News:

"The phone is a remarkably complex, simple device,
and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

Main Menu

Rise of the Machines

Started by Ampico66, April 04, 2010, 03:57:43 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Ampico66

Think about jobs the fact so many have been lost due to mechanized farming, computers, printers, internet, and automation.  Think about all the file clerks, telephone operators, typists, and other jobs that aren't anymore due to technological advances.  Maybe we don't have robotic skeletons with glowing red eyes coming after us, but we do have a severely diminished need for human power.  How does that make our society better or more prosperous?  I'm not a luddite, but it concerns me to know so many people out there are effectively useless to society. 

Netdewt

I've been thinking about this lately, too. Pretty freaky.

Jim Stettler

Re-purposed is more politically correct.

The upcoming "safe" job's are probably in the service/trade industry. If you need a plumber or electrician, you need one. This is hard to outsource to China.

Just a heads up to our younger members trying to decide on a "safe" long-term career. A trade won't make you rich, but you won't starve either.
JMO,
Jim

Fire Alarm System Technician
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Dan/Panther

I've heard that once 49% of the population is subsidizing 51% of the population were done for. I think we are real close now. Once baby boomers hit the mark, we may go over.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

McHeath

For a couple of centuries now industrialization and automation has been displacing workers.  (the Luddites were 200 years ago) 

Here in the US, as with the other major western nations, we are pretty much all post-industrial now, most workers are in service jobs of some sort.  Police, fire, teachers, trades like carpenters or plumbers, clerks, waiters, sales, doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, UPS drivers, truck drivers, military and post office, we pretty much all work in the service field.

My wife once worked in a seat belt factory, the company was called American Safety, but that's long gone. 

My first job at age 13 was field work for a local farmer.  Unpleasant job to say the least.

It's interesting that we have managed to pretty much absorb the losses from the exodus of industrial jobs by redeploying the displaced workers into service jobs.  (until the recent economic downturn of course)  I've a friend who jokes that we essentially all do services for each other and then bill each other for it in a kind of endless game of tag.   :)




AET

I work on a line stacking cheese boxes, until our Law Enforcement store takes off, then I will be Manager.
- Tom

Dan/Panther

Tom;
Your family is multitalented and wear many hats.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

gpo706

Bus Conductors.

If you want a decent plumber here you ask your Polish neighbour.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

Phonesrfun

Quote from: AtomicEraTom on April 05, 2010, 04:15:55 AM
I work on a line stacking cheese boxes, until our Law Enforcement store takes off, then I will be Manager.

I thought you were a lineman for the county, driving the main road!
-Bill G

Phonesrfun

I shovel Bull-Sh** in an office all day

We have a never ending supply.
-Bill G

AE_Collector

Quote from: Phonesrfun on April 06, 2010, 12:01:33 AM
I shovel Bull-Sh** in an office all day

We have a never ending supply.

I was at your Point Roberts "Outpost" today. They took care of my requirements without any problems.

Terry

Phonesrfun

That office is surprisingly busy for a small town.  Great that you had a good experience.  Actually, I like working there, but like any other place, it gets to be a zoo sometimes.  Especially when we are closing out another quarter-end.  I guess I am redefining bankers hours.  I worked until about 8 tonight.

Phones are my relaxation.

The Bellevue show is gaining momentum.  I will miss you and your wife this year.

-Bill G

McHeath

QuoteI work on a line stacking cheese boxes, until our Law Enforcement store takes off, then I will be Manager.

You my friend are an industrial worker.  :)  I've never done any sort of assembly line work, but my wife recalls well the mixed joys of working at American Safety making seatbelts in the 70's.  My dad did a stint in the canning factories of Rockford Ill back in the 40's that were pretty funny to hear about.  He was hired the minute he showed up, taken to a spot on the line and showed his job, then left there for about 10 hours, told that he could take an hour break in his car, then needed to get back on the line.  Hopefully your job has way better conditions.

AET

Thank you D/P, we try to stay diversified!

GPO, Mr. "Atomic Era" Tom Nakielski knows no Polish Plumbers!!

Phonesrfun, I just moonlight as a lineman, even though I work second shift at AMPI, so I guess I'm really moonlighting there :) because I search in the sun for another overload.

McHeath, factory work runs deep with us.  My Mom works at AMPI with me in our Maintenance Department, and did the same for 13 years at Wisconsin Cheeseman, Brandon Apparel, and Mantel.

Dad worked at Briggs and Stratton, Sygnicast, EGA Products, before becoming a Union Lather, as my Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa were.

My grandpa on Ma's side worked up until his retirement in a factory Uncle Ray ran. 

And as a hard-working Union Member myself, support your teamsters!!!
- Tom

AE_Collector

#14
Quote from: Phonesrfun on April 06, 2010, 12:11:42 AM

The Bellevue show is gaining momentum.  I will miss you and your wife this year.


Yeah I am upset about missing the show as well. We went soooo long without a show in the Pacific North-West, I want to support any and all attempts to put one on anywhere within a one day drive of Vancouver. Keep up the good work and hopefully the show will get a little bigger and better each year.

Any opportunity to visit the Seattle Communications Museum is worth making the trip for as well. Anyone who hasn't been there really needs to come to this Phone show and see the museum at the same time. The Seattle COmmunications Museum is FULL of working Electro-mechanical switching systems that just happen to be WORKING! There is nothing else like it that I know of.

Is that AE 80E still ringing for you? Don't drop it. A very common trouble when these were in service was "doesn't ring". The sub would drop it and the capacitor would fly out of the push in connectors on the board and that was the end of it ringing to announce incoming calls.

Terry