The History of Vending Machines

Vending or automatic retailing, as the process of selling merchandise via automated machine is increasingly known, has a long history. The first recorded example of the vending machine came from Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria, who  invented a device that dispensed  holy water inside Egyptian temples.   Other early examples included small brass machines that dispensed tobacco, found in  taverns in England around  1615.  In 1822, English  publisher and bookshop owner Richard Carlile built a newspaper dispensing machine  that allowed patrons to purchase banned works. The first fully automatic vending machine, which  dispensed  stamps, appeared in  1867. Coin-Operated Machines During the early 1880s, the first commercial coin-operated vending machines were introduced in London, England. The machines were commonly found at railway stations and  post offices because they were convenient for purchasing  envelopes,  postcards, and  notepaper. In 1887, the first vending machine servicer, the  Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Co., was founded.   The next year, the Thomas Adams Gum Co. introduced the first vending machines to the United States. They were installed on the elevated subway platforms in New York, New York, and sold Tutti-Fruiti gum. In 1897, the Pulver Manufacturing Co. added illustrated figures to its gum machines as an extra attraction. The round, candy-coated gumball and gumball vending machines were introduced in 1907. Coin-Operated Restaurants Soon, vending machines were offering almost everything, including cigars and stamps. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a completely coin-operated restaurant called Horn Hardart opened in 1902 and lasted until 1962. Such fast-food restaurants, called automats, originally took only nickels and were popular among struggling  songwriters and  actors as well as celebrities of the era. Beverages and Cigarettes Machines dispensing drinks go as far back as 1890. The first beverage vending machine was in Paris, France, and allowed people to buy beer, wine, and liquor. In the early 1920s, vending machines started dispensing  sodas  into cups. Today, beverages are among the most popular items sold through vending machines. In 1926, American inventor William Rowe invented the cigarette vending machine. Over time, however, they became less common in the United States due to concerns over underage buyers. In other countries, vendors required that some sort of age verification, such as a drivers license, bank card, or ID, be inserted before a purchase could be made. Cigarette dispensing machines are still common in  Germany, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Japan.   Specialty Machines Food, beverages, and cigarettes are the most common items sold in vending machines, but the list of specialty items sold by this form of automation is almost endless, as a quick survey of any airport or bus terminal will tell you. The industry took a big jump around 2006 when credit card scanners became common on vending machines. Within 10 years, almost every new machine was equipped to accept credit cards, opening the door to the sale of many high-priced items. Specialty products that have been offered via vending machine include: Fish baitOnline internet timeLottery ticketsBooksElectronics, including iPads,  cell phones, digital cameras, and computers  Hot foods, such as french fries and pizzaLife insuranceCondoms and other contraceptivesOver-the-counter drugsMarijuanaAutomobiles Yes, you read that last item correctly:  In late 2016, Autobahn Motors in Singapore opened a luxury car vending machine offering Ferraris  and  Lamborghinis. Buyers clearly needed hefty limits on their credit cards. The Land of Vending Machines Japan has a reputation for having some of the most innovative uses of automated vending, providing machines that offer fresh fruits and vegetables, sake, hot foods, batteries, flowers, clothing and, of course, sushi. Japan has the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world.   The Future The latest trend is smart vending machines, which offer services such as cashless payments; face, eye, or fingerprint recognition;  and social media connectivity. It is likely that vending machines of the future will recognize you and tailor their offerings to your interests and tastes. A beverage vending machine, for example, might recognize what you have purchased at other machines and ask you if you want your usual skim latte with a double shot of vanilla.   Market research projects that by 2020, 20% of all vending machines will be smart machines, with at least 3.6 million units knowing who you are and what you like.

Americas Foreign Policy Rise to Globalism by Stephen E....

Rise to Globalism is a fascinating summary of Americas foreign policy from World War II to the Gulf War. Stephen E. Ambrose, earned his history Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin and he is a very talented author. Rise to Globalism was published by Penguin Books Inc. in 1993 in New York. The book gives the readers an idea of why America and the rest of the world were communicating, ordered in consecutive order and by U.S. presidents. In this novel, Stephen E. Ambrose and Douglas G. Brinkley covered an extensive topic in a fairly short book. Ambrose and Brinkley discuss some topics more thoroughly than others. For example, the authors go into great depth about the wars in Vietnam and Korea, but slightly touches on some topics, like the†¦show more content†¦Which followed through to Ford’s Administration and the Carter Administration. As well as the illegal bombing of Cambodia. Carter gets harassed about his evidence of his failed foreign policy because of the Irani an Hostage crisis, which was not handled well, and the credit for the solution belonged to Reagan. After Egypt seized the Suez Canal, and with military assistance to protestors when Cuba became communist, American interfered with negotiation. America felt assured enough to use the military to help South Vietnam in the fight against both the North Vietnamese and the Vietcong, after the reasonable achievement in resolving a disaster in Cuba with the Soviet Union. This war became a war of terrible magnitudes and a mortifying incident in American history. In order to resolve struggles between Egypt, Syria and Israel, America became engaged with the Middle East, using negotiation and military materials The United States also tried to fix two problems by trying to resolve struggles with Libya, South Africa and Iran while simultaneously having problem with the Russians in the Cold War. Moreover, the pubic appear to not be affected by the Arms for Hostages Scandal while Reagan was president, which was a deal with the Iranian government to release prisoners once the voting was over. Next, there was the contribution of the Contras in Central America, and the following Iran-Contra Affair outrage which made Col. Oliver North famedShow MoreRelatedWorld War II to the Gulf War by Stephen E. Ambrose1667 Words   |  7 PagesRise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938 is an alluring analysis of Americas outside approach of World War II to the Gulf War. The author, Stephen E. Ambrose, received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin. He is known for his accomplished writing. He has written fifteen books on military history, foreign policy, and quite a few biographies on our own past United States presidents. Besides his career as an author, Ambrose has taught several history classes at various locationsRead MorePresident Truman Doctrine And Marshall Pla n3103 Words   |  13 Pagesvictorious from their civil war and the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb, seemed to confirm to the United States that communism was expansive and aggressive. By 1950, the Cold War had become pervasive both at home and abroad. In foreign policy terms the United States had proclaimed itself as the only major protection against communist expansion. In five short years the world had transformed dramatically. Harry S. Truman quickly made his mark as President and quickly turned cold warriorRead MoreThe Unforgotten Historiography Of The Korean War3134 Words   |  13 Pagesvictorious from their civil war and the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic bomb, seemed to confirm to the United States that communism was expansive and aggressive. By 1950, the Cold War had become pervasive both at home and abroad. In foreign policy terms the United States had proclaimed itself as the only major protection against communist expansion. In five short years the world had transformed dramatically. Harry S. Truman quickly made his mark as President and quickly turned cold warrior

Touched by an Angel free essay sample

As I was watching Touched by anAngel one night, I thought about a fallen angel who once flipped me 180degrees. Four hours on a plane and five long hours of driving through themountains brought my family to Banff in Alberta, Canada. The overwhelming sceneryrendered me speechless. As soon as we arrived at the hotel, I plunged into thecold chlorinated water, and while swimming, wondered about the next five days inthe Rocky Mountains. I was excited about my dads idea of climbing those fabledpeaks that reached to the sky. After going over all our exciting plans, I headedback to the room. Then, there was that girl. It seemed as if an angel had fallento earth from heaven. Her beauty astonished me, but I could only pass byher. I just didnt picture myself with this majestic girl. As I walked by with asmile, she seemed distracted by my footsteps. Quickly she asked, Can youhelp me? Blissfully, I replied, Sure, what can I do foryou? I couldnt believe the girl even spoke to me. We will write a custom essay sample on Touched by an Angel or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She, Cathy, needed me tofind her room. Regardless of my unfamiliarity with the hotels geography, Idecided to help her out. A few minutes of searching landed us there, and thisravishing girl thanked me from the bottom of her heart. The last thing I rememberseeing was a titanic door dividing and barring our paths. That night, twothings kept me from sleeping. The incident with the girl made me think aboutnothing but her. Her silky brown hair and beautiful blue eyes made me forget theplans with my family. She reminded me of a goddess from one of those mythologicalstories. The other thing that frenzied me was the colossal cacophony produced bymy father. His snoring ruined my mood. The next morning my family droveto a nearby attraction, the Hot Springs Pool. Being surrounded by good-looking,muscular body-builders intimidated me; the surfers seemed to have tired of Malibuand decided to show off their masculinity in Canada. While relaxing, I saw thegirl from the day before enter the pool area, accompanied by her grandparents. Iwas hesitant to get up, because I felt shy and was afraid she wouldnt recognizeme, but I couldnt resist her beauty. I walked toward her, afraid of sayingsomething doltish. I greeted her, and luckily she recognized my voice andintroduced me to her grandparents. Soon, my parents came over and Cathysgrandparents continued praising me in front of them. While they were chatting,Cathy and I walked to the other side of the pool where no one was visible. Nomatter what angle I looked at her from, she was gorgeous. For the next fewhours we talked about almost everything, from how her parents had passed away towhat she got for her birthday. Almost every story she told was sad. Once, she hadgone out jogging with her favorite dog. She hadnt noticed the fog and wasenjoying the time with her dog, but a few minutes later, he was run over by atruck. If it werent for her dog, she could have been killed. The hardest thingfor me was realizing she couldnt explore what nature was providing: all thosewhite sprinkles on the tops of mountains, the fluffy clouds that reminded one ofheaven. I abhorred the idea of Cathy not enjoying this, but she didnt seem tomind. I listened to her stories not because of her beauty, but herhonesty and candor. She also didnt seem to care about my race, never asking meoffensive questions, yet not hesitant to inquire about being Korean. Unlike othergirls, she enjoyed my company. Just as I listened to her stories with excitement,she listened to mine lame to me, in comparison with hers with greatpleasure. On the ride home, I realized I have not appreciated my greatopportunities and advantages. The support I receive from my parents, teachers andfriends I never thanked them for sharing their precious time with me. My egowanted more and I became selfish. Realizing that everyone in this world should betreated equally and deserves equal opportunities, I am eager to help people likeCathy. I feel as if I have been given a mission to value what I have, and becomean honest, diligent doctor who will find a way to cure Cathys blindness.