A beautiful sentiment, but naïve. A lot of these "I want to live forever" statements lack wisdom which usually comes with aging, at some point.

It's about time. Time is the most valuable currency we have. We have a finite amount of it. It helps define us and give each moment meaning.

Hypothetical immortality (think Tolkien's elves) would remove all value in time.

Can you imagine a world where people no longer cared about time any longer? They no longer cared about change? I don't think we've met a true conservative until we've met someone who is a thousand years old.

Those who say that life is beautiful and people are wonderful--well yes, the glass is half full. This is so because it's also half empty. If you take away our problems (a key one being mortality), then what is left is not a wonderful, indefinite life. It's simply existing. Forever. Not good. Not bad. Just existing. When you've done everything there is to do, and time has no meaning, you just are.

Sounds like hell, to me.

There must be change, and there must be uncertainty.

For all those out there believing that Google has made a pact with the devil (and possibly so), consider this:

Mr. China (the government) walks up to a businessman named Mr. Google (the company). Mr. China askes Mr. Google for a high-quality piece of the world's best rope, just so long as no manuals are included featuring hangman's knots. Mr. Google gives a thoughtful look at this opportunity, weights the moral and economic consequences, then smiles knowingly and hands Mr. China the rope.

It's only a matter of time before Mr. China's customers figure out how to tie their own hangman's knot around Mr. China's neck.

Google is led by some of the most intelligent and thoughtful people around. They know exactly what they're doing with this business deal. Oh, I doubt there's any outright attempt to "hang" the Chianese goverment, but Google knows full well what just a little bit more freedom of information will do for people over there--if they make a profit doing it, well, so much the better. The fact remains that regarldess of being villified by some, Google knows that this will make a positive influence on the Chinese people. I applaud their efforts in this.