Happy 171st Birthday Thomas Alva Edison

[fran604g]

Arguably the reason we're all still "talking" about this greatest of inventors.

Cheers Al!

Fran

[alang]

Happy Birthday Tom!

[Django]

There has been a lot of discussion through the years regarding the man that Thomas Edison was. The same is true for Charles Lindbergh and many others. Nearly every hero from my childhood becomes a bit tarnished when viewed under a microscope, (or in some cases looked at past the great accomplishment that made them famous). None of us are perfect, but some go on to do great things despite some less desirable attributes. I did not know the man and I will not judge him by things taken out of context. So Happy Birthday and Thanks to a great innovator and visionary that made our lives more interesting.

[phonogfp]

Well put, Django. Neither deification nor damnation serves most human beings well. Edison was a flawed person who accomplished much despite those flaws (or perhaps even because of them!). I gladly toast his birthday every year!

George P.

[edisonphonoworks]

Yes DJango. When I was a child, as many on here, We were taught about great people in history and their accomplishments, and we looked up to them, we knew they were human,however looked at what they accomplished . Today, however, much of what is discussed in school is their flaws and how different their politics, were. For instance every time these days in the general public posting you mention Edison the Edison Tesla thing is brought up every time. You tell the millennial generation about entrepreneurship and working to the top, and when people tell you it can't be done, then try harder to prove them wrong, they look at you like you have 14 eyes and 7 heads. I posted a nice photo montage of Edison on Facebook and a birthday message about Edison(And reminded his great Grandson as well). It is also my Aunt Mary Ellen and Grandfather Les Stuart's Birthday as well. My Grandfather loved to tinker with watches and make things, mostly guns and knives, he worked at Westclox machined small parts for clocks and watches.

[Jwb88]

Recently, I saw a <rather large> woman wearing a T-shirt that said, "I CAN. I WILL. END OF STORY."

But if that's the end of the story, what does it matter? Having potential and using that potential are two completely different things.

There's a lot of unproductive mental gymnastics today about who REALLY invented X and people have fun with unknowable speculation and conspiracy theories. I find it usually has the underlying purpose of making average/below average people feel better about themselves.

If Thomas Edison ever wore a stupid T-shirt, it would say,
"I DID."

Happy Birthday, Mr. Edison.

[EdiBrunsVic]

We chose to play a religious record on each of the three Edison phonographs in our collection as our way of remembering Thomas Edison.