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People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

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Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#111

Post by quaddo »

I had an office job ca. 1985-1988 during which my manager asked me for my thoughts on installing a pneumatic tube system. The office was located on 2 floors, ie, the 18th and the 39th. I don't quite recall her motivation and reasoning, other than to speed up the transfer of paper docs. Up until then, this was mainly the domain of the mail clerk. I think my manager intended for the tubes to transit between the 2 mailrooms on both floors, so the onus would be put on each employee check the tube room for anything that was due to them. At least the mail clerk delivered straight to everyone's desks.

I was less enthusiastic about it, and told her so. Ultimately, no tube system was installed.

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#113

Post by TRiG_Ireland »

rodgerd wrote: post #14
dmonitor wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i can imagine why people aren’t so enthusiastic about role playing early 20th century germans

Germany, up until the rise of the Nazis, was a popular destination for Eastern Jews fleeing pogroms, a centre of sexuality research, cutting-edge culture for music and film. We should do a better job of remembering that, because the reason none of that survives is "the Nazis murdered everyone". Particularly given the direct adoption of Nazi-era phraseology in modern political movements.

A reminder that the famous photos of Nazi book burnings were mostly burning Hirshfield's research into the lives of trans people.

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#114

Post by MiddleEndian »

nicbou wrote: post #15

Berlin had one of the largest pneumatic mail systems in the world. A (highly recommended) Berlin Unterwelten tour covers it. There is still a big, beautiful Rohrpost building in Mitte close to the big Synagogue. The Real store at Leopoldplatz has a pneumatic tube system that reaches every cash register. You can see the tubes go up and along the ceiling. I believe that it's one of the failed Walmart stores from their…

I wish the postal system were replaced with a request-only series of pneumatic tubes. Then I would simply never request mail, and life would be slightly more convenient!

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#115

Post by amanaplanacanal »

ghaff wrote: post #40
Barrin92 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it's sad how little attention that period of German history gets especially abroad. Babylon Berlin is a fantastic German TV production that captures the cultural side of the late Weimar period very well.

Of course, the musical Cabaret as well. Based on Christopher Isherwood's writings. Unsurprisingly, the film sanitizes things a little bit and makes it into a Liza Minnelli star vehicle--which actually improves on some book problems with the stage version but sort of makes it less interesting overall. Still worth a watch though. The stage version is still playing in London. The play uses the idea of being able to phon…

I just watched this for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Enjoyable film, though I actually cried at the end, knowing what was about to happen there.

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#116

Post by cal85 »

throwaway290 wrote: post #97
idontwantthis wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What on Earth does any of this mean?

If the top-level comment was edited after yours, disregard, but if not... did you put in any effort before you come in with such entitled incredulity? I spent like 30 seconds and it was understood without knowing anything about Chaos etc, it's very on topic with TFA, can the bar be any lower? How are you able to read say any technical documentation?

I read it as good-humoured incredulity, something like: "This comment is so intriguingly bizarre, I don't where to begin making sense of it – can anyone explain?"

Sounds like you read it as something like: "I am angry that I don't understand this comment and I demand others stop what they are doing and explain it to me immediately."

Either of us could be right, but it doesn't matter, and I'm happier!

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#117

Post by zoklet-enjoyer »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #105
zoklet-enjoyer wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I almost bought one of these at a thrift store the other day. They wanted liked $30 for it though.

That sounds cheap for a pretty unique looking electronic instrument though, although the quality will be pretty meh if it's aimed at children.

Right, I would probably play with it a couple times and then forget about it. I should have bought it to see if I could circuit bend it

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#118

Post by Invictus0 »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #107
Stratoscope wrote: post #80

Virgin America offered a service like this when I flew with them a decade ago. If you saw someone you liked, you could make a note of their seat number and buy them a drink from your seatback display. If they accepted the drink, you could start texting with them. I never got lucky, but it was a fun concept! https://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2013/04/25/virg...

That's pretty uncomfortable, also since 99% of that will be men offering it to women.

Yes, it would be truly terrible if men and women interacted with each other.

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#119

Post by hluska »

throwaway290 wrote: post #97
idontwantthis wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What on Earth does any of this mean?

If the top-level comment was edited after yours, disregard, but if not... did you put in any effort before you come in with such entitled incredulity? I spent like 30 seconds and it was understood without knowing anything about Chaos etc, it's very on topic with TFA, can the bar be any lower? How are you able to read say any technical documentation?

Someone asks a good natured question and so you go on a rant that questions everything, including their ability to stay employed? That must make you feel very superior. Good for you.

Re: People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes (2017)

#120

Post by inkcapmushroom »

Jun8 wrote: post #26

This is a titillating combination of remote (don’t know the person) and in-person (you can see them right there across the room. Something that’s impossible to recreate with Tender, etc. There are two fatal flaws to the system that’s described in the article and the more recent examples mentioned the comments, though: (1) first call takes all, you wouldn’t know how many people would be interested in you; and (2) deni…

>In a modern implementation one of these call-less people can be chosen at random and displayed on a big screen, to increase their chances.

Oh boy, can't wait for the jumbo-tron to project my failure to attract dates to everyone. Seems like a great idea.

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