Underground or Out to Space Elon Fly's

SpaceX launches 16th flight in 2017

Boring tunnel lengthens to 500 feet

SpaceX | Flickr SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket takes off
on its mission to deliver the EchoStar 105/SES-11
satellite to space.

Elon Musk is all over the place. Literally. His SpaceX rocket launched on Monday, carrying a Korean commercial satellite out to space and returned unscathed, landing on a floating launch pad in the Atlantic Ocean.

And deep underground in subterranean California, his Boring company continued to lurch forward carving out a tunnel heading to LAX.

It is hard to determine which one is more miraculous. The tunnel, designed to create a 17-mile corridor to LAX in a year's time, has moved some 500 feet in the last few weeks. But Musk expects it to pick up a head of steam and be a few miles long in the next few months.

He hopes to complete the stretch, that will begin from highway 110 and go south to LAX, in a year with all systems in place to begin testing the high-velocity vehicle sleds. The 17-mile futuristic trip is expected to take around eight minutes. To drive the stretch currently takes over an hour and a half.

— Uncover 007 (@uncover007) October 28, 2017

500 ft so far. Should be 2 miles long in three or four months and hopefully stretch the whole 405 N-S corridor from LAX to the 101 in a year or so.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2017

Go For A Spin in Google's Self Driver

A report from Waymo's secret testing grounds

Google invited media reporters to ride 

Behind the scenes at Waymo's top-secret testing site from CNBC.

Media's impressions after riding in Waymo self-driving van 

Waymo's passenger screen photo The Verge

From Venture Beats When riders first step into the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan, they’ll notice two displays and a button console with four choices: “help,” “lock and unlock,” “pull over,” and a blue button that says “start ride.”

The two screens, which are attached to the back of the headrests, display a welcome message.

Once the “start ride” button is pushed, the display message disappears and is replaced with a real-time view of the route. The displays showcase relevant information, like pedestrians, other vehicles, and objects in the road. It will also display less relevant objects like trees and buildings about every five seconds. Even here, Waymo has tinkered with what is the best mix of information for the rider, and just how to present it. For instance, greater emphasis is placed on the most relevant objects like pedestrians and bicyclists, while buildings are less visible.

At the top of the screen, an estimated arrival message constantly updates as the vehicle makes progress towards its destination.

Other messages show up towards the bottom of the display, typically to explain the behavior of the vehicle. For instance, if the self-driving minivan stops at an intersection because a pedestrian is about to cross, passengers would see a “yielding to pedestrians” message. They might also notice the crosswalk that the pedestrian is using is illuminated on the screen.

The screen also shows when the self-driving minivan has entered a construction zone. If there are multiple construction cones, those too will be displayed.

The company has also tried to anticipate the needs of apprehensive passengers, by mimicking the behavior of human drivers. For instance, as the self-driving minivan prepares to make a right turn, the camera angle displayed on the screen moves to the left to signal that the car is looking for objects like oncoming traffic.

Setting up obstacles Waymo test grounds photo The Verge

From The Verge, It’s a smooth, yet totally unremarkable ride. Only there’s no one behind the wheel. There’s not even anyone in the passenger seat.

And I feel completely safe.

In the past two years, I’ve ridden in four self-driving cars. I’ve even been behind the wheel of one. In addition to being mundane rides, the one thing these cars have in common is they always had a safety driver at the wheel. After riding in the Waymo Pacifica, I’ve finally experienced what big car and tech companies are chasing: full autonomy.

Waymo provided a closer look at the interiors of its self-driving minivans, as well as the backseat user experience. In addition to the blue “start ride” button, there is another button that reads “pull over,” in case a rider need to unexpectedly suspend the trip. There is also a “help” button, a la GM’s OnStar, that someone could push in case the car breaks down. (During my ride, I was able to chat briefly with a Waymo technician based in Austin, Texas.)

Two screens on the back of each of the driver and passenger seat headrests show a top-down visual map of what the van’s sensors allow it to “see.” But rather than the raw “X view” version used by Waymo engineers, the version passengers see looks like a design studio product — it's simple, congruent, and the script is uniform. Other vehicles and cyclists are represented by blue rectangles. Emergency vehicles are distinguished by a red light that circulates around the rectangle. The symbol for pedestrians appears in a ghostly white hue. And orange traffic cones look like orange traffic cones, only tiny.

“It’s all about curation,” said Ryan Powell, head of Waymo’s UX design team. “Knowing what to show, how to show it.”

Other features, such as navigational directions and time-to-arrival, are meant to give passengers basic information they need about their journey. They also help assure riders that the car can see construction zones and all the other variables that make daily driving unpredictable. (Waymo says it has an app that test-subjects in Arizona use to hail its minivans, but the company wouldn’t let us see it.)

Girl with 3D Printed Hand to Throw World Series First Pitch

Dodgers Astros matchup will start with a seven-year old's robotic hand

Hailey Dawson will throw out first
pitch this Saturday to start 2017
World Series photo Inverse

3D hand developed by engineers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

From Inverse Engineers at UNLV use a 3D printer to create the prosthetic, a process that has to be done repeatedly as the Las Vegas girl continues to grow. They made her first one three years ago, when she was four. According to a fundraising page the engineering department has set up, the printer machinery costs about $60,000 and each hand costs $5,000. The school says it aims to expand its work with prosthetics to help more children in the area.

Dawson is no newcomer to first pitches, having previously thrown them at Major League Baseball games for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. And because pitching at the World Series isn’t enough, Dawson aims higher: She wants to throw the first pitch at every one of the 30 MLB ballparks. Hailey suffers from Poland disease.

AI Ultimate Cancer Warrior

AI can now detect colon cancer

Yet another neural network for early cancer detection  

Image from Engadget

New neural networks that can detect cancer are cropping up like wildfire. This is great news considering there are 1,685,210 new cases of cancer being diagnosed, according to the National Cancer Institute.

AI typically outperforms current methods that rely on the human eye.

From Futurism, A new computer-aided endoscopic system that probes for signs of tumor or cancer growth in the colon may very well be the future of cancer detection. Assisted by artificial intelligence (AI), the new diagnostic system is able to tell if clumps of cells, called colorectal polyps, that grow along the walls of the colon are benign tumors known as colorectal adenoma.

“The most remarkable breakthrough with this system is that artificial intelligence enables real-time optical biopsy of colorectal polyps during colonoscopy, regardless of the endoscopists’ skill,” Mori said, speaking during the Opening Plenary at the UEG Week. “This allows the complete resection of adenomatous polyps and prevents unnecessary polypectomy of non-neoplastic polyps.”

In recent months AI systems have been used to conduct early detection diagnosis is many other types of cancer. Those include skin cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer. 

IBM's Watson is currently being used for a host of healthcare applications. It has increased the implementation of deep learning neural networks to help diagnose things like heart disease and cancer.  

In early August, IBM announced that it will acquire Merge Healthcare Inc., a company that sells systems that help medical professionals access and store medical images. This move is a critical step in IBM’s plan to put AI to work medically by training its Watson software to identify maladies like heart disease and cancer.

If they’re right, IBM may someday be able to provide services that help streamline the diagnostic process for doctors, lowering costs and raising efficiency. This, in turn, could turn IBM into a major player in the $7.2 trillion global healthcare market.

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence-is-leading-a-revolution-in-medicine/

https://futurism.com/ai-assisted-detection-identifies-colon-cancer-automatically-and-in-real-time/

Tesla Model 3 Review 70 Min Video

Thinking of buying a Model 3 Tesla?

The Tesla 3 from stem to stern

Check out this 70-minute video:

JFK Files: Two Shooters!

Kennedy assassination release of thousands of pages

Already a massive bombshell

Here are the highlights:

1. Fortey journalists employed by CIA during Kennedy's Presidency
2. Mafia involvement in assassination
3. Oswald a former CIA agent
4. CIA media plants pushed narrative of single shooter
5. Fidel Castro assassination planned by CIA
6. Two shooters murdered JFK 

This document shows there were two shooters involved in the Kennedy assassination.

Above this document mentioned a news story that ran in'73 that reported 40 journalists were employed by the CIA in Kennedy's time as President.

In this document, the Attorney General at the time warned the CIA not to use the mafia in the future because it would make it more difficult for the Department of Justice to prosecute the mafia's other unlawful actions going forward.

In these two above documents say that Oswald worked as a Government agent in 1957 and was given clearance up to the level of confidential.

This document indicates that there was coordination to make sure the public was convinced that there was only one shooter and that shooter was Harvey Oswald.

Fidel Castro was a target for a US-backed assassination using botulism pills. From Fulcrum News

Next Amazon City?

Next Amazon headquarters?

New York Times rankings

Pittsburgh skyline

Amazon's search for its second North American headquarters has created a flurry of activity as cities vie for what experts believe will produce a massive economic boon to the lucky winner.

Tens of thousands of new jobs will follow it is predicted, allowing a new region of America to reap the benefits of big tech.

Over two hundred cities large and small have responded by offering assorted tax breaks and putting together presentations highlighting their unique features to entice the Seattle based company. 

Austin Texas seems to be the front-runner according to many media outlets. The speculation is that Austin offers the right culture, educated workforce, and is near Houston, the chosen location for a giant wind farm to be placed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. 

But the New York Times believes it has the top front-runners:

1)Pittsburgh

2) Baltimore

3) Philadelphia

4) Toronto

5) Chicago

6) Boston
From Axios

Google Responds to Conservative Lawsuit

Google owned Youtube the subject of lawsuit

Releases statement regarding accusations by conservative Youtuber

Following ongoing political strife in the US that has heated up on social media, Google, along with Facebook and Twitter, have looked closer at ways to curb political anger and argument on their platforms.

But good intentions have a way of going awry.

It seems Google has displayed a tendency to scrutinize opinions coming from rightwing podcasts more heavily.

Since it is no secret that Silicon Valley veers to the political left, it only seems natural. But for may conservative podcasters, things have gone too far.

Conservative Prager University launches lawsuit against Youtube and Google

Conservative political commentator Prager University claims that Youtube has put restrictions on its podcasts while ignoring those that espouse a progressive perspective, thereby violating its freedom of speech. At a quick glance, it looks like the courts will have to balance 1st amendment freedom of speech with that of the Communications Decency Act.

Prager U produces videos from a conservative perspective with titles like 'How to raise kids who are smart about money?' and 'Why I left the left?.' The video that pushed Google over the edge apparently was one that showed an Islamic man discussing how Islam taught its followers to be anti-semitic. The video was considered hate speech and banned.

The lawsuit has left Google quiet, as it delayed commenting to the media. But just a few hours ago it released this statement:

"YouTube is an open platform and, to make it a great place for users, creators, and advertisers, we provide different choices and settings. Restricted Mode is an optional feature used by a small subset of users to filter out videos that may include sensitive or mature content. Giving viewers the choice to opt into a more restricted experience is not censorship. In fact, this is exactly the type of tool that Congress has encouraged online services to provide for parents and others interested in a more family-friendly experience online."

It seems to be a flimsy argument considering the vast amounts of questionable content allowed to pass for freedom of speech on Youtube.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Blockchain Grow

Big institutions more resigned to blockchain takeover

On the brink of doubt bitcoin and Ethereum surge

The demise of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies built on blockchain technology has pursed the lips of skeptics from its beginning.

And at times bitcoin has seemed on the brink of slipping away into the abyss of crackpot inventions never to be seen again like the Segway and new coke.

Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase says bitcoin is a fraud that will eventually blow up and is reminiscent of the tulip market that failed in the Netherlands in medieval times.

But even on the shakiest of ground, bitcoin has demonstrated itself to be a technology destined to make an impact, if not overturn the whole system entirely. As established Wall Street brokers thumb their nose, still intoxicated with the smell of green ink and sweaty paper, a large number of money managers are giving bitcoin serious consideration.

Bitcoin hitting the mainstream?

The recent flow of experts and new investment into bitcoin is just the kind of synergy needed to push cryptocurrency finally into the mainstream. As many warn against bitcoin, the data shows something different. Of late, there has been a surge in investment funds related to bitcoin. Funds have rapidly grown to 124 from just a few just since 2015.

Total investments are currently in the billions, three to be exact. Most investment centers around venture capitalism, while the next biggest sector is in bitcoin trading. A subset of cryptocurrencies currently emerging is the rise of ICO or initial coin offerings.

What ICO means is that companies offer a sale of tokens undergirded by blockchain that buyers can hold, trade for bitcoin or Ethereum or use in exchange for that companies products or services. ICO's are controversial and are banned in China and South Korea. In the US they remain unregulated but that will most likely change. From CNBC

Ethereum the blockchain technology for big transactions

Ethereum is the next most popular cryptocurrency. It has experienced a tremendous year of growth. The key to its strength is that it allows big transactions to occur due to the more complex nature of its technology.

From Futurism “Let’s say two companies want to conduct a complicated financial transaction, like settling a stock option. Neither company trusts the other company to conduct the transaction on its computers,” the Times wrote. “Both companies could hire a third party, like a stock exchange, to conduct the transaction, which is what they generally do today. But that forces them to trust that third company and to pay that company fees. With Ethereum, they can conduct the transaction on a shared computer that allows them both to check the records, ideally saving on fees.”

Industry experts declare the difference between bitcoin and Ethereum as such. Bitcoin transaction first in cryptocurrency real estate purchase. Ethereum first in trading exchange on NASDAQ. From Futurism

A.I.'s Biggest Impact is Medicine

Zebra of Israel developing AI to diagnose cancer

Another example of AI's impact in medicine

Artificial intelligence is showing only a small glimpse of what it can do for us.

It is working behind the scenes in a lot of industries, most notably in autonomous vehicles and in applications that need to process a lot of data.

But no other field has been more impacted by AI than medicine. On a weekly basis, there seems to be a fantastic breakthrough, new robotic surgery, or some improvement being made.

One of the latest and most impactful is from a company called Zebra, an Israeli deep learning imaging firm. Imaging algorithms are a big focus for AI technology currently, as it has the potential to solve a myriad of problems by simply looking at pictures.

Like voice recognition AI, imaging recognition AI works by feeding the AI neural network countless examples of human sensory information and asks the system to begin to make comparisons. It can be used in medical applications to pour over images of X-rays for example.

Zebra is using this to help doctors diagnose cancer. No, it's not a cure, but it can find early stages of cancer that the human eye misses, and catching cancer quickly is one of the best scenarios for increasing survival.

Since the process is machine learning automated, it can view massive amounts of visual data, thereby greatly increasing both the scale of work and the quality. What's more, the company hopes to allow its technology to reach into poor and undeveloped regions of the world by offering its service for $1 a scan. From Venture Beats
   

Big Tech Report Monster Earnings

Amazon, Google, Facebook get richer in 2017 3rd QTR

Bezos of Amazon richest man in the world

Image from the New York Times

The end of 3rd QTR 2017 has been good all around for the American economy. GDP increased 3% in the 3rd QTR after a 3.1% second 2nd QTR. By comparison, previous QTR's GDP growth has been stuck at 1 to 2% for many years.

But no one is doing better than Silicon Valley and big tech. Amazon, in particular, is doing quite well. Experts point to Amazon's massive investments of late.

Subs for Amazon Prime have skyrocketed as a result. Jeff Bezos company is looking for another Amazon headquarters somewhere in North America, announced its Amazon Key service, aligned with Kohls, and is looking at getting into groceries. 

The activity and optimism are pumping up its stock prices, as the company is reporting record earnings three-quarters of the way through 2017. Sales have risen 34% in the third and stock price in Amazon has grown 12% in this quarter alone.

It now is being reported that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world, surpassing Bill Gates with a total accumulation of wealth valued at $90 billion.

Jeff Bezos of Amazon photo from NDTV

Google is getting richer as well in large part due to the performance of Alphabet. The Google affiliate is a patchwork of tech companies working on the cutting edge of tech development. It contains self-driving Waymo among others and work's in improving the implementation of artificial intelligence.

It appears the use of AI in the Google platform has optimized ad revenue for the company as clicks on its ads have surged in the third quarter. Google co-founders Sergi Brin and Larry Page both picked up a little over a billion each.

Microsoft, Facebook, and Intel also are reporting much better earnings than expected.

Technology leaders are climbing the ranks of the world's wealthiest people this year as their businesses outperform the rest of the market. Six of the top 10 names on the list are founders of U.S. tech companies. From CNBC

Sources CNBC:

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/26/bezos-page-and-brin-are-8-point-6-billion-richer-after-earnings-reports.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/27/amazon-shares-jump-as-internet-giants-massive-investments-pay-off-analysts.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/26/amazon-alphabet-microsoft-intel-all-crush-earnings.html