Joss Whedon lets "Firefly" go -- The "Serenity" director may turn to "Buff the Vampire Slayer" for his next big-screen project.

Ugh. Please no. Anything but Buffy.

I've turned into quite the Firefly fan lately. It all started with the movie, Serenity. After my viewing, I really didn't see what was so hot about it, but after further thought I knew that my fellow sci-fi buddies would never give me a bad recommendation and the folks at the Speculist could never be wrong. So, I succumbed and rented the series. Words could never express how much I love the show. Currently, I'm half way through it and I already dread the coming of the last episode. It was my hope that Joss Whedon would continue the series on a different TV network, but woe! It is not meant to be.

As one guy put it:

"...no more Firefly. Cancel Christmas. Take down the tree. May as well go into work on the 25th. And curse you, entertainment industry."

Cool article.

"Darwin's fingerprints can be found all over the human genome. A detailed look at human DNA has shown that a significant percentage of our genes have been shaped by natural selection in the past 50,000 years, probably in response to aspects of modern human culture such as the emergence of agriculture and the shift towards living in densely populated settlements."

In this fast paced world, I can only wonder what mankind will be like one hundred years from now.

Turn up your speakers and click the image for a very cool short video.

Via Google Video of the Day.

I was enjoying a good conversation about the cosmos and futures in space with a friend of mine today. She's was reading up on the Canadian Arrow rocket and telling me how excited she is, as someone pursuing a career in physics, to one day take part in something like space travel. I sent her a favorite article of mine which proposed the physical relocation of our planet in response to the impending enlargement of the sun in three or so billion years (As a sci-fi geek, I feed off stuff like this). Plan now, I said in jest. The article amused her and she reasonably dismissed it as something not to taken seriously since we won't be around by then. The discussion turned briefly, very very briefly, to the possibility of living to such a time. She said she doesn't believe mankind will be around that long. Because of our destructive nature we will become extinct and besides, technology thwarts Gods will.

What a sad and dangerous outlook. Really, what is Gods will? Does God condemn the x-ray machine, or the airplane or the refrigerater? Is he opposed to the cure of cancer or vaccinations? Synthetic limbs or glasses? Of course not. No one can seriously deny that the quality of life has greatly improved thanks to technological achievement. Our entire society is built on it and yet, we're still so unaccustomed to it that we are quick to shun promising future developments because its "against God" or "unnatural." No doubt, one hundred years ago, hordes of people, well educated or not, would have denounced something like the heart pacer as a scientific attempt at "playing God."

As for our destructive nature...

Armed conflicts in the world down by 40% since early 1990s.

* The number of armed conflicts are down more than 40%.
* There were 25 ongoing armed secessionist conflicts, the lowest number since 1976.
* The number of refugees in the world dropped by 45% between 1992 and 2003.
* The post WWII peace period between major powers is the longest in several hundred years.
* The average number of deaths per conflict fell 98% between 1950 and 2002 (from 38,000 people to 600 people).
* The United Kingdom and France have engaged in more international conflicts since 1946 than any other countries.

Far from perfect scores, but a good improvement nonetheless. It's wise to be cautious, but pessimism towards our mistakes and innovations is frivolous and unhelpful. There's no reason to be gloomy about our future, whether its twenty, fifty or 3 billion years from now. There is so much to hope for.

Kris Anderson says: Giant Robots or combat armor?

sPiCeFiEnD says: Combat armor.

Kris Anderson says: Robotic Combat armor that is.

sPiCeFiEnD says: Robotic combat armor.

Kris Anderson says: No kidding?

sPiCeFiEnD says: No kidding.

sPiCeFiEnD says: Giant robots are expensive and will be obsolete.

Kris Anderson says: While I admit that the exosuits are quite effective, the psycological impact of giant robots cannot be discounted.

sPiCeFiEnD says: True dat!

Kris Anderson says: Would you at least keep them around for cermonial purposes?

sPiCeFiEnD says: In a museum.

sPiCeFiEnD says: And you can walk down it once in a while.

Kris Anderson says: What? That is no place for giant robots of doom to be placed! Except the older models so that they can be brought back to life and used in a spirited resistance by a group of plucky young adults/teens to fight off an evil invasion force.

sPiCeFiEnD says: HAHA!

Kris Anderson says: Who, against all odds, will deliver their beloved nation from the better equiped and trained soldiers from the other nation.

Kris Anderson says: That is why Giant Robots rule.

sPiCeFiEnD says: I can't argue against that.

Kris Anderson says: It is hard to. After all those kids are just so invigorating. Their innocent ways and goforit attitudes will turn even the ancient tired vetran who has seen too much war and simply wants to quit back into the curagious fighter of legends that he once was, in a past life.

Kris Anderson says: Even if his life is wasted in a self sacraficing action that either results in massive enemy casulties or allows them to continue on their way. In either case it shall give the young ones a reminder that the war is not all fun and games and grant them extra resources of courage when the time comes for the final battle!

Kris Anderson says: ...

Kris Anderson says: I watch too much anime....

The Free Land of Sol Aether is a tiny, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its absence of drug laws. Its compassionate, hard-working, intelligent population of 5 million hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, corrupt, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Social Welfare, and Education. The average income tax rate is 13%. A robust private sector is led by the Furniture Restoration, Soda Sales, and Cheese Exports industries.

Crime is a problem, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Sol Aether's national animal is the Norwegian Forest Cat and its currency is the coin.

Civil Rights: Superb
Economy: Strong
Political Freedoms: Superb

National Motto: To thine own self be true.

*******

Not a bad start for my new country! According to the UN, my utopia is a Civil Rights Lovefest.

Start your own nation, it's free. Who needs Civilization VI?

"After scolding one's cat one looks into its face and is seized by the ugly suspicion that it understood every word. And has filed it for reference."

What strange creatures cats are. Sometimes, I suspect they are not natives to Earth but immigrants from a distant galaxy, mingling among us with intentions of their own. They have bewitched mankind. Charmed us with their eyes that glow in the faint light and their spry, willowy bodies that slink about like shadow. They chill us in the late hours of the night with a mysterious twitch of a whisker and ears that perk up at the approach of things we humans cannot see. Then there is that unmistakable air of superiority they carry about them. Maybe it was something they've always had or maybe something developed over time. Throughout history, we have worshiped them, sung their praises, invited them into our homes, fed and pampered them. I wonder, have we really domesticated them or have they domesticated us?

My cat Odin (and I hesitate to call him "mine") has me figured out. He knows the best way to torment me is to initiate playtime when I'm trying to sleep. Or ignore a full dish of dry cat food and go and chew a hole through the bottom corner of the bag. If I reprimand him for any type of misbehavior, he knows how to turn the table and make me feel guilty for the rebuke by giving me "the look." My cat has facial expressions.

Silent treatment is his method of choice as of late. I have been cool towards him since the other night when he knocked over and broke the mini-grandfather clock that I have loved since childhood. Yes, it was an accident, but it never would have happened if he wasn't so bent on keeping me awake with his scurrying around. The one thing that kept me from throwing him outside right then and there was the look of remorse on his face. Really tugging on my heartstrings. My sympathy didn't last long, though. Perhaps if he would have remained remorseful instead of making more racket under my bed, I would never have thrown him out to sleep in the snow.

I have a very bad feeling that his revenge, in one form or another, is coming soon.

Is my own dancing robot!

This message brought to you by Google Video of the Day.

My co-worker is sleeping on the job right now. I've been watching him for the past hour thoroughly impressed with his ability to go from sleep to waking between calls and on a call. Right now, he is sitting upright in his chair, his hand posed on the mouse with the Humble ISP staff page on the screen. Not once has the screen saver come on, he must have upped the timing quite a bit.

When he's on a call, he keeps his eyes closed and troubleshoots various connectivity or email problems with a customer. "Click Tools at the top. Okay, click Accounts. Click on the Mail tab and then Properties... What's that? Okay, let's reboot the computer." The end-user reboots his or her antique win98 machine, the process taking at least five minutes. My co-worker relapses into dreams during this time until the clients voice stirs him from sleep mode.

Another fun observation I've made is that he is perfectly tuned to the approach of our boss. As soon as the man comes to our part of the office, the eyes snap open and the mouse dashes across the screen.

Oh, the force is strong with this one!

Being that I have a mischievous streak to me, I've decided to forward all the tech calls to him. I'm trusting that this sleep/wake routine is keeping him so disoriented he won't notice I'm off the phones.

I think it's working!