"Mind you, I wouldn't disagree for an instant about the dangerous insidious nature of such a device, if it could exist."
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*** As you say, the device is unbuildable ene at forseen tech over the next decade or so.
I agree with your assesment of the danger as well.

"I chuckle to myself at the irony of Fundie Xtians calling it "the mark of the Beast", since they seem to be the one group in American society most likely to support, if not demand, control of behavior."
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*** I agree that Religious Fundies are a potential supporter. Just look at the religious wack jobs in Israel this week trying to aggravate the Muslims at their holy temple. These folks could care less if they started WWIII in the name of their religious beliefs.

Even more, I fear the PC crowd that dominates university campuses. Terms like "hate speech" are used to supress any discussion that is not PC (in their view) towards women or minorities. The brutal fact is that Universities today actively suppress any such discussions under the guise of prohibiting racist, sexist speech. The left has a long established historical track record of using any means necessary to reach thier vision of the socialist paradise utopia.