Category Archives: Human Longevity

(By Tom Purcell/Tom Purcell is a nationally syndicated humor columnist. Send your comments to Tom at Purcell@caglecartoons.com)

A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long.

Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible.

A hundred and twenty-five years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that.

Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldnt you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldnt you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?

SubscribeTo Unlock The Content!

Originally posted here:
Purcell:Living to 125 too much of a good thing? - The Independent

August 15, 2017 Black flying fox (Pteropus alecto). Credit: James Nilson

There is a rising risk of human and domestic animal exposure to deadly Hendra virus (HeV) carried by fruit bats in Eastern Australia due to human intrusion into their habitats, human proximity to woodlands and vegetation loss, a new study reveals.

Reported today in Scientific Reports by researchers from the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne and State University of New York, the study traces how pressures such as expanding human populations, urbanisation and forest fragmentation altered the shape and size of the habitats of pteropid fruit bats (flying foxes) in the decades between 1980 and 2015.

In recent years, bats from the Pteropodidae family have been pinpointed as 'natural reservoirs' of several emerging zoonotic viruses, such as Hendra virus (HeV), Nipah (NiV) and Ebola, which can cause death in humans.

Pteropid fruit bats carry HeV without becoming ill. Research has shown the black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) and the spectacled flying fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) harbor the infectious HeV and can shed HeV particles in their urine.

Their suitability as reservoirs has been linked to their capacity for flight, adaptability to different food sources, population structure, longevity and immune function.

"Pteropid fruit bats are essential pollinators and seed distributors in tropical and subtropical forests," says Dr Michael Walsh of the University of Sydney's Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, who led the study.

"Human-caused changes in their habitat exemplify the precarious balance between ecosystem integrity and human public health.

"The opportunity for the transmission of animal-borne viruses to human populations arises when these changes in natural habitats create new configurations of ecosystems and animal populations that subsequently generate increased or unprecedented contact between human, domestic animal and wildlife communities."

Hendra virus was first identified during the first recorded outbreak of the disease in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra, Australia, in 1994. The outbreak involved 21 stabled racehorses and two human cases.

This newly emerging infectious disease made several further sporadic occurrences between 1994 and 2010 until in 2011 an unprecedented number of 18 distinct 'spillovers' more than doubled the number of known incidents.

A spillover event is defined as transmission of a pathogen such as HeV from a reservoir such as such as a pteropid fruit bat to a domestic animal such as a horse. It also includes pathogen transmission from an infected domestic animal such as a horse to a human.

As of August 2017, there have been 60 known outbreaks of Hendra resulting in the death of 102 horses, all occurring in the north-eastern coastal region of Australia.

To date, seven humans have contracted HeV in spillover events arising from the care or autopsy of ill or dead horses. Of those who tested positive for HeV, four died of the disease, including two veterinarians.

"The epidemiology of HeV spillover events indicates that expanding suburban communities may draw foraging flying foxes from nearby forest ranges into encroaching residential and community gardens and thereby, closer to horses," Dr Walsh says.

The researchers did two sets of analyses to assess whether an expansion of the HeV reservoir was associated with an increasing trend in spillover risk.

First, they modeled changes in 1713 geo-located sightings of pteropid fruit bats P. alecto and P. conspicillatus at three different time points between 1980 and 2015 in response to factors such as climate, topography, and human migration in the preceding decade.

They found that rainfall, altitude, temperature, and human migration were highly associated with decadal changes in the ecological niche (as measured by sightings) of the black flying fox and the spectacled flying fox.

"The predicted habitat suitability for HeV reservoir pteropids expands geographically southward along the eastern coast of Australia from the earliest period in 1980-1989 to the latest in 2000-2015," Dr Walsh says.

"These changes predict that southeastern Queensland and northeastern NSW show consistently high habitat suitability, while advancing toward and beyond Sydney. There is also a corridor along the northern coast of the Northern Territory that shows a high degree of predicted habitat suitability."

In their second analysis, the researchers assessed whether HeV infections in horses and humans (spillover incidents) between 2000 and 2015 were associated with decadal changes in the ecological niche (as measured by sightings) of P. alecto and P. conspicillatus from 1980 to 2015.

They found a high association between the two, meaning the inter-decadal expanding reservoir niche of pteropid fruit bats was highly associated with a concurrent increasing trend for risk of HeV infections in humans.

Furthermore, the risk of HeV infection increased threefold as the ecological niche expanded along the coast in Queensland and NSW during the first two decades under study (1980-1999) and increased further still as habitat suitability continued to change from 2000-2015.

"The shared history between HeV spillover and the ecological niche of flying foxes notwithstanding, reservoir habitat suitability alone was insufficient to describe the spatial dependence of HeV spillover," says Dr Walsh.

"The human footprint, proximity to woody savanna, and vegetation loss were additional components of the landscape required to adequately describe the spatial dependence of spillover across eastern Australia."

The findings supported the researchers' hypothesis that the risk for HeV infection in Eastern Australia between 2000 and 2015 was associated with changes in the ecological niche of pteropid fruit bats in the decades between 1980 and 2015.

Furthermore, this risk was highly associated with human intrusion into their habitats, human proximity to woodlands and vegetation loss.

Explore further: Killer horse virus spreads in Australia

Australian officials were on Saturday working to isolate potential victims after uncovering two more cases of the deadly horse-borne Hendra virus, which has erupted in a second state.

A horse was put down in Australia after contracting the deadly Hendra virus -- the ninth animal to die in an outbreak which has exposed almost 50 people in two states.

Another six people have been tested for the deadly Hendra virus after it claimed the life of a seventh horse, officials said Thursday, as the killer outbreak spread south.

An experimental drug so far only tested on animals has been given to an Australian woman and child in an effort to prevent an outbreak of a potentially deadly virus, health officials said Tuesday.

Concern over the killer Hendra virus mounted in Australia Wednesday after a sixth horse died in an outbreak, and 26 people underwent tests after coming into contact with sick animals.

An invisible barrier separates land animals in Australia from those in south-east Asia may also restrict the spillover of animal-borne diseases like avian flu, but researchers have found that fruit bats on either side of ...

Color in the plant kingdom is not merely a joy to the eye. Colored pigments attract pollinating insects, they protect plants against disease, and they confer health benefits and are used in the food and drug industries. A ...

A new study describes how head-on collisions between protein machines on chromosomes can disrupt DNA replication and boost the rate of gene mutations that help bacteria survive hostile environments, resist antibiotics, and ...

There is a rising risk of human and domestic animal exposure to deadly Hendra virus (HeV) carried by fruit bats in Eastern Australia due to human intrusion into their habitats, human proximity to woodlands and vegetation ...

Centuries ago, the ancient networks of the Silk Road facilitated a political and economic openness between the nations of Eurasia. But this network also opened pathways for genetic exchange that shaped one of the world's ...

Chromatin remodelersprotein machines that pack and unpack chromatin, the tightly wound DNA-protein complex in cell nucleiare essential and powerful regulators for critical cellular processes, such as replication, recombination ...

The emergence in recent years of the first mammalian haploid cell lines has raised great expectations in the scientific community. Despite their potential, these cultures present some issues that complicate their use because ...

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

See the article here:
Human intrusion on fruit bat habitats raises exposure risk to Hendra virus in Australia - Phys.Org

Tom Purcell

"A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long."

"Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible."

"A hundred and twenty-five years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that."

"Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldn't you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldn't you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?"

"Maybe with your family. My family has taken years off of my life!"

"I see, but wouldn't it be awesome if some of our finest human beings could stick around longer? Don Rickles, one of the greatest entertainers ever, died this year at 91. How great would it be to keep him around for two more decades?"

"True, but if Rickles were to stick around longer, that means annoying celebrities would stick around, too, and keep yapping at us every time a Republican becomes president."

"There are other upsides to a longer life. What if we could keep our greatest minds around longer? Where would the world be if Einstein had another 25 years to unlock the mysteries of the universe?"

"But what if he figured out ways to extend human life even further, which would require me and the wife to have to keep coming up with new things to bicker about? Who has that kind of energy?"

"The downsides are a fair point. As people live longer, they could overburden government programs, such as Social Security. Where would we get all the money to support them?"

"How about we especially extend the lives of the rich so we can take them to the cleaners?"

"And living is expensive. If you live to 125, how will you pay for your housing and food and everyday expenses?"

"Thank goodness McDonald's is always hiring, but I for one have no desire to flip burgers at the age of 125."

"The costs of medical care are too high for millions now. I imagine that at 125 years of age, one's medical bills would be difficult to manage."

"Look, as a middle-aged guy, who is already showing signs of fatigue, here is what I know about living. Life is largely made up of colds, bills, speeding tickets and people who let you down. These experiences are connected together by a series of mundane tasks."

"Did anyone tell you how cheerful you can be? Go on."

"Well, these drudgeries are occasionally interrupted by a wonderful meal, a really good laugh with friends or a romantic evening with a lovely woman. Then the mundane stuff starts all over again. Who wants 125 years of that?"

"A lot of people do. The human lifespan has improved significantly in the past few generations. Millions are living healthy lives beyond the age of 80 today, and, when they were younger, few of them expected to live that long. Why not live relatively good lives until 125?"

"Because then I'd really worry about my slacker son."

"Why?"

"He's 35 years old and still living at home. If we drastically extend lifespans, my wife will have to tell him: 'Son, you're 100 years old! When are you going to move out of the basement and get a job?'"

For info on using this column in your publication or website, contact Sales@cagle.com or call (805) 969-2829. Send comments to Tom at Tom@TomPurcell.com.

Continued here:
Living to 125 too much of a good thing? - El Dorado News-Times

KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of Americans age 65 and older is on track to double -- from 46 million now to over 98 million in 2060, when today's 20-somethings will be turning 65. At that time the 65-plus age group's share of the population will have jumped to 24% from 15% today. "Think of it," says Denise Gott, CEO of ACSIA Partners, "one in four of us will be in the older group, at high risk of needing long-term care."

The concerning statistics are from "Aging in the United States," a study published by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB).

The proliferation of older Americans places a big burden right now on all breadwinners in their prime productive years (20 through 65), Gott asserts. According to the PRB, by 2030 there will be only 2.8 working-age adults for every person 65 and older, down from 5.0 in 2000.

Because of this, today's working-age citizens, now building our economy and their own economic futures, will be hit by a double-whammy, according to Gott.

The first part of the double-whammy has to do with one's aging parents. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, almost three in four aging Americans will need some form of long-term care after 65. "For a working couple with two sets of parents, the odds of financial impact are very high," says Gott, "if any of the parents lacks the resources for their own care."

The second part of the double-whammy is that the younger couple may need long-term care services themselves at some point. "After dealing with mom and dad, they'll need to be ready to care for one another; or to pay professionals to do it."

Long-term care services can be expensive, costing from tens of thousands to $100,000, $200,000 or even more per year, depending on location, type of services, and type of claim. Multiply that by the number of family members needing care, and the cost can become prohibitive.

But the financial impact extends beyond care costs. It often involves income loss from interrupted employment as well. According to a study by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, America's 10 million employed caregivers face $3 trillion in lifetime losses for missed pay, pensions, and social security. That amounts to $304,000 per worker (typically the female half of a young couple).

"Long-term care has always been expensive and a key cause of impoverishment in one's later years," says Gott. "As America ages, the cost challenge promises to increase."

What can be done about it?

"Forward-looking public policy would help," says Gott. "But there's plenty people can do on their own."

"The key is to develop a long-term care plan," Gott continues. "It's especially important for today's younger, productive couples. It's the only way to control costs and head off avoidable threats to one's income, assets, lifestyle, and future."

Long-term care planning can be done independently but Gott recommends consulting a licensed specialist. "The process is emotional and the options and pitfalls are vast. You need a calm, collected professional to hold your hand."

ACSIA Partners has hundreds of state-certified long-term care specialists in all parts of the country. "They're glad to talk with consumers and business executives about any and all care-related concerns and actions, financial and otherwise," says Gott. Specialists develop group plans for employers as well as individual plans for families.

ACSIA Partners LLC -- https://www.acsiapartners.com -- is one of America's largest and most experienced long-term care insurance agencies serving all states. The company is also a co-founder and sponsor of the "3in4 Need More" campaign, which encourages Americans to form a long-term care plan.

This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com

*LOGO: Send2Press.com/300dpi/17-0814-ACSIA-Partners-300dpi.jpg

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/longevity-alert-as-america-ages-long-term-care-costs-could-overwhelm-most-families-acsia-partners-says-300503473.html

SOURCE ACSIA Partners LLC

Link:
Longevity Alert: As America Ages, Long-Term Care Costs Could Overwhelm Most Families, ACSIA Partners Says - Markets Insider

A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long.

Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible.

A hundred and twenty-five years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that.

Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldnt you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldnt you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?

Maybe with your family. My family has taken years off of my life!

I see, but wouldnt it be awesome if some of our finest human beings could stick around longer? Don Rickles, one of the greatest entertainers ever, died this year at 91. How great would it be to keep him around for two more decades?

True, but if Rickles were to stick around longer, that means annoying celebrities would stick around, too, and keep yapping at us every time a Republican becomes president.

There are other upsides to a longer life. What if we could keep our greatest minds around longer? Where would the world be if Einstein had another 25 years to unlock the mysteries of the universe?

But what if he figured out ways to extend human life even further, which would require me and the wife to have to keep coming up with new things to bicker about? Who has that kind of energy?

The downsides are a fair point. As people live longer, they could overburden government programs, such as Social Security. Where would we get all the money to support them?

How about we especially extend the lives of the rich so we can take them to the cleaners?

And living is expensive. If you live to 125, how will you pay for your housing and food and everyday expenses?

Thank goodness McDonalds is always hiring, but I for one have no desire to flip burgers at the age of 125.

The costs of medical care are too high for millions now. I imagine that at 125 years of age, ones medical bills would be difficult to manage.

Look, as a middle-aged guy, who is already showing signs of fatigue, here is what I know about living. Life is largely made up of colds, bills, speeding tickets and people who let you down. These experiences are connected together by a series of mundane tasks.

Did anyone tell you how cheerful you can be? Go on.

Well, these drudgeries are occasionally interrupted by a wonderful meal, a really good laugh with friends or a romantic evening with a lovely woman. Then the mundane stuff starts all over again. Who wants 125 years of that?

A lot of people do. The human lifespan has improved significantly in the past few generations. Millions are living healthy lives beyond the age of 80 today, and, when they were younger, few of them expected to live that long. Why not live relatively good lives until 125?

Because then Id really worry about my slacker son.

Why?

Hes 35 years old and still living at home. If we drastically extend lifespans, my wife will have to tell him: Son, youre 100 years old! When are you going to move out of the basement and get a job?

Tom Purcell, author of Misadventures of a 1970s Childhood and Wicked Is the Whiskey, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist. Send comments to Tom at Tom@TomPurcell.com.

See the rest here:
Is living to 125 too much of a good thing ? | Opinion | dailydem.com - Fort Madison Daily Democrat

A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long.

Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible.

A hundred and twenty-five years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that.

Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldnt you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldnt you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?

Maybe with your family. My family has taken years off of my life!

I see, but wouldnt it be awesome if some of our finest human beings could stick around longer? Don Rickles, one of the greatest entertainers ever, died this year at 91. How great would it be to keep him around for two more decades?

True, but if Rickles were to stick around longer, that means annoying celebrities would stick around, too, and keep yapping at us every time a Republican becomes president.

There are other upsides to a longer life. What if we could keep our greatest minds around longer? Where would the world be if Einstein had another 25 years to unlock the mysteries of the universe?

But what if he figured out ways to extend human life even further, which would require me and the wife to have to keep coming up with new things to bicker about? Who has that kind of energy?

The downsides are a fair point. As people live longer, they could overburden government programs, such as Social Security. Where would we get all the money to support them?

How about we especially extend the lives of the rich so we can take them to the cleaners?

And living is expensive. If you live to 125, how will you pay for your housing and food and everyday expenses?

Thank goodness McDonalds is always hiring, but I for one have no desire to flip burgers at the age of 125.

The costs of medical care are too high for millions now. I imagine that at 125 years of age, ones medical bills would be difficult to manage.

Look, as a middle-aged guy who is already showing signs of fatigue, here is what I know about living. Life is largely made up of colds, bills, speeding tickets and people who let you down. These experiences are connected together by a series of mundane tasks.

Did anyone tell you how cheerful you can be? Go on.

Well, these drudgeries are occasionally interrupted by a wonderful meal, a really good laugh with friends or a romantic evening with a lovely woman. Then the mundane stuff starts all over again. Who wants 125 years of that?

A lot of people do. The human lifespan has improved significantly in the past few generations. Millions are living healthy lives beyond the age of 80 today, and, when they were younger, few of them expected to live that long. Why not live relatively good lives until 125?

Because then Id really worry about my slacker son.

Hes 35 years old and still living at home. If we drastically extend lifespans, my wife will have to tell him: Son, youre 100 years old! When are you going to move out of the basement and get a job?

Tom Purcell is a nationally syndicated Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist.

Excerpt from:
Purcell: Is living to 125 too much of a good thing? | Columns | trib.com - Casper Star-Tribune Online

"A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long."

"Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible."

"A hundred and twenty-five years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that."

"Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldn't you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldn't you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?"

"Maybe with your family. My family has taken years off of my life!"

"I see, but wouldn't it be awesome if some of our finest human beings could stick around longer? Don Rickles, one of the greatest entertainers ever, died this year at 91. How great would it be to keep him around for two more decades?"

"True, but if Rickles were to stick around longer, that means annoying celebrities would stick around, too, and keep yapping at us every time a Republican becomes president."

"There are other upsides to a longer life. What if we could keep our greatest minds around longer? Where would the world be if Einstein had another 25 years to unlock the mysteries of the universe?"

"But what if he figured out ways to extend human life even further, which would require me and the wife to have to keep coming up with new things to bicker about? Who has that kind of energy?"

"The downsides are a fair point. As people live longer, they could overburden government programs, such as Social Security. Where would we get all the money to support them?"

"How about we especially extend the lives of the rich so we can take them to the cleaners?"

"And living is expensive. If you live to 125, how will you pay for your housing and food and everyday expenses?"

"Thank goodness McDonald's is always hiring, but I for one have no desire to flip burgers at the age of 125."

"The costs of medical care are too high for millions now. I imagine that at 125 years of age, one's medical bills would be difficult to manage."

"Look, as a middle-aged guy, who is already showing signs of fatigue, here is what I know about living. Life is largely made up of colds, bills, speeding tickets and people who let you down. These experiences are connected together by a series of mundane tasks."

"Did anyone tell you how cheerful you can be? Go on."

"Well, these drudgeries are occasionally interrupted by a wonderful meal, a really good laugh with friends or a romantic evening with a lovely woman. Then the mundane stuff starts all over again. Who wants 125 years of that?"

"A lot of people do. The human lifespan has improved significantly in the past few generations. Millions are living healthy lives beyond the age of 80 today, and, when they were younger, few of them expected to live that long. Why not live relatively good lives until 125?"

"Because then I'd really worry about my slacker son."

"He's 35 years old and still living at home. If we drastically extend lifespans, my wife will have to tell him: 'Son, you're 100 years old! When are you going to move out of the basement and get a job?'"

More here:
Too much of a good thing? - Ledger Independent

Washington, D.C. (August 11, 2017) The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute will present Washington Ideas, the annual must-attend event bringing the most consequential people and issues to Washingtons Penn Quarter, this year taking place from September 26-28. Building on nearly a decade of success, thousands of attendees, and hundreds of speakers, Washington Ideas continues to expand its footprint. Events in 2017 will include interviews with political leaders and those shaping the future of business, science, technology, arts, and journalism; film screenings; topical forums; and evening entertainment.

"As The Atlantic celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, Washington Ideas looks to the past, present, and future to make sense of the most timely, and complex, issues facing the world, said Bob Cohn, president of The Atlantic. Together with our partners at the Aspen Institute, we're eager to convene three days of critically important conversations, enriching ideas, and networking in the heart of the nation's capital.

Washington Ideas brings together leaders from across the country to examine the most important challenges before us, said Elliot Gerson, Executive Vice President of the Aspen Institute. This special event gives attendees the chance to meet and learn from some of the most interesting people. We are proud to co-host this with our partners, The Atlantic."

Washington Ideas will create a Penn Quarter campus on F Street, anchored by Sidney Harman Hall and neighboring restaurant Rosa Mexicano, which will serve as Washington Ideas HQ for concurrent daytime and evening events. The festival will branch out to other venues throughout the neighborhood, holding various gatherings at the Loft at 600 F, Hill Country BBQ, Compass Coffee, and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

Among this years Washington Ideas offerings:

The Forum: Conversations and interviews with leading policymakers, industry titans, and cultural icons across two days at Sidney Harman Hall. Confirmed speakers for the Forum include:

Jos Andrs, Chef/Owner, ThinkFoodGroup & minibar by Jos Andrs

Mark Bertolini, Chairman & CEO, Aetna

Lonnie Bunch, Director, Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture

Luis Diaz, Head of Solid Tumor Oncology, Memorial Sloan Ketterings Department of Medicine

Joelle Emerson, Founder & CEO, Paradigm

Sara Horowitz, Chair, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Board of Directors; Founder and Executive Director, The Freelancers Union

Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, The Aspen Institute

Stefanie Joho, Cancer Patient and Advocate

Lisa Melcher, CEO and Tina Stride, President, The Hope Dealer Project

Secretary Steven Mnuchin, United States Secretary of the Treasury

Dennis Muilenburg, Chairman, President & CEO, The Boeing Company

Michele Norris, Executive Director, The Bridge at the Aspen Institute; Founding Director, The Race Card Project

General (Ret.) David Petraeus, Member & Chairman, KKR Global Institute

Christina Tosi, Founder and CEO, Milkbar

Rohit Prasad, VP and Head Scientist, Alexa Machine Learning

Christopher Ruddy, CEO, Newsmax

J. Craig Venter, Co-Founder, Executive Chairman & Head of Scientific Strategy, Human Longevity, Inc.

Astro Teller, Captain of Moonshots, X

Melanie Whelan, CEO, SoulCycle

Feng Zhang, Co-Inventor, CRISPR, and Core Institute Member, Broad Institute

The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg, Steve Clemons, Molly Ball, Julia Ioffe, Ron Brownstein, Matt Thompson, Derek Thompson, and AtlanticLIVE contributors Liza Mundy, Mary Louise Kelly and Alison Stewart are among the moderators to lead conversations at Washington Ideas.

Washington Ideas Headquarters at Rosa Mexicano: For the first time, Washington Ideas will host a second stage at Rosa Mexicano, a few doors down street from the Harman Center. Throughout the day, Rosa will be home to additional events, Ideas Exchange conversations, book talks, happy hours and networking, and more. Further details regarding the programming lineup to be announced.

Food for Thought Lunches: Topical lunch discussions will be held at various locations throughout the Penn Quarter neighborhood on September 27. Each lunch will cover a different topic and will feature expert speakers. Topics this year include: world affairs, food, business and jobs, arts and culture, science, and politics.

Radio Atlantic, Live: Join The Atlantics Radio Atlantic podcast for a live taping and conversation at Sixth and I on one of Americas biggest foreign policy challenges: Russia. Nearly a year after Trump's election, how have U.S. relations with Russia changed and how has Russia already affected our politics and policies? Radio Atlantic hosts Jeffrey Goldberg (editor in chief) and Matt Thompson (executive editor) will lead a timely conversation with staff writer Julia Ioffe and contributing editor Eliot Cohen, a former top State Department Official.

Live Screening of The Vietnam War + Discussion with the Filmmakers: On Thursday, September 28, Washington Ideas will host an exclusive screening of the final episode of Ken Burns and Lynn Novicks PBS series The Vietnam War. The conclusion of the 10-episode series (the first episode of which premieres on September 17) will be simulcast for the Washington Ideas audience, live at Sidney Harman Hall. The screening will be followed by a conversation on stage with Burns, Novick, Tim OBrien, Vietnam veteran and author of The Things They Carried, and Mai Elliott, author of The Sacred Willow, which chronicles the experience of her own Vietnamese family throughout the war. The conversation will be moderated by The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg.

The Atlantic + The National Portrait Gallery: To commemorate The Atlantics 160th anniversary, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery will offer guided tours of the portraits of the iconic 19th and 20th century authors who wrote for The Atlantic; tours will happen across the week of Washington Ideas. Featured portraits include Frederick Douglass, Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Gertrude Stein, Carl Sandburg, and more.

Media registration for Washington Ideas is now open. Print and broadcast media seeking a credential must RSVP to The Atlantics Sydney Simon (ssimon@theatlantic.com; 202-266-7338).

Tickets are also on sale now at WashingtonIdeas.com. Early bird ticket prices are currently $150 and will be $200 starting on Monday, August 14. For more information and update, visit WashingtonIdeas.com, follow @WashingtonIdeas, and like Washington Ideas on Facebook for updates.

Presenting Level underwriters include Allstate, Americas Biopharmaceutical Companies, the American Federation of Teachers, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inova, Pfizer, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Bank of America and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are Supporting Underwriters; and Aflac and the Washington, D.C. Economic Partnership are Contributing Underwriters.

####

About The Atlantic

Founded in 1857 and today one of the fastest growing media platforms in the industry, The Atlantic has throughout its history championed the power of big ideas and continues to shape global debate across print, digital, events, and video platforms. With its award-winning digital presence TheAtlantic.com and CityLab.com on cities around the world, The Atlantic is a multimedia forum on the most critical issues of our timesfrom politics, business, urban affairs, and the economy, to technology, arts, and culture. The Atlantic was the 2016 National Magazine of the Year. Bob Cohn is President of The Atlantic and Jeffrey Goldberg is Editor in Chief. Margaret Low is president of AtlanticLIVE, The Atlantic's events division.

About the Aspen Institute The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit http://www.aspeninstitute.org.

Media Contacts:

Sydney Simon The Atlantic ssimon@theatlantic.com // 202-266-7338

Douglas Farrar The Aspen Institute douglas.farrar@aspeninstitute.org // 202-669-2333

Original post:
Washington Ideas: The Atlantic and Aspen Institute to Convene Annual Marquee Festival on September 26-28 in ... - The Atlantic

COLUMN: Of Moles and the Grand Theatre

By Jim Wolff

Grand Theatre Commission

The common garden mole is the downfall of society. I know this because I live in a secluded area with acres upon acres of grass to mow and maintain. And within my peaceful bucolic paradise lurks a majority of the countys mole population. Big moles. Nasty brutes. Ugly things intent on burrowing and tunneling wherever and whenever they feel the need to scar the landscape.

I have tried every trick in the book to keep them out. Poison peanuts, gummy worms, granulated pellets of castor oil, human hair, human urine, smoking them out, drowning them out, chewing gum, building a wall. You name it.Ive tried it. I have literally spent hundreds of dollars trying to rid my lawn of moles. To no avail.

If anything, I think I have made them tougher, cloning a super mole that is resistant to everything. I know this because I have this one mole; Ive named him Brutus, who lives by my crabapple tree. He is about as big as a medium sized German Shepard. Beady eyes, prominent buck teeth and an orangish tint to his glossy fur. Brutus bears a striking resemblance to President Trump.

Now WAIT! I know that remarks like that will get me a whole lot of nasty tweets, hate mail and Letters to the Editor, so I just want to apologize, in advance, if my comparison has offended any moles. Or for that matter any mole lovers, or PFTETOLP (People for the Ethical Treatment of Lawn Pests).

So I have resorted to staking out the lawn, pitchfork in hand, while waiting for Brutus and Co. to dig. Time moves slowly when one is standing in the hot sun, gnats hovering around ones head while watching the ground for the slightest movement. My thought was this: If I could just get rid of Brutus, his underlings would be scared and run off into someone elses yard. There would be chaos, revolts and turmole among his gang members. I could see it all in my mind. "Stay off my turf!" I would shout.

Butlittle did I know, as I watched in one directionBrutus had been tunneling silently behind me until he was but a few feet away from me. Ohit pains me to continue my story.

With an audible pop, he burst through the soil, snarling. I whirled around, dropping my pitchfork in my haste and looked right into the very nearsighted eyes of Brutus! He looked mad! But well fed. A cigarette was dangling from his lip. He stared at me while unwrapping a piece of Wrigleys Doublemint. On his head he was wearing the most outrageous wig of human hair I have ever seen. Talk about scary! It was at this point, I must confess, that regardless of what folklore you may have heard, I have the proof that moles are not repelled by human urine.

I just recently turned 60 years old. And some of you are 60 years old too. But even if youre some punk 40-year-old kid, I would bet that there has been a time in your life where you really had to face the music. Put your money where your mouth is. Really dig down deep inside yourself. And that was what I did at that molement.

I coolly looked at Brutus like he was just some insignificant minor annoyance and said, Mr. Brutus, I am going to make this deal once and once only. Here are five dollars. That ought to buy a pack of cigarettes for you (Pall Moles). Here are two packs of Juicy Fruit. And I have some gummy bears, the good kind, not the poison stuff. Take it and get out. Go back to your business, but let me have my little piece of paradise without all your molestations. Refuse, and one day I will catch up to you or your wife Molenia and you will wish that youd left me alone.

Brutus hesitated for a moment, but then, abruptly, he headed into his tunnel.

I have not seen him since.

..But somehow I seem to have strayed from the original purpose of my articlewhich is this: We all own a little piece of paradise in the Grand Theatre. It is worth protecting and maintaining. There will be lots of events scheduled in the near future including a fundraiser celebrating the life of Keokuk-born Conrad Nagel. We invite you to come face the music. And the dancing. And the acting. Watch for more details. Your current and future support is worthy of a ton of appreciation from us, here on the Grand Theatre Commission. And not one molecule less!

Jim Wolff is a member of the Grand Theatre Commission.

---------------------------------

COLUMN: Is living to 125 too much of a good thing?

By Tom Purcell

Syndicated Columnist

A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long.

Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible.

A hundred and twenty-five years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that.

Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldnt you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldnt you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?

Maybe with your family. My family has taken years off of my life!

I see, but wouldnt it be awesome if some of our finest human beings could stick around longer? Don Rickles, one of the greatest entertainers ever, died this year at 91. How great would it be to keep him around for two more decades?

True, but if Rickles were to stick around longer, that means annoying celebrities would stick around, too, and keep yapping at us every time a Republican becomes president.

There are other upsides to a longer life. What if we could keep our greatest minds around longer? Where would the world be if Einstein had another 25 years to unlock the mysteries of the universe?

But what if he figured out ways to extend human life even further, which would require me and the wife to have to keep coming up with new things to bicker about? Who has that kind of energy?

The downsides are a fair point. As people live longer, they could overburden government programs, such as Social Security. Where would we get all the money to support them?

How about we especially extend the lives of the rich so we can take them to the cleaners?

And living is expensive. If you live to 125, how will you pay for your housing and food and everyday expenses?

Thank goodness McDonalds is always hiring, but I for one have no desire to flip burgers at the age of 125.

The costs of medical care are too high for millions now. I imagine that at 125 years of age, ones medical bills would be difficult to manage.

Look, as a middle-aged guy, who is already showing signs of fatigue, here is what I know about living. Life is largely made up of colds, bills, speeding tickets and people who let you down. These experiences are connected together by a series of mundane tasks.

Did anyone tell you how cheerful you can be? Go on.

Well, these drudgeries are occasionally interrupted by a wonderful meal, a really good laugh with friends or a romantic evening with a lovely woman. Then the mundane stuff starts all over again. Who wants 125 years of that?

A lot of people do. The human lifespan has improved significantly in the past few generations. Millions are living healthy lives beyond the age of 80 today, and, when they were younger, few of them expected to live that long. Why not live relatively good lives until 125?

Because then Id really worry about my slacker son.

Why?

Hes 35 years old and still living at home. If we drastically extend lifespans, my wife will have to tell him: Son, youre 100 years old! When are you going to move out of the basement and get a job?

Tom Purcell, author of Misadventures of a 1970s Childhood and Wicked Is the Whiskey, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist. Send comments to Tom at Tom@TomPurcell.com.

-----------------------------

LETTER: The real world often intrudes on their world

In Psychology the term cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced by a person who simultaneously holds 2 or more contradictory beliefs, ideas or values.

Since people avoid discomfort, they either change their belief consistent with the new, usually more correct information, or fool themselves into somehow holding onto the false belief. This appears to be a condition that is more common since the election.

A good example is fake news, a whiny, bumper-sticker term that has become popular with Pres. Trump and the Trumpettes. When the real world intrudes on the White House and is reported by the media, Small Hand Luke and his other egg-suckers immediately respond thats just fake news. This term reliably reduces the cognitive dissonance that tortures both the President and his faithful allowing them to discount the serious dysfunction of this White House and the person who sometimes lives there.

Other favorites youll hear from the Golden Hair Club are the investigation into Russian influence is a nothing burger dismissing this attack on our country and our electoral process . Then there is the assault on science, dismissing global warming as impossible because we still have snow. These rationalizations and justifications serve as valuable tools for those whose tool box is sparse.

Steve Miller

Nauvoo, Ill.

Here is the original post:
Today's opinions | Opinion | dailygate.com - Keokuk Gate City Daily

A 125-year life expectancy for human beings? I have zero desire to stick around that long.

Ah, yes, you speak of a debate among scientists over human longevity. I read about it at Business Insider. Some scientists argue that the maximum age humans may live is 115 years, whereas others argue that 125 years is possible.

A 125 years of watching Republicans and Democrats going at it? The heck with that.

Living is rife with challenges, to be sure. But living a long life has its upsides. Wouldnt you want to visit your parents and other family members for a lot more years than most of us are able? Wouldnt you like to see them all at a Sunday dinner several more times than most human beings are able?

Maybe with your family. My family has taken years off of my life!

I see, but wouldnt it be awesome if some of our finest human beings could stick around longer? Don Rickles, one of the greatest entertainers ever, died this year at 91. How great would it be to keep him around for two more decades?

True, but if Rickles were to stick around longer, that means annoying celebrities would stick around, too, and keep yapping at us every time a Republican becomes president.

There are other upsides to a longer life. What if we could keep our greatest minds around longer? Where would the world be if Einstein had another 25 years to unlock the mysteries of the universe?

But what if he figured out ways to extend human life even further, which would require me and the wife to have to keep coming up with new things to bicker about? Who has that kind of energy?

The downsides are a fair point. As people live longer, they could overburden government programs, such as Social Security. Where would we get all the money to support them?

How about we especially extend the lives of the rich so we can take them to the cleaners?

And living is expensive. If you live to 125, how will you pay for your housing and food and everyday expenses?

Thank goodness McDonalds is always hiring, but I for one have no desire to flip burgers at the age of 125.

The costs of medical care are too high for millions now. I imagine that at 125 years of age, ones medical bills would be difficult to manage.

Look, as a middle-aged guy, who is already showing signs of fatigue, here is what I know about living. Life is largely made up of colds, bills, speeding tickets and people who let you down. These experiences are connected together by a series of mundane tasks.

Did anyone tell you how cheerful you can be? Go on.

Well, these drudgeries are occasionally interrupted by a wonderful meal, a really good laugh with friends or a romantic evening with a lovely woman. Then the mundane stuff starts all over again. Who wants 125 years of that?

A lot of people do. The human lifespan has improved significantly in the past few generations. Millions are living healthy lives beyond the age of 80 today, and, when they were younger, few of them expected to live that long. Why not live relatively good lives until 125?

Because then Id really worry about my slacker son.

Why?

Hes 35 years old and still living at home. If we drastically extend lifespans, my wife will have to tell him: Son, youre 100 years old! When are you going to move out of the basement and get a job?

Tom Purcell: can be reached atTom@TomPurcell.com.

See more here:
Living to 125 too much of a good thing | Columns | starbeacon.com - The Star Beacon