Shogun vs Machida

November 12, 2009 / 4:35 p.m.
Posted by Alden Chiu
Univeristy of Texas at Austin Student

While this is old news, I've let the anger build for some time now that I must publicly address my disdain for the judge’s decision at UFC 104 for the Light Heavyweight Championship.

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, the champion, fought Mauricio “Shogun” Hua in what many thought would be a 1-sided fight in Machida’s favor. To my surprise, and much of the world, that was not the case. Shogun implemented a strategy that completely controlled Machida’s elusive and dominating nature as a flawless 15-0 fighter.

Machida is characterized as an elusive fighter that has never lost a round. He picks and chooses his punches that typically always find their target. He has a strong in-out striking pattern that has sent top competitors like Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans crumbling to the mat.

Obviously, this tid-bit did not go unheeded to Shogun. In fact, Shogun’s baseball bat leg and mid kicks sent the Dragon limping into the final rounds.

Granted, the fight was not the most exciting, but all judging factors seem to fall into Shogun’s favor: octagon control, landed punches, landed kicks, and power. Too bad the judges forgot to take off their blindfolds and scored the bout in Machida’s favor.

Arguably, the challenger has the burden of decisively beating the champion. While the fight did not have encumbering amounts of excitement or exchanges, I only remember Shogun’s shattering kicks on Machida.

Overall, I’m glad that someone was able to expose some weaknesses in The Dragon’s style. For awhile, it seemed that a majority of the weight classes in the UFC had uncontested champions: Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva, and George St. Pierre. There doesn’t seem to be any contenders to fight these beasts within their division.

The sad thing is, even with the highly demanded and announced rematch between Shogun and Machida, I believe that the Dragon will adapt to the strategy implemented by Shogun. I actually predict Machida doing much better this next fight.

RFID, Privacy vs Modernism

November 5, 2009 / 3:10 p.m.
Posted by Alden Chiu
University of Texas Student


There is really no question to the practicality and usefulness of radio frequency identification in terms of technology. Earlier, while looking up new and clever gadgets that utilize RFID, it was not hard to speculate the potential growing power in this not yet popularized technology.

To expound upon more fun gadgets like the mini-cooper billboard in my first blog, I’ve listed a few more that caught my eye.

An RFID car locator: Ever lost your car in the midst of a crowded mall or Wal-Mart parking lot? No need to lie because companies like DPL-Surveillance-Equipment are developing trackers and locators for your car, personal items, and even children.

How about heat sensors for football players, firefighters and military personnel? What these RFID tags do is notify you when someone is overheating to dangerous levels. Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Korey Stringer died of a heat stroke during practice along with many other high school football players. Had it been realized sooner, lives may have been saved.

Here is an interesting one: RFID activated cat/doggie doors. This keeps nosy animals like possums, foxes, and neighborhood pets out, and Chewy, the family Yorkie in.

Its no surprise that consumer products are more and more popular with RFID given it began as an inventory managing tool. Skeptics believe that RFID invades privacy and will begin as a slippery slope to abuse.

We are using RFID for many basic uses, inventory control being just one. Utility meters are scanned and no longer need to be individually read. These practices save labor and cost. Overall, we have usage for the technology in basic forms. As a personal belief and statement, skeptics of RFID need to worry about problems when problems actually arise.

Although I am an early adopter of devices and innovative technologies, I understand the precedence and concerns regarding radio frequency. However, living under a rock and being fearful of what is on the other side never produced results or got anyone anywhere.

Do you mind? I'm Stealing Your Car.

October 29, 2009 / 6:10 p.m.
Posted by Alden Chiu,
University of Austin Student

Imagine you're on a routine trip to the grocery store: you park, shop and leave only to find your car and Spunky, the family Pomeranian, missing.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s Uniform Crime Reports, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States every 26.4 seconds. In addition, 1,095,769 motor vehicles were reported stolen in 2007.

A similar even happened to a woman in the South Valley, except in this case, she was robbed at gunpoint. Thanks to OnStar's new Stolen Vehicle Slowdown feature, the 100 mph pursuit was ended quickly and no one was hurt.

After OnStar pinpointed the location of the stolen vehicle, they waited for police to catch up. Then, they remotely put the vehicle to a complete stop. The robber ran, fell in a pool, and was arrested. Not the getaway he imagined I'm sure. With much success, this was the first time that the technology was implemented in real time.

This automated vehicle slowdown feature that OnStar is equipping in new 2009/2010 vehicles will undoubtedly help minimize traffic accidents, high speed pursuits, grand theft auto, and other automobile safety issues.

It’s not hard to imagine that this event will, if not already, spur a huge PR effort for the company.

If this technology gains more popularity in the future, it’s not hard to imagine that privacy issues may arise. Questions may surface as to what kind of conditions and or situations this technology can be implemented. I, on the other hand, believe that if you are a law-abiding citizen, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Obviously, this automated slowdown system has usefulness to both public and private industries, but which holds more precedence and are both able to coexist?

Personally, I believe law and government bodies will have more usefulness for this sort of technology in the long run. The two can exist together, but I would not be surprised if lawsuits arise in the dawning popularity this type of technology.

Let me know what you all think.

Mini Cooper Billboards

October 22, 2009 / 6:08 pm
Posted by Alden Chiu
Public Relations Student at the University of Texas at Austin

If you happen to be in San Francisco, New York, Miami or Chicago, then you might have seen the new Mini Cooper radio frequency identification billboards. Mini Cooper created a campaign to promote brand image with new, and more importantly, existing customers.

Mini Cooper always surprises me with their advertisements and campaigns. This is probably due to the creativity and fun that they always blend into the mix. From magazines ads to crazy billboards, I strangely enough find myself looking especially for their advertisements.

Nonetheless, these radio frequency identification billboards customize messages depending on who drives under them. For example, if I happen to drive under one on September 26, it will wish me a happy birthday and deliberately make my day. These are only a few of the customized messages that Mini has so ingeniously created.

One might ask: How do they know so all this stuff?!

Well the answer lies in a volunteer survey that you filled out when you bought your Mini. More information can be found at the New York Times article on such surveys.

If there was any way in hell I would voluntarily let someone attach a radio frequency identification device to my car, and let them know my location at all times, Mini has discovered that way.

Its cute, its fun, and it leaves a warm feeling in your stomach.

The Future of Virtual Worlds

October 15, 2010/ 1:15 p.m.
Posted by Alden Chiu
Student at the University of Texas at Austin

Hopefully everyone has at least heard about the new and largest virtual world called Second Life.

This massive 3D world has accomplished so much since its creation on June 23, 2003.

Second Life has become a new channel or medium used by companies and organizations to communicate with a variety of different publics, it has become a playing field for cybersex, it has taken long strides in alternative education and so much more!

My question is how far is too far? It seems as if this rapid progression is blurring the lines of reality and imagination.

Just to help paint a better picture: The University of Texas at Austin has spent over $250,000 on Second Life "virtual land." Personally, that sounds a bit ridiculous to me granted that virtual land is in fact, virtually endless. Where are the lines drawn between real estate and virtual real estate?

Lets escalate: Ailin Graef was reported by Business Week and other sources as the first person to reportedly become a real-world millionaire from her virtual-world business. She has done this by buying, developing and selling virtual real estate.

As reported by Second Life, user-to-user transactions increased 54% since 2007 and were valued at approximately 361 million US dollars.

Another topic in virtual worlds is sex. Sex is all over Second Life and the extent at which people go to have it puzzles me further. Default avatars do not have genitalia, so you have to purchase it with real money. You can buy toys, costumes, gadgets and more to help fulfill virtual sexual fantasies.

There are actual brothels owned by real people - basically conducting businesses and generating real revenue.

"The sex is a sign that the virtual world is robust and thriving," said Philip Rosedale, founder and CEO of Linden Lab, the company that develops and operates Second Life.


I will leave this discussion with a question: What kind of possibilities will arise in the future in regards to virtual worlds? How will it affect us in 10 - 20 years?