That’s science, that is

Apathy Jack writes:

At least two good reasons to read New Scientist magazine:

Reason the first:

Reading about infectious mental illnesses – the idea that some mental disorders have their root in biological infections - I came across a horrible immune disorder that affects children. Caused by streptococcus related problems, this results in an autoimmune attack on the basal ganglia, causing Tourettes Syndrome-like tics, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, ADHA and Anorexia. This horrible condition is called Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus.

PANDAS.

Lets ask all of the kids: “Would you like PANDAS? That man in the white coat is going to give you PANDAS.” Right there, you have your solution to that niggling problem about getting consent for human trials.


Reason the second:

Reading an article about the technological future of protest, there was a discussion with Aaron Gach, a member of one of the underground enclaves of anarchist technologist (yes, I said ‘one of’ – turns out there are tonnes of these groups. How cool is that…?) about a remote controlled graffiti device – a toy truck armed with cans of spray paint that vandalises walls with slogans sent via text message. Gach, a member of the Center for Tactical Magic, said: “In nearly one hundred percent of the cases, a given agent of the public was willing to participate in high profile acts of vandalism given the opportunity to do so via mediated tele-robotic technology.”

Come on, this is pretty cool – the apex of technology used for civil disobedience; it’s like science fiction (literally; there’s that one scene in Demolition Man where they have a device that serves precisely this function).

Who would have thought that when the machines take over they’re going to impose an anarcho-socialist government on us?