Green Energy from the Mountains Wind and Waves 155.0
With technical innovation, North Luzon has great potential Seeing the wind farm at Bangui, Ilocos Norte, I imagined twenty, one-legged Martian machines marching as in HG Wells “The War of the Worlds.” The wind turbines are benign, though, providing 33MW of power, a fourth of Ilocos Norte’s needs. Going around and talking to people, I [...]
Learning Interactions Make for National Innovation Systems 154.0
Adapting Professor Bengt Ake Lundvall’s ideas for the Philippines Productivity is the true source of wealth for any nation, in the final analysis. And sustaining productivity requires for that nation to innovate continuously on its productivity base. Nations follow different strategies for innovation. The Philippines has survived through a strategy of trading services – by [...]
Global Innovator in Medical Education 153.0
Dr. Khryss breaks new ground in medical education Dr. Fortunato Cristobal, or Dr. Khryss as he is fondly known, is a globally recognized innovator in medical education. Like many such leaders, he is a stranger in his own land! Since 1998, his school has graduated about 30 students per year of which 80% – 90% [...]
An Avatar in the Real World 152.0
Cameron’s fantasy and Ben Okri’s reality James Cameron’s film treatment of Avatar is a visual delight! Yet the plot itself is as old as man – one nation uses superior technology to attempt economic expansion by conquest and the other is saved by a parachuting messiah – for this movie, a cryonics-delivered American, ex-marine. The [...]
Home as Think Space 151.0
Here is where I read, think and write I invite you into my think space at home! This long season is a time to ponder. At home, my iMac has a super-fast DSL connection – I think it is a T1 – that allows me to do Internet search quickly! The screen shows the edit [...]
The Nature of Technology 150.0
W. Brian Arthur digs deep for an evolutionary theory of technology Professor W. Brian Arthur’s 2009 book takes time to read and appreciate. Like any great book, its insights run in layers. Its front jacket compares his effort for technology to Thomas Kuhn’s for science (in The Structure of Scientific Revolutionn). Professor Kuhn first suggested [...]
Innovation Delivers Quality Food with Convenience 149.0
Pret a Manger and Nespresso deliver both at the same time Freshly prepared espresso from a Nespresso Gemini, pictured at left, and a sandwich from Pret a Manger comprise a quick and good meal for a harried Londoner at a relatively affordable cost of about ₤4.00 (₱280.00). Note the crema foaming! Both represent innovations in [...]
Sign of the Times 148.0
Borders at Charing Cross Road is Closing Down Total Liquidation. Borders, a bookstore and an American import into London, is closing its branch at 120 Charing Cross Road. Is it a sign of the times that a knowledge-based business like book selling has become a victim to both the financial crisis and the migration of [...]
I will miss Flavia 147.0
Intimidating at first; yet easy in the end I am done at Oxford and getting into London today. And I shall miss Flavia. She may have been Italian; but I never bothered to check. She intimidated even some of the geniuses around me! Maybe because she was so new; one often does not see someone [...]
The Chatham House Rule at Oxford 146.0
The Rule encourages free and robust discussions At Oxford, where I am attending a symposium, I learned of the Rule: When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any [...]
Innovative Kare-Kare 145.0
Qatar AIrways serves up a less allergenic and Halal version Kare-kare is a north Philippine dish normally made with peanut sauce and served with bagoong, a fermented shrimp product. The Qatar Airways kare-kare was made out of well-cooked beef and tasted similar to the original even without the peanut sauce; or maybe the high altitude [...]
SYNTHESiST will Tweet
Success in microblogging will ask for childlike wonder To enable microblogging, I installed the widget, Twitter for WordPress, on the Sidebar at right just before departing for London today. This needs for me to be aware of my passions – innovation, books and political economy – and of change every minute of my waking day. [...]
