Mad, Evil and Bumbling Scientists? Ugh
If movies that blatantly misrepresent science and/or scientists really make you indignant, you're probably familiar with Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics, a Web site devoted to protecting "the minds of our children and their ability to master vectors." (Note: Do NOT click through link if you need to get work done today.)

For years, Hollywood has been flamed across many, many forums by science-minded folk for bombarding the public with bad movies providing really bad science.

But did you know that the American Film Institute (AFI) is planning a workshop this summer to teach scientists and engineers about the movie-making process and to encourage them to write their own scripts?

"The mission of the Catalyst Workshop is to provide a means for scientists and engineers to become more knowledgeable about the initiation of motion picture projects," according to AFI's Web site.

And there's money in it, too. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's film schools program awards prizes at six leading film schools — AFI; UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television; Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama; Columbia University Film Department; NYU Tisch School of the Arts; and USC School of Cinema-Television — to stimulate top students to write and produce new film and television shows about scientists and engineers.

Already, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has given more than $1 million in prizes and grants for films that "challenge existing stereotypes of scientists and engineers."

Now is your chance to wipe clean from our minds any memory of the drivel that was Armageddon ... the thought of which still reduces this blogger to a quivering, twitching lump of cold sweat in a chair.

I, Lawn Mower
The New York Times recently saluted a new product, the Kyodo LawnBott LB3500, which mows lawns on its own.

According to the manufacturer:

It operates automatically, and autonomously by means of its intelligent computer and a perimeter cable. It can move freely within an enclosed area, detecting the faint signal transmitted by the perimeter cable located on the ground, defining the areas to be mowed; it can also work without a perimeter cable as working area is enclosed by a fence or small border at least 4 inches tall. ... [I]t leaves its docking station and starts mowing your yard in a random direction. It will mow in a straight line until it bumps into an obstacle, such as a tree or flower pot, or until it runs over its perimeter cable, then it stops, backs up, turns and takes off again.

Seems this autonomous lawn mower is — ahem — the "cutting edge" of robotics. **raises open-palmed hand high in the air**

Tesla: Turns out a Week Was Overly Ambitious
Even if you walked in (or logged on) with a suitcase of $109,000, you still couldn't walk drive out with the Tesla Roadster.

Tesla Motors says it has only produced five Roadsters so far in two months, not the one per week initially expected, The electric-car company admitted it is not hitting its goal of producing one Tesla Roadster, its all-electric sports car, a week in its initial production ramp. In fact, after the first two months of production, it is only on the verge of coming out with the sixth and seventh cars.

"This is by our own doing, as we have identified and addressed some minor supplier issues and teething pains. We expect to get back on pace so have not changed the overall schedule," the company said on its blog. "Remember that the Roadster is not just a new car it is a new automotive paradigm."

However, things should be improving by the second half of the year, added the company. The car company plans to get back on track and produce 100 per month starting in November.

Self-Generating Robots
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have created a modular robot that reassembles itself when kicked apart. According to New Scientist, the robot is made of modules that can recognize each other.

And it is obviously going to kill us.

Companies are already manufacturing bots with guns. So, how long before foreign mercenaries building up an army get their hands on a self-generating robot?

Cheers.