The Future And You

Paul Levinson (author, media commentator and professor) shares his ideas concerning nanotechnology, SETI, the Fermi Paradox, the probability and impact of our finding another Earth, and the impacts already made upon society by PayPal and eBay. He also explains why he believes that Wikipedia is one of the most exciting innovations in communication today.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 6, 2008 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 55 minutes]Paul Levinson is professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York City. He has a Bachelors in Journalism, a Masters in Media Studies and a Doctorate in Media Ecology.He is the author of five novels of science fiction and/or fantasy; as well as nine non-fiction books. He served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America from 1998 to 2001.As a commentator on media, popular culture, and science fiction he has been interviewed over 500 times on television and radio. And his op-eds have appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, New York's Newsday, and the New York Sun.Prior to his academic career, Paul Levinson was a songwriter, singer and record producer in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with recordings by the Vogues, Donna Marie of The Archies and Ellie Greenwich. As a radio producer he worked with Murray the K and Wolfman Jack.Also included in this episode: (a) a piece of music from Chris Armstrong's CD entitled: AI Awakens; (b) how to visit Boc Cryotank (your host's avatar in Second Life) at Sophrosyne's Saturday Salon (a weekly gathering of transhumanists, extropians, and other future-minded people); (c) your host's birthday; and (d) the news that your host has accepted an invitation to join the advisory board of the Lifeboat Foundation.

Eric Flint, best selling author of more than 25 novels of science fiction and fantasy, as well as editor-in-chief of the online science fiction and fantasy magazine Jim Baen's Universe, is this week's featured interview.In a rare interview recorded in front of a live audience, Eric shares anecdotes from behind the scenes of his many collaborations with authors such as David Weber, David Drake, Dave Freer and Mercedes Lackey.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 30, 2008 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 73 minutes]A prolific collaborator all through his career, Eric describes the ups and downs of collaborating on a novel: how it works and what goes wrong when it doesn't. A former political activist, he describes the events that lead up to his entering the Writers of The Future Contest, and how winning it changed his life.Six drunk friends collaborating is how he describes the crude beginnings of what later evolved into his first Joe's World novel.He also mentions stories about his friend, the late Jim Baen, founder of Baen Books. And he mentions what actions Toni Weisskopf (the new head of Baen Books) used to insure stability at Baen after Jim's untimely passing.Eric Flint also touches on electronic publishing. He says, Baen is quite aggressive in moving toward electronic publishing. And it would be foolish not to be. Baen is the premier electronic publisher in science fiction; it's not the biggest in print, but it is the biggest in electronic publishing.Also included is an update on your host's exploration of the online virtual world called Second Life, such as his attending Sophrosyne's Saturday Salon (a weekly gathering of transhumanists, extropians, and other future-minded people hosted by Sophrosyne.) Listener feedback is provided by Peer Infinity, a transhumanist resident of Second Life.

George Dvorsky, executive editor of betterhumans.com, is this week's featured interview. Betterhumans.com is a webzine with News, Articles, and interactive features serving the transhumanist community. George Dvorsky is also the co-founder and president of the Toronto Transhumanist Association and has served on the Board of Directors for the World Transhumanist Association.One of Canada's leading futurists, activists and award winning bloggers, George Dvorsky has written and spoken extensively about the impacts of cutting-edge science and technology.In this capacity he has been interviewed by: The BBC, Radio Free Europe, and by the British newspaper The Guardian. He's also been on the Canadian television news-magazine The Hour.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 23, 2008 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 84 minutes]Topics include:Why there is a negative perception of transhumanism in the general public, and what we can do about it.Why the mainstream medical community is working hard to achieve the goals of transhumanism (without realizing it) and will continue to work toward them with or without our encouragement.The vaccination of children is a perfect example of the transhumanist ideal, George explains, since it is an engineered hyper-immunity produced by technological intervention.Why the complete end of personal privacy may be unavoidable and imminent.We as a species find ourselves living with an increasing array of apocalyptic technologies, George says, and we have to learn how to live with these things since we can't un-invent them.His personal expectations of The Singularity.Life extension in general, and how long he personally expects to live.Why the areas of transhumanist thought that remain controversial are those more removed from just keeping people healthy, and more in the direction of making people better than they ever were before. These areas include such things as increasing the human IQ, life extension, and wiring computers directly into the human brain.As well as many other subjects.

Matt Browne, an IT professional living in Frankfurt Germany, is this week's featured interview. With a Masters degree in Computer Science and Computational Linguistics, Matt Browne has been involved in projects developing natural language processing with a strong focus on machine translation systems.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 16, 2008 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 87 minutes]Matt talks about natural language processing and how long it might be before a computer passes the Turing Test; human resistance to the creation of human level artificial intelligences; and how this will lead to the singularity. But also how, long before The Singularity, huge profits will be made with AI applications.He also describes catastrophic dangers to the human race such as super volcanoes and asteroids, and why this has lead him to become a member of The Life Boat Foundation.He also covers many of the social and political trends growing in Germany and throughout Europe. Including his observation that prosperity is on the rise in Europe and all around the world; and how it is that English is becoming the common world language, and why the French are not happy about it.Matt is also the author of the Hard SF novel The Future Happens Twice in which he explores concepts such as: interstellar space colonization using frozen embryos; earth-like extrasolar planets; embryo-splitting technology and artificial wombs; the cryopreservation of human embryos; children being raised by sophisticated androids; and human survival threatened by an impending extinction-level event.

Timothy Zahn, the bestselling author, is this week's featured guest. Possibly best known for his Thrawn Trilogy, which is a series of Star Wars novels set in the time after the movie Return of the Jedi.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 9, 2008 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 60 minutes]In this interview Timothy Zahn discusses several of his fears, hopes and worries about the future. He also talks about Wikipedia, Earthlike exoplanets, and how his master's degree in physics contributes both to the hardness of his science fiction and to the strength of his faith in God.After describing his ideas in science, theology and sociology he lightens the conversation with anecdotes of how he became a Star Wars playing card, as well as a question on the TV game show Jeopardy.News items in this episode include an announcement that the host of The Future And You (Stephen Euin Cobb) is now inside the virtual world Second Life and is going by the name: Boc Cryotank.

Jack McDevitt, the best selling author, kicks off the show's new weekly format. Each weekly episode will feature a single guest interviewed in greater depth than ever before possible.Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 1, 2008 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 53 minutes]Jack McDevitt discusses how he has used the internet and email for research; science fiction on TV and in movies; what he learned by being a teacher and a newspaper reporter; and the novels that changed his life which include Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and the young adult stories in The Voyage of the Space Beagle.He also talks about writing alternate history involving Sir Arthur Conan Dole's Sherlock Holmes, and he describes one of his favorite science fiction movies, the low-budget but brilliantly written film: Time Quest.News items include (a) this program's new weekly format (b) our much shorter readings of stories from Jim Baen's Universe Magazine, and (c) Sir Arthur C. Clarke's 90th birthday. The legendary science fiction author celebrated the happy occasion a few weeks ago (December 16, 2007) by posting online a video Birthday Message to the entire world. (Sir Arthur is one of a handful of people who shaped and altered the course of your host's life, and was instrumental in his becoming a transhumanist over 30 years ago.) Listener Feedback includes emails examining whether or not guest interviews on this program should be censored.

Authors Timothy Zahn and Kevin J. Anderson are joined by Professor Paul Levinson (media commentator), as well as by Stoney Compton and Walt (The Bananaslug) Boyes. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 98 minutes]Topics include:[1] News Items:(a) Paris Hilton has signed up for cryonic preservation.(b) Controversial new documentary claims there is an aggressive and widespread conspiracy within American universities to harass and persecute anyone who admits they believe in Intelligent Design.(c) This is the second anniversary episode of The Future And You, and the first anniversary of this show being teamed with Jim Baen's Universe Magazine.(d) Bones Burnt Black serialization is complete. (This episode contains no installment).(e) Hank Reinhardt (renowned weapons expert and beloved husband of Toni Weisskopf--head of Baen Books) passed away on October 30, 2007.[2] Could the reason SETI hasn't found any intelligent life in the universe be because there isn't any out there? Earth constitutes only one data point says Timothy Zahn, and my training in physics and mathematics tells me that extrapolating from only one data point is fraught with danger.Timothy Zahn's confidence is high, however, that we will someday have computers wired directly into our bodies, but say's: I'll wait for the third or fourth generation of the technology to see what the side effects are. He also talks about medical life extension, The Singularity, nanotechnology, cryonics, and faster than light travel.[3] Walt (The Bananaslug) Boyes and Stoney Compton give us an inside peek at what's in the latest issue of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine.[4] Kevin J. Anderson (co-author of the best selling Dune prequels) sees artificial intelligence eventually merging with humans rather than becoming our enemy. He anticipates that computer implants will become popular, and is willing to have one wired into his brain too-—after other people try them first. He even suggests that this might someday lead to humanity developing a Hive Mind. He also talks about SETI, FTL, nanotechnology, and cryonics.[5] Professor Paul Levinson does not believe artificial intelligence will ever become so advanced that it is unintelligible to humans. Because of this he does not buy into any of the apocalyptic descriptions of The Singularity in which machines out-pace humanity and go their own way. Instead he sees artificially intelligent machines becoming intimately integrated with human minds, resulting in our becoming better humans. He also describes the affects cryonics might have on society.

Authors Kevin J. Anderson and Doctor Aubrey de Grey are joined by professional comedian Grant Baciocco as well as Walt (The Bananaslug) Boyes and Stoney Compton. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 100 minutes]Topics include:[1] Can catching a cold cause you to become obese? The explanation, which is still theoretical, is that because this particular virus reproduces in fat cells it has evolved the ability to stimulate the human body to create more fat cells.[2] Kevin J. Anderson feels that if nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing turn out to meet their potential they will change human society and the human race forever, and that this will be a bigger change than any change we have experienced in all of human history.He says Vernor Vinge's Singularity is a fascinating and scary possibility. Though a long-time Mac user and early adapter, he feels the curve of the singularity has already passed him by.One of his worries for the future is that we have lots of smart people working on scientific advances when they have no clue what the effect on society will be. As an example, he sites a US project from the sixties called Operation Plowshare in which nuclear warheads were to be used in place of earth moving equipment for construction projects such as blasting tunnels through mountains for interstate highways and creating municipal reservoirs for public drinking water.[3] Walt Boyes (The Bananaslug) and Stoney Compton give us an inside peek at what's in the latest episode of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine.[4] Cryonics is a very good bet, says Doctor Aubrey de Grey who sees resuscitation from a cryo-preserved state as a natural extension of the work he's already doing in Medical Life Extension. He is pessimistic about cancer, however, and does not expect a cure within the next few years. He feels that cancer will be one of the most difficult problems of Life Extension to overcome.He also uses empirical evidence to make a case for his notion that because Life Extension raises people's perception of the value of life, in the future wars will become less and less common.He also suggests that the reason the US medical system is so expensive compared to those of the rest of the civilized world is not that it is not socialized but that America is such a litigious society. A lot of the money goes to lawyers, rather than to medical professionals.[5] The final installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black.[6] An interview with the professional comedian Grant Baciocco in Atlanta Georgia where he had just accepted a Parsec Award for the weekly, family-friendly podcast which he co-created with Dougg Price called The Radio Adventures of Doctor Floyd.A technogeek but no transhumanist, Grant Baciocco is one of the early pioneers of podcasting. He discusses trends in comedy including the recent increase in vulgarity, his use of SeatGuru to always get an aisle seat when flying, and trends in theme parks--especially the new interactive animated characters which talk with and answer questions from their audience.

Senator, and presidential candidate, John McCain is joined by Jack McDevitt, Eric Flint, Doctor Aubrey de Grey, Alethea Kontis, Stoney Compton and Walt The Bananaslug Boyes. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 121 minutes] Topics include:[1] News and Listener Feedback.[2] John McCain (presidential candidate and senator) openly threatens to close down half or more of NASA if elected president, but favors federal funding of nanotechnology and (though the issue has split the pro-life community in which he includes himself) also supports the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.[3] Eric Flint is optimistic about the future but is highly skeptical of both nanotechnology and the Singularity; Hooey, he calls them both. He recalls that the late Jim Baen also thought nanotechnology was nonsense and yet, paradoxically, was a big fan of the Singularity. Eric laughs as he explains that, the word contradictory was made for Jim Baen.[4] The BananaSlug (Walt Boyes) joins forces with Stoney Compton (author of the alternate history novel Russian Amerika) to give us an inside peek at what's in the latest issue of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine.[5] Jack McDevitt reveals one of the little hypocrisies we all share: We say we want the schools to make our kids smart, but what we really want is for them to make our kids think like us. He also laments that our government has stopped looking for the subset of asteroids which threaten to hit the earth—a project which would cost little and yet might easily save millions of lives.[6] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black.[7] Can we see huge increases in human life expectancy in 20 to 30 years? Doctor Aubrey de Grey says this is achievable even without the form of nanotechnology called molecular manufacturing. He adds, however, that a robust molecular manufacturing ability will be needed to extend human life expectancies indefinitely. (...a situation Transhumanists have nicknamed Escape Velocity.)Doctor de Grey also describes a project attempting to produce Friendly AI. (Strong AI specifically engineered to be incapable of harming humans-—apparently reminiscent of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics.) Having once worked in artificial intelligence, the doctor describes Friendly AI with some familiarity, but not a lot of confidence in its eventual success. [8] Is the science fiction and fantasy short story market moving more strongly online? And do people who read online tend to gravitate to the shorter of the short stories? Alethea Kontis (a fantasy editor for Solaris Books in the UK and a buyer for Ingram in the US) says there are now several professional-level magazines online and their popularity and influence is growing. And, even though electrons are cheap, the desire for shorter stories is putting pressure on the magazines and writers to provide readers with stories that are shorter and more tightly written.

Authors Jack McDevitt, Dr. Aubrey de Grey, Randal L. Schwartz and Stoney Compton are joined by Uncle Timmy (chairman of LibertyCon) and Walt, The Bananaslug, Boyes from Jim Baen's Universe magazine. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 113 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News Items (your host has been promoted to Contributing Editor at Jim Baen's Universe Magazine) and Listener Feedback (about The Singularity and how the Golden Age of Phone Surveying is drawing to a close). [2] Jack McDevitt, author of the Nebula Award winning novel Seeker, as well as thirteen other novels, has made a career out of imagining our future. Here he describes what he anticipates and wishes for our future, as well as what he fears. [3] Walt Boyes and Stoney Compton tell us what's in the latest issue of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine. [4] If you can cause a mouse to live an unnaturally long life you can win a huge cash prize. Inspired by the now famous space-commercializing X-Prize, The Methuselah Mouse Prize is just as real but is designed to popularize and promote innovative medical research in Life Extension. Doctor Aubrey de Grey of the Methuselah Foundation--who is both a gerontologist and a transhumanist--speaks of this and other aspects of medical life extension. [5] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [6] What would you do if you were unjustly arrested on felony charges as a computer hacker? Randal L. Schwartz knows what he would do since this actually happened to him. [7] In his twenty years of running a science fiction convention, Uncle Timmy (the founder and chairman of LibertyCon) has spent quality time with some of speculative fiction's greatest visionaries. In this candid interview Uncle Timmy reveals memories and anecdotes from behind those many scenes.

Authors Catherine Asaro, Hildy Silverman, Randal L. Schwartz and Stoney Compton are joined by editor Paula Goodlett from Jim Baen's Universe Magazine. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the August 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 114 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News and Listener Feedback (a) Fred Saberhagen (author of the Berserker Series) has passed away. [2] Will future ballet dancers augment their bodies for greater strength and range of motion? And will we develop faster than light travel (FTL) in the same way we developed quanta mechanics and the relativistic equations? Author and scientist, Catherine Asaro covers both questions with authority because her career has included both. Concurrent with earning her doctorate in chemical physics from Harvard, she started and ran the Harvard University Ballet dance company, which still performs. [3] Stoney Compton (author of the alternate history novel Russian Amerika) provides summaries and short readings from Jim Baen's Universe, the online magazine of science fiction and fantasy. [4] How soon will e-books be as cheap as candy bars? As a child, Paula Goodlett, more than once, lived in towns without a library; where there was little available for her to read. Today she's the Managing Editor of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine and of The Grantville Gazette, both of which were created by Eric Flint and the late Jim Baen to experimentally test the waters of electronic publishing. Paula describes how these two experiments developed and what has been learned from them so far. She also provides hints of what changes are yet to be tried. [5] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black; this time the second half of chapter 16. [6] Infertility in America is increasing. This trend has lasted for decades, has been verified through statistics, and shows no sign of slowing. But while infertility is growing a new openness in talking about the subject is allowing its stigma to fade. Achieving Families Magazine is the "only magazine dedicated to providing real-life informative stories and articles to guide you through the challenges of infertility.? Hildy Silverman is more than just one of its editors; she's a living example of how science and technology are bringing the joy of childbearing to those who would otherwise be left out. Her daughter was conceived through technological intervention. Hildy describes new methods of conception, and the thorny legal problems they've created. [7] With its twitchy and crash-prone reputation, do you really want Microsoft Windows running the anesthesia and life support software during your next surgical procedure? And in the future, when nanorobots are ready to be injected into your bloodstream to protect you from heart attack, stroke and cancer, should you trust their AI software not to crash. Or more importantly, should you trust them not to get a bug that identifies, as a cancerous tumor which must be sliced up and removed, your heart or eyes or brain? Randal L. Schwartz is a programmer familiar with the weakness and frequent glitches of software.

Battlestar Galactica cast member Bodie Olmos (son of Edward James Olmos and grandson of Howard Keel) is joined by the authors Robert Buettner, Mike Resnick, Randal L. Schwartz and Stoney Compton, as well as by Walt (The Bananaslug) Boyes from Jim Baen's Universe magazine. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 118 minutes] ---Topics include: [1] A few items of News and Listener Feedback: (a) The World Death Stacks tournament now offers a trophy for artificial intelligence, (b) this show has been nominated for a 2007 Parsec Award in three categories, and (c) Listener Feedback from Bunnies of London (an expensive British escort service). [2] With the future coming at us faster and faster how can your favorite science fiction writers stay one step ahead of emerging technology and the changes it creates in our lives? The truth is, sometimes they can't. Robert Buettner describes the future inside and outside of his novels, and how he and other writers struggle with the ever accelerating speed of scientific advancement. [3] Walt Boyes and Stoney Compton provide an inside look at what's new in the latest issue of Jim Baen's Universe, the online magazine of science fiction and fantasy. [4] Mike Resnick addresses a wide variety of questions such as how his own medical conditions may someday require he use voice recognition software, and how these conditions have influenced his feelings about socialized medicine. He also tackles other tough questions: Will the worlds religions remain relevant? Is it OK for big brother to watch you if it reduces crime? Will artificial intelligence worship its creators rather than destroy them? Will the lessons of prohibition be forgotten when writing future laws concerning Marijuana? And consumerism American style: is it succeeding where fascism and communism failed? Is consumerism doing what it appears to be doing: conquering every nation on earth?[5] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black; this time the first half of chapter 16. [6] Is it time to buy beachfront property inside the virtual world called Second Life? Randal L. Schwartz, who rents an apartment inside, and is therefore a resident, describes this bizarre world which is both similar and dissimilar to our own. Randal also describes some of his ideas concerning artificial intelligence and how quantum computing and neural nets may relate to it. [7] The actor Bodie Olmos (son of Edward James Olmos and grandson of Howard Keel) describes his work on the set of the TV show Battlestar Galactica, as well as how it has affected his expectations of the future. He also talks of trends within his favorite hobbies: surfing and playing drums; and (in this interview taped June 2, 2007) reveals that Battlestar Galactica will end its run at the end of this season.

Authors Robert J. Sawyer, Mike Resnick, David B. Coe, Edmund Schubert, Randal L. Schwartz and Stoney Compton are joined by Walt (The Bananaslug) Boyes and Davey Beauchamps. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 167 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News about your host's recent throat surgery, and listener feedback about the implanting and hardwiring of computers into the human brain. [2] Should we fear artificial intelligence? Once we make machines that are smarter than us how will we control or contain them? And if we try, won't they just outsmart us? Robert J. Sawyer explains why AI has dangerous possibilities which are being ignored today; and will continue to be ignored until, because of the accelerating pace of technological advancement, it will be too late. He discusses near term dangers, and ponders humanity's ultimate fate. Will we become pets or partners to machines, or something else for which we have no word? [3] Walt Boyes (The Bananaslug) and Stoney Compton give us an inside peek at what's going on in the current issue of Jim Baen's Universe Magazine. [4] Are state lotteries really an unethical tax upon the very people who can least afford them: the naive and gullible? Does the widespread popularity of gun ownership in America make the United States the only nation on earth that is unconquerable? Mike Resnick covers these and other subjects such as: Will Puerto Ricans ever vote for statehood knowing it will mean they'll have to begin paying income taxes? Will the US ever have socialized medicine? When Castro passes away, will Cuba embrace consumerism? [5] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [6] Did the documentary An Inconvenient Truth reveal as much about Al Gore and his political aspirations as it did about Al Gore's beliefs concerning climate change? David B. Coe describes what he sees as the many lessons from the movie including the probability that Al Gore will run for president in 2008, and his chances against Hillary and the other Democratic candidates. [7] In the next seven to fourteen years your monthly electric bill will drop to zero permanently, and you will drive a car every day which costs you nothing to fuel. An essay by your host about the soon-coming abundance of really cheap solar cells. [8] Are public libraries embracing the vast information access powers of the internet? The movement is called Library 2.0 and Davey Beauchamp (a professional librarian, and part-time writer and voice actor) has been helping it work its way into the quiet book-lined rooms of traditional libraries. Davey also describes trends in anime, his work on the second Writers for Relief anthology and announces that he has just been hired to write a rock opera based on the legend of Blue Beard the Pirate. [9] In the next three to five years diabetics will all stop poking needles into their fingertips forever. A mini-essay by your host about RFID chips which will be implanted inside human patients and provide constant medical measurements without wires. [10] What methods has Microsoft used that have given it a reputation for aggressive monopolism? And is it true, as some claim, that Microsoft's new Vista operating system has stolen 45 things from Apple's OS-10. Randal L. Schwartz talks of this as well as his experiments with podcasting and Geek Cruises. [11] Will the online science fiction and fantasy magazines survive? Edmund R. Schubert, editor of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, describes the strengths and weakness of this business; the money to be made and the trends he sees developing.

Authors Mike Resnick, Kim Stanley Robinson, Elizabeth Bear, Dave Freer, Paul Levinson and Stoney Compton are joined by Randal L. Schwartz (programming consultant and activist) and Walt (the Bananaslug) Boyes of Jim Baen's Universe magazine. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the May 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 142 minutes] ---Topics include: [1] News: (a) the recent discovery of the first earthlike planet other than our own, (b) your host's surgery, (c) your host will appear at ConCarolinas in Charlotte NC, USA (June 1-3, 2007), (d) listener feedback on superconductivity, sexual equality, the singularity and transhumanism. [2] Many online magazines now pay professional rates--sometimes much better than print magazines--does this mean the great electronic experiment was a success? Or just that the print magazines are dieing? Mike Resnick (editor of the highest paying online magazine) discusses this and provides another eyewitness report on how bad things really are across Africa. He also answers your host's question about Funny Novels: is there more money but less respect? [3] Walt (the Bananaslug) Boyes and Stoney Compton take us inside Jim Baen's Universe magazine. [4] Must a generation die off for a culture to change its most deeply held beliefs? Or is our current population somehow learning to become comfortable with nontraditional ideas, behaviors, clothing and lifestyles? Elizabeth Bear speaks of this and the universal notion of Us verses Them. [5] Have we been relying on non-lethal weapons for centuries without even realizing it? Kim Stanley Robinson insists that we have, and also argues that implanting a computer inside your skull is not trivial. It carries risks of damage and infection, and might best be reserved for solving life-altering problems like blindness or deafness. [6] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [7] Despite the numerous benefits, the renowned programmer Randal L. Schwartz insists he will be highly reluctant to accept a computer hardwired into his brain; and will refuse it entirely if its operating system is made by Microsoft since that would make his mind too easily hacked and too prone to spontaneously crashing. [8] Cell phones have changed our culture and altered the way we live, but their changes are not yet complete. Paul Levinson ponders what is yet to come. [9] Large scale engineering projects have been less visible recently thanks to all the buzz about nanotechnology. But the future is not given only to the very small. Those who design big are still thinking big, and the biggest place to build big is in the biggest place of all: space. Dave Freer presents his vision of how humanity will spread beyond the earth and fulfill its destiny among the stars.

Authors David Drake, Alan Dean Foster, Dave Freer, Paul Levinson and Stoney Compton are joined by Ginjer Buchanan (of Ace and ROC books), Lucienne Diver (a top literary agent) and Walt Boyes (The Bananaslug from Jim Baen's Universe magazine). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the April 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 121 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News: (a) due to the host's vocal problems, this is the only episode which does not include an installment of the novel, Bones Burnt Black; (b) Death Stacks may now be played online for free without downloading anything; (c) TV channels from around the globe may be watched online for free by going to MyEasyTV.com; (d) your humble host proposes his fix for the confusion produced by dropped cell phone calls; and (e) your host will appear at RavenCon in Richmond VA, USA (April 20-22, 2007) and at ConCarolinas in Charlotte NC, USA (June 1-3, 2007). [2] Apartheid ended 13 years ago, so what are the trends within South Africa today? And what misconceptions do outsiders have? Dave Freer (born and raised in South Africa) talks of this as well as his scientific profession: ichthyology (the study of fish), and the thousands of times he has been scuba diving, and one dive in particular when he got his arm caught in a shellfish tunnel and very nearly drowned. [3] Walt Boyes (The Bananaslug) and Stoney Compton provide a peak into the current issue of Jim Baen's Universe magazine. [4] Are SF writers really trying to predict the future? Hugo Gernsback thought he was predicting, but were H.G. Wells or Jules Verne also trying to be predictors? Many people think so but David Drake says No and backs it with specific examples. [5] With half the Japanese populous reading eBooks on their cell phones and Steve Jobs intent on combining cell phones with iPods for computerless downloading of music, podcasts and audio books, just how fast are the changes coming? Ginjer Buchanan (Senior Executive Editor and Marketing Director of Ace and ROC books) talks of this as well as: why William Gibson is a national hero in Japan, the increasing feminization of America, the Vatican's website, and her fear that unemployment is the fate of all those who create, transport and sell physical books: from press operators and truck drivers to clerks in the giant chain bookstores. [6] An essay by your host entitled: My Father's Watch which concerns physics and nanotechnology and the drop we will see in energy prices during the next five to ten years. [7] Does the world need more people rather than fewer? Paul Levinson suggests that, since intelligence is our best resource then, more people will produce more intelligence, more innovation and a more rapid improvement to the human condition. He also addresses other questions: Is another dark age unlikely because (unlike in the ancient world) today there are so many copies of Humanity's collected knowledge? And is the fall of New Orleans (due to hurricane Katrina) a good example of how civilizations fall? And if so what can we learn from it? [8] Have audio book downloads become a bigger trend than eBook downloads? What about giving away free eBooks? Lucienne Diver, one of America's top literary agents, talks of this as well as her frustration with the large pharmaceutical companies and her skepticism over whether or not future medicine will ever provide a cure for the cryonics process. [9] Less-than-lethal weapons will soon take their place on the battlefield, but will they actually change anything? No, says Alan Dean Foster, and explains why. He also addresses the probability of the world entering a new dark age, and he disagrees with the host's notion that New Orleans can be used as a miniature example of the fall of civilization.

Authors John Barnes, Kim Stanley Robinson, Elizabeth Bear, L.E. Modesitt, Jr. and Stoney Compton are joined by Ginjer Buchanan (of ACE and ROC Books), Walt Boyes (JBU's own Bananaslug) and Ricki Dean (Manager of a High School cafeteria). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 155 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News items: (a) your host will appear at RavenCon in Richmond VA, USA next month (b), a new version of Death Stacks may be played online and requires no download, (c) there's no such thing as a Chinese Journalist, and (d) a 15 percent probability Al Gore will be the next US president. [2] Generation Y is the most connected generation ever, but are its members obsessed with being in complete consensus on everything and horrified of being in open disagreement? And if so, how will this alter America ten years from now when Generation Y will comprise 40 percent of all American consumers? John Barnes, a consulting semiotician, has studied this subject in detail. [3] Bananaslug and Stoney present a reading by Louise Marley of the opening scenes of her short story The Spiral Road which is in the February 2007 issue of Jim Baen's Universe magazine. [4] What if everyone hypertexted within all conversations? What if you never had to define your terms because those not familiar with them could look them up faster than you could have provided the explanation. Elizabeth Bear has many ideas about this, AI, cell phones and the Singularity. [5] What if Russia still owned Alaska? What if Lenin and Trotsky had remained nobodies and the Czar and Czarina still ruled? Seeing how history pivots on the mundane can provide insights into the changes we will all face in the future. Stoney Compton, a life-long student of history, talks of this and shares anecdotes about Alaska and its native Athabaskan Indians. [6] Imagine you're in line in a cafeteria but federal regulations will not allow you to buy any kind of soft drink or fried foods. Now imagine ten thousand similarly restrictive cafeterias all across America. These are the cafeterias in public schools. To learn the trends our future wage earners are experiencing now, I spoke with Ricki Dean, Manager of a High School cafeteria. [7] Many authors' careers ended when Horror book sales collapsed in the 1980's. Might this happen to another genre? Ginjer Buchanan (Senior Executive Editor and Marketing Director of Ace and ROC books) talks of this and the rising popularity of audio books. A trend the big houses are making a serious effort not to be left out of. [8] Another installment in our serialization of the novel: Bones Burnt Black. [9] What would you do differently today if you knew your generation would live 300 years? Kim Stanley Robinson tackles this question and its social ramifications since he sees it as a genuine possibility based on what he has been hearing from his friends with the field of biotechnology. He also covers cryonics, SETI and our next earth. [10] Our stores are filled with every variety of goods, but does this variety give us only the illusion of choice? L.E. Modesitt, Jr. suggests that it does, and talks of his concern that we will be forced to rely on fossil fuels much farther into the future than anyone would like to admit.

Authors Elizabeth Bear, Walter Jon Williams and L.E. Modesitt Jr. are joined by Toni Weisskopf (the head of Baen Books), Ginjer Buchanan (from ACE and ROC books), Scott Dean (mayor of Harlem GA) and Bananaslug and Stoney (from Jim Baen's Universe magazine). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 126 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News Items: (a) Trends in wine. (b) A low-tech nanotech breakthrough. (c) An AI programmer releases a free, open-source version of Death Stacks (a game invented by your host, Stephen Euin Cobb). (d) Your host's 2007 appearance schedule. (e) Your host has shaved his head. [2] Would you trust Microsoft to provide the operating system for your eventually augmented brain? Can atheists be both devout and non-militant? Elizabeth Bear hits these topics as well as non-lethal military weapons and her ongoing involvement with SETI-@-home. [3] Bananaslug and Stoney provide a peak into the new issue of Jim Baen's Universe magazine and even get Elizabeth Bear to read a sample of her work. [4] Will some of the big publishing houses get hurt during the transition to eBooks? Will some fold entirely? Toni Weisskopf (the head of Baen Books) describes how the big houses are bracing themselves. [5] Venice Italy is still sinking. Rich in history, the thousand year old city is threatened by every tide and storm surge, and may next have to deal with the effects of global warming. Scott Dean (the mayor of Harlem GA) just returned from nine days of walking through this city with an uncertain future. [6] Which science fiction authors most accurately depict the future? Ginjer Buchanan (Senior Executive Editor of Ace and ROC Books) names four heavyweights and backs her picks with their novels and credentials. [7] Another installment in our serialization of the novel: Bones Burnt Black. [8] Is the media worsening all social and political conflicts by presenting them to us as though they are between polar opposites? Has the media learned that disagreements which are subtle or nuanced or (God forbid) respectful will not sell papers or draw a TV audience? L.E. Modesitt Jr. describes this and how cell phones may be slowing maturity in young adults by preventing them from ever being on their own when facing life's problems. [9] What does Walter Jon Williams mean when he says that, The war against utopia has been won? And is he right in believing that biotechnology is likely to produce immortality within forty years? He also describes how consumer databases have already been used not only to market products to people but also to market political ideologies during campaigns.

Authors Kim Stanley Robinson, David B. Coe, Jay Lake, Catherine Asaro and Sarah A. Hoyt are joined by John R. Douglas (from scifipedia.scifi.com) and Bananaslug and Stoney (from Jim Baen's Universe magazine). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 1, 2007 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 125 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] Comments from listeners. [2] Is our world already changing too fast for our cultural headlights? Jay Lake (author and anthologist) discusses this as well as Wikipedia, Google and global warming. He also suggests that those who don't benefit from The Singularity at its very beginning will be left out of it forever. [3] Bananaslug and Stoney take us inside Jim Baen's Universe in this, the second official segment, from the online science fiction and fantasy magazine. [4] Do large segments of the American population have various vested interests in not looking at the future's potential dangers? John R. Douglas (editor at scifipedia and one of the organizers of World Fantasy Con) believes that Americans would rather be happy consumers than listen to scientists' scary predictions. He also says that too many business people plan for the future only as far as their company's next quarter, and not one second farther. He also suggests that the first immortal may already be alive; specifically, Bill Gates. [5] Another installment in our serialization of the novel: Bones Burnt Black. [6] Is the internet killing hundreds of used bookstores? When the one near her house closed, Sarah A. Hoyt (author and voracious reader) was surprised to discover that she was as much at fault as everyone else. As she gradually changed her book buying habits, without her knowledge, the rest of the population had been changing theirs too. [7] Does POD publishing (Print-on-demand) have a future? And are there times when it makes sense to use it now? Catherine Asaro (author, physicist and former president of SFWA) uses concrete examples from two of her friends. She also talks of eBooks and electronic rights. [8] Has digital photography achieved professional quality? David B. Coe (author and serious nature photographer) says the future is here now, and the advantages cannot be ignored. [9] Is our civilization in a time crunch? Have we reached a crisis point in history? Or has every generation seen themselves this way? Kim Stanley Robinson talks of this as well as nanotechnology and his doubts about the singularity and artificial intelligence.

Authors Eric Flint, Mike Resnick, David B. Coe, Marjorie M. Liu, Catherine Asaro and Sarah A. Hoyt are guests, as are: Lucienne Diver (a major literary agent), Toni Weisskopf (the new head of Baen Books) and Walt Boyes (the soon to be famous Bananaslug). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 152 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News Item: This show is now teamed with the largest SF online magazine in the world Jim Baen's Universe. [2] Can the magazine equivalent of an e-book compete with magazines printed on paper? Launched this summer with the legendary publisher's name on its masthead and the support of Baen Books behind it, Eric Flint explains how he and the staff of Jim Baen's Universe intend to find out, as well as what they've learned already. [3] The podcasting debut of Jim Baen's Universe. Walt Boyes interviews Mike Resnick (winner of five Hugo Awards). [4] How rapid is the growth of home schooling? Is it really better than public school? And are parents even qualified to teach their kids? Catherine Asaro (author, physicist and former ballerina) who has home schooled her own daughter for years and now teaches advanced mathematics to eighty other home schooled children, emphasizes that it's not just for religious families anymore. [5] Toni Weisskopf (the new head of Baen Books) describes her take on the singularity, technological immortality, global warming, the next fall of civilization, the Chinese going to the moon, faster-than-light travel, cryonics and SETI. [6] Another installment in our serialization of the novel: Bones Burnt Black. [7] Is the future we live in today already weirder than the futures we dreamed of decades ago? Sarah A. Hoyt (author and polyglot) thinks so, and insists that if science increases our healthy years by a few more decades this will produce a huge cascade of changes throughout society. [8] Lucienne Diver (one of publishing's top literary agents) describes trends within the publishing industry, as well as her worries and hopes for the future outside the biz. [9] How can you verify scientifically the day when men and women are equal? Your host has devised an empirical measurement completely devoid of bias. [10] How soon will parents give in to the temptation to use increasingly available eugenics technologies to improve their own children? Marjorie M. Liu (N.Y. Times bestselling author and former lawyer) describes the inevitable legal and judicial problems soon to be dropped in society's lap. She also startles the host with her revelation that there are judges sitting on the bench right now who have not passed the bar, have never been lawyers and have no degree in law. [11] In the face of our looming energy crisis is it time for passionate environmentalists to rethink their knee-jerk opposition to nuclear power and hydroelectric dams? David B. Coe (author and environmentalist with a PhD in environmental history) risks his environmentalist street creds by insisting that it is.

Authors Catherine Asaro, Kim Stanley Robinson, Alan Dean Foster and Sarah A. Hoyt are joined by Toni Weisskopf (the new head of Baen Books) and Paul Levinson (author, professor and media commentator). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the November 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 150 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] Ideas from listeners. [2] Why do they keep raising the requirements of artificial intelligence every time someone builds a computer that meets the requirements? Catherine Asaro (author, physicist and former ballerina) discusses this and other transhumanist concerns. [3] With the tragic loss of its visionary founder, Jim Baen, what direction will Baen Books take into the future? Toni Weisskopf, Baen's new leader, provides many of the answers. [4] Chapter twelve in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [5] Can political science become an actual science rather than a pretend science as it is now? And if it embraces the scientific method can it then become a tool to benefit all people, rather than just its divisive practitioners as it all too often does now? Kim Stanley Robinson, author and a self-proclaimed science patriot, speaks of this and other matters. [6] Are adults different today? Has intellectual maturity become a thing of the past? Instead of reaching a plateau of stability, do we now spend all our lives in a mentally malleable child-like state in which we are continually learning, growing and changing? Sarah A. Hoyt, author and life-long learner, insists the answer is Yes. [7] Has the time come for a single unified diagram which can integrate every kind of celestial object in the universe? Is it even possible to arrange in a single continuum all the objects from the tiniest tumbling grain of dust to quasars brighter than a billion suns? Your host thinks it is, and proposes just such a diagram in this essay. [8] What is the likelihood of technological immortality? Why is cryonics better than cremation? And do ecological preserves without armed enforcement against poachers have a meaningful future? Alan Dean Foster, author and world traveler, covers all this and more. [9] Can every celestial object in the universe be defined accurately using a simple notation system of just five numbers? Based on the universal diagram from his previous essay, your host makes a case for an equally universal system of classification. [10] What's it like to go head-to-head with Bill O'Reilly on his TV show The O'Reilly Factor? Paul Levinson (author, professor and media commentator) shares his experiences in that very public hot-seat.

Authors Kim Stanley Robinson, Alan Dean Foster, Sarah A. Hoyt and Stephen L. Antczak are joined by Tony V. Baughman (newspaper reporter) and Peter Stampfel (longtime editor, musician and bottle cap collector). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the October 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 130 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News briefs: (a) the battle over passports being required in order to cross the US/Canadian boarder, (b) how you can watch television channels from around the world online for free, and (c) this show The Future And You has won the Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction News Podcast. [2] While others debate whether or not the problem of global warming is real, the best selling author Kim Stanley Robinson is ready to move past all that and talk about solutions. [3] Life throughout the universe may develop most readily within oceans, but does this universe contain more planets with oceans under their crust than under an atmosphere? (In this essay your host's logic forces him to conclusions which disturb even him.) [4] Will the rise of eBooks allow authors to bypass traditional publishers and take away their piece of the pie altogether? The best selling author Alan Dean Foster has much to say on the subject. [5] Is it possible to flip today's missile defense paradigm on its head and transform it into both a defensive and offensive weapon? (Your host explains how it can be done in this brief essay.) [6] Collecting things as a hobby is a product of the rise of mass production: so explains Peter Stampfel who has been an avid bottle cap collector for 58 years. He also shares another song from his CD The Jig Is Up. This one is called The Squid Jiggin' Ground. [7] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black, in this case, the second half of chapter 11. [8] From the very beginning, our species has been radically and constantly modified by its tools. In what ways are the popularity of air travel and the Internet modifying our species now and for all time? The author, Sarah A. Hoyt--an unwilling frequent flier--draws some serious conclusions. [9] How long will the comic book and manga industries continue to be flush with movie money from Hollywood? And what other trends are developing which will alter their futures? An interview with Stephen L. Antczak, an author of science fiction and of comics. [10] Do traditional newspapers have a future? And if so, what is it? The Internet giveth, and the Internet taketh away. Tony V. Baughman, an experienced newspaper reporter, pulls no punches.

Authors Alan Dean Foster, David Drake, Sarah A. Hoyt, Stephen L. Antczak and Doctor Travis S. Taylor are joined by Peter Stampfel, a professional editor and performing musician. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the September 1st, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 123 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] Is it true that immaturity in adults is becoming universal? A new scientific study says: Yes, definitely. [2] What unexpected changes are occurring in the third world? Author, and world traveler, Alan Dean Foster describes his first-hand experiences. [3] Did you know that we are currently in a Golden Age for collectables? Your host makes a case for this in an essay. [4] Would you perceive yourself--along with everything else in the universe--differently if you spoke a different language? Author Sarah A. Hoyt (formerly a professional translator and still a bit of a polyglot) discusses how languages affect individuals and humanity. [5] What are the trends within the independent film industry? Author and filmmaker Stephen L. Antczak gives us an insider's view. [6] Why is Fantasy dominating over Science Fiction in books, movies and TV? And what's all this stuff about a new category of Fantasy novels which are filled with sex? Long-time editor at DAW books, Peter Stampfel, spells it all out; after which he lets the host include another of his songs, this time one he wrote himself: Me and Old Dog Tray. [7] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [8] What are the changing trends and public perceptions of Motorcycles? Author David Drake aught to know, he's been riding motorcycles instead of cars for over 30 years. [9] What's next in manned space exploration? How are we going to refuel the Hubble Space Telescope? Is the US military really planning for war in low earth orbit? And is it true the Chinese are gearing up to go to the moon? Author and scientist Doctor Travis S. Taylor covers it all.

Authors Alan Dean Foster, Spider and Jeanne Robinson, David Drake and John Ringo are joined by Doctor Travis S. Taylor (rising author and noted scientist) and Peter Stampfel (professional editor and performing musician). Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the August 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 150 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News briefs on: an invisible form of online shopping fraud; the fact that this program The Future And You is now a finalist for a Parsec Award; and two paragraphs from Cory Doctorow's brilliant commentary entitled: Science Fiction is the Only Literature People Care Enough About to Steal on the Internet. [2] Alan Dean Foster describes his view of the future and how it relates to his many novels of science fiction and fantasy. He also reveals how you can find a secret Easter egg hidden on his website. [3] Spider and Jeanne Robinson describe their courtship and collaboration, as well as their vision of the future which is distilled in their Hugo and Nebula award winning Stardance trilogy; a vision which embraces and expands upon transhumanism by describing what we as a species may transform ourselves into next. Spider also explains how he expects humanity to create Heaven retroactively. [4] Peter Stampfel (submissions editor at DAW books and a performing musician) provides an unflinching insider's look at the terrible and wonderful trends within the music business; especially concerning recording contracts and performing live before an audience. As a bonus, we also hear another song from his album: a bouncy Glenn Miller number called Elmer's Tune. [5] Chapter nine in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [6] David Drake who reads and translates ancient Latin for fun and relaxation, discusses lessons from antiquity; similarities between the USA and ancient Rome; and one of the host's (Stephen Euin Cobb's) favorite British miniseries: I Claudius. Stephen also asks David how he thinks the USA might meet its eventual and inevitable end. After all, someday the USA, like the Roman Empire, will no longer exist. [7] John Ringo makes a serious case for his conviction that global warming is a scientific hoax perpetrated by the desperate need of researchers for grant money, sustained through academic coercion, and fed to an accepting public by media outlets locked in an endless competition for the most sensational headline. [8] What if someone invented a Faster Than Light Drive before the end of this year? What if astronauts could get to the nearest star in a week; or any of the thousand nearest stars in a month? How would that change our world and global politics? Granted it's not likely to happen so soon. Most people figure it will take centuries before we invent FTL; if it can be done at all. But if Doctor Travis S. Taylor is correct, we may have FTL within 32 years. Within yours or your children's lifetime someone could be on their way to the stars. But then the question becomes: will these explorers speak English or Russian or Chinese?

Authors David Drake, John Ringo and Jeanne Robinson are among the guests, as are Peter Stampfel (associate editor at DAW books), Doctor Travis S. Taylor (scientist, author and discoverer of two exoplanets) and a few very brief comments by Spider Robinson. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the July 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 110 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News-briefs concerning: Jim Baen's stroke, coma and death; China going to the moon; the claim that diamonds are only semi-precious stones; the first World eBook Fair; the latest mind games that online crooks play; the third annual Death Stacks tournament (a game invented by your host); and this show being nominated for a Parsec Award. [2] Co-author of the bestselling Stardance novels, Jeanne Robinson, tells of her Stardance Project which originally had her scheduled for a Space Shuttle ride into orbit, then was temporarily shelved due to the Challenger Disaster in 1986, but is now back on track thanks to recent advances in CGI film making. (Spider Robinson, her husband and co-author, makes a few brief comments.) [3] Peter Stampfel, associate editor at DAW books, explains problems with the new Google Books project which plans to make searchable pretty much all the text of all the books in the world. Also, Peter Stampfel's current musical project: a compilation of one song from every year in the 20th century. And as a bonus we include a song he wrote and performed from his CD You Must Remember This, entitled: Take Me Away. [4] Chapter eight in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [5] Doctor Travis S. Taylor (scientist, author and discoverer of two exoplanets--planets which orbit stars other than our sun), talks about exoplanets, how planets are born, and the anticipated discovery of many new earths. He also describes how amateur astronomers can now discover these extrasolar planets using off-the-shelf, store-bought equipment. The interview also covers his Hard Science Fiction novel Von Neumann's War which he co-wrote with the bestselling author John Ringo. This novel asks the question: how would we defend ourselves if our solar system was invaded by billions of self-replicating robotic Von Neumann machines. [6] David Drake on the weakness of science fiction as prediction and the accumulation of historical errors in popular culture. [7] John Ringo disputes the idea that the Singularity is an event that could actually occur, as well as the practicality of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

Authors David Drake, John Ringo and Joe Haldeman are featured guests; as are Peter Stampfel (Editor at DAW Books) and three professional models: Aria Giovanni, Aimee Sweet and Linda Tran. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the June 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 104 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] News-briefs concerning: the questionable ethics of the giant video game companies in general and Nintendo in particular; some hard numbers on global warming; the internal tug-of-war at CNN over Lou Dobbs and illegal immigrants; and how this show's host has been offered the email addresses of a quarter billion people. [2] David Drake on the surprising truth of what's holding back the popularity of e-books. He also talks about his participation in the new online science fiction and fantasy magazine from Baen Books called: Jim Baen's Universe. [3] Joe Haldeman has just won yet another Nebula award. Your host asks him to describe the ceremony, what emotions it produced in him and a bit about the book he won with which is called: Camouflage. [4] The many disturbing trends within book publishing are explained by Peter Stampfel who has been the submissions editor at DAW books in New York City for twenty-five years. He also describes an obscure form of quasi-homosexual fan fiction called: Slash Fiction. A lifelong musician, he also provides a song from his CD The Jig is Up called: Song of Man. [5] Chapter seven in our serialization of the novel: Bones Burnt Black. [6] John Ringo makes the case for nuclear power (especially pebble bed reactors) and mentions his short story which will appear in Jim Baen's Universe. [7] Celebrity interviews with three nude models who specialize in the erotic: Aria Giovanni (Penthouse Pet September 2000), Aimee Sweet (Penthouse Pet August 1998 and Perfect Ten model for Spring of 1998), and Linda Tran (who has appeared in magazines, calendars, videos and Pay-Per-View).

Authors Greg Bear, Vernor Vinge, Spider Robinson and Nancy Kress are joined by this year's winner of the Phillip K. Dick Award, M.M. Buckner; and the actress Lydia Cornell who played Ted Knight's daughter, Sara Rush, on the TV comedy Too Close for Comfort. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the May 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 72 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] This year's winner of the Phillip K. Dick Award, M.M. Buckner, gives the blow-by-blow on what it feels like to win such a prestigious and career-changing award. [2] Once we all have our brains wired (or wifi'ed) directly into the internet, Greg Bear warns that we'd better have powerful firewalls protecting us from hackers. Anyone who doesn't may have to spend a lot of time with their brain in the shop. [3] If the much talked-about singularity never comes to fruition Vernor Vinge suggests that there may be severe limits on how far we develop advanced nanotechnology and artificial intelligence; limits which might make technological immortality a goal we can never reach. [4] Chapter six in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [5] Spider Robinson discusses SETI and speculates on the remarkable science of Nicola Tesla. [6] Nancy Kress on three brief subjects: Faster than Light Travel (FTL); SETI verses theology; and medical life extension verses technological immortality. [7] A celebrity interview with the actress Lydia Cornell who is most famous for playing Ted Knight's daughter, Sara Rush, on the TV comedy show Too Close for Comfort.

Authors Vernor Vinge, Greg Bear and Spider Robinson are joined by the astronomer Doctor Greg Matloff and the actor Jordan Marder from American History X, Virtuosity and LA Confidential. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the April 8, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 100 minutes] --- Topics include: [1] When asked who I should interview about the future, more of my guests mentioned this man's name than any other. Vernor Vinge has spent decades describing a catastrophic future event which is simultaneously alluring and disturbing. Finally, a definitive explanation of The Singularity. [2] Greg Bear discusses that for which his fiction is best known: speculations on nanotechnology. What can we expect both near term and long term? What about assemblers and the ultimate results of nanotech? And what about nanotechnological immortality? [3] Another installment in our serialization of the novel: Bones Burnt Black. [4] Will our next earth be better than this one? Spider Robinson thinks it might. He also admits that Faster Than Light Travel is impossible, but he's quick to point out that, as humans, impossible is what we do best. [5] How soon will the world run out of oil? And what will it mean to the balancing act between global warming and the next ice age? Doctor Greg Matloff provides facts and defines questions. [6] A celebrity interview with the actor Jordan Marder from the movies: American History X, Virtuosity and LA Confidential as well as Clive Barker's film Lord of Illusions.

SF authors Greg Bear, Spider Robinson and Nancy Kress are among the guests; as are experts in robotics, demographics and nanotechnology; along with the actor Michael Berryman, who may be best known as the star of Wes Craven's original version of the motion picture: The Hills Have Eyes. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 25, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 77 minutes] Topics include: [1] Technological Immortality: when nearly everyone in the world is really, really old what kind of civilization will we have? The bestselling author, Greg Bear, paints a strange picture of the future. He also speaks about his movie deals, his involvement with The Science Fiction Museum in Seattle and his books, one of which, it turns out, is in publishing limbo. [2] Computers implanted in the human body and wired into the human brain. Nancy Kress, the award winning author, points out that we already have a little of this but that far more is on the way. [3] Non-lethal warfare and Non-violent religions: pointed comments from the bestselling author, Spider Robinson. [4] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [5] How will nanotechnology change our wars? From battlefield nanotech that protects and augments the individual soldier, to nanotech manufacturing which may destabilize the global economy and lead to future wars: this, from Mike Treder, the Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology. [6] A veteran of the televised Battle-bot competitions, Lionel Vogt (noted futurist and transhumanist) tells about some of the robots he has built. [7] An essay by your host entitled: Why you will get two completely different answers if you ask a biologist or an evolutionist the simple question: 'Why is water clear?' [8] The coming Latino dominance of the USA. Within sixty years the USA will be a Latino nation in the same sense that Brazil and Argentina are now. Based on current demographic trends, this does not seem a possibility but an inevitability. David Pascal, a marketing consultant, describes the statistics. [9] Two thousand people singing happy birthday to, and then a brief celebrity interview with, the actor Michael Berryman who may be best known as the star of Wes Craven's original version of the motion picture: The Hills Have Eyes.

SF authors David Brin, Spider Robinson, Nancy Kress and Joe Haldeman are guests; as are Mike Treder (on nanotechnology), David Pascal (on cryonics) and from Red Dwarf (the award winning British science fiction TV comedy series) a celebrity interview with the British actress and stand-up comedian Hattie Hayridge. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the March 11, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 79 minutes] Topics include: [1] The future dominance of women in America, and the hypocrisy within our government over the funding of global warming research. David Brin (bestselling author and scientist) tackles both of these subjects. [2] Spider Robinson (bestselling author) explains why, thanks to the internet, it is no longer possible to think you are weird (even if you are), and how this has changed us. He also describes how he learned to appreciate technology the hard way: by living without it. (And once again, as an added bonus, you will hear a song from Spider's CD, Belaboring the Obvious. This one is called Oblivion.) [3] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [4] How long until we fall into the next dark age? The award winning author Nancy Kress discusses this, and describes how malaria is spreading to villages higher up the sides of African mountains because the habitat of the malaria causing mosquito is expanding, apparently thanks to global warming. [5] Will Hillary Clinton be sacrificed by the Democrats? The award winning author Joe Haldeman worries that Hillary's own party may not prove to be the strong ally she will need to win the presidency in 2008. [6] Hacking nanotechnology: the future of NanoWarez. The world's hackers will someday shift their focus from turning your computer against you to turning your nanotech devices and implants against you. Just how dangerous this might get is described by Mike Treder, Executive Director of The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology. [7] Foreign cryonics: the French have outlawed it, the Brits are with us, and the Russians secretly researched a lot more during the cold war than they are willing to share now. And what about pre-death freezing? It's still illegal everywhere, but the Scandinavian nations are lax on suicide. Might they be flexible about freezing the terminally ill? David Pascal (noted marketing consultant who specializes in Social Marketing) shares his considerable knowledge. [8] Why science has become so much more powerful than religion (an essay by your host). [9] A celebrity interview with the British actress and comedian Hattie Hayridge, who played Holly the computer (after the computer's sex change) on the award winning British science fiction comedy series Red Dwarf.

SF authors Spider Robinson and David Brin are among the guests; as are a mayor, the head of a nanotechnology organization, the legendary science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein (but only very briefly), and the TV star Erin Gray from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and Silver Spoons who shares the inspiring story of how she broke into show biz. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 25, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 91 minutes] Topics include: [1] Robert A. Heinlein passed away in 1988, yet his name will appear on a brand new novel due out in September of 2006. This novel is a collaborative effort between the late legend and a younger, newer talent: one of Mister Heinlein's greatest fans: the award winning author, Spider Robinson. I asked Spider how this unusual collaboration came to be.(Following his interview, as an added bonus, you will hear the title song from Spider's CD, Belaboring the Obvious, which he wrote for his wife, Jeanne, eleven years ago while she was away in a Buddhist monastery for three months.) [2] Are we making serious mistakes in how we're conducting the search for extraterrestrial intelligence? David Brin (the award winning author and scientist) is convinced that we are. He also describes his own answer to the puzzle of why the universe seems so completely empty of intelligent life: a situation often referred to as the Fermi Paradox. [3] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [4] What's the difference between molecular manufacturing, nanotech assemblers and nanites? Mike Treder, executive director of the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, makes it clear. [5] Cryonic SWAT teams, and what you should do before the body of your friend or loved one rots. David Pascal describes what to do in those critical hours between an unexpected death and cryosuspension. [6] Hillary vs Condoleezza. Both political machines are gearing up for the match of the century. Will 2008 be the year that America gets it first woman president? I posed this question to a Republican insider: Scott Dean, the Mayor of Harlem Georgia. [7] A celebrity interview with Erin Gray, the actress who played Colonel Wilma Deering in the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as well as Kate Summers in the TV series Silver Spoons.

SF authors David Brin and Joe Haldeman are among the guests, along with: the head of a nanotech org, a marketing consultant, a cryonic insurance provider, and the actress Robin Curtis, who played a Vulcan Starfleet officer in two Star Trek movies. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the February 11, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 79 minutes] Topics include: [1] David Brin (bestselling author and scientist) warns that Righteous Indignation is an addictive high chemically similar to heroin, and also describes our civilization's unfounded Crisis of Confidence. [2] Predicting the risks and potential misuse of nanotechnology's vast and marvelous future is the mission of CRN: the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology. CRN's Executive Director, Mike Treder, provides a heads-up. [3] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [4] More powerful than propaganda, social marketing has been used to engineer changes in the beliefs and behaviours of entire populations, and has suceeded with surgical precision. David Pascal, a marketing consultant who specializes in social marketing, explains this power; as well as how it is used--and misused--in today's american politics. [5] Technological Immortality: will we develop it in the next few decades? The award winning author Joe Haldeman shares a few thoughts on the subject. [6] A few more thoughts on technological immortality; this time from Rudi Hoffman, the world's leading cryonics insurance provider. [7] A listener's comments on the host's use of the word dead when referring to the cryopreserved. [8] She worked with Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and the rest of the cast of Star Trek. A celebrity interview with the actress Robin Curtis, who played the Vulcan Starfleet officer Lieutenant Saavik in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock as well as (the host's favorite of the Star Trek movies) Star Trek IV: The Journey Home.

SF authors Nancy Kress and Joe Haldeman are among the guests, as are: an astronomer, a recording label executive, a transhumanist, a cryonics insurance provider, two teenaged girls, and Pugsley and Wednesday from the beloved TV show The Addams Family. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 28, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 79 minutes] Topics include: [1] As the internet slowly kills the old traditional recording labels, Magnatune (a new kind of label) is growing like a weed. John Buckman (Magnatune's founder and CEO) explains his company's strange motto: 'We are not evil.' [2] The award winning science fiction author Nancy Kress talks about future medical advances, including the promise of, and the ongoing controversy over, stem cell research. [3] An essay by your host on the probability that any extraterrestrial civilization we encounter will be near our scientific or technological level. [4] The award winning science fiction author Joe Haldeman talks about faster than light travel (FTL), the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and mentions that some of his students at MIT have discovered exoplanets. [5] Doctor Greg Matloff (astronomer, author and professor) also discusses the SETI program, as well as the problems that SETI scientists have when interpreting what appear to be genuine (but very brief) signals from intelligent aliens. [6] The fourth installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [7] Rudi Hoffman (the world's leading cryonics insurance provider) grapples with cryonics' thorniest theological problem: 'If human beings actually do have souls, will cryopreserved people be impossible to re-animate?' [8] Noted transhumanist, Lionel Vogt, explains why he believes that when AI (artificial intelligence) is finally a reality it will produce an explosion of technological advancement that is impossible for us to imagine today. [9] A listener disagrees with the host's essay on cryonics from the previous episode. [10] Halo Parties, fuzzy shoes, and the insistence that 'Final Fantasy will never die.' Two teenaged girls (Aliese, age 15; and Amber, 14) describe the strange trends and rising fads within their youthful universe. [11] Was that Lurches real voice? And whose hand was it that played Thing? A double celebrity interview with Ken Weatherwax and Lisa Loring: Pugsley and Wednesday from the beloved old TV show The Addams Family.

SF authors Joe Haldeman and Nancy Kress, a transhumanist, a physicist, and Jason's mother from Friday The 13th are amoung the guests. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 15, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 79 minutes] Topics include: [1] Nanotechnological invisibility is being developed at MIT and is described by the award winning science fiction author Joe Haldeman, along with his personal feelings about cryonics, and his vision that, once they are developed, computers wired directly into the human brain may sweep the developed world as quickly as cell phones since those without them will be at a competative disadvantage. [2] A new device which will allow planets orbiting other stars to be seen and studied by blotting out the light of the star which they orbit. Professor Grover Swartzlander of the University of Arizona in Tucson explains his invention. [3] Another installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [4] Award winning science fiction author Nancy Kress explains the growing controvercy over the genetic engineering of crops, or as they call them in europe FrankenFoods. [5] Trends within the movie theater industry; revenues are down, but popcorn sales are up. [6] A personal essay in which the show's host describes his mixed feelings about cryonics, entitled: 'Why I may not want cryonics afterall.' [7] Transhumanist, Lionel Vogt, describes aspects of day-to-day life in the deep future such as the fear of living forever. [8] A celebrity interview with Betsy Palmer who played Jason's mother (the axe-murdering, Mrs. Voorhees) in the original movie Friday The 13th.

SF author Nancy Kress, a cryonic insurance provider, an astronomer, and an actor from Star Trek and Sliders are amoung the guests. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the January 1, 2006 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 68 minutes] Topics include: [1] The genetic engineering of human beings (an interview with the award winning science fiction author Nancy Kress). [2] Cryonics: how to leave your money (even your big life insurance death benefit) to your frozen dead body (an interview with Rudi Hoffman--the Worlds Leading Cryonics Insurance Provider). [3] The second chapter in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [4] Trends within the movie industry (an interview with a theater manager). [5] How soon are we likely to build faster than light space craft? (an interview with Doctor Greg Matloff: astronomer, author, professor and a consultant for NASA's Marshall Spaceflight Center). [6] A celebrity interview with the actor Jerry Rector who has performed on Star Trek, NYPD Blue and Sliders.

This is a brief Promo for the podcast The Future And You. If you have your own podcast, and you would like to help promote The Future And You, please place it in your show. Thank you. Steve

SF author M.M.Buckner, an astronomer, a cryonic insurance provider, an actor from StarGate SG-1, and a dealer in antiques and fine art are amoung the guests. Hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb, this is the December 15, 2005 episode of The Future And You. [Running time: 118 minutes] Topics include: [1] Predictability: an essay on what is and what is not predictable. [2] How long until we find a second earth? Doctor Greg Matloff (astronomer, author and professor) talks about the more than 160 exoplanets found so far. [3] The power of eBay. (An interview with a dealer in antiques and fine art; and another with a dealer in collectables.) [4] How you can buy cryonic insurance. (An interview with Rudi Hoffman, the world's leading cryonics insurance provider.) [5] Global warming: is it real or just part of the normal interglacial? (An interview with M.M.Buckner, author of the science fiction novels Hyperthought, Neurolink and WarSurf) [6] Illegal copying and bootlegging of movies: the methods, problems, and one theater chain's corporate response. (An interview with a theater manager.) [7] The first installment in our serialization of the novel Bones Burnt Black. [8] A celebrity interview with actor Gary Jones of Stargate SG-1.