mind is pond
clarified
bemuddled

multiple entry
populating the waters are the senses
info seeds and thought bubbles
they tinge freeze and boil
but the pond doesn’t move

mind is pond
it’s definition devoid
please don’t be the fish
watch them swim

observe
the stirring
without stirring

no interference
no end, and
no beginning

this is the beginning of it all
clarified and bemuddled

“The 20th century was not 100 years of progress at today’s rate but, rather, was equivalent to about 20 years, because we’ve been speeding up to current rates of change. And we’ll make another 20 years of progress at today’s rate, equivalent to that of the entire 20th century, in the next 14 years. And then we’ll do it again in just 7 years. Because of this exponential growth, the 21st century will equal 20,000 years of progress at today’s rate of progress — 1,000 times greater than what we witnessed in the 20th century, which itself was no slouch for change.”  — Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman (from fantastic voyage)

From our standpoint, let me get this straight, we will likely see 200 centuries of progress in a mere one!? With this in mind, we can predict that our medical technology should also progress analogously; that is, incredibly fast. The Methuselarity (alternatively, Actuarial Escape Velocity) is the notion that we can add more than one year’s life expectancy every year. Meaning that while my life expectancy may be about 80 or 85 at the moment, once we reach actuarial escape velocity, this number will climb by more than one year each year… Fascinating. It is truly a wonderful thought… But what are the roadblocks? What conditions must be met?

For one, we need to *not* blow ourselves up. Second, science and technology must continue to develop reasonably; meaning no oppressive, innovation-blocking world governments should be allowed to rule (Go wikileaks!). Third, we are not struck by an asteroid. Fourth, the higgs-boson does not end up being a sentient, malevolent subatomic particle intent on annihilating us all. And, finally, Neo-luddites do not bring about total anarchy… (although I do like their reverence of nature.)

Meeting all these caveats, we can dawn our cave-hats and have a party of indefinite span! No, really… It means: help hold the world together, stay healthy, and you may just live to sing “when I’m one-hundred-and-sixty-four”. What do you think? (See this SENS Foundation FAQ) … Would you object?

“The essence of the human species is to extend and expand our boundaries.”
– Ray & Terry

Win. That is all.

AVERAGE OUT

raining patterns drop
their meanings lost stopped on the
black umbrella tops

~

OPTION MAZE

where is the exit?
lost in a supermarket
must i buy something?

~

IMPLANT

work implant installed;
in the mall, in the forest,
wireless slavery.

— DANGER. Beyond here be dragons. —
“Shouldn’t we turn back?” begged a little voice.

The courage to continue into the unknown
comes from realizing, from seeing
that moving into the abyss
is more important than remaining in the light,
safely and in fear.

The future contains within it many dragons
so we imagine them to be:
Black-tar-slimy-poison-death,
Red-fire-blood-crimson-pain,
Blue-ghost-lonely-rainy-mist, and
Yellow-sick-fever-rotting-mold.

But it’s the imaginary dragons that are the nastiest…

What we know, all of what we know, we have seen.
And a purposeful life, a life of learning,
requires forward movement
into shadows that strangely gain illumination,
fading as we are almost upon them.
Feet falling swiftly onto ground — solid ground,
brown or grey or green,
and again we are suprised to find it not so full of darkness
as we had imagined it to be.

Beyond here be dragons?
The clearest sign of what we need to do.
Stomp out the unknown darkness.

“I would be a giant green anchor made of ham meant to attract flies, which would attract dodo birds for easy hunting and eventual extinction.”

“Tokyo. Two seconds late. Train gone.”

“Adana. Station closed; politicians drive cars.”

“Seattle. No station. Commute from suburbs.”