Hatrack River Forum: Strange Textbook Quotations

This is topic Strange Textbook Quotations in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :

The first sentence under the Asexual Reproduction section in my biology book:

quote:
Imagine some of your fingers separating from your body, taking up life on their own, and eventually developing into entire copies of yourself. This would be an example of asexual reproduction: offspring derived from a single parent without genetic recombination.

Don't you hate it when the author's try to make a funny when talking about boring subjects?

I don't [Smile]

Edit: Changed Title.

[ September 03, 2004, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: kaioshin00 ]

Posted by Polio (Member # 6479) on :

Imagine some of the biology textbook writers' heads separating from their bodies, taking up a life of their own, and eventually developing into entire copies of themselves so you'd have a million more crappy textbooks to read when they all learned to write again. AHHHHHHHH! [Angst]

Posted by HollowEarth (Member # 2586) on :

the book we used in bio for non-majors class i took in the fall was written by 3 people who are professional text book writers. Frankly it was one of the worse text books i've ever been privledged to use.

Although this could be since it was for non-science majors. But come now, who has 5.5 credits to take electives?

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

Reading that would really startle me.

However, if done randomly and sparesly, it would probably help me remember 1-2 facts that I otherwise wouldn't.

[Wall Bash]

Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :

You guys have no idea what bad textbook writing really is. It's an odd example, but otherwise, there's nothing wrong with it.

Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :

never said it was bad, said it was crazy [Smile]

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

I think we need a lot more crazy textbook authors.

Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :

and less texan republican ones?

Last year our US history books didn't even really cover the Vietnam war. It went beyond it, but for taht it said "there was a police action in Vietnam from ______ to _______ many soldiers were killed."

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

It's better than giving people ulcers about that algae that is taking over the Mediterrenean sea.

Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :

quote:
Last year our US history books didn't even really cover the Vietnam war. It went beyond it, but for taht it said "there was a police action in Vietnam from ______ to _______ many soldiers were killed."

there was more about the Vietnam war in my "Exploring the Visual Arts" class last year.

Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :

Why am I not suprised that an art book would have a little more willing belief of a war happening than a US history book?

Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :

Physics Book:

"A stiff pig slipping down a straight playground slide might be considered to be moving like a particle; however, a tumbling tumbleweed would not, because different points inside it move in different directions."

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

stiff pig??? had rigor mortis set in or what? Besides dead pigs bloat, I've seen them.

AJ

Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :

I saw a rigor mortis bulldog on the highway once. It must have gotten hit a second time because it was balanced on it's head, right shoulder, and front right leg.

It was interesting, but that's Arkansas for ya.

Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :

A stiff pig?

Obscene joke deleted.

Maybe the pig was scared stiff from falling down the cliff/hill.

-Trevor

Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :

Not a cliff or a hill. A straight playground slide. Frightening things those are.

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

This is why I love my medieval history textbook.
Discussing the attempted sacking of Rome by Attila the Hun:

quote:
According to one comtemporary account, Pope Leo, "an old man of harmless simplicity, venerable in his gray hair and majestic clothing," was suddenly and miraculously joined by St. Peter and St. Paul, swords in their hands and clad in bishops' robes. their appearance at this critical moment was especially noteworthy because both saints had been dead for nearly 400 years.

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

I think I could love your medieval history book too. Most history books are fun to read.

AJ

Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :

Does anyone even know what St. Peter and St. Paul looked like?

Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :

You say that like it matters.

I highly doubt Saints Peter and Paul actually manifested, but it was good PR to improve morale.

Of course, I'm a bit of a skeptic. [Big Grin]

-Trevor

Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :

Maybe they wore name tags.

Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :

I had a Poli Sci book once that had a half-page footnote on how the designated batter rule in the AL was ruining the game of baseball. It was a book on game theory, but apparently the authors had a bit of a grudge.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

For the repudiation of Attila by Pope Leo, my latin professor had a cartoon that had the pope spraying him with "Huns-Be-Gone."