Author Archives

I am entering my 21st year as a math teacher at Weston High School, the sole public high school in Weston, MA. It’s also my 44th year as a teacher altogether. In addition to my day job, I taught for 20 years at the Saturday Course in Milton, MA. I also teach at Harvard’s Crimson Summer Academy each summer; 2017 was our 14th consecutive summer.

Sometimes I work on educational software. I also read, cook, and continue building my model railroad whenever I can. For some reason I'm left with less so-called free time than would be ideal. Nevertheless, I manage to devote time to my wife, Barbara, and to our excessive number of cats as well.

• Andrew Yang

  By ljd42 on June 16, 2019

  

  It’s too bad he isn’t a very plausible candidate: look at that hat! (If you don’t recognize him, that’s Democratic candidate for president Andrew Yang.)  

• Those reviewers on Amazon are ____________ [fill in the blank]

  By ljd42 on June 15, 2019

  

  As Tom Lehrer famously said, “the reason most reviews on Amazon are so atrocious is that they were written by the people.” Actually, that’s not quite what he said. He actually said “the reason most folk songs are so atrocious is… Read More ›

• Babel

  By ljd42 on June 14, 2019

  

  Read and enjoy this book! Don’t argue: just do it. You’ll learn a lot and will have fun along the way. As the subtitle to Babel — Around the World in Twenty Languages — suggests, Dutch linguist Gaston Dorren takes us… Read More ›

• What kind of lies does he-who-shall-not-be-named tell? Bald-faced or bold-faced?

  By ljd42 on June 12, 2019

  

  “I’m starving! I haven’t been fed in days!” says William. “Just look at that face!” That’s a typical cat lie. But is it a bald-faced lie? Or even a bold-faced lie? When I was a kid, interested in both language… Read More ›

• Tones, Hmong, sounds, and spelling

  By ljd42 on June 11, 2019

  The Hmong are a well-known ethnic group, right? Well, not exactly. They’re probably not well-known to you, unless you are particularly interested in southeast Asia or happen to live in Minneapolis or Fresno, even though there are about 15 million… Read More ›

• Doing Justice

  By ljd42 on June 9, 2019

  We all know that justice is blind. “And deaf and dumb,” many a commentator has added. But what is justice, and how do we ensure that it is done? Please don’t get your knowledge of our justice system from television! Read Doing Justice: A Prosecutor’s… Read More ›

• Rationality vs. Intelligence

  By ljd42 on June 7, 2019

  What do IQ tests measure? Intelligence? Something else? Some of us think they measure how well you do on IQ tests… …and nothing else. Is that the same as intelligence? And how does intelligence differ from rationality? Read this article,… Read More ›

• Computer Lib

  By ljd42 on June 5, 2019

  

  What? A popular book about computers was published in 1974? “How is that even possible????” you ask. Computer Lib, by Ted Nelson, was indeed published in 1974, way before the World Wide Web, and it is undeniably and explicitly a popular… Read More ›

• An outstanding vocal recital by a Weston student

  By ljd42 on June 3, 2019

  Five years from now, when she’s nationally known, I’ll be able to say “I knew her when.” Yesterday I had the privilege of attending an outstanding vocal recital by Weston junior Kayla Silverman, one of my former geometry students. For… Read More ›

• Is it even possible to have an intergenerational dialogue? Is that really what we had on Wednesday?

  By ljd42 on June 2, 2019

  

  So, finally, it’s Wednesday, the last day of the reunion. (Well, the last day for me. I just don’t have the stamina to go to the afternoon session today or to hear Angela Merkel tomorrow.) Today’s symposium is an “intergenerational… Read More ›