>> I understand that people need to know how to do division. I have no idea
>> why they need to practise double-sized sheets with 40 quotients per side
>> featuring 6-figure numbers. Hell, even NASA used a slide rule instead of
>> pencil and paper! WTF?
>
> Hollywood lied to you about the moment in the Apollo 13 mission when the
> astronauts asked the ground grew to double-check their maths: They did
> /not/ use slide rules in that situation, but indeed pen & paper, because
> slide rules don't help with simple addition of numbers.

OK, fair enough.

> Back then, computer was an actual job, requiring highly trained people.

I gather that this is the original meaning of the word "computer", yes.

> I'd also say it was good for our generation to know how to add,
> subtract, multiply and divide without a pocket calculator

I'd say it would be good for *every* generation to know how to do this. 
Given that it's not exactly complicated, it still astonishes me how many 
people cannot do this. I mean, hell, I haven't memorised the 
multiplication table, but I know the *algorithm* for all of these 
operations.

(I do not, however, know of any way of computing a square root that 
isn't horrifyingly torturous...)

>> JKR didn't get to where she is today by using punctuation
>> correctly. She got there by convincing Warner Brothers to make her books
>> into big-budget films. Oh, wait...
>
> Not really. The books were amazingly popular before the movies.

Yeah, I know that. I was just trying to inject a little humour.

In spite of the insane popularity of her books, there are apparently a 
significant number of people who assert that they aren't very good. (And 
not just the radical Christian sects who assert that any magic without 
reference to God is the work of Satan...)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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