what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[NW-Bound]

The Novus I had prior to the TI-55 used RPN. Still have it somewhere in the house as a keepsake, as its LED display had many segments going dead.

Just the other day, as a lark, picked up a spanking new little calculator with scientific functions, the works but without programmability, for $1 at a dollar store.

[GregLee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound I had the same TI-55 in college.

I had an SR-52, which let you make programs stored on magnetic cards to define new functions -- one of my first programming experiences. Lots of fun.

[Koolau]

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Originally Posted by Rustward The HP-35 sure beat the hell out of carrying a CRC math tables book to class every other day. Does anybody remember CRC Math Tables Books?

I recall many trips to the Chem library to use the full CRC handbook. Wanted one in the worst way to save all the hassle. As I recall I got a chance to buy a new one for (IIRC) $4 ca. 1967 - a big discount (what, maybe $12 full price?). I couldn't afford it. Summer job was $1.25/hour and tuition was about $150/semester. Big money!!

Could usually make do with a slide rule, but once in a while, I just liked to get lost in all the CRC tables. (Sick? You decide.)

Years after graduation and several years under my belt at Megacorp, I was at a garage sale and found a pristine copy of a 1969 CRC handbook - for $.25. I almost cried. By that time, anything I wanted was available on Sci. Calcs. or wo*k computers. Still, I had to own one. I have it today - someplace.

Thanks for the nostalgia.

[kcowan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Got some friends together and attended the local Diwali Mela (Hindu festival of light) celebrations at the Convention Centre. 5000 people, mostly Indo-Canadian, but some yarmulkes, hijabs and other traditions too (including Caucasians like me). A wonderful evening of great Indian food, hendi painting, beautiful saris and silks (men included) and a two hour music and dancing extravaganza. The place was a sea of colour and rhythm. I don't have any pictures, sorry!!!

We had a similar experience when invited to an Indian wedding a few years ago. The ladies were beatiful in their saris.

[Leonidas]

Saturday was the day for high school marching band area competitions across Texas for 5A high schools (there are 23 regions in Texas, each representing several hundred high schools).

This is not the marching band you remember from your high school days. These kids compete flat out at damn near a sprint. Here's DS #2's performance from about a month ago. It's only 1/2 of the final program, and a lot of it changed since then:

YouTube - Clements High School Band

For comparison, here's the same school's band performance from 1988

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJPYW...eature=related

[Lsbcal]

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Originally Posted by Koolau ...(snip)... Years after graduation and several years under my belt at Megacorp, I was at a garage sale and found a pristine copy of a 1969 CRC handbook - for $.25. I almost cried. ...

When we find ourselves crying over a CRC handbook it will be time to ask ourselves about the deeper meaning .

[NW-Bound]

When ya'all talked about CRC Math Handbook, did ya mean DIS one, a volume of 1152 pages, or something else, eh? Eh?



Of course, there were other CRC Handbooks on Physics and Chemistry, but I only had this Math one, a Revised 4th edition.

[Khan]

Today I made a large pot of vegetable rice soup. Shall consume before too long.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound When ya'all talked about CRC Math Handbook, did ya mean DIS one, a volume of 1152 pages, or something else, eh? Eh? Of course, there were other CRC Handbooks on Physics and Chemistry, but I only had this Math one, a Revised 4th edition.

I had the Chemistry and Physics one. I think it was a few hundred pages more. In addition to stuff like log tables, it had literally thousands of (IUPAC) named chemicals with molecular weights, BPs, MPs, densities, index of refraction, etc. etc. Fun stuff - if you're into it as I was back then.

Reminds me of a story. A lab mate of mine and I were studying at his apartment. His room mate (a humanities major) was working on some lit assignment. As we worked a problem together, my lab mate asked absent mindedly "Whats the weight of bromine?" His room mate looked up and asked "You mean the atom or the molecule?"

Maybe you had to be there.


"QUOTE" "When we find ourselves crying over a CRC handbook it will be time to ask ourselves about the deeper meaning ."

Yeah, I wax nostalgic because chemistry was my first love. Somewhere along the line a bunch of folks (a.k.a. Megacorp) conspired to take the fun out of it. Or maybe I just got old.

[kumquat]

Removed the wheelchair ramp I built for a friend two weeks ago. She went into palliative care a week ago. I suggested to her DH that we leave it for a while as "you never know". He said "we'll never need it if it's there, otherwise, maybe". He helped (although he is useless with tools). We didn't salvage much lumber, I think he just wanted to destroy something. Can't blame him.

[NW-Bound]

I can't help you with all that chemical compound stuff, but much of the stuff in my CRC Math, which is more than just tables of transcendental functions, can now be found on the Web, or by using Mathematica. Such wonderful modern tools, yet engineering productivity is not getting any better. Oh wait, people now have more time to surf the Web and chat in forums, Facebook and Twitter, which did not exist back then.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound I can't help you with all that chemical compound stuff, but much of the stuff in my CRC Math, which is more than just tables of transcendental functions, can now be found on the Web, or by using Mathematica. Such wonderful modern tools, yet engineering productivity is not getting any better. Oh wait, people now have more time to surf the Web and chat in forums, Facebook and Twitter, which did not exist back then.

Oops! I didn't know productivity was supposed to improve with all this technology. I was thinking about the old TI calculators last week. It now takes me less than an hour or two of PC computing to produce what used to take all day with primitive calculators in the mid 70's. But as you noted, I use my increased spare time online doing 'research'

[Gumby]

I recently had an opportunity to discuss log tables with some younger people in my office. None of them knew what they were, and when I explained it, why such a thing was necessary; John Napier gets no love today. They also did not know what a slide rule was.

[kcowan]

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John Napier gets no love today. They also did not know what a slide rule was.

I wonder if they care how bridges were constructed?

[Emeritus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I recently had an opportunity to discuss log tables with some younger people in my office. None of them knew what they were, and when I explained it, why such a thing was necessary; John Napier gets no love today. They also did not know what a slide rule was.

I suspect at one time the was a crabbed old professor denouncing the young people and their slide rules who did not know how to do the calculation with a quill pen and foolscap.

[martyb]

Worked. .. In fact, I'm still here/there. 2 yrs, 2 months, 22 days.....

[REWahoo]

Drove the bus and parked it here for the next couple of nights.

[freebird5825]

I cleaned off and added some new stick-on letters to my mailbox.
[stage whisper....come on, take the pitch, take the pitch... ]

I am waiting for a phone call from a former colleague who is here in town for some technology meetings. I last saw her in January in Tampa after a 10 year absence. It will be GREAT to see her again.

[Moemg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freebird5825 I cleaned off and added some new stick-on letters to my mailbox. [stage whisper....come on, take the pitch, take the pitch... ] I am waiting for a phone call from a former colleague who is here in town for some technology meetings. I last saw her in January in Tampa after a 10 year absence. It will be GREAT to see her again.

I'll go for it what or who did you add ? Betting heavily on the Bostonian !

[freebird5825]

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Originally Posted by Moemg I'll go for it what or who did you add ?

Hints:
1. Massachusettes is known for its Portuguese American population.
2. I recently purchased a Portuguese cookbook.
3. I am not a Yankees fan, so there will be peaceful baseball watching.