As I look back on the year 2005, one thought keeps coming back: I can't believe we are only one year into President Bush's second term.

A quick note to my MSN colleagues: I'm back in the office today, wading through e-mail.

From this article: “There have been recent hints that Google, like other firms, could be wrestling with its data demons. According to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month, the firm’s capital expenditures more than doubled, growing from $259.9 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2004, to $592.4 million for the same period in 2005. Google expects to spend more than $800 million on property and equipment, including IT infrastructure, land, and buildings, to help manage and expand its operations during 2005.”

More speculation here, where in that author makes a case for Google’s telco ambitions.

I sold a few items on eBay recently, among them a wooden wine glass rack and a Roomba vacuum. I received $20 for the wine rack, but wound up paying $35 to ship it (unusual size).

The Roomba recipient paid $100 but was not satisified with the condition (the virtual wall was missing and the battery holds a 45 minute charge). Rather than press the issue, I decided the simplest course of action was to refund the Roomba buyer her $100, no questions asked. I also asked her to keep the unit. Why bother with the additional hassle of UPS receiving, in which I inevitably need to drive to the UPS center in South Seattle to pick up my shipment, etc.

Net of my recent eBay transactions: -$15.

eBay is a pain in the ass. Go Fremont!

"To anyone using MSN spaces, please enable RSS! Here's how to do it."

Quantum computing one liner.

When Mike and I get a beer, the talk gets weird fast. Last night, we discussed China, the Singularity and Microsoft, sometimes all in the same breath. We are master bullshitters. We discussed this reading list:

Cryptonomicon by Seattleite Neal Stephenson. Everything a thick, mass market paperback should be. Don’t miss Stephenson’s great Wired mega-piece, Mother Earth Mother Board, a riff on laying cable in southeast Asia. More Wired(Stephenson.

How To Survive a Robot Uprising : Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion by Daniel H. Wilson. Humor. Sarcasm. Truth. I believe the robots will win. This book is printed on heavy, glossy paper and features cool designs.

The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil. Are these ideas good, evil or inevitable? Mike and I talked around this one a lot. Mike, being a smart person, brought a wholly new idea to the table, one that Kurzweil didn’t touch on in his book: the first person to upload their brain will probably ensure that they are the only person to ever upload their brain.

An uploaded brain can think much faster than a biological one, and therefore will be able to out think meat brains to devise new ways to ensure the uploaded brain retains its position of power. Yes, Mike and I believe that people are inherently bad. I think Kurzweil’s vision is one of techno-fascism, an icky accusation that I should qualify with this fact: I reached this conclusion on two beers.

It’s always a great time Mike. We’ll do it again soon.