Foo - So regarding Revolutions, the new TV series...

At first I was somewhat excited... hey new premise, SF... Whoo Hoo! But I could not suspend belief long enough.

The idea behind this show is that somehow all electricity suddenly doesn't work... and then they jump ahead 15 years later.

So right off the bat I am thinking, hey 15 years is enough time to have developed some crude industrial processes... based on the industrial revolution of the 1800's... and steam power. But they have only shown agrarian villages so far, as if everything having to do with steam and natural gas have been totally forgotten. But how can that be, there are working steam engines in museums and on RR tracks and even in older Navy ships... it's not as if it would be impossible to put these to work.

But somehow all that stuff has gone the way of the Dodo bird.

I can only suspend belief so far.

http://hijinksensue.com/comics/2012-09-21-we-all-want-to-change-the-world.jpg

clearly, all the electrons went into the 4th dimension alongside all the dark matter.

clearly, all the electrons went into the 4th dimension alongside all the dark matter.

According to Einstein, time is the 4th dimension. But Time does not exist (http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-09/book-excerpt-there-no-such-thing-time).

Wait, who ever said TV had to make sense?

Not only have they forgotten every single thing they knew, the structure of society including government, police and military appear to have totally disappeared and when the guy said he used to work for a little company called "Google"... like no one would remember that. WTF? Did the electrons in their brains get fried too?

Not only have they forgotten every single thing they knew, the structure of society including government, police and military appear to have totally disappeared and when the guy said he used to work for a little company called "Google"... like no one would remember that. WTF? Did the electrons in their brains get fried too?

I'm thinking only in the brains of the writers... who seem to have forgotten the industrial revolution of the 1800's.

Makes me glad I skipped this one. Some of the new series on SyFY (gawd I hate that name!) are pretty decent to downright good.

It sounded like it would be a decent show. The English show Survivors was pretty good, I watched it on Netflix.

Many people (and many writers) believe that if society suddenly collapsed we'd be living in the middle ages but truthfully we would very quickly be living in the mid-19th century which really isn't that bad if you think about it.

Many people (and many writers) believe that if society suddenly collapsed we'd be living in the middle ages but truthfully we would very quickly be living in the mid-19th century which really isn't that bad if you think about it.

More bikes on the road, anyway.

Many people (and many writers) believe that if society suddenly collapsed we'd be living in the middle ages but truthfully we would very quickly be living in the mid-19th century which really isn't that bad if you think about it.

Yeah a mid 19th century with a far better understanding of medicine, germs and antiseptics... something that we only started to grasp about the time of the American Civil war.

If you want to keep your faith on these electron thingies, please don't ever pick up a quantum mechanics book.... ever.

Caught the show on Hulu. Too early for me to quite figure it out, but I suspect that some governmental agency or faction devised and set off a global EMP. All non-hardened electrical device fried, yet the lady at the end of the episode powered up a communications device and reported in with some unknown entity. Having watched it, I sure miss 'Jeficho'.

genec, I think I know what you're saying. Remember "Jericho"? I had trouble with that one. Just couldn't buy into the "neighbor helping neighbor" bit.

Those that don't watch television need not reply. We already know you think you are intellectually superior to the rest of us TV watching Neanderthals.

I just got finished watching NBC's Revolution on line. In the previews I could have sworn I saw men aboard a submarine preparing to launch missiles at what I assume would be the US.

But I watched the premiere tonight and they are more in a feudal period with technology closer to the early 19th century than the 20th or 21st.

Did anyone see the previews? Am I right about the sub or was that some drug induced hallucination?

Anyone see the premiere? What did you think?

I thought it would be the next big blockbuster but after tonight I am not so sure. If things don't pick up I don't think it will last the season.

You are confusing NBCs Revolution with ABCs Last Resort

Thanks. That is what happens when you get old. :)

genec, I think I know what you're saying. Remember "Jericho"? I had trouble with that one. Just couldn't buy into the "neighbor helping neighbor" bit.

Based on actions around the world after earthquakes, I think the neighbor helping neighbor bit is quite viable... unless you happen to live in New Orleans, right after a flood.

Jericho was at least plausible early on... then it got all conspiratorial, and then apparently they ran out of story line.

If you want to keep your faith on these electron thingies, please don't ever pick up a quantum mechanics book.... ever.

Not sure what you mean...

Yeah I am an engineer by trade... and I have read a bit here and there about quantum mechanics... are you somehow implying that "Revolutions" is somehow a parallel universe or something?

I mean the idea that you can stop all electrons from moving is ludicrous. The idea that you could stop most modern electronics from working however is not all that far fetched.... however, there are plenty of non-modern (as in pre transistor) electronics and electrical systems that would work just fine.

And certainly there are other sources of power such as steam, that could do work that would also work just fine.

What bothers me is that the show seems to be aiming for all touchy feely emotional impact while totally sidestepping the reasons for what has happened and the other technology that also exists... They are shooting for a "Lost" environment without the mystical island and hoping reality junkies will latch on, apparently.

At least with Lost you could suspend disbelief based on the mystical island having otherworld properties, such as bending time, Revolutions just has the "blackout."

Not only have they forgotten every single thing they knew, the structure of society including government, police and military appear to have totally disappeared and when the guy said he used to work for a little company called "Google"... like no one would remember that. WTF? Did the electrons in their brains get fried too?

The girl he was speaking to was 16 or 17. She would have been 1 or 2 when everything fell apart so she would not remember Google (but the older woman was there too and she would have remembered). Though the girl did have an Ipod in her lunch box so maybe she is older than 16.

Not sure what you mean...

I mean the idea that you can stop all electrons from moving is ludicrous. The idea that you could stop most modern electronics from working however is not all that far fetched.... however, there are plenty of non-modern (as in pre transistor) electronics and electrical systems that would work just fine.



Electrons are electrons. I can't see how you could target specific ones. The only possible way would to somehow alter the material used by electrons in electronics. A more plausible scenario is to fry all electronics with an EMP but that would mean devices could be rebuilt from scratch though it might take a while to totally rebuild. The problem today is that all of our information to build technology is contained in other technology. Nothing on paper. The only way to rebuild would be to "reinvent the wheel" all from human memory.

If all electrons were stopped then we and everything living would cease to function not to mention what would happen to the world's weather system.

Based on actions around the world after earthquakes, I think the neighbor helping neighbor bit is quite viable... unless you happen to live in New Orleans, right after a flood.

Jericho was at least plausible early on... then it got all conspiratorial, and then apparently they ran out of story line.

Neighbor only helps neighbor when the one neighbor is in a much better situation than the other. If all hell broke loose neighbor would turning on neighbor, would be the norm.

That is why it is best to prepare now but if I wanted to form a community action group my neighbors would think I was nuts, The few that thought it was an OK idea would still refuse to participate.

It's okay, the zombies are coming...soon!

Oct 14

Electrons are electrons. I can't see how you could target specific ones. The only possible way would to somehow alter the material used by electrons in electronics. A more plausible scenario is to fry all electronics with an EMP but that would mean devices could be rebuilt from scratch though it might take a while to totally rebuild. The problem today is that all of our information to build technology is contained in other technology. Nothing on paper. The only way to rebuild would be to "reinvent the wheel" all from human memory.

If all electrons were stopped then we and everything living would cease to function not to mention what would happen to the world's weather system.

Exactly... which is why it is difficult to suspend belief for that show.

BTW there is "plenty on paper." Go visit your local library. I will admit however that we do have a problem if we get rid of libraries and expect to keep everything in electrons. Books thus far have lasted a couple of hundred years, with little care and maintenance. Electronic files tend to age quite quickly; they need to be refreshed, you need to update the hardware and software to be able to access the files... As an example, just try to read a 5 1/4 floppy from several years ago... likely you don't even have such a drive available, and who knows the condition of the data.

clearly all the smart people died becuase they were to weak to defend themselves, henceforth no immediate technology recovery.

clearly all the smart people died becuase they were to weak to defend themselves, henceforth no immediate technology recovery.

And all the libraries and museums were burned because science is bad.

Exactly... which is why it is difficult to suspend belief for that show.

BTW there is "plenty on paper." Go visit your local library. I will admit however that we do have a problem if we get rid of libraries and expect to keep everything in electrons.

The theroy is there yes but not the designs. Try reproducing the computer you are using right now just on what you find in the library. Yes it can be done but it would take years to rebuild all of the technology we have today.

And all the libraries and museums were burned because science is bad.

irrelevant, stupid people don't have the patients for book.