This defines the phrase "a good argument until you think about it." I mean, you really can't think up a good use for enough computing power to compute a Mersen

This defines the phrase "a good argument until you think about it." I mean, you really can't think up a good use for enough computing power to compute a Mersenne prime every few seconds? Let me give it a shot: Discretize a space about the size of a big protein plus a ribosome plus a few hundred nucleotides. Run the time-dependent Schrödinger Equation. It might be necessary to approximate, say with ion cores and valence electrons. The fact that, on some level, biochemistry "works" suggests that the problem is tractable. Enumerate space of final states, pruning the boring or repetitious cases as needed. Congratulations, you've just solved Protein Folding. Have fun scanning your new Database of All Possible Proteins for drug applications, or as the prerequisite for simulating a full-sized human body down to the protein level. And let's not even start talking about building abstract neural networks the size of human brains... I do agree that a lot of talk about the singuarity is irrational hype -- rapture for the geeks, and all that -- but unless I've missed your point somewhere, this strikes me as only slightly less irrational hype-aversion.