Locked In Syndrome - Small Breakthrough

Some things may be better left uncontemplated.

I have enough things to worry over without trying to imagine the unimaginable.

True Dat....

My dad is 85. He said the key to happiness was to not worry about those things you have no control over. He said if "it" happens, you deal with it. Otherwise, you don't spend a second worrying about it.

Me too. My wife frets over things that she thinks MAY happen.

I get up every day ready to fight only those dragons which threaten me and mine.

^{_{(Except for Trump. I hate that SOB and what he stands for with the white hot fury of a thousand suns)}}

People who hate things they can't do anything about with the white hot fury of a thousand suns have a shorter lifespan. I had a neighbor who was like that. He died a long time ago. You need to go with the flow. You will live a lot longer. Peace be with you.

Thanks.

There is somebody who is more powerful than ten thousand dragons and serpents. He will come if summoned by faith in its words and confession of the heart and tongue.

Even the non-innocent can be protected.

"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"

Rather the same mindset here as well. 'What if' isn't a part of my active thought process so unless something actually happens to the degree of being beyond rational management I have very little concern or care in wasting my time let alone anything else worrying about it.

'What ifs' are useful insofar as they aid in making contingency plans, and so long as the 'ifs' have some reasonable probability of happening. "What if I run out of petrol on the way to Austin" is far more likely but easily remedied by a visit to the local servo, and so I budget time for that contingency into my trip, depending on what the gauge reads before I start out.

"What if a meteor comes through my roof and kills me in the next five minutes" is probably not an event I would make plans for. I mean, I could move from chair to chair in the hopes that it might miss, but then the chances of my needing the services of a competent psychiatrist would be far higher (not that it is presently non-zero, but I digress ).

Well, you answer the what-ifs for those things you have some control over. Saving for health care expenses is a good example of preparing for "what-ifs". Worrying about whether you will get brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, stroke, etc. can just make you sick. Of course, taking good care of oneself is something we (generally) have control over, to help minimize overall risks.

Unfortunately, there seem to be many products marketed on people's fears.

Sort of like the diabetic fellow (me) that ordered two large Papa John pizzas (one was the meats) for Super Bowl action. I only ate about half of each.

Olives and mushrooms count as vegetables, right?

Olives make it a healthy Mediterranean diet, right?

Exactly. And, like you said, don't worry about it; plan for it. My ex was a worrier. It's a bad habit and so easy to do but, as worrying about things is a learnt behaviour, it can be unlearnt.

As far as marketing goes, the two most effective tools advertisers use are fear and envy.

There was an excellent quote in the film 'Seven Years in Tibet'. I forget the exact quote, but essence was that 'worry' was pointless. Crap happens for everyone, but time spent worrying is not helpful. That is the reality, but very hard to keep in mind.

It was the Dalai Lama: "We have a saying in Tibet: 'If a problem can be solved there is no use worrying about it. If it can't be solved, worrying will do no good'."

I am curious how the oxygenation of the blood in the scalp represents what is going on in the brain, or how the infrared sensors somehow penetrate the skull to monitor the blood inside the brain.

I would have thought that there would be better monitoring methods such as EEG, EMG, or fMRI.

Maybe IR technology is less expensive to implement and still gives a workable solution to the need to communicate.

..true dat.

I was kind of surprised to learn that bone (skull) is translucent to near infrared light, even though the wavelength is not much different from visible light. Here is a plot of the absorption:

https://www.quora.com/Optics-How-are-bones-translucent-to-infrared-light

Blood oxygenation is measured by the absorption or reflection of two wavelengths of red and infrared light. (Reflection is obviously used for mapping brain blood oxygenation.) The ratio measured is converted into oxygen levels.

Plot of absorption spectra for oxygenated and non-oxygenated blood:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_oximetry

Interesting! Thanks for the info! It would seem mine was a bit obsolete.

The Quora article itself, for context.

There is probably a correlation between the blood's oxygenation in surface vessels and the state of the brain (however defined and determined). IR doesn't penetrate the skull; at NIR wavelengths soft tissue appears somewhat translucent. At longer wavelengths the body's bulk temperature tends to swamp the finer details.

.. there seems to be a lot of discussion about worry.

For the record. Neither do i worry about whatever pain doesn't afflict me personally.

It's ssaid that each day is a blessing.

Where we differ is the fact that be it a pig in a gate, Trump, Hillary, or what-have-you. I could give two s**** about any of it. Whether personally or vicariously... At some point I've had taste of each and all fret's growing up. Not that I don't get bent. Even about the things I just said I wouldn't pay for a two dollar shlitz about. but I try not to. there's little point.

Merely reading this report (which I was drawn to for scientific reasons) I can't help feel compassion aka 'fret' for those involved.

On topic I am also amazed by what's going on. I can fully understand how the heartbeat would be visible to a camera but the answer to a yes / no question is pretty incredible.

There's more to learn here.

I wonder if they could use it with a lie detector? They could test them live with politicians during the debates.

the "drive by media" is annoyingly in your face. You'd have to go live under a rock to escape the toxic puke they're slingin'. No different nor less ridiculous than checkout cue tabloids. laugh or cry?

It's not just the 'drive by media' scum.

Way too many bleeding heart liberal half wits are just as willing to get in your face and even take things further than the media will (at least the media won't attack and try to discredit you personally for not viewing reality through their narrow simple minded eyes) to make you look like the bad guy for not feeling pain/compassion/whatever for their poorly thought up and self justified crap that they themselves will never lift a finger or spend cent on trying to do something about.

A few bad days online of dealing with those pompous blustering half wits attacking you and every aspect of your life because they can't begin to win a basic rational technical argument over the very subject they claim to be such all knowing experts on and a guy starts to sort of envy those who are 'Locked In'

Dude.. Trust me.. you Lyn. others.. The crap going on around here is pussy cat playful (well not quite) when compared to the shite I've seen going on. One of my most recent arguments I've had was about the amount of seething going on since the election. (how ironic)

NONE of us like being pigeonholed one bit. But we get it every day. I get here it for being from Chicago, lack of technical ability, simple/open mindedness, math and grammar. You name it. The list goes on. But I put up with it rather than feel the white hot fury of a thousand suns. That said.. I care about you and Lyn enough to hope that one day you can stoically look past your differences rather than publicly ridicule each other to the point that "locked in syndrome" would be a better alternative than continuing.

I'd comment on what I've witnessed here over the last few days, but it's all rather inconsequential. Except for the mods'. They're dealing with crap nobody should have to put up with. At least think of the mods.

This is a pic just for you.. This is me last week burning the debris pile..

Many dictators in history have had mindless legions of worshipers.

We have come to this again.

If they do not care to acknowledge that fact, then history is about to repeat itself.

I'll tell you what puts things in perspective. Here I am, worried about deadlines and client issues when last Sunday, a friend of mine just got in a very bad car accident and wound up in the hospital - he got out yesterday. When something like this happens, everything else seems pretty low priority and unimportant.

Take care guys and gals!

It seems that you have terrible luck at finding forums where people of your mental ability and like minds go.

Try this one, you might like it:

Kids Forum, Kids Message Boards, Teen Forum and Kids Chat ...

You might even win an argument occasionally.

Both of you guys are actually quite likeable. Really, you are, both of you. So are the other people here with whom both of you lock horns on a regular basis.

If you could somehow put your political differences aside, you might actually find a lot to like in each other because there is, in fact, a lot to like in both of you - if you would only set aside your differences long enough to look.

AFAIK, no one has ever convinced someone else of their viewpoint by getting angry at them. Ever. If anything, it makes the other party dig in their heels even deeper, helping them solidify their position even if they'd originally been sitting on the fence. Meanwhile, both of you are missing out on all the good the other has to offer.

Think about it. What do you have to lose - except maybe a few years of your life? In the final analysis, would that be worth it?

Andrew. Here is a real story:

I knew this guy named Bob, he was a Sargent in the army reserve. One day Bob asked me to give him a ride to his reserve base for his once every two weeks training.

That evening, when the training for the day was over, all of the soldiers in his squad stood around drinking beer, ( that the captain had purchased).

All of a sudden Bob got real mouthy with another Sargent and the Sargent cold cocked Bob. Bob passed out and when he woke up, Bob and the other Sargent were shaking hands like they were long lost pals.

Afterwards, I asked the other Sargent what was going on, he said that Everytime they have reserve duty, Bob gets drunk and he has to give him a wallop. Apparently this behavior had been going on for over a dozen years.

It was just the normal course of affairs and it was the way that these two guys got along.

Man, that's a scene worthy of M*A*S*H.

? S*M*A*S*H

-indeed.. I miss the show. I remember walking into a bookstore where Alan Alda was signing some books and speaking so clearly with his Alan Alda voice.

It was as if Hollywood came to Chicago for a minute.. Fortunately it was only a minute.

I suspect that they both enjoy the exchanges. At risk of upsetting either, it's like a disguised bromance. OK, I nearly swallowed my tongue laughing at the the thought, but discussion in which people speak bluntly is not always a bad thing. My observation of life is that people often clash when they see a little of themself in the other party.

It gives me the giggles, but Andrew has made some astute observations. End of the day, we are all here to chat science/engineering. I'll just leave it ang go polish my halo.

This election cycle has created many rifts in many relationships and even families.

My wife, a lifelong straight ballot Republican could not bring herself to vote for Trump. He has no redeeming qualities and even his supporters admit that.

The irrational hatred of the Clintons and frustrations with a system ingrained by 50 years of lifelong Congress inhabitants was too much for many and they saw Trump as a vehicle of revolutionary change.

I see him as a vehicle of enrichment for himself, his family and inner circle with no ethics or morals.

He continues to run and profit from his businesses,...................... never mind, here I go again trying to preach to the choir who already knows and the cultists who don't care.

We'll see how it plays out.

Cheers!

I have a rational (divisible by an integer) hatred of the Clintons (bofe 'em), an irrational fear and hatred of the Clintons, and my comment will be marked off-topic before it hits the sidewalk.

In fact, I have a complex hatred of the Clintons where hate H = e^iC, where C is the duration of any image of a Clinton on screen, or proximity thereof.

...so Lyn and Trump are like two peas in a pod.

Damn right, we need all...

I dont have the least bit of an issue with his technical contributions or general action here as you do.

It's the unwarranted nonsensical trollish fixations of venting his less than rational views on subjects he claims to feel so strongly about yet constantly shows himself to be so dismally educated in that rubs me and others the wrong way.

As you yourself have shown I don't have a problem with being shown when I am wrong. I take it fairly and with respect because you showed me I didn't know or understand something properly.

Now on the other hand with lyn in certain areas and topics he made it painfully obvious he has very little want or concern regarding learning anything about what he protests and hates so much and when he has made any attempt to step up and clarify his beliefs they tend to to often have bizarre lack of any factual substance behind them.

It's one thing to be shown your wrong on a rational technical basis but it's another, and much of an insult, to have someone who can't begin to provide anything but blustering trolish drivel as a defence say you're wrong and then proudly attack you as a person and proclaim it as a win when its by any decent respectable persons view anything but that.

That's the problem i have with lyn. It's the continual proud smug gross lack of substance behind his claims and unsolicited interjections of them every place he can fit them in despite obvious and continual dislike from those who have every reason to feel otherwise on the subjects that gets to me (and a few others).

So yes, If I can be shown I am wrong on something I have no problem with that regardless of who does it. But if I am going to be continually troll attacked by someone who is apparently happy to make himself look like a halfwit because can't give me or anyone else a single rational counter argument or worse (posts a idiotic counter argument and links that totally and completely undermines his own stance) hell yea, I will bitch slap him in front of everyone every way I can get away with every time I get the chance for being a mouthy fool.

I don't suffer fools and their unfounded pride well at all.

Slow down, mate.

"It's the unwarranted nonsensical trollish fixations of venting his less than rational views on subjects he claims to feel so strongly about yet constantly shows himself to be so dismally educated in that rubs me and others the wrong way."

"I dont have the least bit of an issue with his technical contributions or general action here as you do."

I have an issue with "his technical contributions or general action?" Oh? You're quite sure?

Allow me to clarify: It is the relentless bickering that goes on here that I object to, regardless of who the participants happen to be.

"I have an issue with "his technical contributions or general action?" Oh? You're quite sure?

Allow me to clarify: It is the relentless bickering that goes on here that I object to, regardless of who the participants happen to be."

What I and a growing number of others here have is a growing dislike for the continually weak unfounded unprovable claims and petty sniping attacks on those who have proven they have superior knowledge, experience and understandings of the subjects he feels so strongly about yet continually shows he has no rational understandings of.

If I continually went after you over certain subjects claiming you were wrong or a bad person because of your knowledge, understanding and experience and you kept calling me out to show counter proof to your own yet every single time I just made an ass of myself again by either having nothing to show or even providing information that totally contradicts my views how long would you put up with it?

That's where the 'bickering' as you call it between him and me, and a growing set of others, comes from.

As with you I and most others here we don't like the child like 'bickering 'either. The problem is we have one kid here who won't shut up that keeps egging on everyone else with the same stupid unsubstantiated claims over and over despite not only being continually being called out on what he says and then proven wrong but often even by what he himself drags out in his own defence proves himself wrong too.

You're new here and still have respect for him just as many of us once had as well but unlike you many of us have watched his stupid crap and petty claims escalate for so long now some of us have reached the point we have little to no further reason to show any open regard or respect for him any more.

Maybe you see him as a technical minded person with some quirks but for a growing number of us he is too often seen as little more than a ignorant mouthy little forum troll with too limited of technical background to even support his own views to have any value any more.

nice.. a voice of reason.

With Lyn, I think I'm disappointed because I expect more from him, but he's like a zombie that pops up after every kill. You can't scream for love.

If Hillary were to read Lyn's 'words of support' she would distance herself from him, yet he somehow thinks of himself as the ultimate supporter. Talk about mindless liegons. yeesh

Same here.

My biggest problem is too much of his repeated claims and views come off as being in the same level of validity as the ones from low level Perpetual motion/Overunity/world game changing discovery believers that wander in here from time to time.

He, as them, continually claims and snipes to have the knowledge and understanding of the subjects that makes him 1000% correct in every detail and disproves everyone who has studied every aspect of the real science and politics of such subjects wrong.

Yet, when called out to show proof it's just one embarrassing fail after another of falling flat on his face stumbling and struggling just to show proof of knowledge and understandings over even the most basic elementary concepts felt so strongly about.

Simply put, when making highly questionable claims prove them with solid verifiable information or shut the hell up and leave the subjects alone until you do have valid proof to support the claim.

After having worked in the medical field for several years, it is a travesty that people with this condition are forceably kept alive to be used as laboratory rats.

The question that they should really ask these patients is this:

Do you mind if we poke you with pins and needles, pump you up with experimental drugs just to keep you alive like a science experiment and oh by the way, there is no cure for the disease you have and we're not really looking for one, we just need a new Frankenstein because the last one finally quit on us.

I tend to feel the same way. If there is happiness within these people? Which I hardly imagine there could be.. Is it possible that their mind is wandering within itself in a VR sort of way? Maybe it's the drugs they get or maybe it's what the body creates?

I agree that people shouldn't be kept alive as lab rats.. Yet another problem with full coverage insurance.

It seems to me they should be able to implant a device in an active part of the brain that could be operated mentally with a yes or no response...

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/542176/a-shocking-way-to-fix-the-brain/

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/why-brain-brain-communication-no-longer-unthinkable-180954948/

I may have missed a post, but surely Hawkins must come into this. A brilliant mind, but very limited physical ability.

Like a world-class supercomputer whose only output device is a teletype.

Well, that's autism for ya.

Care to prod me some more ?