6. The method of claim 2 wherein said autonomously generating a response to a natural language query further comprises: receiving said query as an electronic character stream; parsing said query into a statement; generating a plurality of candidate responses appropriate to said statement by searching said statement-response database; choosing a best response from said candidate responses using said conversation strategy and said at least one context element taken from said context database; outputting said best response as an electronic character stream.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said autonomously updating a statement-response database further comprises: automatically downloading, from an online publication formatted to be in human readable form, content that matches at least one search criteria; converting said downloaded content into at least one entry suitable for use in said statement-response database; and, storing said at least one entry in said statement-response database.