OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

I stopped for some fast food on the way home, just a sandwich and some fries. The total came to $6.68. I drove to the window and handed the girl a five and two singles. The girl looked at me as if I did something wrong. She could not figure out the change on the computerized register, so she asked for help. What seemed to be a Manager came over and was told “He gave me 6 and another dollar”. They looked at each other and the Manager pulled a calculator out of her pocket and they came up with my $.32 change (which I could have offered at the start, but didn’t). I struggled with it, but did not say a word. I am truly worried for our future. 🤦🏼‍♂️

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

Certainly doesn't inspire much confidence does it ? Your example is not an isolated event, unfortunately.

CamT Loc: La Porte, Texas

And the real sad part is if she would have entered $7 on the cash register it would tell her the change😬🤕🤔

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

I would certainly hope so!

Grizzly 17 Loc: South central Pa

Oh that's been going on for a long time. What's the point in teaching school when kid can use calculators n computers to give them the answers. 🤔🤔

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

Very common OJ..... one reason I just don't carry cash anymore.

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

Unfortunately, not at all difficult to believe... When I was in Highschool, I rang a cash register at a local supermarket, when they were short-handed on "check-out clerks"... This was the kind, where; if the power went out, you didn't lock up the store; you turned a hand crank, every time you "hit Subtotal"... (It became a 2-person job, during power-failures!) Although Texas Instruments calculators, as well as "the Bowmar Brain" were already "on the market"; I don't remember seeing one, at work.

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

I seem to amaze under 40's folks by doing simple multiplication and division and accurately estimating larger #'s " in my head ", & I'm certainly no genius. Most of my generation can do this with ease, if possessed of average intelligence.
The "kids" pull out the phone and fire up the calculator and oooh and ah when they verify my accuracy. They treat this as a parlor trick. Pitiful. Must be pretty easy now to get a degree, cuz most of them have one ! Maybe not pitiful, but sad, for sure.
Glad I don't work any more, these people must really slow things down.

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

Yes, it's a damn shame... ¿Who would've ever thought, that we'd live long enough, to say:"Kids these days!"; while shaking our heads, in disbelief?... (And NOT be just "Bustin' one of our Buddies' Chops")... Hell,... I've still got a pkooking SLIDE RULE setting over near me, within reach! (Not that I remember how to USE IT, for very MUCH; but, I've got a couple of math books right here, too; in which the "use of the slide rule" is discussed, and I've sure been intending on "brushing up on using it"... Maybe this "Thread"= "Here's your SIGN!"... I'm gonna "pencil in" a spot of my "daily ✓-list"; for an hour's worth of "Math Class"!!!

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

Phooking ... (SLIDE RULE)

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

Yeah, I used to shake my head when I heard the old guys go on that way... lo and behold , now I'm the old guy. I went to what was referred to as a trade school, now known as regional vocational technical schools in my state, that required slide rule training, but not all the scales. Had 2 of them in my home office desk drawer for decades, a good Pickett and another. Never used once scientific calculators became affordable. As you will recall it was a requirement to rough in the answer you sought so the answer could be estimated accurately and not in error by a factor of 10, 100, .1, .01, etc. then you could get your answer to three digits on the slide and plug it in to your rough estimate. That became a habit ( the rough in process ) that I somehow retained and used in my every day life right through till today.
A few years back an acquaintance mentioned he collected slide rules picked up on the cheap at garage sales,Salvation Army stores, flea markets, whatever. So, I gave him mine, they were just taking up room in the desk.

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

¡¡YES!! (But, only NOW, that you mentioned it) I do recall, that you're "doing well", to have a good idea ~ ¿Where does the decimal point, belong?... I'd actually, not been mindful of that aspect of using the slide rule, since the mid-1980's, when I was attending "Machine Tool Technology Class"; at a local trade school, up here, near Cleveland... That, was ~ 8 or so years out of high school, and, even though electronic calculators WERE (in THAT school) allowable; we were all encouraged to become "proficient"/ the slide rule... ("Just in case") ... By the time I was in an "Applied Electronic Technology" course, (1999); I didn't hear one peep out of any of 4 different instructors, about using a slide rule. (Kids these days!)

Grizzly 17 Loc: South central Pa

Able can you imagine what it would be like if we still had manual cash registers. Your perishables would perish before you got through the line. Drive thru is the worse. Inside fast food is a close 2nd.

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

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Same for me , Industrial Electronics Technology. Connecticut's programs @ these schools, for the most part as far as I knew were excellent and remain so today. 1 week related studies ( academics to satisfy Ct state requirements for graduation ) Then one week pure technology classes and laboratory settings. Started out with 45 students which was quickly pared down to the desired 20. Those leaving went into Electrician course or returned to municipal high schools. Course was so well taught that l was able to breeze thru my first two collegiate years with little effort, which was good, as I was also working full time. The energy of youth ! Related / academic courses were pretty intense, with loads of marh and physics ( loved physics actually) ,chemistry , with State required English, and US history. One year or Russian History. Great Teacher for this class , can't speak highly enough of his teaching enthusiasm and talent. This was in the late 1960's , when the Cold War was not in the least cool, Nikita K threatening to bury the USA and wWestern Europe.
Anyway, long hours and not a study hall or any electives offered.
Other trades offered were : Drafting, Sheet metal / Welding, Carpentry, Machinist, ( with postgrad tool & die making for top students ) Electrical, and Beauty Culture [girls only] ( Hairdressing and Makeup ) most of these
kids walked out the doors on June straight into jobs as highly sought candidates, unless they attended college or entered the Military, and not at a good time.
Some of us have been invited back for career days, and I was living close enough later and took full advantage of the opportunity to try and motivate and inspire the kids. Now my mission is to try to convince the Education Dept. to begin an immediate program of trades training expansion. I don't expect to be around forever, but you don't need too much imagination to see that soon there will be an extreme shortage of plumbers, electricians, HVAV folks etc. The old timers are rapidly laving the labor pool, they are simply worn out. The difficulty will be recruiting students who are willing to get their hands dirty but already rising wages will continue due to the depleted labor pool, and that will provide plenty of stimulus. But, the educational apparatus will need to be ready.
Enough of my rambling, that coffee @ 22:00 hours is finally wearing off, and I know there are a few out there licking their chops to have at me on another subject. Bring it on. A few hours of shuteye and I'll be ready.
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nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT