This is from a fairly old piece in the UK's splendid Guardian (June 30th, to be precise). I'm kind of surprised that it hasn't seen wider pickup elsewhere:

Real-life Robocops, robots armed with lethal weaponry and a programmed determination to eliminate foes, could become a key element in global counter-terrorist and military operations within 10 years, a US security expert said yesterday.

John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org in Virginia, was commenting on plans announced this week by a US firm, iRobot Corp, to arm its track-wheeled PackBot robot with a Taser X26 stun gun.

Until now, the PackBot, which looks like a small first-world-war tank, has been used for remote-controlled bomb disposal, dangerous search and surveillance missions. Now it will have the ability to "remotely engage, incapacitate and control dangerous suspects", iRobot said.

Here's the original Guardian story. Tip of the Judge Dredd helmet to my brother Gerard for pointing out this one. As he says: "Hoorah! Killer Robo Police, just like we were promised!"

Azimov! Thou should'st be living at this hour.

[UPDATE: Is it just me, or is there something terribly wrong about the phrase "real-life Robocops"?]

[UPDATE II: Wow! Seems our Robcops are arriving just in time to combat the "impending wave of cyborg criminal gangs".

From this story on BoingBoing: "Technology such as cloned part-robot humans used by organised crime gangs pose the greatest future challenge to police, along with online scamming, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty says."

Your move, creep.]

I've been a fan of David Onley's work at CityTV and CP24 for a long time now. He's one of the handful of Canadian TV journalists who made a really big impression on me in our first months in Canada - something about his abundant natural charm and welcoming on-air presence really stood out, and I've continued to enjoy his newscasts and the Home Page weekly technology show he hosts on CityTV.

It's both a remarkable surprise and simultaneously not surprising at all to learn that David has just been appointed as the next Lieutenant-Governor for Ontario. This is an outstanding choice, and a huge gain for Ontario.

David has done remarkable work over the years, as a vocal advocate for the causes of people with physical disabilities, and as a truly talented and insightful journalist. He's also a passionate science and technology guy - a passion which comes across so clearly in his technology reporting at CityTV.

He's leaving CityTV in a time of considerable change for the station - as they move across into new ownership following the CRTC's recent ruling on CTVglobemedia's purchase of the CHUM radio and TV network. The future of the Home Page segment is unclear, but whatever happens they'll be very hard pressed to fill the giant hole left by David's departure.

It's only bittersweet to see him go, though - sad for CityTV and for technology journalism in Toronto, yes - but really exciting for the province of Ontario.

You see? The geeks will inherit the earth!

Congratulations, David.

Ruairi, four and a half, is one wired kid. He has two laptops. Two toy ones, that is.

When our dear friends, the Murrays, moved back home to Ireland recently, they left Ruairi their youngest daughter's groovy little VTech French language trainer laptop.

Earlier today, as Leona was clearing out some of the accumulated junk from our basement and garden shed, Ruairi's other laptop turned up - a silly dollar-store toy that looks like a laptop, but just makes beeps and buzzes and flashing lights.

Ruairi was suitably excited by the thought that he now had two! actual! computers!

Leona pointed out to him that, of the two, the VTech one is actually a real computer. Suitably impressed, Ruairi thought for a second, then asked, in an excited voice:

"So can this one crash?"

Nurse! The paddles!!

CLEAR!

**Fffzzzzzzzzzttt**

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. . . . . . .

CLEAR!

**Fffzzzzork**

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. . . . . . .

Gimme 15 mills adrenaline. STAT!

**SPIKE**

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. . . . . . .

Come ON dammit! Don't give up on me!

CLEAR!

**Ffrrazzzap**

eeeee. . . . ./\. . . ./\. . ./\. ./\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Huzzah! We did it! We got the blog back!

(Translation: been busy. Back. Sorry. Normal service will be, etc.)