Author Topic: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???  (Read 223 times)

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Offline kimmy

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Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« on: March 07, 2017, 02:21:51 am »
My favorite headline of the day:

This self-driving van concept from Volkswagen looks like a pissed-off toaster

The Future Is Unfriendly.

 -k
Paris - London - New York - Kim City

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guest7

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2017, 07:57:51 am »
They'll take my steering wheel from my cold, dead hands...
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guest4

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2017, 08:26:00 am »
They'll take my steering wheel from my cold, dead hands...
This will be after the self-driving, pissed-off toaster crashes into you ....

Offline cybercoma

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2017, 09:33:09 am »
"Their" concept looks a lot like the cabs in Blade Runner.

Offline kimmy

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2018, 12:36:12 pm »
Has Science Gone Too Far?!

Silicon Valley has come up with another disruptive technology that could radically change the face of transportation in our cities.

Imagine, if you will, a vehicle that travels around the city on a fixed route on a fixed schedule. It stops at numerous specific locations where passengers can embark and disembark. For a fee, you can simply get on the vehicle when it comes to a designated stop near you, and ride on the vehicle until it stops at a designated location closer to where you want to be. The vehicle is somewhat large, and can accommodate more passengers than a typical passenger car.  Because of this sharing of costs between multiple passengers, the cost of transportation is greatly reduced compared operating your own vehicle. Widespread adoption of this technology could also reduce traffic congestion and pollution, as it would reduce the number of passenger vehicles on the road.

Just imagine, the convenience of motorized transportation without the costs of vehicle ownership!  By crowd-funding the costs associated with owning and operating a vehicle among many passengers who might pay a monthly fee, the result is transportation that's affordable for people who couldn't afford a vehicle of their own.  This incredible concept might soon come to a city near you!


https://jalopnik.com/silicon-valley-invents-bus-1796221702

 -k
Paris - London - New York - Kim City

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2018, 12:38:52 pm »
Also known in the 1970s as dial-a-bus.  The idea was that you called a number and ordered the bus, and the dispatcher would send it to you as it wound through the city picking people up.   

For some reason it didn't work then.  Maybe it will work now.

guest7

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2018, 12:46:41 pm »
Has Science Gone Too Far?!

Silicon Valley has come up with another disruptive technology that could radically change the face of transportation in our cities.

Imagine, if you will, a vehicle that travels around the city on a fixed route on a fixed schedule. It stops at numerous specific locations where passengers can embark and disembark. For a fee, you can simply get on the vehicle when it comes to a designated stop near you, and ride on the vehicle until it stops at a designated location closer to where you want to be. The vehicle is somewhat large, and can accommodate more passengers than a typical passenger car.  Because of this sharing of costs between multiple passengers, the cost of transportation is greatly reduced compared operating your own vehicle. Widespread adoption of this technology could also reduce traffic congestion and pollution, as it would reduce the number of passenger vehicles on the road.

Just imagine, the convenience of motorized transportation without the costs of vehicle ownership!  By crowd-funding the costs associated with owning and operating a vehicle among many passengers who might pay a monthly fee, the result is transportation that's affordable for people who couldn't afford a vehicle of their own.  This incredible concept might soon come to a city near you!


https://jalopnik.com/silicon-valley-invents-bus-1796221702

 -k

Not only that, but they have now come up with a device that looks exactly like the one you use to text all your friends, but if you hold it to your ear, you can actually talk to them in real time!

Offline SirJohn

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2018, 02:22:04 pm »
They'll take my steering wheel from my cold, dead hands...

Meanwhile, other people can stumble out of the house, yawning, collapse into the cab, and sleep for the hour ride to work, or can shave and do makeup, and then sleep on the way home. Saving an hour or two of doing nothing but focusing on driving every single work day will make a difference to people's lives.
"When liberals insist that only fascists will defend borders then voters will hire fascists to do the job liberals won't do." David Frum

guest7

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2018, 02:35:01 pm »
Meanwhile, other people can stumble out of the house, yawning, collapse into the cab, and sleep for the hour ride to work, or can shave and do makeup, and then sleep on the way home. Saving an hour or two of doing nothing but focusing on driving every single work day will make a difference to people's lives.

Different strokes for different folks.   I would never try and prevent others from putting their lives further into the hands of a microchip.

Plus, I like driving.  It's  one of life's pleasures.  Of course, I don't live in the Lower Mainland anymore.
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Offline SirJohn

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2018, 02:40:22 pm »
Different strokes for different folks.   I would never try and prevent others from putting their lives further into the hands of a microchip.

Plus, I like driving.  It's  one of life's pleasures.  Of course, I don't live in the Lower Mainland anymore.

Well, I know people who have over an hour's commute one way. I'm sure they could use two more hours sleep.
"When liberals insist that only fascists will defend borders then voters will hire fascists to do the job liberals won't do." David Frum

guest7

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2018, 02:48:46 pm »
Well, I know people who have over an hour's commute one way. I'm sure they could use two more hours sleep.

Sure, but how could you possibly sleep knowing you are only a semiconductor malfunction away from a fiery death?  Especially given the performance of most of the IT at the very place one is slumbering towards.


Offline Queefer Sutherland

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2018, 02:57:03 pm »
To drastically reduce traffic accidents and the time I'm wasting in traffic doing nothing when I could be doing something more interesting & productive like reading or interneting, I'm all or it.  Robotic chauffeur yes please.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley

Offline Omni

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2018, 02:58:04 pm »
Sure, but how could you possibly sleep knowing you are only a semiconductor malfunction away from a fiery death?  Especially given the performance of most of the IT at the very place one is slumbering towards.

Have you never heard of the skytrain?

guest7

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2018, 03:02:49 pm »
Have you never heard of the skytrain?

That's why I said "further".  I figured self driving cars wouldn't be the first. 


Offline kimmy

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Re: Has Science Gone Too Far?!???
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2021, 02:21:38 am »
Facebook plans to introduce their own "smart glasses" in the near future.    Google tried this a few years ago and the results were "too nerdy" and the idea died a quick death.  The Facebook plan is somewhat worrying because it might incorporate facial recognition technology. I think the potential privacy issues are troubling.

I imagine that their main interest is targeted advertising. So for example, somebody is wearing their Facebook smart glasses at the Kim City waterfront Cactus Club.  I walk past, as I do almost every weekend. Their Facebook glasses activate their facial recognition algorithm, and say "that person is Kimmy!" and based on my face and location, Kimmy and Cactus Club become linked in their database.  And next thing you know, I'm getting targeted ads. The Kim City Desert Plant Enthusiasts Society, the Kim City Terrarium Club, the Kim City Xeriscape Club, Kim City Bonsai Club, Kim City Cactus Nursery, and so on.

That would be annoying enough, but it could potentially be worse. What if just walking down the street with their Facebook smart glasses on gives a random stranger the ability to identify you and perhaps even contact you? Could somebody doxx you in real-time? I don't think I would want that.

And what about surveillance? Could governments obtain Facebook's records to find out who was at a protest, for example?

It seems to me like there are some troubling possibilities if this technology becomes widespread.

 -k
Paris - London - New York - Kim City