The Amalgimated Brain Trust

[Bruce Wrenn]

Earlier this week, went to local grocery to buy some sweet potatoes, which were on sale for $0.25 per pound. They come, 40# to the box, and I wanted 4 boxes (160#.) We like sweet potatoes, and these $0.25 per pound ones taste a lot better than the $1.19 per pound ones. Being as how they were in boxes, the local grocery store brain trust had to figure out how to price them and how much. Scale at register was too small to hold a box. After watching them try on cash register, and then on app on phone, I told them that the total price would be $40, plus 2% sales tax ($0.80.) You would think that they had just met Einstien, as I could actually figure the price without using a calculator, or an app on the phone. I'm not sure these kids could count to 21, unless they were naked in the shower. The local brain trust at work!

[Bill Dufour]

Be fair. I am sure teen girls are smarter and could count to 22.
Bill D

[Patty Hann]

Be fair. I am sure teen girls are smarter and could count to 22.
Bill D

Agreed. They would use both hands and feet and would still have a few fingers (or toes) left over.

[Jim Koepke]

I told them that the total price would be $40, plus 2% sales tax ($0.80.)

Sales tax on an unprocessed food item?

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

I do think we have entered an age of an Common Humanity's Brain Rot.

jtk

[Rich Engelhardt]

My son and daughter in law teach English to Chinese children via the internet.

We are so screwed.......

[Patty Hann]

Sales tax on an unprocessed food item?

jtk

Depends on the state/county/city laws.... in AZ some cities charge a sales tax on grocery store food purchases, some don't.

[Ron Citerone]

A few teens working a register that can’t do that math in their head is hardly indicative of a whole generation or of the future of society.

A boomer who needs help from his daughter or grandson to solve an iphone issue doesn’t mean old folks doom society either.

People learning a foreign language via the internet hardly proves we are screwed.

Whenever old folks start on the young people, they are shocked when I tell them they should meet some of the awesome young people in my life. My kids and their friends are not only smart but combined with their tech skills are amazing. In current lingo “They are killin it!”

Instead of looking for young folks to criticize I have learned to find an amazing one and compliment them. You just might be pleasantly surprised! I always am!

[Kent A Bathurst]

Roll back a lot of calendar pages, and you'd encounter my Dad's dismay at the certainty that his dope-smoking, war-protesting, long-haired, smart-mouth, lost-in-the-tall-grass progeny would certainly auger in, sooner rather than later.

I'm sorry to report that he was mistaken in his evaluation of an entire generation, not solely its most annoying representative.

The new generation will always be this week's sign that the apocalyse is upon us. That, methinks, is one of their key roles - keep the elders on their collective back feet.

As per Neil Young - Keep On Rockin' in the Free World

[Rich Engelhardt]

A few teens working a register that can’t do that math in their head is hardly indicative of a whole generation or of the future of society.

A boomer who needs help from his daughter or grandson to solve an iphone issue doesn’t mean old folks doom society either.

People learning a foreign language via the internet hardly proves we are screwed.

Whenever old folks start on the young people, they are shocked when I tell them they should meet some of the awesome young people in my life. My kids and their friends are not only smart but combined with their tech skills are amazing. In current lingo “They are killin it!”

Instead of looking for young folks to criticize I have learned to find an amazing one and compliment them. You just might be pleasantly surprised! I always am!

In itself - the kids learning a foreign language - doesn't really mean much - I agree.
The fact that those kids are hungry to learn, always early, are sitting on the edge of their chairs excited to be learning, being helped at every turn by the education system in place in China, not subjected to all of the negative aspects of our education system - - and - - have the full and enthusiastic support of their parents - - - yeah - we are so screwed...

[Alan Rutherford]

Any of us, and I think this group is more older than younger, are entitled to feel as I do that "I don't know everything but I know more than anyone younger than I am". And every day there are more people younger than I am. I'd agree that many of them know things I don't, but 365 times this many years is worth something.

[Pat Germain]

Typically the young people who are very good at math and do really well in school aren't working at the local grocery store in a minimum wage, part time job with no benefits. Said young people are taking college courses while still in high school or they are already in college and studying their tails off for STEM degrees. When not in class and when not studying or writing papers, these young people often do corporate internships. Although, we will ocasionally run into one of the more advanced young people working at a grocery store for some extra cash.

[Doug Garson]

A few teens working a register that can’t do that math in their head is hardly indicative of a whole generation or of the future of society.

A boomer who needs help from his daughter or grandson to solve an iphone issue doesn’t mean old folks doom society either.

People learning a foreign language via the internet hardly proves we are screwed.

Whenever old folks start on the young people, they are shocked when I tell them they should meet some of the awesome young people in my life. My kids and their friends are not only smart but combined with their tech skills are amazing. In current lingo “They are killin it!”

Instead of looking for young folks to criticize I have learned to find an amazing one and compliment them. You just might be pleasantly surprised! I always am!

We need a like button on this forum. Well said.

[Doug Garson]

Roll back a lot of calendar pages, and you'd encounter my Dad's dismay at the certainty that his dope-smoking, war-protesting, long-haired, smart-mouth, lost-in-the-tall-grass progeny would certainly auger in, sooner rather than later.

I'm sorry to report that he was mistaken in his evaluation of an entire generation, not solely its most annoying representative.

The new generation will always be this week's sign that the apocalyse is upon us. That, methinks, is one of their key roles - keep the elders on their collective back feet.

As per Neil Young - Keep On Rockin' in the Free World

Another example of why we need a like button,again well said.

[Jim Koepke]

Depends on the state/county/city laws.... in AZ some cities charge a sales tax on grocery store food purchases, some don't.

Two states of my residence do not tax food. In Washington it used to be people from across the river in Oregon didn't have to pay sales tax here. At every check out the clerk used to ask, "Washington or Oregon?" Washington law exempts most grocery type food from retail sales tax. However, the law does not exempt “prepared food,” “soft drinks,” or “dietary supplements.” Businesses that sell these “foods” must collect sales tax. In addition, all alcoholic items are subject to retail sales tax.

California seems to have become more confusing since we moved north.

California provides a Tax Guide for Restaurant Owners. Sales of food and beverages for consumption at your place of business are usually taxable at the entire combined state and local sales tax rate, unless they are cold food products such as cold sandwiches, milkshakes, smoothies, ice cream, and cold salads sold to-go. Heated food is taxable whether or not it is sold to-go or for consumption at your restaurant. The same exception with hot baked goods, as explained above, applies.

A few teens working a register that can’t do that math in their head is hardly indicative of a whole generation or of the future of society.

One of my high school teachers told the class, the demise of society due to the antics or short comings of the youthful members of the human race is an ages old lament.

This from > https://goodwingrowth.com/younger-ge...on-going-dogs/

“This Younger Generation Is Going To The Dogs!”
That’s a quote from a bit of graffiti Napoleon’s soldiers found while excavating in Egypt.
The graffiti was from 800 B.C.
There were other comments on that wall – the younger generation apparently didn’t respect their elders, had no work ethic, and were not following tradition.

It seems the older generation has been not really seeing the potential of our younger generation for millennia.

jtk