We already have a blue ray player in the form of a PS3, but beyond that, we're not likely to invest anything more, and we're not about to start building up a library of Blue Ray disks. Media technology is still very much in flux, and likely to remain that way for at least another 10-15 years, before things start to plateau. So our household has no intention of deciding on either format when both will almost certainly be obsolete in a few year's time.

Asking how much adressing climate change will cost the average consumer would be like asking "How much has the transition from traditional to digital media publishing cost the consumer" - a question we can't even answer today. And the whole question is doubly meaningless since we're not even sure that climate change is something that will be within our power to address at any price. The truth is, we've waited too long to debate about how much we "feel" like paying. How much climate change is going to cost us is no longer our decision. We'll pay whatever it's going to end up costing - which may be considerably more than we can afford.

"the fight by some progressive bloggers to form a labor union."

Yeah, the AP article was a little on the dramatic side. Even if the reality was as stated, I'd hardly call it a "fight", since it would be hard to imagine anyone actually trying to stop them.

I've even see Drudge starting to post headlines with the words Global Warming NOT in sarcastic scare quotes. One of these days, Mark Steyn may even stop referring to it as "hooey" - at which point hell will freeze over and our climate problems will be solved.

I couldn't agree more. I guess you have your work cut out for you anon, so snap to it! Do keep us up to speed on your progress.

Baby farms based on artificial gestation might be a real possibility within a decade or so. What if enough women decided to opt out of childbearing/rearing, enough that a nation faces extinction in a generation. Should the state assume the responsibility of producing replacement citizens?

I'm not making any judgements about whether women "should" have babies - women should do whatever they please. I'm just curious how willing we'd be to let the government take over the procreation of the species. If not the government, would we be comfortable with the idea of letting the private sector handle the mass production of human beings?

We'll probably pick up a Wii later on, when more of the big titles are coming out, like Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3.

For now, we're in love with our PS3. We bought a USB fan unit that clips into the front, and we've had no hardware problems of any kind in the two months we've owned it. Old playstation games look fantastic run through the PS3. Software updates usually download fairly quickly. So far, we're completely happy with it.

If cynics are as comfortable with their materialistic worldview as they claim, then why the need to erupt with such incandescent fury at such a harmless expression of spiritual curiousity? It's not my cup of tea personally, but I don't see what possible harm it does, or what prompts the disproportionate hategasm. Maybe it's just Dawkins-Hitchens syndrome. The dynamic duo of atheism have dumped more toxins into our culture by making it fashionable to attack any expression of spiritual longing and curiosity as a mortal enemy of civilization.

Think about this: you're lying on your deathbed, and the last thought that crosses your mind: "I'm so glad I invested all that energy in ridiculing the beliefs of others - in one of the few societies left on Earth where the freedom to hold those beliefs is a protected right. Now I can die happy" Or maybe you want to prove that atheists can be as loving and compassionate tolerant and understanding as people of faith. Well, here's a chance to prove it that you've just blown.

Peace.

Fanfiction has a long history that predates the internet, and has held, if not an esteemed place in the world of literature, then at least a seat at the table. I'm thinking specifically of Star Trek themed fan fiction and erotic fiction, (though you can find it for any franchise from Buffy to CSI)

Fanfiction, even of the erotic Kirk/Spock variety played a big role in keeping the Trek franchise alive between the cancellation of the original series, and it's return to the screen, many years later. So the issue of ownership of intellectual property that has "left the creator's mind" is an old one. In most cases, creators who are wise will manage to achieve some level of truce with their fans. Imitation is the sincerest flattery, and it's good publicity too.

Seriously, who's going to download the thing? A few adolescent nerds looking for bragging rights on Digg? How much of a loser would someone have to be to spoil it for themselves?

I'm a 40-something with a fair number of 20-something friends and coworkers who are driven by the belief that if they're not "successful" by 25 they never will be. What can you possibly say when you encounter an attitude like that? If generation Y is doomed to a life of indentured servitude, it's servitude to the limiting definitions they've been willing to ascribe to.

"In other words, Gore has surrendered to Bush again."

Huh? I don't get that at all. He's moving on into a bigger world than American beltway politics, trying to mobilize people on an issue of global importance that dwarfs transient electoral concerns. That's not surrender - it's growth. No one's going to care about the 2008 election in 100 years. But they'll remember the efforts of people like Gore.