Who Owns Pencils?
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I mentioned in the Open Thread a story that "technology problems will force the government to count all of the nation's 300 million residents the old-fashioned way in the 2010 census�"with paper and pencil."
And I wondered, who still uses pencils? Do you even own one? I don't, and haven't since college. Even then, I only used them for exams that required them. Sometimes I use a pen, but that's about it.
But maybe I'm just out-of-touch? Or Maybe this is a generational thing?
(Sorry for the random post.)
UPDATE: Just found this article from 1999: "Lawson predicts a backlash will one day make a PC passe. 'It'll be out as a status symbol,' she said. 'And pencils will be in vogue.'"
And this, from a pencil maker: ""The pencil is seeing a resurgence with groups who are growing tired of the e-mail and faxes," said Kristen Gehrig, product manager for Sanford Inc., Bellwood, Ill., which produces Eberhard-Faber pencils."
And I wondered, who still uses pencils? Do you even own one? I don't, and haven't since college. Even then, I only used them for exams that required them. Sometimes I use a pen, but that's about it.
But maybe I'm just out-of-touch? Or Maybe this is a generational thing?
(Sorry for the random post.)
UPDATE: Just found this article from 1999: "Lawson predicts a backlash will one day make a PC passe. 'It'll be out as a status symbol,' she said. 'And pencils will be in vogue.'"
And this, from a pencil maker: ""The pencil is seeing a resurgence with groups who are growing tired of the e-mail and faxes," said Kristen Gehrig, product manager for Sanford Inc., Bellwood, Ill., which produces Eberhard-Faber pencils."
They still use pencils in her 3rd grade class.
As a teacher, she has to buy the pencils with her own money (the school does not reimburse her).
What kind of society are we creating when we make our teachers buy supplies for the classroom with their own money?
This is one thing that should be a part of our platform at the convention: reforming the administration of education, and higher pay for teachers - plus, how about we buy those pencils for them?
Our kids and teachers deserve pencils at least.
:-D
My sisters all teach in Kentucky. The two in public schools spend LOTS of money out of their own low wages every year on their students. Fortunately they do it (teach) for the kids, not to become rich.
pencils for
writing scripts
people bought pencils to protest to the big whigs
slogan, put your pencils down
symbol of strike
there ya go!
you shoud see my thanksgiving strike video!
Link
I'm 63; and I first worked with a MAC in 1993. Later it was Win95, etc.
I now pay most of my bills on line. Read the newspaper(S) on line. etc. etc.
I also love to argue politics.
GO OBAMA. (Even if I end up having to vote for Hillary this will still be true.)
I'm a big fan of pencils. They have erasers. I'm a big fan of erasers. I just bought a bag of those add-on erasers for when the ones that came on the pencil is used up but the pencil is not.
I am reminded of a story that went around at the time of the space race. The US government spent a huge amount of money trying to come up with a pen which would write in zero gravity. The Russians used pencils. Duh!
Link
Shows that there really are blogs about everything...
I do the great majority of my writing on the computer because of the copy/past feature and, of course, spell-check. But you can't conveniently sketch out an idea subject to changes with a pen or on a computer.
Maybe it's a generational thing, but if I walk into someone's house and don't see books and at least one pencil I wonder about the occupants.
Just remember, "Don't run with that. You'll put your eye out."
My kids, 17 and 14, don't use pens at all. My daughter uses mechanical pencils - and nothing else. My son bought 2 boxes of pencils @ 72 pencils/box. That should see him through the rest of this year (Canadian schools get out July 1st) and also through next year. We also bought 2 new backpacks (they last slightly less than one schoolyear on average before a strap breaks) and a new binder for Jake. Also pencil sharpeners Steve, I can send you one. Because I bought expensive backpacks I spent $160. And about the same on gas to drive home.... (gas=1.10/liter in Canada.)
But yea, they still pretty much write everything in pencil. They both do school reports on the computer as teachers require some stuff typed.