Robot Jockeys Electrifying Camels

It seems to the Captain that arming robots with high voltage weapons might not be the best idea. Robots are already taking all our jobs, so it's only a matter of time before they turn on us.

Racing camels is popular throughout the Gulf, where owning a herd of beasts specially bred for the sport has become a fashion accoutrement. The most prized animals can sell for more than $1 million.

But Dubai police have confirmed they uncovered a gang of dealers who were selling electric stun gun kits, for up to £5,000, across the region.

These were then being fitted inside the robot jockeys, which cost between £130-£200, that in recent years have largely replaced child jockeys, traditionally used in camel racing, due to humanitarian concerns.

[...]

"They put stun guns inside the jockey that sits on the camel so it could send electric shocks," he said. "They made them to order and sold them in several countries.

[...]

"It is inhumane to use such machines in camel races. It is also against animal protection laws and against our traditions."

Of course, their "tradition," as alluded to above, was to use child camel jockeys who were as young as 4 years old. These children were sold into virtual slavery by their parents, where they lived in prison camps and were routinely sexually and physically abused in addition to being starved of food to keep them as light as possible. So electrified robots torturing fleet-footed camels represents real humanitarian progress.

[Telegraph]