Thursday, August 12, 2010
My Brother the Uni-Bomber - August 12, 2010
I had dinner at my youngest brother's home on Sunday. We got to talking/joking around like we always do about things and somehow, and I'm not quite sure how, my brother started talking about wanting a slide rule and how hard they were to find these days. He said he even looked on E-bay for one. Somehow he feels the need to have the ability to do higher math functions even if the power is out and all the batteries in the calculators are dead. Let me just add here that he is not a mathematician. I said "never fear dear brother, for I have a slide rule and you can have it." My husband was an electrical engineer and graduated from VPI in 1961, before the age of electronic calculators. I have a foot long, engineer's slide rule in a leather carrying case with a belt loop! It has his name stamped on the front in gold letters too. I didn't have the heart to throw it away so I'm very glad I found someone who feels so passionately about it. I told my brother that I found his fascination with slide rules slightly disturbing and just might have to blog about it. I told him I'd title it my brother the Uni-Bomber. And so it is.
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How cool is that - one of Warren's things gets a home with someone who truly appreciates it. We were taught in high school how to use a slide rule, something I promptly forgot. There's probably one around here somewhere with my late father-in-law's things.
ReplyDeleteActually they are fascinating things, using logarithms the way they do. I remembered that much.
Big sis to the rescue!
ReplyDeleteWow an Engineering Slide Rule. They must be quite rare!
ReplyDeletePerhaps I should have said an engineer's slide rule and not an engineering slide rule? Perhaps there isn't such a thing as an engineering one.
ReplyDeleteA slide wha? Ok, that's only a small joke. I know what one is, but would never be able to work the darn thing.
ReplyDeleteI love it when things finally find a home. I kinda justifies holding on to them for so long. Now let's tell that to Frank so the storage shed gets emptied before it all comes back to the basement!!
Handheld calculators
ReplyDeletethat would do all the functions
didn't come in until after my father retired
He had fun playing with a rather primitive
card-programable one for a few years
but one day he called me and gave me
all of his old leather-cased bamboo-
and sometimes ivory-covered slide rules
Keep these he said
Some day civilization will crash
and then you will need them to restore it
Dad I said
If civilization crashes like you said
There won't be anybody
who knows how to use them
:>)
I think Tom it is then vitally important that we keep my brother alive! He can rebuild the world for the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI remember those slide rulers..never knew how to use it myself except to draw a line with it (I think..too long ago). Maybe you should have titled this "My brother-the uni-slider" LOL...your blog may get tons of hits now with that descriptor!
ReplyDeleteD, there was just something this side of maniacal the way brother was describing the slide rule that made me think of the uni-bomber. If he decides to move to Montana, I'll get worried.
ReplyDeletegook morning!
ReplyDeleteHi Cheryl
ReplyDeleteI haven't stopped by for some time. For some reason your blogs don't come through my in box. That is how I get chatting with folks online. I search the topics that interest me the most. Sorry that I haven't been in touch.
Your story about your Brother the Uni-Bomber is quite interesting. I found it neat that your husband graduated the year my twin sister and I were born.
Also, I found it to be quite profound that your brother was so passionate about getting one and the rarity of slide rules. I wouldn't be surprised if my father used them to do his magic with the sets for plays that he made. He was a carpenter and stage manager for many years here in Toronto. His sets were amazing.
I still don't really understand the Uni-Bomber reference though. Could you clarify that for me?
Also, I love your writing style. I like reading your blogs.
Ta.
I hope you are having a great day.
:)
Erika, the uni-bomber reference was just referring to my brothers avid interest in the slide rule. For some reason it made me think of the Uni-Bomber who lived in the wilds of Montana in a shack and mailed bombs out to various places in this country back in the 90's (I think).
ReplyDeleteIt was just my weird sense of humor making connections that really weren't there.
Oh, you are so funny Cheryl
ReplyDeleteI know who the Uni-Bomber is I just didn't connect it to having a brother who wanted a slide rule.
I guess that is because I don't have a brother. How many brothers do you have? You are so lucky. I always wanted a brother. I wanted an older brother especially but that of course would have been impossible.
Your sense of humour is amusing.Your brothers must get a kick out of you.
:)
Erika, I can give you my brothers! I have 2 and they are just as wacky as I am so you'll enjoy having them. I promise.
ReplyDelete