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Technological Marvels Of The Modern Age

According to me

Mark Starlin
2 min readOct 21, 2019

I really like the way the LED light bulbs in my bathroom don’t just switch off instantly, but gradually dim to darkness when I turn them off at night. I’m not sure why I enjoy that so much, but I do. It’s a simple thing that many people wouldn’t notice, but it’s a marvel of modern technology if you ask me.

But since you didn’t ask me, I decided to share it of my own accord. Which reminds me of another mechanical marvel, the accordion, or squeezebox. Which is like a portable organ/piano/reed instrument combination. Very under-appreciated, and often hated, like bagpipes. Which I actually like, even though I am not Scottish. Although I am willing to learn. My bony knees might not exactly be kilt-worthy, but I’ll wear long socks.

Anyway, bagpipes and accordions make me wonder, how did someone think of inventing these musical instruments?

Who said, “Hand me that pig bladder. I’ll bet if I jam a pipe into it and blow, it will inflate. Then if I stick some pipes with holes cut into them in the bladder, I can use it to play music. Mainly at parades and funerals.”

Actually, many musical instruments have foggy histories. No one knows who made the first guitar. Probably someone in Spain in the 16th century who wanted to be in a rock band. Or maybe the guy who…

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Mark Starlin
Mark Starlin

Written by Mark Starlin

Old bones. Young heart. Uniquely arranged words.

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