November 5, 2005

  • Physics.  And Yes and No

    The local university Physics department put on a massive show-and-tell for the community today as a part of The World Year of Physics.  They did a fantastic job, even from the perspective of this English major and her liberal-arts-inclined kids.  The particle accelerator lecture went over my head a bit, but fortunately they'd had the foresight to come up with a elementary-level door-prize:  pennies squashed by the weight of the 5-ton door they shut when they're accelerating the particles.  So that was cool.  And then there were balloons and helium, sound-shattered beakers, balancing tricks, lasers and mirrors, a vacuum-chamber ping-pong-ball gun, and a rideable hovercraft. 

    Plus, we were greeted at the door by one of Ms. 7's peer's dads, who I know well, or thought I did ("You know, Carl, he's in one of the science departments at the university?"), and it turns out he's a Nuclear Astro-Physicist.  Er.  Whoa.  The man suddenly seems just a trifle more awe-inspiring.

    Anyway, on the way home, her cranial capacity obviously enhanced by close proximity to all this high-level thinking, Ms. 7 demanded:

    "Do you think that of all the yes-or-no questions ever asked in the world, more were answering by 'no,' or by 'yes'?"

    There was a bit of bumbling on my part.

    "Oh, come on, Mom.  If you don't know, can we look it up on the web?"

    I averred that it was quite possible the question had never been asked.

    Or has it? 

    And let me know the answer?

Comments (16)

  • Wow. . .Ms. 7's really got quite the thought process!  I know my kids would claim the answer's 'no' much more often!

  • I don't know- but watch out for that one- she's going places.  Blessings abound

  • i think you need to take a poll...i vote yes, otherwise why ask the question? ;)

  • No.

  • Wait.  What does that answer mean?  No, as in no to the answer no, or no, as in yes, the answer no is the answer?  Or, no, we can't look it up on the web, because, yes, it has already been answered here, and, no, the answer yes doesn't fit.  Yes, I could be over-anylizing this, no?

  • Yes, I mispelled over-analyzing.  No, I don't see the problem with clogging your comments with inane ramblings such as this.  Yes, I'll answer the door.  No, I didn't expect you'd get a Xanga restraining order here that quickly...

    (Yes, I'm done.  Errr...No?)

  • ROFL. No, but, Lubber, yes, you're a clown. And a clever man. And a twit taking me away from my NaNo responsibilities.......

    My own attempt to answer the question mirrored queenoscots' -- I said the answer depended in in part on the need to ask the question; e.g. you wouldn't ask "May I have some more broccoli?" because you'd know the answer would be 'yes;' but you'd probably (if you weren't sneaky) ask: "May I have some more candy?" because you'd guess the answer might be 'no.'

    Ms. 7 was NOT satisfied with this line of sociological reasoning, which she claimed did NOT answer the question.

  • Loving Lubber, as usual.

    I am too impressed with her question to even hazard an answer. Would hate to disappoint. Suspect the balance leans toward the "no" side of the equation, but that probably has something to do with the number of times I heard it today. grrrrr.

    Oh, and file this under useless tidbits you know about DiDi: her first word? "No!"...my father even made me a tiny necklace with that particular verbiage so I'd never forget (and be embarrassed by) my oh-so-negative beginnings.

  • Pondering this one... leave it to a seven year old!

  • People are so negative so often, I bet the answer has more often been verbalized as "no," even when the truth might be "yes."

    Seems its the "yes-takers" who persist in following their dreams and end up w/ all the acclaim, while the rest of us sit back scratching our heads saying "I can't."

    So, yeah. They say no. But there are infinitely more chances for "yes" out there.

  • it depends on what the questions are and where they are asked. but i guess it all evens out and boils down  to the same probability as a coin landing heads or tails, or the probability that this answer will make sense to someone LOL

  • I'm always impressed with people like that too.  The Nuclear Astro-Physicist that is.  I'm also impressed with the questions that little Ms. 7 asks you.  Shows some good thinking on her part.  I don't have an answer for her.

  • OK, I went to the experts and the link to their answer follows... not what I'd hoped but an answer just the same.
    http://www.allexperts.com/answerv.asp?QuestionID=4164361
    Sorry I couldn't resolve... I'd have liked to have & then Ms. Seven might think I'm smart!

  • ROFLMO! Yes, my 9 year old seems to think the answer to anything is on the web. They certainly are a new generation!

  • I love the things your kids say! They are smart, for sure. Although I suspect the answer may be no

  • um, er, I'm KLULESS, remember?!??!??!

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