Generation gap? Are we getting old or what?

[MJK-MOD-547]

That is a last resort failed argument.

I disagree, I've seen it more than once first hand.

The phones are GREAT! You can do your banking, ordering, etc.

Most peoples' lives are on that great invention. (sarc)

When the phone breaks or your not getting a strong signal or there isn't a working cell tower within miles of where you happen to be.

"HEY BUDDY, How you gonna pay for that gas I just put in your
car"? Ah, hold on I trying to get a signal.

"I can't come in to work today because my phone is broke".

 

[Bill Bates]

My lovely wife works in as a cashier part time. That store also hires kids over 16 to be cashiers.

She is shocked by the number of them that can't make change. Worse many of them do not recognize our coins or know what denomination they represent.

It isn't taught in school anymore. I guess that is what comes with a nearly cashless society.

 

[GypsmJim]

I remember being in elementary school in the 70's and the talk was that the US was going to convert to the metric system. I still have a Coca-Cola ruler that was inch on one side and metric on the other.

Being in the construction industry, with all the blueprints being in inches, converting to metric would be a struggle for sure.

I used to be an Engineer in a plant that manufactured construction products. One year a French company licensed our technology and I had to go over there to start the plant up.

16" studs and 48" dimensions were 47.2 inches in France. Easy peasy I just used a CM ruler and measure to 120.

The problem I had was developing formulas. Easy peasy as well. I taped some masking tape on my calculator with a factor. Multiplied their number by the factor and viola I got square FEET.

 

[GypsmJim]

Worse many of them do not recognize our coins or know what denomination they represent.

That's because their parents give them everything and do it for them. Getting an allowance for home chores and then going out to buy things yourself is a thing of the past.

Schools don't teach how to identify coins, just how to identify yourself.

 

[444 Magnum]

I posted a while back I bought this 19-5 on Thanksgiving Day in a parking lot with 6 Ben Franklins. It wouldn't have happened with plastic. I was dealing with a couple. The wife wanted more money...but I saw the husband's eyes as I counted out $100 bills and I knew he'd take it.

Cash rules...for now.

*** And I wrote out the bill of sale in cursive!

 

[Greyman50]

Metric system is Easier as everything is based on 10 even down to .0001 of a millimeter. Found a piece of .002 mm feeler gauge in bottom of an old tool box.

 

[GypsmJim]

I posted a while back I bought this 19-5 on Thanksgiving Day in a parking lot with 6 Ben Franklins. It wouldn't have happened with plastic. I was dealing with a couple. The wife wanted more money...but I saw the husband's eyes as I counted out $100 bills and I new he'd take it.

Cash rules...for now.

*** And I wrote out the bill of sale in cursive!

That would scare me to no end. No parking lots deals. In fact, in NY it's illegal.

Back in the days before NICS I had a friend who's brother owned a gas station. On several occasions a black Caddy would come over with lots of guns in the trunk. I think they were steaming.

 

[444 Magnum]

That would scare me to no end. No parking lots deals. In fact, in NY it's illegal.

Back in the days before NICS I had a friend who's brother owned a gas station. On several occasions a black Caddy would come over with lots of guns in the trunk. I think they were steaming.

HaHa, not the case here. The pistol was advertised in the local paper. Husband and wife in their 60's. We all swapped ID's/carry permits. Perfectly legal here in the free state of Georgia.

 

[Huskerguy]

I have a somewhat different theory on a lot of this.

My wife and I, 68 and 70 were talking about the changes we have seen in our lives. From manual typewriters to electric and then the famous IMac (the first to have one at a tech college I was teaching at), the Commodore 64 and finally IBM. It has exploded from there with tons of power at our fingertips.

I was in schools and watched the transition from the teachers not knowing what a server was to completely relying on computers to teach. No matter what there is always this generational technology gap. I believe, from my observations that this spread has given the younger people the thought that they are indeed smarter than their elders. It is more of a perception than reality, for instance students can think they are smarter because they know how to use technology to solve complicated math problems with and app or use AI to write their papers.

 

[wood714]

That would scare me to no end. No parking lots deals. In fact, in NY it's illegal.

Back in the days before NICS I had a friend who's brother owned a gas station. On several occasions a black Caddy would come over with lots of guns in the trunk. I think they were steaming.

I sold a Ruger 9mm to a guy at 2:00AM next to the Daytona Speedway. Sold a 1911 to another person around 11PM at Destination Daytona. Met a off duty cop at a Mc D's at midnight to buy my 2.5" 686. He did do a bill of sale.

I don't scare easy.

 

[wood714]

I'm a fan of the original Nintendo games Mario 3 and Super Mario World. Played them back in the 80's. I play them now on a Raspberry Pi system that's about the size of a pack of smokes and holds over 5,000 retro games.

Last week I downloaded to my PC Grand Theft Auto 5. I'm using a X Box controller, I've never experienced anything like it, totally lost.

Would I ask my friends my age to help me out...NO! Would I offer to fly my 13 year old grandson down to teach me...yes. His mom won't let him miss school thou.

 

[Buford57]

40 years ago I had to explain the concept of a fax machine to my LT before he would give me petty cash to receive a transmission from another agency at the local office supply store. 6 months ago I had to explain the same concept to a young person. Yesterday's innovative technology is obsolescent today. So am I with my cursive writing, analog clock, manual transmission and DA revolver. I say quarter past and ten 'til. But if I need to know the firing order for a Model T I'll Google it.

 

[Greyman50]

Went to home depot yesterday, young girl at register cound not find price for a 4’x8’ 3/8 plywood. She said its says 11/32? Had to explain how mfg’ers actually cheat everyone out of a 32 of an inch . She had NO Concept of fractions and when I asked her about the metric system she again was clueless. By then another guy in his 60s was there and both of us tried to explain measurements, fractions and how easy the metric system is. To no avail as she was utterly confused with all of it. She said she graduated last year. Other guy just said they don’t teach much in schools theses days. Thank God all the grandkids are doing well. We do not expect any great grandkids….

 

[WardenRoss]

I've told this story before...

I was helping a neighbor remodel a room in their house. I have all the trim power tools and rarely have a chance to use them anymore. I was glad to jump-in and give some finish carpentry assistance.

The neighbor speaks two languages, well educated and is a manager (40 years old) of a DOD supply system.

They cannot read a tape measure. I kid you not. Absolutely no knowledge of simple fractions.

I tried and tried to teach them. They were so embarrassed and wouldn't acknowledge their misunderstanding. "Cut the board 37 and 5/8 inches..." and they were bewildered.

Lo and behold the next weekend they brought over new tape measure. "Look at this! It's wonderful! Now I get it!"

The new tape measures now have a graduated PRINTED fraction scale.

 

[NYlakesider]

I've told this story before...

I was helping a neighbor remodel a room in their house. I have all the trim power tools and rarely have a chance to use them anymore. I was glad to jump-in and give some finish carpentry assistance.

The neighbor speaks two languages, well educated and is a manager (40 years old) of a DOD supply system.

They cannot read a tape measure. I kid you not. Absolutely no knowledge of simple fractions.

I tried and tried to teach them. They were so embarrassed and wouldn't acknowledge their misunderstanding. "Cut the board 37 and 5/8 inches..." and they were bewildered.

Lo and behold the next weekend they brought over new tape measure. "Look at this! It's wonderful! Now I get it!"

The new tape measures now have a graduated PRINTED fraction scale.

Does that now mean that all the old fashioned tapes I have used for 60 + years are now obsolete or destined to be collector items.-

 

[444 Magnum]

The new tape measures now have a graduated PRINTED fraction scale.

These have been out for awhile. When I'm framing and my helpers are fractionally challenged, I distribute these type tapes.

We have a code since there are no 1/16" designations.
They call out something like "101 3/8 and a line". I know that's 101 and 7/16".
It's funny but it works.

** That's all I'm going to say about fractions. The last time I was involved in a discussion on this forum concerning fractions, I was called obnoxious and egotistical for "bragging" about my fifth grade math skills.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I remember being in elementary school in the 70's and the talk was that the US was going to convert to the metric system. I still have a Coca-Cola ruler that was inch on one side and metric on the other.

Being in the construction industry, with all the blueprints being in inches, converting to metric would be a struggle for sure.

Although thankfully we never switched,I think it may have been easier. Tens are a whole lot easier to figure than 12’s or 16ths. If a drawing calls out 10cm it’s marked on the ruler just like 3 15/16 is. Besides whose really accurate at guessing how long 4” is.

 

[britbike1]

metric?

There are two kinds of countries in the world.
1. Those that use the metric system.
2. Those that have been to the moon and back 6 times.

 

[Golddollar]

When I was working I had to deal with measurements in links and chains! It was insinuated that I was a rod man for George Washington.

 

[arjay]

These have been out for awhile. When I'm framing and my helpers are fractionally challenged, I distribute these type tapes.

We have a code since there are no 1/16" designations.
They call out something like "101 3/8 and a line". I know that's 101 and 7/16".
It's funny but it works.

** That's all I'm going to say about fractions. The last time I was involved in a discussion on this forum concerning fractions, I was called obnoxious and egotistical for "bragging" about my fifth grade math skills.

Long ago when I was still framing I had a new helper,but he couldn’t hammer worth a damn (I’m old) so I tried to use him as my cut man.No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t teach him how to read a tape so I ended up using him as a laborer. At the end of the job I mentioned that to the boss for the 34th time… Oh he’s dyslexic…um thanks?