Category: Tech Talk

Miscellany of questions and information tidbits on day-to-day interaction with technology

Ban on access to porn over the Net in the Ph to start this month

March 16, 2014 benign0 19 Comments

If things work according to plan, devices and networks accessing the Internet through Philippine Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will supposedly be porn-free this month. Yugatech.com reports this is a move initiated by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to comply with Republic Act 9775 or the “Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009″… With the implementation of the…

Crime, Tech Talk

Philippines’ Makati and Cebu Cities among top ‘selfiest’ cities in the world!

March 11, 2014 benign0 31 Comments

Another feather added to the Philippines’ cap of dubious acheivements! Two Philippine cities made it to the Top Ten “Selfiest” cities in the world. A database compiled by TIME, reveals that the Philippines’ financial centre Makati City produced “more selfies per capita than any other city in the world.” Following Makati, which logged “258 selfie-takers…

Culture, Lifestyle, Society, Tech Talk

Do Filipino Bootleg Gundam Supporters display Pinoy Dysfunction?

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 ChinoF 421 Comments

In a recent brouhaha that may be a microcosm of Filipino culture, some Filipino gunpla hobbyists cried foul over the statement of Katsumi Kawaguchi, head of Bandai’s hobby department. Someone tagged Kawaguchi in a picture featuring a knock-off product on Facebook. So he gave a response where he asked to not be tagged anymore in…

Tech Talk

Filipino student shut down and dismissed by Lee Kuan Yew for asking irrelevant question

February 5, 2014 benign0 153 Comments

In this profoundly cringe-inducing video, Filipino student Harvey Campos suffers an epic smacking down by Singapore Elder Statesman and former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. During the question-and-answer segment of some sort of convention, Campos had attempted to inquire into how Lee’s work was influenced by his late wife (jumping of the “old adage” that…

Culture, Society, Tech Talk

China ‘outsourced’ air pollution now reaching US mainland

January 24, 2014 benign0 41 Comments

America’s decades-long orgy of “outsourcing” its irreplaceable manufacturing might to China is now coming back to bite. Pollution dumped into the atmosphere by China’s growing carpet of factory smokestacks is now reaching the United States’ mainland according to a US National Academy of Sciences study. “We’ve outsourced our manufacturing and much of our pollution, but…

Economy, Environment, Lifestyle, Tech Talk

Here’s One for the Tinfoil Hat Crowd

November 16, 2013 BenK 16 Comments

As appalling as it was, it turns out the Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) was perhaps not as unique as we were led to believe. True, in modern times – with the exception of the 1991 Ormoc Flood caused by Tropical Storm Uring – the areas devastated by the typhoon have largely escaped the full force of…

Environment, Society, Tech Talk

Ph Ombudsman website hacked, Anonymous claims responsibility

November 4, 2013 benign0 7 Comments

The recent cyber-attacks, this time against the websites of the Philippines’ Office of the Ombudsman reflect a growing frustration among Filipinos over the failure of the government President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III to live up to its big campaign promises. Conviction rates have declined under the watch of Conchita Carpio Morales who took over…

Crime, Government, Tech Talk

What is Rappler’s plan for reform now that Maria Ressa has ‘apologised’?

October 21, 2013 benign0 13 Comments

How sincere is self-described “social news network” Rappler.com in its efforts to reform its ranks? That remains to be seen though, to be fair, it put up a new “Corrections” page where “factual errors and systems infractions” will be listed and, presumably discussed. You wonder though why such a page is even necessary considering that…

Media, Tech Talk

PI is a shithole
on Killing “Fascists” will never save the world
Blah blah blah why don’t you focus on cleaning that
Oliver
on Why are Filipinos so irrevocably corrupt?
The source and height of corruption is thinking that the
Freedominmyhead
on Why are Filipinos so irrevocably corrupt?
Why does our leadership attract the corrupt? The structure basically
Tim
on Why make being an oligarchy sound like such a bad thing?
This is a great article. The country seems to want
Gabsboy
on Why are Filipinos so irrevocably corrupt?
Life for the average working-class Filipino in February 1986 was
Blank
on Blocking Grok and other AI chat apps in the Philippines is a good idea
How do they explain paywalls when their businesses run on
benign0
on Blocking Grok and other AI chat apps in the Philippines is a good idea
Agree 100% banning AI is a band aid solution that
Gabsboy
on Blocking Grok and other AI chat apps in the Philippines is a good idea
AI is ultimately a tool that doesn't possess an inherent