lyndonwong.com

Chicago Night View
Originally uploaded by lyndon.

Spent last week at the SuperComm show in Chicago. Besides getting reacquainted with Chicago’s majestic downtown, I got a first-hand glimpse of the current state of the Telecommunications sector. Here, telecom engineers told me their networks would be all IP-based within the next 5 years. So ‘convergence’ is now a background assumption, and all services will be IP applications.

The original architects of the Internet predicted communications services would converge onto a common network infrastructure, and make integrated applications possible.

The above seems abundantly clear to the exhibitors and attendees of SuperComm 2005. This bodes well for the near future of communications services.

Rogue River trip 2001
Originally uploaded by lyndon.

Well, friend Narendra Rocherolle wants to become the #1 search result for Google queries on “Narendra”. Here’s my helping hand, augmented with a photo of the two of us in 2001 on a trip down Oregon’s Rogue River. On the stretch of river captured in this photo, Narendra earned the moniker “human river probe”.

Two Cultures?

Growing up as an American of Asian descent, when someone discussed the “two cultures”, I assumed they referred to “East meets West”, with China representing the East, and California representing the West (plz forgive me…). Later, I learned of other pairings. There were the two cultures dividing the university — the sciences and the humanities. And there was Islam versus Christianity.

Since the recent U.S. presidential election, I’ve been reminded of yet another juxtaposition of two cultures, humorously represented by some maps of North America.

After we all share a laugh or two, appreciative of our democracy and our privileged lives, we might consider feeling a bit depressed. Which oddly, reminds me of a great American who wrestled with two cultures in his day. You remember him…”a house divided against itself can not stand…“.

Annonymous photo remix
Originally uploaded by lyndon.

Spreading through the Internet… a slightly modified photo of the infamous play that required deployment of New York riot police to restore order.

In Game 6 of Red Sox versus Yankees 2004, Yankee base runner Alex Rodriguez attempted to reach first safely by swatting the ball out of the out-stretched glove of the Red Sox pitcher. The first base umpire called ‘safe’ in part because his line of sight was blocked by the Red Sox first baseman, enabling another Yankee base runner to score. Sensing something amiss, the umpires huddled, corrected their mistake, called Rodriguez out for interference and brought the scoring runner back to first base. In the ensuing confusion, New York fans pelted the field with baseballs in protest and New York Police in riot gear were called onto the field to restore order. The Red Sox eventually prevailed in Game 6, to tie the series 3-3. The following day, they won Game 7 as well for the championship and became the first baseball team to come back in post-season play from an 0-3 deficit.

As for the dainty fashion accessory composited onto Rodriguez’ forearm in this photo… it appears someone is calling him a “girlie-man” — some harmless digital imaging humor, and a timely example of the “remix culture” championed by Larry Lessig