James HallWhen the billionaire tech jet-set decides to let down their hair, what do they talk about around the campfire? According to the New York Times, "Google is sponsoring an elite conference this week at a golf resort in Sicily, with a guest list of chief executives, investors and celebrities, all of whom were invited to bring their families. On the agenda are high-minded discussions of global issues — along with relaxation by the Mediterranean Sea." How quaint! . . . For the real scoop, Here's What Went On At Google's Exclusive Conference For The Rich And Famous In Sicily.
Sicilian blogger Tony Siino talked to an attendee about what went on, and told Business Insider via email that the conference, dubbed "The Camp," was three-days of intellectual discussions, relaxation, and sight-seeing. According to Siino's source, morning discussions included a wide range of topics, including how to extend human life and the design of cities of the future.Reported by NBC local TV channel in the Bay Area has "guests include Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd C. Blankfein, executives from German and Spanish banks, Uber chief Travis Kalanick, Tesla boss Elon Musk, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts and Snapchat boss Evan Spiegel. Also on hand is Ben Horowitz, venture capitalist with Marc Andreessen at make-or-break Silicon Valley fund Andreessen Horowitz."
Spending quality time with the family between sessions in the next round of tech discoveries hardly seems to be the best use of time. Yet, time may well be the ultimate objective if you can uncover the mysteries of anti-aging research. Life Extension Magazine reports that Google Life Extension is investing in a venture called California Life Company, or Calico for short, and its goal is to extend human life by 20 to 100 years.
At this point, Google is being highly secretive about their plans for Calico. All Google would reveal is that Calico will focus "in particular on the challenge of aging and associated diseases."
- Non-commercial dedication — rather than a focus on commercial marketing of mediocre drugs as pharmaceutical companies now do.
- Vast consumer access and core data-handling skills — with unprecedented data gathering, pattern-matching, and causal-relationship detection.
- Ability to attract the brightest minds — potentially preferring to work on life-and-death problems instead of cutesy apps and games.
A CNN article listed a few common subjects, like cryonics (a process where the body is preserved in liquid nitrogen), cryotherapy (which exposes injured patients to very low temperatures for short periods of time), cloning and body part replacement, nanotechnology (deploying small robots to overcome the problem of incorrect DNA replication, one cause of aging), and even research into telomeres, the ends of a chromosome that protect cells against degradation.Hidden within a "feel good" sentiment behind the altruism to elevate the life span of the human race is an unconvincing skepticism. In an article like Google Wants You to Live 170 Years, just does not seem believable to a rational observer.
What Google brings to the table is data. "Not just one set of data, multiple forms," says Harry Glorikian, founder of life sciences consulting firm Scientia Advisors. "Search data, GPS data, all sorts of other pieces, electronic breadcrumbs that you produce all out there to get a picture of you."
This data could be paired with each person's genome — a partial genome can be mapped today for $99 via 23andMe (another Google investment), but many are hoping a full genome will cost as much in the next few years.Even if such ambitious projections that life extension might become commonplace for the masses, it does not guarantee that everyone will be a candidate for future "Camp" invitations. Google hardly needs to market the secrets of the gods in order to maintain or enhance their cashflow. The Globe and Mail describes the gathering, "Like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland – an annual gathering of the elite at a snowy ski resort – the upstart conference from Google projects an aura of exclusivity. Its existence has not previously been disclosed."
Following the example of other enigmatic elitist stratagems, "The Camp" shows no signs of a charitable motivation when the onion is peeled. Michael Downey in the account, Google Wants To Extend Your Life laments that not enough is being done to achieve the holy grail of Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth.
Tragically, while the government spends over $3 billion annually on "health concerns" of the elderly, it operates on the assumption that aging is not a disease. Corporations lack the longer-term view needed. And extremely few of the world’s 1,426 billionaires, with a total net worth of $5.4 trillion, have included anti-aging research in their charities.Do you really believe that the beautiful people, much less, the corporatist return-on-assets crowd, or the great democracies of the planet are eager to share any medical, genetic or nanotech leaps forward with the chattel serfs? Attending boot camp for the peasants is quite different from rubbing elbows with these Nouveau riche Sicilian Dons in the global technocratic mafia. The blueblood patricians of the banksters’ families will enlighten their newly made men into the rules and ways of the global syndicate.
The Calico family franchise promises to be more alluring than the temporary ecstasy of a drug high. Most godless souls want to live forever, since rejecting an afterlife is automatic to such atheistic masters of the universe. Google has proven to be a "New Age" android. Hence, it is natural for apps, developed to manage the life cycle, to become part of the smart set. The key question is will the source code become available to the masses, or will the elites maintain the restricted knowledge only for their devil witch coven?
Original article archived here
James Hall is a reformed, former political operative. This pundit's formal instruction in History, Philosophy and Political Science served as training for activism, on the staff of several politicians and in many campaigns. A believer in authentic Public Service, independent business interests were pursued in the private sector. Speculation in markets, and international business investments, allowed for extensive travel and a world view for commerce. Hall is the publisher of BREAKING ALL THE RULES. Contact batr@batr.org
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