The Eclectic Chair / Silya Eclectica

Dessert Comes First: Get a Grip - Hanging out at Handlebar Manila

2017-03-13T22:19:00.001+08:00

It is with great pleasure that I link through to my first article at Dessert Comes First, about the famous Handlebar Bar and Grill in Makati.

Cheers!

ARTICLE: Get a Grip - Hanging Out at Handlebar Manila

Climate Change and Ski Resorts: Nope, not Friends

2017-03-03T11:00:00.000+08:00

It should come as no surprise that as the climate changes, that ski resorts are in danger. Seriously.

Whether or not humans are to blame, we really have to get a handle on this.

Source:
https://www.carbonbrief.org/swiss-ski-resorts-could-see-70-percent-drop-in-snow-cover-as-climate-warms

Kim Jong Nam and death by VX: the perils of chemistry

2017-03-02T17:00:00.000+08:00

What is disturbing is that the article has photos of barrels upon barrels of VX, of which a single drop can kill a person.

One reason, I think, why people shouldn't do everything just because they can is that other people may use it for malicious reasons. Yes, this is in conflict with my belief that people should keep on exploring and discovering. But I do believe that explorers and discoverers should keep in mind how to keep things in control. After all, the human race has proven itself to be capable of suicide by stupidity.

source:
https://futurism.com/4-heres-some-facts-about-the-deadly-chemical-used-against-kim-jong-nam/

Shockwaves in an Asteroid Apocalypse

2017-03-02T11:00:00.000+08:00

It's not impact, but the shockwave. All I can say is, it makes sense. Heck, a large enough asteroid can just graze our atmosphere, but if the shockwave and resulting "splinters" are enough, then we're in trouble.

Source:
http://gizmodo.com/we-were-wrong-about-how-the-asteroid-apocalypse-will-go-1792727736

From Time: Censorship and a Giraffe giving birth

2017-03-01T11:00:00.000+08:00

All I can say is: I don't have the correct number of hands to do the facepalms I feel about this.

Source:
http://time.com/4681702/youtube-suspends-giraffe-birth-feed/

Cholesterol, and its effect on how the brain works

2017-02-28T17:00:00.000+08:00

It seems that cholesterol affects more than the heart. It also seems to affect the adenosine receptors in the brain. Understanding how this works may have major ramifications for treating diseases like Alzheimer's and others like it.

Summary:
"A study demonstrates that the cholesterol present in cell membranes can interfere with the function of an important brain membrane protein, through a previously unknown mode of interaction. Specifically, cholesterol is capable of regulating the activity of the adenosine receptor, by invading it and accessing the active site. This will allow new ways of interacting with these proteins to be devised that in the future could lead to drugs for treating diseases like Alzheimer's."
Source:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170223114836.htm

Writing the future: AIs can now write their future generations

2017-02-28T11:00:00.000+08:00

Artificial Intelligence writing the code for the next generation needs to be looked at very closely. The science fiction ramifications of AIs making AIs may sound exaggerated, but we really should be ready for anything.

On the other hand, we should also consider if we're giving birth to the logical next step in evolution for any sentient organism originating from Earth.

Source:
https://futurism.com/4-our-computers-are-learning-how-to-code-themselves/

An AI Butler?

2017-02-27T17:00:00.000+08:00

Well, this looks like a good idea in terms of time-saving automation, but it also opens an individual to more hack attacks, and, I would think, has serious ramifications for artificial intelligence as an assistant. I am sure that the Butlerian Jihad in the Dune book series is now a branch probability in our timeline.

Source:
https://futurism.com/videos/this-robot-can-recognize-you-check-your-email-and-more/

Living Longer: Expectancy at 90

2017-02-27T11:00:00.000+08:00

As we now approach longer life expectancies, the true concern now will be how the global economy, production capacity, and healthcare outlook will adapt to this fact.

Source:
http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2017/02/22.htm

Artificial Intelligence and Ethics: We need to embrace them as our children

2017-02-26T15:14:00.000+08:00

As we develop artificial intelligence that becomes smarter and closer to true sentience, we have to increasingly start thinking of them as children - if not our children personally, then our children as a race, or a species.

It will be of paramount importance, then, to teach them not only what they need for the job at hand, but also for how they will treat others, including ourselves. Call it a certain amount of self-preservation, but let's face it, we've already done the thought experiments on this, through stories in science fiction.

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/26/why-we-must-teach-morality-to-robots

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/audio/2017/feb/26/a-neuroscientist-explains-teaching-morality-to-robots-podcast

Doctor Who: Capaldi's Last Season

2017-02-26T11:00:00.002+08:00

“The first time you meet him, he’s funny. The second time, he’s amazing. The third time, you realize he’s the most dangerous man in the universe.”

I feel bad that this trailer promises what we've wanted Capaldi's Doctor Who all this time. But as this will be his last season as the Doctor, I hope they really do make it a slam-bang one.

Source:
http://geektyrant.com/news/promo-teaser-for-doctor-who-season-10-he-says-hes-a-man-of-peace-but-he-walks-in-war

A little side-trip to Singapore: Makansutra Hawkers in SM Megamall

2017-02-26T11:00:00.000+08:00

My partner and I decided to eat out after meeting with an online seller, and as luck would have it, we ended up at Makansutra Hawkers, a Singapore-style food market / food park on the second floor of SM Megamall, technically above National Bookstore in Building A.

My partner and I had seen the place before, and we knew that we should try the food there some other time. Now, after looking at some watches at Building B, and some toys at Toy Kingdom at the basement, we decided it was time to try out Makansutra Hawkers (Philippines)

We had a limited budget, so we settled on two dishes: Laksa, and Pork with Salted Egg (in essence , pork strips - liempo cuts, I think - cooked in a mixture of salted egg and what seems to be butter and a few other ingredients).

It's a good thing that we asked if the pork dish was for sharing - we can confirm that you may need a group of three for one order (P380). In fact, with the Laksa, I feel I should have called my mother up and asked her to join us.

Now, on to the food:

I'm not a laksa person, but my partner loves is, and says that the laksa was above average, and worth the price at P250. For me, I liked the fact that it had a god balance between the spiciness and the coconut milk. At first, I thought that it had been adapted to Philippine tastes, as it wasn't so spicy, but the partner assured me that there were options for more spicy preparations, but that he decided to stick with the basics. Even if the bowl of laksa already had noodles, I still wanted to drizzle the soup over rice (which I did!).

As for the pork with salted egg, all I can say is that the salted egg sauce preparation was practically a meal in itself aside from the pork - if anything, I actually wished that the pork had less fat, as the combination of pork fat and the sauce was pretty rich in flavor - enough for me to wave the white flag, and ask my partner to help me finish off some remaining pieces. The dish comes with a side of pickled vegetables - atsara. Believe me, you'll need it to counter the powerful the punch-counterpunch of salted egg, pork, and butter. I know that some of my friends will tell me better places to find salted egg preparations, but for now, this is an affordable and, for me, good enough dish that I would tell people to go with me so I can eat more of it (haha!).

Add P50 of rice, and we were able to get stuffed for about P680 or so.

In all, I can honestly say that I liked the laksa dish - though I wish my partner had ordered a spicier one - and that the pork with salted egg should not be missed. But please, do not try to finish off one order by yourself; if anything, the richness - creaminess - of the dish makes it hard to do.

Also, kudos for Makansutra Hawkers' service, and I have yet to try the coffee pork dish offered in another stall. Also, some of the drink and dessert preparations look like I'll be back to try more.

I bought the Pork with Salted Egg dish at the Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee; sadly, my partner forgot the name of the stall where he got the laksa.

For more information:
http://www.makansutra.com/

The Rise of Robot Overlords: Not as Tyrants, But as the New MIddle Class

2017-02-15T12:44:00.000+08:00

As the blue- and white-collar jobs are disappearing because of automation and artificial intelligence, it seems that some of the science fiction we've been reading or watching in the past are right. The way forward for humanity to keep on working and participating in their civilization's development is to adapt to what artificial intelligence cannot do.

For me, that would mean that we have to develop the aesthetic and art aspects of our education even more, but without sacrificing basic understanding of how technology works. It may also mean that we should definitely emphasize some college courses that will be for people to learn how to keep on building technology. And, of course, we really have to get space programs going, as the desire to explore and expand may be humanity's way of "getting away" from the AI/automation issue. We only need to look at our history during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to know why we need to seek distant shores. The middle class, it seems, will be transformed into one that explores, builds, and dreams.

It would also mean that we have to change our whole operating system, as it were, for technology and lifestyle. Does this mean the end of consumerism/capitalism? I don't think so, but rather, they should evolve. In one way, I am disturbed, as development could go in a direction where it will be more about roles and usefulness in society, even for the arts. This would be similar to a bee hive, or an insect community. On the other hand, we may be looking at a future that is closer to the community ships in Wall-E.

And the sad part is, if we go full-on dystopia, what we're looking at is, in essence, the Megapolis societies of Judge Dredd.

And it all starts with what is happening now.

Article inspired by this Wired article; image taken from the same: https://www.wired.com/2017/02/ai-threat-isnt-skynet-end-middle-class/

Blog Layout Update

2017-02-09T16:30:00.000+08:00

Hello!

I've decided to put some quick-access links to subject matter on this blog, up on top. I've included articles from different sites I contribute to, some links outbound to my toy stuff, and links to two Youtube playlists for my band Cog (https://www.facebook.com/Cog.band/).

I'll be refining the top bar as things go along. Cheers!

In times when I had less weight, and more hair.

Audio Cassettes are Making a Comeback

2017-01-27T17:00:00.000+08:00

The demand for vinyl and audiocassettes - affectionately called "tape" back in the day - gives me a few insights:

1) Nostalgia sells really well, and extends into vintage technology (re: one generation behind).

2) With information practically overwhelming people online, the linear nature of vinyl, and even more so for cassettes, makes for a more focused information stream - it's a very relaxing mode of data appreciation.

3) There may be a backlash for the Internet that is happening with the younger generations. I hope it leads to an eventual renaissance in how people deal with the online world.

Article: http://www.techradar.com/news/break-out-that-old-tape-deck-cassettes-are-making-a-comeback

Science Fiction, the Spirit, and the Mechanical Flesh: Major Kusanagi and Ghost in the Shell

2017-01-27T11:47:00.001+08:00

It seems that the idea of an encased human (brain, in this case) within another form is an obsession - it dates through the ages, from human souls trapped in animals, to empty armor, and now, in mechanical form.

Lately, the more interesting (for me) versions of these are Robotman from DC's Doom Patrol team, and Major Motoko Kusanagi from the manga/anime franchise Ghost in the Shell.

It is, I think, a major philosophical and spiritual concern. And as the time comes nearer when we may be able to transfer our consciousnesses to virtual storage without a break in the stream of thought, it seems that we all will need to ask ourselves: can we survive as ghosts in the machines?

And will this lead to questions of who is really human?

The Deadpool Conundrum: Telomeres and Cancer

2017-01-27T10:00:00.000+08:00

Deadpool, the comic book character, was a man who had incredible healing abilities, but was disfigured because somehow, his body was also riddled with tumors or cancerous growths. Now, it seems that whoever wrote that into his power set was right on the scientific level: if your telomeres are too long, then you have a higher risk for cancer. In order to keep on going, people in the future may have to periodically subject themselves to gene therapy to adjust telomere sizes for an optimum lifespan without getting the cancer risk.

It's kinda like a built-in anti-obsolescence system. It makes you wonder if our instinctive knowledge of this mechanism in our bodies is the basis for how consumer technology is made.

Source: http://www.futuretimeline.net/blog/2017/01/13.htm

Hard or Soft? The new MetaMaterials.

2017-01-26T17:00:00.000+08:00

Scientists have now developed a material that can be hard or soft, depending on the force, impact, or stress applied to the object. It reminds me of that Mythbuster episode that looked into mixtures that had a very high surface tension.

In any case, this sort of material would be very useful in safety measures and other similar applications.

Article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170123214734.htm

2017-01-26T10:00:00.000+08:00

In Russia, the civilian application of a railgun is to shoot supplies to the ISS. Granted, some movies, TV shows, and anime series have already used the idea (known as mass drivers), but now that it IS possible, it feels a bit uncomfortable.

Also, it sets up the whole "In Russia..." kind of joke.

Source: https://futurism.com/dasvidaniya-russia-successfully-tests-new-weapon-that-can-blow-away-any-type-of-armor/

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

2017-01-25T17:00:00.000+08:00

Synthezoids, Androids, and Recombinants, oh, my!

It looks like researchers have taken another step into sci-fi territory with partially synthetic DNA.

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/23/stable-semi-synthetic-organism/

Facebook's Fake News Dilemma: The Question of Gatekeepers

2017-01-25T10:45:00.002+08:00

Facebook's resistance to filtering news on its own is understandable. After all, the creation of Gatekeepers (editors/an editorial staff for media articles) will put them in a new ring - and with their profits driven by Facebook advertising and post-boosting, it doesn't make sense for them to antagonize their paying users.

But the problem of whether or not a gatekeeper system will be abused is a moot point, because Facebook as it is right now is being abused, whether they like to admit it or not. It's easy to say, though, that perhaps news outlets themselves should form up their own vetting committees. But they won't do that, either. And they won't do it for similar reasons as Facebook's.

And so we inch deeper into a post-truth world.

Article: http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/2/13812818/facebook-fake-news-think-before-you-share

Hydrogels: Medical Marvel and Android building block?

2017-01-25T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hydrogels can be one's artificial skin, a medical drug patch system, or even flexible circuitry, sensors, and "skinning" for androids and robots. We're getting ever closer to the science fiction future.

It actually reminds me of whenever Data from ST:TNG is injured, or perhaps the scalp-like thing that was seen in Westworld.

The Convention Conundrum

2017-01-24T17:00:00.000+08:00

This article pretty much states what many older geeks and fans talk about over beer when the subject of modern-day conventions pop up. At the end of the day, I think that decentralization to old local fair-style conventions or "meets" will be the real driver for people to find their hobby products, or simply to meet new artists. It looks like the Indies will be the way to go again - as was always the case, if you think about it.

Article: http://www.comicsbeat.com/whatever-happened-to-comic-con-a-veteran-vendor-speaks/

Batman and the Shadow

2017-01-24T12:39:00.001+08:00

Batman has obviously been influenced by the pulp heroes, so it's nice to see a mash-up series where Batman and the Shadow can clash. I wouldn't say team-up, since these two are not the sort - unless it would involve the likes of Ra's Al Ghul.

As you can see in the art below, there's a lot of fighting. I am in between on the concept of it (though I love the artwork), since I'm a fan of the creepy/cheesy Kyle Baker Shadow era. The idea that the only thing you hear is the laughter and see are the muzzle flashes makes it much better.

Source: http://io9.gizmodo.com/batman-is-teaming-up-with-one-of-his-biggest-comic-book-1791529816

2,000-year-old Bog Butter Found

2017-01-24T11:13:00.000+08:00

All I am thinking of, is if the scientists say it is still edible... did someone taste it? If so, I would like to shake that person's hand. At the same time, given that I have an ambulance standing by to the nearest quarantine center or ER facility, I would like to taste even a little bit of that butter myself.

Source: http://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/08/03/2000-years-old-lump-butter-unearthed-northern-ireland/