XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: 2671@gmail.com   
      
   "J. Clarke"  wrote in message   
   news:MPG.2d40fa317eaa4e5498a3b6@news.newsguy.com...   
   > In article ,   
   > droleary@8usenet2013.subsume.com says...   
   >>   
   >> In article ,   
   >>  "sna"  wrote:   
   >>   
   >> > "J. Clarke"  wrote in message   
   >> > news:MPG.2d3b71dbee74782498a35e@news.newsguy.com...   
   >> > >   
   >> > > When the train can take me from my garage to my office and stop off   
   >> > > for   
   >> > > groceries on the way home, all on my schedule, without my having to   
   >> > > walk   
   >> > > several blocks in the snow at each end or make several transfers, get   
   >> > > back to me.   
   >> >   
   >> > Yeah, that one is never going to happen, even with the pod system.   
   >>   
   >> Only a fool would imagine that's a good idea in the first place.  Part   
   >> of the beauty of a "pod" system is that it can not only abstract a   
   >> transporter, but a replicator as well.  You need groceries?  You push a   
   >> few buttons and it all gets sent *to* you!   
   >   
   > When I'm out of milk I need it tonight, not whenever the grocer gets   
   > around to delivering it to me.   
      
   Most of those situations would be covered by a system that monitors   
   the milk supply and automatically orders some more when it sees that   
   there is a need to do that, in plenty of time so that you never run out.   
      
   >> Hell, we already have   
   >> approximations of this with companies like Amazon.  The main thing   
   >> stopping progress on improved logistics are the dopes who keep thinking   
   >> they need to drive everywhere in cars to do things manually.   
   >   
   > The thing that is stopping progress is shipping charges.   
      
   I get plenty of stuff from China for quite literally $1 with   
   postage included, delivered half way around the world.   
      
   I got some nail clippers for quite literally 1c, and when   
   they turned up and I found that the jaws didn't close   
   in parallel, he was quite happy to send me another   
   which did, for no charge.   
      
   It's cheaper   
   > for me to go a half mile out of the way on the way home than it is for   
   > the grocer to deliver.   
      
   But that isnt true of the stuff I get from china.   
      
   The only reason to get it in person is because that is faster.   
      
   >> > When I can park the plane in the lower level of a   
   >> > > multilevel underground parking garage get back to me.   
   >> >   
   >> > That one might be possible if a flying car can be a normal   
   >> > car too. The cost of getting the wings stowed well enough   
   >> > so it can operate like a normal car in the highest density   
   >> > situations like a parking garage would be a real challenge tho.   
   >>   
   >> Again, such a future is a fool's dream.   
   >   
   > The flying cars currently in development in Israel can be parked in a   
   > typical garage., so it's hardly a "fools dream".   
   >   
   >> Like I said, if I work on the   
   >> 20th floor, it makes no sense for me to have a flying car that forces me   
   >> land it and park some distance away, walk to my building, and then get   
   >> in an elevator to get me back up into the sky.   
   >   
   > The car doesn't force you to do that, the building does.  You really   
   > think that they're going to tear down the Empire State Building and   
   > replace it with something that accomodates flying cars just for your   
   > convenience?   
   >   
   >> That's stupid thinking   
   >> that fails to actually do the world building exercises that create a   
   >> believable future.   
   >   
   > No, the "stupid thinking" is thinking that a city can be rebuilt   
   > overnight at no cost to accommodate a change in transportation.   
   >   
   >   
      
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