When last did you see one of these when out shopping?
It’s a wooden standard metric ruler just like the one that I would have used back in the day and yes, for some reason mine was also “made in Australia” (even way back then, BP¹ perhaps!)
So why this nostalgic reminder of our un-PC, non-green, tree murdering past?
Well, I bought a hundred of them last month!
That’s right, a hundred.
I happened to be at a local wholesaler and as luck would have it he was in the process of relocating to larger premises, he’d been in the existing building for as long as I can remember. At the counter were 4 bundles of 25 rulers priced at R10 each (that’s less than £1 per bundle) I bought the lot.
The staff had found these collectors items (and tons of other dated products) and were either going to scrap them or give them away.
What did I do with them?
Why I gave them away of course, 50 to Quest school for their stationery cupboard and the balance to a nearby local primary school.
¹ Before Plastic
Boadicea's Chariot 
Never actually realised they had stopped making them! Been several round here for the last 50 years so no need to actually go and buy any!
Soutie, g’dag! Doesn’t it also show inches on the reverse side, as used to be the case? otherwise an affroont to her Maj and the Empire! 🙂
affroont? Ne’er mind.
Top headline btw.
Morning Mrs O
Yes, quite, I obviously didn’t buy them for myself, schools here lack all sorts of basics, I simply purchased them knowing full well that that they would be gratefully received.
I bought half a book store once (2 bakkie loads) on a liquidation / auction, anonymously donated the whole lot to a township school so that they could start a library, they wanted to name a section of the library after me, I told them to forget that.
Môre Janus, nothing imperial about these! The reverse is blank, although I seem to recall that mine had both but then again I was of course schooled during the great imperial / metric switch over 😉
Pleased that you liked the title 🙂
Good for you Soutie. I think making charitable contributions like that have far more value than paying any of those huge institutions such as Oxfam, UNICEF, NSPCC, RSPCA (my bete noir, if you will excuse the pun), Save The Children etc. Those charities and NGOs do far more damage to society than they do good and most of the money goes to pay salaries to people whose goal in life is to extend rather than end misery and suffering. And the people who donate generally do so to assuage their conscience rather than because they genuinely care. They are made to feel guilty. Charity begins at home.
While on the subject of caring for others, I wonder f you read what our esteemed president had to say about whites and their animals. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20851036
Funny old world.
Soutie, this metric thing is interesting. UK kids learn it and then go out into a world of miles and pints! USA kids of course have even less chance of understanding!
Good on you soutie, charity begins at home.
Janus I spent many lucrative hours at the USA Embassy translating American trade literature from ‘American’ to ‘English’!
Plus the board foot /dollar to the cubic metre /£. Not one of the easiest calculations!
But I have to admit to still thinking in F. I was the last class at Uni to do so, thereafter all in C.
Trouble is an awful lot of rough and ready formulae are so much easier in F.
ie 300′ in altitude =drop of 1 degree F.
12″ snow = 1″ rain
They just don’t work in C.
Howzit sipu
Ha ha, I’m sure that you do the same, we all do (well everyone that I know)
On the Zuma/dog issue. I heard about it yesterday from Viv Bozack (he’s the Radio Algoa Jock from 12 – 3pm, for those unaware, it’s a massive position, in a huge radio station and he’s a bit of a celeb down here.) Viv’s very laid back, he told me, I laughed, he laughed, I mentioned that when I drive past Walmer Township every second person has 2 or 3 dogs ion tow (and they’re well trained. never leave the owner’s heel’s) I in fact often marvel at the way the dogs behave, it’s a busy road.
I’d rather hear him talking this bull then his predecessors AIDS statements, no dogs, 4 wives, how does that work?
Janus, our children learn metric, nothing else, I’m pretty sure that mine have no idea what a mile, stone, psi etc. are, I’ll ask in the morning.
Hi, Soutie – the UK have no idea either!
Strangely enough about 12 years ago I bought a box of 50 wooden rules in Staples High Wycombe. I got them because they were v cheap (old stock ?). They are the traditional 12 inch rule with a cm sub scale and a protractor scale in the centre of one side. I’m sure we all remember them from school.
Strangely they are made in Australia, I don’t know of what type of wood, but it’s not boxwood which was traditional at one time.
Yes, Jazz, thy’re the real mccoy!