dimanche 7 juillet 2013

The Major Changes To Society That Have Happened During The Life Of Richard Overton

By Stacey Massey


Richard Overton has the incredible distinction of being the oldest war veteran still alive. Currently 107 years of age, he lives in East Austin, Texas, and in 2013 visited the capital of the United States, Washington, D. C., for the very first time. As homage to the extraordinary life of Overton, here are four of the most influential inventions during his mammoth lifetime.

The diet of the average North american has undertaken a huge adjustment during Overton's lifespan. The increased interest in the TV set meant that meals for the normal American household needed to take account of this. Dinners would have to be handy and simple to create. Due to this, the TV dinner was invented, and became a hugely well-liked creation.

They were inspired by the meals on airplanes, meals that could be stored in the freezer over a long period of time and taken out at the user's convenience. They were processed in factories, hit the market in the 1940s and were largely available at the local grocery store. Yet although they made viewing the television convenient, they were not greatly popular until the 1950s, when sales rocketed. Though some argue they made the focus of mealtimes more about watching TV than about socializing, recent estimates have their sales each year at around $4billion-$5billion.

Another creation that has changed lives is the mobile phone, also known as the cell phone. In the eighties a hand-held device, the DynaTAC from Motorola, was created that could make phone calls to land lines and other cell phones. It had its drawbacks though, and with battery life of around thirty to sixty minutes didn't catch on right away. It was also quite large and cumbersome and needed to be stored in a briefcase.

These days a mobile is much lighter, usually weighing around 5 ounces and can fit in the anyone's pocket. And these days they are cheaper too, as in 1983 one of these would have set someone back around $4,000. As the devices are ever-changing, it seems the only certainty is that in 30 years time they will not be the same as they are now.

The storing and preserving of food has to be one of the most vital changes to the society has evolved through the decades Overton has been alive. The concept behind home refrigeration has been known for around 200 years, and though it is hard to give any individual credit for inventing it, throughout the years people such as Albert Einstein, have helped refine and improve it over the years. However, it was not until around the 1920s that home refrigeration became something used on a widespread basis and it altered the eating habits of a the whole world.

Any list of the most influential things might be remiss if it does mention the Internet. Considering its relative youth, it has changed the way we communicate, the way we shop and the way in which business is conducted. It is arguably one of the most powerful sources of information on the planet as well.

So the eyes of Richard Overton have seen many changes throughout society over the past 100 years. Not only in the way we communicate but in the way we eat, live our lives, and even in the way we conduct warfare. Overton has attributed his longevity to living a relatively stress-free lifestyle and staying active, so perhaps this is a blueprint to a long life.




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