Fasters's definitions

Trumponomics

A branch of dark economics that studies how rogue organizations or charities use tax loopholes and fake or sham practices to benefit the owners and their family members and cronies.

MBA students taking the Trumponomics module never fail to discuss Trump University and Trump Foundation as two classic examples of white-collar crime.

by Fasters February 1, 2023

Twitter Pi

Composing a short story (factoid, haiku, joke, …), or posing a math problem, using 140 (or 280) characters or less on or about the number π.

Three examples of Twitter Pi are:

a) A haiku entitled “Pi in the Sky” goes like this:
Pi is three only.
For the Bible tells me so!
I shalt not doubt it.

b) Trump promised MAGA evangelicals in red-pilled states: “If re-elected, I’d decree π to be 3 for all true-blue patriots.”

c) A math toughie: If 1! = 1 and 2! = 2, show that (1/2)! = 1/2 √π and (–1/2)! = √π.

by Fasters February 25, 2023

Every pi has a phi lining

The mathematical equivalent of “Every cloud has a silver lining.” When the symbol π reminds millions of math-anxious students and their parents worldwide of their dreaded school math lessons, while the seldom-discussed golden or divine ratio 𝜙 would open their eyes to the beauty, utility, and ubiquity of mathematics.

If more people with a negative experience of school math were told that “every pi has a phi lining,” perhaps math wouldn’t get such a bad publicity among the school subjects.

by Fasters May 13, 2023

Pi Irreverence

When both mathophiles and mathophobes unashamedly or liberally poke fun at mathematics’s most famous or notorious constant π, by cracking jokes and puns, composing haikus and limericks, posing silly and serious pi-related quickies and trickies, and creating pi NFTs.

No mathematical constant other than pi has been under so much public scrutiny: pi irreverence has not only permeated popular culture, but is also potentially linked to extraterrestrial life in other planets or galaxies.

by Fasters June 6, 2023

+mas

A more fitting shortcut for Christmas, where the symbol ‘+’ reminds us of the birth of Christ, whose death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins so that we could have eternal life, rather than the abbreviated Xmas, where ‘X’ is often an unknown for nonbelievers, which could stand for a gift exchange, year-end party, roasted turkey, and the like.

Unlike Xmas that usually involves some fun or joyful activity or event for non-Christians, +mas annually reminds believers of Jesus—who came from heaven to earth as a baby, who was conceived from a virgin birth by the Holy Spirit—who has the power to forgive their sins and to offer them eternal life as they acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior.

by Fasters December 24, 2021