Brzezinski Befuddled By Idea Higher Hiring Costs Encourage Employers to Automate

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

You really have to listen to Mika Brzezinski's voice rising as if in a question as she pronounces the very last word in an excerpt from a Wall Street Journal column—and watch the expression on her face—to appreciate how utterly baffled, befuddled and bewildered she seems by the simple notion that increasing the cost of hiring motivates employers to automate their operations.

The column, "The Employee of the Month Has a Battery," noted that restaurant chains like Chili's are introducing tabletop ordering devices and eliminating server positions. Author Michael Saltsman makes the incontrovertible argument that "policy makers are encouraging the switch to technology by increasing the cost of hiring." But just listen to Mika pronounce that last word, and watch the ensuing expression on her face, to see how the notion leaves her at a complete loss.

View the video here.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I know, I know: I could have ended the headline after the first two words ;-) But seriously, please watch the video and listen to Mika’s voice at the very end, to get the complete effect.

Ping to Today show list.

[Chainmail]

You really have to ask yourself if it's our school system that's failing people like Mika or if it's just a diminishing of IQ. Automation allows precision, repeatability, long hours of operation, and zero on-the-job theft, union activity, hassles.

I worked at Lockheed Aircraft years ago and it astounded me to watch all of the behind the scenes garbage the workers were doing to waste company time and to screw up operations so they could make more overtime.

The future will be automation for all the lower skill repetitious operations and later maybe even the higher skill activities (such as engineering, architecture, law, etc.).

The question is what we will do with the lower skilled/less intelligent among us when that happens.

[Flick Lives]

Seems like one area ripe for automation is news drones like Brzezinski. She could be replaced by a CGI effect.

[PowderMonkey]

People like Mika have no idea where their food comes from, how electricity is produced and delivered, nor what it takes to fuel their cars or heat their homes. They are simply above all that. The people who profess to be the most caring, involved and compassionate simply don't care. Until the food stops coming, and the lights go out. Then, they become “experts” on how to run a business.

[DugwayDuke]

It’s more basic to the liberal mind set. We often debate the differences between liberals and conservatives. One difference is very basic. Conservatives live in the world as it is and liberals live in the world they wish existed. IOW, in her world, you could increase the minimum wage without impacting employment. A conservative would see that wage increases inevitably decrease employment.

[miss marmelstein]

She’s seriously one of the stupidest women to appear on tv. And that’s saying a lot.

[Night Hides Not]

I saw her reaction live...that's why I wait until I get to work to eat breakfast.

I wonder if she's ever been further west than West Virginia.

[informavoracious]

Even Barry knows that ATMs replace bank tellers.

[McGruff]

Have some compassion. All that bleach has got to have had some effect on her cranium.

[bert]

If there ia a robot taking the order, can you get the salad dressing on the side?

Can you order the breakfast lightly toasted? Canyou hold the pickle?

Can you hold the tip?

[SIRTRIS]

Sad to see what an environment of socialism has done to Mika & her father. The polish ppl must be shaking their heads, I know I am! Nie, teraz siedzisz całymi dniami jak menel.

[Hojczyk]

Meet the Robot That Makes 360 Gourmet Burgers Per Hour

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/meet-the-robot-that-makes-360-gourmet-burgers-per-hour

[sickoflibs]

I saw that while eating my cornflakes, an unexpected exchange.

TMJ Regular Michelle Wallace Bushie (and pro-gay marraige/pro-amnesty) joined in with :”Raising the minimum wage is a wonderful idea but.....”

wonderful??? she’s just sooo compassionate.

[silverleaf]

if you hold the tip, the computer won’t spit in your food

[Thank You Rush]

“”The question is what we will do with the lower skilled/less intelligent among us when that happens.””

They can get a job like Mika’s.......

[Dutch Boy]

"You really have to ask yourself if it's our school system that's failing people like Mika or if it's just a diminishing of IQ."

This statement reminds me of a quote from Murphy's Law Book 1 - "The intelligence of the planet is a constant but the population is growing."

[Jack Hydrazine]

This is a great example of the static thinking that permeates collectivists everywhere.

[tanknetter]

An interesting case study would be Giant supermarkets.

Several years back they caved to their unions under threat of strike. Short time later they began a very aggressive rollout of the self-checkout stations.

I noticed that during normal operations they went from having manned 2-3 cashier stations to having one or maybe two. During high traffic times I noticed that they never had more than four and usually three manned stations, compared to six or seven plus.

I’m certain that Giant has the internal figures of the real cost savings to them of such a reduction. Plus the projected contingency savings of a variety of different strike scenarios. I’d love to see them.

Also, has anyone else noticed that Giant and other supermarkets have been gradually devolving the stocking of shelves to their distribtors ... permitting the elimination of even more in house staff ...

[reformedliberal]

Probably better than with a human server.

I can’t count the times I have asked for a deviation from the menu, knowing there is a 50/50 chance the server will get it right or the kitchen will even follow the order. Even the mid-price restaurants now get everything pre-portioned and frozen. Deviation sends the server into panic.

I imagine the lower price point fast food chains will automate first. Mid-price point places will will try to find some entertainment value in automated ordering and serving. Human servers will be a feature of higher-priced restaurants. Buffets and automated cafeterias will proliferate.

I also think all of the above will depend on just how much disposable income is out there. Probably become more prevalent in larger urban areas.