Reading for education, fun, or both

[ataxian]

@

My favorite has always been the one about Unlawful Carnal Knowledge........ We even adopted it for a Forum name.....

I once worked with a Cambridge educated Brit PhD, quite proper. He had a 'Certificate of Membership' (complete with seal) attesting to his being a Charter Member of the 'Royal Society to Eliminate TLAs'. At the bottom it defined 'TLA' as Three Letter Acronym. Too long on too small an island I think? Leads also to making funny cars that don't work in the rain and drinking warm beer as well it seems.

A 'Techniques of Teaching' text I had to read years back explained the value of acronyms for 'stress education' in adults by pointing out that while adults learn skills in small steps by building on the skills they have/know, children learn by rote. Kids learn to multiply numbers by memorizing a table first. But they have to actually understand about numbers to learn Algebra and 'higher math'. The author suggested that under stress we adults loose the links and can come up short on what to do so we can fall back on the rote learning of acronyms. That, coupled with specific 'drill type' training (when this happens, do this) make a powerful pair for survival/success. The analogy (another strong tool for adult education......) is doing football drills, thinking out the response to a future situation before it happens. Makes response effective and automatic. "We play the way we practice". Fun stuff, and useful.

Regards to all,

OF

@OF your always full of wisdom.


Being older and retired I find it a luxury to study and I enjoy reading.
My field of study is Philosophy, History, Science, Astrophysicist and Mathematics.
I believe it is a luxury to be able to study!

The SOLO is practical, reasonable and effective!
I broke out a pipe I had however a mouth full of flowers I found to be undesirable!
My SOLO was easier to use and gave a much better result!

Your "GIZMO" is making my SOLO last!

mod note: This post started a derail in the Solo thread, so it and all repolies to it have been used to create a new thread

 

[Bravesst]

My favorite has always been the one about Unlawful Carnal Knowledge........ We even adopted it for a Forum name.....

I once worked with a Cambridge educated Brit PhD, quite proper. He had a 'Certificate of Membership' (complete with seal) attesting to his being a Charter Member of the 'Royal Society to Eliminate TLAs'. At the bottom it defined 'TLA' as Three Letter Acronym. Too long on too small an island I think? Leads also to making funny cars that don't work in the rain and drinking warm beer as well it seems.

A 'Techniques of Teaching' text I had to read years back explained the value of acronyms for 'stress education' in adults by pointing out that while adults learn skills in small steps by building on the skills they have/know, children learn by rote. Kids learn to multiply numbers by memorizing a table first. But they have to actually understand about numbers to learn Algebra and 'higher math'. The author suggested that under stress we adults loose the links and can come up short on what to do so we can fall back on the rote learning of acronyms. That, coupled with specific 'drill type' training (when this happens, do this) make a powerful pair for survival/success. The analogy (another strong tool for adult education......) is doing football drills, thinking out the response to a future situation before it happens. Makes response effective and automatic. "We play the way we practice". Fun stuff, and useful.

Regards to all,

OF

Using acronyms in any emergency service, is a way of remembering a lot of info, really quickly. You need to be able to react to your training, not inherent instinct. When it comes to quick recall (or maybe recognition), acronyms can help.

For example, the FDNY, and probably many other departments use the 13 points of size up. When I was a real student, putting in 3 or 4 hours of study a day to pass promotional exams, these were God sends, figured out by those that went before me.

13 points of size of (what every fireman should be thinking about as he approaches the fire building):

*Coal Was Wealth*

I hope I can recall them all, but it's been 15 years since I studied, lets see how I do.
1. Construction
2. Occupancy
3. Apparatus positioning
4. Life
5. Water
6. Arrival (order of)
7. Street conditions
8. Weather
9. Egress
10. Access
11. Ladder
12. Time of day
13. Hydrant

Whaddya know, did okay. You've got about 1 minute to go through all that...

@ataxian
I feel the same. While I didn't really get a quality formal education, I'm pretty self taught, and really can't read for "enjoyment". I rather watch TV if I'm getting mindless. I read to learn, and I can't stop learning. One OF the reasons this site is so great, smart ppl who are willing to share. I love to share the knowledge that I've accumulated over the years, and plan on continuing to learn. I'm retired from the FDNY, but still write, train, and keep as busy as possible. I taught myself may skills that most would think you could only learn in a formal setting. Not always the case. Keep studying, one of the luxuries I've had all my life.

 

[sickmanfraud]

Using acronyms in any emergency service, is a way of remembering a lot of info, really quickly. You need to be able to react to your training, not inherent instinct. When it comes to quick recall (or maybe recognition), acronyms can help.

For example, the FDNY, and probably many other departments use the 13 points of size up. When I was a real student, putting in 3 or 4 hours of study a day to pass promotional exams, these were God sends, figured out by those that went before me.

13 points of size of (what every fireman should be thinking about as he approaches the fire building):

*Coal Was Wealth*

I hope I can recall them all, but it's been 15 years since I studied, lets see how I do.
1. Construction
2. Occupancy
3. Apparatus positioning
4. Life
5. Water
6. Arrival (order of)
7. Street conditions
8. Weather
9. Egress
10. Access
11. Ladder
12. Time of day
13. Hydrant

Whaddya know, did okay. You've got about 1 minute to go through all that...

@ataxian
I feel the same. While I didn't really get a quality formal education, I'm pretty self taught, and really can't read for "enjoyment". I rather watch TV if I'm getting mindless. I read to learn, and I can't stop learning. One OF the reasons this site is so great, smart ppl who are willing to share. I love to share the knowledge that I've accumulated over the years, and plan on continuing to learn. I'm retired from the FDNY, but still write, train, and keep as busy as possible. I taught myself may skills that most would think you could only learn in a formal setting. Not always the case. Keep studying, one of the luxuries I've had all my life.

I am the same way. I can not bring myself to read fiction. Give me information that I can learn something from and I will read it.

That is probably why I'm interested and involved in these forums, frequently there's information that can be learned on FC.

The last fiction I recall reading was Harry Potter.

 

[Bravesst]

@sickmanfraud Information Addict, anyone got a problem with that?

 

[TheWhisper]

I vehemently disagree with anyone who says you can't learn from fiction!

 

[ataxian]

I read mostly

I am the same way. I can not bring myself to read fiction. Give me information that I can learn something from and I will read it.

That is probably why I'm interested and involved in these forums, frequently there's information that can be learned on FC.

The last fiction I recall reading was Harry Potter.

Non-Fiction however I do read the original text of Tarzan!
Philosophy is fun while sipping on a SOLO.
The next book I will read is the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge!

Cannabis makes me want to learn?
The SOLO is a study aide!

TV scares me!

 

[lookhigh]

I read mostly


TV scares me!

Was watching some IMAX 3D demo stuff. Just fantastic while high.

 

[Bravesst]

to each his own, and I'm sorry for confusion, I didn't mean to imply that you can't learn from fiction. I wind up "studying" fiction, but i want to love it, enjoy it, savor it, but my old study habits won't quit - my loss!

 

[bibblybobbly]

I read mostly

Non-Fiction however I do read the original text of Tarzan!
Philosophy is fun while sipping on a SOLO.
The next book I will read is the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge!

Cannabis makes me want to learn?
The SOLO is a study aide!

TV scares me!

I feel that, all through university getting high helped me crack the books.

Philosophy-wise: I was trained in the modern style of analytic, quite logico-mathematical philosophy. Reading Sartre's Nausea recently has demonstrated to me the value of philosophical novels. Since learning about neural networks, Bayesian learning and Wittgenstein's later work, I had something of an epiphany about language and wider philosophy; that my overemphasis on mathematical logic was (while a useful pursuit to study) slightly misplaced.

 

[ataxian]

I feel that, all through university getting high helped me crack the books.

Philosophy-wise: I was trained in the modern style of analytic, quite logico-mathematical philosophy. Reading Sartre's Nausea recently has demonstrated to me the value of philosophical novels. Since learning about neural networks, Bayesian learning and Wittgenstein's later work, I had something of an epiphany about language and wider philosophy; that my overemphasis on mathematical logic was (while a useful pursuit to study) slightly misplaced.

Philosophy wise I'm a junkie!

Modern day I like Christoper Hitchens: I read a lot of his works!

Mathematical Philosophy I love as well!

Cannabis is my hobby and very much a part of my life!

Vaporizing Is preferred!

Need new computer!

 

[TheWhisper]

to each his own, and I'm sorry for confusion, I didn't mean to imply that you can't learn from fiction. I wind up "studying" fiction, but i want to love it, enjoy it, savor it, but my old study habits won't quit - my loss!

I understand that habit all too well. If you're interested in some fiction that benefits from in-depth study and analysis, I highly recommend the Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson. It's long (upwards of 3 million words, just in the main 10-book series), dense, and explores things ranging from capitalism, pastoralism, agriculturalism, other types of civilization, many many philosophical concepts, histories (and lives!) spanning millennia, wars from the foot soldiers' perspectives, responsibility, honor, justice, love, magic, the ebb and flow of time, and so much more. But it also has action, likeable loveable and hateable characters, mage duels, dragons, floating castles, and undead dinosaur-like ancient beings. It's hard to explain it all, but I highly recommend it.

The first book is often considered the toughest of the series to get into (it was written 10 years before the second book, and the author improved a lot between the two). Some people even recommend starting with book two, which is most people's favorite book anyway.

Warning: you will cry at least once during this series. Maybe twice. Probably more than thrice.

EDIT: I should also add that this is a series which most people who finish it go on to reread. There's so much story and detail packed in, and so many things are so subtly foreshadowed or mentioned, that the only way for most to understand it all is to read it more than once. From my experience, it gets better each time one reads it!

 

[ginolicious]

I need to read on a daily basis.

I enjoy comics weekly.

But due to my profession I need to read case law daily. Arguments change every 6 months. New laws come into place. Etc. But I've never passed a law exam sober. Was always high or burning out lol.

 

[Bravesst]

Passed every test since high school high

 

[bibblybobbly]

Am I right?

 

[Joel W.]

My dad always said "It's not what you know that matters, it's being able to find the answer that counts"

Pretty sure that was before google and he was referring to books...

I just read to try and figure stuff out as my mind tends to drift off before I get to the end of most paragraphs.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Finished reading Bhagavad Gita some time back and didn't pick up any books for a bit. Ended up finding a copy of The Invisible Man that I picked up probably 12 years ago now... somehow ever got around to ever reading it. I'm weird, I find myself reading medical texts/articles much more than I do regular books, though I do try to read a little bit everyday. Even if it's just 15-20 pages I'm trying to make time more consistently for it again. I also have loads of older National Geographic magazines that I like flicking through.

 

[CarolKing]

I like historical fiction. You can learn about history that way in an entertaining way. I've read many books about Henry the Eighth and all his wives. I've learned a lot about how people lived back then in the 1500s in England. The types of food, clothes and customs are very interesting back 500 years ago. Many of my ansestors came from England and Northern Europe.

I read a book called the Red Tent and it's about Dinah from the Bible. I'm not religious but it was such a captivating book about how the woman lived and what their roles were. What a violent time it was. Of course a lot was made up to make the book interesting but the customs and how they lived their lives back then wasn't made up. How the woman gave birth to their babies in the red tent. How important the midwives were back then. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. You guys wouldn't be interested in something like this.

Historical fiction can be interesting and fun, if you like that sort of thing.

I used to read a lot of non fiction True Crime. Just got tired of it.