Comments:Inventor Ronald Howes dies at age 83

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in the vastness of it all, Ron howes was a toy maker. So are millions. big deal.

Ah, but he was a toy inventor who created one of the most popular iconic American toys of all time, and invented or worked on so many others like Play Doh, Spirograph, etc. His toy work brought happiness and joy to tens of millions, maybe even hundreds of millions of children all over the world over the past 50 years. Imagine the countless Christmas mornings filled with the laughter of excited children tearing open the wrapping paper to find one of his toys they'd asked Santa for and hoped for all year long. Ask a group of women what their favorite childhood toys were and you'll hear Easy Bake again and again. And didn't you play with Play Doh as a kid? Remember that Play Doh scent with a smile? A unique position in toy history and not a bad legacy to leave behind.

That alone would be enough, but that's not all we have to thank him for. His toy career was only part of his contribution. He worked on designing early digital computers in the 1950's, various consumer products that made life a little easier and more pleasant, and inventions for the Department of Defense. To this day, these extremely important DOD projects can't be mentioned do to their secret nature. What can be said is that these helped keep our military technologically more advanced than those who wanted to destroy us. So, if you and your loved ones live free today and not under the thumb of some totalitarian regime like the now defunct Soviet union, you have Ronald Howes, in some small part, to thank.

So, "in the vastness of it all", Ronald Howes made countless millions of people a little happier and safer than they would have been otherwise. The word "genius" is over used, but that is just what the man was.

Finally, "in the vastness of it all", what have you done? How will you be remembered? Will someone like Oprah discuss your life's work with the President and First Lady on the White House Christmas special and mention your passing with sadness and fond memories of your accomplishments on her show? Or will people say "big deal" when you are gone, soon to be forgotten having not left behind anything worth mentioning?

So, drop the cynicism, take inspiration from a man who did make a difference, who gave a damn and gave of himself, and try to find a way to leave the world a better place when you are gone, Mr. Scrooge.