Modern Education

No, the plural of "anecdote" is not "data," but I had an interesting occurrence this evening.  I'm out of town on a job, and had dinner at a little restaurant.  Standing at the register to pay, the waitress rang up my total as $15.54.  I handed her a $20.  She punched $20 on the register, and the display showed "PPPPPPP."

"Well, that's different," I said, as she stared at the display.  But when she reached for a calculator, I said "$4.46."

She looked at me like I'd just pulled a rabbit from a hat.  "I can't do math in my head like that."  She appeared to be about 19 years old.

I weep for our future....