It's amazing how many things that never needed batteries before, need them now.

The most obvious is the screwdriver. There may be very few people left on the planet that can still drive a screw without a battery-powered driver. I remember when the most high tech screwdriver was the Yankee. Remember those? They had a spiral shaft that spun as you pushed in the handle. A couple of shoves and the screw was driven home.

We used to use dial indicators. But these days, you can hardly take a measurement without some sort of battery-powered device.

We used to point at things with a stick. But now, it has to be with a battery-powered laser. I guess it's because sticks are becoming extinct. And dangerous too.

The other day, I saw a kid with battery-powered shoes: lights flashed as he moved. Great for those nighttime walks, I guess.

A woodworker’s sharp knife (one of the few things, it would seem, that can still be operated without batteries) is now relegated to cutting open the indestructible plastic packs that the batteries come in.

D.D.