Unreal. For real

This is so sad--and shows just how far our world has fallen--I hardly have the words to express it:

http://tech.msn.com/products/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1055732

"they are able to fulfill an emotional need. You read articles about lonely old widows who are living in farms out in the rural countryside of Japan--there was one lady who has an (ro)bot, I believe, saying how happy she is, because when she comes home from the field late at night she can chat with her (ro)bot and it makes her feel good."

"(Some owners) document their lives with their Aibo robots in excruciating detail, really, and they post all kinds of photos of their Aibos. They bake birthday cakes for their Aibos when they turn a certain age, they bring Aibo to visit grandma, they take photos of Aibo and their little baby on the floor together. They dress their Aibos up in wigs, in cute little dolly clothes, they bring their Aibos on dates to Tokyo Disneyland."

Technology bringing everything within reach

While this sounds very cool, always in the back of my mind I'm thinking that somehow, someway, someone will find a way to abuse this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15330164/