Donie's ireland daily news BLOG update

The self-employed among the winners in Irish Budget as smokers suffer another 50c & cuts to USC rates the main tax measures

MOST UNUSAL IN THAT CIGARETTES @ 50C RISE IS ONLY CLAWBACK

      

THE MINISTER FOR FINANCE, MICHAEL NOONAN, INCREASED THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT BY €400 TO €950 AND WHILE THE RISE WAS LESS THAN EXPECTED IT WAS STILL ENOUGH TO LEAVE THE SELF-EMPLOYED AS AMONG THE BIGGER NET GAINERS FROM THE BUDGET TAX MEASURES.

Self-employed taxpayers are among the main winners from Budget 2017, with a combination of an increased tax credit and cuts in USC rates delivering gains to many of around 2 per cent in take-home pay.

The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, increased the earned income tax credit by €400 to €950 and while the rise was less than expected it was still enough to leave the self-employed as among the bigger net gainers from the Budget tax measures. Like their PAYE counterparts, they also benefited from the USC cuts.

A married couple on one income from a self-employed person earning €55,000 will gain €778, or €15 a week. A couple in similar circumstances with the earner taxed on PAYE will gain €278 from the tax changes, or €5 a week.

Main tax measures

The USC cuts were the main tax measure in the budget, benefiting anyone earning over €13,000, the income limit at which people are brought into the USC cut. The cuts in the three lower USC rates by 0.5 of a point each will deliver just under €230 to someone earning €45,000 and the maximum cash gain is €353, which benefits anyone earning €70,000 or more.

There were no measures this year to claw back any gains from higher earners. While the three lower USC rates were cut, the entry level of €13,000 on which people become liable for the tax on all their income was left unchanged. The main income tax bands and credits were also left unchanged, meaning taxpayers will pay a bit more tax if they get wage and salary increases.

In an unusual budget package, the only clawback from taxpayers was a 50 cent hike of a pack of cigarettes. Earlier plans to increase the tax on diesel were abandoned and the only other revenue raiser was a promised crack-down on tax evasion and a limited €50 million extra from vulture funds from the closure of a tax loophole.

Major concessions

Elsewhere the other major tax concession was directed at first-time housebuyers, with a tax refund of up to €20,000 on those buying newly built homes valued at up to €600,000. Young families will also gain from a new childcare package which will kick in from next September.

The Minister for Finance announced that the budget deficit target for next year would be 0.4 per cent of GDP and that he planned in future to set a target to reduce the debt to GDP ratio below the 60 per cent required by the EU rules to around 45 per cent. Department of Finance briefing papers on the budget pointed out that the revision of the GDP figures had complicated the key budgetary figures.

A separate study by the Department of Finance published along with the budget outlined the threat of Brexit. The Department’s economic forecasts were completed on the basis of a sterling forecast of 85p against the euro, but by yesterday sterling was trading at 91p. The analysis said that the exposed Irish sectors were mainly Irish owned, based in the regions outside Dublin, have low profits levels and account for significant employment.

Caution

In response to the budget, Moody’s, holder of the most cautious view of Ireland’s creditworthiness among leading credit rating agencies since the financial crisis, has said its concerns about the State’s finances remain unchanged after Budget 2017.

“The economy’s high level of volatility due to the openness and large presence of multinational corporations implies that Ireland needs larger fiscal and financial buffers to deal with economic shocks than its peers,” said Kathrin Muehlbronner, Moody’s lead sovereign analyst for Ireland.

Sterling slumps to seven-year low of 91.4p against the euro?

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE ECONOMIC FORECASTS BASED ON 85P EXCHANGE RATE FOR NEXT YEAR

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THE EURO HAS APPRECIATED BY MORE THAN 19% AGAINST STERLING SINCE THE UK VOTERS DECIDED IN JUNE TO EXIT THE EUROPEAN UNION.

Sterling plunged 1.2% against the euro in late trading on Tuesday to hit a seven-year low of 91.4p as investors continued to fret about a hard Brexit.

The euro has appreciated by more than 19% against sterling since UK voters decided in June to exit the European Union, with the pace accelerating since British prime minister Theresa May said on October 2nd that she will start the formal Brexit negation process by the end of March.

Sterling also hit a fresh 31-year low against the dollar, falling almost 2% on Tuesday, to $1.209 after European markets closed.

Anil Kashyap, a newly appointed member of the Bank of England’s financial policy committee, added to nervousness around sterling on Tuesday after telling a British parliamentary committee that that a hard Brexit, where the UK gives up membership of the single market, could lead to a further drop in the value of currency. Bank of England monetary policy committee memberMichael Saunders said in written testimony that he would not be surprised if sterling falls further.

“The sentiment on sterling is closely tied to expectations of hard Brexit,” said Georgette Boele, a currency and commodity strategist at ABN Amro in Amsterdam, adding that the Bank of England officials’ “comments are not helpful at all”.

A Euro’s surge

The Department of Finance highlighted in documents published in conjunction with Budget 2017 that the euro’s surge against sterling “will pose significant challenges, particularly for parts of the exporting sector and areas sensitive to cross-border trade.”

It warned that the long-term impact of Brexit will “crucially” depend upon the post-exit relationship between the UK and the EU, with a “soft exit” clearly preferable to a “hard” one what would involve trade restrictions.

“More recent developments in the euro-sterling bilateral rate, if sustained, could be problematic for some firms, especially those in labour-intensive industries with tighter profit margins,” the Department said.

Indeed, the Department’s forecasts that the economy, as measured by gross domestic product, will grow by 4.2% this year and 3.5% in 2017 is premised on the euro being valued at 81p in 2016 and 85p next year.

Department documents place a “high” risk against the foreign exchange rate in its list of external factors facing the economy.

Buffer

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said in his Budget speech on Tuesday that he decided to retain a 9% value added tax (Vat) rate for tourism related activities next year to underpin the industry in the wake of Brexit.

“This will act as a buffer for the sector against the weakness in sterling, which increases the cost of holidaying in Ireland for British tourists,” he said.

Ireland’s tourism sector, which accounts for over 150,000 jobs, is highly dependent on UK visitors, who accounted for 3.5 million overseas trips to this country last year, according to the Government.

New (PEM) gateway network of opportunity opens at IT Sligo

   

THE OPENING OF THE NEW PRECISION ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURING (PEM) TECHNOLOGY GATEWAY AT THE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY OF SLIGO HAS HERALDED THE BEGINNING OF GREATER OPPORTUNITIES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS AREA.

Funded by Enterprise Ireland, the PEM Technology Gateway was launched by the Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, says Deputy Pat Breen.

The PEM Gateway provides a resource network targeted at companies based both in the North West and nationally. It aims to give companies an opportunity to develop their business through collaborative research and development while networking with other businesses in the area.

The network has a particular focus on start-ups and SMEs, enabling companies to source technology solutions for their ‘close-to-market’ needs.

The Technology Gateway Programme was established by Enterprise Ireland (EI) to provide business development resources to the Institutes of Technology to help them interact with industry on a local, regional and national basis.

As part of this network IT Sligo is receiving €275,000 over a two-year period (Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31st 2017) from EI.

Gearoid Mooney, Divisional Manager Research & Innovation, Enterprise Ireland said: “Since its formation in 2013, the Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway Programme has created a nationwide network of 15 industry focused Gateways located in 11 Institutes of Technology.

“The PEM Gateway now established in IT Sligo is a significant addition to this network, delivering high tech innovative solutions in precision engineering, manufacturing and materials. The Technology Gateways have a proven track record of working seamlessly with industry and the PEM Gateway will further incentivise business ideas with potential for growth in the North West region, providing access points to companies of all sizes, particularly start-ups and SME’s.”

The new President of IT Sligo, Dr Brendan McCormack, said the new Technology Gateway was an endorsement of region’s expertise and heritage in precision engineering, tool making and manufacturing over the past forty years, and also represented another pillar in the collective industry ambition for region to establish a world class Centre of Excellence in the manufacturing of precision engineered products.

“The North West of Ireland is striving to build an economic base that will provide livelihoods for its people and that will support vibrant communities across the region,” he said.

Dizziness when standing suddenly “increases the risk of dementia”

     

FEELING A BIT LIGHT-HEADED AND DIZZY WHEN STANDING UP SUDDENLY MAY BE A WARNING SIGN OF ALZHEIMER’S, RESEARCH HAS NOW SHOWN.

Scientists who studied the effect in more than 6,000 healthy individuals found that it increased the risk of dementia by up to 39%.

The sensation is caused by a temporary drop in blood pressure, which is thought to trigger brain damage if it occurs repeatedly.

The dizzy spell phenomenon has the medical name orthostatic hypotension (OH) and is especially common among the elderly, affecting 20% to 30% of this population.

For a brief period of time it can result in a shortage of blood flowing through the brain, depriving nerve cells of oxygen and nutrients.

The study tracked 6,204 men and women aged 55 and over for 15 years on average and recorded how many of them developed any type of dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

Almost a fifth of participants regularly experienced a significant drop in blood pressure within three minutes of standing from a resting position. They were classified as being prone to OH.

Compared with those who did not feel dizzy when standing up, this group was 15% more likely to develop dementia.

The association was especially strong when a person’s heart rate did not speed up to compensate for the momentary drop in blood pressure, the Dutch study showed.

For individuals in this category, the long-term risk of dementia was raised by 39%.

The research, led by Dr Arfan Ikram, from Erasmus Medical Centre, is reported in the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

Summing up their results, the authors wrote: “We found OH to be associated with long-term risk of dementia on continuous follow-up, independent of various other risk factors.

“The most apparent explanation for our findings is that OH causes brain damage due to recurrent transient cerebral hypoperfusion (low blood flow).

“Brief episodes of hypoperfusion elicited by sudden blood pressure drops may lead to hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), with detrimental effects on brain tissue via, for instance, neuro-inflammation and oxidative stress.”

Of the study participants who developed dementia, almost 80% had Alzheimer’s disease and 8% had a vascular form of the condition linked to impaired blood supply.

The relative risk of both was increased to the same extent by recurrent episodes of OH, the scientists said.

Dr Laura Phipps, from the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “This study highlights the important role of the blood supply, not just in contributing to vascular dementia, but potentially playing a role in other forms of dementia too.

“While many studies have focused on the risks of high blood pressure, this study suggests that transient low blood pressure could also have a long term impact on the brain.

“While the risks found in this study are reasonably small compared to other known risk factors for dementia, it adds to a growing and complex picture of how blood pressure changes throughout life can impact the brain.”

Mice produce ultrasonic songs with a unique way of making sounds

     

RESEARCHERS HAVE JUST DISCOVERED THAT MICE HAVE A UNIQUE WAY OF MAKING ULTRASONIC SOUNDS. THESE HIGH FREQUENCY VOCALIZATIONS ARE MOSTLY USED AS MATING CALLS. THE FINDINGS ARE IN A PAPER THAT WAS JUST PUBLISHED IN THE CURRENT/JOURNAL BIOLOGY.

Mice communicate with high pitched noises and some of these vocalizations are at a frequency not detectable by humans. Their ultrasonic songs are generally used for courting behaviors but are sometimes used in territorial disagreements. Researchers study the songs because it allows them to discover how different drugs may affect mouse vocalizations. For example, scientists want to know when the songs change if they’re testing autism treatments or speech disorders. While researchers had known about mouse songs for a long time, scientists were unsure how the animals created these noises.

Researchers from Washington State University collaborated with laboratories in Denmark and the United Kingdom. The research team used high-speed video to determine how mice make their ultrasonic calls. They were surprised to find that the rodents weren’t vibrating vocal folds in the larynx, like most animals, to create the noises. Instead, mice push a tiny jet of air from the windpipe onto the laryngeal inner wall. The jet of air hits the wall of the larynx and creates a very high frequency whistle. The research team notes that this technique has never been seen in an animal. In fact, this unique mechanism is currently only seen in jet engines.

Mice use a novel method to produce ultrasonic noises when courting mates. Their technique of pushing a stream of air onto the inner wall of the larynx has never been seen in an animal. The findings will provide new insights into mouse vocalizations, helping researchers understand how different drugs affect speech. When testing a medication for stuttering, for example, researchers need to know how it affects mouse songs. The research team believes their research will help scientists develop better methods for studying speech disorders and autism.   

Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG update

The EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has no specific concern’s about the Irish tax system

COMMISSIONER ALSO SAYS EU HAS NO PLANS AFOOT TO HARMONISE CORPORATION TAX

   

THE EU COMMISSIONER MARGRETHE VESTAGER.

The European Commission has “no specific concern” about the Irish tax system and is not planning to harmonise corporate tax system, according to competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

The competition commissioner, who has ordered Apple to pay €13 billion in back taxes to the Republic, was speaking as she began a three-day visit to the United States.

“WE DON’T HAVE A SPECIFIC CONCERN ABOUT IRELAND,” SHE SAID.

“We do very specific case work. If there are reasons for concern, well then we may open investigations. But there can be obvious reasons why you want to place your business in Ireland [in particular because it] has an attractive corporate tax rate of 12.5 per cent.”

The European Union has no intention of trying to harmonise corporate tax rates, she said.

With many large US multinationals having European bases in Ireland, there have been fears that the Apple decision, which both Ireland and Apple are appealing, is a foretaste of things to come for the Irish economy.

However, Ms Vestager seemed keen to dispel the notion that she is on the cusp of launching a slew of similar investigations.

‘Very, very thorough’

“We are very, very thorough. We don’t just open a case in the spur of the moment. Because we need to write an opening decision where we state our concerns, and in order to do that of course we have been asking questions beforehand.”

The commission has been given some 1,000 examples of tax rulings by EU member state governments, she said.

Having reviewed these rulings, she said most of them were “very well done” with “no selective advantages” given to companies.

The Government has stressed that Ireland has not been fined in the Apple case, which involved a ruling that the company should repay tax. But the commissioner pointed out that enforcement of EU state rules does not work with punishments or fines.

“Where I was raised in the western part of Denmark, the most awkward thing you could ever do was to take back a gift” and this was effectively what was being requested here, she said. “You rely on the uncomfortable inconvenience of a member state having to take back a selective benefit or advantage that they wanted to give.”

The Government denies that its arrangement with Apple, which has had a base in the country since 1980 and employs nearly 6,000 in its Cork offices, constituted illegal state aid.

Ms Vestager is meeting officials in the US administration and Congress and speaking at academic conferences in Washington and New York. Asked if the Apple decision had created transatlantic tensions, she said: “Even though we may disagree on this decision, when it comes to global tax issues, we are very very much on the same page.”

OECD

This is especially the case in light of OECD and G20 initiatives to create rules which make it more difficult for companies to legally avoid tax, she added.

Ms Vestager said it was hearings on Apple’s tax arrangements held by the US Senate that led the commission to open its investigation.

“We do not have a national bias,” she said, adding that of the 150 EU decisions taken between 2000 and 2015 where member states were required to recover illegal state aid, only 2 per cent involved US companies.

She was equally adamant that the case did not represent an attempt by the EU to assume tax-raising powers. “We are not trying to become, and we are not now, a tax authority. We enforce competition rules.”

Ireland and Apple intend to appeal the commission’s decision at the EU Court of Justice.

Irish property study reveals an appetite to buy

BUT POTENTIAL PURCHASERS SAY THERE’S A LACK OF SUITABLE PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET…

    

ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF IRELAND’S ADULT POPULATION HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE AT LEAST CONTEMPLATING BUYING A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY DURING THE NEXT YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE KBC BANK IRELAND’S HOME BUYER SURVEY.

49% of respondents believe that it is a good time to buy a house, with 14% thinking that it’s a bad time, and 37% remaining undecided.

When asked if the Central Bank’s mortgage lending measures had affected their plans 44% said that they will not have an impact – while the remaining 56% said that it had either affected the kind of property that they would consider buying, prolonged the period that they will wait before they buy, or meant that they will need to rely on family supports or other loans to support a purchase.

The average period of time added to raise this money is between one and two years.

Of those looking for a home, 29% said that they had seen no properties which suited their needs. 60% saw between one to five properties on the markets which they considered suited to their needs – while the remaining 11% had seen a greater number.

Interestingly, 48% of respondents plan to buy a property on their own – while 52% want to find a property with someone else.

One-third stated that the Brexit result has affected their plans.

Diet is vital for the prevention of Alzheimer’s

     

EACH YEAR, SEPTEMBER 21ST MARKS WORLD ALZHEIMER’S DAY. AN ESTIMATED 55,000 IRISH PEOPLE CURRENTLY HAVE DEMENTIA, WITH ABOUT 60% OF THEM HAVING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD). AND DUE TO OUR AGEING POPULATION, FIGURES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE EXPONENTIALLY.

AD is characterised by the formation of amyloid ‘tangles’ and ‘plaques’ in the shrinking brain. These clumps destroy brain cells and interfere with its chemical messaging functions, particularly of acetylcholine, which deals especially with memory. Age is of course the primary risk factor, but others are equally important – diabetes, cardiovascular issues, genetics, infections, stress and nutritional deficiencies. An overview of more than 300 studies last August found that the number one protective factor was a healthy diet.

One consideration is that cognitive health is directly linked to heart health, and that both are strongly determined by blood levels of a toxic compound called homocysteine. Reducing those levels, by taking high strength B vitamins, would therefore be the first plan of action. Research has shown between 30% and 90% less brain shrinkage in people with early signs of AD when given B6, B12 and folic acid, which boost the conversion of homocysteine into that vital acetylcholine in the same way as the drugs given to people with AD do.

Inflammation (partly as a result of poor gut bacterial balance) is a central feature, as is oxidative damage to the cells, so taking a good probiotic and eating plenty of antioxidants in brightly coloured plant foods is the second prong of attack, along with exercising regularly (in the sunshine for important vitamin D). Inactivity raises the risk of AD by 70%, while sex has been shown to light up the relevant areas of the brain. And be sure to visit your dentist regularly – a strong connection has been established between gum disease and amyloid clumping.

Eating plenty of anti-inflammatory omega 3 and vitamin D-rich oily fish, and the healthy oils in olive oil, avocadoes, nuts and seeds is of proven benefit to those most at risk, but avoid trans/hydrogenated fats altogether, as they markedly accelerate cognitive decline. While research shows that a diet high in healthy fats reduces risk by 44%, a diet high in sugar and refined (white) grains increases the risk by a staggering 89%. Another study showed accelerated shrinkage in the part of the brain involved in memory in those on a Western diet of processed and fried meats, crisps and soft drinks.

The latest research on diet includes: a moderate coffee intake can reduce risk by 18%, broccoli slows the degeneration of acetylcholine while egg yolks help to make it; avocado boosts blood flow to the brain, and the antioxidants in kale make your brain ‘younger’. A chemical called resveratrol, in red wine, raspberries and dark chocolate, can strengthen the barrier that blocks harmful molecules from accessing the brain.

An anti-inflammatory and antioxidant Indo/ Mediterranean diet, based on colourful vegetables and fruit, greens, oily fish, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, olive oil, green tea and a little red wine, is widely accepted by as the very best model for the prevention and control of AD (figures are lower in Mediterranean countries). Olive oil contains compounds that can halt the build up of those plaques.

A connection has long been made between AD and exposure to aluminium. This is disputed, but it might be wise to eat foods rich in silicon, which counteracts aluminium. More recent research has pointed to high levels of copper in the blood of AD sufferers, and we know that copper makes it harder for the brain to get rid of amyloid proteins. It is, however, in a great variety of foods and necessary for health, so the answer is to take a supplement of zinc, which is antagonistic: the higher your zinc levels, the lower those of copper.

This January it was suggested that BMAA, a toxic compound produced by algae in Irish lakes and reservoirs and so present in some seafood and plants, is contributing to our Alzheimer’s ‘epidemic’, so this will doubtless be the focus of further research. As will the revelation that the brains of sufferers contain unusual yeasts and fungi. In more practical terms: while some studies show that being slightly overweight is far more protective than being underweight, it’s just been shown that the inflammation associated with obesity causes the brain to age ten years faster, so it really is a balancing act. Also in January, Canadian scientists found that chronic exposure to anxiety and stress hormones—also inflammatory–damage and shrink the relevant parts of the brain. And finally, a study out this April involving 5,000 people with insomnia found them to be 43% more likely to develop dementia in later life; there’s no doubt that lifestyle issues are key.

The future of Sex, Dating, and finding a Mate

     

SEX IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL, FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN DRIVES.

IT’S CAUSED WARS… BUILT AND DESTROYED KINGDOMS AND IT OCCUPIES A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF MOST PEOPLE’S THOUGHTS.

As such, it’s worth a conversation about how exponential technologies will change our relationship with sex.

Dating in the Internet Age.

Dating in past generations was local and linear. You had access to a small number of potential mates based on where you lived, where you went to school and your social status.

In the 1960s, over 50% of marriages globally and 95% of marriages in India were arranged.

Today that number has dropped to less than 15% (globally).

In 1960, the median age at first marriage for the bride was 20 and the groom was 23 years old.

Today, the median age is closer to 29 for women and 30 for men.

A cultural shift is happening, and it’s changing the game.

Dating has gone digital. As such, it has gone from local and linear to global and exponential.

Today, 40 million Americans use online dating services (that’s about 40% of the single population in the U.S.), driving the creation of a $2.4 billion online dating industry. (Go here for a great online dating infographic.)

These services transcend geography and social strata. People are matched from around the world.

Between 1995 and 2005, there was exponential growth among heterosexual couples meeting online. (See the green line in the first chart here.) For same-sex couples, the online dating trend has been even more dramatic, with more than 60% of same-sex couples meeting online in 2008 and 2009. (See the green line in the second chart here).

The implications of this are staggering — besides moving the marriage age back, there are a number of sociological effects such as decision fatigue, gamification of dating, and the commoditization of people that will start to have population-level effects as mating behaviors change.

AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Dating and Exponential Tech

In the very near future, we will see machine learning / artificial intelligence-based matchmakers that will find the perfect match for you based upon everything from your genomics to your psychographics.

Once you’re on a date, your augmented reality glasses will give you real-time dating info, calling up any info you want to know, as you need to know it.

Perhaps you want to understand how she/he is feeling about you, and your AR camera is watching her pupillary dilation and capillary flushing.

Like all technology, these applications are double-edged swords. My hope is that this tech actually increases the number of successful, meaningful relationships in the world and, in turn, has a net positive impact.

But while dating is one side of the coin, sex is another… and the implications of exponential technology on sex can be shocking.

Sex and Exponential Tech

Today, sex has been digitized; as such, it has been dematerialized, demonetized and democratized.

Sex, in the form of pornography, is free, available to anyone with an Internet connection and pervasive across many platforms.

In 2015, just one pornography website reported that their users watched over 4.3 billion hours of porn (87 billion videos) that year.

The proliferation of Internet connectivity, online video players and streaming, mobile phones, and advertisement delivery networks have propelled pornography into a $97 billion industry.

This is causing a number of negative social phenomena.

More than half of boys and nearly a third of girls see their first pornographic images before they turn 13. In a survey of hundreds of college students, 93% of boys and 62% of girls said they were exposed to pornography before they turned 18.

“Pornography is influencing everything from how teens language and frame sexuality to how and why they pierce certain body parts to what they expect to give and receive in intimate relationships,” says Jill Manning, Ph.D, Witherspoon Institute.

In Japan, a growing population of men report that they *prefer* having “virtual girlfriends” over real ones (i.e., they believe they are “dating” virtual avatars that they largely control).

Forty-five percent of Japanese single women and 25 percent of Japanese single men aged 16 to 24 claim they aren’t even interested in sexual contact.

Given these trends, unless something happens to boost Japan’s birth rate, its population will shrink by a third between now and 2060. In other words, there is serious concern of significant UNDER population.

But again, this is only the beginning… as virtual reality (VR) becomes more widespread, one major application will inevitably be VR porn.

It will be much more intense, vivid, and addictive — and as AI comes online, I believe there will be a proliferation in AI-powered avatar and robotic relationships, similar to those characters depicted in the movies Her and Ex Machina.

Implications

VR porn promises to offer a virtual world filled with more sex, better sex, endless sex, and new varieties of sex.

The dark secret, however, is that the further a user goes into that fantasy world, the more likely their reality is to become just the opposite.

Many psychologists believe that VR porn may numb us to sexual desire and pleasure in the real world, leading to less and less satisfying sex.

For many, VR (as well as other exponential technologies such as robotics, sensors and AI) will act as a complete replacement for intimacy and human relationships, as it is more easily accessible, cheaper, on-demand, and, well, controllable.

As the father of two five-year-old boys, this is really concerning to me…That said, are there upsides too?

Perhaps a bit of intimacy (if even technological) for those who are infirmed, aged, crippled and thereby alone.

We shall see. One thing is for sure: as with every technology in history, from the printing press to VHS and the Internet, pornography will be on the front line funding the advance of technology.

Pigeons can now distinguish real words from gibberish????

     

(Centre picture) A pigeon scrutinizes a word (gibberish) during training.

BIRDS ARE RAPIDLY BUILDING THEIR REPUTATION AS A BRAINY BUNCH, AND THE LATEST CREDIT GOES TO FOUR PIGEONS WHO CAN VISUALLY RECOGNIZE WRITTEN WORDS.

These pigeons were living in a lab in New Zealand where, over a span of two years, they learned to distinguish four-letter English words from nonsense words. For their training, a computer screen would flash words like “DOWN” or “GAME”, and non-words like “TWOR” or “NELD”, along with a star symbol. Each time the pigeons made a correct identification — pecking the word if it was a real one, or pecking the star symbol beneath a non-word — they were rewarded with a portion of wheat.

Building ‘Vocabulary’

After the pigeons built up decent vocabularies (the star pupil acquired 58 words), the screen began flashing new words that they had never seen before. And even when faced with these novel words, the pigeons continued to pick out the real words from the non-words with impressive accuracy, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

So how did they do it? How does a pigeon distinguish words from gibberish, based solely on how the strings of letters look on a screen?

“It appears that the pigeons are paying attention to pairs of letters in the words,” explains study lead author Damian Scarf, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Otoga, New Zealand. Letters that appear side-by-side are known as bigrams, and some bigrams occur more frequently than others. For example, “TH” is a high-frequency bigram, whereas the “CB” combination is far less common.

Over time, the pigeons came to pick up on these statistical properties of words.

“We looked at whether the pigeons’ performances were related to how frequent the letter pairs were in their vocab,” says Scarf. “Basically we found what you find with people, which is that the more common the letter pairs, the better they do at recognizing the word.”

They Weren’t Reading

Now, before we raise our hopes of seeing a pigeon sitting on a park bench, poring over a newspaper, it’s important to note that these trainees could not read. Reading requires not only the ability to visually recognize words, but also to decode the letter-sound relationships. The pigeons were missing that second half of the equation.

But what these birds did manage to learn is remarkable, and it might even explain why humans have an entire brain region devoted to recognizing written words, despite the fact that writing was only invented around 5,400 years ago. As Scarf and his colleagues note, that’s far too short a period for a new specialized brain area to have evolved from scratch, but more than enough time for an old neural mechanism to get repurposed.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

This process of “neuronal recycling” involves brain cells that were once devoted to spotting everyday objects, like rocks or trees, gradually learning to key in to new visuals, like the written word. Some scientists believe this is precisely how ancient people first developed reading skills, and a recent studyrevealed that monkey brains can be trained to visually process written words in much the same way.

But according to this latest study, visual word recognition is not limited to the realm of the primate brain. Indeed, bird brains, which are “neither genetically nor organizationally similar to [those of] humans,” are quite capable of taking an existing neural circuit and recycling it to process a visual word — or, as Scarf describes it, a “two-dimensional stimulus that’s not relevant in the real world.”

Though the capacity to recognize a series of printed strokes may be of little consequence to a pigeon, the research shows that a visual system separated from ours by more than 300 million years of evolution can be co-opted to perform a very human function.

So whether or not they care, for four pigeons in New Zealand, words are now jumping off the page.