Recent Comments

1. about 4 hours ago on The Grizzwells

   Like your ‘medical terminology.’ Think I had that, too, along with trigeritus.

2. about 10 hours ago on Frazz

   24degree in central VA this am. Jonquils are looking sad.

3. about 10 hours ago on B.C.

   Guy really gets into – and out of – his work.

4. about 10 hours ago on Back to B.C.

   That old and still applicable? Truly prescient.

5. about 10 hours ago on Non Sequitur

   Buttercup needs to take up walking, a lot of walking. As much as it takes to get to the end of a short pier at high tide.

6. about 10 hours ago on Wizard of Id Classics

   Some Oriental models from the 60’s would give you the shivers to even look at.

7. about 10 hours ago on Moderately Confused

   Reruns of the earliest episodes of that show would be a good history lesson and a real shock to moderns.

8. about 10 hours ago on Frank and Ernest

   Sometimes I feel that way, too. Like I’ve spent too much time in the can.

9. about 11 hours ago on Herman

   In the 40’s and 50’s, our class was called Industrial Arts and covered all the building trades, but also included a foot-operated printing press and full racks of different typefaces for setting an 8×10″ 8 page paper: just shop news that was distributed around the school. I was writer, editor, typesetter, and press operator for 2 of the best years in school.

   The training schedule was very focused. 8th grade students experienced basic shop skills, including woodworking, electrical models, molding metals into tools, and how to layout mechanical drawings. 9th grade students tried each house construction type for 6 weeks. 10th graders chose a different one for each semester. 11th-12th concentrated on one particular area for the year. Was the best and most organized training I have experienced in my life.

   The big change in school disciplinary levels came when they installed an automotive shop with all the tools and equipment for basic car repair. Previously ‘unhappy’ students went for that like ants at a picnic and their attitudes changed. School became a much nicer place for them and for a few teachers.

   In the 80’s, the school system where I taught replaced a very well equipped industrial shop with computer stations. Students who had enjoyed the shop avoided the pc lab and some became unhappy at having no shop. Didn’t go well from there.

10. about 11 hours ago on The Grizzwells

    Did fine with basic maths, stumbled on algebra, used some plane geometry in later projects, never even in the neighborhood of calculus or other higher maths. Always felt the same way I do when I hear someone speaking in a language other than American/English – just kinda wish I could and sorry I can’t.