MathPlus's definitions

Vaccine Hesitancy Is Healthy

When the decision to vaccinate or not is too important to be left in the hands of so-called health experts, university hospital professors and researchers, pharmaceutical firms, and politicians, who all have a vested interest in promoting vaccination, be it for herd immunity; economic recovery; vaccine diplomacy, supremacy, or nationalism; profiteering; popularity; or politics—their mantra is that the benefits of getting a shot outweigh the risks, whose short-term advice may not always be in the long-term health interest of the general public.

Just because a decent proportion of the population have been partially or fully vaccinated for whatever personal, selfish, or altruistic reasons, this doesn’t mean that others too should blindly or ritually follow suit, because groupthink or the “wisdom of the crowd” doesn’t always translate in all spheres of life, particularly when potential long-term adverse effects associated with nontraditional techniques of producing vaccines cannot be discounted—when vaccine hesitancy is healthy for those who won’t let themselves easily fall for, or be fooled by, any health expert’s recommendation.

by MathPlus June 13, 2021

Covid-⍺

Read as “Covid-alpha.” Also known as the B.1.1.7 or “Alpha” variant. The UK or Kent variant is believed to be the second deadliest variant after the India variant to sweep across a number of countries—however, alpha patients are more than twice less likely to be hospitalized than their delta counterparts.

Covid-⍺, which is estimated to be 40%–80% more transmissible than Covid-19, is

believed to be more infectious because it contains mutations that make it better adapted to evade the immune system, thus allowing it to replicate and potentially find new hosts.

by MathPlus June 21, 2021

ippiteracy

When someone is not piterate, as they are unaware of falsehoods or white lies about the number π, which might elude even long-serving math teachers and exam-smart parents.

Common signs of ippiteracy among students and teachers are: π = 22/7, pi is defined in relation to a circle or limited to geometry, and π = 3 for biblical literalists.

by MathPlus September 10, 2021

Kosong Math

Math titles that come with zero hints and solutions, which is usually a no-no or put-off even for above-average students, who want to study the solutions of brain-unfriendly questions to hone their mathematical problem-solving skills—“kosong” is the Malay word for zero.

It’s not surprising that no matter how creative or fertile the math questions in some kosong math books are, few teachers, much less parents or homeschoolers, are attracted to buying them, which is a double blow for both authors and publishers, which ought to know better that zero solutions often translates into low or no sales.

by MathPlus July 15, 2021

Sharpie Math

When students who didn’t do well or flunked their math test or exam falsely claimed that they were penalized or prejudiced because they used Sharpie instead of ballpoint pens.

That SAT and GRE examiners disadvantage suburban white students vis-à-vis their Asian and Hispanic peers because of Sharpie math bias is the latest conspiracy propagated by QAnonists and alt-right Trumpists to vent out their mathematical frustration and anger.

by MathPlus November 5, 2020

Coviderate

Being informed and updated about the facts and fake news about the coronavirus and its deadlier variants, especially the bogus corona cures and conspiracies—the lies, damn lies, and Trump lies on Covid-19.

Had his diehard supporters been coviderate, the trumped-up stories concocted or tweeted by the ex-president would have been trashed straightaway, thus preventing thousands of infections and deaths.

by MathPlus June 16, 2021

Asshøle

An ex-jerk who has since repented of his narcissistic, racist, supremacist, or terroristic behaviors, which were committed via condescension, corruption, collusion, insurrection, or treason.

The ex-president, whom millions around the world are shocked why he’s not been locked up yet for his coup attempt to remain in power, has shown zero remorse for his treasonous acts—he’s far from being declared an asshøle.

by MathPlus February 12, 2021