The Roads Must Roll -- In Japan, at least

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.
https://www.newser.com/story/359125/japan-has-a-trucker-shortage-its-solution-is-novel.html

Neat news item! Thanks for posting it.

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
Japan Has a Trucker Shortage. Its Solution Is Novel
Nation plans to build a giant 'conveyor belt road' connecting
Tokyo and Osaka
By John Johnson, Newser Staff
If it works, expect other major cities around the world to
copy the idea to some degree: Japan is building what amounts
to a giant "conveyor belt road" from Tokyo to Osaka to ship
320 miles: The transport corridor would run 320 miles from
the capital to Osaka aboveground, in the middle of a highway,
per the AP. Meaning, cars would be traveling on either side
of it. The corridor would ship containers the size of a
standard closet, filled with goods. See this Japanese-language
video.
When: The first test runs are scheduled to start in 2027.
If all goes well, the experiment would be expanded to other
cities.
Why: In a word, demographics. Japan has an "intense" shortage
of truckers, per Business Insider, and that is only expected
to worsen as the nation's working-age population gets older.
This comes as online orders for everything under the sun
continue to soar. "We need to be innovative with the way
we approach roads," says Yuri Endo of the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. The project should
also cut carbon emissions, he adds.

Dimensional Traveler

2024-11-11 17:43:55 UTC

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.
https://www.newser.com/story/359125/japan-has-a-trucker-shortage-its-solution-is-novel.html
Japan Has a Trucker Shortage. Its Solution Is Novel
Nation plans to build a giant 'conveyor belt road' connecting
Tokyo and Osaka
By John Johnson, Newser Staff

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion. The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

Scott Lurndal

2024-11-11 18:32:05 UTC

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.

Here's the actual video, without the right-wing clickbait.

Cryptoengineer

2024-11-11 20:26:28 UTC

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.

Here's the actual video, without the right-wing clickbait.
http://youtu.be/W0v0zAxu5Wo

Looking at the video, I'm not seeing a conveyor belt,
but small driverless vehicles driving on a prepared
pathway. It's not clear how they're powered, or where
the 'smarts' is located.

Still, a cool idea.

pt

danny burstein

2024-11-11 20:54:17 UTC

Post by Scott Lurndal

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>
IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.

Here's the actual video, without the right-wing clickbait.
http://youtu.be/W0v0zAxu5Wo

what I'd like to see... 1/4 height veh's using the lower, covered-by-the-roadways,
semicircles at the bottoms of the Loncoln and Holland tunnels in NYC (and
likely other places.) Many tunnels are circular metal frames with
the roadways suspended about midheight, with the lower, "vacant", so
to speak, space carrying positive pressure air from "outside" which
then is pushed into the overheads and back to the great outdoors
(using additional "pull" fans).

With the _much_ cleaner mix of traffic these days (yes, there's more
of it, but still much less annoying), there's likely spare room..

--
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
***@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

Bobbie Sellers

2024-11-11 22:22:11 UTC

   IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.
https://www.newser.com/story/359125/japan-has-a-trucker-shortage-its-
solution-is-novel.html
    Japan Has a Trucker Shortage. Its Solution Is Novel
    Nation plans to build a giant 'conveyor belt road' connecting
    Tokyo and Osaka
    By John Johnson, Newser Staff

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion. The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

That is because the world they live in is very demanding of youth and
workers. Which is why so many manga are set in "Other Worlds"
The Japanese governments have not yet come up with a plan that makes
having babies a easy thing especially for the career types. Despite
legal equality a lot of the former regimes are still in power and
intensely pro-male and wealth in there law making.

bliss just my humble opinion.

Cryptoengineer

2024-11-12 01:51:13 UTC

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion. The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

That is because the world they live in is very demanding of youth
and workers. Which is why so many manga are set in "Other Worlds"
The Japanese governments have not yet come up with a plan that makes
having babies a easy thing especially for the career types. Despite
legal equality a lot of the former regimes are still in power and
intensely pro-male and wealth in there law making.

The coming demographic collapse is one of the things I worry about.
Wanting a smaller population is one thing, but we're headed there
in a way that's going to be very disrupting.

Up until the mid-20th century, children coming along was
pretty automatically if a woman lived with a man. They cohabited
out of love, and/or economic necessity. It was pretty
difficult for a woman to avoid doing so.

Now, being childless is a much more attainable option, and
many women are making that choice.

Our current society makes parenthood immensely costly to
parents, and especially mothers, in both income and
lifestyle restrictions.

In the US at the moment, it's also made it very
difficult for young people to find housing, jobs,
and income sufficient to make starting a family
a reasonable choice.

Should something be done? I think so, others may differ.

Clearly, coercing people to have kids is utterly
unacceptable.

But, if 'mother' was made a viable, respected, and
attractive career choice, maybe things could be
reversed - it would require massive subsidies,
essentially paying people for life if they have
sufficient offspring.

Is there any SF dealing with this?

pt

Ted Nolan <tednolan>

2024-11-12 03:54:32 UTC

Â Â IT'S HEINLEIN'S WORLD. WE JUST LIVE IN IT.
https://www.newser.com/story/359125/japan-has-a-trucker-shortage-its-
solution-is-novel.html
Â Â Â Â Japan Has a Trucker Shortage. Its Solution Is Novel
Â Â Â Â Nation plans to build a giant 'conveyor belt road' connecting
Â Â Â Â Tokyo and Osaka
Â Â Â Â By John Johnson,Â Newser Staff

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion.Â The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

Â Â Â Â That is because the world they live in is very demanding of youth
and workers. Which is why so many manga are set in "Other Worlds"
The Japanese governments have not yet come up with a plan that makes
having babies a easy thing especially for the career types. Despite
legal equality a lot of the former regimes are still in power and
intensely pro-male and wealth in there law making.

The coming demographic collapse is one of the things I worry about.
Wanting a smaller population is one thing, but we're headed there
in a way that's going to be very disrupting.
Up until the mid-20th century, children coming along was
pretty automatically if a woman lived with a man. They cohabited
out of love, and/or economic necessity. It was pretty
difficult for a woman to avoid doing so.
Now, being childless is a much more attainable option, and
many women are making that choice.
Our current society makes parenthood immensely costly to
parents, and especially mothers, in both income and
lifestyle restrictions.
In the US at the moment, it's also made it very
difficult for young people to find housing, jobs,
and income sufficient to make starting a family
a reasonable choice.
Should something be done? I think so, others may differ.
Clearly, coercing people to have kids is utterly
unacceptable.
But, if 'mother' was made a viable, respected, and
attractive career choice, maybe things could be
reversed - it would require massive subsidies,
essentially paying people for life if they have
sufficient offspring.
Is there any SF dealing with this?
pt

Touched on in Farmer's "Seventy Years of Decpop", as I recall.

Also in Bujold's _Ethan Of Athos_ though given the setting, it was
parenthood more than motherhood.

--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

Paul S Person

2024-11-12 17:10:01 UTC

On Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:51:13 -0500, Cryptoengineer

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion. The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

That is because the world they live in is very demanding of youth
and workers. Which is why so many manga are set in "Other Worlds"
The Japanese governments have not yet come up with a plan that makes
having babies a easy thing especially for the career types. Despite
legal equality a lot of the former regimes are still in power and
intensely pro-male and wealth in there law making.

The coming demographic collapse is one of the things I worry about.
Wanting a smaller population is one thing, but we're headed there
in a way that's going to be very disrupting.
Up until the mid-20th century, children coming along was
pretty automatically if a woman lived with a man. They cohabited
out of love, and/or economic necessity. It was pretty
difficult for a woman to avoid doing so.
Now, being childless is a much more attainable option, and
many women are making that choice.
Our current society makes parenthood immensely costly to
parents, and especially mothers, in both income and
lifestyle restrictions.
In the US at the moment, it's also made it very
difficult for young people to find housing, jobs,
and income sufficient to make starting a family
a reasonable choice.
Should something be done? I think so, others may differ.

What can and should be done is to take advantage of immigration and
repopulate the country.

We have /long since/ passed the point where our economy can be run
without migrant labor. And I'm not talking about techies. I'm talking
about /laborers/.

You know, the ones Trump is going to deport to ... somewhere. He
hasn't quite reached the point of finding out where he can send them.
The Texas/Florida solution was entirely in-USA; it won't work outside
the USA.

Post by Cryptoengineer
Clearly, coercing people to have kids is utterly
unacceptable.
But, if 'mother' was made a viable, respected, and
attractive career choice, maybe things could be
reversed - it would require massive subsidies,
essentially paying people for life if they have
sufficient offspring.

Sounds anti-MAGA to me.

Not the "encouraging motherhood" part. The "paying gummint money"
part.

Post by Cryptoengineer
Is there any SF dealing with this?

--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

Bobbie Sellers

2024-11-12 18:52:19 UTC

Post by Paul S Person
On Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:51:13 -0500, Cryptoengineer

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion. The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

That is because the world they live in is very demanding of youth
and workers. Which is why so many manga are set in "Other Worlds"
The Japanese governments have not yet come up with a plan that makes
having babies a easy thing especially for the career types. Despite
legal equality a lot of the former regimes are still in power and
intensely pro-male and wealth in there law making.

The coming demographic collapse is one of the things I worry about.
Wanting a smaller population is one thing, but we're headed there
in a way that's going to be very disrupting.
Up until the mid-20th century, children coming along was
pretty automatically if a woman lived with a man. They cohabited
out of love, and/or economic necessity. It was pretty
difficult for a woman to avoid doing so.
Now, being childless is a much more attainable option, and
many women are making that choice.
Our current society makes parenthood immensely costly to
parents, and especially mothers, in both income and
lifestyle restrictions.
In the US at the moment, it's also made it very
difficult for young people to find housing, jobs,
and income sufficient to make starting a family
a reasonable choice.
Should something be done? I think so, others may differ.

What can and should be done is to take advantage of immigration and
repopulate the country.
We have /long since/ passed the point where our economy can be run
without migrant labor. And I'm not talking about techies. I'm talking
about /laborers/.
You know, the ones Trump is going to deport to ... somewhere. He
hasn't quite reached the point of finding out where he can send them.
The Texas/Florida solution was entirely in-USA; it won't work outside
the USA.

Back to the authoritarian regimes from which they fled.
And I agree we need those workers and need them to get by on vey
low wages so they need all sorts of support from the government
with housing, healthcare and education.

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Cryptoengineer
Clearly, coercing people to have kids is utterly
unacceptable.

Not to the Government of Texas or Idaho or a few other
states where women must have children and/or die in the attempt.

Post by Paul S Person

Post by Cryptoengineer
But, if 'mother' was made a viable, respected, and
attractive career choice, maybe things could be
reversed - it would require massive subsidies,
essentially paying people for life if they have
sufficient offspring.

Sounds anti-MAGA to me.
Not the "encouraging motherhood" part. The "paying gummint money"
part.

Post by Cryptoengineer
Is there any SF dealing with this?

Oh yes but it has been mentioned here earlier. Riders of
the Purple Wage by Harlan Ellison.

There is a problem in people's minds about paying women
to have healthy children when they have no problem with paying
our military which is basically about killing people lifetime
pensions and the politicians who basically decide whom to kill
are well compensated as well.

Pro-Life is not.

bliss

Paul S Person

2024-11-13 16:15:09 UTC

On Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:52:19 -0800, Bobbie Sellers

Post by Bobbie Sellers

Post by Paul S Person
On Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:51:13 -0500, Cryptoengineer

It isn't just a shortage of truck drivers, Japan is undergoing a slow
motion population implosion. The age demographic that would be having
children is basically refusing to.

That is because the world they live in is very demanding of youth
and workers. Which is why so many manga are set in "Other Worlds"
The Japanese governments have not yet come up with a plan that makes
having babies a easy thing especially for the career types. Despite
legal equality a lot of the former regimes are still in power and
intensely pro-male and wealth in there law making.

The coming demographic collapse is one of the things I worry about.
Wanting a smaller population is one thing, but we're headed there
in a way that's going to be very disrupting.
Up until the mid-20th century, children coming along was
pretty automatically if a woman lived with a man. They cohabited
out of love, and/or economic necessity. It was pretty
difficult for a woman to avoid doing so.
Now, being childless is a much more attainable option, and
many women are making that choice.
Our current society makes parenthood immensely costly to
parents, and especially mothers, in both income and
lifestyle restrictions.
In the US at the moment, it's also made it very
difficult for young people to find housing, jobs,
and income sufficient to make starting a family
a reasonable choice.
Should something be done? I think so, others may differ.

What can and should be done is to take advantage of immigration and
repopulate the country.
We have /long since/ passed the point where our economy can be run
without migrant labor. And I'm not talking about techies. I'm talking
about /laborers/.
You know, the ones Trump is going to deport to ... somewhere. He
hasn't quite reached the point of finding out where he can send them.
The Texas/Florida solution was entirely in-USA; it won't work outside
the USA.

That's the point: those authoritarian regimes have to agree to accept
them. And why would they do that?

--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

The Horny Goat

2024-12-07 10:33:47 UTC

On Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:52:19 -0800, Bobbie Sellers

Post by Cryptoengineer
Up until the mid-20th century, children coming along was
pretty automatically if a woman lived with a man. They cohabited
out of love, and/or economic necessity. It was pretty
difficult for a woman to avoid doing so.

Perhaps but I knew my wife and I had dodged a bullet that we wouldn't
have dodged had we been our parents' generation. As in the joke that
got me whacked by milady: "I got an A+ on my blood test and you got a
Zero minus...."

She got the shots both before and after each of our 3 kids - we
definitely had no plans for a 4th but she got the shots anyhow since
accidents happen and when the result is as dire as Rh disease is you
don't mess about.

Christian Weisgerber

2024-11-13 15:06:43 UTC