The Death of Common Knowledge

[sign216]

While waiting for sandwiches in a RI deli, my wife orders 1 lb of corned beef from a young counter girl, a new employee.  The girl puts meat on the scale, and asks "how many ounces in a pound?" 

Unrelated; I've heard they allow calculators in high school math classes now.

[DoubleGuzzi]

..a young counter girl, a new employee.  The girl puts meat on the scale, and asks "how many ounces in a pound?" 

A Modern Girl! Metric please = much simpler.
[My tired old grey matter takes a moment to remember pre-decimalisation units.]

[guzzisteve]

The cell phone generation. At the shop one day i was doing division longhand on paper and someone asked me why I don't I use my phone. I replied " Then I won't remember how to do it this way"  If you have no calculator you are screwed & lost. Isn't ounces liquid not weight? most kids don't know both. It's common sense & bred out of next generation.

[PJPR01]

Fluid ounces = Liquid
Ounces = Solids

Went to the shop the other day…cashier rang up the total to $14.59.  I gave her a $20 and said make it an even $15 bucks in total.  She couldn’t figure out the change without first putting in the twenty in the register, getting back all of the change and giving me the coins and a $5.  Had to leave the coins in their tip jar, she still didn’t get it.

[PeteS]

How many ounces in a pint???

Depends.


Pete

[Perazzimx14]

How many ounces in a pint???

Depends.


Pete

I know there are 24 pints of Yuengling Premium in a case

[Moparnut72]

I am a retired Weights & Measures official. The other day I bought a pint of blueberries, the quantity was labeled in ounces.the code specified that berries must be sold by volume. I asked my replacement about it, she said "oh, that's been changed. Berries can be sold either way." So much for comparison from brand to brand.
kk

[SemperVee]

 "THEY" still quote barrels of oil off the ship when there is NO such thing and BTU's (British thermal Units) again.. huh?

[DoubleGuzzi]

"THEY" still quote barrels of oil off the ship when there is NO such thing and BTU's (British thermal Units) again.. huh?

Here, BTU is replaced by KWh.
This'll confuse ya: BTU is a measure for gas... no, silly, actual gas not weirdly named petroleum. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrel_(unit)#Fluid_barrel_in_the_US_and_UK
"Watch next week's episode of Soap" 

[Tkelly]

Great opportunity for us boomers to divert attention from how we have up the world,blame it on the young people.

[spmoto]

Ouch! Good one TKelly

[normzone]

Great opportunity for us boomers to divert attention from how we have fucked up the world,blame it on the young people.

All of the other posters make good points, but remember, there was once a time when the elders moaned about the youngsters losing the ability to track wild animals and start a fire using flint and sticks.

 

[cliffrod]

There is always an opportunity to demonstrate character in every situation, to do what you should do versus what you simply can do.   Learn vs just look up, etc, etc…. Not everyone takes the easy path, but most enjoy the downward facing but slippery slope of easier more the upward slope of harder that require actual effort.

FWIW, my wife can flint knap, readily start fires with flint & steel or drill (she loves it when someone says they can start a fire with two sticks so she can say “prove it” and then, when they fail, calmly show them how its done), tracks ok..  I’m more adept in the subsequent butchering & cooking plus stone work and other archaic skills that nobody cares about.

[Haioku_Mantan]

Here, BTU is replaced by KWh.
This'll confuse ya: BTU is a measure for gas... no, silly, actual gas not weirdly named petroleum. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrel_(unit)#Fluid_barrel_in_the_US_and_UK
"Watch next week's episode of Soap" 

I'm irritated by the fact that they calculate my gas usage by KWh here instead of m³ - The flow meter is in cubic meters FFS and yet I still get billed like I do electricity.

[normzone]

There is always an opportunity to demonstrate character in every situation, to do what you should do versus what you simply can do.   Learn vs just look up, etc, etc…. Not everyone takes the easy path, but most enjoy the downward facing but slippery slope of easier more the upward slope of harder that require actual effort.

FWIW, my wife can flint knap, readily start fires with flint & steel or drill (she loves it when someone says they can start a fire with two sticks so she can say “prove it” and then, when they fail, calmly show them how its done), tracks ok..  I’m more adept in the subsequent butchering & cooking plus stone work and other archaic skills that nobody cares about.

 

My compliments on your taste in women!

[DoubleGuzzi]

..
My compliments on your taste in women!

Is that after the butchering and cooking? 

[DoubleGuzzi]

..gas usage by KWh here instead of m³ ..

Based on an approximation; average calorific value, IIRC, 

[sign216]

All of the other posters make good points, but remember, there was once a time when the elders moaned about the youngsters losing the ability to track wild animals and start a fire using flint and sticks.

In the Boy Scouts were taught the basics of tracking, and making fire w/out matches.  If conditions are right, flint and steel lights up tinder as easily as a match.  I recall a book from the 1800's, saying a servant should be able to get a fire going in 20 min (w flint+steel).   But if things are against you, a strike-anywhere match is a godsend. 

[kballowe]

While most fasteners have gone metric, the ratchet connection dimensions remain SAE.

You know - 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, etc.

Why is that ?

 

[jkguzzi]

The girl puts meat on the scale, and asks "how many ounces in a pound?" 

That would have been a great opportunity to say "40".

[michaell32]

Just yesterday I was riding my guzzi when my low fuel light came on in Vernon. The closest gast station was 25 miles away but there was a cafe there that had some gas. The guy told me 8 dollars a gallon and I have to buy the full 2.5 gallons. I didn't want to risk getting stranded so I bought it. He charged me 16 dollars which struck me as odd. He then got the jug and poured it in my tank and told me "there you go, 2 gallons 8 ounces".  I politely said thank you that will get me home while wondering how long has he been saying that. He is a nice guy but had terrible math.

[DaGootz]

If you really waqnt to have fun and watch someone youngins' heads explode, on a $11 tab, give them $21 and ask for a ten back.....then watch the fun!

[Tom]

I know there are 24 pints of Yuengling Premium in a case

I find that after the 2nd pint that I don't care.  Where's the 3rd one?    

[aklawok]

How many ounces in a pint???

Depends.


Pete

The very best pint regardless of your measurements is the one you never see the bottom of!! cheers!!

[Tom]

You know you're had too much when you start eyeballing the pickle pigs feet in the gallon jar behind the bar and think "Uh....why not?"   

[slowmover]

How many fifths in a gallon?

[cliffrod]

My compliments on your taste in women!

Thank you very much.   She is a weapon and simply amazing.  One of my uncles said her only obvious shortcoming is her choice in a husband.  He’s right but I’m not complaining.

She lived & worked full time in camps, guides and similar outdoor arena stuff for many years. the “Its easy to start a fire.  You just need two sticks” boast is a favorite pet peeve of hers.

[Bulldog9]

My favorite is to ask for two fives instead of a 10 or five singles in a 5 instead of a 10. Love watching smoke erupt from their ears.

[Huzo]

Here, BTU is replaced by KWh.
This'll confuse ya: BTU is a measure for gas... no, silly, actual gas not weirdly named petroleum. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrel_(unit)#Fluid_barrel_in_the_US_and_UK
"Watch next week's episode of Soap" 

Well…
I would have said that BTU is a measure of thermal output.
KWh would be a measure of work done.

[DoubleGuzzi]

Well…
I would have said that BTU is a measure of thermal output.
KWh would be a measure of work done.

Pedant!