I can't remember the last time I actually saw a pocket protector. Businesses used to give them away, but not anymore. There's one guy at work who still has one, but I'm pretty sure it's older than me!

Based on my limited understanding, the trend now is to see Asperger's Syndrome as one point on a spectrum of characteristics (the more functional end) of autism. There is a greater ability to understand and manipulate abstract data than human interactions in such kids. My guess is there is a touch of Asperger's in a lot of us.

It also may be genetic. The schools in Silicon Valley have a much higher concentration of children with Asperger's, possibly the result of the larger number of parents in the computer industry marrying and having kids. As a result, the (very) well-funded schools in Silicon Valley have developed a lot of educational techniques for these kids. Here is an interesting article from Wired magazine on the subject:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers.html

One theory I've heard is that autism and Asperger's (which apparently are more common in males) are just the male emotional characteristics writ large. Guys are generally less adept than women at forming social relationships (especially as we age), worse at reading emotions, and more comfortable talking about abstract data (sports scores, trivia, jokes, movie scenes) in conversation, whereas female conversation tends to be more based on feeling, relationship, and emotion as topics. (That's the stereotype anyway, one with which I don't fully agree.) One causative theory of autism is an imbalance of male hormones in the prenatal environment, and the presence of very "ripped" musculature at birth (like 6-pack abs) is a strong indicator of autism.

There is a recent novel whose protagonist is a boy with Asperger's Syndrome, I think the title was "The Curious Incident of the Dog That Barked at Midnight". I haven't read it but my wife recommended it.

Keep the slide rule!

I've still got mine. In future, you can show the grand kids how it was done back in olden times.

I lost the pocket protector when my last fountain pen died.

Remember ink wells in school desks?

Ken V.

My legal guardian, who is 80 now, said boys used to drink out of the ink well like it was a water fountain to shock girls.

I think I've seen a slide rule, but I couldn't say what it's for.

I think I've seen a slide rule, but I couldn't say what it's for.

The bane of my life during my calculus courses. Thank Cthulhu they're a thing of the past. Those multifunction calculators you buy today for a few bucks? Would have killed - KILLED - for one back in college.

Without reading everyone's comments about the movie, I will add my thoughts: I didn't like it that much the first time I saw it, but after about the fifth time, not only did it grow on me, but it became one of my favorites. The only reason I can think of is that I have really gotten into his character. Every little thing he does gets me cracking up. He looks like he is totally wasted throughout the movie, which is great. He thinks he is a big-shot, which is great. And the lines about skills have become one of my most repeated movie lines ever.

I think that if you loved the Wilson brother movies, then you will love this one. I did.

I saw this movie last week (finally). It was pretty funny. Not side-splitting hilarious, but I liked it. My husband's favorite thing to say to me since then is that I'm a frekin' idiot that ruined his life! He's only joking, of course (I hope ). I only watched it once, but it would probably be funnier if I saw it again. It seems like one of those movies.

Many think that Asperger's is sort of a forme firste of Autism. They further postulate that the significant rise in Autism, particularly in Seattle and California is that collections of "geeks" are suddenly thrust together at places like Microsoft and other hi-tech firms, giving a much greater opportunity to marry and/or mate, and the two mild autistics give rise to a disproportionate number of classic autistics. They also tend to sit on the tail ends of the IQ bell curve, or rather, their bell curve is flatter than that of the general poplulation. A very interesting condition.

On the advice of my brother, I watched "Napoleon Dynamite" tonight. His sons are wild about it. They're 17 and they and their friends quote chapter and verse from the movie. Naopleon in all his geeky and weird sweetness is their new hero, or I should say, anti-hero - everything you shouldn't be in high school.

I really enjoyed the film. I can see it becoming a new cult classic. Jon Heder, who plays Napoleon, is a terrific young actor. I caught him on Leno months ago, and in real life he is nothing like Napoleon. It was a phenomenal acting job that so many people think Heder is actually that way. I loved Napoleon's adenoidal mouth breathing and nearly comatose manner. And in the end, friendship counts, big time.

Did you guys stay to see the film after the film? After the credits finished, there's an epilogue. Really cute and totally whacked.

I thought this was a little gem.

This isn't a must-see, but it's an amiable curiosity.

The star, Jon Heder, is either a real geek or one of the best actors of his generation. His geekiness – his face, his gait, his carriage – was so dead on it made me uncomfortable.

Maybe because my heart goes out to geeks. Always has. Not because they don’t get it, but because they can’t get it.

Science is learning more and more about geeks. One of the newer theories is that they have a perceptual defect (genetic or MBD – minimal brain damage) that prevents them from learning how to behave in social situations. They don’t pick up on what’s appropriate within their environment / peer group and what’s not. They’re oblivious to glazing eyes during their pedantic discourse on the germination of saprophytic plants, a subject that they assume fascinates everyone as much as them. The really sad thing is that no matter how much they pretend not to care, many of them want desperately to belong. This separates them from the misanthropic types or the truly unique individuals who have little or no use for other people.

One of the things that fascinates me about geeks is their style of dress. Their inability to pick up on social cues renders them immune to the fashionistas; they dress the way they feel or in what’s comfortable or practical (e.g. the pocket protector) or simply available. This naturally earns them abuse from the mindless trendoids who feel threatened by a true original.

I could never have imagined the odd behaviour was a medical condition. Though it makes sense thinking back & remembering some the 'Napolean' types I schoolled with.

If this theory can help the less socially inclined ease their transition into society's mainstream, in the words of Napolean himself:

Sweet!