A Short Discourse on the Trajectory of a Chalk Projectile (Or how I lost a battle and how I wished it would have turned out)

During my college years as a physics undergraduate, I attended a chemistry class wherein the professor takes pride in putting her field of study in the pedestal. She is one of those professors who will fight to death to defend that her chosen field- in her case, chemistry- is the most important field of knowledge.

In one of our introductory classes, we were discussing chemistry in general as the central science. She discussed how all the other fields simply support the claims of chemistry.

So she was going over her class list and asking every student to debunk the notion that chemistry is the central most important science. But when the student answers, she would simply create another argument to prove that chemistry is indeed the central science.

So she started asking everyone until she arrived at me. She called my name, 'Mister --,. I raised my hand and stood up. 'You're a physics student. So how can you prove that physics and not chemistry is the most important field of science?'

I was sure that she would just negate everything i would say so i did not even think of a very elaborate argument. I simply said in a very non-convincing tone, 'In Physics, we study how the world works.'

She paused for a while and looked around the class and grinned. I was simply waiting for the ultimatum. Then she spoke, 'So, how does the world work?'

I knew that was coming all along. But i'm not in any position to argue with her so i simply answered, 'We're still studying it'. And that's it--the class eroded with laughter and she just smirked as if saying 'I rest my case'.

---

Some years after that fateful day, i look back and realize how a loser I was, not being able to fight for what i believe. One time i wondered what would become of me had i fought back. In fact i made a scenario of what I wish happened then.

---

She was looking at her class list when she calls my name. 'Mister --,. I raised my hand and stood up. 

'You're a physics student. So how can you prove that physics and not chemistry is not the most important field of science?'

'In Physics, we study how the world works.'

'So, how does the world work?'

And then I would say, 'According to rules.' She would just look at me and say 'Go on'.

'Everything in our physical world works according to rules devised by nature. How the earth revolves around the sun is governed by the Laws of Planetary motion. How some chemicals react with each other is governed the law of thermodynamics. When a ball is thrown, it follows a trajectory governed by the law of motion and gravitation. We study those things in physics. So, everything can be explained by physics from a planet revolving to a ball thrown.'

She was simply staring at me thinking of a very good rebound, for everyone from the class knew that she was on a very low position right now. And then she got up.

She asked in a very attacking tone, 'Ok so how would you solve this problem, if I throw this chalk to your face, will it hit you or not?' At that point her ears are becoming red with rage and defeat.

So I answered her matter-of-factly, 'There are two scenarios to that problem,' I said, 'One, if you are very much annoyed by the fact that you have been defeated; that chemistry is actually not the most important science, then you will throw the chalk and try to hit my face. However, two, if you are reasonable enough to accept those facts, then you will put that chalk back to the table and debate with the class in a very civilized manner or you could throw it somewhere else. Either way, I will not get hit by that chalk because you will not be able to put into consideration the following factors; First, air resistance provided by the huge ceiling fan above me. Second, the mass of that chalk which is definitely very small since it has low density. Third, the low initial velocity provided by your weak arms. And fourth, my speed of evasion. Did that answer your question?'

---

Yeah, I know it’s kind of made up and very improbable but one can dream, right?

Absence makes the heart grow

Movie Review for The Lovely Bones

I’m writing this on a dark night where my head has slowed down to a halt. I’m sleepy. My head is heavy with images. If I close my eyes, pictures linger in my mind. Image of dried-up roses. Surreal landscapes. A sinkhole. A model ship in a bottle. Teenaged retro-style girls. A serial killer. A doll house. Cornfields.

The Lovely Bones, a film by the great Peter Jackson, is in some ways a collage of unforgettable images. Just as the main character, Susie Salmon, tries to capture her life with her film camera, Jackson tries to capture and tell the story using a series of images or moments.

That heroic moment when Susie saved her brother’s life. That giggly moment when Ray first talked to Susie. That scary moment when Mr. Harvey invited Susie to his den under the cornfields.

And then those images after Susie’s death. Each scene depicts a very fantastic scenery– from a clear lake to a vast flower field. Or a winter wonderland. Or an autumn retreat. You will stop in awe with every set piece and you will admire the CG glory of it all.

The movie is worth watching if just for these amazing pictures. Storywise, there is not too much backbone to support it. You will know from the start that the narrator has been murdered. You will know a few minutes later who the murderer is. Hence you will not be given a chance to wonder nor a plot point to be curious at.

One could almost see the futility of Susie’s journey. What’s her purpose of staying? Why doesn’t she move on? What does she want? You’ll soon realize that she just wants her murderer to pay for what he did although we were not shown any indication on the film. (Or maybe she just want to kiss Ray first. I don’t really know.)

What is amazing though is how the theme of the film summed up nicely everything that happened and how Jackson has translated this to the screen. Towards the end, we were shown what happened to the people who knew Susie after her death. Her parents have moved on and became stronger. Her little sister grew up and found her love. Her murderer died of an accident. In the ending Susie narrates that these are the lovely bones that had grown from her absence. Moments that happened because of her death.

This gives a perfect explanation to the saying “Death is just the beginning”. Well, death may be the end for one person but it is a fresh new start to everyone else.

I read somewhere that death gives a new perspective to life. Perhaps, the film just want to show that every moment in one’s life gains a new meaning when death is factored in. Susie’s death is trivial– we were not even shown any grim funeral. Yet what we saw, the reactions to her death, those small moments have big impacts. Even scenes before her death were put into perspective. As photographs, they serve as memories, mirrors to her life as it has been.

One could say, the film has no deep story. But what it manages to show successfully are the moments that had grown from this lack thereof. Sometimes, absence makes things better–the way the town’s sinkhole in the movie has in a way defined the town’s lifestyle. The lovely bones that had grown around an absence.

Monstrosities

Movie Review for Splice

For me, scifi stories have a very strange yet close connection with horror stories. Horror stories utilize our fear of the unknown, or of the abnormal or of the new. Scifi stories on the other hand utilize our curiosity for the unknown, our tendency to explain the abnormal or to understand the new.

Usually in Scifi/Horror stories, the scifi aspect provides the plot, the horror aspect is derived from the context.

In the movie Splice, the scientific plot is nothing but scary, two genetic scientists (Elsa and Clive) on a project of splicing DNA of various species into a single creature in the hopes of synthesizing useful products from these organisms. But pressured by their sponsor, the scientists began doing guerilla labwork and did the unthinkable– they spliced human DNA with their specimen (which they named Dren). What would follow is a very strange rendition of Oedipus complex.

The movie is full of bizarre twists and turns. As it turns out, Dren was ‘grown’ from the DNA of Elsa, which makes ‘it’ her daughter (although one could argue that it is her sibling or even just her clone). In the movie, Elsa and Clive treated her as if she was really their daughter. In another strange turn, sexual tension between Dren and Clive led them to have sex, which in a twisted way is just natural since Dren is Elsa and Clive loves Elsa. (Mind you, Elsa caught them doing the act just to add to the weirdness of it).

Now, Dren obtained some characteristics from those species where her DNA is spliced from. One such is the ability to change gender. Right after Clive and Dren have intercourse, Dren seemed to have died. But this appeared to be just a metamorphosis to becoming a male.

Soon after transformation, the male Dren started hunting the scientists. A chase occurs until Dren manages to rape Elsa and kill Clive.

The movie ends with Elsa, who seemed to have survived, sitting in a conference room with their sponsor where she signs a non-disclosure agreement. She then stands up and walks toward the window and we realize that she is pregnant. So, Dren who is Elsa’s ‘son’ now has a child with Elsa. That makes Elsa the bearer of her son’s child– or her grandchild.

As with any science-gone bad stories, the story revolved around a very noble cause. In this case that cause is creating a means to cure all kinds of diseases of humankind.

But as with any real stories, nothing comes out perfectly in the end. There is always a factor that would mess everything up, be it a greedy global company, a scientist taking things personally, the list goes on. That is the real world.

In the real world, throughout history, science has always been associated with horror. The Manhattan Project, the Nazi science etc.

It is important to note that the horror here is not really what science produces in itself. It’s not the nuclear bomb that we invent or the half-human, half-lizard that we create.

The horror here is that in reality we humans are so capable of doing much, much frightful things than these and that we humans actually have the frightening power to create, invent or discover things that may intentionally or unintentionally cause horrific events in our lives.

Data Limiting and Circumvention: A PostHuman Tale

A few years ago, there was a report published on an American publication which showed that on the average a person consumes about 34 gigabytes of information daily. This amount of information comes from various sources; TV, radio, books etc.

Based on this report, I began writing a story on what would happen if the government began limiting the data consumption of each person. What if there were implants embedded into the brains of every citizens so that when the limit is reached, the person will no longer be able to receive any more data?

In my story, this data censorship will lead to the evolution of human perception. To maximize and/or continue data reception, people will resort to various tactic. People may begin specializing in only a few senses and block all the others. People may try to filter unnecessary information input such as static, noise neglible pixels etc. People may train to just absorb fragments of the data but optimize their mind so that they can reform the fragment to its full form. Etc.

You can read the entire story here.

Excerpt:

With this new lifestyle, the citizens have minimized their dependence to information. Newspapers became adjunct and replaced with leaflets containing thoroughly condensed daily news. Television shows were revamped completely. They would now only include 1 to 2 minute shows in their programming. Likewise, the music industry was rebuilt from scratch and embraced the MIDI technology wholeheartedly as the main medium for the songs.

This is just the first part of a big story that I'm not sure would be finished.

Symbolic Urban Design

In the anime series, Full Metal Alchemist, in a world where alchemy is a commonplace (much like gasoline or electricity in our world) the Fuhrer King rules the city of Amestris. The king is in turn just a part of a shady group of people who is in control of the country. In the series, it was revealed that this group has planned to build the city from the very start into a form of a transmutation circle. A transmutation circle is a symbol, which when tapped correctly by a skillful alchemist, can give great powers to its designer. The King's group (the Homunculi) has an end game of turning the city into a transmutation circle which will transmute all its citizens into a powerful philosopher's stone, a relic capable of multiplying the powers of alchemy of the user.

I was intrigued by the concept of a whole city being built for one sole purpose, as an aesthetic or perhaps a functional symbol such as a Transmutation Circle. This concept has also been glossed over by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman in their book Good Omens. In this book, they explained that the highway M25 in London is created in the image of the Dread Sigil Odegra. They also explained that this is the reason why motorists who pass into this highway seem to be possessed by evil and never reach the exit without experiencing carnage and frustration through out the route. According to the book, this feat is an acomplishment of the devil Crowley and that he considers this a "bad job well done".

In the US, conspiracy theorists have long believed that the country is being controlled by a group of individuals linked to Satanism or Freemasonry. They show as proof the Washington street layout which, according to them, forms a Luciferic symbol of an inverted star representing a goat's (devil's) head. This has become a center of many fictional works from authors like Brad Meltzer and Dan Brown.

It's interesting to know that it is possible for a whole bustling city or urban sprawl to be built just to serve one purpose; as a symbol, a sign, a building block, a unit which fits into a space of a larger puzzle.

A Grand Design as one might say. Every component, sub-unit or area of the city consciously or unconsciously is contributing to one purpose. In Amestris, the buildings form the symbol (the circle) while the citizen form the ingredients. In the M25, the highway itself forms the sigil while all the motorists become some sort of sacrifice to feed the dread sigil. While in the case of Washington, the streets form the symbol.

A common denominator for the designs is the existence of an overseeing entity to make sure the vision is complete, whether it is the Homunculi, the Devil himself or the Illuminati. I wonder if there are other real cities formed in similar circumstances?

Wrestling Masks: The Rey Mysterio-Cody Rhodes feud

The Rey Mysterio-Cody Rhodes rivalry is getting more interesting.

In the last WWE Smackdown match between the two wrestlers, we got a taste of a feud with a potential for longevity and intensity. A building tension reaches its climax which ends in a post-match beatdown outside the ring. It was an amazing exchange of moves and maneuvers. But the beauty of it lies in the reason for the animosity.

When he started, Rhodes’ gimmick is that he is extremely narcissistic, even claiming that he is the best-looking wrestler in WWE. In fact, he demands to be called “Dashing” Cody Rhodes.

But in one of his fights with the quick Rey Mysterio, his face was hit by Mysterio's leg brace. Rhodes was very devastated by this happening. He undergoes reconstructive surgery for his face. He was no longer dashing.

This created a very interesting storyline. Rhodes began to be ashamed of his appearance. When he returned to WWE after months of recovery, he was wearing a clear protective mask. That is in addition to his cowl.

Rhodes develops a deep anger to Mysterio for breaking his face. Interestingly, Rhodes has lost his ‘face’ and becomes a ‘heel’ entirely. Mysterio has no grudge with Rhodes but he needs to fight for his life as Rhodes’ fury will never make him safe. It now becomes a personal feud between two wrestlers in masks. It is a nice theme in itself. Almost poetic.

This theme was established more concretely during the April 22 match. During the match, Rhodes brings masks made from paperbags and made a speech to the audience. Rhodes says that his mask is for protection while Rey Mysterio’s is for hiding his fears and loathing thoughts for the WWE Universe. Rhodes says everyone is wearing a mask but he can see through them. He says everyone is envious of him. He says everyone hopes it is worse for their neighbor, friends and family more than themselves. Cody then offers a remedy at his expense, he presents a paper bag with holes for eyes, nose and mouth. He wants everyone to put them on to cover everyone’s flaws. He says to keep them on until he defeats Rey Mysterio.

Rey Mysterio won the match. But after the match Cody Rhodes attack him and the two fights outside the ring. In the end, Rhodes was able to subdue Mysterio and forcedly wears a paper mask to his head. Rhodes exits victoriously. He has established himself. Surely, he will have many fans after that. Many will surely come to the arena in paper masks.

But this is just a start of a good story in the making. His personal grudge against Mysterio is just a start. One angle that WWE can play is that Rhodes can now become a heel to all those wrestlers that are good-looking. Rhodes can be developed into a demented wrestler with a deep hatred for beauty. Or a wrestler who wants everyone to show who they really are behind their masks, as in Rey Mysterio’s case.

Either way, the mask theme is getting interesting.

The Superheroes’ Moral Code

Written by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Jesus Saiz, issue #28 of DC’s The Brave and The Bold entitled “Firing Line” features the team-up of the Flash with the Blackhawk. In the story, both were effectively removed from their ‘territory’; Blackhawk was grounded from flight while the Flash was slowed down by a leg injury.

One of the best moments in this Eisner-nominated story is when the Flash picks up a gun and wears an army uniform determined to fight for his country even if it means that he has to kill along the way.

This presents a case on how important it is to establish the real life character of a superhero in comics. A superhero is bounded by many rules just as there are rules of war. It’s just like how there are more strict instructions that guide soldiers because they are considered deadly weapons by themselves. It’s been said that a superhero’s great power also brings with it great responsibility (cf. Spiderman).

But remove the superhero’s costume and powers and you are left with a human being. And from there you have free rein to every human instinct and emotion that one is capable of. Hence, Clark Kent can make fun of Steve Lombardi’s hairpiece in return of Lombardi’s making fun of him (see All Star Superman). Peter Parker can NOT do his homework when he is feeling lazy. Bruce Wayne can get all the women he wants. These are things that Superman, Spiderman or Batman, in character, are morally prohibited from doing.

But sometimes, being in this non-superhero character without all these moral codes can do good. The Flash is the best example of this. In the panel above, The Flash is in a moral dilemma. He has to uphold his ethos: “The Flash doesn’t kill. The Flash doesn't carry a gun.” This he resolved simply by removing The Flash’s ethics from the equation and unleashing Barry Allen.

“…But Barry Allen, American, can do those things in the uniform of his country, which is at war.”

(As an antithesis to this proposition, one can say that it is the real life character’s principles that are holding the chains of the superhero alter-ego, preventing him/her from abusing his/her power. Best example is Grant Morrison’s Batman of Zurr-en-Arrh in the Batman RIP arc, which is the Batman without Bruce Wayne. But that is a topic for another post.)

Apophenia

Just found the following info from wikipedia.

Rene Requiestas was a Filipino comedian who was born on January 22, 1957. The last movie that he completed was "Alyas Batman en Robin" where he played the villain Joker. His other movies include the western comedy, "Long Ranger and Tonton" where he partnered with a cowboy played by Joey De Leon.

Heath Ledger was an Australian actor who died on January 22, 2008. The last movie he completed was "The Dark Knight" where he played the villain Joker. His other movies include the western drama, "Brokeback Mountain" where he partnered with a cowboy played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

Nothing to see here.

War Heroes

“Filipino guerillas make do with any head covering.”

This caption is displayed on a head gear woven from the leaves of a coconut tree. The head gear, picture below, was used as a helmet during the World War II and is now displayed as part of an exhibit to commemorate Philippine Veterans Week.

The World War II Traveling Exhibit at Glorietta 5 in Ayala Center, Makati City ran from April 9 to 15 and showcased various photos, videos and memorabilia of the war such as the coconut head gear.

Talk about courage and innovation, the Filipino way.

Consider this scenario:

Manila, Philippines 1946-The Japanese battleship has docked. An attack is imminent. One can hear the humming of a multitude of tora-tora swarming the Manila skies like flies on a dead carabao.

From afar, a big explosion was heard. It has began. The Japanese soldiers started advancing. Armed with long, powerful guns, the Japanese army swept the land like locusts. No stone was left unturned. The tanks began to roll. Each lumbering piece of war machinery exuded control over those it surveyed.

The attackers unleashed every power they could muster. Bullets were loaded. Guns were cocked. Canons were charged. Missiles were engaged.

The planes continue to circle above like vultures. There was no escape – by land or by air. Manila is under siege.

I only know these through movies.

I can not fathom and I won’t pretend to understand the gravity of being alive during the World War II. How much more if you have to hold a gun and fight–something which you never thought you’d do in your lifetime. The Filipino veterans are admirable even just for the fact that even without proper training, they never hesitated to answer the call of the country.

The World War II Traveling Exhibit did not attempt to show the horrors and atrocities of the war. Instead, it showed the beauty and glamour that radiates from exceptional individuals during those times of tribulations.

On one side of the photo exhibit, a photo shows a nun smiling, while on the background only the smoking remains of a bombed building is seen. On another, a list of military units with corresponding numbers is posted – but the numbers do not indicate casualties but the number of individuals who heed the call of duty. Yet on another area, it displayed various tools that the Filipino soldiers used during hard-pressed times, clearly showcasing their adept ability to innovate.

What is perhaps most amazing is the memory board, a blank wall where everyone is free to write anything they want. It is amazing to know how proud and grateful people are to the veterans.

“I’m the wife of Cpl. This” says one of the comments signed with the commenters full name. “I’m proud to be the daughter of Cpl. That” says another also signed with a full name. “You are the real heroes” another commenter says. Throughout the exhibit’s one-week display, the memory board was filled with these kinds of salutations.

I never lived through a war, and I pray I never have to. But it wouldn’t take a war survivor to know that these soldiers should be honored for what they did. They are all heroes.

Bad Star: The Story of Opiuchus Rising

If there is something we should learn from the Opiuchus Zodiac hullabaloo, it is 1.) that the viral powers of internet social networking is very, very immense (scary in fact) and 2.) that even at this technologically advanced era, we are still a superstitious people.

It all started from a simple, factual statement from an astronomer on an interview by a newspaper. He said something like, if you look at the stars at the background of the sun, there are actually 13 constellations. That statement apparently acquired a life of its own. After being published by that newspaper, other news agencies picked up. The online community eventually heard about it and then it just exploded. It became viral. And before we know it, everyone was saying that the Zodiac signs has changed, my personality has changed, my future has changed etc...

I really think, sooner or later someone would do a study on the lifecycle of that smallest internet unit of data (call it the "daton") and it's evolution into a massive, self-sustaining behemoth-like cyberorganism. It's like mass hysteria but in the cyberworld (cyberhysteria!).

Anyway, that's what happened to our little "daton" called Opiuchus.

But there is more to it than just growing the viral creature from scratch. It has to have a fuel and nourishment for it to flourish. What topics could take an idea to a full-blown frenzy? Sex, violence, politics, religion.

Pop quiz: What does a virgin, a scorpion and an archer have in common?

Most probably you'll find this very easy.

The truth is we still believe in the supernatural way of things. I won't deny it. I sometimes tell my friends not to pose in the camera in three's because it is unlucky. I sometimes think of a black cat as a bad omen. I take extra care during Friday the thirteenth. I go to Obando and dance all day just to pray that I could write as good as Lourd De veyra. (OK, that last one's not true, but I'm considering it.)

Our society is built on these things. Our entire ancient civilization is erected with monuments showcasing their beliefs in the supernatural. The pyramids, the temples, the ancient relics; all these things were built as testimonial to their "god's" grasp on their life. A system so established as this can't help but seep into the minds and lives of modern humanity.

Which makes a perfect food for our gluttonous friend, the daton. It fed on something deeply and silently latched into the back of our brains. Something that we do with no reason whatsoever except that we think we should do it. It fed on our belief system. And rapidly it multiplied until it has become the mutation we know it is of late.

Did you know that the word "disaster" came from the greek word for "bad star"? Even our language system is built up from superstitions. What best way to describe our predicament. It's a disaster! (There's probably a comet orbiting nearby.)