I recently read at wired.com that things are getting cheaper and cheaper. Like at Yahoo — unlimited data storage in your mailbox. That's insane. That's awesome! Technology is advancing so far that most of the average user's needs can be met for next to nothing. And someday soon, it really will cost us all nothing! Well, that's the vibe I got from the article, anyway.

I wish Health Care and Education were free.

In Star Trek, I believe there is no need for money. I've never really investigated this issue, but from what I can tell, the reason for this is the presence of replicator technology. It's like every room has a microwave-sized box that receives voice commands. So you say, "Computer, please make me a ham sandwich." And I guess nanomachines go to work to quickly engineer your food item. Or maybe they use a combination of hologram/transporter technology to immediately convert energy into matter in whatever configuration is required. So instead of decompiling half-eaten ham dinners and stale bread, and then reassembling the components into a ham sandwich (or instead of breaking down sewage and using that to make the ham sandwich), the machine would simply convert pure energy into a fresh meal. Cool!

I think, though, that the closest we are to achieving replicator technology lands on the side of nanotech. This means that all garbage would become fuel. Kind of like at the end of "Back to the Future" when Doc says, "I need fuel!" and tosses an old beer can into the Mr. Fusion. But instead of using the atoms and molecules of the can and beer inside for fusion, the replicator would strip the paint/label from the can, file that away, break down the metal, store that, and probably filter or process the beer somehow. Then later, you'd say "Computer, make me a can of Coke," and it would use the old metal and maybe some of the liquid. Or, you could say, "Computer, make me some aluminum foil."

With replicator technology, we'd rely on factories far less. Some would put out replicators of various sizes, and then the upgraded model would arrive that was self-repairing, and could even make copies of itself. Certain groups or institutions might have room-sized replicators, or bigger. "Computer, make me a house!"

So everyone would have access to any item, any material they wanted. All you need is the raw materials, and if they can't be found in your garbage, you'd have to get them somehow.

That would cost, right? I don't think so. I figure if nanotech is that advanced, we could have mining crews of nanotech machines digging, finding, and saving raw materials. Maybe even in your own back yard. "Computer, dig up my yard, find me some stuff, then put it back like it was. Oh, and make my lawn look better than my neighbor's." And even if you said, "Computer, make me a diamond," but were out of coal, you could probably find some carbon elsewhere. Like maybe it could break down the carbon of that leftover fruit salad in your fridge. And then if you ever got sick of that diamond, or your wife left you for the robot she conned you into replicating, then you could say, "Computer, take this diamond and make me a fruit salad."

Fruit salad! Yummy, yummy!

So, with all that technology at everyone's disposal, most things would probably be free. Maybe not land, though, in the traditional sense. But I bet there are probably ways to "make" more.

Give everyone in the world their own microwave-sized replicator. That's an end to hunger. Maybe the box can pull water from the air. An end to thirst? And it can take sand and make a palace. So some guy out in the middle of the desert could probably survive with one of those boxes, even with no plants around. He could use his own waste to make more food, (clean of course), use the sand to make connectible tiles with which he could build a house, pull water from the air (or filter sea water)…

Why not just make a jetpack?

Or how about this? If nanotech in the box can make anything, why not have nanotech in the guy's body? The machines would smoothly convert his waste into further nutrients, rearranging all the bad stuff into stuff that serves a purpose.

Seriously, I heard that they're working on some kind of artificial blood. It's so efficient that if you had it inside you, you could sprint for 10 minutes straight…

…without taking a breath.

Sure, this stuff could be used to create super soldiers, or a replicating goo that could decimate a country (or the world, and that's a widely-acknowledged fear). But I think it's so powerful that it should probably eliminate the need for war. All we need to do is to think, and figure out how to fix the problems of the chronically upset.

Can you believe how easy it has become to connect with others online? Just a few years ago, computers were for nerds, people with no lives, no social skills. Or so the public thought! Now you can meet people, make friends, even fall in love! Services have sprung up left and right, each claiming to help you connect with compatible singles on a more meaningful level with the top matchmaking site. But which site is the best? TruDating.com can help with that.

I’m not saying TruDating.com is the best dating site. But it has proven itself superior to the now infamous FalsDating.com. And it does keep a record of all the other dating sites out there. Basically, it’s a repository of dating site information. It ranks sites by category and has articles about dating and site-specific issues. So say eHarmony dumps you, and you need an alternative for your online adventures in love. TruDating lists tons of other dating sites, like Chemistry.com.

I’ve seen a lot of ads on TV by Chemistry.com slamming eHarmony. I don’t know if any of that’s true (get it?), but at least we all have more choices. Just like there are plenty of fish in the sea of dating, there are plenty of dating sites to choose from. And TruDating keeps track of that. So if you’re in the mood for the fastest dates in town, or matches made in cyberspace, or even a dating site that you don’t have to pay a penny for, TruDating could be helpful. Truly, truly, truly.

That would be so cool. Well, probably very stressful too, especially now with the U.S. dollar going down the toilet. But still, to be in charge of a behemoth, a Cash Machine, that would be pretty neat. And complex!

With technology changing so rapidly, you’ve got to stay on the edge. I just read somewhere that Japan wants to or will ban file sharers. Someone commented that the situation might force most users to upgrade to military-level anonymity. That’s crazy. But everyone’s got to stay secure, no matter what their situation.

I found out that Pragma Systems has been keeping Fortune 500 companies secure for 16 years. They build and adapt networking software, focusing on the telnet and ssh space. IBM’s a customer. So is… Coca Cola! And Intel, Sony, Target, HP, etc. etc. etc. They’ve got their act together. Great customer service I’m told. HQ in Texas. Don’t mess with Texas!

Basically Pragma makes its money by ensuring the security, scalability, reliability, and speed of telnet and ssh connectivity for major corporations. And of course, they cover Secured File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). Sounds good…

I love technology. Things are moving so fast these days, updates and upgrades happen virtually overnight. Actually, I’m still waiting for major gains in CPU speed, but other than that it just seems like you can sit back and let economic competition build you a better tomorrow. People keep coming up with better, faster, safer, and cheaper tools that allow us all to accomplish more than ever before. I wonder what cities will look like in 50 years? Probably like gigantic circuit boards, with lights everywhere.

Usually when I come into contact with some super powerful tool, like an industrial strength magnet, it provokes a good amount of awe. I’m amazed I have access to such useful and powerful items. Like super flashlights, the kind that can be seen for miles away? Way stronger than anything a kid would ever have. Way stronger than disposable emergency lights. Industrial strength. And they’ve got lamps for everything — your driveway, your front yard… If you never wanted to live in darkness, you could go to MagnaLight.com and buy every light they offer. You’d probably have trouble falling asleep, but hey, some people don’t seem to need it. You could make your own Vegas in your back yard! But your neighbors might not be thrilled…

Seriously, access to military grade lights on MagnaLight.com — it’s amazing. It’s like NASA shows up and says, “Here, Beaver. Have a laser.” “Golly gee, Mr. Spaceman, thanks!” Then later, “Hey Ma, I made the dog disappear!”

MagnaLight has all kinds of lights, for around your house, but also for you car or truck (like roof mount lights), and regular handheld. But what’s so regular about a flashlight that operates more like a gun? “Bam! I blasted that tree good. Look at the size of that hole!” Lights so bright… And, I’m glad to see some are eco-friendly. That’s good, considering that one of the major actions we’re supposed to be taking is swapping out all our old light bulbs. Oh yeah, I better get on that…!

I saw on CNN today that a man's LG cell phone was in his shirt pocket when the battery exploded, killing him. According to the company that makes that device, that scenario is extremely rare. But still, the fact that such an event can occur, even if remotely, is very scary.

I'd heard about laptop batteries blowing up, and how this was made fun of on "The Simpsons." At that point, I figured that explosive devices were rare, to such an extent as to be comical. But now hearing that a phone has killed a man outright, I'm not so sure.

If a phone battery can become explosive under certain circumstances, we are all in danger. Can you imagine what would have happened if he and a friend had been using that phone when it blew up, maybe both leaning in to hear someone on speaker? Or what if he had given it to a child? "Here, kiddo, say hi!"

Even if something is rare, it is still dangerous. There are so many people on earth that rare events tend to happen more than a few times. So how can we save ourselves from Death By Cell Phone?

Can you believe it?! I just read on Yahoo that Verizon is going to open its network in preparation to compete with Google's open Android software platform and with the iPhone's opening to the development of 3rd-party software. This could change everything.

The Verizon Wireless network will soon be open to non-Verizon phones and programs. Perhaps this is the first step toward a world in which the web is truly worldwide.

I envision a future in which the internet is so ubiquitous that it can be accessed by virtually any device. Online access will become standard, built-in as a perfunctory feature in most gadgets, and perhaps in non-gadget items like furniture. People won't have to pay for it. It will be free, open, and omnipresent. Access points will be a thing of the past, as every inch of the world will act as such.

I'll bet computer terminals will exist as more technical alternatives to other, newer forms of surfing. Perhaps in a few years, PCs will be relegated to use by "Net Operators," people whose jobs encompass updating and changing the net from a central location. Meanwhile, most citizens will share knowledge and experiences remotely, free to move to any area without risking being cut off.

Perhaps we could even extend internet access to the moon, and Mars. And Alpha Centauri!

A little while ago I made a post about how I felt I was "Getting Absorbed Into The Net." Then today I read an article on nytimes.com about how Korea takes "web obsession" seriously to the point that there is a boot camp to cure it.

I couldn't believe it. Really? There are people who have lost their lives to the net? Even if that were true, big deal, right? Then I remembered stories about people sucked into MMORPGs. Apparently (and this probably has happened more than once) a young guy killed himself after losing his character in the game. It was like the game was his whole life, and he couldn't imagine going on living after it was over.

So this is serious.

I'm a fan of the "Ghost In The Shell" anime. I'm more familiar with the show than the films. The setting is a futuristic world in which the net has become a true virtual reality, brain-to-net interfacing has been achieved, and prosthetic bodies are in apparent widespread use. If you had such a body, you'd look and act like any normal person, but you could also multitask and surf the net in your mind — even while driving. I believe artificial intelligence exists in the show as well.

In one episode, it was explained and depicted how many youngsters can become so absorbed into the net that they need professional treatment. It's like they withdraw almost completely from the real world. One of the solutions put into use was to allow the kids to surf the net, but only so they could write security programs. The programs the wrote, I believe, were highly effective.

It was shocking to read how South Korea, already mega-networked, has been encountering similar problems in the real world. One kid at the boot camp said how he felt that 17 hours a day online was no big deal. It became such an issue that he and others would skip school, not to surf, but to sleep, as they'd been up all night online. Apparently some people have even died from staying online playing games for days at a time. It's that crazy.

I personally don't think I have a problem with the net, but you never know. They say first your tolerance levels rise for sitting at the computer for extended periods. (Check.) After that you surf more and more, and if anything comes between you and your computer, you can become quite agitated. Thankfully I'm not there yet, nor do I plan to be.

I had just assumed that as the internet comes to play a bigger role in all of our lives, we'd naturally use it more often. But not nonstop. That same kid at the boot camp found that real-life success in physical endeavors was much more fun than playing games online. He said his new perspective might even cause him to reduce his time online from 17 hours a day to just 5. Yes, it sounds ironic, but at the same time 5 hours a day online is probably normal for a lot of people.

What a wild world we live in.

I've ridden a stationary bike before, and I think it's a great tool to help someone get some exercise. I noticed that when watching a movie with a lot of heart-pumping action in it, it's easier to stop thinking about the pedaling, even while working harder and burning more energy. So a few weeks ago, I thought back to an episode of a cartoon I had seen, (maybe "Doug?") in which someone visited a modern gym with a stationary bike in front of a screen. The screen could display a scenic route, or a tougher course. I believe the video images reflected the actual progress the rider was making on the bike.

I thought, "Cool!" If only there were a bike like that where you could hook it up to your TV and ride through a well-made movie! There'd be ups and downs in the plot, emotional peaks and valleys, and all the while all it takes is your pedaling to save the day. The emotional involvement in the action on-screen can make it a lot easier to enjoy riding a stationary bike. I wondered, "When will they come out with the home kit?"

They already have! Today, I saw a commercial for the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle. For $90, you can get your little tyke his or her very own stationary bike that comes complete with a video game system built in. You just hook it up to your TV, insert one of the game cartridges, and BLAMMO! As you kid pedals and steers through the on-screen courses (yes, the bike can be steered!) he's exercising, learning, and having fun all at the same time. Not only are the games interesting, they also contain simple educational lessons. This product is incredible. I never could have guessed that somebody already thought it up.

When I was searching for it on Amazon.com so I could get the name right, I came across another version of this idea for grownups and kids alike. It's called Qmotions Funfitness for Xbox. This system is different from the Smart Cycle in that it is designed for people who already have their own stationary bike. You attach sensors to your bike's pedals, hook the system up to your X-Box, and then play whatever racing game you already own. I guess the Funfitness system basically turns the pedals of any stationary bike into alternate X-Box controller. I'm not quite clear on how you steer, but I'm sure there's a way.

This is great! Maybe someday they'll make Qmotions a little more like the Smart Cycle and come up with their own games, specifically geared toward bike riding. It just makes me wonder… "What will they think of next?"

Mass hysteria!!!

But seriously, what would happen if all the computers everywhere suddenly no longer had access to the internet? All the servers go down, and suddenly we've got no email, no instant communication, and no online banking. Transactions are frozen in limbo, money is tied up, and people can't get word to one another as quickly and easily as before.

Enter the cell phone. Everybody starts texting or calling one another, using mobile devices as a way to bridge the communication gap that was suddenly created by a global lack of internet access. Everyone calls everyone else all at the same time, and overload whatever cellular systems hadn't already been taken out with the World Wide Web Crash. So now there's no internet, and no cell phone.

People again switch tools, and move to land lines. But there are far fewer land lines than cell phones. Indeed, many households with four cell phones have at most two separate land lines. Half the calls that would have been made on a cell phone never get made at all. Lines form at the telephone booths, riots ensue, communication breaks down, and progress suffers. The world hits a standstill.

Meanwhile, the Storm Worm hacks its way into the government's nuclear facilities, and launches on the Russians.

John Connor: "Why attack Russia? Aren't they our friends now?"
The Terminator: "Because SkyNet knows the Russian counter-attack will eliminate its enemies over here."

So, if the net went down, what would happen? People would turn to cell phones, then turn to land lines, and then turn to the window and squint at the mushroom clouds.

Have you heard of the Storm Worm? It's a virus that is subtly spreading through cyberspace. It gets into your computer through an infected link, and once it's in, gains control over your system. It has very few noticeable symptoms. That means that your computer could be infected right now, and you wouldn't even know it.

Apparently, thousands and thousands of computers are already affected, and there's no way to stop the Storm Worm from spreading to thousands more. All the computers infected make up a network that gives incredible power to whoever is orchestrating this whole thing, because all those computers can be used to run programs, send files, visit websites, and do pretty much anything the virus' creator wants. So far, however, very little has been done with Storm Worm computers, which is why they're so hard to find. A few web sites have been attacked, including one aimed at describing exactly how the Storm Worm works, but that's been about it.

In Terminator 3, a virus spread throughout the internet, infecting computers with itself. It turned out that a powerful U.S. government system called SkyNet had become self-aware, and was using the virus to gain control over every computer and machine it could.

People theorize that the Storm Worm's owner will only use his power when his network of infected PCs reaches into the hundreds of millions. What if the owner is SkyNet? What if AI has already emerged? And Judgment Day is today, 6 hours from now?