Invasion of the killer robots

imgres-3It’s no secret that lots of killing is begin done today, not directly by people, but by machines such as remotely controlled drone aircraft.

A new global campaign to persuade nations to ban “killer robots” before they reach the production stage is to be launched in the UK by a group of academics, pressure groups and Nobel peace prize laureates, reports today’s edition of The Guardian.

“Robot warfare and autonomous weapons, the next step from unmanned drones, are already being worked on by scientists and will be available within the decade, said Dr Noel Sharkey, a leading robotics and artificial intelligence expert and professor at Sheffield University. He believes that development of the weapons is taking place in an effectively unregulated environment, with little attention being paid to moral implications and international law. Continue reading “Invasion of the killer robots”

Reverend Billy and the end of the world

Reverend Billy, Buy Nothing Day NYC 2005Today is 12-21-12: Doomsday, the end of the world. On this special day, Democracy Now spotlighted the recent efforts of Reverend Billy, the activist-performance artist known best for his “Church of Stop-Shopping.”

“One doesn’t need to look at the Mayan calendar, the words of Nostradamus, the prophetic dreams of Daniel or the revelation made to John to see the world is in dire straits. The sky may not be falling in, but it sure felt like it to the victims of Superstorm Sandy. Along with climate change, gun violence, drones, warfare and other henchmen on the horizon, it’s easy to see why some may think the apocalypse is fast approaching. The word “apocalypse” originated from the Greek term “apocalypsis,” which literally means “uncovering,” in the sense of revealing something previously hidden. Someone known for pulling the covers off is activist and performance artist Reverend Billy, who is holding his “The End of the World” ritual in New York City’s Times Square tonight. Continue reading “Reverend Billy and the end of the world”