They promised us...

[Holdfast]

Top of the list of sci-fi things I want:

1) Asimov style Robots
2) Neural Nanonics
3) Self-driving cars (with manual over-ride available)
4) DNA rejuvenation/age-reversal genetic manipulation.

Progress is being made in some form or other on all of them, but not quickly enough, dammit!

 

[Mistral]

I'd prefer a Rhona Mitra-droid myself, but I hear you, brother!Free ANYTHING is science fiction.

Yes, a Rhona-droid is what the world is lacking.

And where are the robotic cars? I want to be able to drink and drive. Imagine the time saved in conjunction with sporting events and concerts.

(pre-robotic cars) Drive to venue, park and try to stay out of Security's way while you sit around and imbibe in a parking lot. Then stagger into event.

(post-robotic cars) Get in car, get hammered on the way as car drives you to event, stagger in to event. Much more time-efficient.

The robot cars are coming. Give it another 30 years or so, but it's coming.

But my liver won't hold out that long!

On the other hand, by then the Raiders might finally be in a position to win a Super Bowl so maybe I'll take my chances with the liver...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Why put the word “freedom” in ironic quotation marks? Owning a car IS freedom: the freedom to go where you want, when you want, without depending on a bus or train schedule.

Most decent subway systems (like New York's) run all the time, so you don't have to depend on any schedule. Unless you can't stomach waiting maybe 5 minutes for a train to come by.

Owning a car may be freedom, but so is NOT owning one:

- The freedom not to pay through the nose for gasoline, parking, and insurance

- the freedom not to worry about accidents (subway accidents are exponentially rarer than auto)

- the freedom to actually get off one's lazy ass and WALK

- the freedom to sit back and let someone else drive for you

- the freedom to not have to give a crap about traffic or weather

See where I'm getting with this?

 

[Angela 0077]

I would love to be able to be beamed to another country.

In Stargate and startrek this happens grins

Wouldnt it be wonderful not having to travel by areoplane or ship and being able to see so much of the world.

I also wonder how much it would cost if this was to happen.

 

[Lindley]

time-mashines (but more the way that you cannot be seen by the others in different times, only looking, without changing time)

Good idea. We could study the history of the girls' locker room.

James May big ideas did show you a flying car trouble was you had to tow the wings around with you when you where driving and the problem of needing run ways all over the place.

There are already runways "all over the place"---more or less, anyway. The more densely populated parts of the country tend to have airports every 30-50 miles. Less, some places. If you count private grass strips they're everywhere.

Personally, I feel that light aircraft are essentially flying cars. You can't take (most of) them on the highway, but they serve much the same function otherwise----drive to the airport, hop in the family Piper, and head down to the little airport on the beach for a day.

The issue of ground transport on the other end is a problem, but there are ways around that.

Now, if only the cost of ownership would go down a bit.....

 

[trekkiedane]

I would love to be able to be beamed to another country.

In Stargate and startrek this happens grins

Wouldnt it be wonderful not having to travel by areoplane or ship and being able to see so much of the world.

I also wonder how much it would cost if this was to happen.

Well; It'd probably be heavily regulated and controlled by governments (wouldn't want people to just beam themselves into the secret nuclear bunkers, right?), then you'd have to get to the local beaming place (not unlike an airport, but without runways) several hours before your beam time; for security checks of your and your luggage (certain substances might be illegal -or even dangerous- to beam) + we don't want any mad bombers to come near our beaming installations! - then you'd probably need a thorough physical (to prevent law-suits against the beaming corporations and to prevent spreading of disease).

Then you're ready to take your place on the transporter platform and will be beamed (as soon as the momentary glitch in the soft or hardware has been fixed).
(This is when you start praying that you won't be fused with your clothing/luggage/other people during beaming)

Upon arrival you'll have to wait in line for another luggage (and person) check; certain items/chemicals are probably legal where you come from but illegal where you've gone + depending on where you've come from the place you got to might chose to give you their own physical and have you quarantined until the results come through. AND the beaming corporation will want to play it safe and also check you out -again: to prevent any claims against them.

But, sure we might one fine day be able to get to anywhere on the planet within 24 hours...

 

[scotpens]

- the freedom to sit back and let someone else drive for you . . .

What about those of us who actually LIKE driving? I prefer being in control of my own vehicle. That's why every car I've owned has had a stick shift. Driving with an automatic isn't driving -- it's just aiming the car.

Anybody remember the AMTronic? Back in 1969, AMT Corporation came out with a plastic model kit of a dual-purpose concept car -- a “futuristic” vehicle for the 21st century. Pretty far out and perhaps not altogether practical, but interesting.

http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/amtronicextra.html

 

[RJDiogenes]

time-mashines (but more the way that you cannot be seen by the others in different times, only looking, without changing time)

Good idea. We could study the history of the girls' locker room.

Asimov addressed this in his story "The Dead Past." When does the past begin? A year ago? A day ago? A fraction of a second ago?

As for the idea of giving up cars to public transportation, it's as ridiculous as the idea of giving up houses to communal barracks.

 

[Deckerd]

Are these barracks full of marines? If so, where do I sign? I know Jen's right behind me in the queue.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

A base on the moon, snazzy cream flared trousers, knuckle duster guns, lots of heavy base guitar incidental music and a abundance of white plastic furniture and keyboards with nothing on them.............we were promised damn it.

 

[ITL]

DNA rejuvenation/age-reversal genetic manipulation.

Has the picture in the attic stopped working, then?

 

[scotpens]

A base on the moon, snazzy cream flared trousers, knuckle duster guns, lots of heavy base guitar incidental music and a abundance of white plastic furniture and keyboards with nothing on them.........

If you're referring to Space: 1999, I'd rather live at the moonbase in UFO. Mainly because of the babes in purple wigs.

 

[trekkiedane]

A base on the moon, snazzy cream flared trousers, knuckle duster guns, lots of heavy base guitar incidental music and a abundance of white plastic furniture and keyboards with nothing on them.........

If you're referring to Space: 1999, I'd rather live at the moonbase in UFO. Mainly because of the babes in purple wigs.

Those hunks in blue jump suits weren't all that bad either.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Are these barracks full of marines? If so, where do I sign? I know Jen's right behind me in the queue.

Yes, Jarheads galore.

A base on the moon, snazzy cream flared trousers, knuckle duster guns, lots of heavy base guitar incidental music and a abundance of white plastic furniture and keyboards with nothing on them.............

"These are a few of my FAY-vor-ite things...."

 

[GeorgeKirk]

I want Jupiter to turn into a star like it did in 2010.

Programmable contact lenses which change colour and function.

mood contacts?

Lucy Liu-bot.

umm, I think Quagmire has one of those.

I'll wait for the Jordan Ladd-bot.

And I'll wait for the Sara Rue-bot. I'm different, I know.

Seriously, I'd like to see a nationwide network of mag-lev trains, space colonies, desert farms, undersea cities, and holographic video phones. Basically, everything from EPCOT Center's old Horizons attraction. (Google it)

 

[Holdfast]

DNA rejuvenation/age-reversal genetic manipulation.

Has the picture in the attic stopped working, then?

I don't know, I can't bear to look at it any more...

 

[Cornholio]

I want Jupiter to turn into a star like it did in 2010.

Well, it did suddenly lose a stripe, so who knows, maybe the process is starting?

I've often wondered how this would affect the solar system. if Jupiter did turn into a star, would its gravitational pull change enough to alter the orbit of stuff? would it affect our climate?

That said, just because something is hard doesn't mean it's not worth doing.

yeah, umm, rock on Colonel Green!

where would we be if we hadn't accepted JFK's challenge to go to the Moon?

then again, where could we be if we had continued with the same drive and passion from that era?

oh, and umm, you said 'hard'

A base on the moon, snazzy cream flared trousers, knuckle duster guns, lots of heavy base guitar incidental music and a abundance of white plastic furniture and keyboards with nothing on them.........

If you're referring to Space: 1999, I'd rather live at the moonbase in UFO. Mainly because of the babes in purple wigs.

Moonbase Alpha was a disaster. I'd rather not have that. I think those people managed to destroy at least one Eagle per episode. and havin' the Moon leave orbit would definitely wreak some havoc here on Earth.

when we do build a base on the Moon, I vote that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain are not allowed.

I'll wait for the Jordan Ladd-bot.

And I'll wait for the Sara Rue-bot. I'm different, I know.

hey, umm, no problem there. to each his own, or something.

Seriously, I'd like to see a nationwide network of mag-lev trains, space colonies, desert farms, undersea cities, and holographic video phones. Basically, everything from EPCOT Center's old Horizons attraction. (Google it)

all that stuff sounds pretty cool, 'cept the undersea cities. bein' underwater freaks me out more than the vacuum of space does. and there aren't sharks in space.

 

[B.J.]

I want Jupiter to turn into a star like it did in 2010.

Well, it did suddenly lose a stripe, so who knows, maybe the process is starting?

I've often wondered how this would affect the solar system. if Jupiter did turn into a star, would its gravitational pull change enough to alter the orbit of stuff? would it affect our climate?

Um, what? You realize that's a total nonsense question, right? To even become a brown dwarf, Jupiter would have to be at least 13 times its current mass. Even if it were possible, the fact would remain that its mass hasn't changed, and therefore its gravitational pull would not change.

 

[Cornholio]

Well, it did suddenly lose a stripe, so who knows, maybe the process is starting?

I've often wondered how this would affect the solar system. if Jupiter did turn into a star, would its gravitational pull change enough to alter the orbit of stuff? would it affect our climate?

Um, what? You realize that's a total nonsense question, right?

I AM CORNHOLIO!

are you threatening me?

To even become a brown dwarf, Jupiter would have to be at least 13 times its current mass. Even if it were possible, the fact would remain that its mass hasn't changed, and therefore its gravitational pull would not change.

oh, well, umm, thanks for straightening that out for me. I guess that's like, one less thing to worry 'bout.

do you have TP?