Lifeboat Foundation

Depression, anxiety, grief, despair, stress—even suicide: The damage of unfolding climate change isn’t only counted in water shortages and wildfires, it’s likely eroding mental health on a mass scale, too, reports the American Psychological Association, the preeminent organization of American mental health professionals.

Direct, acute experience with a changing climate—the trauma of losing a home or a loved one to a flood or hurricane, for example—can bring mental health consequences that are sudden and severe. After Hurricane Katrina, for example, suicide and suicidal ideation among residents of areas affected by the disaster more than doubled according to a paper led by Harvard Medical School, while one in six met the criteria for PTSD, according to a Columbia University-led paper. Elevated PTSD levels have also been found among people who live through wildfires and extreme storms, sometimes lasting several years.

But slower disasters like the “unrelenting day-by-day despair” of a prolonged drought, or more insidious changes like food shortages, rising sea levels, and the gradual loss of natural environments, will “cause some of the most resounding chronic psychological consequences,” the APA writes in its 69-page review of existing scientific literature, co-authored by Climate for Health and EcoAmerica, both environmental organizations. “Gradual, long-term changes in climate can also surface a number of different emotions, including fear, anger, feelings of powerlessness, or exhaustion.”

Continue reading “Climate change is causing PTSD, anxiety, and depression on a mass scale” »

Inverts the traditional diagram of an earth-based foundation, instead depending on a space-based supporting foundation from which the tower is suspended. This system is referred to as the Universal Orbital Support System (UOSS). By placing a large asteroid into orbit over earth, a high strength cable can be lowered towards the surface of earth from which a super tall tower can be suspended.

Analemma is a proposal for the world’s tallest building ever. Harnessing the power of planetary design thinking, it taps into the desire for extreme height, seclusion and constant mobility. If the recent boom in residential towers proves that sales price per square foot rises with floor elevation, then Analemma Tower will command record prices, justifying its high cost of construction.

Continue reading “Analemma Tower — Clouds AO” »

A rebuttal of the ‘only for the rich’ objection often raised against the development of rejuvenation biotechnologies.

Some people are worried that rejuvenation might be a privilege accorded only to the rich. It’s okay to be concerned that this might happen, because if enough people are concerned about it, it’s more likely that we will actually do what it takes prevent this from happening. However, some people aren’t just concerned about it; they are argue that, to forestall the risk that rejuvenation may be something only few can afford, it should be never developed in the first place. This is an extremely flawed line of reasoning, for several reasons.

Artificial intelligence is not a vague concept we picked up from a science fiction novel. It is the single biggest technology trend since the Internet, and the money-making potential is huge.

Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are all ready to soar on the winds of change. Most people expect it to be a zero-sum game, but their varying strengths will allow them all to succeed.

Microsoft is likely going to own the enterprise segment. Amazon will probably win the consumer device fight, and Google could become a healthcare giant.

Continue reading “AMZN, MSFT, GOOG: Who Will Win the Artificial Intelligence War?” »

March 31, 2017 — IBM Watson Health announced that it will adopt SNOMED CT (clinical terms) for use in Watson Health solutions in an attempt to standardize Watson deployments for healthcare organizations worldwide.

Who owns the work?

Man or his machine?

Continue reading “Artificial Intelligence Is Already a Better Artist Than You Are” »

Live enough to live for ever…

The super rich are investing in new ways to make death optional.

AI marketing…

By leveraging artificial intelligence, business leaders can better understand opportunities for customer experience improvement — AI-powered analytics platform, InMoment, expects to lead the charge.

And yet, as impressive and powerful as these new technologies and machines are—and they’re becoming more so all the time—I believe they’re an opportunity to be embraced by accountants.

Computers and software have evolved to a point where they can populate spreadsheets, crunch numbers, and generate financial statements and earnings reports more quickly and accurately than any human accountant. In fact, machines are already taking on many of an accountant’s old, routine, administrative chores—on-line tax returns, and book-keeping software, are great examples of routine work that accountants no longer have to do.

This is a good thing. It is already allowing for human accountants to be more sophisticated advisors and planners. In this way, technology can be best used as a tool that gives humans more space to focus on analysis, interpretation, and strategy. In other words, computers have enormous potential to empower—rather than displace—accountants.

Continue reading “Robots are coming to the accounting industry — here’s how to prepare” »