Sometimes an article reminds us how our usage of the world is still conditioned by primal processes. A recent study showed that men were more likely to make gambles after having seen erotic pictures.

When young men were shown erotic pictures, they were more likely to make a larger financial gamble than if they were shown a picture of something scary, such as a snake, or something neutral, such as a stapler, university researchers reported. […]

“You have a need in an evolutionary sense for both money and women. They trigger the same brain area,”  […]

Link

I am sure the porn industry didn’t need a scientific study to find out about this ;)

Here is another example of the (amazing) power of the Internet. My grandma diners idea has been found by the groovy people of Spark, a show about new technologies on Canada’s public radio. They loved the idea, called me to ask for a few tips, and now they are launching it on the other side of the pond!

The Internet is really allowing ideas to flow freely around the world, and from my seat here in Geneva I probably contributed to make a canadian grand mother happy and valued at the other side of the planet, fantastic :)

More info on the Spark blog (audio interview here).

Friendship as we conceive it is intensely being redefined by social networks. Love and sexuality are less talked about (might this be a proof that privacy still exists?) but our wired society will see some radical changes that will force a strong redefinition of ancestral norms. Here are 10 interesting predictions from ChangeWaves:

1. Location-based dating - GPS plus dating services plus mobile phones means love may be just around the corner. […]
2. The new infidelity - […] Is it cheating if you develop a crush on a really cute orc in World of Warcraft?
3. Together apart - For partners who really can’t stand separation, new systems will signal what one’s beloved is up to and what kind of mood he is in. […]
4. Virtual therapy - Virtual spaces will increasingly be used for therapeutic treatment of people with relationship and sexual issues. […]
5. Scientific pairings - Relationship matching systems such as those being used by some dating sites will go to the next level: a real, scientific compatibility test between potential mates […]
6. Remote intimacy - Telerobotics will enable couples to have moments of intimacy via robots they control from another city, or the far side of the planet.
7. Love potions - Science will illuminate the reality behind “chemistry,” and enable its manipulation. […]
8. Pleasure bots - Sex is an inevitable application of robotics. […]
9. Brain sex - […] A lot of sex occurs in the brain, and future neurodevices may make it possible to induce a variety of experiences at will.[…]
10. People will be people - Many people will ignore the previous nine developments and keep doing things just has we’ve done them for that last 100,000 years or so. With nearly 7 billion of us, and counting, the system seems to be working pretty well.

Link

Now to the scary part: most of these are not forecasts and already happening.

• Point 2: The new infidelity is nothing new! Billions of people (I am not pessimist, just realist ;) cheat in their thoughts, and virtual worlds are just a playground for them. They “materialize” this constant phenomena. This triggers the following question: are virtual worlds materializing thoughts, dreams, and more generally whatever happens inside our brains?
• Point 3: Kevin Warwick is already experimenting with this, check his LIFT speech.
• Point 4: In Geneva the hospital is using the Internet to stay in touch with patients with alimentary (and “shameful” because affecting physical appearance) troubles, and the parallel with sexual therapies is obvious.
• Point 5: That’s called 23andme and if you were at TED (unlike me, hint hint) you get a free test.
• Point 6: Teledildonics, already happening in a city near you.
• Point 7: GHB , Rohypno, Ketamine. The infamous date rape drugs.
• Point 10: well, it has been true for thousands of years, and hopefully it won’t change anytime soon :)

Just like last year when my iBook gave up on me one month before LIFT, we lost my Macbook this morning, and reanimation efforts didn’t change the prognosis: hard drive and motherboard failure.

My nomadic lifestyle seems to kill a mac every 11 months. The timing of course couldn’t be worse, and it is a real disapointment to pay 3000CHF for a machine that lasts less than a year. I have apple care but it takes weeks, and I can not postpone a 700 hundred persons event while I wait for a new machine.

My plan is to get a PC, yes, a peecee, and get really really disrespected by a lousy operating system in order to find some energy to enthusiastically buy a mac again (because right now I am really pissed at mister Jobs & co) and wait for the second generation of the new Macbooks.

I am taking a few more days away from work/phone/computer etc… and will be back next Monday full speed, with one month to go before the third LIFT conference. Happy new year everybody (and thanks for the messages).

Taking a small break, meeting a few friends, eating t-bones and caesar salads

More pictures on flickr.

More on reuters.com

By popular demand the grand mother diners are back! This time we will have an indian food buffet prepared by Pilar Dharamsey. She will prepare a buffet of Samosas, Chicken roast, Rayta, Corn Capsicum, Basmatti Rice, Palak, Chapati, and much more for you to enjoy. I’ll be there, join me next monday in Geneva!

The practical informations

When: Monday, December 17 from 18h30, food served between 19h30 and 20h30

Where: Le cheval blanc, 15 place d’armes, Carouge, 022 3436161.

Format: Buffet, flat price for food. The drinks are on and up to you. You sit wherever you want.

Map: here

How much: 35CHF, drinks not included. We will propose you a selection of wines and soft drinks to accompany your meal.

CAUTION: Booking is MAN-DA-TO-RY and we have a very limited number of seats!

Tel. 022 3436161 or email info@lechevalblanc.ch

By popular demand the grand mother diners are back (first diner here)! More details should come during the week, but here are a few quick facts:

Date: Monday, December 17!

Food: Indian! Curry, tandoori, etc..

Format: Buffet, flat price for food, drinks up to you

Seats: 70 total, 20 already booked! Save your seat, we had 50 persons mid July so mid December we should have 200 requests. Tel. 022 343 61 61 or email info@lechevalblanc.ch

Where: Le cheval blanc, 15 place d’armes, Carouge. Map here.