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Spin-off of a spin off: A Google search experiment

Spy Car
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Do You Get The Wikipedia Entry on Moby Dick As A Result  

  1. 1. Do You Get The Wikipedia Entry on Moby Dick As A Result

    • Yes, it is the ninth listing
      61
    • Yes, it is not 9th but on the first page
      107
    • Yes, it is on the second or third page
      41
    • I don't see it and I don't want to go rooting back to find it and/or no.
      15

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Spy Car

Spy Car

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Ninth.

 

but I want to know why you're calling the Russian Math guy when he will personally answer email. hmmmm? care to share? collaborating on a math book, perhaps? :bigear:

 

ETA: nevermind, I hunted it down. I'll post over there.

 

I sometimes get into wonderful conversations with people who publish educational materials and are passionate about the subject. In the past month I have had two very fruitful discussions with people that would not have taken place if I just emailed an inquiry.

 

So I like opportunities for open-ending conversations.

 

Bill (yacky :tongue_smilie:)

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ocelotmom

ocelotmom

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Posted

I tested it with my normal browser and it was #9, with two WTM threads being #1 and 2.

 

I tested it using chrome's incognito feature, and it was further down the list. The two WTM threads were still the first two.

 

Of course, Chrome is google's browser, and it was from the same IP address, so I can't say for sure they're not being nefarious in some way.

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wapiti

wapiti

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Posted (edited)
I sometimes get into wonderful conversations with people who publish educational materials and are passionate about the subject. In the past month I have had two very fruitful discussions with people that would not have taken place if I just emailed an inquiry.

 

So I like opportunities for open-ending conversations.

 

Bill (yacky :tongue_smilie:)

 

Ya, I figured that was the general idea :lol:. Maybe you can get him to write a math book or two to precede RM6, or perhaps an algebra text.

 

When I finally broke down and purchased RM recently, the emails containing the PDFs were signed by Will Harte himself, the guy who translated the book. So I'm not sure there's necessarily a "they" (unless an assistant signs his name to everything). So, my guess is that the book is not his first priority these days. He probably has some other day job. The Acknowledgements at the front of the book include thanks to his wife and child for putting up with his long weekends on the computer. (I bet you could find a house phone if you wanted to :tongue_smilie:)

 

The preface, dated July 2003, says that a complete answer key is in the works and should be available by the end of the year. FWIW, there is a complete answer key for ch 1-4 (the one for chapter 4 is hidden on the site, at http://www.perpendicularpress.com/ChapterFourKey.pdf; the key for 1-3 is more obvious). For chapters 5 and 6, there are only selected answers (chapter 5 has answers for nos. 859-865, 871-874, 871, 879; total chapter 5 problems are 690-879; chapter 6 answers are 1107-1109, 1111, 1113-1118; total chapter 6 problems are 880-1118)

 

Just buy it already. You know you want to. But you must report on any interesting conversations.

 

ETA, I believe he's a teacher, because he wanted to translate the book to use with his students. Remind him that it would be more marketable, to schools and others, if he came up with more levels to go along with it.

 

By the way, something about the feel of RM6 reminds me a little of the SMSG materials, though perhaps I'm starting to confuse myself.

Edited by wapiti
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Spy Car

Spy Car

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Ya, I figured that was the general idea :lol:. Maybe you can get him to write a math book or two to precede RM6, or perhaps an algebra text.

 

I have wondered about how there is a Mathematics 6 (but no Mathematics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12). Is that the only one Nurk wrote?

 

When I finally broke down and purchased RM recently, the emails containing the PDFs were signed by Will Harte himself, the guy who translated the book. So I'm not sure there's necessarily a "they" (unless an assistant signs his name to everything). So, my guess is that the book is not his first priority these days. He probably has some other day job. The Acknowledgements at the front of the book include thanks to his wife and child for putting up with his long weekends on the computer. (I bet you could find a house phone if you wanted to :tongue_smilie:)

 

I'm sure you are correct in thinking this is a side-project.

 

Home phone, hum?

 

The preface, dated July 2003, says that a complete answer key is in the works and should be available by the end of the year. FWIW, there is a complete answer key for ch 1-4 (the one for chapter 4 is hidden on the site, at http://www.perpendicularpress.com/ChapterFourKey.pdf; the key for 1-3 is more obvious). For chapters 5 and 6, there are only selected answers (chapter 5 has answers for nos. 859-865, 871-874, 871, 879; total chapter 5 problems are 690-879; chapter 6 answers are 1107-1109, 1111, 1113-1118; total chapter 6 problems are 880-1118)

 

Just buy it already. You know you want to. But you must report on any interesting conversations.

 

ETA, I believe he's a teacher, because he wanted to translate the book to use with his students. Remind him that it would be more marketable, to schools and others, if he came up with more levels to go along with it.

 

I do want it. I would prefer a hard-copy. I think it would be more "marketable" if one could purchase a copy of the one book he has already translated :tongue_smilie:

 

If I get any info I will share. You are using this?

 

Bill

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wapiti

wapiti

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Posted
I have wondered about how there is a Mathematics 6 (but no Mathematics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12). Is that the only one Nurk wrote?

 

I'm sure you are correct in thinking this is a side-project.

 

Home phone, hum?

 

I do want it. I would prefer a hard-copy. I think it would be more "marketable" if one could purchase a copy of the one book he has already translated :tongue_smilie:

 

If I get any info I will share. You are using this?

 

Bill

 

According to the preface, his Russian nephew was visiting him in Iowa, and brought Nurk's book, amongst others. Apparently the book won a national competition when it was first published in 1987. Nurk passed away in 1999. It would not be surprising if there were other Nurk books, but they'd be in Russian. It appears Harte might be a high school teacher, so he probably wouldn't be interested in lower levels, and - pure speculation here - perhaps the Russian high school level books are not organized in the same way as the traditional math levels are here in the US (alg, geom, alg2/trig, precalc). Maybe they're mixed.

 

As for RM6, I just finished printing it the other day, and I do plan to use it, following MM 6 (dd will just be starting MM 6 in August). After MM 6, the first chapters will probably feel like review for her, though perhaps deeper (a deep review? LOL), so hopefully dd can get through them swiftly (I'm not planning on having her do every single problem). With a little luck, we'll get to the meat of RM next summer, before starting prealgebra. There is a little voice in the back of my brain tempting me to do RM in place of MM6, but I still love MM.... I have to compare MM 6 yet again. I don't think it would be wrong to do both, but in part it will depend on dd (she may be better off doing both, MM and then RM. In contrast, for ds, in another couple years, he might like RM alone better). I know at least a couple of other posters have used RM as a prealgebra. That was my original plan. I'm all over the place right now :tongue_smilie:- too many choices - two Dolciani prealgebras are sitting on my counter. (Shall we speak of the elephant in the room, the AoPS prealgebra expected any time now? I'm not sure that style will work well with dd, but I need to see samples of the prealgebra, and hear how it goes with others this year. I will. try. not. to. purchase until next summer, if then :tongue_smilie:)

 

Maybe you could have the PDF printed into a bound book, for your hard copy. I believe the original was a paperback anyway. Personally, I like my binder - lays flat ;). Spiral binding would be another option - probably an excellent option. You're going to need a laser printer eventually if you don't have one already :D.

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ElizabethB

ElizabethB

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Posted
It was 9th for me. I'm not sure what that means. :blink:

 

9th for me, too.

 

You've searched the same kinds of things Bill has? You hang out here too much? No idea, and I read a whole book about the topic. (Although, in my defense, the book talked mainly about the implications of personalized search and only briefly touched on how it was done.)

 

I did read all of Moby Dick and enjoyed it, although it has been at least a decade since I read it.

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Spy Car

Spy Car

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According to the preface, his Russian nephew was visiting him in Iowa, and brought Nurk's book, amongst others. Apparently the book won a national competition when it was first published in 1987. Nurk passed away in 1999. It would not be surprising if there were other Nurk books, but they'd be in Russian. It appears Harte might be a high school teacher, so he probably wouldn't be interested in lower levels, and - pure speculation here - perhaps the Russian high school level books are not organized in the same way as the traditional math levels are here in the US (alg, geom, alg2/trig, precalc). Maybe they're mixed.

 

As for RM6, I just finished printing it the other day, and I do plan to use it, following MM 6 (dd will just be starting MM 6 in August). After MM 6, the first chapters will probably feel like review for her, though perhaps deeper (a deep review? LOL), so hopefully dd can get through them swiftly (I'm not planning on having her do every single problem). With a little luck, we'll get to the meat of RM next summer, before starting prealgebra. There is a little voice in the back of my brain tempting me to do RM in place of MM6, but I still love MM.... I have to compare MM 6 yet again. I don't think it would be wrong to do both, but in part it will depend on dd (she may be better off doing both, MM and then RM. In contrast, for ds, in another couple years, he might like RM alone better). I know at least a couple of other posters have used RM as a prealgebra. That was my original plan. I'm all over the place right now :tongue_smilie:- too many choices - two Dolciani prealgebras are sitting on my counter. (Shall we speak of the elephant in the room, the AoPS prealgebra expected any time now? I'm not sure that style will work well with dd, but I need to see samples of the prealgebra, and hear how it goes with others this year. I will. try. not. to. purchase until next summer, if then :tongue_smilie:)

 

Maybe you could have the PDF printed into a bound book, for your hard copy. I believe the original was a paperback anyway. Personally, I like my binder - lays flat ;). Spiral binding would be another option - probably an excellent option. You're going to need a laser printer eventually if you don't have one already :D.

 

I have a laser printer :D

 

And iPads do a good job with PDFs.

 

I just spoke with Mr Harte's wife and son. He is currently studying at Moscow University (let's hope he returns with a slew of math books to translate).

 

No news beyond that.

 

Bill

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LaxMom

LaxMom

Posted
Posted (edited)
The first result is your last thread about Google being personalized. :D

Me, too.

 

And, as far as page 4, no Moby Dick wiki, though the first Moby Dick reference is on page 4, on an enotes page.

 

Oops, I must be having a low literacy day. The wiki is number 9 on the first page for me, too.

Edited by MyCrazyHouse
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wapiti

wapiti

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Posted
I just spoke with Mr Harte's wife and son. He is currently studying at Moscow University (let's hope he returns with a slew of math books to translate).

 

:lol: Bill is bold. Bill knows no fear.

 

By the way, FWIW, RM6 is far better than the UCSMP translations of the other Russian math texts (labeled grades 1-3) (yep, I have those too). It's hard to compare such drastically different grade levels, but Harte's translation is much, much more useful, IMO.

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stripe

stripe

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RM6 is far better than the UCSMP translations of the other Russian math texts (labeled grades 1-3) (yep, I have those too). It's hard to compare such drastically different grade levels, but Harte's translation is much, much more useful, IMO.

I borrowed Grade 1, and there's almost no text. Just a few problems involving "new years' trees" and an endless variety of youth scouts or something, but almost no words. I find it interesting but not really what I expected. I am not sure I'm with Ray on the soy/meat analogy with MEP and UCSMP's Russian Math. I haven't posted anything about it because I'm still thinking.

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TrixieB

TrixieB

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Posted
Exactly what I was thinking. Can you all arrange that?

 

Bill

When hubby gets home, I will have him google the phrase on his work computer. It has a different IP address, and he has never looked at any homeschooling info or WTM boards on it. Plus he will type the phrase in instead of copying it from an email, just in case gmail tracks the email sender's habits (scary thought).

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Spy Car

Spy Car

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When hubby gets home, I will have him google the phrase on his work computer. It has a different IP address, and he has never looked at any homeschooling info or WTM boards on it. Plus he will type the phrase in instead of copying it from an email, just in case gmail tracks the email sender's habits (scary thought).

 

Sounds like good science :D

 

Thank you!

 

Bill

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Spy Car

Spy Car

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:lol: Bill is bold. Bill knows no fear.

 

By the way, FWIW, RM6 is far better than the UCSMP translations of the other Russian math texts (labeled grades 1-3) (yep, I have those too). It's hard to compare such drastically different grade levels, but Harte's translation is much, much more useful, IMO.

 

You are funny. You think people are not happy to hear from their fans? :D

 

About the USMP translations...I called Dr Zalman Usiskin (the head of UCSMP) a couple years back and we spoke for hours. It was great fun! Really.

 

I borrowed Grade 1, and there's almost no text. Just a few problems involving "new years' trees" and an endless variety of youth scouts or something, but almost no words. I find it interesting but not really what I expected. I am not sure I'm with Ray on the soy/meat analogy with MEP and UCSMP's Russian Math. I haven't posted anything about it because I'm still thinking.

 

I have been sooooo tempted to get this series (for a long time). I just don't have enough hours in the day to get to all of MEP on top of everything else, and the Russian Math has remaned in my (virtual) shopping basket.

 

When you collect your thoughts on a comparison between MEP and the Russian series I would like to read them.

 

Bill

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Pamela H in Texas

Pamela H in Texas

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Posted (edited)

My aunt said that there were only 8 results on the first page and it was the first one on the second page. So still 9th.

 

I am pretty sure she is not doing anything with homeschooling. Her kids aren't homeschooled and she's a former public school teacher. So there is an education component.

Edited by 2J5M9K
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boscopup

boscopup

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Posted
Google is starting to individualize what you see, I read a fascinating book about the implications of that, here is the thread about it:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281695

 

My sister e-mailed back to say that the WTM threads were the top link and Moby Dick was not on the first page (it was probably on the 2nd by then - there are now 2 WTM pages at the top, so it's getting bumped).

 

AND, she sent me the link to the TED link mentioned in Elizabeth's thread. I was just coming to post it here, but she beat me to it. :D

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stripe

stripe

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When you collect your thoughts on a comparison between MEP and the Russian series I would like to read them.

I would actually like to see Grades 2 and 3 before I make any great comparison (and probably should look ahead in MEP!). I also bought (per Ray's lead long ago) Mathematics for Little Ones by Dina Migachyov, which is more of a crash course in arithmetic than a complete math curriculum, but somewhat Russian in style, I guess. Trying to compare the three of them has made my mind boggle a bit, so I will have to settle down to do so.

(I have the Japanese set from UCSMP for middle schoolers. I bought it off of someone on this forum. I couldn't resist.)

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Spy Car

Spy Car

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I would actually like to see Grades 2 and 3 before I make any great comparison (and probably should look ahead in MEP!). I also bought (per Ray's lead long ago) Mathematics for Little Ones by Dina Migachyov, which is more of a crash course in arithmetic than a complete math curriculum, but somewhat Russian in style, I guess. Trying to compare the three of them has made my mind boggle a bit, so I will have to settle down to do so.

(I have the Japanese set from UCSMP for middle schoolers. I bought it off of someone on this forum. I couldn't resist.)

 

Maybe I need to search for Ray and "soy", as I never read his comments.

 

Bill

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