What's something modern you won't miss when it becomes obsolete?

[tonyb]

I've been transported to hospitals via the good men women of the fire department on a couple of occasions in couple different jurisdictions and I never received a bill, never was asked for insurance info.

 

[belfastboy]

I've been transported to hospitals via the good men women of the fire department on a couple of occasions in couple different jurisdictions and I never received a bill, never was asked for insurance info.

Our ambulance service is woefully undermanned these days and there have been horror stories of folks waiting for hours for an ambulance and dying in the wait. I think a good back up plan is to set fire inside a metal garbage can and then phone the fire department.....as first responders and very good first aid people it is a better strategy than waiting for the government run ambulance service.

 

[tonyb]

We all got our anecdotes. Twice the fire department medics were called for a shirt-tail relative who had been living here, and twice they arrived in under five minutes.

 

[WonkyBloke]

Cancelled my online news subscription. They wanted to tailor my content to the articles I read. That's not just a matter of giving me different news to the next guy, but monitoring what content I consume and when. Goodbye forever!

A large percentage of websites are now broken on my browser, because I've tightened my privacy settings to such an extent that online stores can't even offer me stuff to buy. This is of course the stores with third party snoopers watching everything I view (or trying to), and as a result, either none of their products list properly, or their payment systems don't work. So not only do the stalkers not get my data, but the stores don't get the sale either. My money therefore only goes to stores that are more privacy conscious, or who don't let the stalkers camp on their site for a few extra sheckles. I just wish enough people would do the same to completely cripple the parasitic sites, and force a more privacy conscious approach.

I'm also blacklisting online stores that pester you for feedback after every purchase. I haven't paid to be on your promotional team! I have occasionally left very negative feedback, saying "the products were good enough, but expect post-sales harassment on every purchase". Maybe I should do that every time? A bit like I used to do with YouTube videos - before I blocked all Google content altogether. I would instantly close any video as soon as it started pestering me to "like, subscribe and click the notification bell", whether it had got to the actual content or not. That's like a waiter asking for a tip before they've even served you.

 

[Fifty150]

We went from a Dept. of Public Health ambulance, to a Fire Department, to an ambulance operated by private company AMR.

The police also charge for alarm response.

Just hope that someone doesn't rob your business or home, and shoots you. Then you have to pay for the police and fire department. The fire department charges you, but the actual ambulance ride is from a contractor. Not real fire fighters. I can't wait for the police to stop responding to alarms, but instead, send a Pinkerton.

 

[LizzieMaine]

They haven't figured out yet how to slap a meter on the air you breathe, but that's only because the technology hasn't quite gotten there yet.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Cancelled my online news subscription. They wanted to tailor my content to the articles I read. That's not just a matter of giving me different news to the next guy, but monitoring what content I consume and when. Goodbye forever!

A large percentage of websites are now broken on my browser, because I've tightened my privacy settings to such an extent that online stores can't even offer me stuff to buy. This is of course the stores with third party snoopers watching everything I view (or trying to), and as a result, either none of their products list properly, or their payment systems don't work. So not only do the stalkers not get my data, but the stores don't get the sale either. My money therefore only goes to stores that are more privacy conscious, or who don't let the stalkers camp on their site for a few extra sheckles. I just wish enough people would do the same to completely cripple the parasitic sites, and force a more privacy conscious approach.

I'm also blacklisting online stores that pester you for feedback after every purchase. I haven't paid to be on your promotional team! I have occasionally left very negative feedback, saying "the products were good enough, but expect post-sales harassment on every purchase". Maybe I should do that every time? A bit like I used to do with YouTube videos - before I blocked all Google content altogether. I would instantly close any video as soon as it started pestering me to "like, subscribe and click the notification bell", whether it had got to the actual content or not. That's like a waiter asking for a tip before they've even served you.

It's always good to remember that on the Internet, *you* are the product, and the only way you can change that is to take active steps to de-monetize your online self. "Beat the Boys, or be the Boys' fool."

 

[Edward]

In some places, you have to pay a subscription fee to the local fire department, or they will not fight your fire.

Before the modern public fire service was first established in the UK in the early 19th Century, firefighters were either local parish volunteers or insurance companies. Your insurance company would give you a sign to put out front of your house or building. In the event of a fire, if a company crew arrived and saw the building was protected by a rival, not only was it the norm for them to refuse to fight the fire, but they would often stand by and jeer at the efforts of the crew from the other company when they arrived. There are, of course, also many stories of buildings being left to burn (including occasioning deaths) because the "right" firefighters didn't arrive in time, and the other company's team played jobsworth.

 

[Haversack]

They haven't figured out yet how to slap a meter on the air you breathe, but that's only because the technology hasn't quite gotten there yet.

Carl Barks wrote that into a Donald Duck comic book back in 1952. Finding the Golden Helmet of Lief Erikson entitled the possessor to ownership of all of North America. Donald was going to own the air...

 

[LizzieMaine]

HueyLouieDewey has the right idea.

 

[Fifty150]

You can, however, buy & sell "air rights".

And there are people who are charging for the air you breathe.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Designer air. How bourgeois.

 

[tonyb]

Cancelled my online news subscription. They wanted to tailor my content to the articles I read. That's not just a matter of giving me different news to the next guy, but monitoring what content I consume and when. Goodbye forever!

A large percentage of websites are now broken on my browser, because I've tightened my privacy settings to such an extent that online stores can't even offer me stuff to buy. This is of course the stores with third party snoopers watching everything I view (or trying to), and as a result, either none of their products list properly, or their payment systems don't work. So not only do the stalkers not get my data, but the stores don't get the sale either. My money therefore only goes to stores that are more privacy conscious, or who don't let the stalkers camp on their site for a few extra sheckles. I just wish enough people would do the same to completely cripple the parasitic sites, and force a more privacy conscious approach.

I'm also blacklisting online stores that pester you for feedback after every purchase. I haven't paid to be on your promotional team! I have occasionally left very negative feedback, saying "the products were good enough, but expect post-sales harassment on every purchase". Maybe I should do that every time? A bit like I used to do with YouTube videos - before I blocked all Google content altogether. I would instantly close any video as soon as it started pestering me to "like, subscribe and click the notification bell", whether it had got to the actual content or not. That's like a waiter asking for a tip before they've even served you.

I don’t answer surveys in general, and specifically not the ones asking about my recent visits to healthcare providers and facilities.

 

[MisterCairo]

We all got our anecdotes. Twice the fire department medics were called for a shirt-tail relative who had been living here, and twice they arrived in under five minutes.

His anecdotes make rhe news:

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/mobile/nobody...-sounds-alarm-on-paramedic-shortage-1.5480076

https://globalnews.ca/news/8014821/bc-heat-wave-death-ambulance-wait/

https://globalnews.ca/news/7920023/surrey-crash-victim-waits-ambulance/


Just one quick search.

 

[tonyb]

No news about all those planes that didn’t crash today. Not so much as a word.

 

[Fifty150]

Cable television packages. They charge you hundreds of dollars for hundreds of channels. You only watch a handful of those channels. 20% of the channels are in languages you don't speak. I 1st got cable because "I WANT MY MTV". Now, MTV doesn't even play music anymore. The only reason to keep cable is that on any given day, at any given time, there is always a station broadcasting an episode of "Law & Order".

 

[BobHufford]

The only reason to keep cable is that on any given day, at any given time, there is always a station broadcasting an episode of "Law & Order".

How long would it take to pay for itself?

We cut the cable last year after decades -- we kept it as long as we did for the fast internet access. Now it's a bit more difficult to jump from app to app to see what we want, but since it's only a few shows anyway it's not too much of a burden.

 

[Fifty150]

The motorcycle I grew up riding, will be obsolete in my lifetime. With self balancing, navigation assisted driving, and electric drivetrain technology already on the table; the electric motorcycle makes sense. It will be brought to market. The motorcycle of tomorrow will be safer, as the technology keeps the bike up. No more loss of traction and balance when the road conditions are less than optimal. Same as with cars, technology will aid in avoiding collisions. Some sort of autonomous driving will guide the rider on a true course to the programmed destination. If or when the battery capacity and charging technology catches up, an electric motorcycle could provide hours of range. Gone will be the need to work a clutch and shift gears. I'll be a senior citizen, on a self driving motorcycle, coming home drunk from the bars.