Expanding the Genetic Alphabet

Maybe billions of years of evolution overlooked some useful sequences! 😊

Maybe in the next 20-50 years our DNA will be enriched with synthetic DNA!

Expanding the Genetic Alphabet | The Scientist Magazine® Synthetic biologists repurposed rarely used codons to install novel amino acids into proteins and expand the capabilities of protein engineering.

Student drivers learn from AI robots in Beijing, China

What do you need driving students or instructors anymore in the age of robotaxis and autonomous vehicles? What a waste of time and money! Caution: Satire. China seems committed to lead in this area!

Britain's youth sobered up

Amazing stuff! What drugs are they using instead of alcohol?

What about other Western countries?

"... About a quarter of under-25s (well, those of drinking age) are teetotal and one study found that a third of all pub visits don’t involve alcohol. ...
drink historian Henry Jeffreys writes the cover piece on one of the biggest social trends of our time. ..."

"... When surveyed, Gen Z said they associate alcohol with ‘vulnerability’, ‘anxiety’ and ‘loss of control’. ...
with the ever-present possibility of online disgrace? Alcohol is also seen as unhealthy, and Gen Z are obsessed with their health. Teenagers look different to when I was young; they’re better groomed, with better teeth and skin. They want to look good for social media. They seem obsessed with drinking huge quantities of water. The water bottle has now become a cult item. ..."

How Britain sobered up | The Spectator

Some wishes for 2024

Let's pray and hope that none of the major ongoing wars in the world escalates into a full blown World War III. The Russo-Ukrainian War is already a world war by any other name given how many countries are involved. Unfortunately, too often the many lessons of history about war and peace are ignored or forgotten and history repeats itself again and again.

Will the senile, demented and corrupt 46th U.S. President finally resign for health reasons! He should have done so shortly after taking office to preserve his place in history as a great president.

Putin the Terrible will finally be ousted! The last czar, a megalomaniac and war criminal must go! The Russo-Ukraine War will come to an end!

Peace at last in the Middle East! Will the West, Israel, the Arab countries and the rest of the world handle the post war period of the Israel-Hamas War properly to promote lasting peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and beyond? There is a huge opportunity to extend the Abraham Accords. Unfortunately, too many politicians still hang on to outdated political dogmas like the two state solution or to involve the totally discredited Palestinian Authority and the like.

Taiwan will remain independent until the people of Taiwan by a voluntary and without external pressure vote in a referendum for a peaceful, mutually accepted reunification with mainland china!

South Korea and North Korea will finally be reunited almost 35 years after Germany!

Let the Liberty Bell ring and the success of the shock therapy revive the well being, standard of living, and foster prosperity of the people in Argentina!

May as many countries as possible of Africa become become economic tigers and rid themselves of the vestiges of Western colonialism. However, e.g. separatists and Islamic terrorists are some of the dangers. Hopefully, federalism and a more perfect union will be evolving.

Last but not least: The propaganda and demagoguery of the climate change needs to be defeated! It is the famous Road to Serfdom (Friedrich Hayek) pursued by big government socialists of all colors and persuasions! Climate Change is largely based on pseudo, even manipulated science and ideologically tainted science!

Elections, Weight Loss Drugs, AI: What Will Define 2024? with Palki Sharma

Recommendable!

Robotics and Paradise

If humans don't kill each other with the help of robots in the near or not so near future, then robots may get humans closer to paradise.

Theoretically, robots could do all our daily work and produce anything we need. The more robot skills etc. improve, the more they could even perform complicated work like brain surgery.

One day, robots may very well be capable of repairing and improving themselves. Robots produce robots etc.

Robotics may revolutionize capitalism and economics.

What are humans left to do: Develop better robots, philanthropy, charity, poetry, leisure, music, and romance. 😊

Maybe in the not so distant future humans and robots become one to blend  the best of both worlds.

Notes on transgender

Transgender, bisexuality, fluidity of gender and similar related obsessions of our time can not be completely dismissed!

As far as human reproduction and our bodies are concerned there are at least a few recognizable trends that suggest that the gender or biological sex of a human will be less important in the near future:

1. With the rapid advance of medical treatments death and ageing will be further postponed and the life at old age will be much improved. For example, if our mental faculties do not degrade with age anymore or even improve with age, one of the reasons for children becomes less important
2. In my estimation, in about 20-40 years from now pregnancy and birth giving as we humans have known it since time immemorial will be replaced by other means. In other words, women will not have to get pregnant anymore to give birth to a new human being
3. There will likely be substitutes/alternatives available to sexual pleasures etc.

British Are In The Fast Lane For Driverless Cars

The British are always good for positive surprises! Or is it British eccentricity? :-)

Just read “UK to allow driverless cars on public roads in January”.

I know, where I am going on my next vacation trip!

Soon they will sing Got my kicks down in a driverless car in Great Britain!.

The Future Of Labor Markets Is Here

Trigger

I just read “Your next job, next year, may be self-employment

Tech industry sees a shift to independent workers -- and different kinds of opportunities for IT pros”.

Labor Markets Are A Thing Of The Past

I have observed for many years now that IT business is upsetting traditional conventions about labor markets. Disclaimer: I myself work in the IT business for well over a decade.

Obsolete or outdated are, e.g.:

• Marxist distinction between capitalists and laborer
• Labor unions
• Traditional Hierarchies at the workplace
• Traditional dependent employment with one employer versus contractual, project related work with anyone
• Daily commute to a brick and mortar employer

The Future Belongs To Entrepreneurs

Today’s and more so tomorrow’s technologies will offer many more opportunities for anyone to start their own business.

Where Does ObamaCare Fit In?

Aka Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act (ACA, PPCA).

We can already say with confidence ObamaCare is a socialist dinosaur. Doomed to extinction before it was even passed by the U.S. Congress.