Monthly Archives: June 2004

The Myth of the Beginning of Time

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String theory suggests that the big bang was not the origin of the universe but simply the outcome of a preexisting state

By Gabriele Veneziano

Was the big bang really the beginning of time? Or did the universe exist before then? Such a question seemed almost blasphemous only a decade ago. Most cosmologists insisted that it simply made no sense—that to contemplate a time before the big bang was like asking for directions to a place north of the North Pole. But developments in theoretical physics, especially the rise of string theory, have changed their perspective. The pre-bang universe has become the latest frontier of cosmology.

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Brain Fingerprinting

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Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, Inc. has developed and patented EEG/P300 based testing systems that determine with extremely high accuracy whether or not specific information is stored in a person?s memory. The test measures individual brain-wave responses to relevant words, pictures or sounds presented by a computer. The measurements are recorded in fractions of a second after the stimulus is presented, before the subject is able to formulate or control a response. In a major milestone for the company, the results of this patented testing methodology have been ruled admissible in court as scientific evidence. The technology has many exciting applications in several very large markets: national security, medical diagnostics, advertising, insurance fraud and in the criminal justice system.

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The Self as Metaprogrammer by Chris Arkenberg

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The human brain is not a static computing device merely receiving and processing information acquired by its sensoria but, rather, it is a dynamic and plastic network of neural centers, each specialized to handle specific tasks, coordinated with each other through a continuously changing array of associative connections between hundreds of billions of neural cells. (Readers are encouraged to look through “The Self & It’s Brain” by Karl Popper & John Eccles for exhaustive studies of neuronal plasticity in associative networks and their implications for consciousness.) While the various regions of the brain are shared by all humans, and the functions of those regions are essentially the same in each of us, the connections between them and the intangible interface which integrates experience between our senses and our mind is absolutely unique to each individual. Genetic predisposition, early imprints, and life experiences each contribute to the ever-evolving construct of the individual. And behind it all in the secret center of our mind, resides the self, absolutely intangible but undeniably real, stringing together the momentary snapshots of the sensoria, creating our sense of time and guiding the processes of mind in accord with its will. But while many may never question the way their mind and brain color their world, others seek to elevate the self to the level of meta-programmer and actively break the bonds of belief to rewire the associative network of the brain and its mind. Many tools exist for such a task, including the archaic techniques of shamanism, the use of psychedelic compounds, and the canon of western esoterica commonly known as magick. By employing these and other methods it is possible to directly modify the physiology of the brain and reprogram the mind in accord with the ideals of the self. (Please note that this paper is not intended to present a reductionist or mechanistic view of consciousness. The visionary experiences of shamanism and the phenomenology of magick are far more profound and ineffable than if they were simply side effects of metabolism.)

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Nanotechnology proposed to replace DNA & cell machinery

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Ray Kurzweil has proposed a nanobiotechnology research program to replace the cell nucleus and ribosome machinery with a nanocomputer and nanobot to prevent diseases and aging and another program to create defensive technologies against rogue designer viruses.

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More on Moon

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From Politics1.Com:

For the past two days, we’ve been reporting on the bizarre coronation ceremony held in a US Senate office building in which Congressman Danny Davis helped place a golden crown upon the head of billionaire Korean “Unification Church” cult leader and convicted tax felon Sun Myung Moon after Moon proclaimed himself “humanity’s
Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent.” Don’t believe me? Then click here and read Moon’s speech, as posted on his own website. Several other Members of Congress also participated in or here listed as hosts of the evening’s festivities. Well, as expected, the elected officials involved in the event are now offering various excuses and explanations for attending the event sponsored by the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP). Many claim they did not know the Moonie nature of the group or that they did not know the event would evolve into a Messianic coronation. While the latter excuse may be plausible (for all except Davis), a simple visit to the IIFWP website rebuts the former claim by clearly and repeatedly stating that Moon founded and directs the IIFWP. But—as you’ve seen our story and photos—and can view the Moonie videos of the event online here (English – short version) and here
(Windows Media Player, in Korean, long version) ... and now you
can read how the other side and those involved are spinning this:

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PATENT:TRANSMITTING POWER AND DATA USING THE HUMAN BODY

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Methods and apparatus for distributing power and data to devices coupled to the human body are described. The human body is used as a conductive medium, e.g., a bus, over which power and/or data is distributed. Power is distributed by coupling a power source to the human body via a first set of electrodes. One or more devise to be powered, e.g., peripheral devices, are also coupled to the human body via additional sets of electrodes. The devices may be, e.g., a speaker, display, watch, keyboard, etc. A pulsed DC signal or AC signal may be used as the power source. By using multiple power supply signals of differing frequencies, different devices can be selectively powered. Digital data and/or other information signals, e.g., audio signals, can be modulated on the power signal using frequency and/or amplitude modulation techniques.

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Saturn’s mystery moon shows exposed water ice

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PASADENA, Calif.—Saturn’s mysterious moon, Phoebe, which has puzzled astronomers for more than a century because of its dark surface and retrograde orbit, has great geological variety, and probably has large areas of exposed water ice, Cornell senior astronomy researcher Peter Thomas told a press conference at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) here today (June 23).

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