Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in action | Video on TED.com

As nanotechnology enables us to be more capable at manipulating matter, it is important that we don't "re-invent the wheel" that nature has already designed. By simultaneously using the discoveries of the future, in conjunction with the lessons "learned" by our planet, and it inhabitants, we can accelerate the pace of innovation, and support the virtuous cause of preservation. The following is an excellent "primer" on the power and promise of biomimicry: Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in action Video on TED.com

The End of "Reality"...The Dawn of Truth

The fog of culture is beginning to lift, the bright rays of clarity are beginning to pierce through. As all things are deconstructed into their finest parts, their commonality is undeniable. Science is breaking the material world into its most fundamental essence, and in the process, it is empowering the technological advances needed to examine the most immutable aspects of what makes us human. We have wandered for millenniums in a hazy dream-world of culture and Newtonian physics, but now as we break the bonds of the macro world, we enter the sphere of our origin. Reality, as perceived by humans, has never really been real, or at the most, it has been a carnival fun house mirror reflection of what we really are. The basic needs for survival, the societal/religious constraints imposed to maintain order and the oppressive control of those that enjoyed a regional monopoly on knowledge, power and/or communications have imposed a barrier on our progress towards understanding ourselves without distortion.

Man has never had the opportunity to truly pursue the truth in an unfettered manner because the "scarcity" of basic needs, education, knowledge, technology, free thought/expression, freedom, and of the access to others, as well as access of others to us. These limitations have all conspired to distract, restrain, inhibit, stigmatize, coerce, enslave, intimidate or eliminate those that attempted the "virtuous journey".

The atomization of culture is upon us. The social alloy that our coming trials will render will be of such strength to make diamond appear as water, but with this atomization, disorientation is certain to occur. That is why now, more than ever, we must abandon petty battles, selfish interests and "zero sum game" mentalities. Life is not a "zero sum game", existence is an "infinite sum process". I do not believe we are just random packets of energy and matter swirling around in a stew of chaos, but I also believe we haven't begun to understand why the universe is not random and pointless.

As we strive to move beyond the carnal, material and status-based societies that have stained our existence up to this point, we must understand that others will be unwilling to listen and unwilling to relinquish the comfort of the rudimentary, but familiar, "meta-self-awareness" that they currently embrace.

We all have work to do with regards to adjusting our perspectives and promoting a cooperative framework to meet the challenges that our species will face in the coming "Near-Singularity" era:

The politician must know they no longer occupy the throne of power, but a bubble of scrutiny.

The tyrant must know their lies are transparent and their enemies united.

The exploitive opportunist must know their gains are fleeting, but their reputation tarnished and memorialized across the globe in an instant.

The leaders of religion must distill and refine the "truth glue" that has held their dogma together for so many years prior.

The scientist must become a philosopher, and the philosopher a practitioner of the scientific method.

The activist must not abandon their pursuit of justice, but they must learn tact, diplomacy and requisite patience. Do not your cause an injustice by imprudence.

The conservative must accept that their "established way" was once "radical and new" and that change is what created that which they hold so dear and are so reluctant to change once more. Nostalgia is entertaining, but it is toxic to progress and nourishes extinction.

To the rising poor, aspire to higher heights than the developed world, but avoid its lows at all cost.

All things are threatened by this change that are not of truth. All those who prematurely claim to know truth are endangered. One should not fear truth for it has no enemies. Yet, its victims are self-selected by their lust for proving that they are "right" before and above all others.

Step forward, together, in the virtuous journey with those you have previously disagreed, bath in the light & energy released by the atomization of culture, forge a social alloy born of symmetry and fit, but most of all, respect the path and pace of your fellow travelers. If you have the good fortune to make faster progress, leave a clear path for others to follow and perhaps a note saying "Keep going! You are going to make it! I will be waiting for you..."

Advance could speed use of genetic material RNA in nanotechnology

"Scientists are reporting an advance in overcoming a major barrier to the use of the genetic material RNA in nanotechnology -- the field that involves building machines thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair and now is dominated by its cousin, DNA. Their findings could speed the use of RNA nanotechnology for treating disease."

ScienceDaily (2011-01-19) -- ... > read full article

Ray Kurzweil: A university for the coming singularity | Video on TED.com

I have posted this video previously, but I am re-posting it in celebration of the premieres of the documentary "Transcendent Man" this month across the nation.

Ray Kurzweil: A university for the coming singularity Video on TED.com

Cynthia Breazeal: The rise of personal robots | Video on TED.com

No, Cynthia is not related to me, but I certainly hope I have her genetics with respect to intellect!

About this talk (from TED):

"As a grad student, Cynthia Breazeal wondered why we were using robots on Mars, but not in our living rooms. The key, she realized: training robots to interact with people. Now she dreams up and builds robots that teach, learn -- and play. Watch for amazing demo footage of a new interactive game for kids."

Cynthia Breazeal: The rise of personal robots Video on TED.com

Artificial Intuition

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) was once thought to be achievable through the construction of a system of rules based on logic. Yet, as with almost every area of research, as you peel back a layer of onion, you not only find more layers, but a multitude of different varieties of onions, each with its own "N" layers of complexity. Monica Anderson, a "computer based cognition" researcher and entrepreneur, provides a very insightful and readable introduction into this fascinating exploration of how we "operate" at the most intimate level, within our own minds:

http://artificial-intuition.com/index.html

"Convergence Chain"

The below link to the article "UNC researchers inch closer to unlocking potential of synthetic blood" is a good example of what I term the "Convergence Chain". In this example, nanotechnology is providing a means to develop a material to meet very specific characteristics that are necessary to advance life sciences research/development. Further, the future availability of synthetic blood would likely lead to lower health care costs, less exposure to donor-sourced contamination (i.e. contracting hepatitis or HIV from improperly screened/processed human blood), more effective treatments/therapy for blood disorders, less worker productivity losses and employment opportunities (i.e. synthetic blood manufacturing/distribution jobs, synthetic blood improvement research in performance enhancement for athletic/military applications, etc.).

(Of course, there is always a downside. This will put pressure on cookie/orange juice sales as human blood donations will become obsolete and undergraduates will not be able to engage in plasma donation to cover tuition expenses or beer purchases.)

http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/4208/107/

Growth in China is Self-Defeating; Growth in Innovation is Self-Reinforcing

The perception that growth can only be found in the emerging markets is slowly eroding. China is increasingly faced with high inflation, infra-structure challenges, a weak consumer segment, political pressures, environmental threats, unfavorable demographics and it is bidding against itself in the commodity markets. Technology/innovation ( nanotechnology, life sciences and information technology in particular ), on the other hand, is accelerating, converging and reinforcing itself. The below chart shows that the NASDAQ 100 (a proxy for innovation) has outperformed the Emerging Market Index (very sensitive to economic activity in China) over the past 3 years and I believe this will continue for several years to come:

The above is not a recommendation of any particular security or investment strategy. It is simply a statement of personal opinion.

Explore Nanotechnology !
http://www.nanularity.com/

The Power & Purpose of Volatility

Volatility is not to be feared, but respected, as one should all the most powerful forces of nature. For to understand the nuances, power and purpose of volatility is to master the very essence of life itself.

The motto of Pashfiata Strategies is "...action conceived in balanced thought..." and the reason that I described volatility as I have in my opening entry is that in order to even begin the process of "balanced thought", one must acknowledge and learn to control their primal response to volatility. Volatility is not "wrong", "bad", "crazy" or "unhealthy." It is the necessary by-product of evolution, progress, creativity, and if observed from the correct perspective, it is one of the greatest aspects of life for it provides new opportunities, new insights and an opportunity to "re-tune" our personal values around what is truly important. Historically, and presently, scarcity drives value, and volatility is a constant reminder that all things are in constant peril, subject to obsolescense and/or decay. So, it is through volatility that all things gain value in the current paradigm. (Note that I said "volatility", not "death". This blog will serve as a companion to my website http://www.nanularity.com/ , which deals with nanotechnology and the Singularity which are intertwined with issues surrounding radical life extension and Transhumanism. I do not believe death is necessary to give value/purpose to life. I will address in future blogs the impact of a possible reduction/elimination of scarcity and how that will change the nature of volatiltity in both the pre- and post- Singularity eras).

Much has been written about the fall of great empires and how the US is appraoching its final curtain call, but I don't believe that that is true. In fact, I believe our current sources of political, economic, capital market, energy/environmental and cultural volatility are what are going to allow the US to continue to exist, and dominate, not only as a global power, but as a continually self-adjusting/correcting ideal.

The Obama administration offered something new. Our political system allowed those ideas to be introduced, debated and to a certain extent implemented. It appears that some of the new approaches are "too new" for a large segment of the voting public and even before the national mid-term elections, state level elections moved the political power dial back in the other direction and slowed the speed towards the new vision. I don't think that this "balance of power" volatility is a bad or unproductive process. If this shifting of power back & forth had not occurred, would we have:

1) Such vigorous debate around what type of healthcare system we really want.

2) Would we have seen the significant rise in political will to address our longer-term fiscal challenges.

3) Would there have been as many people going back and asking "What did the Founding Fathers really try to weave into the Constitution? Is it still relevant?"

4) The rise of new political voices on both sides.

5) A resurgence in people's interest in our political process.

Whether through revolution, civil war, protests, economic crises, natural/man made disasters, culture clashes or hotly debated political campaigns or issues, we have adapted to/overcome many challenges and have been the better for it.

This is not a blog dedicated to addressing political issues, but rather the interplay between business, capital markets, innovation and life. Politics just happens to be the process by which we resolve our differing, oftentimes conflicting, selection of goals within each of those categories, as well as the weights we place on them with regards to importance.

May America continue to experience and learn from volatility in all its many forms, and from that, continue to earn its place in history.