"ILLUSIONARY WEATHER" : CNN'S VISUAL TRICKS!

"ILLUSIONARY WEATHER" : CNN'S VISUAL TRICKS!

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During this segment of our visit to CNN "Special Effects Department", we are shown how computer chip cameras use manipulation of blue and/or green chips to make it appear that a weather reporter is actually standing in front of a map when he/she actually is not

 

This is the second part of my report on the CNN tour.  The first part can be viewed by clicking on my vlog:

www.randywickerreporting.blogspot.com  

SERIOUS ABOUT IMMORTALITY ? TRY WORKING AT IT !

SERIOUS ABOUT IMMORTALITY ? TRY WORKING AT IT !

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The idea that some people are organizing with the intention of "defeating the blight of involuntary death" and achieving immortality here and now is quikcly dismissed by most people

  

"Such a movement must be comprised of crackpots."  would be a popular response.

 

However, among the 150 people who attended The Immortality Institute's first Conference were many brilliant and accomplished scientists, thinkers and entrepeneurs.

 

The enthusiasm and seriousness of those involved cannot be overstated.  This is genuinely a new social movement.  Interestingly, this is a movement that has taken root in the United States.

 

Full disclosure here:  I am a member of The Immortality Institute and serve as an advisor on activism.  At age 67, I am one of the oldest members.  Most members are in their thirties and forties.

 

Most encouraging, besides the enthusiasm expressed by individual members, is the focused efforts by some young people to really bring about a change in the world through their work in science.

 

This is an interview with John Schoendorn, 26 years old, Masters Degree in Biochemistry, who attended The Immortality Institute Conference while on his way to work on important Government funded research organized by Aubrey de Grey Ph.D. 

 

This IS the face of a movement that may revolutionize the world in our lifetime.

You can contact John and other Immortalists by going to The Immortality Institute, www.imminst.org  

CNN TELEPROMPTER TECHNIQUES; "Immortalists Acting Mortal"

CNN TELEPROMPTER TECHNIQUES; "Immortalists Acting Mortal"

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After attending The Immortality Institute's first conference in Atlanta, Immortalists from all over the world decided to gather on Sunday Morning and take a tour of CNN Headquarters

 

While Aubrey de Grey stayed behind to talk with a reporter from France, about thirty of us took the $10.00 tour together.

 

The most interesting part of the tour was an explanation about CNN's use of teleprompters and special effects used for weather reporting.

 

Susan Klein, on of the founders of The Immortality Institute, took the anchor's chair and good-naturedly read script to entertain other "Imminst"  members.  So, here we have Immortalists acting quite mortal.

The Immortality Institute www.imminst.org  

Aubrey de Grey: Spokesman for Human Immortality

Aubrey de Grey: Spokesman for Human Immortality

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Aubrey de Grey ph.D. is rapidly becoming a familiar face to the world because of his advocacy of achieving immortality by stopping the aging process

 

His picture was on the cover of Technology Review in november.  Articles about him are popping up everywhere.

 

In this interview, Aubrey de Grey Ph.D. discusses how he became the major spokesman for human immortality.

 

He also muses on the impact his beard has on his crecdibility.

 

For more information, explore The Immortality Institute, www.Imminst.org

 

MASTERING HUMAN AGING ? Flies & Mice Show Us How !

MASTERING HUMAN AGING ? Flies & Mice Show Us How !

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This is a short three minute segment of a discussion about how science has been unlocking the secrets of human aging

 

After a few comments by Aubrey de Grey Ph.D., a professor from Cambridge  University who has become the world's most notable champion of extending human longevity through science, Michael R. Rose Ph.D., a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, explains how studies of the aging mechanisms in fruit flies and mice promise to enable human beings to greatly extend their lifetimes.

 

This is a short segment from eight hours of discussion at The Immortality Institute's First Conference on November 5,2005 at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

The Immortality Institute, http://www.Imminst.org , seeks "to conquer the blight of involuntary death".

 

A huge response to my first vlog on this subject has been very encouraging.  This will be a frequent subject of my future vlogs since I am an active member of The Immortality Institute.

ARABS TERRORIZE FAGGOTS

ARABS TERRORIZE FAGGOTS

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I used to own an antique lighting shop in Greenwich Village in NYC. One of my employees and dearest friends was in the terminal stages of AIDS.

 

George Albert Flimlin was born on July 4th. However, he had never had a birthday party on his birthday.  His family, including five brothers and sisters, always celebrated his birthday before or after.

 

In 1991, we decided to throw a birthday party for him in the shop on July 4th itself.  This would be George's last birthday party and the only one he ever had on July 4th.

 

George, Nelson (the boy in the box) and Tony (the African American who does the vogue pose with Nelson) have all died of AIDS.  I don't know what happened to Muffy, (the boy who uses his AIDS as a weapon). 

 

I filed legal charges.  The Rivoli workers missed a day's pay and had to attend the hearing where it was agreed that the employees of Rivoli Pizza and those of Uplift Lighting "would have no verbal or nonverbal communication" for the next twelve months.

 

In the years that followed, I always showed this videotape and urged my employees to boycott the corner pizza parlor.  It always angered me when they didn't.

 

At the "arbitration hearings", the woman "hearing officer" actually told the threatening Arab that he "looked good on camera". 

 

 

VLOG IN STONE

VLOG IN STONE

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See: http://www.randywickerreporting.blogspot.com/

BLOG IN STONE

BLOG IN STONE

I’d rushed past some incredible sculptures in the Atlanta airport while attending The Immortality Institute Conference (Vlogged as “Waging War on Death” with more to come).

 

When I ended up with a six hour delay in Atlanta while returning from Indianapolis where I’d flown to work with a couple filmmakers on a documentary about human reproductive cloning, I decided to take the time to film and photograph the exhibit in greater detail.

 

It was truly amazing. However, while I was spending two hours filming and photographing (with my heavy bag and coat always a sculpture or two away) the sound system repeatedly announced that the trains weren’t running and that people should use the moving sidewalks.

 

This circumstance also meant that the passageway, which would usually have only a few people walking through, was suddenly gushing with people madly dashing to catch their planes.

 

Atlanta Airport is simply huge. Most people passing through there aren’t even aware that this exhibit exists.

 

After compiling the videos of the sculpture and reading what I could of the displayed literature, I discovered that Zimbabwe Sculpture was internationally famous.  The most amazing thing was that it was introduced only in the 1950s along with some other art forms.

 

Local artists seem to have a special gift and attraction to sculpture.  That can be seen in those presented here.

 

Each one had an explanation. One represented a “protected family”. Another represented a “water spirit”. Another represented a “peacemaker”.

 

The last one displayed was the most touching. It was entitled “Who Will Raise This Child” and shows two parents infected with AIDS looking skyward as if pleading to God for help while a child clings to them as if to keep them from leaving.

 

I hope you enjoy this film. This is a permanent exhibit at the Atlanta Airport right near the baggage claim. Don’t miss it if you pass through the airport.

If text is separated from video, see:

http://www.randywickerreporting.blogspot.com/

 

I’ve done a little searching on Google and have compiled the following links that might answer a lot of your questions if you find this art as interesting as I did.

 

Link to an article by a professor:

http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/landow/post/zimbabwe/art/sculptors/history.html

 
 

Link to sculptures in a Zimbabwe park:

http://www.cama.org.za/CAMA/countries/zimbabwe/webcomponents/Html/sculp.htm

 

Link to brief story about Zimbabwe sculpture:

http://artzimbabwe.com/reference/content.htm

 
 

List of sculptures and pictures of their works which are also for sale:

http://www.chapungu.com/sculptures.htm

 
 
 
 

LIVE & UNCENSORED IN NYC PART 2; How Old is Dick Cavett?

LIVE & UNCENSORED IN NYC PART 2; How Old is Dick Cavett?

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This is the last of this two part vlog. Political correctness and censorship in national media are topics of discussion on a panel moderated by Catherine Crier

 

Dick Cavett attacks political correctness.  When asked if he was up to answering "a politically incorrect question", he responded "Bring it on!""

 

Then he seemed to gag when asked how old he was.  "How Old is Dick Cavett?" is the subtitle of this vlog.

 

To see the earlier segment, go to:

http://www.randywickerreporting.blogspot.com/ 

LIVE AND UNCENSORED IN NEW YORK CITY PART 1

LIVE AND UNCENSORED IN NEW YORK CITY PART 1

The Creative Coalition is a nonprofit, 501©(3), public advocacy organization of the entertainment industry.  It “educates and mobilizes leaders in the arts community on issues of public importance, specifically in the areas of First Amendment rights, arts advocacy and public education.

 

Members are those whose careers are related to the arts or entertainment fields who, as their brochure terms it, “have unique access to the media and can shape a message.”

 

On Thursday, November 15, 2005, The Creative Coalition along with the House of Campari and Paper Magazine hosted a panel discussion on censorship in the media today at the Steven Kasher Gallery, 521 West 23rd Street.

 

Legendary Emmy Award winning talk show host Dick Cavett, actor/comedian/writer Richard Belzer (Law & Order: SVU) Tim Blake Nelson (Actor, Syriana, Meet the Fockers, Minority Report, O Brother, Where Art Thou?) and Bill Devlin, spokesperson for Christian Democrats, participated in a panel discussion moderated by Court TV anchor Catherine Crier.

 

The Gallery had been hosting “Passionate Image: The Body In Art and Advertising”. That exhibit featured outstanding examples of advertisements and other works of art focusing on the human body.  (That will be the subject of a future vlog.)

 

The discussion and Q&A lasted for an hour.  Dick Cavett shared his experience of dealing with network executives who were worried about broadcasting a Yoko Ono song, “Woman is the Nigger of the World”.

 

Catherine Crier talked about guests who were afraid to express unpopular attitudes “on the air”.  Richard Belzer wondered why we were so worried about Janet Jackson’s breast and so unaware of the maiming and loss of life in Iraq.

 

By turns, each guest made quips that were sharp and pungent.  Dick Cavett, especially, launched a blistering attack on political correctness on the word “Native American”.  When one panelist pointed out how fortunate we were to live in freedom in the USA instead of Saudi Arabia, Richard Belzer responded: “Just wait six more months”.

 

There will be two five minute vlogs distilled from the hour dialogue.  The second vlog will be published in a few days.

 

For more information, visit the website: www.TheCreativeCoalition.org 

 

LIVE AND UNCENSORED IN NEW YORK CITY PART 1

LIVE AND UNCENSORED IN NEW YORK CITY PART 1

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Waging War on Death! The Immortality Institute's first conference 11/5/05.

Waging War on Death! The Immortality Institute's first conference 11/5/05.

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Waging War on Death! The Immortality Institute's first conference 11/5/05.

Waging War on Death! The Immortality Institute's first conference 11/5/05.

The Immortality Institute's stated goal is "to overcome the blight of involuntary death"( http://www.imminst.org)

 

On November 5,2005, one-hundred and fifty Immortalists gathered for their first conference at Georgia Technology Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, to hear visionaries outline how biotechnology, nonotechnology, cryonics, artificial intelligence and computer science could enable human beings to become the masters of their own fates.

 

Cynics might laugh.  However, the credentials and past accomplishments of several speakers commanded serious respect.

 

The announcement of the first $1,000,000.00 donation toward establishing a scientific prize for extending longevity in mice was a historical landmark.

 

The most prominent speaker, Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D., Research Associate, University of Cambridge-SENS (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence) outlined a detailed plan for curing human aging.

 

I had the opportunity of spending several hours with Dr. de Grey and two interviews with him will be interspersed with other highlights videotaped during this conference.

 

You can see the profiles of those who spoke by going to 

http://www.imminst.org and looking under "speakers" in their "Conference Project" area.

 

The conference's first speaker was Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D., J.D., M.B.A., who was responsible for launching several sattlelite communications companies including Sirius and Worldspace, who spoke on "The Legal Rights of Conscious Computers". 

 

Like most of those active at The Immortality Institute, I think for myself.  Personally, I've always been openly skeptical about such subjects as Artificial Intelligence, The Singularity,  uploading and downloading ourselves into computers, etc.

 

However, I found Martine Rothblatt's arguments to be fascinating.  They went to the core of what individual identity is really all about.

 

Eliezer Yudowsky, Director, Singularity Intitute For Artificial Intelligence, gave a presentation which caused me to view all the arguments about AI in a totally new light.

 

One thing I have learned in life is that there are many more things I don't know than those that i do know.

 

I'll be filing commentary with each posting.  Hope you enjoy this series.

 

However, I will be interspersing other materials on diverse different subjects.  Stay tuned.  Subscribe to my feed.  Please leasve comments.