Ready, Set

Aging is a biologic mechanism, not a natural consequence of time. It is programmed into cells and may have not always have been so. Scientists have recently identified a billion-year-old mechanism that appears to regulate aging in mice and other animals - perhaps even humans. Now this begs the question, why did such mechanisms, why did aging, evolve? Put another way what is the evolutionary advantage to aging and death?

Evolution is based on random genetic mutation and survival of the fittest.The system would favor limiting lifespan so as to make way for subsequent generations as a way to promote genetic adaptation to changing environments. Aging and death then would favor survival of the species as a whole.

But what if a species could learn to manipulate its own genetic apparatus so as insure adaptation perhaps in ways 'nature' could never concoct. What purpose aging then? Good question since this is our fate.

It is highly likely we will learn how to stop or reverse aging. We already know that blocking key steps in the aging mechanism in both animal and human studies reduces the incident of age related illnesses - diabetes, certain cancers, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, heart muscle degeneration, and macular degeneration. It is likely then that 'curing' the aging process will result in better health, energy, and outlook making living longer pleasurable, providing a 'physical' youth and a brain elastic, energized and receptive to experience tempered only by what we do to each other and the boundless human capacity for self harm.

There probably is no good reason not to extend life and 'cure' the aging process. Here's the thing - this is likely to occur in your or your children's lifetime.

Are you ready?

Doctors All

They wear 19th century costumes, saturate and separate themselves with tradition and noble intent
Drawn to a profession of costume, false prestige and rewards for having a good memory
many lack an intuitive sense of people - a wisdom if you will
I find many of them two dimensional and entirely too level headed
lacking in depth and just as judgmental
They confuse good memory for intelligence and as in many professions reward the ability to dazzle and dance and all that attracts rather than skill and inherent ability
And then there are the few
Those precious few, stunning in their ways, their talents and keenness of mind
Those that possess what can never be taught - those that can make all the difference
Those that I strive to be like
Taken as a whole they do the very best they can
Without them many of you would be lost
Despite their shortcomings, perhaps because of them when taken in context of what they can collectively accomplish
I am oh so glad to know them
Doctors all

No Where To Go But Up

People have been underestimating me my entire life.
Makes for fine ambushing.

The Future of You

Over the next few decades our intelligence will become increasingly non-biological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today. We will witness the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity.
An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common sense "intuitive linear" view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century -- it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate).  Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence; leading to technological change so rapid and profound it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history. The implications include the merger of biological and non-biological intelligence, immortal software-based humans with ultra-high levels of intelligence that will reside within the fabric of space-time itself.
(As paraphrased from unknown author)

An Utter Failure

The last of the US troops have left Iraq.
What they left is an Iraq heavily infiltrated by Iranians, with inadequate protection for those that helped us that we left behind, with deeply divided religious factions hostile to each other, in a backdrop of rampant unemployment, poverty, and a lack of life's basic necessities.
What they have left behind is a ticking time bomb.
When it blows those on the right will point to the ensuing fiasco as justification for staying indefinitely, and an indictment of Obama for having left - instead of what it is - the final last proof that the entire invasion was a mistake and ultimately, an utter failure.

Stay Tuned

Last night the last of the US troops left Iraq.
Over 100,000 lives lost, a million displaced from their homes, at a cost of over a trillion dollars.
Tell me again what we accomplished?
A free Iraq?
A more prosperous Iraq?
A safer world?

10000 years of brutality

Imagine a world where European explorers coming to the Americas were the sort of people who sought out the indigenous peoples and asked them what these lands were called.