If it means I have to memorize one less arbitrary pin code in my life, you can tattoo a bar code on my forehead as far as I’m concerned. Still, many are worried about the privacy issues involved in implanted RFID chips, and the prospect of living in a society that may make them mandatory. Big Brother and all that.

Luckily, the damn things are worthless for unique identification purposes. Annalee Newitz and Jonathan Westhues successfully cloned a VeriChip tag implanted in human flesh, live on stage in front of an audience. So heck, if Big Brother ever does come down to forcing a microchip into every meaty American flank, take comfort in the notion that you could easily reprogram yourself to be Washington the Sweathog, if you so desired.

High-tech Cloning [Reuters]

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