Help me solve everything always

December 17, 2006 7:35 PM

Looking for the title of a book which I recently read a review for. Something related to algorithms for solving common problems or situations. I think it's about applying geekish logic to a non-geek scenario. Unfortunately there's no
posted by kaydo to Media & Arts (14 answers total)

Response by poster: Oops, the end of the sentence was supposed to be "there's no more inside".
posted by kaydo at 7:36 PM on December 17, 2006

Is it Polya's How to Solve it?

Anyways, the [more inside] only appears when you have more inside, obviously. Its usually best to just state your question clearly and succinctly without striving to be clever.
posted by vacapinta at 7:41 PM on December 17, 2006

Best answer: Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life
posted by nekton at 7:42 PM on December 17, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for the awesomely swift and accurate reply nekton, that's exactly what I was after.
posted by kaydo at 7:44 PM on December 17, 2006

Yes, but it is much funnier the way you wrote it. See, by leaving us without resolution you play with our expectations. Brilliant! Really.
posted by wemayfreeze at 7:46 PM on December 17, 2006

I know, I laughed loud, I wish you hadn't posted the oops.
posted by PercussivePaul at 7:50 PM on December 17, 2006

yeah, flagged as "ruins joke."
posted by danb at 7:53 PM on December 17, 2006

Geek Logic is certainly the right answer, but Freakonomics is also required reading if you're into this sort of thing.
posted by rokusan at 8:01 PM on December 17, 2006

I too thought that was a brill piece of wit until your admission of error.
posted by mdn at 8:21 PM on December 17, 2006

It definitely was a "Kenosha Kid" moment; maybe you don't need geek logic so much as you need to learn to listen to your (apparently brilliant) unconscious.
posted by jamjam at 8:33 PM on December 17, 2006

Response by poster: I should point out that I really only listen to praise. What I got from this thread is that I am cool.

Thank you all for your time.
posted by kaydo at 9:28 PM on December 17, 2006 [1 favorite]

You got your answer, but possibly related and of interest, Daniel Gilbert gave a talk @ SXSW 2006 entitled How to Do Precisely the Right Thing at All Possible Times. Pretty ambitious title, huh?

Turns, out the talk was great. Here are some notes, and here's a direct link to the mp3 of the talk. This talk was in advance of his book Stumbling on Happiness (blog).
posted by lhl at 12:55 AM on December 18, 2006

You might also find Debugging: Essential Technological Literacy interesting.
posted by SomePerlGeek at 11:35 AM on December 18, 2006

You're welcome. If you ever need the ranking system and equation I devised when I was 15 to determine which of my male friends would be most likely to be a good boyfriend, let me know.

Probably explains why I didn't have a boyfriend for a while...
posted by nekton at 12:06 PM on December 18, 2006