This blog is partly devoted to the sharing of my learning of the English language (my well mastered mother tongue is Chinese and I am not an English teacher) and its *cultures*, partly to the current significant trends in Canada and in the world, and partly to my own random thoughts and little life. I am not religious, but I am somewhat interested in Christianity and Buddhism, among other personal interests. Welcome. And, have a good day.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Saucer is very Western tableware, actually.
(Image from http://goo.gl/58vNb)
Chinese don't accompany their tea cups with saucers, because they don't need to put any milk or sugar into their tea at all, so they don't need saucers to place their spoons on.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
It's said that Japan makes 40% of the parts and components of our everyday electronics devices and equipments. Gee.
Well, the JIT supply chains which are predominant in Japanese businesses are showing their shortcomings now, in the wake of the mammoth unpredictable disasters of earthquake and tsunami.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Maneuvering one's career looks quite heady.
But I'm not sure how much the so-called career planning can really help. If it largely is an art, then you cannot be really taught by a hired career consultant. If it largely is a science, then you cannot be helped much by it because the environment in which you try to implement it cannot be controlled.
The universities in the U.S. and Canada seem to be bloated. There are too many professors and instructors.
Perhaps there will be some form of lay-offs which will have to be done, against the backdrop of the rising of e-learning. Otherwise the financial burden to pay all the university employees would look too much for the society.
How come Google can hit so many sweet spots in its various lines of business? Gee.
It's been said that the uptake of Android smart phones has surpassed that of iPhone devices.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
It shouldn't take long for a smart phone app to complete its sign-in authentication process.
Otherwise it would give its users slight nerves. People use it on the go and hence cannot wait long at all.
The Motorola Xoom tablet calls for attention.
It was launched into the market in February, the previous month.
General Motors EN-V - Wikipedia
Gee. This GM EN-V concept car blows me away: General Motors EN-V - Wikipedia.
On a related note, I suspect that the consumers in China will possibly get their hands on the EN-V thing earlier than their counterparts in the U.S. and Canada.
My hometown in China still looked to be stuck in a state of torpor, when I visited it last year.
It seemed not to be in a position to "win some or learn some". Sigh.
Comparing with cinemas, a lot of TV channels are sort of like content farms.
You have to pay up front in order to watch a flick in a cinema. But you pay zero cent to watch programs on many TV channels.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Due to an ever escalating hectic construction boom since around a decade ago, the old Beijing has largely been disappearing. Beijing, one of the mega cities of China, is not Beijing any more.
Now I know that a city is NOT a geographic term. Instead, it is a cultural term and a term of LIFESTYLE.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
I often confuse Bloomberg with Reuters in my mind.
Both are news media. The former is headquartered in NYC, U.S. And the latter in London, U.K.
Sometimes it's interesting to compare the U.S. and the U.K., which are two siblings of the Anglo-Saxon people, so to speak.
For instance, the website of the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary (MWLD) of the U.S. is largely different from that of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (OALD) of the U.K.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Universally, Western leaders profess their belief in freedom and democracy. As a person who grew up in a closed China, I still am not capable of fully comprehending and appreciating that particular belief.
In addition, what are the differences between freedom and liberty?
The other day, the Canadian Air Force deployed 6 McDonnell Douglas CF-18 fighter jets overseas for the Libya issue. More than 120 Air Force personnels were embarked for the mission.
(Pic from http://goo.gl/tFY5a)
I had never thought before that a fighter jet, whose crew is only 1 or 2 persons, needs to be equipped with more than 20 soldiers for its mission.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
It seems that the temperature of regular coffee drink is crucial for it to taste the best.
By the way, the "Nabob" Gourmet Blend coffee is not bad.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Shins' lyrics often look sibylline.
Even if we consider them as poems, they still seem difficult to understand by the standard of poems.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Two tidbits about garbage
- The prevalent automatic garbage collection was invented as a solution in Lisp.
- (Data) Garbage in, garbage out.
TIER (try, import, except, raise)
A lovely snippet of code pattern:
try:
import service
except Error:
raise
try:
import service
except Error:
raise
In web apps, every step or user choice is a solution.
In excellent articles or texts, every sentence is an instance of mind stretching, informing, questioning, or problem solving.
In reality, now who places much care on the hallowed grounds and spots of the indigenous peoples in Canada?
On the other hand, Jerusalem, the holy city of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, has always been in the spotlight on the world stage.
Think about that.
Think about that.
It seems that the Kobo ebook reader, made by a Canadian biz which is a local giant, is not up to par yet, in terms of sophistication.
How far will it be able to go, in the presence of the Amazon Kindle ebook reader, which is made by the, well, almighty Amazon.com ?
See the customer reviews of Kobo at http://goo.gl/6EbVM .
See the customer reviews of Kobo at http://goo.gl/6EbVM .
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Music video - Jason Mraz - I'm Yours (Live)
Lyrics:
I'm Yours
Well you done done me
and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill
but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
Now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
And nothing's gonna to stop me
but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn
to win some or learn some
But I won't hesitate
no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Well open up your mind
and see like me
Open up your plans
and damn, you're free
Look into your heart
and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment
people dance and sing
We're just one big family
And it's our God-forsaken right
to be loved love loved love loved
So I won't hesitate
no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
Scooch on closer dear
And I will nibble your ear
I've been spending way too long
checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards
just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and laughed
I guess what I'll be saying is
there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities and
just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue
But I won't hesitate
no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
Well open up your mind
and see like me
Open up your plans
and damn, you're free
Look into your heart
and you'll find the sky is yours
Please don't, please don't,
please don't
There's no need to complicate
Cause our time is short
This, oh this, oh this is our fate, I'm yours
- Corrected on the basis of http://www.lyricsmania.com/im_yours_lyrics_jason_mraz.html
Friday, March 18, 2011
I am intrigued by the existence of content farms and the valuation of the contents they present for whatever reasons.
On a related note, obviously those content farms add a lot to the brunt of our information overload.
In China, people tend to hallow individuals with power or money. But power can be abused.
In the West, people tend to hallow law. And no one is above the law.
Screen space for some free information units on commercial websites is at a premium.
Sigh. For free stuff, sometimes we get what we pay for.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Space is at such a premium in Hong Kong. I don't understand why some Chinese still want to go there.
In addition, will the future of HK be a bright one? I doubt it.
Acquiring proficient oral English seems to be a hallowed pursuit among the ESL learners in China.
However, I personally consider what really matters is not what the tongue can voice, instead, it is what the mind can deliver.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A Chinese tends to compare his material well being to that of others.
And that tendency embedded in the Chinese conscience harrows generation after generation of Chinese people.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Okay. Now Sony Ericsson has also climbed on the bandwagon of making Android phones.
The smart phone and tablet industry is and will be an industry in which the greatest business war I've ever seen takes place.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
To copy my own input contents:
While in a form input box: Ctrl + A to select all
vs.
While on an output web page: Ctrl + A to select all
vs.
While on an output web page: Ctrl + A to select all
For all the risks of potential traumatic earthquakes, many people, especially rich new immigrants from China, are still flocking to Vancouver and pushing the real estate prices over there higher and higher.
I don't understand that. It's a risky area to live in. Quakes are coming sooner or later.
Artwork of digital music pieces usually looks very goodly and hence makes the music more appealing to potential listeners.
(Image from http://goo.gl/mw9PR)
The manipulating effects of arts on human consciences are not to be ignored.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Lately I encountered a person that likes to attack people, with no good reason, in an internet forum.
She may do that out of irrational thinking, jealousy, or something else, for all I know.
People like that will eat their own folly, for all I care.
People like that will eat their own folly, for all I care.
Methinks Egypt will have a very difficult journey ahead. Just my gut feeling.
Neither democracy nor the Chinese economic model is a silver bullet for economic prosperity.
Music video - 7 Years and 50 Days - Groove Coverage
Groove Coverage is a German band.
Lyrics:
7 years and 50 days
7 years and 50 days, the time is passing by
Nothing in this world can be as nice as you and I
And how could we break up like this?
And how could we be wrong?
So many years, so many days and I still sing my song
Now I run to you like I always do
When I close my eyes I think of you
Such a lonely girl
Such a lonely world
When I close my eyes I dream
I return to you like I always do
When I close my eyes I think of you
Such a lonely girl
Such a lonely world
When I close my eyes I dream Of you
7 years and 50 days, now just look at me
Am I the girl I use to be
So damn what do you see?
And how could we break up like this?
And how could we be wrong?
So many years, so many days and I still sing my song
Now I run to you like I always do
When I close my eyes I think of you
Such a lonely girl
Such a lonely world
When I close my eyes I dream
I return to you like I always do
When I close my eyes I think of you
Such a lonely girl
Such a lonely world
When I close my eyes I dream Of you
Friday, March 11, 2011
As more and more domestic and international students, either young or adult, are rallying around an education in an American or Canadian university, the point right after the peak will mark the beginning of the end of the myth of the value of a traditional higher education, whose price has been getting more and more expensive, I guess.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Many Egyptians have endured living in hovels for so long. Some people even live in cemeteries.
I don't know if a similar situation will appear in Shanghai and Beijing.
In fact, when a person actually disrespects others, or even both disrespects and takes advantage of others, that does not equal to gaming them.
However, it doesn't look pleasant in the eyes of others.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Facebook is still a waste of time for many people.
I am waiting for that inflection point to happen after which it won't be the case any more.
However, well, maybe Twitter really is better.
However, well, maybe Twitter really is better.
Sometime I think I have the potential to become a premium chef.
(Pic from http://goo.gl/evlZg)
The question is, if I chose the profession of chef, would I have the luck to become an excellent one?
Anyways, just some gibber-jabber. :-)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
I guess that during difficult economic times, the alliance between the government and the industry is tighter and closer.
The dynamics within a country and nation is not easy to grasp at all.
Images - Hercules
"Hercules" is the Roman name for the Greek demigod "Heracles".
Keywords: Twelve labors of Hercules.
It seems that the gnarled club in Hercules' hand is his favorite weapon to attack and kill.
Keywords: Twelve labors of Hercules.
It seems that the gnarled club in Hercules' hand is his favorite weapon to attack and kill.
(Image from http://goo.gl/f1e5i)
I'm sorry. But for the time being, I don't trust the quality of customer service of Bell Canada at all. In addition, for the time being, I don't trust their mobile phone branch.
Well, so I won't purchase a Motorola Atrix 4G smart phone, which must be accompanied by a 3-year contract with Bell Canada, the sole seller. Sigh. The phone itself, is such a marvelous monster machine. I have to let it go.
As a matter of fact, both the WWI and the WWII were initiated by Germany.
Think about that.
And think about how people consider the Russia power.
And think about how people consider the Russia power.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
中國當代和歷史上的各個朝代一個很大的不同是,貌似從帝都到地方,很多當朝權貴的子女與家屬取得了各個海外發達國家的永久居留權,並且在當地社會長期居留。
細想一下,實在是令人擔憂。
但是,如果當朝只是簡單地令行禁止的話,卻會使得仕途對年輕人和各路人才的吸引力打折扣。
但是,如果當朝只是簡單地令行禁止的話,卻會使得仕途對年輕人和各路人才的吸引力打折扣。
People stand on the rubbles of the multi-year economic crisis and almost live mirthlessly.
Capitalism is a tough system in which you don't want to lose yourself.
Personally I really think Google's stoppage of evolving the Google Notebook, which had once been a cool and handy gadget, was a misstep.
Google somewhat lost me and some other users there.
Google Reader is becoming out of touch.
Ideally, it should be capable of building various filters. But it's not. Not to mention those filters which are NOT ONLY keyword-based.
As for other providers, the Yahoo Pipes seems to be too convoluted to use and not very reliable, and Feedrinse.com too simple.
I don't know what I'll do. It seems that many people have given up RSS feeds and turn to Facebook, Twitter, and the like. But I really like RSS, which seems to be alive and well, contrast to the popular claim "RSS is dead".
As for other providers, the Yahoo Pipes seems to be too convoluted to use and not very reliable, and Feedrinse.com too simple.
I don't know what I'll do. It seems that many people have given up RSS feeds and turn to Facebook, Twitter, and the like. But I really like RSS, which seems to be alive and well, contrast to the popular claim "RSS is dead".
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The growth retardation of laptop computers feels like written on the wall.
Keywords: Tablets, aggressive media coverage.
Satire joke via web - What's the catch?
"
The Devil tells a Real Estate Agent, “Look, I can make you richer, more famous, and more successful than any Real Estate Agent alive. In fact, I can make you the greatest agent that ever lived.”
“Well,” says the Real Estate Agent, “what do I have to do in return?”
The Devil smiles, “Well, of course you have to give me your soul,” he says, “but you also have to give me the souls of your children, the souls of your children’s children and, as a matter of fact, you have to give me the souls of all your descendants throughout eternity.”
“Wait a minute,” the Real Estate Agent says cautiously, “What’s the catch?”
"
--Copied from http://goo.gl/HqX40
The Devil tells a Real Estate Agent, “Look, I can make you richer, more famous, and more successful than any Real Estate Agent alive. In fact, I can make you the greatest agent that ever lived.”
“Well,” says the Real Estate Agent, “what do I have to do in return?”
The Devil smiles, “Well, of course you have to give me your soul,” he says, “but you also have to give me the souls of your children, the souls of your children’s children and, as a matter of fact, you have to give me the souls of all your descendants throughout eternity.”
“Wait a minute,” the Real Estate Agent says cautiously, “What’s the catch?”
"
--Copied from http://goo.gl/HqX40
Excerpt from web - 关于"词汇量问题"
"
说到这里,我想插入一点,有关于人的词汇量问题.衡量人的词汇量有多种尺度.具体要分为阅读词汇量,口语词汇量和写作词汇量.所谓阅读词汇量就是你在阅读时看到认识但不会拼写甚至不会读的单词量.这种词汇量是最容易提高的.口语词汇量,当然就是指你在口语表达时能灵活运用的词汇量.而写作词汇量就是你在写作时能灵活运用的词汇量.有人或许会问,口语词汇量大了写作词汇量不就大了吗?非也,这两个完全是两个不同的体系.口语词汇和写作词汇是不一样的.口语中多用短语多用动词词组多用Baby English,这里有个误区,很多人为了impress外国人,在口语中经常用一些自己刚背的大词或者生僻的词,有人甚至用GRE词汇,这是绝对错误的,这就好像在我们用中文进行日常交流,某个人一直使用文言文一样.同样的道理,我们在进行英语交流时也要多用自然的口语化的句子.我还记得我们在大一口语课时,外教就专门训练我们用Baby English,而避免用一些写作中的大词.因此我们在积累口语词汇时,要注意积累一些口语化的用法和词组,除此之外真正涉及到词汇量的是,生活各场景的具体词汇.不知道大家有没有这样的体会,和外国人在一起往往感到无话可谈,谈来谈去都是些相当空的话.为什么?彼此间接触的东西相差如此之大,可交流的应该很多啊.问题就在于我们specific的词汇量太少.随便谈个话题,谈不了多久就卡壳了,这词不会说,那词也不会.比如,我有个外教比较喜欢cooking,这方面的东西她很感兴趣.可问题是各种菜的名字我知之甚少,怎么交流??所以,我们常常呼喊提高口语,提倡这个发音,那个语调的,可是,就算你真正做到native了,却无法交流,这又有何用?所以,平时一定要注意日常词汇的累积.好像最平常最生活的词汇反而容易被我们忽视,VOA词汇有用,难道这些日常词汇就没用吗?其实利用率更高.以前我曾经为了提高这方面的词汇量而买过一本书,是外文出版社出的,名为《看图速记英语词汇集 学习生活用语新突破》,是日本人编写的,共分182个日常生活的自然场景,每个场景分别收集了20个是用频率最高的词,中英对照还有插图.当时觉得很实用,但后来给外教一看,说里面有很多用法不地道,毕竟是日本人编写的,有的时候用英式用法,有的时候又是北美用法,还有一些过时的用法.听她这么一说我就懒得背了.后来她给我看了一本她买的与其相类似的书,具体书名我没有记,不过是剑桥出的,她说比较权威.我准备去买,等我买了一定把书名贴上来.(这个书我到现在还没有找到).
而在正式写作中,尤其是在学术写作中我们一要避免使用Baby English,例如;take off最好改用remove,throw away最好改用discard,get used to最好改用adjust to或adapt to.在这里我们就应该多积累一些写作中可以用到的华丽词汇,比如在表示“重要”时,除了使用important,我们还可以用pertinent, vital, crucial等等.刚才我之所以说刘毅五千很重要,就是因为里面大多数词语都是使用率极高的,而且可以使用于写作中.我个人认为五千是刘毅词汇系列中最核心的.建议大家拿来背背.
"
--Excerpted from http://goo.gl/ntUs9 in around 2009
--Recycled in 2011
说到这里,我想插入一点,有关于人的词汇量问题.衡量人的词汇量有多种尺度.具体要分为阅读词汇量,口语词汇量和写作词汇量.所谓阅读词汇量就是你在阅读时看到认识但不会拼写甚至不会读的单词量.这种词汇量是最容易提高的.口语词汇量,当然就是指你在口语表达时能灵活运用的词汇量.而写作词汇量就是你在写作时能灵活运用的词汇量.有人或许会问,口语词汇量大了写作词汇量不就大了吗?非也,这两个完全是两个不同的体系.口语词汇和写作词汇是不一样的.口语中多用短语多用动词词组多用Baby English,这里有个误区,很多人为了impress外国人,在口语中经常用一些自己刚背的大词或者生僻的词,有人甚至用GRE词汇,这是绝对错误的,这就好像在我们用中文进行日常交流,某个人一直使用文言文一样.同样的道理,我们在进行英语交流时也要多用自然的口语化的句子.我还记得我们在大一口语课时,外教就专门训练我们用Baby English,而避免用一些写作中的大词.因此我们在积累口语词汇时,要注意积累一些口语化的用法和词组,除此之外真正涉及到词汇量的是,生活各场景的具体词汇.不知道大家有没有这样的体会,和外国人在一起往往感到无话可谈,谈来谈去都是些相当空的话.为什么?彼此间接触的东西相差如此之大,可交流的应该很多啊.问题就在于我们specific的词汇量太少.随便谈个话题,谈不了多久就卡壳了,这词不会说,那词也不会.比如,我有个外教比较喜欢cooking,这方面的东西她很感兴趣.可问题是各种菜的名字我知之甚少,怎么交流??所以,我们常常呼喊提高口语,提倡这个发音,那个语调的,可是,就算你真正做到native了,却无法交流,这又有何用?所以,平时一定要注意日常词汇的累积.好像最平常最生活的词汇反而容易被我们忽视,VOA词汇有用,难道这些日常词汇就没用吗?其实利用率更高.以前我曾经为了提高这方面的词汇量而买过一本书,是外文出版社出的,名为《看图速记英语词汇集 学习生活用语新突破》,是日本人编写的,共分182个日常生活的自然场景,每个场景分别收集了20个是用频率最高的词,中英对照还有插图.当时觉得很实用,但后来给外教一看,说里面有很多用法不地道,毕竟是日本人编写的,有的时候用英式用法,有的时候又是北美用法,还有一些过时的用法.听她这么一说我就懒得背了.后来她给我看了一本她买的与其相类似的书,具体书名我没有记,不过是剑桥出的,她说比较权威.我准备去买,等我买了一定把书名贴上来.(这个书我到现在还没有找到).
而在正式写作中,尤其是在学术写作中我们一要避免使用Baby English,例如;take off最好改用remove,throw away最好改用discard,get used to最好改用adjust to或adapt to.在这里我们就应该多积累一些写作中可以用到的华丽词汇,比如在表示“重要”时,除了使用important,我们还可以用pertinent, vital, crucial等等.刚才我之所以说刘毅五千很重要,就是因为里面大多数词语都是使用率极高的,而且可以使用于写作中.我个人认为五千是刘毅词汇系列中最核心的.建议大家拿来背背.
"
--Excerpted from http://goo.gl/ntUs9 in around 2009
--Recycled in 2011
Quote via web - “工作忙,没时间”学英文
"
懂得爱上英语,但找不到时间来学习英语?调查指出,80%以上的白领都报名学过英语,但真正坚持下来的恐怕连一半也没有,最普遍的借口就是“工作忙,没时间”。
"
--Excerpted from http://goo.gl/0XFwR in around 2009
--Recycled in 2011
人生的局限性可见一斑。很多事,令人望洋兴叹。
DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Englishtown.com in any possible way. And, I am not purposely recommending its products or services here.
懂得爱上英语,但找不到时间来学习英语?调查指出,80%以上的白领都报名学过英语,但真正坚持下来的恐怕连一半也没有,最普遍的借口就是“工作忙,没时间”。
"
--Excerpted from http://goo.gl/0XFwR in around 2009
--Recycled in 2011
人生的局限性可见一斑。很多事,令人望洋兴叹。
DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Englishtown.com in any possible way. And, I am not purposely recommending its products or services here.
People must be scurrying on Douban.com.
Effectively filtering information has been becoming increasingly time-consuming.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Good authentic Chinese dishes make my stomach merry. However, they're hard to come by in Montreal.
Well, that's one of the compromises that I have to take for living in a relatively fair, rich, and democratic country.
Many entrepreneurs mistake "possible" for "probable".
(Pic from http://goo.gl/qayWr)
That's right, what measures do you take in order to make it from "possible" into the realm of "probable"?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Now I know, youthful pop singers tend to be more or less blithe.
And that's one of the reasons why they fail to attract adult fans.
"Sir, how many degrees will be enough for me to have?" "The more the merrier."
P.S. I feel glad that universities haven't made postdoc an academic degree yet(?). If one day that happens, what degree should a professor or academic researcher with, say, twenty years of research work under his belt, be entitled to? Assume that he wants to leave the ivory tower for the real world and work in it, can he claim that he has a post-post-postdoc degree? :-)
Every person comes away from his alma mater intellectually, in a matter of years.
So, especially in this era of lifelong learning, which university or institution a person graduates from shouldn't be overly fussed about.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
By its nature, the field of investment is risky business.
So the volatility of the fortunes of individual financial firms should reflect the natural and unavoidable failures of risky undertakings, which after all is what their businesses are all about.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Many elders are so out of it.
They should streamline their own individual processes of information intake by embracing the channels of the web and the 3G / 4G network.
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