Robin on Christopher Reeve & Oliver Sacks

[bzylizzy]

They were wonderful friends, both men were and are amazing in their field....

[999JPETZ]

Robin Williams is a genius, of human behavior and connection.

[bliz78obrien1]

Children very rarely inherit a neurological abnormality the exact form of a parent. If a down syndrome adult had children, they'd pass on the chromosome number and affect birth, perhaps, but the nerve injury is NOT determined by the chromosomes, and is NOT gene-directed! I hope we can find nerve tissue transplants and therapy to maintain nerve functions. Perhaps it won't be 100%. Perhaps 60, 70,80% of Nerve function returned with medicine and lead somewhat normal life.

[Brady2k10]

and when reeves had to have a dangerous operation, at some point his spine wasnt connected to his skull, and the docs said it was 50/50 it would work, a that time, when obviously reeves must have been really scared, robin went into the room, dressed up, speaking in a russian accent saying hes there to do a rectal exam on reeves, n tht made reeves laugh, n everything went fine, but unfortunately, reeves condition just kept pullin him downhill ever since and we lost the real superman. RIP.

[jtsmizzack]

I love charlie rose

[WarriorMigs24]

RIP Christopher Reeve

[RESIDENTRYAN]

Why didnt they just look for a material that could be used as a medium/replacement so the signals from his brain could travel to where they needed to go?

[SocratesTheGadfly]

@RESIDENTRYAN bio-medical engineering doctors have been looking for that exact same idea for over 50 years now and with limited success. that level of technology is at least a hundred or more years away.

[RESIDENTRYAN]

@SocratesTheGadfly people tend to overcomplicate things when they dont have to be. just start with basics. what signals does the brain send out through the spinal cord? now what can be used as a medium for those signals to travel?

[SocratesTheGadfly]

@RESIDENTRYAN the brain sends out involutary ( ie regulatory signals ) and voluntary ( ie physical movement ) signals to the rest of the body through electrical impulses along a biological neural network. the essential problem is the interface between the biological and manmade wiring is not possible right now. the structure between interface breakdown over time and often results in additional damage to the biological tissue therefore degrading the performance.

[SocratesTheGadfly]

@RESIDENTRYAN it is not that simple. the biological signals must be compatible and not damage the surrounding tissue and the voltages and currents the body uses are extremely small and modern technology is not able to control such signals. YES, we can monitor the signals but that is PASSIVE. to actually control and manipulate is just not possible with our current level of technology to make them ACTIVE signals.

[RESIDENTRYAN]

@SocratesTheGadfly I dont think its necessary to control and manipulate the signals. As long as there is a medium for the signals to travel through the brain will do the rest of the work because it naturally sends the signals. once passive signals start flowing with the newly placed medium they become active signals. if the brains natural response is to send them, then they'll be sent by the brain. but it only works if there is a medium.

[SocratesTheGadfly]

@RESIDENTRYAN but how do you separate the active signals from the passive signals? how do you separate the involunntary muscular reactions from the voluntary muscular reactions? it is a great deal more complicated than you think trying to separate the signals from each other. nature through biology has evolved the human body biologically through bio-chemical and bio-mechanical processes. when one introduces man-made materials the body has a tendency to reject them as foreign objects.

[RESIDENTRYAN]

@SocratesTheGadfly alright, so all thats needed is a material that can contain and allow the signals to travel without damaging the surrounding tissue. start thinking of materials that could be potential candidates. i can think of a few.

[SocratesTheGadfly]

@RESIDENTRYAN the result is the implants have a tendency to be rejected by the human body and over time cause additional problems. over time there is a degradation of the pathways used to send signals. trust me there are thousands of bio-mechanical-electrical engineers doing millions of dollars of research to solve the problem of allowing paraplegics and quadroplegics to walk, use their hands and function the way before there unfortunate accidents. we need at least a hundred years

[WarriorMigs24]

Robin Williams thank you for being friends with Chrisyopher Reeve

[vivascargill]

Robin  Williams seems like an lovely man and a fine comedian--however I find him most powerful and moving in his non-comediec roles--there is a kindness about him that reminds me of Dr Sacks

[MarshmallowMadnesss]

I love Robin Williams. I always have since Mork and Mindy. He's just the perfect entertainer and seems to have a lot of heart. He loves to make people happy.

[blewvelvet]

Fuck the religious right!..it's because of them we are so far behind. If we had freedom of science 1,000 years ago..(against the republitard church) we would be teleporting by now.

Check out on Youtube "Why people laugh at Creationists"..and find out more about why we are a retarded society.

[MilkyLicker3587]

@blewvelvet - Shut up, moron. Take your hate speech elsewhere.

[vivascargill]

@MilkyLicker3587 from one who disagrees with the religious right--I salute you--the arrogance and idolatry behind the dismissal of creationists is far worse than what (if you will permit me) what I think are their mistaken notions.

[iceman241111]

@blewvelvet your funny and stupid at the same time. lol

[SocratesTheGadfly]

@blewvelvet the idea of "teleporting" is a science fiction concept and is simply not possible in the physical world in which we live. the laws of quantum mechanics prevent such a device from existing and has absolutely NOTHING to do with Religion nor Creationism. learn to THINK and REASON rather than reacting with pure emotion and hatred.

[drwinslow70]

They had a true friendship, and that's a powerful thing. I've never understood the incessant debating over stem cell research. I do believe in God, and I am also a parent. I see nothing wrong with harvesting stem cells that would be unused anyway to possibly improve the quality of life in another human being. What is it that we are afraid of?

[ryko26]

I wish Robin Williams wasn't his own biggest fan. His belief that he must crack gags and put on voices (few of which are funny) RELENTLESSLY is SO tiresome.

[smzig]

Every interview with Robin Williams I see, he's always cracking jokes and is a big clown. But when he talks about his close friend, it's like he's a different person.

[cazia9]

it's funny you should say that because there's a great story where christopher was in the hospital after his accident and considering suicide, and this masked doctor came in, started cracking jokes and everything, and christopher figured it out that it was robin, and it was the first time he'd laughed since his accident, and christopher later said that it was one of the moments that helped him get through the worst of it at the beginning...never underestimate the healing power of laughter

[Sarah404]

if u read christopher reeve's biography he talks about robbin making him laugh in hospital when he wanted to kill himself... listening to robbin talk about christopher like that makes me cry.. christopher was my hero and still is..

[bzylizzy]

you read the book too, I agree with you completely!

[verona123]

Robin rocks

[mBognerd]

what he's saying about back injuries being passed on through genes simply isn't correct

[mitchasics]

Are you an M.D. of neurology?

[mBognerd]

In training.

[andyskytten]

Ok, so, I'm not saying I believe in god but to all who say he doesn't exist....prove it! To say he's a theory would be more accurate. But here's one fact to think of, most stem cells come from the umbilical cord which has nothing to do with born or unborn children. Harvesting stem cells is more a matter of taking that which would be unused and putting it to a purpose. Wow, wouldn't that be a keen idea, wouldn't it be nice to take peoples unused brains and put them to use.

[TaraLoveYouAll]

yeah, reeve could be still alive and being one of most handome-middle-age man right now, together with his friend robin, just like richard gere, if he never like riding horse.. one thing can change everything..

[knoxvilleguy2]

Christopher Reeve once said that " Robin Williams is a gift to the world ". That's FRIENDSHIP. If you can have a friend that says that about you, you're blessed.

[bliz78obrien]

I will never forget the horse riding accident, and now Chris lives on a little more with Robin around!

[nicolatwo]

Why is a man like Charlie Rose so religious and dogmatic?

[Snotra]

Truth is not subjective.

[nerdyharry]

yeah but falsity always is.

[Snotra]

hcvang, What field of realism do you follow?

[hcvang]

the world I live in?

[Snotra]

hcvang, You must be a Buddhist.

[hcvang]

Nope, i'm a realist.

[cathalcom]

ok stop laughing charlie.

[ignoranceandwant]

Sigh...I have all respect for Chris Reeve, but I hate when they use hackneyed phrases like "a real life Superman" or marvel at his "courage". I've known a paraplegic for years and sometimes for a laugh, I'll tell him how much I admire his "courage"...I'll say: "You have so much COURAGE, John...so many people in your position would kill themselves". He finds it funny...sometimes I would pretend to abuse him in public while he would flail his arms and pretend to cry.

[Emorkia]

the interview needs to shut up

[Snotra]

thesilvershields, Im not very bright? Your the one who is wrong in all 31 flavors, I dont know where to start. The scientific community is out on the topic of when life starts. Now if your a God fearing person (Obviously your not) you would look at it differently. Even athiest know that killing a "baby" for the sake of saving a life is ontologicly wrong. Damning God to hell eh?.. "if" there is a GOD??? Seems like its a 50/50 gamble for you. If your wrong, you just damned your soul. Not to smart!

[hcvang]

fuck god - take your religion and stuff it. those ideas are giving us nothing but fucking despair

research that will save peoples lives should always come before some morons stupid fantasy ideas.

If you wanna believe in a book, believe in Harry Potter - atleast that one is entertaining.

[grimreaperhenrik]

The 2nd & 3rd part of your comment is very good, it is the ''fuck god'' I don't agree with.

Don't blame God for Snotras words.

Blame ONLY his religion.

''God'' exist in many religions, with various names.

I live by no religion but I do pray to God sometimes.

However..

Christianity is indeed nothing but despair, you will only complicate yours and others lives with it.

[hcvang]

God doesnt exist - he's an IDEA.

Do you also believe in Harry Potter? He's an idea too.

sheesh...

[grimreaperhenrik]

You did not have to take it too literally.

I was just meaning that God ''belongs'' to many religions, not that he has to exist as

with proof.

The word ''exist'' may not have been that wisely chosen by me, but further in that case..

Neither you can state that he DOESN'T exist as that requires absolute knowledge of it.

You're not SUPPOSED to know because God is only for believing in, it's pure faith.(This is where many Christians fail, if not all).

[grimreaperhenrik]

Harry Potter exist as the fictional figure he is, made by human WITH proof of it.

He is not an idéa as he is already created.

You being a ''realist'' should know that.

Seriously.. why did you even bother comparing them?

[hcvang]

Harry Potter is not an idea?

Ooookay.

[grimreaperhenrik]

I did already explain this to you.

He's NO LONGER an idéa because he is already created officially.

As soon as you've published or built something from idéas in your mind,

It has become a creation.

The Idéa is no longer an Idéa, but in this case a fictional wizard who've been

published through books, movies and  games etc.

But hey... I kind of WISH you were right, but that's another story.. ;)

[hcvang]

You "explained" nothing to me. You uttered an opinion - an uninformed and ignorant opinion.

There's a reason we call it "fiction" in the publishing world - every book is an idea, not 'creation'. The phantom of the Opera is not 'creation', it's an idea.

[FinalFantasyXXVI]

you should consider other peoples opionions as their own, you beeing intolerant isn't gonna help anybody.

[hcvang]

facts arent subjective.

[FinalFantasyXXVI]

its not an idea, its a belief.

i don't believe in anything that some idiot wrote a few thousand years back - it has no meaning to me in the world as it is today ... ideas are made by artists..

[iceman241111]

@grimreaperhenrik Thank God Jesus is still lord and you or anyone else on this earth cant do anything about it one day you will bow down before him.

[RESIDENTRYAN]

@iceman241111 thats just sad. your either really young and dont understand reality yet or just really ignorant in belief over facts.

[AnotherGuy5]

stop the hate ;( be nice 2 each other

cool neat! visit my profile! LN

[Radz117]

My dad looks identical to Robin Williams

[Snotra]

I guess in your twisted world. Women are gonna be lined up outside Family planing clinics collecting $50.00 a pop for unwanted babies.

[Snotra]

Apparently your afraid of the finality of this plane of existance. How long do you want to live? The question is wheather I would cave in, and give my consent for a life supporting procedure to sustain a loved ones life? Via embryonic stem cells?? NO!!! I would decline. I guess your a secular. Explain to me why does a God fearing man throw himself over a grenade and saves his buddies life? Is it God's influence or a simple act of Animal instinct? May heroic virtue guide us.

[thesilvershields]

You're not very bright clearly. Stem cells are not 'life.' They are cells that make up life, except for the fact that these cells are never going to become life anyway. Thus they are either going to be thrown away or used to heal people. If God is against that, then God can burn in hell.

[Snotra]

Taking a life to save a life is ontoligically wrong...Sadly truth is subjective to liberals.

[Zandan84]

so if your mom or dad or a relative of yours was dying and the only way they could be saved was through stem cell research (an unborn fetus that has died already), you wouldn't do it? I would pay anything to save them. and don't say no, cuz we all know the answer to it. And even if you say "no" we all know that if that time would come for you, you would do it without any hesitation.

[Mainstream05]

The hell do liberals have to do with anything?

[soup17]

Looking at robin williams small head it seems strange that it fits such a large, well-educated, juicy brain.

[branaginslaw]

what is Lamarckism.

[dollaresque]

The Lamarckian theory that characteristics acquired by habit, use, or disuse may be passed on to future generations through inheritance.

[branaginslaw]

cheers so i scrape the wax from my ear because my father does as well i see

[progjunky]

i don't know if charlie rose should venture into a career as a comedian....

[ScaperSteph]

lol I love Robin Williams. He and Chris must have had a lot of laughs together. :-)

[pandagal21]

yeah, they were best friends. He was there for Chris. He helped pay for his medical stuff. Now thats a friend.

[bliz78obrien]

I didn't know he helped pay, but he was perhaps his CLOSEST friend and that's understandable!

[pandagal21]

yeah he did. I read it on IMDB Once I read that I was like "aw" My friends would never do that for me. Robin is a wonderful person since he did that to Chris. It would be an honer to meet him.

[jh1x]

ho ho ho Spot the Lamarkian in this Interview....

[IshadaKatzteilov]

1:35. Lamarckism.

[IshadaKatzteilov]

Damn Frogs.

[jh1x]

Actually... he isn't being Lamarkian... I see now.  It is more complex than that (what he was saying).

And anyway, even if he was...

[ucsdtijuanero]

v.s. ramachandran was my professor at ucsd. Hes awesome!

[mindylinky]

He was your teacher? LUCKY. I read his book phantoms in the brain. Is he as smart as he seems?

[ButThenAgain]

Charlie Rose's Southern accent would make him a PERFECT evangelist.

[ButThenAgain]

The best hope for solving the problems of paralysis lies in Stem Cells. Unfortunately, Bush's superstitions took that out of the equation.

P.S. READ EVERYTHING BY OLIVER SACKS, AND/OR V.S. RAMACHANDRAN.

[971alien]

Have read a couple of books by Oliver Sacks but hadn't heard of V.S Ramchandran. Nice one for the tip. I'll have a look. A

[orlandobabe]

I am glad that Chris had a wonderful friend like Robin, a friend like that is hard to find.

[meegslovesyou]

when was this???

[pgmatg]

These are fantastic clips of Robin Williams appearance(s) on Charlie Rose show.

When was the "interview"?

[soundlanguage]

Fantastic- what a riot...