[DougD]

I think you guys are missing the point a little…

Huge (touch) screens in cars aren't meant to not be distracting. To be distracting is their whole point to begin with.

Whether you like this or not*, self-driving cars will be the norm in a decade or two. Considering that 98% of the people I see driving around on California roads don't even know how to drive safely, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if and when human-operated cars were to be legally restricted to private properties or minor side roads before long.
Once those people are no longer required to split their attention span of a fruit fly between watching traffic and the phones they're trying to hide below the window line, they will want to be entertained in other ways – and a tiny phone screen just won't cut it. The screen-plagued cars we see today are just a precursor to what's virtually inevitable to come: entertainment centers that just happen to be motorized, filled with screens that serve you all the content you could ever long for. For an ever growing list of modest subscription fees, of course.

The screens we have today are the results of car manufacturers learning how to build those rolling entertainment centers. It is an industry caught up in the search for this fine line between catching and retaining the highest possible amount of attention, and killing their paying customers through constant distraction. It's either that, or risking to be driven off the market for having become "too boring" in a few years time.

* I, for one, loathe this thought. I love driving, it's like meditation to me. But considering that self-driving cars are already becoming safer than most drivers in most situations even today, I'm not sure which side I would really land on if I had to make a choice.

Interesting thoughts.

We may be approaching a world where, if you want to get somewhere, you jump in your computer-controlled vehicle, and it autonomously conveys your human bits on the fully integrated transportation network.

And if you want to DRIVE, you head over to the mancave, strap into your vibration-enhanced cockpit/seat, fire up the simulator, and put on your VR helmet.

 

[ScOgLiO]

What about us poor left-handers? Hit with a ruler until we submit, as was done (to me among others) when trying to write with the left hand?

You're joking, but my mother was forced to pretty much become right-handed as my grandma considered the left hand "the hand of the Devil"

Luckily, having been through that, my mother didn't think it wise to do the same to me, so I can freely show my support to Satan now...I guess?

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Being ambidextrous ain't a walk in the park, either.

It is extremely handy in the operating theatre though.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Where do you live? In Tuscany they served me Salad Caprese with no oil or vinegar, they told me this was correct. In Naples they put oil and vinegar on it. The Tuscans consider the Neapolitans bandits and barbarians. I like the fish and salads better in Naples, I like the beef and red wine better in Tuscany.

I am from Venetia and Mozzarella Caprese gets oil and vinegar.

I think these things are less cut-and-dried that non-Italians think they are. We have a penchant for drama (especially when it comes to our food), but not everything is such a sacrilege or necessarily widespread as one may think. I can't find myself much in what Pietro wrote in the post you replied to, for example, and I think the oil/vinegar thing you mention can change a lot based on personal preferences more than anything else.

I think it was a long time ago you where in Italy maybe.
Every Italian I've ever met was adamant on those table manners.
What you as a person think of it has nothing to do with it.
If you went to elementary school in Italy like me, you should know those laws are taught there.
I break the rules every day but what I think about them also doesn't matter.

 

[433521]

The profit is not in the TV, it's in the subscription.

Being good to your customer is only for non-profits, privately held companies and publicly held companies can demonstrate the profitability of a 'loyal customer base'.

Attaching a wheel bearing to so many other parts it becomes a $700 repair demonstrates that the common laws requiring maximization of profits as a rule of issuing stock leads to bad things for customers.

 

[ScOgLiO]

I think it was a long time ago you where in Italy maybe.
Every Italian I've ever met was adamant on those table manners.
What you as a person think of it has nothing to do with it.
If you went to elementary school in Italy like me, you should know those laws are taught there.
I break the rules every day but what I think about them also doesn't matter.

Born and raised in Torino, I left the country when I finished my bachelor's degree which makes it 7 years ago, so not that long, really.

I think that, although some of these food-related "rules" are embedded in our culture, I've rarely seen someone actually taking them seriously. My parents are very no-nonsense people, but I don't think that would be the reason why I was taught that, if you get served your plate and the other people at the table tell you "go ahead, don't wait for us!" you should be nice and wait for them. At least, I can't remember of that happening often.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I don't see much of this (stereo?)typical behaviour in people of my or my parents' age. Selection bias and all that jazz may apply, I guess!

 

[Paladin79]

Not "Breaking Away?" I know you live near Bloomington.

The concept of self-driving cars is very strange to me. GM is showing a TV advert for a "self driving" pickup truck in which the occupants are all clapping in rhythm to some stupid song. Weird. I, too, enjoy driving very much ... spent a large percentage of time 1996-2018 on business in Germany. I always felt safer driving on the autobahns than I do on the US interstates. In Germany, the drivers obey the rules.

I can certainly watch that over and over. I do live on the outskirts of Bloomington and am often in the city to work with renters and such.

I might also watch Christmas Story on occasion, another Indiana writer Jean Shepherd. Home Alone is another I might see every few years.

There are movies I never want to see again that were wonderful, and haunting, and extremely well done. Sophie's Choice is such a movie. A series that is the same way is Six Feet Under, my wife and I just finished watching it and we loved it for the most part but once was enough.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

It is extremely handy in the operating theatre though.

Well, good thing I'm a software engineer, then…

 

[Paladin79]

I am from Venetia and Mozzarella Caprese gets oil and vinegar.


I think it was a long time ago you where in Italy maybe.
Every Italian I've ever met was adamant on those table manners.
What you as a person think of it has nothing to do with it.
If you went to elementary school in Italy like me, you should know those laws are taught there.
I break the rules every day but what I think about them also doesn't matter.

Oil and vinegar means quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Modena or Reggio Emelia perhaps for Caprese. I might also add capers just because I like them.

 

[JLoud]

you are lucky, I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Wouldn’t that make it hard to be ambidextrous. Only having one arm left? (See what I did there? One arm Left.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Born and raised in Torino, I left the country when I finished my bachelor's degree which makes it 7 years ago, so not that long, really.

I think that, although some of these food-related "rules" are embedded in our culture, I've rarely seen someone actually taking them seriously. My parents are very no-nonsense people, but I don't think that would be the reason why I was taught that, if you get served your plate and the other people at the table tell you "go ahead, don't wait for us!" you should be nice and wait for them. At least, I can't remember of that happening often.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I don't see much of this (stereo?)typical behaviour in people of my or my parents' age. Selection bias and all that jazz may apply, I guess!

We're from different Italy's clearly.

 

[OldRoadToad]

As far as women are concerned, I prefer class over ass. Exempli gratia, Sophia Loren and Myrna Loy to name but two.

I am guilty of having bought another Andover Audio Spinbase to use with my Pro-Ject 50th Anniversary Sgt. Pepper's 'table. I am listening to "Peanuts Greatest Hits" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio right now. I just ordered a Modius in schwartz for my son for CHRISTmas! Yes, I spelled it in German and then I capitalized the "Christ" in Christmas just to be toadishly annoying to any here that are among the PC crowd, LOL!

ORT

 

[Ableza]

you are lucky, I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

But then you wouldn't be...

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

As far as women are concerned, I prefer class over ass. Exempli gratia, Sophia Loren and Myrna Loy to name but two.

Let's not forget about Audrey Hepburn.

in schwartz for my son for CHRISTmas! Yes, I spelled it in German

It's "schwarz", but close enough…

I capitalized the "Christ" in Christmas just to be toadishly annoying to any here that are among the PC crowd, LOL!

I am an atheist, and I approve of this message.

 

[DougD]

But then you wouldn't be...

It's a sinister variant of a Catch-22, for sure.