Hello, brain!

Brain exploration is about to revolutionize and redefine science, medicine, capitalism and possibly daytime soap operas. At least that's what Charlie Rose and his illustrious panel of brain experts say.

Below is Part One of Charlie Rose's series on science and the brain.

From Freud to the mysteries of the human brain. Topics include Sigmund Freud and the study of psychoanalytics, information storage and processing, learning, remembering, perception, thinking, feeling, and behavior. Panelists include: Paul Nurse, Eric Kandel, Aaron Beck, Steven Roose, Peter Fonagy, Nancy Kanwisher, Nora Volkow, Rebecca Saxe and Liz Phelps.

Joy Ride

I'm back with a head full of mush, madness and little moments of in between. That's what it's like going back home to what was once your home.

I did bring back some sand with me. Take a look.

Yeeeeee Hawwwww, Pard'ner!

Ever been to Texas? It's a small country stuck inside a big state. I'll be there on vacation visiting friends and family, so don't be surprised if you start to miss me some.

Along the way, the Family Cairo Tour 2007 will make variouos stops, including a visit to San Antonio, the city where my journey with Spirit began. From there we're off to the beach town of Port Aransas, a Spring Break haven which in my youth played host to some of my most embarrassing failures as a budding Casanova. As a finale, I delve deep into my college nostalgia with a trip to Austin.

See you in a week and a half, ya'll.  

Deport all Mediums!!

I've been doing some perusing around the internet, visiting various science-based parapsychology websites or PSI friendly blogs and one thing has become increasingly clear to me... mediums are the illegal aliens toiling the field of parapsychology. That is, with very rare exception, mediums are not mentioned, acknowledged or assimilated into the greater family of parapsychology study.

If mentioned at all, mediums are relegated to the respect level of lab rats; set free from their cages on special occasions to perform tasks that offer up statistical opposition to chance probability.

Perhaps the marginalization of mediums is warranted. After all, the industry has historically been ripe with frauds, quacks and hucksters... but so has the insurance industry, medicine, politics, and yes, that sacred hall of intellectual elitism, academic research.

My guess is that parapsychology researchers are more interested in garnering personal acceptance from skeptical, university peers than they are interested in enfranchising mediums like me. Well, that's a real shame because good mediums are out there, and we're a huge untapped resource. So, instead of treating us like lab rats, perhaps you might want to do something a little radical, like invite us to the collective consciousness conference table.

Transcendence of the foot

In a previous post, I had bowed down before the gods of "fútbol" and offered up a link of homage to Messi & Maradona"s history making goals. That link was removed by YouTube. Heathens!

Alas, a Japanese fan has saved me with this transcendent video blossom (watch it with audio on to glimpse Nirvana).

Talking Mind

Here's yet another little project of mine. It's called TalkingMind.com, a bi-monthly roundup of independent audio podcasts that explore the science, spirituality, philosophy, mystery and controversy of human consciousness.

Tune in as skeptics and believers debate the mysteries of the mind (available for ipod download or online listening).

PSI Wars

Dean Radin and The Institute of Noetic Sciences are in full force so to speak in this Star Wars spoof that tackles the very real battle between reductionist materialism and paraspychology.

Sure, I usually like my animation without the quantum geek factor, but this is worth the silly entertainment value.