Pound, pound, saw, saw

As you all know by now, I've a very warped sense of humor.  Things occasionally tickle my funny bone that shouldn't. 

As you also know, I tend to post occasionally how I feel about the Dumbing of America.  (By the way, the dumbing seems to be speeding up at an alarming rate.)

This morning I had one of those moments that tickled my funny bone. It involved one of my local weather people.  Oh, and you all know how I feel about them!!!!!

Anyway, this morning because it has been so 'crystal clear' the weather guy was excited to give us a panoramic view of the local mountains.  He took a hand held gadget, pushed a button that magically swung a camera around that pointed out local peaks.  (I confess it was pretty amazing.)

As he spoke, he referred to the gadget as a tool.  Well, that's all it took, and I was overcome with giggles.  Now, I know what you are all thinking, but don't go there, because I was thinking along the lines of the Dumbing of America.  I took a look into the future when the next few generations will be shown a picture of a hammer, saw, screwdriver, wrench, shovel, rake, or for that matter a toilet plunger, (real tools) and go....Huh? What the heck is that?  Trust me, they will not have a clue what a tool is, except that it's something to upgrade their electronic gadgets to make them work better and faster.  Occupations and words that will become obsolete, plumber, electrician, welder, 'jack of all trade's' will be 'up-graded' to robotic everything. 

Let's face it, robots have already taken over many, many blue collar jobs, in particular regarding the automotive industry; in general the medical field, and of course the food industry, where mechanical assembly lines do just about everything from washing the product to packaging it. 

I can see it now, the world will be filled with specialists who will show up with black cases that will run diagnostics on, let's say, a robotic arm.  The specialist's tool will isolate the problem, type the corrective measures that must be taken into his black case, which is connected to his 'clean rooms' company.  There, in the operations department, little robots will dash around up and down aisles collecting replacement parts, then head to the packaging department, where another robot wraps the pieces in new and improved bubble wrap, and place the parts into a shrink wrap package.  There after another robot, by satellite, will contact drones circling overhead which will scoop up the package and deliver it to the 'specialist'.  He in turn will, simply pull the tab on the damaged part, remove it, and click in place the new. 

Oh, I know, this is all in my warped view of the future.  Still it struck me funny this morning that the weather guy referred to his little black, hand held, remote control as a tool.  Honest, a tool?   Trust me, in my mind that's an electronic gadget...a hammer is a tool.

So, in closing, as quickly as you can take your kids out to your garage, line them up in a row in front of your work bench and show them a hammer, saw, screwdriver, wrench, shovel, rake, and a toilet plunger, too.  Give them a board some nails and a hammer,  some screws and a driver.  Let them smell the scent of wood that has been newly sawed.  Let them feel grease and oil and tell them their function.  Allow them to get their hands dirty and get paint all over their clothes.  As adults, they will be able to make repairs, fix things and feel good about themselves when the job is done.

Okay, I'm getting down off my soapbox for today.   Wow, I feel like building something.