OT: Overly complicated technology that doesn't work

[Sylvia Else]

This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns
itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one
goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by
how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 5/05/2011 7:05 PM, Graham Cooper wrote:

On May 5, 6:30 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns
itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one
goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by
how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

It's Birds Eye Vs McCain in my oven!

This isn't a metaphor about consecutive Windows versions getting
buggier is it?

I wish it were - I'm already used to that, and know what precautions to
take.

Sylvia.

 

[Clocky]

"Graham Cooper" <grahamcooper7@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:30035199-119f-4a3e-baf8-741d4366b512@y27g2000prb.googlegroups.com...
On May 5, 6:30 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns
itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one
goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by
how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

It's Birds Eye Vs McCain in my oven!

This isn't a metaphor about consecutive Windows versions getting
buggier is it?

The reverse is true, consecutive versions of Windows are getting more and
more stable.

 

[Graham Cooper]

On May 5, 6:30 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns
itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one
goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by
how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

It's Birds Eye Vs McCain in my oven!

This isn't a metaphor about consecutive Windows versions getting
buggier is it?

 

[Graham Cooper]

On May 5, 7:43 pm, "Clocky" <notg...@happen.com> wrote:

"Graham Cooper" <grahamcoop...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:30035199-119f-4a3e-baf8-741d4366b512@y27g2000prb.googlegroups.com...
On May 5, 6:30 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:





This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns
itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one
goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by
how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

It's Birds Eye Vs McCain in my oven!

This isn't a metaphor about consecutive Windows versions getting
buggier is it?

The reverse is true, consecutive versions of Windows are getting more and
more stable

by removing half of the most useful features.

 

[Dennis]

"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:92f5h9Fu4fU1@mid.individual.net...

This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven doesn't
work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets into a
state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns itself
off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one goes to
remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by how much is
anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

Shut up and get back in the kitchen Sylv. Just be grateful your man / a man
provided you with an oven

/bigot mode off....

 

[Wolfgang Wildeblood]

On May 5, 5:43 pm, "Clocky" <notg...@happen.com> wrote:

"Graham Cooper" <grahamcoop...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:30035199-119f-4a3e-baf8-741d4366b512@y27g2000prb.googlegroups.com...
On May 5, 6:30 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:





This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns
itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one
goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by
how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

It's Birds Eye Vs McCain in my oven!

This isn't a metaphor about consecutive Windows versions getting
buggier is it?

The reverse is true, consecutive versions of Windows are getting more and
more stable.

More stable but less usable. I'd use XP in preference to 7 any day.

 

[Herman]

"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:92f5h9Fu4fU1@mid.individual.net...

This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven doesn't
work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets into a
state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns itself
off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one goes to
remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by how much is
anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

I will rant in the same area but with a different uptake on the problem. I
am in my 60s. I saw the development of the integrated circuit, space travel
era, color TV, computers, cell phones. I was part of that and as an
electronics engineer participated in much of this development. Now days I
do not see as much innovation. I fear we have run out of forward thinking
minds. Is this generation spoiled and complacent?

Last month I saw an announcement about a great innovation in the bottled
water market. They came up with a bottle cap that used 20% less plastic!
Two weeks ago a lap top manufacturer promoted their interchangeable color
covers! My cell phone can take a picture! Has all of the good stuff
already been invented? Now days not many people know how to repair
anything, it is a throw away world. I picked up a 60" TV some one threw
away because the projection light bulb burned out!

Ten years from now who will be available to design or fix the new technology
if we have any. I talked to one of my neighbor kids who is graduating high
school in a few weeks. While he was playing a video game I asked him what
he was going to do after school. He was not sure but is going to try to get
a job a Taco Bell.

This morning I read of a new innovation in IC technology, a 3D transistor
the will speed up computer chips and take up less space. Finally something
positive. But all in all I am afraid, very afraid of our technological
future when the best we can do is create a gas oven that does not work as
well as a 70 year old design.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 5/05/2011 10:07 PM, Herman wrote:

"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:92f5h9Fu4fU1@mid.individual.net...
This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait longer
than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat, lit
the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time, and it
was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven doesn't
work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets into a
state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially turns itself
off without any warning. The first one knows about it is when one goes to
remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked (though by how much is
anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

Hungry Sylvia.

I will rant in the same area but with a different uptake on the problem. I
am in my 60s. I saw the development of the integrated circuit, space travel
era, color TV, computers, cell phones. I was part of that and as an
electronics engineer participated in much of this development. Now days I
do not see as much innovation. I fear we have run out of forward thinking
minds. Is this generation spoiled and complacent?

Last month I saw an announcement about a great innovation in the bottled
water market. They came up with a bottle cap that used 20% less plastic!
Two weeks ago a lap top manufacturer promoted their interchangeable color
covers! My cell phone can take a picture! Has all of the good stuff
already been invented? Now days not many people know how to repair
anything, it is a throw away world. I picked up a 60" TV some one threw
away because the projection light bulb burned out!

Or perhaps because the previous owner wanted a new widescreen plasma
instead, and had no interest in repairing the TV no matter how little it
might cost. Though these days it can frequently cost more than an
appliance is worth merely to find out how much it will cost to repair.
So people don't even bother. When it breaks outside the (derisory)
manufacturer's warranty period [*], it gets replaced.

[*] Yes, those of us in the know make use of the statutory warranties,
but most people are not in the know.

Ten years from now who will be available to design or fix the new technology
if we have any. I talked to one of my neighbor kids who is graduating high
school in a few weeks. While he was playing a video game I asked him what
he was going to do after school. He was not sure but is going to try to get
a job a Taco Bell.

Well, he'll be selling Tacos to my son, who's working on his degree

This morning I read of a new innovation in IC technology, a 3D transistor
the will speed up computer chips and take up less space. Finally something
positive. But all in all I am afraid, very afraid of our technological
future when the best we can do is create a gas oven that does not work as
well as a 70 year old design.

We must be about due for something totally unexpected and world
changing. But don't ask me what

Sylvia.

 

[Dingo Bob]

On May 5, 10:07 pm, "Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

This morning I read of a new innovation.....

As distinct from an old innovation?

 

[Wolfgang Wildeblood]

Dingo Bob <dingobob...@gmail.com> wrote:

On May 5, "Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

This morning I read of a new innovation.....

As distinct from an old innovation?

Well spotted, he thought to himself.

 

[David Segall]

"Herman" <ripe@bellsouth.net> wrote:

I will rant in the same area but with a different uptake on the problem. I
am in my 60s. I saw the development of the integrated circuit, space travel
era, color TV, computers, cell phones. I was part of that and as an
electronics engineer participated in much of this development. Now days I
do not see as much innovation. I fear we have run out of forward thinking
minds. Is this generation spoiled and complacent?

The integrated circuit was first patented in 1949, the first space

travel was in 1961, the shadow mask colour television was first
demonstrated in 1939, the first electronic programmable computer was
operational in 1945. That leaves the cell phone as the only innovation
that you have seen in your working life and even that was first used
in 1973. What "innovations" have you participated in over the last
forty years?

You don't see much innovation because what you see as innovations are
usually the result of someone taking advantage of the conjunction of
old technologies that have matured and can be sold as a "new" product.
As an example, have you noticed that everyone near you has recently
acquired an iPhone?

 

[David Segall]

Wolfgang Wildeblood <wolfgangwildeblood@gmail.com> wrote:

On May 6, 12:02 am, David Segall <da...@address.invalid> wrote:
"Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

I will rant in the same area but with a different uptake on the problem.  I
am in my 60s.  I saw the development of the integrated circuit, space travel
era, color TV, computers, cell phones.  I was part of that and as an
electronics engineer participated in much of this development.  Now days I
do not see as much innovation.  I fear we have run out of forward thinking
minds.  Is this generation spoiled and complacent?

The integrated circuit was first patented in 1949, the first space
travel was in 1961, the shadow mask colour television was first
demonstrated in 1939, the first electronic programmable computer was
operational in 1945. That leaves the cell phone as the only innovation
that you have seen in your working life and even that was first used
in 1973. What "innovations" have you participated in over the last
forty years?

So, are you agreeing with him or flaming him? Serious question - I
can't tell.

If I must choose I suppose it is flaming but it was more intended as
"warming"! I certainly don't agree that "this generation [is] spoiled
and complacent" when it comes to innovation.

I think that "innovation" is becoming increasingly difficult because
everybody is poised to take advantage of even small changes in
technology. I believe my iPhone example illustrates the point. Smart
phones existed well before the iPhone but it took Apple to package and
market the combination of G3 mobile, relatively large touch screens
and smart phones to turn the idea into a ubiquitous technology. I
think that "Herman" has confused ubiquitous with innovative.

 

[Wolfgang Wildeblood]

On May 6, 12:02 am, David Segall <da...@address.invalid> wrote:

"Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

I will rant in the same area but with a different uptake on the problem.  I
am in my 60s.  I saw the development of the integrated circuit, space travel
era, color TV, computers, cell phones.  I was part of that and as an
electronics engineer participated in much of this development.  Now days I
do not see as much innovation.  I fear we have run out of forward thinking
minds.  Is this generation spoiled and complacent?

The integrated circuit was first patented in 1949, the first space
travel was in 1961, the shadow mask colour television was first
demonstrated in 1939, the first electronic programmable computer was
operational in 1945. That leaves the cell phone as the only innovation
that you have seen in your working life and even that was first used
in 1973. What "innovations" have you participated in over the last
forty years?

So, are you agreeing with him or flaming him? Serious question - I
can't tell.

 

[Trevor Wilson]

Sylvia Else wrote:

This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait
longer than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat,
lit the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time,
and it was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially
turns itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is
when one goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked
(though by how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

**Oh stop whining, you stupid, whinging Pom. When I was a kid, we had an
electric oven. When the power went out, we didn't eat. Now I still have an
electric oven. When the power goes out, I don't eat. Or, more likely, I go
out and find a place to buy some food. Something I couldn't do as a kid,
since pretty much nothing was open after 5:30PM.

Further to your silly rant:

I presume you are typing this missive on an electric computer. Your computer
has more power than a Cray supercomputer from the 1980s. It has more power
than the combined power of all the computers on the planet in the early
1960s. All thanks to technology.

Here's a thought for you: Buy a microwave oven and connect it to your petrol
generator. Presto: Food.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

 

[Trevor Wilson]

Brad wrote:

On May 6, 7:38 am, "Trevor Wilson" <tre...@rageaudio.com.au> wrote:
Sylvia Else wrote:
This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait
longer than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat,
lit the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time,
and it was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally
gets into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and
essentially turns itself off without any warning. The first one
knows about it is when one goes to remove the food, and discovers
that it's not cooked (though by how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change
the design to something that doesn't?

**Oh stop whining, you stupid, whinging Pom. When I was a kid, we
had an electric oven. When the power went out, we didn't eat. Now I
still have an electric oven. When the power goes out, I don't eat.
Or, more likely, I go out and find a place to buy some food.
Something I couldn't do as a kid, since pretty much nothing was open
after 5:30PM.

Further to your silly rant:

I presume you are typing this missive on an electric computer. Your
computer has more power than a Cray supercomputer from the 1980s. It
has more power than the combined power of all the computers on the
planet in the early 1960s. All thanks to technology.

Here's a thought for you: Buy a microwave oven and connect it to
your petrol generator. Presto: Food.

--
Trevor Wilsonwww.rageaudio.com.au

Trevor, the rant was about innovation. Much of what we see today is
not true innovation but more like a repackaging of several old
innovations.

**Of course. Like my new refrigerator. My old 'fridge required a 6 monthly
defrost, which meant that I had to pull all the stuff out and dig away at
the ice. That's 2 hours every six months. My new 'fridge does not require
defrosting. Or my car. I NEVER have to adjust the timing, the carby of
pretty much anything else. It starts, every time, rain, hail or shine or on
the coldest mornings. My old car (which was pretty much the same thing)
would hesitate and stall on cold days, required constant attention and
consumed vastly more fuel. The addition of moden, complex technology has
revolutionised automobiles.

Modern, complex technology is not only helpful, but essential to our daily
life.

Sylvia's problem with her oven could have been solved, had she connected the
electric portion of the oven to her petrol generator. In fact, the electric
portion consumes so little power, than a car battery and a small DC-AC
inverter could have been used. Sylvia has the technical abilities to manage
this task with consumate ease.

IOW: It was a non-problem. She was just having a whinge.


--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

 

[Brad]

On May 5, 11:17 pm, Dingo Bob <dingobob...@gmail.com> wrote:

On May 5, 10:07 pm, "Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

This morning I read of a new innovation.....

As distinct from an old innovation?

I can see the difference. The cell phone is now an old innovation. It
was an innovation when it was created, but now the idea is old. Or do
you have so little to contribute the best you can come up with is a
picky little spelling flame. Right there, you are part of the problem.

 

[Brad]

On May 6, 4:03 am, David Segall <da...@address.invalid> wrote:

Wolfgang Wildeblood <wolfgangwildebl...@gmail.com> wrote:
On May 6, 12:02 am, David Segall <da...@address.invalid> wrote:
"Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

I will rant in the same area but with a different uptake on the problem.  I
am in my 60s.  I saw the development of the integrated circuit, space travel
era, color TV, computers, cell phones.  I was part of that and as an
electronics engineer participated in much of this development.  Now days I
do not see as much innovation.  I fear we have run out of forward thinking
minds.  Is this generation spoiled and complacent?

The integrated circuit was first patented in 1949, the first space
travel was in 1961, the shadow mask colour television was first
demonstrated in 1939, the first electronic programmable computer was
operational in 1945. That leaves the cell phone as the only innovation
that you have seen in your working life and even that was first used
in 1973. What "innovations" have you participated in over the last
forty years?

So, are you agreeing with him or flaming him? Serious question - I
can't tell.

If I must choose I suppose it is flaming but it was more intended as
"warming"! I certainly don't agree that "this generation [is] spoiled
and complacent" when it comes to innovation.

I think that "innovation" is becoming increasingly difficult because
everybody is poised to take advantage of even small changes in
technology. I believe my iPhone example illustrates the point. Smart
phones existed well before the iPhone but it took Apple to package and
market the combination of G3 mobile, relatively large touch screens
and smart phones to turn the idea into a ubiquitous technology. I
think that "Herman" has confused ubiquitous with innovative.

To quote the US Patent Office - "Everything that can be invented has
been invented."

 

[Wolfgang Wildeblood]

On May 6, 4:45 am, Brad <goog...@vk2qq.com> wrote:

On May 5, 11:17 pm, Dingo Bob <dingobob...@gmail.com> wrote:

On May 5, 10:07 pm, "Herman" <r...@bellsouth.net> wrote:

This morning I read of a new innovation.....

As distinct from an old innovation?

I can see the difference. The cell phone is now an old innovation. It
was an innovation when it was created, but now the idea is old. Or  do
you have so little to contribute the best you can come up with is a
picky little spelling flame. Right there, you are part of the problem.

Who got out the wrong side of the bed this morning, then?

Dingo Bob makes an effort, goes a whole day without mentioning anuses
once, and that's the thanks he gets?

 

[Brad]

On May 6, 7:38 am, "Trevor Wilson" <tre...@rageaudio.com.au> wrote:

Sylvia Else wrote:
This is a short rant prompted by the fact that I'll have to wait
longer than I expected for my dinner.

When I was a child, we had a simple gas oven. It had a mechanical
thermostat that controlled the flow of gas. You set the thermostat,
lit the oven, let it warm up, put the food in for the required time,
and it was ready.

Now we have gas ovens with electronics. Temperature is controlled by
turning the gas on and off, which requires that it be repeatedly
reignited. Leaving aside the fact that this means that a gas oven
doesn't work during power cuts, for some reason mine occasionally gets
into a state where it refuses to relight the gas, and essentially
turns itself off without any warning. The first one knows about it is
when one goes to remove the food, and discovers that it's not cooked
(though by how much is anyone's guess).

Ovens worked reliably 40 years ago. Why was it necessary to change the
design to something that doesn't?

**Oh stop whining, you stupid, whinging Pom. When I was a kid, we had an
electric oven. When the power went out, we didn't eat. Now I still have an
electric oven. When the power goes out, I don't eat. Or, more likely, I go
out and find a place to buy some food. Something I couldn't do as a kid,
since pretty much nothing was open after 5:30PM.

Further to your silly rant:

I presume you are typing this missive on an electric computer. Your computer
has more power than a Cray supercomputer from the 1980s. It has more power
than the combined power of all the computers on the planet in the early
1960s. All thanks to technology.

Here's a thought for you: Buy a microwave oven and connect it to your petrol
generator. Presto: Food.

--
Trevor Wilsonwww.rageaudio.com.au

Trevor, the rant was about innovation. Much of what we see today is
not true innovation but more like a repackaging of several old
innovations.