That Eric "Discrete Hypothesis" Cantor is right. I just searched for "feces" and found 10 awards! Feces has a major role in smelling and monkey ballistic games and can't possibly be used for anything good. Plus, I doubt reputable scientists would try to include tangential applications in attempt to make their research seem worthwhile.

For great math books that will bring out the kid in you (by means of an entertaining fantasy story as a pedagogical approach), I recommend Algebra the Easy Way (Barron's Educational Series) (ISBN 0764119729, $13.95US) and Calculus the Easy Way (also Barron's Educational Series) (ISBN 0812091418, $13.95US), both by Douglas A. Downing. I wouldn't necessarily recommend other titles in the series (not having read them), but these two follow the exploits of people from the Kingdom of some-name-I-forget-how-to-spell. I read them as a child interested in learning more mathematics, and they definitely focus on a solid conceptual understanding. Share them with your kids as a good bedtime story! I used to beg my mom to read the Algebra book to me.