I just read that walmart will be opeing up medical facilities in some stores ...
People have attempted to "live" in walmarts, they offer food, shelter, restrooms, now medical facilities ... couple that with a decent café/resteaurant and a motel, coupled to an office building, and you're halfway towards arcology.
Okay not really, but they're a coming, you hear!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Paying with Euro's in the big apple
Shopkeeprs in NYC are beginning to accept Euros as legal tender, eyeing the poor exchange rate of the us dollar. The same low rate has attracted boatloads of tourists whose money will buy a lot more accross the pond.
Inflation can be a very painfull affair indeed ... now if you excuse me, I'm going to check out radioshacks overseas shipping policy.
Inflation can be a very painfull affair indeed ... now if you excuse me, I'm going to check out radioshacks overseas shipping policy.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Drugs in the future?
It's been a recurring, if not central element in cyberpunk and science fiction: widespread use of legal dugs.
William Gibson shaped his sprawl flooded with designer drugs, and the inability to consume them was a major factor in convincing the main character of "neuromancer" to join Armitrages crew, similar themes exist throughout the other two books of the sprawl triology.
The BBC made a great short movie with very strong cuberpunk themes to accompany "the If debate" ... if drugs were legal. Which emulates the future with almost complete drug legalization: the good sides the bad sides, police and corporate world and criminals etc. ...
The government in Huxleys "brave new world" used drugs to control the population, todays situation is similar in a paradoxal way.
Thousands of people go to jail on drug related charges, often victimless crimes. These people come out of jail economically weaker, destitute sometimes. Their property is often seized and sold to further the means of hunting down drug criminals; the proceeds of selling seized property fuel the militarisation of police forces.
No-Knock warrants are a hazard to both the residents of the house being invaded, and the police officers carrying out the warrant. All of this despite the meager amounts of drugs seized on average. Still, these actions are a major source of revenue, which serves to strengthen the seizing forces even more.
This money comes from ordinary citizens who buy drugs. Ideally, the consumers will stay out of jail and keep pumping money into the black market. Then police officers will be able to seize the money (and hopefully arrest a professional criminal in the process). No other tax system drains the population so effectively of money, which they willingly give up.
Why on earth would a government decriminalize drugs? It wouldn't really have a huge impact on availability to come down harder or softer, and they could be taxed. But those taxes are nowhere near the funds seized from the drug trade, especially if you can build a police force that seizes as much as possible from criminals without destroying the black market entirely.
Meanwhile, the war on drugs is a great "reason" to maintain a strong police force, and it provides tools of propaganda for the war on terror, as well as effectively making a growing demographic a slave to the penal system.
In comes the incorporated government: Would they legalise drug use?
If it would benefit them, then yes. If it would allow them to permanently bind employees without causing significant damage to profits, yes. If it would reduce the cost of keeping a working population entertained during their time off, yes. If it would allow them to prolong a mans working day without loss of concentration, yes. If it would make people break down and die before the age of retirement, yes. If it would turn their corporate slaves into an apathic mass unable to rise up and break free ... of course they will.
William Gibson shaped his sprawl flooded with designer drugs, and the inability to consume them was a major factor in convincing the main character of "neuromancer" to join Armitrages crew, similar themes exist throughout the other two books of the sprawl triology.
The BBC made a great short movie with very strong cuberpunk themes to accompany "the If debate" ... if drugs were legal. Which emulates the future with almost complete drug legalization: the good sides the bad sides, police and corporate world and criminals etc. ...
The government in Huxleys "brave new world" used drugs to control the population, todays situation is similar in a paradoxal way.
Thousands of people go to jail on drug related charges, often victimless crimes. These people come out of jail economically weaker, destitute sometimes. Their property is often seized and sold to further the means of hunting down drug criminals; the proceeds of selling seized property fuel the militarisation of police forces.
No-Knock warrants are a hazard to both the residents of the house being invaded, and the police officers carrying out the warrant. All of this despite the meager amounts of drugs seized on average. Still, these actions are a major source of revenue, which serves to strengthen the seizing forces even more.
This money comes from ordinary citizens who buy drugs. Ideally, the consumers will stay out of jail and keep pumping money into the black market. Then police officers will be able to seize the money (and hopefully arrest a professional criminal in the process). No other tax system drains the population so effectively of money, which they willingly give up.
Why on earth would a government decriminalize drugs? It wouldn't really have a huge impact on availability to come down harder or softer, and they could be taxed. But those taxes are nowhere near the funds seized from the drug trade, especially if you can build a police force that seizes as much as possible from criminals without destroying the black market entirely.
Meanwhile, the war on drugs is a great "reason" to maintain a strong police force, and it provides tools of propaganda for the war on terror, as well as effectively making a growing demographic a slave to the penal system.
In comes the incorporated government: Would they legalise drug use?
If it would benefit them, then yes. If it would allow them to permanently bind employees without causing significant damage to profits, yes. If it would reduce the cost of keeping a working population entertained during their time off, yes. If it would allow them to prolong a mans working day without loss of concentration, yes. If it would make people break down and die before the age of retirement, yes. If it would turn their corporate slaves into an apathic mass unable to rise up and break free ... of course they will.
Monday, February 4, 2008
The Q bacteria
After processing a wheat or corn harvest, a lot of "waste" remains. Many plant parts contain very though components such as cellulose (found in cotton, paper, wood etc. ...)
A new bacteria, equipped with amazingly strong enzymes, is capable of digesting cellulose and turning it into ethanol, which is suited as generator fuel, carburant and a reagens in the production of ethylene, gasoline and plastics.
Our society, which relies heavely on hydrocarbons as a means of energy storage and transport, will endure long after the oil well have dried up.
...
Oh yeah, this means we can now make booze out of kudzu!
A new bacteria, equipped with amazingly strong enzymes, is capable of digesting cellulose and turning it into ethanol, which is suited as generator fuel, carburant and a reagens in the production of ethylene, gasoline and plastics.
Our society, which relies heavely on hydrocarbons as a means of energy storage and transport, will endure long after the oil well have dried up.
...
Oh yeah, this means we can now make booze out of kudzu!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
New tool to track people.
Hair could already be screened for drug metabolites, allowing investigators to track a subjects (1) history of drug (ab)use. Now, hair samples could also be used to track said subjects whereabouts throughout time.
Studying the compositions of a trees annual rings allows scientists to determine the composition of the soil as well as other enviromental factors. Human hair also absorbs certain agents from it's enviroment. By analysing the exact composition of a hair, and comparing it to reference samples taken at a location, it is now possible to determine when someone has spent time at a certain place, and for how long.
This new technology is of course being touted as a crime-fighting tool, as well as a means of screening people applying for political asylum.
1: ambiguity intended
Studying the compositions of a trees annual rings allows scientists to determine the composition of the soil as well as other enviromental factors. Human hair also absorbs certain agents from it's enviroment. By analysing the exact composition of a hair, and comparing it to reference samples taken at a location, it is now possible to determine when someone has spent time at a certain place, and for how long.
This new technology is of course being touted as a crime-fighting tool, as well as a means of screening people applying for political asylum.
1: ambiguity intended
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Biofuel aviation
Airbus just had a plane fly on a combination of kerosene and GTL.
GTL being the lazyman equivalent of "Gas To Liquid", essentially a liquid carburant made from natural gas. Natural gas: methane, ethane and some other light hydrocarbons can easely be made on an industrial scale, as well as in your backyard. A big enough pile of pig manure is a great source of methane. Farmers across Holland are using "biogas" installations.
One thing I love about mankind: We will always find a way to cope with our problems. when oil runs out, there will be alternatives. The minions might not be able to afford them though ... something to keep in mind.
GTL being the lazyman equivalent of "Gas To Liquid", essentially a liquid carburant made from natural gas. Natural gas: methane, ethane and some other light hydrocarbons can easely be made on an industrial scale, as well as in your backyard. A big enough pile of pig manure is a great source of methane. Farmers across Holland are using "biogas" installations.
One thing I love about mankind: We will always find a way to cope with our problems. when oil runs out, there will be alternatives. The minions might not be able to afford them though ... something to keep in mind.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Ever so much bigger they grow
It was recently reported that Yahoo was laying off a rather substantial amount of people.
Now, both Microsoft and Google are bidding for ownership of the company.
Remember that governments can only dream of having the voluntairely-provided information on citizens that Google has, and that Microsoft is pretty much the biggest and most powerful player on the software market. I wonder which of them will manage to absorb sun microsystems when the time comes.
Seriously, I'm running a blog on Google servers, they know my real names, address, phone number, bank account, my mail runs through them, ...
How much do they know about you, and would you ever divulge that information to a uniformed public servant?
Now, both Microsoft and Google are bidding for ownership of the company.
Remember that governments can only dream of having the voluntairely-provided information on citizens that Google has, and that Microsoft is pretty much the biggest and most powerful player on the software market. I wonder which of them will manage to absorb sun microsystems when the time comes.
Seriously, I'm running a blog on Google servers, they know my real names, address, phone number, bank account, my mail runs through them, ...
How much do they know about you, and would you ever divulge that information to a uniformed public servant?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)