#1
(This post was last modified: 05-21-2017, 03:40 PM by KAV.)
Last night I read about the greatest implosion of retail outlets since the great depression followed by an article about Jeff Bezos' FANTASTIC lifestyle. This morning it was robots coming to a Taco Bell or McDonalds near you and the loss of another 7.5 million retail jobs in 20 years.
A few years ago, the famous L.A. Automat closed. For those younger readers this was an early experiment in American dining. Imagine a restaurant with a wall of vending machines with a full menu constantly replaced by faceless workers and eliminating waitresses, er food servers, maître de and cashier. I hated the plasticine tapioca pudding and ham on white, tissue paper wonder bread with equally plasticine mayo. Then I watched a Twilight Zone while mother was out shopping; said program forbidden for fear of nightmares: The only nightmare produced in the form of my philosophical questions. This was the episode featuring an efficiency expert who puts more and more people out of work until he himself falls victim.
I thought of this while shaving. I thought of a art film KOYYANISQUATSI with wretched music by Phillip Glass but stunning cinematography.
LIFE OUT OF BALANCE, or as a HOPI friend better translates SNAFU. I read a thread about another B&M shaving store opening, disappointment in many online vendors who decided against a retail operation and know of several with uncertain futures. Then I had this Dante esq vision no Twilight Zone writer could foretell. A nano robot, dropped from the indoor drone armed to kill flies, spiders and unfortune goldfish when the batteries get low would crawl over my face
like a lawn mower, spraying a thin film of lubricant, clipping stubble and ejecting from it's fundament a sickly sweet post shave smelling of Kentucky Fried Chicken to inspire my lunch selection later in the day; a day of looking for work walking on cracked sidewalks weaving through empty shopping malls. Empty of people, empty of life save roaming packs of coyotes dodging robotic police drones killing anything that moves courtesy of our 1984 government.
YUCK. I think I will walk down to the local Latino market for lunch. The owner gets a laugh at my terrible Spanglish and old California courtly manners. I get an extra serving of rice and beans and steamed tortillas because I tip.
#2

Super Moderator
San Diego, Cal., USA
Being a Brooklyn boy, born and reared, I definitely remember Horn & Hardart Automats and it was always a treat when our folks took my sister and me there.  I remember the booth where the lady would give one nickles for other coins and bills so one could pay to open those little doors to get the food.  I remember the hot dog with baked beans and the pie for dessert.  I went to them in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Philadelphia, where they originated.  I was so sorry to see them go.  

Thanks for the rush of nostalgia, KAV. Happy2
#3
why kavs nick has line crossing it?
#4

Member
Detroit
(05-25-2017, 09:14 PM)Blagoja Rajevski Wrote: why kavs nick has line crossing it?

Banned

John Clayton likes this post
- Jeff
#5

Super Moderator
San Diego, Cal., USA
KAV has been banned for one week, a day of which has passed.

BadDad and John Clayton like this post
#6
(05-25-2017, 10:05 PM)Freddy Wrote: KAV has been banned for one week, a day of which has passed.

thanks didn't knew that
#7
loved the cherry pie at h&h. remember the poor folks who used to make tomato soup out of ketchup and cup of hot water?
#8
(05-21-2017, 03:38 PM)KAV Wrote: Last night I read about the greatest implosion of retail outlets since the great depression  followed by an article about Jeff Bezos' FANTASTIC lifestyle. This morning it was  robots coming to a Taco Bell or McDonalds near you and the loss of another 7.5 million retail jobs in 20 years.
A few years ago, the famous L.A. Automat closed. For those younger readers this was an early experiment in American dining. Imagine a restaurant with a wall of vending machines with a full menu constantly replaced by faceless workers and eliminating waitresses, er food servers, maître de and cashier. I hated the plasticine tapioca pudding and ham on white, tissue paper wonder bread with equally plasticine mayo. Then I watched a Twilight Zone  while mother was out shopping; said program forbidden for fear of nightmares: The only nightmare produced in the form of my philosophical questions. This was the episode featuring an efficiency expert who puts more and more people out of work until he himself falls victim.
I thought of this while shaving. I thought of a art film KOYYANISQUATSI with wretched music by Phillip Glass but stunning cinematography.
LIFE OUT OF BALANCE, or as a HOPI friend better translates SNAFU. I read a thread about another B&M shaving store opening, disappointment in many online vendors who decided against a retail operation and know of several with uncertain futures. Then I had this Dante esq  vision no Twilight Zone writer could foretell. A nano robot, dropped from the indoor drone armed to kill flies, spiders and unfortune goldfish when the batteries get low would crawl over my face
like a lawn mower, spraying a thin film of lubricant, clipping stubble and ejecting from it's fundament a sickly sweet post shave smelling of Kentucky Fried Chicken to inspire my lunch selection later in the day; a day of looking for work walking on cracked sidewalks weaving through empty shopping malls. Empty of people, empty of life save roaming packs of coyotes dodging robotic police drones killing anything that moves courtesy of our 1984 government.
YUCK. I think I will walk down to the local Latino market for lunch. The owner gets a laugh at my terrible Spanglish and old California courtly manners. I get an extra serving of rice and beans and  steamed tortillas because I tip.

I hear you Chris. Maybe one of these days we'll have drones with ingredients and cooking equipment buzzing around like silent electric flies robotic cooking and navigating frying up some steak and eggs with a piece of cherry pie delivered straight out of the oven dropped right outside the front door.
Best Regards,

Gary
#9
(This post was last modified: 06-09-2017, 03:36 AM by ptchanning.)
Well not that I'm looking forward to the Terminator apocalypse but I can see it coming. I'm an educated and highly degreed professional in my field making @30 dollars an hour, the guy at the drive through window screwing up my order wants NO expects to make 15 dollars an hour. If I owned the Mc Donalds I'd buy a robot to replace him too!
#10
(This post was last modified: 06-09-2017, 03:50 AM by EFDan.)
(06-09-2017, 03:35 AM)ptchanning Wrote: Well not that I'm looking forward to the Terminator apocalypse but I can see it coming. I'm an educated and highly degreed professional in my field making @30 dollars an hour, the guy at the drive through window screwing up my order wants NO expects to make 15 dollars an hour. If I owned the Mc Donalds I'd buy a robot to replace him too!

Technology will replace a lot of highly degreed professionals too eventually.


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