Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Compendium December 2011

So I have been writing for a while now. Early on my writing was a public log of my journey into triathlon. I have been thinking about writing again about my recent revival and injury, but mostly stopped that after a while. The Top few, and a couple that bridge boundaries are repeated so people who only are interested in certain topics can still read them.

My top few:
1) Corporate Venture Capital (2011) - Listed this first out of order. I WANT the right people to read this and consider it!
2) China's Command Economy, Resource Efficiency, and the worlds Geopolitical Future (2009)
3) The Art of Triathlon (2009)
4) Market Based Health Care (2009)
5) Aerobic Training Theory, History, and Methodologies. My take... (2010)
6) The Compton Cookout, and Isadore Hall III: McCarthy's New Age Revival (2010)
7) Climate Prediction Accuracy (2010)
8) Exercise and The Brain. The Body-Mind Connection! (2010)
9) Denialism and FUD (2010)
10) Future Tech: Quantum Redux (2010)
11) Carpe Diem (2010)
12 DNA Replication in silico (2011)
13) Greentech and Alternative Energy (2011)
14) Could we need a revolution any worse? (2011)

Philosophy:
My Departure from Luxtera - Cool note I wrote when I left/got fired a job and how excited  I was.
Wealth Inequality (2008) - Musings from 2008 on Wealth inequality and how USA is actually pretty bad. Seems Media and Public is finally coming around to this.
Denialism and FUD - Thoughts on how we are often bombarded with illogical fallacies disguised as arguments.

Politics:
Signing Statements - One of my criticisms of the Obama administration, along with continued gross abuse of warrantless search and surveillance.
Market Based Health Care - My early musings on how we should implement healthcare reform. I still mostly agree.
Corporate Venture Capital - My thoughts on how we could use the current cash pile to grow our economy's infrastructure and make money!
Being Environmentally Friendly does NOT cost money - Self Explanatory
The Compton Cookout, and Isadore Hall III: McCarthy's New Age Revival - Writings in response to a racist incident at UCSD and a politicians response.
Could we need a revolution any worse? - Comments on my disgust regarding government waste, inefficiency and graft.

Sports/Training (these articles often also involve a good amount of philosophy):
The Art of Triathlon - One of my favorite pieces. Musings on triathlon right as I started Ironman Peak and Taper before IM Cozumel in 2009.
Aerobic Training Theory and History - Good compendium for those looking to maximize training results.
Exercise and The Brain. The Body-Mind Connection! - My views on how activities affect our mind, body, and soul.

Socio-Political Stuff:
China, Resources, and the World in 2009 - China and my view of the world in 2009.
Being Environmentally Friendly does NOT cost money - Self Explanatory
Corporate Venture Capital - My thoughts on how we could use the current cash pile to grow our economy's infrastructure and make money!

Tech:
Weaknesses in modern Data Mining - How not thinking "4th dimensionally" as I like to say affects the way we search data.

Science (often get's philosophical as well):
Lack of Genetic Diversity in key crops - The risks we are inducing by reducing our key feedstocks to a VERY small number of species. Also how natural systems could be more effective than pesticides etc,
The evolution of the online ecosystem - cool musings on the internet
Whole Genome Transcription Paper - Paper I wrote software for and collaborated on.
Climate Prediction Accuracy - My call for predictive accuracy to determine our belief.
Roundup Resistant weeds ATTACK! - More comments on how our attempts to subvert nature are hapless, and a call to return to more natural methods.
Future Tech: Quantum Redux  - Cool things coming out of quantum mechanics science
Future Tech II: Supersolids, Meta Materials, Varying Fine Structure Constant, and Maxwell's Demon! -
Come more cool things coming out of crazy futuristic science
DNA Replication in silico - Cool accidental genetic inheritance in gene chips.
Greentech and Alternative Energy - Defining the concepts.

A couple of instructive postings (read if you wanna learn):
The Vestibular System - Random cool physiology thing
Error Analysis - Basics
Memristors - New basic electronic component, that can sorta behave like a NEURON in silico!
Infrared -vs- Thermal Junction Temperature Sensing Part 1
Infrared -vs- Thermal Junction Temperature Sensing Part 2


And some random Musings.

I left out the stuff that was a bout news events. Hope you enjoy and give feedback on the page as well as the articles!

Green tech and ALTERNATIVE energy

I've actually been saying this for a while. We have NO long term studies showing Solar, Wind, or anything is in any way more sustainable, or sustainable at all. It's JUST another source that could allow us diversified and safer energy supplies, possibly at lower long term cost. It's really just business guys, and it's not more proper in any way. I read this article that got me thinking today about the "myth of renewable energy." Of course no matter how close we get I don't think the wildest machinations contemplated in something like The Singularity is Near will result in endless energy, though we may make it so trivial it's of no consequence.

I think it's important that people differentiate between alternative energy, and green technology, as I believe there is no way of creating energy that will not have good and bad side effects. I've personally always wondered what effects large numbers of wind turbines for example would do to wind patterns, and could they have effects like El Nino or something else? That being said what we CAN do is persevere through constant innovation to reduce our NEEDS of energy, land, and natural resources through innovative technology. THAT is what green tech is!

If you haven't read Natural Capitalism it's available free online ( I LOVE Somebody who believes in something so much they give away content for free! ) at natcap.org. Reading this book really changed my life. Green Tech = Tech for reducing our foot print like smart meters, more efficient energy production of any type (more efficient solar cells, less wasteful coal plants etc.), motion sensor lights, or even compact fluorescent bulbs.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY is just another way of generating energy. Geothermal (cool for places like nordic region, who I'm guessing are also not ripe for solar), Dams (do affect ecosystems, maybe reducing floods for people but destroying ecosystems based on their sediment, as well as disrupting breeding), Solar, Wind etc. It's VERY likely that in the long term some of these things will be more sustainable, and cheaper than others. It's also the case that some places don't have oil, or natural gas, or have used most or all of it up. For the US for example reducing oil needs would reduce money that mostly goes to significantly more corrupt (Knowing that our politics is just LESS corrupt) regimes which are often politically opposed to us on global policy.

That makes me wonder the impact we'll see from the revolutions in the middle east on the impetus for alternative energy. I always say that it's silly for any entity to not be self serving for some degree, so I don't think democracy will change their policies on oil (like China recently putting a crimp on exports of rare earth metals), though perhaps joining the WTO would make them have to leave OPEC (can anyone comment on that?). But these musings I'll save for another time.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Could we need a revolution any worse?

So not to long ago I saw an article about a drug that for the cost of $93,000 would extend the life of patients with terminal prostate cancer and average of 4 months. This just disgusted me and was a HUGE symptom of our disgustingly bloated government beauracracy.

This morning I read in the weekend Wall Street Journal that the FDA has pulled Avastin from the market for the treatment of Breast Cancer. Of course we all know the conundrum of prescribing off label, but another reference article also quotes and notes:

“Medicare will continue to cover Avastin,’’ said Brian Cook, spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The agency “will monitor the issue and evaluate coverage options as a result of action by the FDA but has no immediate plans to change coverage policies.’’ Including infusion fees, a year’s treatment with Avastin can reach $100,000.
The middle east is not the only place where it's time for an uprising that has been long coming. The government of the United States of America is so corrupt and convoluted it is time for a change. The occupy movement probably has it right. When payoffs and lobbying result in a medicare system with problems like those mentioned above even as we are teetering on the brink of insolvency the government is NOT WORKING!
Having recently read The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell and reading about the Broken Windows Theory I believe this is translating into our monetary and philosophical ethos in the United States. We are BROKE And are spending BILLIONS we don't have on WAR, unaffordable drugs and treatments, and lining our legislators pockets.

Why should anyone pay their mortgage? Why should anyone work and be a productive part of society? Why should anyone live within their means and try to get along with people who disagree with them? Despot's in the middle east, along with our politicians do NONE OF THESE THINGS! I'm starting to feel the occupy movement represents the people saying "We can clearly see everything is broken!"

It's time for a flat tax. No loopholes, and no budget for an IRS we don't need! No more insider trading on the part of our congress men and women. No more entitlements. Everyone get's the same medical care INCLUDING our government representatives. Sorry but the retirement age has to rise! Sorry medicine is NOT free and we can't give everything to everyone!

 Where do we start? How do we start? The time is clearly now!