great inventions.

[alcaucin]

I agree with the posts stating that the internet is probably the no1 invention to date. The speed and flexibility is incredible. Like everything in life , after using it for a while it becomes second nature and we don't give it a thought. Plus , it is relatively easy to use. I've solved many a problem in a fraction of the time than it would have taken me without it. The big worry is that people rely totally on it and have no background knowledge i.e life before the internet.
I know some youngsters who can't read an analogue watch or understand feet and inches. There again do they need to know or is it me showing my age. I suppose people who grew up through decimalisation always try to convert back to imperial where as the new generation don't have to.

[Ian Alexander]

In my opinion the printing press is the greatest invention of all time.
Johannes Gutenberg invented the modern printing press as we know it meaning the mass production of type became available and affordable and brought education to the masses.
If you like it was the internet of the time.
It also brought religion and the bible into the hands of the masses too as before this they had to be written by hand or block printed.......even today print shops are called "chapels" and the shop stewards are referred to as FOC which stands for "Father of the Chapel" harking back to the early printing by monks.

"Crossroads of civilisation,
Refuge of all the arts,
Against the ravages of time,
Armoury of fearless truth,
Against whispering rumour,
Incessant trumpet of trade.

From this place words may fly abroad,
Not to perish on waves of sound,
Not to vary with the writer's hand,
But fixed in time having been verified in proof,
Friend you stand on sacred ground,
This is a printing office."

Ian.

[regpude]

Fridge,freezer.

[Kev1n]

Well Kevin I hope you are correct, however I fear you are not. The youth of today, who are the adults of tomorrow, have lost the art of curiosity. I assure you of that. It will continue over the generations until we have parents who have no knowledge and therefore will not educate their offspring to be curious, or teach the need to gain wisdom.

Take any teenager of today and tell me that they will want to educate their children in 15 years. They won't, because they have no knowledge themselves.

Each generation over the last 100 years have learned less than their predecessors and now with the internet that process has increased considerably.

I’m a little more optimistic Mark. Many of the youngsters I meet through work are people that have a sought out and gained a lot more experience and insight into the word than I did at their age.

The more I see people of all ages the more I realise that curiosity innovation are like an artist’s skills, inherent ability and character traits that can be polished and encouraged but not really taught. You either have it or you don’t.

You said “take any teenager” well, here’s one of mine in a photo’ taken a few years ago when he must have been about 13. Self taught electronics enthusiast and from that he nurtured his programming skills enough to be asked by his school for help. He was busy building a monitoring and alarm system for our boat. Never mind “teaching their children”, he teaches me a lot, if only I could understand even half of it.

[kayos]

That's fantastic Kevin and I don't mean every teenager. I have spent over 20 years trying to nurture the talent in young people with my youth theatre, but I have noticed year on year that young people have less knowledge than their predecessors. I didn't mean to sound quite so negative, but I do despair sometimes.

On the plus side we are producing "Miss Saigon" in March for 4 nights in a 500 seat theatre, so maybe there is still hope!

[g.ordon]

That's fantastic Kevin and I don't mean every teenager. I have spent over 20 years trying to nurture the talent in young people with my youth theatre, but I have noticed year on year that young people have less knowledge than their predecessors. I didn't mean to sound quite so negative, but I do despair sometimes.

On the plus side we are producing "Miss Saigon" in March for 4 nights in a 500 seat theatre, so maybe there is still hope!

bring back jean I say

[Charlton]

The internet will be the death of knowledge as we know it. Young people do not read anymore - at all. They just go on the net, play Xbox and chat all day/night on social media.

The prelim for English was last week and the close reading was an article on John Lennon. Six of my seventeen students admitted they had never heard of him!

13 year old grandson was at ours for dinner tonight after school, he had his new phone with him, he got Google up and was verbally asking it all sorts of Q's and it answered verbally, why bother going to school. My phoi makes phone calls

[tarmac]

Tarmac,.the greatest invention of all time,...without it we wouldn't get anywhere,....the stuff is all over the place,it's outside my house,it's in my drive,it's in every place on earth,...why I wouldn't be surprised if it's found on Mars

[pulp]

Fire, kickstarted it all.
Someone commented kids don't read anymore, kids probably read more that ever these days because of the Internet, it doesn't get beamed into your brain, you still have to read it.

[regpude]

makes sence.

Fire, kickstarted it all.
Someone commented kids don't read anymore, kids probably read more that ever these days because of the Internet, it doesn't get beamed into your brain, you still have to read it.

.good reply .pulp.

[nunthorpe mag]

Microwave I'd starve to death otherwise

[regpude]

I THINK WERE ALL GETTING OLD.cos nobody has said a WOMEN.lol.there great for?.tell me about it.starts with S,ps,its not sex. lol.

[Juliogeordio]

for me, reg, it is the humble window blinds, because if it wasn't for blinds.......................... It would be curtains for all of us!!

lol

[EddieS]

Condoms

Reading some of the posts on the numerous forums - Pity not enough people used them - if they know what 1 is of course.

[easyfish1]

Condoms

Reading some of the posts on the numerous forums - Pity not enough people used them - if they know what 1 is of course.

if only.....

I'd be quite a bit better off