Cisco Flags At Half Mast Today For President Ford
SAN JOSE, CA - The flags were at half mast today at Cisco to honor the life of the 38th U.S. President Gerald R. Ford. As you know, he died yesterday at the age of 93. Commentary on his life has focused on “integrity,” “hard work” and “public service.” All noble attributes.
His age made me think of all the changes that have happened in the last 93 years…especially in technology. It also made me think of what President Ford was most likely to miss in death. His family, obviously. And, his Michigan Woverines, who will be playing in the Rose Bowl against the University of Southern California on January 1st. President Ford played on Michigan’s football team, was the MVP his senior year and remained a stalwart fan.
But, back to technology and how it has changed since President Ford’s birth in July of 1913.
Here’s my top 10 technologies developed and commercialized in the past 93 years*:
1. The Internet…changing the way we work, life, play and learn. (Okay, yes, I work at Cisco.)
2. Automobile…mass production…thanks in large part to President Ford’s home state of Michigan and Henry Ford (no relation to the President).
3. Airplane/Jet…my home state is “First in Flight” with the Wright brothers…and I thank them for not having to drive 3000 miles every time I want to go home.
5. Computer chip…Moore’s law. This computer…the Internet…Jet airplanes…automobiles…Computer chips don’t make these things…they make them better.:
6. Agricultural Mechanization…producing more on the farm so that others have time to invent computer chips because they aren’t worried about subsistence farming.
7. Computers…and that’s all I have to say about that.
8. Spacecraft and man on the moon.
9. Health Technologies…improving and saving the life of millions. (My wife works at Boston Scientific, but I still would have put this one in there.)
10. Fiber Optics… a single fiber-optic cable can transmit tens of millions of phone calls, data files, and video images…and, as soon as this country has a national broadband plan, increasing fiber to the home will allow real broadband speeds in this country.
The beauty is that anyone could put together 10 other top things that happened or were commercially developed during President Ford’s lifetime, but I have to say that these 10 are pretty darn good. What will the next 93 years hold? My best guess is that technologies will be developed and commercialized that in 93 years we’ll never know how we lived without them before. The wheel started this process a little more than 93 years ago.
Rest in peace, President Ford. You’ve lived an amazing life and seen amazing developments in your life.
*Much of this list culled from National Society of Professional Engineers at www.nspe.org.
Posted by John Earnhardt at 08:50PM PST
CmdrKat Nov 15, 2008
President Ford wasn’t one of the most famous presidents to hold office, but I’m bothered by the newspapers not announcing his passing on the front page-or anywhere else for that matter. It was almost as if he never existed. Shame on the local papers!
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Ford family. Knowing what a strong Christian man Mr Ford was, I’m sure he’s resting peacefully with the Lord now.