math problem

When talking to most people about horticulture, agriculture, community living or .... most of the topics we try to wrestle here, people will try to ask me a question.  And about a third of the time, their question sounds similar to this old math problem:

While paddling up shit creek in your canoe and all four tires fall off, how many pancakes does it take to build a doghouse?

Answer:  none, because ice cream has no bones.

That's not a math problem that is a congressional speech. 

    Paul for President 2012!

So I find myself slowly unraveling the question. 

Is shit creek a creek that runs through your property, or are we really talking about any creek?  Is this your canoe?  Is it possible that it isn't a canoe, but some other kind of boat?  Is the mission to build any doghouse and there is no dog, or do you have a dog and you want shelter for the dog and maybe we could talk about something that is not a formal "doghouse"?  Are you open to this shelter being built out of things other than pancakes?  I take it that you want the shelter near the creek, is that right?  Or, perhaps you are concerned about flooding and the effect on pancakes when used in shelters?

So, while the math problem is supposed to be a joke, it is weird how it really isn't a joke:  "how many sacks of weed and feed to I need because I want my pumpkins to be the biggest!"

Your journey begins here.

Good pic!  Is that your place? 

Oh no, I have the glass bottom boat concession ober der on t(h)urd street next to the Pancake House. 

I've had a similar puzzling problem though, I've dug 15 fence post holes and have move over to start again because they weren't deep enough.

The last time I had sardine ice cream I do believe I detected a bone.

Trying to explain rocket mass heater stuff:

This video was funny AND painful to watch. I had to skip to the end. And then, however perversely, I had to log into YouTube and find it to see the comments. The comments were all deleted and disabled.

This.

This couple is apparently on their honeymoon.

One shudders to think.

The guy should try gingerbread instead of pancake!

Lol. Well this brings to mind a multitude of Blonde jokes. But I would just like to add this!

" We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little.
We are now qualified, to do anything, with nothing, forever!"

Or possibly

"im not sure that you, realize, that what you heard, is not what I meant"

And I would like to know.
Did they make it back to Logan, if so who drove?


Lol
Jon

Another example:

I've been to meetings like this.
In a particular coaching workshop I was asked what I would say when my (hypothetical) wife came home complaining about how hard her day was.
My response: "Too bad. Now get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich!"
Boss said I missed the point of the exercise.

Count your blessings ! Being up Shit Creek in a canoe with ice cream is way better than being there in a sea horse floatie .

I'm fascinated by the similar way hand gestures are used to describe drawing a red line with transparent ink.

It reminds me of the way Brawndo has what plants crave.

The phrase "pancake doghouse" is getting a lot of traction ....

.

@Robert Ray

'K,.....you're either the best dog trainer I know or your dog doesn't crave pancakes like ours do.  No way would they tolerate a cake on the face for two seconds when they could be eating it....


(Edit.....or maybe that's a cat under there?....)

Just spinning some pancakes today, so I thought I would bump this thread.

I really want to answer your question, but I am very stuck on why you want the doghouse built out of pancakes.

paul wheaton wrote:I really want to answer your question, but I am very stuck on why you want the doghouse built out of pancakes.

Because waffles don't insulate as well.  Unless.... maybe if you use a lot of layers.

paul wheaton wrote:
While paddling up shit creek in your canoe and all four tires fall off, how many pancakes does it take to build a doghouse?

The answer is 201 pancakes.  

Cost of Doghouse (Low end, poop creek quality, non-mobile) = $70
Pancake dinner fundraiser profit margin = ~ 15%
Sales required to generate funds = $466.67
Pancake conversion factor: "Short Stack" = 3 IHOP pancakes = $6.99

But personally, I would have chosen waffles, because the R value is obviously superior due to dead air space.  

I can has cheezeburger, you build enemy house wit?

edit: grammar

Sometime in my past, I attended training on how to field questions from a group. To the best of my memory from 40 years ago, it goes something like this:

Information seeking.  The individual is asking a question in good faith.   Give a direct clear answer.

Attention getting.  The individual wants admiration for his knowledge.   Tell the question asker what a great question that is, and ask him/her to meet with you after the presentation so you can give it the attention it deserves.  The individual seldom shows.

The trap.   The individual has spent much of your presentation weaving a trap to expose you as a fraud.   The trap can be identified because it normally follows a series of “if….then” situations.   You reply by throwing the question out to the rest of the audience for them to answer.

The impossible question.   As in, “gee I work in an emergency room.  What should I do if I am alone alone and 50 rabid biker on meth attack me?”  The reply is, “ Has that ever happened to you or anyone else?”  Here is my card. Call me when if it does.

John F Dean wrote:Sometime in my past, I attended training on how to field questions from a group. To the best of my memory from 40 years ago, it goes something like this:  ...

Wow John. This is really useful! I'm stashing it away in my useful teacher techniques folder.