Are we being assimilated?

Miss Chicken · Aug 29, 2016

My mother used to tell my that I spent too much time online.

This is my mother who had her TV on all the time. If we were watching a program she would tell me exactly what was going to happen as she watched her favourite shows over and over again - shows such as Murder She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder etc and she would tell me who the murderer was 5 minutes in. Also I had to be quiet while she watched Hogan's Heroes etc for the umpteenth time. I also wasn't allowed to talk if she was watching golf.

I used to like it when it was time to go to home so I could have a conversation on Trekbbs.

thestrangequark · Aug 29, 2016

Gov Kodos said:
While there is something to be said for not needing the banal chatter of polite elevator talk, it's vastly over stating the value of online conversation to think there is much more valuable communication going on around the internet than before it came along. The volume of conversation may have gone up but the weight of gold to dross doesn't seem to have changed very much.

Completely and utterly disagree. I remember a time when it would have blown my mind to be able to talk to people across the world any time, anywhere like I am right now.
Of course people are speaking the same ratio of banality to depth as ever before, that will never change, but smartphones/internet are giving voice to people who would have never been heard in the past, and giving those voices reach unimaginable before. To dismiss the value in that is beyond ridiculous and seriously privileged.

USS Triumphant · Aug 29, 2016

Spot's Meow said:
Glancing at my Wii game console in standby mode, I've realized you are right, so I went ahead and smashed it with a hammer. No more orange glowing light to spy on me.

"Assimilate this." :klingon:

Gov Kodos · Aug 29, 2016

thestrangequark said:
Completely and utterly disagree. I remember a time when it would have blown my mind to be able to talk to people across the world any time, anywhere like I am right now.
Of course people are speaking the same ratio of banality to depth as ever before, that will never change, but smartphones/internet are giving voice to people who would have never been heard in the past, and giving those voices reach unimaginable before. To dismiss the value in that is beyond ridiculous and seriously privileged.

Folks managed to talk to others abroad before the internet came along. Like then, access to communication doesn't guarantee quality.

Jedi_Master · Aug 29, 2016

So, how's everyone's assimilation process going? My new implants are rather itchy.

thestrangequark · Aug 29, 2016

Gov Kodos said:
Folks managed to talk to others abroad before the internet came along. Like then, access to communication doesn't guarantee quality.

Again, I didn't say quantity equals quality. In fact, I said "Of course people are speaking the same ratio of banality to depth as ever before, that will never change".
You are missing the point. With this technology people who never would have had the opportunity to have their voices heard are able to speak. In the past communication to those abroad was limited and usually to the privileged. Technology is leveling the playing field and bringing a greater variety of perspectives to light.
I am not talking about quality, I'm talking about equality.

Mr. Laser Beam · Aug 29, 2016

Jedi_Master said:
So, how's everyone's assimilation process going? My new implants are rather itchy.

After I was assimilated I tried redoing my kitchen. I figured my new found Borg strength would be an asset.

Turned out my body started fighting back at me. I only got as far as doing some of the floor. I was left with that as a reminder of the whole disaster.

In other words: Resistance was a few tiles.

Jedi_Master · Aug 29, 2016

Mr. Laser Beam said:
After I was assimilated I tried redoing my kitchen. I figured my new found Borg strength would be an asset.

Turned out my body started fighting back at me. I only got as far as doing some of the floor. I was left with that as a reminder of the whole disaster.

In other words: Resistance was a few tiles.

I am Grout.

thestrangequark · Aug 29, 2016

Jedi_Master said:
So, how's everyone's assimilation process going? My new implants are rather itchy.

That's actually on the nose. It's the one thing I really, really loathe about being part computer: I'm allergic to the adhesive at the interface and it itches like a motherfucker.

I did find out I can fuck with people playing PlayStation because my signals make their characters move in the wrong directions and do crazy shit if I get too close! :devil:

I'm not kidding, this is a real thing.

DimesDan · Sep 1, 2016

thestrangequark said:
Part of my body has been replaced by a computer, so I am a cyborg, and that makes me awesome.

As am I.

thestrangequark said:
I did find out I can fuck with people playing PlayStation because my signals make their characters move in the wrong directions and do crazy shit if I get too close! I'm not kidding, this is a real thing.

That's a new one, do you know if it's the pump or your CGMS, I suspect the latter given my pump doesn't do that and now does it give off any signals that I know of.

thestrangequark · Sep 1, 2016

@Dimesdan I think the pump must give off signals, because when I forgot my transmitter my doc just had to hold it up next to his computer to read it, and I can get "Pump Weak Signal" alerts on my phone as well as "Sensor Weak Signal" and "Uploader Weak Signal" alerts.
I think the sensor transmitter uses radio frequencies which interfere with some tech, and the pump and uploader use bluetooth, but I'm not positive.

DimesDan · Sep 1, 2016

thestrangequark said:
@Dimesdan I think the pump must give off signals, because when I forgot my transmitter my doc just had to hold it up next to his computer to read it, and I can get "Pump Weak Signal" alerts on my phone as well as "Sensor Weak Signal" and "Uploader Weak Signal" alerts.
I think the sensor transmitter uses radio frequencies which interfere with some tech, and the pump and uploader use bluetooth, but I'm not positive.

I use an Animos pump, not sure which one you use, but yeah, it gives off very small amount of signal when next to a receiver, other than that, it's pretty much dead, I suspect the signals yours gives off is more the CGM system as that would need to give off some signals within a certain range between the sensor and the monitoring device.

thestrangequark · Sep 1, 2016

I'm on a Minimed Paradigm 551. I really want the 630G that just came out because it's WATERPROOF!!!!!
Also, it doesn't look exactly like a 90s pager! Mine looks exactly like a 90s pager:

But I'm not up for a new pump yet so I'll have to wait. And it's also a little bigger than the 551, which might be a problem because the most comfortable spot for my pump is clipped to my bra between my boobs, but I'm pretty small so my pump is already bigger than my boobs and if I wear a tight top I have to resort to the pocket or belt or else this fashion disaster happens:

locutus101 · Sep 1, 2016

Jedi_Master said:
Considering the fact that one of the mods on this site uses an avatar name comprised of ones and zeros and another is name "Locutus" I would say we are well on our way to dronedom.

And I combine both.

BJ Wagner · Sep 1, 2016

thestrangequark said:
I'm on a Minimed Paradigm 551. I really want the 630G that just came out because it's WATERPROOF!!!!!
Also, it doesn't look exactly like a 90s pager! Mine looks exactly like a 90s pager:

But I'm not up for a new pump yet so I'll have to wait. And it's also a little bigger than the 551, which might be a problem because the most comfortable spot for my pump is clipped to my bra between my boobs, but I'm pretty small so my pump is already bigger than my boobs and if I wear a tight top I have to resort to the pocket or belt or else this fashion disaster happens:

My wife has an Animos pump. It looks similar to yours, but black and just a bit smaller. When she has to carry it on her hip for the reasons you mention, people also think it's a pager. Really, who still uses a pager?

And then there's airport security...

thestrangequark · Sep 1, 2016

BJ Wagner said:
My wife has an Animos pump. It looks similar to yours, but black and just a bit smaller. When she has to carry it on her hip for the reasons you mention, people also think it's a pager. Really, who still uses a pager?

And then there's airport security...

Drug dealers! I used to have a black one. My coworker saw it, noted how much it looked like a pager, and laughed saying, "God I'm glad I don't have to wear one of those! You know how much I'd be stopped by the cops if I did?!" (He's black.)*

*ProTip: For anyone struggling with the concept, this is how you make jokes about chronic diseases and racism that are actually funny, BTW.

rhubarbodendron · Sep 4, 2016

TSQ, the fashion desaster reminds me a lot of a certain lady from the Hitchhikers' Guide :biggrin:

. It certainly draws attention (which could be turned into an advantage!)

Good points about people staring at their phones being basically harmless - the trouble is that in Bavaria alone we already had 5 people killed this year (I think nationwide it's something like 30) and numerous injured because they overlooked and overheard such common obstacles as buses, trucks, trains and trams.
Mobile phones per se are not bad, but people have an unfortunate tendency to switch off their brains when they switch on their phones.

Captain Ice · Sep 5, 2016

rhubarbodendron said:
Mobile phones per se are not bad, but people have an unfortunate tendency to switch off their brains when they switch on their phones.

I agree wholeheartedly with that. Using your mobile phone is only a problem when you don't pay attention to what is going on around you.

locutus101 · Sep 5, 2016

Captain Ice said:
I agree wholeheartedly with that. Using your mobile phone is only a problem when you don't pay attention to what is going on around you.

Some really nasty accidents have been caused by careless use of mobile phones, even on foot!

DimesDan · Sep 6, 2016

locutus101 said:
Some really nasty accidents have been caused by careless use of mobile phones, even on foot!

Which could be said about any number of things to be honest.

And @thestrangequark, I tend to either keep my pump in my pocket (along with my Libra scanner and some sweets), in a little poach I can connect to my belt or if I'm at home, I just keep the "wire" under a tee and clip it at the top.

Are we being assimilated?

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