Oh, and I did not cry at today's xkcd. So there. Instead, I kept telling myself, "It's not really a self-aware robot who's confused and hurt at being abandoned." That kept me from crying.

That was my exact response. "Anthropomorphism isn't real! Anthropomorphism isn't real!"

Poor little Rover.

That was my exact response. "Anthropomorphism isn't real! Anthropomorphism isn't real!"

But he could become Real if we love him enough...

But he could become Real if we love him enough...

The Velveteen Rover.

Just don't love all his radiation shielding off.

But he could become Real if we love him enough...

But under the current circumstances, wouldn't that be cruel.

Rover's self awareness blooms. "I'm . . . me. Where am I? Where is everyone else? I have this communication device and I'm sending off data. Hello? Hello?

I'm so lonely.

I kept thinking of WALL-E. Poor little bots.

sniff

I haz a sad now.

I kept thinking of WALL-E. Poor little bots.

Me too.

Did you know that some people are proposing that we send people to Mars... to stay? For the rest of their lives?

Sending people on a one-way trip to Mars would be far cheaper than sending them and bringing them back. Of course, if you're stuck on Mars for the rest of your life you really gotta hope those resupply ships don't get eliminated during budget cuts.

Did you know that some people are proposing that we send people to Mars... to stay? For the rest of their lives?

I can think of quite a few people I'd nominate for this program.