I watched a HK-made science TV show for kids featuring this question...
If you spilled water on your floor, you put a piece of cloth or paper towel on it, why does the water gets absorbed?
This is the same concept explaining how sponge able to hold water, just how does it work?
Yikes I am stumped. I am a college graduate and I can't explain this.
The phenomenon is called capillary action.
I don't remember seeing that formula in my college physics class. Of course, the formula is not shown to the elementary school audience watching the show.
This also explains how plants draw water from the earth.
Watching science education shows can be a humbling experience. There are many many scientific phenomenons that I can't explain!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Outrageous convservatives
In google news, I saw this shocking headline: GOP likely to attack Michelle Obama in election fight.
Ok, so GOP is not physically attacking her. What a relief.
But they are going to attack her like this:
These "conservatives" are outrageous and NAIVE.
Listen to the strategist
Focus on issues, focus on the candidates, not on their spouse.
McCain needs to show himself better than what Bush can do.
Obama needs to show the changes are actually going to work
Ok, so GOP is not physically attacking her. What a relief.
But they are going to attack her like this:
Michelle Obama was widely criticized on conservative blogs when she said "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country" at an appearance on behalf of her husband in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in February.
The Obama campaign said Michelle Obama's comment reflected her excitement about the grassroots support her husband is receiving, but conservatives said the statement raised questions about her patriotism.
These "conservatives" are outrageous and NAIVE.
Listen to the strategist
"Considering there are so many issues -- legitimate issues -- that you can use on Barack Obama, to attack his wife to me is sheer utter stupidy of the highest level," Stephen Marks, a Republican strategist, said. "Mr. Obama is going to come to his wife's defense and it's going to humanize both of them."
Focus on issues, focus on the candidates, not on their spouse.
McCain needs to show himself better than what Bush can do.
Obama needs to show the changes are actually going to work
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
D
Long long time ago there was a programming language known as BCPL. Then there was B, then there was C! Unix is written in C and that become de facto standard of programming. Structured programming was much much better than hacking assembly.
Object oriented programming came in and shook the software world. C needed an update. Should it be called P, the next letter in sequence? or should it be called D, the next letter in the alphabet? I've heard that the marketing guys avoided "D".
The OO successor of C was ingenuously called C++! The C operation ++ was attached to the name of the language!
Then there was java, completely different name without any attachment to BCPL name or the alphabet, created out of frustration of the ugliness of C++ (but slowly it is gaining the ugly stuff such as templates!)
Microsoft's relationship with Sun got sour... It needs its own C++ based modern language... what should it be called? Oh my, smart name, C# as in the next music note!
Today I discovered a rather little known, rather obscure new C-derived language, called D.
http://www.digitalmars.com/d/2.0/index.html.
Do we need another language?
The trend nowadays is everyone create their own new languages. Enter Perl, Ruby, (someone will soon do Emerald?), Phyton etc... As if their goal of their lives is to tell their mom: "look mom! I've got a new language!" The world seems to fall in love with templates and closures.
This D language has many rather obscure stuff. My prediction is that it will not fly.
Java and C# are here to stay. We only need a new language if it is revolutionary.
Anyone ever thought of naming the next C like language something C+=? so you start with C+=2, then C+=3, ....
Object oriented programming came in and shook the software world. C needed an update. Should it be called P, the next letter in sequence? or should it be called D, the next letter in the alphabet? I've heard that the marketing guys avoided "D".
The OO successor of C was ingenuously called C++! The C operation ++ was attached to the name of the language!
Then there was java, completely different name without any attachment to BCPL name or the alphabet, created out of frustration of the ugliness of C++ (but slowly it is gaining the ugly stuff such as templates!)
Microsoft's relationship with Sun got sour... It needs its own C++ based modern language... what should it be called? Oh my, smart name, C# as in the next music note!
Today I discovered a rather little known, rather obscure new C-derived language, called D.
http://www.digitalmars.com/d/2.0/index.html.
Do we need another language?
The trend nowadays is everyone create their own new languages. Enter Perl, Ruby, (someone will soon do Emerald?), Phyton etc... As if their goal of their lives is to tell their mom: "look mom! I've got a new language!" The world seems to fall in love with templates and closures.
This D language has many rather obscure stuff. My prediction is that it will not fly.
Java and C# are here to stay. We only need a new language if it is revolutionary.
Anyone ever thought of naming the next C like language something C+=? so you start with C+=2, then C+=3, ....
Chinese chess positions
If I am pursuing a PhD in computer science, I think I will pursue chess algorithm as my thesis!
It will be more fun than other boring academic stuff such as P vs NP isn't it? Chinese Chess and western chess are both easy to learn but very difficult to master. (Think you are good in Chinese chess? Try xiexie, or play with an elderly street player in some streets of Hongkong). In strategy games, experience count!
Ok ok, I know it is difficult to become a PhD, and the best part is: I don't have to be one to earn a fairly decent living, No one will pay for this work unless I am real good that can create Deep Red to beat the top Chinese player in the world (who is most likely, um, Chinese). Ok, I am just a so-so student, probably can't get into graduate school in the first place.
So I went to Wiki to see what's there about Chinese chess, good basic information there. I came across with this as external link.
http://www.csie.ndhu.edu.tw/~sjyen/Papers/2004CCC.pdf.
This is most interesting in the PDF: the value position of each piece (page 10).
It is well known that a horse in the middle of your palace is a bad position, as a cannon can easily pin you down and your Advisors (Guards) are disconnected. You get -2 points. But according to this chart, there are worse positions! Cannons at your opponent's palace are big negative positions.
Look at the most valuable position. a huge 120 point when your pawn is at the middle of your opponent's palace! Waita minute, how come the rook at the same place is not worth nearly as much? Um, I think the values for Pawns should tone down a bit. I have another opinion: the Cannon at the bottom line is very valuable! One cannon in the middle line and one in the bottom is a formidable situation!
It will be more fun than other boring academic stuff such as P vs NP isn't it? Chinese Chess and western chess are both easy to learn but very difficult to master. (Think you are good in Chinese chess? Try xiexie, or play with an elderly street player in some streets of Hongkong). In strategy games, experience count!
Ok ok, I know it is difficult to become a PhD, and the best part is: I don't have to be one to earn a fairly decent living, No one will pay for this work unless I am real good that can create Deep Red to beat the top Chinese player in the world (who is most likely, um, Chinese). Ok, I am just a so-so student, probably can't get into graduate school in the first place.
So I went to Wiki to see what's there about Chinese chess, good basic information there. I came across with this as external link.
http://www.csie.ndhu.edu.tw/~sjyen/Papers/2004CCC.pdf.
This is most interesting in the PDF: the value position of each piece (page 10).
|
It is well known that a horse in the middle of your palace is a bad position, as a cannon can easily pin you down and your Advisors (Guards) are disconnected. You get -2 points. But according to this chart, there are worse positions! Cannons at your opponent's palace are big negative positions.
Look at the most valuable position. a huge 120 point when your pawn is at the middle of your opponent's palace! Waita minute, how come the rook at the same place is not worth nearly as much? Um, I think the values for Pawns should tone down a bit. I have another opinion: the Cannon at the bottom line is very valuable! One cannon in the middle line and one in the bottom is a formidable situation!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Java Twix
No, this is not a new programming tool, rather, a new tweak to a favorite chocolate bar.
As a java programmer, I cannot resist this. Hmm, this is good choclate with taste of coffee. Hmm, it is REAL good.
I'll worry about the hundreds of calories later. It is so difficult to lose just 100 calories, but so easy to take in hundreds.
As a java programmer, I cannot resist this. Hmm, this is good choclate with taste of coffee. Hmm, it is REAL good.
I'll worry about the hundreds of calories later. It is so difficult to lose just 100 calories, but so easy to take in hundreds.
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