I Want Labeled Axes!

I want labeled axes --- or possibly a giant sign for his door that says "Label your fucking axes!"

Misinterpretations are also welcome.

(We'll see if there are some labeled battle-axes or something similar waiting for me when I return to Oxford.)

As Rachel Gray points out, there is an an appropriate xkcd for the occasion that involves ending relationships and lack of axis labels. There is also another strip --- I think it might also have been xkcd? --- about putting snarky labels on any unlabeled axes submitted by students. I saw this a couple of years ago, and I might add a link to it later. (I looked briefly just now and couldn't find it, and I don't feel like looking more at the moment.)

Do You Have Enough Subject Classification Tags?

Really, Alex and Alan? Are 19 separate classes in the Mathematics Subject Classification truly necessary? Don't you think that's just a bit extreme?

There is nothing wrong with this, but you've managed to win my WTF award for the day. (That said, this paper now makes me wonder if this is the record.)

In summary:

(a) That seems a bit extreme.
(b) I wonder if this is the record.
(c) Seriously, WTF?


Update (1/14/13): One of my students checked the data that we have, and the maximum number between 1980 and 2009 appears to be 8 secondary MSCs (the one above has 1 primary MSC and 18 secondary MSCs). Wow.

Things that I am

I have several affiliations during my life, so let's see what labels some of these things have given me.

Hawthorne School: At some level, this makes me a "Viking". However, I don't think the school had a nickname when I was there, so on most levels I am not one. Naturally, I was often referred to back then simply as "nerd".

Beverly Hills High School: This makes me a "Norman".

Caltech: I am a "Techer" by virtue of being a student there and a "Lloydie" by virtue of being a member of Lloyd House. As a Caltech student, I am also a "Beaver". I was "Lord of Kaos" (UCC of Kaos alley) during two terms of my senior year, so while it was mostly my minions ("Ready, normal people?!?") who were called "Kaons", one could also add that label here at some level. Let's not worry about positions I held (such as "Tech Editor"), as that's a different kind of label. As a postdoc at Tech, I was the mascot for the women's table tennis team. There has to be a label associated with that, right?

Cornell: I am a "Cornellian" by virtue of being a student at Cornell. Also, being a member of the Center for Applied Mathematics (CAM) makes me a "CAMster". (Yes, that's really the label that was used. I don't know if it's still in use, but this particular label is "awesome" and may well have mecifully fallen into disuse as a result.)

Georgia Tech: Because of Georgia Tech's mascot, I am a "Yellowjacket" (which I believe is not technically a hornet but is close enough to explain certain... um... 'experiences' I've had with hornets in recent years).

MSRI: I don't think I had any labels there, but I figured I should point out that the facetious pronciation of MSRI is "misery".

Oxford: I am an "Oxonian" by virtue of being affiliated with the University and a "Somervillian" by virtue of being a member of Somerville College. I don't know of any labels I get from being in OCIAM. Perhaps we should come up with one? Does anybody have any suggestions?

Professionally: On the scientific end, I am a "mathematician", "applied mathematician", "physicist", "dynamicist", "complexity scientist", and (as Frank Moon once annoyingly called people who study nonlinear dynamics) "chaotian". In terms of my job, I am a "University Lecturer" (our name for 'assistant professor'), "Tutor" (or "Tutorial Fellow"), "teacher", "mentor", "advisor", "researcher", and "scientist". In more literary areas, I am a "journalist" (from my days with The California Tech, "writer" (I have published a non-scientific book, after all), "satirist", "expositor", and "blogger".

Personally: Hmmm... I don't really think we should really get into that here. :) I'm sure the peanut gallery will have contributions to make.