Your Brain in Public Domain?

This Boston Globe article by Carey Goldberg brings up the area of "neuroethics" and quotes Bruce H. Hinrichs, professor of psychology at Century College in Minnesota
who says "corporations could try to worm their way into consumers' minds." Duh. I am afraid they already have. The notion that the future could hold small, cheap, easy to use MRI gear does challenge privacy issues and would open the doorway to the most invasive form of advertising ever known. While academia finds themselves haggling over new laws to protect individual privacy, I am left to wonder why is it that we have such a lack of ethics that we must fear new technology rather then celebrating it? I know never ask "Why?".
via blogdex

MEMS the Wurd

Check out memsnet.org
Microcomponants or Micro Machines MEMS are Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems. Which have garnered various net-tention, most known as the sensors for automobile air bags. The newer less bulky MEMS are heralded as a tenth the price and size and more efficient. The person submitting this link who suffers from diabetes was excited about the notion of using MEMS technology to implant a chip into a diabetic that would determine when the person's blood sugar was too high and then automatically delivering the appropriate amount of insulin into the body. VERY COOL.
via Marcy (thanks!)

USS Xlaphone Nuclear powered spaceship

The newly named "Project Prometheus" nuclear powered spaceship proposed to orbit Jupiter's icey moons. The name sounds Buck Rogers enough. Formerly called "Cassini", professional political enviromentalist groups like Sierra Club protested its developement. ( It is not really called "Xlaphone", it just looks like one. Check out the animation and fuller story at MSNBC here.)

media MIT up to their world changing ways once again

Are they really "questioning the social code of privacy" in human potty interaction, or is that edu-speak to justify geek play?
See the video or read the white paper (pdf) here
While I can see this become a standard like "target" liners in urinals, I don't know if the world becomes a better place. Not to mention the sexist discrimination against those who sit. : ) Actually, I have been looking into the costs of creating a receptionist that greats people at the door via flatscreen LCD, my robot Deardra needs better training (don't tell her), or I need to buy a pre-programmed one.
via Linkfilter (nice recent cosmetic site update from 'net grunge to 70's eclectic?)

The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect

While we are talking sci-fi stories Roger Williams kuro5hin.org contributor has posted a science-fictrion novel online here. I wish it was available in a format for my palm like Cory's book, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. While I won't promise a review, as I have never even given a proper review to Cory's book, this inspiration for this site, I will try to give an update once I read the story titled "The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect".
Via Futurismic again (I try not to just rip all the content for this site from other blogs unless it is really well associated information that visitors might have missed. Speaking of which April marks the biggest traffic yet for Whuffie.com with 70,000 hits.)

Hive Mind Sci-Fi Shorts

Unwirer is a blog that Cory Doctorow and Charlie Stross are colaborating short stories on. Is this the future of publication? Colabaorative works, influenced by the public in a real time authoring enviroment? Networks of hive minds pumping out futuristic artworks, written by everyone? What if other creative works were 'hived this way? Historically great minds heavily influance each other, with derivative and hybrid works. Does this mark the first in a pioneering effort towards "open source" style creative authoring? Will the results be so superior and profitable that "solo" will become diminutive?

While I will have to read the outline to step fully into the storyline, the comments are surprisingly revealing of the author's process. My question is how open to comments could a writer be without either becoming completely confused or losing cohesive direction? I guess it depends on the author(s). Some creatives can take external input and magnify it into something bigger, others demand quiet self inspiration. That said, it is a collabarotive work, which is conducive by nature to group think.
Via Futurismic (Newly added to the link list, a netnews blog similar to this sites subject matter combined with a boingboing thang')