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Researchers Simulate Building Block of Rat's Brain
slick_shoes passes on an article in the Guardian about the Blue Brain project in Switzerland that has developed a computer simulation of the neocortical column — the basic building block of the neocortex, the higher functioning part of our brains — of a two-week-old rat. (Here is the project site.) The model, running on an IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer, simulates 10,000 neurons and all their interconnections. It behaves exactly like its biological counterpart. Thousands of such NCCs make up a rat's neocortex, and millions a human's. "Project director Henry Markram believes that with the state of technology today, it is possible to build an entire rat's neocortex. From there, it's cats, then monkeys and finally, a human brain."
I got another gang story to tell.
About how a black nigga' was born in hell. Right then and there it's no hope, 'cause a nigga can't escape the gangs and the dope. Damn! And when it's black on black that makes it shitty, can't survive in the Compton city. Fool that's bet. 'Cause when you grow up in the hood you gots ta' claim a set. Yeah, it's not that you want to but you have to. Don't be a mark, 'cause niggas might laugh you straight off the muthafuckin' block. Can't deal with bustas so they asses get clocked. Yeah, who gives a fuck about another. Only got love for my fuckin' gang brothers. Yeah, but I'm young so nobody would wonder, that the hood would take me under.
Now I'm a few ages older, got hair on my nuts and I'm a little bit bolder. And puttin' in work, I has to do my fuckin' part. I'm down for the hood and it's planted in the heart. Fool. At school slappin' on the girls' asses. Fuck the white education, so I skip a lot of classes. 'Cause ain't no teaching a nigga' white reality. Teach me the muthafuckin' gang mentality.
Pop pop pop, drops the sucker. If he's from another hood, I gots ta' shoot the motherfucker. Yeah, I'm in it to win it and can't quit and ready die for this shit. One times can't fade the gang tuff. Puttin' my foot in your ass to make times rough. I'm the neighborhood terror but I never wondered, that the hood would take me under. I guess I'll watch my back cause niggas jivin', times heard this brother pulled a 187. Who I thought was my homie dropped the dime, so I gotta peel his cap with the nine. Fool. So if it's on then it's on, fuck ya G because how the odds are looking, it's either him or me. So I loads up the strap and I step, 'cause my brain cells are dead and all I think is death. Revenge. That's what its all about. See the sucker, take the motherfucker out. Stare the fool down with the eye contact. He try to swing so I draw on him with the gat. Blast was the sound that one times heard. Nigga' 25 to life for the murder.
Was it worth it I've always wondered? Maybe if the hood didn't take me under.
you can play with the rat brain simulator here while its still online[standford.edu]