Technology that puts profits before people

Broadly speaking, technology has had two main purposes: to make life easier for people – or to kill them. It was ever thus, from the wheel to the bow and arrow.

Lately, however, technology seems to do rather less for the individual and more for the corporations. I was reminded of this when I saw people queuing for the self-service tills in the supermarket the other day. The purpose of such tills is, ultimately, to reduce the number of people required to run the show; fewer people operating checkouts inevitably leads to fewer jobs and reduced wages budgets.

I confess to being an old stick in the mud when it comes to shopping.

I would rather shop in an independent store (even though prices may be a few pence higher) and to be served by a human being, not stick money in a slot when told to do so by a machine.

Forgive me, but this whole technology thing has become rather a bugbear of mine. Banks and other business tell us how easy and safe it is to do everything online. Then we hear that this or that computer has been hacked and millions of peoples’ details have been accessed by unauthorised sources.

I could go on but there are more cheerful things to think about.

The former Oranges pub underwent a number of changes before turning into the Memphis Bar with a very personable Chinese gent singing Elvis Presley songs to a karaoke machine.

Sadly, he lost far too much money and has moved out of the area. Now the venue is entering into a new phase of its life, and is undergoing conversion to a Nepalese restaurant.

I sincerely wish the new people the best of luck with their venture. It would be good to see the place thriving again.

‘I confess to being an old stick in the mud when it comes to shopping’

Mrs B tells me that Ashford is officially to offer sanctuary to a number of young refugees. I have often pointed out things I have perceived as shortcomings of the council, but this is most definitely a development to be applauded.

Despite the xenophobic ranting and misleading ‘statistics’ presented by one or two of the more popular right-wing tabloids, it appears that immigration has proved, overall, to be of great benefit to our national economy and cultural diversity.

Let us hope the people of Ashford will welcome the newcomers into our community with open arms.