Transhumanity

Homo Perfectus!

2007-03-23T20:12:00-05:00

The Perfect World Tour: An Imperfect Guide to the Perfect World By A.R. Teest “The Perfect World Tour opens the portals of your imagination, presenting a vision of humanity that is in complete harmony with nature and ultimate reality. Through a sequence of stunning artworks, the book reveals what it may one day be like to have total fulfillment of our desires, to live in a state of perpetual bliss, with deep mental connections among individuals minds.” – Dr. Cliff Pickover, author of A Beginner’s Guide to Immortality The Perfect World Tour is a mythical story created as an attempt to express, explore and communicate through a series of visual art and writing, the desire and state of perfection. Book Outline I. Introduction II. The Perfect World Tour 1. Tour Guide Welcome -End of days -Descendants, evolution, development -Basic qualities of Homo perfectus 2. The birth of Homo perfectus -The life orb -Sexual experiences -Explanation of S.E.L.F -Cleansing process -Programming, communication, connecting 3. Standard Reality -Meeting mother, meeting child -Basic qualities of standard reality 4. Controlled Stimulation Reality -Basic qualities of Controlled Stimulation Reality -Types of Controlled Stimulation Reality 5. Stimulated simulations 6. Stimulated time 7. Stimulated manipulations 8. Back to SELF -Energy release -Organizing the unified field -Transcendence Book is FREE for download at: www.homoperfectus.net

A guide to hosting your own transhumanist arts center

2007-01-30T15:42:00-05:00

A guide to hosting your own transhumanist arts center You dream of turning a hot spot into the transhumanist arts and culture center of your city for a week or month, a space where digital imagery artists meet i-wear fashion designers, who meet experimental electronic musicians, all high on the postcyberpunk zeitgeist! Through the concept of a temporary nomadic cultural center, you can set out to build this new art scene and bring people from disparate social circles together under one roof. Here’s a guide to setting up your own temporary transhumanist cultural center in six easy steps. Solidify your concept. “Promoting the creation, dissemination and preservation of transhumanist arts and culture” sounds great but you have to figure out exactly how you want to go about it. Take your big dreams and fit them into one paragraph - careful planning at this stage will help you get sponsors later on. Be creative and be rebellious. Remember that everything is possible. But plan everything, make a budget and put everything on a timeline. Get a mentor to guide you. Ask questions and seek criticism. Image is everything. Transhumanists should always strive to be seen as people of style and tech sophistication: the embodiment of the geek AND chic. So it’s time to go shopping! Find the key players. With your newly solidified concept, hip wardrobe and confident attitude, connect with the artists and musicians that will help make your idea come to life. It’s also time to start spreading the word. Call all your friends and get them involved. Exchange skills with them. Find a space. Securing a space first will help you snag sponsors. Take a walk or a bike ride in your neighbourhood. Look for places for rent by the landlord since it’s easier to deal directly with the owner. Ask for capacity, look for a fire exit, exit signs, multiple bathrooms, all the things you would find in any commerce. Once you’ve found the space and the landlord agrees to the terms in writing, call the municipality and outline your event. They’ll send over an inspector and he’ll tell you what you need to get it in working order - fire safety is their major concern. Be prepared to spend money on an occupation permit and temporary liquor licence from the municipality if necessary. Find sponsors. With the space secure it’s time to alleviate some of the costs. Alcohol sponsors are key. They’ll exchange deals on products such as drinks, sound equipment, etc. for exposure through logos on flyers, posters and banners at the space. Don’t forget to approach small businesses that might share your aspirations and inspirations. Hustle. Be prepared to spend your own money. Promote. Go outside your circles and target people you wouldn’t normally talk to - it’s the greatest opportunity to meet new friends. Use as many media outlets as possible to reach your public effectively, and do it in advance. Personally invite and call as many people as you can to create genuine connections inside and outside the communities and networks you live in. Have fun. Be fuelled by passion, inspiration and emotion, then you’re sure to throw a great event. Don’t be afraid to try to make money. Don’t be modest, but be honest. Smile and, above all, enjoy! Justice De Thezier is a social entrepreneur and creative professional. In 2003, he founded the Quebec Transhumanist Association, which he closed down in January 2008. From January 2006 to January 2008, De Thezier served on the board of directors of the World Transhumanist Association. And, from November 2005 to March 2007, he contributed to the Cyborg Democracy web portal and blog.

El Club de los Astronautas: a transhumanist space agency founded by artists and musicians

2006-12-25T08:54:00-05:00

El Club de los Astronautas, “the worlds first space agency founded by artists and musicians”, is a cultural, musical and artistic collective in Barcelona that was founded to promote and communicate the idea of a manned, interstellar voyage. For it’s implementation the Club suggests the construction of a space ship called Mare Nostrum. Its major task is to find and debate strategies that could lead into this final goal. The Club’s work is a very interesting mix of scientific ideas, artistic and musical experimentation. Following inspirations taken from Transhumanism and Second Life, the Mare Nostrum space ship is crewed by uploaded human personalities inhabiting a virtual reality simulation. Don’t miss Chapters 5 and 6 of the radio play, covering Transhumanism, Second Life, uvvy island, mind uploading, the Omega Point, Nick Bostrom’s simulation arguments, artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, brain-computer interfacing, and the possibility to “move” via uploading to VR simulations running on future supercomputers. Most of the people of the Club, including its founder David Apfel, come from an artistic background and were not trained as scientists and engineers. However, they have made an effort to understand and digest the complex scientific and technical concepts that may lead to transhumanity, as well as the philosophical and ethical foundations of transhumanism. Their artistic background will make it easier for them, I believe, communicating the transhumanist worldview in such a way as to appeal to artistic sensibilities beyond the geeky image, perhaps too cold and aseptic, that transhumanism still has. I would not go as far as saying that they *are* transhumanists, but certainly they take transhumanism seriously and can help us to communicate better.

Neural Internet:Web Surfing with Brain Potentials

2006-12-11T11:25:01-05:00

Neural Internet is a new technological advancement in brain-computer interface research, which enables locked-in patients to operate a Web browser directly with their brain potentials. Neural Internet was successfully tested with a locked-in patient diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis rendering him the first paralyzed person to surf the Internet solely by regulating his electrical brain activity.

[The performance of the brain-computer communication systems is still very limited - even trained patients still need a very long time to surf the web and write emails. However, research is ongoing and it is evident where this R&D process will lead: operating the worldwide datasphere by thought]. In general, it can be assumed that if a patient can achieve reliable control of any brain signal, which can be used as a binary or even as a multidimensional input signal for a BCI system, Neural Internet can be implemented based on this signal.

If future BCI research can overcome the mentioned constraints of the current brain-computer communication systems, then the following scenario could be reality in the not too distant future: is sitting paralyzed in his wheelchair but can chat with a relative in another city, play chess with a friend in another country, search the World Wide Web for information, and even buy or sell articles. And all that without any voluntary muscle control, solely by the power of his thoughts. Cogito ergo sum.

Source

Course/Blog in Transhumanism at Arizona State

2006-12-09T15:07:00-05:00

A forward thinking professor at Arizona State University, Dr. Paul Michael Privateer, has just finished teaching the first course on the subject at ASU titled “Transhuman: Genetics, Robotics, Information Technology, Nanosciences, Biopolitics, and the Human Future.”. The focus of teaching was on the critically engaging the topic of ‘what is human’ as a means to then understand what exactly is being ‘trans’ed by transhumanism. The reading list was extensive and included both supports and opposition. The students of the class have begun posting critiques of advancing technologies and transhumanism in a blog as a means to initiate intelligent debate.

Please, visit the blog, and if you wish, request an invitation to write in the blog.

http://studiesinthetranshuman.blogspot.com/

Simon Funk’s “After Life”

2006-11-30T01:53:00-05:00

Neurofuture Review:

Who is Alex Harris, Ph.D? Even he doesn’t know as he awakens day after day in new realities, trying to solve the mystery of his existence.

Creatures, devices and pleasant townsfolk populate a utopia of someone’s creation, he finds. His? Or one of the six copies of him? The book uses lots of tech detail in describing cyborgs, tics, robots, zombies and other transhumans. He spreads to the post-web and sets up quiet businesses, run by other copies evolved past the mind of Alex, a scientist who surely died in his own lab. He remembers volunteering for a risky and complex experiment involving consciousness uploading, zombies, AI, cyborgs. It’s a digital utopia mystery with an unpredictable ending.

Written by Simon Funk, this debut novel of postcyberpunk sci-fi replete with psychological and philosophical suspense is free. Free!

http://neurofuture.blogspot.com/2006/11/after-life.html

Kill the Afterlife review:

About a month ago, a commenter by the name of Simon Funk stopped by this blog to say hello, and to mention that he had just finished writing and publishing a book, “After Life.” I decided to give the book a read, and boy am I glad I did.

Simon Funk is a man of many talents. In addition to being a writer and an all around great thinker, he is also a man who works in the field of Artificial Intelligence, or A.I. And that’s what his book, After Life, is about. You see, Simon Funk’s book isn’t about an immaterial dimension that ghosts go to after their bodies die (a dimension which the title of this blog demands be destroyed), but it is about continuing one’s consciousness outside of one’s biological body here in the real world. And that is an idea that I wholly support.

The book is written in first-person, through the eyes of the main character, Alex Harris, PhD. Alex has just figured out how to transfer one’s consciousness from a biological brain into a man-made computer. He performs the procedure on himself, and as a result, the entire world is changed. Perhaps the most significant change, though, occurs in Alex’s own consciousness.

After transferring his consciousness to a machine, Alex experiences a series of unusual events. Some of these events seem like dreams, and some seem all too real. At first, the experiences are very puzzling to the reader (and to Alex himself), and don’t make sense. But as the story unfolds, the pieces fall into place and produce a very mind-blowing cohesive picture.

Simon Funk is a very skilled writer. His writing is very personal and involving; I felt like I was Alex himself trying to make sense of the strange situations he kept finding himself to be in. But Simon Funk is not afraid to dig deep into the technological, philosophical, and ethical questions that naturally arise when consciousness, identity, and life itself are permanently altered.

Simon Funk also knows his stuff when it comes to Artificial Intelligence. His writing incorporates technological concepts used in today’s A.I. field, yet he presents the ideas in a way that just about any reader can grasp. Simon also provides a familiar, human perspective to these ideas. What the reader ends up getting is an excellent mix of technological, philosophical, ethical, and emotional perspectives on the main character and his story.

http://killtheafterlife.blogspot.com/2006/09/review-after-life-by-simon-funk.html

Posting to Transhumanity

2006-11-21T04:54:01-05:00

Remember that everyone who has an account on this website can post to the Transhumanity blog. Entries posted to Transhumanity are hidden by default, and become visible when an editor with sufficient privileges chenges their status to “open”. Let’s hear from you!

Virtual Potential: Second Life As A Transhumanist Meetinghouse

2006-11-21T01:58:01-05:00

On Friday, November 17 2006, I attended my first virtual board meeting on Uvvy Island—online world Second Life’s pixel-borne home to the World Tranhumanist Association.

Along with several other members of the WTA-SL, I (or rather, my avatar) sat in a brightly-patterned room that looked like a cross between a fancy office suite and the inside of a video game. Prior to sitting, I wondered briefly if there would be enough chairs for all in attendance—but when I finally did sit in the one vacant chair, I noticed that another empty chair had materialized around a small central table. This was slightly disconcerting due to the sudden horizontal shift it imposed on my perspective (as my chair flicked sideways to make space for the new empty seat), however, I adjusted almost immediately once I realized what had happened and settled down to business.

As far as my own involvement in Second Life goes, I initially signed up out of sheer curiosity—in short, I wanted to see what it was all about. I initially just played about with avatar customization, but soon found myself wondering about what sort of presence groups pertaining to my particular interests (such as transhumanism) might have in this virtual realm. Soon, I found myself teleporting to Uvvy Island, where I was initially blocked by what looked like a strip of red-lettered tape indicating the area as restricted. I can’t recall how long I stood there, occasionally typing inane things like, “Hello?” before someone (an avatar bearing the name “Giulio Perhaps") approached my position. We exchanged greetings and I identified myself as someone likely on some of the same mailing lists as Uvvy members, and was granted access inside.

To make a long story short, I’ve been occasionally popping in and out of Second Life (and Uvvy Island) ever since. I definitely see potential in this particular medium, though it is important to acknowledge that Second Life is not the Internet—not Google, not a set of primary sources, and not a scientific journal or database or library. It is not a place where people go (or where people should go) with the primary purpose of obtaining facts. Rather, Second Life is an experimental creative space, a primitive holodeck, an art gallery, and a highly flexible meeting space. In terms of applicability to transhumanism, Second Life can provide a means for people to interact in real-time, discussing strategy and sharing ideas and memes regardless of physical geographical separation.

But returning to the topic of last Friday’s board meeting—I was impressed with the professionalism and organizational rigor demonstrated by the other board members in attendance. I got a definite sense of dedication as well as enthusiasm, as well as a clear impression that Second Life need not be an escapist’s playground. Much of what was discussed at Friday’s meeting had to do with planning for the future—specifically, discussing events and the logistical and practical issues associated with such events. The idea of using SL as a forum for speakers discussing H+ relevant themes and topics is one I think has considerable potential.

One aspect of this “keynote speaker” idea that I am personally concerned with is that of accessibility; part of my involvement in transhumanism overlaps with my views on disability rights, and I think that transhumanists need to take an active role in creating a maximally inclusive community. If possible, presentations given in Second Life should be available in both text and audio format—and interaction in the context of these presentations should allow any participant to use either voice or text chat. One thing that occasionally concerns me is the fact that many humans seem to prefer voice-based communication, and while the Internet has for years been a haven for those who prefer (and are more facile with) text-based communicatiion, this has in part been due to technological and bandwidth limitations. I would not want Second Life to turn into an audio-only realm in which some members of the Deaf and autistic communities (not to mention people who simply don’t like to talk!) would be excluded by default. With modern text-to-speech and speech-to-text translation tools available, the goal should be to enable every person who wants to take part in a Second Life interaction space to be able to transmit and receive information in the manner that they prefer; I can easily imagine, for instance, a person communicating through typing to someone who prefers audio, with software acting as the “middleman” (allowing both the sender and the receiver to share ideas effectively).

So, in short, this Second Life thing has tremendous potential. However, on the semi-negative side, it is quite hardware-intensive (every time I log in I immediately start daydreaming about buying a new motherboard and an updated graphics card), and frankly somewhat “buggy” (I once spent about 20 minutes stuck in the sky with no hair and a transparent torso before getting fed up and deciding to log off). And of course, there is always (with these sorts of things) the danger of getting overly enamored with the world-in-there to the point where you forget that in the world-out-there, we still lack such things as reliable life-extension technology. If you find yourself trying to adjust the length of your real-life shirt sleeves by clicking your mouse, you’ve either passed into the Textile Singularity or you ought to think about switching off the monitor for a while.

Overall, though, I’m looking forward to using Second Life in mild moderation and seeing where it takes itself, and transhumanism along with it. The way I see it, spending an hour or two a week meeting with fellow H+ in this new virtual space is nothing short of a win-win situation.

The Popularization of Transhumanism in School Education

2006-10-27T08:54:00-05:00

The Popularization of Transhumanism in School Education

by Cyhope

Arousing students’ interest in futurism, developing “future awareness” in thinking, and acquanting students with transhumanist principles (and it’s important to emphasize: it is all about communicating knowledge and arousing interest not indoctrinating!), should be essential tasks of school education. In practice, teachers often neglect questions pertaining to the future. The field of environmental protection and certain ethical issues may be exceptions, but even in these cases there might be considerable differences among different schools and teachers. However, if a transhumanist teacher teaches in a school, he or she can do a lot to change this situation. A brief overview of possibilities follows:

1. Linking Transhumanism to the Curriculum

Probably it is the simplest possibility but still suitable for arousing interest: the fundamental principles of transhumanism are included in a certain part of the curriculum.
Here are some concrete ideas (the structure of subjects may be different in each country or school so I shall link the ideas to general fields of science):

IT, Computer Science
In these subjects the issue of artificial intelligence can be easily brought up. There are only a few steps between discussing the consequences and introducing singularitanism. The means of interaction between humans and machines (from the keyboard and the mouse to the means of virtual reality) provide great opportunity to outline the trends of the future and the concept of the fusion of human body and machines.

Physics
The issue of space research can be easily linked to astronomy. In connection with space research, the notion of space colonization, terraformation, and long-distance space-travel can also be discussed. In addition, transhumanism may provide creative solutions to these problems.

Biology
This subject offers several possibilities. The basic techniques of transhumanism (stem cells, gene technology, aging processes and their slowing down) could be introduced and possible fears could be relieved. In connection with environmental protection, the latest environment-friendly technologies and the issue of high-tech supported environmental protection could be considered. With reference to genetics and the theory of evolution, one could talk about the future of the human body (Transhumanism!). In the field of healthy lifestyle, the teacher might mention the radical alternatives (Transhumanism!).

However, the science subjects are not only suitable for spreading the memekomplex of transhumanism, but the humanities as well.

History
Transhumanism could be linked to the history of religion (immortality is an ancient desire of mankind and today even science does not protest against it), the industrial revolution (from the beginnings to our time and further on), and the history of ideas (20th century and present schools of thought).

Literature & Grammar
Transhumanist issues could be integrated into modern literature classes by discussing sci-fi works. The students may write essays entitled “My Life in 30 Years’ Time” or “The World in 100 Years’ Time”. Consequently, different scientific visions could be discussed. One could use a transhumanist text for reading comprehension, or one could use transhumanist definitions for sentence analysis.

Pedagogy, Psychology
The relation between succession and environment is an important subject in the formation of the personality. Transhumanism could be introduced as a radical solution: a posthuman being leaves biological determination behind.
The technology of the transhuman era could be outlined relating to the treatment of psychological and mental problems. It would be critical to mention social determinants of education. Current issues have to be mentioned, as well: globalization, postmodern and of course posthuman issues!

Art, Visual Representation
Modern transhumanist art could be mentioned, as well, accompanied by the interpretation of basic transhumanist principles. As for practical tasks, the students could design a new body for themselves, one that could thrive on Mars. Students might also illustrate a short story influenced by transhumanism.

2. Building Tranhumanism Directly into the System of Subjects

In many democratic countries it is possible to create new (e.g. optional) subjects. In this case, a subject could be introduced when there is a distinct connection to transhumanism. E.g.: futurology, modern/postmodern philosophy, artificial intelligence, etc.

3. Extracurriculum

Extracurricular activities are also an important factor. One can give lectures at school or invite lecturers, announce a competition in the school magazine, organize a quiz show, facilitate a debate or panel discussion, set up a study group connected to transhumanism, or organize an exhibition for transhumanist works.
Additionally, distant programs could be used for the aim of spreading the means of transhumanity. E.g.: a study group developing creativity.

4. Write and Speak!

A teacher could have several opportunities for acquainting students with an issue which he or she finds important. One can write an article for the school magazine, make a program for the school radio, or write a course book. Such activities would allow one to communicate with the wider public (including students and other teachers).
Conferences would be excellent opportunities to speak to a larger audience. The broadness of transhumanism provides many opportunities to integrate the topic into the theme of a conference.

5. Gifted Development at Schools

The different methods of gifted development at schools provide great opportunities for introducing transhumanist ideas. Transhumanism can easily be incorporated into the talented students’ curriculum, which often contains tasks demanding more creativity than usual. The teacher’s task could be to find not only traditional/ordinary competitions but also those connected to future orientation, transhumanist approach: e.g. competitions in literature and arts connected to sci-fi or quizzes connected to modern technologies.
WTA and other transhumanist societies have fantastic opportunities for announcing these kinds of competitions, quizzes, and scholarships!

6. Not to Forget Those Interested

Once the teacher has students interested in matters of transhumanism, one should suggest related websites, books, and films. One should persuade the librarian to order such materials. Teachers themselves could offer scientific literature, copyrighted films, or other works to the school library.

In conclusion, if one works in a school, dormitory or other educational institution (including adult education), one has many opportunities to spread transhumanist concepts among students, parents and colleagues. Let us take the opportunity!

Are transhumanists cranks?

2006-07-24T19:55:01-05:00

Are transhumanists cranks? July 24, 2006 A “crank” is a person who not only holds some belief which the vast majority of his contemporaries would consider counterfactual, but clings to this belief in the face of all counterarguments or evidence presented to him. For those interested, Wikipedia does an impressive job of thoroughly defining what a crank is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crank_%28person%29 Every movement, whether it be social, political, philosophical or religious, has a few cranks amongst its leaders and many amongst its rank-and-file. The problem is when the majority of the leaders of a movement are cranks or are *perceived* as cranks by the rest of society. So the question becomes: Are most transhumanists cranks, that is to say, do they cling to their beliefs in the face of all counterarguments or evidence presented to them? When I am asked this question, I always answer No because most transhumanists I have talked to or whose works I’ve read are smart people. However, as Skeptics Society founder Micheal Shermer explains, “smart people believe weird things because they are skilled at defending beliefs they arrived at for nonsmart reasons. Rarely do any of us sit down before a table of facts, weigh them pro and con, and choose the most logical and rational explanation, regardless of what we previously believed. Most of us, most of the time, come to our beliefs for a variety of reasons having little to do with empirical evidence and logical reasoning. Rather, such variables as genetic predisposition, parental predilection, sibling influence, peer pressure, educational experience and life impressions all shape the personality preferences that, in conjunction with numerous social and cultural influences, lead us to our beliefs. We then sort through the body of data and select those that most confirm what we already believe, and ignore or rationalize away those that do not. This phenomenon [is] called the confirmation bias...” Cryonics is probably the best example of whether or not transhumanists have a confirmation bias. Although no one should not place value on the view of uninformed journalists, do transhumanists place value on the consensus of views of scientists and engineers working in cryobiology, a field that many of them have invested with transcendental aspirations? In his book Posthuman Utopias: Counter-culture, Cyberculture and Chaos Culture, Remi Sussan writes the following critique of cryonics: “When taking all [the extreme technical obstacles] into account, it is clear that we are in the realm of utter science-fiction (which doesn’t mean it’s impossible only very difficult). But is it ethical to ask people large sums of money for such a random result? At Alcor, the body costs 180,000$ and the head only 80,000$. In the libertarian perspective in which cryonicists find themselves, the question is not even asked. In a free market, everyone is responsible for their choices: the person who decides to have himself frozen knows perfectly the random nature of the operation (we cannot in fact accuse cryonicists of lying about the difficulty of their project). But can we so easily neglect the suffering of old or sick people willing to jump at any solution? [In fact, there aren’t that many: about 130 bodies are actually frozen and just a little more than 1000 members subscribing to the two cryonics associations.] Furthermore, some moderately appreciate the way cryonicists have of behaving themselves as evangelists concerned with always convincing the world instead of thinking as researchers interested in solutions by experimentation. This attitude has certainly hastened their exclusion from the circles of traditional research, especially cryobiology. Thus, without access to the best labs and the resources of universities, it is hard to see how cryonics could one day progress.” So would it be fair or unfair to argue that transhumanists who believe in cryonics are cranks? I guess only reading the reaction of transhumanists to all these arguments can answer that question… In the meantime, I strongly encourage everyone to try to transcend bias. To reduce one’s bias, one can take various measures during the process of critical thinking. Instead of asking “How does this contradict my beliefs?” ask: “What does this mean?” In the earlier stages of gathering and evaluating information, one should first of all suspend judgement (as one does when reading a novel or watching a movie). Ways of doing this include adopting a perceptive rather than judgmental orientation; that is, avoiding moving from perception to judgment as one applies critical thinking to an issue. One should become aware of one’s own fallibility by: 1. accepting that everyone has subconscious biases, and accordingly questioning any reflexive judgments; 2. adopting an egoless and, indeed, humble stance; 3. recalling previous beliefs that one once held strongly but now rejects; 4. realizing one still has numerous blind spots, despite the foregoing. How does one ever eliminate biases without knowing what the ideal is? A possible answer: by referencing critical thinking against a “concept of man”. Thus we can see that critical thinking and the formation of secure ethical codes form an integral whole, but a whole which remains limited without the backing of a concept of humanity. Finally, one might use the Socratic method to evaluate an argument, asking open questions, such as the following: * What do you mean by _______________? * How did you come to that conclusion? * Why do you believe that you are right? * What is the source of your information? * What assumption has led you to that conclusion? * What happens if you are wrong? * Can you give me two sources who disagree with you and explain why? * Why is this significant? * What is an alternate explanation for this phenomenon? * How do I know you are telling me the truth? Justice De Thezier is a social entrepreneur and creative professional. In 2003, he founded the Quebec Transhumanist Association, which he closed down in January 2008. From January 2006 to January 2008, De Thezier served on the board of directors of the World Transhumanist Association. And, from November 2005 to March 2007, he contributed to the Cyborg Democracy web portal and blog.