# Mark of the Beast - 2005 edition
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 6, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887 "2005-08-06T16:48:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/1 "2005-08-06T16:48:57Z")
[Red Nova story](http://www.rednova.com/news/health/196561/health_chips_could_help_patients_in_us/)
Tommy Thompson says it will help save lives by making sure a patient’s medical information is correctly understood.
Oh, this is cute:
> [@](#):
>
> Thompson, now a director of Applied Digital Solutions, the company that makes the chips…
Here’s the scary part:
> [@](#):
>
> Civil liberties groups such as Caspian in the US fear that the need for increased security in the wake of terrorist attacks could act as a catalyst for a more widespread use of VeriChips.
And the part part that could doom us all:
> [@](#):
>
> According to Procter, the chips can also be used for financial transactions. In Europe, the Baja Beach Club chain has introduced chipping in the Netherlands and Spain.
>
> The VeriChip is inserted at the club and means club-goers will no longer have to wait in line to pay to get in and will be able to use the chip to pay their bar bill.
Opinions?
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### Author:  [@jackemaxton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackemaxton)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/2 "2005-08-06T16:57:23Z")
Disturbing, but only because I can see people embracing it.
I can envision the TV commercials already, something in the vein of the one for a brand of car that has OnStar across the line. With doe eyed kids guilting parents for ever driving a car without this newest, greatest safety feature.
BTW I’m not a Christian to get that out of the way.
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### Author:  [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/3 "2005-08-06T17:02:16Z")
Yeah, medical bracelets are so last week. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/4 "2005-08-07T05:09:46Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> Opinions?
I have stock in them, what do you think? 😉
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/5 "2005-08-07T05:12:23Z")
Soon to have all of your credit cards installed as part of the package, so you can just wave your hand at the gas pump, and pay-with-a-wave at the grocery store! Crooks with hidden readers cutting you off in traffic, so when you raise your hand to flip them off, they can steal all your credit info! 😃
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### Author:  [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/6 "2005-08-07T08:44:12Z")
Anyone who would submit to surgery, regardless of how minor, so as not to have to wait in line at a club deserves a nasty post-operative infection.
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### Author:  [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/7 "2005-08-07T08:51:52Z")
As long as it’s optional, I don’t see the big deal. The chip is only going to contain the information you want it to, and in the case of a medical emergency it could be very handy to have.
The financial one is stupid though.
Wake me up when the chips become mandatory, and contain our permanent record dating back to elementary school. Then I’ll worry.
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### Author:  [@jackemaxton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackemaxton)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/8 "2005-08-07T12:20:58Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#):
>
> As long as it’s optional, I don’t see the big deal. The chip is only going to contain the information you want it to, and in the case of a medical emergency it could be very handy to have.
>
> The financial one is stupid though.
> Wake me up when the chips become mandatory, and contain our permanent record dating back to elementary school. Then I’ll worry.
Photo IDs and credit cards are voluntary, but try living without them.
Hell try to buy a ticket for a domestic flight with cash and see how you get.
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### Author:  [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/9 "2005-08-07T16:51:33Z")
Every now and then, some Christian “thinkers” will look at the signs of the world, the political climates and decalre that, “The Mark of the Beast is revealed! Doom is upon us all!”
When Jesus plainly stated that no one will know the hour or the day. Why they keep on spectulating I have no idea why.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/10 "2005-08-07T17:07:03Z")
> [@ExtraKun](#):
>
> Every now and then, some Christian “thinkers” will look at the signs of the world, the political climates and decalre that, “The Mark of the Beast is revealed! Doom is upon us all!”
>
> When Jesus plainly stated that no one will know the hour or the day. Why they keep on spectulating I have no idea why.
Actually, I’m an atheist. I found the article interesting for the very reason that some people WILL believe this to be the “mark of the beast”.
I seriously doubt this will see widespread use if at all.
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### Author:  [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/11 "2005-08-07T17:58:09Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> Actually, I’m an atheist. I found the article interesting for the very reason that some people WILL believe this to be the “mark of the beast”.
>
> I seriously doubt this will see widespread use if at all.
There’s still this natural averison to have “stuff” implanted in your body, so I guess it won’t see widespread uses. Unless there’s an added advantage to it over credit cards, debit cards, cheques and etc.
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### Author:  [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/12 "2005-08-07T19:22:46Z")
> [@jackemaxton](#):
>
> Photo IDs and credit cards are voluntary, but try living without them.
> Hell try to buy a ticket for a domestic flight with cash and see how you get.
Oh please. You know damn well what I meant. Last I heard I could still travel the country freely without a chip under my skin. When I can’t, I’ll be concerned. Right now these fall into the “modern high tech convenience” category.
And I’ll have you know that I do just fine without a credit card.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/13 "2005-08-07T20:13:06Z")
> [@ExtraKun](#):
>
> There’s still this natural averison to have “stuff” implanted in your body, so I guess it won’t see widespread uses. Unless there’s an added advantage to it over credit cards, debit cards, cheques and etc.
I think it’s a perceived loss of freedom.
Besides, unless the implant is free and there’s no chance of side effects (possibly leading to lawsuits), I don’t think it’ll happen.
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### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/14 "2005-08-07T20:20:40Z")
I’m wondering why they even bother with computer chips at all & just work on linking it all to palm prints or retinal scans.
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### Author:  [@jackemaxton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackemaxton)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/15 "2005-08-07T21:26:58Z")
Everyone already has those, no profit in it.
I was being too flippant, but too often what starts as voluntary turns into a de facto requirement because of additional restrictions on those without.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/16 "2005-08-07T22:29:32Z")
> [@FriarTed](#):
>
> I’m wondering why they even bother with computer chips at all & just work on linking it all to palm prints or retinal scans.
The chip can have the actual data on it. A palm print or retinal scan would have to be linked to some database, and that’d mean businesses would have to get linked to the database, and it could go down, or have other problems… this way, they’d just need a little scanner thing to read the chip. It’s like cutting out the middle man.
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> Opinions?
This qualifies as the “least surprising disturbing develoment I’ve ever heard.”
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### Author:  [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/17 "2005-08-08T01:00:22Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> Actually, I’m an atheist. I found the article interesting for the very reason that some people WILL believe this to be the “mark of the beast”.
I for one welcome our Satanic overlord.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2005, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/18 "2005-08-08T07:30:21Z")
OK, so how are they going to market the concept of implanting it on your forehead?
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2005, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/19 "2005-08-08T11:27:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> OK, so how are they going to market the concept of implanting it on your forehead?
They’ll have eye-level retina scanners already in place, but someone will discover that they cause eye cancer, so they’ll retrofit the scanners to read the forehead chip, saying it’s cheaper than replacing the scanners.
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-of-the-beast-2005-edition/315887/20 "2005-08-08T15:49:37Z")
Here’s the Straight Dope on the mark of the beast.
666 - the Mark of the Beast.
$665.95 - Retail price of the Beast
$699.25 - Price of the Beast plus 5% sales tax
$769.95 - Price of the Beast with all accessories and replacement soul
$656.66 - Walmart price of the Beast
6, uh… what was that number again? - Number of the Blonde Beast
00666 - Zip code of the Beast
1-900-666-0666 - Live Beasts! One-on-one pacts! Call Now! Only $6.66/minute.
Over 18 only please
Route 666 - Highway of the Beast
666 F - Oven temperature for roast Beast
666k - Retirement plan of the Beast
6.66 % - 5 year CD interest rate at First Beast National Bank, $666 minimum deposit
i66686 - CPU of the Beast
666i - BMW of the Beast
DSM-666 - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the Beast
668 - Next-door neighbor of the Beast
1332 - Twin Beasts
669.14159265358979323846… - the Beast that brought Pi
Sorry, couldn’t resist that last one 😃