I am not in favor of patents on genes. I think it is unjustified and immoral. I think methods of detection of certain types of genes may be warranted if the test method is something new that isn't already in use for other genes. It must be more than "use of gene detection method X to find gene BRCA1," where X is a established method. Even if the test is novel, I think there should be some kind of equivalent to FRAND licensing that is required to obtain the patent on the test. Seems to me that the human genome is a "standard essential" to life.

I would love to see these kinds of solutions work too and stem cells just rock. I think both types of research will provide valuable information and exciting possibilities. Whichever one can restore/provide sight first is great. Who knows there may be some kinds of problems where each solution is superior to the other (whether it be cost, performance, risk, etc.). Even if the brain interface work and electronics aren't really used for vision issues in the future, the methods may become applicable in other areas like robotic prosthesis that connect to the brain.

I rode my bike to work for 3 years at that job because driving was so bad. I only did it occasionally for that precise reason (maybe once every couple of months).

It depends on the situation but I don't I don't think an hour in stop and go traffic will deplete the batteries of even current generation electric cars (see http://auto.howstuffworks.com/can-electric-cars-survive-major-traffic-jams.htm). The Nissan leaf normally has a 100 mile radius, under ideal conditions that wouldn't have covered the round trip commute for my last job, 56 miles (I lived out west in the mountains and there was no traffic). The link states that stop and go traffic on a cold day reduced the range to 62 miles. That is still several hours of stop and go traffic. In DC, for example that would allow a round trip to a location about 20 miles outside the beltway (last time I lived there that would put you on about an hour and a half commute each way). I think it would be safe to say that if your one way commute is less than 25 miles or less than 2 hours, you are probably OK with an all electric car. However, if your one way commute is greater than 25 miles or 2 hours, you probably need a hybrid or gasoline car. I can't speak for NYC but in DC the majority of people who commuted into the district itself lived within the shorter limit.

I hope that eventually we get to the point where full sight can be restored for all blind individuals. However, there are many reasons for blindness and this one will probably only help with those caused by problems with the by the retina (at least in the near term, long term all of this research will be tremendously valuable). It seems like the Argus II is still in the general size, shape, motion category, but even that would be a tremendous gain to someone that has lost their sight. I read this article http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/11/blind-vision-implant/ a couple of years ago. It talks about trying to go beyond capturing general size, shape, and motion in visual prosthetic by recoding the information to a more natural state. If the interface with the brain can be figured out, all kinds of possibilities will open up. Geordi Laforge's visor may be closer than we think.

Another advantage of becoming more efficient is you need fewer new generating facilities to break the cycle and get to ~0 emissions.

It may have to do with the age of the buildings. For example, energy efficient windows are not a large incremental cost for new construction, but is a fairly decent expenditure on older construction. The cost payback for windows is typically very long in single family homes (I don't know about condos etc.). I know insulation in a single family home is very easy to install and has a good pay back rate (again I don't know about doing it for condos etc.). Weather stripping and sealing are cheap and easy to install all around (this one should be a no brainer). I suspect that installing central heating and AC comes down to the large upfront cost and space issues for the condos. I also suspect that apartments are like that because the land lords don't much care to make the improvements.

You are right and that is more what I was thinking. However, when I lived in DC, I had a near 1 hours commute that amounted to less than 20 miles. Another apartment I lived at the drive home was between 45 minutes and 1 hours 15 minutes and it was like 7 miles. I had colleagues in DC that used electric cars that did very well in the 1+ hour commute of stop and go traffic. When I lived in a mountain state away from big cities and metropolitan areas I commuted 1 hours 15 minutes but covered 56 miles, each way. It was also not uncommon for us to drive a few hundred miles in a day on the weekend.

Yes, that is what I meant.

1) In large metropolitan areas going all electric cars is very realistic in a few decades. The average trip is likely very very short and therefore very amenable to all electric cars. In rural areas it will take probably take longer and be more difficult because the average trip length is much longer (and the farm equipment may never convert, but if that is the only thing burning fossil fuel it probably wouldn't matter). I wouldn't be surprised if there is an order of magnitude difference or more in the average trip length between those on Manhattan island and some farmer in the middle of Iowa. 2) It is like your first link quipped, nuclear fusion has been 50 years away for 50 years. I am a fan of the research and hope it comes to fruition, but there is another kind of nuclear (fission) that currently powers 20% of the country and could basically take emissions from power generation to zero. Expand the fission while waiting for the fusion.

He probably wouldn't have this conversation. I just think you are missing the point of the award. It isn't just for being injured while in the military (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Heart#Criteria), but rather being wounded by the "enemy". Yes people receive these for standing around in Iraq when a mortar hits the base they are on, but many are obtained by being actively engaged in combat.

Do you have a link for the video (I speak Portuguese) and wouldn't mind seeing it?

How much of that price difference is due to the cost of importation (taxes, tariffs, etc.)? I found a couple of articles quickly searching the web that make it look like the import tax would be 100% or more (http://www.ehow.com/list_6529981_import-duties-brazil.html, http://www.rosalienebacchus.com/articles/UnderstandingBrazilsTaxesOnImports_031210.html). I am not sure if this is applicable for iPhone or if it is even accurate/up to date. If that is correct then the prices of iPhone in Brazil are exactly what they should be. Start with a US price of $550 for iPhone 4S, apply the 2 to 1 currency conversion to get to 1100 Reais and then hit it with ~100% import tax and you get 2200 Reais for the 4s 16GB. Same applies for the iPhone 5 and you get to 2600 Reais. I thought that was why Apple and Foxcon were trying (did?) start manufacturing Apple products in country, to avoid the crazy import taxes.

Why add the "Neo One" to the name? You just won a case for a very valuable name in the electronics industry, why go adding extra crap to to let people know that it isn't really an iPhone? If you have no intention of trying to "trick" people into thinking it is an iPhone, why not just sell the name to Apple for what ever you can get? Just go all in and claim it is an iPhone period. Or get some balls release 4 models really quick and claim it is the iPhone 5.

You could tell that to the Marine Sniper I know that was blown up by a grenade in Fallujah. He might take exception to you saying all he did was stand around and get blown up (he was providing cover fire for his unit when he got blown up). I don't think the purple heart devalues the medals system and there is probably a better example of what you are getting at (sure there are some folks that got it for standing on base and being shot but nothing is perfect). For example, my Global War on Terrorism Medal does devalue the medal system along with a number of others.