网上流传着小叮噹完结篇，如在youtube 上的 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ib-xyfliYs。 很多朋友或学生看到这完结篇的，都会给我送一份，证明我作为小叮噹粉丝的形象深入民心。
只是这并非原作者的画作，还好的是情节非常符合原作者的风格。我猜测，要是 藤子不二雄给小叮噹作完结篇，他大概会赞同这样的结局。第一次看到这篇完结篇的时候，故事让我失落了好一段时间，证明‘完结篇’的情节是符合小叮噹原作者精神的。
我从小就跟小叮噹漫画一起成长，对原作者的风格很有鉴赏的心得。这结局篇的人物的形象造型缺乏原画的‘神’，非死忠粉丝可能察觉不出来。就是这点落差，我决定判之为‘伪作’。作为小叮噹死忠粉丝，这‘完结篇’的画工不符小叮噹要原汁原味的的要求。死忠粉丝认为小叮当不可轻易由他人随意代笔的。甚至把小叮噹改名为多啦A梦，都是亵渎小叮噹的原神。现在重看一篇，还是跟首阅时的感觉一样，这篇他人‘伪作’的小叮噹完结篇，我个人是不会‘通过’的，只有原作者亲自作画的完结篇，才是我会接受的真完结篇。
当然，已过世的原作者不会翻生给小叮噹作完结篇。所以，在我心中的小叮噹还有很多美丽的故事存在于想象的空间之中，永无完结。又或者说，是我舍不得小叮噹故事就此完结。
我不禁想起倚天屠龙记里的殷离。在他心里，只有旧时回忆中的曾阿牛，没有现实中的张无忌。
3.12.09
The spoil of our highly successful education system
Very few students in my physics class dare to express their thought openly, even in the online forum. It is indeed a very curious fact that, in general, our university students are effectively dump and disappointingly obedient. One who thinks intensively will manifest their mental activities by having much to express. The muteness of our APEX university students must to a certain extent reflects the lack of brain activities going on between their ears. Even if some do have the residue intellectual resource to think, they will dare not opine either in the class room nor privately to their lecturers. Our obediently mute young generation is the spoil of our highly 'successful' education system which produces only high quantity of canned products that excel in nothing but following instructions. Bravo.
There are, however, surprises once a blue moon where some not-so-obedient rare breed turn vocal and make public (mostly via the online open forum) or private complains (usually via email and sms text) about my teaching and my style of teaching. But mostly I live a much trouble-free and peaceful life, thanks to our successful education system and the tradition of authoritarianism among the university lecturers, with approximately zero person-time making `trouble' by voicing out their opinions or querying me during lectures.
As a matter of principle I am always glad to know whenever a student dares to voice out his grumble openly against the apparently silent background. For example, at times I got stuck when performing calculation on the board or making confusing statements during the lectures. What I got as a feed back from the audience is usually indifference, despite constant reminders given to the class to raise questions. Once there was an apparently annoyed student in an online open forum complained he/she is confused by my erratic teaching style. I was made pleased by this complain as finally someone dares to stand out to tell me what they think. As a matter of appreciation for his/her bold attempt I response instantaneously on the forum that “i invite u and the whole class to contribute to our collaboration in this process of mutual learning. this would be a more constructive way to rectify the matter then merely complaining about the confusion i have aroused”. However, such occasion, in which our pampered university students voice out their thought concerning the way a lecturer conduct his lecture is so rare that I can recall it with vivid clarity. As an illustrative gestimate, my experience as a lecturer in the only APEX university in Malaysia shows that on average I hear less than ~ 0.1kB equivalent of statements or questions raised by all the students in the lecture hall per semester.
My constant observation leads me to conclude that our 'highly successful' education system has produce high quality canned-like students who can `learn' only if they get spoon fed. This is a mentally challenged generation who easily lost their way when challenged by any question slightly different from the model answers they memorised for exam. They are like some one who is used to wear only 'Bata' sport shoe daily but turns out to be too scared of making any step when the shoe is changed from Bata to Nike. They get stuck when being asked exactly the same question presented in a slightly varied way.
As it is happening in most of the cases in our university education, genuine academic learning seldom takes place, only blind memorisation. Students may score high marks by answering all those closed-ended problems from lecture notes perfectly. But seldom they have the minimum capacity to explain the simple reasoning behind them. Well, many lectures are to be blamed as well because their mentality and teaching styles are just the university version of the secondary school spoon-feeding system.
Imagine the scenario where all of the APEX university students can only answers closed-ended questions. Further imagine the scenario where all of them score full A's and graduated with first class honours because they all can answer perfectly these closed-ended questions during the exams. And they are our only 'cream' of the Malaysian society. That makes year 2012 to arrive sooner at Malaysia than the Mayans have predicted.
There are, however, surprises once a blue moon where some not-so-obedient rare breed turn vocal and make public (mostly via the online open forum) or private complains (usually via email and sms text) about my teaching and my style of teaching. But mostly I live a much trouble-free and peaceful life, thanks to our successful education system and the tradition of authoritarianism among the university lecturers, with approximately zero person-time making `trouble' by voicing out their opinions or querying me during lectures.
As a matter of principle I am always glad to know whenever a student dares to voice out his grumble openly against the apparently silent background. For example, at times I got stuck when performing calculation on the board or making confusing statements during the lectures. What I got as a feed back from the audience is usually indifference, despite constant reminders given to the class to raise questions. Once there was an apparently annoyed student in an online open forum complained he/she is confused by my erratic teaching style. I was made pleased by this complain as finally someone dares to stand out to tell me what they think. As a matter of appreciation for his/her bold attempt I response instantaneously on the forum that “i invite u and the whole class to contribute to our collaboration in this process of mutual learning. this would be a more constructive way to rectify the matter then merely complaining about the confusion i have aroused”. However, such occasion, in which our pampered university students voice out their thought concerning the way a lecturer conduct his lecture is so rare that I can recall it with vivid clarity. As an illustrative gestimate, my experience as a lecturer in the only APEX university in Malaysia shows that on average I hear less than ~ 0.1kB equivalent of statements or questions raised by all the students in the lecture hall per semester.
My constant observation leads me to conclude that our 'highly successful' education system has produce high quality canned-like students who can `learn' only if they get spoon fed. This is a mentally challenged generation who easily lost their way when challenged by any question slightly different from the model answers they memorised for exam. They are like some one who is used to wear only 'Bata' sport shoe daily but turns out to be too scared of making any step when the shoe is changed from Bata to Nike. They get stuck when being asked exactly the same question presented in a slightly varied way.
As it is happening in most of the cases in our university education, genuine academic learning seldom takes place, only blind memorisation. Students may score high marks by answering all those closed-ended problems from lecture notes perfectly. But seldom they have the minimum capacity to explain the simple reasoning behind them. Well, many lectures are to be blamed as well because their mentality and teaching styles are just the university version of the secondary school spoon-feeding system.
Imagine the scenario where all of the APEX university students can only answers closed-ended questions. Further imagine the scenario where all of them score full A's and graduated with first class honours because they all can answer perfectly these closed-ended questions during the exams. And they are our only 'cream' of the Malaysian society. That makes year 2012 to arrive sooner at Malaysia than the Mayans have predicted.
1.12.09
惯性的悲观
在国外揾食的、深造的、移民的大马华人很多都有一个共通点：惯性地对马来西亚的华人的处境及前景灰色悲观。
但想深一层，事情都不是只有一个片面的，大马华人的境况也是不列外。然而我常见到是，身在外国的大马华裔子弟很多都制止不了自己的悲情，也丝毫不能对我们的国家作客观理性的分析。“马来西亚的局势却江河日下”或许有真的，但真实的情形并不完全如此。
马来西亚的社会思潮、政治、种族关系一直在演进中，跟过去的发展相较，有的东西还在原地踏步，有的甚至倒退，比如不公义、三权不能分立、执法滥权、、不依法、种族主义、宗教极端保守主义、贪污、人为的不公等等，讲也讲不完。
但你也不能忽略有一些很重要的事情在演进中。比如社会中一部分的人（包含所有种族的人都有）醒觉了，开始有了更多的公民活动。言论开放了，有像《今日大马》这样的独立媒体。开始有人更多比列的人走出了种族政治、思维的框框。更多的马来人开始不认同老马时代的偏差政策及‘污统’的霸权。中下层保守的马来官员刻意偏差的行止，开始因为人民声音大了而不像老马时代那样肆无惮忌。中文教育虽然风雨飘摇，但总还算还屹立不倒。社会的财富多了，财富的分配也不像以前那样悬殊。马来人比较有自信跟其他人竞争了，开始有一些些迹象显示，一些政策开始宽松了，中央的政策也像有所开放了，带有种族歧视性的政策开始少了。总之，很多年前，很多现在发生的进步现象都是见不到的，对这点我们不能视而不见，只顾惯性舔伤。
华人在马来西亚的问题有很多层面，政治的失势和不公，充其量只是其中一个小项目。我所看到的最大的问题不是来自政府或政治，而是华族本身的思维及态度的落后、保守、不思长进，惯性的埋怨，眼光狭窄，成天只为意气之争。世界已经进入无边界时代，但很多大马华人依然喜欢划地自限，并以为自己比友族本事、高等，只懂得拿过去的痛及政策上的不公来作为不去前进的理由。这是大马华人的根本问题。
狄更斯说：
这是最好的时代，也是最坏的时代；
这是智慧的时代，也是愚蠢的时代；
这是笃信的时代，也是疑虑的时代；
这是光明的季节，也是黑暗的季节；
这是希望的春天，也是绝望的冬天；
我们什么都有，也没有都没有；
我们全会上天堂，也全会下地狱。
你选上天堂，还是下地狱？〈== 这句话是我的，跟狄更斯无关。
但想深一层，事情都不是只有一个片面的，大马华人的境况也是不列外。然而我常见到是，身在外国的大马华裔子弟很多都制止不了自己的悲情，也丝毫不能对我们的国家作客观理性的分析。“马来西亚的局势却江河日下”或许有真的，但真实的情形并不完全如此。
马来西亚的社会思潮、政治、种族关系一直在演进中，跟过去的发展相较，有的东西还在原地踏步，有的甚至倒退，比如不公义、三权不能分立、执法滥权、、不依法、种族主义、宗教极端保守主义、贪污、人为的不公等等，讲也讲不完。
但你也不能忽略有一些很重要的事情在演进中。比如社会中一部分的人（包含所有种族的人都有）醒觉了，开始有了更多的公民活动。言论开放了，有像《今日大马》这样的独立媒体。开始有人更多比列的人走出了种族政治、思维的框框。更多的马来人开始不认同老马时代的偏差政策及‘污统’的霸权。中下层保守的马来官员刻意偏差的行止，开始因为人民声音大了而不像老马时代那样肆无惮忌。中文教育虽然风雨飘摇，但总还算还屹立不倒。社会的财富多了，财富的分配也不像以前那样悬殊。马来人比较有自信跟其他人竞争了，开始有一些些迹象显示，一些政策开始宽松了，中央的政策也像有所开放了，带有种族歧视性的政策开始少了。总之，很多年前，很多现在发生的进步现象都是见不到的，对这点我们不能视而不见，只顾惯性舔伤。
华人在马来西亚的问题有很多层面，政治的失势和不公，充其量只是其中一个小项目。我所看到的最大的问题不是来自政府或政治，而是华族本身的思维及态度的落后、保守、不思长进，惯性的埋怨，眼光狭窄，成天只为意气之争。世界已经进入无边界时代，但很多大马华人依然喜欢划地自限，并以为自己比友族本事、高等，只懂得拿过去的痛及政策上的不公来作为不去前进的理由。这是大马华人的根本问题。
狄更斯说：
这是最好的时代，也是最坏的时代；
这是智慧的时代，也是愚蠢的时代；
这是笃信的时代，也是疑虑的时代；
这是光明的季节，也是黑暗的季节；
这是希望的春天，也是绝望的冬天；
我们什么都有，也没有都没有；
我们全会上天堂，也全会下地狱。
你选上天堂，还是下地狱？〈== 这句话是我的，跟狄更斯无关。
30.11.09
小人之心
近来有人我告诉曾遇上小人老师的故事。
中六的老师，同时兼教补习班。班上有同学同时正课和补习班也上一起上的，发觉老师两份嘴脸，在补习班上尽心尽力，在正课却成为大蛇一条。老师们闲话八卦之间，偶尔收到学生背后讲述对老师不是的小道消息，两份嘴脸老师特地花了大家正课两节的时间，当众数落羞辱学生。
学校里的小人老师太多了，我对此很不屑。我认识的老师（大、中、小学的都有） 很多都活在针头那么大的世界里，眼光狭小浅窄，胸宽和见解都不能成人师应有的模范。教出来的学生，就像我班上的很多那样，也是一样眼光狭小，只懂得放大芝麻小事，忽略了其他更重要的大事。
教授知识跟学生的个人行为是不应该扯上关系的。但常听到老师把教学的‘事’跟非教学的‘人事’牵扯在一起，这样是公私不分，完全没有professional的态度。故事里的老师显然是小人一名。这样的小人，学校里跟补习班上两种嘴脸，是他自己不尊重自己在先。小人，若人家心里鄙视他，是他自己咎由自取。
但这样的经验对被当众奚落的学生的而言，却造成长远的负面影响。学生一朝被蛇咬，从此对这个世界畏畏缩缩，讲话小小声，怕鬼人知道自己讲的话会被‘旁人’听到。有人说这其实也是一种警慎戒备，为生存之道。或许这样子可以免了惹上小人的麻烦，但一个这样深谙生存之道的人，同时也失去更重要的君子的特质，豁达的胸襟，也埋没了成为忠言直谏的人的机会。 世界上小人很多，这个很多人深懂。但这不代表你必须把所有人都当小人，不然，你失去的会是一片本来海阔天空的世界。
因怕隔墙有耳，而刻意把说话的声音压低，或以旁人听不懂的语言来对话，这样的风格，并不是豁达的人的风格。在杭州念书的一位朋友最喜欢此道，用马来语跟同乡交谈，好让周围的中国人tak faham他不想让旁人听到的内容。 但在我看来这很有点不尊重‘非我族类’的意味。
我的policy是，讲得出来的话，就不怕任何人听到。若怕人传，或怕他人听的，我宁可不说。我当然不喜欢小人，但也不特别害怕面对小人。应对小人之计，以其人之道还治其人之身，我认为还是下策。真诚相待，直心面对，突破惯性对抗的框框，方为双赢之道。
所谓君子坦荡荡，就是这个道理。
中六的老师，同时兼教补习班。班上有同学同时正课和补习班也上一起上的，发觉老师两份嘴脸，在补习班上尽心尽力，在正课却成为大蛇一条。老师们闲话八卦之间，偶尔收到学生背后讲述对老师不是的小道消息，两份嘴脸老师特地花了大家正课两节的时间，当众数落羞辱学生。
学校里的小人老师太多了，我对此很不屑。我认识的老师（大、中、小学的都有） 很多都活在针头那么大的世界里，眼光狭小浅窄，胸宽和见解都不能成人师应有的模范。教出来的学生，就像我班上的很多那样，也是一样眼光狭小，只懂得放大芝麻小事，忽略了其他更重要的大事。
教授知识跟学生的个人行为是不应该扯上关系的。但常听到老师把教学的‘事’跟非教学的‘人事’牵扯在一起，这样是公私不分，完全没有professional的态度。故事里的老师显然是小人一名。这样的小人，学校里跟补习班上两种嘴脸，是他自己不尊重自己在先。小人，若人家心里鄙视他，是他自己咎由自取。
但这样的经验对被当众奚落的学生的而言，却造成长远的负面影响。学生一朝被蛇咬，从此对这个世界畏畏缩缩，讲话小小声，怕鬼人知道自己讲的话会被‘旁人’听到。有人说这其实也是一种警慎戒备，为生存之道。或许这样子可以免了惹上小人的麻烦，但一个这样深谙生存之道的人，同时也失去更重要的君子的特质，豁达的胸襟，也埋没了成为忠言直谏的人的机会。 世界上小人很多，这个很多人深懂。但这不代表你必须把所有人都当小人，不然，你失去的会是一片本来海阔天空的世界。
因怕隔墙有耳，而刻意把说话的声音压低，或以旁人听不懂的语言来对话，这样的风格，并不是豁达的人的风格。在杭州念书的一位朋友最喜欢此道，用马来语跟同乡交谈，好让周围的中国人tak faham他不想让旁人听到的内容。 但在我看来这很有点不尊重‘非我族类’的意味。
我的policy是，讲得出来的话，就不怕任何人听到。若怕人传，或怕他人听的，我宁可不说。我当然不喜欢小人，但也不特别害怕面对小人。应对小人之计，以其人之道还治其人之身，我认为还是下策。真诚相待，直心面对，突破惯性对抗的框框，方为双赢之道。
所谓君子坦荡荡，就是这个道理。
29.11.09
If i were to have children
We (I am referring to people of around my age) all gone thru different kind of 'early education' experience ourselves. It's good to share it out so that the skill and knowledge we learn from our real life experience can be applied to our next generation, to the children in particular.
We see frequently that there are many different kind of people having different abilities in learning, e.g. an animal … sorry, an animal doctor friend of mine, Cheow Kong, has a photographic memory that he can remember all the jargon in biological textbooks and all the names that he comes across, Someone else like BoX HooX (X = a, b,...z) , another friend has (as legend has it) 'phonographic memory' that he can recall all the details of naked ladies he has come across. for my case personally i don't recall names in detail, but i tend to only grasp the major ideas. remembering name's detail can be helpful when dealing with problem solving issues in commercial line or during exam, e.g., u can impress your boss or customers with all the minor details when doing a presentation or brokering a deal. but this does not guarantee u to solve the problem at their hearts. recalling names or minor detail is more related to things that has to be handled with immediate action, e.g. in exam or in face-to-face dealing with customers or bosses. but some people over do it until they think pure memorisation of such kind of naming details are everything, so much so that they miss the point of understanding the whole picture or the core of the problem. so, if u can't recall all the details, u don't need to take it as a major disadvantage. the advantage that one gains by able to memorise all the name and details aren't that great, despite they can be helpful to a certain extent. for many serious problem solving tasks, the ability to think, reason, to make logical manipulation and being creative are far more essential. u call call up the names and minor technical details anytime 'at a click away', anyway. i read an interesting article in newsweek sometimes ago, reporting the complain of an english professor in a book that youngsters these day has nothing in their minds, and they cant spell correctly, or recall some essential names and common knowledge that everyone are supposed to know in say, 20 years ago. however, the writer of that article argued that the english professor has not taken into account the other side of the story properly. the youngsters may has less memorised knowledge in their brain, or spell words correctly, however, they have developed an even more powerful skill that old generation does not possess: the youngsters these day are much more skillful in finding and organise new information that was previously unknown to them with the knowledge in IT they acquire. in this sense the youngster's power is even greater than the old generation. Old generation, while emphasises on gathering knowledge into their brains, the y-generation prefers to keep these knowledge in the net and 'retrieve' them in the event they need them. Can u see the difference btw these two generations' way towards the way of how to handle 'knowledge'? in a way the y-generation way is more powerful than the old generation's bcos the y-generation can retrieve, in principle, infinite amount of info required, whereas old generation relies too much on the knowledge in their heads. the main difference here is the skill to acquired the required knowledge when needed (e.g use spell check tool while typing with computer). in other words, the y-generation trades the accumulation of knowledge with the ability to retrieve these knowledge from external sources (a.k.a. internet/computer). Well, the above argument on the y-generation may apply only in the context of the western societies, since the article i read was in Newsweek. I doubt that the y-generation in our society, particularly our university students, has developed such kind of information search skill apart from online-gaming/frenstering/face-booking/twittering.
Objectively speaking, i would say one must accumulate knowledge as the old generation does, and at the same time master the skill to retrieve information externally. to me 'retrieval' of information yourself is a very essential skill, which many people, primarily the local university students are lacking. e.g. when someone don't know how to build a webpage, he ought to know how to get the right answer by searching the internet or the right references. these is the kind of skill we all have developed along our career. one of the most important soft skill any student shud acquire is how to search info him/herself correctly. most of the time this kind of skill is just a matter of common sense, but to many, such command sense does not even occur to them, thanks to our spoon-feeding education system and over-caring parents.
if i were to have children, i certainly will do the following: To encourage them to read as much as possible. i read the article send to me earlier by the old mathematician friend that in taiwan the education system forces students to go deep into one phrase or one article or a book, making sure that student know all the details of the grammatical structure, the definitions and details of that article. as a result, students' continuation of learning is interrupted often because they have to check dictionary. but the most serious drawback is the student not having enough time to read more. Whereas, in western countries, students are encouraged to read widely and wildly. the emphasis in the west is not to know a book or an article in depth for exam purpose, but to read as broadly as possibly, and in due course, the students somehow can organise themselves the usage of words and language. i must say i totally agree with this approach. well, that is in taiwan and in the west. in malaysia, i dont think students are encouraged to read, but instead are encouraged NOT TO READ by loading them with exams and homework. During my time in Chung Ling High School, Penang, we are supposed to read a book in a month or per semester (or something like that). but no one cared. students end up not reading, and the school end up not caring whether u read or not. the reading project are just kept as a 'showcase' but never imposed efficiently. i dont think the system has changed much now. here in the netherland i hear Christ, a graduate student in TU Delft, told me that in high school students are suppose to read a book per month or twice a week, and such a reading is a must for the students in high school. in taiwan at least they still make a student to read a book per semester. but in malaysia ...? the school teachers may tell u that formally the school encourage reading and has lots of showcase proof that such encouragement is being enforced. but in practice i really doubt this to be the case.
i recall that when i was around 8 or 9 years old i started reading, and all the details of the all the books i read went into my mind. i can even recall the first and the last chinese character of the book i read 《绿野仙踪》. that shows a child's mind is very powerful. i owe much of my later academic development to reading. i started reading only when i was 8 or 9 years old. children these days are a lot more blessed, as their parents like a loong and wal leong feed their children with book since age of 2 or 3. i recall my mom used to scold me for bringing back/buying books, as these '输' (book, as pronounced in cantonese has the same pronunciation as the word 'lost' in cantonese ) has bad connotation and they collect dusk in our ill-condition living space. and since my family was not financially not wealthy then, spending money on books were considered 'luxurious', hence not encouraged by my mom and grandmom. but fortunately my dad is a wise person, and gave me the money to buy books. i thank him greatly for his generosity and wisdom despite that we were not rich then.
So, let your children read, and deprive them of the opportunity to play video games or watch TV. people thing watching tv makes children to learn, and video gaming train their reaction. i personally do not agree. if the children dont watch tv, they will get engaged in other interactive activities, from which they learn more. the learning outcome would be particularly good if parents spend time teaching them. since we were poor, we dont have tv when i was a kid, nor is the tv program appealing when we bought it later when i was 8 years old. so i did something else at the spare time, and learned to be creative. allowing tv program to teach children language or knowledge is much inferior than what the children can learn by engaging in other interactive activity. people who make use of tv/video game as a major tool to educate their children are those ppl who are lacking of wisdom, or themselves don't have the correct knowledge of how learning could happen. these parents are people who are superstitious in 'high tech' stuff, having no understanding of the long term impact of tv and electronic gaming on their children.
if i were to have children, the most important thing i would want my children to learn would be language and expression power. in fact i would also make encouraging creativity as a major emphasis as well. i would not emphasis on 'what-is-the-capitol-of-Peru' kind of 'by fact knowledge', math or computer skills that they could pick up themselves in school when their times come. i would also emphasis to develop their love to learn and to read. our education system actually makes our children to hate reading and learning. in the west what i see is that all adults love reading, and love learning. in our society, our children generally know much more than their peers in the west, bcos our children must learn hard due to the pressure imposed by the system. once they graduated and no more subcum to the system, no one reads anymore. i would say > 90% of my students in the university do not read other than text book/soft magazine/news paper (prove me wrong and I will be absolutely pleased).
i bet u really don't want your children to be like those students of mine who hate reading and learning. but if u dont take any proper action to educate them correctly, the trends of our society and education system are going to make them to 'flow along the natural course' to become a hate-to-learn person.
We see frequently that there are many different kind of people having different abilities in learning, e.g. an animal … sorry, an animal doctor friend of mine, Cheow Kong, has a photographic memory that he can remember all the jargon in biological textbooks and all the names that he comes across, Someone else like BoX HooX (X = a, b,...z) , another friend has (as legend has it) 'phonographic memory' that he can recall all the details of naked ladies he has come across. for my case personally i don't recall names in detail, but i tend to only grasp the major ideas. remembering name's detail can be helpful when dealing with problem solving issues in commercial line or during exam, e.g., u can impress your boss or customers with all the minor details when doing a presentation or brokering a deal. but this does not guarantee u to solve the problem at their hearts. recalling names or minor detail is more related to things that has to be handled with immediate action, e.g. in exam or in face-to-face dealing with customers or bosses. but some people over do it until they think pure memorisation of such kind of naming details are everything, so much so that they miss the point of understanding the whole picture or the core of the problem. so, if u can't recall all the details, u don't need to take it as a major disadvantage. the advantage that one gains by able to memorise all the name and details aren't that great, despite they can be helpful to a certain extent. for many serious problem solving tasks, the ability to think, reason, to make logical manipulation and being creative are far more essential. u call call up the names and minor technical details anytime 'at a click away', anyway. i read an interesting article in newsweek sometimes ago, reporting the complain of an english professor in a book that youngsters these day has nothing in their minds, and they cant spell correctly, or recall some essential names and common knowledge that everyone are supposed to know in say, 20 years ago. however, the writer of that article argued that the english professor has not taken into account the other side of the story properly. the youngsters may has less memorised knowledge in their brain, or spell words correctly, however, they have developed an even more powerful skill that old generation does not possess: the youngsters these day are much more skillful in finding and organise new information that was previously unknown to them with the knowledge in IT they acquire. in this sense the youngster's power is even greater than the old generation. Old generation, while emphasises on gathering knowledge into their brains, the y-generation prefers to keep these knowledge in the net and 'retrieve' them in the event they need them. Can u see the difference btw these two generations' way towards the way of how to handle 'knowledge'? in a way the y-generation way is more powerful than the old generation's bcos the y-generation can retrieve, in principle, infinite amount of info required, whereas old generation relies too much on the knowledge in their heads. the main difference here is the skill to acquired the required knowledge when needed (e.g use spell check tool while typing with computer). in other words, the y-generation trades the accumulation of knowledge with the ability to retrieve these knowledge from external sources (a.k.a. internet/computer). Well, the above argument on the y-generation may apply only in the context of the western societies, since the article i read was in Newsweek. I doubt that the y-generation in our society, particularly our university students, has developed such kind of information search skill apart from online-gaming/frenstering/face-booking/twittering.
Objectively speaking, i would say one must accumulate knowledge as the old generation does, and at the same time master the skill to retrieve information externally. to me 'retrieval' of information yourself is a very essential skill, which many people, primarily the local university students are lacking. e.g. when someone don't know how to build a webpage, he ought to know how to get the right answer by searching the internet or the right references. these is the kind of skill we all have developed along our career. one of the most important soft skill any student shud acquire is how to search info him/herself correctly. most of the time this kind of skill is just a matter of common sense, but to many, such command sense does not even occur to them, thanks to our spoon-feeding education system and over-caring parents.
if i were to have children, i certainly will do the following: To encourage them to read as much as possible. i read the article send to me earlier by the old mathematician friend that in taiwan the education system forces students to go deep into one phrase or one article or a book, making sure that student know all the details of the grammatical structure, the definitions and details of that article. as a result, students' continuation of learning is interrupted often because they have to check dictionary. but the most serious drawback is the student not having enough time to read more. Whereas, in western countries, students are encouraged to read widely and wildly. the emphasis in the west is not to know a book or an article in depth for exam purpose, but to read as broadly as possibly, and in due course, the students somehow can organise themselves the usage of words and language. i must say i totally agree with this approach. well, that is in taiwan and in the west. in malaysia, i dont think students are encouraged to read, but instead are encouraged NOT TO READ by loading them with exams and homework. During my time in Chung Ling High School, Penang, we are supposed to read a book in a month or per semester (or something like that). but no one cared. students end up not reading, and the school end up not caring whether u read or not. the reading project are just kept as a 'showcase' but never imposed efficiently. i dont think the system has changed much now. here in the netherland i hear Christ, a graduate student in TU Delft, told me that in high school students are suppose to read a book per month or twice a week, and such a reading is a must for the students in high school. in taiwan at least they still make a student to read a book per semester. but in malaysia ...? the school teachers may tell u that formally the school encourage reading and has lots of showcase proof that such encouragement is being enforced. but in practice i really doubt this to be the case.
i recall that when i was around 8 or 9 years old i started reading, and all the details of the all the books i read went into my mind. i can even recall the first and the last chinese character of the book i read 《绿野仙踪》. that shows a child's mind is very powerful. i owe much of my later academic development to reading. i started reading only when i was 8 or 9 years old. children these days are a lot more blessed, as their parents like a loong and wal leong feed their children with book since age of 2 or 3. i recall my mom used to scold me for bringing back/buying books, as these '输' (book, as pronounced in cantonese has the same pronunciation as the word 'lost' in cantonese ) has bad connotation and they collect dusk in our ill-condition living space. and since my family was not financially not wealthy then, spending money on books were considered 'luxurious', hence not encouraged by my mom and grandmom. but fortunately my dad is a wise person, and gave me the money to buy books. i thank him greatly for his generosity and wisdom despite that we were not rich then.
So, let your children read, and deprive them of the opportunity to play video games or watch TV. people thing watching tv makes children to learn, and video gaming train their reaction. i personally do not agree. if the children dont watch tv, they will get engaged in other interactive activities, from which they learn more. the learning outcome would be particularly good if parents spend time teaching them. since we were poor, we dont have tv when i was a kid, nor is the tv program appealing when we bought it later when i was 8 years old. so i did something else at the spare time, and learned to be creative. allowing tv program to teach children language or knowledge is much inferior than what the children can learn by engaging in other interactive activity. people who make use of tv/video game as a major tool to educate their children are those ppl who are lacking of wisdom, or themselves don't have the correct knowledge of how learning could happen. these parents are people who are superstitious in 'high tech' stuff, having no understanding of the long term impact of tv and electronic gaming on their children.
if i were to have children, the most important thing i would want my children to learn would be language and expression power. in fact i would also make encouraging creativity as a major emphasis as well. i would not emphasis on 'what-is-the-capitol-of-Peru' kind of 'by fact knowledge', math or computer skills that they could pick up themselves in school when their times come. i would also emphasis to develop their love to learn and to read. our education system actually makes our children to hate reading and learning. in the west what i see is that all adults love reading, and love learning. in our society, our children generally know much more than their peers in the west, bcos our children must learn hard due to the pressure imposed by the system. once they graduated and no more subcum to the system, no one reads anymore. i would say > 90% of my students in the university do not read other than text book/soft magazine/news paper (prove me wrong and I will be absolutely pleased).
i bet u really don't want your children to be like those students of mine who hate reading and learning. but if u dont take any proper action to educate them correctly, the trends of our society and education system are going to make them to 'flow along the natural course' to become a hate-to-learn person.
The mathematician wrote again
The old mathematician friend wrote again, as a response to an email I wrote to him and Ah loONg earlier. I find what he said to be quite meaningful and worthy of being shared with many others. I reproduced what he wrote here (with some minor modification).
The mathematician wrote:
" The main problem is that Malaysian youth do not understand or know what is "the TRUTH of Life and its MEANING". In general, Malaysians used to think that the true meaning of life is to make their life meaningful and to make good use of it. They judge how good their present lives are by using some kind of 'quantitative standard' vaguely known as 'the Good Quality of Life measurement'. In general, Malaysian standard of acceptable so-called Good Quality of Life is based on (1)Money, (2)Status, (3)Level of Education (4)Job and etc. These are quantitatively measurable things, hence people use these to compare among themselves. For young children, in general, their standard of comparison is simpler. They usually adopt "Performance in School" such as (1)Exam Result, (2)Performance in Sport or others School Activities as their standard references.
These kind of measurement has been long been practiced and is treated as the Golden Rule. In general, a lot of Malaysian adult treat (or think) materialistic life more important than intellectual/spiritual life. So are children care more about their school performance (all kind of results in school) than their quality of understanding/knowledge. When I got an A in Quantum Mechanics in my second year of UM (taught by Tiem Leong), I though I am good in QM. The feeling of getting A was so good (why I feel good ?). However, as a matter of fact I know nothing about QM. I can see that a lot of people is living for the sake of how other people look upon them, and seldom we see people care about the real meaning of life. Imagine that all of a sudden people realise what are the most important things in life. So are the children can realise the importance of reading and enjoying the beautiful moment of their childhood. Imagine our society begins to reduce the habitual practice of comparing among one with another. Imagine we don't feel too disappointed when a child doesn't perform in certain school activities or examinations but treat the failure as an enhancing experience of life. If that day ever happens, we surely will enjoy our lives much better.
I must thank TL again. I lost a piece of Jigsaw Puzzle in my present life when I was a youngster at around 15-25 years. He helps me to find this important part and put it back into my life. Hence, my life is free from a lot of suffering. Thanks again.
Recently, Ah LOoNG gives me an opportunity to meet a good book《专心》. It is a very good book. I would like to seek permission from Ah LOoNG whether I can borrow this book to read."
The above was the opinion by the mathematician friend.
The mathematician wrote:
" The main problem is that Malaysian youth do not understand or know what is "the TRUTH of Life and its MEANING". In general, Malaysians used to think that the true meaning of life is to make their life meaningful and to make good use of it. They judge how good their present lives are by using some kind of 'quantitative standard' vaguely known as 'the Good Quality of Life measurement'. In general, Malaysian standard of acceptable so-called Good Quality of Life is based on (1)Money, (2)Status, (3)Level of Education (4)Job and etc. These are quantitatively measurable things, hence people use these to compare among themselves. For young children, in general, their standard of comparison is simpler. They usually adopt "Performance in School" such as (1)Exam Result, (2)Performance in Sport or others School Activities as their standard references.
These kind of measurement has been long been practiced and is treated as the Golden Rule. In general, a lot of Malaysian adult treat (or think) materialistic life more important than intellectual/spiritual life. So are children care more about their school performance (all kind of results in school) than their quality of understanding/knowledge. When I got an A in Quantum Mechanics in my second year of UM (taught by Tiem Leong), I though I am good in QM. The feeling of getting A was so good (why I feel good ?). However, as a matter of fact I know nothing about QM. I can see that a lot of people is living for the sake of how other people look upon them, and seldom we see people care about the real meaning of life. Imagine that all of a sudden people realise what are the most important things in life. So are the children can realise the importance of reading and enjoying the beautiful moment of their childhood. Imagine our society begins to reduce the habitual practice of comparing among one with another. Imagine we don't feel too disappointed when a child doesn't perform in certain school activities or examinations but treat the failure as an enhancing experience of life. If that day ever happens, we surely will enjoy our lives much better.
I must thank TL again. I lost a piece of Jigsaw Puzzle in my present life when I was a youngster at around 15-25 years. He helps me to find this important part and put it back into my life. Hence, my life is free from a lot of suffering. Thanks again.
Recently, Ah LOoNG gives me an opportunity to meet a good book《专心》. It is a very good book. I would like to seek permission from Ah LOoNG whether I can borrow this book to read."
The above was the opinion by the mathematician friend.
28.11.09
Words from a mathematician
I have a closed friend who is mathematician. We know each other during the orientation week for freshies once upon a time in the University of Malaya. We interact frequently, and maintain a high quality of intellectual and spiritual friendship. He is a typical kind of mathematician who is slightly mad (which is usual among mathematicians). Legend has it that if a mathematician does not has any madness above certain lower bound, he/she is not a good mathematician. He serves as an important figure in my life because he often becomes the target of my cynical comments, which result in the enhancement of the quality of fun I can enjoy. Recently, he started doing some other things beside mathematics. He picks up and reads quite a number of books on early education and the study of how to educate and observe young children. He does so because he has some problem in reading due to the lack of (1) basic vocabularies and (2) reading training since young. He is very well trained in mathematics and logic. However, certain part of his brain is not able to handle some form of passive information. For example, he can remember the location of his car in the car park, faces of people, or music/song easily, but he was not able to remember names of those things. He has this problem since in high school. He didn't understand why he has such a difficulty to remember names. Thanks to recent reading, he finally found out what was the cause of this syndrome: The lack of training in reading which causes him to have no good sensitivity of WORD. His brain used to process SYMBOLS faster than WORDS during the conceptual organization and processing of the input information. This is also the main reason he studies mathematics but not physics. He claims that another reason he does not do physics is because physics is much more challenging than mathematics. According to him, “physics studies the phenomena of the real world/universal, but mathematics just uses logic to study pattern. In other words, physics handles more thing than mathematics, and therefore, it is more difficult”. Well, that was his “logic” in comparing maths to physics, of which I don't really see much “logic” in itself. Anyway, his conclusion was that: We must train and develop our brain at the early age, and the most important training is none other than READING. The reading he meant is the reading just for fun but not for the purpose of examination. Once one is able to read effectively, one becomes versatile in the sense that he/she can acquire any knowledge required for whatever reasons.
Based on the books he has read on how to improve our brain ability, he suggests the following:
1. We should have good quality of sleep. It is even better if we can also meditate regularly.
2. We should have regular physical exercise. He particularly mentioned that I am a good example in this case as I used to exercise on regular basis. He has read many books that show scientific proofs on the benefit of exercising. Now he starts listening to me (finally, after so many years of constant urging) to exercise regularly - walking for 30 minutes everyday.
3. Read regularly on the topics that interest you. This will keep our brain consistently active.
4. Watch less TV and do less online chatting/face-booking.
5. Has a right attitude in life. We should regularly perform self-introspection so that we can get closer to the Truth. With a right understanding of our lives, our bad habit or defilement can be cleared bit-by-bit from day to day.
He thanked me for leading him to be a Dhamma practitioner. My response to him was: Lips service is not pragmatic. Can you give me angpow or treat me with exquisite restaurant instead?
Based on the books he has read on how to improve our brain ability, he suggests the following:
1. We should have good quality of sleep. It is even better if we can also meditate regularly.
2. We should have regular physical exercise. He particularly mentioned that I am a good example in this case as I used to exercise on regular basis. He has read many books that show scientific proofs on the benefit of exercising. Now he starts listening to me (finally, after so many years of constant urging) to exercise regularly - walking for 30 minutes everyday.
3. Read regularly on the topics that interest you. This will keep our brain consistently active.
4. Watch less TV and do less online chatting/face-booking.
5. Has a right attitude in life. We should regularly perform self-introspection so that we can get closer to the Truth. With a right understanding of our lives, our bad habit or defilement can be cleared bit-by-bit from day to day.
He thanked me for leading him to be a Dhamma practitioner. My response to him was: Lips service is not pragmatic. Can you give me angpow or treat me with exquisite restaurant instead?
17.11.09
俾面(face-giving)
Imagine u go to someone's house for dinner. The host spend a whole day cooking the lousiest food just for you. the host stare eagerly into your eyes and ask with high expectation, 'how ? how? is my food good or not?' forced by the situation u always answer : 'yes' irrespective of the taste of the food.
based on the above analogy it seems that when ppl commented 'good, good' or 'very nice' on your blog, u should be not be overly flattered as the compliment may just be a show of what in cantonese called '俾面' (face-giving).
based on the above analogy it seems that when ppl commented 'good, good' or 'very nice' on your blog, u should be not be overly flattered as the compliment may just be a show of what in cantonese called '俾面' (face-giving).
14.11.09
JJA and qubit calculation
I have now talking up a numerical project to calculate superconducting flux qubit. Much basic knowledge not known to me before is required. i wish to take this opportunity to tidy up a bit on the whole idea of the project, and hopefully through this short discussion a clearer and more concrete picture could emerged.
First of all, the proposed project, let's call it the flux qubit project (FQP), comprised of two components: the theoretical and the computational one. we have to know the theoretical concept first before attacking the problem at hand computationally.
The theoretical part is as follows. The problem at hand is that we have now a new type of flux qubit system, i call it 4 x 3 JJA. This is a proposal not seen anywhere in the literature because the proposer Hans Mooij has not really published it. The geometry of the 4x3 JJA is very much similar to the one mentioned in the Master thesis by Martijn (2009, Theoretical Group, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, TU Delf). What we have is a quantum system (which is not microscopic but a macroscopic circuit of the micron size). This is a quantum system comprised of a large number of Josephson junctions (24 to be exact). To understand what this 4x3 JJA is good for, we have to understand how a single JJ works. And this in turns requires some basic knowledge in quantum mechanics, e.g. the idea of conjugate variables (e.g., {p, x}, {E,t}). In the case of a single JJ, the conjugate quantum variables are {q,phi}, where q is related to the excess number of cooper pair stored in the JJ [via q = n*(2e)], where phi is the phase difference across the JJ. In the practical implementation of a flux qubit, one normally does make some approximation to the quantum circuit to render the fluctuation in q irrelevant, so that only the variable phi is the dominant variable. q, however, is still important as its quantum fluctuation is necessary to induce quantum mixing. phi can be taken effectively as a quantised magnetic flux flowing through the JJ loop that can be detected. Its value is extremely tiny, phi \sim Phi_0, where Phi_0 = h/(2e) is the scale of quantum of magnetisation. phi (synonym to the quantum magnetic flux, or fluxon), due to its quantum character, is the quantum degree of freedom that plays the role of qubit in flux qubit. qubit is the quantity we want to manipulate finally (in a real quantum computer), hence the knowledge of how this qubit behaves is essential.
The behaviour of a flux qubit is governed by quantum mechanics. Any qubit must display a 'two-level' behavior. Under certain circumstance, the phase psi in JJ does behave like a two-level system (but this is not true in general). Hence, I really need to understand the quantum mechanical description of a two-level system, and how a flux in a JJA can be display such a two-level behavior quantum mechanically.
To describe the 4x3 JJA the quantum mechanical equations have to be written down (which has already done by Mooij). The most important quantity is the Hamiltonian. In general, once the Hamiltonian of a quantum system is written down, the behavior of the system is completely determined. What one does is then to first find out the ground state of the system. To this end, one solves the time independent Shrodinger equation to obtain the energy spectrum of the system. Basically, what is gained from this calculation is the energy of the system as a function of the external environment variables in time independent case. The degree of freedoms here are the phases (9 of them in total) in the JJA. In a single JJ, there is only one such DOE. In a JJA, there are many, and the solution to the quantum problem becomes complicated. Referring to the statement mentioned above (that 'the system must display two level behavior), one ought to make sure that, under certain restricted conditions (e.g the external magnetic bias, the so-call frustration), the energy spectrum obtained displays a profile of two weakly coupled ground states for the dof concerned (see e.g. the energy profile in page 10, Figure 2.2 of Floor Paauw's PhD thesis, 2009, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, TU Delft). Such ground state is in turn conveniently described by the Hamiltonian Eq. (2.4) of Paauw's thesis in page 12. Essentially this Hamiltonian (which is a reduced version of the more general Hamiltonian for the whole JJA) describes the quantum mechanics of a quantum spin that has two nearly degenerate lowest ground states which are weakly coupled via the coupling terms \Delta. This \Delta term is directly related to the fluctuation of the charge q alluded to earlier. Whereas the term \epsilon controls the energy barrier that separate the two ground states of the spin. \epsilon in practice is controllable in experiment via the external magnetic frustration. Due to the presence of the coupling term \Delta, the two approximately degenerate ground states of the flux 'mix' giving rise to superposition of states. The coupling term \Delta is the 'source' of quantum behavior in the spin, otherwise, if \delta → 0 the system is reduced to a classical Ising model. The description of mixing mechanism in quantum mechanics is very much similar in spirit to the coupled quantum oscillators or Zeeman effect in atomic physics mentioned in many standard text book.
This spin model of the qubit is taken from the quantum Ising Model. If I understand how quantum mechanics describes the Ising model, I can just take over the well-known results and the interpretation of the quantum Ising Model to apply it here. In a generic Ising model, the spin only takes on two values, labelled |uparrow> and |downarrow>. Hence a qubit that has only two quantum states can be 'mapped' to a spin (which also has only two states). The mathematical description of a spin can equally well be applied to a qubit. In other words, the behavior of a qubit can be imagined to be well represented by that of a quantum spin. In basic quantum mechanical text book one often read about illustrative examples on quantum mechanical calculation done on Ising Model and also on coupled harmonic oscillators. That's why I say I need basic knowledge in quantum mechanics to understand the behavior of the flux qubit.
OK. the task comes in steps. The first step is to establish the two-level behavior of the qubit so that it can be described by the spin Hamiltonian of Eq. (2.4) in Pauuw's thesis. This initial step is by no way a trivial one although it's also not that difficult to establish. Mooij has made this step for us. There are papers published by others who reported solely on the discovery of 'yet another two-level system' suitable as a potential qubit. In these paper they merely reported that they have found another JJA system which in certain limit reduced to the two-level spin Hamiltonian of Eq. (2.4), leaving the details to the others.
The time independent calculation of the GS energy is only the first step. I also need to work out the excited state energy spectrum. The GS of the JJA can be calculated using a version of quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) called Diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC), and it is not a difficulty task. Martijn has already done it in his Master thesis. The excited state is slightly difficult. It will be tackled using excited state Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (ESMC).
Once the time independent ground state energy of the JJA is solved, I will proceed further to trace out the time evolution of the qubit system starting from its stationary (i.e. time-independent) solution. Technically, if the Hamiltonian H and the solution of the quantum state at t=0 is known, then the evolution of its states can be obtained via
|state(t)> = exp(iH*t)|state(t=0)>.
The theories, methodology and other technical details of this I am still learning, but in principle it's nothing more that a routine calculation for those who know how to use quantum mechanics at their finger tips (no me though). Any basic quantum mechanics textbook will talk about this. I hope that I will be able to write to more about this part on how to trace the time evolution of qubit soon (i.e when I understand them better).
There are still one more thing i have not clarify. As mentioned in the beginning of this 'article', this project also contains a 'computational aspect'. Pragmatically, this is the real task that I have to work on. Understanding the theoretical framework and methodologies in QM calculation are only the first step. The real dirty job is to solve the quantum equations. In our case concerned, we have to use computer to solve it by writing Fortran codes. This is the kind of dirty job I am working on now. Numerical and computational strategies to solve QM system are a big field by itself. For this matter, the book by Thijssen is essentially useful. For small system, often there are standard numerical techniques/methods available to solve our problem. For example, one often heard about some jargons in computational quantum mechanics e.g. Ritz variational method, Hartree-Fock, Density functional theory, Lanczos method, Quantum Monte Carlo, generalisd eigen value problem, optimisation etc. Two years ago i am still very ignorant of all these jargon. But now i think i am now more or less (at least in principle) understand what these things are and how to implement them in my computer. These are all 'standard technical trick' that one uses in routine basis to solve quantum mechanical problems. However, i suppose that the ability to know how to use computer to solve a generalised quantum mechanical Hamiltonian is not a very common knowledge even for experienced researchers.
The main issue one often encounter is that for a quantum system having too large a number of degree of freedoms, or a complicated interactions (as described by the Hamiltonian), computer power simply becomes not enough since the Fock space in which the solution lies increases exponentially with every additional degree of freedom. The larger the Fock space is the search for the solution simply needs more step to iterate, hence longer time. One often have to use alternative or clever computational tricks to circumvent this bottle neck. One common 'master tool' is to resort to QMC method when everything else does not work.
Well, the above is a simplified (and maybe erroneous) description of how i understand the project. I had no rigorous training in quantum mechanics in the past. However i really find it intellectually satisfying to learn, understand and actually calculate with quantum mechanics. QM is such an important and essential subject for anyone who want to deal with the fundamental aspects of our materialistic universe. I consider it a very very important tool that every serious theoretical physicist must master. It is unfortunate that USM treats QM as an optional subject and never want to stress on this. QM is so powerful that one cannot do without when dealing with physics at their fundamental level. For example, for anyone who wishes to research in material's physics at the nanoscale (nano science), without QM one can only scratch the surface of the core problem. So is semiconductor science, magnetism or optoelectronics. Our current materialistic development all owes their success to our ability to use QM to investigate the behavior of matter at their most fundamental level. I recall that a student once mentioned enthusiastically that he wants to learn QM. Now i think i have also developed similar kind of excitement. I gradually start to realise how ESSENTIAL QM is for fundamental physics research. With it one can do many many things in physics research.
As a last remark, one feels very empowered when envisaging the scenario where one has mastered the technical details of quantum theoretical technology, and further, is able to use the computational techniques learn to solve a generic quantum Hamiltonian. Give me a Hamiltonian which is otherwise difficult to probe analytically, and i will tell u how the system behaves using the computational methods.
August 09
Particle physics and Indiana Jones
Particle physics really has this special ummph that makes its researchers to feel like being truth seekers of the deepest mystery of the universe. I was once admirer of such noble pursuit, and maybe I still am. I can imagine when one look at the particle tracks and match them with the known laws of physics, one may feel like an Indiana Jones in search of cosmic relics for truth. In my research life in Melbourne there was no contact with real experiments. I only look at experimental figures from the arXive but never directly performing any serious analysis on experimental data (though my boss did), since my research emphasis is on theoretical modeling. However out group did write many experimental data analysis and arguing for their interpretations. It seems to me that analysing experimental data involves much statistics and is quite a specialised field by itself, at least it is not taught at the undergraduate level. Anyway I was once quite interested in the statistical analysis and data interpretation (the curiosity was aroused mainly because I always see my boss and his collaborator writes papers on this). So there are some terminology were heard over the times, some of which I know a little but never entire clear about, e.g. bins, chi-squared, 2.5 sigma signal, 5 sigma signal, parameter spaces, best fit parameters, 99.9% confidence level (which is ironically not considered a sufficient criteria to established an experimental signal), etc. Sometimes ago driven by pure curiosity I took up the book by the Oxford physicist Louis Lyons to make some light reading. since I am not in the business of actually performing the data analysis (and has no data to access) I have not done any exercises on the data analysis. I then gradually digressed to learn up computational physics stuff instead of sitting down to try out some particle statistics analysis research.
Once upon a time I was amazed to know that we can actually 'simulate' an experiment using Monte Carlo before the experiment is carried out. Lyonn's book mentioned a bit about it but never go in depth. My curiosity in the technical details of how one actually do this still remains until today. I have this impression that actually anyone who are keen enough can perform his own analysis using his own computers by accessing the original data remotely into the particle physics lab freely, provided that he has the technical knowledge..
Some thoughts on quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics is almost all about application. It's a 'known law of physics'. Quantum computation is about manipulating the known laws of QM to process information. If QM is all about 'theory' then it would be useless is the sense that it cannot be used for application at all. For example, Feynman diagram calculation is an example of application of quantum field theory. The laws governing interactions between light and atoms, i.e. QED, is also application of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. Formulation of new theory, say, say an alternative approach for quantum mechanics, is an extremely difficult stuff to do (as far as I am concerned). Formulation of 'new theory', as a prerequisite would require it's inventor tremendous amount of experience in application of existing theory. Quantum optics is also an quantum 'application'. It makes use of quantum interactions to describe exotic behaviour between light and atoms under specific conditions to see if there is any 'exotic' phenomena can be predicted and tested experimentally. But quantum optics itself is not a new formulation of QM but merely an application.
So my opinion is that a physics student has to learn more application of quantum mechanics. Although the quantum laws are known, the effects that could result under certain exotic physical conditions could be very very interesting. In other words, the law of QM may be pretty much 'dead' but the consequences of it could be infinitely many, of which some are not known before. For example Josephson junction is a consequence of quantum mechanical laws but was not known until the 1970s when Josephson (then just a graduate student in Cambridge) 'discovered' it. If one really wants to discover exotic thing like Josephson, he/she must gone through many 'application' exercises before exploring further into the more fundamental aspect of the law of quantum mechanics.
My first week in Delft
Yesterday night my 'boss' invited three of his research guests (me and two Americans) to his house for dinner, which make a very memorable experience. The interesting part was that we began our dinner at around 7 pm, and chat until 11pm at night. Since it is summer the sky gets dark only by 10 pm. The host played some classical music in the dinning hall, and occasionally there were long quite moments where everyone was just listening to the classical. Wow, I never experience such kind of moment. In Penang, in a gathering of similar kind, I usually won't 'allow' moment of silence to happen. But the experience last night was different. its romantic and special to me.
For the last few days I managed to do something that I almost can't hardly do successfully in Penang: I manage to wake up early (typically before 8 am), and manage to do a short period of mediation after waking up. My plan is that I wish to change as much as I manage some life style or daily habit, and also to raise myself to a higher intellectual level during this sabbatical leave period. I think in Penang I was always very 'huaxin' - flowery heart-ed, and can hardly able to concentrate for long hours to do extended period of study or thinking. Here I will try to change that. I actually admire the westerners who generally has good degree of concentration and discipline. By associate myself with many such intellectual I wish to also gain more such quality.
09 June 2009 6:15
A virtual experience with OS
After i visited Jonni's home in Melbourne, Jan 09, and witnessed his XPS laptop, I decided to get one for myself. I have been using my new Dell XPS M1330 for quite a few month by now. it is shipped with a built-in Vista 32 bit home basic (cheapest possible Windows). Recently the Vista suffered a series of serious clashes after automatic updating , so much so that I am forced to do multiple times system reinstallation. Anyone had experienced the same tragedy?
I have installed a Ubuntu 9.x 64 bits in the my laptop. Ubuntu has its own problem, esp. I can't get into the wireless in my working place which requires some sort of security authentication. The wireless authentication seems to require some sort of 'radius' certificate before it can accept the login. I can log in wireless easily with Vista which has this radius, but no luck with Ubuntu.
So I am trying an alternative way to fix the problem. The policy in TU Delft has it that guest can't used the wired LAN cable with laptops. so what I am doing as an attempt to circumvent the problem is to install Vbox (from SUN) in my Ubuntu. The Vbox virtual machine was up and running in the Ubuntu. Fine. Then I put in my Vista installation disk and get the installation running inside the Vbox. The installation went on well, so now I have a Ubuntu host and a vista guest. But the problem is: The Vista guest can get wired internet connection but not the wireless one. The problem is that the wireless driver in the Dell XPS M1330 cannot be installed inside the virtual machines. When I attempted to install the missing network controller drivers from the Dell Installation CD for drivers, permission was denied, claiming that the driver is not meant for a `32 bit application'. I even tried to download the latest driver from support.dell.com , but I got the same denial: The drivers (packaged in R12345x.exe form) just can't get installed. The wireless network controller in the virtual vista just refused to work. So, how can I make the virtual Vista installed in the vbox running in my Ubuntu to detect wireless signals? I have spent quit a bit of time trying to solve this issue since the last few days, including googling in the net, including this one http://johnpaulett.com/2007/03/25/vista-on-ubuntu-using-virtualbox/ but it did not solve my problem.
So, I actually did successfully install a Vista guest in my Ubuntu 9 host's Vbox, and the guest Vista also connect to wired internet as well. Just that the virtual Vista does not detect the wireless network card, other wise it works quite OK. There is a problem to install Windows XP 64 bit in the Dell XPS M1330, as many drivers are not provided by Dell. I actually have adopted Jonni's solutions (as a matter of fact I had tried almost all possible combination, e,g, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista as guest, vbox in vista, Vbox in Ubuntu 9 etc. All didn't work out the way I want them to be. My experience confirm the rumor that Vista 32 home basic is the lousiest OS.
At this point I decide not to spend time to trouble shoot it anymore. I had spent too much time to debug the above issues. I also discovered that I can't be disciplined enough to let go of minor things that are of no importance. The virtual machine issue is a good example. It's actually not a very essential issues to settle, but I spent weeks to do it (almost uncontrollably), and left the more hard core problem of physics programming not done. I suspect this is a manifestation of my tendency to shunt difficult problem. Almost every day, after waking up, I have to look into the mirror to remind myself not to repeat the same tendency on that day. I get to feel more deeply that cultivation spirituality is a process that requires right effort, energy and constant reminder, as our intrinsic nature is dominated by the tendency to drown into laziness.
10 August 2009 2:19
Should you take up physics?
It is always good to know that there are students wanting to become a physicist,especially those with a brilliant brain. As the way I see it, in overseas, the most gifted student will normally end up in their countries' best physics school. After graduation, they become the most versatile problem solvers in most technical jobs.
But for young enthusiasts in Malaysia, the job prospects of a physics degree is always an issue. I wish to offer my opinion on this.
One should consider to further his postgraduate after a basic physics degree, because only by doing so will one sees the best benefit to be a physicist. A B.Sc (with or without Hons.) does not qualify one to be a physicist, so a B.Sc in physics is comparatively less competitive in terms of job market value. A M.Sc (by research) or PhD in physics is in a much different category than a mere bachelor degree. With a postgraduate degree one can do much more. The level of competition is also very much different from those who only hold a B.Sc. In general people who are very much into physics will go for a higher degree else it would be of not much use. So if one is considering physics as a career in the long run, she/he should prepare for a further study to higher level. If one only wants to get a mundane job after a B.Sc then engineering or other applied science field may be more practical.
So my advice to those who want to do a physics course depends very much on the motivation of that individual. In most cases, Malaysian students, being influenced by the survival mentality and shortsightedness of their parents and society, only want a mundane live and having a mundane job after their bachelor degree. For these people, who lack the necessarily motivation to become a physicist, a physics degree is probably not the best choice as it offers a much lower job market value compared to other professional fields of specialisation (engineering, for example). Further, if he/she has only a mundane talent or a very weak mind for physics, it's better for him/her to do something else (computer engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, direct sales, sale engineers...). But for those minds which are quite above average and truly with really strong motivation to become a physicist, who are willing to sacrifice years of hard life to earn his/her M.Sc or Ph.D, then I strongly encourage him/her to take up physics.
For those who are exceptionally good in everything, of course then he/she will do excellently in whatever fields he/she choose to hope in.
代尔夫特的爵士音乐节
常想起槟城，当然也顺便想很多槟城的人和事。常上网看槟城的佳礼网站。只是不敢思念太多，原因很简单，出来的目标还没达到，所以还没有太多奢想回家时候的快乐情境。
昨晚周末小镇上有爵士音乐会，爵士舞台分布老市镇的各个角落，直至深夜。一般上这里晚上的节目不多，类似举行到深夜的爵士乐街头派对实在是给宁静的小镇增添不少欢乐。
我夜间很少很少到市区去，发现到原来夜里的代尔夫特小镇更有风情。夏夜清凉，晚风轻拂，橙黄的灯光在运河里闪烁，处处乐韵，人群欢乐起舞，气氛浪漫，街头的各色美女密度忽然间提高了许多，有点花多眼乱。我跟巴西朋友蛇进有队玩爵士乐的酒馆，要了每人两欧元的可乐，细细的沉浸在爵士的世界里。巴西男孩说貌似墨西哥人的吉他手play with his soul，我也不知道是真是假。
走出各个街头、巷子的酒吧馆子坐满了酒客，男女老少都有，在街头随乐起舞的不止是年轻的红男绿女，更不少的是年长的退休人士。欧洲人的社会物质文化的发展程度已高至饱和点，人人都能纵情享乐，上了年纪的人不会被撇在一旁看热闹，而是同样参与其中。这里的社会挂念很重视公平，包括年纪相差的公平，年长者的活动空间和享乐的机会，与年轻的都一视同仁。
所以在这里偶然也会很令人赏心悦目的休闲消遣，不完全枯燥无味。
昨晚周末小镇上有爵士音乐会，爵士舞台分布老市镇的各个角落，直至深夜。一般上这里晚上的节目不多，类似举行到深夜的爵士乐街头派对实在是给宁静的小镇增添不少欢乐。
我夜间很少很少到市区去，发现到原来夜里的代尔夫特小镇更有风情。夏夜清凉，晚风轻拂，橙黄的灯光在运河里闪烁，处处乐韵，人群欢乐起舞，气氛浪漫，街头的各色美女密度忽然间提高了许多，有点花多眼乱。我跟巴西朋友蛇进有队玩爵士乐的酒馆，要了每人两欧元的可乐，细细的沉浸在爵士的世界里。巴西男孩说貌似墨西哥人的吉他手play with his soul，我也不知道是真是假。
走出各个街头、巷子的酒吧馆子坐满了酒客，男女老少都有，在街头随乐起舞的不止是年轻的红男绿女，更不少的是年长的退休人士。欧洲人的社会物质文化的发展程度已高至饱和点，人人都能纵情享乐，上了年纪的人不会被撇在一旁看热闹，而是同样参与其中。这里的社会挂念很重视公平，包括年纪相差的公平，年长者的活动空间和享乐的机会，与年轻的都一视同仁。
所以在这里偶然也会很令人赏心悦目的休闲消遣，不完全枯燥无味。
16 August 2009 20:41
A computational physics project for final year phyiscs student: The Kratzer oscillator
Here is one computational problem I proposed to be solved as a final year project: Solve the energy spectrum of a particle subjected to a central potential V(are) using perturbative method you have learned.
In general, a particle subjected to a potential V(are) is governed by the Hamiltonin H = K + V(are), where K = -(d^2/dx^2)(hbar/2*m) is the kinetic energy operator.
To begin with, first, use perturbative method to write down the general expression of the energy spectrum in terms of a generic central potential, V(are). Once that is obtained, then proceed to solve the energy spectrum of the Kratzer oscillator [1,2] given by V(are) = -C_1/are + C_2/are^2, C_1, C_2 >0. Then, proceed to calculate the vibration-rotational spectral of diamtic molecules. The potential for such a molecule has, in addition to the Kratzer oscillator term, an extra contribution of (hbar^2)J(J+1)/(2*m*are^2), with J=0,1,2,...
The result should looks like the following:
epsilon_n = a function of (integer nunber n, the parameters of the Kratzer potential C_1,C_2, the mass m, and J from the rotational term the potential).
With the explicit expression of epsilon_n obtained, use a very simple mathematical program to evaluate the numerical values of set of the energy spectrum epsilon_n for a set of fixed parameters {m,C_1,C_2}.
In general, in QM, what one means when one says `solve the quantum problem, or the solution to the Hamiltonian', is the following: Given a hamiltonian, find out all the eigenvalues of the energies of this hamiltonian. The eigenvalues of the energy also goes by the name `the energy spectrum'. Given a hamiltonian, your job is simply to find out what the energy spectrum is for these hamiltonians.
The major difference between the kratzer oscillator and the simple harmoic oscillator (SHM) lies in their potentials. For SHM, the potential is V = (1/2)kx^2, whereas in the case here the V simply takes a different form, its V = (C_1)/are + (C_2)/are^2. To solve it perturbatively means to expand the potential into a suitable form of infinite series and then work out the coefficients of the series.
The solution to the Kratzer oscillator does not make use of the solution from SHO. The perturbative series of the Kratzer oscillator have to be first derived. However, if one knows how to treat SHM using perturbation method, then one can treat any other similar system, including the kratzer oscillator using similar method.
In principle, the first two terms in the taylor expansion of the potential can be considered as the 'non-perturbative' terms, and the next term down the series expansion of V is considered 'perturbed'. However, in this case, unlike the SHM case, one doesn't know the solution even to the unperturbed part. Operationally, in this case you dont really need to know which are is the 'perturbed part' and which is the 'unperturbed part' because the solution to the 'unperturbed' hamiltoinian is unknowned. This is unlike the SHM case where you know the solution to the 'unperturbed' energies, (n+1/2)h*omega.
Reference:
[1] ter Haar, D., Problems in Quantum M echanics, Pion, London, 3rd ed., 1975, pg. 357.
[2] Fernandez, F.M. and Castro, E.A., Algebraic Methods in Quantum Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 19996, pg. 94.
[3] Oglilvie, J.F., The vibrational and rotational spectometer of diatomic melecules, Academic Press, San Diego, 1998, pg. 87.
Fwd: Fw: Dangerous Chicken Wings：我的标准反应
又是垃圾邮件，这次的是‘Fwd: Fw: Dangerous Chicken Wings’
通常垃圾邮件都是以 ‘Fwd: Fw...’作为开头的。
这文章是典型的垃圾邮件。阿猪阿狗人云亦云，随随便便的写一些似是而非的文章就当福音四处乱散播。
我想信吃肉是不好的，可能烧鸡翅膀也有坏处。但这文章是明显不是以客观科学的角度来说话，倒是象八卦新闻的以讹传讹多一点。很多人很轻易把道听途说，或自我印证的芝麻小事放大，然后当成可有可无的消息乱乱分发。还亏帮原文的作者Sharon How传福音的人把不知对错真假的即兴内容沾沾自喜（但大部分时候是过目就忘）。
垃圾邮件的泛滥，让我们的电子邮件信箱里满充斥真假难分的‘号外内幕’，即使是真的，也因传得太多而变成虚假。至少，其珍贵层度极大贬低。你还记得曾传过给其他人（或阅读过的）的垃圾邮件的内容吗？有多少巴仙还有印象？网上要作任何传言都太过轻易了，造成一种很微妙而难深远的‘副作用’，即货真价实的真理被变相的贬值。
有时垃圾邮件来得正是我刚饱晚饭的即兴时刻。一是兴起写下这篇自认满载知见的短文。向我倒垃圾的老板赚到暴利了：他只以轻按回车的吹灰之力，竟得我原汁原味的鸿文一篇。
03 September 2009 4:48
——————————————————————————————————————
附录：Fwd: Fw: Dangerous Chicken Wings 的原文：
Chicken Wings - Its Dangerous
Avoid eating chicken wings frequently - ladies, especially; a true story...!
A friend of mine recently had a growth in her womb and she underwent an operation to remove the.
The cyst removed was filled with a dark colored blood. She thought that she would be recovered after the surgery but! she was terribly wrong.
Avoid eating chicken wings frequently - ladies, especially; a true story...!
A friend of mine recently had a growth in her womb and she underwent an operation to remove the.
The cyst removed was filled with a dark colored blood. She thought that she would be recovered after the surgery but! she was terribly wrong.
A relapse occurred just a few months later. Distressed , she rushed down to her gynecologist for a consultation..
During her consultation, her doctor asked her a question that puzzled her.
He ask if she was a frequent consumer of chicken wings and she replied yes wondering as to how, he knew of her eating habits..
You see, the truth is in this modern day and age; chickens are injected with steroids to accelerate their growth so that the needs of this society can be met.
This need is none other than the need for food.
Chickens that are injected with steroids are usually given the shot at the neck or the wings...
Therefore, it is in these places that the highest concentration of steroids exists.
These steroids have terrifying effects on the body as it accelerates growth..
It has an even more dangerous effect in the presence of female hormones, this leads to women being more prone to the growth of a cyst in the womb. Therefore, I advise the people out there to watch their diets and to lower their frequency of consuming chicken wings!
People, who receive this email, please forward it to your friends and loved ones. I am sure no one wants to see him or her suffer!
Regards,
Sharon How
SingaporeMedical Association
Tel: (65) 6223 1264 (65) 6223 1264 , ext. 22
Fax: (65) 6224 7827
Email: sharon@sma.org. sg
Website: http://www.sma/.org.sg
During her consultation, her doctor asked her a question that puzzled her.
He ask if she was a frequent consumer of chicken wings and she replied yes wondering as to how, he knew of her eating habits..
You see, the truth is in this modern day and age; chickens are injected with steroids to accelerate their growth so that the needs of this society can be met.
This need is none other than the need for food.
Chickens that are injected with steroids are usually given the shot at the neck or the wings...
Therefore, it is in these places that the highest concentration of steroids exists.
These steroids have terrifying effects on the body as it accelerates growth..
It has an even more dangerous effect in the presence of female hormones, this leads to women being more prone to the growth of a cyst in the womb. Therefore, I advise the people out there to watch their diets and to lower their frequency of consuming chicken wings!
People, who receive this email, please forward it to your friends and loved ones. I am sure no one wants to see him or her suffer!
Regards,
Sharon How
SingaporeMedical Association
Tel: (65) 6223 1264 (65) 6223 1264 , ext. 22
Fax: (65) 6224 7827
Email: sharon@sma.org
Website:
埋怨的资格
我跟我的老板的对话，如下：
——————————————————————————————————————
老板：到了第三年，我越来越不知道如何考取高分。很多题目都要背了回答长长像写作文这样，很少算的，跟第一年相反。例如今天我拿到atomic and nuclear physics的考卷，我只拿30多分/100，题目要我们写thonsom的experiment，我没有去背，我只读过而已，为什么要问这么不重要的东西。然后又问我们写出De Broglie的hypothesis，50分，我就写我所懂的咯，还加我从feymann lecture读来的和moden physics和quantum mechanics读来的。可是他只给我20分，理由是我写的lecture note没有，他要看到的是从lecture note来的，他说因为如果他给我分会对其他只读lecture note的不公平，他要公平竟争。他还挑战我如果要这样，第二个考试他出他没有教过的，要我读全部xray crystalography的书，第二个考试他出xray crystalography，因为xray crystalography有在atomic的syllybus。这样的讲师也有。。。semiconductor我也只拿16分/100，糟糕，他改的非常严。我懂semicon可是我没有背。请您指点我和辅导我。
我：老板，上次我不是跟你讨论过如何应对这样的问题了吗？怎么又来呱呱吵？可能你真的是马来西亚教育政策下的典型成功人物，很听老师的话，用心听书学习，一旦老师死掉了，或老师乱来，你就象失去救生圈的溺者。所以，老师是你冬天里的咸煎饼油炸鬼，是你冬天里的一把火。有好的老师，公平有效的教学与制度，你这样成功的学生可以升天得救，成龙成凤。
但是，对这些美好的事情最好你别奢望太多。它们基本上这是不存在的。大部分成功的学者，在最根本上都是自学而成功者，老师的教学只是锦上添花罢了。 考高分是每个学生的理想，因种种不平等、不合情理的原因而考不到高分，就垂头丧地，信心受打击，看上去你的不满似乎合情合理。老师要学生死背，背不来的就地枪毙，造成变相鼓励学生不用大脑去创造性地思维学习，打击学生的学习热忱。你很委屈吗？
哈哈。不要不爽，我当然可以笑。你的问题是问题吗？那个学生不是遭受同样的问题？你问我吗？在马来西亚我倒没见过‘好’的老师。从以前到现在都是如此。在马来西亚的大学里，我也没见过真正让人感动的好老师。
但是，为什么我没有象你这样complain?原因之一是：我没你的幸运，我从来就不是马来西亚教育制度下成功的典型学生。我的学习成绩经变换后，与你你中六、大学整体的成绩相比，都远远在你之后。我只能说我的学习成绩中上，不似你总是排在前面。所以我不会有‘越来越不知道如何考取高分’的遗憾。这是我的另类幸福，嘻嘻。但最重要的是，我不必像你那样complain，因为我不需要靠救生圈，不需要靠制度来学习，更不需要靠考高分来满足自己的虚荣。我只老老实实、扎扎实实地自学。成绩好坏是次要，重点是我如何把知识汲取进脑里。
我不会告诉你可以如何去改变客观存在的不公平、不可理喻、甚至鼓励学生变白痴的教学。你由于是自小受宠，成功攀附着制度而成功的经典优秀人物，所以会对这种不合理的情形咬牙切齿，忿忿不平。你有一千万个合情合理的理由不满，但是，请想一想根本的问题。你若不跳出只重成绩、一面倒的等老师和制度庇佑的思维，你永远都会如此这般的活在不满中。根本的解决之道是，你应该靠自学去攀爬成功的高峰，自行提升脑里的高素质知识，而不是一味靠分数的高低来标榜你的学术成就。
我猜你会有一大堆的牢骚要反驳我，就像典型的马来西亚家长那样，‘只给我可以向人炫耀的成绩，其他免谈’，市侩得来又符合适者生存的法则。然而，我要提醒你，你应该做的，不是去惯性的随波逐流，而是跳出思维的框框。切确的说，是得跳出‘只给我可以向人炫耀的成绩，其他免谈’的死板思维。
总结是：要学习，靠自己。所谓人到无求品自高，大概就是有点这样的味道。
——————————————————————————————————————
注：我都‘尊称’我的学生为老板。
04 September 2009 6:48
Prof. Lee's paper on high Tc superconductivity
I am delighted to read Prof. Lee's long waited paper: Non-linear Localized Lattice Mode Coupling Mechanism and the Pseudogap in High-temperature Superconducting Cuprates'.
I am a slow learner who only picks up bits of condensed matter physics here and there inconsistently. Hence my comment on the details is at best like a pedestrian's. I recall in many occasion he mentioned to me the general ideas of his theory, with some key words like non-harmonic mode phonon-electric interaction, pseudo- gap, Hubbard model, Jahn-Teller effects and things like that. These technical details are now seen in the black-and-white form.
I pay particular attention to the statement in his paper the need for further numerical investigation of the model. I am slowing picking up some computational techniques here in TU Delft. Here I have been exposed to various computational techniques in condensed matter and statistical physics, such as monte carlo and quantum monte carlo techniques. My hope is to learn as much as generic computational techniques so that I can be technically competent to perform numerical computation on interesting condensed matter systems. (At the moment I am still far from computationally competent to attack serious research topics except maybe those of undergraduate level textbook problems.) Hence I am constantly looking for candidate Hamiltonians which I can make as topics worthy of investing computational effort in the future. As a matter of fact, the Hamiltonians in his papers are my favorite 'target', especially when they contain much avenue that are difficult to explore analytically.
I must admit that I lack much of the physics insights as Prof. Lee have demonstrated. But somehow I also naively thinks that to solve a given Hamiltonian numerically (such as his extended Hubbard model) is an easier task than deriving and providing physical insight of it. Somewhere in the literature review process I read about simulating Hubbard model numerically. It seems to be quite an interesting and a much challenging topic which is computationally expansive, and can run into (computer) memory problem easily. Non-trivial algorithms are necessary to simulate even the simplest Hubbard model (with more than a few degree of freedoms) using Lanczos diagonalisation or density matrix renormalisation group method or things like that. My feeling is that
computational Hubbard-like model is an enterprise by itself in computational statistical physics. To study his extended Hubbard Hamiltonian could even be a more daunting but not impossible task. I would not dare to say that I am capable of doing it, but I keep an open mind to attack this problem in the future.
It may be his last paper in USM but I strongly wish that it is not his last. There are still many follow up he can pursue, esp. if the paper could successfully arouse serious attention from the superconducting community. I suddenly feel sentimentally regretted of the fact that he is leaving the school of physics very soon, and I have not made good use of the opportunity to learn more condensed physics from him.
I am a slow learner who only picks up bits of condensed matter physics here and there inconsistently. Hence my comment on the details is at best like a pedestrian's. I recall in many occasion he mentioned to me the general ideas of his theory, with some key words like non-harmonic mode phonon-electric interaction, pseudo- gap, Hubbard model, Jahn-Teller effects and things like that. These technical details are now seen in the black-and-white form.
I pay particular attention to the statement in his paper the need for further numerical investigation of the model. I am slowing picking up some computational techniques here in TU Delft. Here I have been exposed to various computational techniques in condensed matter and statistical physics, such as monte carlo and quantum monte carlo techniques. My hope is to learn as much as generic computational techniques so that I can be technically competent to perform numerical computation on interesting condensed matter systems. (At the moment I am still far from computationally competent to attack serious research topics except maybe those of undergraduate level textbook problems.) Hence I am constantly looking for candidate Hamiltonians which I can make as topics worthy of investing computational effort in the future. As a matter of fact, the Hamiltonians in his papers are my favorite 'target', especially when they contain much avenue that are difficult to explore analytically.
I must admit that I lack much of the physics insights as Prof. Lee have demonstrated. But somehow I also naively thinks that to solve a given Hamiltonian numerically (such as his extended Hubbard model) is an easier task than deriving and providing physical insight of it. Somewhere in the literature review process I read about simulating Hubbard model numerically. It seems to be quite an interesting and a much challenging topic which is computationally expansive, and can run into (computer) memory problem easily. Non-trivial algorithms are necessary to simulate even the simplest Hubbard model (with more than a few degree of freedoms) using Lanczos diagonalisation or density matrix renormalisation group method or things like that. My feeling is that
computational Hubbard-like model is an enterprise by itself in computational statistical physics. To study his extended Hubbard Hamiltonian could even be a more daunting but not impossible task. I would not dare to say that I am capable of doing it, but I keep an open mind to attack this problem in the future.
Prof Lee once mentioned a question: why is his long term research unfunded and no research students? I would like to comment on the 'no research students' part. We all know that the current undergraduates are seriously under-trained during their undergraduate years. There are also many pragmatic reasons rendering them to chicken out from taking up challenging research topics like his which are considered 'super hard-core'. However, I would also like to add that this is in principle not a problem. We simply need more good marketing strategies to 'lure' potential students, and also lots of patient in guiding them.
我对垃圾邮件的经典反应
常收到垃圾邮件，例如这封
〉〉Fw: Fwd: Fw: 密宗算命喔 ~超準...我自己也有算...有點嚇到 @@]
我的标准反应如下：
老板，
我很欢迎你给我发原汁原味的电邮的，但下次若要发垃圾邮件，请高抬贵手先把我的邮址挑掉。
让人算命，不如自己掌握自己的命运。有谓，若知前世因，今生受者是，若知后世果，今生作者是。
祝你好运。
添亮
07 September 2009 21:07
热力学第二定律与alena5468
这是跟小妹妹alena54680抬杠的电邮，蛮好笑一下。
alena54680：问你可不可以用吸尘机nia。。。
我：好像很无辜的模样。。。你应该知道这样问我就这样（借题发挥）的答的啦。
alena54680：遇到你真的需要用强词夺理的方法讲话才行。。。
我：世界上其实没有几个人比我更讲理的了。你可以偷笑，但不可以不信。
alena54680：我已经打扫几次了，只是因为高度问题，有些地方无法触及，真是不好意思。
我：唉，你真的当不了‘长人’（福建发音）。
alena54680：我当“唐人”就好，哈哈。。。
我：唐人，但不是长人。不能去当模特儿，也不能当空姐。去做打扫阿嫂也嫌不够高。。。
我：这是热力学第二定律来的，没法避免。
alena54680：跟热力有关系咩？？
我：热力学第二定律说封闭系统的熵（无序程度的量物理）只会随时间增加，不会减少，这你不知道吗？你最好别告诉人家说你念物理; 告诉了，也别告诉人家你在理大念物理;告诉了，也别告诉人家你曾在我班上念过物理。告诉了，也别告诉人家你考试时曾在我手下活过下来。。。
我：唐人，但不是长人。不能去当模特儿，也不能当空姐。去做打扫阿嫂也嫌不够高。。。
我：这是热力学第二定律来的，没法避免。
alena54680：跟热力有关系咩？？
我：热力学第二定律说封闭系统的熵（无序程度的量物理）只会随时间增加，不会减少，这你不知道吗？你最好别告诉人家说你念物理; 告诉了，也别告诉人家你在理大念物理;告诉了，也别告诉人家你曾在我班上念过物理。告诉了，也别告诉人家你考试时曾在我手下活过下来。。。
这个top在我们的势力范围内，要mark起来，改次拉队吃掉它。你现在还喊穷吗？怎么总是没有听过你不缺钱的时候？
11 September 2009 2:44
Experiece of sabbatical leave application
The process is easy. Just download the form from the website and wait. The form is very simple to fill, only 1 or two page.
Then think of a suitable research title and some decent research proposal (maybe this is not even required). Fill in tentatively any overseas hosts you have in mind. It is not necessarily for you to obtain their prior consent or approval when you put down your candidate hosts' names and institutes in the form. The host(s) can be changed anytime two months before your actual leave begins. Of course the best is to already have a definite confirmed research proposal and host at the time you fill up the form. But as already said, this is not necessary at the early stage. It's advised that you should contact any potential hosts as early as possible (but sometimes too early is also not convenient for the hosts). I suggest 6 months ahead before your actual date of sabbatical leave.
If you have no definite research proposal, then make one up yourself. USM only needs your research title and is not going to ask you for any detailed proposal. So I reckon that research proposal and research title in the form is only for cosmetic purposes.
The advice is to fill in a host in a most expensive country. Also state the date to stay there for the maximum period, 9 months usually. This is to ensure that USM management people allocate the maximum amount of money for your sabbatical leave when they prepare their budget. Doing so may save you some unnecessary trouble later (e.g if you were to ask for a lesser allocation now but to change it to a more expansive ones, bureaucrates upstair may find trouble with you later). There is a list of the amount of allowence paid based on the countries you spend your leave. Either you obtain this list from the human resource webpage or ask the human resource personnel in your school to provide you with this list. As far I know western and northern European and Japanese cities got a higher allowence. For Holland my allowence is around euro 1150 per month, which is sufficient for a single person, where my accommodation is 630 euro per month. I think they allowence is higher a bit in London or Paris or New York.
I only confirm my host in the very last moment, e.g. about 3.5 months before my leave. The easier way to get a host is normally to ask the research institute you were associated with or have visited. Before I come to Delft for my sabbatical leave, I have no contact or known any of the people here. I simply wrote to a researcher here and he just agree to host me. That's my good kamma.
Cheers, to a 40-to-be woman
Dear A Lin,
The best way to solve your problem is to live in the moment and embrace a casual heart in facing any situations. I embrace change, and take aging process an promotion to the next stage in life where I become wiser, more matured, more contented and getting closer to the truth of life. I do not see it an regrettable even but a benchmark of alleviation of my life quality.
Many things in life are a result of our proactiveness. In other words, you create your own life and the conditions that lead you to the ideal situation you prefer best. I realise that if I allow my state of mind and happiness to depend on external factors too much, I am at the same time deprive myself of a peaceful and blissful mind.
I talk a lot after reading from you not because I like to lecture or to show you I am more superior, but just to tell you in another way that I too see and realise the existence of the same problems as you face when advancing towards age 40. But I take proactiveness to turn the external factors around instead of allowing then to take charge of my state of mind. I wish to make my mind to lead instead of allowing the external surrounding to.
Cheers, to a 40-to-be woman.
18 September 2009 21:09
Physics ideas inspried in London
I was in a state of intellectual bliss since Monday as I have arrived in Imperial college to attend a five-days summer school on DFT with CRYSTAL code. In the past few years (may be 2 years or so) I have had many doubts and uncertainties in DFT calculation. This summer school is so far the most satisfying short course I ever attended, and I think I have absorbed the knowledge like a sponge soaking fully in water. After talking to many people in the field during the summer school I gain a much improved idea what's going on, and how people are doing research with DFT. A whole lot of research ideas have emerged in my mind of how to proceed with my proposed research projects, as well as generating new ones. I realise what are the knowledge I had insufficiently. On the other hand I also have realised that I am not as weak as I have imagined. Computational physics is really a very powerful method, and its not actually that hard as particle physics.
The most serious insufficiency I had is my very weak basic in quantum mechanics, solid state physics and advanced statistical physics. Over the last one week I really wish that I could have done better for my basic quantum mechanics and statistical physics, which are tremendously important for any serious research in such fields. Fortunately my few months in Delft have allow me to read a bit more on quantum mechanics, and I think I have improved much on my technical knowledge in the computational aspect of quantum mechanics. In the past I don't even know how to solve a slightly more advanced quantum system other than hydrogen atom or finite step wells. A few years back I don't even know what variational method and perturbation methods are. But now I have learned up who to write diffusion Monte Carlo code to solve 3D harmonic oscillators, and am in the process of extending the code to calculate a 9D Josephson junction array that can act as a qubit. If the code is a success, I would be tremendously happy because it proves that I have at least understood some specific technique to solve complicated quantum mechanics.
It seems that I am really hooked to computational physics, with a simple reason: I can understand them and solve them by writting Fortran code. Thijssen is a very dedicated teacher who has won a major teaching prize. The prize reflects the fact the he is very patient and kind heart-ed person. I learn slowly but also steadily from him and from my own effort.
I have read the Prof. Wang of NUS web page
at http://staff.science.nus.edu.sg/~phywjs/cttpnotes.html, bookmarked it, and downloaded some of his material for future reference. When I went thru his webpages and course material I can't resist my excitement. He is just like another Thijssen, perhaps 'deeper'.
The field of computational physics is so vast and full of opportunities. There are many real problems that can be solved using computational methods. In the last few months, I have been thinking of what I can do with it. I realise that one must have hands-on practical knowledge in making real complicated code using advanced programing techniques. I think I have learned many such skill which were very mysterious to me, e.g. Makefile, or calling Netlib library with Fortran. My successful coding experience of DMC for the textbook-standard 3D quantum oscillator has provided much impetus to strengthen my confident in code writing.
Another research topic that have aroused much of my interest is Monte Carlo (MC) and molecular dynamics (MD). There are many things these kind of codes can do, and it is conceptually simple. An American colleague in TU Delft commented that molecular dynamics are simply complicated but not difficult. One just needs to have a good book keeping on the particle's track. I recall that it took me only about a night to code my prototype 3D MD code for a simple gas system. Usually I am slow and take many days to write a code. Yet I manage to code it over a night. =b
I am now thinking of many different research topics to do: Diffusion Monte Carlo to solve high-dimensional quantum mechanical problems, modelling of phase transition using Monte Carlo and MD, modelling of phase transition using DFT and first principle thermodynamics, modelling of defects using DFT and first principle thermodynamics.
I recall that when I lasts visited NUS sometimes ago, I hear for the first time the word 'molecular dynamics'. Then I did not even understand what they meant by this terminology, and what is its relation to DFT. So are the jargons like `supercell', 'modelling of defects' etc. When I look back, I am indeed pleased that all those very remote concepts are now sufficiently (at least subjective) understood. =b
The summer school ends in Friday, and I began my lone London exploration beginning Saturday. The Museum of Natural History and the Albert and Victoria museum are just located really 'next door' to Imperial College. These are great museums, but they are totally no comparison to the famed British museum (at least for my personally). I am glad that I didn't skip the museum visit as I originally plan. I walked around the city alone using a cheap tourist guide since 9 am this morning. Now is already nearly 12 am and I am still not exhausted, except a bit hungry.
21 September 2009 6:59
记英国之旅
这次伦敦之行，是独乐乐。一个人，完全没做功课，随便买一本店里最便宜的伦敦手册，随兴的按图索骥，却也几乎走了手册里的大部分地区。比如不小心走着走着，竟去到本来没打算去的唐人街，更不小心发现到附近那家演出‘悲惨世界’的剧院。那时我忽然想起，如果景佩在一定会嘈着去看上一场的。这样旅游也另有一番情趣。
剑桥比我想象中的一样美丽。明校的确非凡。有曾仁辉和舍莉叻罩住，在剑桥过得很开心。谈了很多话，交换了不少意见，认识了好几位马来西亚的博士生，谈得蛮好的。我的观察是，马来西亚的学生比中港台的学生人品性格单纯多。剑桥之美，种种一如我所想象中，一点也没有失望。亲自实地巡视了以前读过的散文中提及的景观，特别是徐志摩笔下的康河，有点像‘朝圣’的感觉。虽然我没得以跟剑桥扯上任何关系，却很为认识曾仁辉舍莉叻等人而骄傲。这次英国之行，伦敦和剑桥，的确是我几次少有的旅行经历中最美好的一次。我不怎么喜欢旅行，懒惰舟车劳碌，也懒得做功课，这跟我懒得吃水果的道理是一样的。伦敦之旅，全部行程都由我独自包办，乱乱跑也跑了不少地方，有点‘自豪’。到了剑桥，他乡遇故知，也有了靠山（曾仁辉是有点像大山一样可靠，可以抵挡所有风雨），什么功课也不必做，对于来了欧洲几个月的离乡人，倍感温暖。我很很久没有那么滔滔不绝的乱喷口水了，很过瘾。
29 September 2009 6:48
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