Pop Quiz: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have: A) The complex moral and social ramifications of a new technology, B) A schmaltzy 80′s sitcom starring the illustrious Miss Kim Fields.
The Good Wireless internet will soon be joining VH1 Classic, stale breadsticks and questionable cheese spread as part of airline JetBlue’s in-flight offering.
The airline has won a high-stakes FCC auction for the right to provide high-speed Internet access for passengers on its commercial aircraft. The license will cost around $7 million dollars.
Right now JetBlue’s not saying that they’re planning on doing with its win, but it likely won’t be long before “teenager using AIM sans headphones” joins “crying devil baby” in the running for most annoying sound at 30,000+ feet.
Even still, this is a boon for business and leisure travelers alike. The in-flight magazine can only hold one’s attention for so long. More on the story here in CNET.
The Bad A spokesperson for RFID maker VeriChip Corporation is proposing the government implant RFID chips in foreign workers as a means of stopping illegal immigration.
A scary excerpt from a recent news report:
[VeriChip parent company chairman] Scott Silverman appeared to be emboldened by the Bush Administration call to know ‘who is in our country and why they are here.’ He told Fox & Friends that the VeriChip could be used to register guest workers, verify their identities as they cross the border, and ‘be used for enforcement purposes at the employer level. He added, ‘We have talked to many people in Washington about using it…’”
Is it just us, or does this strike anyone as a bit messed up Gawker offspring Sploid is there with the usual snotty yet smart details.
