http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge7i60GuNRg Here's an illuminating experiment on Racial Profiling

I will admit that I did not think that the US targeted China in hacks, and I wasn't really aware of the amounts of data the government has on my interweb communications. But I think that was because of my relative naivety. These things certainly are not shocking or great revelations. If I were in the government's position, I would probably do the same--as potentially egregious as that may sound to some people. The primary goal of the government is to protect its citizens. We may lose some of our privacy, but when matched with external and internal threats, the latter outweighs the former any day. We always seem to have 1984 in mind when in reality, government, and the fellow citizens working in agencies such as the NSA, FBI, are created to accomplish their number one duty--to protect its citizens. Especially in the already established political system of the US, there is little to fear of some dictatorial revolution. It could be argued that in joining a society, we inherently forfeit our rights of privacy.

I don't think Snowden is necessarily a bad guy either who should be tried for espionage. I see both sides. Snowden's actions have at least given the populace something to think about. At the end of the day, however, little will change. I'm sure the Chinese knew we were hacking them, just as the EU knew we bugged them(unless they are both completely incompetent). The US has its flaws--but, I think, there are much bigger fish to fry if Snowden is really acting out of righteousness. In the end, this will inevitably be more about Snowden than anything else--just like how Manning and Assange share the spotlight.

Oh right. Yeah i would like some research study as well. this wasnt FDA tested, so that raises some questions. Curious : Do you personally use any of those meds?

TERRA INCOGNITA There are vast realms of consciousness still undreamed of vast ranges of experience, like the humming of unseen harps, we know nothing of, within us.

Oh when man has escaped from the barbed-wire entanglement of his own ideas and his own mechanical devices there is a marvelous rich world of contact and sheer fluid beauty and fearless face-to-face awareness of now-naked life and me, and you, and other men and women and grapes, and ghouls, and ghosts and green moonlight and ruddy-orange limbs stirring the limbo of the unknown air, and eyes so soft softer than the space between the stars. And all things, and nothing, and being and not-being alternately palpitate, when at last we escape the barbed-wire enclosure of Know-Thyself, knowing we can never know, we can but touch, and wonder, and ponder, and make our effort and dangle in a last fastidious fine delight as the fuchsia does, dangling her reckless drop of purple after so much putting forth and slow mounting marvel of a little tree. -D.H Lawrence

It seems like a lot of those extremely impressive individuals in science start reading books, learning skills at a relatively young age e.g. 11 or 12 or even younger. Alas, for me, I feel like I am late and in a constant game of catch up. But I will still tread forward and hope to impact the world as much as Mr. Musk has.

Hahaha I completely agree. The weather is getting nicer too.

This man is my hero.

http://chineseposters.net/posters/e13-891.php

President of the United States I will run during 2056

Hope for the best--that's all you can do.

Yeah. That's on my list of interests for the future: 1. Renewable Energy 2. Space Exploration and Civilization 3. Biological Engineering(whether it's being like Tony Stark or finding cures for aging) While we're on the topic, I got in a conversation about avoiding death and I actually had huge backlash from my classmates questioning the bioethics of it. Curious on your thoughts in regards to somehow avoiding death(slowing aging significantly-don't know whether it is the similar thing in your terms--or whether that could be even feasible?)

Do you foresee any type of brain technology that could possibly augment brain function without adverse effects?

If no adverse effects were to be found, then I don't see why not.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-03/02/c_1322028...

I don't know too much about Bayesian statistics. But after reading the book, it definitely got me intrigued and was a nice primer to it. Also, the book doesn't just solely talk about Bayesian principles. Silver provides a nice blend of modern examples where the 'signal' gets clouded by noise and whatnot. If anything, it teaches you the biases in thinking when making critical decisions. I would recommend the book