At a loss for words...

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » February 28, 2007 9:41 am

MDown wrote:The youth of America....

Good thing debit cards are becoming so popular...
Just like the commerical states... do things really slow down, and get complicated when we use cash these days?

maybe in your neck of the woods... working the register in the shop, I know the odds of my making a mistake in counting back change are a lot slimmer than if my boss does it... Tho I do give back change in dimes and nickels rather than break open a new roll of quarters with an hour left in the shift...

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » February 28, 2007 9:42 am

kitty wrote:I am very afraid for us as Americans!
Anyone watch that new show.."are you as smart as a 5th grader?"
A ucla grad thought Columbus day was in Sept.
He also had no clue how to figure the area of a triangle.

The next woman pondered for about 10 minutes on the name of the ship that brought the pilgrims to America

Another guy was stumped by 5x2...

I really hope it is staged...cause it is so sad!

ummm... 0.5*base*height, right?

AlbatrossFlyer · Post by **AlbatrossFlyer** » February 28, 2007 9:46 am

Wino you know wrote:What's even MORE scary is these dunces are actually allowed to VOTE.

that's why the founding fathers created the electoral college....

7lords · Post by **7lords** » February 28, 2007 9:48 am

CaptainP wrote:
TommyBahama wrote:
kitty wrote:I am very afraid for us as Americans!
Anyone watch that new show.."are you as smart as a 5th grader?"
A ucla grad thought Columbus day was in Sept.
He also had no clue how to figure the area of a triangle.

The next woman ponder for about 10 minutes on the name of the ship that brought the pilgrmas to America

Another guy was stumped by 5x2...

I really hope it is staged...cause it is so sad!
i Saw it.....Thank god i knew all the answers but one...who was the 1st President impeached.....new it after i heard the answer!!!
Andrew Johnson?

Yep, he was the first President to be impeached - Clinton was the first ELECTED president to be impeached (Johnson took over after Lincoln was assassinated)

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » February 28, 2007 9:48 am

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:
Wino you know wrote:What's even MORE scary is these dunces are actually allowed to VOTE.
that's why the founding fathers created the electoral college....

Right. Now the places with the largest collections of dumbasses decide who is president!

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » February 28, 2007 9:53 am

7lords wrote:
CaptainP wrote:
TommyBahama wrote:
kitty wrote:I am very afraid for us as Americans!
Anyone watch that new show.."are you as smart as a 5th grader?"
A ucla grad thought Columbus day was in Sept.
He also had no clue how to figure the area of a triangle.

The next woman ponder for about 10 minutes on the name of the ship that brought the pilgrmas to America

Another guy was stumped by 5x2...

I really hope it is staged...cause it is so sad!
i Saw it.....Thank god i knew all the answers but one...who was the 1st President impeached.....new it after i heard the answer!!!
Andrew Johnson?
Yep, he was the first President to be impeached - Clinton was the first ELECTED president to be impeached (Johnson took over after Lincoln was assassinated)

Actually, Johnson went through the trial to be impeached but they did not actually vote to impeach.

Clinton is the only president who was actually impeached in the true sense.

buffettbride · Post by **buffettbride** » February 28, 2007 9:54 am

CaptainP wrote:
AlbatrossFlyer wrote:
Wino you know wrote:What's even MORE scary is these dunces are actually allowed to VOTE.
that's why the founding fathers created the electoral college....
Right. Now the places with the largest collections of dumbasses decide who is president!

California and New York.

7lords · Post by **7lords** » February 28, 2007 9:58 am

buffettbride wrote:
7lords wrote:
CaptainP wrote:
TommyBahama wrote:
kitty wrote:I am very afraid for us as Americans!
Anyone watch that new show.."are you as smart as a 5th grader?"
A ucla grad thought Columbus day was in Sept.
He also had no clue how to figure the area of a triangle.

The next woman ponder for about 10 minutes on the name of the ship that brought the pilgrmas to America

Another guy was stumped by 5x2...

I really hope it is staged...cause it is so sad!
i Saw it.....Thank god i knew all the answers but one...who was the 1st President impeached.....new it after i heard the answer!!!
Andrew Johnson?
Yep, he was the first President to be impeached - Clinton was the first ELECTED president to be impeached (Johnson took over after Lincoln was assassinated)
Actually, Johnson went through the trial to be impeached but they did not actually vote to impeach.

Clinton is the only president who was actually impeached in the true sense.

Only the House can file Impeachment charges then the Senate must try the accused on them.

Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House and not convicted by the senate (he was tried on 3 of 11 counts by the senate and failed by one vote on each to receive the 2/3 vote needed to convict him).

12vmanRick · Post by **12vmanRick** » February 28, 2007 10:01 am

Nicole and I took a second job during Christmas ... not going into that

BUT

It involved register usage. I feel the clerks pain because you get so used to looking at that damn computer telling you the change, you forget how to do it quickly in your head.

Ahh, the days when you HAD to do it all in your head.

krusin1 · Post by **krusin1** » February 28, 2007 10:34 am

flyboy55 wrote:I blame it on two things:

1) For decades the public schools have been promoting the idea that elementary math (arithmetic) can and should be done with the aid of a calculator, whether or not the student understands the underlying mechanics of the math itself.

2) Businesses these days all operate computerized cash systems which don't alllow the operator (cashier) to meddle in the process. Just push the button that says "combo #3" and everything will be alright. That's how clerks are trained and the technology will rarely allow them to override errors without a manager intervention.

Kids these days are just as smart as their parents, but their parents' generation has "short-changed" them in the education department, IMHO.

Flyboy, you and I don't agree on much (

) but you're right on this one. The movement to use calculators in elementary began back in the early 90's (as I recall it anyway!) and now we're reaping what was sown.

Thankfully, at least in my part of the world, we're seeing an opposite movement, taking calculators back out of elementary and again teaching kids how to do math and make change. (Learning to write is back in vogue, too. )

My 3rd grade daughter learned how to count back change last year. Maybe in 8-10 more years, you can throw her a $20 and see what happens.

job41475 · Post by **job41475** » February 28, 2007 10:45 am

CaptainP wrote:
TommyBahama wrote:
kitty wrote:I am very afraid for us as Americans!
Anyone watch that new show.."are you as smart as a 5th grader?"
A ucla grad thought Columbus day was in Sept.
He also had no clue how to figure the area of a triangle.

The next woman ponder for about 10 minutes on the name of the ship that brought the pilgrmas to America

Another guy was stumped by 5x2...

I really hope it is staged...cause it is so sad!
i Saw it.....Thank god i knew all the answers but one...who was the 1st President impeached.....new it after i heard the answer!!!
Andrew Johnson?

yes. I watched it sadly. I got them all right but am i really proud of that??

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » February 28, 2007 10:46 am

I didn't watch that show because I know I'm as smart as at least a 6th grader.

caly · Post by **caly** » February 28, 2007 11:48 am

You should see some of the rocket scientists I see in the bank that I work at. Give me a $10 bill to deposit into their account so they can take out $20. The standard duh is give me 5 $20's to pay a $80 bill......and wonder why I give them back one. Sometimes I want to ask...."how did you get here on your own".

Tequila Revenge · Post by **Tequila Revenge** » February 28, 2007 12:28 pm

Sounds like she went to school in California and received extra credit for trying hard

rednekkPH · Post by **rednekkPH** » February 28, 2007 12:38 pm

caly wrote: Give me a $10 bill to deposit into their account so they can take out $20.

When I was in college, the ATM on campus gave money in $5 denominations. I remember - on more than one occasion - making a $2 deposit so I could withdraw $5.

There ain't no kinda broke like college broke...

Quiet and Shy · Post by **Quiet and Shy** » February 28, 2007 12:41 pm

12vmanRick wrote: It involved register usage. I feel the clerks pain because you get so used to looking at that damn computer telling you the change, you forget how to do it quickly in your head.

I agree with Flyboy on the education issues around this, but I think Rick might have a point, too.

Could there also be something to how a register makes cashiers think when it tells them the change due? Basically, the register readout requires the operator to read the number vs. calculate. And, as many items are scanned or entered as items vs. prices cashiers aren't thinking numbers. So it's a bit of a verbal vs. mathematical processing issue...the cashier isn't thinking in math terms until they provide the change (which only requires addition vs. subtraction to calculate it).

I'd think most anyone repeating this process over and over would pause when required to alter their thinking pattern. The question then of course becomes whether or not they have the math skills and flexibility to solve the problem differently (which sadly, many don't). And because of this and the fact cashier systems are generally set up to maximize efficiency, operators generally develop a rather narrow skill set that doesn't include calculating change. As a result, change makes change hard....

caly · Post by **caly** » February 28, 2007 2:17 pm

rednekkPH wrote:
caly wrote: Give me a $10 bill to deposit into their account so they can take out $20.
When I was in college, the ATM on campus gave money in $5 denominations. I remember - on more than one occasion - making a $2 deposit so I could withdraw $5.

There ain't no kinda broke like college broke...

....but that one makes sense (or should I say cents)

tikitatas · Post by **tikitatas** » February 28, 2007 3:41 pm

flyboy55 wrote:I blame it on two things:

1) For decades the public schools have been promoting the idea that elementary math (arithmetic) can and should be done with the aid of a calculator, whether or not the student understands the underlying mechanics of the math itself.

2) Businesses these days all operate computerized cash systems which don't alllow the operator (cashier) to meddle in the process. Just push the button that says "combo #3" and everything will be alright. That's how clerks are trained and the technology will rarely allow them to override errors without a manager intervention.

Kids these days are just as smart as their parents, but their parents' generation has "short-changed" them in the education department, IMHO.

I must agree. Numeracy and number sense are like literacy in that they need PRACTICE and reinforcement.

tikitatas · Post by **tikitatas** » February 28, 2007 3:43 pm

Quiet and Shy wrote:
12vmanRick wrote: It involved register usage. I feel the clerks pain because you get so used to looking at that damn computer telling you the change, you forget how to do it quickly in your head.
I agree with Flyboy on the education issues around this, but I think Rick might have a point, too.

Could there also be something to how a register makes cashiers think when it tells them the change due? Basically, the register readout requires the operator to read the number vs. calculate. And, as many items are scanned or entered as items vs. prices cashiers aren't thinking numbers. So it's a bit of a verbal vs. mathematical processing issue...the cashier isn't thinking in math terms until they provide the change (which only requires addition vs. subtraction to calculate it).

I'd think most anyone repeating this process over and over would pause when required to alter their thinking pattern. The question then of course becomes whether or not they have the math skills and flexibility to solve the problem differently (which sadly, many don't). And because of this and the fact cashier systems are generally set up to maximize efficiency, operators generally develop a rather narrow skill set that doesn't include calculating change. As a result, change makes change hard....

wAs

Staredge · Post by **Staredge** » February 28, 2007 7:10 pm

I like going into places and the total adding up to say....$6.39

I'll hand them $7.14

"Just punch it in."