I'm getting this real odd picture of Texans as 'kicker head-freezers,
driving pickups with gun racks, beds full of grey goo, and bumper
stickers which read "I'll be alive for the rapture".
With apologies to Mr. Blaylock and Mr. Diffie:
Freeze my brain down so cold
Put my entropies on hold
Boot me up, on the network,
If I die...
-Dave
This thread reminds me of Malthus' inspiration:
>In his Enquiry concerning Political Justice, and its Influence on
>General Virtue and Happiness, first published by Joseph Johnson
>in 1793, William Godwin painted his vision of a perfect society.
>There would be 'no war, no crimes, no administration of justice
>... and no government'; and no 'disease, anguish, melancholy nor
>resentment'. Each man need do only half an hour's manual work a
>day. Property was to belong to him who most wanted it. Mind would
>so triumph over body that passion between the sexes would gradually
>become extinct. Individual earthly immortality would be assured.
>And 'myriads of centuries of still increasing population [might]
>pass away, and the earth [would] be still found sufficient for
>the subsistence of its inhabitants.'
<http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/aah/news/news_malthus_.desk.htm>
Perhaps Godwin would have had more takers, and Malthus fewer, if he
hadn't been so anxious to throw in that bit about gradual extinction
of passion. After all, at 6 billion, we (at least in the states)
don't seem to be doing too badly on the subsistence front. Anyone
know if there are major hurdles for carrying 10 billion?