Science Sunday: Robots on the March

Ever since Battlebots went off the air, it seems that our mechanical counterparts have reached some kind of peace accord amongst themselves. (If the word "Skynet" just occurred to you, award yourself 10 geek points.) So the search for new adversaries is on...

Assessing threat # 1 -- Cockroaches:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1805332,00.html

Predicted outcome: a lot of crushed decoys.


Assessing threat # 2 -- Hooligans:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,200780,00.html

Predicted outcome: a revolution in the way we riot at soccer games. And Short Circuit 3 finally gets made; think Air Bud, but with a soccer-playing robot.


Assessing threat # 3 -- Human needs

The Sunday Times article you reach upon clicking "Read whole story" is thought-provoking, but The Huffington Post knows a dynamite pull-quote when they see one...)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/06/19/people-are-going-to-be-h_n_23356.html

Predicted outcome (regarding the Huffington Post's angle on the story):

Professions in decline -- sex workers.
Professions on the rise -- maintaining sex machines.

Winners -- attractive celebrities who sell their likeness rights, whoever's holding James Brown's copyrights.
Losers -- product testers.
To be determined -- screenwriters who are no longer able to use robots as villains... although the writers will finally have girlfriends.