Puissance » World

At the End of the Human Race (for Destruction)

Puissance — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:28:31 +0000

When I read the news, I think that the end of the human species is not a farfetched idea. Future intelligent species will examine our technology, study our history and look at our ruins. They will come to the conclusion and say, “What an idiotic species!”

Our Technology
Our ancestors began using tools to increase the chance of survival. Discoveries such as fire brought heat, light, and the ability to cook. Inventions such as the compass helped in navigation. Innovations such as irrigation has increased crop production. Think about the internet today, it brings communication with other parts of the world to your fingertips. We have become masters of our environment.

Our History
Our cultures are diverse, we have a vast amount of languages, we trade resources, and we share our talents. Human history spans over thousands of years. Knowledge of ourselves and our world has grown exponentially.

Our Ruins
Technology advances the most in times of war where research and manpower is devoted to weapon and defence development. With nuclear weapons, the Earth can be destroyed within a few hours. Warfare is always a threat. That is, war between humans and humans; a race to destroy each other.

The End
Our technology enables us to destroy each other. When we attack each other with such great power, we are destroying ourselves. War has its consequences. When we no longer exist and our ruins are discovered by some future intelligent species, not only will we look idiotic, but they would think, “What a waste of history, technology, and culture!”

Beatboxing in Hong Kong

Puissance — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:56:52 +0000

TVB recently did a Sunday Report on a cappella groups and vocal percussion (beatboxing). To summarize, it said that a cappella is gaining popularity among youths in Hong Kong. I wish a cappella was more popular in North America, but it’s all about the mainstream music here. A friend of mine told me that my video was on TV, so my brother found it online and sent it to me. In the report, it mentions that the interviewee practiced for 3 hours a day while in school. That is a lot of practicing and if you want to learn how to beatbox, that’s what it takes. Props to Rahzel for pioneering the “beatboxing and singing at the same time” technique. The report also featured my If Your Mother Only Knew Tutorial and the interviewee said that it took him a long time just to learn a phrase. Well, I’m glad that I could help. Maybe I should make a Cantonese version of the tutorial.

My video was only on there for a few seconds, but it’s cool that people are learning from it. Check out the full report at the link below. My video appears around 9 minutes.

Link: TVB News – Sunday Report (2009-04-12)

China and Pollution – Finger Pointing Discouraged

Puissance — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:30:30 +0000

In a biased video on the BBC News website, a new study claims that China is the world’s worst polluter, displacing the US. At the end of the video, the reporter makes it sound like China is at fault for global warming. China’s argument is that the US has been polluting for many years and nothing has been done to curve that. In addition, if you divide carbon emission by the number of people in China, the number is much smaller.

China has been receiving a lot of negativity because of many factors, such as their growth, their human rights issues and their hosting of the Olympic Games. In the video, the reporter implies that the world will not cool down if China doesn’t lower carbon emissions. In defense, why hasn’t the US lowered their carbon emissions? They could’ve made a difference if they weren’t polluting so much for so many years. And now Bush, according to a CBC article, wants a new international emissions deal that “…gives none a free ride.” Hasn’t the US been riding free all along?

There you have it. Both countries need to reduce carbon emissions. It’s as simple as that. The UK might as well join in and reduce their carbon emissions, too.

On the whole, I think that reducing carbon emissions should be a global effort. No one is to be blamed because we all live on the same planet and every government wants the best for their country; sometimes that requires building more power plants. Reducing carbon emissions entails a collaborative effort and pointing fingers is not an effective tool for collaboration.

Links: BBC News – China ‘world’s worst polluter’
CBC – Bush sees U.S. greenhouse emissions levelling off by 2025