throw another bear in the canoe

That's a strong article: thank you.
But what on earth is a lawn dart?

see icon.

Man, didn't take long for someone to insist that some classic middle class economic endeavor, like owning and operating a store, is somehow not middle class.

Such is life in the internets.

Also, somebody who wants to have a fight about atheism.

YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE LIKE AN ALIEN'S TO ME!!!

But, but, why would you mention atheism if you didn't want to argue about the definition of it? I mean, that's totally why people talk about their personal philosophies, right? Heh.

('Course, now, I call myself an atheist even though I could be wrong because I'm fairly sure I could be wrong about pretty much anything including my own name and I still gotta call myself something.)

((Not that you needed to know that.))

I don't believe in god. But I can't muster the energy to Not Believe In God.

Seems like a lot of work.

I sometimes consider declaring myself a polytheist because I find it easier to believe that this world was a committee decision than that it was made by an all-knowing, all-powerful, etcetera. I suspect, at heart, I'm actually an Arbitrariest.

....robots?

You could knit brain cozies instead. Learning to knit without a body might be an interesting challenge, though.

Also, I don't want to be a bodiless brain. If that's the future of humanity, who will I knit socks for?

And what about the cats? We can't leave our kitties behind!

Has anyone addressed the issue of pets and the Singularity?
And what happens when the cat walks across the keyboard during somebody's upload?

Heh. Back when I spent time in Second Life (which was only last year, I think ... my how time is behaving oddly these days) I used to hang out in a future-utopia place and gently dispute with the "upload ASAP" enthusiasts. Because yeah, do they really think they won't lose anything important by doing that?

I think Charles Stross was present for one of those conversations, actually. It was a fun place while it lasted.