Any white house near you if the residents are so inclined.
Just don't bother those at 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue, Washington, D.C without an invitation. Sadly, they have had a very unwelcome surprise guest recently.
I just went to the RadioShack web site, and they have a "Hobby Kits" section, very interesting, kits that are reasonably priced IMO. Yes, the kit that ajward leads off with is a real product.
... or am I about to put my most basic skills together and learn a new word?
If I remember right, one item in the first batch of packaging for the Parallax stuff sold a RadioShack had a big spelling error. Gyrocope or something?
I'm known as the King of Typos. I can never find my own, and I'm ashamed to say this is the first time I noticed Parallax sold a Gyrocope. Looked perfectly fine to me.
Back in 1980 I wrote an article for one of the early computing magazines on TRS-80 word processors. I sent out a survey to the word processor publishers, and among the questions were whether their program came with a Spell Chercker. Fortunately, most of them saw it as a funny joke.
Back in the Underwood manual typewriter days, even my own name could have typos. I once sent in a story with the byline Go4rdon McComb. The editor quizzed me about it, and I feigned a P.G. Wodehouse moment, and said "the 4 is silent." She knew better, but bought the story anyway.
I just went to the RadioShack web site, and they have a "Hobby Kits" section, very interesting, kits that are reasonably priced IMO. Yes, the kit that ajward leads off with is a real product.
Ray
They had several new kits, but the clock was the only one that caught my fancy. This trip anyhow! :-)
Spell checkers do not seem to have reduced the number of errors in printed material. The only difference I can see is we have incorrect words instead of spelling errors now.
Just about nothing in Asia is spelt right in English, so I can't help but think this product and packaging originates out of China. And of course, it says "Made in China" right on the package which is confirming my first impression.
I hated typing class in junior high school along with spelling. If you made a mistake at the bottom of the page you just had to go back and start over.
It wasn't until I learned that writing skills actually do create job security and create income that I was willing to improve all that.
I really have appreciated Parallax's dilligence with trying to publish clean copy. It really makes reading technical information less daunting. A major spelling error on the package is indeed an indication that the quality of the instructions inside will likely be below par.
I am ambivalent about word processors and spelling checkers. It is hard to say whether we are going forwards or backwards in terms of written communication by using them, and I've similar doubts about calculators. But I am absolutely certain that on-line dictionaries are a big boost to learning. One no longer has to fumble through page after page. This is indeed a big help for second language learners.
I'm known as the King of Typos. I can never find my own, and I'm ashamed to say this is the first time I noticed Parallax sold a Gyrocope. Looked perfectly fine to me.
Back in 1980 I wrote an article for one of the early computing magazines on TRS-80 word processors. I sent out a survey to the word processor publishers, and among the questions were whether their program came with a Spell Chercker. Fortunately, most of them saw it as a funny joke.
Back in the Underwood manual typewriter days, even my own name could have typos. I once sent in a story with the byline Go4rdon McComb. The editor quizzed me about it, and I feigned a P.G. Wodehouse moment, and said "the 4 is silent." She knew better, but bought the story anyway.
I quess we all suffer from a bit of typo shame. I have, ever since my junior high school typing class speed tests where more than 5 typos disqualified your speed rating. I was stuck at about 15 WPM. Eventually I achieved 50 WPM, but I struggled through university at 25 WPM and grammar challenges.
I finally accepted that nothing is wrong with typos in rough drafts, but I learned that writing is a skill that simply demands a lot of rereading, revision, and editting. One doesn't simply whip off and essay and send it off to publication. There is a lot of thought - intial though and rethinking that goes into good writing.
A good editor will buy writing that is rough and accept the chore of cleaning it up - just because the content is worth publication. But sadly, more and more publishing houses have cut costs and expect the author to be their own editor or hire someone to do it out of their own pocket. They simply want a digital file document that they can forward to the printer.
The computer era has managed to pass on a lot of the costs and duties of an office to individuals that have to take home work and clean it up on their own equipment at home.
In the 1960s, I would say that one needed a phone and transportation to get a good job. Nowadays, it seems one need a cell phone, a computer, a printer, network service, and transportation.
But regardless, consitent upgrading of writing skill over a lifetime (I still am trying at 67) creates more opportunities to make good money.
I really am wary of buying anything of value that offers typos in the packaging and typos in the documentation. It is an indication of a rush job and a lack of a quality control culture in the product.
You may notice in my forum posts that I do go back and revise typos after posting. If I see a typo, changing it the only way that I feel I can eventually have less.
ajward
Posts: 1,130
Comments
Just don't bother those at 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue, Washington, D.C without an invitation. Sadly, they have had a very unwelcome surprise guest recently.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/27/white-house-fence-jumper-left-suicide-note-documents-say.html
Lock-downs seem to be in vogue for the holiday season. So don't expect to be welcome everywhere.
Create a working clock with bacis electronics
... or am I about to put my most basic skills together and learn a new word?
Ray
If I remember right, one item in the first batch of packaging for the Parallax stuff sold a RadioShack had a big spelling error. Gyrocope or something?
I guess my memory still works okay.
Photo is from 2011 ...
(http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/133909/new-packaging-and-products-for-radioshack-stores-a-quick-look/p1)
Now, things like that only slip by us if we're both having an "off-day" at the same time.
Back in 1980 I wrote an article for one of the early computing magazines on TRS-80 word processors. I sent out a survey to the word processor publishers, and among the questions were whether their program came with a Spell Chercker. Fortunately, most of them saw it as a funny joke.
Back in the Underwood manual typewriter days, even my own name could have typos. I once sent in a story with the byline Go4rdon McComb. The editor quizzed me about it, and I feigned a P.G. Wodehouse moment, and said "the 4 is silent." She knew better, but bought the story anyway.
If your dad is stirring things up for fame and profit.
They had several new kits, but the clock was the only one that caught my fancy. This trip anyhow! :-)
@
I hated typing class in junior high school along with spelling. If you made a mistake at the bottom of the page you just had to go back and start over.
It wasn't until I learned that writing skills actually do create job security and create income that I was willing to improve all that.
I really have appreciated Parallax's dilligence with trying to publish clean copy. It really makes reading technical information less daunting. A major spelling error on the package is indeed an indication that the quality of the instructions inside will likely be below par.
I am ambivalent about word processors and spelling checkers. It is hard to say whether we are going forwards or backwards in terms of written communication by using them, and I've similar doubts about calculators. But I am absolutely certain that on-line dictionaries are a big boost to learning. One no longer has to fumble through page after page. This is indeed a big help for second language learners.
I quess we all suffer from a bit of typo shame. I have, ever since my junior high school typing class speed tests where more than 5 typos disqualified your speed rating. I was stuck at about 15 WPM. Eventually I achieved 50 WPM, but I struggled through university at 25 WPM and grammar challenges.
I finally accepted that nothing is wrong with typos in rough drafts, but I learned that writing is a skill that simply demands a lot of rereading, revision, and editting. One doesn't simply whip off and essay and send it off to publication. There is a lot of thought - intial though and rethinking that goes into good writing.
A good editor will buy writing that is rough and accept the chore of cleaning it up - just because the content is worth publication. But sadly, more and more publishing houses have cut costs and expect the author to be their own editor or hire someone to do it out of their own pocket. They simply want a digital file document that they can forward to the printer.
The computer era has managed to pass on a lot of the costs and duties of an office to individuals that have to take home work and clean it up on their own equipment at home.
In the 1960s, I would say that one needed a phone and transportation to get a good job. Nowadays, it seems one need a cell phone, a computer, a printer, network service, and transportation.
But regardless, consitent upgrading of writing skill over a lifetime (I still am trying at 67) creates more opportunities to make good money.
I really am wary of buying anything of value that offers typos in the packaging and typos in the documentation. It is an indication of a rush job and a lack of a quality control culture in the product.
You may notice in my forum posts that I do go back and revise typos after posting. If I see a typo, changing it the only way that I feel I can eventually have less.