by Larry Campbell | Nov 3, 2019 | Explanations |
Discounts (on signed books) are available NOW, and will continue through the end of December 2021. ALL of these prices (including shipping) represent a discount of up to 40%
Spitballs From the Back Row
Total Price: $10 (Paperback) or $15 (Hard Cover)
MORE Spitballs From the Back Row
Total Price: $10 (Paperback) [only]
Spitballs SET – One of each book.
Total Price: $15 (Both Paperback)
Rollin’ Down the River
Total Price: $25
Mix & Match Special
Order any 2 or more copies (mix/match) (Spitballs Set Excluded) and receive FREE SHIPPING.
TO ORDER
Reply to this e-mail and/or use the Contact Form.
NOTES:
1. POSTAGE: Flat rate of $2.50 (media) for individual Spitballs books. $5 for other options, OR for Priority Mail . (Rollin’ books only ship Priority. Spitballs Set only ships media) FREE postage for orders of 2 books or more (excluding Spitballs Set).
2. All books are signed editions, unless otherwise requested, and can also be inscribed to someone of your choice.
3. Upon receipt of order, you will receive personalized response with payment options and other details.
4. Orders received by early December have best chance of delivery in time for Christmas.
5. Prices are only guaranteed through December 2021 only.
BREAKING NEWS
With some luck, I will have a new book available soon. It will (again) be a totally different book and topic. More details will follow, probably nearer the new year. If you would like more early information and/or possible pricing information, Please feel free to contact me, either directly or using the Contact link above..
by Larry Campbell | Oct 26, 2019 | Explanations, Other Fun Stuff |
“Lexophile” describes one who has a love for words and wordplay, such as “you can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish”, or “To write with a broken pencil is pointless.” An annual competition is held by the New York Times to see who can create the best original lexophile.
The paragraph similar to the above appears with almost every reference I can find to this NY Times contest and collection. It got me curious and puzzled. It seems to define a lexophile as a person and as a clever creation of such a person, without making any distinction. I suppose this ‘double definition’ is not unusual, but I was curious.
When I Googled the word all I got was some variation of the phrase in the first sentence above. And NONE of the (informal?) online ‘definitions’ even mention the second usage as the corresponding creation or byproduct. (Try it yourself).
But even ‘curiouser’: It turns out that ‘lexophile’ is not even a real word! It is NOT listed in Merriam Webster’s latest online dictionary. So, even though the word does not officially exist, it seems to appear every so often, and apparently in a variety of contexts.
I know, I know – I think I’m wondering the same thing myself: Don’t I have better things to do? Who can account for curiosity?
by Larry Campbell | Sep 2, 2018 | Explanations |
The median in a set of values is a useful measure of ‘typical-ness’, and is often seen in news stories involving comparisons of numbers and data
But it is not the same as its cousin the mean, which is what we typically mean (no pun intended) when we say ‘average’ (in a usually- relatively-minor misnomer.)
The median is a MIDDLE VALUE – the place where half the data is above and half below. That’s its purpose, as a measuring indicator (and is therefore often more useful than ‘average’/mean). If the data changes, so will the median (and the mean, of course), but the nature of the median is there will ALWAYS be (roughly) 50% of the data below it. There will always be a median salary, but there will always also be half the population making below that number. That’s part of the point.
So the candidate’s comment is reminiscent of Garrison Keillor’s quip something to the effect that all of Lake Wobegon’s children were ‘in the upper half’. 🙂
*****
Extra, for free: There is a third often-used measure of ‘typical-ness’. It is called the mode. The mode is the value that occurs most often. (If you want to know, say, the most popular shirt size for men, you certainly don’t care about ‘average’ [mean] or a value in the middle [median] . . . you want the value that occurs most often [mode.] )
by Larry Campbell | May 12, 2018 | Explanations, Other Fun Stuff |
Some explanations for various phrases and traditions:
WHY?
Why do men’s clothes have buttons on the right while women’s clothes have buttons on the left?
BECAUSE
When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid’s right! And that’s where women’s buttons have remained since.
WHY?
Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called ‘passing the buck’?
BECAUSE
In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would ‘pass the buck’ to the next player.
WHY?
Why is someone who is feeling great ‘on cloud nine’?
BECAUSE
Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.
WHY?
Why are many coin collection jar banks shaped like pigs?
BECAUSE
Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of dense orange clay called ‘pygg’. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as ‘pygg banks.’ When an English potter misunderstood the word, hemade a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.
by Larry Campbell | Apr 27, 2018 | Explanations |
The bi-weekly Photo/Sharing mailing of 4/16/18 contained a distinct difference from almost all previous such mailings. The entire second section (where other features like Aunt Edna, Verses, Guest Voices, Math Tidbits, and other Updates usually reside) was missing. To see the mailing again, visit Apr16Mailing.
I did indeed have subscribers take up the challenge and mention some discrepancies – and that was pleasing – but Joshua Walters was the only person to correctly identify the change.
Actually, this made my experiment successful, in that I gained information, as desired. I had been wondering if that entire section was relevant/worthwhile as a regular feature – I can actually put other frequent sharings in the Wild Cards, and could still make announcements as needed – and I think I got that feeling confirmed. (As a teaser, then, watch for a Wild Card link to another Aunt Edna quote next time [May 14]!)
Thanks to all that participated!
by Larry Campbell | Mar 4, 2017 | Explanations, Rollin' On The River 2016 |
PROMOTION ENDS AT NOON MAY 31TH
Through noon on May 31, chances will be provided to gain entries for the drawing for a FREE copy of the Rollin’ Down The River book, which is now due to be released sometime mid-June. Drawing will still be May 31. Here are the current details and entry updates. (This page will be updated for whenever there are changes, so stay tuned.) Information current as of May 30, 2017:
WAYS TO ENTER:
- Through noon May 31, at least one entry is earned for each submitted solution (correct or not) to a BONUS problem on the current May/June Brain Teasers.
- Through noon May 31, one entry is earned for EACH collection of FOUR (4) correctly solved ‘normal’ Brain Teasers. (There will be at least a dozen, total.)
- Expired 31 March 17
- Help us update our records: Send in your snail mail address and birthday (even if we already have it), and earn one entry. (If you need extra incentive, AME BD cards are currently going out with coupons for a 10% discount on “The Book” 🙂 ).
- Provide feedback for the (Bi-)Weekly Photo Sharings. Likes, dislikes, wishes, suggestions, you name it. I want to hear from YOU. Each item of feedback can earn from ONE (1) to FIVE (5) entries, and multiple feedback submissions are allowed. (Reply to this e-mail or use this ContactForm.)
CURRENT QUALIFIED ENTRIES: (Information current as of May 30, 2017)
- Anita Dixon – 25
- Rita Barger – 19
- Jim Waterman – 13
- Amy Ragsdale – 9
- Alexis Avis – 5
- Julie D’Ambrosio – 3
- Jennifer Steele – 2
- John Ingersoll – 1
- Jeff Campbell – 1
- Amanda Schweissguth – 1
- Deborah Barker – 1
- Phil Endicott – 1
- Joshua Walters – 1
- Steve Eslinger – 1
- Christine Porter – 1
TOTAL ENTRIES: 84
