November 22, 2003

NEW MATH

Craig Emerson, Australian Labor Party spokesman for industrial relations, attempts to define wedge politics:

Ultimately it comes down to this: splitting the nation in two and picking up the bigger half.

This person aspires to a role in government that would assist in determining wage levels. Bigger half?

Posted by Tim Blair at November 22, 2003 01:00 AM
Comments

Well, this *would* explain some election difficulties, wouldn't it? After all, if you can't count or do math, how can you be expected to add up enough votes to win a government?

Posted by: JorgXMcKie at November 22, 2003 at 02:34 AM

In America we can split a piece of wood into two pieces and pick the larger piece.

But maybe we are mostly geniuses here.

Posted by: M. Simon at November 22, 2003 at 02:49 AM

The larger piece, yes. But try picking up a larger half.

Posted by: tim at November 22, 2003 at 02:59 AM

This is the reson why the Liberal/Labor/Democrat politicians have problems comprehending economic growth policies.

Good thing he was not trying to divide the nation into 3 halves and keep 2 for his party, so he can get a 2/3 majority :-)

Posted by: Vidya at November 22, 2003 at 03:38 AM

Hell, why not the "bigger half"?

Gems such as "one of the only", "rather unique", "exotic native plants" trip off the tongue without passing through the brain.

Just add it to the collection.

Posted by: bai at November 22, 2003 at 08:00 AM

Im campaigning for the 3rd half.

Posted by: papertiger at November 22, 2003 at 09:13 AM

In hockey, most of the points are scored in the third half.

/hockey being that obscure game played by Canadiens and bankrolled by Americans too poor to afford NBA basketball games.

Posted by: papertiger at November 22, 2003 at 09:16 AM

"The larger piece, yes. But try picking up a larger half."

well, i'll help you with the larger half if you'll help me with the smaller...

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at November 22, 2003 at 01:27 PM

with regard to 'new math', i must defer, as always, to tom lehrer

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at November 22, 2003 at 01:35 PM

``Half'' doesn't claim that they're equal except in mathematics, which is a derived language that gives precision a different shape from what it has elsewhere in the world. What would you make of a half smile, or half agreement, or half right, like I am?

Posted by: Ron Hardin at November 22, 2003 at 08:42 PM

"Half" doesn't claim that they're equal except in mathematics.
What would you make of a half smile, or half agreement, or half right, like I am?

Is half an hour still 30 minutes with you?
Is half price still 50c in the dollar?

Posted by: Peggy Sue at November 22, 2003 at 10:40 PM

Precision has a shape?

Posted by: Ken Summers at November 23, 2003 at 02:22 AM