Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Big Doctor Is Watching You

Within the next five years, Irish scientists expect to fully develop a new fabric that will change the face of national health. This applies to you, tubby, sitting in your chair with the television blaring, your face stuffed with crisps and chips. You'll not be getting away with that much longer.

These so-called "smart fabrics" will be loaded with sensors that will monitor every movement of the obese. How much more palatable socialized medicine would be if all of us healthy folks knew that the fat ones were being closely watched. Benchmarks could be set, to force compliance with healthy eating or risk financial consequences.

Not getting your exercise as prescribed? Pay for your own Type II diabetes medicines in that case. The rest of the taxpayers aren't covering it if you don't make the effort.

All those embedded sensors will send data wirelessly. Obese folks will not be able to tell their physician that they exercised when they didn't, because the doctor would know. Health care workers could download the data that measure heart beat, respiration and even location. They'd know you were in your kitchen, with your head in the refrigerator.

A new bureaucracy will have to be formed to deal with the recalcitrant fatties.

You, in the darkened kitchen. Drop the drumstick and step away from the turkey.

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