Monthly Archives: April 2017

Ron Paul on Trump’s Border Wall: Totally Useless – Fox Business

Posted: April 23, 2017 at 12:21 am

Former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) says President Trump's plan to build a wall along the country's Southern border a "totally useless" idea with low support in border states.

A new poll found that 61% of Texas citizens do not approve of building a wall along the border with Mexico to keep illegal immigrants out. "Im glad that the poll shows that people in Texas dont think much of this wall, Paul told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo.

"Ive always argued that the walls are going to hinder the American people as much as anybody," Paul said. "If somebody has honestly earned money and they want to walk across the border, they become criminals, you know, they cant do it because they have all these regulations.

In an interviewWednesdayon FOX News, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the wall is essential to shut down illegal immigration--and violent crime caused by immigrants. I think the border wall needs to move rapidly, it will be the final affirmation that the illegality is over.

ButPaul said the Trump administration has yet to explain how rapid construction of a border wall will be paid for.

I think a wall is totally useless and he didnt mention how he was going to pay for that wall, you know, Sessions didnt say a word. Thats billions of dollars, nobody knows what it will cost and it wont work, its so detrimental to the concept of liberty because what it is, theyre treating a symptom rather than saying, our problem is a healthy economy and allowing people to trade freely.

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A Liberty Movement, Divided Against Itself, Cannot Stand – Being Libertarian

Posted: at 12:21 am

It is an unfortunate truth that, as the liberty movement gains traction in the political arena and becomes more diverse, we are going to face our fair share of hurdles when it comes to ideological differences on some hot-button issues. Issues such as drug use and the legality and acceptance of abortion have plagued the party in recent days. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and if we in the liberty movement want to continue to gain traction and stay relevant, then we must address the proverbial elephant in the room.

Addressing the division within the movement will be no easy task. Many of us have very deep-seated moral objections against allowing certain actions in a libertarian society, and each of us are entitled to our individual opinions on the subject. The division happens when we try to find the one truly libertarian stance on any one of these issues. Considering that, libertarianism values individual freedom highly and is comprised of such a diverse group of individuals, it can be assumed with relative certainty that we will never find a singular libertarian position.

What can be done about this division? How can we address these issues and not look like the dysfunctional laughing stock of American politics? We obviously cant simply sweep these issues under the rug or ignore them; eventually they will need to be addressed. What I propose is a plan where we return to the basics. We all joined this movement for a reason and we all did so of our own free will. The Libertarian Party is driven on principle, rather than politics. What this means is that, we as libertarians are not driven by a desire for political power or position, nor are we interested in forcing our views of morality on others. We are driven by the idea of liberty and non-aggression.

While the issues are important and should be addressed, they are not the foundation on which the Libertarian Party is laid. The core principles of liberty and non-aggression must be first and foremost in the mind of any libertarian that wishes to attract more people to this movement, and thus make an impact on society. Constant infighting and purity tests not only further the divide between libertarians, but also serve to deter some would-be libertarians from wishing to be involved in such a tumultuous party.

Libertarianism is not an exact science, and I dont claim to have all the answers on what should be done about the issues we face today. However, I do believe that my proposal can help to quell the intensity of the infighting amongst us. These issues must be approached in a liberty-first mindset, and we as libertarians have to accept that not everyone thinks like we do. That fact alone does not make them more or less libertarian than anyone else, so long as they believe in non-aggression and individual liberty. United on those two guiding principles, we can move forward and change this country, and possibly even the world.

In short, its time for us as libertarians to remember why were here. We are united under the basic premise that good ideas dont require force, especially government force. Be the change you want to see in the liberty movement and society. Stop trying to force other libertarians to conform to your idea of what libertarianism is, just as we want the powers that be to stop forcing their respective ideas and plans for society on us, their constituents.

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Corey Todd was born and raised in Lakeland, Florida. He is still new to the movement and currently on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. The views expressed in his article are his own personal views and not those held by the USMC, Dept. of the Navy, or DOD.

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Libertarian Ideology Protects Capital at Workers’ Expense – The Oberlin Review

Posted: at 12:21 am

Jacob Brittons latest attempt at political debate begins, It was onlya matter of time Indeed, I suppose it was. I cant help but feel that thefirst paragraph of Brittons latest foray into the wide world of politicaleconomy is symptomatic of the bizarre way the right behaves on collegecampuses: They seem fixated on producing disagreement and then howlwith joy and roll around in the mud when they find it (Positive Rights, NotCapitalism, Require State Violence, The Oberlin Review, April 14). Brittonhilariously echoes the meme so much for the tolerant left by accusingme of failing to live up to the lefts benign reputation for the record, Ihave no interest in treating libertarianism benignly in the public sphere.

Britton attempts to make a coherent case for a minimal state by distinguishingbetween what he calls positive and negative rights, an argumentthat is more familiar to the Western philosophical canon as IsaiahBerlins distinction between positive and negative liberty. Positive libertyis affirmative the freedom to act as opposed to negative liberty, whichis freedom from coercive forces. Britton argues that I advocate for the former,while a just state protects only the latter. In his view, negative libertycan be secured without coercive activity on the part of the state becauseit is a natural right. This is absolutely historically and empirically false.Negative liberty even understood in its most limited dimension, for instance,as the freedom to practice any religion always requires a stateapparatus equipped with police and a military ready to defend that right(heard of Europes 30 Year War?). No liberty is simply pre-given, found innature; every right requires violence and coercion behind it to succeed institutionally,and so any distinction Britton hopes to secure between negativeand positive rights on the grounds of naturalness is arbitrary.

Funnily, its not quite totally arbitrary Britton does seem to haveone criterium, to distinguish between positive and negative rights. Everyfreedom Britton associates with positive rights are freedoms the workingclass needs to resist domination. Strange coincidence it is almost as iflibertarianisms talk of human rights is designed to be a defense of capitaland not humans.

Britton says capitalism is not inherently violent because the divisionof labor ensures everyone will have a job. Not only does Adam Smithsconcept of the division of labor have very little to do with the question offull employment, but Smith himself saw a need for state intervention tohelp capital function. Further, Karl Marx demonstrated that the unemployedare a benefit to capital; its only by having an unemployed workerto replace your currently employed worker that you can push your employeeswages down as far as possible. Unemployment is as old as capitalism.Rather than acting as though unemployment is a weird fluke, weshould live up to that reality and challenge the paradigm that reproducesit.

Finally, the big question: Why, oh why, dothose merciless lefties want to violently coercemulti-billionaires to give up their hard-earnedcash? Or, as Britton puts it: If Bill Gates hasa net worth of $80 billion and my net worth is$90,000, what moral atrocity has been committed?Let me explain. Gates made his fortune bygrowing his company Microsoft. That companymakes money by selling computer software,among other things. In order for people to buycomputer software, they have to own computers.In order for them to own computers, someonehas to make the computer. The person whomakes the computer is typically a worker livingin gross poverty in the global south. This workercontracts with a capitalist to trade their laborfor money. If this were a fair exchange, by theend of it, the worker would have money and theboss would have a commodity. In reality, by theend of the exchange, the worker has money andthe boss has a commodity and profit. The profitis the difference in value between the amountof money the boss can get away with paying theworker and the amount of money he can sell thecommodity for. So yes, Gates wealth depends onmoral atrocities, and the working class povertyis proof.

Libertarianism is a weird ideology. It stringstogether a bizarre understanding of politicaleconomy and moral philosophy and forms a pasticheof entrepreneurial individualism and abstractmusings about rights and the legitimatestate. In the end though, with its incoherence,internal inconsistencies and empirical failuresput aside, libertarianism should be measuredin terms of its effects. And its primary effect isto perpetuate a capitalist regime that is builtoff of exploitation. Capitalism is a machine forchanging hopes and dreams into toil and suffering.Libertarianism is ultimately just an abstractweapon, an ideological gear in a larger machineused by the few to dominate the many.

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Expert: Human Immortality Could Be Acquired Through AI – Futurism

Posted: at 12:20 am

In Brief In a recent interview, researcher Alex Zhavoronkov talked about how he believes AI will help humanity defeat aging. His company, Insilico Medicine, is already at the forefront of using AI as a tool to facilitate the development of drugs that combat age-related diseases. Anti-Aging Research

More and more scientists are convinced that aging, while a natural phenomenon experienced by all living creatures, is a disease that can be treated or even cured. Scientists, generally, have taken different approaches to aging in that regard. Somewant to slow down the process, while others seek to put a stop to it altogether. Those in the latter group see no limit in our potential toextend human life.

These efforts are fueled by the latest technologies science has to offer. Among theseisthe use of stem cellscombined with genetic and cellular manipulation. More recently, researchers have been testing the rejuvenating effects of proteins found in human blood. Still others propose using a certain type of bacteriato keep old age at bay.

Then theres Alex Zhavoronkov. Hes the director of both the International Aging Research Portfolio (IARP) and theBiogerontology Research Foundation, as well as the CEO of bioinformatics company Insilico Medicine. His idea seems straight out of science fiction. Instead of fearing artificial intelligence (AI) asthe harbinger of humanitys demise, Zhavoronkov wants to use AI to defeat aging.

Is human immortalityto be found in the hands of AI? Zhavoronkov thinks it may be, and he explained why in an interview withthe Life Extension Advocacy Foundation (LEAF).

Zhavoronkov highlighted the work Insilico is doing to combat aging and age-related illnesses. One project is an algorithm called OncoFinder, which analyzes the molecular pathways associated with the growth and development of cancer and aging. I think that applying AI to aging is the only way to bring it under the comprehensive medical control, Zhavoronkov said. Our long-term goal is to continuously improve human performance and prevent and cure the age-related diseases.

He explained further:

In 5 years, we want to build a comprehensive system to model and monitor the human health status and rapidly correct any deviations from the ideal healthy state with lifestyle or therapeutic interventions. Considering what we already have, I hope that we will be able to do it sooner than in 5 years [] One of our major contributions to the field was the application of deep neural networks for predicting the age of the person. People are very different and have different diseases. I think that this approach is novel and will result in many breakthroughs.

Zhavoronkov also explained the important role AI has in facilitating the development of drugs that could treat aging and age-related diseases. Our AI ecosystem is comprised of multiple pipelines, he said. With our drug discovery and biomarker development pipelines, we can go after almost every disease [] And since we are considering aging as a form of disease, many of the same algorithms are used to develop biomarkers and drugs to prevent and possibly even restore aging-associated damage.

For Zhavoronkov, AIs potential impact on humankindgoes far beyond the possibility that it could cause a singularity apocalypse it could actually be the very thing that saves us from death.

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Aside from Oprah, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks leaves us wanting – Salon

Posted: at 12:20 am

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is Emmy bait. No need to describe it otherwise. HBO is skilled in the ways of positive attraction when it comes to industry awards, and the channel is likely banking on multiple nominations for its adaptation of Rebecca Skloots extraordinary book.

The deadline for Emmy entries is May 31; as such, April is when the floodgates open and our DVR and streaming service watchlists bloat with must-watch, absolutely-cannot-miss series and specials.

And The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, debuting Saturday at 8 p.m., merely falls into the category of should watch. Not must watch, not cannot miss, but should and not due to George C. Wolfes workmanlike direction of the overall piece, but to witness what Oprah Winfrey does with her role.

Granted, the title has a built-in appeal that should guarantee decent tune-in; Skloots nonfiction work spent 75 weeks on the New York Times paperback bestseller list, riveting readers with the story of the woman behind the cell line known as HeLa, the first to survive and reproduce apart from its donor.

Since it was first discovered in 1951, HeLas cell strain has been given to labs around the world for research and experimentation. In 1954, a company began selling HeLa cells, giving birth to the multibillion-dollar biomedical industry. HeLa enabled Jonas Salk to create his polio vaccine, and it has since been used by scientists to aid in the battles against tuberculosis, cancer and countless viruses. In-vitro fertilization, treatments for Parkinsons disease, HPV and flu inoculations all of these life-saving advances are thanks to HeLa and Henrietta Lacks, whose cancer cells gave rise to the strain.

Only a handful of people knew of Henrietta Lacks game-changing contribution to medicine namely the doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore who harvested her tissue as she lay dying, without her knowledge or her consent, and without offering compensation to her family. Lacks relatives only found out when a doctor let that information slip while taking samples of their blood years after HeLas discovery. Much later Skloot would share this information with the world.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is not a story about reconciliation or justice, but resolution, revelation and legacy moving ideas but, as shown in the film, lacking in dramatic tension. HBOs movie condenses Skloots work into a winding and somewhat facile tale of unconventional friendship, following the author (played by Rose Byrne) as she sorts through frayed threads of the Lacks familys memories about Henrietta.

The family has been taken advantage of by outsiders many times over the years, so they are hesitant to help Rebecca until Henriettas daughter Deborah Lacks (Winfrey) insists. Deborahs decades-long yearning to stitch together a more complete memory of a mother she pines for drives her, clutching at her heart; Henriettas medical records are all that she has, and Deborah guards them with an explosive fierceness.

Byrne plays Skloot and does an able job of capturing the determined and friendly curiosity of a journalist while believably conveying a muddle of unease and fear in the moments that Deborahs moods take a darker turn. But Winfreys realistic portrayal of Deborahs frequent and unpredictable shifts between manic optimism, blind rage and quavering despair eclipse everything around her.

Simply put, Winfrey has more colors to paint with in Deborah than Byrne gets with her character. It must be said, Byrne does a fine job. But Winfreys performance is a physical and temperamental whirlwind. Her Deborah walks with an unsteady imbalance, yet Rebecca struggles mightily to keep up and meet her energy. Curbing her changing moods, Rebecca finds, is all but impossible.

As telefilms go, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is solid and perhaps a bit too economic in its execution, and this makes it fall short of creatively soaring. That takes nothing away from its performances, which are the reason to tune in and the hook that may keep you watching. Henrietta looms large in Deborahs life, and Rene Elise Goldsberrys luminous presence, seen in flashbacks, more than does justice to her memory.

Rocky Carroll, Reg E. Cathey and Leslie Uggams deliver portrayals that grant Henriettas loved ones a share of benediction in spite of the emotional impoverishment and misery they suffered after her loss. Winfrey, though, is the magnetic center in a piece held together by its performances. The film itself may not achieve Emmy immortality, but Winfrey has a powerful shot.

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Aside from Oprah, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks leaves us wanting - Salon

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Roush Review: Oprah Winfrey in ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ – TVInsider

Posted: at 12:20 am

Review Quantrell Colbert/HBO

Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Surely Oprah Winfrey knows a thing or two about immortality. Never one to play it safe, the pop-culture icon and industry mogul once again demonstrates her range by channeling emotional authenticity into the demanding role of Deborah Lacks, a woman of unstable temperament yearning to find out more about Henrietta, the mother she never knew but who was known to science as a once-anonymous medical legend.

In tackling the tricky task of adapting the nonfiction bestseller The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks into a prestige HBO movie, director and co-writer George C. Wolfe turns the story into a moving road trip of discovery, not just for Deborah but for the viewer, who may be just as unaware of Henrietta's posthumous contributions to medicine. Only decades after Henrietta's premature death from cancer in 1951 did her family learn that her rare immortal cells (code named "HeLa"), harvested without her consent, astonishingly lived on and were reproduced, continuing to this day to be used as an invaluable tool of research in developing vaccines and treating diseases.

Enter journalist/author Rebecca Skloot (an overeager Rose Byrne), who's obsessed with the goal of rescuing Henrietta from obscurity, but first must win over the wary and embittered Lacks family that a perky, giggly white freelance reporter can do justice to her story. As Deborah and Rebecca embark on a journey into Henrietta's past, unearthing demons that unsettle the possibly bipolar Deborah, theirs is an often testy and tested relationship.

Sometimes learning is just as painful as not knowing, one observer warns, and there is traumatic yet necessary catharsis along the way as Henrietta (a luminous Rene Elise Goldsberry) comes into focus, finally getting the respect and thanks she deserves. You might wish the movie spent as much time with Henrietta as it does with her daughter and the intrepid writer, but even if it sends you to the book to learn more, The Immortal Life will have done its job.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Premieres Saturday, April 22, 8/7c, HBO

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Think politics is tumultuous now? Wait till the transhumanists join in… – The Register

Posted: at 12:20 am

Reg Lecture Politics and society is about to get stranger and we're not even talking about what's going on in Westminster.

There's a host of secretive, influential, and tech-enabled movements coming your way whose plans to redesign society make Brexit look like tinkering around the edges.

Luckily for you Jamie Bartlett author of The Dark Net will be joining us on 23 May to talk about his upcoming book Radicals, which details the two years he spent embedded with the innovators, disruptors, idealists and extremists who think society is broken, and believe they know how to fix it.

The book, and Jamie's lecture, spans some of the most secretive and influential movements today: the US Transhumanist Party, far-right groups seeking to close the borders, militant environmentalists striving to save the planet's natural resources by any means possible, libertarian movements founding new countries, autonomous co-operatives in self-sustaining micro-societies, and psychedelic pioneers attempting to heal society with the help of powerful hallucinogens.

If you're interested in where society is heading, and how technology is helping it get there, you'll want to join us at the Yorkshire Grey on Theobalds Road, London, on 23 May. The doors will be open from 6pm, with the talk proper kicking off at 7. And yes, there'll be refreshments, both liquid and solid, on hand.

As always, we'll break for a drink and a bite after the talk, before opening the floor to questions, giving you the opportunity to really work out whether these new movements are chasing a dream, or dragging us all into a nightmare.

We'd love you to join us. You can buy your ticket here.

You can read more about Radicals, and place advanced orders, here.

And if you need reminding what a compelling speaker Jamie is, you can check out his last Reg lecture, when he discussed the Dark Net.

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Belladonna Productions, ZDF Enterprises Team For ‘Genesis’ | Variety – Variety

Posted: at 12:19 am

PARIS Rene Bastians New York-based Belladonna Productions, producer of Michael Hanekes Funny Games US and Abel Ferraras Welcome to New York, is teaming with Germanys ZDF Enterprises, the expanding commercial arm of the German broadcast network, to develop Genesis, an English-language sci-fi thriller.

Genesis is created by Narina Jabari, a young Canadian scientist-turned-screenwriter. ZDFE is handling sales rights to the series.

A film company with a distinguished pedigree, Belladonna moved into TV series production with the Sundance Channel-aired Hap & Leonard, now in its second season, executive produced by Belladonna principal Linda Moran. For ZDFE, Genesis represents one of its earliest series in English and linkup with a U.S. production company as ZDFE acquires world sales rights not only to ZDF drama but third-party productions drawn from Europe and beyond.

Genesis also joins a fast-growing cannon of sci-fi drama think Stranger Things, Westworld, Humans as the genre returns towards the mainstream, diversifies across a huge range of variations and platforms and questions the human condition. Here, Genesis follows the story of Asphodel, El, a head-strong university student who surrenders her body and mind to an underground, experimental research movement and becomes the first trans-human, Belladonna and ZDF Enterprises said in a statement Friday.

The series watches as she slowly transforms, becoming the face of the Hybrid Generation, one of test subjects for post-human technologies. In parallel, Janus, the host of a popular counter-culture TV show, preaches to create an altogether new subspecies of humanity one that has the power to not only control its own biology, but the fate of its own existence.

Genesisis being driven by Jabari, Bastian, president of Belladonna Productions, and producers Robert Franke and Sebastian Krekeler at ZDF Enterprises.

I was immediately drawn to Narinas unique vision for this timely, groundbreaking story about the next phase of human evolution, one in which biology and technology are becoming indiscernible from one other, Bastian said.

Our heroine Asphodel, El, agrees to become a trans-human and is tossed into a world of controversial science and ethical ambiguity with plenty of drama and action, he added, calling Genesis completely unprecedented on television.

Genesis is an important addition to the ZDFE program lineup since the series not only deals with a topic which defines the future of cultural and civil development of human kind by telling a sophisticated and entertaining story but also because of the players involved in the project, said Franke.

ZDFE just recently added Genesis to its new development and financing slate. Belladonna and ZDFE are currently busy putting together the writers room. Itexpects to kick off the financing process within the next couple of months, once its full package is market ready, Krekeler said.

Bastian has produced first features by Michael Cuesta (L.I.E.), Dito Montiel (A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints), Duncan Tucker (Transamerica) and Jim Mickle (Cold In July).

Belladonnas current TV development slate takes in historical drama The White Rhino Hotel, set in Africa and based on Bartle Bulls acclaimed novels, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi seriesElement Lost,and Beat Club, a political drama about 60s/70s youth counter-culture in Germany.

Genesis sees ZDFE ranging ever farther and wider to tap talent and producer relationships, as it builds a slate that combines ZDF productions and third-party pick-ups, on which it can be involved at a early stage of development.

A presentation at Series Mania of ZDFEs current line-up served to underscore its current range as well as links to some of Europes most dynamic producers.

Current series on ZDFES slate include the upcoming Tabula Rasa, an intense Flemish psychological thriller starring (and co-written by) Veerie Baetens and produced by Caviar Films (The Brand New Testament) about a woman who comes to distrust her own memory, airing in October on Belgiums VRT. ZDFE is also selling Swedish mega-hit Before We Die, a mother-son drama and crime thriller produced by B-Reel Films, in co-production with SVT and ZDF; and Maltese, produced by Italys Palomar and Germanys Maze Pictures, set in the 70s Sicily, soon to air on RAI, and with Kim Rossi Stuart as a police commissioner in the so-called Golden Age of the mafia.

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Canadians, Nigerian Arrested For Human Smuggling At Canada-U.S. Border – Huffington Post Canada

Posted: at 12:18 am

REGINA Authorities in the United States say two Canadian citizens and one person from Nigeria have been apprehended as part of an investigation into human smuggling.

The United States Border Patrol says agents picked up the three people last Friday between the North Portal and Northgate crossings, the legal entry points into Saskatchewan from North Dakota.

It was not immediately clear whether the people are still in custody or if charges have been laid.

The investigation has already led to the arrest and charges against a Saskatchewan woman.

Michelle Omoruyi, 43, is charged with human smuggling and conspiracy to commit human smuggling. She is to appear in court May 15 in Estevan, Sask.

Omoruyi's lawyer, Aaron Fox, declined to comment Thursday.

An investigation into organized human smuggling in southeastern Saskatchewan began last December after Canadian border officers referred a returning male Canadian resident for further examination.

The Canadian Border Services Agency said there was evidence to suggest smugglers were bringing foreign nationals into Canada from the United States.

An RCMP cruiser is shown next to the U.S.-Canada border in Hemmingford, Que. on Mar. 5, 2017. (Photo: Graham Hughes/CP)

Last Friday, American border authorities identified a suspect in the investigation as he entered the U.S. They notified their Canadian counterparts, who in turn alerted the RCMP "that a smuggling attempt may be imminent.''

RCMP said a woman was then stopped on the Canadian side of the border between the North Portal and Northgate crossings, the legal entry points into Saskatchewan from North Dakota.

Police say nine people from West Africa were in her vehicle, but authorities would not confirm their ages, gender or nationalities . They were processed by the Canada Border Services Agency and have been released into Canada. All nine have made refugee claims.

Getachew Woldyesus, with the Regina Open Door Society, a non-profit organization that provides settlement and integration services to refugees and immigrants in Regina, says the refugees claimants have not yet reached out to the agency.

Woldyesus says the Regina Open Door Society would help find temporary housing and income support if asked.

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Facebook Engineer Asserts That Augmented Reality Will Replace Smartphones in 5 Years – Futurism

Posted: at 12:18 am

In Brief At Facebook's developer conference last week, Oculus Research predicted that AR glasses would replace smartphones in the near future. The ability to augment reality is just one of the futuristic technologies Facebook is working on. Augmenting Technologies

Last week, Facebooks annual developer conference (FB8) gave us a glimpse of the future. While most of the announcements made during the event were meant for developers, it doesnt take a techie to understand how they will impact the lives of Facebooks more than 90 million consumers.

One of the most interesting project announcements came from Facebooks uber-secretive Building 8 (B8). The divisionis currently working on a top-secret brain-computer interface (BCI)similar to Elon Musks neuralink, but that BCI project isnt the only future tech Facebook currently has in the works.

According to Michael Abrash, chief scientist at Facebook-owned Oculus Research, super augmented reality (AR) glasses could replace smartphones as the everyday computing gadget in the next five years.

Its definitely not an outlandish prediction. Abrash explained that despite all the current hype around AR, the tech hasnt yet reached its defining moment. [I]t will be five years at best before were really at the start of the ramp to widespread, glasses-based augmented reality, before AR has its Macintosh moment, he said on Day 2 of FB8.

Widespread adoption, however, would take a few more years. 20 or 30 years from now, I predict that instead of carrying stylish smartphones everywhere, well wear stylish glasses, claimed Abrash. Those glasses will offer [virtual reality], AR, and everything in between, and well use them all day.

IfFacebooks Oculus team has any say, these super AR glasses would be capable of far more than just augmenting reality. They could give the user superpowers by enhancing the wearers memory, providing them with instant foreign and sign language translation, and isolating and muting distracting sounds and noise.

Facebook isnt the only company invested in AR. Apple CEO Tim Cook has also been rather bullish about AR as the technology of the future, and with so many tech behemoths involved, five years seems like a completely realistic timeline for tech that will change everything about reality as we know it. After that, itll be on to combining these AR glasses with BCI, and thats a truly high-tech future worth waiting for.

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