10 technologies that deserve to die (Go at it)

MSN/Technology Review ^ | 24 Oct 03 | Bruce Sterling

[FreedomCalls]

I will add that nuking Nagasaki and Hiroshima, forcing an early surrender, saved countless thousands of japanese lives.

Someone once pointed out that if the Japanese military were to have fully carried out their plans for the defense of the Japanese home islands, no Japanese would have been left alive at the end.

[Kenny Bunk]

Ditto.

[Oztrich Boy]

Shouldn't we switch to *new* technology like, say, windmills?

[al baby]

Did r. Starling use a quill and ink well to write that or did he use one of those computer thingamajigs

[Porterville]

Socialism
Liebalism

[Freemeorkillme]

The French squirty thing they call a toilet. No, I shall not name it!

[longtermmemmory]

noooooooo!!!! not breast implants, they don't feel natural without them.

Besides her Frederick's of Hollywood stuff does not fit right without them.

(/s) (well maybe not /s)

[mark_interrupted]

I'd be the first to switch if somebody comes up with something better. Leftists; however, never give alternatives.

[fire_eye]

Lesseee... "10 Technologies That Need to be Invented":

1. Brain transplants for leftists
2. Attitude-detection droid for use when #1 fails
3. Optional "Leftie-Progressive", "Islamikazi", "Fat Ugly Seditious Anti-American Movie Producer", and "Screaming Senate Harpy" ROM modules for #2
4. Robotic cork-insertion mechanism for #2
5. Protein vaporizer option for #2 for use when mechanism #4 fails
6. Anti-gravity clamp necklace for use when #4 and #5 fail 7. Phase-cancelling yammer jammer
8. Optional yammer detection ROM modules for #6, per list in #3 above, with addition of "Howling leftist news commentator" module
9. Aerial static suspension system for deploying #7 in large arenas
10. Mutated marijuana-seeking Norwalk virus for use when #1, #2, #7 fail or are unavailable...

I could go on... Why stop at 10? (Silly humans - Just because YOU only have 10 fingers)

[fire_eye]

Damn! I left out, for #3, the "Lame Sci-Fi Droid With Butch-Baby Haircut" ROM module. (Got carried away and forgot where we started with all this, already...)

[rightcoast]

Old technologies always stick around longer than they would seem useful or commercially viable.

The light bulb, internal combustion engine, and coal power all have one thing in common: they are easily manufactured, widespread, common items. Replacing any or all of them will require technological breakthroughs that are both scientifically sound and economically as viable.

[Consort]

Toilet paper.

[ericthecurdog]

What's it like, having a dark refrigerator and oven?

Not that bad. Damn things are never on when the door is closed anyway. Makes it hard to read by.

[ericthecurdog]

Yes.

[Jim Noble]

It was October 2, but yes, we've discussed this article before.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Hope you didn't take my comments too seriously. I'm not retired yet. My daily routine usually has me in work early and home sometime between 6:00-7:30, at which time I eat after which I get a chance to attack the cryptoquote, word jumble and crossword in the Boston Herald. You're not ruining my life, but you did divulge at least one I hadn't seen yet. I think doing cryptoquotes without a pencil is a healthy mental exercise for us oldsters. (I'm 53.) Enjoy!

[Old Professer]

We could be turtles.