"and a little of that human touch" (springsteen lyrics)

It’s 2015.  We’re in the future of the movies of (some of) our youths, as in Back to the Future was set in 2015. Blade Runner's date is rounding the corner. So while we collectively look to see what fiction imagined, we find ourselves living some innovations that weren’t imagined, or perhaps were not imagined the way they manifested. We do not have driverless cars, but cars that park themselves are here, and Unattended Train Operation (driverless) transit is already in use. 

So while technology continues forward, often the most sophisticated algorithm in the world still doesn’t quite get it.  While I’m always awed that the PC Plus program has a pretty good idea when I need more popcorn, a product I don’t consume on a cyclical basis, there are times when a little decorum and humanity is needed.

The recent episode with Uber comes to mind. In the middle of a rash hostage taking in Australia, Uber’s booking system noticed an unexpected uptake in cab usage – you know from people running for their lives – and the system’s usage metrics kicked in and started upping the cab fees. An innocent enough reaction given circumstances that fall within normal range, but, clearly, in this case a place where a touch of good old human metrics would ‘get it’. Similarly, but quite so crudely, this year’s Facebook ‘year in review’ feature took posts with the most “Likes” and used those posts to create a snapshot of a person’s year. The part the coders failed to get was the sometimes, in a method of support, people - myself included -  will Like a post that isn’t necessarily positive, but in a show of support, say when a goal isn’t reached, or a loved one passes on. 

I consider myself an amateur enthusiast of analytics and the part that I find the most interesting is the story part of the analysis, but in both telling and creating stories, options have to be considered. We all know computer code doesn’t do so well with grey concepts. And truthfully, it’s almost impossible to consider all angles, a human fault, but consideration to how people act and use features should be part of the story here. The Uber example was almost impossible to predict; the idea was the increase cab fees during peak demand times, like the end of Saturday night, or after a major sporting event, or even more vindictively during a transit shutdown or major storm. A concept, not loved, but understood by anyone who tried to rent a car over a holiday or book a hotel room for a major event. But the Facebook situation isn’t that far of a reach, and yes the post is editable, but the articles I found mentioned instances where a loved one who had passed away, was featured in this auto generated post, and understandably was startling to those users.

Most of these systems are pretty ubiquitous. Like the popcorn, or the Amazon recommendations, or that fact that certain government bodies that might be watching my consumption habits in order to be keyed in to my potentially devious plots… unfortunately what they found out is that I buy a lot of makeup and eat a decent amount of pizza. Revelatory, I know!

I had a tersely written, complain-y description of the automated job search filters currently in use. Needless to say, since I’m actively looking for work, perhaps, a bit of human review might make the entire process just a little more fruitful, for both parties.

Similarly trying to track down an answer to a question on a government form used to be a tedious task of being puzzled, reading complicated language on a website and sometimes in a fit of exasperation, calling to listen to options on an automated phone system. Although my last few interactions with government were very human indeed, I was assigned a person who handled my case, answered my questions, and who I talked to each time I needed information. And believe me when I say, it’s rather unsettling to get straightforward, logical answers from your government.

As we mature into this technology - and we all use it. Algorithms suggest what we might like on shopping sites, on movie sites, when browsing for the next thing to read perhaps we, the royal we, will get better at considering situations that may not fit the norm, and require intervention. However when thinking in evolutionary terms, we humans may be the weak link, but I think we’re still best equipped; after all our gray matter considers all the colours.

the better way?

Sometimes when you follow the same routine everyday you only see the flaws.

Having just returned from Chicago where I opted to take the L into the city from the airport, mostly to save a few dollars on cab fare, I found a lot of familiarity and a few differences but mostly a comfort in knowing the all transit systems (or at least the few I’ve encountered) suffer from the same issues.

The truth about the modern transit system is that it isn't.  And now its summer, - the most volatile season there is - inside. 

Hopefully as people opt out of cars systems will change but for now it a mash of antiquated practices, outdated or nonexistent technology and bureaucratic choices that seem nonsensical.

Let me start by stating that I do not believe that a transit system executive who does not use the system routinely will ever get 'it'. Trying to 'envision' issues from an ivory tower is where so many bad decisions get made.

During summer in Ontario, if you’re lucky it's a sunny but pleasant day.  You relish getting to be in your shirt sleeves and sandals.  Alternatively it’s muggy and humid and the temperature is over 40 Celsius, or it’s raining maniacally.  Then you get on the bus and are stunned by the A/C into the worst thing ever - the summer cold.

I have asked many times over the years if there is a policy for A/C use on the TTC.

I have never received a straight answer.

And if you take transit, you know, there seem to be two settings on a TTC bus.  Off.  And stun.

And here I am thinking a standard setting of 25 Celsius would be great.  Instead I'm carrying a sweater around all summer because it's uncomfortable sitting in a refrigerator.

Why not open a window you ask.  And while that's a splendid idea the new low floor bus designs only have windows that open at the very top, out of reach to me at 5'4" but also mostly only capable of blowing a breeze across the ceiling of the bus.

The alternative is that the A/C isn’t on at all, and now you’re sitting in a human torture device for 45 minutes.

I’m somewhat convinced that not having the A/C on at all, and on a bus with no access to windows, somehow contradicts my basic human rights.

This is the same for the subway as it is for the bus, and the streetcar.  Although on the streetcar there is no A/C, but then again the windows open at face level so at least you can catch a good stiff 40 C breeze if the car is moving.

Don’t think another form of travel will be better.  The plane I took to Chicago was set so cool that when the back of my legs hit the vinyl seat, I jumped.  However it must have been a slightly better quality vinyl than the Greyhound because I wasn’t completely damp from sticking to the seat.  But on that Greyhound bus trip I had to wear my ever present summer sweater because the A/C was set so cold, but was uncomfortably hot when any part of my body touched the seat so the point that I wondered if my clothes were wet when I stood up.  My friend meeting me assured me it wasn’t the case.  Having said that, why vinyl Greyhound?  There must be a better way.

it’s 2014; why is my mascara still running?

In the week between Christmas and New Year’s someone always posts a ‘what-we-predicted-for-the-future’ article.  It’s inevitable.  And usually the ideas presented for the present day, then the future, at that time are a strange mix of absolutely spot on and so horribly off base.

Whenever I consider the ‘future’, the images conjured are from 1982’s Blade Runner, which, if IMDB is correct was set in 2019, 5 years from now.  Floating dirigible restaurants that pull up to my moveable apartment wall, I don’t think so, but roving food trucks, well maybe, if Toronto Council will get over themselves!

There’s no Rosie the robot to clean our homes but robot vacuums, yes, which if you’re paying attention on youtube, are the favourite mobility device of the domestic cat.

Personal, portable computers, sure, and in several formats, but what are we doing with them?  Communicating yes.  Finding ways to entertain ourselves, sure.  But primarily because we’re all trapped in some sort of gridlock travelling back and forth between work and home because flying cars, streamlined transit and transporters never did materialize. 

And those devices; of which access to them is still determined by economics, meaning that educating children across economic status’ still isn’t a level playing field.

Food preparation.  If you want something decent, you still cook it.  And at my house on a gas stove that’s older than my parents.  Collecting said food, still done the old fashioned way, by going to the store and dragging it home because consumer friendly online shopping of the basics still isn’t with us in a real way. 

Online shopping – absolutely.  But delivery and returns still done via ‘snail’ mail, which is, in Canada at least, as we speak, being serviced out of existence.  And every password you use must be unique to the point of inertia.  My personal credit card password requires so many specific elements I cannot usually remember it for more than a day, and I don’t dare save it to my computer memory because the banking system isn’t hack proof.

In a lot of ways the human factor dictates how quickly we move away from known methods.  The truth is the tried and true often prevails even when it may not be the most ‘best’ way to go about something.  Landlines are still in use because when the power grid fails, and the cell networks go too, the old land line still works.  I see my friends less, but talk to them more because of social media, in fact I talk to people I don’t really know, if I’m honest because somehow the social of social media makes it possible for us to congregate.  And yet we have the highest level of single person households ever.  The future, the now, is bright, but it moves at the pace we can stand it. 

It’s all fascinating.  Some of it is digital.  But the real question is, since it’s 2014, why can’t they invent a decent mascara that does not run?

your blanket policy isn’t very warm and cozy

I'm a bit of an Ikea fan.  Even known by close friends to be a bit of a 'Sherpa' and I have to say tonight I'm flummoxed.

Ikea.  Basically your policy lacks rationale.  And your explanation even  a little less.

A little background.  I have a very small bathroom and I need to stash towels and, er, um, toilet 'tissue' somewhere.  I also have no car.

I currently have a dorm like contraption in use and yes , it does the job. But I'm a grown up so I'd like to have something a little more substantial.

Ergo Ikea.  Decent.  Well priced.  Quasi-disposable furniture that when you are an apartment dweller you feel is a reasonable option considering you might have this for a short time.

I also have a fixed ceramic hook in the middle of the only usable wall.  So I got my handy measuring tape out and then went to the Ikea showroom.

Except the piece I was interested in was not on display.  So I figured the most logical idea was to go look at the pieces in the box and see where the predrilled holes were.  Except there's a company policy that they can't open a box on the floor because that makes the item unsellable.  A policy which I completely question but since I was trying to get what I wanted I didn't question to very strenuously.

Needless to say several stores were called looking for a display unit and a manager got involved.  Mostly because I said hauling the item home and back was not an option I was interested in if it didn't fit.  And which silently begged the question of where does all my unsuitable MDF stuff go?  Surely not to landfill based on the sole rationale that they'd never keep their prices as low as they do.  (Although usually I get to measure the furniture at the store and now I'm into a circular argument.)

What I found the most perplexing of the entire exchange was that the exact reason I was given by the manager for why the item wasn't on display - which was 'we can't possibly have everything on display' was the exact reason I felt my request to look at parts in the box before I made a purchase was pretty amenable.

I understand that policies have to be put in place to help staff with their jobs.  But sometimes blanket policies don't make sense.  Toronto is a pretty big city. And a large section of the population do not have cars.  Ikea is always on the edge of a city to keep costs down.  But if you want the customers to traipse all the way to you, you have to be willing to help them out.  So when I, and I did do it politely, asked if they'd be willing to come retrieve the item if it didn't fit - based entirely on their suggested rationale that my only course of action was to purchase and return the item if it was unsuitable - I thought opening the blasted box was still the best option for both parties.

I didn't win my argument.  I didn't really lose either because finally after all this work the warehouse woman who was stuck with me agreed to measure the display when it went up and call me one way or the other I felt that was a reasonable option.  I suspect it's pretty far off her job description and I did think the manager had a bit of gall to end the discussion with 'there'.  But I appreciated the gesture. 

So now I'm out 2 hours of my evening and I don't have a shelf.  But maybe the promise of one.

Stay tuned for the outcome.