Temporary Human

Neuroscience of Deus Ex: Human Revolution (via @io9)

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:07:24 -0700

Neuroscience of Deus Ex: Human Revolution (via @io9):

In the video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution, neuroscience meets synthetic augmentation in a fascinating and terrifying manner. The game focuses on the war between people who are neurologically augmented, and those who are too principled (or too poor) to seek artificial augmentation. The question of what makes us human is critical to the story and the path you choose to take in its conclusion. But to what extent are the features of Deus Ex: HR grounded in reality, as opposed to merely science fiction?

Bio-chemical circuits may make you a man of a machine

Thu, 31 May 2012 11:56:19 -0700

Bio-chemical circuits may make you a man of a machine

The Unbearable Stasis of "Accelerating Change"

Wed, 30 May 2012 13:51:07 -0700

… and other “pseudo-transcendentalizing narratives … futurological re-run(s) proposed as fresh insight in the form of glossy pages” to wit,

And when I declare that the more assertively “techno-transcendental” varieties of futurological discourse (like the transhumanists, the singularitarians, the techno-immortalists, the nano-cornucopians, the digital-utopians) are simply extreme and hyperbolic variations of mainstream neoliberal global developmental policy discourse and mainstream marketing, advertising, and PR forms, this latter claim shouldn’t be seen as undermining the first. Because there is an unmistakably faith-mobilizing pseudo-transcendentalizing strain to be discerned in this very PR marketing imaginary, deranging us from our present distress into a yearning toward consumer techno-futures bathed in pastels and robots and cars and DNA helices and chocolate and glossy hair and youthful skin and golden sex.

thought provoking aromas both opulent and intense with blackcurrant, violets, rosemary and cedar playing a central role. a dense purple ruby hue with palate awash in flavors of boysenberry, cassis, and star anise. structural stanzas are supple and fine grained. overall, excellent line and length of rumination. an outstanding, youthful, fresh and vibrant cerebrant of tenacious vintage. (remix culture)

"You have 2.5 billion heart beats in a lifetime. Imagine if you could choose how to spend them...."

Wed, 30 May 2012 12:38:58 -0700

“You have 2.5 billion heart beats in a lifetime. Imagine if you could choose how to spend them. Imagine being able to control an artificial limb or even an external machine – a car, perhaps – with your brain.”

- Is sci-fi surgery so outrageous? - Telegraph

"Daydreaming through a Database of Emotional States” #socialai"

Wed, 30 May 2012 12:38:09 -0700

““Daydreaming through a Database of Emotional States” #socialai”

- Social AI | Applied Artificial Intelligence, @ Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.

Re-blog if you agree that these poor and stupid people should be...

Wed, 30 May 2012 10:11:00 -0700

Re-blog if you agree that these poor and stupid people should be properly sterilized, or at the very least allowed to flail, flounder, and die off in Darwinian Splendor. Wait, nevermind, your violent opposition to Basic Income in today’s nearly Star Trek level roboticized society with a labor participation rate rapidly approaching 50%, already makes your intent crystal clear. Nice job, thou superior moral and intellectual beings.

wearethe99percent:

This is the sign I made today, and plan to stand at a busy corner in the rain. I do not live in Oregon, or Washington state. I am disabled, my husband lost his job due to illnesses which include Stiff Person Syndrome, scaring on his brain (could be MS) hypothyroid, sick sinus syndrome (requiring a pacemaker at 37), and now something showing up on his liver.

We believed that it would only be a short time before he would be better and be able to get back to work. That was two years ago. His unemployment benefits have run out, and now with all his diagnosis we are able to finally pursue disability for him. My SSDI and child support come to a monthly total of $2346.00 monthly. Our rent - we can’t afford to buy - is $1150.00 a month. We are currently $195.00 overdrawn, and the overdraft protection has been turned off by the bank. We have no more gas in our car. I will get the last half of child support next week; coincidentally that is exactly $195.00. The next SSDI check won’t be here until June 1st.

We have not paid our utilities, or car payment in two months. We have a six month old who needs diapers. He was our 1% miracle - as in birth control is only 99% effective. Go figure. If my husband’s disability is not approved soon we will be homeless by July. Because our situation is dire now, we have written letters through his SSDI attorney for compassionate allowances. However, once we are homeless our situation is no longer considered “dire”.

We will survive this. Our marriage will survive this. But, I am putting my country on notice. I will not accept this any longer, I will not back down, I will not forgive, and I will not forget. I will fight for change, I will fight this oppression. My family is the 99%, and I am PISSED OFF!!!

Open the pod bay doors, HAL.

Mon, 28 May 2012 22:14:51 -0700

Open the pod bay doors, HAL.:

Where Speech Recognition Is Going. Voice-controlled interfaces are showing up in mobile phones, TVs, and automobiles.

nano vacuum tubes

Mon, 28 May 2012 16:06:38 -0700

nano vacuum tubes

3d blood vessels

Mon, 28 May 2012 16:06:10 -0700

3d blood vessels

"Smart Pebble robots replicate objects the way a good hive mind should (video)"

Mon, 28 May 2012 15:45:29 -0700

“Smart Pebble robots replicate objects the way a good hive mind should (video)”

- http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/28/smart-pebble-robots-replicate-objects-the-way-a-good-hive-mind-s/

Every screen a multi-touch computer

Sun, 27 May 2012 17:04:29 -0700

Every screen a multi-touch computer:

“The idea that there should be a screen that’s not a computer, we’ll laugh at that in two years.

“Every screen should be touch, every screen should be a computer and should be able to see out as well as see in. That is the way the world is heading [and] those screens are going to be big, small, wall-sized and desk-sized.”

Wifi blocking wallpaper

Sun, 27 May 2012 14:51:37 -0700

Wifi blocking wallpaper

House to examine plan for United Nations to regulate the Internet

Sun, 27 May 2012 14:21:51 -0700

House to examine plan for United Nations to regulate the Internet:

infoneer-pulse:

House lawmakers will consider an international proposal next week to give the United Nations more control over the Internet.

The proposal is backed by China, Russia, Brazil, India and other UN members, and would give the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) more control over the governance of the Internet.

It’s an unpopular idea with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in Congress, and officials with the Obama administration have also criticized it.

» via The Hill’s Hillicon Valley

This is REALITY, Humans. Wake up to it. barackobama: Hug.

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:11:38 -0700

This is REALITY, Humans. Wake up to it.

barackobama:

Hug.

Being Sergey Time to cue up and re-watch the inspirational cult...

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:20:00 -0700

Being Sergey

Time to cue up and re-watch the inspirational cult classic global cognition grid and first-person perspective film: Brainstorm

Feel free to watch the whole hour, above, but the intent was to embed the salient segment, which you’ll apparently have to watch here instead.

Tumblr seems to insist on stripping out the time cue in the video link here. I’ve tried multiple methods, including copying precise page code from the verge; no joy in getting the embed to start where it’s supposed to, at the 47m25s mark (like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcR2tr3kMMo&t=47m25s)

(via Watch this: Sergey Brin and Max Braun discuss Project Glass photography | The Verge)

America's Most Innovative Neighborhood: 15 Square Miles In New Mexico, Population: 0

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:07:34 -0700

America's Most Innovative Neighborhood: 15 Square Miles In New Mexico, Population: 0:

CITE will intentionally be an imperfect place, one where everything won’t always work properly, where researchers will find more frustration than they ever do in a lab. CITE will not be a “smart” city in the desert, as many planners and engineers may dream of constructing from scratch. “We’re a dumb city,” Brumley says, “and we bring smart technology to the dumb city, or the ‘legacy’ city, to see how its IQ can be elevated. If you think of it that way, 99.9 percent of all American cities are dumb—they’re all legacy.”

JPMorgan: we can extract more from African wallets

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:02:18 -0700

JPMorgan: we can extract more from African wallets:

prepaidafrica: JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) is pushing transaction banking in Africa. John Coulter, senior country officer for sub-Saharan Africa, told the Reuters Africa Investment Summit, “We have got the capital and the capability as a bank to extract more from an African wallet.”

Oh good, because extracting more from African wallets is definitely the way to help the people of Africa.

Could Nokia beat Project Glass to the AR market? - SlashGear

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:33:32 -0700

Could Nokia beat Project Glass to the AR market? - SlashGear:

Robert Reich: Why the Buffett Rule Sets the Bar Too Low

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:01:54 -0700

Robert Reich: Why the Buffett Rule Sets the Bar Too Low:

robertreich:

Next Monday most Americans will be filing their income taxes for tax year 2011. This year, though, tax day has special significance. If there’s one clear policy contrast between Democrats and Republicans in the 2012 election, it’s whether America’s richest citizens should be paying more.

…

What is Basic Income? Where Can I Learn about Basic Income?

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:02:29 -0700

What is Basic Income? Where Can I Learn about Basic Income?:

basicincome:

Get Started:

U.S. Basic Income Guarantee

Universal Basic Income

Basic Income Guarantee (wikipedia)

Take Action:

Follow @BasicIncome on Twitter

Join Basic Income Google+ Group

Join Basic Income Facebook Community

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