Wellness

[Desertdi]

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@NYCLatinaMe wrote:

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@Desertdi wrote:

I think Musk should be the first guinea pig...

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@Desertdi 

And who would monitor his brain chip?

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@NYCLatinaMe     The "other half" of his split personality (!!!)   di

[chessylady]

My biggest concern with Musk is that he has inserted himself into our foreign policy, approving and denying access to his Starlink satellite to our foreign allies based on his own whims.

[Mindy D]

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@simplyfriends wrote:

I guess if you know someone who could benefit from this technology or benefit in the future (maybe our grandchildren) you might have a positive feeling about it. 

This brain chip can:

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@simplyfriends @Plus stroke, additional movement disorders and those with traumatic brain injuries.  That is a lot of people. Regaining the use of one's arms, legs, feet and hands is a good thing. Yes, this would involve the in plantation of the device and continuous medical treatment, but for those in need it might be worth it. 

If it turns out that the device can control certain seizures, that would also be a major benefit. 

Some notes:

There already are other companies that make robotic arms that can be operated with thoughts. There's been quite a bit of turnover of the founding scientists at Neuralink and the company has some issues with management. There's also outcry from animal rights groups because the implants have been tested in animals and some animals died. The device is not without its own heath risks as are all brain implants. 

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@chessylady wrote:

My biggest concern with Musk is that he has inserted himself into our foreign policy, approving and denying access to his Starlink satellite to our foreign allies based on his own whims.

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@chessylady I don't know enough about this to know whether he did right or wrong.  My understanding is that he was asked to have his company provide a service that it had never provided and he refused because he did not want to get in the middle of a war.  I suppose it would be somewhat like if someone asked you to serve in the Ukranian army, or maybe to take your car for the war effort.  I would think it would be OK for you to say no.

[Mindy D]

@NYCLatinaMe @Desertdi @@I wish that our government would start making similar satellites. It's never a good idea to pass so much power over to just one man. It leaves our country vulnerable. 

[NYCLatinaMe]

Agreed @Mindy D.. The United States used to be the biggest funder of research & development of new technologies, and that led to the U.S. position of leadership in the world.  Not so much funding anymore.  I wished the government would invest more in technology and innovation, so that the benefits would go to all.

[chessylady]

@NYCLatinaMe He actually had given the ukraine access to the satellite and withdrew the access at a time the Russian army started a new offensive. It was no coincidence. Just because you are rich does not mean you should have power to interfere in a way that harms our allies and our own foreign policy.

[NYCLatinaMe]

@chessylady   That is not what I read.  My understanding is that  SpaceX activated its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine to replace internet and communication networks degraded or destroyed during the war for use by Ukrainian civilians, government and military, including military defensive purposes, but would not approve its use for Ukranian military offensive operations in the Crimean peninsula.  SpaceX had never provided the service in the Crimean peninsula, so it never withdrew anything. SpaceX provides Ukranians access to Starlink in areas where Ukraine has regained control.  He does not want his property to be used in an offensive attacks against a country.  The satellites belong to SpaceX, and it is their decision by whom and where they can be used.  They clearly do not want to make themselves more of a target to Russia than they already are.

The problem I see is that the United States has given up control of innovation and technology to the private sector.  If the United States had its own worldwide satellite internet service, it could make these decisions.  Of course, U.S. had never done anything to help Ukraine recover Crimea, so we don't know what the outcome would have been if this were a government decision.  There are many in this country who oppose U.S. involvement in war, limited as it is now.

These issues are not easy.