From Prehistoric to Futuristic. Last week was The Flintstones, this week let’s…

“Meet George Jetson.

His Boy Elroy.

Daughter Judy.

Jane his wife.”

Just as many from my generation can probably sing along with the theme song of the 60s Prehistoric animated show, The Flintstones, we can probably remember the lyrics above from the Futuristic animated program, The Jetsons, never thinking we might actually be living in a time somewhat similar to that of the Space Age Family.

When first aired, The Jetsons, was a bookend show to The Flintstones, as technology was a big part of both programs, but in a hugely different perspective. We saw the ingenuity of Stone Age technology, using a bubble bee and clam shell as a razor, a conch shell as the telephone receiver, and Wilma dragging around a mammoth used as their vacuum cleaner, to name a few popular innovations of Bedrock. On the other end of the cartoon spectrum, were the “farfetched” futuristic innovative gadgets used by people in Orbit City, the space metropolis of The Jetsons. They traveled via space vehicles on skyways. They ate food pellets that transformed into lavish meals when supplemented with a drop of water, or dial-a-meal instant oven-like appliances, and of course they spoke to each other via television phones.

Fast forward to 2021 and let’s see where we are. We drive cars that slow down, brake, even drive themselves like kids riding bikes in my day yelling, “Look Ma, no hands!” Today’s cars are equipped with rear view cameras, built-in telephones, satellite radios, and built-in GPS units that have taken away the challenges of refolding those road maps once kept in glove compartments back when we started driving. (BTW, I drive a 2002 Jeep without any bells and whistles.

Meal-wise, one of the earliest innovations was the automat, which then developed into the ingenious idea of Ray Kroc, and his creation of McDonald’s, prompting flurries of fast food restaurants that followed. Looking at home appliances, today, people own ovens that act as convection ovens/air fryers. We have microwaves, Instant Pots, regular air fryers, and the new-and-improved style cookers once created by Ron Ronco with his Showtime countertop rotisserie complete with the slogan, “Set it and forget it.” Between then and now, we’ve seen Magic Bullets, NuWave Ovens, George Foreman Grills, and more new, convenient, fast cooking devices, and similar ones like them. (I miss my Veg-o-matic.)

Regarding communicating now-a-days, we have e mail, texting, and Twitter. We can Facebook, Facebook Message, and Instagram. We can even see the person to whom we’re talking (ala The Jetsons), if we Skype, FaceTime, and/or Zoom. (There are probably a dozen or so more ways, but these are ones I’ve heard of, and in reality, I only know how to do about half of them. It’s the “old dog, new tricks” stubbornness of my mentality.)

All these communication innovations can be operated via cell phones, which become labeled “used” items as soon as they’re turned on for the first time, even faster than brand new cars become “used,” Oops, I mean “previously owned,” as soon as they leave the lot after purchase.

See LOMBARDO, Page E2

Speaking of cell phones, I’m sure we all remember our first one which had to be carried in its own mini-briefcase and came with the pull-up antennae, much like using old military type walkie-talkies. Quoting a slogan from another 60s product’s advertising, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” Yes we have!

Other things revolutionized include smart homes, voice activated plumbing, lights, and of course, Siri and Alexa. Then, there are automatic store checkouts, where you can cash yourself out, supposedly to save yourself time (and the business money). Unfortunately, you might have a problem, so you’ll need a store employee to help you while you wait, and sometimes that employee can’t figure it out, so they have to get the manager, and whereas you saved all this time waiting, the company really didn’t give you the service a customer deserves, and with the money the store saved by not having a person working to check you out, yet prices didn’t seem to go down much, if at all. [Sorry, but sometimes technology only benefits companies, not customers. I feel that way about automated operators where callers are continually pressing buttons, or get put on hold for long periods of time (sometimes getting cut off), listening to loud, crackled music, when actually talking to someone would save me time and aggravation. Rant over!]

Anyway, times being what they are, and technology being what it is, I honestly feel I’m living next door to George Jetson. With much of my family living in different states though, I do wish he’d show me how to get my car off the ground.