NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING SUPPRESSED?

September 5, 2008

New technologies are being suppressed, this article suspects:

The last few decades have seen rapid progress in electronics, including computers and industrial robots, but, while we all enjoy improved televisions and internet access (it has made this article possible), you can’t eat a computer or heat your home with the internet, and the robots have cost many people their jobs. What we all really need are improved energy technologies to improve our economy and environment, and improved medical technologies for better health and longevity. Yet it is in these two areas, despite Richard Nixon’s still ongoing “war on cancer” and government promises of a better energy policy, that progress has lagged. And it is in these two areas that we see the most evidence of suppressed or, at least, ignored technologies.


THE SUN MAKES HISTORY

September 5, 2008

Sun makes history: first spotless month in a century

The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted.

The event is significant as many climatologists now believe solar magnetic activity – which determines the number of sunspots — is an influencing factor for climate on earth.

Read more.


THE TRIUMPH OF… WHATEVER

September 4, 2008

The Supreme Court upholds Romulo Neri on executive privilege.

When reasoning borders on idiocy, it is better to look elsewhere for explanation.  Reason illuminates, clarifies,  educates– not provoke laughter.  That’s the job of comedians.

So, here.

Romulo Neri thinks he is a good man.  He also believes that telling a lie is bad.

He knows something about President GMA on a multi-billion dollar deal.  The senators of the republic want him to tell what he knows about GMA on this.

He won’t tell the truth because it will hurt GMA.  But neither will he tell a lie because it is such a bad thing to do for a good man like him. There must be a way not to tell the truth and not to tell a lie at the same time.

There is only one way– do not talk.  But somebody must uphold that he must not talk.

Who would that be?  The Supreme Court, but of course!

On what grounds? Aha, executive privilege!

But what executive privilege are we talking about here?  Forget about that; it’s a numbers game, moron.

And so it comes to pass that Romulo Neri neither tells a lie nor tells the truth.  His boss is saved and so is his soul.  The Supreme Court is  to take the burden to extricate him from his fix.

The result: a landmark decision that draws a huge question mark on the profession of law and the sanity of some people we think are repositories of wisdom and intellect.

From now on, ladies and gentlemen, here lies a new guidepost of good governance for the present and future governments to follow, courtesy of a good man named Romulo Neri.

Now, excuse me a moment while I savor my amusement.

Mr. Romulo Neri, you should have just lied if you wanted to spare your boss.  It would have been so much simpler and so much more uncomplicated.  By saving your soul from telling a lie, by sparing yourself of the consequences of your decision to save your boss, you pushed the rest to hell.  You are a bad, bad man, Mr. Neri.


ABOUT THE CHROME

September 4, 2008

Here it is: The inside story of Google Chrome

I downloaded it on my desktop from download.com last night.  I thought it was really fast.

Not really much, says competition though.

And a warning: privacy problem could be worse that you imagine.

If even techies like yugatech ain’t sure. better be cautious

I am sticking around with Mozilla Firefox just yet ’til the experts give the thumbs up.


eBAY FOR KNOWLEDGE

September 4, 2008

I think it’s a smashing great idea, and amazingly simple.  You want to learn something, sign up; you think you can teach something, sign up.  Teacher and student meet up like seller and buyer on eBay.

School of Everything

From Boingboing.com

The economic proposition is simple: you know something I want you to show me, and School of Everything will make it easy for us to meet and transact commerce to make this happen. It doesn’t depend on no one else being willing to do this for free, nor does it control what you do with the information once you learn it. Indeed, this is a service that benefits from the wider spreading of information: the more information there is about knitting, the more knitters there are, the more knitters there will be clamouring to learn knitting from an expert retained for this purpose. A knitting teacher doesn’t want you to hoard what you learn: she wants you to tell everyone about it.


PLUGGING FOR MY OTHER BLOG

September 2, 2008

IF GROWNUPS WERE TREATED LIKE KIDS…

September 1, 2008

ABOUT SEX

September 1, 2008

IT MATTERS WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER, IDIOT!

August 31, 2008

For an example in high class hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty, read today’s editorial of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.  In the middle, it goes:

We should not lose sight of the essential, agreed-upon or already established facts, however. There was an elaborate security operation to secure Aquino’s safety upon his arrival at the Manila International Airport, called Oplan Balikbayan. But there was also an equally complex but smaller-scale military operation (whether part of Balikbayan or completely separate from it remains unproven) to put Aquino in harm’s way. (italics mine)

Part of that essential, agreed-upon or already established facts, of course, is that Galman was just a fall guy who got caught in the web of a grand conspiracy to kill Ninoy Aquino.

Translation: in the larger picture, it does not matter now who pulled the trigger.

It could not be that simple.  To say so omits the necessary implication:  if indeed Galman were the one who pulled the trigger, it follows without question that those soldiers, save for one or two, who were convicted of the crime and put to prison were innocent.  You ignore that at the expense of your moral and intellectual integrity.

Tell me, it does not matter that innocent people were convicted of a crime, robbed of their freedom and future, and languishing in jail to this day since when???

But then that’s just for starters.  When we try working back from that ‘insignificant’ detail going all the way up, trouble begins.  For the unraveling has far-reaching implications very disturbing.

When once you were hailing the decision to convict the soldiers as triumph of justice, it could get truly complicated.


THE ERASERHEADS REUNION

August 31, 2008

It probably was meant to be just that… a momentary glimpse into the legend, like the ghost of a loved one flashing by from time to time… it’s not enough yet it’s enough…


AN OPTICAL ILLUSION

August 29, 2008

from dailyillusion.com

A treasure trove of optical illusions could be found at michaelbach.de.


‘HOW I STOLE SOMEONE’S IDENTITY’

August 28, 2008

Herbert Thompson is a professor, software developer, author of books on IT security and is chief security strategist of a security consultancy firm in New York.  He writes about how he conducted an experiment to test vulnerabilities of individuals’ banking accounts using data extracted from the Internet: ‘How I Stole Someone’s Identity’

As a professor, a software developer and an author I’ve spent a career in software security. I decided to conduct an experiment to see how vulnerable people’s accounts are to mining the Web for information. I asked some of my acquaintances, people I know only casually, if with their permission and under their supervision I could break into their online banking accounts. After a few uncomfortable pauses, some agreed. The goal was simple: get into their online banking account by using information about them, their hobbies, their families and their lives freely available online. To be clear, this isn’t hacking or exploiting vulnerabilities, instead it’s mining the Internet for nuggets of personal data. Here’s one case. I share it here because it represents some of the common pitfalls and illustrates a pretty serious weakness that most of us have online.  Continue here

It took him just seven steps.


A LITTLE MOZART

August 28, 2008

MUSIC AND BODY PARTS

August 27, 2008

Research has ascertained that every music genre has its own favorite body parts. Like cannibals who have their own choice cuts of the human anatomy to feast on, musicians have their preferred parts to sing about.  Eyes, heart, face, lips, most common I heard since I learned listening to music.  Have yet to hear one honoring the toenails.

The eyes are hands-down winner.  No surprises there.  Hip-hop is the big revelation.

via Wired


THIS MADE ME LAUGH

August 26, 2008

‘ERASERHEADS REUNION WILL PUSH THROUGH’

August 26, 2008


The road to the Eraserheads reunion is paved with suspense and surprises like a roller coaster ride, adding excitement in the air.  Am still holding my breath.  Anything could still go wrong from now to August 30 but it is reason enough to be hopeful that the guys themselves want this thing to push through.

Some major changes:

  • Philip Morris has pulled out as major sponsor due to possible legal roadblocks and opposition from anti-smoking groups.  It is replaced by Sony-BMG as per latest.
  • Venue is changed from CCP to Fort Bonifacio, perhaps on the field behind the NBC Tent.
  • Concert is no longer free but ticket sale would be open to 12 years old and up.

READ MORE


SO, WHO THE HELL KILLED NINOY AQUINO?

August 25, 2008

Around this time of the year since 1983, this is a favorite question: who killed Ninoy Aquino?

To many who loved and admired this irrepressible opposition icon of Martial Law years, the answer was quick and precise: the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The reasoning was simple: as Ninoy was his number one political enemy and the one single threat to his authoritarian rule, Marcos was the only one with any motive to take Ninoy out– who else? That day in 1983 was the climax of the long-running feud between a bad guy and a good guy; that day, the good guy fell— that is all. Over the years, this became conventional wisdom. Forget about proof this time for Marcos was an evil genius of a lawyer who could make all traces leading to him disappear even in deathbed.

Some were unbelieving. I was one of them. It was a tragic crime, for sure, but for Marcos to mastermind the whole thing? he, the ever-calculating political fox plotting something as bloody messy and brazen as Ninoy’s assassination in broad daylight, right smack inside the country’s premier airport, with guards, escorts, passengers and all, where outside, thousands of his followers including his family were waiting…? If it had the mark of genius, it was not of Marcos but of someone with a flair for theater who wanted the strongman to fall with a loud thud on his ass.

The sentiment of the time prevailed over. It was to be the precursor of the president’s downfall less than three years later in what is known popularly to this day as EDSA People Power Revolution. And oh, what a loud thud of a fall it was, indeed.

But time revises sentiments and perspectives. Conventional wisdoms are forced through the crucible of new insights and information, especially when so many loose ends are sticking out of them. As it is, the assassination of Ninoy Aquino is being revisited again with new inputs that were then ignored or hidden for one reason or another. The Philippine Daily Inquirer has a running series on the matter, the most exhaustive so far:

Fewer than 10 people on the plot

Marcos: ‘ my best successor is Ninoy’

The Pattugalan memos

4 innocents picked up

Curiously, those who you expect to be enthusiastic are not enthusiastic. As one keen observer once remarked in puzzlement: why is it that the widow herself, former President Cory Aquino, seems uninterested in pursuing the case despite new compelling leads? To be sure, you see this attitude in all those who pointed and continue to point to Marcos as the murderer. It seems, to them the matter is closed and any further investigation is out of order. Marcos killed Ninoy, period. It is wasting time questioning that.

This indifference could not be without reason. The thing is this: the proposition that Ferdinand Marcos, if proved beyond doubt, had nothing to do with the killing of Ninoy does have far-reaching implications damning and unflattering to many revered personalities of EDSA and mocking of some treasured views. For one, the whole story of Ninoy Aquino’s heroism was perfected by his tragic death and the belief that his murder was the handiwork of his political archenemy, the evil one, President Marcos. Here you have one noble man willing to die for his country and there you have another whose wicked aim is to perpetuate his evil regime by all means foul and fair, including murder. Perfect antagonism in a perfect scenario out of a perfect storyline. But you begin making Marcos innocent in this whole assassination drama and the entire story is thrown off its axis and orbit. If indeed Ninoy was a mere unwitting pawn sacrificed to ruin Marcos, Ninoy the hero loses hold and Marcos the victim gains currency.  And we have yet to consider the incredible story that Marcos was allegedly grooming Ninoy to be his successor.

For another, it would throw into disarray all claims to righteousness that was EDSA. After all, when we speak of EDSA People Power we speak of the triumph of goodness and justice over wickedness, injustice, darkness, and all things foul that they say the Marcos government was. Yet it would mean that from the very start the EDSA forces have been all along accusing an innocent person of a dastardly crime he did not commit. Well, okay, if you hate Marcos enough, you could write it off as his settlement for his own grave sins to the Filipinos and the rest of mankind, as it was with the Plaza Miranda bombing. Still, it does not look good if justice be thy name.  Moeover, whatever the circumstances, false accusations raise the stock of the accused and disgrace the accuser.

There is yet another side to this sorry turn of events damning to the EDSA forces. Recall that sixteen soldiers were convicted of the crime and most of them remain to this day in prison, sick and aging. Now, if the revelations are correct, it means most of these soldiers were innocent all along, as they have been claiming from the start! And if so, it follows that the EDSA forces did send innocent men to prison, robbed them of their freedom and destroyed their lives! There goes to flame all claims to righteousness— for what graver injustice could be inflicted on another? It is one thing for villains to point accusing fingers to innocent men, for it goes with their nature, in the scheme of things. But as you claim to have affinity with the good forces of the universe, it is another to have committed the same transgression.  Now, how could this thing be rectified without facing up to the ugly ramifications that go with it?  This is dilemma in full perfection.

I have a feeling it was guilt surfacing when about the same time last year former Chief Justice Andres Narvasa made the opinion that the book on the Ninoy assassination be closed with finality by forgiving the soldiers convicted of the crime .  One time Cory Aquino told the convicted soldiers to ask forgiveness and to confess the masterminds, and she will have them pardoned. They refused, insisting on their innocence. Often, I wonder now if it should not be her and the government asking for forgiveness from them instead.

UPDATE: Continuation of the PDI series

‘The most suspicious soldier on the tarmac’

‘To get to the mastermind, follow the money’

FINAL UPDATE:

Key players buried with their secrets


GMA OUTBURST, ON YOUTUBE

August 19, 2008

Via  By Jove!, which has a blow by blow.


WHAT HAPPENED IN GEORGIA…

August 17, 2008

This is what happened in Georgia…

via Wired. From AllVoices.com


RIGHT VOICE, WRONG LOOKS?

August 17, 2008


She looks cute. Why the hell hide her? All because of imperfect teeth?!


FEATURING CHARLIE GREEN

August 17, 2008

This little boy is amazing. He’s got the voice, the moves, and the looks.  Best video I’ve seen of him so far.


ALEX NIÑO, COMICS ILLUSTRATOR

August 15, 2008


SILENCE IN MALACAÑANG

August 15, 2008

Scary silence in Malacañang writes Jove Francisco:

For two straight days now, the President managed to be incognito and far away from the prying eyes of the journalists covering her in Malacanang.

The President may have opted to stay mostly inside the palace these past few days, but she’s been quite busy meeting with lawmakers, cabinet officials and LGU officials, too.

Their SUVs parked just outside the New Executive Building betrayed the supposed intent to make the meetings low key and under the media’s radar. (Some see this as a consolidation of forces at a time that there are moves to amend the constitution, especially because congressmen and local leaders have key roles in the whole process.)

Scary, indeed.  What are they cooking up?  Something’s afoot if we go by his telling account about an inicident last Tuesday, the last time he and fellow reporters saw the President:

I was chatting and giggling with NBN4’s Rocky Ignacio, when the President arrived and went straight up the second floor.

I immediately heard a number of lady reporters point out an incident “that happened just a few seconds ago.”

Turned out, Mrs. Arroyo displayed two facial expressions when she saw the MPC members and before she went up the stairs: a surprised look and a displeased face that as one reporter described it was like: “napangiwi sa inis”.

I even asked “Teka, hindi ba ganyan naman ang pangulo lagi?”

They chorused: “iba ito, ibang iba!”

The night before, she spoke for Charter change.   The response was quick and furious: no to Charter change.  Even her allies are reluctant.


A BOY GUITAR PRODIGY

August 13, 2008

HELPFUL TECHNOLOGY FOR THE POOR

August 13, 2008

Discovery Channel: 10 innovations for impoverished people.

These innovations were a product of Design for the Other 90%, a project inspired by this statement:

The majority of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Nothing less than a revolution in design is needed to reach the other 90%.
—Dr. Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises

1. Action Pack Block Press 2. MoneyMaker Hip Pump 3. LifeStraw 4. PermaNet 5. Solar Aid 6. Q-Drum 7. One Laptop per Child 8. Sierra Portable Light Project   9. Solar Home Lighting System 10. Sugarcane Charcoal


“ALL SYSTEMS GO!”

August 12, 2008

“All systems go for constitutional change,” says Malacañang.

There. No more room for ambiguity.

All along, the suspicion was that the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain President Arroyo was pushing with the rebel MILF group was in reality a ploy to revive Charter change where she could maneuver to stay in office beyond 2010. With Malacañang’s statement, at least that part about the Cha-cha is now confirmed. About the last part– the true intent– everything is yet on the level of speculation, to be fair.

The biggest irony of it all: the initiative on Charter change is being spearheaded by her opponents, specifically through Senate Resolution # 10 authored by opposition leader Senator Aquilino Pimentel himself. Now, Malacañang is saying “how come you accuse us of malice when the revival of Cha-cha is a pet initiative of Pimentel and not us”. Huh, how come, indeed? But do you hear someone telling: “It’s the last three minutes of the ballgame, my friend; if by folly, you pass to me the ball–why? dammit, I will fire away!” Of course!

Pimentel is assuring everyone who would care to listen to his advocacy on federalism, that the safeguards against insertions are neatly in place in his resolutions so we could rest easy. I don’t know; I am by character trusting, but GMA has proven herself to be too Machiavellian and cold-blooded when it comes to matters of this nature. Her prayerful poses and sometimes meek demeanor that ought reflect her religiousness– even these, it seems, have become part of her political repertoire, to give any comfort. In any case, it is useful to remember, it is not only the perks of power she is bound to lose come 2010; she made too many enemies along the way who will for certain strike back at her and her family in equal measure, when finally stripped of all immunities. Fear is a formidable motivation and GMA remains so far the grandmaster to beat in this game of brinkmanship this part of town.  As for crafty legal advisers who could whip up a trick or two if need be, she sure has plenty on her beck and call.  As for the Supreme Court, well,  in so far as GMA’s political survival is concerned, when her back’s against the wall and cries for help, your guess is as good as mine where the wind will blow.

My favorite image of Senator Pimentel is one where he was holding the microphone to GMA as she was being sworn to office to replace President Estrada.  Its metaphor escapes him completely. Earlier, as Estrada was battling his ouster from his post in an ugly power struggle, Pimentel, an Estrada ally, found himself in awkward company of the other side. Something in the air seems to portend a reprise of that odd role one more time.  Now, if you know Senator Lacson and Senator Villar, who are with him on this one, you get that uneasy feeling where this will go.


MOST COMMONLY USED ENGLISH WORDS

August 9, 2008

AWESOME FIREWORKS AT BEIJING OLYMPICS OPENING

August 9, 2008

Fireworks display from two angles:


STOKING THE EMBERS OF WAR

August 5, 2008

MLQ3’s Peace In Our Time? draws this comment from one who calls himself PSI:

Talking of Peace in our Time:

This could well be a Game of the Generals, which the civilian leadership were unknowingly co-opted to play.

Let’s face it , military men are Machiavellian creatures. It could be that a raw deal was prepared by the hawks disguised as peaceniks knowing that it will not be acceptable and lead to another war in Mindanao.

More like War Dance! Again.

I think he makes a lot of sense.

It does seem incongruous: a General Hermogenes Esperon so gungho on a MOA so accommodating to the enemy?  It’s odd.  This guy Esperon is a hawk not a dove, by any stretch.  Now, get a sense of it by the outrage it just stoked in these late hours as thousands march to denounce  what they perceive as grand treachery by the government.  This as the MILF insists the Bangsamoro land is a done deal despite the Supreme Court’s TRO.   You have a DFA top honcho no less giving assurance it’s all just a temporary setback backed up by Malacañang pronouncements that the persuasive power of the state is going to be deployed in support of the MOA, you have a tonic more powerful than ever to feed and raise MILF’s cheekiness.

Then this:

… From Marietta Goco, supposedly this SMS sent by Vice-Gove. Pinol: “My beloved people. 2nite I was told by a top govt official that if our opposition 2b included in d ARMM will result in MILF attacks.d Armed Forces wl not b able 2 help us all out bcos that is d policy of this govt. If this is d case we hav 2defend ourslvs. Let us be brave &stand firm. God is with us. Pls pass & pray.”

Yesterday I was listening on the radio and Vice Governor Piñol was being interviewed by Joe Taruc at DZRH.  He was recounting to Taruc in a despairing voice how Hermogenes Esperon told him exactly that, after seeking his help on the treacherous attacks being launched by the MILF in various areas: “we can’t help you”.

In this context, Joaquin Bernas’ thesis that the MOA is just a piece of paper without legal effect, is off the the point.  The MOA, with or without legal effect, is now serving as moral and strategic boost to their claim of ancestral domain.  It is the fuel to advance their cause by push and by shove.  On the other end, you have an outraged majority who feel strongly it was sold out blind to the other side by, of all people, the government.  Here’s a tinderbox about to explode.

Now, if it is true that GMA intends to stay beyond 2010 as Tribune reports, and Mindanao ” is just a red herring”, you get a clearer picture.


WAR IN MINDANAO?

August 4, 2008

The smell of war in Mindanao is intensifying by the hour as the signing of the MOA on peace with the MILF draws near.  Opposition is only now beginning to gather forces with increasing vehemence at the late unraveling of the most contentious details.  I took time to read the MOA here and I must agree that indeed, as critics say, the necessary elements of an independent state are there.

Under Concepts and Principles, the Government (GRP) has given  its recognition of the Bangsamoro territorial…

…(o)wnership of the homeland… (as) vested exclusively in them by virtue of their prior rights of occupation that had inhered in them as sizable bodies of people, delimited by their ancestors since time immemorial, and being the first politically organized dominant occupants. (emphasis mine)

As such, the government recognizes that (#6) the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity shall have authority and jurisdiction over these territories.

Since time immemorial— where do you draw the boundary line there?

Now, if the BJE is vested  a priori with this authority and jurisdiction over these areas, where in the equation do they intend to let in the national government?  Surely, if you grant me that recognition, I can choose to let you in or not, right?  See, while the word “independence” is painstakingly avoided, the whole section is unmistakably arguing for it, with the Government giving it assent.

Under Territory, I find this stipulation interesting for its implication:

d. Without derogating from the requirements of prior agreements, the government stipulates to conduct and deliver, within six (6) months following the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, a plebiscite covering the areas as enumerated… (emphasis mine)

Hmm, what does it mean “without derogating from the requirements of prior agreement”?  It does sound to me that result of the plebiscite should not derogate “from the requirements of prior agreements”,  else, the result of the plebiscite would be ignored.  It should have clearly stated that areas rejecting inclusion in a plebiscite would be automatically excluded territories and the Bangsamoro would recognize it so!

#4 provision under Resources is disturbing because it appears to be giving the BJE a status at par with the Republic of the Philippines: One, it can enter into economic and trade agreements by itself with other nations.  Second, it could by itself open trade missions in other countries.  and third, it must be represented in international meetings and negotiations.

#7 under Governance is telling:

7. The Parties agree that the mechanisms and modalities for the actual implementation of this MOA AD shall be spelt out in the comprehensive compact to mutually take such steps to enable it to occur effectively.

Any provisions of the MOA on Ancestral Domain requiring amendments to the existing legal framework shall come into force upon signing of a comprehensive compact and upon effecting the necessary changes to the legal framework with due regard to non derogation of prior agreements and within the stipulated timeframe to be contained in the comprehensive compact. (emphasis mine)

Again, what does it mean “with due regard to non-derogation of prior agreements”?  It does sound that “prior agreements” are non-negotiable and legal changes must conform to these at all cost, or else…

This is not a formula for peace. This is a formula for trouble.

UPDATE: The Supreme Court issues TRO