Dear Folks, I know that I haven't posted to the list in awhile but I had my reasons. Just don't ask! Nonethless, I thought you might appreciate reading about some thoughts that have going through my mind lately that have nothing to do with genealogy or history. This is one I wrote last night. I think it's about time that industry realizes the need to hire senior citizens to test some of their products and their packaging. For instance I had just bought a jumbo package of toilet tissue and late last evening when it came time open it, put one roll out where it comes in handy and then store the rest of the rolls under my bathroom sink, I tried to tear through the heavy plastic that covered the 24 double rolls. That's when I ran into a problem. The muscle strength in my fingers, hands and arms ain't what they use to be. The plastic was so thick it was all that I could manage to eventually push my thumb through it to get at the rolls. But one little hole doth not make an opening. I then had to tear open the plastic further to make a bigger opening. This of course took both hands. Now from where I was sitting at the time I was in no mood to go into the kitchen and get my pair of dull scissors. Finally I had made a sizable hole and I thought I was home free. Like right!! I reached inside the plastic and found that it contained six plastic wrapped rolls of toilet tissue, four rolls each. That meant I had to go through the same drill all over again trying to punch a hole into the plastic with my thumb. FINALLY I succeeded (my thumb will never be the same!) but at least I was able to retrieve the one necessary roll of toilet tissue. Note: the rest of the rolls are still sitting out on the bathroom floor just waiting for me to take the plastic off and store them under the sink. One of these days I'll have to do it. Another challenge is when you buy a new computer mouse or printer ink or something else that's encased in very heavy plastic and there's no way you can open the package. Note: I wonder if NASA is aware of how tough that plastic is. Eventually scissors is the only thing that works but by that time my hands ache from the pressure I have to put on the handles. Of course there are other consumer items that are nearly impossible for a senior citizen to open. For instance, child-proof caps on bottles of medication where you have to press down hard with the palm of your hand while trying to turn the cap counter-clockwise. It takes every bit of strength to eventually open your bottle of arthritis pain pills. Of course there are the bottle caps that are almost impossible to unscrew and in addition there are the plastic bottles of detergent, bleach and even milk where you have to rip off the plastic ring with your fingers. There's even such simple little things like individual servings of condiments where you simply tear through the plastic to get at the ketchup or mustard or whatever. However, your weak fingers just can't manage and you have to resort to using your teeth which aren't in much better shape. Therefore I propose one of two things for industry to consider when it comes to packaging for senior citizens; (1) make them easier to open or (2) issue little leather tool belts to wear around our waists that include emergency tools to get through the packaging. I propose that they be equipped with such things as a box cutter or an X-Acto knife to get through the hard plastic, sharp scissors with cushioned handles, an ice pick, needle-nosed pliers to rip off the plastic rings around bottles, a rubber or plastic "gripper" or vise to open bottles and jars, a pair of tweezers to remove the cotton from the narrow opening of a bottle of medicine, a magnifying glass to read any or all of the instructions or ingredients and I guess a first aid kit should be included too because it's a certainty that somewhere along the line we'll find that opening packaging can be dangerous to our health! And some nut coined these as our "Golden Years!" vee