by Kathryn E.
Member since:
January 15, 2006

Improvements that made a difference and one that doesn't -

November 03, 2009 06:10 AM EST (Updated: November 03, 2009 06:15 AM EST)
views: 144 | comments: 94

Improvements that made a difference:


The discovery of fire
The wheel
Fireworks and gunpowder
The iron age, bronze age,
Early sailboats
Discovery of the circulatory system
The steam engine
The electric light bulb
Photography
Telegraph
Anesthetics
Vaccines
The telephone
Trains
The manual typewriter
The automobile
The underground city transit system
The airplane
Antibiotics
Refrigeration
The phonograph record
Slide film and slide film projectors
Silent films
The talkies
Color movies
Cartoons
Radio
TV
Transister radios
The electric iron
The electric range and oven
High fidelity record player systems
8-track tapes
8mm movie cameras
Video movie cameras
Digital movie cameras
SLR
Digital cameras
DSLR
Putting a smell in natural gas
The electric toaster
Central heating
Stereophonic record playing systems
Central AC or any AC
The vacuum tube computer
The cathode ray tube (CRT) computer
The personal computer
The microwave
Getting rid of lead in our environment
Killer apps: Lotus 1-2-3
Cell phones
Portable music players
Email
The Web
Social Networking Sites
Freud. NOT.

Improvements that don't make a difference:



NEW AND IMPROVED TIDE - SMALLER PACKAGE, UGLIER DESIGN and even MORE NONSENSE ADDITIVES.

 


Get the picture?


The above list is solely from my mind and is not intended to be complete, accurate or in the correct chronological order.

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Comments: 94

Charles D. Nov 3, 2009, 6:21am EST
Ok, but I love the way you set this whole thing up. Hmm, I wonder!!!
Charles D. Nov 3, 2009, 6:22am EST
I see what you mean. and I enjoyed the list!!!
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 7:03am EST
:)
Richard B. Nov 3, 2009, 6:30am EST
that e-mail was given away free

the ford model 'T'

that Microsoft wrote the software for the Commodore 64

that the Rolling Stones played their first concert in Berdo in 1965
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 6:58am EST
Yeah for the STONES~
subroto s s. Nov 3, 2009, 6:32am EST
That's a terrific effort Kath! But, you've missed out an important improvement - satellite in space. It is now possible to view anything, anywhere on earth, with a resolition of a few metres. With Google earth, I can see your house, more than 10,000 Kms. away, as if you are my neighbor! Beware! I can see what you're doing at the moment!
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 6:57am EST
oh yeah satellite and the space program - thanks - I added a few as I went along and was reminded about how MUCH these added to our lives and HOW MANY they were... Yes, I did forget some key ones....
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 6:58am EST
You can see my house.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 6:58am EST
but not in real time. A snap from long ago. Because none of our cars are in the driveway.
DIANE D. Nov 3, 2009, 6:42am EST
A Great Post.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:59pm EST
:)
captivating~ and so it rides~
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 6:58am EST
and so it goes. Vonnegut.
Thanks for posting to GutterGirls~
Jennifer R. Nov 3, 2009, 7:52am EST
Good one. I especially liked putting smell in natural gas! Thanks for sharing.
Sandi S. Nov 3, 2009, 8:14am EST
That is a GREAT idea.
Sandi S. Nov 3, 2009, 8:14am EST
:) 8-track tapes... where would we be without them?
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:59pm EST
:)
Tom C. Nov 3, 2009, 5:19pm EST
Don't forget 8-track tapes' forerunner, 4-track tapes!
david f. Nov 3, 2009, 8:14am EST
very good. : D
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:58pm EST
:)
Franklin Newman Nov 3, 2009, 8:15am EST
Very clever.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:58pm EST
:)
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:58pm EST
:)
Sheryl L. Nov 3, 2009, 8:24am EST
great list. I agree with the tide. Can't stand it.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:58pm EST
the tide is gather
Sheryl L. Nov 3, 2009, 4:11pm EST
Ahhhhhhhh, I see now, lol. Good parallel
d d. Nov 3, 2009, 8:35am EST
ha ha ha.... and I thought by the title you were reviewing the new gather changes. hee hee hee. in my head, I was thinking...wow, she's always so on top of everything, how does she do it...I just woke up. great list and watch out ..Mr. Marketing Tide will be coming after you, saying.. "why didn't I make your list?"
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:58pm EST
I AMMMMMMM!!!!!
William Dotani Nov 3, 2009, 9:00am EST
You forgot to mention dandelion weed spray. The current heaklth care the tail between their legs wimp democrats want to pass is not an improvement unless you are a lobbyist that doesn't care about the people.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:53pm EST
ooh thanksee!
Johnice R. Nov 3, 2009, 9:20am EST
That is an impressive list and reading it I thought of my grandmother who was born in the late 1800s. She saw so much of the progress in this country before she died in 1987! True story, she never believed that party lines had diapered, all the other electronic advancements she embraced. :)
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:55pm EST
it is amazing.....................my grandmother born in 1903 until 1989...same era....

and we who were born in the 50s saw a lot before but apparently, kids born in the 80s or 90s are very interested in technology history because so many of the improvements came after they were born.... in terms of numbers.... walkman. ipod. IM, FB, Gather, MS, Tweets,
Johnice R. Nov 3, 2009, 5:04pm EST
Interesting! Thanks for sharing.:)
Karen E. Nov 3, 2009, 9:49am EST
Now you have me looking at the upgrade with that kind of Kathryn eye.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:56pm EST
Yep, I wanted to make a point without being tooo angry.
ann c. Nov 3, 2009, 9:58am EST
I also thought you were talking about Gather.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:55pm EST
I AM
Jim G. Nov 3, 2009, 10:00am EST
A great list, K. A notable exception: The printing press. Transformed mankind.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:56pm EST
HOW COULD I FORGET?
A Parameswaran N. Nov 3, 2009, 10:18am EST
cloud computing?
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:56pm EST
I HATE CLOUD COMPUTING.
A Parameswaran N. Nov 4, 2009, 1:46am EST
Unfair!
It is useful.
I hate mobile phones with cameras! But one has to live with it!
I just love the innovation drive among us. 10 years from now, life will be changed beyond imagination!I hope we do such and turn away from terrorism, war etc. I hope some of us settle in Mars and beyond!...
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 8:20pm EST
that could be scary.
Guy W. Nov 3, 2009, 10:23am EST
The safety pin and fermentation, in that order.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:56pm EST
!!! and snaps~
Guy W. Nov 3, 2009, 3:29pm EST
aah, I could do without 'em. Nothing that snaps really has to be held together all that badly.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 3:41pm EST
haha.
Leo Lemmer Nov 3, 2009, 10:35am EST
The sandwich! The pizza! The hamburger! Ice Cream!

The super market
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:56pm EST
The list is endless~~
James T. Nov 3, 2009, 12:21pm EST
Yep!!!

:O)
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:58pm EST
:)
Dennis Gilman Nov 3, 2009, 2:33pm EST
Does "SLR" mean "Self Loading Rifle"?

Love your list.

I have been trying very hard to notice the "improvements" also in "Kellogs Corn Flakes" also.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:57pm EST
Single Lens Reflex but your answer is just as good.
Dennis Gilman Nov 3, 2009, 4:06pm EST
Oh!!! I think my mom's dad had a camera with that feature. Real cool. We, his grandson, dismantled it and played with the prisms.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 4:51pm EST
SLR came in in the 70s.... I think. Before that, it was range finder.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 4:52pm EST
SLR was what a good film camera was just before digital. Professional photographers used DLR double lens reflex, if you remember seeing a professional camera with two lenses in the 60s to 90.
KEO;
Hasselblad made medium format SLR's as early as the late 40's....
Dennis Gilman Nov 3, 2009, 11:32pm EST
I remember it as being old, but definitily had "through the lens" viewing.
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 8:21pm EST
Doc, oh thank you. I had a rangefinder - if you look up rangefinder you will find the one my dad had in the late 40s, i had it until the 70s... so I didn't know of SLR's until I took the class in college in 72.
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 8:21pm EST
then in 86 we had a minolta, slr, and now i have a cybershot digital.
JOHN BECK Nov 3, 2009, 2:36pm EST
Improvements which make a small but appreciated difference: electric windows so one can close the passenger side windows without a lot of contortions. Cruise control, allowing one to move the right leg around on long trips. Remote control rear view mirrors. "Improvements" which don't: copy-cat body designs and trim. None with the significance of your list.
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 2:57pm EST
electric windows! yeah. cruise control, I never use it..... but I can see the advantage... Remote control! ....
Laree M. Nov 4, 2009, 1:21am EST
...and electric windshield wipers--even intermittent ones.
Oh did you say irrigation?
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 12:34pm EST
how could forget irrigation??????
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 3:41pm EST
MY POINTS JUST DISAPPEARED..............
Kathryn E. Nov 3, 2009, 3:45pm EST
My points just came back.
Larry H. Nov 3, 2009, 4:30pm EST
THANKS FOR SHARING... I THOUGHT I HAD 10 MORE POINTS WHEN I WENT TO BED. THEN I HAVE NOW.
blaine d. Nov 3, 2009, 6:06pm EST
great one!
David W. Nov 3, 2009, 8:43pm EST
You forgot jump ropes, Monopoly, chewing gum and Halloween.
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 2:02am EST
oh yeah !!! GEE ~!!!! How could I forget ! Thank you!
Jan S. Nov 4, 2009, 1:34am EST
Well done, Kathryn!
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 2:02am EST
just something that popped into my head.
Dan R. Nov 4, 2009, 2:42am EST
What about the mechanical computer, the Babbage Computer.
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 9:59am EST
oh yeah!!!
Chas Andrews Nov 4, 2009, 11:31am EST
nice. good job.
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 12:34pm EST
TY
Eucliffe L. Nov 4, 2009, 4:41pm EST
what of the condom that turned romance away from being a dodgy rain dance and sliced bread from which the kitchen knife fled.
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 4:44pm EST
oh how I love your 'trio of rodents with imperfect vision.' true, but methinks the PILL and the bikini and pantyhose doth turned the dance of romance from a dream to stains on the bedsheets.
Ann Weaver Hart Nov 4, 2009, 7:00pm EST
Good fun. Thanks.
Kathryn E. Nov 4, 2009, 7:32pm EST
TY
Sandre M. Nov 5, 2009, 1:57pm EST
Not everything is progress. LOL.
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 4:39pm EST
lol
Carrie Marie P. Nov 5, 2009, 4:00pm EST
You are so correct with that list.
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 4:39pm EST
ha and it is sad...
Angela A. Nov 5, 2009, 6:24pm EST
I hate that companies make smaller packages, then charge you more. That trend really irks me, especially in a bad economy.
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 8:19pm EST
yeah, me too.
Layla Morgan Wilde Nov 5, 2009, 6:54pm EST
This made my day :-0
Kathryn E. Nov 5, 2009, 8:18pm EST
:)
Shelbia C. Nov 7, 2009, 2:42am EST
great post
Kathryn E. Nov 9, 2009, 1:18am EST
it was funny.
Barbary Chaapel Nov 7, 2009, 8:06pm EST

Ha! Loved it.
Kathryn E. Nov 9, 2009, 1:18am EST
thank you.

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