[Taxacom] burn out (was: classification of Class Rosopsida)

[Richard Zander]

There were these two phylogeneticists who had an ongoing argument over
whether alpha taxonomists knew any math or not. One day they were to
meet for lunch at a diner that employed as waiters some alpha
taxonomists who could not get a regular job in a university. The
phylogeneticist who thought alpha taxonomists were actually numerate
arrived first, and called a waiter over to his table.

"You're an alpha taxonomist, right?" he asked.

The waiter replied, "Yes, sir," knuckling his forehead.

The phylogeneticist then said, "I'll call you over here later and when I
ask you what is the integral of 2x, you say x squared, okay?"

"Of course, sir," said the waiter, and left.

The second phylogeneticist arrived and took his seat. After some
conversation the first phylogeneticist called the waiter to the table
and asked:

"You're an alpha taxonomist, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, what is the integral of 2x?"

"X squared," said the waiter.

"Wow!" exclaimed the other phylogeneticist. "You're right! Alpha
taxonomists do know math!"

And the waiter said, "...plus a constant."

*****************************
Richard H. Zander 
Voice: 314-577-0276
Missouri Botanical Garden
PO Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA
richard.zander at mobot.org
Web sites: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/
and http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm
Non-post deliveries to:
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110
*****************************

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John La Duke" <john_laduke at und.nodak.edu>
To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 9:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] burn out (was: classification of Class Rosopsida)


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