Month: February 2006

MRI Lie Detection Threats To Private Thought

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows researchers to create maps of the brain’s network actions as they process thoughts, sensations, memories, and motor commands. Cool technology to help diagnose and gather information about diseases and disorders like Alzheimer’s.

It can also be used to analyze your brain activities and tell whether you are lying. It is the new age lie detector and apparently, you cannot fool it. Talk about Orwellian 1984 stuff! The uses of fMRI’s are not approved for legal purposes yet. I wonder if it assesses other cognitive processes at the same time you are being scanned for deception. Is there any guarantee the changes in brain activity being monitored are the only due to truth vs. lying or could something else alter these and thus innocent individuals could appear guilty, or guilty individuals could appear innocent.

There are handheld scanners being developed Britton Chance, a professor emeritus of biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania, has developed one that records brain activity as fMRI lie detection. The January 06 issue of Wired magazine has an interesting article that delves into this subject.

Chance states the next step

”is to develop a system that can be used discreetly in airports and security checkpoints for “remote sensing” of brain activity. […] “It would certainly represent an invasion of privacy”

Talk about Thought Police. In the realm of Civil Rights and this administration’s record, I do believe there is cause for concern that this technology’s development will be more along the spying aspect than the medical research lines.

sign thought police propaganda

Follow the DNA – A Road to Commonality

The Genographic Project, a five-year project to track human genetic material (DNA) started by the National Geographic Society, IBM, geneticist Spencer Wells, and the Waitt Family Foundation shows that all humans descended from an African ancestor about 60,000 years ago. they have gathered DNA samples from all over the world and charted movements using the genetic markers.

“When DNA is passed from one generation to the next, most of it is recombined by the processes that give each of us our individuality.
Some parts of the DNA chain remain largely intact through the generations, altered only occasionally by mutations which become “genetic markers.” These markers allow geneticists like Spencer Wells to trace our common evolutionary timeline back through the ages.” National Genographic Project

Any of us can purchase their kit, send in our genetic material for anaylisis, and become part of the data. Their site states that it is completely anonymous using your kit ID numbers and that there is no record or database of who purchased the kit that links the purchasers with the results.

The projects website has a nice atlas of the human journey, information on genetics, and more. I site worth visiting. Broaden your view of Homo sapiens, and how we all really are connected.

The Acts, Sedition, Smith, Espionage, and Patriot

The stifling of American citizen’s freedom of speech by the U.S. Government is not a new concept in the history of our country. I suspect that the many people in this country have not a clue as to what the following examples are or what drove their inception.
In 1798 congress passed the “Sedition Acts”. Making it an offense punishable by a fine or imprisonment, to write, print, utter, publish, or procure any false, scandalous, or malicious writings against the government of the United States, either house of Congress, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame or irritate the heck out of them.

The Espionage Act in 1917 made it punishable to interfering with military recruitment and its amendment (Sedition Act of 1918) a year later added “… utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States…”.

In the Smith Act of 1940 once again citizens are subject to fines and imprisonment “…for willfully . . . with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or. . . “. It is still around you can read it 18 U.S. Code § 2385

Two weeks before the Alien & Sedition Acts passed On June 1, 1798 Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to his friend John Taylor.

“This is not new,” Jefferson said. “It is the old practice of despots; to use a part of the people to keep the rest in order. And those who have once got an ascendancy and possessed themselves of all the resources of the nation, their revenues and offices, have immense means for retaining their advantage.”

Jefferson did what he could to stop his generations Patriot Acts but failed.

1984 Plus 20 Years Signs of the Times

War is Peace 1984 sign

“I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.” Bush at the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2002, 10:30 A.M. EDT

ignorance is strength sign

freedom is slavery

Big Brother is watching sign

Society based upon the principles of Ingsoc and its very wise ideals of the Philosopher Big Brother. Our mission is to show our support to the Government in its actions to bring about the Utopia presented by George Orwell in 1984! This includes War on all those who oppose us, because War is Peace. Censorship, such as Chaney talks abou the policy, because Ignorance is Strength. And the wonderful Patriot Act, because Freedom is Slavery! As a member of our glorious society you will know yourself to be safe because Big Brother is watching out for you in 1984 + 20.

Any reports of failure are almost certainly lies, the work of thought criminals. Kindly ignore them.

thoughtpolice turn in poster

.