Sixth Sense?

Just watched a video re a product in the works called "The Sixth Sense." While truly amazing, I actually find it somewhat disturbing and ironic. (www.ted.com/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html)

Ironic in the sense that, it's called "Sixth Sense" but is the type of product/technology that is going to lead to humans losing their intuition and their developed, God-given natural senses. We'll begin to depend on technology and machinery to the point that our real senses and intuition go by the wayside. So, rather than it being a "Sixth Sense," it will be our only sense.

Think about the humans in "Wall-e" -- they were completely dependent upon technology to do everything for them, to make every decision for them. To the point where they didn't trust their own decisions and could not think for themselves. They weren't living life, they, in essence, had become the "machines." Or, slaves to the machines.

Every time I read or see something about new technology that sounds like it will lead to human dependence on machine rather than self, God, etc., I'm reminded of Stephen Vincent Benet's poem, "Nightmare Number Three" (www.brewerb.com/BREWERBLOB/Nightmare_Number_Three.html). Written in 1935, it presents a world in which the machines Man has come to depend on take over. No one saw it coming but they should have. How prophetic.

Does anyone ever stop to think, "Are we building a technological Tower of Babel?"

I also wonder which came first. Meaning, have we really, truly ever invented anything or have we just taken ideas from long-ago Sci-Fi movies, books, stories that are now made possible due to technological advancement? What would we invent if we had not ever been influenced by those stories, those "literary inventions?"

The thing that bothers me most about the video/product that started this electronic soap box is the end statement on the video -- "Who knows, maybe in another 10 years we'll be here with the ultimate Sixth Sense brain implant..."

I for one will not be waiting in line for that.

Delusional Egos

You probably know one. That so-called "intelligent" / "academia" person who is so caught up in their little ivory tower of a world that they truly believe everyone outside that world is an idiot and doesn't even realize how transparent they are.

They say backhanded things to you because they truly believe you're too stupid to recognize that that's what they're doing.

Sooo annoying!

I just let them think I don't see what they're doing and have a good laugh and an eye roll about it later. (But it is still annoying!)

The Grasshopper, the Ant, and the Flu

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, feeling well, chirping and singing to his heart's content. A worker from A.N.T. ("Action Negates Trouble") passed by, bearing along with great toil vaccines, Tamiflu, and other medical supplies -- taking them to be stockpiled for the winter.

"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of overreacting and toiling and moiling in that way?"

"I am helping to lay up medical supplies in the event of a pandemic," said the A.N.T. worker, "and recommend you do the same."

"Why bother about a possible pandemic or the possibility of a bad, mutated winter flu?" said the Grasshopper. "We're all well right now and the Swine Flu is not all that bad and everyone overreacted -- come on!" But the A.N.T. worker went on its way and continued its toil.

When the winter came the Grasshopper began to cough and run a fever and ache all over; he had no vaccine and no Tamiflu, and found himself dying of flu, while it saw A.N.T. distributing every day medical supplies from the stockpile they had created during the summer.

Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

"Swine" Flu

This flu seems aptly named because if and when Swine Flu spreads, it will be because of the lack of courtesy in this day and age. I am constantly amazed at the number of people who are obviously sick that don't seem to think twice about going shopping, going to church, taking their kids to school sick, etc.

Mostly because they would be "inconvenienced" if they didn't or so they think. Never a thought that the person who catches their illness will most likely be "inconvenienced" or that they might be coming in contact with someone whose immune system isn't as strong as theirs.

Please, people, I beg of you, take this seriously. DO NOT get out in public if you're running a fever and know that you're sick. DO NOT pump your kids full of Tylenol in an effort to hide their symptoms before dumping them off at school. BE RESPONSIBLE! BE CONSIDERATE!

Be part of the solution -- not part of the problem. If this flu is as potentially serious as TPTB say it is, you could be complicit in killing someone if you continue to insist on being inconsiderate and spreading your germs.

Tolerance

Funny how those that demand "tolerance" are so intolerant when someone states an opinion that they don't agree with.