01/08 is World Typing Day
01/08 is World Typing Day
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World Typing Day was concieved of in Malaysia, first celebrated there in 2011, and, as far as I know only celebrated there. By some quirk of fate the date chosen, January 1, was also the day that Herman Hollerith received a patent for his punched card calculator in 1889. Typing was initially done on a typewriter, one of which is pictured above. It was, in its time, a momentously important device which rendered typing a very important skill.
Written communication went from pictures and glyphs chiseled into and painted onto rocks to marks on clay tablets to handwritten "ink" on paper type products, many endlessly copied by monks, to ... Ta Daaa! - the Gutenberg Press and moveable type. That was good for books, broadsheets and like that, but not so much for one time communicatons. Meanwhile, penmanship became very important lest an order for thirty hogs result in the delivery of thirsty dogs. The typewriter went a long way toward solving that issue.
Per da wiki:
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an inked ribbon selectively against the paper with a type element. At the end of the nineteenth century, the term 'typewriter' was also applied to a person who used such a device.[1]
The first commercial typewriters were introduced in 1874,[2] but did not become common in offices in the United States until after the mid-1880s.[3] The typewriter quickly became an indispensable tool for practically all writing other than personal handwritten correspondence. It was widely used by professional writers, in offices, in business correspondence in private homes, and by students preparing written assignments.
Hollerith's device utilized punched cards, sometimes later called IBM cards, which were generated by a "keypunch machine" operated by a "Keypunch operator" who was essentially a form of typist, typing information onto/into the cards which would then be read into a machine. Like middle managers, the machine had no innate skills and had to be told what to do in great detail, but it was quick and didn't try to fondle the typist. This didn't happen for many decades, but, in time, the machine could spit out invoices, orders and tons of other paperwork at a rate that would humble the average typing pool. By then, of course, the punch cards were long replaced by terminals, whose operators generally engaged in typing, still using the same old qwerty keyboards that were invented to slow down typists back when typewriters were so clunky that a fast typist would jam them.
So, full circle, in a way, but not exactly. The terminal has no platen, no carriage return, no ribbon and a screen. It is the harbinger of the constantly promised "paperless society" which has utterly buried us all in paper. Typing is very much still with us, though it is losing some ground. My hands are frequently uncooperative and keyboards are unforgiving, but there are speech to text apps aplenty to carry the bulk of the load. They do produce a product that needs to be edited and corrected via the keyboard, but they still put a lot of words on the page with little effort. There are also technologies like Rocketbook where one writes longhand on special re-useable paper and takes a picture which uses OCR to produce a text file on whatever device you choose to send it to. Again, editing is required, but one needn't type the whole thing. Just over the horizon lurks the mind-machine interface, but I try not to think about that, that way lies madness
On this date n 2002, the so called "No Child Left Behind Act" was passed; another counter-productive attempt by the under-educated to "reform" education. Sigh.
It is also Show and Tell Day at Work Day. Ignoring the grammar/redundancy, this really sounds like a good way to get fired, or arrested. Who thinks this stuff up?
On this day in history:
1454 -- The Pope gave Portugal exclusive rights to Africa south of Cape Bojador. Yup. He did.
1735 -- Handel's Ariodante was first performed
1790 -- Washington's first State of the Union address
1828 -- The US Democratic Party was allegedly organized, but I doubt it
1889 -- Herman Hollerith got a patent for his punched card calculator
1912 -- The African National Congress was founded. Sorry 'bout that, Pope dude.
1918 -- Woodrow Wilson announced his 14 points
1926 -- Usurper/conqueror Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud was crowned King of Hejaz
1961 -- A French referendum supported de Gaulle's Algerian policies
1964 -- Johnson declared a "War on Poverty" which seemingly until Bill Clinton.
1973 -- The trial of the Watergate burglars began
1975 -- Ella T. Grasso became the first woman Governor in the US who didn't succeed her husband (Conn.)
1992 -- GWB barfed on Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa.
1994 -- Valeri Polyakov took off for his record 437 days in space (aboard MIR)
2002 -- The No Child Left Behind Act was signed
2011 -- Gabrielle Giffords and several others were shot
Some people who were born on this day:
The white men in our colonies are too frequently the savages
~~ Alfred Russel Wallace
1628 -- Francois-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg, general, worth a read
1638 -- Elisabetta Sirani, painter
1823 -- Alfred Russel Wallace, geographer, explorer, biologist, evolutionary theorist
1824 -- Francisco Gonzalez Bocanegra, poet and composer
1854 -- Fanny Bullock Workman, geographer, cartographer, explorer, writer, and mountaineer,
1904 -- Tampa Red, guitarist and songwriter
1909 -- Evelyn Wood, speed reader, author and educator
1911 -- Gypsy Rose Lee, actress, dancer, and author
1928 -- Luther Perkins, guitarist
1931 -- Bill Graham, concert promoter
1935 -- Elvis Presley, actor, guitarist and singer
1937 -- Shirley Bassey, singer
1940 -- Cristy Lane, country singer
1941 -- Graham Chapman, cultural icon
1942 -- Stephen Hawking, physicist and cosmologist
1946 -- Robby Krieger, guitarist, singer, and songwriter
1947 -- David Bowie, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor
1947 -- Terry Sylvester, singer and guitarist
1960 -- Dave Weckl, drummer
1978 – Marco Fu, snooker player
Some people who died on this day:
You will protect with the last drop of someone else's blood what was never yours.
~~ Kenneth Patchen
1337 -- Giotto, painter & sculptor
1642 -- Galileo Galilei, scientist and heretic, redundant, I know.
1713 -- Arcangelo Corelli, violinist and composer
1825 -- Eli Whitney, engineer, invented cotton gin
1880 -- Emperor Norton, emperor
1896 -- Paul Verlaine, poet
1952 -- Antonia Maury, astronomer and astrophysicist
1958 -- Mary Colter, architect
1972 -- Kenneth Patchen, poet
1976 -- Zhou Enlai, first premier of the PRC
1979 -- Sara Carter, singer, songwriter, and autoharp player
1980 – John Mauchly, physicist, computer designer, and academic
Some Holidays, Holy Days, Festivals, Feast Days, Days of Recognition, and such:
World Typing Day (Malaysia)
Show and Tell Day at Work Day
Today's Tunes
Tampa Red
Luther Perkins
Elvis Presley
Shirley Bassey
Robby Krieger
David Bowie
Terry Sylvester
Arcangelo Corelli
Sara Carter
Bonus Bowie:
Ok, it's an open thread, so it's up to you folks now. So what's on your mind?
Cross posted from http://caucus99percent.com
Open Thread, Democratic Party, Fanny Bullock Workman, Portugal, The Pope, The ANC, Luther Perkins, Bill Graham, Elvis, Shirley Bassey, David Bowie, Sara Carter
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Comments
Hey good morning
-
Thanks for the Bowie tributes. Always enjoyed his Ziggy Stardust album.
In the weird news category:
Human Remains Are Headed to the Moon, Despite Objections
Why?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/human-remains-are-headed-to-t...
and
Device that sprays your butthole now connects to Alexa for voice control.
No thanks.
https://futurism.com/the-byte/toilet-connects-alexa-home-voice-control
truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security
Good morning QMS. Thanks for reading and glad you
appreciated toe Bowie.
Sending cremains to the moon seems tacky. The bidet article is hilarious.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good morning...
I've never been a good typist. I have to watch the keyboard. None the less I can still digitize words on a screen.
As to no child moves forward...it was a boondoggle to promote lots of testing as one of the Bush bros (I think the one from the saving and loan debacle) was in the testing business. I bet he made big bucks as kids learned very little other than how to take a standardized test.
Oh well.
Thanks for the OT, and y'all have a good week!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
In high school, I was the only guy in typing class
Didn't bother me too much. It came in useful doing papers in college. Guess I
always knew I would be a writer. The feel for key locations has dwindled over
the years, tend to look at the keyboard more now to avoid as many mistakes.
Used to travel with my trusty portable Smith Corona in its case. Gone now.
This is a similar model. Mine was more basic - fully manual.
truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security
I too took typing in High School, summer school after
9th grade, with term papers in mind. The family typewriter was very much similar or perhaps identical to the one pictured in the column. Never had anything much better as I picked up some ancient monster at Goodwill when I moved to college. Peeking at the keyboard is definitely part of the process.
be well and have a good one
Edited to fix typo, sigh
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Saw one of those for sale on the Facebook this morning
I came in 5th place when I was a senior in high school for typing. Two of those girls were over 100 wpm. Yikes. That's really flying.
Dunno if 250 is a good deal or not, but I'm definitely
not in the market. Definitely not competitive typist, never was. Congrats to you.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Dunno if 250 is a good deal or not, but I'm definitely
not in the market. Definitely not competitive typist, never was. Congrats to you.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good morning Lookout, thanks for reading.
I was unaware of the Bush testing link. Thanks for the info. One wonders if the tests were tested on GWB but, not really.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good morning, everyone!
I typically have no luck opening plastic cartons. Dear One has to open up my Danish carton.
Except, I did it myself this morning. I was smug about it. Know what that means?
I understand power.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning otc. I fully understand. Congratulations.
Researching Spanish "knife laws" preparatory to a trip there, I learned that if the cops spot you with one they can ask you to justify carrying it, and if your explanation doesn't satisfy them, they take it away from you. I figured I had that covered because I can't open anything without mine, plastic cartons and clam shell packaging, cardboard boxes, those bags that say "tear here", the foil covers under the caps of pill bottles and food jars, you name it. You should have yourself 2 Danish, in celebration of your victory.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I sprained or strained my left
I opened that carton like a pro, a rare event in my house. I felt very grown up.
I had a fingernail clipper containing a tiny metal file in it get confiscated in Kenya. I can't imagine what hunters go through getting guns and bows into that country.
A few years ago, a group of Houston attorneys rented a private lodge on a ranch in Mexico to go hunting. Well, the cartel broke in on them, took guns, knives, bows, cash, credit cards, passports, and vehicle. They had to hitch rides to the embassy, had all kinds of hell getting home.
If the cops don't get your weapons (or carton openers), the cartel will.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Always carry a pocket knife
-
for all those reasons and more
latest best is a Gerber folding lock back
made in Oregon, very light and small
has a 2 3/8" working blade
good quality metal
keeps a good edge
story about pocket knives and cops
on my way home from the French Quarter
one night, cops stopped me to have a frisk
had a jack knife in the breast pocket of my
denim jacket. they frookin found and took it
said: Hey, that's my knife!
Cops looked at me and replied
"Want it back, come down to the station"
The police at the time were rather abusive.
Figured, just have to get another one.
truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security
I figured you for one of those spiffy all metal
units with a large sheepsfoot blade, fid/marlinspike and lanyard.
sorry the heat bagged your knife, but such is life, rogue wave got my first Buck Wrangler one day out rock fishing.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
yeah, got one of those too
just like you described it
too heavy to carry around
lives in my ditty bag on one
of the corner spars along with
a multitool, flashlight and other things
on a need to grab basis
sorry about your buck
I've lost more knives than
potential wives over the years
truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security
BTW, I too have a folding lockback Gerber with a 2 and 3/8 inch
blace, right here on my desk, for letter opening and other uses. It is the biggest blade that Princess Cruises lets one take on board, so I throw it in a pocket or the suitcase whenever going on a cruise.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Heh, my wife had a tiny pair of round-nosed scissors
that passed through US TSA inspection and rules confiscated in Kenya, she really had a fit over that. Not a lot of sympathy fot those hunters, but curiosity as to what the heck they were hunting.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
My Mom typed 120 letters per minute
flawlessly.
My 120 letters attempt looks like this: aeporijvknqerpij5io hj;jal.
Auto correct can be a blessing.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Saw a picture of a duck looking quizickly at the camera
which said "dear autocorrect, it's never 'duck'"
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I am in direct line
to get hit by a tornado. Extreme warning lasts 8 more minutes.
We shall see. Might have internet issues.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Careful, thoe damned Diesel V-8s really put a hurt on one.
good luck
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
The extreme warning
just got extended 15 more minutes.
Very sucky Monday.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
So, that was an hour ago, how are you guys doing? n/t
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Apparently they were swept away
to the land of Oz
where life is beautiful
all the time because
truth is considered foreign influence, world peace is a threat to national security
We dodged the tornado.
Amazingly, the office lights have not blinked. The courthouse shut down, cleared the building 30 minutes ago.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Be safe. n/t
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Monday Monday
Hi all, Hey EL,
Hope it's all good over yonder...
Typing I consider one of the most important things I learned in socialist public schools. Based on usage, perhaps the most important thing. Though of course basic math and english are important. Otherwise, Spanish, woodworking, and graphic arts are are high on the list since worked professionally with them at various times in my cosmic journey. Amazing how they turned us out so skilled work-ready.
I took the class as I heard it was full of girls. I was 15, that sounded interesting. Turned out I really wanted to learn to type. Actually took a second year of it in Big Pine as a senior in high school. There had an electric and did 70 wpm no errors 100% of the time, but flaws started to show above that a few words. There will always be some Barbie that is faster than you though...![Wink](https://caucus99percent.com/sites/all/modules/smiley/packs/kolobok/wink.gif)
We have two now non-working IMB Selectrics, about 10 elements with different fonts. I think about 45 lbs. they weighed. I still dream of fixing them.
about this...
Wasn't it Will Rogers that said 'I don't belong to an organized political party, I'm a Democrat'?
What a great Wallace quote. Wallace rocked, he was a biggie. Imagine having a bio-geographic line, AND a place named after you (Wallacea). Every bit the contemporary of Darwin, but Charles got the drop on the publishing of the theories they discussed, and the fame.
for those unawares, da wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Line
The Wallace line or Wallace's line is a faunal boundary line drawn in 1859 by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace and named by the English biologist T.H. Huxley that separates the biogeographical realms of Asia and 'Wallacea', a transitional zone between Asia and Australia also called the Malay Archipelago and the Indo-Australian Archipelago. To the west of the line are found organisms related to Asiatic species; to the east, a mixture of species of Asian and Australian origins is present. Wallace noticed this clear division in both land mammals and birds during his travels through the East Indies in the 19th century. .... much more at da wiki
Wallacea lives ~
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wallacea.png
Wallace's line defined the (east) end of 'just Asian species' and furthest west of anything Australo-Pacific. Some subsequent biologists drew some other lines related to the Wallace Line. One was where the Aussie-Pacific Fauna stopped and asiatic origin species started occurring. So athe east end of Wallacea. It was the zone of overlap that was Wallacea. I have long been fascinated with island biogeography, surely heavily influenced by setting foot on 6 of socals channel islands. The other two are navy and off=limits, but have circumnavigated both.
Thanks for the OT EL!
Have a good one, and good ones to all!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Good evening Dysto. Thanks for reading and for providing
that Wallace-Wallace_Line-Wallacea info. Somewhere I still have something of his. That was, indeed, a very perceptive quote of his.
It was Will Rogers; when I first read that the Dems were "organized" on that date I let out a long "riiiiiiiiight" and thought of Will.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --