Dinklage’s desire for anonymity

Peter Dinklage longs for the days when he could leave his house without a phone camera being aimed in his direction, said Kyle Buchanan in The New York Times. The actor, who was born with dwarfism, became a global celebrity after being cast as the sly Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s smash Game of Thrones. Even “when you’re walking down the street with your kid, people take your picture without asking,” he says. Dinklage, 52, knows such complaints can sound churlish. “Everybody is like, ‘You have a great life. What’s wrong with me taking your picture?’ But it’s just on a human level, I’m not a zoo animal. Let’s say I’m having a really bad day and you’re right in my face. Am I supposed to smile for you? And why aren’t you actually communicating with me? Sometimes when I respond, even kindly, people don’t say anything because they’re surprised I’m talking to them. It’s really wild. If you’re a fan of what I do, why would you pay me back with that?” He knows other actors who can disguise themselves and go unrecognized in public. But that’s not an option for Dinklage, who stands 4-foot-5. “I moved to New York City to be anonymous: ‘Who cares? Nobody looks twice.’ And now, because of the technology, everybody does.”

A ‘cyborg’ fights for life

Peter Scott-Morgan is slowly transforming himself into the world’s first advanced cyborg, said LaVonne Roberts in InputMag.com. Diagnosed in 2017 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, the British robotics scientist was given two years to live. ALS affects the motor neurons in the brain, leaving victims unable to walk, talk, or eventually swallow or breathe. But Scott-Morgan, who is almost completely paralyzed, sees salvation in robotics. “Paralysis is an engineering problem,” the 63-year-old says. The answer is to become “the most advanced human cybernetic organism ever created.” Scott-Morgan now uses his eyes to type out text that’s spoken by a synthesized voice approximating his old one. His face has been scanned to produce a 3D-animated avatar that he wears on his chest during public appearances; recent improvements will allow his avatar to smile, laugh, and wink. A series of surgeries have removed his larynx and inserted tubes into his stomach, colon, and bladder, which allow him to take in nutrients and go to the bathroom. With additional upgrades in the works, including a selfdriving wheelchair, Scott-Morgan sees an opportunity to “rewrite the future of what it means to be disabled.” Two years past his life expectancy, “I am a prime candidate for the fast track to death, but I will pass on the offer. I am frankly far too busy having fun.”