Homestead mailing list

[Rob <becida AT comcast.net>]

The talk about oil, better gas mileage and the hope of technology to 
get us by in the future got me to thinking.

Technology is our only hope for keeping things running in this modern 
world of billions and billions of people. If the technology doesn't 
come thru we are all in a big hurt.

I think about the technology that's come about in the last 40 years, 
I use 40 years because I can remember that far back.
I remember cheap gas and the 'no gas' signs. I remember when a car 
getting 100k miles was a big deal, today I expect 250-300k. I 
remember black and white TV with 4 channels and rabbit ears, I 
remember going to the grocery store to test vacuum tubes in their 
machine, today I use satellite and have more channels than I care to 
watch. I remember building a crystal radio and my first transistor 
radio. I remember when only Dick Tracy had a personal phone (his was 
on his wrist watch), I keep mine in my pocket today. My first 
commercial plane trip was in a prop driven plane (I don't remember 
it). I remember my first time seeing a hand held calculator that 
would not only add-subtract-multiply & divide but would do square 
roots at the touch of a button! Today I talk with people all over the 
world with the computer in my living room, my wife like to use the 
other computer to play backgammon with people all over the world.

I lived thru numerous childhood illnesses with the help of 
penicillin.  Today my 16 yo daughter is still alive 9 months after 
finding out she had leukemia.

Technology is a double edge sword but it's our only real hope for the future.



Rob
becida AT comcast.net

With a '91 Subaru 2.2 in an '87 Vanagon in western Washington.