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Take the predictions of Nostradamus for instance and the way that his advocates swear that, back in the 1500s, he predicted the rise to power of Adolf Hitler.

I suspect that most Aardvark readers would fall into the "skeptic" category when it comes to the abilities of such prophets and the accuracy of their predictions - but what about the Bible? Where do you stand on its predictions?

Now have your say Got something to say about today's column, or want to see what others think?  Visit The Forums While you're here, why not visit the Aardvark Hall of Shame and perhaps make your own nomination.

The catalyst for asking this question is this story on the Wired.com website.

But how does chipping cars tie into biblical prophesy?

Remember this little bit from Revelations 13:16-17: "And [the Antichrist] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save [except] he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name"

Hands up all those who believe that eventually (and perhaps not in the too distant future), it's not only our dogs, expensive palms, passports, and cars that will carry RFID devices, but also ourselves?

Think of how convenient it would be to have such a device implanted under your skin...

Want to go to the movies? Just walk in -- the RFID terminal at the door will automatically bill you for a ticket and the price will be deducted from your bank account. No queuing, no waiting, no hassle.

Likewise, if you want to fly to Sydney for a weekend's shopping, just drive to the airport, walk through the departure lounge and climb aboard a plane and you're off. And, when you land at the other end, just wander through customs -- choosing the relevant "declare" or "nothing to declare" door and you're there.

But it keeps getting better! A body is found in a suburban house and foul play is obvious. Within a few minutes, police can recover the necessary tracking information to show exactly who was in the house at or around the time of death. This information could help solve crime and protect the innocent from lengthy trials and possible false imprisonment.

Bearing this in mind, isn't being "chipped" a small price to pay for the incredible convenience and safety that such a procedure would provide?

In fact, if it weren't for the fact that a lot of people still firmly believe in the contents of the Bible (welcome to Aardvark Bishop Brian), I suspect we'd be a lot closer to already being chipped at birth.

Or could I just be playing the role of devil's advocate :-)

But seriously, can you foresee the day when ID cards are old-hat and instead, we're all required by law to have an RFID device permanently embedded in our bodies -- perhaps justified by the "war against terror"?

And what's really wrong with this concept? After all, surely it's only those with something to hide who have anything to fear?

I hope there aren't too many typos or grammatical errors in today's column but the fog on my screen continues to thicken. Many thanks to those who have offered to donate an old video card -- I'll be emailing one or two of you to take up your offer when I get a moment.

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