MIND READING -- PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS

One of my favored blogs I've previously mentioned is "Cop Car's Beat" (her cat's name).  She mixes in some humor with accounts of her daily life, including gardening, primarily directed toward her family and friends. 

She occasionally highlights some really thought-provoking items she's ferreted from sites with which I've not been familiar.  Her background and work before retiring has been fascinating which I won't go into other than to say she has flown around quite a bit, then later she and her husband individually devoted themselves to helping others including in times of disaster.

One of her most recent posts captured my attention which she introduced for "Neuro Nerds" and prefaced with ...

"We better get on this or all sorts of things will occur automatically and we may or may not be alerted in a timely way to opt out if we're even given the choice."

The Slashdot article she briefly discusses notes that science has scanners now...

 "...making manipulation of the human mind increasingly possible, creating a need for laws and protections to regulate use of the new tools, top neurologists said."

"If you can record and change neurons, you can in principle read and write the minds of people."

"This is not science fiction.  We are doing this in lab animals."

This rather lengthy video is Dr. Rafael Yuste, a neuroscientist at New York's Columbia University discussing some of his research relative to this topic and AI (Artificial Intelligence):

Dr. Yuste said in a Reuters article:

"Usually people only start talking about ethics and regulations after a big scandal, but with neurotech I hope we can take on these questions before that scandal".

"Yuste introduced the NeuroRights Initiative, which advocates five "neuro-rights" to protect how a person's brain data is accessed and used, including a right to mental privacy and to free will."

Seems incredible to me now that mind reading is even possible, but Yuste describes the current scientific environment as being like "the Wild West".   These are a couple cautionary views with more perspectives in the Reuters article:

"Ienca at ETH Zurich said major ethical issues could arise if the data commercial neurotech devices collect is widely shared and analyzed without proper safeguards, he said.

"We already have digital biomarkers that can indicate if someone is predisposed to developing dementia.  Let's say (that) data is shared with a prospective employer, you could face discrimination on the job market," he said."

"In Chile, senate member Guido Girardi favors strict regulation.  "We didn't regulate the big social media and internet platforms in time, and it costs us.  We have lost control of all kinds of data, from our location to our romantic interests -- it's all up for sale," he said."

"If we allow for all this brain data to be taken, who knows what the consequences will be?  We'll have algorithms deciding what it means to be 'happy'," Girardi said".

We should be concerned.   Now is the time for action -- expecting and supporting our scientists to ensure criteria are established, determining what regulations may be needed and followed to protect the individual.   Does privacy matter?

What are your thoughts on the potential of mind reading and the need to establish individual rights now to protect our brains, those of our children and grandchildren from future manipulation?

CONVOY -- EXPECTATIONS -- ORDERS-AIR-RUSSIA

STRANGE BEHAVIORS

Open letter to whom it may concern  . . . . .  if you receive any reports I was seen behaving rather strangely last Friday afternoon, I just want you to know  . . . . .  I have not slipped a mental cog . . . . .

-yes,  that woman sitting in a lawn chair at the end of the sidewalk outside her dentist’s office next to a  small American flag planted in the ground was me . . . . .

-yes, I  was overlooking  Route 66 with the boulevard’s usual busy auto trafficin all lanes  . . . . .

-yes, I did attract a few curious gazes from passersby and the young boy skateboarding on the sidewalk . . . . .

              

-yes, I did sit there for ten or fifteen minutes before seeing a vehicle with a sign across the front that said, “Convoy Follows” . . . . .

-yes, there was a jeep-like vehicle behind it, but I didn't notice any other military vehicles, plus I wasn’t sure if the other ordinary cars and SUVs were part of the convoy or just the usual traffic . . . . .

-yes, I waited ten minutes or so more but saw no more recognizable military vehicles . . . . .

-yes, I finally gathered my belongings into my car’s trunk, then parked overlooking the boulevard just in case more vehicles should come . . . . .

-yes,  I waited about  ten minutes longer, then as I was about to leave a large military troop carrier type truck and a couple or so more jeep-type vehicles passed by quickly  . . . . .

-yes, I noticed on the back of one of those vehicles a sign that said, “Convoy Ahead”  alerting me to the fact the Convoy had come and gone . . . . .

-yes, I felt kinda foolish that the military vehicle convoy I had expected to see apparently was much more disconnected and shorter than I expected . . . . .

-yes, I understood now why the local newspaper office and police department when I phoned them several hours earlier knew nothing about a convoy coming through our town  as this turned out to be pretty much traffic as usual . . . . .

-yes, I felt rather silly to have contacted our newspaper and local police asking for the convoy schedule here,  plus I had even  gone to the trouble earlier to phone the convoy group’s national office to find out when they would be coming through our town . . . . .

-yes, I was encouraged about seeing the convoy when the phone person spoke enthusiastically about all the vehicles she had seen when they had been in her Midwestern town . . . . .

-yes, when she gave me the convoy leader’s phone number I even called and received a courteous call back giving me an accurately close approximation of when the vehicles would pass through our city. . . . .

-yes, I did plan to take a photo or video to share here, but the convoy was so short, came and went so disjointed and fast, I have nothing to share except this tale of unrealized expectations.

Refer to “Route 66 Convoy” segment in my previous post for specifics about MVPA if unfamiliar.

I am left to share with you one of my favorite versions of the following tune.

“This exclusive performance by The Manhattan Transfer of "Route 66", one of their classic signature tunes.”

EXPECTATIONS  

We have so many expectations in life – of ourselves and of others -- as I did of the Convoy above.  What is reasonable and realistic?   I think of this in relation to all the needs that are arising in view of the disasters sweeping our nation – the current destructive life-taking fires raging in Northern California, our own fires here in Southern California, the hurricanes winds and flooding waters affecting so many U.S. citizens and others elsewhere, as well as those victimized by gun violence.  Certainly the expectation for our good health is ranked high on our list, too, but when disease, accident, illness intrude, our lives are drastically affected, but that's a whole topic unto itself.    

Seems we’re hearing increasing news accounts of older people being especially adversely affected in these disasters.  I think of the Florida nursing home where residents should have been evacuated to a nearby hospital when their facility was flooded.  There have been numerous reports of Puerto Rico older residents in dire need of food, water, medicine and other health care long after the hurricane has passed, not to mention the continuing needs of all other ages.   Reports are still emerging from Northern California fires for unaccounted lives -- but some known older folks, who were unable to evacuate quickly enough to survive,  have been identified.  What were their expectations?   

The reality is, we may need to reassess our expectations of ourselves and others.   Whether or not we like it, most older people are not going to be as agile, fast, or as able to avoid dangerous situations.  Those with mobility limitations, in addition to being older, are going to be slowed whatever their age, wherever they are, whether they are subjected to a sudden disastrous occurrence, or even if they have warning.   We’re all wise to think about our situation now, or well in advance whenever --  in terms of our own personal status -- our physical condition, where we live, to plan in advance accordingly.  We may need to “leave”, not “stay”, or act early -- long before others.

Often we’re given recommendations about creating an environment inside our residences that will maximize our safety, or to move to a one floor plan setting, to eliminate steps, avoid ladders indoors and outdoors.   There is more we need to do.

We need to inquire in each of our communities about what systems are in place to provide us advance evacuation or shelter-seeking warnings, if we live in a fire, flood, hurricane/tornado high winds area.  Those of us living in earthquake prone areas are looking forward to a possible warning system in California, but that’s a few years away, if at all, though Japan has had an effective one for several years.    

We all will want to familiarize ourselves with what provisions have been made by our community to come to our aid before the storm, if expected, and after the disaster.    Older couples need this information, but older single people certainly do, too, and especially those who may not have family or friends nearby to be checking on their welfare.   Others may need to be occupied looking out for themselves.  Certainly we would hope all of us would be looking out for each other -- that would be our expectation.   

  

ORDERS-AIR-RUSSIA

Expectations for most Americans, other than the most wealthy, are not very promising based on this current Prez‘s continued betraying actions of the voting majority.    Undermining the solvency of the Affordable Care Act (ACA; aka Obamacare) is systematically being done by Executive Order.  What we will have now is basically Trump Care, as any resolution is left to his Congressional political party whose solutions to date have been untenable with either party. 

This administration also continues to dash the expectations of citizens for safety -- environmentally -- as efforts to provide clean air -- the very breath of life -- are undermined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations reductions.  One such,  results in increasing polluting coal burning (in an already fading industry whose decline has been due to a growing independent evolution to cleaner energy sources).   

Revelations of Russian propaganda efforts to interfere in our past election continue which demonstrates their government's lack of honorable values.   This dishonest ethical failure leaves me with an expectation that, regrettably, Russia's government will continue to be  untrustworthy.   

Morally and Ethically Impaired

I propose we establish a categorical term for individuals evidencing morally and ethically impaired behavior. We can refer to them by the acronym “MEI,” pronounced “me,” that ironically reflects their primary orientation.

MEIs have not been formally identified as a subculture in our nation, but they have increasingly come to the forefront. Recently, their actions have so blatantly adversely affected our financial world that I think we need to acknowledge and formally recognize this group’s existence, so we can provide the attention they deserve.

MEIs tend to secretiveness, deceit and exploitation of other human beings so can be difficult to expose. Their morals and ethics are self-oriented and directed toward only themselves, plus a selected few others with whom they are emotionally entangled or whose favor they curry. MEIs really do not care what happens to the rest of us, rather like sociopaths.

In recent years, unlike any other era in our lifetime, circumstances are forcing these MEIs into the spotlight of public scrutiny. We need to take note of who they are and aggressively seek to identify others like them. I want them held accountable publicly and professionally. Furthermore, I want some restitution from their undeserved financial gains as individuals, companies and financial institutions.

We need to initiate some behavioral changes in these MEIs. I’d like to believe this group is beginning to have trouble thriving during these difficult times. Perhaps they’re having serious adjustment problems since we are more frequently condemning their MEI behaviors. I think it’s increasingly obvious that if we do not intervene with these individuals our own lives will continue to be seriously disrupted as will our nation’s and the world’s economy.

I’ve pondered whether a MEI education process could succeed and just how to undertake such a therapeutic intervention. I’ve wondered if MEIs would respond to a story such as The Nation of Moresville, a morality tale I thought of writing. The story would start like this. Once upon a time there was a nation populated by people who constantly wanted more – more food, more possessions and more money. Some of their number were willing to acquire more in any way possible without regard for moral and ethical considerations. Well, I think we all could easily write how that story unfolds.

I would want MEIs to know that through the years not everyone became obsessed with those pursuits, though admit clearly some of us have. I would strongly emphasize that we’re all finally reaping the consequences of these behaviors in one way or another regardless of whether or not we were irrationally and excessively materialistic. I would want them to reflect on their own behaviors.

Also, I would want to provide MEIs graphic specific examples stressing that for some the current financial crisis results are severe as the unemployed ranks grow, people lose their homes, and young people see their dreams of college evaporate. Visiting homes where refrigerators are bare and many other necessities of life are absent from the lives of young and old might register with some MEIs. I would like to believe this exposure might have some positive benefits.

Such true life situations have been on TV and in the news, but despite this exposure, it seems many of these fellow countrypersons are deaf, dumb and blind to the economic state of our country and even the world. These are the MEIs, some of whom are literally giving us all the finger while simultaneously pleading for us to save their companies, then gleefully accepting our tax monies while skimming huge bites for bonuses.

I’m sorely tempted to write for the MEIs about how morality, ethics and greed have intertwined to threaten the financial stability of not just our nation but the world, but I doubt they would read it. If only I could force each of them to write on that topic. Wiser heads and better writers than I are busily exploring these issues with powerful eloquent words that pinpoint the issues. At best, anything I might say would simply echo what so many others are expressing. Yet, I cannot resist making note of my anger, frustration and sadness that so many individuals have betrayed basic human values.

There are only so many of others reactionary accounts I can make time to read, much less write about. I derive little pleasure in reading the same basic complaints everywhere as they become depressingly enraging, but I believe it’s important that we each state our objections. Our written voices must be an ongoing ripple that contributes to a tidal wave creating a tsunami that allows our views to be known. Hopefully, many ears and eyes in a position to take corrective actions will receive our messages and rectify the situation.

Our Congressional Representatives and Senators and other key government administration figures need to be ongoing recipients of our views. We must continue pressuring and demanding – accountability, Accountability, ACCOUNTABILITY!

Just when I think the most gross individual exploitations have been exposed, another story emerges. I greet each new week with great apprehension, wondering what next and how many more MEIs will surface?

I think of the Savings and Loan Crisis many years ago, then there was Enron and the MEIs there. Years later, closer to home I recall more MEIs and the monies stolen from California via the electrical grids – how little our government did to correct that inequity. The words still ring in my ears from one of the morally bankrupt electrical grid workers whose company (probably his own wallet, too) financially benefited from out of control destructive forest fires. He was recorded gleefully shouting “Burn, baby, burn,” though these fires endangered lives in addition to power lines. I guess you know where I hope he will spend any afterlife if he believes in such, or maybe he could have a taste of hardship here and now. Perhaps some MEIs from all of those groups and the current individuals surfacing need to share a few life difficulties with him.

Meanwhile, I’m not convinced our government is loaning my tax money to some of these MEIs at a rate designed to maximize the U.S. Treasury’s return over that of those doing the borrowing. I want some accountability on that issue, too.