The Innovation Deficit Peter Thiel is a smart fellow. One of the founders of Paypal, businessmen like him and economists like Tyler Cowen insistently argue innovation is declining throughout the globe. One area that really does not appear to be innovating well is health. Which makes sense. Particularly if your definition of what you’re attempting […]
Speak, Memory (2/18/13)
Sleep’s Memory How do we remember? What do we try to forget? What do we forget without trying? As in many areas of consciousness, sleep is a key. Vladimir Nabokov was a formidable novelist, essayist and lepidopterist. He recognized evolutionary changes in butterflies decades before his colleagues. Yet he is better known as the author […]
Why We Need New Definitions of Health (2/13/13)
Money and Health Money will buy you health care. It won’t buy you health. The media equation of health with health care is a sad and tragic misperception. It makes people think that if they have enough money and “great” health insurance, that even if they get sick everything will be fine. That might prove […]
The New Hypochondriacs (Our Brave New Sensor World – 1/30/13)
New York, 2016 Your smartphone blasts you into semiconsciousness at 3:20 in the morning. As you shakily grab the sides blue and white neon flash across the screen – “Warning! You are at risk of heart attack. Consult your physician immediately.” You stare at the messages, but the picture stays the same. Hit a few […]
Driving While Asleep
Safe Driving? Recently Toyota unveiled a new self-driving Lexus – joining a very long list of manufacturers working on self-directed transport. We may need self driving cars soon. People are falling asleep at the wheel – all the time. The CDC and You Recently the Centers for Disease Control conducted a large telephone survey. Nearly […]