Jul 3 2012: Crime will be abolished either when the entire population of the world will be required to wear headbands that inhibit criminal behaviour; or humanity leaps inside a virtual realm generated by the computer, where there is no need of harming others.
Until the desire and the need are abrogated, there will always be crime.
Surveillance cannot prevent terrorist networks from formulating the ideas for mass murder.
No matter how many cameras, or police officers you put on the streets, there will always be someone who will slip easily by unnoticed.
Rather than create a citadel of secret agents, trip wires and security cameras, maybe we should focus more on the reason why crime is considered in the first place?
Greed, poverty, poor education, mental illness, homelessness, religion.
Fix some of these problems, and there may be less of a need for an Orwellian view of the future.
Jul 3 2012: Perhaps it could be your dog's collar belt? Or maybe your dog has had a dental implant? Alien abduction? Have you noticed any differences in your dog lately? Your dog may have been swapped for a robotic replica. If so, it may be possible to switch the bands, though it would require some disassembly,.
Failing that, are you a 100 percent certain that your mouse isn't real?
And have you ever considered taking a Voight-Kampff yourself, Mr. Webber?
Jul 2 2012: Why isn't the use of solar technology more widespread?
And why aren't some of Shell's £2 million an hour profits channelled into providing this technology to communities that need it most?
Jun 30 2012: I like this idea. But would it make for an interesting game of football? Perhaps if the stakes were higher, like, whoever wins has to relinquish their nuclear capability, their ancient religions, or their oil reserves -- whatever, it's only deadly radioactive materials, holy texts, and sweet, sweet gooey liquid marine-life death!
However, things might get more interesting if resources were distributed based on the outcome of a game.
Perhaps we could settle disputes with a nice friendly match of Call of Duty? There might not then be a need for war. Or at least, the kind that leads to bloodshed.
The only being capable of judging such a game would have to be unbiased, omniscient, and possibly a member of Mensa. Until such a superhero arrives, we must hope for Apple to deliver a smartphone that will actually lead the human race to wherever it wants to get to in a hurry. Maybe that will be a banana, or an actual Apple. I don't know.
Jun 30 2012: Thanks for clarifying that. I thought you were implying something else entirely by employing the word "kindergarten".
Who knows, perhaps in the future we will all be working out to veg out? Perhaps it might become a career for some. They could work for the energy companies, and the very fittest could compete against one another for fame, fortune, and a much greener world in... the first annual Power Generation Games! Brought to you by Powerade ;)
But seriously, I think it would be great if competitive sports events were to somehow utilise the movement by its participants, and convert it into something more useful.
Would dynamos in trainers work?
How about having the next Olympics powered by Usain Bolt, or Mo Farah?
Jun 29 2012: Are you being derisive? Or genuinely supportive of the idea? The device already exists, and so does the method of energy generation. But the scheme would need to be widely adopted for it to have any effect on the national grid, and fossil fuel consumption.
However charming or quaint the notion proposed is, all that really matters is: can it possibly work?
Jun 29 2012: How would this work? If you ask a stranger a question, would they be obliged to answer? Until the time when autonomy is overruled by apple's i-mind personality control matrix (predicted Summer 2032 capture), the idea of "mandatory" conversation is untenable, and a little worrying.
It may make the world a better place knowing what's on everybody's minds. But after a while, would you really mind what other people are minding, minding about mindful mind related stuff? Or would you not pay it any mind?
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A comment on Conversation: Exercise farms for generating electricity and reducing the impact of weight-related problems on healthcare.
I'm glad that you believe it could work.
What would the next be? Take it to the government? Would they even listen?
A comment on Conversation: A better method of gathering information on criminals
Until the desire and the need are abrogated, there will always be crime.
Surveillance cannot prevent terrorist networks from formulating the ideas for mass murder.
No matter how many cameras, or police officers you put on the streets, there will always be someone who will slip easily by unnoticed.
Rather than create a citadel of secret agents, trip wires and security cameras, maybe we should focus more on the reason why crime is considered in the first place?
Greed, poverty, poor education, mental illness, homelessness, religion.
Fix some of these problems, and there may be less of a need for an Orwellian view of the future.
A comment on Conversation: What would cause my 2.4Ghz wireless mouse to become erratic when my dog's head is nearby?
Failing that, are you a 100 percent certain that your mouse isn't real?
And have you ever considered taking a Voight-Kampff yourself, Mr. Webber?
A comment on Conversation: A conversation with Shell: How can the smarter use of energy and other resources unlock the true potential of cities?
And why aren't some of Shell's £2 million an hour profits channelled into providing this technology to communities that need it most?
A comment on Conversation: What would cause my 2.4Ghz wireless mouse to become erratic when my dog's head is nearby?
Have you tried switching the bands?
A comment on Conversation: Iran Vs United States. Multiple football matches to improve relations between two nations. what can be the outcome ?
However, things might get more interesting if resources were distributed based on the outcome of a game.
Perhaps we could settle disputes with a nice friendly match of Call of Duty? There might not then be a need for war. Or at least, the kind that leads to bloodshed.
The only being capable of judging such a game would have to be unbiased, omniscient, and possibly a member of Mensa. Until such a superhero arrives, we must hope for Apple to deliver a smartphone that will actually lead the human race to wherever it wants to get to in a hurry. Maybe that will be a banana, or an actual Apple. I don't know.
A reply on Conversation: Exercise farms for generating electricity and reducing the impact of weight-related problems on healthcare.
Who knows, perhaps in the future we will all be working out to veg out? Perhaps it might become a career for some. They could work for the energy companies, and the very fittest could compete against one another for fame, fortune, and a much greener world in... the first annual Power Generation Games! Brought to you by Powerade ;)
But seriously, I think it would be great if competitive sports events were to somehow utilise the movement by its participants, and convert it into something more useful.
Would dynamos in trainers work?
How about having the next Olympics powered by Usain Bolt, or Mo Farah?
A comment on Conversation: Exercise farms for generating electricity and reducing the impact of weight-related problems on healthcare.
However charming or quaint the notion proposed is, all that really matters is: can it possibly work?
A comment on Conversation: In an individualistic world where autonomy is a requirement for human-involvement, should conversation be mandatory?
It may make the world a better place knowing what's on everybody's minds. But after a while, would you really mind what other people are minding, minding about mindful mind related stuff? Or would you not pay it any mind?