These sophisticated vending machines dispense merchandise like iPod, cameras, etc....costing up to $500. They are being placed in hotels and airports. They had a piece in the evening news about it. I wonder if you don't get your product, kicking the machine will help.



Zoom Systems

well, the first thing i thought about was that it sure would be tempting at an airport or hotel to buy an ipod

I saw something about these vendors last winter I think it was. Don't know about you, but if I'm in an airport or hotel, I'm more than likely on vacation and am going to be spending that kind of money on other things.

Cher

What bugs me about this is the whole automation thing. Where is it going to stop? Yes, this machine - in it's current place - is not really going to take jobs away from people - but is it a step in the direction of totally automated stores? Why, they already have self service check outs at grocery stores!!!
Why am I vehement about this? Well, it's partly because the jobs that are being automated, are the jobs that people rely upon to, say, get them through college. It's just wrong.
Of course, I do have a bias against automation too. A few years ago, I had a pretty well paying job automated. I bent over backwards for that company, and that is how they repayed me!

Yeah, so you won't see me using one of those things.

i totally agree with you aaron.

i enjoy being on a first name basis with the people at my bank.

dealing with a real person is priceless.

I totally agree with you as far as jobs, but I hate shopping almost more than I hate John Mayer, so pretty much anything besides food I try to buy online, which isn't really different than buying from a vending machine. I just hate stores...i'd rather interact with people but between crowds, lines, and the fact that more and more stores are offering smaller and smaller selections, it's kind of inevitable, methinks.

I like the no-human method of shopping too. The great but wordy R Buckminster Fuller taught me in Critical Path that maybe the whole world doesn't need to work. Just those that want to can, and we can all survive. It's some odd mix of technology/socialism/communism/capitalism... Dunno if it really would work in practice, but who knows.

That's my vote what to change his geodesic dome at (and the symbol of) EPCOT center when it's Spaceship Earth content has run it's course. Oh, wait. It's run it's course 10 years ago. Change it to something else! Something more Bucky friendly!

Bed, Bath & Beyond Customer Over-Service *

Employee #1 "Can I help you with anything?"
Patron "No, thank you."

(2 minutes later)

EE #2 "Can I help you with anything?"
Patron "No."

(2 minutes later)

EE #3 "Can I help you with anything?"
Patron "For the Love of God, piss off you wankers!"

(2 minutes later)

EE#4 "Can I help you with anything?"
Patron "How the hell do you expect me to stuff this california king 600-thread count linen down my baggy pants if you guys keep coming by? I need my privacy!"

~fff - np: semi-automatic - semi-automatic

*- not a true story... it was only 400-thread count.

Why didn't you just ask EE#4 to help you put the linens down your baggy pants?.... like you do..