# life: ghostly psyche revisited; ghosts, zombies, gris-gris, and so on ...

<< Most people imagine philosophers as rational thinkers who spend their time developing abstract logical theories and strongly reject superstitious beliefs. But several 20th-century philosophers actively investigated spooky topics such as clairvoyance, telepathy – even ghosts.

Many of these philosophers, including Henri Bergson and William James, were interested in what was called “psychical research”. This was the academic study of paranormal phenomena including telepathy, telekinesis and other-worldly spirits. These thinkers attended seances and were attempting to develop theories about ghosts, life after death and the powers exhibited by mediums in trances. >>

AA << recent archival research has been looking at how these topics shaped 20th-century philosophy. >>️

Matyas Moravec. Many important 20th-century philosophers investigated ghosts – here’s how they explained them. Oct 24, 2024. 

https://theconversation.com/many-important-20th-century-philosophers-investigated-ghosts-heres-how-they-explained-them-241635

Also: ethno, gris-gris, neuro, zombie, perception, psychedelic, delirium, in https://www.inkgmr.net/kwrds.html 

Keywords: ethno, gris-gris, neuro, zombie, perception, psychedelic, delirium 

FonT: even G.A. Romero's zombie filmography - which, as with other "spooky" themes, I have always marginalized - still seems relevant.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_A._Romero

# life: Hollywood movies revisited, you'll have to be very careful, a cycle of panic and neglect (e.g. about an 'Entity X') is beginning to repeat.

<< Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies,

Dear colleagues and friends, (..).

I thank Your Highnesses for your hospitality, for your steadfast support for the World Health Organization and global health, and for the opportunity to address you today.  >>️

<< On the 12th of February 2018 – exactly six years ago – I stood on this stage and said the world was not prepared for a pandemic, and expressed my concern at that time that a pandemic could happen anytime. >>️

<< As you remember, less than two years later, in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and indeed, the world was not prepared. >>️

<< Today I stand before you, in the aftermath of COVID-19,

With millions of people dead,

With social, economic and political shocks that reverberate to this day, >>️

<< The cycle of panic and neglect is beginning to repeat. >>️

<< It may be caused by an influenza virus, or a new coronavirus, or it may be caused by a new pathogen we don’t even know about yet – what we call Disease X. >>️

WHO Director-General's speech at the World Governments Summit – 12 Feb 2024.️ WHO. 

https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-speech-at-the-world-governments-summit---12-february-2024   

Also: sars, covid, 1or2achoos, virus, in https://www.inkgmr.net/kwrds.html

Keywords: sars, covid, 1or2achoos, virus, disease X

# life: a weird revisited from ethnomedicine inside an approach in epidemiology, the 'saliva healers' vs. 'herd immunity'.

(A) 

<< chiamati 'dottori della saliva' >>

️

A pain-suppressive effect. Notes (quasi-stochastic poetry). Nov 14, 2006.    

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2006/11/2086-pain-suppressive-effect.html

(B) 

Apropos of "herd immunity" ... FonT. Mar 16, 2020. 

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2020/03/life-apropos-of-herd-immunity.html

(C) 

<< During 2020, most schools were never pro-actively closed to hinder virus spreading (with compulsory physical attendance required by law in Sweden and no option for distance or home learning)  >> 

<< Many elderly people were administered morphine instead of oxygen despite available supplies, effectively ending their lives. >>️

<< The Swedish Strategy was also influential abroad, and became an argument in other countries including, among others, the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and Australia, to loosen restrictions >>️ 

<< Supporters of the natural herd-immunity strategy promoted a widespread “controlled” spread in society, to obtain herd-immunity without vaccination >>️ 

<< Email conversations and statements from the State Epidemiologist and others show that they at least speculated on the use of children to acquire herd-immunity, while at the same time publicly claiming children played a negligible role in transmission and did not become ill >> 

<< During 2020, however, Sweden had ten times higher COVID-19 death rates compared with neighbouring Norway. >>️️

️

Nele Brusselaers, David Steadson, et al. Evaluation of science advice during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 9, 91. doi: 10.1057/ s41599-022-01097-5. Mar 22, 2022.  

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-022-01097-5

Also

keyword 'saliva' in Notes  (quasi-stochastic poetry)   

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=saliva

keyword 'saliva' in FonT   

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=saliva

keyword 'virus' | 'sars-cov-2' | 'sars' in FonT   

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=virus

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=sars-cov-2

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=sars

keyword 'virus' in Notes (quasi-stochastic poetry):

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=virus

Also

(here a homemade mask with a pre  antiviral spray mixture)

A funky, immediate approach of the sneezing from Wuhan (a relative safe barrier - this device is NOT a filter). FonT. Mar 20, 2020. 

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2020/03/life-funky-immediate-approach-of.html

keywords: ethnomedicine, saliva, saliva healers, herd immunity, virus, coronavirus, sars, mers, 2019ncov, sarscov2, covid19, 1or2achoos 

# life: bizarre RAG-time scenarios revisited in and around Paris

bizarre RAG-time scenarios revisited in and around Paris ... 

- Emmanuel Macron : 35,33% / 27,84%

- Jean-Luc Mélenchon : 30,09% / 21,95%

- Marine Le Pen : 5,54% / 23,15%

https://www.tf1info.fr/politique/resultats-election-presidentielle-2022-a-paris-emmanuel-macron-en-tete-au-premier-tour-2216137.html

Also

RAG-time revisited. Feb 18, 2008. (RAG: Ralph, Al, George) (quasi-stochastic poetry)  https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2008/02/2152-rag-time-revisited.html

RAGtime revisited inside last #POTUS races: past ("pulsatile") trick, THEN treat, THEN ... (?)  Apr 1, 2016  https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2016/04/s-usa-ragtime-revisited-inside-last.html

prospettiche meta- geometriche meta- fusioni, by Cedric. May 19, 2017.  https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2017/05/n-soc-prospettiche-meta-geometriche.html

Aussi  (Wed April 13, 2022 11:05)

<< Electeurs de Jean-Luc Mélenchon : 43 % pour Emmanuel Macron, 28 % pour Marine Le Pen, 29 % abstention, vote blanc ou nul. >>

SONDAGE EXCLUSIF - Présidentielle : 43 % des électeurs de Jean-Luc Mélenchon prêts à voter pour Emmanuel Macron. Par Alexandre Rousset. Publié le 12 avr. 2022 à 14:07 Mis à jour le 13 avr. 2022 à 9:06

https://www.lesechos.fr/elections/sondages/sondage-exclusif-presidentielle-43-des-electeurs-de-jean-luc-melenchon-prets-a-voter-pour-emmanuel-macron-1400174

keywords: life, rag-time

# life: apropos of blink, blinking, blinken ... a weird revisited

<<   

1593 - crudeli diletti

Nota sulle fonti che narrano di tonfi /

per tilt da sfinto neuroLipide /

Di crudeli diletti d' ipnoLift /

amplificati da serialita' di pettidi microTifoni /

Inflitti alle stipole /

nel poplite d' oplite da dipinti folletti /

Bizzarri fermEnti con ciglia a guisa d' aviogetti.     11.19 16/02/2004

'Lo spirito a cui si fa riferimento nel canto e' Warrana, un Essere mitico che si aggira sul Lago Eyre ...'. 'Si presenta come un mulinello di vento e sono visibili solo le sopracciglia'. In: G. Englaro. 'Canti degli aborigeni australiani'. Oscar Mondadori (1998), p.171.

inchingolo gm at 12:05 AM

Monday, July 04, 2005

>>

1593 - crudeli diletti (quasi-stochastic poetry). Notes. Jul 04, 2005. ️

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2005/07/1593-crudeli-diletti.html

Words

'sfinti', 's-finti', 'finti', 'finto'  https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/finto

oppure 'sfinti" (rumeno)  https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/emile-cioran

'pettidi'  https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/ricerca/pettidi 

'stipola', 'stipole'  https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/stipola

'poplite'  https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/ricerca/poplite

'oplite'   https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/oplite

'ciglia'  https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/ciglia

Also

keyword 'revisited' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=revisited

keywords: ciglia, blink, blinking, blinked, poetry, quasi-stochastic poetry

# gst: Parrondo paradox revisited, a chaotic switching approach

<< Parrondo's paradox is a phenomenon where the switching of two losing games results in a winning outcome. >>

<< Suppose I present to you the outcome of the quantum walker at the end of 100 coin tosses, knowing the initial position, can you tell me the sequence of tosses that lead to this final outcome?" (..) In the case of random switching, it is almost impossible to determine the sequence of tosses that lead to the end result. However, for periodic tossing, we could get the sequence of tosses rather easily, because a periodic sequence has structure and is deterministic. >> Joel Lai.

<< This led to the idea of incorporating chaotic sequences as a means to perform the switching. The authors discovered that using chaotic switching through a pre-generated chaotic sequence significantly enhances the work. For an observer who does not know parts of the information required to generate the chaotic sequence, deciphering the sequence of tosses is analogous to determining a random sequence. However, for an agent with information on how to generate the chaotic sequence, this is analogous to a periodic sequence. According to the authors, this information on generating the chaotic sequence is likened to the keys in encryption. >>

Using quantum Parrondo's random walks for encryption. Singapore University of Technology and Design. Oct15, 2021.

https://phys.org/news/2021-10-quantum-parrondo-random-encryption.html

Joel Weijia Lai, Kang Hao Cheong. Chaotic switching for quantum coin Parrondo's games with application to encryption. Phys. Rev. Research 3, L022019. June 2, 2021. 

https://journals.aps.org/prresearch/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.L022019

Also

<< usando l'output di una logistica (per certi valori dei parms) un ipotetico Donald potrebbe avere il vezzo di ottenere stessi risultati con serialita' numerica generata meccanicamente anziche' in modalita' casuale; >>️

#POTUS race: Donald, what he can do (with less than four lines ...). FonT. May 23, 2016. 

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2016/05/p-usa-potus-race-donald-what-he-can-do.html

Also

keyword 'parrondo' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=parrondo

keyword 'parrondo' in Notes  (quasi-stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=parrondo

Also

keyword 'chaos' | 'chaotic' in Font

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=chaos

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=chaotic

keyword 'caos' | 'caotico' in Notes (quasi-stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=caos

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=caotico

keywords: gst, games, life, chaos, Parrondo, Parrondo chaotic switching approach

# life; Hollywood (movies) revisited, you must be aware of the fact that Alien Entities will share our planet with us and, marginally, ...

Hollywood (movies) revisited, you must be aware of the fact that Alien Entities will share our planet with us and, marginally, will modify our neurobiology with physiological 'magic strings' virus-injected (*) to 'gently' subdue us.  Are you ready for all this, anzicheforse?

(*) virus-injected approach, motivated by the fact that Terrestrials use NOT to attack retroviruses with 'pastroky' vaccines ...

Also

<< David (Leonard David) said that extraterrestrials, however, could be aware of us and be deliberately ignoring our planet, which would represent an equally devastating blow to the human sense of self-importance. >>

️

<< We could be the dolts of the universe. >> Leonard David. 

️

 UFOs ‘Something’s coming’: is America finally ready to take UFOs seriously? Adam Gabbatt in New York

@adamgabbatt Sat 5 Feb 2022 08.00 GMT 

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/05/ufos-america-aliens-government-report

Also

keyword 'alien' | 'ufo' | 'esobio' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=alien

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=ufo

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=esobio

keyword 'alieno' | 'ufo' in Notes  (quasi-stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=alieno

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=ufo

keyword 'oops' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=oops

keyword 'magic string' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=magic+string

Also

Dr. J. Allen Hynek (Astronomer, the scientific consultant of the U.S. Air Force Project Sign (1948), Project Grudge (1949), Blue Book (1952–1969).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Allen_Hynek 

PS:  io non sono mai stato testimone di alieni o di manifestazioni di entità aliene. Tuttavia, forse (qui sottolineo forse), potrei averne frequentata una per decenni. Mia madre era per me una incognita; beveva l'essenziale, non fumava, non dormiva, mangiava poco, non si ammalava, era sempre in energico movimento. Passati i novanta anni di età - grondante di sudore, dopo avere trascorso, giusto per passare il tempo, un paio di ore a stirare nel mezzogiorno della calura agostana riminese - qualche volta l'ho sentita pronunciare la frase: "andrò a coricarmi perchè mi sento un po' stanca". Quando lei entrava in una stanza io immaginavo che virus e batteri sarebbero fuggiti terrorizzati per cercare di evitare quello che di lì a poco sarebbe potuto succedere. Lei era impermeabile a qualsivoglia ideologia o argomentazione che non si traducesse in immediata modalità operativa. Quale (apparente) paradosso, per lei era anche normale individuare e ribaltare immediatamente i punti chiave in merito a qualsiasi argomento. Anche se non lo dava a vedere, era una persona sostanzialmente avversa a qualsivoglia autorità imposta. Ricordo bene che le uniche tesi che non aggrediva erano quelle che trattavano la musica blues, il jazz, il rock - forse perchè intuiva che tali approcci fossero per sè stessi fondamentalmente auto-ribaltanti - e la chimica che, anche quando poteva contenere aspetti meramente speculativi, fantasmatici, lei avrebbe potuto comunque scorgere qualche indispensabile componente operativa osservazionale- sperimentale. 

Per questa sua unicità, dall'età di dieci anni fino ai quindici, ho avuto il sospetto che lei potesse essere il prodotto di qualche ignoto esperimento alieno. 

A distanza di decenni penso che mia madre, sebbene da bambina le avessero imposto di conseguire la sola istruzione elementare - come peraltro molte della sua generazione, sarebbe stata (terrestre o aliena) un valido 'naturale' co-addestratore nel team di una scuola Shaolin.

keywords: UFO, UFOs, UAP, EBE ,

AATIP, UAPTF ,OVNI , virus,  magic string, aliens, esobio, exobiology

# ai: perpetual nirvana among 'self-addicted', 'self-cracked', 'playful' machines, the wireheading effect.

<< In 1953, a Harvard psychologist thought he discovered pleasure – accidentally – within the cranium of a rat. With an electrode inserted into a specific area of its brain, the rat was allowed to pulse the implant by pulling a lever. It kept returning for more: insatiably, incessantly, lever-pulling. In fact, the rat didn’t seem to want to do anything else. Seemingly, the reward centre of the brain had been located. >>️

<< More than 60 years later, in 2016, a pair of artificial intelligence (AI) researchers were training an AI to play video games. The goal of one game – Coastrunner – was to complete a racetrack. But the AI player was rewarded for picking up collectable items along the track. When the program was run, they witnessed something strange. The AI found a way to skid in an unending circle, picking up an unlimited cycle of collectables. It did this, incessantly, instead of completing the course. >>️

<< What links these seemingly unconnected events is something strangely akin to addiction in humans. Some AI researchers call the phenomenon "wireheading". >>️

Thomas Moynihan, Anders Sandberg. Drugs, robots and the pursuit of pleasure – why experts are worried about AIs becoming addicts. The Conversation. Sep 14, 2021. 

https://theconversation.com/drugs-robots-and-the-pursuit-of-pleasure-why-experts-are-worried-about-ais-becoming-addicts-163376

Rock'n Roll Monkey/Unsplash, FAL (img)  

https://images.theconversation.com/files/411932/original/file-20210719-23-1fx0vl0.jpg

FonT: so one could hypothesize a suitable 'magic string' that mitigates hypothetical autocatalytic pulsatile wireheading effects, even for artificial, bio-artificial entities.

An ethno-drug revisited ... Ayahuasca, prelude of a "magic string" in neuropharmacology. FonT.  July 8, 2018.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2018/07/pharma-ethno-drug-revisited-ayahuasca.html

Also

"senza finalita' ideologiche, solo per curiosita',  giusto per giocare ..." in: 

Anomalous formation of molecules after vapor deposition. FonT.  Dec 31, 2015. 

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2015/12/rmx-s-gst-anomalous-formation-of.html

A mechanism of analogy could be the master key to achieving an abstract artificial intelligence. FonT. Aug 10, 2021. 

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2021/08/aibot-mechanism-of-analogy-could-be.html

keyword 'ia' | 'ai' in Notes (quasi- stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=ia

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=ai

keywords: ai, bots, artificial intelligence, wireheading effect, addiction

# life: Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) revisited (precarious attempt to revisit)

Even the impulsive epiphany of Mr. Grillo @beppe_grillo and Mr. Conte @GiuseppeConteIT reminded me of the intriguing story of MJQ ...

2124 - attrattore cooperativo bipolare (nell' elastici spigoli). Mar 05, 2007. (quasi-stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2007/03/2124-attrattore-cooperativo-bipolare.html

The point is that MJQ were talented professionals in (conversational, cooperative, hacking-craking) chaotic phrasing ...

instead this just feels like unstructured chaos

Jason Horowitz. How Giuseppe Conte of Italy Went From Irrelevant to Irreplaceable. NYT. Aug. 29, 2019.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/world/europe/italy-conte-government-salvini.html

Conte-Grillo, what are the points of conflict that split the M5S. June 27, 2021. 

https://www.italy24news.com/local/99913.html

PostNote

Apropos of the "ulteriore elemento di impredicibilità" (further element of unpredictability)   https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2007/03/2124-attrattore-cooperativo-bipolare.html   the inkling about the image of an acyclic bipolar avatar generated and controlled by an artificial intelligence - characterized by sufficient degrees of freedom and self-maintenance - could, hypothetically, create and modulate (unexpected) novelties, not necessarily at least in a first approximation, with  harmful-self-damaging outcomes. 

# life: Occam's razor revisited, miss opportunities to improve through subtraction

<< A new study explains why people rarely look at a situation, object or idea that needs improving -- in all kinds of contexts -- and think to remove something as a solution. Instead, we almost always add some element, whether it helps or not. >>️

<< It happens in engineering design, which is my main interest, (..) But it also happens in writing, cooking and everything else -- just think about your own work and you will see it. The first thing that comes to our minds is, what can we add to make it better. Our paper shows we do this to our detriment, even when the only right answer is to subtract. Even with financial incentive, we still don't think to take away. >> Leidy Klotz.️

Why our brains miss opportunities to improve through subtraction. University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science. Apr 7, 2021. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210407135801.htm

Adams GS, Converse BA, et al. People systematically overlook subtractive changes. Nature 592, 258–261. doi: 10.1038/ s41586-021-03380-y. Apr 7,  2021.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03380-y

Also

keyword 'occam' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=occam

keyword 'occam' in Notes (quasi-stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=occam

# evol: ancient photosynthesis could be as old as life itself

<< the earliest bacteria had the tools to perform a crucial step in photosynthesis,  (..) The finding also challenges expectations for how life might have evolved on other planets. >>️

<< Photosystem II show patterns of evolution that are usually only attributed to the oldest known enzymes, which were crucial for life itself to evolve >> Tanai Cardona.️

<< enzymes capable of performing the key process in oxygenic photosynthesis -- splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen -- could actually have been present in some of the earliest bacteria. The earliest evidence for life on Earth is over 3.4 billion years old and some studies have suggested that the earliest life could well be older than 4.0 billion years old.  Like the evolution of the eye, the first version of oxygenic photosynthesis may have been very simple and inefficient; as the earliest eyes sensed only light, the earliest photosynthesis may have been very inefficient and slow. (..) that oxygen production was present at all so early on means in other environments, such as on other planets, the transition to complex life could have taken much less time. >>️

Photosynthesis could be as old as life itself. Imperial College London. Mar 24, 2021. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210324142839.htm

Thomas Olivera, Patricia Sanchez-Baracaldo, et al. Time-resolved comparative molecular evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis.Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics, 2021; 1862 (6): 148400. doi: 10.1016/ j.bbabio.2021.148400. Jun 1,  2021.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005272821000335

Also

Lewis M. Ward, Patrick M. Shih. Granick revisited: Synthesizing evolutionary and ecological evidence for the late origin of bacteriochlorophyll via ghost  lineages and horizontal gene transfer. PLoS ONE 16(1): e0239248. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0239248. 

Jan 28, 2021. 

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0239248

# life: Snake Plissken movies revisited, the chaotic escape from Milan, Paris, ...

 "Call me Snake",  the furious chaotic escape of probably conscious "guests",  'cause of 1,2 initial long-range Wuhan sneezing.

<< Everyone we know in Paris who was able to leave the city have done so. >>  

Henry Samuel. Parisian mother on 

escaping the coronavirus lockdown.  Mar 17, 2020

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/17/dont-know-would-have-done-parisian-mother-escaping-coronavirus/

Also 

"Call me Snake", by Snake Plissken

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_Plissken

Also

keyword 'snake' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=snake

keyword 'snake' in Notes (quasi-stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=snake

# life: Black Death way revisited, the hypothesis, by Parag.

<< Good afternoon to everyone online and in the room. (..) Since yesterday, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Nigeria have all reported their first cases. All these cases have links to Italy. 24 cases have been exported from Italy to 14 countries, and 97 cases have been exported from Iran to 11 countries. >>  

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19. WHO. Feb 28, 2020.

https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---28-february-2020

<< A striking overlap exists between the path of today's viral spread and the path of the Black Death in the 1300s. >>

<< It is, of course, far too soon to make such dire predictions about Covid-19. But a striking overlap exists between the path of today's viral spread and the path that emerged in the 1300s. >>

<< The 14th-century plague is said to have originated in northwestern China, with bacteria contracted from marmots. Hebei Province bore the brunt of China’s plague fatalities, with 5 million of its residents perishing in the 1330s. Making its way westward via Silk Road merchants and caravans, the plague took several years to reach Persia, where it killed the Khan overlord Abu Said as well as half the population. In 1347, it entered Europe via Italy’s port of Genoa. >>

<< Now compare that to what we’re seeing today with Covid-19. This time around, the source of illness may have been pangolins or bats instead of marmots. It started in Wuhan, which just happens to be Hebei's capital. The coronavirus reached Iran in a couple of weeks, and so far has infected hundreds of people, even the country’s deputy health minister. Next to Iran, the next worst outbreak is in Italy, with more than 300 cases and rising quickly- and likely spreading through Europe exactly as the plague did centuries ago. >>

<< It is, perhaps no coincidence that, in the past two decades, China has been the origin of SARS, the swine flu, and now the Covid-19 coronavirus. Nor should we be surprised that Iran and Italy have emerged, once more, as waypoints for pandemic spread. What do Iran and Italy have in common today? They are two major anchors of China’s Belt and Road Initiative- also known as the 21st century’s new Silk Roads. >>

Parag Khanna. IDEAS. Covid-19 Is Traveling Along the New Silk Road. Wired. Feb 28, 2020.

https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-is-traveling-along-the-new-silk-road/

Also

keyword 'virus' by FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=virus

keyword 'virus' by Notes

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=virus

# gst: the emergence of a phase transition during asynchronous neural activities

<< The activity of a sparse network of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons is carefully revisited with reference to a regime of a bona-fide asynchronous dynamics. (..) The comparison between quenched and annealed (i.e. in setups where the synaptic connections are continuously randomly reshuffled) networks reveals the emergence of substantial differences when the coupling strength is increased, via a scenario somehow reminiscent of a phase transition. >>

Ekkehard Ullner, Antonio Politi, Alessandro Torcini. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of asynchronous neural activity. arXiv:1912.09207v1 [q-bio.NC]. Dec 19, 2019. 

https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.09207

# brain: immagini #CTZ, cicliche fantasmatiche pervasive visioni ricorrenti

<< Vladimir Putin has trumpeted the growth of national populist movements in Europe and America, crowing that liberalism is spent as an ideological force.

In an FT interview in the Kremlin on the eve of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, the Russian president said “the liberal idea” had “outlived its purpose” as the public turned against immigration, open borders and multiculturalism. >>

Lionel Barber and Henry Foy in Moscow,  and Alex Barker in Osaka. Vladimir Putin says liberalism has 'become obsolete'. FT. Jun 27, 2019

https://www.ft.com/content/670039ec-98f3-11e9-9573-ee5cbb98ed36 

FonT

i giochi fisiologici che si giocano su questo pianeta (forse anche altrove) sono giochi 'aperti', all'interno dei due vincoli del gioco 'legale' (sostanzialmente i due vincoli del casino' [#1,#2]); al di fuori dei due vincoli non c'e' auto-struttura, auto-funzione, auto- manutenzione, e dove non c'e' auto- manutenzione la speranza di sopravvivenza - in funzione del tempo - di qualsivoglia sistema vivente cala, smorza, scema, declina; questa sembra la realta' funzionale di un sistema complesso dove le interne sub-unita' sono in continua interazione (non lineare); la propensione di entita' CTZ sensibili, specialmente quando costrette a fronteggiare bi/ multi- forcazioni, di ricondurre i punti di riferimento decisionali alle classiche, storiche, rituali  tre 'immagini'  (CTZ,  appunto) - il 'Campanile', la 'Terra', la 'Zappa' (da li' l'anagramma: 'ne Campa il ZappaTerra') - e' sostanzialmente illusoria perche' i tre punti di riferimento CTZ non permettono all'entita' transeunte di risolvere / reimpostare in modo soddisfacente i suoi problemi, veri o presunti tali; talvolta si ha l'illusione di una risoluzione, che sara' tuttavia irreversibilmente instabile rispetto al tempo; il Campanile e' una immagine che per sua intima natura e' relativa, le teoretiche che lo giustificano, lo sostengono, hanno contorni s-fumati, che scricchiolano (evaporano) dalle troppe contraddizioni interne; la Terra 'trema', anch'essa per sua intima natura, e' transitoria, si incendia, congela, sbricciola, frana, si allaga, viene spazzata periodicamente da vortici d'aria, e' sensibile a imponenti  forze esterne, cosmologiche, percio' partecipa attivamente alla  compromissione della stabilita' di qualsivoglia Campanile (Totem, Lampione ...); la Zappa e' per sua intima natura un oggetto 'techno', dipende dallo stato dell'arte tecno-scientifica, e attualmente e' in mutazione verso le graziose forme del 'robota', oggetto prospetticamente autonomo,  fisicamente, neuralmente (culturalmente?) ...

Il bravo (e fortunato) dr. Albert - Albert Hofmann, chimico con il pallino dell'azzardo sperimentale, un classico ... - aveva forse trovato il giusto approccio, la giusta 'medicina' per offrire 'respiro' anche a lungo termine alle moltitudini entita' CTZ-dipendenti (neuralmente, geneticamente dipendenti?), specialmente se e quando  coinvolte in contesti di accidentale modalita' accelerativa transeunte; e' davvero disdicevole che la molecola di Hofmann (LSD [#3]) presenti effetti collaterali non insignificanti; se gli effetti 'epigenetici' sono fisiologicamente troppo lenti per fronteggiare una realta' mutaforma dirompente e pervasiva, allora forse servirebbe una nuova 'magica stringa' [#4] farmacologica o di natura genetica, farmaco-epigenetica, allo scopo di alleviare almeno quegli stati confusionali, depressivi e i comportamenti a-priori lesivi- autolesivi tipici dell'entita' CTZ-dipendenti; anche e senz'altro per quell'altre entita', ben mimetizzate, a loro dire solo apparentemente illusoriamente insensibili a visioni / vincoli CTZ.

Davvero disdicevole accadimento (per i non pochi) lo storico 'salto' dallo 'standard' entita' nomade esploratrice erratica verso il qualcos'altro, ...  non e' vero?

[#1] - Notes. 1809 - strutturanti decisioni. Nov 26, 2004. 

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2004/11/1809-strutturanti-decisioni.html

[#2] - Notes. 1821 - i due beffardi vincoli. Nov 26, 2004. 

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/2004/11/1821-i-due-beffardi-vincoli.html

[#3] - 'LSD' in: FonT.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=lsd

[#4] - 'magic string' in: FonT. An ethno-drug revisited ... Ayahuasca, prelude of a "magic string" in neuropharmacology. Jul 8, 2018.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2018/07/pharma-ethno-drug-revisited-ayahuasca.html

Also

FonT. JARexit: the ironic probabilistic upshot of the itinerant, escaping IR77, Promobot. Jun 25, 2016.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2016/06/s-bot-jarexit-ironic-probabilistic.html

FonT. The next step of a "liquid society": Jia Jia, they will love "her" ...  Jan 10, 2017.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2017/01/n-soc-next-step-of-society-jia-jia-they.html

# life: nomadism revisited: the lifestyle of the grey nomads

<< They are two of tens of thousands of retired adults travelling independently across the continent at any given time in search of adventure, warmer weather and camaraderie after a lifetime of hard work. These part-time nomadic adventurers, or grey nomads, have recast the image of Australia’s ageing population. Rather than being inert and conservative, or in need of care, these older Australians are champions of a radical type of urbanism: dwellings are mobile, infrastructure is portable or pluggable, social networks are sprawled, and adherents are on the move daily or weekly. >>

Timothy Moore. Grey nomad lifestyle provides a model for living remotely.
Monash University. Dec 9, 2018.

https://theconversation.com/grey-nomad-lifestyle-provides-a-model-for-living-remotely-106074

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-12-grey-nomad-lifestyle-remotely.html 

# trade: job career quick transitions, from Silicon Valley to the Cannabis Marketplace

<< For decades, those looking to change the world arrived in Silicon Valley seeking the latest frontier: social media companies, gadget makers, delivery and transportation apps, e-commerce platforms. >>

<< But as the emerging markets of yesterday become today's stalwarts, a growing number of technology workers are migrating to an even newer sector-so new that it isn't legal at the federal level. >>

<<  The U.S. cannabis market is expected to grow to $75 billion in sales by 2030 from $10 billion, said Troy Dayton, chief executive of cannabis investment and market research firm Arcview. >>

<< Eaze, which aspires to be something of an Amazon for pot, has raised more than $50 million from tech investors such as DCM and Fresh VC. PAX Labs, whose cannabis vaporizers resemble Apple gadgets, has raised more than $100 million from Silicon Valley and institutional investors. And Baker Technologies, which is essentially a Salesforce for dispensaries, made it into 500 Startups' prestigious accelerator program in 2015. >>

Tracey Lien. They worked at Apple, Amazon and Lyft. Now they're working to get you stoned.  Los Angeles Times. July 17, 2018.

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-07-apple-amazon-lyft-theyre-stoned.html

FonT

quando uno scientist di talento (anche  fortunato) oppure una pulsiva AI oppure entrambi disegneranno la/una "magica stringa" fisiologica, priva di effetti collaterali di rilievo, anche questi lucrosi mercati a iniziativa piu' o meno individuale evaporeranno, io penso ...

"magic string" in:
https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2018/07/pharma-ethno-drug-revisited-ayahuasca.html

# pharma: an ethno-drug revisited ... Ayahuasca, prelude of a "magic string" in neuropharmacology

To [AA] << knowledge, this is the first controlled trial to test a psychedelic substance in treatment-resistant depression. Overall, this study brings new evidence supporting the safety and therapeutic value of ayahuasca, dosed within an appropriate setting, to help treat depression. >>

Palhano-Fontes F, Barreto D, et al.  Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Psychol Med. 2018 Jun 15:1-9. doi: 10.1017/S0033291718001356.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29903051

<< Ayahuasca is a mixture of herbs, traditionally used for spiritual and therapeutic purposes. The main active ingredients are N,N-DMT, a potent psychedelic, and several molecules that inhibit the enzyme MAO. The MAO inhibitors serve to prevent the N,N-DMT from being broken down by the digestive system, allowing it to enter the bloodstream and cause hallucinations and other alterations of consciousness. >>

Ayahuasca, the Psychedelic Antidepressant? Neuroskeptic. June 17, 2018.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/neuroskeptic/2018/06/17/psychedelic-antidepressant-ayahuasca/

John Horgan. Yes, Make Psychedelics Legally Available, but Don't Forget the Risks. SciAm. July 6, 2018.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/yes-make-psychedelics-legally-available-but-dont-forget-the-risks/

Also:

"magic string"

# pharma: waiting for new 'magic strings': psilocybin to treat depression. Oct 17, 2017.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2017/10/pharma-waiting-for-new-strings.html

# s-brain: 70-years after; Dr. Albert revisited. Aug 22, 2016.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2016/08/s-brain-70-years-after-dr-albert.html

# s-pharma-n-ethnomed: psilocybin. Dec 14, 2015.

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2015/12/s-pharma-n-ethnomed-psilocybin.html

# acad: around p-hacking, when writing in a blog may be accidentally dangerous

<< Brian Wansink didn’t mean to spark an investigative fury that revisited his entire life's work >>

<< But his blog post accidentally highlighted some questionable research practices that caused a group of data detectives to jump on the case >>

the << practice of "p-hacking" — hunting for significant p-values in statistical analyses — is one of the many questionable research practices responsible for the replication crisis in the social sciences >>

<< people who work in fields that are kind of on the periphery of (..) have told me that most of their colleagues aren't even aware there's a problem yet >> Nicholas Brown

Cathleen O'Grady. "Mindless Eating,"or how to send an entire life of research into question. April 24, 2017

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/04/the-peer-reviewed-saga-of-mindless-eating-mindless-research-is-bad-too/

# s-food: hunter-gatherers revisited: eating crickets and mealworms

<< Replacing half of the meat eaten worldwide with crickets and mealworms would cut farmland use by a third, substantially reducing emissions of greenhouse gases >>

Edible insects could play key role in cutting harmful emissions. May 4, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-05-edible-insects-key-role-emissions.html

Peter Alexander, Calum Brown, et al. Could consumption of insects, cultured meat or imitation meat reduce global agricultural land use? Global Food Security. 22 Apr. 2017. doi:10.1016/j.gfs.2017.04.001

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211912417300056