The other day I lamented yet again about the reluctance (nay, refusal) of anyone in Congress and the Executive Branch to compromise in order to get anything done. Jessica Hagy, who blogs at Indexed, had a great illustration this morning of what we really need:
I think I'll e-mail copies of it to Mr Bush and all my Reprehensives in Congress. Perhaps it's simply enough expressed for them to understand.
If you've ever tried to use your laptop computer while traveling, or in a local wi-fi hotspot, you've probably had the experience of having some clownhead trying to peek at your screen. You can spend a lot of money on a filter that prevents people from viewing the screen at an angle, or you can use a spiffy wallpaper like this one...
My office is going to open a branch in China. We've had the first sign made already...
According to a recent article on the CNN website, some scientists believe humans will eventually merge with machines. These scientists, who call themselves transhumanists, "...anticipate an era in which biotechnology, molecular nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence and other new types of cognitive tools will be used to amplify our intellectual capacity, improve our physical capabilities and even enhance our emotional well-being...The end result would be a new form of "posthuman" life with beings that possess qualities and skills so exceedingly advanced they no longer can be classified simply as humans."
I may have more to say about this tomorrow, but as far as I can see, people are already merging with machines...consider the idiots who wear their bluetooth devices or chatter on their cell phones 24 hours per day; lazy slobs who can't travel more than 15 feet without taking the car; and drooling loons who are hopelessly and helplessly tethered to the coffee machine, video game, PC, or television set. I rest my case.
Start crossing your fingers now...Agnes and I will be competing in the Virginia State DanceSport Championships on Saturday. If you'd like to know what I look like dressed in a tuxedo and sweating in terror, come on out and watch. Pictures next week, maybe.
That's all for now. I'll have a more coherent post tomorrow. Promise.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
7 comments:
That last picture...I'm taking it to work with me!
Yeah, when you consider how people interact with technology now you really have to wonder what people will be like when they have brainphones...
I also imagine the choice between work and leisure will be difficult when the Singularity or whatever you want to call it comes around...
"Are you going to work today dear?"
"No honey, I'm going to spawn a cloned instance of myself, I feel like mainlining some MTV straight into my cortex. You?"
"I'm going to play Grand Theft Auto XVII in my NuSkin suit."
"Good for you babe!"
I think that last sign was warning you about people that might be lingering in the hallway.
Those two pictures made me laugh!
Also, you misspelled Reprehensives. It should be Reprehensitives.
zero_zero_one - I can't wait 'til you develop that idea into a full post...it should be tremendous.
Mike - so who's got the linguistics degree here, eh? I could have spelled it "Reprehensibles" (with a nod to the great song in "Mr Magoo's Christmas Carol").
Bilbo - Leave it with me, I'll see what I can do :)
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