Robot Farmers

I don't know why I'm still awake, I should be asleep now as I have a busy day ahead. Though there's so much I want to post on, such as my latest obsession with gathering cyborg-related images that I want to share, talk about some more technology breakthroughs, talk about my dilemmas with monetizing, put up some more photos/videos, bleh I am so inefficient x__x

Anyway, this will have to be my last post now, it's about another robotic farming system I came across, slightly different from Cybernated Farm Systems (CFS). In fact I hope this could be integrated into permaculture somehow, in an attempt to automate that. It's called Prospero, and it's almost exactly what I had dreamed of as a concept years ago:

Some others:

Robotic Farm Garden:

Orange Picking Robot

 

Coconut Harvesting Robot

Several Basic Reprogramming Lines to Improve Cognition and Goal Attainments

This was something I wrote MONTHS ago as a FB note but thought it would be good to re-post here as a follow-up to my previous blog post which is very similarly related.

This is a borg-like mental reprogramming regime to enhance performance efficiency in order to complete priority goals, the result being improved quality of existence. The regime is designed to eliminate obsolete and invalid cognitive processes and habitual behavioral propensities to be replaced by relevant command functions relative to set goals.

This also includes skills to improve emotional control, conditioning of the mind towards taking the most efficient, logical, productive neurophysiological responses to various sets of environmental stimuli/scenarios, improving mental concentration/focus/clarity on a set task, improving control over thought generation process, and this also means a complete re-wiring of how to perceive oneself, others, the world, and reality around us; how one thinks, how one talks, how one acts. By implementing this strategy as an ongoing daily routine, it will become a newly ingrained habit.

Dealing with your neural and physiological behavior, say (when conditions arise):

1. "Irrelevant command function" or, "Invalid command function" (a] recognize and b] end irrelevant/invalid command function i.e. non-productive, non-priority, mindless, and or accidental body action => c] replace with improved command function relative to set goals)
2. "Obsolete mental process" or, "Irrelevant topic/subject of focus/contemplation" (a] recognize and b] end obsolete mental process i.e. non-productive, non-priority, negative, and or idle thoughts => c] reinforce with improved, intelligent, rational mental process relative to set goals)
3. "Primitive reactionary propensity" or, "Invalid psychophysiological response." (a]+b] ie. irrational, emotion-based reactions => c] override with beneficial reactionary propensities i.e. mental focus on goal attainment, remain indifferent, impartial, emotionless reactions)
4. "Invalid/Irrelevant/Illogical inquiry" (a]+b] this is when dealing with absurd questions c] reformulate)

Dealing with people and environment:

1. "Primitive process(es)" or, "Inferior cybernetic systems" (when recognizing people/sentient entities/animals performing harmful/unintelligent/undesirable behaviors => remain emotionally unaffected, ignore, or move away/keep safe distance, declare: "they will all be assimilated")
2. "Insufficient life-support condition(s)" or, "Inferior environmental systems" (when in undesirable, health-damaging environment => minimize risk of health damage by any means possible/move to better environment)
3. "Obsolete technological interface (when dealing with inefficient, outdated technologies/tools/computer interfaces => do whatever means necessary to acquire updated technologies/tools/interfaces [computer or otherwise])

These general commands will be subject to [develop-/improve-]-ment over time.

Cognitive Simulation and Application of a Mind Shield Defense System in Response to Internal and External Extremes

Reposting from FB:

This is a sub-protocol to be included as part of an effective psycho-cybernetic management strategy with the aim of control or self-regulation over our "inner demons" (our negative psychological reactions towards certain stimuli).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho-Cybernetics
Not to be confused with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurocybernetics

In the event of:

1. exposure to noisy, busy, disorganized, undesirable environments
2. negative emotional feelings

Visualize any of the following:

1. a semi-invisible rectangular shield positioned near your body facing towards the source of the disturbance, acting as like a mirror deflecting away the incoming perceived threat
2. a spherical force field around your brain preventing any negativity from penetrating and corrupting essential core processes

Yes, that's a thermonuclear explosion.

All visuals generated by me via SketchUp

New Music Favorites

Yesterday, listened to a few nice music videos. Will share them now. Whoever even bothers to visit my blog, hope you enjoy.

First up, an Ozymandias Tribute (my favorite character from the movie 'Watchmen').

Some good old classical piano which brings back the good old days:

 This one I've known for a while back, but I've never got tired of it:

Some more piano classical. This time it's Chopin's Prelude 8, but played at a slower tempo than usual to the point where I can appreciate every note being played:

Rachmaninoff Remix by the Piano Guys:

Another remix by the Piano Guys:

Finally, Moonlight Sonata remixed by E.S. Posthumus (a favorite instrumental band of mine):

Exercise Equipment

Yesterday I decided to finally buy a set of dumb bells. Ended up getting a 20kg set for around £33. Had to carry it all the way back from the store to the flat by foot, taking about 30 minutes. Oh my arms lol.

Anyway, I'm trying to slowly put together a mini-gym environment, so I don't have to pay for gym memberships. I also have a pull up bar now, so I don't really need to go out in the cold to do that. Next I will need a barbell. I'll probably get that next month.

Here's the equipment:

Here's the pull-up bar:

Oh and here's what my laptop workstation looks like at the minute:

Just ignore the underwear.

Tin Beans Galore

MAOR :0

I hate canned stuff, but in this instance, price reductions down to 5p-30p per can, is pretty hard to resist

Programmer Creates 800,000 Books Using Algorithmic System, Starts Selling Them

When I read this article the other day, I was absolutely blown back from my seat, with jaws dropping to the ground, totally overwhelmed.

Marketing professor Philip M Parker has created an algorithmic system that can write any book on any subject in just a few minutes, pooling in data from around the internet, compiling and reorganizing them accordingly.

According to the article:

"In a fascinating piece covering the news the sheer power of this system was revealed. Countless topics can be listed on sites like Amazon — everything you’d ever want to know. The funny part is that the books don’t even have to be written yet. Thanks to digital distribution and print-on-demand solutions, a whole new book can be generated on an incredibly obscure topic as soon as someone buys it. The system will be able to compile an entire book on the subject in the range of ten minutes to a few hours. It’s that simple."

He has even patented this system.

The one word I couldn't think of better after knowing this system: INGENIOUS.

Here's a video presentation of the system by Philip Parker himself (he even sounds like an algorithmically generated narrator; that's a compliment btw):

There have been criticisms on this system, such as, he has essentially created another spam bot, and that, companies like Google and Amazon would never allow such mass-creation of automatically generated content to be put up let alone sold, which are hotly being cracked down nowadays. There is also the issue of the system creating a lot of junk (garbage in => garbage out). Some have called it as an exaggerated, over-hyped claim. Perhaps we are not well enough informed of how the system truly works (even I am still baffled) to really see its value in real-world applications.

However, I do see HUGE potential in such a system for its contribution to scientific research, for instance, sifting through the plethora of scientific literature, the compilation of much needed data and the production of reports and analyses of them, which can be a tedious, labor-extensive, time-consuming, monotonous, not to mention DEAD BORING task. These would have tremendous value not only for scientific researchers, but also market analysts and business people who need these kinds of information in the shortest time possible. If such a process could be automated to the highest quality as humans would if not better, this would surely free up more of our time to engage in other critical tasks/projects, while at the same time accelerating the rate at which knowledge can acquired.

This reminds me of a similar article I read a long time ago on Physorg entitled, 'Mining the Language of Science'. It's essentially similar to what I have described. Here's an excerpt:

Ask any biomedical scientist whether they manage to keep on top of reading all of the publications in their field, let alone an adjacent field, and few will say yes. New publications are appearing at a double-exponential rate, as measured by MEDLINE – the US National Library of Medicine’s biomedical bibliographic database – which now lists over 19 million records and adds up to 4,000 new records daily.

For a prolific field such as cancer research, the number of publications could quickly become unmanageable and important hypothesis-generating evidence may be missed. But what if scientists could instruct a computer to help them?

 I've said it before and I'll say it again. These are exciting times.

Drone: An Action-Packed Sci-Fi Short Film

This was something that got me all up and excited last weekend. Found this article via the Singularity Network on FB (I've just so gotta love that group, it's my #1 place to go every time I'm on FB).

Anyway, it's a short "film" series about a drone warfare robot, done by Robert Glickert. Well I don't want to give away any spoilers. It does highlight what can be possible in the future as advances in AI continue, and to what extent their impacts will have in society. I actually rather be that kind of robot one day. Primary objective: survival. Haha. Of course I'd want other goals other than just survival, really.

Enough blabber. Here's the clip, enjoy:

Brain-to-brain Communication

Two weeks ago. Came across this article entitled 'Father-daughter duo have the world’s first brain-to-brain ‘telepathic’ conversation'. This is just wonderful news

Imagine making basic mobile phones obsolete. Of course, perhaps, smartphones will probably still be around, for their other cool functions like taking photos, playing games and music etc.

I think brain-to-brain interfacing might be the next Skype, at least at first it will be from the medium of a computer. But eventually it can be made portable and wireless, like a phone, perhaps something that can be worn on the head, similar to the Emotiv EPOC neuroheadset, but more discreet. No one will have to hear our conversations.

I do worry about the recipient hearing rogue/random thoughts though. Hopefully they will be filtered out and only intended thoughts will be transmitted.

For now the technology is still in its infancy, like brain-to-machine interfacing, brain-robot control, dream recording, and those kinds of things. These are very intriguing and exciting avenues of research to pursue.

I one day hope it might be possible to link two brains together that can simultaneously control each others' bodies. So that brain A controls body A and B, and brain B controls body A and B as well, and brain A and B collaborate on movements and decisions so it is in sync and do not clash. That would be awesome. Then we can spawn the birth of the Hive Mind. A bit like the Borg Collective. Yay!

Well, that all sounds highly far-fetched. But again, we'll see. I also like the idea of possible AI having the ability to take over human brains and their bodies. Scary huh. Sounds fun to me!

Here was one of the earlier B2B experiment done back in 2009 btw:

Philippine RH Bill Finally Passed into Law

I am highly pleased to hear this today. It has been over a decade trying to get this bill passed in my country. Now it is a reality. I'm no fan of politicians, but for this occasion, I'll say thanks to President Benigno Aquino III. Though I also want to give my thumbs up and applaud to all those people who have actively worked to make it happen. Here's the official article. I also wrote this article about it some time back, albeit, I do confess it was premature, and slightly misleading (which I do apologize), merely out of excitement of its passing on second reading (you can tell I was probably way too optimistic).

This brings back old memories. A few months ago, I was watching a propaganda video aimed at promoting the RH Bill. It's in Tagalog, with Philippines actors/actresses, though I must say I still find it quite amusing, as well as consciousness-raising. The acting was also pretty good for my taste... just an example of good old Pinoy humor addressing a very important topic:

Swarmanoid

About a week back I posted on FB a short video on a new kind of robotic feedback system. It's pretty cool. Actually, it's way more than cool. It's scary, yet exciting.  Here's part of the transcript describing it:

Swarmanoid is a parallel distributed system. Parallel activity and redundancy increase its robustness and flexibility."

"The true value of the Swarmanoid concept would manifest itself in parallel task execution scenarios, and in unstructured environments.

I can't even begin to fathom what potential applications this would have, on an individual level, and a societal one. Think of the possibilities: robots that collectively work together autonomously and intelligently think, systematically plan, assess, calculate the best set of tactical maneuvers to solve a set physical goal, workout to adapt around fluctuating/constantly changing environments and overcome obstacles. Okay, those were pretty vague examples.

In the video, their objective was to search and get a book, then take it back to a pre-designated area. For specific real life applications, I would be thinking this: search and collect a missing item to bring back to its owner, use in libraries to automate book organization, automation of organizing supermarket inventory, automation of harvesting a variety of produce in food production, assistance in civil construction, manufacturing, and perhaps many other things.

Of course, the bots in that video seem slow, and only operates on a small scale. But that shouldn't be too much of an issue, as future designs and demonstrations of modified versions will surely address.

Cybernated Farm Systems

A new post on the same day. Actually I will probably be posting a few just to catch up on the last few missed days. I really don't know why I only decided to post today, probably because I'm feeling happier and alive again.

Anyway, I want to introduce a project I've known for some time, actually it's a start-up company called Cybernated Farm Systems, founded by CEO and former systems engineer who worked on NASA's space shuttle program Douglas Mallette. I wrote this article about them a few days ago. Their basic aim is to tackle the problem of hunger in many parts of the world, using means of automation systems to the point where no human labor is required to operate food production. Right now they are trying to gain funding of up to $1 million in less than 60 days. Tight deadline though. Today they have started a FB event with a campaign attempting to go viral. Some of my futurist / sustainability counterparts ironically are not in support of the proposed concept and they have their own reasons, but to each his own.

Here's a video presentation of CFS:

Dietary Revamp

So I've finally got enough cash to get back to my regular dietary routine again. After going on a sad hiatus for some time and lapsing into a state of unhealthy eating, I've decided to finally put an end to this cycle of destructive madness which has somewhat stifled my quality of life. No more silly digestive biscuits. No more strange alien foods. No more crisps. There needs to be stability, and a meals with ingredients, preparations, and service sizes that remain constant.

So yesterday I literally went out and bought and filled the kitchen with all things healthy (well, 90% of them). A lot were also reduced price again, and very generously fruits and veg were included in the reduction, because it's Christmas. I love soy yoghurt, and I have to make sure I don't run out of the stuff again. It seems my body reacts very negatively without it because it has become so used to it. Same with cocoa powder! I bought Bournville pure cocoa powder now. The reduced price beans really help. Okay I'm just going to post some pics of some of the things I actually bought, and yeah I confess, it's from Sainsbury's.

Just look at all that bloody packaging. Ugh.

Merry Christmas

Well this was a bit late. Lately I haven't been posting up on my blogs as much (Facebook is just way too addictive!)

Anyway, here's my latest cool avatar. For me it is a direct representation of my ideals, my vision, the ultimate objective, the final goal, the quest for perfection. Although it is dark and gloomy, I am mesmerized by the geometry. Basically it resembles like something out of a Borg ship...lol.

You will be assimilated. Perfection, is imminent.

Borg Voice Recording

For a few days I was having some kind of emotional attack and subsequent temporary depression that was intense and felt like I lost the will to live. This would explain why I haven't posted lately. Today that's all gone in a flick of a switch and feel rather content. Not jumping in joy, but at least calm, and stable (for now). These are just some of the complexities of the human psyche one has to try their best to deal with.

So anyway, before all that, I made a recording of myself and converted it into Borg using audacity. I also thought it would be cool to put it up on Fiverr, although I very much doubt it'd be a big hit. I might create more at some point as I'm sure there would be some humor value if pursued.

On Healthy Living and Prosperity

The other day I wrote this article about my thoughts on honey. A few years back I was a bit of a fanatic about its health benefits though in recent times I've had to reconsider that position in purview of the existing evidence on the matter. This brings me to a point I want to make about healthy eating diets and lifestyles in general.

I don't feel like writing much today so I do apologize (who am I apologizing too? I barely have an audience!), but anyway. Lately my diet has gone completely flat and so has my way of healthy living. Just totally kaplooph! Fail. As I wrote in another post I am extremely financially challenged and cannot operate to do the things that I want to, either efficiently or at all.

So what does this tell us...is financial prosperity then correlated with healthier diet and lifestyle? Back in the Philippines I used to exercise regularly and eat extremely healthily. Though that was mostly because I had 100% free time to do whatever I wanted and armed with a surplus of cash coming from parents. Nowadays, I'm back in the UK, having to support myself now although income is meager, and I have to resort to really cheap and nutritionally imbalanced meals. Included is a lack of physical exercise and going outside (sigh). I also will admit that it has been difficult to maintain calorie restriction under these less-than-ideal conditions. In fact on most days I'm back to eating ad lib again, eating all the things I once hated (biscuits, crisps, bread, meat...bah!). Luckily today I found some cheap/price-reduced canned beans (not those baked beans high in sugar) which I might buy tomorrow instead of those horrible wheat-based ready meals (sandwiches and pasta drizzled with ridiculous quantities of oil) which really boils up my blood pressure.

This reminds me of a recent article I read about wheat consumption here.

Well all I can hope for is that once I can save up again and generate more cash, I can get myself out of this hell-hole impoverished situation and things will be different and I can bounce back. For the time being I just have to bare this humiliating agony. I want to write a book one day containing all my custom healthy dish recipes I have in mind...seriously.

I still need to see my GP (general practitioner) to have a general medical checkup. Haven't really booked an appointment at my local surgery clinic since I arrived. I also need to get vaccinated soon... aaaargggh!

Advanced Anti-Cancer Drug Made From Engineered Algae

The other day I posted this on my FB. Well, I posted a few things but I'll talk about this one first.

Basically, the research is a culmination of 7 years of work on a type of algae called 'Chlamydomonas reinhardti' which biologists have managed to re-engineer to produce specific complex protein structures that can have therapeutic applications on humans, one of them the treatment of diseases such as pulmonary emphysema, protection against malaria, and of course, potentially a tailored cure for specific types of cancer.

As we enter an age of personalized medicine, where we need to customize treatments specific to each individual's case, such research becomes ever more an important requisite.

I personally cannot wait until we finally have all the ultimate cure for all cancers, and end all human disease altogether outright. Although cancer is a complex topic let alone human diseases, there are a good number of avenues of research tackling the problem today from nanotech to immunotherapy, so I remain optimistic.

I still think however that the final frontier to win this battle once and for all is ultimately to transcend our limited biological formats and I hope I can still be alive by then to see it become a reality. Otherwise I will just resort to cryopreservation for whatever hope or life in me remaining.

The Most Watched YouTube Video 2012

The other day I was searching for the most viewed YouTube video. Last time I checked (around a year or two ago) it was Justin Bieber's music video "Babe" (also was the most disliked/hated video).

This year, the title for the most viewed video on YouTube is 'PSY - Gangnam Style', with +950 million views as of writing this post. Would be cool if it could reach 1 billion before New Year...hehehaa!


I think the video is totally awesome though. It's funky, and it's Korean. I can't stop listening to it now.

***Update: Nearly forgot to mention, there's also this parody version that recently went up, which I also found kinda cool, and funny, since I like science and all that... prepare to view: "NASA Johnson Style" hahahahaa!

***Update*** They did it. PSY - Gangnam style has topped the 1 billion views mark. A true triumph. w00t w00t w00t w000000t!

KABOOM! Apocalyptic Beauty

It's nice to see a natural formation sometimes that looks like explosions (especially the nuclear type) but really aren't. I think this one tops them all (from what I've seen so far).

I don't like nuclear weapons or weapons testing, btw.

Dilemma of Living in a Flat

Sometimes it sucks living in an apartment/flat with a bunch of other people in the same building. Other times it's not too bad. Renters come and go, sometimes they live in the place long term. Problem is the kind of people you have to live next with. Some are okay, quiet, don't disturb, etc (I'm not that social myself). Other people it's the exact same opposite case. It's worse if you live upstairs (like I do).... those living below me can literally hear every footstep I make, every flush of the toilet made, every squeak of the door, every phone ring and accidental phone drop, washing machine, vacuum cleaner...probably even conversations. It is just so damn annoying

For instance, the other day, this guy downstairs literally had a go at me because I was being too noisy. I think the guy is a douchebag though who makes even more noise than I do (typical british chav culture!), and I don't complain (to them). He threatened to complain to the landlords, well I just looked back and him and said... "okay", then went upstairs. He does have a point though, as he has a partner and a baby (which he mentioned), and I was using the vacuum cleaner on that day, but that's hardly a crime for crying out loud (no pun intended), at some point I need to clean my bloody place! Then like a day ago, I was just trying to do some exercises, doing handstand pushups, squats, pressups etc... and he marched upstairs and started banging on my door. I just ignored it though. Actually he banged on my door again when I dropped my phone by accident... what an idiot. Obviously he has anger management issues. Compared to him, I consider myself as a relatively peaceful person who doesn't mind any body else's business, I don't drink, smoke (I can even smell their cigarette smoke emanating from below as they have their windows open), do stupid things with gangs of friends and make noises all night... bah!

I just wish they would move out! Then again if I were in their position I'd probably feel the same. To be honest I can't tell how much noise I'm making from their end... the sound is probably being amplified as it travels through the walls and the flooring material...so from an audio-control design perspective, the building is relatively poor at that.

In any case, there was a time when it was much worse living in the flat, when there were literally drug addicts living next door, and creating all sorts of terror and abuse for the inhabitants. But that was when my mom was living where I am now about 2 years ago, but that's all over now.

It's just now, I feel like my freedom of movement, freedom to exercise is being restricted, I feel like a prisoner, or as if it's a crime to turn on the vacuum cleaner, or even open the door, in fear of making a noise that would disturb and subsequently irritate them, leading to yet another unwanted confrontation. I even have to tip-toe now and it sucks. Every push-up, every footstep, every movement... has to be as quiet as a cat... aaarggh!!!

Anyway, I don't want to keep babbling and ranting/dwelling about this. One day I have to get out. I have to save up a fortune and create my own secluded fortress, away from the hideous, corrupted, contaminated, polluted, degenerate world I have to put up with every day...

Mind-Controlled Arm Prosthesis

We're seeing steady improvements in synthetic limb prostheses now, as more and more people who have lost their limbs, eventually manage to obtain one, which means, continuous research and development in making them more functional, easier, more efficient to use. There is still huge milestones to go in this regard, but the rate of advance is steady, as we can see in these other examples:

Personally I look forward to the day I can finally shed away from this inferior, limited, rather feeble biological substrate we call the human body... I wouldn't mind having my brain fitted into a machine body eventually, though of course we have to deal with biological aging of the brain, which we have to somehow resolve... (replace biological neurons with synthetic versions that cannot degrade/deteriorate over long periods of time, perhaps, or mind-computer upload...this could still take decades of research). 

Seriously, I'm tired sitting on my ass as I type and experiencing all these physical discomforts... we must increase performance efficiency to ze max!!!!!!

US Doctors Defeat Leukemia with Modified HIV

It seems we are finally starting to see some really definitive cures to specific types of cancers now, such as leukemia.

According to medicalxpress.com:

After fighting her disease with chemotherapy for almost two years and suffering two relapses, the young girl "faced grim prospects," doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said. So in February this year they agreed to take her on in an experimental program that fought fire with fire. Helped by a genetically altered HIV virus—stripped of its devastating properties that cause AIDS—doctors turned the girl's own immune cells into a superior force able to rout the "aggressive" leukemia.

 There's more:

"It is impossible to catch HIV or any other infection. What's left is the property of the HIV virus that allows it to put new genes into cells." During the treatment, Emily became very ill and went into the intensive care unit, underlining how risky the procedure can be. However, drugs that partly block the immune reaction were administered, without interfering with the anti-leukemia action, and she recovered, the hospital said. The result was "complete" and best of all, the doctors say, the boosted immune shield continues "to remain in the patient's body to protect against a recurrence of the cancer." "She has no leukemia in her body for any test that we can do—even the most sensitive tests," Grupp told ABC television. "We need to see that the remission goes on for a couple of years before we think about whether she is cured or not. It is too soon to say."

 This is yet another victory for scientific progress! Let us all praise and hail the glory of science!

Flying Robot Builds a 6 Meter Wall

As any one may or may not notice, I am into Facebook. A lot. Actually it has become an addiction. I don't interact much on there though. However, I have a lot of contacts that spew endless streams of links and other fascinating and informative material that never ceases to capture my attention on a daily basis. I used to do the same, but not much now. For me it used to also be an avenue for self-expression, even today, albeit in limited fashion. I realize FB is potentially a powerhouse for fresh ideas and knowledge and the movement of them - a resource not to be neglected - if utilized in a strategic manner.

Today I thought I'd do something a little different, and that is, to talk about what I usually post on FB. Here's what I found today:

Usually stuff about robotics fascinates me a great deal. Mainly because I myself one day would like to eventually replace my biological body parts with synthetic/artificial, robotic components (a bit like Darth Vader, but a little more extreme, as in, becoming a totally synthetic, robotic entity).

Back to the point on this particular video, I would personally kind of find these Quadrator robots (yes, that's what they're called) to be useful in doing all sorts of essential task processes, from cleaning trash in the streets, maintaining one's garden lot, harvesting fruit/veg, doing shopping, and of course, construction. They could even be tailored specifically to becoming like a robotic companion that follows you around and can play something like ping pong or tennis with you. A bit like this actually:

They should be made intelligent enough to fly off and recharge themselves though, as well as fly to their nearest maintenance center for repairs and upgrades. 

I have an idea, they could also be made to locate key materials worldwide, and bring them to a manufacturing facility, that creates more of themselves. They would probably need solar panels perhaps.

Anyway, aren't they just so cool????

How Not to Starve to Death: Getting Food Super Cheap

Okay, so the last two months has been really difficult for me. My income is currently around £400(+/-£30) per month. Anyhoot I have had to really try hard to ration things out. November 2012 was a nightmare for me foodwise.

What I have discovered, no more than 4 days ago, was that you can actually buy meals that are 200-400 calories but cost an INSANELY LOW PRICE of only 10 PENCE, down from their original value of anywhere between £1-4. YES THIS IS NOT A JOKE. They are usually sandwiches and prepacked meals however (and not very nutritionally balanced in my opinion). You can find these if you go to the supermarket (I won't name which ones- you will have to figure that out yourselves, this is only what I found in the UK because I live here), but they only start reducing prices after 6pm. The lowest reductions (at 10p) are usually announced in the last 10 minutes before closing time.

What would've costed me a £30-40 weekly shopping has been cut down to just £10 because of this. Amazing. At least I don't have to starve this Christmas...and as sick as this sounds I have to thank supermarkets in a way (even if I detest capitalism!)

Why are these supermarkets doing this?! Well I suppose it would be a shame to waste a lot of foods that are to expire on that day that didn't sell. So I suppose lowering the prices would be a sensible thing to do, so as to get people to buy them before the shop closes. Even if they don't make a profit from it at least they've found a way to minimize their losses. It's better than total loss.

Hope this helps...if you are financially drained... ;-|

DON'T BELIEVE ME????????? okay, um... I'll post up some pics :-p

At some point someone is going to yell out and cry, "Photoshop!" My response to such lunacy: It isn't.

The End was the Beginning

Hi there.

You have just discovered my secret lair. This blog is supposed to be private as I will be posting any and all things that come across my mind i.e my experiences, feelings, desires, thoughts, ideas, and plans for the future, as well as artifacts of interest discovered around the web.

I'll just be posting things on the fly, whatever I feel like posting. I hate being pressured to post needlessly for the sake of posting. GGggrr!

You might be asking "is this the Imperar who built Magnasanti on SimCity 3000?" For the zillionth time already: YES.

You might be tempted to ask next, "what happened to you, where are you now, and do you have any new projects you're doing?" Ugh...I hate interview questions. My answer is quick and simple: I am now living in the UK after having just returned from the Philippines in July 2012.

"Why UK and not just stay in my own country?" Has to do with desirability and stability of conditions. UK = more stable, more desirable conditions. I guess you could say, I have just selected the lesser of two evils. In reality I don't want to live in the UK (too cold, too expensive), or even the Philippines (too hot, too polluted). Well, it's a little more complicated to explain. Oh I don't know, probably either country wouldn't be a problem, I just need lots of cash, so I can afford to create my own bubble/fortress/world that fully suits my requirements to really live well, away from disturbances, or what I call, "external extremes", and have the highest quality of life I yearn for. I live a relatively peaceful existence compared to most. Perhaps in the end though, I'd stay in the Philippines so I can be closer to my comrades I have there. In the UK = you are alone.

Right now, I am working on trying to leveraging the power of the internet to amass sufficient financial resources so I can initiate my future plans, which is well, to becoming cybernetically immortal and build a new civilization of cyborgs that will assimilate the human species and the entire universe...err...what I mean is, to improve my well-being and the quality of life of all humans, sentient beings, and fix our home planet/take care of our life-supporting environment. That sums it up quite accurately I think.

Now that that's all sorted and out of the way, to end this first post I shall be sharing my favorite piece of music that I have literally been playing none stop for the last month or two. Actually there's two of them:

"SWAN LAKE" (METAL VERSION) - BY DARK MOOR

"DIES IRAE (AMADEUS)" - BY DARK MOOR

If the genre of Power Metal is not to your taste then that is quite understandable (prepare to be electrocu...uuhh..tickled I mean)