Los Angeles 100,000 years in the future
A headline in the Los Angeles Times, Apr 15, 1923. The author of the article, Ransome Sutton, elaborated:
Hairless, toothless, earless, toeless, head-heavy, all the useless scaffolding removed from the body, all the animal instincts erased from the mind, man will sit in a cushioned chair — a Jovian brain in a simplified body, like a dynamo housed in papier-mache — wielding thunderbolts.
So much concerning the inhabitants of Los Angeles in the year 101,923 AD.
Within the memory of old men, Los Angeles has grown into a city of some 700,000 inhabitants. Barring earthquakes, glaciers, acts of God and the public enemy, it should continue to grow, at an increasing rate, so long as mouths can be fed and the inhabitants housed. For it affords attractions of everlasting value — summery sunshine, health, rare air, good soil, scenery, the mountains in the background and in front the sea. Railroads extending to the eastward like a fan, and ocean routes radiating to the westward. Here, more surely than almost anywhere, continuous growth is insured.
So much concerning the inhabitants of Los Angeles in the year 101,923 AD.
Within the memory of old men, Los Angeles has grown into a city of some 700,000 inhabitants. Barring earthquakes, glaciers, acts of God and the public enemy, it should continue to grow, at an increasing rate, so long as mouths can be fed and the inhabitants housed. For it affords attractions of everlasting value — summery sunshine, health, rare air, good soil, scenery, the mountains in the background and in front the sea. Railroads extending to the eastward like a fan, and ocean routes radiating to the westward. Here, more surely than almost anywhere, continuous growth is insured.
Of course, he failed to foresee how bizarre many of the residents of Los Angeles would have become a mere 90 years later, let alone 100,000 years in the future!
Comments
Sorry, but by that time Nevada will have sea-frontage. At least, one can hope.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/24/13 at 10:32 AM
...."rare air" indeed! It's getting better I guess.
The tap water though was bad for my houseplants. The outer edges of the leaves were turning brown. I thought the plants were thirsty! Nope. Guy at the gardening center said that happens from "too much chlorine". So now my plants gets Brita water!
The tap water though was bad for my houseplants. The outer edges of the leaves were turning brown. I thought the plants were thirsty! Nope. Guy at the gardening center said that happens from "too much chlorine". So now my plants gets Brita water!
Posted by girlgeniusNYC on 04/24/13 at 11:46 AM
girlgeniusNYC -- I don't think Brita will filter out chlorine, but if you leave the water sit in a jug overnight, much of the chlorine should evaporate out. Or, at least, that's what I once read, though I can't remember where I read it.
Posted by Alex on 04/24/13 at 01:57 PM
I read an article today about the ten most polluted cities in the US. Eight of them were in California. The other two were Pittsburgh PA and Cincinnati OH.
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/real_estate/2013/04/24/polluted-cities/index.html?source=cnn_bin
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/real_estate/2013/04/24/polluted-cities/index.html?source=cnn_bin
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 04/24/13 at 02:59 PM
@ Alex. Thanks. I filter the water and let it sit overnight to get to "room temperature". The Brita needs cold water.
@ BrokeDad. Valleys tend to allow pollution to pile up. California has many and Cincinnati is in the Ohio River valley.
@ BrokeDad. Valleys tend to allow pollution to pile up. California has many and Cincinnati is in the Ohio River valley.
Posted by girlgeniusNYC on 04/24/13 at 04:46 PM
For food in pills:
http://www.online-literature.com/stephen-leacock/literary-lapses/10/
http://www.online-literature.com/stephen-leacock/literary-lapses/10/
Posted by BMN on 04/24/13 at 04:54 PM
A prediction that far in the future is pointless. For what its worth I doubt it is even close to right either.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/24/13 at 08:49 PM
Who would ever believe that LA could balloon to 700,000 inhabitants?
Posted by Harvey on 04/24/13 at 09:22 PM
@Patty: I'll let you know when I get back.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/24/13 at 10:09 PM
Excellent honey! Does that new scooter get up to 88mph for the trip?
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 04/25/13 at 11:32 PM
88??? I had it DeLoreanized as an after-factory extra and plan on making the leap in the local supermarket's parking lot.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/26/13 at 12:06 AM
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Category: Utopias and Dystopias | 1920s | Yesterday’s Tomorrows