On Friday, America lost one the great commentators of everyday life, Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes. Just weeks after delivering his last “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney” and entering into retirement, Rooney passed away at the age of 92.
“And all this time,” Rooney said on October 2 in his final 60 Minutes episode, “I’ve been paid to say what is on my mind in television. You don’t get any luckier in life that that.”
Though I often didn’t see eye-to-eye with Rooney, especially in recent years, I appreciated his opinion and humor. His comments on technology especially gave me a chuckle.
“I knew I was out of the loop when I read recently that the Ford Motor Company is allowing smart phone apps on Android phone to link directly to sync-equipped cars,” Rooney said in an October 2010 episode. “I not only don’t have an Android-equipped phone in my car, I don’t know what one is, wouldn’t know what one was if I saw one.”
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Here now, are five videos featuring Rooney’s commentary, or mainly complaints, about technology.
(Note: Some videos are links to the actual video on YouTube as CBS does not allow video embeds.)
The Internet
“So what sort of stuff would I get on the internet? If I did get on it, which I don’t.”
Bill Gates
“Bill Gates got off on the wrong foot the first time he decided to turn off his computer. You simply press a button that says ‘off’ when you want to turn it off? You do not. The first thing he has us do to stop is to press ‘start.’ Makes sense, doesn’t it?”
E-Books
“I’m not interested in having my books on an electronic device, I want them in books. I want my words in books, I like having these books behind me.”
“I would rather have a mailman or woman deliver junk mail to me than to get an email.”
Car Gadgets
“I mean do drivers really need to log onto the internet while they speak to friends, while the kids watch a movie on the video screen in the backseat, and at the same time have the GPS help locate the best Italian restaurant in the area?”
And finally, Rooney’s own top five.
The Five Worst Inventions
“Dust jackets do nothing except books more expensive and harder to handle.”
