Sociedade do custo zero trará fim do capitalismo, diz livro

 

 

Americano Jeremy Rifkin argumenta que "internet das coisas", energias renováveis e custo marginal zero vão nos levar para novo sistema colaborativo

 

Mão segurando globo terrestre: livro argumenta que viveremos em mundo colaborativo

São Paulo - Na segunda metade do século XXI, a economia mundial será híbrida e um sistema colaborativo estará convivendo com um capitalismo cada vez menos importante.

A previsão provocativa é do americano Jeremy Rifkin, que acaba de publicar seu novo livro "The Zero Marginal Cost Society" ("A Sociedade do Custo Marginal Zero", em tradução livre).

Depois de uma série de bestsellers sobre os impactos da tecnologia na economia, ele foi além e vislumbrou um futuro no qual a lógica colaborativa da internet tomou conta de quase todo o sistema.

Em outras palavras: depois de séculos nos quais o capitalismo conseguiu levar várias dimensões da vida humana para a esfera econômica, o processo começou a se reverter.

Tese

Para Rifkin, isso é fruto do próprio dinamismo do sistema. A busca incessante por produtividade teve tanto sucesso que levará a um ponto no qual o custo marginal - ou seja, o custo de produzir uma unidade adicional de algum determinado produto ou serviço - beira zero.

Isso apareceu primeiro em indústrias como a do entretenimento e comunicação, completamente modificadas pela internet, mas já começa a ficar claro em outros campos.

Na educação, cursos online permitem que um professor ensine milhões de alunos de uma vez. Na manufatura, impressoras 3D criam uma geração de "prosumidores" - produtores e consumidores ao mesmo tempo.

O resultado: "lucros corporativos estão começando a secar, os direitos de propriedade estão se enfraquecendo e uma economia baseada na escassez está dando espaço a uma economia da abundância", escreve Rifkin.

 

Can An Online Education Actually Land You A Job?

 

Job options for people who educate themselves via free online courses are expanding—slowly.

This post is part of Hire Education, an occasional series about technological innovation in education and how it's reshaping the way students prepare themselves for a transformed workforce.

The brave new word of free, online college-level courses finally makes it possible to get an inexpensive degree-equivalent education in many fields. Employers, though, might be less impressed with the supplemental coursework, unless you're looking for a job in technology or computer science.

Generally, massive open online courses—still often known by the unwieldy acronym MOOCs—are focused on providing courses that will improve skills in specific topics, frequently focused on technology, science and mathematics. These courses provide students with completion credentials once they have passed a class.

But the trend in online education is relatively new, having boomed over the last two years. So while students are flocking to these services—Udacity boasts 1.6 million students in over 200 countries—many employers remain skeptical of the nontraditional education.

 

Online-Educated And In The Workplace

Udacity, a popular online-course platforms that focuses specifically on technology-related courses, is working hard to encourage the acceptance of its remotely educated students in the workforce.

The company recently announced the Open Education Alliance (OEA), a group of employers and educators that provides access to post-secondary education and encourages students to pursue careers in technology. Members of Udacity’s OEA include Google, AT&T, Intuit and Cloudera.

“We’ve heard from our students that many of them are motivated to advance their career opportunities,” said Clarissa Shen, vice president of strategic business and marketing at Udacity. “Employers and industry partners we work with are hiring our students.”

Udacity’s job placement program also actively works with students to help attain employment from its network of over 300 companies ranging from leading Fortune 500 companies to smaller startups.

“Out of our user base, ten to 15 percent of our students at any given time have opted in to post their resumes,” Shen said. Students are also encouraged to promote their coursework on resumes and LinkedIn accounts, as well as set up profiles on GitHub.

Coursera, another online teaching startup, says it wants to offer people a way to obtain a lifelong education, regardless of whether they get a degree at the end or not.

The company offers a "signature track" program in which students can pay anywhere from $30 to $70 to secure an official Coursera completion certificate that they can then advertise to employers.

“We ask students at the end of the course to share how they’re using a verified course certificate,” said Chris Heather, a product manager at Coursera. “It ends up that students are professionals that have a college degree or higher, and the main reason they actually take the courses is to advance their career.”

So while online courses are supplemental to professionals who have already taken a traditional university route, these online platforms might prove to be crucial to students who either can’t afford, or have no desire to attend college, but still want a good job in the workforce.

 

Degrees, Huh—What Are They Good For?

According to a study from the Brookings Institution earlier this year, about half of all U.S. jobs that require science, technology, engineering and math training are available to workers without a four-year college degree. Those jobs account for about five percent of all U.S. positions.

This bodes well for the likes of Coursera, Udacity and edX, the non-profit partnership between Harvard and MIT. Students can pay a minimal fee to complete coursework in lieu of a university education and still succeed in high tech fields.

In an interview with the New York Times, Google's senior vice president of people operations, Laszlo Block, said that the proportion of employees at the company who don't have college degrees has increased over time. In fact, there are some teams at Google on which 14 percent of employees never went to college.

"After two or three years, your ability to perform at Google is completely unrelated to how you performed when you were in school," Block told the NYT. "Because the skills you required in college are very different."

Tamir Duberstein understands firsthand how learning a new skill after college can create additional job opportunities. He began taking MOOC classes through MITx, now edX, and segued into the inaugural Udacity courses focused on computer science.

He completed five courses focusing on computer science and programming and was encouraged to post his resume on Udacity's platform. Because of his coursework, he now has a job as a programmer at Square, the San Francisco-based payments startup.

Udacity courses undoubtedly helped him get hired, he said in an email interview. "Udacity personnel actively put me in touch with my recruiter at Square."

With a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Duberstein had never studied computer science, and decided to pursue the subject online. The coursework on Udacity is very different from the traditional classroom, he said, in fact he was happy to work on assignments, unlike his experience in college.

 

In Academia, The Degree Is King

Academics scoff at the idea that online certificates might rival university degrees, although of course that skepticism is a bit self-serving. If people turn to MOOCs over college, and the platforms can educate a higher number of students at a faster pace, then universities would need fewer professors leading lecture halls.

Sanjay Sarma, director of digital learning at MIT, believes traditional university degrees still hold sway in the workplace.

“When I’m hiring someone for the long-term to lead the company, I want to make sure that their … interdisciplinary skills and critical thinking are very developed,” he said in an interview with ReadWrite earlier this year. “So there, it matters and would matter to me that they did go to a good school and get a great education.” 

Technical skills like programming and mathematics can be learned online, but interpersonal relationships and leadership qualities still can’t be perfected through MOOC classrooms, something many companies value in their employees.

A recent informal poll by a recruitment strategy expert Brad Petersen at Success Communications Group yielded some interesting insights. One respondent claimed that while some managers are slanted towards giving more weight to someone with a traditional college degree, they try to approach the topic of education equally.

“The person who usually gets an online degree or certification is juggling full time work, maybe didn't have the opportunity to go to full-time college (like me) and typically has more real world experience,” the recruiter said.

This is congruent with both Coursera and Udacity’s student bodies. Both companies report that while all students are taking courses to hone their skills, a high number of them are already employed and are using the courses to become more attractive as candidates for promotion or to other potential employers.

 

80 uses for coconut oil

 

Product Information

Eternal Delight offers three types of coconut oil:  extra virgin coconut oil,  light virgin and deodorized. We use deodorized coconut oil in our natural soaps, light extra virgin in products where we don’t want the coconut flavour but still all the nutrients and extra virgin for products like cheese cake and chocolates. See underneath for many uses up to your preference. If you wish to find out our current best price according to the current market value please email us with the amount you are looking for and we will give you a quote.

Daily Dosage:

Here is a chart outlining the recommended daily dosage of virgin coconut oil for persons over the age of 12. Coconut oil may be consumed by children under 12 but it is advisable to check with a healthcare practitioner on the proper dosage. Any good naturopath will have the information at the ready.

Type to use:

·       deodorized coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell of taste.
·       Virgin coconut oil tastes coconutty and can be used for anything as well and it is completely nutritious.
·       Food grade should always be used.

80 Uses for Coconut Oil

Personal Hygiene/Body

1.       Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
2.       Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
3.       Preshave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
4.       Aftershave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
5.       Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
6.       Hair Conditioner/Deep Treatment – use as a leave in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
7.       Hair Gel/Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
8.       Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
9.       Make up remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!
10.   Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
11.   Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
12.   Lubricant – it is an all natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
13.   Sunscreen
14.   Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
15.   Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore, or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
16.   Diaper salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.
17.   Cradle cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
18.   Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
19.   Healing – when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
20.   Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
21.   Skin problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
22.   Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.
General Health and Wellness

23.   Stress Relief – relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.
24.   Digestion – the saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
25.   Fitness – coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle.
26.   Nose bleeds – coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme hotness and extreme coldness. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
27.   For breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich your milk supply.
28.   Helps with weight loss & controlling cravings.
29.   Helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings in those with diabetes.
Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when taken internally)

30.   Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, some don’t
31.   Skin problems
32.   Toenail fungus
33.   Hot flashes
34.   Bleeding hemorrhoids (can also be applied externally twice a day)
35.   HIV
36.   Head lice
37.   Improvements in menstruation regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow
38.   Migraines (with regular use)
39.   Mononucleosis
40.   Parasites
41.   Thrush
42.   Relieve gallbladder pain
43.   Has helped some people improve symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland, results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal
44.   Energy boost
45.   Flaky, dry skin
46.   May relieve acid reflux and indigestion when taken with each meal
47.   Adrenal fatigue
48.   Alzheimers
49.   H. pylori
50.   Candida albicans
51.   Asthma, even in children
52.   Autism
53.   Cholesterol – improves HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) to LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol
54.   Chronic fatigue
55.   Circulation/feeling cold all the time
56.   Stronger immune system
57.   Mental Clarity
58.   Depression
59.   Helps with inflammation in Crohns

Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when applied topically)

60.   Athletes foot
61.   Back pain/sore muscles
62.   Canker sores
63.   Acne
64.   Cellulite
65.   Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)
66.   Genital warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)
67.   Circumcision healing – although I am personally against circumcision, I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.
Cooking

68.   Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.
69.   Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in it’s solid form – greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.
70.   Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sautéing, etc.
71.   Nutritional supplement – melt and add to smoothies.

Other Uses

72.   Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with Deet! Tons safer too.
73.   Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.
74.   Goo Gone – just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.
75.   Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!
76.   Polish Furniture – coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.
77.   Polishing Bronze – all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.
78.   Seasoning animal hide drums
79.   Seasoning cookware
80.   Moisturizing and cleaning leather products

 

source : http://www.eternaldelight.co.nz/2012/01/80-uses-for-coconut-oil/

3 Simple Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's

 

Georgetown University researchers reported making great strides this month toward developing a blood test for Alzheimer's disease. But until such a test is widely available, one of the nation's leading experts on aging and mental health says there are steps you can — and should — take now to reduce your odds of developing dementia.

Gary Small, M.D., director of the UCLA Longevity Center, tells Newsmax TV it could take years for the breakthrough Georgetown research to translate into a viable Alzheimer’s blood test to diagnose the condition early, when drugs that slow its progression are most effective. But, in the meantime, Dr. Small recommends three simple but effective ways to protect the brain from the ravages of the memory-robbing disease: Exercising, managing stress, and eating a healthy diet.

"The research is compelling that there's a lot we can do to protect our brain health," says Dr. Small, a professor of psychiatry and aging, and the author of The Mind Health Report. "The MacArthur Study of Successful Aging concluded that about a third of what determines Alzheimer's disease or cognitive decline as we age comes from genetics. That means that two-thirds is non-genetic and may be under our control."

Dr. Small, author of "The Memory Prescription: Dr. Gary Small's 14-Day Plan to Keep Your Brain and Body Young," recommends being on the lookout for early signs of cognitive declines, including even minor memory lapses, if they occur frequently or become increasingly more pronounced and serious. Occasionally forgetting where you left your car keys may not be a sign of trouble, for instance, but forgetting a spouse's name or how to drive to a favorite restaurant could be a symptom of dementia.

"It's difficult because those 'senior moments' [can] gradually segue into mild Alzheimer's disease," he explains. "So it's often difficult to differentiate them from normal … aging or incipient Alzheimer's. If you're concerned, it's always best to check with your doctor early rather than late because the sooner you can make a diagnosis and initiate treatment, the better will be the outcome."

He adds that the Georgetown researchers' progress toward developing a blood test for Alzheimer's is "promising," but more work will be needed to verify their findings and market such a test. The team found that levels of 10 fats ("lipids") in the bloodstream can be used to estimate the chances of someone developing mild cognitive impairment — which involves memory loss and a decline in thinking ability — or the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease within a few years.

Lead researcher Howard Federoff, executive dean of the Georgetown University School of Medicine, said those 10 blood fats can predict impending dementia with 90 percent accuracy, even before symptoms appear. Doctors now must rely on expensive MRIs and PET scans that are limited in their diagnostic ability, so a blood test based on the research would be a significant step forward, and allow doctors to begin therapies early — when they are most effective — before significant brain damage and memory loss occur.

Alzheimer's afflicts more than 5 million Americans and kills at least 84,000 people in the U.S. every year. 

Until such a test is available, Dr. Small recommends the following clinically proven ways to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's and slowing its progress.

1-Exercise at least 30 minutes each day. "I recommend that people get physical exercise routinely," he says. "We know that it pumps oxygen and nutrients to your brain cells and protects them, mental exercise also probably protects your brain and can improve those age-related memory slips." He adds that you don't have to become a triathlete or spend hours at the gym every day. "Just 20 minutes a day of brisk walking will lower your risk for Alzheimer's disease," he says. It's also a good idea to exercise the mind, by engaging in mentally stimulating activities that can keep you sharp as you age.

2-Learn to manage stress effectively. Meditation, yoga, listening to music, or simply spending a few minutes each day doing something to relax and wind down have been shown to ease stress and boost mental and physical health. "Trying to manage stress better is critically important," Dr. Small advises. "Stress is really the enemy of brain health."

3-Eat a healthy diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. "Nutrition is critically important," he says, "In the average American diet, we're not getting enough omega-3 fats from fish, nuts, and flax seed. We're not getting enough fruits and vegetables that are [rich in] anti-oxidant[s] and protect brain cells."

 

Girl's World

 

March 30, 2014

Photograph by Gina Waga, National Geographic Your Shot

"I captured this moment of my daughter's reckless abandon in a suburban playground in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia," says Gina Waga, a member of National Geographic Your Shot whose picture was recently featured in the Daily Dozen. "I chose an evening during a specific time of year, when the sunset would be enhanced by the smoke from the local canefires, creating the stunning, merging colors."

Waga says a lower-angle composition captured her daughter's silhouette perfectly. "It was then up to timing: teaching her how to position herself, pushing her on the swing, then getting back to the perfect spot in the overgrown grass to capture a moment of simplicity and beauty in a child's life."

This photo was submitted to Your Shot. Check out the new and improved website, where you can share photos, take part in assignments, lend your voice to stories, and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.

 

 

Q&A: Gerd Ludwig’s Long Look at the Chernobyl Disaster

 

“Deep inside, at a dark hallway, we stopped in front of a heavy metal door. The engineer indicated I had only a brief moment to shoot. It took him a long minute to open the jammed door. The adrenaline surge was extraordinary. The room was absolutely dark, lit only by our headlamps. Wires were obstructing my view. At the far end of the room I could make out a clock. I was only able to fire off a few frames and wanted to wait for my flash to recharge. But he already pulled me out. I checked my pictures. Out of focus! I begged him to allow me in one more time. He gave me a few more seconds to frame the clock showing 1:23:58 AM—the time when on 26 April, 1986 in the building that housed Energy Block # 4, time stood forever still.” —Gerd Ludwig on photographing inside reactor #4, where an explosion caused a catastrophic nuclear meltdown. Ludwig describes this as one of the most challenging situations he has ever photographed.

2005. The evacuated city of Pripyat, once brimming with life, is now a chilling ghost town. For an exiled resident, the stillness of a city boulevard stirs memories of her former life. In her hand is an old photo of the same street years earlier.

Launch Gallery

2005. A peeling mural of an abandoned school creates a poignant reminder of the residents that once called Pripyat home.

When the tsunami caused disastrous damage to Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011, German photographer Gerd Ludwig’s agency, Institute, was contacted by photo editors at Time wanting to assign him for the story. Ludwig was unreachable, at a hotel without internet access at the site of another disaster that happened 25 years before—Chernobyl.

Ludwig has been photographing Chernobyl since 1993 and has returned to the area three times since—in 2005, 2011 and 2013—ultimately venturing deeper inside the reactor than any Western photographer.

“Of all man-made environmental catastrophes in human history, Chernobyl is considered to have caused the most lasting impact. Seeing the full extent of the destruction inside the reactor, and the full force of health consequences—not only in Ukraine but also in neighboring Belarus—is why I felt that I would need to revisit Chernobyl on a regular basis,” he says.

Ludwig is currently working on a photography book, the Long Shadow of Chernobyl, documenting his 20-year relationship with what noted scientist Alexei Okeanov calls “a fire that can’t be put out in our lifetimes.” Ludwig recently shared his thoughts with Proof:

Alexa Keefe : What is the most important part of telling this story?

Gerd Ludwig: These images remind us that accidents like Chernobyl are a possible outcome of nuclear power—anytime, anywhere. I want my project to stand as a document of this man-made disaster—to remember the countless victims of Chernobyl, and to warn future generations of the deadly consequences of human hubris.

2011. On April 26, 1986, operators in this control room of reactor #4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant committed a fatal series of errors during a safety-test, triggering a reactor meltdown that resulted in the world’s largest nuclear accident to date.

2005. Workers wearing plastic suits and respirators for protection pause briefly on their way to drill holes for support rods inside the shaky concrete sarcophagus, a structure hastily built after the explosion to isolate the radioactive rubble of Reactor #4. It is hazardous work: radiation inside is so high that they constantly need to monitor their Geiger counters—and are allowed to work only one shift of 15 minutes per day.

2011. Although radiation levels only allowed for a few minutes of access, workers initially had to pass over hazardous ladders to a section underneath the melted core with life-threatening contamination. In order to facilitate faster access, a daunting hallway, called “the leaning staircase” was erected.

Alexa: Were there times when you felt in danger?

Gerd: Exposing your body to radiation inside the reactor is only one side of the danger. The other risk comes with radioactive dust specs that can settle easily into soft materials. If ingested they can stay in your body and cause cancer.

After each entry into the reactor I undergo a careful cleaning process: leave the protective gear behind, take a long, hot shower, and change into clean clothes. When I asked a safety specialist to check my equipment after my last visit deep into the reactor, I could read in her face that she thought I was being paranoid. Reluctantly she checked my gear, but then her facial expression completely changed, and she kept repeating again and again “Oh my God! Oh my God! You need to clean your cameras. You need to wash them.”

It turned out that the camera straps were contaminated. I gave my cameras a good cleaning that night, until my Geiger counter indicated that they were fine. And I got new camera straps.

2005. Severely physically and mentally handicapped, 5-year-old Igor was given up by his parents and now lives at a children’s mental asylum, which cares for abandoned and orphaned children with disabilities. It is one of several such facilities in rural southern Belarus receiving support from Chernobyl Children International, an aid organization established in 1991 in the aftermath of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.

2005. Suffering from thyroid cancer, Oleg Shapiro, 54, and Dima Bogdanovich, 13, receive care at a thyroid hospital in Minsk, where surgery is performed on a daily basis. As a liquidator, Oleg was exposed to extreme levels of radiation. It was his third thyroid operation. Dima’s mother claims that Chernobyl’s nuclear fallout is responsible for her son’s cancer, but his doctors are more cautious: Belarusian officials are often instructed to downplay the severity of the radiation.

Alexa: You devote one section of your book to the human victims, particularly children born in the years following the disaster. Tell me about your experience photographing them.

Gerd: Much of the nuclear fallout drifted into the Gomel region of Belarus. In 2005, on assignment for National Geographic, I wanted to photograph the children in an orphanage. In one of the orphanages, I photographed 5-year-old Igor. Severely physically and mentally handicapped, he was given up by his parents, and lived at a home which cares for abandoned and orphaned children with disabilities. He caught my attention because most of the time he was sitting motionless, leaning against a wall. With poor eyesight and hearing he was unable to participate even in the slightest interaction with the other children around him. Once in a while his empty eyes wandered in the direction of the other kids in the room, but when they tried to hug him he started crying. Done photographing him I gave his hand a squeeze. The smile with which he reacted nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Alexa: Another group of people you have photographed are those who have returned to the Exclusion Zone to live—whom you have described as preferring to die on contaminated soil than of a broken heart in an anonymous suburb. What was their attitude towards you as someone coming to tell their story?

Gerd: No journalist can move freely in the zone. We have to be accompanied by a guide who works for the administration but we have to pay for their time. Since there are only a few hundred returnees living in the zone today, the guides know most of them. The only vehicles driving in the zone are those controlled by the administration. There is no public transportation and the returnees do not own cars. That is why many returnees enjoy visits by journalists. They are a welcome change into their rather uneventful daily routine. The guides recommend that journalists bring along goods such as fresh bread, cheeses, sweets that the returnees lack, as they rarely get the chance to leave their villages.

Many returnees are very hospitable, offering everything they grow and produce from their own land, from tomatoes to berries, from illegally caught fish to moonshine. Eating food grown on contaminated land makes me sometimes feel uncomfortable. But as a photographer you walk a thin line: you want to be safe but you also need people’s trust and cooperation to get the pictures.

97 Reasons to Quit Smoking

 

 

1. You won't have to pay more and more and more and more each year.
Yup, taxes will almost certainly continue to go up. New Jersey, Vermont, and Connecticut are among the states leaning harder on smokers for revenue, but even some tobacco-growing states are beginning to milk the coffin-nail cash cow. Lawmakers' reasoning: There is evidence that price increases cause smokers to reduce consumption. And the medical costs of smoking are astronomical—a huge burden to the states.
2. You'll inhale fewer germs.
New research suggests cigarettes are crawling with germs, which can be inhaled along with the smoke. Its not clear if the germs can make you sick, but the yuck factor is undeniable.
3. You'll be smarter than Goofy.
"No Smoking" is a superb 1951 Disney cartoon depicting the history oftobacco use and, in modern times, Goofy's addiction and attempt to quit(there's a hilarious Mad Men-ish scene of an office full of smokers). Itends with him smoking an exploding cigar as the narrator concludes: "Givethe smoker enough rope and he'll hang on to his habit."

4. Once you quit, you'll find it more amusing that tobacco soup smells like s**t.
Or at least that's what kids at a Washington state elementary school said when Teens Against Tobacco Use visited their class in 2008 and mixed up a concoction of cigarette ingredients.

5. Smoking can cramp your style in the bedroom.
Smoking can affect circulation; with less blood flow to your genitals, arousal for both men and women can be more difficult.

 

6. Sever yourself from the sordid history of animal testing in smoking research.
Smoking-related cancer researchers have long used animals as test subjects, producing the famous smoking beagles photos from the 1970s, which are still used by antivivisection sites today.

(VIOLENCEFREESCIENCE.ORG)

7. You'll sleep better.
Smokers are four times as likely to report feeling unrested after a night's sleep, a Johns Hopkins study found; it seems going through nicotine withdrawal each night can contribute to sleep disturbances.
8. Cool bonuses at work may be in your future.
Employers are increasingly offering incentives—such as gift cards, premium discounts, or cash—to employees who participate in smoking cessation programs.
9. Quitting is a plausible excuse to play computer games.
A 2008 survey commissioned by online game maker RealNetworks suggests that playing games online can help distract people from smoking.
10. Nonsmokers have stronger bones than smokers.
Women smokers have been found to lose 2.3% to 3.3% of bone mineral density for every 10 pack-years of tobacco use. The effects are even worse in postmenopausal women.

Next Page: Read Reasons 11–20

 

Die Rückeroberung des Internets

 

28.03.2014 – Wolfgang Stieler

Um der Datenflut Herr zu werden, beschränken nicht nur Staaten, sondern zunehmend auch Konzerne den Zugang zum Netz. Als Gegenreaktion bauen Pioniere weltweit ein eigenes, unzensierbares Web auf – gefördert von der EU. Nun springen erste Unternehmen auf die Idee auf.

Der Justiziar lächelt. Lächelnde Juristen machen mich nervös. Ich wiederhole meine Frage: "Wie viel ist da maximal drin?" "Ach", sagt er, "vielleicht 750 Euro. Allerdings pro Abmahnung. Am Ende können es durchaus zehn Abmahnungen werden. Das ist noch nicht die Obergrenze."

7500 Euro. Wenn ich Pech habe, muss ich 7500 Euro zahlen. Dabei will ich doch nur ein bisschen Internet verschenken. Ein offenes WLAN-Netz betreiben, damit jeder, der vorbeikommt, schnell auf seine Facebook-Seite zugreifen, twittern oder eine Mail checken kann.

Neben mir, über mir, unter mir – wenn ich den Rechner hochfahre, sehe ich im Schnitt acht Funknetze, die sich gegenseitig stören. Alle verschlüsselt und damit für mich verriegelt. Ich will ein offenes Netz dazustellen. Einfach so, für lau, weil ich meinen DSL-Zugang tagsüber ohnehin nicht nutze. Und ohne Zwang zur Anmeldung, weil wir ohnehin schon überall unsere Datenspuren hinterlassen.

Der Kollege aus dem Netzwerkressort hält mich, freundlich gesagt, für leicht verwirrt. Ein offenes Funknetz betreiben? "Warum willst du potenziellen Angreifern die Arbeit unnötig leicht machen?", fragt er. Kreditkartendaten und Passwörter könnten gestohlen werden, Schadsoftware installiert, der Rechner zum Versand von Spam missbraucht werden – schlimmstenfalls, um Kinderpornos zu verbreiten. In Deutschland wäre ich für kriminelle Machenschaften, die über meinen Internetzugang abgewickelt werden, haftbar. Denn hierzulande gilt die sogenannte Störerhaftung. Wozu dieses Risiko eingehen? Internetzugänge seien doch billig und allgegenwärtig. "Weil ich die Nase voll habe", sage ich. "Es geht ums Prinzip."

Das Prinzip: ein freies Internet. Aus dem anarchischen Web, dem "globalen Dorf" der neunziger Jahre, ist eine umzäunte Vorstadtsiedlung geworden. Ein aufgeräumtes Areal mit bewachten Ein- und Ausgängen, permanenter Überwachung und vielen sehr klein gedruckten Fußnoten in den Mietverträgen, die regeln, was die Netzbürger dürfen – und vor allem, was sie alles nicht dürfen. Nicht zu viele Daten übertragen beispielsweise: Mobilfunkanbieter drosseln den schnellen Internetzugang für das neue Smartphone, wenn mehr als 300 Megabyte Daten durchgelaufen sind. Günstig über das Internet zu telefonieren ist verboten, Skype auf dem Smartphone funktioniert nur im heimischen WLAN.

Die Provider schützen ihren Geschäftsbereich. Schließlich stellen sie ja eine aufwendige Infrastruktur aus Servern und Datenkabeln bereit, deren Installation und Wartung Geld verschlingt. Entsprechend wichtig ist, dass die Nutzer dafür zahlen – und mehr bezahlen, wenn sie das Angebot intensiver nutzen. Das schienen auch die meisten Nutzer einzusehen. Der große Aufschrei blieb aus – bis zum April dieses Jahres.

Da verkündete die Telekom, dass künftig auch die Nutzer ihrer schnellen DSL-Anschlüsse mit einer Drosselung ihrer Übertragungsgeschwindigkeit rechnen müssten, wenn sie mehr als 75 Gigabyte über ihre Leitungen gejagt haben. Das allein hätte wohl nicht die Erregung ausgelöst, denn 75 Gigabyte reichen immerhin, um sich etwa 15 Filme in Full-HD-Auflösung herunterzuladen. Viel entscheidender war, dass der Konzern eigene Dienste wie die TV-Plattform Entertain von dieser Grenze ausnehmen will.

Einem Dienst jedoch die Vorfahrt im Datenverkehr zu geben, würde einen bislang geltenden Grundsatz im Web erschüttern: den der Netzneutralität. Kommt die Telekom mit ihren Plänen durch, fürchten Verbraucherschützer und Internetaktivisten einen Präzedenzfall. Jeder Internetanbieter könnte dazu übergehen, seine eigenen Dienste zu bevorzugen und andere zu drosseln. Das wäre so, als dürften auf bestimmten Autobahnabschnitten nur Volkswagen oder Mercedes-Modelle schneller als 100 fahren – weil die Strecken den Konzernen gehören. Das große, einheitliche Internet zerfiele wieder in kleine Fragmente.

Mehr noch: Internet-Experten wie der Jurist Tim Wu von der Columbia University warnen davor, das Netz könne schon bald ein einziger industrieller oder staatlicher Monopolist kontrollieren. Unversehens gäbe es eine Art "master switch" – einen Hauptschalter für das gesamte Internet.

Die Vorstellung wirkt paranoid. Dass sie es nicht unbedingt ist, mussten mehr als 20 Millionen ägyptischer Internet-User am 28. Januar 2011 erfahren. Innerhalb von nur einer halben Stunde schalteten die fünf großen Provider des Landes auf Druck der Regierung ihre Leitungen zum Rest der Welt ab. 90 Prozent des nationalen Netzes waren nicht mehr erreichbar. Länder wie Iran haben sogar angekündigt, sich dauerhaft vom Internet abzukoppeln und stattdessen ein landesweites Intranet aufzubauen.

Wie konnte es so weit kommen? Sollte das Internet nicht sogar mal einen Atomkrieg unbeschadet überstehen? Jede Information, die im Netz kursiert, wird in kleine Teile zerhackt. Erst am Ziel werden alle Pakete wieder zusammengesetzt. Jeder Computer reicht Pakete, die nicht für ihn bestimmt sind, an einen seiner nächsten Nachbarn weiter. Mit diesem "Heiße-Kartoffel-Prinzip" würde ein Datenpaket auch dann sein Ziel erreichen, wenn die Verbindung zwischen einzelnen Teilnehmern technisch gestört ist – oder willkürlich unterbrochen wurde.

 

Drohnen stets zu Diensten

 

 

26.03.2014 – Ulrich Pontes

Unbemannte Fluggeräte gelten bei vielen immer noch als Hype. Dabei können sie weitaus mehr, als günstige Luftbilder zu schießen, und werden den Luftraum verändern.

Sehen so die Kellner der Zukunft aus? Eine kreuzförmige Konstruktion, getragen von rotierenden Flügeln mit einer kleinen, runden Plattform in der Mitte, auf die gerade mal ein Sektglas passt? Raffaelo D’Andrea, Professor für Dynamische Systeme und Kontrolle an der ETH Zürich, konnte das Publikum der TEDGlobal-Konferenz 2013 in Edinburgh jedenfalls davon überzeugen, dass seine Drohnen in Sachen Geschicklichkeit und Schnelligkeit menschliches Service-Personal locker an die Wand spielen. Mit einem futuristisch anmutenden Zeigegerät – eine Art Pfeil mit silbrigen, tischtennisballgroßen Kugeln an den Enden und an der Spitze – dirigierte D’Andrea einen Quadrokopter durch den Raum, ließ ihn hin und her flitzen, hoch und runter, ohne auch nur einen Tropfen zu verschütten. Das Publikum gab Szenenapplaus.

Dabei ist die Nummer mit dem Sektglas noch eine vergleichsweise einfache Übung, wie D’Andrea erklärt: Schwerkraft und Trägheit wirken auf den Kopter, das Glas und den Inhalt in gleicher Weise, und beidem entgegen wirken die Propeller. Um etwa aus schnellem Flug abzubremsen, muss sich das Fluggerät entgegen der Bewegungsrichtung schräg stellen – und verhindert genau dadurch, dass der Inhalt aus dem Glas schwappt. Alle seine Drohnen sind mit silbrigen Kugeln ausgerüstet. Spezialkameras erfassen deren Bewegung im Raum blitzschnell und zentimetergenau – „ein Innenraum-GPS“ nennt es Raffaello D’Andrea. Seine Flugroboter balancieren lange, dünne Stangen, spielen Badminton miteinander, fliegen im Verbund zum Takt von Musik (siehe TR 8/2012, S. 26) und vollführen blitzschnelle Dreifachsaltos auf der Stelle.

Doch wie ein gnadenloser Zirkusdirektor treibt D’Andrea seine Maschinen immer wieder an die Grenze der Leistungsfähigkeit. Um etwa einen Dreifachsalto mit identischem Ausgangs- und Endpunkt zu schaffen, ist auch das Positionserfassungssystem zu langsam. Also lässt der eloquente Professor seine Maschinen trainieren: Verfehlen sie die Endposition, vollführen sie den Salto so lange, bis es klappt. Sein Ziel: „Maschinen zu bauen, die aus Erfahrung lernen, sich anpassen und ihr Wissen an andere Maschinen weitergeben können.“ Ob eines Tages tatsächlich Drohnen zu Hilfskellnern werden, spielt für ihn als Grundlagenforscher aber erst mal keine Rolle.

Ganz anders bei Chris Anderson. Der ehemalige Chefredakteur des US-Technologiemagazins „Wired“ ist überzeugt: „Das Zeitalter der Drohnen hat begonnen.“ Amazon-Chef Jeff Bezos hatten Beobachter für seine Ankündigung der Paketauslieferung per Drohnen mit einigem Recht der Schaumschlägerei bezichtigt – schließlich bleiben die kleinen Kopter aufgrund ihrer geringen Batteriekapazität bislang kaum mehr als 20 Minuten in der Luft. Anderson jedoch kann man zwar ebenfalls Werbung in eigener Sache unterstellen – aber kaum leere Worte. Der Tech-Journalist gründete 2012 das Drohnen-Start-up 3D Robotics und die Bastler-Community DIY Drones. Sie hat mittlerweile 50000 Mitglieder.

Anderson vergleicht diese Szene der Drohnen-Enthusiasten mit den frühen PC-Freaks: „Noch geht es vor allem ums Ausprobieren, einfach weil’s Spaß macht“, sagt er. Mit Betonung auf „noch“. Wenn die These stimmt, wird Drohnen also eine ähnliche Entwicklung wie Computern beschieden sein, vom Nischenprodukt zum alltäglichen und allgegenwärtigen Gebrauchsgegenstand. Tatsächlich dringen kleine unbemannte Fluggeräte in immer mehr Bereiche des Lebens vor. Noch sind Foto- und Videokameras zwar die häufigsten Nutzlasten, die Drohnen in aller Welt durch die Lüfte tragen. Denn sie lassen sich vielfältig einsetzen – von der Fernsehaufnahme über die technische Inspektion bis zur Kartografie. Doch das ändert sich zusehends. Weil sie so vergleichsweise einfach zu fliegen sind, wecken sie eine ungeahnte Kreativität.

 

Die neue Intelligenz

 

26.03.2014 – Tom Simonite

Seit Jahren arbeiten Forscher weltweit an Computern, die nach dem Vorbild biologischer Gehirne aufgebaut sind. Jetzt müssen diese Chips zeigen, was sie wirklich können.

Stellen Sie sich eine Maschine vor, die diese Zeilen liest. Eine solche Maschine aus Metall, Kunststoff und Silizium braucht ungefähr 50 Watt elektrischer Leistung, während sie die Information in Nullen und Einsen verwandelt. Nun stellen sie sich einen Menschen bei der gleichen Aufgabe vor. Sein klebriger Klumpen aus Eiweiß, Salz und Wasser in seinem Schädel benötigt nur einen Bruchteil dieser Energie, um nicht nur das Muster als Buchstaben, Wörter und Sätze zu interpretieren, sondern gleichzeitig das im Radio gespielte Lied zu erkennen.

Der Vergleich macht die Kluft deutlich, die immer noch zwischen Mensch und Maschine liegt. Es gibt zwar Computer, die ein dem Menschen vergleichbares Textverständnis besitzen, doch sie sind riesig, energiehungrig und benötigen eine spezielle Programmierung.

Nun jedoch soll eine neue, mehr wie das menschliche Gehirn arbeitende Generation von Computerchips diese Kluft verkleinern. Fortschritte in den Neurowissenschaften und der Chiptechnologie ermöglichen Geräte, die – zumindest im kleinen Maßstab – Daten so verarbeiten wie das Gehirn eines Säugetiers. Solche „neuromorphen“ Chips könnten sich als fehlendes Puzzleteil für so manches vielversprechendes, aber unvollendetes Projekt der künstlichen Intelligenz erweisen – etwa autonom fahrende Autos oder Smartphones als kompetente Gesprächspartner.

„Moderne Computer stammen von Taschenrechnern ab und eignen sich vorwiegend als Zahlenfresser“, sagt Dharmendra Modha, der eine entsprechende Forschungsgruppe am Almaden Research Center von IBM in Kalifornien leitet. Er will Computerchips mit einer an das Säugetierhirn angelehnten Architektur entwerfen. Immerhin 100 Millionen Dollar stecken die Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) und das US-Verteidigungsministerium in das Projekt. Dessen Name ist Programm: „Synapse“ ist angelehnt an die Verbindungen zwischen den Nervenzellen, eines der wesentlichen Elemente menschlicher Signalverarbeitung.

Wer Modha besuchen will, muss nach San Jose in Kalifornien. Vom Stadtrand aus windet sich die Straße zu seinem Labor zwei Meilen eine Anhöhe hinauf. Der Weg ist mit Magnolien gesäumt, das Labor selbst liegt inmitten fast 1000 Hektar sanft geschwungener Hügel. Das Silicon Valley ist nah, aber nicht direkt vor der Haustür. Womöglich ist hier der ideale Ort, um die Grundfesten der Computer-Industrie zu erschüttern.

Alle heutigen Modelle, ob Smartphone oder Supercomputer, beruhen auf der sogenannten Von-Neumann-Architektur, benannt nach dem ungarischen Mathematiker John von Neumann. Ihre Grundlagen sind im Prinzip zwei Baugruppen: Zentraleinheit oder CPU und Arbeitsspeicher. Letzterer speichert die Daten sowie Instruktionen, wie sie zu manipulieren sind. Die CPU holt sich diese Instruktion aus dem Arbeitsspeicher zusammen mit den zu verarbeitenden Daten. Das Ergebnis schickt sie zurück in den Arbeitsspeicher, der Zyklus wiederholt sich. Die Prozesse laufen also linear ab.

Das Gehirn dagegen arbeitet parallel. Eintreffende Informationen zünden Salven elektrischer Erregung, die sich mittels Synapsen über Nervenzellen hinweg ausbreiten. Die Wörter dieses Absatzes erkennen Sie beispielsweise dank eines Musters elektrischer Aktivität, ausgelöst durch Signale aus Ihren Augen. Ein entscheidender Vorteil unserer neuralen „Hardware“ ist ihre Flexibilität: Neue Informationen bringen das System dazu, sich anzupassen. Es lernt. Im Computer-Jargon würde man von einem massiv-parallelen System sprechen, das sich selbst umprogrammiert.

„Gehirne haben sich in der realen Welt entwickelt“, sagt Dharmendra Modha. Um ihre Arbeitsweise in die Welt des Siliziums zu übertragen, hat IBM seine neuromorphen Chips entwickelt. Sie bestehen aus digitalen Schaltungen von jeweils rund 6000 Transistoren, die das Feuern eines Neurons und die synaptischen Verbindungen zu anderen Neuronen nachbilden. Die Silizium-Neuronen verbindet Modha untereinander zu einem gehirnähnlichen System. Das Prinzip für die Verschaltung lieferten ihm Studien der Hirnrinde: Sie besteht aus verschiedenen Arealen mit unterschiedlichen Funktionen wie zum Beispiel Spracherzeugung oder Bewegungssteuerung. Doch jedes dieser Areale besitzt dieselben Grundbausteine: Einheiten von 100 bis 250 Neuronen, die nach einheitlichen Prinzipien funktionieren.

 

Riviera de Santa Cristina–Paranapanema-SP

 

 

Ver localização e vias de acesso no Google Maps : https://www.google.com/maps?t=m&ll=-23.4745839,-48.5870364&z=8&geocode=FcilmP4do244_SnRYaSDgUTOlDGuWzP_CEupmw;FYepm_4dlgwr_SmP353HXffFlDGOhTHFCnsTKw;Fcganf4dA5cl_Snpx-Bt7HbGlDGq922Fb8xdUg;FWBim_4d9gcV_SlVZwndOUfBlDFv6cbO_P2lSA&saddr=S%C3%A3o+Paulo+-+SP,+Brasil&via=1,2,3&daddr=-23.352953,-47.510378+to:-23.258424,-47.868157+to:-23.371168,-48.953354+to:-23.371086,-48.953366&output=classic

Prince George poses for Mother's Day photo with William and Kate

 

 

Eight-month-old royal appears in informal picture at Kensington Palace ahead of tour of New Zealand and Australia

• Press Association

• theguardian.com, Sunday 30 March 2014 10.04 BST

William and Kate pictured with Prince George (and spaniel) at Kensington Palace ahead of their tour of Australia and New Zealand. Photograph: Getty Images

Prince George of Cambridge shows how much he has grown in a new official family photograph released on Mother's Day.

The eight-month-old royal, who is third in line to the throne, is the centre of attention in a blue jumper emblazoned with his name in the informal shot taken at Kensington Palace.

Looking like he is growing fast as he is held by a smiling Duchess of Cambridge, the future king seems to have eyes only for the family's pet cocker spaniel, Lupo, who is held by the duke.

The duke and duchess have chosen to release the informal image ahead of their tour of New Zealand and Australia, which begins next month.

The photograph shows the Cambridges casually dressed as they lean on the sill of an open window at their apartment in London. The couple moved into the property, which had been the home of Princess Margaret, late last year after it had been refurbished.

Celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell, who took the picture a few weeks ago, was also the official photographer for George's christening last October. Bell is renowned for his images of Hollywood stars and rock and pop legends including Sir Paul McCartney, actor Scarlett Johansson and former England footballer David Beckham.

 

11 documentários que você precisa assistir para entender o mundo hoje | WTF #25

 

Foco e Disciplina

Vivemos reclamando da falta de tempo no nosso dia.

Mas quanto tempo e energia perdemos procrastinando ou nos auto-sabotando?

Aprenda gerenciar melhor seu tempo e aumentar sua produtividade (Link)

Existem muitos documentários ruins, mais propagandistas do que Michael Moore, e sem tanto pathos e gravitas quanto ele. Em geral, são exageros conspiratórios e sensacionalistas. Estes poucos documentários que citarei aqui podem ter um viés político, e é possível arrazoar contra eles ou certos fatos que eles mencionam.

Mas, de forma geral, não são de forma alguma documentários lunáticos, como por exemplo o documentário Zeitgeist – que se trata de uma mistura “agitprop” de astrologia, teoria da conspiração, fatos distorcidos, e, principalmente, semelhante pelo menos em espírito ao velho “Protocolo dos Sábios de Sião”, o documento/propaganda antissemita que circulou na Europa no início do século XX.

São documentos importantes de questões importantes, que todo mundo que gostaria de falar sobre política, nem que seja em conversa de bar, precisaria estar ciente.

The Corporation (link)

Link YouTube

Documentário canadense seminal, um pouco longo, com quase duas horas e meia de duração, analisa o comportamento da “pessoidade corporativa” por meio de um conhecimento manual psiquiátrico, e as diagnostica como psicopatas.

O documentário analisa a origem histórica da noção de “pessoidade corporativa” (expressão que parece não possuir tradução definida em português), e expõe com clareza e dinamismo uma argumentação cogente e impactante com relação a esse problema.

Quando escrevi “A inútil luta com os galhos“ aqui no PapodeHomem, eu presumia que todos já haviam assistido a esse documentário. Muito me surpreendeu a surpresa de algumas pessoas quanto a argumentação central do texto – e talvez tenha faltado enfatizar naquele texto esse que esse é, talvez, o documentário mais importante dos anos 00.

Em The Corporation, não há nada do sentimentalismo e demagogia que muito frequentemente ocorrem nos documentários de esquerda de Michael Moore. É claro que possuem seu valor, mas o argumento se enfraquece com o uso do que eu consideraria “golpes baixos” (o pior deles, talvez, o assédio a um Charlton Heston senil, em Bowling for Columbine). É porque exatamente aprecio as críticas de Moore e estou totalmente de seu lado que acho que, algumas vezes, ele não é hábil e acaba soando muito como mera propaganda.

Esse definitivamente não é o caso de The Corporation.

Uma explicação para o comportamento “emotivo” de Moore ser efetivo é que a esquerda, nos EUA, é identificada com intelectualismo, com o elitismo intelectual. Assim, Moore é um pançudo com uma cara não muito esperta, que não chega a ser um caipira, mas talvez algo como um encanador.

Esse é um apelo muito inusitado para a esquerda, já que a direita coopta a visão do empreendedor prático e com esperteza das ruas, nada intelectual. Talvez venha daí algo de sua eficácia em seu país.

O mais efetivo dos documentários de Moore é Sicko, sobre falta de uma rede social de auxílio de saúde nos EUA. Este é um dos temas mais tensos por lá ainda hoje, com o Congresso de maioria republicana já tendo votado para derrubar o ObamaCare mais de 40 vezes.

Esse tema da política de saúde é muito próximo de nós aqui no Brasil, mas os problemas são tão diversos nos dois mundos que o documentário perde um pouco seu apelo para nós. O mesmo ocorre com Bowling for Columbine, já que nosso problema de violência também é diferenciado.

Capitalism, A Love Story, Roger e Eu e Fahrenheit 9/11 são também bons documentários, todos com os defeitos que apontei, de sentimentalismo excessivo, cara de propaganda e golpes baixos — e o primeiro, talvez, com uma simplificação excessiva. Ainda assim, são importantes veículos do pensamento popular atual, possuem seus bons momentos, e ninguém deve deixar de ver.

Why we fight? (link)

Link YouTube

“Por que lutamos?” — quem, no caso: os estadunidenses. Qual é a resposta? Porque as corporações armamentistas mandam no governo.

O documentário começa e termina com uma fala do presidente Dwight Eisenhower advertindo, nos inocentes e plenos anos de Guerra Fria (1961), que o governo corria o risco de ser tomado pela pressão das indústrias fabricantes de armamento. Você pensou que era só petróleo e geopolítica e segurança nacional? É porque a guerra, em si, por qualquer motivo, é lucrativa para as corporações.

“Os Estados Unidos vivem de uma tensão entre capitalismo e democracia, e o capitalismo parece estar ganhando”,

resume Charles Lewis.

Food Inc (link)

Link YouTube

Outro documentário extremamente bem feito, que analisa as distorções e o sofrimento humano produzido por outro setor corporativo, o da indústria alimentícia, e como ele está prejudicando nossa saúde e criando alimentos cada vez mais “viciantes”.

O documentário mostra uma vasta engenharia em movimento para fazer dinheiro explorando nossas pequenas fraquezas.

Inside Job (link)

Link YouTube

Se as corporações de alimentos, armas, farmacêuticos e a Monsanto são grandes vilãs, o que dizer então dos grandes monstros do setor financeiro?

Inside Job explica, da forma limpa e extremamente bem arrazoada do Corporation, como a crise de 2008 veio a ocorrer.

An unreasonable man (link)

Link YouTube

Bill Maher recentemente falou em seu programa seminal, Real Time, que só agora estamos acordando para o que Ralph Nader e alguns outros poucos estão martelando desde os anos 70.

Está na hora de deixarmos de achar que proteção ao consumidor e regulação são apenas “assuntos chatos”.

O documentário traça os esforços de Nader, numa longa carreira enfrentando lobbies poderosos — por exemplo, na comissão que exigiu o cinto de segurança. Novamente, histórias de horror sobre manipulação das corporações e o cálculo frio de um recall versus um número de indenizações por morte — dessa vez na indústria automobilística.

As vidas humanas tem um preço muito claro e simples, e se por acaso for mais caro salvá-las, que morram.

Manufactoring consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (link)

Link YouTube

Esse documentário, do mesmo diretor do The Corporation, examina a mais bem articulada e prolífica mente da esquerda em língua inglesa, Noam Chomsky.

O filme foi criticado por Chomsky, por passar certa ideia de culto em torno dele. Mas se você não está disposto a ouvir centenas de horas de palestras de Chomsky, ou ler vários de seus livros sobre política (nem entremos na linguística),  e gostaria de entender um pouco melhor da situação hoje, essa é uma boa introdução.

Uma dica para evitar bobagem em termos de documentários e outras coisas é examinar o artigo da wikipedia em inglês. Lá verificamos se o tema é controverso, se a página foi fechada com um cadeado, por exemplo. Lemos a sessão de críticas, e examinamos o embasamento dessas críticas e de onde elas vem (de diretos interesados, de pessoas sem qualificação na ára, etc) — caso ainda estejamos em dúvida, seguimos a sessão “talk”, onde são discutidas as atualizações, e onde algumas vezes ocorre um debate sobre o tema. Isso raramente é necessário, basta ler o parágrafo inicial e algumas das críticas, que em geralmente já dá para reconhecer a respeitabilidade de algo.

Esse filtro pode não ser perfeito, mas sem esse filtro, perderemos muito tempo.

Michael Moore

Nota do editor: cá estão os documentários do cineasta cotados pelo Eduardo Pinheiro no começo do artigo.

Tiros em Columbine

Link YouTube

Sicko

Link YouTube

Capitalism: A Love Story

Link YouTube

Fahrenheit 9/11

Link YouTube | Versão completa, dublada. A versão legendada não pode ser embedada, mas dá pra assistir direto no YouTube. É só clicar aqui

Roger e eu

Link YouTube | Esse, apenas o trailer