There are already machines at Boston’s Logan International Airport and next week at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.
In the next few months, the scanners will be put in at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; San Jose, Calif.; Columbus, Ohio; San Diego; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati; Los Angeles; Oakland, Calif.; and Kansas City.
Next time you want some TSA agent looking at naked pictures of you, your spouse, and your kids, you know where to go!
One of the most amazing things about Bruce Sterling is how he can be such a great author and insightful speaker and sound like such a smarmy jackass. I don’t think it’s really a reflection of his personality; I think it’s just his voice. Maybe it’s even just me. But his voice surely does grate on my nerves.
Here’s a totally different talk by him to demonstrate what I mean about his voice:
(Bruce, if you read this, please don’t take offense! I love all of your books, and you are brilliant [and I know brilliant]. My issue is my issue and is totally superficial. And I’m pretty sure in a personal conversation awe would overcome any ookie voice-based feelings.)
I have this vision of A Thing. Right now it’s a cloudy vision, but I’d like to ask your help clearing it up.
The time seems particularly ripe for a Thing that helps People start Projects to make useful Stuff. For example, people could collaborate to make a story. Or get an idea patented. Or start a distributed business making handicrafts, and connect to customers. Of course, I say the time is ripe because of current employment market, or lack thereof. The unemployed could be spending some of their time creating valuable stuff or connecting valuable stuff to people who need it – hence becoming employed.
The qualities this Thing would need (IMO) are:
easy and interesting to get started using
gives a comfy feeling that if the Stuff you’re working on generates revenue, you’ll get some kind of reasonable cut
helps People find Stuff that needs their talents
helps Projects find the talents (or other resources) they need to generate revenue
possibly include a system of currency so People with Stuff can trade it with other People for Stuff they need
helps People leverage other resources for their Project (e.g. instant messaging, wikis, etc.)
I kinda sorta started a wiki some time ago about this sort of Thing, but it never went anywhere.
Whaddaya think? If someone built it, would they come? Or is that impossible to answer without knowing a lot better what it is?
