articleId-27216.html

"Formal alternatives to 'and', include words such as 'furthermore', 'moreover' and 'additionally" - http://languagestyle.suite101.com/article.cfm/grammar_starting_a_sentence_with_or_and_or_but

Want more, Mr. "Truly Anonymous Coward", who claimed to be a professional writer above?

(No way you are a professional writer...)

APK

P.S.=> "Judge not, lest YE be judged"... apk

Heh. Reminds me of when Huck Finn disguised himself as a girl and was detected by the old lady dropping a ball in his lap.

Perfect place for Cliffs notes ads, eh?

"Next test, use our notes and suck less!"

*snicker*

Children don't develop certain reasoning and memorization skills until certain ages, not because they're stupid, but because their brains haven't physically developed to the point where it's possible for them to do it. While the age where a child abruptly develops various cognitive skills varies from child to child, an average kid below the age of 12 or so possesses almost no abstract reasoning skills whatsoever.

"School-age children are limited to thinking concretely--in tangible, definite, exact, and uni-directional terms--based on real and concrete experiences rather than on abstractions." Source (yeah, yeah, Cliff's notes, but this is Psych 101 stuff.)

You can't tell a seven year to "suck it up" and perform a task her brain simply can't yet handle. It's completely ridiculous.

Um, didn't you just describe Cliffs Notes?

Aw, c'mon. The vignettes on eating Cap'n Crunch and the aphrodisiacal effects of granny-grade furniture are pure genius. Clearly Stephenson has far too many ideas to fit them all into the real flow of the narrative, so he takes the odd sidetrack. I like that--I enjoy these diversions immensely and hope he doesn't stop.

Check here or here for books that maybe more your speed.

>K

There are "for Dummies" books that cover many of the topics you've listed. I was never fond of them, but you may want to take a look at them.

The biggest problem when you're undertaking a self-study endeavour is that most books that are available are either
- Very specialized topics (What does pi mean?)
- Refresher-course books (Lots of problems, few explanations)

The specialized topics books - commonly reviewed in magazines such as Scientific American - are fun to read, but I'm not sure if they serve the purpose of what you're seeking.

How much of algebra do you know? If you can look through the table of contents of a textbook for Algebra I and II and are confident in all the topics, then I'd move on to geometry/trigonometry before calculus.

Also, keep in mind that conceptual physics texts are divided between algebra-based and calculus-based reasoning. Take whichever you're more comfortable with.

Some 'refresher-course' books that will come in handy with the conceptual books that others may suggest:
Schaum's Outlines
Research & Education Association's Problem Solvers series
CliffsNotes and SparkNotes

Or maybe they went to the city and got themselves a puter and a book, windows for dummies cliff notes edition

The FOR DUMMIES® series books and the CLIFFS NOTES® series books are published by the same publisher. Thus, in a way, all FOR DUMMIES® books can be considered CLIFFS NOTES® edition.

Brought to you by DORD. Buy DORD stuff at ThinkGeek

Are Cliff Notes illegal yet??
Wouldn't this be a precedent?

After the sixth grade, however, I think social interactivity simply takes over. Kids typically begin to show interest in the opposite sex around this time. They begin to struggle with deeper issues related to maturing physically, mentally, spiritually. They aren't going to receive theorems and rules for comma usage like they would have before. For me, everything between the seventh and twelveth grades was circumstantial education where some topical introductions to trade skills or apprenticeships could have been beneficial.

It is for this very reason that I thank Cliff Hillegas, creator of Cliff's Notes for helping me buy needed time away from the curriculum. I was asked to read Bronte's Wuthering Heights and James' The American at the same time I was discovering my penis. And English was my favorite subject! Seriously. I graduated from college with a degree in English. How was I supposed to maintain an interest in sappy literature and the Pythagorean theorem when girls were walking around with tits all of the sudden?!

No, there's simply a point when formulae and dipthongs fade into the background and an interest in people pegs our attention. Even if you hate people, people are the fascination, and that's where creative, enlightened interests should be focused. We're doing ourselves a disservice locking down kids in classrooms when they should be out engaging the public and discovering what it's going to take to make it in a field or fields of interest.

And FYI, I recently bought a copy of James' The American, gave it an earnest read, and I liked it. I have several "important" works of literature on my shelves now, and I've rekindled my interest in geometry at least since I've started drawing for fun. Time well spent.