Is it just to make it more humanish? Wouldn't it make more sense to just have cameras in all directions and have it see 360 degrees? Someone smarter than me, please explain. Robotics is not my thing.

Great plan, except that there are a ton of people who consider themselves a 'reasonable person' who are actually completely off their nut. Not quite sure how we decide who gets to administer whoopass and who doesn't.

This was literally my first thought. People lose their shit over finished laundry sitting idle in a dryer for a half hour. How civil are they going to be about sharing something that controls their ability to get to work and make money?

I watch with CC on because it keeps me from missing anything in the dialogue (I've got ex bar musician's ears, unfortunately). For the most part I'm very pleased with it. The one shortcoming I find with it is that often times I'm denied the pleasure of a well-timed joke or delivery. By the time they say it, I've already read it. But a small price to pay for not having to have the TV blaring.

185,000,000 volkswagon beetles

And as someone with allergies (celiac), it's 100x easier for me to click 'no bun' than to have the conversation where the 17 year old stops everything and says with a dumbass smirk 'Wait, you don't want a bun? So, just, like, the meat?', and then gets a manager who shows them where to click 'no bun.'

Sam's club in the US has it, but you do it from your phone. You scan the items as you put them in your cart, and hit the 'checkout' button when you want to pay (using a credit card you've already entered into the app). On your way out the door someone scans a barcode on your phone and does a quick verification that what's in your cart matches what's on the receipt. Very slick system, and you get 3% cash back or something like that for using it.

I can't imagine you'll be paying anything less than a $5/pound premium on the lab grown stuff. If I had to be on anything about this, it's that it isn't going to be cheap.

I still like the theater on one condition: I go to morning showings. I took a few hours off work and went to Episode VII the day after it was released at a 9:30 a.m. showing. It was me and about four other people in the theater. The evening and afternoon shows were sold out for at least a week solid. (No, I'm not interested in debating the merits of Episode VII. It was one of the rare films I just wanted to see right away.)

Eliminating the crowds eliminates 90% of the nuisances. And it's nice giving a film your full attention now and then, even if I only do it a few times a year.

You can get a decent pair of them for $30 or so. I have a pair that I wear at the shooting range. They are outstanding. The only downside is that if it's a windy day it can get pretty annoying with the wind noise in your ears. (more expensive pairs probably have solved this, but I'm cheap.)

14,000,000 Volkswagens.

This is probably the best analogy yet.

Very good questions. Likely answers below:

Yes, but you'll probably get some sort of ticket for doing it if you get caught.
Yes, but you'll probably get some sort of ticket for doing it if you get caught.
Yes, but you'll probably get some sort of ticket for doing it if you get caught.
Yes, but you'll probably get some sort of ticket for doing it if you get caught.

Eventually as the cars get proven I would guess that regulations will loosen up, however right away I'm sure we'll be expected to keep fully alert while 'not-driving'. I predict that it will be 'all the responsibility, twice the boredom' of normal driving initially.

You are exactly right. And in addition to that, the stakes are so fricking high in every movie that everything becomes meaningless. If they're not working to save the entire earth, they are working to save the universe.

I remember watching that 'Captain Phillips' movie with Tom Hanks and thinking 'Wow, that was pretty intense,' and then thinking 'Wow, that was all about saving one dude. What a concept.'

The Sioux debate has gone on for decades. The NCAA declared it derogatory around 5 or 6 years ago. After much fuss and many lawsuits, the 'Sioux' name was officially retired two or three years ago. UND is currently without a mascot.

As I noted, my timeline is approximate at best... but you get the idea.