This forum is great for the learner. What's in it for the mentors?

[mfb]

A "google satellite" image - (not as well known as Area 54 ) - of the mentor facilities in an undisclosed region.

I fear I had to remove certain classified information:

 

[TeethWhitener]

I fear I had to remove certain classified information:

View attachment 267936

What the heck is a “lightning entrance?” And why isn’t that classified?!?

 

[mfb]

After some reconsideration, here is a slightly more conservative map:

Here is that entrance on Google Maps. I think the "lightning entrance" is at the lower floor, but I don't know what that means.

 

[Tom.G]

Hmm... The mouth is OK I guess, the ears are rather lopsided, but the eyes and nose have gone searching for a better gig!

 

[phinds]

What the heck is a “lightning entrance?” And why isn’t that classified?!?

What ... you don't want to let the lightning in? That's what the mods use to recharge their batteries when they've had to deal w/ too many crackpot posts.

 

[fresh_42]

What ... you don't want to let the lightning in? That's what the mods use to recharge their batteries when they've had to deal w/ too many crackpot posts.

Yes, it is the code word for enlightening trance.

 

[Mayhem]

Teaching is a great way of testing your own understanding. Plus it is gratifying to having truly taught something to other people.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

I didn't become a teacher for the paycheck, I became a teacher to assist student learning. Contributing to PF is just another way I can do that. Sometimes I am providing help and advice that would have helped me as a student or early in my career. Sometimes I am providing help and advice I wish was more readily available to my own students and others.

 

[melissaa]

As for me, it is indeed pleasing. I may not be the smartest person ever, but I am always happy to share that knowledge I have. No matter here or somewhere else!

 

[jbriggs444]

I may not be the smartest person ever

Only one person at a time can be. It's not me either. So the odds that it's @phinds are going up.

 

[fresh_42]

Only one person at a time can be. It's not me either. So the odds that it's @phinds are going up.

I thought we decide it on regular meetings who currently is.

 

[jack action]

@fresh_42 gave the best answer to this question in another thread:

Since then I know that being forced to explain something to others (while constantly asking your self why this is true what you are just talking about) is a really good way to learn something.

 

[bhobba]

I may not be the smartest person ever

That is unimportant. What is important is we communicate the essence of what science is. School rarely does that, but here you will find people that do.

Thanks
Bill

 

[BrassOctopus]

You're just sore because Greg stopped giving you one after you licked the frosting off the whole box of cupcakes.

Zz.

Who puts frosting on a box?

 

[phinds]

Who puts frosting on a box?

Oh, you'd be surprised at the mentality of some of our mentors

 

[DaveE]

Who puts frosting on a box?

In my experience that happens on the drive home from the bakery. Something about the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Or maybe my driving skills. IDK.

 

[fresh_42]

In my experience that happens on the drive home from the bakery. Something about the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Or maybe my driving skills. IDK.

No, it has to be a physical law. Similar to the Nutella theorem: There is no way to make a Nutella sandwich without getting it on the fingers.

 

[Drakkith]

No, it has to be a physical law. Similar to the Nutella theorem: There is no way to make a Nutella sandwich without getting it on the fingers.

Something something magnetics, something something over-unity...

 

[mfb]

Nutella is a non-conservative force. It doesn't conserve clean surfaces.

 

[DrGreg]

Nutella is a non-conservative force. It doesn't conserve clean surfaces.

On the other hand, strawberry conserve is conservative.

 

[Astronuc]

strawberry conserve

I prefer the raspberry, blackberry, red and black currant, peach and apricot conserves.

 

[Astronuc]

What's in it for the mentors?

We do it for the satisfaction and camaraderie.

We also promote the scientific and evidentiary processes, objective and critical thinking, and good grammar.

 

[jbriggs444]

We do it for the satisfaction and camaraderie.

We also promote the scientific and evidentiary processes, objective and critical thinking, and good grammar.

A good grammar is one who makes peach conserves.

 

[Janus]

A good grammar is one who makes peach conserves.

Me didn't never knows my grammar.

 

[phinds]

Me didn't never knows my grammar.

YOU'RE BUSTED !

 

[Chandller]

Along with helping countless students out and keeping people coming here so our like minds have a great place to congregate, I would think it allows the mentors an opportunity to, "Sharpen their various axes," so-to-speak.

P.S. Someone, henceforth, has to make a new Cupcake award.

 

[phinds]

Along with helping countless students out and keeping people coming here so our like minds have a great place to congregate, I would think it allows the mentors an opportunity to, "Sharpen their various axes," so-to-speak.

If you are implying (or saying directly) that you think the mentors have professional or scientific axes to grind, you are mistaken and seriously misunderstand the site. People are here to learn, not to attempt to force their point of view on others.

 

[Chandller]

If you are implying (or saying directly) that you think the mentors have professional or scientific axes to grind, you are mistaken and seriously misunderstand the site. People are here to learn, not to attempt to force their point of view on others.

phinds, a little jumpy there, my friend? That is neither what I am saying, nor implying, directly or otherwise. Maybe, "Polish their various tools," would have been better. My analogy of, "Sharpen their various axes," was to express that it gives the mentors an opportunity to address and help students/learners with different areas of Mathematics, Physics, etc. and by doing so it makes them have to look back over topics they may have not covered over in a while, there by, keeping the various branches of their given subject , their "axes," sharp in their minds.

Maybe, "Polish their various tools," would have been better. However, I prefer, axes. As the famous Paul Halmos said, when speaking on how to address Mathematics, "Don't just read it; Fight it!"

If I'm going into a fight, I'll go with the axe.

 

[Chandller]

phinds, a little jumpy there, my friend? That is neither what I am saying, nor implying, directly or otherwise. Maybe, "Polish their various tools," would have been better. My analogy of, "Sharpen their various axes," was to express that it gives the mentors an opportunity to address and help students/learners with different areas of Mathematics, Physics, etc. and by doing so it makes them have to look back over topics they may have not covered over in a while, there by, keeping the various branches of their given subject (their "axes,) Sharp in their minds.

Further, why would I say that the Mentor's are, "Helping countless students out," in one breath and then suggesting and/or accusing them of having, "professional or scientific axes to grind," in another?

 

[Stephen Tashi]

I was wondering why "learned" people who have degrees in physics, mathematics, and other fields of science take the time to answer stranger's questions on the internet?

Confining questions you consider to questions that you yourself ask is, for most people, a significant limitation on the scope of thought.

 

[phinds]

That is neither what I am saying, nor implying, directly or otherwise. Maybe, "Polish their various tools," would have been better.

Sounds like the whole thing hinges on usage / interpretation. I seem to have incorrectly interpreted "sharpening axes" as "axes to grind" which is not what you meant. Sorry.

 

[symbolipoint]

Along with helping countless students out and keeping people coming here so our like minds have a great place to congregate, I would think it allows the mentors an opportunity to, "Sharpen their various axes," so-to-speak.

P.S. Someone, henceforth, has to make a new Cupcake award.

Congregate? Not so sure. Just a way to think on and promote some academic knowledge and exercise writing and thinking skills. Unfortunately, no laboratory connected with the forum.

Cupcake? Now someone will supply his own laboraotry (a kitchen can be a laboratory, right?).

 

[symbolipoint]

Along with helping countless students out and keeping people coming here so our like minds have a great place to congregate, I would think it allows the mentors an opportunity to, "Sharpen their various axes," so-to-speak.

P.S. Someone, henceforth, has to make a new Cupcake award.

Notice very well, said was "sharpen their various axes." We should not change that to "axes to grind" which although literally is the same thing more or less, it carries connotation of complaining or expressing frustration or irritation.

 

[phinds]

Notice very well, said was "sharpen their various axes." We should not change that to "axes to grind" which although literally is the same thing more or less, it carries connotation of complaining or expressing frustration or irritation.

Not in my experience. The phrase "axes to grind" means having an agenda to promote (and promoting it). I have never heard it used with the connotations you attribute to it.

Also, see post #66

 

[symbolipoint]

Not in my experience. The phrase "axes to grind" means having an agenda to promote (and promoting it). I have never heard it used with the connotations you attribute to it.

Also, see post #66

I have heard it used on rare occasions but never myself learned to use it. I did not fully enough understand it. For sure it ain't in my idiolect.

This article almost helps: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Miner