Bernard Madoff and a culture of dishonesty

Over two thousand years ago Jeremiah wrote;

1 "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem (insert city here),
       look around and consider,
       search through her squares.
       If you can find but one person
       who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
       I will forgive this city.

Madoff, 70, was arrested Dec. 11 after telling his two sons and federal investigators that he had been using money from new investors to pay off old ones in a massive Ponzi scheme. He said clients of New York-based Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC lost $50 billion.

Far be it from me to cast stones but to learn from this situation. I believe it has been said that when someone who is in a position of power or authority falls it is best for the rest of us to examine ourselves. This scandal, however, is a complete disgrace.

It's just a magnified example of how deceit and greed can absolutely destroy lives. It might be that Bernard's $50 billion destroyed many but it can be just as devastating at the level of a family between two members...
 
More here

Robotics and AI

New Army technology could save soldiers' lives - CNN.com:

Regrowing a fingertip cut off in an accident sounds like something from a futuristic movie. But with innovative technology developed by the U.S. Army, such regrowth is possible today.

This remotely controlled robot, called BEAR, could help remove injured soldiers from battlefields.

The Army's regenerative medicine study combined properties from the intestinal lining and the urinary bladder to create a regenerative substance called Extracellular Matrix.

The cream-colored crystallized powder, called "magic dust," boosts the body's natural tendency to repair itself, said U.S. Army Biological Scientist Sgt. Gen Rossman. When the matrix is applied to a missing digit or limb, "the body thinks it's back in the womb," Rossman said.

"Robot technology has exploded in the past six years, said Army scientist John Parmentola. Robot prototypes of all kinds were on display at the conference, and about 10,000 military robots are expected to be deployed in the field in 2009."

Fascinating developments in robotics. Also, if you look at TED - you can see of the latest in this field as well.