Isaac Asimov’s preditions for 2014 (just 4 months away!), followed by my questions and comments-
http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/23/lifetimes/asi-v-fair.html
Many of his predictions have already come to pass.
#1. So, the underground living sounds reasonable.
Scenario- *husband comes home all bloody and bruised*
Wife: ‘Honey, what happened to you?’
Husband: ‘It’s the mole men mob, those thugs, attacked the autowalk!’
Wife: ‘Well at least it wasn’t the *Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers from NJ!’ (I’ll get to that later.)
#2..Of course, with flying cars, moving sidewalks, possible hover chairs (the futuristic Segway), and robots doing all the work (housework as well, like Mister Handy [Fallout] telling science jokes), humans will be fat, lazy, bored slug-like Hutts (Jabba-ish) barely able to move!
Actually, using jet packs would be much better than flying cars, if it could lift our futuristic fatties off the ground, that is. Just worse if they should stall while in use, I guess.
Well, at least there WILL be flying cars next year. It’s about time! Of course, only a few feet off the ground doesn’t sound like much of an improvement, but being able to cross water in them is a plus. You can avoid paying bridge and highway tolls altogether!
Of course, then there’s the flying cars police to deal with.
I wonder if cloaking devices will be a purchasable upgrade, or if it will come standard? Meh, but I guess they would have invisible car radar and still give you an electronic ticket.
#3. ‘a small but genuine fusion explosion is demonstrated at frequent intervals’????
Someone explain this to me, please? Was that safe?
#4. Radioisotopes in the kitchen?
Scenario- ‘Oh my gods, the mixer has had a meltdown, everyone, contamination suits on, out of the kitchen! Grab the Geiger counter, levels too high, the kitchen must be destroyed and the rubble stored somewhere underground. I know! In NJ, where everyone seems to send their hazardous waste!'
(see*- THE C.H.U.D.S. aka Contamination Hazard Urban Disposal System, vacationed at the Jersey Shore, and liked it so much they relocated.)
#5. ‘Large solar-power stations will also be in operation in a number of desert and semi-desert areas -- Arizona, the Negev, Kazakhstan. In the more crowded, but cloudy and smoggy areas, solar power will be less practical. An exhibit at the 2014 fair will show models of power stations in space, collecting sunlight by means of huge parabolic focusing devices and radiating the energy thus collected down to earth.’
Borat can be an overseer!
I’m picturing a huge magnifying glass in space positioned to radiate the energy to earth....and frying us like ants! (i.e. 'The Government's Answer to Over-population', or Project 'A.N.T.S.' [Annihilate Non-essential Troublesome Societies.])
#6. The boredom has already begun. How to amuse one’s self...let me see what electronics do I have to do this for me.
#7. But what of the economy? More children means more buying! To hell with the earth, SELL! SELL! SELL! Tell those morons (what I am sure most big Corps think of us) what they need to be popular and successful!!!! Lead those little lambs, Mary Media. Don’t tell them it eventually leads to the abattoir!
(another answer to over-population and possible food source as we all know, of course.)
#8. Pfft!
Pop Culture references ahead.....> Either Isaac Asimov watched 'The Jetsons', or he secretly wrote it!
And is that where ‘Futurama’ got it’s name, I wonder?
Now some futuristic messages from our sponsors-
http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/23/lifetimes/asi-v-fair.html
Many of his predictions have already come to pass.
#1. So, the underground living sounds reasonable.
Scenario- *husband comes home all bloody and bruised*
Wife: ‘Honey, what happened to you?’
Husband: ‘It’s the mole men mob, those thugs, attacked the autowalk!’
Wife: ‘Well at least it wasn’t the *Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers from NJ!’ (I’ll get to that later.)
#2..Of course, with flying cars, moving sidewalks, possible hover chairs (the futuristic Segway), and robots doing all the work (housework as well, like Mister Handy [Fallout] telling science jokes), humans will be fat, lazy, bored slug-like Hutts (Jabba-ish) barely able to move!
Actually, using jet packs would be much better than flying cars, if it could lift our futuristic fatties off the ground, that is. Just worse if they should stall while in use, I guess.
Well, at least there WILL be flying cars next year. It’s about time! Of course, only a few feet off the ground doesn’t sound like much of an improvement, but being able to cross water in them is a plus. You can avoid paying bridge and highway tolls altogether!
Of course, then there’s the flying cars police to deal with.
I wonder if cloaking devices will be a purchasable upgrade, or if it will come standard? Meh, but I guess they would have invisible car radar and still give you an electronic ticket.
#3. ‘a small but genuine fusion explosion is demonstrated at frequent intervals’????
Someone explain this to me, please? Was that safe?
#4. Radioisotopes in the kitchen?
Scenario- ‘Oh my gods, the mixer has had a meltdown, everyone, contamination suits on, out of the kitchen! Grab the Geiger counter, levels too high, the kitchen must be destroyed and the rubble stored somewhere underground. I know! In NJ, where everyone seems to send their hazardous waste!'
(see*- THE C.H.U.D.S. aka Contamination Hazard Urban Disposal System, vacationed at the Jersey Shore, and liked it so much they relocated.)
#5. ‘Large solar-power stations will also be in operation in a number of desert and semi-desert areas -- Arizona, the Negev, Kazakhstan. In the more crowded, but cloudy and smoggy areas, solar power will be less practical. An exhibit at the 2014 fair will show models of power stations in space, collecting sunlight by means of huge parabolic focusing devices and radiating the energy thus collected down to earth.’
Borat can be an overseer!
I’m picturing a huge magnifying glass in space positioned to radiate the energy to earth....and frying us like ants! (i.e. 'The Government's Answer to Over-population', or Project 'A.N.T.S.' [Annihilate Non-essential Troublesome Societies.])
#6. The boredom has already begun. How to amuse one’s self...let me see what electronics do I have to do this for me.
#7. But what of the economy? More children means more buying! To hell with the earth, SELL! SELL! SELL! Tell those morons (what I am sure most big Corps think of us) what they need to be popular and successful!!!! Lead those little lambs, Mary Media. Don’t tell them it eventually leads to the abattoir!
(another answer to over-population and possible food source as we all know, of course.)
#8. Pfft!
Pop Culture references ahead.....> Either Isaac Asimov watched 'The Jetsons', or he secretly wrote it!
And is that where ‘Futurama’ got it’s name, I wonder?
Now some futuristic messages from our sponsors-
And don’t forget to buy Soylent Green! It’s people!
Jingle-
‘Soylent Green hits the spot,
20,000 credits, not a lot!
No more Prion,
you can rely on,
Soylent Green!’
Jingle-
‘Soylent Green hits the spot,
20,000 credits, not a lot!
No more Prion,
you can rely on,
Soylent Green!’