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Merry Christmas - Be an Erector Engineer!

Posted by timothy on from the dangerous-toys dept.

theodp writes: More than 50 years ago, lucky kids found an Automatic Conveyor Erector Set under the Xmas tree. And while President Obama lamented last year that kids — including his own — were done a disservice by an educational system that failed to introduce computer science concepts 'with the ABCs and the colors', Radio Shack advised 'Parents Who Care' to put a TRS-80 under the tree for their kids to program way back in 1978. So, to bring things up-to-date, what are the hot tech/science gifts that Santa brought children today?

3 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    There's got to be a crude joke about erector engineers in here somewhere...

    1. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Life was a bit different alright. It was also uncivilized. Fortunately, society grew up and finally accepted that there are things you should never be allowed to do. Why should kids "go out and explore"? There is nothing to be explored anymore. You're not Livingstone. You're not Armstrong. There are no blank spots on the map anymore. Stay home and Google it, it's safer. Sane and responsible people celebrate the fact that society chose adulthood and safety instead of recklessness. Embrace this new culture: even as an adult, you'll find out you're better off without some things.

  2. A Progression of Toys... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...a progression of professions. Start with an erector set, but mechanical engineers are the lowest paid engineers. Progress to simple electronic kits, but electrical engineering is a dying profession. Get a Raspberry Pi, but all software is now offshored. Sell all those used kits; now, sales is a lasting profession.