breaking: the washington post doesn't understand basic economics

[Solomwi]

Doctors and lawyers are significantly less intelligent, as groups, than are most people with doctorates in any mathematical discipline.

Something like this. Moving from engineering to law, the most shocking thing was being surrounded by so many with zero interest or background in math. Hell, I had two fine lawyers and a judge look at me like I had grown a second head when I divided 3,159 by 9 in my head before a worker's comp trial. It's a running joke between my boss and me that he keeps me around because he doesn't do math and I do.

[KrazyHorse]

Lawyers who can do math and have a good grasp of economics

[Solomwi]

Much appreciated. That counteracts a small part of my daily frustration working in such a mathematical wasteland of an industry. I've quit trying to convince my boss he shouldn't tell clients that we estimate a 60% chance of winning at trial and expect an adverse verdict to be $3-5 million, so they should consider offering up to $75,000 to settle.

[Asher]

I divided 3,159 by 9 in my head

There's an app for that.

[Al B. Sure!]

Maybe I'm retarded or maybe there is some truth to people's brains being wired differently... but when I first saw that 3159/9 I was like 351 that's retarded that they couldn't do that in two seconds flat... but if i were to think of any random number 6952/8 but not see it written down, after I get 8 and carry over the 5, when I'm not seeing the numbers on paper, I get almost confused and it takes like 15 seconds for me to finish.

Anyone else experience this difficulty in dealing with abstracts in your head (it's like I forget what the remaining numbers are) but find it easy when I physically see the numbers?

I guess KH will just say I'm inferior

[Dauphin]

It's like dollar bills, oil is created equal.

But remember, there is more than one type of oil, and they are quoted different prices.

[Krill]

Pretty sure oil isn't created equal actually...

[dannubis]

No it evolved...

[Dauphin]

Pretty sure oil isn't created equal actually...

Why? Cos it black?

[Hauldren Collider]

Pretty sure oil isn't created equal actually...

Identically graded oil is equal in value in a given region. Obviously jet fuel has a different price than gasoline.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I understand your point but you would be better suited to state that the various grades of crude are similarly priced. Examples of jet fuel or gasoline are not oil but a refined and blended product. It would be the equivalent of equating refined products of Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Ethylene or Propylene to raw feed stock crude. The cost and efficiencies of value added steps (refining, cracking, reforming, conversion, purfication, etc.) being applicable to the former moreso than the latter.

[N35t0r]

Maybe I'm retarded or maybe there is some truth to people's brains being wired differently... but when I first saw that 3159/9 I was like 351 that's retarded that they couldn't do that in two seconds flat... but if i were to think of any random number 6952/8 but not see it written down, after I get 8 and carry over the 5, when I'm not seeing the numbers on paper, I get almost confused and it takes like 15 seconds for me to finish.

Anyone else experience this difficulty in dealing with abstracts in your head (it's like I forget what the remaining numbers are) but find it easy when I physically see the numbers?

I guess KH will just say I'm inferior

For 9 you can divide by 3 twice. 8 is divide by 2 three times. 5 is easy, you divide by 10 and then double.

[Kidlicious]

What good is the martyr who rejects Rome and dies to the lion in the coliseum? He is not spreading his faith. He would do far better in achieving his goals by appeasing the Romans and secretly preaching as most Christians did. No, he was motivated by righteousness. He wanted to do the principled thing.

You spread your faith by living by your principles, not by compromising them. Faith is nothing without principles.