Happy New Year....An Anthem Opinions Editorial

As we look toward 2016, how many times have you heard it said"...

"It's Not Like It Was in the Old Days"

We received two reminders who addressed that observation...my dear friend, Dorothy Yu, and my wife's "partner in crime",  Linda Dawson, who has always enjoyed "putting me in my place" with a special "LOOK" she has painstakingly taken the time to educate my wife in its usage.

I might add, I received Dorothy's and Linda's emails following a day at the Apple Store when my wife's brand new "6S I-Phone" needed a few adjustments.

We waited our turn to have the phone examined, and suddenly I became intimidated, yet couldn't resist an uncontrollable grin and a shaking of my head back and forth !

...as I witnessed a full brigade of red shirted individuals...

Apple..ites !

...the oldest of which had to have been 40-45 years younger than myself, surrounding me with devious "Can I Help You" smiles...faster than Superman could fly !

Do I turn around and run...or...stay?

Wifey immediately (with the LOOK), said....SIT DOWN !

But the brigade didn't stop with the red shirts !

I turned around and saw four kids (no older that 5-6 years old) sitting together at a table...all playing with their newest toys....I-Phones...and...I-Pads...

Mini  Apple...ites !

$700.00+...toys !

...and the confusion seemed to increase as I pondered...

"Who was I supposed to get the assistance from?

Well now it took 2.5 hours for one of the big "Apple...ites" to tell us to come back the next day...and it was during that 2.5 hours of torture that..

...It "hit me" that Dorothy Yu's and Linda Dawson's messages were put in proper prospective ...

...and set my mind to wandering as it so often does !

And so...

Just what was it like "in the old days" ?

...thinking about what those "Apple...ites"  will be saying as they close out 
2115 !

So...I went home and into the garage and dusted off my Delorean...

...and...

...set the "flux capacitor" to December 31, 1915, traveling 88 miles per hour down Sun City Anthem Parkway (being passed by 5 senior citizens driving pick-up trucks and their 50,000 pound SUVs)...

And...BAM...here's what I discovered as I went ...

to

1915

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14% of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8% of the homes had a telephone.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The average US wage was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year ...

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.

A dentist could make $2,500 per year.

A veterinarian could earn between $1,500 and $4,000 per year.

A mechanical engineer earned about $5,000 per year.

More than 95% of all births took place at home.

90% of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and, used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.

20% of adults couldn't read or write, and, only 6% of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores, believing  "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!"

18% of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.!

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.

...and... as I was beginning my landing back on Sun City Anthem Parkway on the last day of 2015...I keep wondering...

Should I turn around... and go back to...

 "The Good Old Days of 1915" 

All of us at Anthem Opinions, wish all of you...our readers...a happy and healthy...

2016

Anthem Opinions Administration