Strange Future Roundup 1

Starting a new feature post today: Strange Future Roundup... I'll post several things I find interesting as opposed to the usual one topic.

First up: The Ratborg

My favorite cyborg engineer, Kevin Warwick is at it again. I've been very interested in his recent creations using brain cells to make 'artificially' intelligent robots. I say 'artificially' because they're not really artificial at all. They're natural rat brain cells they just live in a robotic body. This technology is very exciting because it means we could potentially host 'brains-in-a-jar' and give them bodies... or at the very least make really cool robotic robots.

Second up: Jet Drill

Apparently the goal of this is to bore down to where there is magma so we can create lots of geothermal hotspots for energy. This is in so many science fiction movies I can't even think of them all. Hopefully we won't break the planet apart or anything... since y'know... this is the only planet we have.

Third: The Prosthetic Limbs

One of my friends from college wants to get into this line of work. She once said she wants to create prosthetic limbs so good that "normal people will want to chop off their limbs to get one."
This video is actually very exciting. Just look at those freakin' robot arms! SEXY!
Of course I doubt those limbs are very strong... and of course without the ability to sense where your limb is or any sense of touch at all it's gotta feel a bit like you're controlling a puppet arm. But hell... this is an amazing step!

all found on Technovelgy

Playing in Zero-G

Remember that... if you're ever on a space station and need to get somewhere fast, quickly give someone a high-five.

found on Technovelgy

Thank you Mr. Orwell

For inspiring politicians, governments, and scientists everywhere.

We've now invented the Telescreen.

Maybe next we can have a few world-spanning empires.
I honestly don't see a good enough reason for us to have this technology. I'm a huge supporter of all technology, good and evil, but this is one that should be buried and forgotten.

found on Technovelgy

Atomic Bombships

Once upon a time the military said "We want to use nukes and go to Saturn." NASA said "No way."

So the military worked on doing it anyway.

The ship would have been as big as a skyscraper and would literally use thousands of nuclear bombs to propel it on its journey to Saturn.

As it looked more promising, NASA basically said 'lol this looks promising, let us take over from here' and then they canceled the program and tried to destroy it.

But what if they hadn't?
First of all, there were hundreds of hurtles for them to overcome before it would have even been possible. And even if they did, who in their right mind would volunteer to sit on top of a giant rocket that was about to get nuked a couple dozen times?

Still, if they had, it would've no doubt ushered in a new era of space exploration. To hell with the moon, we'd be able to explore our entire solar system in person. The massive spaceships would have been large enough to carry the equipment to build colonies, biodomes, terraforming equipment. They were close to doing it back then, with todays advances we could have probably become quite the spacefaring civilization by now.

Instead we're still stuck on one rock. I guess if we destroy this one there's always - oh wait. This is the only planet we have. Nevermind.

Evolution of a Homer

I can't believe I've never seen this before!

A Facebook Story

I spent the last week or so telling a story through my facebook status. Sorry for the improper paragraphing, but it's how the story appeared as I told it.


There once was a man from the planet of Gargleforzpitt. He was a lonely old man with no relatives or friends. Every morning he'd wake up and eat a breakfast of Klare eggs and go tend to his garden of Cayren roots and hairy corn. For lunch he'd sip on a beer and eat a Elizard steak. Today his lunch was interrupted by a rude knock on his door.

The old man opened the door and was greeted by a young man with slicked back hair. The old man said 'I ought to slay you for interrupting my beer.' the young man apologized and explained, 'Mr. Ribbit, I'm sorry to inform you that your wife has passed away.' 'I never married.' 'I'm afraid you did, allow me to explain.'

the young man asked, 'You once visited the planet of Snottfaze did you not?' 'I did' 'Well, on that planet you once winked at a girl at a party, she sat next to you and whispered sweet nothings in your ear.' 'I vaguely remember that.' 'That was a wedding ceremony. Your wink was your proposal.' 'Damn.' 'Well sir, she left you her estate on Snottfaze.' 'Why?' 'I'll explain if you follow me.'

the young man led Mr. Ribbit to a vehicle and they drove all the way to the capital city of Gargleforzpitt. The young man explained that Mrs. Ribbit was all for a simple marriage and that she didn't fuss that her husband ignored her a lot. She had grown quite wealthy over the years when she inherited a tissue farm from her father. Unfortunately she succumbed to a dreadful disease...

'I'm sorry... what disease did you say it was?' 'Sinus infection.' 'She died from a sinus infection?' 'The worst kind of sinus infection!' 'So she left me her entire estate did she?' 'Well, er, yes.' 'You hesitated.' 'Yes she left you her entire estate... but...' 'But?' 'She wanted you to prove your love to her before you could receive it.'

The old man grasped at his thinning hair and shouted, 'I have to prove my love for a woman I didn't even know?' the young man nodded and smiled 'she had a very specific trial she wanted you to go through to prove your love' he opened the door to his office and approached his desk where he pulled out a box, carved to the top was 'TO MY LOVE: CHARLES RIBBIT

Mr. Ribbit held the ornate wooden box with trembling hands. 'What's inside?' he asked. 'They key to her estate.' the young man replied. He explained, 'To open the box you have to travel to the distant planet of Kreenflemm, and battle the eight elder giants for the key to the box. This is what she requires of you... will you do it?' Mr. Ribbit again looked down at the box...

Mr. Ribbit handed the box to the young man and said 'I didn't love her, and I don't need an estate. I've only got a few years left in my bones and I'd like to spend it drinking beer and tending to my garden. Thank you very much, this has been a fascinating evening.' and with that Mr. Ribbit went back to his old house and old farm and lived by himself happily ever after. The End.

Scavengers

I've been thinking lately about opening an e-bay business up. Entirely because the economy in my area is doing very poorly... nearly 20% unemployment in the county. I had been taking stuff to pawn shops so I could get a buck here and there and recently they all started refusing to give out cash. Credit only.

Scary times.

So maybe selling stuff on e-bay would be more fruitful? The only problem is, I'm starting to run low on things I'm willing to part with...
The good news?
My neighbors' house got repossessed and they left most of their crap in the backyard getting bleached by the sun. A few months passed and I decided to check out what was back there. Junk galore and some pretty cool action figures!

I wonder if Scavenging is becoming more popular in today's America. The recession doesn't seem to have an end in sight despite some idiots claiming it will end this year. Unfortunately it won't. America's got some deep running economic issues that will take time to sort out. Not to mention the millions of unemployed people right now. Can anyone honestly say they think 26 million people will get their jobs back before the year is over?

Scavenging could be good for Americans too! It would increase our recycling because people would be looking to re-use things that other Americans deemed as trash. All the trash would have the opportunity to be re-used once more either by the scavengers, or cleaned up and sold by the scavengers to thrifty Americans.

Plus the rotting food of landfills is likely to be chock full of wonderful probiotic bacteria! Landfill food just might be healthy for you. Eat that slightly moldy slice of pizza and you've got yummy bacteria in your body and you can boost your immune system.

So what do YOU think? Should we start scavenging a little more? Is there shame in digging in someone's trash? Would you chow down on some gnarly chinese food?

Here's some helpful links
Scavenging Dumps for Survival
Could YOU survive in a dump?