Noesis

The Journal of the Mega Society

June 2004 Issue 170

Officers

Editor and Publisher: Ron Yannone

189 Ash Street #2

Nashua, NH 03060

Administrator: Jeff Ward

13155 Wimberly Square

San Diego, CA 92128

Internet Officer: Kevin Langdon

P.O. Box 795

Berkeley, CA 94701

Founder: Ronald K. Hoeflin

P.O. Box 539

New York, NY 10101

no·e·sis – Greek Þ understanding – to perceive. Psychology Þ the cognitive process

The Mega Society was founded in 1982 and has been documented in the GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS during the 1980s as the most exclusive society. Mega means million and denotes the one-in-a-million status of its members. Presently, the only viable adult-level admissions test is the Titan Test, developed by its founder, Ron Hoeflin – where 43/48 correct answers corresponds to the minimum accepted IQ level of 176. See www.megasociety.org Since its GUINNESS “distinction” in the 1980’s, the Mega Society with its 99.9999 percentile member status, remains “the most elite ultra-high IQ Society.”

Editorial Introduction to NOESIS Issue #170 – June 2004

By the time readers receive Noesis issue #170, it’ll be close to July. To get our mindset in tune, we exude our Patriotic Flair – and wish our Nation – The United States of America – a hearty Happy Birthday! – July 4^th 1776 . . . “. . . one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” I hope our readers from England and Australia will celebrate with us!

We want to extend a Happy Birthday to Bill Corley over in Texas! Bill is engaged in an exciting part of his life – and the avid readers of Noesis want to wish you all the best! If there is something you feel the members of the Mega Society can do to lighten your load, please send your requests to the editor – and he can present them to our readers. Bill sent the following encouraging email on May 28, 2004:

“You are doing a terrific job as editor. Sorry I'm not contributing more, but this is the most creative phase and busiest time of my life. Plus, with 4 daughters, I just had a grandson here for 5 day, etc. It's terrific to be 60 (on June 12 to be celebrated in the Caribbean) and still feel 35. . . . I'll eventually get you a biography (and picture of townhouse). As for other stuff, I'm now using LaTeX for all my papers. Many journals demand it.” Godspeed! Bill Corley

In this patriotic issue, we first present the Declaration of Independence. We hope our readers will contemplate the many sacrifices made by our Forefathers to secure INDEPENDENCE for our Nation.

We next list the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Take a moment to visualize these pioneers – and the era in which they lived.

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Here, the editor selects photographs of some former Presidents of the United States of America. We have nothing to fear for the future, lest we forget the past, and remember the way in which God has led us.

To get the brain cells churning, we next present famous quotes by different U.S. presidents. Here we team with Bryan Curtis – the editor of the book used.

Hot topics were raised in March Noesis issue #167. Two of these are the war in IRAQ and same-sex marriage. Both topics bombard us daily via diverse media. The editor presents one view of the same-sex marriage issue. He invites other views.

“All work and no play can make Jack a dull boy” – so here we present some jokes and puns the editor recalls during his life. May these quips bring a chuckle to your countenance.

Back to our patriotic theme, we present the Star-Spangled Banner – by Francis Scott Key. Contemplating the historical setting brings a lump to one’s throat.

Next, we revert back to mental stimulation for our young and novice readers – with recreational problems by Michael Holt.

Bill Corley provided his 2003 DIRTY DOZEN exercise set for more mental stimulation. Mega Society member Eric Erlandson will be in his glory – and the editor requests that Eric develop an intriguing set of mathematical recreations for an exciting forthcoming issue of Noesis.

Next, among the many exciting products provided by Dr. Layman E. Allen’s WFF ‘N PROOF website, one item is the topological puzzle by J. R. O’Neil. We present this puzzle on paper, and provide the ‘800’ number to order it as well.

Back to the light side, we present a few chess jokes. We welcome your favorites for publication!

We next move to a serious technical area – that of language translation to thwart terrorism – and the 9/11 saga. We tap Michael Erard, and his article that appeared in a recent MIT Technology Review magazine issue.

Next, we present an excellent book on practical engineering math applications for our children’s stimulation – by teaming with Holbrook Horton. Our avid readers would also greatly benefit from reading through this book!

Next, we present a condensed sample of the fascinating Wonderlic Personnel Test by Wonderlic, Inc. More than 120 million people at thousands of organizations worldwide have taken the 12-minute, 50-question test.

By request of Ron Hoeflin, we present an article in memory of the late Dr. Lewis Aiken on commercially available performance tests. Dr. Aiken is author of about 10 books in areas that span psychometrics.

Next, we move into futuristic robotics research for the U.S. Army – engaged by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) – with prize money that even our creative readers can consider winning – DARPA’s “Grand Challenge”!

The editor is a lover of WWII history and as such – the exciting article on The Secret in Building 26 will captivate readers – young and old.

We next present a reply article to Brian Schwartz’ articles on psychometric testing and the SAT (Noesis #169) prepared by Mega Society’s Internet officer, Kevin Langdon.

The editor likes Fibonacci numbers and shares a fantastic, award-winning website by Ron Knott – aimed at all levels of mathematical ability.

Along the lines of the previous article, we share the intriguing Fibonacci Journal by Gerald E. Bergum (editor). We add a few exercises that appeared in earlier issues to spark your brain cells.

Next, we return to our patriotic flair by paying tribute to the late President Ronald Reagan. Here, David von Drehle’s article is the source of the warm sentiments presented. The editor vividly recalls President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), or Star Wars, program.

The editor next shares some of his favorite nursery rhymes – with the hope that readers will develop complementary mathematical nursery rhymes – that can be used to instill a love for mathematics in children.

The editor presents a rendition of Ron’s MATH-O-DAY for the upcoming American holiday. The last one the editor prepared was in the late 1980s.

We close this patriotic issue with The Man of Few Words.

STATISTICS for June Noesis issue #170: 719 revisions; 25 hours actual editing time (at the PC); approximately 21,000 words; and over a 1000 paragraphs.

NOESIS Journal – June 2004 – Issue #170

CONTENTS
#	TITLE	AUTHOR	PAGE
1	July 4^th – Independence Day	Forefathers	5
2	Signer’s of the Declaration of Independence	Forefathers	8
3	Some of America’s Well-Appreciated Presidents	Editor	9
4	Name that President	Editor/Bryan Curtis	10
5	Same-Sex Marriage – A Biblical and Sympathetic View	Editor	14
6	The Pledge of Allegiance	Forefathers	17
7	Simple Math Quickies for Young and Novice Readers	Editor/Mike Holt	17
8	On the Light Side	Editor	18
9	The Star-Spangled Banner	Francis Scott Key	19
10	Simple Math Quickies for Young and Novice Readers - continued	Editor/Mike Holt	20
11	Name that President - Answers	Editor/Bryan Curtis	21
12	Puzzles – DIRTY DOZEN	Bill Corley	24
13	Simple Math Quickies for Young and Novice Readers - Answers	Editor/Mike Holt	28
14	Chess-Lover Jokes	Editor	28
15	A Topological Puzzle	J. R. O’Neil	29
16	Solicitation for Foreign Language Translation Ideas	Editor/Mike Erard	30
17	DIRTY DOZEN - answers	Bill Corley	32
18	Practical Engineering Applications of Math for Children	Editor/Horton	35
19	Wonderlic Personnel Test^TM (WPT^TM)	Editor/Wonderlic Inc.	36
20	Commercially Available Performance Tests	Dr. Lewis R. Aiken	39
21	DARPA’s Dust-busters – “Grand Challenge”	Jean Kumagai	41
22	The Secret in Building 26	DeBrosse/Burke	42
23	Reply to Brian Schwartz' Articles on Psychometric Testing and the SAT in Noesis #169	Kevin Langdon	45
24	Fibonacci Numbers	Editor/Ron Knott	51
25	About the Fibonacci Quarterly	Gerald E. Bergum	52
26	President Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004)	David von Drehle	57
27	Some of my Favorite Nursery Rhymes	Editor	58
28	Ron’s MATH-O-DAY	Editor	60
29	The Man of Few Words	Editor	61
30	Ron’s MATH-O-DAY - solution	Editor	62

July 4^th – Independence Day

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The Signers of the Declaration Represented

the New States as follows:

New Hampshire:

Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:

John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:

Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:

Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:

William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:

Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:

Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:

Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:

Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:

George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:

William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:

Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:

Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Some of America’s Well-Appreciated Presidents

Abraham Lincoln, kind and good, honored and loved by many. To help us remember this president, we put his face on our penny!

Name that President

by Editor and Bryan Curtis

Material from a bargain book at Barnes & Noble – Bryan Curtis, editor of “A Call to America – Inspiring and Empowering Quotations from the Presidents of the United States,” Rutledge Hill Press, 2002, ISBN 1-55853-996-4

1. Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. _______
2. Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all. _______
3. Old minds are like old horses: you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order. _______
4. Genius is sorrow’s child. _______
5. When angry, count to ten before you speak. If very angry, a hundred. _______
6. Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain Security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. _______
7. It is universally admitted that a well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people. _______
8. The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals. _______
9. A little flattery will support a man through great fatigue. _______
10. Duty is ours; results are God’s. _______
11. Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air. _______
12. One man with courage makes a majority. _______
13. I hope and trust to meet you in Heaven, both white and black – both white and black. ___
14. Ignorance and vice breed poverty which was as immutable as the seasons. _______
15. A decent and manly examination of the acts of government should not only be tolerated, but encouraged. _______
16. I can never consent to being dictated to. _______
17. No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure. _______
18. It would be judicious to act with magnanimity towards a prostrate foe. _______
19. We should act to other countries as we wish them to act towards us. _______
20. I had not the advantage of a classical education, and no man should, in my judgment, accept a degree he cannot read. _______
21. The stars upon your banner have become nearly threefold their original number; your densely populated possessions skirt the shores of the two great oceans. _______
22. What sir, prevent the American people from crossing the Rocky Mountains? You might as well command Niagara not to flow. We must fulfill our destiny. _______
23. I am a slow walker, but I never walk back. _______
24. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. _______
25. Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves. _______
26. The ballot is stronger than the bullet. _______
27. The goal is to strive for a poor government but a rich people. _______
28. There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword. _______
29. My policy is trust – peace, and to put aside the bayonet. _______
30. A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck. _______
31. Ideas control the world. _______
32. Men may die, but the fabrics of our free institutions remain unshaken. _______
33. The ship of democracy which has weathered all storms may sink through the mutiny of those aboard. _______
34. Officeholders are the agents of the people, not their masters. _______
35. I believe also in the American opportunity which puts the starry sky above every boy’s head, and sets his foot upon a ladder which he may climb until his strength gives out. ___
36. That’s all a man can hope for during his lifetime – to set an example – and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history. _______
37. Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. _______
38. We cannot do great deeds unless we are willing to do the small things that make up the sum of greatness. _______
39. Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage. _______
40. Anti-Semitism is a noxious weed that should be cut out. It has no place in America. ____
41. Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together. _______
42. One cool judgment is worth a thousand hasty counsels. The thing to be supplied is light, not heat. _______
43. Character is a by-product; it is produced in the great manufacture of daily duty. _______
44. Never murder a man who is committing suicide. _______
45. A regret for the mistakes of yesterday must not, however, blind us of the tasks of today. _
46. Four-fifths of all our troubles would disappear, if we would only sit down and keep still. __
47. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race._
48. Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. _______
49. If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you. _______
50. It takes a great man to be a good listener. _______
51. The durability of free speech and free press rests on the simple concept that it search for the truth and tell the truth. _______
52. When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. _______
53. The United States Constitution has proved itself the most marvelously elastic compilation of rules of government ever written. _______
54. Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own mind. _______
55. Selfishness is the only real atheism; aspiration, unselfishness, the only real religion. ____
56. The ablest man I ever met is the man you think you are. _______
57. It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. _______
58. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. _______
59. Actions are the seeds of fate. Deeds grow into destiny. _______
60. Accomplishments will prove to be a journey, not a destination. _______
61. America is best described by one word, freedom. _______
62. I’m saving the rocker for the day when I feel as old as I really am. _______
63. Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin. _______
64. The only way to win WW III is to prevent it. _______
65. Forgive our enemies, but never forget their names. _______
66. Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all. _______
67. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. _______
68. The greater our knowledge increases, the more our ignorance unfolds. _______
69. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. _______
70. Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. _______
71. Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time. _______
72. The greatest honor history can bestow is that of a peacemaker. _______
73. The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire. _______
74. If an individual wants to be a leader and isn’t controversial, that means he never stood for anything. _______
75. I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go. _______
76. We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles. _______
77. America is too great for small dreams. _______
78. Excellence demands competition. Without a race there can be no champion, no records broken, no excellence – in education or in any other walk of life. _______
79. America must remain freedom’s staunchest friend, for freedom is our best ally. _______
80. Great nations like great men must keep their word. When America says something, America means it, whether a treaty or an agreement or a vow made on marble steps. We will always try to speak clearly, for candor is a compliment, but subtlety, too, is good and has its place. _______
81. Building one America is our most important mission – “the foundation for many generations,” of every other strength we must build for this new century. Money cannot by it. Power cannot compel it. Technology cannot create it. It can only come from the human spirit. _______
82. Encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats; it is a call to conscience. And though it requires sacrifice, it brings a deeper fulfillment. _______

Same-Sex Marriage – A Biblical and Sympathetic View

by Editor

The local Nashua, NH newspaper The Telegraph headlines for Tuesday, May 18, 2004 read: “Gay weddings begin – Massachusetts becomes first state to allow same-sex marriages.” On the same page was a second article: “Hudson couple one step closer – Longtime partners get Massachusetts license, but still want recognition in NH” – relating to a male couple. In USA Today, the front-page headlines included “First Weddings Intensify Gay-Marriage Debate – Massachusetts sets stage for battles elsewhere.”

Certainly many average Americans look at a gay or lesbian couple holding hands and walking down the street as if they were aliens from another planet.

And yet compared to God’s original Garden-of-Eden, all 6-plus billion people on planet Earth are aliens in God’s eyes. When Adam and Eve sinned, the Divine plan God established began to slowly disintegrate. Over the centuries, fallen man deviated further and further away from the harmony God designed.

Very simple cases to pause-and-reflect on include:

1. we’re not supposed to spill milk at the dinner table, but we do

2. we’re not supposed to get angry, but we do

3. we’re not supposed to have automobile accidents, but we do

4. we’re not supposed to make errors, but we have still erasers

5. we’re not supposed to “think angry thoughts,” but we do

6. we’re not supposed to get impatient, but we do

7. we’re not supposed to commit suicide, but people do

8. we’re not supposed to break the ten commandments, but we do

9. we’re not supposed to overeat and DWI, but we do

10. we’re not supposed to pass through a stop sign without stopping, but we do

11. we’re not supposed to offend people, but we do

12. nothing was supposed to die, but mankind and animals do

13. humans and nature are not supposed to do a lot of things, but they do

From a Biblical account, we see marriage was designed for a man and a woman. A short list of texts are summarized in the following table. The Bible covers the account of Sodom where sexual relations between men was prevalent – Genesis 19:4-5 – where Lot is approached by men who wanted to have a sexual relationship with the two “men” they knew Lot had in the house. The men Lot was hosting were angels – but this fact was not known to the men who knocked on Lot’s door. Lot, in a merciful act, tried to persuade the men to take his two daughters instead – that they are “appropriate” for the passionate desires the men had (Genesis 19:6-8). The men were not interested in Lot’s two daughters – they wanted the men Lot was hosting inside his home. The story continues where God destroys Sodom.

Same-sex couples may appear as aliens as our mind conjures up sex with a similar-gender partner. We may recall the Bible texts referenced above – and realize same-sex partners cannot conceive offspring – and that God rained down fire-and-brimstone on the evil-doers (“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens."  Genesis 19:24.  "Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly." II Peter 2:6).

Heaven Approves Marriage

1^st Marriage – Adam and Eve ------------------- Genesis 2:18, 20-25

Jesus approved marriage ------------------------ John 2:1-11

Facts about Marriage

Marriage for the continuance of the race ---- Genesis 1:28

Marriage is honorable ----------------------------- Hebrews 13:4

Man is to cleave to his wife ---------------------- Matthew 19:5,6

Marriage is to last until death of spouse ------ Romans 7:2,3

Husband is the head of the wife ---------------- Ephesians 5:23

Marriage relations ---------------------------------- 1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Choice of Partner

Be not unequally yoked --------------------------- 2 Corinthians 6:14

Marital Problems

Relation of believer and non-believer --------- 1 Corinthians 7:10-17

Divorce allowed because ------------------------- Matthew 5:27-32

Paul says partners not under bondage if ----- 1 Corinthians 7:12-15

Jesus said fornication reason for divorce ---- Matthew 19:3-9

Adultery ----------------------------------------------- Mark 10:2,11

Adultress women forgiven ----------------------- John 8:3-11

Marriage in Heaven

No marriage in heaven --------------------------- Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25

Thus, our tolerance level, coupled with the pressure society places upon our thinking on the same-sex issue, is greatly reduced. We, in effect, alienate ourselves from the same-sex couple – and not the other way around. How might we conduct ourselves in such a heated topic area?

Books, daily news broadcasts, and daily newspapers/magazines continue to cover the same-sex saga – but one simple chapter in the Bible can be a source of help – The Love Chapter – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Please prayerfully read this chapter, reproduced on the next page.

One way to look at the same-sex issue is to realize not every same-sex couple have passionate sex. As we become familiar with same-sex couple situations, we learn that some partners of a same-sex relationship have had childhood experiences where they were molested by their opposite-sex parent; or opposite-sex friend, or with the spouse they were formerly married to – having been abused, beaten, and other complications.

Any number of tangible reasons can, and do, drive a person towards a same-sex partner for comfort. Even the passionate segment may be “safer” in their mind – over the tumultuous experiences they had with the opposite sex. Many same-sex couples are as close as actual brothers or sisters. For other same-sex couples, mutual sympathetic hearts are exercised toward one another as they both realize the “common” set-backs experienced in their lives. These “common” items strengthen their bond through understanding and trust – understanding and trust they lost with former opposite-sex relationships. Many same-sex couples, with these deep, personal issues raised above, are crying out for love and understanding – in a world where many will never take the time to prayerfully contemplate, and exercise, The Love Chapter in their lives.

The Love Chapter – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

(King James Version)

13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I know that if you learned that a family member (brother, sister, parent) were gay, you’d go through “preliminary” feelings – possibly of anger, fright, disappointment, shock, rebellion, segregation, embarrassment, etc. After the “dust” settled, wouldn’t you try to manage your emotions – and realizing you still love the person deeply – proceed to understand and accept them? See 1 Corinthians 13:7 in The Love Chapter above.

I realize no single article exhaustively covers this controversial topic, but I feel The Love Chapter, appropriately applied in our individual lives, will provide the anchor to allow us to reason through the same-sex issue and interface with these couples in a manner God would encourage. Same-sex marriage raises other concerns that relate to income tax impacts to the American people – and maybe someone can contribute an article in this area.

The Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge Allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America

and to the Republic for which it stands,

one nation under God, indivisible,

with Liberty and Justice for all.

Simple Math Quickies for Young and Novice Readers

by Editor and Michael Holt

1. Tug of War. In a tug of war, four boys can tug as hard as five girls. And two girls and one boy can tug as hard as one dog. The dog and three girls tug against four boys. Which side will win the last tug of war?
2. 4-Box Code Template. Given the 4-box CODE template below, how many different combinations of BLACK (filled) and WHITE (unfilled) combinations can you form? Two combinations are shown afterward.

SAMPLE 4-box CODE Template ¯

All 4 are WHITE (unfilled) ¯

Two are WHITE (unfilled) and two BLACK (filled) ¯

3. Guilty Party. Vinnie, Gary and Faye are the suspects in a robbery case. Their trial reveals the following facts: Either Faye is innocent or Gary is guilty. If Gary is guilty, then Faye is innocent. Vinnie and Faye never work together and Vinnie never does a job on his own. Also, if Gary is guilty, so is Vinnie. Who is guilty?

On the Light Side

by Editor

Life certainly can get pretty hectic and unbearable at times. One prescription the Bible gives us is that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22

So, in this section, I list some jokes and puns I recall over the years that will help bring a chuckle to your countenance – and get the blood circulation going.

1. It worries me, I’m getting so absent-minded. I mean, sometimes in the middle of a sentence I . . .
2. I’m a writer. Well, what a coincidence. I’m a reader!
3. It takes him an hour to get to work – after he’s got there.
4. Why did I become a baker? Because I kneaded the dough!
5. Don’t get me wrong. I love the job. It’s the work I hate.
6. The billionaire built himself a house so large, it was in four area codes.
7. He’s got a BA, an MA, and a PhD. The only thing he doesn’t have is a JOB.
8. It’s lonely at the top – but you eat better.
9. A statistician is someone who can put his head in the oven and his feet in the freezer and tell you, “On average, I feel just fine.”
10. Ladies and gentlemen – I guess that takes care of most of you . . .
11. If there were people on other planets, why don’t they contact us? Would you?
12. The trouble with that restaurant is, it’s so crowded nobody goes there any more.
13. What do you call the cabs lined up outside Dallas-Fort Worth airport? The Yellow Rows of Texas.
14. I’ve changed my mind. Good. Does it work any better now?
15. I must be getting old. I can’t take yes for an answer.
16. I’m calling about the announcement of my death in your paper this morning. I see. Can you tell me where you’re calling from?
17. Good morning, I’m the piano tuner. But I didn’t send for you. No, but the neighbors did.
18. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth – and he hasn’t stirred since.
19. It takes a thief to catch a thief – and a jury to let him go.
20. No matter how bad the in-flight movie, you still shouldn’t walk out on it.
21. An electrician is a man who wires homes for money.
22. A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday but never remembers her age.
23. I said to my dentist, “Do you promise to pull the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth?”
24. My car is for four people – one driving and three pushing.
25. If money doesn’t grow on trees, how come the banks have so many branches?

The Star-Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key, 1814

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Simple Math Quickies for Young and Novice Readers - continued

by Editor and Michael Holt

Here are a few more Math Quickies for our young and novice readers.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me

12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping,

10 lords aleaping, 9 ladies dancing,

8 maids amilking, 7 swans aswimming,

6 geese alaying, 5 gold rings,

4 calling birds, 3 French hens,

2 turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

How many things did my true love send to me?

Encoded Frame

Encoded in the frame below is a well-known saying. Try to “read” it. Begin at one of the letters. Reading every other letter, go twice around the frame. What is it saying?

L

S

I

M

N

U

G

C

R

S

L

H

E

T

O

S

H

O

R

P

T

N

A

A

D

G

E

E

E

Infamous 100

Try to make the number 100 out of the numbers 1 through 9, using the arithmetic operations +, -, x, ¸, and parentheses ( ). Try to complete the following four cases. Use the digits 1 through 9 only once in any of these cases – and for cases 1-3 use 1-9 in sequence as you write your expression left-to-right.

100 = 1 + 2 + 3 + . . .

100 = 123 – 45 . . .

100 = 123 – 4 – 5 . . .

100 = 1/2 + 6/4 + . . .

Name that President - Answers

by Editor

1. Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. George Washington
2. Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all. George Washington
3. Old minds are like old horses: you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order. John Adams
4. Genius is sorrow’s child. John Adams
5. When angry, count to ten before you speak. If very angry, a hundred. Thomas Jefferson
6. Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain Security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. Thomas Jefferson
7. It is universally admitted that a well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people. James Madison
8. The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals. James Monroe
9. A little flattery will support a man through great fatigue. James Monroe
10. Duty is ours; results are God’s. John Quincy Adams
11. Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air. John Quincy Adams
12. One man with courage makes a majority. Andrew Jackson
13. I hope and trust to meet you in Heaven, both white and black – both white and black. Andrew Jackson
14. Ignorance and vice breed poverty which was as immutable as the seasons. Martin Van Buren
15. A decent and manly examination of the acts of government should not only be tolerated, but encouraged. William Henry Harrison
16. I can never consent to being dictated to. John Taylor
17. No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure. James K. Polk
18. It would be judicious to act with magnanimity towards a prostrate foe. Zachary Taylor
19. We should act to other countries as we wish them to act towards us. Millard Fillmore
20. I had not the advantage of a classical education, and no man should, in my judgment, accept a degree he cannot read. Millard Fillmore
21. The stars upon your banner have become nearly threefold their original number; your densely populated possessions skirt the shores of the two great oceans. Franklin Pierce
22. What sir, prevent the American people from crossing the Rocky Mountains? You might as well command Niagara not to flow. We must fulfill our destiny. James Buchanan
23. I am a slow walker, but I never walk back. Abraham Lincoln
24. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln
25. Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves. Abraham Lincoln
26. The ballot is stronger than the bullet. Abraham Lincoln
27. The goal is to strive for a poor government but a rich people. Andrew Johnson
28. There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword. Ulysses S. Grant
29. My policy is trust – peace, and to put aside the bayonet. Rutherford B. Hayes
30. A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck. James A. Garfield
31. Ideas control the world. James A. Garfield
32. Men may die, but the fabrics of our free institutions remain unshaken. Chester A. Arthur
33. The ship of democracy which has weathered all storms may sink through the mutiny of those aboard. Grover Cleveland
34. Officeholders are the agents of the people, not their masters. Grover Cleveland
35. I believe also in the American opportunity which puts the starry sky above every boy’s head, and sets his foot upon a ladder which he may climb until his strength gives out. Benjamin Harrison
36. That’s all a man can hope for during his lifetime – to set an example – and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history. William McKinley
37. Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. Theodore Roosevelt
38. We cannot do great deeds unless we are willing to do the small things that make up the sum of greatness. Theodore Roosevelt
39. Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage. Theodore Roosevelt
40. Anti-Semitism is a noxious weed that should be cut out. It has no place in America. William H. Taft
41. Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together. Woodrow Wilson
42. One cool judgment is worth a thousand hasty counsels. The thing to be supplied is light, not heat. Woodrow Wilson
43. Character is a by-product; it is produced in the great manufacture of daily duty. Woodrow Wilson
44. Never murder a man who is committing suicide. Woodrow Wilson
45. A regret for the mistakes of yesterday must not, however, blind us of the tasks of today. Warren G. Harding
46. Four-fifths of all our troubles would disappear, if we would only sit down and keep still. Calvin Coolidge
47. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. Calvin Coolidge
48. Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge
49. If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you. Calvin Coolidge
50. It takes a great man to be a good listener. Calvin Coolidge
51. The durability of free speech and free press rests on the simple concept that it search for the truth and tell the truth. Herbert Hoover
52. When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Franklin D. Roosevelt
53. The United States Constitution has proved itself the most marvelously elastic compilation of rules of government ever written. Franklin D. Roosevelt
54. Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own mind. Franklin D. Roosevelt
55. Selfishness is the only real atheism; aspiration, unselfishness, the only real religion. Franklin D. Roosevelt
56. The ablest man I ever met is the man you think you are. Franklin D. Roosevelt
57. It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry S. Truman
58. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Harry S. Truman
59. Actions are the seeds of fate. Deeds grow into destiny. Harry S. Truman
60. Accomplishments will prove to be a journey, not a destination. Dwight D. Eisenhower
61. America is best described by one word, freedom. Dwight D. Eisenhower
62. I’m saving the rocker for the day when I feel as old as I really am. Dwight D. Eisenhower
63. Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin. Dwight D. Eisenhower
64. The only way to win WW III is to prevent it. Dwight D. Eisenhower
65. Forgive our enemies, but never forget their names. John F. Kennedy
66. Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all. John F. Kennedy
67. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. John F. Kennedy
68. The greater our knowledge increases, the more our ignorance unfolds. John F. Kennedy
69. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
70. Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. Lyndon B. Johnson
71. Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time. Lyndon B. Johnson
72. The greatest honor history can bestow is that of a peacemaker. Richard M. Nixon
73. The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire. Richard M. Nixon
74. If an individual wants to be a leader and isn’t controversial, that means he never stood for anything. Richard M. Nixon
75. I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go. Gerald Ford
76. We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles. Jimmy Carter
77. America is too great for small dreams. Ronald Reagan
78. Excellence demands competition. Without a race there can be no champion, no records broken, no excellence – in education or in any other walk of life. Ronald Reagan
79. America must remain freedom’s staunchest friend, for freedom is our best ally. Ronald Reagan
80. Great nations like great men must keep their word. When America says something, America means it, whether a treaty or an agreement or a vow made on marble steps. We will always try to speak clearly, for candor is a compliment, but subtlety, too, is good and has its place. George Bush
81. Building one America is our most important mission – “the foundation for many generations,” of every other strength we must build for this new century. Money cannot by it. Power cannot compel it. Technology cannot create it. It can only come from the human spirit. Bill Clinton
82. Encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats; it is a call to conscience. And though it requires sacrifice, it brings a deeper fulfillment. George W. Bush

BONUS: Chess-Lover Jokes:

“How do chess players begin a game?” ⇔ “______________”

“What makes a chess player happy?” ⇔ “______________”

“What do chess players like for breakfast?” ⇔ “______________”

PUZZLES – DIRTY DOZEN

copyright Ó 2003 by H.W. Corley

1. On a biomedical engineering examination a student named Syed computes in feet and inches the maximum distance that a certain artificial heart design could pump blood upward against gravity. Unfortunately, in recording this distance on his examination paper, he reverses the numbers for feet and inches. As a result, his recorded answer is only 30% of the computed length, which was less than 10 feet with no fractional feet or inches. What length did Syed compute in feet and inches?

2. A female IE student named Aruna jogs north across a bridge used for both a road and a train track. Three-eighths across the bridge, she hears a train coming north toward the bridge from behind her. Aruna calculates that if she keeps running, she will reach the north end of the bridge at the same instant as the train. She also calculates that if she turns around and runs back south, she will reach the south end of the bridge at the same instant as the train. If Aruna jogs at a constant speed of 8 mph, what is the speed of the train to the nearest two decimal places?

3. An ME named Eduardo uses some three-dimensional CAD/CAM software to draw a right circular cone with a height of 3 feet and with a base of radius 1 foot. Next he inscribes a cube in the cone so that the face of the cube is contained in the base of the cone. What is the length of the cube’s side in feet to the nearest three decimal places?

4. The UTA student chapter of SWE (Society of Women Engineers) has noted that the proportion of the IMSE faculty members at UTA who are female is greater than the proportion of all engineering faculty members at UTA who are female. Let P denote the proportion of female IMSE faculty to female engineering faculty at UTA, and let Q denote the proportion of all IMSE faculty members to all engineering faculty at UTA. With no further information or numerical data, exactly one of the following statements is true.

(a) P > Q

(b) P < Q

(c) P = Q

(d) The relation between P and Q cannot be determined.

Select the correct answer and submit only the corresponding letter.

5. A fabrication engineer named Dave lies a lot. In fact, he tells the truth only one day a week and always on the same day. One day he said, “I lie on Mondays and Thursdays.” The next day he said, “Today is either Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday.” And then the following day he said, “I lie on Wednesdays and Fridays.” On what day of the week does Dave tell the truth?

6. The nation of Griddonesia consists of eighty-one equally-spaced islands represented by intersections of the lines in the grid below, where north is up and east is right as on a standard map. Each island is connected to all its adjacent islands by horizontal and vertical bridges exactly one-mile long. There are no diagonal bridges.

A native environmental engineer named caizb lives on the northwest island and must drive to the southeast island to assess the damage from an oil spill. The shortest driving distance on bridges between the northwest and southeast islands is obviously 16 miles. How many different such shortest routes could she take?

7. A CE graduate student named Masoud has a grant to study construction methods of the ancient Egyptians. One day in the Valley of the Kings he discovers an odd structure whose stone walls form a square spiral as indicated in the figure below, which is obviously not to scale. The sides of the outside square measure 102 feet by 102 feet. The interior spiral path is 2 feet wide and spirals through the entire structure. To the nearest tenth of a foot, what is the distance along the exact middle of the path from the entrance to the center of the structure?

102 feet

102 feet

8. One day Masoud, the CE of problem 7, stops for lunch in the center of the square spiral. Then he discovers that he brought water to drink but nothing to eat. So Masoud offers to pay his two Bedouin assistants, Al-Fahl and Gamal, to share their lunches with him. Al-Fahl has five loaves of bread and Gamal has three loaves, all identical. The two Bedouins agree to divide up their eight loaves equally among the three men. After eating, Masoud lays down 8 one-piaster coins. To be fair, how many coins should Gamal receive?

9. Four EE students have formed a string quartet called the Ohms. One dark night they are warming up for a concert in Trinity River Park in Fort Worth. Suddenly the four musicians realize that it’s almost time for the concert, and they must all cross a small bridge over the river to reach the stage. At most two people can cross this bridge at one time, and any such group crossing the river must have a flashlight. The four musicians have only one flashlight, however, and it must be carried back and forth across the bridge. Moreover, each EE walks at a different speed, and a pair must walk together at the rate of the slower one. The time required for each musician to cross the bridge is given as follows, where they are identified by their instruments:

· Cello – 1 minute to cross

· First violin – 2 minutes to cross

· Second violin – 5 minutes to cross

· Viola – 10 minutes to cross.

What is the minimum time in minutes required for all the Ohms to cross the bridge?

10. A CSE named Olga uses a computer simulation program to generate three numbers in the interval (0,1), where each number is equally likely to have any value in the interval and is independent of the other two. What is the probability that three lines with lengths in feet equal to these three numbers would form a nondegenerate triangle (one with nonzero area)? Express your answer as a reduced fraction.

11. An Arlington High School senior named Jamal is a finalist for two scholarships at UTA – a university-wide scholarship worth $15,000 per year for four years and an engineering scholarship worth $10,000 per year for four years. The recipients for each type of scholarship are decided independently. However, a student can win only one scholarship and must take the university award if offered both types. There are 15 finalists for 8 engineering scholarships, and 3 finalists for 1 university scholarship. Exactly one other student besides Jamal is a finalist for both the university and engineering scholarships. If all the finalists for each type are equally likely to win, to the nearest three decimals what is the probability that Jamal wins one of these scholarships?

12. A materials science graduate student named Hsu Wen has taken several CSE courses offered by Dr. Frank N. Stein. For this reason Hsu has asked the eminent AI guru to be on his Ph.D. supervisory committee. As part of the written portion of Hsu’s comprehensive examination, Dr. Stein e-mails Hsu a drawing on Friday afternoon with the following instructions. By Stein’s return on Monday, Hsu must produce the minimum integer number of cubic feet (i.e., 1, 2, 3, …) of composite material required to cast an object formed by plane surfaces with both a top and front view as shown below. Then Dr. Stein flies off to an applied probability workshop in Las Vegas. Determine the integer number of cubic feet of composite material that Hsu must produce by Monday.

3′

9′

1. (Remember, it’s a dirty dozen.) A petite five-foot AE named Kim weighs 95 pounds normally. During the past two week, however, she has gained weight from eating pizza at midnight while studying. A revolutionary way to lose weight occurs to her. She would weigh less standing on a scale at the equator than standing on the same scale at the geographic north pole (i.e., on the earth’s axis of rotation). If Kim weighs exactly 100 pounds at the North Pole, to the nearest tenth of a pound how much would she weigh at the equator? Assume the earth is a perfect sphere of radius 6370 kilometers.

Simple Math Quickies for Young and Novice Readers - Answers

by Editor and Michael Holt

Tug of War – In the last tug of war, we can replace the dog with two girls and a boy because, as we see in the second tug of war, they are equally matched. The last tug of war then becomes a contest between the five girls and a boy on the left against the four boys on the right. But the first tug of war showed that the five girls are as strong as four boys. Namely, a boy is stronger than a girl. The tug of war reduces to a contest between five boys on the left and five girls on the right. So the team on the left will win. This is predicated on the fact that each girl pulls equally hard as the other girls, and similarly for the boys.

4-Box Code Template – Here we notice we have either WHITE (unfilled) or BLACK (filled) color options in each of the 4 box slots. There are 4 box slots. Thus, there are 2 raised to the fourth power = 2x2x2x2 = 16 unique patterns.

Guilty Party – Vinnie and Gary are guilty.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – The sum of the first N integers is simply N x (N+1)/2. So, with N = 12, we get

1+2+3+ . . . +12 = (12) x (12+1) / 2 = 6 x 13 = 78 gifts

Encoded Frame – Beginning at the bottom left corner: “A rolling stone gathers much speed.”

Infamous 100 –

100 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + (8 x 9)

100 = 123 – 45 – 67 + 89

100 = 123 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 + 8 – 9

100 = 1/2 + 6/4 + (5+3)/8 + 97

If you enjoyed these simple mathematical recreations, you might want to purchase the inexpensive bargain double-volume (originally published in 1977, 1978, respectively) hardcover book by Michael Holt titled: “Math Puzzles & Games,” Barnes & Noble Books (1996), ISBN 0-88029-948-7.

BONUS: Chess-Lover Jokes:

“How do chess players begin a game?” ⇔ “Once a pawn a time!”

“What makes a chess player happy?” ⇔ “Taking the knight off!”

“What do chess players like for breakfast?” ⇔ “Pawn cakes!”

A Topological Puzzle

by Editor and J. R. O’Neil

Readers will never forget the two stimulating problems we posed in the Noesis May issue #169 by Dr. Layman E. Allen in the WFF ‘N PROOF Tardy Bus Problem and the game EQUATIONS Elementary Problem E1. These two games, WFF ‘N PROOF and EQUATIONS, teach logical thinking – to young and old alike!

In the same series of innovative problems, Dr. Allen carried a topological puzzle developed by J. R. O’Neil called QWIK-SANE – A Topological Puzzle for Thinkers. Unfortunately, J. R. O’Neil is deceased. I would like to see topology “spark” at least one of our young readers (maybe the child or nephew/niece of one of our avid readers) into possibly pursuing a career in mathematics – along the lines of topology. As such, I include the puzzle (on paper) here to entice our readers to purchase several of these inexpensive ($3.50) puzzles for youngsters they know. This enjoyable puzzle is still available for only $3.50 through Dr. Allen at:

http://www.wff-n-proof.com/www-wff-n-proof-com/QWIKSANE.chk?AOLHelp=40bb338c.37a.388.1&ServerName=www.wff-n-proof.com

The 13 multicolored wooden pieces are crafted in Germany.

T	H	I	N	K	QWIK- SANE		♥
MAN	WFF ‘N PROOF			H	A	R	D

In the upper row of the tray, place lettered blocks THINK in that order, followed by the shorter of the two long blocks (QWIK-SANE), then the “♥” yellow block, thus filling out that row, Place the yellow “MAN” block at the extreme left in the lower row, then the long block (WFF ‘N PROOF), then the letters HARD. This fills the tray, with lettered blocks in the relative positions shown above.

To “set” the puzzle, remove and put aside the “♥” block, then, without disturbing the other blocks, pick up and transfer the “MAN” block to the space from which the “♥” was removed. With pieces “set,” the puzzle consists of sliding the “MAN” back to the lower left corner and still have THINK and HARD intact in their original starting positions, then replacing, as a final move, the “♥” block at the right end of the upper row. It can be done in TBD moves. Can you do it? A “move” consists of the sliding of one or as many blocks as can be shifted simultaneously in one direction.

You will find the complete shopping list of Educational Gifts at:

http://www.wff-n-proof.com/www-wff-n-proof-com/Eductnal.chk?AOLHelp=40bb338c.37a.388.1&ServerName=www.wff-n-proof.com

Solicitation for Foreign Language Translation Ideas

by Editor and Michael Erard

In the spirit of the United States of America and the war against terrorism, we entreat our avid readers to consider solutions for the foreign language translation problem. I do this by capturing some high points in an article by Michael Erard (www.technologyreview.com) I read in the March 2004 issue of MIT’s Technology Review, pages 54-60, titled “Translation in an Age of Terror.” The “preface” and disconcerting “opener” sentences given on pages 54 and 56 follow.

The September 11 attacks exposed the flaws in the U.S. intelligence community’s approach to translation. Now, the new federal National Virtual Translation Center seeks to dramatically increase the chances of preventing the next attack by using technology to leverage – rather than replace – crucial human skills.

Page 54, MIT’s Technology Review – March 2004

In Washington, DC, conference room soundproofed to thwart eavesdropping, five linguists working for the government – speaking on condition their names not be published – describe the monumental task they face analyzing foreign-language intercepts in the age of terror.

Page 56, MIT’s Technology Review – March 2004

▶ The editor entreats avid readers of Noesis to possibly think of ideas and forward them to, say, Michael Erard (author of the article) or U.S. Government agencies. In light of the 9/11 event, I close with this sobering material presented in the article, page 56.

“The costs of failing to clarify what adversaries mean in a timely manner are high. That was made clear during Congressional investigations into the intelligence lapses that led up to the September 11 attacks. In perhaps the most glaring example, on September 10, 2001, according to June 2002 news reports, the NSA intercepted two Arabic-language messages, one that said “Tomorrow is zero hour” and another that said: “The match is about to begin.” The sentences weren’t translated until September 12, 2001. The revelation underscored the fact that the U.S. government faces a serious crisis in its ability to store, analyze, search, and translate data in dozens of foreign languages. . . . Consider that every three hours, NSA satellites sweep up enough information to fill the Library of Congress.”

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with nearly 128 million items on approximately 530 miles of bookshelves. The collections include more than 29 million books and other printed materials, 2.7 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.8 million maps, and 57 million manuscripts. (http://www.loc.gov/about/ )

If you have ideas to help fight the language translation problem – contact your local government officials!

The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is America’s cryptologic organization. It coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized activities to protect U.S. information systems and produce foreign intelligence information. A high technology organization, NSA is on the frontiers of communications and data processing. It is also one of the most important centers of foreign language analysis and research within the government.

NSA's early interest in cryptanalytic research led to the first large-scale computer and the first solid-state computer, predecessors to the modern computer. NSA pioneered efforts in flexible storage capabilities, which led to the development of the tape cassette. NSA also made ground-breaking developments in semiconductor technology and remains a world leader in many technological fields.

NSA employs the country's premier cryptologists. It is said to be the largest employer of mathematicians in the United States and perhaps the world. Its mathematicians contribute directly to the two missions of the Agency: designing cipher systems that will protect the integrity of U.S. information systems and searching for weaknesses in adversaries' systems and codes.

ANSWERS – Dirty Dozen

copyright Ó 2003 by H.W. Corley

1. 9 feet, 2 inches. Let x = computed feet, y = computed inches. Then 0.30(12x + y) = 12y + x in inches. Thus x = (9/2)y. Let y take on 0, 1, 2, …,11 since y must be an integer. Only y = 2 yields a nonzero integer number of feet x under 10. Thus he records 2 feet, 9 inches on his test.

2. 32.00 mph. From the two possibilities, it is apparent that Aruna can run one-fourth the bridge’s length in the same time that the train can go the entire length. Thus the train’s speed is four times Aruna’s.

3. 0.961 feet. Consider the plane containing both the axis of the cone and two opposite vertices of the cube’s bottom face. Let s be the length of the cube’s side. Then the cross section of the cone and the cube in this plane consists of a rectangle of sides s and s inscribed in an isosceles triangle of base 2 and height 3, where the s side of the rectangle lies on the base of the triangle. Similar triangles now yield s/3 = (1 – s/2) /1. Thus s = (9 - 6)/7.

4. (a) Let f = IMSE female faculty, t = IMSE total faculty, F = COE female faculty, T = COE total faculty. Then f/t > F/T, so P = f/F > Q = t/T.

5. Thursday. One of the statements: “I lie on Mondays and Thursdays” and “I lie on Wednesdays and Fridays” must be false. Hence, Dave must tell the truth on either Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. All except Thursday yield a contradiction to Dave’s statements.

6. 12,870. There are 16 bridges to traverse - 8 east and 8 south in some order. Then the number of shortest paths is the simply the number of ways to select 8 of 16 to go south (and hence 8 to go east). This number is simply 16!/8!8! = 12,870. Incidentally, the number 2¹⁶ = 65,532 doesn’t account for situations when there are not two choices, such the case from the northeast corner.

7. 5201.0. Any foot forward results in 2 square feet of area along the path. The distance to the end of the spiral path is (102)²/2 = 10,404/2 = 5202 feet. But the center of the structure is 1 foot from the end.

8. 1 coin. Al-Fahl ate 8/3 loaves and contributed 7/3 loaves. Gamal 8/3 loaves and contributed 1/3 loaf. Hence, Al-Fahl gets 7 coins, and Gamal gets 1 coin.

9. 17 minutes. C + FV = 2. Return C = 1. SV + V = 10. Return FV = 2. C + FV = 2. Alternately, C + FV = 2. Return F = 2. S + V = 10. Return C = 1. C + FV = 2.

10. 1/2. Denote the lengths by x, y, z. To form a nondegenerate triangle, the largest side must be less than the sum of the other two. There are 6 mutually exclusive orderings of the sides. To simplify, we ignore any equality in an ordering such as x < y < z since its probability is zero. Now by the law of total probability

P[x,y,z form ] = P[x,y,z form | ordering of x,y,z] P[ordering of x,y,z],

where the sum is over the six possible orderings. By the symmetry involved, each

P[x,y,z form | ordering of x,y,z] is equal and each P[ordering of x,y,z] = 1/6. In particular, choose x < y < z and compute

P[x,y,z form | x < y < z] = = 1/2.

Substitution now yields the result.

11. 0.702. Define events as follows. Let S = Jamal wins a scholarship, U = Jamal wins the university scholarship, = Jamal does not win it, C = the other common finalist wins the university scholarship, = the other common finalist does not win it. We condition on U since the university scholarship will always be taken by a student. From the law of total probability

P(S) = P(S | U)P(U) + P(S |)P() = 1(1/3) + P(S |)(2/3).

In this equation, compute

= (8/14)(1/2) +(8/15(1/2) = 116/210.

Thus P(S) = 221/315 = 0.702.

12. 1 cubic foot. Consider the object shown below, where a flat sheet of composite material has been bent to form a triangle in the side view. The hypotenuse portion has a hole in it as shown in the problem’s figure. By making the sheet sufficiently thinner than the width of a line, less than 1 cubic foot of composite material would be required. Obviously zero cubic feet would not work.

13. 99.7 pounds. From the physics of circular motion, mrω² = mg – N, where ω is the angular velocity, r is the earth’s radius, and N is the net normal force exerted by the scale. Then N = mg - mrω² = mg[1 – (r/g)(2πf)²] = (0.997)mg = 99.7 pounds for the frequency f = 1/24 revolution per hour.

Practical Engineering Applications of Math for Children

by Editor and Holbrook L. Horton

As your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and children of friends plow through math in school, they may begin to question why they need to learn math – and further, where is it used in everyday life. I recommend a very practical mathematics book that children will appreciate as they learn diverse engineering applications of mathematics.

The book is “Mathematics at Work” by Holbrook L. Horton, edited by Henry H. Ryffel, published by Industrial Press, Inc., 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, copyright 1990, 3^rd edition (1^st edition – 1907), ISBN 0-8311-3029-6. Cost is around USD $24. Many problems discuss actual machining processes!

The math subjects span arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and logarithms. The contents:

· Basic mathematical principles

· Right- and Oblique-angled triangle problems

· Problems relating to tapers and angles

· Problems involving arcs, circles and vees

· Use of approximate formulas

· Problems in mechanics and strength of materials

· Gear ratio problems

· Methods and formulas for special conditions

· Miscellaneous problems and refresher questions

· Mathematical tables

· Index

There are 28 “sections” in the 1¼-inch thick, 5-inch wide, 7-inch long paperback – so it is easily handled by children and attractive to carry around (not bulky). The book is written in tutorial style, with many intermediate steps explained in the derivation of the formulas presented. An outstanding feature is the author presents a problem to be solved (say a formula), then proceeds through the step-by-step derivation with clearly marked illustrations, and then, the piece de resistance – he walks through an application of the formula with actual numbers. A sample problem statement given in Section 25-14, with neither the worked solution nor the illustration, follows. The solution is 3 pages. The example uses D = 4.82 inches, with the goal to remove one-sixth the original weight.

“To determine the diameter d in Figure 5. A hole is to be drilled through a sphere of diameter D in order to reduce its weight W by a given amount w. What is the diameter d of the hole in terms of the diameter D of the sphere and weights W and w?”

The answer to the numerical example above is d = 1.63 inches.

Wonderlic Personnel Test^TM (WPT^TM)

by Editor and Wonderlic Inc.

Are you an employer looking to hire high-potential candidates? Are you considering applying for a job that requires a certain skill set? Are you simply curious in your personal aptitude? Then you might wish to consider the Wonderlic Personnel Test. Since 1937, more than 120 million people at thousands of organizations worldwide have taken the WPT employment test for cognitive ability testing and aptitude testing purposes.

http://www.wonderlic.com/products/product.asp?prod_id=4

Measure cognitive ability - the most accurate predictor of employment success.

Description
The WPT is a short form measure of cognitive ability designed for simple administration and interpretation. Cognitive ability testing – or aptitude testing - is a crucial component of any successful employment testing program.

Content
Research has proven that cognitive ability, or general intelligence, is the single greatest predictor of job success - for any position. More effective than resumes, education, references or interviews, cognitive ability testing gives employers the objective information they need to make the right hiring decision.

The WPT employment test takes only 12 minutes to complete. It accurately measures a candidate's ability to:

• Learn a specific job
• Solve problems
• Understand instructions
• Apply knowledge to new situations
• Benefit from specific job training
• Be satisfied with a particular job

Using the WPT for employment testing enables you to match people with positions that suit their learning speed and aptitude. The Wonderlic Hire Results process combines research information from the U.S. Department of Labor with an analysis of your specific job to establish an appropriate minimum score for your position.

Since 1937, more than 120 million people at thousands of organizations worldwide have taken the WPT employment test for cognitive ability testing and aptitude testing purposes.

Implementation
The WPT employment test is aptitude testing that can be used to match job candidates or employees to jobs in which they will be effective and satisfied. WPT employment testing information shortens training time and reduces turnover from employees who are over- or under-challenged in a given position.

RELIABILITY: The manual reports odd-even reliabilities, which are not appropriate for speeded tests; however, it also reports test-retest reliabilities of .82 to .94, and interform reliabilities of .73 to .95. NORMS: White adults across all occupational categories.

The Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT), so named to reduce the possibility that job applicants will think they are taking an intelligence test, was originally a revision of the Otis Self-Administering Tests of Mental Ability. The WPT is a 50-item, 12-minute omnibus test of intelligence. The items and the order in which they are presented provide a broad range of problem types (e.g., analogies, analysis of geometric figures, disarranged sentences, definitions) intermingled and arranged to become increasingly difficult. The WPT exists in 16 forms, and was designed for testing adult job applicants in business and industrial situations.

So, how do you score? http://espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/020228test.html

See how you score on some examples from a Wonderlic IQ test. Set your clock for five minutes, don't peek at the answers.

The Wonderlic Personnel Test ™
WPT ™ Sample Questions

Question 6

1. Look at the row of numbers below. What number should come next?
8	4	2	1	½	¼	?

2. Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final one:

1. true,

2. false,

3. not certain?

The boy plays baseball. All baseball players wear hats. The boy wears a hat.

3. Paper sells for 21 cents per pad. What will four pads cost?

4. How many of the five pairs of items listed below are exact duplicates?

Nieman, K.M.	Neiman, K.M.
Thomas, G.K.	Thomas, C.K.
Hoff, J.P.	Hoff, J.P.
Pino, L.R.	Pina, L.R.
Warner, T.S.	Wanner, T.S.

5. RESENT RESERVE • Do these words
1. have similar meanings, 2. have contradictory meanings, 3. mean neither the same nor opposite?

6. One of the numbered figures in the drawing at the top is most different from the others.

What is the number in that figure?

7. A train travels 20 feet in 1/5 second. At this same speed, how many feet will it travel in three seconds?

8. When rope is selling at $.10 a foot, how many feet can you buy for sixty cents?

9. The ninth month of the year is

1. October,

2. January,

3. June,

4. September,

5 May.

10. Which number in the following group of numbers represents the smallest amount?

7

.8

31

.33

2

11. In printing an article of 48,000 words, a printer decides to use two sizes of type. Using the larger type,

a printed page contains 1,800 words. Using smaller type, a page contains 2,400 words. The article is

allotted 21 full pages in a magazine. How many pages must be in smaller type?

12. The hours of daylight and darkness in SEPTEMBER are nearest equal to the hours of daylight and

darkness in:

1. June,

2. March,