It was a double header at the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting on Wednesday, November 2 with two knowledgeable speakers on the program. Brad Melrose on the topic of the “Metaverse” and Bud Dooley on how to protect your devices from Electromagnetic pulses and other dangers. Brad has worked in the Information Technology (IT) field in Canada for 30 plus years and Bud has a similar number of years’ experience in designing, managing & securing state-of-the-art information technology infrastructures.
First up was Brad to explain what the Metaverse is and is not. The Metaverse is a virtual world one can create or delve into which is not bound by the physical world. Many of the things you can do in the physical world can also be done in a virtual world such as working, shopping, entertaining, traveling, buying & selling, interacting with others, etc. Although much of what can be done in the virtual world can be done in the physical world, he mentioned two things you can do that cannot be done in the physical world; teleportation and flying.
Brad asked is it something new? Then provided the answer, “no”, it has been around for the past 20 years. It first came about with “Second Life” which is a 3-D online virtual world where avatars do the kind of stuff real people do in real life. His view is that the newly labeled “Metaverse” is pretty much just another version of “Second Life.”
He described several features that are an upside of the Metaverse. But there are dangers such as spending money beyond one’s budget, become absent from social circles, getting addicted and missing out on real life events. Also, having a sedimentary lifestyle can lead to health issues.
In Brad’s opinion the Metaverse will be a novelty and have great adoption initially due to the hype, then in a few years it will fade into a niche service (Just like 3D Movies and VR Headsets).
Bud Dooley followed Brad’s presentation with some warnings about potential dangers to one’s electronic devices in the case Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs) and electrical “brown outs” and “black outs.” Bud, with the aid of many screen slides, provided a very informative talk on the potential dangers to electronic devices, not only your personal ones, but the ones you rely on for daily living. He then described the effects of Electromagnetic Impulse that can damage and destroy electronics. Bud explained that the effects would adversely affect ATMs, gasoline pumps, internet connections, financial systems, and much more. He described how to protect your personal devices using a Faraday Cage, but pointed out it only protects the device when it is in the cage. He noted that premade Faraday Cages do not seem to be available in Thailand but are available elsewhere and YouTube has videos on how to make them.
Bud then commented on “Blackouts” and “Brownouts” noting the difference between the two. If power is lost, it is called a Blackout and can be damaging due to power spikes when power is returned. If power is reduced, this is called a Brownout and can be more damaging to your devices while also being less noticeable. Some signs of a brownout are flickering lights, electrical appliances repeatedly turning on and off, and spotty internet connection that goes in and out.
Bud also had recommendation on things to do to limit the risks before and during a power event. He cited some examples; one being filling your tub with water so you can flush your toilets and another to keep your freezer filled with ice to help you during a 6 hour plus long power outage. He also had a list of things to do before an outage such as having home UPS and surge suppressor systems and keeping your devices fully charged. He also mentioned steps to take before, during, and after the outage. One was to not plug devices in until 30 minutes after the return of power because when power is restored, the voltages wildly bounce around for a period which can be harmful
For more information about the Pattaya City Expats Club visit their website at https://pcec.club. Brad’s presentation can be viewed on the PCEC’s YouTube channel at Brad’s presentation can be viewed on the PCEC’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySujx9TLYNw and Bud’s presentation at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPtbiZi98I.
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