Getting a little tired of reading these rants. People are building "applications" that just happen to run in the web browser, for convenience. They aren't building repositories for static information.
An "application" can be built using progressive enhancement. The OP even describes ways to approach this. There were applications before there were AJAX or Angular. Their experiences leave a little to be desired, sure, but they were certainly usable. A basis in simpler, server-centric interaction with enhanced, client-side experience jazz is still more in-keeping with "how the web was made", and with how it is consumed.
If Taco Bell decides to close their web site in favor of an app... well, a rant is going to change that, no matter how strongly worded. Blame consumer capitalism or PR firms or whatever.
It's frustrated prescriptivism. As a voice in the discourse, I suppose it has its value.