interesting arguments/ views.

My previous posts have been of a rather un-serious nature your post brings to light some interesting views and I would suggest also that it would be rather unforeseeable that these device would be used in the manner that we joked about. I believe that in democratic society this would never happen despite growing fears among privacys activists surrounding the use of technology of this form. I could however see it happening in like you say in Leninist style govered countrys and also countrys with ethnic cleansing "ambitions"

as for a country ruled in the style of the book 1984, i cant see any goverment having the overwhleming paranoia to place covert microphones in the country side or introduce spys and doctors to abduct and brainwash people to the correct state, although perhaps it has happened to a certain extent such as in north korea.

As many people say technology flourishes in times of war, this is of course due to politicians wanting a quick resolve to situtations but also maybe because the political structure that often holds back technological development is slackened somewhat? becuase of greater concerns rather than if a technology is ethical or whether it is truely needed. Take for instance the atomic bomb, it started developments in nuclear technology which lead to things such a nuclear power and treatments to cancer becuase of a greater understanding of the physics.

I total agree with you on your beliefs about the behaviour of environmentalists concerning nuclear energy. A large percentage of Nuclear power stations in the UK have been decommissioned and now only 25% of the UK's power is supplied by this method this is alloot less that other coutrys in the EU with some using around 40-50%. I belive that this is the only way to prevent global warming increasing at a much greater rate, yet enviromentalists insist on using old technologys and relying on the development on renewable energys which arent being developed to the full extent that maybe they should be being if we are to reach the targets that have been said that need to be met. I believe a great deal of these groups lack the proper scientific backgrounds to comment on these matters and thus just happer progress. Renewable technologys are great however and i believe they should be developed more, and having studied at a university which is involved heavily in the development of wave energy devices I can say that we're slowly getting there (not fast enough though) I have see proposals for many innovative projects, but again there are a group of people that have objections to them much like the enviromentalists. Take for instance the windturbine, the 4 bladed turbine is cheaper to manufacture and can cope with greater wind speeds and devlop larger amounts of power, it is used thoughout europe...yet in the UK it is not used because it is said to be an eyesore and therefore 3 blades are prefered. absolutly stupid... Its a catch 22 people want to be using renewable technologys but theres a "not in my back yard" attitude which is preventing there installation.

I beleive that eventually these "selfish motivations" of people are going prevent further developments until the moment arises that there desperatly needed and then people my sit up and realise that they were arrogant and stupid....or maybe there'll just blame it on the goverment or someone else.

i2c