It happened again, making change.

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I made a resent purchase that came to $11.26. I handed the cashier a twenty, a one, a quarter and a penny. She handed me back the one, the quarter and the penny telling me the twenty will cover it. I stated that I would like an even $10.00 back and she answered that WE would know know what the change would be until she rang it up. I asked her to enter the $21.26 as for the amount tendered and we would see what happened. When the change amount $10.00 appeared she was completely surprised and said, how did I know that would happen. My wife was walking away fearing eye contact with anyone and I answered as I left with my 10 dollar bill, "Magic". Computers are wonderful but they are becoming necessary for way too much.
 
Yes, sadly humanity seems to be regressing. We rely on machines for the simplest of tasks, and feel completely lost when the machines are taken away. And I'm guilty of some of it as well. I used to do a lot of math in my head. Now, I'm too lazy, and often times I forget how to. It's tragic.
 
Oh yeah, isn't this remarkable that this happens. I am probably a bit younger than most at 27, but I do this daily.

Large iced coffee at Tim Hortons is $2.60. I'll usually hand either exact change or $5/10.60. The change drawer in my Accord seems to never empty. I'd rather have a pocket of singles than change.

It isn't a hard concept. Very few will make it when all of the assistive technologies fail.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
This is why retail workers will be replaced by automation.


I always see people complain about the self checkouts in stores now.

Which one is it people? Human service that isn't perfect, or machine service that is close to perfect but not warm and friendly?
 
My wife worked with a lady in an utility billing department who needed to use a calculator to figure out 10% penalties that people were constantly incurring. The wife showed her how to just move the decimal point over one and the gal said thanks and just kept using her calculator.

Nothing new, though, it was standard practice in the Maxwell Street Market in Chicago to keep an eye out for people who were not likely to be strong at math and rip them off when adding up their sales. My dad also told me places there would hire big bruisers to push people into stores (it wasn't all open air) and not let them leave until they bought something...as a kid, he became adept at getting low and dodging past their legs. Had something like that happen in Little Italy, a guy basically tried to push my small group into his restaurant...after we got away, he sneered and yelled, "Fuggedabotit!!!"
 
Im a debit card user 99 percent of the time anymore. I hate paper money and coins since I am a bit of a germaphobe. Are places getting filthier, or is my phobia progressing at an exponential rate?

Plus Its usually quicker, and while Big Brother, The bank, and the man on the moon know where I have been and when, I dont care so long as I dont have to touch dollar bills with whatnot on them, or coins that look like they were in the sewer.

I know in the end it makes no difference, I catch colds just like anyone else, I dont blame people who use paper money, but I like my debit card.
 
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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Yes, sadly humanity seems to be regressing. We rely on machines for the simplest of tasks, and feel completely lost when the machines are taken away. And I'm guilty of some of it as well. I used to do a lot of math in my head. Now, I'm too lazy, and often times I forget how to. It's tragic.


My math teacher used to tell those of us that asked why we couldn't just use a calculator "what would we do when we didn't have a calculator with us. What are you going to do carry one with you at all times....."

We live in the future folks...lol.

I do agree it is necessary to know how to do math, I see the reason.

Seriously, how do kids make it out of high school these days without having simple math skills? Do they not teach these things anymore? Its not rocket science to make change.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Yes, sadly humanity seems to be regressing. We rely on machines for the simplest of tasks, and feel completely lost when the machines are taken away. And I'm guilty of some of it as well. I used to do a lot of math in my head. Now, I'm too lazy, and often times I forget how to. It's tragic.

Is it really tragic? It certainly feels that way. But if the skill is is going away because of disuse... isn't that the very definition of a less-relevant skill getting rarer?
 
What gets me is that these "dumber than a box of rocks" cashiers who can't handle 3rd grade math can work every feature and app on their latest I-phone with ease...
 
So this kind of thing doesn't just happen in Miami? When paying with cash, i do the same all the time. Street smarts and common sense just don't exist anymore.
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Yes, sadly humanity seems to be regressing. We rely on machines for the simplest of tasks, and feel completely lost when the machines are taken away. And I'm guilty of some of it as well. I used to do a lot of math in my head. Now, I'm too lazy, and often times I forget how to. It's tragic.

Is it really tragic? It certainly feels that way. But if the skill is is going away because of disuse... isn't that the very definition of a less-relevant skill getting rarer?


Most likely, but then society ends up with a population of 50% retards walking around unemployed...

I fully believe the default human being in the United States has a lower IQ compared to just 20 years ago. "Common" sense is gone; from driving, to shopping, anything dealing with the general public, I'm starting to get scared about the future of humanity...

The rockheads are very tech savvy in how to use technology, but they are completely inept at how technology uses them. No wonder it's easier then ever to manipulate people.
 
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Originally Posted By: 5AcresAndAFool
Im a debit card user 99 percent of the time anymore.


You should not be using a debit card for ANY purchases other than to use the ATM at the bank.
 
When Britain ruled the biggest empire to date, we had the pound made up of ten shillings, shillings made up of twelve pennies, and pennies made up of four farthings. And the florin coin worth two shillings, the half crown coin worth two and a half shillings, the sixpenny coin, the halfpenny coin, and in 1934 the threepenny coin. Upper crust society dealt in guineas, worth one pound and one shilling. At school we learned all this and math lessons frequently were all about working out change from purchases.
Now we use decimalised currency and are a has-been nation.
Perhaps there is a connection?.
smile.gif


Claud.
 
Originally Posted By: Claud
When Britain ruled the biggest empire to date, we had the pound made up of ten shillings, shillings made up of twelve pennies, and pennies made up of four farthings. And the florin coin worth two shillings, the half crown coin worth two and a half shillings, the sixpenny coin, the halfpenny coin, and in 1934 the threepenny coin. Upper crust society dealt in guineas, worth one pound and one shilling. At school we learned all this and math lessons frequently were all about working out change from purchases.
Now we use decimalised currency and are a has-been nation.
Perhaps there is a connection?.
smile.gif


Claud.


At least now your cars don't have positive ground.
 
At at drive through window recently I handed the cashier $21.50 for a purchase that came to $6.35. They couldn't figure it out. Had to wait until the mgr had time to come over to assist.
 
A Young woman at work was drinking FUJI water as I was walking by and I stated, "That's some fancy water you got there, I bet it cost more than gasoline these days!". ( Gas was about $3.65/gal at the time) She said, "No, it was on sale it only cost 99 cents!" I expounded that a gallon of the fancy water would cost close to eight dollars. She laughed and said, "I told you, silly, that it only cost me 99 cents - that's a lot cheaper than gasoline!".

I just shook my head and walked away.
 
We were pretty much never allowed to use calculators in school, I graduated high school in 2001 but went to Catholic school K-12. My grandpa actually made me learn how to use a slide rule before letting my use a calculator. Fast forward to working and I do the change calculations in my head. Our business/office manager got mad at me for not using a calculator to verify like everyone else. I just shook my head and said "I was fortunate enough to learn how to do math in school, guess your accounting degree isn't worth much." Got called to the principal's office but it was worth it, she was eventually fired for not balancing the books correctly.
 
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