I downloaded an episode of the first season of The Jetsons yesterday. It occurred to me that there is nothing more paleo-futuristic than the pneumatic tubes used to transport the characters. I can't wait until the world of transportation catches up to 1960s bank teller technology.According to the Wikipedia post I linked to, (and who doesn't trust Wikipedia?), Jules Verne and Edward Bellamy both used pneumatic tubes in their 19th century novels. Flying cars, protein bars and pneumatic tubes are the dreams the paleo-future was built on.
the tubes are also used to great effect in Futurama, which I think somewhat fits into that Paleo-Future theme since Futurama recycles a lot of our old ideas of what the future might be like into a comedic context.
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree, although I haven't seen much of Futurama. I should Netflix it and give it a shot though.
ReplyDeleteThey used to really have the tubes in Europe and used them to deliver mail.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.compulink.co.uk/~mhayhurst/jdhayhurst/pneumatic/book1.html
Pneumatic tubes were the subject of a well-remembered Wired article by Michael Wofsey in 1994.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid I dreamed of having a mail system comprised of Pneumatic tubes. Also see Galaxy High School for more uses of the personal transport tube system.
ReplyDeleteThere was also the attempted pneumatic subway system in New York:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beach/
Congratulations on the new blog. I'm looking forward to reading your posts regularly; however, how can you claim to be interested in the paleo-future and not be obsessed with Futurama?! I recommend you immerse yourself in that show, either through the Cartoon Network or DVDs ASAP! Pneumatic tubes are only the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI realize I'm a bad paleo-future...ologist for not being obsessed with Futurama. I enjoy the show, given the few episodes I've watched but I haven't brought it to the top of my queue yet. I'm sure everyone reading this blog is much more educated than myself on the topic but that's what I love about it; being exposed to other's tastes and interests through this type of interaction. Thanks for keeping me honest.
ReplyDeleteBack in the '80's, my friend watched an episode "The Jetsons" and saw George rushing home to catch his favorite TV show. He realized that George Jetson doesn't have a VCR.
ReplyDeleteThere was an episode of "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law" in which the Jetsons came back in time to sue us for ruining the future. It turns out that everyone lives on top of those high pedestals because of global warming causing terrible floods.
There is a pneumatic residential elevator in production. Not particularly awe inspiring. A little easier to move a few ounces of mail than several people and their groceries. Not sure what the safety system consists of either...
ReplyDeletePneumatic tubes, along with dirigibles are on top of my list of futue things that never were, but I miss them already..
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