Approach of an Event Horizon

During my latest round of research I came across these 2 TED lectures that I believe are must see. That is, if your into Machine Intelligence and Genetics. Even so, if this sounds a little over your head, I think each genre will produce revolutions unlike anything we have see before. On the verge of endowing ourselves with gods power, the true dilemmas we will face as a human race seem years away to the sheep herds of scociety. When in fact we are possibly only a decade away from the greatest challenges we have ever faced."We are playing a dangerous experiment with this planet" and its up to us to make it Heaven or Hell. You cannot see past the event horizon, but your actions are what make it. What ever the Event Horizon may be, we are part of it. Inform your self, and free your mind. You were endowed with a self training brain, so use it!

Jeff Hawkins: Brain science is about change computing

Jeff Hawkins urges us to take a new look at the brain -- to see it not as a fast processor, but as a memory system that stores and plays back experiences to help us predict, intelligently, what will happen next.

Here is a link to a 1hr in depth explanation of the HTM model.
Computing Beyond Turing - Jeff Hawkins

Craig Venter: On the verge of creating synthetic life

"Can we create new life out of our digital universe?" asks Craig Venter. And his answer is, yes, and pretty soon. He walks the TED2008 audience through his latest research into "fourth-generation fuels" -- biologically created fuels with CO2 as their feedstock. His talk covers the details of creating brand-new chromosomes using digital technology, the reasons why we would want to do this, and the bioethics of synthetic life.

Visons of the Future

The 3 part series covers possible future scenarios for the human race in regard to our technological evolution. The matter is not will it happen, but when will it happen.

"Visions of the Future: The Intelligence Revolution. 1st part of 3 part miniseries on the BBC hosted by Michio Kaku. In this new three-part series, leading theoretical physicist and futurist Dr Michio Kaku explores the cutting edge science of today, tomorrow, and beyond. He argues that humankind is at a turning point in history. In this century, we are going to make the historic transition from the 'Age of Discovery' to the 'Age of Mastery', a period in which we will move from being passive observers of nature to its active choreographers. This will give us not only unparalleled possibilities but also great responsibilities."

Part 2 - The BioTech Revolution
Part 3 - The Quantum Revolution

Iran and the West

"Iran Press Watch urges its readers to watch the following three part BBC documentary. This well-funded work analyzes the long struggle of Iran and the West to come together ever since the revolution. The documentary shows interviews with a wide range of world leaders who reveal the inner dealings of all governing adminstrations from the past thirty years, both from within Iran’s own adminstration and from the Western counterparts. These include Vladimir Putin, Jimmy Carter, Mohammad Khatami, Bill Clinton and many more." Amazing how America arms both sides then plays them off against each other....W.T.F... sounds familiar.

PARTS 2 and 3

Those in need are those that get the least......

The control and manipulation of information by the corporations is going to be the biggest down fall of humanity. The the concept that ideas can be 'owned' is only beneficial for corporations and their shareholders while collectively screwing over the human race. The electric car EV1 is a classic example. Only now are they slowly bringing back the electric car, after driving everyone into a frenzy about global warming and the depletion of the world's oil reserves.

but that's a whole other story.

Something a bit more 'current' is the ol' swine flu. So far the only proven medication available for it is TamiFlu whose patent is owned by Roche®. Once the Swine hits the poorest parts of the world the WHO with their great wisdom has warned that it could result in hundreds of thousands dying. (On top of those already dying of AIDS and malnutrition). In their infinite wisdom they have also advised them to stock pile and produce TamiFlu. Here lies the Catch22.

Because of the patents slapped onto Tamiflu, it is exorbitantly over priced. Sense of Déjà vu there? This exact situation happened with the Anti-retovirals (for AIDS). Due to public pressure the WHO agreed that, in an overwhelming public health emergency, poor countries would be allowed to produce generic drugs. Essentially the same drug without the the ®.

But in this case the WHO seems to be backing the Pharma companies against the rest of the world. In their defense the drug companies maintain that the outrageous prices are needed for development of new and better medications. For those that aren't in the know here is a breakdown of how a drug is developed:

1)Most research is done in publicly owned labs and universities with YOUR taxes.
2)Once something promising is one the horizon the drug peddlers contribute a tiny sum of money about ~ 10% and essential buy out the patent.

The public is taking the risk for all the failed experiments while the companies jump in and reap the benefits. Great. But wait there is more. Only 14% of the pharmaceutical profits go towards the actual 'research and development'. The rest is spent on advertising and lobbying, and of the so called research most of it is on "Me-Too" drugs. Essentially same medications but repackaged, with some molecules switched around, fancy new packaging, new patent, more $$$$$. Cant get any better? Well it does. The target market for the medications are those people who can afford it, so essentially diseases of the affluent and gluttonous. Heart disease, blood pressure, diabetes. No one cares about malaria (account for about ~40% of all health expenditure in some developing countries) because those that need it, cant afford it.

So good job WHO. Great advice about stock piling Tamiflu while simultaneously blocking those in the greatest need to bypass the patents. Next they will be telling all the malnourished people in Africa to eat more. I mean its so obvious.

The Hidden Truth Behind Drug Company Profits

Fantastic Planet

Fantastic Planet - 1973

"The film depicts a future in which human beings, known as "Oms" (a word play on the French-language word hommes, meaning men), have been brought by the giant Draags to the Draags' home planet, where they are kept as pets (with collars). The Draags are an alien race which is humanoid in shape but a hundred times larger than humans, with blue skin, fan-like earlobes and huge, protruding red eyes. The Draags also live much longer than human beings – one Draag week equals a human year. Some Oms are domesticated as pets, but others run wild, and are periodically exterminated. The Draags' treatment of the Oms is ironically contrasted with their high level of technological and spiritual development." Totally worth very minute. Try and find a copy somewhere, This is a 5 min preview.

Royal Raymond Rife

This film covers the amazing story of Royal Raymond Rife's life and his cure for cancer and using his frequency instruments.

Stanley Kubrick's Boxes

Stanley Kubrick
R.I.P 1928 – 1999

A biography of a remarkably talented man as seen though the rich collection of material he left behind. Stanley Kubrick's films were landmark events – majestic, memorable and richly researched. But, as the years went by, the time between films grew longer and longer, and less and less was seen of the director. What on earth was he doing?

Two years after Kubrick's death, Jon Ronson was invited to the director's estate to explore the hundreds of boxes the legendary film director had collected during his decades at Childwick Manor in Hertfordshire. He's been returning ever since, and the story of Kubrick and the archive, now housed at University of the Arts London, is revealed in this fascinating documentary by looking through the hundreds of boxes he left behind.

The Race To Zero Point

At first you'll notice the age of the video. Don't worry to much about that at first. Listen to the information they disclose, then the age of the video will blow your mind. "In this award-winning, Documentary you will learn about the latest developments in the field of Free and Zero Point Energy from Tesla to Dennis Lee. Hosted by Bill Jenkins, formerly of ABC Radio, this comprehensive documentary features physicists and inventors who are challenging orthodox science to bring this non-polluting technology forward despite ridicule and suppression. See actual working prototypes that defy classical physics including phenomenal experiments in anti-gravity and the transmutation of metals."

Ascent Of Money

Cash, Dosh, Mullah, The Benjamines, The Rutherfords, Bling, Loot......call it whatever you want but money is fundamental part of society. This 6 part documentary is the history of money. From its invention to the economic monster that is now the Recession.

1 of 6 Episodes

Aqua