This is a hard reality for humans to accept, but there is a permanent cure for many terrible diseases.
We call it DEATH.

Am I joking? No.

We have all seen those dramatic nature shows where the lion catches the gazelle and rips it apart. The narrator of the show explains that by catching and eliminating the slower gazelle, the lion benefits the gazelle species by removing defective elements that otherwise would reproduce.

Human evolution has taken a turn for the worse. Rather than eliminating the weak elements and promoting the strong, we have reversed the evolutionary direction. We expend great resources to help the weak survive. OTOH, If a certain deadly disease was allowed to run its course, and all victims died before they could reproduce, the disease would kill itself. It would be removed from the gene pool.

If we live long enough as a species, and don't blow up the planet, we may well solve these problems without too much death and discomfort. Nature's way is not pretty to watch.

When we talk about what people want, we are talking about what they are programmed to want. This discussion has already pointed out environmental programming that goes into each of us: the roles we are expected to play; the attitudes we should have; etc ... but this discussion has entirely missed a far more essential programming that influences us all.

We, many of us programmers, tend to forget that we are exquisitely programmed ourselves by our DNA. We do its bidding without question. Do you think that the enjoyment of sex is a rational choice that you consciously made? Do you think that it is rational to judge a person by their appearance? Our attitudes and behavior and life choices are powerfully influenced by forces we can not control and do not understand. Forces that have evolved over a billion years.

We live to serve our DNA, Our individual lives are irrelevant. We are simply a step in an evolutionary process that works toward the perfection that we haven't reached.

"Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!"

I RTFA (cute story) and I'm finding mostly negative comments here. I feel the same way but am looking for a positive aspect.

Can Twitter produce a verified historical trail of messages relevant to an investigation? Where I live, government and utility officials are being forced to reveal their communications for the last several years (it seems there is a possibility of corruption, yes unthinkable but there you have it).

Can a person be clearly held responsible for statements they have made (no chance of a hacked account)? Will Twitter still exist in three or seven years? Is there any provision for private, secret communication on Twitter? (I don't know the answers, I'm not a member.)

I know nothing about Twitter but that it is fast and convenient for casual communication. That's probably good for some informal government/citizen/media interaction. "Hey, streetsweeper, could you pass by my street next week?" Could it be used for voting or serious polling of public opinion? I doubt it--after all it is a closed, proprietary, walled garden part of the Real Internet which is available to almost everyone. Email and snailmail seem to carry more weight where I live and voice phone calls are remarkably potent for getting bureaucrats and politicians to respond.

There, I looked for a positive aspect but found little. Sorry.

Well yes, I suppose you are irony impaired. Or maybe the ACs who replied don't know the meaning of the word irony:

"noun: irony
        the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect."

Do you take that to mean that I believe 50% should be women? Can you not see the last sentence? Sorry you are so impaired. Maybe you should go back to Reddit.

Judging by the names of the contributors there are people from around the world. By 'people' I mean men, males, not females. Shouldn't there be a law that requires 50% female participation in the open software movement? We take Google, Microsoft & Apple to task for their lack of diversity ... what about us?

In case you are irony impaired, this is an observation that has more to do with the real world than the world of open or any other software. Women seem to have other priorities.

Science fiction sometimes has a theme in which someone wants to die but is prevented from doing so. Often by law, sometimes by some magical immortality gene. It's technically illegal to commit suicide in many places, with or without help.

I'm of two minds. Suppose your employer considers you essential to her business; takes a life insurance policy on you and surrounds you with protection to prevent any 'accident'. You aren't allowed near any sharp objects. You are a wage slave (if not a sex slave), an investment, and whether you want to live or die is irrelevant. You live to serve the machine as long as technology can keep you alive.

The right to die is critical in a free society. For whatever reason, no power should intrude. Sure, offer counseling, try to minimize the reasons to commit suicide, but in the end stand back and let the person decide for himself.

The *other* mind suggests to me that some people may not be mature enough to make a rational decision of this sort. Here is where this kind of subversive, intrusive technology might be warranted. Teenagers, pregnant women and PTSD soldiers should certainly be given counseling, and perhaps legally prevented from suicide for a certain time period.

A permit system could solve some of the confusion. Qualified adults could apply. They might be required to inform next of kin, etc ... to settle financial, insurance & legal matters ... to sign waivers releasing liability from others ... And then they get a packet of drugs and instructions/suggestions for an easy transition for all involved.

Tell me about it when they don't have the wind pushing them forward. Try crossing the Pacific from east to west.

An authoritative, expensive survey to affirm what we already know. What's remarkable is that few will argue the results. You might think that conservatives would be embarrassed to see that their kind don't believe in evolution, but since they are conservative they probably agree. It's difficult to see who benefits from this exhaustive study.

Sorry, still don't see any evidence of research. It's a slightly interesting link but lacking anything but an assertion. If you have the citation, show it.

I see no evidence that anyone has studied the additional drag caused by bug debris. Lots of study given to a cure, none for the 'problem'. Exactly how much drag do they cause? Perhaps they should start with an analysis of the golf ball. All those distortions on the surface that we call 'dimples'. They must cause a great deal of drag that prevents long distances being reached. Oh, wait...

I clean my visor with a microfiber cloth and Armor-All (or equivalent). No scratching, no harsh chemical, a well-lubricated surface... The slight, slick residue helps prevent other bugs/debris from sticking in the future. There were three miracle chemicals produced in the last century- Armor-All, WD-40, and silicone (glues/sealers/lubricants/sex toys).

Some professions attract certain kinds of people. Where I used to live almost all restaurants were run by Greek men. Where I now live, all donut shops are run by Cambodians and the taco shops are run by hispanics. The hospitals here vary- some have mostly black staffs, some mostly Filipino and all mostly female. In Los Angeles, I'm told, the garbage industry is monopolized by Armenians. When I worked for Volkswagen in Chicago, over 90% of the technical employees were German, the rest were Austrian (not one female employee). The sales staff were all American.

Should we force all these industries to diversify? They are that way because people made individual choices that created the flavor of each industry. If those choices lead to business success and employee bliss, so be it. I'd say that they are proof that the US is the most diversified nation on earth.

Around the world, religious nutcases impede progress. In every case that I am aware of, some individual gains power and authority by restricting the rights of others, in most cases restricting the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of their followers and the world around them. Do the Aztecs, the Maya, the Vikings or the American Indians have the power to carry on this foolishness? No, because there is no crazed leader nor is there a body of ignorant fearful followers. But in some Muslim, Jewish and certain other areas, primitive religions defy science, common sense and public safety for ideals that are tenuous at best.

Find out what person or group benefits from this charade and eliminate their incentive to protest the telescope. Debunk the mystical nonsense that they use to indoctrinate their followers. In most (all?) cases the followers are motivated by fear, and the leaders are experts at exploiting that. Empower these ignorant people to understand the real world, which may not be quite as scary as they think.

Educate everyone. No, not the job training that passes for education these days. Real education in the ways of the world, history and wisdom. Give everyone the tools for survival and excellence.

Not sure if this is actually an innovation, but it is a rare attempt to 'think different'. Remember that phrase? As an Apple evangelist for 36 years, I appreciate anything that goes beyond 'clone' status. Anyone who moves technology forward. Do we want adventurous leaders in our industry or do we want commodity followers?