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Quest for the Truth: The War For Your Mind
"This world is full of war- old wars, new wars, holy wars, greed wars. War brought to you by your favorite greed-filled corporate sponsors. There are at least seven major armed conflicts within the world today, and over 27 smaller scale armed conflicts dating all the way back to 1949."
- Excerpt from Quest For The Truth.
Why do you think man wages war against himself? Is it engrained in his nature or is it taught from society and multimedia? Read the blog and share your thoughts. "This world is full of war- old wars, new wars, holy wars, greed wars. War brought to you by your favorite greed-filled corporate... more -
HumanCar Powered by Human Energy, Not Ethanol
Charley and Chuck Greenwood, a father-son combo, think they know the secret to the future of cars: rowing.
And they founded their company HumanCar to prove that human energy, not biofuels, is the gasoline of the future. Their Imagine_PS car seats up to four in a low-slung chassis; the passengers get to help row the lightweight car.
Think of it as an ergonomic, efficient and sneaker-saving Flintstone's car for an oil-free future. The front two 'drivers' get to steer, which is done with a talented and coordinated lean.
"Body steering comes from the hips," CEO Chuck said. "It's just like a properly performed ski turn."
But revolutionizing steering is not the point of these Oregon entrepreneurs. "It's about thinking about days per life versus miles per gallon," CEO Chuck Greenwood said.
When powered by four people rowing, the car will go about as fast as the 'drivers' would on bicycles, on average.
But, that's only if they were driving in a flat city like Chicago, where the car is currently on display for two weeks during the Wired NextFest future-tech expo in Millennium Park.
For hillier locales or higher speeds, there's electric assist motors and regenerative brakes that funnel the vehicle's momentum back into the batteries.
The Greenwoods plan to sell Imagine_PS as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, a state-by-state designation that frees it from requirements such as air bags and in some states, even the need for a licensed driver or insurance.
But to qualify, the top speed will have to capped at around 20 mph -- though the Greenwoods say the chassis can easily handle sports car speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Hear that, hot rodders?
Though not yet for sale, advanced models of the Imagine_PS for corporate campuses will be available soon for $35,000 to $50,000, while the consumer model is slated to be be priced at $15,500. Charley and Chuck Greenwood, a father-son combo, think they know the secret to the future of cars: rowing. ... more -
The Killers: "Human"
Here's some new Killers for you. On this track, the band asks us to check the status of our humaness. Last time I checked I was a human, but I could be wrong. Here's some new Killers for you. On this track, the band asks us to check the status of our humaness. Last time I checked I was... more
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B.C. man sets record for human-propelled speed
Whittingham achieved his goal of reaching a speed of 132.5 kilometres an hour on his recumbent bicycle.
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Plant, NO help in Global warming!
Plants are unlikely to soak up more carbon dioxide from the air as the planet warms, research suggests.
US scientists found that grassland took up less CO2 than usual for two years following temperatures that are now unusually hot, but may become common.
The conclusion parallels a real-world finding from Europe's 2003 heatwave, when the continent's plant life became a net producer, not absorber, of CO2.
The latest study is published in the scientific journal Nature.
Researchers extracted four intact segments of grassland, about 3 sq m in area and weighing about 12 tonnes each, from the prairies of Oklahoma, and placed them in special chambers at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nevada.
Conditions in the chambers, such as temperature, moisture and sunlight, could be precisely
controlled.
Drying out
Two of the four chambers were given a set of conditions mimicking what actually happens, on average, on the wild prairies. Temperatures rose and fell with days and nights and seasons, and "rainfall" was injected in a realistic pattern.
The other two chambers received the same prescription with the exception that for a whole year, temperatures were always 4C higher.
The warmer plots saw a shortfall in carbon dioxide uptake of about 30% during the warm year and the one following.
DRI's Jay Arnone, who led the study, said two different mechanisms appeared to be responsible.
"So in the warm year, the temperature goes up and causes more evapotranspiration from the plants," he told BBC News.
"But plants have evolved to 'know' that when it gets dry they should curb their water loss, so they reduce the apertures of their stomata (pores) to conserve water, and that constrains the amount of CO2 they can take up (by photosynthesis)."
This response has been understood for some time. But what happened in the following year, when temperatures returned to "normal", was not so familiar.
Even during the warm year with its meagre amount of photosynthesis, plants had put carbon in the soil.
So during the normal year following, soil microbes had extra carbon to process, which they did, emitting more carbon dioxide into the air. Plants are unlikely to soak up more carbon dioxide from the air as the planet warms, research suggests. ... more -
Quote by Hazrat Ali (A.S)
Man is a wonderful creature; he sees through the layers of fat (eyes), hears through a bone (ears) and speaks through a lump of flesh (tongue). Man is a wonderful creature; he sees through the layers of fat (eyes), hears through a bone (ears) and speaks through a lump of flesh ... more
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JOURNEY OF MANKIND - The Peopling of the World
Here is a fantastic Flash depiction of the Journey of Mankind.
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What Makes Humans Social: Mirror Neuron Q&A
"What do we do when we interact? We use our body to communicate our intentions and our feelings. The gestures, facial expressions, body postures we make are social signals, ways of communicating with one another.
Mirror neurons are the only brain cells we know of that seem specialized to code the actions of other people and also our own actions. They are obviously essential brain cells for social interactions. Without them, we would likely be blind to the actions, intentions and emotions of other people.
The way mirror neurons likely let us understand others is by providing some kind of inner imitation of the actions of other people, which in turn leads us to “simulate” the intentions and emotions associated with those actions. When I see you smiling, my mirror neurons for smiling fire up, too, initiating a cascade of neural activity that evokes the feeling we typically associate with a smile. I don’t need to make any inference on what you are feeling, I experience immediately and effortlessly (in a milder form, of course) what you are experiencing.
Patients with autism have hard time understanding the mental states of other people; this is why social interactions are not easy for these patients. Reduced mirror neuron activity obviously weakens the ability of these patients to experience immediately and effortlessly what other people are experiencing, thus making social interactions particularly difficult for these patients. Patients with autism have also often motor problems and language problems. It turns out that a deficit in mirror neurons can in principle explain also these other major symptoms. The motor deficits in autism can be easily explained because mirror neurons are just special types of premotor neurons, brain cells essential for planning and selecting actions.
It has been also hypothesized that mirror neurons may be important in language evolution and language acquisition. Indeed, a human brain area that likely contains mirror neurons overlaps with a major language area, the so-called Broca’s area. Thus, a deficit in mirror neurons can in principle account for three major symptoms of autism, the social, motor and language problems."
Much more at link, they've been studying the relationship between mirror neurons and autism for a while now ( I remember reading the first article about it in 2005), very interesting stuff! "What do we do when we interact? We use our body to communicate our intentions and our feelings. The gestures, facial expressions... more -
The Future: Shape-shifting robots, wireless power
"The intelligence gap between man and machine will largely close by the year 2050, according to Intel Corp.'s chief technology officer, who yesterday reiterated that point during a keynote address at the Intel Developer Forum.
At the IDF event in San Francisco, Intel CTO Justin Rattner said that the chip maker's research labs are working on human-machine interfaces and looking to foster big changes in robotics and the way computers interact with humans. He specifically pointed to work that Intel is doing on wireless power and on developing tiny robots that can be programmed to take on the shape of anything from a cell phone to a shoe or even a human.
"The industry has taken much greater strides than anyone ever imagined 40 years ago," Rattner said. "There is speculation that we may be approaching an inflection point where the rate of technology advancements is accelerating at an exponential rate, and machines could even overtake humans in their ability to reason in the not-so-distant future."
Just last month, Rattner, who also is a senior fellow at Intel, made similar comments in an interview with Computerworld, saying that perhaps as early as 2012, the lines between human and machine intelligence will begin to blur. The intelligence gap should become awfully narrow within the next 40 years, he added, predicting that by 2050, computing will be less about launching applications and more about using systems that are inextricably woven into our daily activities.
In that same vein, Rattner talked about programmable matter during his IDF speech. He explained that Intel researchers are working to figure out how to harness millions of miniature robots, called catoms, so they could function as shape-shifting swarms.
"What if those machines had a small amount of intelligence, and they could assemble themselves into various shapes and were capable of movement or locomotion?" he said. "If you had enough of them, you could create arbitrary shapes and have the assembly of machines that could take on any form and move in arbitrary ways." "The intelligence gap between man and machine will largely close by the year 2050, according to Intel Corp.'s chief technolo... more -
-Humans May Be Able to Taste Calcium
"Mice, and most likely humans, have the ability to taste calcium—and most do not like it, according to new research presented today at the American Chemical Society's semiannual national meeting, held this week in Philadelphia. Scientists say the findings could explain why, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 80 percent of Americans do not get enough calcium when it is so important for our health.
Michael Tordoff, a biologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, suspected that calcium's unpleasant flavor—imagine the bitter taste of chalk, which is mostly calcium—makes people avoid calcium-rich foods like spinach, brussel sprouts and collard greens. He started by trying to figure out whether the tongue could taste calcium.
Tordoff and his colleagues gave 40 different strains of mice a choice: They could drink water or a calcium-rich liquid. Most preferred water once they tried both.
There was, however, one exception—a mouse strain called PWK actually preferred the calcium-enriched liquid. Those mice, it turned out, had a different version of genes that are responsible for taste receptors on the tongue. (Taste buds, which contain approximately 50 to 100 taste cells, comprise receptors for at least five specific tastes—salty, sour, bitter, sweet and umami, or savory.)
Even more surprising: one of the genes was identical to a portion of the receptor that detects both sweet and savory, or hearty, flavors. "That was a totally unexpected, out-of-left-field finding," Tordoff says. "Nobody in their right mind would have ever thought that the sweet-taste receptor was involved in calcium taste because the taste is so different." Although this sweet and savory receptor subunit is involved in calcium taste, it does not seem to trigger the perception of either flavor.
Tordoff has so far studied these genes only in mice, but he speculates that they also play a role in human's calcium taste perception. He suggests that we do have a calcium "appetite" that kicks in when our intake is dangerously low -– for example during pregnancy or dialysis, which depletes calcium levels. People in those states tend to have a strong craving for chalky, calcium-rich cheeses.
Tordoff's findings could inspire technologies that would make calcium-rich foods more palatable, according to Eugene Delay, a taste biologist at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Indeed, San Diego–based biotechnology company Senomyx is currently developing "bitter blockers" that prevent bitter taste cells from responding, so it's not crazy to think the same could be done to block calcium taste, Tordoff says.
The fact that people can taste calcium may also help scientists better understand—and prevent—diseases like osteoporosis. "It would be interesting to see if individuals that are susceptible to osteoporosis have mutations in these [calcium receptor genes]," says Debi Fadool, a biologist at Florida State University in Tallahassee. "Maybe they're supersensitive to calcium, so they just don't want to consume it." "Mice, and most likely humans, have the ability to taste calcium—and most do not like it, according to new research presented tod... more -
Rotting Human
This guy is no longer composing, He's decomposing!
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21 Interesting Facts About the Human Body
The human body is a machine that is full of wonder. This collection of human body facts will leave you wondering why in the heck we were designed the way we were.
1. Scientists say the higher your I.Q. The more you dream.
2. The largest cell in the human body is the female egg.
3. The smallest is the male sperm.
4. You use 200 muscles to take one step.
5. The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man.
6. Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three.
7. A pair of human feet contain 250,000 sweat glands.
8. A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball.
9. The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades.
10. The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.
11. It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
12. The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds.
13. Men without hair on their chests are more likely to get cirrhosis of the liver than men with hair.
14. At the moment of conception, you spent about half an hour as a single cell.
15. There is about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
16. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.
17. The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body..
18. Your teeth start developing (in your gums) 6 months before you are born.
19. When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate.
20. Blondes have more hair than dark-haired people.
21. Your thumb is the same length as your nose. The human body is a machine that is full of wonder. This collection of human body facts will leave you wondering why in the heck we we... more -
It happened Here : Peoples Temple
This was once the physical location of the Peoples Temple in San Francisco, also the home to Reverend Jim Jones. This particular temple branch built up a lot of steam in the community for political involvement. In late 1977 Peoples Temples members began to migrate to Jonestown, Guyana.
The physical space itself has gone through changes but the haunting memory of the temple has left an imprint. In November 1978, 918 people committed the largest mass suicide in modern history. This was once the physical location of the Peoples Temple in San Francisco, also the home to Reverend Jim Jones. This particular templ... more -
Cayuga Park: Garden of Light
Tucked away under a public transit system in the city of San Francisco, you'll find a beautiful secret garden, Cayuga Park. What makes this park so unique are the striking wooden statues carved from the very trees and plants that grow there. The artist and caretaker of the park, Demetrio O. Braceros, helps us understand why he creates the art he creates. Tucked away under a public transit system in the city of San Francisco, you'll find a beautiful secret garden, Cayuga Park. What... more
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Could sex save your life?
Just do it.
From the report...
"Making love doesn't just help you feel good. It also burns calories, boosts your immune system – and can even reduce the risk of cancer
...Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, or IgA, which can protect you from colds and other sorts of infections. Scientists at Wilkes University in the US tested IgA levels in 112 college students who reported the frequency of their sexual activity. Those students in the "frequent" group had higher levels of IgA than those who were either abstinent or had sex less than once a week..." Just do it. From the report... ... more -
United Kingdom Talk Saturday 28th June 2008
Saturday's edition of my three times a week talk show.Watch the show here on Current TV on Tues, Thurs & Sats.
In today's show :
Who listens to the show via "Live 365" ?
A bit greedy !
Blond spiky hair.
Ageless.
Do you still write much with pen & paper ?
Ducking down behind the desk.
What was your chat up line ?
Imagine a rectangle.
Welcome young Joe from Wandle Valley.
James Dean puts words into someone's mouth.
Michael (PK Puree) & his friends on MSN.
Looking in the mirror.
Where's me trunks ?
I've done my "Tomorite".
Bargain !
We are keeping people.
A song !
Intelligent occasionally.
Pushing past me.
Happy Birthday Carl.
My new facebook picture (Chris Reardon London)
Camp as a Christmas tree.
Was it a phone ringing ?
Did I forget something ?
Because your human.
The "Christmas boxed set".
As mad as me ?
http://unitedkingdomtalk.forums4free.org/
Email :
chris@unitedkingdomtalk.co.uk
WWW.UNITEDKINGDOMTALK.CO.UK Saturday's edition of my three times a week talk show.Watch the show here on Current TV on Tues, Thurs & Sats. ... more -
cameras 'taught to listen'
from the article...
"CCTV cameras which use artificial intelligence software are being developed to "hear" sounds like windows smashing, researchers have revealed.
University of Portsmouth scientists are working on adapting the software so it can also react to crowd noise.
Crimes would be captured on camera faster and response times improved.
The news comes after the BBC learned councils in southern England routinely used powers brought in to fight terrorism and crime to spy on people.
Figures obtained by BBC South showed the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) was used more than 750 times by the councils in 2007/08.
If in a car park someone smashes a window, the camera would turn to look at them and the camera operator would be alerted
Dr David Brown
The new three-year surveillance study is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The existing software is sophisticated enough to identify minor visual cues such as whether a car aerial is up or more complex activity such as violent behaviour, researchers said.
Dr David Brown, from the University of Portsmouth, said: "The visual-recognition software will be able to identify visual patterns but for the next stage we want to get the camera to pivot if it hears a certain type of sound.
"So, if in a car park someone smashes a window, the camera would turn to look at them and the camera operator would be alerted." from the article... ... more -
Human genome reveals signs of recent evolution
New genetic evidence suggests that evolution has continued to shape our species powerfully over the past 100,000 years. By looking for signals based on how much DNA mutates over generations, researchers found clues that as much as 10 percent of the human genome may be linked to these recent adaptive genetic changes.
Cornell University population geneticist Scott Williamson and colleagues analyzed over a million genetic variations in DNA samples from 24 individuals, including African Americans, European Americans, and Chinese. They were looking for regions in the genome where a beneficial mutation is carried by everyone in a population. Then, by looking at the variability in the DNA surrounding the mutation, the team could figure out how long ago the mutation spread through the population.
More than a hundred sites in the genome showed strong evidence of recent selection, including genes that affect muscle tissue, hair, hearing, immune-system function, skin pigmentation, sense of smell, and the body’s response to heat stress.
by Jennifer Barone
Discover Magazine
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jan/human-genome-revea...
Localizing Recent Adaptive Evolution in the Human Genome
http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/jo... New genetic evidence suggests that evolution has continued to shape our species powerfully over the past 100,000 years. By looking for... more -
Nurse Compassion Ratings ...the look, the touch.
Our fellow primates need some lovin',
and why wouldn't we?
excerpt...
"The compassion index will be compiled by health regulators using surveys of patients' views while in hospital, including feedback about the attitude of staff. It will also measure standards of nutritional care, minimisation of pain, hand-washing, and safety on the wards. Johnson said he wanted to promote friendly rivalry between wards over which nursing team could achieve the highest score. Trusts might decide to offer a reward to the top nursing team, but that would be a matter for local management...." Our fellow primates need some lovin', and why wouldn't we? excerpt... ... more -
PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID
If you can read this title then you will know what this is about. The amazing power of the human mind!
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