MathPlus's definitions

White Terrorist-in-Chief

The latest notorious title conferred on Donald J. Trump for the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, when his diehard supporters-turned-terrorists stormed the building, and threatened to kill the Vice President and endanger the lives of lawmakers.

Liar-in-Chief, Pinocchio-in-Chief, Divider-in-Chief, Faker-in-Chief, …, Pharisee-in-Chief, Hoaxer-in-Chief, Conspiracist-in-Chief, White Terrorist-in-Chief, it’s hard to imagine another rogue or fake leader collecting so many ignoble titles while in office, except perhaps for Kim Jong Un who has been honored with dozens of laughably flattery titles.

by MathPlus January 25, 2021

Doom-and-Gloom Math

The hypothesis that a large proportion of the people in the developed world would lack the critical thinking and quantitative skills required of a 21st-century citizen, because the politics of nativism, populism, and racism plaguing their societies have directly or indirectly brainwashed or radicalized them.

Thanks to Trumpism or right-wing politics, clothed under white supremacism or white Christian nationalism, millions of adults and children have fallen victims to the gospel of doom-and-gloom math, who blame millions of immigrants and refugees for stealing their blue-and white-collar jobs and for invading the promised land of their forefathers (who did the same thing to Native Americans).

by MathPlus April 28, 2023

Trickle Down Mathematics

A cute sounding phrase, which is 99.99% bullshit, that is used to justify the high royalties demanded by half-baked math authors in academia, or the high fees charged by most overrated textbook math consultants or general editors (who are notorious in giving cosmetic feedback to a manuscript).

Educational publishers in Singapore reluctantly give in to trickle down mathematics, hoping to increase the odds of their approved textbooks to be adopted by more local schools, by displaying as many PhDs on their book covers.

by MathPlus November 17, 2021

Who Wants a Sinovac Shot?

The Chinese equivalent of “Who wants a Covaxin jab?” When China is aggressively involved in vaccine diplomacy, by donating millions of its home-made partially trialed and 50⁺% effective vaccines to poor or emerging countries, whose populations have mixed feelings about these WHO-unapproved shots—is China trying to redeem itself or to make up for its earlier lies and cover-ups for failing to alert the world of the pandemic?

When beggars can’t be choosers, even if the vaccines have got zero WHO approval, how dare millions of recipients worldwide cynically or skeptically ask: “Who wants a Sinovac shot?”

by MathPlus March 23, 2021

Covid-Free

An invisible sticker that is pasted on any Christian by their Protector, Deliverer, and Healer, as promised in Psalm 91, where God promises to shield all believers who abide in Him from any pandemic, plague, or pestilence.

When the devil works overtime to make you doubt whether or not you are really under God’s protection because of your sins or addictions, just show him your Covid-free sticker.

by MathPlus July 16, 2021

Viral Inequality

When some corona variants see themselves more powerful or attention-grabbing than others, because of their higher rate of infection, transmission, or destruction.

Just when the UK and Indian Covid-19 strains thought they were the most dangerous viruses plaguing the world, the Vietnamese or North Korean variant could outwit them both, thus showing that the viral inequality between present variants and new hybrids is getting wider over time.

by MathPlus May 31, 2021

Pi in the Pandemic

When the number π tries to keep herself fresh in the mind’s eye of mathematicians and math educators, by getting involved in the christening of new words and phrases, such as “piralysis,” “Covid-π,” and “pi in the sky”; or by letting her and other pi expressions being redefined with new meanings, often associated with Covid-19 or its variants.

Like the top billionaires who became wealthier during the coronavirus crisis, thanks to Urban Dictionary, pi in the pandemic was productive in producing a few dozen new pi-words and phrases to keep the mathematical brethren in some quasi-aha! mood in the midst of fear and pain.

by MathPlus October 14, 2021