From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Msuck: nntp://news.gmane.io/gmane.science.mathematics.categories/2918 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Peter Freyd Newsgroups: gmane.science.mathematics.categories Subject: Categories Anonymous Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 14:07:38 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <200511281907.jASJ7cEW026208@saul.cis.upenn.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1241018983 6358 80.91.229.2 (29 Apr 2009 15:29:43 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:29:43 +0000 (UTC) To: categories@mta.ca Original-X-From: rrosebru@mta.ca Wed Nov 30 15:04:51 2005 -0400 Return-path: Envelope-to: categories-list@mta.ca Delivery-date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:04:51 -0400 Original-Received: from Majordom by mailserv.mta.ca with local (Exim 4.52) id 1EhX6m-0001tS-NW for categories-list@mta.ca; Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:55:12 -0400 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.4 (2005-06-05) on mx1.mta.ca X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.0 required=5.0 tests=none autolearn=disabled version=3.0.4 Original-Sender: cat-dist@mta.ca Precedence: bulk X-Keywords: X-UID: 63 Original-Lines: 58 Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.science.mathematics.categories:2918 Archived-At: While checking Jacobson's responsibility for "rng" Google directed me to www.math.binghamton.edu/alex/Yale_Math_Skit.html where we learn a most appropriate pronunciation for the word. And it reminds those of us old enough just what we used to be up against. Script of skit performed at the Yale Math Department Christmas Party in 1974 by the second year graduate students: Chico Miraglia, Craig Huneke, Paul Blanchard, Bob Bix, Richard Foote, Alex Feingold, Monica Baratieri, Dan Coro, John Elton (Piano!), John M(?). * * * Jacobson Interview Johnny: Now, please welcome our next guest, the current President of Categories Anonymous, Mr. Nathan Jacobson. (He enters) Mr. Jacobson, just what does Categories Anonymous do? Jacobson: Johnny, our organization was founded to lead the fight against Categories. This dreaded disease can strike any mathematician, regardless of age, sex, sponsoring institution, or expected area of concentration. Categories is now the Number One Killer of Mathematics. Johnny, did you know that Categories has destroyed more mathematics than co- and homology combined? Johnny: No. Jacobson: Did you know that algebraic geometry used to make some sense? Johnny: I didn't know that. Jacobson: Now all our rings have units. Where did we go rng? I'm sorry, Johnny, but when something this terrible strikes so close to home -- Johnny: I understand. But tell me, is there a cure for categories? Jacobson: Not yet. But if diagnosed early enough, categories can be controlled; the patient is forced to factor integers into primes and multiply matrices out until his insanity passes. Johnny: Can a person examine himself for categories? (Ed McMath looks himself over) Jacobson: I'm glad you asked me that. Remember that categories can strike anyone, any time, any place. So learn the Early Warning Signs for Categories: 1. Have you stopped caring whether you understand what you're doing? 2. Do you like your theorems general but vacuous? 3. Do you consider yourself a social arrow-chaser? 4. Do you think of everything as a universal object? * * *