OT: Sci-fi (was RE: Ultra-portable terminals)

[GCC Consulting]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: 
> filepro-list-bounces+gccconsulting=comcast.net at lists.celestial
> .com 
> [mailto:filepro-list-bounces+gccconsulting=comcast.net at lists.c
elestial.com] On Behalf Of John Esak
> Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 10:14 AM
> To: Fplist (E-mail)
> Subject: RE: OT: Sci-fi (was RE: Ultra-portable terminals)
> 
> >
> > But, how many can name the crew of the 2nd lunar landing mission?
> >
> >     http://www.apolloarchive.com/apg_thumbnail.php?imageID=S69-38852
> 
> Aw, c'mon... let's take it to the *really* ridiculous... How 
> many can name who invented the TV?
> 
> I'll bet none.
> 
> As far as all that goes... "in  my day"  He says, putting on 
> that old tired voice...  We used to be taught who invented 
> this and that. I will bet that
> *every* single person above the age of 40 on this list can 
> name the inventor of the cotton gin.  Too strange, huh?  (by 
> the way, I actually remember in what year, too. Maybe we just 
> had better teachers?  Less drugs?  More discipline and 
> respect in the classroom? Parents who cared that we learned?
> 
> Truly, though, content is everything and the window is 
> changing so rapidly.Obviously, it is no longer "important" 
> who invented the cotton gin... but, what is the answer to why 
> no one knows who invented the TV? Why do very few or no 
> people know who invented the laser? (Okay, I'll even take the 
> maser.) Why are we not teaching basic computer skills, and 
> programming to kids immediately after they learn how to read? 
> Why are we not teaching foreign languages at earlier ages... 
> and I don't mean just counting to 10.
> For that matter, why aren't we teaching basic math itself. I 
> will bet that there is no 8th grader in the country who can 
> manually figure out the square root of 15,237. Hell, I'm 
> almost tempted to bet there isn't one who can manually divide 
> 15,237 by 62. :-(
> 
Com'on, John, these kids can barely figure out how to make change even when
the register gives them the value.

Or watch the face of a cashier when your bill end with .96 and you hand over
a penny too.  They look at the penny, stare at it with a blank look, and
then feed the amount tendered into the register.  They are surprised that
the change due is in a round number (no pennies).

I remember a science fiction story about a rocket ship where the nav
computer failed.  One of the crew knew how to use an abacus. He had brought
the "ancient calculator" with him.  With the nav system out, no one knew how
to manually calculate the values necessary for their return.  He taught them
how to use the abacus and they made one for each crew member.  And there
they sat, running all of the formulas on an abacus.

Kids today would be totally lost.  They don't for the most part, as you
pointed out, have the basic skills to do math manually.  The shore as hell
couldn't use a slide rule. 

I have watched a cashier swear the $7.50 was due on the purchase of 2 items
costing $2.25 each because the register said so.
When I asked her how 2 items @ 2.25 totaling $4.50 could be 7.50, she again
said it was so because the register said so.

I finally, after much convincing, got her to re-enter the sale.  This time
it came out correctly.  She had no idea that the original amount was wrong.
Sad.  But the schools teach that close is good enough.  They'll give credit
if a kid knows that the problem is an addition problem.  May not know how to
add the number or may get the wrong answer but they will get near full
credit anyway.

Know the concept - get full credit.

I know the concept of how a plane flies, think I'll build a passenger plane
for all of these genius' to travel in.

Richard Kreiss
GCC Consulting