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to Tom Talks list Figuring out the future Shortly after the end of World War Two, we’re told that Henry Fold II was offered the Volkswagen factory and all the patents free of charge. He turned down the proposition. Why? He thought that the Beetle was a bad design. Just a few months ago the last of the spunky little Beetles rolled off an assembly line in Mexico where it had been built for many years. As we all know, it became one of the most popular cars of all time. Henry Ford was not alone when it comes to a lack of vision. When Alexander Graham Bell tried to interest Mark Twain in investing $5,000 in his new invention, Twain couldn’t see a future for the telephone. What would he think of cell phones that transmit data, take photos and maintain your calendar? Hindsight is 20-20, of course. It’s not easy to see the future. Just a couple of years ago we were excited about being able to plug into the Internet. Now, it’s wireless or nothing. We complain about being tied down to a cumbersome wire and a phone jack! As one bright college student says, “It’s so yesterday.” Now, comes an Internet-ready refrigerator. “Why would I want that?” you say. Well, if you’re grocery shopping and you want to know how many tomatoes are in the crisper or the “sell by” date on the chicken breasts, just pull out your cell phone, dial your refrigerator and you’ll get the answers. This sounds pretty good. No more calls from my wife, Lynne, asking me to bring home a gallon of milk. Tom is president of Mosinee Insurance Agency, Inc. 715-693-2100; tomh@mosineeins.com Back to Tom Talks list |
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