How a Grandmother Pioneered a Home Shopping Revolution 94
eionmac writes in with a story about the humble beginnings of an industry that is worth over $186.1 billion in the UK alone. "Grandmother Jane Snowball, 72, sat down in an armchair in her Gateshead home in May 1984, picked up a television remote control and used it to order the groceries from her local supermarket. She was part of a council initiative to help the elderly. What she - and everyone else with her at the time - didn't realise was that her simple shopping list was arguably the world's first home online shop. With her remote control she used a piece of computer technology called Videotex. It sent the order down her phone line to the local Tesco - the goods were then packaged and delivered to her door. Mrs Snowball never saw a computer - her television linked her to the shop. 'What we effectively did was to take a domestic TV in a home and turn it into a computer terminal,' says Michael Aldrich, the man behind the technology for the system. 'That was the big leap.'"
Grandmother Jane Snowball's first shopping list (Score:5, Funny)
1 can of whip cream
4 extra large cucumbers
1 can Crisco cooking grease
1 box Trojan condoms
1 package of Marlboro Lights
Re:Grandmother Jane Snowball's first shopping list (Score:5, Funny)
None of which were available in Gateshead in 1984.
More likely:
2 bottles of Stout
1 can tuna (for the cat)
1 bag potatoes
1 tub of lard (to cook the potatoes)
1 tin corned beef
1 pack golden virginia loose tobacco
Re:Online shopping (Score:0, Funny)
Not my cup of tea but I can see how you would be attracted to all of those wrinkles in her skin. The silvery hair that glistens in the midnight light of the full moon as you walk down to the lake. You take her in your arms so that you can hold her gently, oh her teeth slip out and you know it's time. Her gums feel ever so soft and her jaw creeks softly along with the crickets in the night. Soon you lie down she holds nothing back years of experience and the knowledge that there may not be more ahead give her the uncontrollable desire to go where no one you have touch has gone before. No care just call extenuating bliss. You glide into the night and she caresses you. You wake in the morning dawn the red glow flows across your entangled skin and you stare blissfully across the lake as the sun shimmers and trees blow in the wind.
Seems not so bad really.