I began my math class last night. Since I'm in such a high-level math class, we began by reviewing how to add, subtract, and multiply positive and negative numbers. My teacher explained multiplying quite well I think, by saying the following:

If something good happens to a good person, we consider it a positive thing. If something bad happens to a bad person, in a morbid sort of way, it's a positive thing. If something bad happens to a good person, we consider it negative, because we don't want bad things to happen to good people. And if something good happens to a bad person - like if a bank robber gets away - then it's negative as well. Therefore, a positive times a positive is a positive, a negative times a negative is a positive, and a negative times a positive is a negative.

I really think I'd have enjoyed math much more if teachers had explained math that way.