[NSRCA-discussion] Why are fire engines red? Was Slide Rules....was Art Wagner
vicenterc at comcast.net
vicenterc at comcast.net
Tue Oct 14 07:41:15 AKDT 2008
Finally I understand why the I-P system is based on 12. I still prefer the metric system because we usually have 10 fingers.
--
Vicente "Vince" Bortone
-------------- Original message --------------
From: James Oddino <joddino at socal.rr.com>
Fire engines are red because they have 8 wheels and 4 people ride in them. 8 and 4 is 12. Twelve inches is a foot. A foot is a ruler. Queen Elizabeth was a ruler. Queen Elizabeth was a ship that sailed the seas. Fish swim in the sea. Fish have fins. The Finns faught the Russians. The Russians are reds. Fire engines are always rushin', so they must be red.
I think I paid $26 for my high end slide rule in 1951. I wouldn't buy a calculator until they got down to $100 and that turned out to be a TI. But the the best and the one I still have is the HP 15C and yes it had RPN. I'm thinking of buying the app for it for my iPhone, but I'm having a hard time trying to justify it as I don't do much with complex numbers anymore.
Jim
On Oct 13, 2008, at 11:24 PM, rcmaster199 at aol.com wrote:
Geez Oddino....was that a trick (or treat) answer?? Thot that QE was a boat. Now I'm really confused
-----Original Message-----
From: Troy Newman <troy at troynewman.net>
To: General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 8:04 pm
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Slide Rules....was Art Wagner
Matt,
RPN is the only way to go.
I had the opportunity to watch my boss try and figure out my
calculator, HP-48. I left it on my desk and he just grabbed it for some quick calculations.
He’s not an engineer. His comment was no wonder I can’t get things
done on time. I have to go back to the Greeks for direction on how to add 2+2
Not really the case, but RPN was something he didn’t have
experience with. So I taught him how to use it and loaned him my HP-28 and he now
swears by it. There is nothing better than having a Stack to work with.
By the way Art doesn’t do a Slide rule. That is too
advanced, Abacus is right up Arts’ alley that way you can count the beads
to make sure in case you forget.
Troy
From:
nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of James
Oddino
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 4:50 PM
To: General pattern discussion
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Slide Rules....was
Art Wagner
Queen Elisabeth was a ruler.
On Oct 13, 2008, at 11:50 AM, rcmaster199 at aol.com wrote:
If you hung your calculator by your belt, you were considered a
nerd. I remember some of the kids would use that as bragging tool....go figure.
Also the strange arguments that would ensue over whether straight up
calculations (TI) or reverse polish notation calculation (HP) was better method
My circular slide ruler was tucked away safely in my pocket, but I
must admit that later in my first year, I had to go to dark side too....just
couldn't compete with getting the decimals in the right place without
thinking. I'm with Bob on that one....I still do the magnitude of the calculation
in my head too.
BTW, is it a "Slider Rule" or a "Slide
Ruler"?? I always thought it was a Slide Ruler, or, in my case, neither,
since it was circular.
Another BTW, if you are less than, say, 45 years old, you probably
don't have a clue what's all the hubbub about.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Richards <bob at toprudder.com>
To: General patter
n discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:45 pm
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Art Wagner
My physics class in high school was the last year they used slide
rules (did not allo w calculators). One thing that I learned, that I still do
to this day, is to try and have an idea of at least the magnitude of the answer
in my head. You had to keep track of the decimal place when using a slide
rule.
Bob R.
Bob Kane <getterflash at yahoo.com> wrote:
LOL, I remember that
happening in my classes also. I can remember being nervous and having
difficulty keying numbers. The good ol' days.
Bob Kane
getterflash at yahoo.com
-----
Original Message ----
From: Jay Marshall <lightfoot at sc.rr.com>
To: General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 11:21:50 AM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Art Wagner
Remember those exams where all was quiet, then there was a
“Oh s&%$#, my battery died”? We used to come early to get next
to the wall socket!
&nb sp;
Jay Marshall
--
---Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-b
ounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of vicenterc at comcast.net
Sent: Monday, October 13,
2008 10:15 AM
To: General pattern
discussion
Subject: Re:
[NSRCA-discussion] Art Wagner
I was in the generation that
changed from slider rule to HP-35. That was a huge change in the
engineering school. The tests were redesigned to account for the time
savings when using calculators. Very good memories. That was
early 70's.
--
Vicente "Vince" Bortone
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Wayne Galligan" <wgalligan at att.net>
Don't say that to Art.
----- Original Message -----
From: vicenterc at comcast.net
To: General pattern discussion
Sent: Monday,
October 13, 2008 7:01 AM
Subject: Re:
[NSRCA-discussion] Art Wagner
Only smart people use slider rule.
--
Vicente "Vince" Bortone
-------------- Original message
--------------
From: "Wayne Galligan" <wgalligan at att.net>
Art does not own a computer. He uses a slider rule.
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Ford
To: NSRCS Board
Sent: Sunday,
October 12, 2008 4:09 PM
Subject: [NSRCA-discussion]
Art Wagner
Looking for Art Wagner's email or phone number.
Email me at steveandlaurel at valornet.com
Thanks,
Steve Ford
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