Writings by
Ricky Lee LaPraim

Thoughts on spirituality, philosophy, and technology.

Ricky Lee LaPraim assisting with a custom staircase build.
Ricky Lee LaPraim assisting with a custom staircase build.

The Last Step Before The Crash

Realworld Economics
Two months later, the 2008 market crash played on the news 24/7. The price of homes, overinflated from..

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Exterior of the barbershop storefront in Santa Cruz, launched during the 2009 recession
The original storefront of Rick's Barbershop in Santa Cruz became a lesson in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Starting a Barbershop During a Recession

Entrepreneur Story
In 2009, I found myself in a unique position. The real estate market had collapsed a year before, and commercial leases were..

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Sun shining through clouds over islands in the South China Sea, taken from a U.S. Navy vessel.
Sun shining through clouds over islands in the South China Sea, captured from a U.S. Navy vessel by Ricky Lee LaPraim.

The Consciousness Algorithm

Artificial General Intelligence
Whether you decide to call synthetic awareness life is your choice but the results from it may not be. Programming AGI to be curious, could be..

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Houston Discovery Green’s Lucion Traveling Light Moongarden installation photographed by Ricky Lee Lapraim.
Nighttime view of Lucion Traveling Light Moongarden installation at Houston Discovery Green.

Machines That Move Like Shadows

Advanced Aerospace Stealth Technology
Autonomous multimodal hybrid vehicles (MHV) working independently through a mesh network could use artificial intelligence to achieve..

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Ricky Lee LaPraim leading the first meeting for the development of the rewards platform technology, which later became the successful RepeatMD.
The initial technology development meeting for the rewards platform technology that evolved into the successful RepeatMD.

The Early Development of RepeatMD

Startup Journey
In my career, I’ve had the opportunity to build technology for countless organizations. I’ve joined organizations at every..

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Close-up of the Bonshō bell at Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii. This bell is used in Zen Buddhist rituals and is a symbol of peace and mindfulness.

Hope You Fail

Buddhist Philosophy
The path of life is not always linear. Without challenges in life, we would have no opportunity to..

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Close-up of vibrant green succulent plants surrounding a grey rock in a Hawaiian garden
A serene Hawaiian garden, emerald succulents framing a lone grey stone in quiet harmony.

AI Allows Us To Be Human

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Our existence is much deeper than we can conceptualize and our individual worth is more than our productivity..

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Blurry view of a city skyline at dusk with a silhouette of a person in the foreground, vibrant colors from the sunset and urban lights in the distance
Houston's downtown skyline. A dynamic cityscape featuring over 40 high-rises, including Texas' tallest office building.

Empowering Change, Ending Homelessness

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence will be a vital resource to social service infrastructure by creating tailored and personalized..

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Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern in Houston, Texas - historic underground water reservoir with unique architectural columns, lighting, and a popular tourist destination
The Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern in Houston, Texas - a historical 1926 underground water reservoir that's now open for public tours.

A World Beyond Datasets

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
Achieving AGI will require progress beyond datasets, encompassing advancements in both hardware and real-time data processing..

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