Centuries of cowdung

An alternative interpretation of quantum mechanics

2011-11-19T19:16:00.000-08:00

In 1952, well respected physicist David Bohm published 2 important papers in the prestigious journal Physical Review:

http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v85/i2/p166_1
http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v85/i2/p180_1

The ideas he presented here are an extension of de Broglie's (the same guy responsible for the de Broglie wavelength and the concept of wave-particle duality) 1928 "pilot wave theory". He showed that the gradient of the quantum mechanical wave function can be interpreted as a particle momentum. Hence, the wave function is like a "source field" that steers the particle into certain trajectories, but in a random fashion somewhat like Brownian motion. These trajectories have probabilities that are proportional to the square of the magnitude of the wave function, consistent with experimental results. I think all physicists and anyone interested in quantum mechanics should read these papers.

Curiously, hardly anyone is aware of these ideas. They are certainly not taught in school! After 80 years since the development of quantum mechanics, the only concept of the wave function that we have is the so called "Copenhagen interpretation", developed by Niels Bohr and others. In this interpretation, the wave function is an abstract mathematical probability function, which "collapses instantaneously" into a single point (like a Dirac delta function) upon a "measurement" by an observer. However, even today we still do not have a good idea of what constitutes a measurement or how this collapse process comes about. In my opinion, Bohm's physical interpretation makes a lot more sense.

Has this "source field" been detected? If I may speculate a bit, I think the zero point field is a good candidate to have the properties of a source field. See, for instance:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/t0847g0x6u756m0g/

勇气

2011-10-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

爱真的需要勇气

来面对流言蜚语

只要你一个眼神肯定

我的爱就有意义

回首前尘，感叹也许今生缘份已尽。命运却安排我遇上了她...

流言蜚语虽然可畏，但是我需要的是从新再来的勇气。

我终于踏出了这一步。我会永远记住，今夜的星光...

前尘忆梦

2011-08-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

人事已非？还是涛声依旧？

我实在说不上来...

三十风雨路

2011-03-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

三十风雨路
天涯任我哭

叹回首月明中
但愿往事... 随风

Limestone - the sacred stone of the ancients

2011-01-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Giza pyramids are made largely from limestone (although the King's chamber is made of rose granite).

The Mayan pyramids are made of limestone and sits on the Yucatan peninsular which is a limestone shelf.

The Incan Manchu Picchu is made of limestone.

Coral Castle in Florida is made of limestone.

Coincidence? I think not. Incidentally, these buildings all contain huge stones weighing 10's of tons that nobody has any idea how they were lifted. Rumors are that they are lifted by anti-gravity. Maybe if you want to float a stone, limestone is the key.

Incidentally, calcium carbonate crystals (the main mineral in limestone) are known to be piezoelectric (that is a voltage is produced as a result of vibrations) and are found in the pineal gland. Biologically, the pineal gland is known to "produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions." (Wikipedia) Esoterically, the pineal gland is the 3rd-eye chakra, the doorway to astral travel, hidden knowledge and higher consciousness. The pyramids are known to be temples for initiation and activation of higher consciousness. Another coincidence?

What is the secret of calcium carbonate? I really want to find out...

寻缘

2010-12-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

《寻缘》

海鸥飞处彩云中
小麻雀舞出彩虹
滔滔浪花齐歌颂
恩师红颜喜相逢

生命过客

2010-11-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

人一生能有几位知己？茫茫人海中，能成为你知心朋友有多少？千分之一？万分之一？十万分之一？那么，若要寻找一位知己红颜，更是难上加难了。

今天的交心挚友，明天可能就成为陌路人。我身边中的人，是否都将成为我的生命过客？多年以后，我还会留在多少人的回忆当中？

美丽的梦

2010-07-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

在我眼前是个美丽的，完美的梦。我是否应该去疯狂地，拼命地去追求它？面对我的是一条曲折的，坎坷的道路。若我成功了，这一生也许就别无所求。但是，若我失败了，迎接我的却是悲伤，后悔，惆怅。我要是不追求它，我将保留着一个完美的幻影。多年后回首这个梦时，心里必然含有一丝丝温暖，一丝丝遗憾。

曾经沧海难为水
除却巫山不是云

我要如何抉择？

The problem with religion

2010-06-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm going to quote Gill Edwards' essay "Wild Love Sets Us Free" from the book, 'The Mystery of 2012":

For the past few millennia, humanity has been tamed with fear and judgment. Religion has been used as an agent of social control and conformity. Strange and downright crazy beliefs about a wrathful, judgmental God have been ingrained into the human psyche and have convinced us that being spiritual, or worthy of love, means being good. That is, doing what others want us to do. Conforming to external rules and social expectations. Putting others' needs before our own. Sacrificing ourselves. Denying ourselves. Trying to prove ourselves worthy or special.

Most of us have internalized a cold, critical, repressive inner voice - the judgmental god within - that tells us how to behave, constantly criticizes us, keeps our noses to the grindstone, and squashes or denies our true feelings. Since emotions and desires are the language of the soul, this is tantamount to soul murder. To the extent that we give our power to this inner judge, we are tamed and locked away. We feel trapped and disempowered. The shutters of our windows are closed. The inevitable result is anxiety, depression, physical illness, dysfunctional relationships, or a pervasive joylessness that we cannot explain.

Well said, indeed. The judgmental God is probably the most illogical thing in the world, in my opinion.

Why I love Singapore

2010-06-26T16:59:00.001-07:00

People often ask me - why do I want to return to Singapore to continue my research career? That is, other than the fact that I am bonded - I truly want to come back home. They point out to the better scientific opportunities in the USA, which is true without a doubt. The USA is the best place to do Science right now, and will be so for many more years to come. So what is the reason?

Today's Straits Times gave me 2 good reasons. Strong family ties and a commitment to nature and the environment. The majority of Singaporeans value strong family ties. Most of my friends are very close to their family, and always speak very fondly of them. This is not really the case in the USA where individualism is promoted. And then, there is a report of expanding the Southern ridges. This is in addition to the extensive nature trail system. Also, there is much attention to building roof-top gardens, green buildings, clean water, and renewable energy research. Basically, all the things I am excited and passionate about, and I really hope to contribute in the years to come.

I am happy and proud of the direction my country is going, so it seems an obvious choice to return home =)

因为在我的新加坡，我真的感受到，人间有爱。

每一次我感到旁徨
不自禁就会回头望
我知道心中有个地方
一定会有一盏灯
照亮每一颗黑暗的心房
指引未来方向
沿着生命河流向前航
就能登陆理想

What I learned from Grad School

2010-05-01T18:15:00.001-07:00

Is how to handle failure. I have failed numerous, countless, times... but I simply have to pick myself up and rise again from the ashes, each and every time.

Also, perseverance is important, and I should not give up. That is, not give up easily. But sometimes, at some point, I need to realize it when it really is futile. I suppose it is time to move on from the organics... perhaps George saw this coming, long ago.

难道师父做的这一切，都是用心良苦？

笑一笑往事随风飘

2010-02-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

半年前，我在纽约州的Adirondack国家公园里度过了个难忘的周末。在灿烂的营火，满天的繁星陪伴下，我几乎一字不漏地唱出一首又一首的金曲。同伴们都佩服我能把歌词记得那么熟悉。那是因为在这花花绿绿的繁华都市里，我经常迷失了方向，唯有在陪伴我长大的歌声中得到一丝丝的温暖。

一生能几回年少又何苦庸人自扰
斩不断情丝难了
爱人不见了清醒还要趁早
乱麻要快刀
一生能几回年少倦鸟终归要回巢
红尘路走过几遭
花开又花落世事难预料
笑一笑往事随风飘

郭襄传奇（4）

2010-01-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

终南山。

今年冬天异常寒冷。郭襄望着这万籁寂静，一望无垠的雪景，轻声道，“你说你不喜欢雪，却偏偏爱上了这白色的季节。”

片刻间，郭襄已从终南山脚下奔到了活死人墓。守着古墓的巨石，却哪里有被移动过的痕迹？

“二十年了。” 郭襄怔怔地望着眼前巨石，喃喃自语，“二十年竟然一点动静也没...”

一股劲风突从脑后袭来。郭襄一惊，往右急闪。回头一望，见偷袭自己的凶器竟是一只软绵绵的袖子。眼见这袖子就快要击落在巨石之上，在半空中却突然扭转了趋势，又向郭襄袭来。

“这是... 黯然销魂掌！”郭襄愣住了，痴痴地望着那袖子，整个人动弹不得。

那袖子来得奇快，已卷住郭襄手中的倚天剑。郭襄如梦初醒，急忙运上层九阳神功对抗。片刻间，那袖子已被撕成四块。郭襄往后弹出十余丈，这才看清楚偷袭者的真面目。

眼前这位少年眉清目秀，大约十六七岁。只见他衣裳少了一只袖子，颇为狼狈。

“师兄，你这招‘拖泥带水’还不到师父一成的功力，就别在这里丢人现眼了。让我来助你吧！”只见一位白衣少女从不远处瞬间奔了过来。这少女十四五岁年纪，满脸稚气，却已有股侠女风范。那少年精神一振，长剑在手，又击向郭襄。片刻间，郭襄已和这少年男女拆了十余招。

“君子剑，淑女剑，竟在此处重现人间！”郭襄惊道，“啊！这是玉女素心剑法！” 虽然脑子里满怀疑问，手里剑招却丝毫不敢怠慢。眼前这对少年男女年纪虽轻，精妙的剑法却是配合得天衣无缝。郭襄使出家传的玉萧剑法以一敌二，过了百招之后竟未分出胜负。

那少女突向少年使了眼色，两人不约而同向后弹出十余丈，往终南山丛林急奔而去。好不容易得到了一丝线索，郭襄又怎么可能轻易放弃？只见她使出了上层轻功，直追眼前两个人影。

到了丛林深处，突然不见了两人踪影。“这丛林肯定暗藏玄机。”郭襄心道，“眼前那块异石也许就是机关，不妨去瞧瞧。” 只见石头上整整齐齐地刻着四行字：

十六年后,
在此相见,
夫妻情深,
莫失信约。

“啊！这不就是龙女侠在绝情谷断肠崖上给杨大哥的留言？怎么会出现在这里？” 郭襄小心翼翼地走向那块异石，忽然发现石块边又立了两块石碑。右边石碑上刻着六个字‘爱妻龙氏之墓’。而左边石碑上简简单单写着‘杨过之墓’。

郭襄整整愣了一炷香时分，终于忍不住抱着石碑放声大哭。

“郭姑娘。”一位女子轻轻地道。郭襄竟一点反应也没有。那女子又再叫了一遍，郭襄这时才缓缓地转了头过来。她这时眼泪已落得一塌糊涂，朦胧之中眼前出现了两个人影，竟是程英与陆无双。

“原来... 原来是程师叔与陆前辈。你们... 你们怎么会在这里？”郭襄缓缓地道。

程英伸出手臂，把郭襄扶了起来，轻声道，“我们在这里守着杨大哥的坟墓，已有一些时日。”她从怀里取出三枚银针，又道，“郭姑娘，你认得这银针吗？”

“啊！这是杨大哥给我的...”说道此处，郭襄的声音开始发颤。

程英道，“杨大哥临终前，最放心不下的人就是你了。他吩咐我把这三枚银针交给你，希望你能振作起来，实现你爹娘委托于你的复国大业。”

“原来... 原来杨大哥一直为我操心，我... 我...”郭襄轻声道。

“你们两位小鬼还不快出来！”陆无双忽道。

只见之前与郭襄过招的少年男女又出现在她眼前。那少年恭恭敬敬地道，“郭前辈，在下杨靖，杨过是我爹爹。这位是我的师妹柳盈。刚才对前辈失礼了，现在我们向你赔罪。”

杨靖与柳盈双双跪在地上，向郭襄磕了个响头。郭襄连忙把他们扶起。

***

数日后。

“郭姑娘，你有何打算？”陆无双道。

郭襄想了一阵子，道，“很荣欣有缘遇到各位，和大家共处数日。我听说峨眉山风光秀丽，心里十分向往。我这就前往峨眉山，找个幽静之处钻研九阳神功的奥妙。我们就此别过，后会有期！”

***

望着郭襄离去的背影，杨过握着小龙女的手，轻声道，“龙儿，咱们走吧。”

戏说往事

2009-11-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

初遇佳人风光秀丽
天悬星河繁星灿烂
夕阳无限惜近黄昏
桃花依旧红颜何在
蝴蝶鸳鸯何时来飞？

等一个晴天我们会再相见
你说了风吹我就听见
笑着说再见就一定会再见
心晴朗就看得到永远

Egypt - Journey to the Land of Ancient Wisdom

2009-11-03T05:32:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from Egypt. Check out my pics here:

http://laohero.tripod.com/photo26.html

This amazing spiritual pilgrimage not only opened up my senses, but also reaffirmed my direction in life - to seek out the truth and ancient wisdom. While the details are still hazy, I think I know my next destination - Mexico. And perhaps Peru, one day.

我只好向前寻求
前路总有美好
不管是真还是梦
我再也不能错过

A Physics revolution?

2009-10-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

Physics seems to be stuck. There is no notable progress in the last 30 years or so. But if I may offer my opinion as an amateur physicist, I think Physics is destined for a revolution. How soon depends on how many people believe in it. Consider these results and insights presented at SPIE Optics and Photonics 2009:

1. The single indivisible photon has never been observed. The quantum mechanical interference of the single photon's wave function with itself as it passes through a double slit is a myth.

2. The indivisible photon is unnecessary for the photoelectric effect to be observed (since electron energy levels are already quantized).

3. Gravity does not bend light rays as predicted by General Relativity. The 1919 Eddington experiment about bending of starlight seems to be a result of refraction in the Sun's atmosphere.

Well, I am surprised or even shocked by these results, for they challenge some really fundamental stuff in Physics. Not that I have always been comfortable with it - for instance, I have always hated the instantaneous collapse of the quantum mechanical wave function. But these are things I thought I was comfortable with.

Now it seems, even Maxwell's equations have a problem. As I read Thomas Phipps' "Old Physics for New", I realized something that I have overlooked all these years. Look at this excerpt from Griffiths' "Introduction to Electrodynamics":

From the first equation to the second, Griffiths changed a total time derivative to a partial one, without any Mathematical justification! And of course Maxwell's equations all have partial derivatives, but they should really be total. The implications are vast. For one, it invalidates Special Relativity (!). Really? Sigh...

The truth will set you free. But for now, the truth has only confused and frustrated me. Who will lead us out of the darkness and into the light?

The truth will set you free

2009-09-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Dan Brown's new book, The Lost Symbol. It is characteristically Dan Brown - page turning, entertaining, thrilling, full of codes and historical/esoteric references. But I can't help feel it is different from his previous works.

Digital Fortress is a pure thriller. I have not read Deception Point, but from its description it looks like a pure thriller too. Angels and Demons starts to incorporate some of Dan Brown's subliminal messages - the deception and corruption of the Church. Which is taken to a further level with The Da Vinci Code, with its message about the Holy Grail. But ultimately, these books are still thrillers in essence.

Now The Lost Symbol feels to me almost like a textbook. More than a quarter of the text are lectures about Freemasonry, ancient symbols, esoteric science, secret history, etc. It is almost as if Dan Brown is trying to send a message to us... and this message pretty much dominates the book such that the story becomes secondary. It is almost a story that is made to fit his message - it is just not as compelling as his other books. I like his message, though... it is inspiring at least even if rather incredible, and is consistent with other New Age stuff I have been reading. Could it be that all his previous work was to set the stage for this one?

The truth is out there. But are we ready for it? If for thousands of years it has been kept hidden away from us, what makes it any different now?

梦醒时分

2009-08-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。

明知是一场虚空幻影，却故意陷入在其中。

也许，我真的是太天真？至少我，曾拥有，美丽的梦。

耽搁了不少时光，是时候该上路了。

也许雨一停，我就能再见到你？
也许雨该一直下不停...

《隐形的翅膀》

2009-08-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

我喜欢的歌多半都充满了哀伤和惆怅。最近爱上了张韶涵的《隐形的翅膀》。她清脆的歌声，美妙的旋律，脱俗的歌词，带给我一丝丝的温暖和希望。

每一次都在徘徊孤单中坚强
每一次就算很受伤也不闪泪光
我知道我一直有双隐形的翅膀
带我飞飞过绝望

不去想他们拥有美丽的太阳
我看见每天的夕阳也会有变化
我知道我一直有双隐形的翅膀
带我飞给我希望

我终于看到所有梦想都开花
追逐的年轻歌声多嘹亮
我终于翱翔用心凝望不害怕
哪里会有风就飞多远吧

隐形的翅膀让梦恒久比天长
留一个愿望让自己想像

爱情要懂得争取，但是不能盲目争取

2009-07-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

仙剑4 经典的话语：

语：陈州弦歌问情处

柳梦璃：……或许人和人之间的缘分，都是注定的……等到上天要收回的时候，连一天一刻都不会多等……

韩菱纱：……这样，好残忍……要我选的话，我宁可一开始就不认识那个人，也好过相识以后却要生离死别……

爱情是双向的，在争取时要想到，可能给对方造成什么伤害，如果两个人很难在一起，就不要争取，和对方做很知心的朋友，自己有收获，而且自己和对方都不会留下伤害，那样，当自己回首这段往事的时候，有的只是淡淡的幸福和淡淡的哀伤。

这话让我甚有感处。在夜深人静的时候，偶尔会让时光倒流...

那时候的爱情
为什么就能那样简单
而又是为什么人年少时
一定要让深爱的人受伤

如果，也许，我当初认真地去争取，结局又是如何？回首那一段“情”，结论还是在当初就该把她画上句号。可是，十一年前，当我还模糊在其中，真的能想得如此透彻？

曾经年少爱追梦
一心只想往前飞
行遍千山和万水
一路走来不能回

人一生又能有几位知己红颜？

Reiki - the giving of unconditional love

2009-06-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

I have been sending long-distance Reiki to my Grandma every night for about 2 weeks now. Each time I ask for her to accept, she will smile at me. That sweet, caring smile =). It is the same when it is time to say goodbye. I am feeling so much love! And recently, I have been enveloping her with the pink ray of light from my heart. I hope she feels my love, too =)

外婆，你一定要等我回来。

Lakers 99 Magic 86

2009-06-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

It happened again. After 7 years. The Lakers are the champions. Woohooooooooo!

The Lakers, to me, are not just any other team. I started watching NBA BECAUSE of the Lakers. And the NBA was one of the ways I stayed sane at Tech. Still have fond memories of the 2002 season, during the Lakers-Kings Western conference finals. Then, Tyler and I were at each others' throats. Oh, those (good?) old times (at Tech!).

It has been 7 years. Really? 7 years have passed? Wow...

壮志在我胸

2009-03-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

我喜欢看武侠片，读武侠小说。“一日为师，终身为父” 这句话让我留下深刻的印象。我曾经对人生充满憧憬，希望能找到一位我能尊敬和爱戴的师父。

我实在太天真了。

“我希望孩子成长中能接近他的外公外婆。” 他轻描淡写地说了，好像一切都是理所当然。就这样，他远走高飞，去过他逍遥自在的生活。我这三年的付出，一切都转眼成空。你心早已飞，我忍住泪水。

所有昨日说过的誓言，像是一场下过的雨。

也罢，不管未来有多茫然，不管眼前的路有多坎坷，我还是要坚强地走下去。阿公，你要保佑阿凡。有你陪在我身边，我这旅程就不会寂寞。

我只好向前寻求
前路总有美好
不管是真还是梦
我再也不能错过

纪念：阿公

2009-03-10T16:17:00.000-07:00

今天二月十五，是阿公的祭日。阿公，你是否已经上路？阿凡会一直把你留在心中。

天涯沦落人

2009-01-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

同是天涯沦落人，相逢何必曾相识。

今天体会到了这句话的涵义，其实当两个敌人一起走到天涯时，虽不能说是久逢知己，但也一定化干戈为玉帛。说难听一点，也就是彼此利用，不过现实就是如此。

看完了《小娘惹》，我哭了

2009-01-17T00:27:00.000-08:00

Chor chor 昏迷不醒时，月娘在她身边唱pantun，唱了三天三夜。Chor chor 说，“我本来要走的，后来听见有人唱pantun，我舍不得走，就回来了。”

阿公临终前说过，他其实已走了两次。如果有人唱歌给他听，他是否就不走了？又或许这对他是一种解脱？

像月娘这么好的女孩子，最后却不能得到幸福。在铁路上，陈锡把金手镯送给她，她却说，“我必须亲口告诉你，不要再来找我。” 这是个多么残忍的结局啊！命运就是喜欢作弄人...

纪念：阿公

2008-03-27T01:26:00.000-07:00

“阿公...走了。”

听到了我妈给我的这个消息，我整个人愣住了。

去年七月我回家时，阿公对我说的话，我还记得清清楚楚。

“阿凡，你回来了”，阿公躺在床上，有气没力地说。 “嗯。”，我应了一句。“美国冷不冷啊？”。“有点冷，不过习惯了。”。

简单的几句话，让我感到非常温馨。我们又聊了几句。

“阿公... 看不到你结婚了。”，阿公突然道。听到这里，我整颗心都沉了。这一句话充满了阿公无限的辛酸与无奈。我忍住泪水，道 “不会的，阿公你会好起来的。”

今年农历新年，我打电话对阿公说，我五月会回来看他。没想到，那是我最后一次对阿公说话。

要是时光能够倒流，我在新年一定回家...

心里悔不当初，
梦里思量百度...

小时候住医院时，阿公总是陪在我身边。现在，就让我送阿公一程。

阿公，安心上路吧。

《梦里牵不到你的双手》

2008-03-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

《梦里牵不到你的双手》

看落花飘零情更愁
看白鹤远去泪更流
跨千山涉万水
千万里与你曾携手
当我历尽爱恨情愁
你已不在身后
知道今生我们不能再从头

梦里牵不到你的双手
生死相许已不能够
我问苍天你为何要走
苍天无语我泪长流

你曾经说过不分手
漫漫人生风雨飘摇我们同舟
浪迹天涯真爱用心来铸就

梦里牵不到你的双手
海誓山盟已不再有
落叶飘过在寂寞的寒秋
我独自一个人
一个人在走
你的泪水还在我心头

想起你的笑你的愁
想起你的喜你的忧
跨前生越今世
朝朝暮暮长相厮守到永久

Fortune telling, free will

2008-02-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

Today is Chinese New Year. I feel inspired to write a piece about my musings about time. Most of these ideas are not mine, but taken from several sources. But this is not a scientific paper, so I can't be bothered with citations.

I used to think that fortune telling is useless. Think about it - when someone tells you your fortune, it is either correct or incorrect. If it is correct, then you cannot change it anyway, so what is the point. If it is incorrect, then it is even more pointless.

But what if the fortune teller MAY be right?

At first glance, this statement sounds nonsense. For anything may be right. It may rain tomorrow. Or it may not. Etc... OK. But what if he says - there is a 90% chance that it will rain, and 10% chance that it will not? Now that is more useful, right? And even more useful - the possibility of rain will decrease if you do such and such...

And with that in mind, I present my postulates:

Postulate #1: Free will exists.

Postulate #2: The entire space-time of the universe can be described as an entangled quantum mechanical wave function.

By definition, a postulate is something that cannot be proven, but just assumed to be true. Many physical theories have them. Though unprovable, these postulates need to "make sense". And so people do things to justify them, by doing experiments for instance.

So why does free will exist? Because I believe love exist. We are alive so that we can learn to love. And love cannot be compelled or forced. 感情是不能勉强的。 Forced love is not love. If free will does not exist, that means in our lifetime it has already been decided that we will marry such and such a person, etc... If so, there is no such thing as love, for how can love be decided before hand? Hence, free will exist (sounds flakely, but then, postulates cannot be "proven" anway, so...).

If there is free will, then there is no way that the future can be pre-determined? Well, it seems more complicated than that.

Quantum entanglement was observed between small systems, eg. 2 electrons or 2 photons with spins. When a spin of a photon is measured, it will instantly determine the spin of another entangled photon, which can be a long distance away. This has been demonstrated for distances up to a mile. It used to be assumed that quantum effects cannot be observed in macroscopic systems, but recently objects as large as C60 molecules are shown to be quantum mechanical. Nobody really knows now what is the limit where quantum effects end.

Enter my second postulate - that the WHOLE universe can be described by a quantum mechanical wave function, and everything in the universe is entangled. After all, the whole universe starts from a point during the big bang, and we were all at the same point in space and time. If we existed as an entangled state then, we can still be entangled.

Which means - everything that you say or do will affect everything else in the universe. You are the universe, and the universe is you. (Hmmm, what does that mean? Sounds like quantum weirdness)

Alright, back to the point about time. What distinguishes the past from the future? If I accept that the universe is quantum mechanical, then I can provide a mechanism. It is known that when a measurement happens, the wavefunction collapses. So we know for certain what the state of the system is at that time. Hence, the past refers to all the parts of the wavefunction that has collapsed, ie. has already happened, and cannot be change.

But from this point onwards, the wavefunction evolves. All we can know is the probabilities of certain things that can happen in the future. But because the wavefunction is well determined NOW, it is not totally random what can happen in the future. And because we are part of the entangled wave function, what we do can influence what will happen. So free will prevails.

Which means: it is possible to know (in principle) various future outcomes with their probabilities, and it is also possible to change these outcomes and their probabilities.

Phew! That was a lot of stuff. I don't quite understand all that, but somehow, I FEEL that is how the universe operates. I continue to think and ponder. Perhaps someday I will understand.

Quals - a time for self discovery

2008-01-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

The quals are OVER! I think I passed, but I will only know for sure in a month. But for now, I am just glad to be done.

Nobody likes to be studying for quals, and neither do I. I cannot sleep well, eat well, and I had to severely ration my fun time. Not to mention spending Christmas alone in a ghost town. But there was a positive side to the quals too - I rediscovered my love for Physics.

Do I love Physics? Yes I do - or should I say, I did. As a kid, I was fascinated with planets, atoms, rockets, etc... And I liked it enough to choose it as my major at Caltech. Then it fell apart.

Physics is (was!) difficult. I spent many hours in lectures staring blankly at the professor, struggling over problem sets, tearing my hair out in exams. Eventually, after 4 years, I have to wonder - is Physics really for me?

Fortunately, I decided to give it another shot - with applied Physics at Cornell. We still have to learn the basic Physics topics for the quals - Electrodynamics, Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Thermodynamics, Applied Math. And so I did. I spent a month faithfully reviewing all that I know about these topics.

For the first time in my life, I read Griffiths' "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" from cover to cover.

For the first time in my life, I read Griffiths' "Introduction to Electrodynamics" from cover to cover.

Why did I not do that before? After all, I had used those books as an undergrad. It seemed that I was always in a hurry to get the problem set done, or I was too tired to read it carefully, etc...
And for the first time in my life, quantum mechanics and electrodynamics made sense to me (at least at the undergrad level =)).

I can hear Griffiths talking to me through those books. Griffiths is now my god of Physics.

Marion and Thornton's "Classical Dynamics" is also an excellent book. I now understand how mechanics developed. Kusse's "Mathematical Physics" is so much better than all the rest, there is no comparison.

I think I have regained my confidence. I can now look someone in the eye and say "I am a Physicist" (albeit an amateur one, but still a Physicist no doubt).

所有昨日爱恨情仇
像是一场下过的雨

Ghost town

2007-12-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

Walking around Cornell and college town during Christmas, it was not difficult to imagine that I am the last man on Earth. All I needed were a few zombies, and the picture would be complete... But when I walked into the office, Vladimir was there! Yes, there was someone else alive! And he commented that our corridor, which was unlit, felt like a scene from DOOM. How cool was that?

Sigh...

One and a half week more to the quals. I must be strong... the light at the end of the tunnel is near. But in future, I must make it a point to escape this ghost town during Christmas.

我实实在在地体会到，什么叫寂寞的季节。

仙剑奇侠传4 - 我心目中的永恒经典

2007-11-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

自仙剑奇侠传后，我一直期待着再次得到那种前所谓有的感动。但仙剑如此经典，又有什么能与争锋？仙2让我大失所望，甚至都不想再去玩仙3。但最后还是忍不住买了仙3外传。仙3外传也非常出色，但毕竟比仙1略逊一筹。当时，我确认仙1在我心中的地位已无法取代。但是，仙4出现了，而竟然超越了仙1。就用四个字来形容它 - 绝世经典。

曾经《神雕侠侣》让我空虚的心灵得到感动，后来出现了《仙剑奇侠传》, 还有《棋灵王》。终于又有了《仙剑奇侠传4》，给了我多一个不朽传说。

深知身在情长在，
前尘不共彩云飞。

仙剑万岁！永远支持仙剑！

08年1月3日编辑：其实回想起来，仙2的李忆如奋不顾身地去救李逍遥，还有苏媚的牺牲也挺感人的。仙2虽比不上仙1，但也有它独特的地方。我不会再骂仙2了。最近读了仙剑1小说，又再一次被感动。现在我以非昔日懵懂少年，比较能够体会仙1的故事了。要我在仙1与仙4之间作出抉择已经不能... 它们都是我心目中的永恒经典。

秋天的童话

2007-10-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

《蝶恋》

春去秋来又一季
春叶叶落落满地
多少花儿在凋零
天地仿佛印了菊

只见蝴蝶在树林
飞在黄昏暮色里
期待一天再相聚
红花蝶影能相映

我若没记错，这是新传媒《金牌师爷》的插曲。它诗情画意的歌词，扣人心弦的旋律，让我在Cornell的落叶当中翩翩起舞。

我妈说我的诗太悲伤了。可我觉得我一定要在满怀惆怅，富有沧桑的情况下才会有灵感。

问君能有几多愁？
恰似一江春水向东流。

不过做人还是别太感情用事吧... 我一定要尝试在最快乐的心情和环境下写下一首诗。

浪子心声

2007-10-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

《浪子心声》

风沙岁月多变迁
沧海几何变桑田
前尘往事成云烟
醉卧红尘笑人间

林逸凡著于2007年10月17日

我生命中的主题曲

2007-09-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

我生命中的每个阶段，都有它的主题曲。每当我回首看我一生，总会以歌曲来代表种种回忆。

RI - 《跟往事干杯》
VJC - 《细水长流》，《庸人自扰》
Caltech - 《遗忘过去》，《壮志在我胸》
Cornell - 《追风英雄》

还有我曾经喜欢过的女孩子，

YX - 《心太软》，《生死相许》，《红雨》
CH - 《祝你一路顺风》
SH - 《恋人未满》，《北京一夜》
JY - 《感谢你用心爱我》，《后来》

多年以后，我又会唱着什么歌呢？

I got 1%!

2007-08-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

Research is a long hard road, paved with blood, sweat and tears. I still remembered my first solar cell, with 0.08% efficiency. That is absymal, compared with 1.6% that others have done with the same materials, or 6.5% for the record organic solar cell efficiency.

Soon after, with some improvements, I got 0.65%. But that became a brick wall, and it was not before long that my efficiencies went back to 0.40%, for inexplicable reasons. All I targeted then was to get 1%. But I seemed to have been stuck in a hole.

George told me that we just need to focus on proof of principle, rather than going all out to break efficiency records. And then I met Prof Tang, who gave me a sound piece of advice - rather than blindly focusing on efficiencies, I can do a good PhD just by looking at solar cell mechanisms and stability.

So I did. I decided to forget about efficiencies for a while, and go study energy transfer in solar cells. And you really do not need your cells to work all that well for that project. So life was easier, in a way.

But who can give up the dream of high efficiency? It is, after all, the ultimate goal, and what everyone else is concerned about. So I went back to it, like a stubborn child. And with increased knowledge and expertise, I finally got 1.28%... after 1 year. Not too bad in my humble opinion.

Can I publish, though? I still have to worry about that, and how I can best present my data. But breaking the 1% is almost like a childhood dream. More symbolic than anything else, I suppose.

Science, impactless paper or impactful paper

2007-08-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

A visitor from Hong Kong working in my lab now is impressed that our group has published a Science paper last year. To him, a Science or Nature paper seems like an end in itself. Once you have a Science or Nature paper, you are somebody. You have "made it".

However, a post-doc in my group, also from Hong Kong, holds the opinion that many Science and Nature papers are "useless". And in a way, it is true. Many papers get into these journals because they describe a novel idea or technique. And it may be just that - novel, but not very useful or practical. Hence the impact is limited.

On the other hand, there are some papers published in lesser journals like Applied Physics Letters, but have nevertheless made a huge impact. The first paper on the bilayer organic solar cell, for instance, was published in APL, but it now has over 600 citations. It is fair to say that it kickstarted the entire field of organic solar cells.

So while I still do dream of the Science or Nature paper, I think I will rather focus my attention now on getting something "useful", or just something at all. And I am not ashamed to say that APL is my favorite journal. It has got a wide readership, and it is the main platform for organic electronics. Not to mention that at this point in my scientific career, the priority is still more papers, rather than high quality papers. I think all 3 of us share the same view - as a grad student, first try to get 2-3 papers out, before focusing on quality. We need to graduate. Good luck to us all.

Reiki is unconditional love

2007-07-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

I have finally understood for myself what Reiki is truly about.

It is not about supernatural powers or playing god.
It is not about ego or showing off, or being better than others.
It is about healing, but then, it is much more than that.

Reiki is about unconditional love.

Master has said that several times. But it is only now that I truly grasped her meaning.

And with Reiki, I do not ever have to feel lonely again.

S21 万岁！

2007-07-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

十年如一日。

一群知心朋友。一群陪我度过青春年少的朋友。多年以后，又再相逢，我们都有了疲倦的笑容。

Kenli, 你依然保持着那半梦半醒的神态。
天艺，你和以前一样地温柔体贴。
David, 你依然那么blur, 可爱的blur。
盈秀, 你的crappiness一点都不减当年。
瑞珊，你仍然持有那武林高手的风范。

哈哈，我感觉我还在写我们S21的crapbook。真是回味无穷。

让我们举起杯，跟往事干杯。

为什么你背着我爱别人

2007-06-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

最心爱的情人,却伤害我最深,
为什么你背着我爱别人.
女人天真的眼神,藏着冷酷的针.
人生看不清,却奢望永恒.
哦,软弱的灵魂,已陷入太深.
为什么你背着我爱别人.
早已冷却的吻,藏在心中加温.
爱情充满残忍,我却太认真.
爱一层层,被撕裂......

我给她戴上的面具，终于被揭开了。

罢了，不是你的就别再勉强。命运就爱作弄人，一切还是随缘吧。

雨天

2007-05-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

山雨欲来风满楼。

Ithaca 的天空可说是开了个大洞。豆大的雨点排山倒海地撒落大地。这个雷电交加，风卷残云的一幕，让我感受到大自然无穷的，神秘的力量。清爽舒畅的气息，更然我思念新加坡的热带风情。

也许雨一停，我就能再见到你？
也许雨该一直下不停。

细水长流

2007-05-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

Cornell 的毕业典礼，突然让我想起梁文福的《细水长流》。

问一声我的朋友，何时再为我吹奏？

看到大家的兴奋和喜悦，我自己也陶醉在其中。情不自禁地憧憬我自己毕业的情景。但喜悦当中，也含着一丝的惆怅与伤感。

今天走上台阶的朋友，是否都成为我的生命过客？今日离别，何日再见？我深深地祝福你们，也盼望我们能够青山不改，绿水长流。

The Technosexual...?!

2007-05-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

So, after the Metrosexual, Ubersexual, Jetrosexual, we now have... the Technosexual. The initial description sounds like something I may be able to aspire to: up to speed with the latest gadgets, plugged in through your Blackberry, hang out in virtual communities, shop online and rely on blogs and forums for news.

But here's a description of the outfit that this "Technosexual" lady is wearing:

"Patent bustier dress, $299, and matching gloves, $79, both by Xotic from Tangs Orchard Level 2; leather corset, $3,199, from Jean Paul Gaultier, 01-13 Paragon; Samsung MP3 player YP-K5, $378, for 4GB and $278 for 2GB, available from electronic retail stores"

$3,199?!

It is the same for all the other sexuals - humongous spending power. Seems like you need to be rich to be sexy, huh... being sexy is now an exclusive club these days. Haiz...

Public beauty or private beauty

2007-05-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

Yue asked me if I prefer a girlfriend who is pretty in the day but ugly at night, or ugly in the day but pretty at night. Basically, is it better to be beautiful in public or in private? First of all, I wonder why she can't be beautiful both in public and private! Incidentally, Lee, Wei, Jong all chose to have public beauty. But I think public beauty is superficial - it is for showing off. A girl who's beautiful in private has true beauty, in my humble opinion.

Wei seems surprised that I care about personality. And why not? But then, perhaps this is the age when personality is secondary to beauty.

缘尽今生

2007-04-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

回首看我一生
发现爱的旅程不完整
宁愿只爱一人
也不愿一生为情所困
黄昏中的女人
是否该放弃为爱去等
情深若已变冷
一切只能空留余恨
到了何时我才能
拥有一个知心的人
让我爱让我疼
为我擦干多年的泪痕
寒风中只剩我一人
我的爱擦肩去无声
不再问什么是缘份
注定没有爱情的根
寒风中只剩我一人
我的爱擦肩去无声
不再守候一扇空门
没有爱情的根

So this is how it ends

2007-04-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

1 year 4 months 20 days... this is how it ends. It seems inevitable for some time. Yet, I had hoped for some miracle to happen. But you cannot fight against fate, can you?

莹，谢谢你给我一段美好的回忆。我深深地祝福你，希望你找到幸福。

我想这首《庸人自扰》最贴切地表达我的感受。让我和天下所有在感情受过伤害的人一起分享。

《庸人自扰》

爱不爱都受煎熬
同林鸟飞远了
谁不想暮暮朝朝
真心换来伤心
爱恨一肩挑牙关紧咬
人生如粗饭劣肴
心中骂嘴里嚼
谁不想快活到老
茫茫人海渺渺
真情那里找
岁月又不轻饶
一生得几回年少
又何苦庸人自扰
斩不断情丝难了
爱人不见了
清醒还要趁早
乱麻要快刀
一生得几回年少
倦鸟终归要回巢
红尘路走过几遭
花开又花落
世事难预料
笑一笑往事随风飘

一个怕孤独的人

2007-03-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

在这相思的深夜里，我又哭了。

我恨自己是个，怕孤独的人。

Yee Fun's guide to free air tickets

2007-03-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

This guide is specific to obtaining free round trip Northwest tickets while travelling to and from Ithaca. But in principle it can be adapted to any other itinerary.

(i) Buy a Northwest ticket to return to Ithaca at the end of Thanksgiving/ Cornell Winter Break/ Cornell Spring Break. (Yes you have to pay first - nothing is absolutely free!)

(ii) While waiting in Detroit to return to Ithaca, stay near the gate and look out for oversold announcements. The flight is likely oversold on these dates.

(iii) When they ask for volunteers to take the next flight, IMMEDIATELY jump to the podium and
be the first to volunteer.

(iv) Enjoy your free hotel room, meal vochers, and FREE round-trip ticket.

(v) In principle, you can keep on volunteering - ie. volunteer when it oversold again on the next flight, and the next, etc...

I am the proud owner of 2 free round-trip tickets. Too bad I had to come back. They had once again asked for volunteers on my flight back, which would have meant a 3rd free ticket...

Spring is here! Long live the sun =)

2007-03-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

For the past 2 days, temperatures have been above freezing - and those gargantuan piles of snow are melting! The feeling of the warm sun on my face did incredible things to lift my spirits. I have been putting on a brave front, but I have to admit the months of cold and little sunshine have been making me depressed.

I opened the windows for the first time in 2 months yesterday. Finally, all the foul air which was making me sick was gone.

The sun is back, and it will only get better from here. May the sun bring new life into my experiments too。阳光总在风雨后 - the sun always comes out after a storm =)

曾经强求太多

2007-03-09T15:19:00.000-08:00

曾经强求太多
换得几许失落
一切仿佛都是梦
会不会梦也成空

也许雨一停

2007-02-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

也许雨一停我就能再见到你？
也许该一直下不停...

The life of a theoretical physicist

2007-02-14T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here's an excerpt from "The Trouble with Physics", by Lee Smolin:

"We are talking about thirty years of continual hard work, involving many complicated calculations. Imagine doing your income tax every day, all day, for a week, and still not getting the calculations to add up consistently. You have an error somewhere, but you can't find it. Now imagine a month spent like that. Can you stretch it to a year? Now imagine twenty years. Now imagine that there are a couple of dozen people around the world spending their time like this."

Here's another:

"Supergravity was not doing this (starting from a deep principle). Although it was indeed a proposal for a new unification, it was one that could be expressed, and checked, only in the context of mind-crushingly boring calculations."

These sentiments pretty much summed up the reason why I cannot be a theoretical physicist. I have already been exposed to mind-crushingly boring calculations while doing 6 problems a week from Jackson's "Classical Electrodynamics". They took 20-25 hours every week. There was a Quantum Mechanics class, where the homework sometimes just could not be done. I gave up on those - but I remembered a friend who will persevere to the bitter end. He took extensions and spent a week on one particular problem. And he scared me to death.

If I cannot even tolerate a 25-hour problem set, how can I possibly bring myself to persevere for 20 years? I imagine some of these 20-year people may be as smart as Dirac, Feynmann, or even Einstein, but somehow they were on the wrong track, or borned at the wrong time. If your theory works, you win the nobel prize and achieve immortality. If not, well, your whole life is a tragedy. If Einstein is alive today, would he work on String Theory? Can he bring about another revolution in Physics?

Ultimately, I have deep respect for theoretical physicists. They are in a field that I am dying to go into, but do not have the guts or perseverance for.

An incredible coincidence

2007-02-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

My research got stuck in a hole, and in desperation I emailed a grad student who had already graduated from the group for help. He's already a Post-doc at Stanford, but to my amazement, he told me that he's right here at Ithaca! Apparently, he decided to come back for a short visit, and I just happened to email him at this time. The coincidence is nothing short of incredible.

Fate works in strange ways, it seems.

About Caltech

2007-02-01T21:54:00.000-08:00

So I was just reminescing about the times that I spent in Tyler's room, watching Survivor. There was Chad, Teddy, Merrett, Kevin, Tyler, and me, of course. And today (well not exactly, but I detected his return today), Kevin has returned to blogosphere. Quite a coincidence, I feel =)

Caltech brings back lots of memories of sleepless nights and pulling my hair out. But was it all bad? Looking back, I find that I missed quite a bit about the place - Chandler, Pattaya Thai Cafe, ski trips, road trips, alley wars, paintball, Yosemite, Morro Bay, the steam tunnels... Now the tunnels are really unique, and I doubt there's anything like it anywhere else. And, talking to Kenny, Eric, Kevin when they visited a few months back, I found that they miss some of these things too.

Kenny once said that at Caltech, people actually found friends for the first time. Before, in high school, they were ridiculed and called dorks, but at Tech, there is a bunch of like-minded people who love science and engineering. I'm glad to say that Cornell is like that as well =)

Now, did I actually write all that? I think I surprise even myself. If I can do that more often, I'll be a much more balanced person, and then I may even be happy about those times. Maybe.

后来

2007-02-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

后来，我总算学会了如何去爱
可惜你早已远去消失在人海
后来，终于在眼泪中明白
有些人一旦错过就不再...

在这相思的深夜里
你是否一样, 也在静静追悔感伤
如果当时我们能不那么倔强
现在也不那么遗憾...

你都如何回忆我
带着笑或是很沉默?
这些年来有没有人能让你不寂寞?

Cornell 的雪景

2007-01-27T19:50:00.000-08:00

在不远的过去, 我曾经对雪有恐惧感。想着风雪冰天的夜晚，寒风彻骨，就不知道该如何面对。但现在不同了。

我喜欢下雪。

细细的雪花，形成了一层薄雾。我独自在烟雪中漫步，陶醉在其中。偶尔停下脚步，倾听细雪打在我背上，享受万籁寂静的时光。不知不觉，已走到我熟悉的 Giles Street. 回头一望，洁白的雪地上唯有我路过的痕迹。

郭襄传奇 (3)

2006-12-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

“郭姑娘，十年不见，你... 你还好吧？”

郭襄大喜，猛然转过身来，道，“杨大...”。一句话刚出口，顿时又愣住了。站在自己面前的，不是杨过，而是张君宝。

“原来是你...” 郭襄的语气当中隐藏不住自己的失望。突然一个念头飞快地呈现在脑海中，“杨大哥呢？他一定在附近，对吗？”

郭襄对杨过的思念让张君宝感到惊讶。他定了定神，道，“没有，我一个人上山，并没有见到杨大侠。” 郭襄道，“不可能，刚才这石子破空的惊人力道，一定是出自于我外公的弹子神通。外公过世后，只有杨大哥会使这门功夫。况且，刚才我肯定听见了他的声音。”

张君宝不慌不忙地拾起了一粒石子，开始把上层的九阳真气运入手指当中，对准一棵大树掷了出去。只见片刻前完好的一棵树出现了苹果般大的窟窿。“五年前，杨过杨大侠到武当山来找过我。”张君宝解释道，“他说大宋面临灭亡，希望我能出一份力量。过后他传授于我弹子神通这门上层功夫，还特别嘱咐我要助郭大侠一臂之力。”

“你撒谎！”郭襄的情绪开始激动，“杨大哥到深山隐居，又怎么可能上武当山找你？他若是那么爱国，却又为何不亲自出面抗蒙？”突然坐倒在地上，放声大哭。

张君宝开始不知所措。他踌躇了一阵，坐下在郭襄旁边，道，“杨大侠一心要与龙女侠隐居深山，本来就不希望再见世人。可他又不忍心亲眼见到大宋灭亡，所以...况且，在杨大侠心中还有一件事情放不下...”

过后的事情，张君宝的回忆中只是模糊一片。他只知道郭襄突然伸出双臂，把他紧紧地搂在怀里。在冰冷的雪地中，郭襄的身躯感觉异常温暖。张君宝的一颗心怦怦乱跳。他对眼前这位姑娘的拥抱是一点防备都没有，一身的绝世武功也根本起不了作用。他只恨不的天与地在那时刻停止旋转，让时光永远停留在那一刻。

豆大般的泪水从郭襄眼中不断涌出。她的哭声中包含了十多年的爱恨情仇，还加上了这几天内巨大的变化。过了许久，郭襄才慢慢地平静下了。她放开了张君宝，道，“张师弟，对不起，我失态了。”

张君宝如梦初醒，道，“没...没关系。你不要太难过了。”

郭襄道，“对了，你是怎么会上黑木崖呢？”

张君宝道，“我听说蒙古大攻襄阳，连夜赶路，希望能助郭大侠抗蒙。可是当我抵达襄阳城，郭大侠与黄女侠已双双遇害。” 听到这里，郭襄险些又要哭出来。张君宝继续道，“我到处打听,知道那几位蒙古武士刚匆忙地离开,好像是去追赶一匹小红马。我担心他们会对你不利，就追了过来。”

“多谢张师弟的救命之恩，请受小女子一拜。” 说到这里，郭襄真的跪在地上，恭恭敬敬地磕了一个响头。

张君宝满脸飞红，忙道，“郭姑娘请起。”

郭襄又道，“现在当务之急，就是要打听风卷残云的行踪，把屠龙刀夺回来。可是天地之大，去那里找啊？”突然灵机一动，拔出倚天剑，在石壁上克了三行字：

武林至尊，宝刀屠龙
号令天下，莫敢不从
倚天不出，谁与争锋？

张君宝道，“嗯，这主意不错，让天下人都来帮你找屠龙刀。”

“好了，事不宜迟，我这就去追赶风卷残云。张师弟的救命之恩，我会毕生牢记在心里。咱们就此别过。” 说完这句话，郭襄骑上小红马，飞快地奔下黑木崖。

张君宝望着郭襄的背影，手里抚摸着怀中的镯子，怔怔地出神。

在一个不远的地方，一位独臂男子，深深叹了一口气。

追风少年

2006-11-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

追逐天边最冷的北风
寻找世界最高的山峰
我把孤独当作朋友
天地任我遨游不为谁停留
虽然很多事情我不懂
虽然留下的伤会很痛
我把泪水藏在眼中
一步一步往前走
我要作追风的英雄

还我一片蓝天

2006-11-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

日出东方，唯我不败。

笑傲江湖里的一句“名言”，东方不败的称号。日出东方，代表着无限力量，享有至高无上的地位。太阳也可以是一中信仰，一种宗教吗？也许它是我的吧。我现在和未来的理想，都和太阳有关。

Followers of Apollo, worshippers of the sun god =)

还我一片蓝天！

There is no superior personality, only superior adaptation

2006-10-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

One of the few philosophical and profound things that came to me =)

My first solar cell!

2006-10-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Research is a long, hard road. I'm slowly but surely getting myself back into the lab. Today I made my first solar cell! The efficiency is really low - 0.08%. It's a long way from my short term 1.7% target. But with diligence and perseverence, I will make it there.

Right now, it's just wonderful to see a voltage coming out of my little cell after those lovely photons strike it =)

I have been reconnected

2006-09-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Finally, the last piece of the jigsaw is in - I've got my internet! Now my little apartment has got everything I need. At least for now. Been spending so much on all these stuff - kinda scary. But I guess I need them for 5 years, so they are probably worth it.

This post shall be a celebration of my online resurrection.

生命中的旅程碑

2006-08-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

我一向不喜欢变化，尤其是巨大的那种。去Caltech四年，真是个天翻地覆的改变。四年总算熬过去了，兴高采烈地回到美丽新加坡。可转眼间，又是五年要在Cornell度过。

五年？怎么受得了呢？我也许还是个小孩，不想长大吧...

每到了生命中的一个旅程碑，我都希望有个新的开始。这一次也不例外。我的直觉对我说，Cornell会是属于我的地方。

新加坡的朋友，咱们青山不改，绿水长流，后会有期！

Shanghai

2006-07-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

I never imagine I'll return... Memories of my last visit mainly comprised of those cute traffic controllers standing at the 4 corners of the road intersection blowing their whistles at bold jaywalkers. There were so many people then - and even more now! 3 subway lines less than a year and a half ago, now there are 5 and counting. The pace of change is breath-taking. Perhaps 10 lines by the next time I come?

Shanghainese are no doubt extremely capable people, but also very hospitable. Ying's little aunt showered us with so many gifts, almost couldn't bring them back...

浪奔浪流

In canto the song 上海滩 (Shanghai bund) is sung "Lor-hong bang! Lor-hong lau...". Simply gave me the image of giant waves crashing against a magnificent shoreline. Was somewhat disappointment to discover that this is not the case. My fantasy of the grand Shanghai tsunami engulfing Andy Lau on the beach will just have to evaporate.

ORD countdown 2

2006-06-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

24 days to 2nd ORD, 16 working days more to go. The end is near! The light! Paradise!

I wonder why I bother with ORD countdowns at all. It certainly indicates a profound and deep seated dissatisfaction with my endeavours and pursuits. Is it a problem with my superiors? My colleagues? My environment? Or maybe it's just ME. But how do I come to terms with a less than satisfactory arrangement, other than lower my expectations? Can I really hope or expect for anything? Perhaps I should not even dare to hope.

问君能有几多愁，
恰似一江春水向东流。

一切只不过是过眼云烟，就让我远去，消失在人海...

Are Singaporeans stupid?

2006-04-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

So the great Li Ao has spoken. Singaporeans are **gasp** stupid!

Or are we?

Most Singaporeans will object. Some will agree. Many foreigners in Singapore may agree.

What are Li Ao's complaints? We have bad genes? Well, as of now, no one is able to look at the DNA and tell immediately whether this person is smart or stupid. That'll guarantee a nobel prize, probably.

I think some of the things that foreigners say about us can roughly be classified as such:

1. We listen and obey everything our government tell us to do. Somewhat blindly even. We sacrificed personal benefit for the greater good of society (hey this seems like a good thing?!). Hmmm, are we that noble? I think for the early generation of Singaporeans, it is largely true. Singapore is fighting for its survival. People need jobs and money. There ain't time for petty squabbles and inefficiencies. It's like - get the job done ASAP, and do it well. So if the government has the best solution, then why argue? Now the question becomes whether the government has the best solution. It depends on your own opinion I guess. But from what I observe, many Singaporeans from the older generation (pre-65) think so. The "crisis" mentality is not so inherent in the post-65 generation, who are also more critical of the govt and hoping for more opposition, in my humble opinion.

2. We do not appreciate the arts and know hardly any history or music or literature. I think this is related to the previous point. Economic survival is #1 priority in everybody's mind. So where's the time for these "useless" things? Pragmatism and more pragmatism. Perhaps I may add, Singapore ain't a mature society yet. I figured in 10-20 years time, a more mature society will emerge, in which people will have the time and money (!) to appreciate the "finer" things in life.

3. We don't understand how things work in other countries. We are so caught up in our own "success" that we become arrogant and condescending. So when we go to China to do business, for example, we lose money and go bankrupt since we do things in a way against the system of "guanxi" - human to human relationships. Hmmm... maybe this is a more valid criticism. Perhaps if Singaporeans travel more (need money!) and meet foreigners on a regular basis this can improve. Or be more sociable and interact more with all our expats and foreign friends in Singapore.

Can't think of any more at the moment. Even the above sound like sweeping generalisations. But I'll make them for the sake of discussion.

So it seems like I am defending Singaporeans. And why not? I'm a Singaporean. And I don't believe that Singaporeans are stupid =)

Now I feel old...

2006-04-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

In Ithaca Downtown, the commons, Mageline restaurant...

Prospective student A: People think I'm still 18! In fact I'm so old - already 23!
Grad student B: I'll only turn 23 this Jan. I'm still young!
Grad student C: Sigh, I'm already 24...

Shucks, I didn't even dare to tell them how old I am... 25 going on to 26??!!! And I'm not even a grad student yet? Now I really feel the effects of NS + attachment...

Cornell is amazing... Waterfalls and creeks on campus? Woah. I am one happy man =). Professor X summarized for us some of the other universities: University A and College B are nerdy and intense. College C has arrogant faculty. And how true! My sentiments exactly. I feel everyone (well most) at Cornell are so friendly and helpful. Will it be my dream campus? Time will tell.

郭襄传奇（2）

2006-03-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

四天后。

面对着悬崖峭壁，郭襄只觉得万籁寂静，寒风彻骨。

恢复知觉后，郭襄便毫无目标地奔驰着。想到爹娘遇害的情景，只觉得心灰意冷。但黄蓉最后的嘱咐一直盘旋在脑海里。

复国大业就交给你们了。

郭襄心道，“我一个小女子，怎么负得起复国如此重任？不过怎样都不能辜负爹娘和大宋的子民... 当前势必远离襄阳城，今后再作打算。”

不知不觉中，已到了黑木崖。

“这地势如此险峻，也难怪人烟稀少。” 郭襄盘算着，“我先找个隐蔽的山洞待上十天半月再作打算。唉，要是杨大哥在，他一定有办法...”

“小姑娘一个人多寂寞，让大爷来陪陪你！” 突如其来的声音使郭襄大吃一惊，只见巴拉，巴不兴，巴拉古玛已奔上山崖。“该死！他们已追上来，我竟没发觉到？” 郭襄暗叹。

巴拉道，“郭女侠不必担心，只要你交出倚天剑和屠龙刀，并效忠于蒙古，我们是不会亏待你的。我们的师叔很欣赏你，还想收你为徒！”

郭襄怒道，“你们三位蒙古走狗一直阴魂不散，正合我意，省得我费心思找你们报仇！三人一起上吧！” 手里已握着倚天剑，向巴不兴刺出。

郭襄家传的玉箫剑法实中带虚，虚中带实，已到了行云流水的境界。当中配合了九阳神功的上层内力，又持有绝世宝剑，以一敌三竟丝毫不落下风。拆了二十余招，巴不兴的手臂被划了一道长长的缺口。再过十余招，巴拉古玛的大腿也中剑，鲜血一涌而出。

“三位蒙古勇士，竟奈何不住一位小姑娘！蒙古的脸给你们丢尽了！你们三位饭桶让一边去!” 只见一个鬼影飞奔上山，速度奇快，一转眼已奔到郭襄面前。

“郭女侠，今天我几位不成材的师侄献丑了。在下风卷残云，让我以家传龙象般若功领教姑娘的剑法。”

“哼！当年金轮法王使出此功，最后还不是败在杨大哥手下，现在还大言不惭说来吓人！” 郭襄怒道。

“那要比过才知道。” 风卷残云不慌不忙地运内力，郭襄只觉得一股劲排山倒海地压着全身，顿时动弹不得，只能以九阳神功真气拼命抵抗。这股劲来得快，去得更快。郭襄毫无防备，险些跌倒。只见风卷残云擦身而过，手里已将屠龙刀夺去。

“小姑娘，我看在你是小辈的分上一直以礼相待。你想我这招飞龙探云手若不是为了取刀，而是在你胸前刺上几个窟窿，你现在还有命吗？还是乖乖投降，效忠蒙古吧。当年金轮法王学艺不精，没法把龙象般若功发挥到最高境界。你若拜我为师，以你的聪明才智，不到十年就可以超越他当年的境界。” 风卷残云胜券在握，得意地道。

别怕，用暗器打他...

一阵熟悉却隔别多时的声音隐隐传到郭襄耳中，突听见几枚暗器破空袭到。风卷残云大惊，立时举起铜轮抵挡，只感觉手中一麻，铜轮脱手而出。转眼一看，巴拉，巴不兴，巴拉古玛已遭石子穿胸而过，当场毙命。

“这世上竟有如此高人，以石子震飞了我的铜轮，内力之强，已到深不可测的境界！” 风卷残云不再犹豫，展开上层轻功奔驰离去。

“还我屠龙刀！” 郭襄大急，也展开轻功追了上去。风卷残云倒名不虚传，脚上功夫可是一等一，片刻之间已失去踪影。

别怕，用暗器打他...
别怕，用暗器打他！

“杨大哥！” 郭襄似乎如梦初醒，疯狂地奔上悬崖。

“杨大哥！杨大哥！杨...”

十里之内，却哪里有杨过的影子？

Cornell here I come!

2006-03-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

It's been 3 years... 3 long years. I have almost forgotten what it's like to be a student. But finally the wait is drawing to an end. What I have been waiting for and working towards all these while, is finally within reach.

I think from the moment Cornell accepted me on Feb 17, 2003, I knew I wanted to go there. Even when Stanford rejected me, I didn't really feel anything - I sort of expected them to do that. Regardless of what others say, Cornell has always been the place for me. My instincts have almost always been right - I believe they will prove me right once again.

浪子心声

2006-02-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

是否想过到处流浪会是一种什么样的心境？

作为大都市的一分子，难免会想到流浪的不便。如三餐不定，忍受日晒雨林等等...

当蜻蜓不再飞翔
当蝴蝶不再流浪

就如小虎队的《再见》，有些人可能就只想到处漂流，不能停留下来。他们渴望流浪的那种沧桑感...

当我陶醉在夕阳的温暖，漂浮在远方刮来的凉风时，就会有想要离开一切，要飞到那遥远的地方看一看，到一个没有handphone, email, internet 的地方。在那里，或许可以找到真正的我，不问世俗的悲欢离合，不体会人生的生老病死。

像疯狂逃避的举动吧？过于浪漫的幻想？

走在铁路旁我弹着吉他
老牛对我望啊和风来作伴

那将是什么样的心情？

Confess your sins

2006-01-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

被点名了！感觉好像快把自己的心解剖出来示众...

问题1：如果看到最爱的人熟睡在自己面前,你会做些什么？
假装睡着。

问题2：写首自己最最喜欢的歌吧,然后写上为什么,要具体点哦。
以前喜欢小虎队的《庸人自扰》，因为它提我说出肺腑之言。现在也喜欢徐小凤唱的浮沉主题曲《不夜城传奇》。当时莹常给我听时，仿佛找回了失散多年的朋友。

问题3：当你最不知道穿什么颜色的时候,你会选什么颜色啊？
黑色。最容易配了。

问题4：2005年，你最后悔的一件事是什么？
这一年很开心，没什么好后悔的 =）

问题5：如果有一天，你突然发现自己变成了动感超人，而且还会放动感光波，就是比较丑，那么你会不会维护世界和平？
这样就能维护世界和平吗？好！我不入地狱，谁入地狱。

问题6：曾经有过最被感动的事情是什么?
Cornell 在我感觉被世人遗弃时收留了我。

问题7：忍不住常要去吃的东西----是什么?店名叫什么?在哪?
Curry puff. Blk 722 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6. 哈哈我在为他们打广告。

问题8：如果你是男生（是女生的想象自己是男生），一个很胖但是五官很漂亮的女生和一个身材很好但是很丑的女生，你愿意选择谁做你女朋友？
倘若很胖五官就不会漂亮到哪里去... 我选择身材。

问题9：如果明天就要死掉，你现在最想做但后悔没做的事是啥？
乘我的风帆，消失在烟雨中。

问题10：如果给你一笔钱，让你现在选择一个地方和恋人过一辈子，你会去哪里？
还是留在新加坡，这里才是我的家。我会用钱去填土，在 Jurong Island 旁填一个岛，然后盖房子。

问题11：做过最坏的事情是什么？做错之后是怎么弥补的？
把朋友的车砸烂了。赔个轮胎给他...

问题12：当你有一笔额外的收入(1000元以下).你是会买自己爱好的东西捏(比如我喜欢唱歌,我还差个声卡)还是买表面工程?(表面工程包括衣服,化妆品等等)
爱好的东西。

问题13：如果给你一天时间成为一个明星，你成为谁？为什么？
刘德华。老了还那么有魅力。

问题14：生命中的第一个爱人在心中占什么样的位置，他/她是否在你心中永远占有特殊位置？
没什么地位了，她让我了解我感情应该追求什么。和不应该追求什么。

问题15：请分别对你即将tag的五个人各说一句肺腑之言
不 tag 人，所以不用说。

问题16：如何才能做到“早睡早起”？
不可能...

问题17：每个人教我一道自己最拿手的菜的做法吧？
我特制的五香肉丁炒饭。也许只有我觉得拿手吧。

问题18：请被点到的人回答最近最想念的人是谁？
莹。快从伊朗回来吧。

问题19：怎样才能知道自己到底想要什么，然后坚定的去争取而不再轻易的犹豫和动摇？[出题人rui costa]
靠直觉。

问题20：感到孤独时你做些什么？[出题人henna]
听歌。

问题21：你认为人生最值得追求的三种品格是什么？理由。 [mazha]
舍己为人
诚恳待人
坚持自己的原则

问题22：你最知心的朋友是谁，同性还是异性？[smell]
异性。

问题23: 变成一棵植物, 你想做什么? 生活在哪里? [popo]
Redwood tree. North California.

问题24：如果roommate无理取闹，让你忍无可忍怎办？
离开房间。疯狂地逃避。

问题 25: 你收到过最令你难忘的礼物是什么? [田琳]
莹做的生日卡。

问题26：你为什么和我一样会坚持答完所有的问题？[付钰]
实在太无聊了。

问题27：哪段音乐会强烈地使你想起以前的哪种情景、画面？[蒋莹]
高胜美的《彩云伴海鸥》。是我小四的歌。让我想起那时天天恐慌的心情。也许更是恐慌，印象就更深刻...

问题28：一生有几位知己？[逸凡]

我不点名了。若有谁也想 confess 的话，请自便吧。

Battle of the sexes

2006-01-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

Had wanted to continue my 郭襄 story, but hadn't got time to sit down for a long period of time. So that'll have to wait a while.

Here's a quote from an article from New York Times Magazine, "What's a Modern Girl to Do?", by Maureen Dowd:

Men, apparently, learn early to protect their eggshell egos from high-achieving women. The girls said they hid the fact that they went to Harvard from guys they met because it was the kiss of death. ''The H-bomb,'' they dubbed it. ''As soon as you say Harvard Business School . . . that's the end of the conversation,'' Ani Vartanian said. ''As soon as the guys say, 'Oh, I go to Harvard Business School,' all the girls start falling into them.''

I'm not a chauvinist or feminist or whatever, but I see truth in these words. Why are things like that? My theory is that in a relationship, the girl wants to feel protected, while the guy wants to be the protector. A guy from Harvard Business School is deemed to be smart and employable, so he is likely to be rich, influential, powerful, all the qualities that make him more suitable as a protector. A girl from Harvard, on the other hand, only serve to intimidate the guy... and burst his eggshell ego... (he is now incapable of protecting her!)

郭襄传奇（１）

2005-12-19T01:41:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: the characters in this story are not mine, but they belong to the great master 金庸. The first paragraph is from 倚天屠龙记. The rest of the story is mine. It is not meant to be an accurate historical account, and I apologise for any historical errors.

张君宝含泪接了镯子。郭襄又道：“你跟我爹爹妈妈说，我身子很好，请他们不用记挂。我爹爹最喜欢年少英雄，见你这等人才，说不定会收了你做徒儿。我弟弟忠厚老实，一定跟你说得来。只是我姐姐脾气大些，一个不对，说话便不给人留脸面，但你只须顺着她些儿，也就是了。”说着转身而去...

***

十一年后，襄阳城。

郭靖一会儿望着眼前的稀客，一会儿望着夫人，道，“蓉儿，此今忽必列率领大军猛攻襄阳，大敌当前的紧要关头，你却只顾着襄儿这几年的去向？”

黄蓉道“还有什么事比襄儿更重要？襄儿你也真是的，一去就去了十三年，你知道爹娘有多担心？”

郭襄低声道，“我听说临安有杨大哥的消息，本想连夜赶去，后来知道蒙古大军又攻襄阳，一直放心不下，就赶来襄阳找爹娘。”

黄蓉轻叹了一声，道，“为了一个不爱你的人，付出了大半青春，值得吗？”

郭襄道，“我知道杨大哥心里只有杨大嫂，我也只想再见他一面，跟他说上几句话，就心满意足了...”

“师父，师娘，你们都累了，喝一口茶吧。”郭襄随着声音望去，只见武修文拿着茶杯走了进来。“师妹，你这些年来可好吗？”武修文笑着说。

“嗯”郭靖接过茶杯，又道，“襄儿，现在情势紧迫，你和过儿的事，我们以后再提。现在有件很重要的事要你去办，你肯为我大宋效劳吗？”

郭襄道，“什么事连爹娘都办不到的？为国为民，襄儿全力以赴，死而后已。”

郭靖道，“蒙古大军此番南征势如破竹，眼见襄阳城就要不保，大宋江山危在旦夕，我无德无能...”

黄蓉插口道，“靖哥哥，不要再说了... 襄儿，我已经把你杨大哥的玄铁剑化了，打造成一把倚天剑，一把屠龙刀。我和你爹把一身所学藏在里头。这里有个锦囊，它会告诉你怎么解开其中的秘密。希望你能找个有缘人，把刀剑交给他，负国大业就交给你们了。” 说着拿出了刀剑与锦囊，交给郭襄。郭襄愣了片刻，恭恭敬敬地收下了。“好吧，襄儿，你快走吧。”

郭襄道，“不，我怎么可以扔下爹娘不管？”

郭靖道，“快，不走就来不及了。你爹娘已准备战死在襄阳城。”

突然远方传来一阵冷笑，“一家团聚，好感人的一幕！可惜就快没命了。” 一瞬间，三个人影已出现在面前。

郭襄一惊，暗道，“这几个人可以自如地进城，武功之高，已在耶律齐之上，不过比起爹爹还差得远。” 郭靖怒道，“你们是什么人？凭你们三人就想杀了郭某？”

站在前面的大汉道，“好，就说给你听，让你死地瞑目。我叫巴拉，这是巴不兴，这位是巴拉古玛。我们是金轮法王的师弟。”

郭靖不屑道，“哼！当年金轮法王就是命丧在襄阳，你们还敢来这撒野！” 说着左手一招飞龙在天，右手一招见龙在田，就要向三人进攻，却突然感到腹中一阵剧痛，浑身使不出力来。郭襄和黄蓉见此变化都大吃一惊，双双拿出兵刃来。

巴拉冷笑道，“我已叫你宝贝徒儿让你服了我的祖传秘方, 七步断肠散。你若跪地求饶，我或许会让你死得快些。”

郭靖恍然大悟，狠狠地道，“修文，你竟然欺师灭祖！”

武修文不慌不忙地道，“师父，识时务者为俊杰，眼见大宋江山已守不住，不如投靠蒙古。忽必烈念在你和他的旧情，不会亏待你的。” 一面说，一面已开始和黄蓉与郭襄交手。

远方忽传来极阴森的声音，“这么热闹的场面，哪能少了我？” 巴拉等人大喜，道，“是师叔！” 黄蓉大惊，突然使出兰花拂穴手点了郭襄的穴。这变化突如起来，郭襄根本来不及防备。黄蓉顺手把郭襄抛到小红马背上。小红马甚有灵性，马上了解主人的心意，一溜烟地奔了出去。

只听到那阴森的声音又道，“别让她跑了！把刀剑抢过来！” 黄蓉使出三十六路打狗棒法，顿时守得密不透风。四位蒙古武士片刻间也奈何她不得。郭襄动弹不得，也只能让小红马带着她与倚天剑和屠龙刀奔出城外。

Device out!

2005-12-10T03:13:00.000-08:00

After 5 gruelling months, the transistors are finally done! Though I feel that I did 30% of the work in the last 4 days. As SJ said, today (sat) ain't any different from a weekday... Now pray to ancestors that devices are good and working =)

Worms Inc

2005-12-07T03:17:00.000-08:00

Worms Inc CEO: So, my chief scientist, what have you got for me today.
Worm Inc Chief Scientist: We have come up with a new serum to make ants shrivel and die. It causes...
CEO: Great! Have you tested it on our mortal enemy, the Beaver?
Scientist: No sir. Actually, the concentration we can achieve now is too low to...
CEO: I'm so excited! We now have an effective Beaver weapon!
Scientist: With all due respect, sir, what you're asking for is impossible...
CEO: Don't tell me impossible! Go talk to people! Do your lit review! Do simulations! Find out more!
Scientist: But sir, no one has ever managed to...
CEO: I hate people who talk to me like that, do you understand?
Scientist: Um... yes sir.
CEO: You understand? Good. I want the project proposal by tomorrow.
Scientist: Yes sir.

***

Next day.

Project proposal:
(i) Synthesize serum - by end of the week
(ii) Short loop to test effect on ants - by Mon next week
(iii) Demonstrate killing of Beaver - by Wed next week
(iv) Patent filed - by Fri next week
(v) Paper to be submitted to Journal for the Glorification of the Worm Empire - by week after next

CEO: Great! I know you can do it! Can I have the paper abstract by end of today?
Scientist: Sure...

OK, I think I am REALLY bored...

Ma-i-a-hee, Ma-i-a-ho!

2005-12-02T22:33:00.000-08:00

Guo Mei Mei is driving me nuts. I keep seeing and hearing this horrible song of hers on TV. I had wanted to turn off the TV when the thing appears, but I find it too much of a trouble. They had to take a perfectly nice Chicken Little tune and mutilate it... what's up with being scared or not scared of cockroaches anyway? Sigh...

I didn't like her "Lao Shu Ai Da Mi" either. Thought it sucked when I first heard it. But then the Superstar guys and gals did an MTV of the song and it was very good. I think I just don't like Guo Mei Mei's voice. How about giving new songs to Kelly or Xin Hui instead?

OK I am complaining too much. Back to work.

Workaholism vs passion?

2005-11-30T03:54:00.000-08:00

So last night I went into the cleanroom at 9 pm. Don't get me wrong... I don't always stay till this late, but I had to check on my epi growth with S. Anyway, when I went in, there were like 15 people inside! Most of the PhD students were there, as well as a few of the engineers.

Now PK will be really happy to know people are working so hard. But it gets me wondering... what motivates people at IME? Are we really so passionate about our work? Perhaps we are workaholics? I hope it is not due to being forced by circumstances. I prefer to think that people really like their work here. Will this be my life in grad school? Hmmm...

浪淘沙

2005-11-25T21:59:00.000-08:00

仙剑奇侠传三 - 问情篇

结局三 - 《浪淘沙》

翠柳戏炊烟
莠草疏栏
桃源别有一片天
解剑放舟清波上
随遇而安

鸳鸯不羡仙
今夕何年？
人生有酒需尽欢
醉卧红尘最深处
遥望千山

Purpose of this blog

2005-11-18T21:58:00.000-08:00

So I have this blog for a few weeks already. I didn't need a blog b4, and don't really need one now. Besides, judging from the number of comments i have, hardly anyone reads it. So what in good heavens is this blog for?

Well i guess i started an account so i can write comments on other people's blogs. But another useful purpose has emerged - for me to practise my chinese. It's been a while since i write in chinese and i am really rusty. It is crucial i dun degenerate into another ang moh pai person. After all, feelings and emotions are best expressed in chinese - english just ain't sufficient for this purpose. Maybe us chinese are very emotional people.

一切从今天开始

2005-11-13T08:11:00.000-08:00

2005年11月13日。我会永远记住这一天。

这两年来，我常重复《红雨》的一句歌词在我脑海里:
“所有昨日说过的誓言
像是一场下过的雨...”

所有前尘往事，就随历史的尘埃烟消云散吧。

让一切从今天开始！

云海玉弓缘大结局

2005-11-05T04:58:00.000-08:00

金世遗带着历胜男的尸体出海往火焰岛，让我想起仙剑的结局。赵灵儿为了除魔而牺牲，李逍遥向阿奴告别后黯然离去，阿奴独自在悬崖上吹箫落泪...

我想世上若有个女人像历胜男一样为自己的爱人付出性命，不管她做了多少坏事杀了多少人，任何一个男人都会被她深深地感动吧。

Quantity vs qualitty

2005-11-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

We all know about the KPI - your worth is measured by how many papers you published. Simple logic leads to the Minimum Publishable Unit (MPU) as the solution. Change the material = 1 MPU. Change 1 parameter = 1 MPU. Lots of MPUs = more papers than anyone else = higher KPI = fast promotions! Sigh... does it have to be this way? About 80% of all papers have only 0-1 citations... wouldn't it be better to just aim for a few high quality papers?

路

2005-10-30T06:14:00.000-08:00

每个人都有自己要走的路，我也不例外。

两年了。

两年又两天前的今天，我在某一条路上，重重地摔了一跤。当时觉得好痛... 有时候以为就从此爬不起来。不过现在想起来觉得是老天帮了我一个大忙。因为那是一条永无止尽的无底深渊，很庆幸那一跌让我如梦初醒，不再执迷不悟。

之后我就迷失了方向。一直寻找我该走得路... 我已找到了吗？什么时候才会知道答案呢？

Ha ha, that's really a lot of crap on a Sunday night... now time to go sleep.

The lifespan of a nanowire

2005-10-22T00:21:00.000-07:00

I have an important discovery to announce. The lifespan of Si nanowires is, as their name suggests, in nanoseconds... All my devices die after 1 or 2 measurements! Sigh... Talking to them doesn't work either. What shall I do?

My first post!

2005-10-20T04:10:00.000-07:00

YeeeeeHa! So now I have a blog. Doubt anyone will see it since I'm not publicising. But just fun to write some crap here anyway.