Robot Suicide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A robotic assistant ‘employed’ at the Gumi City Council in South Korea ended its existence while at work, plunging into a stairwell, the administrative body announced on Wednesday. 

 

The incident at the council occurred last week; the robot had been seen “spinning in one place as if something was wrong” before falling two meters from the top of a staircase. 

 

“Parts of the robot have been collected and will be analyzed by the manufacturer”, an official with the city council told AFP. The robotic assistant, manufactured by a California, US-based startup called Bear Robotics, took on the administrative role at the council last August. The robot had its own employee card and worked from 9AM to 4PM, transporting documents around the building, providing assistance to visitors, and otherwise promoting the city.

 

The machine’s demise has left the city hall’s staff deeply saddened; no plans to adopt a new robot are currently under consideration. 

 

“It is officially part of the city hall, a member of us. It has worked hard”, a city hall official said. 

 

The tragedy has been touted by local media as the first-ever “robot suicide” to happen in the country. However, the droid was preceded in 'death' by a July 18, 2017 incident in Washington, DC in the US when a security robot named Steve drowned itself in a water fountain. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Footage of Steve laying on its side near its human colleagues promptly went viral at the time, triggering a wave of gallows humor questioning the preciousness of artificial life. 

 

The ‘self-delete’ hypothesis, however, was later debunked, as Steve’s black box data indicated that the machine had slipped on a “loose brick surface” and fallen prey to a tragic accident rather than dark thoughts.

All Out Panic

Confirmation! In the aftermath of Thursday's CNN US presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the Democrats are in all out panic!

 

A flash poll conducted by CNN revealed that 67% of registered voters who watched the debate felt that Trump had won.

The fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter who wins. When the choice is down to either Biden or Trump, you know the United States is already in a free fall! God save America!

No Long Sermons, Please

Good grief! Pope Francis (right) on June 12 called on Catholic priests to keep their homilies as brief as possible!

 

The homily or sermon is the address in which a priest comments on a reading from the Bible. 

 

A homily, he said, was meant to transfer the word of God from the book to life. "But for this, the homily must be brief: an image, a thought and a sentiment", he spoke at his weekly general audience. 

 

"The homily must not go beyond eight minutes, because after that time, attention is lost and people go to sleep, they fall asleep and they are right to do so", the 87-year-old pontiff added. 

 

"And I want to say this to priests, who talk a lot, very often, and one does not understand what they are talking about", he continued in a light-hearted tone. 

 

This is not the first time the head of the Catholic Church has offered such advice. In 2023, he described long homilies as a "disaster".

 

Of course, the congregation deserves better! May I suggest these learned preachers gain competency in public speaking? Better still, get a copy of "The Diamond in Your Speech"! 😁😁

 

 

Watercolor Artwork Most Valuable Harry Potter Item Ever Sold

An original watercolour illustration has become the most valuable Harry Potter item ever sold - fetching $1.9m (£1.5m) at an auction in the US. 

 

The artwork for the first edition of JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone sold for more than three times the expected price. It was first auctioned in 2001, before the book series was complete, for £85,750 (about $108,000 at current exchange rates). 

 

"This is really the first visualization of Harry and the wizarding world", said Kalika Sands from Sotheby's auction house.

 

The artwork had been expected to sell for between $400,000 and $600,000, which Sotheby's said was the highest pre-sale estimate for a Harry Potter-related work. It took nearly 10 minutes for the four-way bidding to finish on Wednesday. The identity of the buyer was, however, not revealed. 

 

The artist behind the illustration, Thomas Taylor (right) was only 23 years old in 1997 when he created the iconic image of Harry Potter standing in front of the Hogwarts Express – the train that would lead the young bespectacled wizard into the magical world. It was done using concentrated watercolours with black pencil outlines and took him two days to finish. 

 

Taylor, who grew up in Wales, was one of the first people to read the manuscript for the original Harry Potter book, which went on to sell millions of copies and spawned a lucrative franchise including movies and theme parks. He wrote on his website that he was working at a children's book shop in Cambridge in 1996 when he was inspired to send examples of his artwork to publishers, including Bloomsbury who went on to give him the Potter job.

 

Sands said the difference in auction price between 2001, when only four of the seven books in the series were published, and now reflected just how popular author Rowling's creation had become.

Elon Musk Blasts Boeing CEO David Calhoun

Elon Musk is taking potshots at Boeing's embattled CEO David Calhoun, accusing him of being a clueless executive who lacks the necessary expertise.

 

Musk (left) took aim at Calhoun's business background, arguing that "the CEO of an aircraft company should know how to design aircraft, not spreadsheets". 

 

As Business Insider pointed out, it's a valid argument. Calhoun has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Virginia Tech University, with no engineering background whatsoever. 

 

And under Calhoun's leadership, Boeing have gone through crisis after crisis, from two 737 Max 8 crashes that resulted in 346 people losing their lives in 2018 and 2019 to an ejected "door plug" that forced another passenger jet to make an emergency landing earlier this year.

 

Not to mention, the many mishaps that keep plaguing the planemaker. Already, a number of whistleblowers have come forward, accusing Boeing of lacking safety standards.

 

It's not only the planes. At the time of this post, Boeing are struggling to return their cursed Starliner spacecraft, which is currently docked at the International Space Station, back to Earth. 

 

NASA announced last week that the date of its return journey has been pushed back indefinitely, following the discovery of helium leaks affecting its thruster system.

 

The two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore – their original stay was scheduled for a week – stuck on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft have an approximate return-by date of July 20. That's forty-five days from its June 05 liftoff, which is how long Starliner can spend docked to the ISS. (Or a maximum of 72 days if using a backup system). 

 

[Note: Boeing and the Elon Musk-funded SpaceX programs are pivotal players in NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which would allow NASA to send astronauts (and cargo) to the ISS without needing to depend on Russia].

 

Meanwhile, SpaceX have already launched a total of ten successful Crew Dragon missions to the ISS over the last five years.

 

In other words, Boeing aren't just struggling greatly with their avionics department, but even their spacecraft project is stumbling badly. 

 

Musk is right to hint that new leadership at Boeing is long overdue. And it didn't come as a surprise that Calhoun is planning to step down at the end of this year, given his abysmal track record. 

 

Boeing urgently need an exec who actually knows his/her way around an aircraft or spacecraft. Musk isn't alone in thinking that Boeing need new leadership with at least some engineering chops. 

 

"To fix Boeing's issues the company needs a strong engineering lead as its head coupled to a governance model which prioritizes safety and quality", Emirates president Tim Clark told CNBC in March, shortly after Calhoun announced his resignation. 

 

A candidates have since turned down Boeing's offer, indicating it's an incredibly unpopular job. And who could blame them, given the sheer scale of the company's troubles?

Roger Waters on Julian Assange's Freedom

Julian Assange has become a symbol of resistance to the US government. 

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters speaks on behalf of all of us: “Thank you for the huge sacrifice you made for the rest of us”!

The BRICS group of nations have voted to temporarily suspend new membership applications and focus on integrating the countries which have joined most recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Wednesday. 

 

However, a new category of “partner countries” would be formed as a “stepping stone” to full BRICS membership, he added.

Marge Simpson Depicted on 3,500-year-old Egyptian Coffin

The iconic cartoon character Marge Simpson appears to have a doppelganger from ancient Egyptian times. 

 

Coffin lids during the New Kingdom era are known for their intricate designs, but this particular cover was remarkable for another reason from the perspective of social media users and fans of the longtime Fox animated sitcom "The Simpsons". 

 

Dr Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, said work last year uncovered what archeologists believe were tombs for senior officials and priests in a 3,500-year-old cemetery dating back to the New Kingdom, specifically the 20th Dynasty (circa 1186-1069 BC). 

 

There were amulets, ornaments, as well as stone and wooden coffins with the mummies, according to Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in a press release October 15, 2023, translated from Arabic to English. The New Kingdom period is commonly known as the "Golden Age" of ancient Egypt, according to TheArchaeologist.org. 

 

Although the discovery of the mummy's coffin was announced nine months ago, the image went viral on social media as users pointed out the uncanny resemblance to the beloved matriarch from "The Simpsons". 

 

The upper lid of the coffin has an image of a yellow-hued woman with an extremely tall blue crown, resembling Marge Simpson's outsized blue hair, and a strapless green outfit, similar to the cartoon character's own dress. 

 

The coffin belonged to Tadi Ist, daughter of the High Priest of Djehouti in El-Ashmunein, according to The Egyptian Gazette, described as the oldest daily newspaper in the Middle East. The mummy (photo below) featured a mask and a beaded dress in "excellent condition", the publication reported.

 

The discovery is said to be a significant archaeological find. It not only enriches our understanding of ancient Egyptian burial practices and artistic achievements but also provides a tangible connection to a pivotal period in Egypt's history. 

 

As research and excavations continue, this find will undoubtedly contribute to a deeper comprehension of the complex and fascinating civilization of ancient Egypt.

EV Sales Are Surging In Southeast Asia

Electric vehicle sales are surging in Southeast Asia, led by China's BYD and Vietnam's VinFast, eating into the internal combustion engine car market dominated by Japanese and Korean firms, Counterpoint Research reported on Friday. 

 

EV sales in the region more than doubled in the January to March quarter from a year before, according to the research firm. Sales of ICE cars, meanwhile, slid by 7 percent. 

 

"As Japanese and Korean automakers, who dominate conventional vehicle sales, lag in EV adoption, Chinese OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) are stepping in to fill the gap", said Counterpoint analyst Abhik Mukherjee. 

 

"Over 70 percent of EV sales in the region are from Chinese brands, led by BYD", he added.

And for the first time ever, BYD has made it to Malaysia’s Land Transportation Department (JPJ)’s Top 10 list for vehicle registration. 

 

As revealed by the latest vehicle registration database, BYD is now in tenth place, with a total of 3,608 vehicles registered between January to May 2024. This is quite an impressive feat considering BYD is a brand unheard of by general Malaysian consumers until it made a splash with the launch of the BYD Atto 3 in December 2022.

 

For 2024 alone until May 31, the Atto 3 SUV remains the most popular model with 1,451 registrations, followed by the BYD Seal sedan with 1,421 registrations. Meanwhile, its most affordable fully electric hatchback, the Dolphin, had a total of 736 registrations.

 

If we look at the total registrations cumulatively since BYD’s passenger vehicle introduction in Malaysia, they have a total of 8,111 vehicles registered since December 2022. As expected, the BYD Atto 3 has the highest registration with a total of 4,641 units, followed by the BYD Dolphin with 2,049 units and the BYD Seal with 1,421 units.

 

For the Malaysian market, BYD is exclusively distributed by Sime Darby Beyond Auto, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Motors.

Employees Get 10 Days 'Unhappy Leave'

"I want every staff member to have freedom. Everyone has times when they're not happy, so if you're not happy, do not come to work", declares Yu Donglai, the founder and chairperson of supermarket chain Pangdonglai in China's Henan province. 

 

According to SCMP, at the 2024 China Supermarket Week forum in late March, Yu (left) announced that his employees would be eligible to request up to 10 days of extra leave at their discretion. The leave days are in addition to the employees' existing 30 days of annual leave at the company. 

 

"This leave cannot be denied by management. Denial is a violation", he emphasized, expressing hope that his employees could experience freedom in determining the amount of rest time they need. He calls it "unhappy leave", an initiative to help his company's employees achieve work-life balance. 

 

The retail tycoon is known for introducing company benefits that prioritises employees' interests and well-being. Among the benefits Pangdonglai employees are entitled to include seven-hour work days, no work calls after office hours and on weekends, and an added five days off during Chinese New Year. 

 

Last year, Yu also publicly condemned other bosses in China that pushed for long working hours. "Making staff work overtime is unethical and an expropriation of other people's opportunities for growth", he had said. 

 

Founded in 1995, Pangdonglai now have over 30 stores in Henan, with Yu explaining that he has no plans to expand out of the province to maintain employee happiness.

 

He asserted, "We do not want to be big. We want our employees to have a healthy and relaxed life, so that the company will too". 

 

His staff typically work seven hours a day, five times a week, a stark contrast to the notorious 996 culture practised by some Chinese companies, whose workers clock in from 9AM-9PM, six days a week.

 

According to SCMP, the average monthly salary of Pangdonglai employees is 7,000 yuan (approximately RM4,600). In comparison, the average salary of other retail workers in China is half that. 

 

Yu's employment policies have since received much praise and support on Chinese social media. 

 

"Employees are real, living people with normal emotions too", said a Weibo user. 

 

"No wonder more than 30,000 people applied for more than 200 positions", commented a netizen. 

 

Meanwhile, another sadly pointed out, "With Pangdonglai's business model where customers are satisfied, employees are happy, and the boss continues to make money... It seems impossible that they would expand to other places".

 

I support supportive workplaces!

Russia Overtakes Japan and Germany

The Russian economy has overtaken Japan to become the fourth largest in the world in PPP terms (purchase power parity), according to revised data from the World Bank released at the start of June 2024.

 

As bne IntelliNews reported in August, Russia had already overtaken Germany to become the fifth biggest economy in adjusted terms. Hit by multiple shocks recently and cut off from cheap Russian gas, Germany is now stagnating and has fallen to sixth place in the World Bank’s ranking. 

 

PPP GDP measurement is preferred by many economists, as it takes into account the difference between local prices and nominal prices, similar to The Economist’s famous Big Mac index: a burger in Moscow costs about half as much as the same burger in New York. 

 

In fact, the World Bank have already improved Russia’s ranking after revising their data and attest that Russia actually got past Japan in 2021 and has maintained its position at number four since then. Their previous calculations were based on 2017 data but these have now been updated to reflect the 2021 figures.

 

Economists estimate that Russia’s growth potential has increased from 1-1.5% pre-SMO to around 3.5% now. Last year, Russia’s economic growth caught analysts off guard with a 3.6% expansion. This year the World Bank have resolutely almost trebled their forecast for growth from 1.1% to 3.2%. Russia’s Economic Ministry are similarly bullish.

 

Well done, Russia!

 

China’s Chang’e-6 lunar module returned to Earth Tuesday, successfully completing its historic mission to collect the first ever samples from the far side of the moon in a major step forward for the country’s ambitious space program. 

 

Well done, China!

US DOJ to Decide Whether to Prosecute Boeing

Prosecutors in the United States are recommending that criminal charges be brought against Boeing after finding the plane maker violated a settlement related to two fatal crashes, two people familiar with the matter told the Reuters news agency. 

 

The US Department of Justice must decide by July 07 whether to prosecute Boeing. The recommendation by prosecutors handling the case has not been previously reported.

 

In May, officials already determined the company breached a 2021 agreement that had shielded Boeing from a criminal charge of conspiracy to commit fraud arising from the 2018 and 2019 accidents, involving the 737 MAX jet. Under the 2021 deal, the Justice Department agreed not to prosecute Boeing over allegations they defrauded the Federal Aviation Administration so long as the company overhauled their compliance practices and submitted regular reports. Boeing also agreed to pay $2.5bn to settle the investigation. 

 

Boeing declined to comment. They have previously said they have “honoured the terms” of the 2021 settlement, which had a three-year term and is known as a deferred prosecution agreement. Boeing informed the Justice Department they disagree with their determination that the company violated the settlement, Reuters reported this month.

 

The two sides are in discussions over a potential resolution to the Justice Department’s investigation and there is no guarantee officials will move forward with charges, the two sources said. The internal Justice Department deliberations remain ongoing and no final decisions have been reached, they added.

 

Criminal charges would deepen an unfolding crisis at Boeing, which have faced intense scrutiny from US prosecutors, regulators and lawmakers after a panel blew off one of their jets operated by Alaska Airlines mid-flight on January 05, just two days before the 2021 settlement expired. 

 

The sources did not specify what criminal charges Justice Department officials are considering, but one of the people said they could extend beyond the original 2021 fraud conspiracy charge.

 

Alternatively, instead of prosecuting Boeing, the DOJ could extend the 2021 settlement by a year or propose new, stricter terms, the sources said. 

 

In addition to financial penalties, the strictest settlements typically involve installing a third party to monitor a company’s compliance. The DOJ can also require the company to admit their wrongdoing by pleading guilty. 

 

Boeing may be willing to pay a penalty and agree to a monitor, but believe a guilty plea, which typically incurs additional business restrictions, could be too damaging, said one of the sources. Boeing derive significant revenue from contracts with the US government, including the Department of Defense, which could be jeopardised by a felony conviction, one of the sources added.

 

Last week, the families of the victims of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes pressed prosecutors to seek a fine against the plane maker of nearly $25bn and move forward with a criminal prosecution.

 

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported on Friday that the DOJ are considering allowing the planemaker to escape criminal prosecution for violating the terms of the 2021 settlement. 

 

We shall see if justice prevails!

Julian Assange is Free After US Plea Deal

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (right) was released from a UK prison and making his way back to his home country Australia after his 12-year battle against extradition to the United States ended in a plea deal. 

 

Assange has spent the past five years in UK’s high-security Belmarsh prison and nearly seven years before that holed up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, trying to avoid arrest that could have led to life imprisonment. 

 

On Monday, the fifty-two-year-old agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in one of the largest US government breaches of classified materials after his whistleblowing website published nearly half a million secret military documents relating to the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

 

The plea deal caps a long-running legal saga, allowing Assange to avoid prison in the US and return to Australia as a free man – but not until he has made a court appearance in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, a US Pacific territory, at 09:00 AM on Wednesday (23:00 GMT on Tuesday), where he will be sentenced to 62 months of the time already served.

 

Public interest journalism is no crime, and the USA and UK erred big time in pursuing after him. Anyway, his No.1 priority is to get his life back together again.

 

Boeing’s Broken Safety Culture

Boeing allegedly hid faulty plane parts from federal regulators and then lost track of them, some of which may have been installed in new planes, according to a whistleblower complaint, the latest claims of manufacturing issues for the aerospace firm this year. 

 

Sam Mohawk, a quality assurance inspector for Boeing in Renton, Washington, alleges the company have lost track of defective parts for new 737 planes after they “intentionally hid” them from Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, according to a Senate subcommittee investigation reported by multiple outlets. Faulty parts were improperly stored outdoors before Boeing requested they be stored at another unspecified location before an inspection by the FAA in June 2023, Mohawk reportedly alleges. 

 

Mohawk claims some of the defective parts – marked with a red tag or red paint – were installed in new planes, while others were lost completely, according to Senator Richard Blumenthal (left) who released the committee’s report. (Blumenthal’s office did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Forbes). 

 

Mohawk’s supervisors allegedly instructed him to delete records that indicated the parts were faulty before regulators inspected them, Blumenthal added. Boeing are reviewing the claims after receiving the complaint on June 17, the company said in a statement to Forbes.

 

This, after another Boeing whistleblower had come forward with claims that safety and quality issues were ignored and concerns were dismissed by management. Roy Irvin, who worked at Boeing’s plant in South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 as a quality investigator, alleged that he was reprimanded as “insubordinate” for flagging safety and quality issues on 787 Dreamliner planes that he inspected, as per a news report in The Guardian, published June 05.

 

Already, FAA Administration Mike Whitaker disclosed two weeks ago that the agency have “multiple active investigations” into Boeing, adding the FAA were “processing a number of reports” from whistleblowers.

 

And Boeing's CEO, Dave Calhoun (right) had even acknowledged that some employees who raised concerns about safety and quality inside the company faced retaliation. 

 

The executive did not have the number of managers fired for retaliating against whistleblowers “on the tip of my tongue”, he admitted, “but I know it happens”. 

 

This was revealed at the "Boeing’s Broken Safety Culture” hearing on Tuesday chaired by Blumenthal. In fact, the US senator from Connecticut declared that the company were facing a “moment of reckoning” – and called for prosecutions. 

 

Just so you know, Boeing are already scrutinising a quality issue with undelivered 787 Dreamliner aircraft, after inspections found hundreds of fasteners had been incorrectly installed. The issue won’t impact flight safety or deliveries, Boeing said. And last month, the FAA said they were investigating claims from Boeing that some employees falsified inspections for some 787 Dreamliners. Again, Boeing insisted in a memo the skipped inspections didn’t create a safety issue. 

 

I don't care what Boeing say but they are clearly dicing with death!

Black Myth: Wukong is Coming

Video game "Black Myth: Wukong" has been leading on the weekly sales chart on global video game distribution platform Steam, beating Elden Ring and its latest downloadable content Shadow of the Erdtree. 

 

Despite not having officially launched, this phenomenal game adapted from the story of Monkey King has sparked a growing interest in its original story, even prompting players overseas to begin to read Journey to the West, upon which the game is based. 

 

As the first game in China to be considered triple-A level, "Black Myth: Wukong" broke the billion-yuan ($137 million) mark just three days after pre-sales began on June 10. Since the announcement of pre-sales, it has repeatedly made headlines. 

 

Trailers on platforms like YouTube have garnered tens of millions of views, with comments filled with anticipation and praise from around the world. 

 

 

 

"You already know Black Myth: Wukong will have a rich, complex, and heartfelt story because it was based on Journey to the West, arguably the most influential piece of literature across Asia. I can't wait for the world to become more familiar with the story of Journey to the West and its cultural symbolism littered throughout it!" Beltran Velasco, a game critic, told the Global Times. 

 

Velasco noted that the game's trailer release strategy was highly successful, precisely capturing the interest of players. 

 

"The trailer not only showcased the game's high-quality graphics and smooth combat but also cleverly presented the game's storyline and world-building", he added. 

 

With the recent launch of the hands-on preview for the game, many internationally renowned media outlets and invited bloggers conducted in-depth reports and evaluations of the game. Most of these reports not only affirmed the game's technical and artistic quality but also praised its cultural content. 

 

"This is one of the most wish-listed games on Steam and one of the most anticipated games of the year. After playing for two hours, I think its reputation is well deserved. This is good stuff, maybe even great", said one reviewer from video game review site GamesRadar.

 

“It’s stunningly gorgeous, the animations are incredibly fluid, it’s steeped in rich Chinese culture, and there’s just something immensely satisfying about playing as a Monkey King and beating up all sorts of mythical creatures with a giant extendable staff”, wrote Mitchell Saltzman, editor of American video game media outlet IGN.

 

The "Black Myth: Wukong" release date is August 20, 2024 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Revealed at The Game Awards 2023, its trailer gives us another exciting look at the upcoming action-RPG rooted in Chinese mythology, developed and published by Game Science. 

 

The game puts you in the shoes of the Destined One, challenging you to venture into a fascinating yet dangerous world. Master and combine different spells, weapons, and abilities to suit your combat style.

 

Malaysians' Plastic Diet

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz (right) has urged for laws to control plastic production and encourage the use of biodegradable materials, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported today. 

 

This comes after a Singapore daily, The Straits Times reported on June 07 that a study published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal had revealed that Malaysians ingest an average of 502.3mg of microplastics per person each day. 

 

In fact, Malaysia is ranked the highest among 109 countries for consuming microplastics and among the top 10 for its citizens inhaling the most microplastic particles.

 

FYI, the usual measure of how much plastic humans consume is toted up against plastic credit cards which weigh on average 5g. Based on our reported daily average, we can establish that Malaysians are eating up approximately 37 credit cards per year. 

 

Those thirty-seven plastics make a huge bulge in your wallet or purse!

 

And annually, we get more credit but not the type we want. Just imagine the 37 credit cards added yearly becoming a bigger and bigger bulge not in your wallet or purse but inside your body! 

 

Microplastics – which are plastic particles smaller than 5mm – linger in the environment and can be consumed by animals and people. They spread through water, air, and even the human bloodstream. Environmental experts believe these microplastics are not likely to be excreted and remain in our bodies for the rest of our lives and which will have adverse effects on our health in the long run.

 

Dr Azizan explained that "these microplastics can contain toxic chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A, which can leach into the body and cause hormonal disruptions, reproductive issues and other health problems. Ingested microplastics can also cause inflammation and irritation in the gastrointestinal tract, potentially leading to digestive issues and other inflammatory diseases of the gut”. 

 

She also said that microplastics have the potential to induce oxidative stress and cellular damage, potentially contributing to chronic diseases such as cancer.

 

Indeed, Malaysia’s high consumption of seafood and extensive use of plastic products significantly increase exposure to microplastics. Not only that but as plastic production and waste increase, so does the number of microplastics in the environment, leading to higher ingestion rates in the future.

Miniature Diorama Showcases 15th-century Melaka

A band of Malaysian miniature artists has vividly recreated the atmosphere and daily life of 15th-century Melaka at a private miniature art gallery in Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Their 13m-long diorama, depicting the golden age of the Melaka Sultanate, features over 700 miniatures representing a multicultural society adorned in detailed traditional clothing and cultural attire. The exhibit also includes meticulously crafted replicas of palaces, houses, and transport systems, showcasing animals like elephants and oxen.

 

Even more fascinating, the diorama includes several replica trading ships, similar to those used by traders from China and Melaka, showcasing the trading relationship between the Melaka Sultanate and China that began in the 15th century, during the height of Melaka's prominence as the most important port in the region. 

 

Upon close examination, the static diorama reveals countless stories and narratives, engaging the mind to imagine the true essence of that era.

 

Founder of the WCO Art and Culture Gallery, Foo Loke Kee said the diorama is one of the artworks featured in the Malaysia-China Diplomatic Relations Miniature Exhibition, held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

According to Foo, the beautiful diorama depicting the golden age of the Melaka Sultanate and its trade relations with China was successfully created by a group of miniature artists who took three years to complete after starting work in 2020. He said that producing the diorama required extensive references and research, combined with the expertise, talent and creativity of fine and miniature artists from various backgrounds and ethnicities.

 

"The craftsmen come from diverse backgrounds and possess unique skills. For instance, Malay and Chinese artisans worked together on this project. The palace, houses and ships were crafted by carpenter Mohd Zain Abd Aziz, the miniature figures by Helen Chua and other miniatures by Lai Pui Sun". 

 

The exhibition, which runs from May 31 to June 30, is held at the Galeri Seni Dan Budaya WCO, You Residences, Persiaran You City, in Cheras, Batu 9, Hulu Langat, Selangor. Admission is free. 

 

Foo added that there are four ship replicas: a 15th-century Galleass, the Baochuan (treasure ship), a Chinese Junk, and a Chinese Tongkang and these models illustrate maritime activities and trade with China in the waters and the Straits of Melaka.

 

Senator Prof. Emeritus Dr. Awang Sariyan (below photo on the far left) said the miniature exhibition symbolises the close relationship between Malaysia and China over five decades. It not only showcases the history of cooperation and achievements of the two countries but also inspires the public to understand the importance of this diplomatic relationship. 

 

"This exhibition portrays significant moments in bilateral relations, economy, trade and cultural exchanges that have taken place with China since the 15th century. We also hope that this exhibition can serve as a medium to strengthen the understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, especially as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our nations”, he said in his speech at the exhibition's opening on June 11, 2024.

 

Methinks, Tourism Melaka should reach out to Foo. And build a dedicated infrastructure to house these miniature artwork and turn them into a tourism product.

Warning Labels for Social Media

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wants to see warning labels akin to cigarettes on social media. You know, for kids!

 

“The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency – and social media has emerged as an important contributor”, Murthy proclaimed in an op-ed in The New York Times, June 17. He cited research published in JAMA Psychiatry showing that teens who spend more than three hours a day using social media have double the risk of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. Other research found that 46% of adolescents said social media made them feel worse about their bodies, while 32% said social media negatively affected their grades in school. 

 

Social media use is already prevalent among young people, with up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 saying that they use a social media platform, and more than a third saying that they use social media "almost constantly", according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. 

 

In fact, American teens spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, according to a 2023 Gallup poll. Over half reported using social media for at least four hours per day, the same poll shows. 

 

"It is time to require a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general's warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe", Murthy (right) had asserted.

 

"Social media today is like tobacco decades ago: It's a product whose business model depends on addicting kids. And as with cigarettes, a surgeon general's warning label is a critical step toward mitigating the threat to children", Josh Golin, executive director at Fairplay, an organization that is dedicated to ending marketing to children, said in a statement.

 

However, Murthy did recognize that a warning label will not, by itself, protect the mental health of children and teens. Other steps are needed, including phone-free zones in schools and at home, and legislation to limit the negative impact of social media on young people.

 

Of course, expect industry pushback. Even with Congressional approval, warning labels would likely be challenged in the courts by tech companies. 

 

“Putting a warning label on online speech isn’t just scientifically unsound, it’s at odds with the constitutional right to free speech”, said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “It’s surprising to see the US surgeon general attacking social media when teens themselves say it provides an important outlet for social connection”.