Novel Inventions Since We Started School Inventions are marvels in their own right... as Spock would say... Fascinating... Inventions are created out of need, some are created accidently Inventions are created out of hunger; buffalo wings, popcorn bags Inventions can come in a dream, in a flash, nevertheless, its a Eureka moment Mind you, what's listed below are just the highlights

1954 Zipper storage bag, Model rocketry, Automatic sliding doors, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation aka CPR, Synthetic diamond, Radar gun 1955 Nuclear submarine, Hard disk drive 1956 Lint roller, Kart (go-karts) racing, Industrial robot, Videotape, Operating system for computers created by General Motors Research Laboratories, Fortran - computer programming and has been in continual use for over half a century in computationally intensive areas such as numerical weather prediction 1957 Bobcat skid-steer loader, Wireless microphone, Laser, Sugar packet, Air-bubble packing, Gamma camera 1958 Doppler fetal monitor, Cable tie, Integrated circuit 1959 Weather satellite, Spandex 1960 Child safety seat, Artificial turf, Magnetic stripe card, Birth control pill, Global navigation satellite system (used in military, this was the forerunner of the current day GPS system) 1961 Spreadsheet (electronic) - forerunner of VisiCalc or Excel, Wearable computer, Frozen carbonated beverage - later known as Slurpee, Biofeedback - monitoring a patient's/client body in real-time 1962 Communications satellite - Telstar, chimney starter - also called a charcoal chimney, Light-emitting diodes, Electret microphone - used without a power supply (later used in telephones, invented by Bell Labs, of course), Jet injector - high-pressure narrow jet of the injection liquid instead of a hypodermic needle, Glucose meter 1963 Kicktails - are the upwards bent tips of a skateboard deck, Computer mouse, BASIC - computer programming language and its variants became widespread on microcomputers in the late 1970s and 1980s, Balloon catheter 1964 Buffalo wings, Plasma display - black and white monitor, 8-track tapes, Permanent press, Carbon dioxide laser, Argon laser, AT&T Picturephone introduced for the Deaf at the New York's World Fair - $16 for a three minute video call (equals to $120 in current dollars), Xerox introduced the first commercial version of the FAX machine 1965 Snowboarding, Kevlar - used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires (also used in bullet proof vests). Hypertext = webpage writing/programming, Cordless telephone, Minicomputer - the world's first minicomputer only costs $18,000...cheap! Compact Disc - invented in 1965 but a working prototype created in 1970, Chemical laser - with power reaching to megawatt levels, they are used in industry for cutting and drilling, and in military as directed-energy weapons, Ohio State began using an IBM mainframe for animation 1966 Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) - invented at IBM, 1967 Backpack - medical device to keep patients back frame straight 1967 Hand-held calculator 1968 Racquetball, Zipper - a portable amusement-thrill ride designed to be transportable and assembled from site to site carnivals and amusement parks, Dynabook is introduced - iPad like tablet style PC and you can spot a similar devicei in Stanley Kubrick's film "2001" 1969 Lunar Module, Laser printer - invented at Xerox, Bioactive glass - used to repair and replace diseased or damaged bone, Wide-body aircraft - Boeing 747 (also referred to as a jumbo jet), Taser - invented by NASA, Mousepad, Markup language - website coding used in today's web browsers, Laser printer introduced by Xerox 1970 Wireless local area network - originated in Hawaii using ham radios and seven computers deployed over four islands to communicate with the central computer, Surf leash 1971 Uno (card game), Microprocessor - silicon-based chip (the Intel 4004), Floppy disk, Personal computer, Router - first unit was a personal computer loaded with router software, E-mail, String trimmer 1972 C (programming language), Video game console - Magnavox Odyssey, Global Positioning System building begins (- approved in December 1973, the first GPS satellite was launched in 1978, and by August 1993, 24 GPS satellites were in orbit. Initial operational capability was established in December of that same year while in February 1994, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) declared GPS ready for use), PET scanner, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 1973 Personal watercraft, Catalytic converter, mobile phone/cell phone, Voicemail 1974 Heimlich maneuver, Post-it note, Universal Product Code 1975 Digital camera - invented by Eastman Kodak, Ethernet - aka LAN or local area networks (wiring of computer to computer in buildings invented by Xerox), Breakaway rim - a basketball hoop that can bend slightly when a player dunks a basketball and then instantly snap back into its original shape when the player releases it 1976 Gore-Tex - a waterproof, breathable fabric for use in space 1977 Human-powered aircraft 1978 Slide Away Bed - another type of sofa bed, Popcorn bag, Bulletin Board System or BBS is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program 1979 Polar fleece - synthetic wool fabric, Winglets - upwards bent tips intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft 1981 Control-Alt-Delete - invented at IBM, Space shuttle successfully launched - era of the space shuttle program begins, Paintball, Graphic User Interface - GUI uses windows, icons, and menus to carry out commands by using a mouse, keyboard shortcuts or arrow keys. The GUI was co-invented at Xerox 1983 Internet - Not to be confused with a separate application known as the World Wide Web which was invented much later in the early 1990s, Laser turntable - plays records using a laser beam as the pickup instead of a conventional diamond-tipped stylus 1984 Pointing stick - used as a pointing device on laptop computers. It takes the form of a rubber cap located on top of the keyboard embedded between the 'G', 'H' and 'B' keys. 1987 Digital Micromirror Device - a device that produces hologram images 1988 Luggage (tilt-and-roll) - wheeled luggage, Nicotine patch, Firewall - for computers created at AT&T Bell Labs 1989 ZIP file format 1990 Sulfur lamp - uses energy efficient microwaves to produce light but interferes with Wi-Fi, cordless phones and satellite radio and the lamp was lasting longer than the equipment to operate it, Hubble telescope launched into space - originally conceived in 1946 1991 Ant robotics- early version of the hexapod robot 1992 Spinner (wheel) is a type of hubcap that spins independently inside of a wheel, IBM introduced the Smart phone - FAXing is included 1994 CMOS image sensor used in every imaginable devices including swallowable pills, Segway Personal Transporter 1995 Xtracycle - allows a cyclists modify an existing bicycle to carry up to 200 pound loads, JavaScript - a scripting language widely used for client-side web development - allows for quick functions for browsers, Windows Start Menu 1996 Adobe Flash - a popular method for adding animation and interactivity to web pages 1996 Bait car - a vehicle used by a law enforcement agency to capture car thieves 1997 Virtual reality therapy - a complexed method to use computers to evaluate and treat anxiety disorders 1999 iBOT - mobile powered wheelchair that balances on two of a total of six wheels capable of stair climbing - invented by Dean Kamen who invented the Segway PT 2003 Doggles - sunglasses for dogs for the desert wars, Slingshot (water vapor distillation system) - also invented by Dean Kamen who invented the Segway PT 2006 Flip video camera 2007 Nanowire battery - 20 hour battery replacing a 2 hour laptop battery 2008 Bionic contact lens or digital contact lens - a form of nanotechnology and microfabrication constructed of light emitting diodes, an antenna, and electronic circuit wiring - surf the internet, play video games or watch TV with your eyes closed, Trongs - designed for eating finger food such as buffalo wings and barbecue ribs so that the user doesn't get his or her fingers messy 2011 Space shuttle program ends, Holographic map - no glasses required, IBM's Watson - featured on "Jeopardy", Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Secure Wi-Fi - broadband via lightwaves in electronic enabled lightbulbs, Breathalyzer built-in automobiles, Roll up solar panels, Fire Extinguisher Wand - uses electrometric waves to subdue flames, Antibiotics for the common cold, Stem cells from fat

Invention is the Mother of Necessity They say that necessity is the mother of invention, but in our world these days, it’s often actually exactly in reverse: invention is the mother of necessity. For example, before we had cell phones we survived without being able to call from anywhere to anywhere at any time. Phone calls happened only when we were at home, or in the office, or, in an emergency, from phone booths. And, amazingly enough, we all survived. And lived to tell the tale. And yet today, now, we can’t live without cell phones. Try leaving yours at home or in the office some day, and getting through your day without it. Can you? Of course not. Invention is the mother of necessity. The same is true with email, SMS text messaging, even the Web connection. I shudder to even think of being cut off from the Web for an hour, let alone a day or longer. Perish the thought. And yet, amazingly enough, back in the 1980s and earlier we survived without the Web. See what I mean? Spreadsheets, when they first came out in the early 1980s, made extensive budgeting and financial analysis relatively easy. Now we take spreadsheets for granted, and demand a lot more budgeting and analysis than we used to. The early laser printers and page layout software made something we called “desktop publishing” suddenly accessible to the masses. Then it was unusual. Today we absolutely demand desktop publishing in everything we do, as a matter of course. Invention is the mother of necessity

Good Riddance:
Saddam Hussein, 12/30/06, pulled from a hole in the ground
Osama Bin Laden, 05/02/11,  World Hide and Seek Champion 2001 - 2011
Muammar Gaddafi, 08/23/11, pulled from a culvert, a manufactured hole in the ground

Sad Passings of the decade 2001 - 2011
2001
Mrs. DeLanie B. Winchester, 03/25/01

2002
Milton Berle, 03/27/02, also known as the first cross dresser on television
Linda Boreman, on 04/22/02, starred in the adult film “Deep Throat” which was
released in 1972. She later on became an anti-porn advocate, but died of massive
injuries from a car crash.
Ann Landers, 06/22/02, advice columnist, 'Ask Ann Landers', real name was Eppie
Lederer, occasionally clashed with competing sister, an identical twin, Pauline Phillips
aka Abigail Van Buren, 'Dear Abby'

2003
Gregory Peck, 06/12/03
Katharine Hepburn, 06/29/03
Albert Mehl, 07/14/03
George Plimpton, 09/25/03
John Ritter, 09/11/03, few days shy of his 55th bd, TV; The Waltons, Three's Company
John R. "Johnny" Cash, 09/12/03, aka "The Man In Black", song "A Boy Named Sue"
Robert Palmer, 09/26/03, criticized for extensive use of females in his music videos
"Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible"
Jonathan Brandis, 11/12/03,  27 former child star; SeaQuest DSV, The Neverending Story

2004
Ronald Reagan, 06/05/04, former movie star and 40th President of the United States,
ending the Cold War Era by publicly describing the Soviet Union as an "evil empire", as
well as by proclaiming to then Communist Russia' Premier Mikhail Gorbachev to
"Tear down this wall!"
Marlon Brando, 07/01/04
Katherine Walton Thomason, 101 years young, 07/30/04
Steve Irwin, 09/04/04 Crocodile Hunter
Marjorie Triebert, 11/29/04

2005
Johnny Carson, 01/23/05,

2006
Frances Yeargan - 01/28/06

2007
Joyce Sigmon Benfield 07/13/07

2008
Jesse Helms, 07/04/08, aka Senator NO!, "died his way", on the Fourth of July

2009
Eileen "Mikki" Simpson, 05/25/09
David Carradine, 06/03/09 Kung Fu TV series
Michael Jackson, 06/25/09, was 12 years old in 1970
Patrick Swayze, 09/14/09, best known for Road House, Dirty Dancing, and Ghost

2010
Harold F. Brown, 05/23/10

2011
Gerry Rafferty, 01/04/11, the Scottish singer of the 1978 song 'Baker Street'.
Elizabeth Taylor 03/23/11, a legend in her own right
Phoebe Snow, 04/26/11, a singer songwriter best known for her hit single "Poetry Man"
Jackie Cooper, 05/03/11, starred in the popular 'Our Gang' shorts as a child and was
nominated for an Oscar at age 9
Clarence Clemons, 06/18/11, aka 'The Big Man', a saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen's E
Street Band.
Peter Falk, 06/23/11, star of the crime series 'Columbo'
Amy Winehouse, 07/23/11, joined the infamous "27 Club", where popular musicians who
all died at the age of 27. Their names are synonymous trademarks of the "rock and roll"
lifestyle, following are the few members: Jimmi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison
of The Doors, and Brain Jones of the Rolling Stones, just 5 of 43 members
Anne Bashie Chastain Crutchfield, 08/03/11
Bubba Smith, 08/03/11, former NFL player and actor and who appeared in the
'Police Academy' comedy films
Jerry Leiber, 08/22/11, songwriter notably known for; 'Hound Dog,' 'Yakety Yak'
and 'Jailhouse Rock'
Cliff Robertson, 09/10/11, who played Uncle Ben in the recent 'Spider Man' films,
as John F. Kennedy in 'PT-109', co-starred with Natalie Wood in "Brainstorm"
Steve Jobs, 10/05/11, a modern day version of Thomas Edison who reinvented the telephone
Bil Keane, 11/08/11, the creator of the long-running comic strip 'Family Circus'.
John Neville, 11/19/11 ,a British actor who played the mysterious Well-Manicured Man
on the cult sci-fi series 'The X-Files'.
Cheetah, 12/24/11, one of the chimpanzees who starred in several 'Tarzan' films in the
1930s, estimated to have been about 80 years old
Andy Rooney, 11/05/11, CBS' 60 Minutes' commentator known for his humorous
and contentious television essays