Technology was beginning to dramatically change our world in electronics, manufacturing and computing.  But we were a long way from what your generation now takes for granted.

We watched TV on black-and-white sets.  AT&T was the only telephone company, Sears and Roebuck was the biggest retailer, and GM, Ford and Chrysler owned more than 82 percent share of the auto market.

  There were no cell phones, no fax machines, no e-mail and no Internet. There were but a very few mainframe computers (the very first was in the ENIAC - electronic numerical integrator and calculator) at the University of Pennsylvania and it ran on vacuum tubes.  Your laptop exceeds the power and memory capacity of that huge computer.

  The U.S. Patent Office had been on record early in the century as saying that everything that can be invented has already been invented.

  Jennifer, it wouldn't be me if I didn't add that in 1951 the top income tax rate was 90 percent, and tax on investment of capital was 50 percent, but as yet there was no inflation, because the dollar was "as good as gold."

 Let me close, Jen, with some grandfatherly advice.  First and foremost, stay as sweet as you are and always be a leader, not a follower.  Study hard and play every sport you can.  While I'm still skiing at 70, please slow down so I can at least watch you "board."

  As far as our nation is concerned, we've come a long way, and we still have a long way to go.  Be part of the solutions, not the problems and help mend our many flaws.

This July 4, America will be 230 years old, and with all its faults, it's the ideals we must fight to uphold. In 1776 there was only one democracy in the world, and while today there are more than 120 democracies in transition, we must remember Abraham Lincoln's vision that freedom is the ultimate destiny of all mankind.

  Never give up on yourself, your family or your country. In Winston Churchill's words to the students at Harrow School in 1940, "Never yield, except to conviction of honor and integrity."

 Finally Jen, shoot for the stars. While you may not reach them, you won't come up with a handful of mud, either.

 And P.S., call your Grampa Kemp, now and then!