Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Looking Back

Every once in a while I read or hear about what is a common thing now, but didn't exist before my own birth. For instance,the interstate highway system. Did you know construction on the interstate highway system didn't start until 1956 ? I was three years old. It is true that the system,as least a major portion of it,has existed since I could drive. Prior to that it would take you a lot longer to get anywhere in the country. You had to take what we call the back roads. The drive was a lot more scenic though and a lot less dangerous. A price is always to be paid for progress. Then there was Jiffy Pop. That came along in about 1959. I can remember the commercials on television. Jiffy Pop with the magic popper ! What an innovation.
I find it amazing how quickly we accept new technology. What is brand new becomes blase to us in a rather short time. The record player was around for quite a while in different forms but basically the same. Tape recording,eight track tapes,and cassette tapes followed in quick succession. The Sony walkman was quite the high tech device for it's day. Now we use an I-Pod. Computers as we know them didn't exist until about 1971. That was the year I graduated high school. I can't imagine life without my computer.
I wonder what inventions will come in the future ? And which ones will become an everyday thing that we give little or no thought too ? Originally the interstate system was supposed to be a self sustaining system. We were not supposed to have to pay to drive on it. That part didn't work out. Now we can blast our I tunes through our ear buds anywhere,anytime. Wonder what the hearing of this generation will be like in fifty years. Progress.
There have been many inventions in the last 59 years. An amazing array of advances in technology,medicine and entertainment devices. It remains to be seen how many will stand the test of time. How many will get dropped by the wayside as old fashioned and out dated ? I've seen the television evolve. Will it one day be a thing of the past ? What would replace that ? Shoot we thought we had it all when we got our first microwave oven. Polaroid land cameras were the most amazing thing in photography. Now I can take a picture with a telephone. When did they first make the first commercialy available digital camera ? Hold on, it was 1994. Sure seems like we have had digital cameras a lot longer than that ! Amazing. I can't help but wonder about what I may get to see before leaving this earth. Progress is being made. I think.

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