So I downloaded a phone chess game to play with, to battle boredom in helpless moments such as waiting for a train. It is fairly amazing to download something on the phone! Phone no longer just make phone calls and send text.
The game is called "Ultimate Chess". NICE graphics for a small phone. But it has only 1 set of chess graphics. I wish there are more to choose from. But at just a handful size of 76.1K, you can't ask for too much. Chess algorithm must be a very interesting topic to study. I wish I can find a book or so on it. How did they pack all that graham (um, code)?
About the game: watch out! No undo! (Suggestion 1, how about an undo option?) Must be careful! Ok, needing to undo is a bad chess habit. Fortunately you can save a game. (but just one game)
About difficulty, there is easy level all the way to grand master. I used to have another chess game on my older phone, it was ridiculously easy even at the so called hard level. For Ultimate Chess, the normal level seems to be fairly easy but not outright naive. I was able to beat the Hard level! (not very consistently though) Ok, maybe I was just lucky. I suppose it is a strong opponent at higher settings, won't attempt unless I beat Hard level consistently. (I am a very amateur player.)
(Suggestion 2) I am named "Player" How come I can't rename myself?
You can play an easy game, almost going to win, save the game. Beat it! That increases your rating. Load again! Win again to increase more rating! You can increase indefinitely! (Is that a bug? Suggestion 3, how about fixing that?)
This game even has a puzzle mode! I can solve the Mate-in-1 puzzles. The Mate-in-2 puzzles are VERY difficult! I can't solve any yet!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Newsweek's arrows
Newsweek has a "Conventional Wisdom" section with arrows that indicate popularity of certain people or country. So Clinton says something bad? She gets a down arrow. Bush did something right? He gets an up arrow. China received a down arrow for "shoddy building codes and one child policy" as the earthquake revealed.
I find this fairly disturbing. Even if you have 10 kids you may lose them all in the next natural disaster. About shoddy building codes, well some of those buildings are quite old. While that MAY be true, but that was a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. Can YOUR house withstand that?
The rescue efforts have been remarkable. People work day and night to rescue those in need as they overcome fears of aftershocks still taking place. When disasters strike, brotherhood and unity is strong.
However, the real unfortunate human nature is that when times are good, people start cheating on each other. Some evil people may have stolen from $ the building funds to make such shoddy school buildings. I hope that's not the case.
I find this fairly disturbing. Even if you have 10 kids you may lose them all in the next natural disaster. About shoddy building codes, well some of those buildings are quite old. While that MAY be true, but that was a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. Can YOUR house withstand that?
The rescue efforts have been remarkable. People work day and night to rescue those in need as they overcome fears of aftershocks still taking place. When disasters strike, brotherhood and unity is strong.
However, the real unfortunate human nature is that when times are good, people start cheating on each other. Some evil people may have stolen from $ the building funds to make such shoddy school buildings. I hope that's not the case.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Mourning logos
I noticed yahoo's logo changed to black and white. At first I thought something is wrong with my monitor, but no, they did it on purpose!
Even HongKong's TV station changes logo to black and white as a sign to mourn for the victims of the huge earthquake.
China mourns for 3 days as people join and chant: one side has disaster, eight sides come to help!
It is great to see such unity! Never seen such unity before in China.
Throughout Chinese history there were just too many man-vs-man conflicts: 40,000 is SMALL compared to military conflicts. How come people don't seem to mourn as much for those hacked by battle axes and boulders rolling down from castle seige? Often, history books (or classic novels) praise a certain general's intelligence for outsmarting the other sides' general. Poets say it best, poor translation here:
The cost of one winning battle is ten-thousand set of decomposing bones.
Please, keep the unity on, don't fire rockets to Taiwan, or among yourselves. Help each other! Prosper together!
I've heard one person says, hey we use too much plastic bags that damaged the environment, and it is fighting back!
Ok, dear complainer, thanks for your concern for environmentalism. But do you realize that earthquakes and plate tectonics takes places even before human existence? I suppose global warming (and I am wearing at sweater in late May) and earthquakes are not so related.
Though changing colors of logos and lowering flags don't help much, it is good to remember those victims.
Even HongKong's TV station changes logo to black and white as a sign to mourn for the victims of the huge earthquake.
China mourns for 3 days as people join and chant: one side has disaster, eight sides come to help!
It is great to see such unity! Never seen such unity before in China.
Throughout Chinese history there were just too many man-vs-man conflicts: 40,000 is SMALL compared to military conflicts. How come people don't seem to mourn as much for those hacked by battle axes and boulders rolling down from castle seige? Often, history books (or classic novels) praise a certain general's intelligence for outsmarting the other sides' general. Poets say it best, poor translation here:
The cost of one winning battle is ten-thousand set of decomposing bones.
Please, keep the unity on, don't fire rockets to Taiwan, or among yourselves. Help each other! Prosper together!
I've heard one person says, hey we use too much plastic bags that damaged the environment, and it is fighting back!
Ok, dear complainer, thanks for your concern for environmentalism. But do you realize that earthquakes and plate tectonics takes places even before human existence? I suppose global warming (and I am wearing at sweater in late May) and earthquakes are not so related.
Though changing colors of logos and lowering flags don't help much, it is good to remember those victims.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Same sex marriage ban overturned
Top world news: Sichuan earthquake, Myanmar cyclones.
Top American news: politics, and gay marriage.
See here.
Homosexuality is an abomination(!) cried conservatives. We have such moral decline!
Freedom! Equality! cried proponents of it. Just why you think is an abomination? What is your moral based on?
The conversavtives' answer, of course, is the BIBLE!
Then some will attack the Bible, referring to kids getting KILLED in the Bible ridiculing Elijah being bald. (2 Kings 2:23-24), (and I dare say some conservatives don't even know this Bible story.) They also can point out the verses of people get stoned to death, and get killed if you work on the Sabbath day,
the horrors of the 10 disasters on Egypt, and all that. These people dismissed the Bible altogether.
Some conservatives are then speechless.
Strictly base everything in the Bible will make you identify yourself as God-chosen people and you will kill everyone in your path to the promised land as you repeatedly read the conquests of Moses and Joshua and the battles of the Judges, and Israel/Judah against their neighbor enemies. Throughout western history people use holy war as a tactic. Not in the east though: the Taoists and Buddists get along just fine in China. I don't know of a single religion war in Chinese history.
Unfortunately people historically don't practice the "love thy neighbor" verse much, and prefer conquest each other instead.
What am I going to say is this, you don't even need the Bible to realize same-sex marriage is not right: it cannot be extended to everyone. Humanity will wipe out in 100 years if everyone has same-sex marriage. After all, where do YOU come from? Exactly one man and one woman (your parents).
Any biology person can tell me if homosexuality is practiced in other animals? If not, I dare say it is abnormal behavior.
None of my business you say? The family is a well accepted basic foundation of human relationships. Shaking it is shaking entire humanity.
If you legalize same sex marriage: where do you draw the line?
How about uncle-neice? two-brothers? brother-sister? multiple-husbands, multiple-wives? Shaking the foundation of humanity is no less impact than a tremendous earthquake.
At this point, rescuing people in need is much more priority than politics and other issues.
Top American news: politics, and gay marriage.
See here.
Homosexuality is an abomination(!) cried conservatives. We have such moral decline!
Freedom! Equality! cried proponents of it. Just why you think is an abomination? What is your moral based on?
The conversavtives' answer, of course, is the BIBLE!
Then some will attack the Bible, referring to kids getting KILLED in the Bible ridiculing Elijah being bald. (2 Kings 2:23-24), (and I dare say some conservatives don't even know this Bible story.) They also can point out the verses of people get stoned to death, and get killed if you work on the Sabbath day,
the horrors of the 10 disasters on Egypt, and all that. These people dismissed the Bible altogether.
Some conservatives are then speechless.
Strictly base everything in the Bible will make you identify yourself as God-chosen people and you will kill everyone in your path to the promised land as you repeatedly read the conquests of Moses and Joshua and the battles of the Judges, and Israel/Judah against their neighbor enemies. Throughout western history people use holy war as a tactic. Not in the east though: the Taoists and Buddists get along just fine in China. I don't know of a single religion war in Chinese history.
Unfortunately people historically don't practice the "love thy neighbor" verse much, and prefer conquest each other instead.
What am I going to say is this, you don't even need the Bible to realize same-sex marriage is not right: it cannot be extended to everyone. Humanity will wipe out in 100 years if everyone has same-sex marriage. After all, where do YOU come from? Exactly one man and one woman (your parents).
Any biology person can tell me if homosexuality is practiced in other animals? If not, I dare say it is abnormal behavior.
None of my business you say? The family is a well accepted basic foundation of human relationships. Shaking it is shaking entire humanity.
If you legalize same sex marriage: where do you draw the line?
How about uncle-neice? two-brothers? brother-sister? multiple-husbands, multiple-wives? Shaking the foundation of humanity is no less impact than a tremendous earthquake.
At this point, rescuing people in need is much more priority than politics and other issues.
Wake up call
China is struggling to dig through the rubbles for survivors and calming those who tragically lost their loved ones and homes in the Sichuan earthquake. Please lend your helping hand too!
How many remember that there was an earthquake in the middle of Illinois not too long ago? See here for reminder.
Fortunately, no one was hurt, just some small damages.
The same 7.8 scale earthquake can happen in America too! Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to detect earthquakes. Scientists can best guess that there will be big earthquake! in the next couple decades, in California. See here for your warning. How come these experts didn't mention Sichuan?
America architecture: are we building earthquake proof houses like people in Japan? I am not sure how ready we are. Given how we handle Katrina, I am not sure if America is capable of handling our own natural disaster.
There really is no escape. But I would plan to move out of earthquake zones if I live there.
I am sure plenty look up to heaven for the dreadful WHY ME and the suffering question. Sorry folks, people have been questioning that for eternity in vain. There IS no satisfying answer.
How many remember that there was an earthquake in the middle of Illinois not too long ago? See here for reminder.
Fortunately, no one was hurt, just some small damages.
The same 7.8 scale earthquake can happen in America too! Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to detect earthquakes. Scientists can best guess that there will be big earthquake! in the next couple decades, in California. See here for your warning. How come these experts didn't mention Sichuan?
America architecture: are we building earthquake proof houses like people in Japan? I am not sure how ready we are. Given how we handle Katrina, I am not sure if America is capable of handling our own natural disaster.
There really is no escape. But I would plan to move out of earthquake zones if I live there.
I am sure plenty look up to heaven for the dreadful WHY ME and the suffering question. Sorry folks, people have been questioning that for eternity in vain. There IS no satisfying answer.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
American Hidden History
I read Kenneth Davis' bestseller Don't Know Much About History a while ago. It is the BEST history book I've ever seen. Lively discussion of American History in question and answer form. Lively and witty and beautifully written.
Today I browsed through his new book America's Hidden History. The first impression: the paper is pseudo antique, with rough edges and the cover looks like old books in the antique section of your university library.
It focus on little known history items... started with how the brutal religion quarrels in Europe ended up in America, and that the pigs on the Columbus's ship may explain massive mysterious deaths among the Indians and colonists...
Most ill-informed perception of US history is that a bunch of freedom seeking puritans come to seek religious freedom and founded this Christian nation. The real story is much much more complex than that.
This book seems to be a little more serious tone than Don't Know Much About History.
If you are interested in history this is a great item to have.
Today I browsed through his new book America's Hidden History. The first impression: the paper is pseudo antique, with rough edges and the cover looks like old books in the antique section of your university library.
It focus on little known history items... started with how the brutal religion quarrels in Europe ended up in America, and that the pigs on the Columbus's ship may explain massive mysterious deaths among the Indians and colonists...
Most ill-informed perception of US history is that a bunch of freedom seeking puritans come to seek religious freedom and founded this Christian nation. The real story is much much more complex than that.
This book seems to be a little more serious tone than Don't Know Much About History.
If you are interested in history this is a great item to have.
Monday, May 12, 2008
AJAX chinese chess
I am impressed. Gosh I am impressed where you can play chess on AJAX.
http://ajaxchess.pragmaticlogic.com/
This is not an outrageous strong opponent, still fun. Watch out! No take backs.
http://ajaxchess.pragmaticlogic.com/
This is not an outrageous strong opponent, still fun. Watch out! No take backs.
Earthquake!
Earthquake hit the heart of China. As far as Beijing and HongKong felt the 7.8 earthquake at Sichuan. At least hundreds if not thousands may be dead. Another horrible natural disaster strike. This is the same 7.8 scale as the disasterous 1976 Tang Shen big earthquake!
Hurricane! Earthquake! Volcano! When mother nature roars on Mother's Day, it turns a Happy Mother's Day into Horrifying Day.
I can't help but recall this interesting game that I played on the Tandy 1000: Archon, where you can summon elementals. Some war strategy games also have random events such as fire and earthquake to test your rebuilding strategy while watching your enemies. Sorry, I know, this is no game.
The weatherman more or less can predict when storms are coming, but it is so hard to detect earthquake. Ancient Chinese made a cool device where they carve balls in dragon mouths. When the balls drop the ground is shaking! Run! How come we don't see much progress in earthquake detection since the Han dynasty? All the research institutes do is to show a EKG like diagram and attach a logarithmic Ritcher scale number afterwards.
We can't prevent the wrath and schedule of mother nature. It probably took many many earthquakes over millions of years to crash India from Antarctica to the Chinese border to create the Himalayas, and to separte Africa from South America. The earth has its schedule.
Our entire civilization of a few thousand years is a small segment in earth's time line.
Although we are quite limited beings, but we should put out the best efforts to help those in need... You can help too! Donate to your favorite help-the-world charity organizations.
Hurricane! Earthquake! Volcano! When mother nature roars on Mother's Day, it turns a Happy Mother's Day into Horrifying Day.
I can't help but recall this interesting game that I played on the Tandy 1000: Archon, where you can summon elementals. Some war strategy games also have random events such as fire and earthquake to test your rebuilding strategy while watching your enemies. Sorry, I know, this is no game.
The weatherman more or less can predict when storms are coming, but it is so hard to detect earthquake. Ancient Chinese made a cool device where they carve balls in dragon mouths. When the balls drop the ground is shaking! Run! How come we don't see much progress in earthquake detection since the Han dynasty? All the research institutes do is to show a EKG like diagram and attach a logarithmic Ritcher scale number afterwards.
We can't prevent the wrath and schedule of mother nature. It probably took many many earthquakes over millions of years to crash India from Antarctica to the Chinese border to create the Himalayas, and to separte Africa from South America. The earth has its schedule.
Our entire civilization of a few thousand years is a small segment in earth's time line.
Although we are quite limited beings, but we should put out the best efforts to help those in need... You can help too! Donate to your favorite help-the-world charity organizations.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Military might show off
Russia showed off its military might at a parade in Red Square.
See here for news coverage that you probably won't see in detail on American news.
Russia has a new president: Dimitry Medvedev, whose name looks so much like Dmitri Mendeleev, who you may have remembered in your high school chemistry text as the father of the periodic table.
The new president wants to show the world that they are still a military power: don't mess with them.
I don't remember ever seeing military parade from the United States. Perhaps there is no space in Washington DC? I am sure we have even bigger bombs than those used in Hiroshima.
China is also building its military. When interviewed by news reporters, they always say "we're not even close to YOUR military spending."
Military buildup is building up unstatbility in world peace: almost like building more pieces of Jenga tower.
Myanmar is refusing UN's humilitarian help effort, and the United States is merely providing pocket change of a few millions in this effort.
Is UN going to be able to help resolve world conflicts or will be as hapless as the League of Nations?
Please remember the twisted gun at the UN headquarters. The world needs progress, not another world conflict.
It is more than a mere ornanment.
See here for news coverage that you probably won't see in detail on American news.
Russia has a new president: Dimitry Medvedev, whose name looks so much like Dmitri Mendeleev, who you may have remembered in your high school chemistry text as the father of the periodic table.
The new president wants to show the world that they are still a military power: don't mess with them.
I don't remember ever seeing military parade from the United States. Perhaps there is no space in Washington DC? I am sure we have even bigger bombs than those used in Hiroshima.
China is also building its military. When interviewed by news reporters, they always say "we're not even close to YOUR military spending."
Military buildup is building up unstatbility in world peace: almost like building more pieces of Jenga tower.
Myanmar is refusing UN's humilitarian help effort, and the United States is merely providing pocket change of a few millions in this effort.
Is UN going to be able to help resolve world conflicts or will be as hapless as the League of Nations?
Please remember the twisted gun at the UN headquarters. The world needs progress, not another world conflict.
It is more than a mere ornanment.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Let's play Ping Pong
Ping Pong is a fun sport. You only need some relatively inexpensive equipments and find a table. It doesn't require a lot of space like baseball or basketball. It is easier to find just 1 other player to play than find a full team to play. You don't need to run a lot to chase the ball throughout the game either. However, it is deceptively difficult to master all that spins and slams to play well.
It is also a powerful diplomatic tool. See here for details. It opened pathway for China to start talking to other countries and building relationships. Perhaps you saw the scene in Forest Gump playing ping pong with a big picture of Mao in the background.
China is using this to talk to Japan now, http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/06/japan-china.html. Besides ping pong, China also sends pandas to whoever to lighten up relationships.
I saw president Hu play ping pong on TV! He is GOOD! He slammed the ball hard! Even against some top Japanese players!
Waita minute, his opponents seem to hit the ball high so he can slam. His opponents didn't use all that spin tricks. They LET him win. Of course, you want the president to look good on TV.
Ping Pong diplomacy is a simple yet powerful diplomacy tool because it is a sport that everyone can play. The goal of diplomacy is to set a common ground isn't it? If diplomacy only involves top government officials and their translators on both sides of a LONG table it is hard to have a common ground. Establish some common ground, then start talking the real issues.
This is what the olympics SHOULD be about. What do people all over the world have common? Physical ability. All countries get together and participate peacefully. Yes it is big show off of resources you invested in the atheletes and the hosting country's architecture ability too. I hope no one will mess up the olympics with protests and other violence.
Application: perhaps you can resolve co-worker differences with common ground, perhaps over a cup of coffee.
It is also a powerful diplomatic tool. See here for details. It opened pathway for China to start talking to other countries and building relationships. Perhaps you saw the scene in Forest Gump playing ping pong with a big picture of Mao in the background.
China is using this to talk to Japan now, http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/06/japan-china.html. Besides ping pong, China also sends pandas to whoever to lighten up relationships.
I saw president Hu play ping pong on TV! He is GOOD! He slammed the ball hard! Even against some top Japanese players!
Waita minute, his opponents seem to hit the ball high so he can slam. His opponents didn't use all that spin tricks. They LET him win. Of course, you want the president to look good on TV.
Ping Pong diplomacy is a simple yet powerful diplomacy tool because it is a sport that everyone can play. The goal of diplomacy is to set a common ground isn't it? If diplomacy only involves top government officials and their translators on both sides of a LONG table it is hard to have a common ground. Establish some common ground, then start talking the real issues.
This is what the olympics SHOULD be about. What do people all over the world have common? Physical ability. All countries get together and participate peacefully. Yes it is big show off of resources you invested in the atheletes and the hosting country's architecture ability too. I hope no one will mess up the olympics with protests and other violence.
Application: perhaps you can resolve co-worker differences with common ground, perhaps over a cup of coffee.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Myanmar or is it Burma?
Devastating storm killed thousands: according to US diplomat, as many as 100,000! Hmm, why is this almost 5 times as high as the previous number 22000?
Why such big storms? Some theories say deforestration is causing mother nature to strike back. Whatever the cause, it is a huge loss. The impact of the storm will last long after its gone as the victims struggle to rebuild their community.
If this storm didn't strike, I didn't even know Burma was renamed as Myanmar by the military government. I know little, gosh very little about this country except I remember coloring it in a high school geography class. I know there are monks there like western part of China. I hope there were no bloodshed to rename the country. Being ruled by military government is scary isn't it? But wait a minute, what country isn't?
High gas price, food price, devastating weather conditions and more uncertainties continue to haunt the world.
Why such big storms? Some theories say deforestration is causing mother nature to strike back. Whatever the cause, it is a huge loss. The impact of the storm will last long after its gone as the victims struggle to rebuild their community.
If this storm didn't strike, I didn't even know Burma was renamed as Myanmar by the military government. I know little, gosh very little about this country except I remember coloring it in a high school geography class. I know there are monks there like western part of China. I hope there were no bloodshed to rename the country. Being ruled by military government is scary isn't it? But wait a minute, what country isn't?
High gas price, food price, devastating weather conditions and more uncertainties continue to haunt the world.
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