Clockwise or counter clockwise

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: Clockwise or counter clockwise
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Moorehead on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:05 pm:

My wife and I were doing some volunteer work this past weekend and also involved were several young people required to do community service hours in order to graduate both high school and college.
While trying to explain to a 19 year old where to look for something located at 3 o'clock in a room, he informed me he did not understand my instructions. He said he did not know how to read a clock face, only digital clocks. 75% of the other young ones in the group contributed that they did not know how either. Some other conversations elsewhere have revealed the same issue.
My question is, who is not teaching these kids now days, is reading a clock that hard to learn and how does the younger generation know the difference between c and cc? This sure amazed me! I hope this is limited to the south.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:18 pm:

No, it's not just the South, and it's not new. A young guy I hired twenty years ago couldn't read a clock. I was astounded that he didn't know something that simple which I got in second grade.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:37 pm:

My kids learned to tell time on a clock as soon as they learned numbers. But that was a long time ago and they went to a Christian Academy. With it now being the digital age, few of the younger generation can even count change unless the register tells them. How many places do you shop today where the cashier actually counts out your change. Maybe a few but not many. They just give you a handful of paper and coins and say "your change is seven twenty one" or whatever. It's disturbing how many can't even read. I think the "schrools" are teaching them to pass a test rather pass at life. The No Child Left Behind requirements will leave them all behind.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:39 pm:

I wasn't sure that would post. I had to stop and change the batteries in my keyboard. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:48 pm:

Piloting a plane it's common for the controller to tell you to watch for traffic at 10 o'clock or 3 or wherever the plane is.
Hope somebody teaches new pilots how to read a clock!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:52 pm:

Piloting a plane it's common for the controller to tell you to watch for traffic at 10 o'clock or 3 or wherever the plane is.
Hope somebody teaches new pilots how to read a clock!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 05:54 pm:

OOPS!
I've been watching Harold Schwendeman!
(please no nasty midnight calls, Harold)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Moorehead on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 06:41 pm:

What I found interesting is that the young folks at this particular event, that could answer the clock question, were "home schooled".


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Eyssen - Abilene TX on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 07:52 pm:

You do not want a child to have low self esteem if they are failed, and held back a grade so they are passed. They are in for a shock in the "real world". And yes Ken--change makers are interesting to say the least---they would be in trouble if all they had was a cigar box for a cash register.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 07:53 pm:

That'l teachya Bob!

That'l teachya Bob!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 07:55 pm:

See,...I'm getting better!

See,...I'm getting better!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 08:00 pm:

No worrys about "nasty midnight calls!"

And if I were to stoop so low as to do that, I'd do it about midnight Thanksgiving night!

However, thanks to you and Joan, I don't even know when that is!

Also, while I'm at it, tell Joan I said "Happy Birthday", somewhere between 3 and 5 days early,....I'm really not sure which!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 08:01 pm:

We have been headed down this path for several years now. I have been kicking and screaming the whole way.
Quite a few years ago, I was in a major retailer picking up some last minute Christmas gifts for the kids. I gave the checker some cash, an off amount that would actually make giving me my change easier for him, except he keyed it into the register wrong. (insert sad face here)
He then proceeded to give me more money back than I had given him. Being mostly honest, I tried to inform him of his error. His reply? "But the computer says". I tried again to explain his mistake. Same reply. Same cycle, third time. I debated about asking for a manager, not wanting to get him in trouble. Tried again to explain, "I gave you (X amount). You are giving me more money back than I gave you. That cannot be correct. Think about where you made your mistake". The same reply from him, over and over again "But the computer says".
Then I looked over my shoulder. There was a long line of people glaring at me for tying up the line. They did not care about anything but having me move on so they could move forward.
I tried. I really did.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walter Higgins on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 08:01 pm:

I once worked in a production cabinet shop where the CNC router operator could only read the printed numbers on a measuring tape, so if something was 18-3/16", it was, "eighteen and three little marks". The guy had been in that position for about two years and was proficient at running the machine, but 0.001 inch on the screen wasn't one-thousandth of an inch.... it was, "oh oh oh one". Took awhile when dealing with him to learn where he started reading his "ohs"!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Fischer on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 08:20 pm:

I was in a Jack In The Box the other day. The bill came to $9.93. I gave the cashier a twenty and 3 pennies ($20.03).

He gave me a dime back. So, I pointed out that I had given him a twenty, not a ten. He walked to the back of the store (leaving the cash drawer open, by the way). I assumed that he was getting the manager to clear the register.

He came back with a calculator -- to subtract ten from twenty ! Unfortunately, he didn't know how to work the calculator.

Finally the manager came out and I helped them figure out this high level mathematics problem.

My son started working Saturdays at the local hobby shop at the age of 14. He's 44 now and still says he learned more about arithmetic working the hobby shop than he did in school.

Dick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 08:24 pm:

They don't need math, because of calculators. They don't need cursive writing, because of computers.

Here is a way to learn which way something turns if the person knows the difference between right and left. When turning right you turn the top toward your right hand. This is also how a steering wheel works. Turn the top of the wheel toward your right and the car turns to the right. The crank on the Model T, the top turns to your right when you face the car. When you tighten a bolt, the bolt is turned in the direction the top moves toward your right. The old fashoned clock or watch turns clockwise and it turns to the right, therefore right is clockwise.

Anyway, someday, the internet will go down and the power grid will go down and those who can still do things the old fashoned way will be king.

We still need cursive writing when studying the family tree or history. Until a few years ago everything was handwritten.

Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 10:08 pm:

I went to Home Depot today to buy a file. A flat bastard file to file metal.
The guy in the tool department had no idea what a file was. He asked the young lady, also in that dept., what a file was and she pointed to them.

I have noticed though, more and more clerks are counting the change back the old way.

My wife is in the high-end drapery business. It is amazing how many people can NOT measure a window. They have no idea how to use a tape measure, especially folks from other countries.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Schultz_Sheboygan,WI on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 10:17 pm:

My friend who is a 62 year truck driver called me the other day and said "you were in the military, what time is 2030" It was the delivery time for his load and he didn't know how the 24 hour clock worked. My sister's kids can't tell time on an analog clock, don't know 1/2 hour or 45 minutes etc., only what the digital numbers say.

I learned math working at McDonalds when I was a kid. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 10:29 pm:

Norm, you reminded me of wreck that happened last night up in San Antonio. Some young lady was following her GPS instructions. She claim it said turn right now! When she did, she ended up in a drainage ditch. Even the news crew were laughing so hard they had to break to a commercial.

http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2014/11/23/woman-allows-gps-to-drive-h er-into-ditch.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Fischer on Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 10:53 pm:

Well, it happened again tonite.

My wife and I went to the In 'N Out for burgers. The bill came to $9.77. I gave the cashier a ten, then said, "hang on, I've got some pennies".

She had already punched in $10.00, and the register told her to give me 23 cents.

So I counted out seven pennies and gave them to her. She stared at the 23 cents in her hand and the seven cents on the counter. After a moment, she put all the change in the register and took out a quarter, a nickel, and a penny -- thirty-one cents.

I put the penny back on the counter and said, "The total was $9.77. I gave you 10.07. So you only owe me thirty cents.

She replied, "No, the register said I owed you 23 cents. Then you gave me seven more cents. Seven plus three is eleven. So your change is thirty-one cents."

What could I say to logic like that ? So I took my change and stopped my foolish arguing.

Dick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 01:16 am:

I just showed this thread to my older son, who teaches 9th grade science. He is going to test his students after Tday break. They have an analog clock on the classroom wall. I can't imagine going through school and not watching the clock...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Andre Valkenaers on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 01:28 am:

Some time ago I had about the same experience as the C and CC one.
On a farmer exposition, a city family came to me and asked about the tractors I was trying to sell.
At the end of our talk one of the kids, 8, 9, 10 years old I think, ask his dad if they could go and see the " MILK TREE". I first didn't understand. Later I was thinking, Orange juice and milk are packed the same way. Orange juice is coming out of fruit, fruit is growing on a tree. As milk and orange juice are packed the same way, milk should come from a fruit growing on a tree.
The kid did know cows but didn't know the cow making the milk he drink every morning.

Andre
Belgium


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ronnie wehba on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 07:44 am:

Here is one for ya ,about 2 years ago I went Thru a mc d,s for breakfast my change was $1.11 ok now I get .11 cents back, told the girl she owed me a dollar ,she said no,cause the register told her she gives back what is on the right side of the dot ,how many times as on the left of the dot,,now I thought someone put her up to this messing with me, then I realized she was serious ,,go figger


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By G.R.Cheshire on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 07:59 am:

My Daughter was very mad at me on her 8th birthday when I gave her an analogue watch (timex) she wanted one like all of her friends had I told her when she learned to tell time with that watch I would get her a digital watch if she still wanted one, She still has that watch. The problem now is kids don't wear watches they get the time off of their computers, phones, tablets or gaming devices and it is all digital so CW and CCW may soon be something lost to technology! The next time you see your doctor notice when they take your vital signs it is all done by the machine and input directly to the computer so soon I expect handwriting to go away too!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Justin Heim on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 08:04 am:

The two main clocks in our house are mechanical. One is an eight day Regulator and the other is a German Cuck-Coo clock. Both have Roman numerals. I have done this for the exact reasons talked about above. My kids are young and I know that it is my responsibility to make sure that they know all of the basic things that are left out of school today.

Don't get me started on change making. I always give an amount that minimizes the number of bills and coins due back to me. The blank look of confusion from the cashier used to make me chuckle but now just makes me shake my head. What I really like is the occasional person who will give me a gentle counting lesson, like you would to a small child, only to have their bubble burst when I politely tell them what my nice even amount of change will be before they punch it into their computer. All they say then is, "Oh, okay" or nothing at all.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 09:03 am:

:-) You folks are showing your age! Get with modern times! You don't have to know that stuff in the modern age :-)

Just Kidding - But I can't help think about a book with the title "Dumbing Down America"
I think it is working! :-(


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 09:03 am:

With I-phones becoming a life or death necessity for more than a lot of people your going to see more people completely believing on their 'device' to be their hand held brain.

If your phone, computer, digital watch or anything that is computer driven, that will become the absolute truth. In other words all you will need to know is what button to push. No need to actually reason using your brain.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 09:06 am:

I'm afraid I'm with Fred on this one. Most of us don't know how to make our own soap, or tan our own animal hides, or corner and spear wild antelope, or defend ourselves with broadswords. Those skill sets have seen their day and we've moved on to other skill sets.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 09:22 am:

Blame it on the Baby Boomers. They thought A Horse With No Name was music, and the national IQ has been plunging down the crapper ever since.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 09:40 am:

This has happened before! We still don't know how ancient Egyptians built pyramids. New technology changes things and erases memories.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Christopher Vasconcelos in Fairhaven, MA on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 10:16 am:

I'm a vocational shop teacher and have taught full time Mechanical Engineering classes as well. The computers, software programs, and calculators are all great tools but something is getting lost in the process of using them.

I love using the Machinery's handbook but most students (even engineering students) have never heard of it. If they need to know the volume of a cylinder they immediately go to Google. Well I do the same thing but the difference is I can calculate volume with a pencil and paper where most students do not...because they know the answer can be found easier.

The registers at fast food places will often tell the kid what the change should be...without that the backup at the registers would be too long. My high school students have a hard time reading the clock on the wall too...they will almost always turn the computer behind them to read the digital time instead of reading the clock right in front of them!

It is not that they are stupid but they know the answer can be found an easier way and they choose the path of least resistance.

I don't use Trig anymore to solve problems because I have a CAD program that does it for me...and it is much more precise. Can I still do Trig...yes...but why waste the time.

You are right though...I'm afraid the more digital crap that kids use can destroy important things like reading a clock, or calculating change but the old school methods still need to be taught and reinforced.

Did Henry Ford use CNC to make Model T's? Noooooooo...but I'm sure he would have!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 10:37 am:

And in the meantime there are more folks coming out of school that think New Mexico is another country!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 10:46 am:

That's why the slogan on their license plate was changed from Land of Enchantment to New Mexico USA.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John H. Nichols on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 11:01 am:

Someone above mentioned "The Dumming down of America."

I gradjatated from high school in 1962 and began my College education 1n 1968. The Army Education Center manager suggested that before signing up for any college courses, I should take the CLEP
Tests. CLEP = College Level Examination Program
and if you passed the six tests, you would earn your first 30 semester hours. So I tested and found the tests a breeze. When the results came back I had 30 Hours of college. The Education
center manager told me that my four years of high school classes were equal to a four year college
degree in 1968. I think this was the first time I came in contact with Dumming Down.

I then began taking End of Course exams from DANTES, another program like clep except courses were singular. For the next five years I took the exams I wanted and those suggested by the Ed. Center until I had more hours than needed and had the Education Center submit my test results for a degree in the NYS External Regents Degree Program.
at a cost of $125.00. In a short period of time,
I received a Batchelor of Science in Criminology
qualifying me for many jobs in the law enforcement
career area. I have never used my degree.

Just goes to show what may be out there, but you need a pen or pencil to complete the test.

John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ryan Glowacki on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 11:12 am:

Kind of in the same thread...I drive a 2008 Impala...had a friend out to the farm who is a bit younger than I (25years old I think). My car has started burning a bit of oil in its older years. We are hopping into the car to go back to the city and I say "hold on...I need to check the oil". I pop the hood...he is looking on in amazement and asks "what are you doing?" I said "Checking the oil level". "How do you do that?" So I show him the dip-stick, with the lines on it, and how low oil was showing. Then I grabbed a quart and poured it in, and showed him how the oil level was registering on the dip-stick. As I was pouring the oil in he said "You can do that?" as if he thought it was not allowed. I said, "Yes!". He said "So then, how come I can't change my own oil then?" The gears started grinding in his head for sure! Two weeks later I had him out and we changed the front brakes on both our cars in the afternoon. You should have seen the look of satisfaction on his face. Not to mention he took about 20 pictures of the process with his i-phone to upload onto some social network platform to show off to his friends. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 11:27 am:

Oh yeah, it's "long gone and it ain't commin' back"! In a recent movie about the Phil Spector (Al Pacino)murder trial the lead prosecuting lawyer (Hellen Mirren) is angry about the age of the rest of the team. Too young to understand what Spector was all about. She shows a 20 something aide a 45 RPM record and asks what it is. "Some kind of old computer disc" is the reply. Not a bad guess I suppose but you get the point. Their not dumb there's simply no need to know. Pilots were mentioned. Now I'm not 100% sure but does a pilot actually have to be able to read an analog clock or just know there's a circle with numbers on it and their position on that circle. ( I'm assuming most can read a clock face by the way) but is it necessary? By the way, if you think it's any different any where else you're kidding yourself.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 11:35 am:

Not all young people are like that. Today's youth are the best educated of any time in history. They have understanding of concepts, realities and processes that far exceeds the knowledge available to the most well educated scientists in the world even 25 years ago.

There are and have been idiots in every society in every generation. Many of the uneducated are uneducated because of their parents, the school they attended, circumstances that caused them to miss much of their early education and their personal unwillingness to make an effort to learn what the school and society has to offer and offered them.

The school is usually blamed but the charge of the public school is equal educational opportunity for all. Equal education is impossible but every child must be given the opportunity for education. Parents need to be involved, the community needs to be involved but mostly, the student needs to be involved. You cannot beat someone to make them learn math. They have to make the effort.

Not all kids are worthless bums. My 14 year old gets up a 5 in morning to do her math homework on line as their internet service is atrocious and her smart phone does not work in the small town they live in because there is NO cell service. Since her brother also needs an hour or two of internet service for his Trig and Calculus homework every night he uses their computer late at night and she gets up early in the morning to do her homework. She does her other homework at night, he does his other homework before school in the morning. She is maintaining straight A's in addition to being a sports standout, playing in every musical program the school offers, taking private piano and violin lessons, helping with home chores and helping care for their grandmother who broke her wrist recently. She was the freshman Homecoming Princess and was twice the Montana Junior Junior Champion fiddler. She has a brown sash in Ta-Kwon-Do and placed 6th in the entire state in the Geography Bee and top ten in the state Science Fair competition. 11th in the state in Class C Cross Country. Also passed Hunter Safety and read the shop manual for her dirt bike from cover to cover, has tools and knows how to use them. She's getting a .22 rifle for Christmas.

He will be Valedictorian this spring, works every spare minute he has and virtually every weekend laying sod or roofing, gets up early after every snow storm and goes off shoveling sidewalks -- as a volunteer -- with the school sports club to make the town sidewalks safe. He hunts, fishes, rides dirt bikes and has a car and a variety of girlfriends. He also plays drums in the school band, guitar with his buddies and hangs out with me to learn a little about mechanics working on the dirt bikes and our Willys pickup.

These are actually my girlfriend's kids. Are we involved with them? Obviously. I go to just about every sports event she is involved in. I know almost every teacher in their school by name and have visited with them. Their school has tremendous support from the community and the parents. There is a dress code. There are behavior standards and speech standards that are enforced. There is seldom any need for any involvement in enforcement. This is rural Montana but there are kids and schools like this all across America. It is not just white kids with with two parents in middle class America.

There is lot of dumbing down in the schools but there are also a lot of excellent schools with ambitious, dedicated students who are anxious to learn and willing to make the effort to do so.

There are a wide variety of skill sets in life. How many of you could make your own violin and bow or even rehair the bow when it was worn? How many could shoot and process your own wild game? How many could survive in the wilderness, heal a wounded horse or fix your own Model T?

Considering the number of people who post on not only this forum but others I've read who can not spell or write a coherent sentence with proper syntax, grammar or punctuation, I don't think every student in years past was a straight A student either.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dick Missett Wyoming, PA (NE) on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 11:40 am:

I been on a hunt for Cursive house numbers to replace the weathered "Two Thirty Four" on the front of the house. There was a time when any well stocked hardware store carried them. I'm amazed that most clerks have no idea what you are talking about when you ask for "cursive" house numbers. I was able to find them online but was equally amazed to find that their use is not permitted in many communities. I'm thinking its because some of our first responder's can't read cursive (?)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 11:42 am:

About 50 years ago I used to visit a hardware store in the community where I lived. They didn't have a modern cash register. The machine was only used to input the total price of the sale. The man who owned the store would write out a sales slip with the name of the product, and the price. When he got to the bottom of the list, he would draw a line and put the total at the bottom. He was actually able to add the numbers in his head as he wrote out the list. I always checked his math, and never found a mistake!
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 12:03 pm:

I suppose the seemingly rising tide of ignorance is worldwide, but our declining ranking on international comparisons of test scores suggests that anti-intellectualism, a traditional factor in American life, is on the rise. There's a reason most Americans can name all the Simpsons but not the branches of government, and couldn't find a map of the world on a globe. Recent reactions to the ebola situation perfectly demonstrate the widespread ignorance of science, geography, and logic. And those reactions have not been restricted to young people.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 12:26 pm:

I thought that Steve was going to say

I suppose the seemingly rising tide of ignorance is worldwide, but there is now proof it is declining the fastest in Washington DC.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 12:37 pm:

At Midway City Feed they write out the sale longhand and use a calculator for the total, which they then punch into the ol' cash register.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 12:48 pm:

Fred, we send them there from all over the country. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 01:27 pm:

Andre's story about the milk tree reminds me of the gal in recent years who thought everyone should just buy the meat they make at Safeway so cattle and other animals would not have to be killed.

I wanted to go straight, but the sign said, "No U turn"

There are people positive Death Valley is not below sea level.
If it was, the valley would be full of water.
Ask around, you'll see.

At the time of the wars in Central America 63% of College students thought El Salvador was in Africa. About the same number couldn't point to Florida on a map.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 03:33 pm:

What an interesting thread this has been! This "dumbing down of America" certainly is a factor, no matter how anybody looks at it. And this thread illustrates that we all look at it from different angles. On one hand, things I see taking place are pitiful, and on the other hand, some of it is merely natural progression in our society due to modern progress and technology. I have trouble deciding what really matters, and what doesn't. This thread makes me realize that some of the things I see my grand kids and great grand kids doing, saying and obviously thinking, are things that really bother me, and then again, maybe some of them really don't matter. To illustrate what I mean, just look at how many kids hold a pen or pencil on the rare occasions when they actually write (actually "print" I guess). I have a 6th grade grandson that holds a pen like a club when he writes! It really, really bothered me when I first observed this at a "grandparents day" at his school a couple years ago. But since then, I have noticed that many, many young people nowadays, hold a pen in some extremely awkward looking way that if I tried it, I probably couldn't even write! Does it matter? Well,....I used to think so, but now I'm not so sure,......maybe not! FWIW,.....harold


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 03:47 pm:

While I'm on this "rant", I'd like to comment too upon the fact that "texting" certainly has not helped in the area of proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, and neither has "spell check"!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 03:53 pm:

Aaron's last comment reminds me of the late Mr. Buckley, who most of us are old enough to remember. Noting that a quarter of Dallas college seniors were unable to tell what's south of Texas, he opined, "Perhaps their voting privileges should be held in abeyance until they acquaint themselves with the existence of the Republic of Mexico, and presumably take graduate courses to learn its location."


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 07:05 pm:

So it's "Uncle Stan the Family Man"! I must say I'm a bit surprised to hear about it; I guess that explains why you have so comparatively little time to spend here on the Forum. It sounds as if you've been busy with more than carburetors. :-)

It looks good on you, Buddy. Congratulations.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 08:56 pm:

A couple of months ago I heard/read that in Ecuador they would not accept anything larger that a $10 bill in a lot of places because there was so much counter fitting. Even banks wouldn't touch them (they use U.S money in Ecuador).Anyway just after a heard it I went in an Oakland store and bought something. The lady checked my bill with that brown pen.
I mentioned to her what I had heard and she said, "Where's Ecuador?"
I told here I thought it was a little east of Canoga Park. She said, "Oh ya".


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Monday, November 24, 2014 - 09:05 pm:

Ryan's story about the magic of changing oil reminds me of when I worked at a new car dealership in San Rafael, CA.
They were pretty free about letting the customer get near the car when we serviced their cars. We liked it better than if they stood back 20 feet and just stared. It left them free to ask questions as long as it didn't get out of hand.
I was always amazed at how many people were shocked at us pulling the wheels to check the brakes.
Most thought the brakes were in a module sort of thing just below the brake pedal.
Some had no idea the brakes stop the wheels from turning.
I never asked how they thought brakes worked.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 05:27 am:

Well Aaron, had it been Model T's you serviced, the customers assumption about the brakes would have been spot on ;)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 08:00 am:

Steve - everyone knows that Mexico is South Texas.
Or is Texas just North Mexico? :-(


Once I begin thinking about it -
Are we using Washington DC like the Brits used Australia in the 1900's
- a dumping ground for criminals.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 08:07 am:

Woops sorry Stan
I forget to use a question mark.
Shame on me! :-(

I'll go stand in the corner for 5 minutes and then complain that I am being treated unfairly.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 08:10 am:

The problem is not only in the schools, it is the parents and their lack of attention to children at a young age. Many of the concepts and common skills we learned as children were taught before we were old enough to go to school. Now the TV and Internet are used as babysitters. I know a eight year old who still does not know how to tie shoes as every shoe he has ever worn fastens with Velcro. It's not his fault. It's his lazy ass parents....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Whaley, Georgetown Ontario Canada on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 08:11 am:

Harold, you have a good point. I have a friend that is the head of HR for a car manufacturer. He has the tedious task of interviewing job applicants. His biggest complaint is that young people can't talk anymore. They are like a deer in the headlights. Put a phone in their hand and they can text all day about themselves, but ask them to actually speak about themselves during an interview and they are lost.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 09:11 am:

Ralph,

Your comment about classroom clocks reminded me of my 9th grade drafting class. There was a clock on the wall at the front of the room (analog of course). Next to it our teacher (a really great guy) posted a large sign that read, "Notice clock watchers. Time will pass. You may not!" :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kenneth W DeLong on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 09:15 am:

I"m glad every now and then i get to see my Grandkids because it put's me right with the world and i do not bitch about anything/everything!!!! On the subject of bitching i was dissaponted in the jury when oj was found not guilty but i never set fire to anything!!!!!!!!!!!!I'm going to listen to the music on tv as there to many puke's today. Bud.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Vitko on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 10:06 am:

I would partly agree with you Michael except for your last sentence.
I am within a few days of Stans age and solvent.
My mother stuck me in school a year and a half early for a baby setter to keep the family together while she earned our keep. Never understood why I could go from shop, drawing, or general math and be at the top of the class then go into English or something I had no interest in and be at the bottom of the class until my sister explained to me what happened.
To this day I transpose letters and often ask my bride how to spell a word. When drafted for the service they could not understand why I tested so high and offered me free college with the comment in the early sixties you can make ten dollars an hour! Told the tester I made more then that currently.
My mother was not the least bit lazy.
Schools are closing shops---what a shame!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Rosenkrans on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 10:20 am:

I teach karate in the evenings, a very old traditional Korean style, and we require both an essay and a written exam as well as the physical portion as part of our promotion process. A couple years ago I received an essay written in "text" speak from a high school age student. He was appalled when I asked him to rewrite it with proper grammar and spelling, and he actually had trouble doing it.

To be fair, he is definately the exception rather than the rule. Most of the kids are pretty good - except their knowledge of history after 1900 is horrible.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Williamson on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 02:07 pm:

Fred,

The Brits did not use Australia as a dumping ground for criminals in the 1900's.

The colony on New South Wales was established as a penal settlement in 1788. The last convict ship to come to Australia, the Hougoumont, left Britain in 1867 and arrived on 10 January 1868.

I've found this thread quite interesting. We face a similar decline in education and common sense here in Australia. I think it was Samuel Clements (aka Mark Twain) who quipped that common sense is not all that common. I cou,d add a similar remark about common courtesy bit that's a whole other can of worms.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Bulick on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 02:51 pm:

While cleaning out an old desk at work, I came across some sheets of carbon paper. I told the young employee helping me what it was, and was received with a blank stare. I then had to demonstrate how it worked. He was mesmerized!

Also, out of the public schools around here is cursive hand writing.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 03:12 pm:

Bill - Don't get me started! I have a problem with that, and it's one thing I don't think I'll change my mind about! As I see it, it's a twofold problem. By not teaching cursive, these kids will not only be unable to write cursive, but I'm thinking that it might be even worse that they won't be able to read it! I've already read accounts of young people asking to have things read to them as they have trouble reading cursive!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 04:11 pm:

Sorry Mark But then what's a couple hundred years amongst friends? :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 04:28 pm:

There is no such thing as clockwise/counter-clockwise anymore!

I just verified that todays teachers teach..."Think of the up in what you are looking at as North...now turn it to the East ( this the substitute for clockwise).

"Think of the up in what you are looking at as North, now turn it to the West!" (This apparently the new counter-clock-wise)

Sounds like something that came out of the old comic...'there outta be a law'.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 07:46 pm:

Paul V, I was talking in generalities and not meaning to be specific to each and every situation. Certainly we were all born and raised under different conditions and one set rule does not apply to everyone.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Vitko on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 08:16 pm:

No offence taken Michael! The point I was trying to make is college is right for some but for me it was not. My daughter is a nurse practitioner and another daughter hires and fires for the largest machine shop in Oregon, both do well and neither has higher education. Going back to lurking! This thread just struck a nerve!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 09:59 pm:

Funny this thread popped up as just a few days ago I was at the shop and Mark, a former employee who bought it from me, said some "kid" was at someone's place where there is only a rotary dial telephone.
The kid had no idea how to use it.........NONE whatsoever.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - 11:10 pm:

Remember when we had to rent those phones?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Vitko on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 07:50 am:

Correction! My bride had called me to dinner while writing my last post. If you don't come when called at least my three critters are happy with my dinner! I did not proof read the last post.
Liz, the nurse practitioner just finished her license this spring going from an RN to now working two jobs paying off 80K jumping through the hoops for her license.
Feeding the fire a little more I had picked up a very nice Coleman 5500 watt continues generator for 25.00 at a G sale. It had compression and had special hook up cords.
It came from a high end home on the beach they just buy a new one!
It had an automatic shut off if its low on oil.
Changed the oil it fired up with one pull!
Grand daughter graduated this spring was selling stuff from my garage before going to college this fall. My bride had warned me she could not count change! I left home to take a tool to a friend Without me knowing it she came over put signs up and sold that generator for 20.00.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John H. Nichols on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 09:52 am:

Have you ever considered what one of the super whiz kids would do with a typewriter. Do you recon they could or would figure it out.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 10:07 am:

The typewriter is to the computer as the Victrola is to the modern stereo or whatever they call the newest music system.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 12:20 pm:

I forget what TV show it was but the kid types her book report on a typewriter to please Dad then asks him when she's done "how do I print it out"? He didn't tell her about using paper!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 12:21 pm:

By the way that East/West business mentioned above isn't a bad idea.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John H. Nichols on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 01:33 pm:

Mark,

Were you aware that the State of Georgia in the US like everything else on the East coast was an English Colony, and the English Government wanted to send the Criminals to Georgia bu the Colonists said No way.

John


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bill Alexander in Albion, Maine on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 04:02 pm:

Righty-titey, lefty-loosey.................
Ever try to change a tire on the passenger side of a 50's Chrysler product ?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 04:37 pm:

Bill,
My son did on a Valiant. He broke off two studs and could only find right threads. It was fun to take the car to a tire shop and watch them try to rotate the tires.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ed in California on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 04:44 pm:

Good schools and competent teachers still teach the little ones how to tell time on a clock face. I know because I saw my little neighbors elementary school homework the other day, and it was clock face questions. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harold Schwendeman - Sumner,WA on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 06:24 pm:

Ed - That's good, for a lot of reasons, including the fact that London's world famous "Big Ben" clock will probably never become "digital"!

And by the way, in the area of "trivia", London's "Big Ben" is NOT a clock as many people think,......it's a bell!


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration