EDWARD: Riddlcr asks: Hello, Riddler, I was wondering what your thoughts are on robots/drones. I know you have a gift at programming them and seem to use them more in your latest schemes but at what point do you think relying on them becomes lazy? Thank you for taking the time to read my question and I wish you a pleasant day.

What an awfully polite query - and suitably subservient to boot. A query such as this is a welcome balm to the continuous taxes upon my patience that threaten to lay me waste. Robotics is a keen passion of mine. I have had little opportunity to practise this particular passion, for I have already improved my audio equipment far beyond their intended capabilities. However, I recently furnished Dr. Crane with a small recording apparatus of my own design, out of sheer necessity I'm afraid, as his archaic reel-to-reel was simply embarrassing. I have one of my own, of course, secreted upon my person. I find it pays to be prepared, where private recordings are concerned. Now, while I love to while away my precious hours tinkering with new devices, I acknowledge that one can become too dependent upon artificially intelligent technology. I prefer a piece of tech that can do mindless heavy work to any that attempts to do my thinking for me. I have no fear of technology becoming sentient and smothering me in my sleep, do not misunderstand. I intend that over-reliance on technology to substitute for the human brain renders the brain worthless. It is a muscle like any other, and must be exercised to become, and remain, strong.

Therefore, while I keep a personal computer, I do not allow it the capacity nor the freedom to make decisions for me. The employment of drones is an effective tool for surveillance, I find, and I keep several as brainless flying monkeys. They do the legwork, and I collate the data. As you can see, I remain the one in control. Laziness comes when you allow technology to rule your life. When you have a machine to think for you, cook for you, work for you - it is less lazy than dangerous. Effectively, what purpose do you serve? Is all that you are able to do is press the 'ON' button? Because I can create a machine to do that for you. Is your role as the one in power earned, or merely inherited? Rest assured, power inherited can be easily stolen. I dictate not a message of technophobia nor luddite ideals - merely a word of caution. Be sure that you need the technology you employ; the machinery does not need you. And on that positive note, I thank you wishing me a pleasant day, though such a circumstance is unlikely to eventuate in my current state; my room is right next door to Dr. Pamela Isley's greenhouse of a cell. You can hear her humming at her herbaceous border during all waking hours. It is not an unpleasant sound, but its maddening constance tends to pervade my concentration. Still, I am quite sure that it could be worse. Last time I was here, I had Slade Wilson as a neighbour, and he used to toss a disarmed grenade at the wall like Steve McQueen simply to annoy me. One should consider oneself more fortunate.