Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Mars, our closest planetary neighbor has always been the topic of Science Fiction almost since the Genre was created. There are many authors who’ve taken up the cause to write about Mars and the future of human colonies and the concept that we may one day inhabit this planet. Some Sci Fi writers have written about Mars as if humans or our genetic relatives once inhabited both planets.

I’ve enjoyed reading many authors and their science fiction accounts of Mars. I, like you have enjoyed the movies as well. I have read all the Ben Bova books on the red planet which are all quite good. Still, out of all the writers of this neighboring world, I would have to recommend Kim Stanley Robinson’s books; Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars.

“The Mars Trilogy” By Kim Stanley Robinson; Spectra Publishing Company; First Edition (1993)

These books have us look in depth at the geology of Mars and the story takes place with the first 100, these are colonists sent there to terra form the planet’s surface. First the surface is red, then green Mars eventually emerges, next Blue Mars. The colonists there eventually get their own independence from Earth. The vision involved in terra forming is very clear and makes the series that much better.

The Earth in the meantime has its Antarctic Ice Shelf melted by volcano activity, not Global Warming. There is also terrorism on Earth that is pretty bad, it is an ideological resistance. And the problems like the Israel and Palestinian problem seems to be exported to Mars, showing that mankind is not running away from their problems. Well, I best not give away any more, but suffice it to say I highly recommend this trilogy to anyone who loves science fiction, as it’s one of the best.

Lance Winslow enjoys community philanthropy – Lance Winslow likes small business. Lance Winslow has also been involved in the Oil Industry; http://www.oilchangeguys.com/aboutus.shtml/.

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You may already have a Nintendo Brain Age game, or at least have heard of it. You may also have read recently that start-up Lumos Labs raised $3m to develop “brain training games”.

From the press release:

- “Lumos Labs is at the center of a booming interest in cognitive exercise and the emerging science about the remarkable plasticity of the brain,” said Amish Jani of Pequot Ventures.

This and other developments (such as the success of Nintendo Brain Age, and the PBS special devoted to brain plasticity) are signs of growing interest and an incipient market still in an immature stage–and that has resulted in much misinformation and confusion.

Consumers, educators and health professionals will be reading more and more about programs like Posit Science, Dakim, Cogmed, Fast ForWord, MindFit, Lumosity, Happy Neuron, FitBrains, MyBrainTrainer, and more.

The good news is that the brain is more flexible than once thought. It can be improved, no matter our age.

The bad news is that it is difficult to separate marketing from scientific claims, and to understand which program, if any, may be a good complement to other healthy lifestyle choices.

The reality is that, in this emerging field, no single company or product has an overwhelming amount of efficacy research behind. There is no General Solution, but useful tools for specific groups of people with specific goals, and budgets.

Let me address some typical questions:

- Do these programs cure Alzheimer’s? No program can claim that it specifically delays or prevents Alzheimer’s disease beyond general statements, such as that mental stimulation together with other lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical exercise and stress management) can contribute toward building a cognitive reserve that may reduce the probability of Alzheimer’s-related symptoms.

- What can brain training do? Human cognitive abilities evolve in a variety of ways with aging. Some improve, such as pattern recognition and emotional self-regulation; some decline, for example, speed of processing, working memory and novel problem-solving. Certain mental abilities have proved to be trainable, though, and this provides the opportunity to improve brain performance and quality of life, potentially prolonging one’s independence and autonomy.

- How do I evaluate whether any program is good for me or my clients, patients or residents? Ask what cognitive skills you want trained. Some programs present the benefits in such a nebulous way that it is impossible to tell whether or not they will yield any results. The general wording “Brain training” itself is of limited benefit because such activities as gardening or learning a new language “train” the brain, too. One must ask whether an improvement experienced in a brain training program will transfer to real life, and usually that happens when a person trains the cognitive skill or skills that are specifically relevant-there are no general solutions to all problems. Assessments are needed that are distinct from the exercises.

- Is this just a fad that will soon vanish, or a first wave of many? I believe technology is emerging as a welcome tool for evaluating and training specific brain functions, and this will enable the increasingly rapid growth of a cognitive fitness field that can parallel physical fitness.

Now, what do you think?

About the Author:

Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains.com, which reviews resources to test your brain and improve cognitive ability. SharpBrains has been recognized by Scientific American Mind, Newsweek, Forbes. Alvaro holds MA in Education and MBA from Stanford University, and teaches The Science of Brain Health at UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute. You can learn more at http://www.sharpbrains.com/

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Brain Improvement and Cognitive Fitness: Fact or Fiction?

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Reading is one of my all-time favourite activities and something I have rediscovered recently. I love finding a quiet space and losing myself in a novel. I’ve missed this little escape in my day. Now my girls are big enough to choose their own books from the library, it gives me the chance to browse through the selections and pick some of my own reading material. Not the “How To Grow Your Home Based Business in 5 Easy Steps” manuals, which are all well and good, but that’s still business. I’m referring to the wonderful world of fiction!

As entrepreneurs we need to find more balance. We often spend way more than our fair share of hours in a day thinking and doing business. We must switch gears and stimulate other interests.

Here are 5 reasons why you should make time for the joy of reading:

1. It allows you to single-task. Have you ever read and re-read a paragraph or a page in a book over more than once because your mind is elsewhere? Multi-tasking is not an option when it comes to reading and comprehending what you’ve read. You cannot cook dinner, allow your mind to wander to your to-do list, or have a conversation. You have to bring yourself back to the task at hand.

2. Learn something new – even when reading fiction. All good writers invest time to research their story. They include details, essential facts and statistics that give their stories meaning and create a reality we can recognize and be drawn to. They also use personal observations and quotations giving a story authenticity. You will gain some genuine new information that may indirectly affect your business.

3. Escapism. As entrepreneurs, we spend so much of our day dedicated to work. Reading fiction can be magical. We go places in our minds that we may never experience in reality. Or we may uncover our next travel destination!

4. Practice being present. This is related to single-tasking but takes it a bit further. You need to clear your mind of the 101 other things going thru it in order to be aware of what you’re reading. If you find your mind wandering to something you need to do, bring yourself back to the present and focus on what’s going on right now. Being present takes practice and is an incredibly useful skill in all aspects of work and life and increases your enjoyment of the here and now.

5. It’s a forced break. Because we are drawn away to another time and place, a good story gives our minds a break from what might be going on in our own reality. Time away is a good thing – we usually come back refreshed and often with a new perspective. We may be inspired by new ideas picked up through something we’ve read. Somehow answers seem to ‘find us’ if we’re open to it.

So, my question to you is this? Have you read anything good lately? I hope so and would love to hear about it!

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