I have been collecting links on robots and the roles they play in manufacturing, fashion, and even writing sports updates of major league games.

Let's take a look at some of them starting with an article in yesterday's New York Times, Skilled Work, Without the Worker.

2
1
View Full Article
Mike Shedlock

Mike Shedlock

Mike Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for Sitka Pacific Capital Management.

Most Recent Articles

Join the Debate
12 Comments So Far
Blair31 Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 7:25 PM
It takes more than a robot to replace a woman. (The correct term is "android), by the way.
Flag as Offensive
The Teleprompter Speaks Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 5:09 PM
We have higher wages, a higher standard of living and more expensive regulations than China. Our workers have to be more productive in order to compete.

Nobody wants to work for slave wages and most consumers don't want to pay what it would cost to build many products here.

We can reduce regulation, reduce taxes, reform the tax system if we want to increase manufacturing jobs in the USA.
Flag as Offensive
lkartchner Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 2:57 PM
Farming was once the largest employer in the United States. Farming now accounts for 10% of the workforce.

Manufacturing once accounted for over 60% of the US workforce. It is now declining to around 30%, and may stabilize at around 20%. Oh, and the US still is the largest producer in the world. Industry IS moving back into the US. Yes, they are using automation for it. It was the Unions demands to save jobs that caused the exodus.

Creative jobs are still beyond the scope of the machines, but the boundary keeps moving back.

Still, people have to have money to eat and buy the stuff that the machines make. How we do that will change. But that is the thing that drives the economy.
Flag as Offensive
DHWood Wrote: Aug 22, 2012 9:08 PM
All the robot machines are made in China.
We can't make them here.
Flag as Offensive
Charles SWVA Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 1:58 PM
Stand by for: 1. Cold Fusion, 2. 3d Printing (Manufacturing), 3. EESU, 4. Food Manufactured in your kitchen from coal or oil 5. Home Robots, 6. Transmutation, 7. Stuff God has not yet revealed.

The economics and pollitics for that world are yet to be worked out. Get started !
Flag as Offensive
johninohio Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 11:34 AM
Let me guess what your conclusion will be:

Within the next 50 years, 90% of the US population will be on welfare (with most of them on drugs, indulging in high risk pastimes, killing for thrills or committing suicide.) Birthrates will be 1/1 vs the 2.6/1 rate needed to maintain the population. The remaining 10% will be living in walled, secured communities and employed building and maintaining robots.
Flag as Offensive
jb168 Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 10:10 AM
Hey Mish, Those sports stories are full of redundancies and other errors: "Friona fell 10-8 to Boys Ranch in five innings on Monday at Friona despite racking up seven hits and eight runs." (We already knew, from the score, that Fiona had scored 8 runs.) And the bullpen limited the opponents to "only no runs"? Methinks these here robots ain't yet got the hang of certain subtleties of the English language. Hey robot!! Speil Czech thyss!
Flag as Offensive
Gunthorp Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 9:36 AM
First outsourcing then robotics caused manufacturing jobs to morph to service jobs. Now service jobs are being outsourced. When robotics finally replace the remaining service jobs, will all workers have to go on disability? If robots can diagnose disease, they soon may become surgeons, and eventually staff the death panel.
Flag as Offensive
Chris from Kalifornia Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 8:15 AM
Not sure what the HRP in HRP-4C stands for but if she shows to much anger and surprise she will end up nicknamed Harpy.
Flag as Offensive
Black and White Brian Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 7:53 AM
.... Robots to Replace Women, Rule World ...?

Phew.

What a relief!
Flag as Offensive
Andy440 Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 2:16 AM
Replace women? Nope, that's not going to happen.
Flag as Offensive
Chris from Kalifornia Wrote: Aug 21, 2012 8:12 AM
Oh yeah? Put a Realdoll skin and genitalia on that robot in Japan and a lot of guys would like that better than dealing with a real woman.
Flag as Offensive
New comments on this article - click to refresh