24 Sep
2010
24 Sep
'10
8:33 a.m.
On 9/22/2010 2:03 PM, Fred Cisin wrote:
On reflecting back, I don't believe anyone
ever taught me (in any
manner) the "turn in reverse to find the start of the thread" technique.
I've done it so long now, I usually do it without even thinking about
it. I suspect that I discovered the technique for myself shortly after
I thoroughly cross threaded some fastener in my youth.
I did get the chance to pass it on to my 42 year old daughter recently
when I was helping her assemble a small computer desk. In that case the
"nuts" were plastic inserts in the wood of the bottom side of the desk
top, and I was unusually concerned about the possibility of cross
threading one of those. She saw the advantage of the technique right
away once I pointed it out. Maybe what the world needs is more/better
mentors ("Elmers" as I recall in the ham radio world).
> Somehow,
the absolute basics of even working with threaded fasteners have
> fallen from the educational system, and people are re-inventing basic
> normal techniques.
> When is the demo on how to suck eggs?
On Wed, 22 Sep 2010, Jeff Walther wrote:
My experience is that most folks don't know
what one means when one uses
an expression about sucking eggs. I thought everyone knew the, "Don't
teach your grandmother..." expression, but apparently familiarity with it
is kind of rare. At least around here.
True.
But, . . .
is there a correlation (non-causal) between those who do not know the old
saying(s), and those who are re-inventing remedial basic techniques for
working with threaded fasteners?
In 30 years of college "professorship", I have seen obvious changes in
college students.
It used to be that I could start my OS class with "DOS est omnis divisa in
partes tres" and at least some of the class would understand the phrase
and the analogy.
Is the reduction in ability to spell, or differentiate homonyms, related?
Could
spell checkers be to blame for some of that?
I made a license plate frame that says "UC
Berkeley Aluminum" (I also
made a slightly variant one in case I ever have another British car)
Heh! I love it... I assume the frames are made of aluminum/aluminium.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com