Vortices in Spore

Place a rotating black hole in a fundamental field that acts like a superfluid and what do you get? Vortices.

Singapore's Finest Flavor: Grape Rape.

More Material Going to Google Plus

Most of this stuff is easier to share via Google +. I'll keep some presence on this blog, but for now, I'm going to use the convenience that Google + offers me because it automatically uploads videos and pictures taken from my cell. It also very easy to share to the right people.

Please let me know if you are interested, and it is my pleasure to add you on Google + for sharing.

Illegal to own guns; touting their sharpshooters

Gun-toting Americans might find some small irony in this.

Muslim Style Banana Leaf

This large banana leaf lines the trays at the typical eating places called 'hawker' centers. It acts like a sort of place mat but between the food and the tray. You can tell you ordered from a non-pork serving Muslim outlet if your tray comes with this. I tried to eat a piece of it.. it is not edible.

Men/Birds, Women/Cats

Some selected controversial viewpoints. I see an interesting theme developing...

"Like fish in tanks, birds require little emotional investment and minimal physical upkeep, but are still responsive. From an investment-yield point of view, they make a better choice than a human female who needs a lot of emotional and financial maintenance, and doesn't always respond with a cheerful chirp when you want her to. Birds in cages provide distraction and solace for a certain type of men, who may have problems with real-life relationships. The stereotypical view of bird-keepers is that of a lonely elderly man with no family, who has at least a bird to keep him company. In this view, keeping birds is a way of sublimating desire for female company."- anonymous woman

"This inscrutability and natural aloofness perfectly explains the appeal of cats to a certain type of woman, and why this woman identifies so strongly with the hellforged beasts. They see in them reflections of their gender’s psychological traits, and, being cognitively biased to project onto an idealized man that which comprises their own contours of sexual desire, thus anthropomorphize the cat into the alpha male lover they wish was courting them." -anonymous man

Frog Porridge, my favourite!

Oh, how I love frog porridge. I love it more than NY strip steak or Lobster Tail. mmmmhmmm. ha!

I hate birds, especially Singaporean fowl. Ugh.

Singing Birds: expensive local hobby

Expensive Local Hobby.

Huge Smelly Fruit

Its an obsession here. Neon sign durian.

I encountered Mothra.

It's real. They have giant moths here.

This giant creature was losing a fight with much smaller and more numerous creatures. I felt the urge to save it but I let Nature do its thing.

I live near Google Land

Google has acquired 2.45 hectares (about 3 running-track green-space areas) of land in Jurong West, Singapore, right where I live.

Google leads Facebook and Yahoo in Singapore, but in other Asian countries, like Tiawan, Google lags.

This purchase is part of a $200m land buying grab in Asia. Google's first owned and operated data centers in Asia.

BK Bar in Singapore's Clarke Quay

Leaves a smile on my face.

I live right next to a temple

I really like this place. It's peaceful and non-dogmatic. It's a little strange to see raw meat in the tiger's mouth as an offering, but it seems fitting enough.

(RANT) Culture and Motorcyclists

The rules are different here. It's more unsafe on a motorcycle in Singapore. My reaction in parentheses.

1) Motorcyclists will ride next to you in the same lane. (wtf? do I know you?)

2) Motorcyclists will pass you in the same lane. (WTF dude! you could have just killed me!)

3) If they can, cars will also pass you in the same lane. (aww, wtf, jesus.)

4) Motorcyclists often drag their feet on the ground. (damn, you look dumb and that can't be good for your shoes)

5) It is normal for motorcyclists to wear flip-flops. (damn, trashy.)

6) Motorcyclists will also pass you, even if you are not in a lane, but driving in-between cars. (WTF. WTF. WTF. )

7) Motorcyclists are overtly aggressive and unsafe. The norm is to weave in between cars at speeds that would result in a serious crash if a miscalculation occurs. If one chooses not to participate in this behavior, one risks getting passed by other motorcyclists with less than a foot of clearance on either side, no matter where in the lane (or not) you are. ("ibid" )

(RANT) One-Time Password = All-Time Nightmare

Singapore banks have an obsession with the 'one-time password'!

Say I would like to simply log in to my Singapore OSBC bank account and send a few Singaporean dollars to my Singapore Citibank account... easy right? It's ridiculous. I laugh at this insanity.

FIRST: To log in, must enter a OTP.

SECOND: To add my Citibank, must enter a OTP.

THIRD: To transfer to Citibank, must enter a OTP.

FOURTH: opps! timed out on the page, automatically logged out, must renter a OTP to log back in.

FIFTH: OTP, OTP, OTP, OTP, OTP.

This is the same crap that the POSB, and UOB banks require. But it gets worse, UOB requires you to carry around a small annoying device that generates these stupid OTPs. At least OSBC and POSB have the option to send the OTPs directly to your cell phone via text message.... right? but thats not much better cause I HAVE TO HAVE MY CELL PHONE IN ORDER TO VIEW MY MONEY.

Its inefficient, lame, and annoying. IF my cell phone gets lost, I can't check my banking account! If I lose a dinky key chain device I can't check on my cash!! Who the hell thinks this is a good idea?? Apparently millions of Singaporeans.

I'm poor. No one cares about my accounts. No one is going to hack my crap. A password and username is fine. Let me opt out of this OTP nightmare.

Flower Top Flippy Flops

Singapore is generally, vehemently against drugs. The people consider marijuana very dangerous to their social stability and security. They apply the death penalty to those who bring a relatively large amount into the country.

I've conversed with locals about cannabis and they are highly adverse to it. So, imagine my surprise to find some flower top flippy flops sold at the local Nanyang Tech campus grocery store. I suspect they have no idea that the leaf is a famous symbol for tetrahydrocannabinol.

UPDATE:

More Singlish

The thing is, this is really how most of the interactions sound when I try to get some food.

Bicycling on a Windy Day

It got very windy, there was a fire, I was on my bicycle, and it was consistently throwing sparks out, so I took out my camera as the ashes were dying down.

Aisle of Rice

Rice is obviously popular in Asia. I have ended up eating rice for nearly every meal. This is a typical aisle at the local grocery store. It's all rice.

ET is the Merlion

Image on a t-shirt.

Honda Phantom

My new motorcycle makes me as happy as I thought it would and more. Stats? 200cc (small, but this model is the most common bike in Singapore, 200cc may be weak, but anything more powerful is significantly costlier), year 2004, mileage 33,000 km, and takes 10 litres/ 2 in reserve, air-cooled. I love the American inspired cruiser style.

I've found a way to mount my cell phone for GPS on it. Solution? Velcro. It's very strong. Good thing too, because my cell phone is worth half the cost of my motorcycle.

Singapore's at my fingertips now.

Weetabix

Weetabix. I like this commercial. So many bears though, wtf! I want to dance like that.

This has nothing to do with Singapore except maybe to remind you that a great deal of English influence abounds here. Britain ruled in 1824 and until 1959. There was a period where Japan conquered Singapore during WW2.

She's got talent and her own moves. Did you recognize that some of the bears are actually guys in costumes?

Making of:

Surrounded by Muslim Countries

All male Singaporean citizens who have reached the age of 18 are required to enrol in the military.

They serve a two-year or one-year-ten-month period as Full Time National Servicemen (NSFs), either in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF), or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

The peaceful, mostly Buddhist nation has decided to make it mandatory. There is a relatively huge amount of wealth that has to be protected, you know.

I saw 5 heavily armed Singaporean men walking in the down town city area. They were carrying automatic rifles, amongst the metropolitan citizens. An unusual sight for an American.

Religion in Singapore:

Buddhism			33.3%
Christianity			18.3%
No religion			17.0%
Islam			14.7%
Taoism			10.9%
Hinduism			5.1%
Others			0.7%

A type of frog with a loud croak.

This Singaporean frog is smart. He hides below the sewer grating and uses the sewer walls to amplify his call. He does this nightly.

See you tomolo !

Singlish is highly discouraged in Singapore. However, people keep using the acronym TML for tomorrow. Now I know what the L is there for.

I looked up tomolo on google and the first hit is amusing.

Infinity Pool and Marina Bay: Night Version

I sneaked my way in. If you go past security to a less used elevator or shall I say 'lift', and wait for a guest to use their card, you can then press the 57th floor button and find yourself at the infinity pool. It's beautiful at night, but I will make a day time trip as well to actually go for a swim.

I had a local ask me 'what is marina bay sands? is it a cool place?' I was like, uhhhh, "its Singapore's most famous skyline symbol...."

It is the world's most expensive stand alone casino property, valued at about $8 billion. But no worries, the annual profit is $1 billion.

Here is a better google pic of it.

No Comment.

I got a car instead of a motorcycle.

Casino Visit: some winnings

I placed an even 50 dollar bet on Roulette and doubled my money. I then proceeded to try to walk away... however a slot machine got 2 bucks from me, right before leaving.

Foreigners get in free to the Marina Bay Sands Casino. Locals must pay a 100 dollar entry fee.

I stumbled upon F1 while in the city.

I was surprised at how the noise makes it much more exciting than I would have anticipated.

The sound reverberates across the skyscrapers.

Merlion Madness

Rubber Bands, Asymptotic Freedom, and the Universe

Lately, I've been investigating a new field that may exist in the Universe which acts like a rubber band.

It's a simple type of field (scalar) and when you add lots of energy the interactions among the particles eventually vanish. It's like adding heat to a rubber band and as it shrinks, the band becomes flimsy.

Toilets vs Restrooms

First the USA will dominate the media, the music, and then we will come for your 'toilets'.
In Singapore, they are overwhelming called "Toilets". However, I have seen at least one instance of American influence trump the British! It's like being back home, home sweet home, honestly.

Fried Oyster Omelet: A popular dish here.

It's a Taiwanese dish of Teochew/Fujian origin. It is also popular in places with Chaozhou and Fujianese influences such as in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Malaysia, (not just Singapore), the Philippines, and Taiwan (where it is often sold as a xiaochi in night markets).

Its almost exotic enough for my red-neck palate.

The state of Georgia vs Gabon

The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights.

Instead of working towards the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, and aiming to end the cycle of violence created by a system riddled with economic and racial bias, as well as human error, today the state of Georgia decided to stay a man's execution.

The US has good company though, with the likes of China, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Syria and Saudi Arabia....

Singapore has had capital punishment since it was ruled as a British colony. Sadly however, Singapore's independence came before the UK's decision to abolished capital punishment. To this day the Singaporean procedure of hanging condemned individuals is mostly influenced by the methods formerly used in Great Britain.

Good news however, Gabon, a small country in Africa, abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 2010. Go Gabon.

Ultimate

An international tournament held in Singapore. I filmed this short, boring clip, but a friend of a friend is there playing on the team. There was a great attitude at this place.

On a related note, I played some Ultimate a few days before this and skidded on my knees at one point. It's been awhile (maybe when I was a kid?) since I've scraped my knees so badly. All good fun.

Mudflats of Singapore

She's here at the National Institute of Education. She got a degree at NTU. Here is the link, I'm not making this up.

She studies creatures in mudflats:

"our laboratory has been actively involved in elucidating the biochemical strategies employed by these organisms in adapting to the harsh environment in the mudflats. "

Moving to my new room, Sept 25.

This is what the government built flats look like. It's a bit homogenized, but they work.

I signed my lease for my new room last night. Moving in on Sunday, Sept 25th. I'm really happy to finally have a more permanent location. My flatmate is cool and the upgrade in living conditions is a welcome repose.

Unusual amounts of lizards

These guys are numerous. Seen them all over outside walls, windows, and scampering on the streets. Seen a few squished ones too.

Fastest global trading platform in the world.

Singapore ranks fourth in foreign-exchange trading volumes behind New York, London and Tokyo.

Looks like the biggest challenge facing Singapore is the time it takes to grow certain types of skills sets. A bigshot at Citibank, Michael Zink, gives the example of 'a risk manager' taking 10-years of development. He points to that length of 'skill development time' to the one thing that Singapore really has to focus on. If only there was a way to shorten the time-frame required to train scientists, medical doctors, and other highly specialized professions!

"It has great universities, it has fantastic depth of talent today. But that [time cycle] is a potential constraint. Could a talent shortage emerge if we don't focus on it? It's possible."

Article here.

New SoS Video

Birds outside my office window

Big beaks. Made me hungry for fruit loops.

Smelly Fruit Ice Cream

Yes. This lovely treat had beans, corn, chunks of tapioca, durian pulp and durian ice cream. It was.... really gross. Developing a taste for durian is tough, but I'm not giving up.

Advertised

What was advertised:What was served:

Physics is the easiest subject of all

I try to express this sentiment to people, but its a hard concept to communicate. However Sean Carroll says it well over at Cosmic Variance.

****

None of which is to say that social scientists are less capable or knowledgable about their fields than natural scientists. Their fields are much harder! Where “hard” characterizes the difficulty of coming up with models that accurately capture important features of reality.

Physics is the easiest subject of all, which is why we know enormously more about it than any other science. The social sciences deal with fantastically more complicated subjects, about which it’s very naturally more difficult to make definitive statements, especially statements that represent counterintuitive discoveries. The esoteric knowledge that social scientists undoubtedly possess, therefore, doesn’t translate directly into actionable understanding of the world, in the same way that physicists are able to help get a spacecraft to the moon.

Infamous Smelly Fruit

This thing smells. Its pungent odour is unusual and unique. Many here consider it to be captivating and fragrantful. Others find it malodorous and putrid.

Don't bring it on the trains.

I tasted it. It wasn't that good, but I think mine was too ripe. It had the texture of tender strings of chicken that you'd find in chicken noodle soup.

If I wasn't trying so hard to be incredibly open minded, I probably would have gagged.