Preparing Norc, no, Eldo for a life of college debauchery. Though it won't exactly be college; the grad school version of debauchery being far more refined.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:You know me Norc all for more buckie drinkers in the world- but theres truth to buckie that has to be understood too as the Scothobbits average lifespan can testify to- so just dont make the mistake of thinking because its legal and acceptable its safer- its not its probably worse. Even in terms of mental health- not to mention domestic violence.
And regards weed as a gateway drug there is no real logic to that- most addicts of hard drugs started of on alchol or cigarrettes or pharmacuticals- all legal drugs.
Drink sure, party, have fun, just always take it seriously enough though to know what it is.

Eldo- what's the legal age for drinking where you are?

no, i don't mean that because it's legal, it's safe. I mean because it's legal one drink with people one know, parents, close friends, it's not a tabu and therefor it doesn't get out of control that easy. You get kind of used to it. And I am not saying it is safe in any way, I'm just saying one doesn't get this "wowzer-everthing-is-legal-let's-get-really-pissed" shock.

Eldorion wrote:

Norc wrote:at least alchohol isn't all that hush-hush and can be done in controlled situations.

LOOOOOL

Maybe it's different in places where the drinking age is lower.

hehe, maybe

Pettytyrant101 wrote:21, same as the rest of America.- Eldo

Ahh I thought it was different state to state.
Seems way to old- its 18 here but I ordered my first pint at a bar aged 14- I was a regular in two local pubs by 16/17.
Those were the good old days though- things are a bit stricter now and pubs less popular as super markets sell drink much cheaper so more people drink at home.

too bad the english pubs are getting fewer and fewer. we learned about them in school when we had about british society.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:
ps- it was defintely Norcs fault.

halfwise wrote:That Norc definitely is a trouble maker, no two ways about it. Plays at being sweet and innocent, but she's a schemer, is that one.

Split this Off-Topic since on further consideration it doesn't seem all that serious.

yey, a term named after me!!

What do you mean not serious Eldo? Did you read what Norc said?

"I'm just saying one doesn't get this "wowzer-everthing-is-legal-let's-get-really-pissed"

Doesn't get it- what the point of drinking if its not to first become talkative, secondly flirty, thirdly annoying, fourthly unable to control your own body, fithly sweet oblivion. Thats the point!
You dont sip buckie like a sassanach with a cup of hot tea- you get it doon yi!
First one to forget who they are and where they live wins!

What has become of Fjordian youngsters when your doing lessons and school work instead of watching Doctor Who and now I find out you dont even binge drink! Do you WANT to live to be over 45?!

I always thought the drinking age should be lowered, that way kids won't drink so much and it wouldn't seem "cool" anymore because you were allowed to do it. I'm looking into colleges myself (which ones, I'm still not entirely sure) and some for Golf!

Now this thread has reminded me that I need to start filling out applications. WHY MUST EVERYTHING GO BY SO FAST????

see, someone agrees with me.

It got split back when the original Norcing occurred but I'm all for bumping this thread, it was awesome.

Is there anyone else here currently in college though?

halfwise wrote:It's all about time management, my dear Norclet.

Yeah, I'm still working on that. I've gotten better though, I swear!

i am studying for a math test tomorrow hehe.. been doing it all day, while at the same time chatting to you guys. vectors.. (is it called that in english too?)

Yeah, we have vectors to but I don't remember much about them. I swore to myself that after Pre-Calculus I would be done with math forever (not including statistics).

I will say though that algebra has proven to be much more useful than I ever would have believed when I was learning it.

i like physics and math (when i understand it that is) very much, as you point out, it's the hey to the universe

Unfortunately(?) I already did my statistics course, but I do appreciate the advice Halfwise. The course was intended to be "statistics for social science majors", but it was sort of ruined by being taught by the worst professor I've ever had. There are only one or two others who compare to him. About 80% of class time was taken up by him copying problems from the book and writing them on the white board while explaining them with excruciating slowness. Anytime people tried to ask him questions he just stumbled around for a bit before he started writing again. The TA for the class could barely speak English (and spoke way too fast) and was apparently not in communication with the professor since during her teaching time she just covered the exact same material with very little in the way of further explanation. It's the only class I've ever been where people just walked out after they wrote their name on the sign-in sheet. This went on for a few weeks before she started passing around the sign-in sheet at the end of the class.

I don't mean to sound bitter because I don't really care that much about statistics, but that class was just horribly run.

hehe.. well, well, I only have pretty great teachers. Today our teacher got her teacher (she's taking further education) to talk to us about a baroque legend, one of the very few poets (only, in fact) who spoke nicely and warmly about northern Norway and everyday life. Petter Dass. Google him (his last name comes from Dundass which comes from Dundee in Scotland, but now it just means toilette)

halfwise wrote: A pure mathematician will never relate it to the real world

Hey now! I had some fascinating lectures on Poisson distributions that related to French criminals and German soldiers trampled by horses. It doesn't get more "real world" than that, does it?

his last name comes from Dundass which comes from Dundee in Scotland, but now it just means toilette- Norc

That makes sense, Ive been to Dundee!

halfwise wrote:Sorry about the class, Eldo. It happens. Though you probably hate statistics forever now (and to be honest, the way it's usually taught rarely creates any other reaction) if you feel you really need it you can still take a combo probability/statistics class. You might get lucky.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. It probably would be good to know more about statistics, but, well, there's a part of me that reacts viscerally to the very idea. I do appreciate hearing your perspective, though.

Halfwise is absolutely right about the statistics and probability.

Just look at the recent election. All the strategies and tactics were based on a statistical analysis of probable votes to be gleaned, and you yourself were playing with projections.

Look at Wall Street. It's all about risk analysis and futures markets.

Look at marketing.

Look at engineering.

Look at medicine.

It just goes on and on!

As computers and the internet have made almost unthinkable oceans of data available, statistical analysis of those oceans has become the new frontier.

Not that you need to be a pioneer in the field, but it's really nice to have enough of an understanding that you can recognize when you're being manipulated.

That reminds me of Mark Twain's thoughts on statistics, which I used to justify my grades in that class.

Spoiler: