UC Merced, the 10th campus in the University of California system, welcomed it's first 1000 students today. The selection process for a new UC Campus began back in 1988 and the Merced site was selected in 1995. It's the first UC undergraduate campus to be built since UC Santa Cruz opened in 1965.

Merced is located in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley, within a two-hour drive from the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, and from the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean and Yosemite National Park. There are currently three schools within the university: Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts.

Renewable energy systems will be a major focus at the university along with a heavy emphasis on interdisciplinary research. As a graduate of UCLA who developed my own interdisciplinary education across three schools (evolutionary biology, environmental science and then a graduate degree in economic geography), I hope that UC Merced will continue to devote resources to help students cross traditional boundaries.

It looks like they are starting out with a good foundation. As Jessica Green, assistant professor in the UC Merced School of Natural Sciences put it,"...it's cool, I sit next to a philosophy professor, a Chinese historian, a mathematician, a physicist and a poet." If that's not interdisciplinary, then I don't know what is.

For those of you on vacation (or even for those at work), I can't recommend enough taking a few minutes to enjoy BrainFreeze, a short amateur movie available on the web that captures a several well-intentioned idiots sucking down large slurpees until they obtain the universal shock of freezing their brains (no permanent damage done, of course). Enjoy.

The BrainFreeze phenomenon is further explained in an article by Joseph Hulihan:
-Head pain from ice cream is the most common form of head pain, occurring in 1/3 of a randomly selected population
-The pain is usually located in the midfrontal area, but can be unilateral in the temporal, frontal, or retro-orbital region
-It is a stabbing or aching type of pain that recedes 10-20 seconds after its onset. Rarely, it can persist for two to five minutes

Thanks BoingBoing

If you laughed and enjoyed the video as much as I did, you might consider helping out the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Click here to support the American Red Cross relief effort to help those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Thou art that, that thou art - Baba Muktananda

Six years ago I had back surgery, an L5-S1 microdiscectomy to be precise, performed by neurosurgeon, Dr. Bruce McCormack (who I highly recommend). Until four weeks ago I felt great but then something went wrong. I couldn't get off the ground. Muscle spasms down my left leg, numbness along the outside of the left and severe sciatica.

For those who don't know, sciatica is actually a symptom and not a diagnosis. The term literally means that a patient has pain down the leg from compression on the sciatic nerve. The diagnosis is what is causing the compression (such as a disc herniation). The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the human body; it runs from each side of the lower spine through deep in the rear and back of the thigh, and all the way down to foot, connecting the spinal cord with the leg and foot muscles. Most often, sciatica pain is caused when the L5 or S1 nerve root in the lower spine is irritated by a herniated disc. When this happens, pain radiates into the rear and back of the thigh and calf, and occasionally may extend down to the foot.

S1 nerve impingement from a herniated disc may cause loss of the ankle reflex and/or weakness in ankle push off (e.g. patients cannot do toe rises). Numbness and pain can radiate down to the sole or outside of the foot.

There are several different causes of sciatica. You can tell which neve is being pinched by where the effects (tingling/pain) are felt. Mine are on the outer leg and go down to the foot, and my two left toes on my left foot are numb.

I've been working with an excellent hanna somatics practioner Kristin who has helped relieve most of the pain, but the radiologist I spoke to about my MRI suggests that I may need surgery again. I busy taking care of my back by doing my somatic exercises which are amazingly powerful. I'm optimistic that I can retrain my chronically contracted muscles and be able to work, run and the have freedom of movement that we all expect, but don't appreciate until its taken away. I'll let you know how I am progressing. Until then...get up out of your chair, step away from your screen, walk outside and enjoy your freedom.

The truth about my mother-in-law...

Gay Crawford - a fighter, and a winner
From the Saratoga News, By Dick Sparrer

Gay Crawford is a fighter.
She may not look like it; she may not even act like it. But don't be fooled by her friendly, helpful demeanor. She is a fighter, and she's as tough as they come.

But, then, Gay Crawford's not just a fighter, she's a winner.

I couldn't agree more. She's truly one of a kind!

Two months ago I switched back to Apple. Having gone through 5 PC laptops over 8 years, the last three all IBM thinkpads (read the pain here, here), I took the sage advice of Ross, Matt, Dan, Kevin, Steven, and all the other powerbook users I know and trust. I haven't been this happy with information technology in years.

The last piece of the transition was finished yesterday when Craigslist brought Mike Slavko into my life who came to my house and transferred my decade old files from my Apple Duo to my G4. I highly recommend Mike if you have Apple issues (which are few and far between).

Get up from your computer.  Really.  This blog is not important.

Get up...take a deep breath in, stretch your hands to the sky, slowly bringing your hands down and breath out.  Breathe in again and stretch slowly to the floor.  Breathe out as you come back to standing.  Repeat 3 times. 

Then go vote.

Remember, your brain will only last as long as your body.

For the third time in 18 months I've had a serious computer problem. If you've sent me an email in the past 5 days, please resend. I'm getting pretty close to heading over to the tastier side of IT. I think it's time to stretch and uplift myself.

Heads up on a great idea and some fun for the weekend.

Lots of interesting conversations occur daily in the blogosphere. Here are a few recent blogs that I would like to comment on:

1. Humanitarian Tom Munnecke blogs about a reality TV show for compassion. "For example, Mother Teresa was hospitalized in San Diego a few years back, and during her stay, she managed to convince her Jewish Cardiologist to volunteer at a clinic in Tijuana."

How about a reality TV show for Non-Profits called "Greatest Good"? It would be a mix of American Idol and the Apprentice where teams from across the country compete for $5m in funding for the idea that America thinks would make the greatest social impact. What do Americans really care about anyway? On a related note, reality TV winners have started new foundation, Reality Cares. I guess that's a step in the right direction.

2. Socialtext's Ross Mayfield eloquently details the value and difference that the Press, Blogs and Wikis play in social discourse. Let's use them all.

3. Virginia Postrel is as concerned as I am about Spain's political reaction to the Madrid bombings and the general European sentiment regarding terrorism, violence and the U.S. While many Spaniards changed their vote because they felt the ruling party was lying about who the real terrorists were (ETA not extremists), the result was the same, a win for terrorism. As one recent pundit has put it, Europe has Lost.. Speak up Kerry.

4. Marginal Revolution's Tyler Cowan asks, "Are financial bubbles good for economic development?" I would say "good" isn't the right question. As Carlota Perez explains in her seminal work, Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital, financial bubbles have occurred about every 50 years over the past 250. They emerge as the goals of financial capital and production capital diverge around the second or third decade of each technological revolution. So whether or not they are good, I would suggest that we might see another around 2033.

Quick one: Humbug put together a periodic table of blogs that is a take off of the period table of elements in chemistry. Check out Brain Waves placement where chlorine would be. Looks like I missed being a noble gas by one electron, a problem that Brad Delong seems to be interested in understanding more about.

Here are a few (non-neuro) things I thought were worth pointing out:

1. Amazing photo: The colors of Orion.

2. Social networking map of book purchases.

3. Socialtext is hiring (primary requirement: superhuman) So is Technorati!

4. Deflation: M3 money supply since September has fallen over two percent, its largest decline in 60 years.

5. Why you should trust Josh Wolfe's nanotech blog.

6. Harvard's Nicholas Carr supports Carlota Perez's, author of IT Doesn't Matter model of recurring 50 year cycles of techno-economic waves and socio-political responses. I use this model in my book to predict the next fifty years, the neurotechnology wave (2010-2060).

7. Get ready to donate your old glasses to Glasses For Humanity. In developing nations, one billion people—including many school-age children—do not have access to the prescription eyeglasses they need, and another 1.5 billion people do not have the reading glasses they need.

8. Magnatune: Artists get a full 50% of the purchase price. And unlike most record labels, our artists keep the rights to their music.

Here is an easy way to make a difference this holiday season. Campbell's is donating a can of soup to the needy for every person that goes to their site and votes for their favorite NFL team. Their goal is 5,000,000 cans. Go here to vote. It will only take a few seconds of your time to fill some empty tummies with warm soup this winter.

I'm not a big football fan, but this is a no brainer.

In the midst of rain, the sun still shines. Follow these pointers if you are interested in: uplifting humanity, digital social ecology, blogging better, or How to Earn What You Are Worth.

I rarely point out developments in so-called nutriceuticals (short for nutrition - not neuro as in neuroceuticals), but RU-21's alleged capability to reduce hangovers after moderate drinking is troubling because nutritional supplements do not have to be approved by the FDA.

Here is a classic example of the need to put nutriceuticals through a clinical trial process, legalize recreational drug development for non-addictive alternatives, or at least have some substantial research proving their efficacy from places like Rutger's Nutriceuticals Institute.

Apparently, RU-21 was created by the former KGB to keep its agents sober so that they could drink opponents under the table before stealing their secrets. Problem was, the KGB pill didn't stop drunkenness. Marketers in America claim that it has been clinically tested at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Apparently, it prevents the harmful effects of acetaldehyde which is produced when alcohol is consumed. (more facts on hangovers)

According to the Guardian, Hollywood actors are said to be fond of the fix, which enables them to make the most of comment board where people were describing their experience with it. Not very reassuring. I think I'll just stick with a glass of Lynch every once and a while. Why are we stuck with 4,000 year old tools anyway?

Update:a good link sent in by a Brain Waves subscriber on what really causes hangovers.

UCLA professor Bainbridge has some excellent suggestions on what wines to pair with your Thanksgiving feast.

Without realizing it, I blew past my 1st blogging birthday last month.

Here was my first post which is the question I continue to spend all my time contemplating.

A link to my first Corante posts covering the NBIC conference.

A link to my favorite post, Stretch Now! (thanks to Nick Shulz for reminding me.)

A happy bloggiversary to Steven Johnson who guest blogged on Brain Waves (here and here) on his soon to be released book, Mind Wide Open.

Lastly, thanks to Ross for getting me to blog in the first place.

So here is my bloggiversary gift to all of you: An AntCam from England and more amazing illusions courtesy of Akiyoshi Kitaoka in Japan.

The Digital Moose Lounge is hosting an evening of two talks about the future of technology and society on Tuesday, November 18, at Fenwick & West in Mountain View.

Event Details (from the DML website):

"DML is lucky to have 2 extraordinary minds available to us to present their research findings, conclusions and futuristic ideas at this Business Moose presentation… So, whether you’re in HiTech, BioTech, AnyTech or NoTech, this is a not-to-be-missed event – unless you plan on retiring tomorrow…

Paul Kaihla, senior writer at Business 2.0 magazine, will explore his September cover story, “The Coming Job Boom.” He has fascinating insights into what the future could hold for the technology sectors in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Zack Lynch is an internationally known author with an amazing ability to express futuristic ideas in the language of today. He will talk about The Next Big Wave – Neurotechnology. It is described as any technology that makes it possible to manipulate the brain.

Come with an open mind and be amazed, maybe get scared a bit, but just be happy being part of an exclusive group that has the opportunity to be prepared for whatever the future may hold…"

Agenda:
6.00 – 7.00pm: Registration, food, drinks and new friends.
7.00 – 9.00pm: Presentations and Q&A
9.00 – 9.30pm: Nightcaps and interactions with presenters

Cost: $20.00 (includes all food and beverages). RSVP early as space is limited.

Sponsors include: Fenwick & West with great Canadian beer from Labatt and soft drinks from Clearly Canadian.

See you there.

Steven Johnson just posted his introduction to his forthcoming book, Mind Wide Open: Your Brain, Neuroscience, and The Search for The Self.  It's an awesomely fun read.

IPass, provider of Internet connectivity services, went public today at $14/share nine years after it's founding.  Massive congratulations to my brother Chris Lynch who was the first employee.  A veteran of several technology start ups myself, I know how critical the first hire is in setting the tone, energy and momentum for the company's first few years.  Apparently, Chris did his job well.  Also a Happy Birthday to Chris Moore today, IPass' founder.  I know what song they'll be playing a his birthday party tonight.....Prince's 1982 classic, 1999!

With AO2003 behind me (see Ross and Chris for wrap ups), I'm off tonight to the World Future Society conference being held here in San Francisco.  Gregory Stock is giving a talk tonight on his book Redesigning Humans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future.  I look forward to challenging him on a few of his timeline assumptions.  More on that tomorrow.

Looks like the new Cisco router installed late yesterday is giving the "wifi oxygen" that was suffocating attendees yesterday.  Kudos to Tony Perkins and the AlwaysOn team for adapting so effectively.

Unlike Richard who sees the humor in the AO2003 wifi issues, I became frustrated enough that I picked up my computer, jumped in the car and drove over to my dad's house a few miles away.  With wifi connectivity, I am now able to watch the real-time real video, blog and converse via the chat feature within the AlwaysOn wiki (oh and visit family :).  I'll drive back soon for the evening festivities. 

Today I'll be at AO2003 Innovation Summit at Stanford.  See a full webcast beginning at 8:45am PST.  More from there.

Why do I buy the Sunday New York Times......for the photography.  Other than National Geographic, few media compound life so concisely.   Is it Addictive? Yes.

PlumpJack's delicious duck dinner had a hard time competing with tonight's table conversation concerning free will.  For about two hours Paul Zak, Paul Glimcher, Howard Fields, Oliver Goodenough, Margaret Gruter, Kevin McCabe, Morris Hoffman, and myself wrestled with randomness, arrows in time, coin flipping, converging utility maps, selective evolutionary tendencies, cheek pinching, dopamine neurons, motivation, oxytocin, synesthesia and yes, even whales.

Today's talks were outstanding and when time permits and connection speeds are faster the data dump will flow. Until then, it's all good food for thought and pleasant dreams.

A bit of laughter today:

"I used to think that the brain was the most fascinating part of the body...then I realized 'look who's telling me that." - Emo Phillips     (thanks Clay)

The Onion pokes fun at psychopharmaceuticals.  Made me laugh.

Update: Baseball Osama? A definite giggle.

For those of you who receive daily email updates of Brain Waves via bloglet, you may have noticed that the second article on Neurocompetitive Advantage wasn't complete.  Well, that's because it wasn't.  The bloglet program mysteriously grabbed this work in progress from my unpublished folder and sent it out.  Oh, the perils of using component technologies.

Get up from your computer.  Really.  This blog is less important than your physical well-being.

Get up...take a deep breath in, stretch your hands to the sky, slowly bringing your hands down and breath out.  Breathe in again and stretch slowly to the floor.  Breathe out as your come back to standing.  Repeat 3 times. 

Remember, your brain will only last as long as your body.  Take care of it and stretch Now!

The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology is taking place this week in Hawaii.  Among all the talks, this one on Tuesday looks particularly interesting:

• Single Case Reports: Windows to Brain Function--David S. Zee, MD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

Next year it will be held in SF, CA. Thanks Richard.