[network] @jwatson; text; Morning 167 [open]

[jumpthegun]

Good morning, everyone. I told a number of people I would share the results of my conversation with the Admin, Eve, regarding her ability to correct 'mental imbalances' that might lead to violent impulses. I thought it best to provide what information I got from her with the whole group.

[This conversation is copied over for everyone.]

The upshot of that:

• Eve can 'fine tune' the nanites in our brains for a particular purpose. This will have no effect on MN poisoning symptoms except to make people not care about them.
  
• Use of the treatment requires patient consent. That's non-negotiable given the requirements for a declaration of mental incompetency under the NIMA system.
  
• While the fine tuning is considered an ethical treatment in extreme cases of violent psychopathy, it is considered unethical to try to treat MN Poisoning.
  
• We may be able to alleviate some of the worst instances of MN Poisoning with blood transfusions. I'm presently looking for the equipment I'd need to do that.
  
• Eve was born in Washington D.C. and used to work for the U.S. government.

As an additional note on medical supplies: I've informed the other doctors, but for those newly arrived and those seeking medical assistance, we are beginning to run low on certain medication types.

[Another conversation is copied over.]

The relative medical stocks stand as such:

• Low-grade Painkillers: Low
  
• Mid-grade Painkillers: Acceptable, restock requested
  
• High-grade Painkillers: Acceptable
  
• Specialized Medication: Acceptable
  
• Radiation Medication: Critically low

I've also been previously informed that the emergency medical response injections are out and will take 200 days to restock. That was at a point that would put us past the projected end of this session... or whatever we're calling out time here.

Comments

@expostfacto; voice

[whatjupitercouldnt]

Pity the full medical texts that Eve referenced are unavailable. I'd be curious to find out what other ways this technology could be used.

[Or abused really, given her hunch.]

permatext

[jumpthegun]

I doubt we'd be able to use it for much given none of us are programmers for NIMA. But I would have liked to have seen the full article and references, yes.

[whatjupitercouldnt]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. If NIMA is capable of affecting our minds and how they work, I think we need to find out how far that could go.

As far as we know, it can be used to alter how our behavior. What about our senses, though? Our perceptions?

[C'mon Watson, figure it out.]

@Ecks | text

[ecks]

Define mental imbalance. Is mental imbalance what leads to violence? If one has mental balance is one not violent?

[jumpthegun]

It's a very broad term that can mean a lot of things, Ecks. In this particular instance, mental imbalance means that a person isn't capable of controlling violent impulses and shows no remorse, nor makes any personal efforts to prevent the violent impulses from controlling them.

Mental imbalances like the ones I just defined can lead to violence, but not necessarily. There are moments or passion when an emotion might overwhelm someone, even people without any mental imbalances. This isn't about someone having stray thoughts about violence or acting in a one-off way under specific circumstances. This is someone like the Joker who constantly thinks about ways to hurt people just because he can.

There are people with mental imbalances who aren't necessarily violent. They make the conscious decision to seek help for what's going on with them or find ways to prevent themselves from acting on their impulses.

[ecks]

[So not her. She didn't ask directly, but in his answer she gets the feeling that he understands why she asked. Or at least, she hopes that what she did was a one-off way under specific circumstances.]

But we cannot use it to make the Joker stop having his mental imbalance if he does not consent. if Handsome Jack was alive we could not use it on him. The people who need it will not consent.

[Except for J, maybe, but she's not sure J's case is so much more mentally imbalanced than her own.]

if this treatment changes the way a person's mind works does that negate the person's personhood?

@featherydouche; text

[mrcreamsicles]

hold up
whats this about a projected end of the session

[It's a relief to hear that consent is necessary for anyone to get their brain messed with, though.]

[jumpthegun]

A while back we were informed by previous residents of the town and what may have been the Admin that we'd used up half the time we had here before the town just sort of ended, I suppose. That was maybe a month ago. People have been here for 167 days. That means this session will end around day 250 to 260ish.

@Spoiler ; text

[spoileralert]

[ ........ ]



ok I see your point about the guides.

@makeme; audio; private

[coyoteking]

[The treatment requires patient consent... in much the same way that getting someone's money requires their consent: it's something that can be gained at gunpoint. And as much as Charles detests the idea of screwing with somebody's brain against their will, he can think of one person here he might make exception for. Which is a slippery slope, but what the hell isn't around here?]

So. What's the plan for getting Joker to agree to this?

private text

[jumpthegun]

[Charles... well, all right. The thought had crossed John's mind to threaten, granted. But it had only been a brief crossing.]

He's a masochist. I don't imagine he can be strong-armed into anything. He might agree to have Batman as his patient advocate, but Batman's against it and just about as stubborn as the Joker. I think all we can really do is wait for the man to die and hope he comes back sane again. He might be willing to agree to it at that point.

@Mnemosyne; text

[bookofnope]

Well. Aren't we glad that's sorted and out of the way. For the record, I'm still happy to assist in coordinating transfusions.

[jumpthegun]

[John isn't happy, but he's not going to address that part of the conversation. It's just going to lead to an argument.]

I appreciate that, Beckett. I've not had much luck finding what I need, but we're heading back to the hospital once we get some food. Should hopefully be able to have another look around there when the place isn't covered in static, and I'm not just running through north.

[not here]

[exequies]

[He doesn't have anything to input on his own, but this is interesting information. Undertaker will be making notes of it, and of the replies here.]

@itsybitsy; text

[redrooms]

And we have absolutely no guarantee that these "tweaks" will do exactly what she says they will. We have no idea how much control or wiggle room she might have once consent is given.

[jumpthegun]

She already has our consent to an extent just by us being here. She's removed memories from people without permission to deal with an anomaly problem a while back.

@gravedigger; voice

[harlequinofhate]

Oh, sure, let's let the Mother Machine fry our noodles, what could possibly go wrong?

[jumpthegun]

You know, I'm pretty sure my message said that's not possible, mate. But thanks for playing.

@Spoiler ; text

[spoileralert]

[ "Emergency medical response injections are out". Jesus. ]

that's why she didn't help zach.

[jumpthegun]

Yeah. It's why she hasn't responded to a lot of requests. I'm sorry, Steph.

text @Enoch

[warriorscribe]

I don't like the idea that this can be done at all.

[He types and erases, several times, some permutation of I don't want these even if they're keeping me alive, takes several deep breaths. This is like writing a letter. Nobody has to see it the way they'd be able to hear it. When he's schooled his emotions again, he continues.]

Is there anything we can do to aid the restocking efforts?

[jumpthegun]

[Well, Enoch isn't in the minority.]

A number of people feel the same way, Enoch, and I've promised someone I won't be pursuing it as a potential strategy, regardless of my personal feelings about it. I still wanted everyone to have the information.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's terribly much we can do about the restocking. I've offered Eve my supplies, my nanites, anything I could think of. She either can't or won't take them to help restock.

@notasidekick; text

[nursetemple]

[A doctor offering to do blood transfusions himself - what is the world coming to.]

Obviously, I can help with the transfusions. What have you found so far, if anything? Finding catheters will be the trickiest, and we can't really bank on finding any filters or steady drips. Would Eve send some to the pharmacy if we asked really nicely?

Do you have a list of people's blood types? We can't just go in and transfuse healthy people's blood into the ones who are most poisoned. It could have a reverse effect to what you're trying to achieve.

[She isn't sure she has anything to add about playing with people's chemical imbalances. Reading all that she's read recently, it's still complicated and difficult to make any kind of decision, and the people talking to John are right; it's impossible to determined if it isn't already happening.]

@featherydouche; text; hey look I found a reason to bug her

[mrcreamsicles]

thats only going to work for people who are the same species too
still worth looking into
but theres enough nonhumans or people who only halfway fit the bill that their blood is gonna be incompatible with just about everyone else

[jumpthegun]

[John is a very special sort of doctor who isn't going to bank on nurses being available.]

I've only got a single needle. I haven't searched the hospital as thoroughly as I would've liked, though. I know I've heard about people finding surgical tubing there. I'm thinking the best chance we've got is jury rigging a sort of blood bottle system like they used back in WWI. We don't have any anticoagulants, either, which further complicates things.

I've tried requesting physical medical supplies previously from Eve, but no luck. If you want to give a go, I won't stop you, though. As for blood types, no. I haven't got those. But I do have someone who can tell blood type by taste and who's offered to help on matching up donors. I'm O+, so I can probably donate to most people here, at least. That was something I was thinking about, though. The Admin's apparently cut off handing out medical records, which would've had the blood type. Some people who requested previously might have them, though.