Monday, May 29, 2006

期末教學意見調查

以下節自臺大電子報

請於6月8至15日上網填答本學期課程期末教學意見調查,對於您的身份,我們會做匿名處理。 請同學以理性方式就課程作文字建議或意見表達,勿對教師作人身攻擊,若有非理性等文字將會被刪除,謝謝。
【辦理時間】95年6月8日至6月15日。
【辦理方式】學生於上述期間至info網頁點選「學生」中「教學意見調查」系統,以電腦選課密碼填答問卷,每位同學只能填答自己在本學期修習課程之問卷,且以填答一次為限。
(info網址:http://info.ntu.edu.tw

大家記得去填啊(我有忘了填,選不到課的親身經歷... T_T)

回憶

早上剛起床,那段回憶忽然就這麼回來向我敲門。不知為何,它忽然是那麼異常的清楚、真實。整件事情,從開始到結束,每一個細節,都在短短幾分鐘內細細回味了一次。不只故事的情節而已,聯主角從頭到腳的穿著打扮,她的各種習慣,都歷歷在目。它曾經是段甜蜜的回憶,也曾經是段痛苦的回憶。隨著時間,沖淡了痛苦的成份,回來了甜蜜的部份。不過,無論回憶的性質如何改變,它終究只是一段回憶,事情的本身都已成過眼雲煙,煙消雲散。留下的,只剩深深烙印在腦海中,對自己情竇初開的年輕、無腦與幻想留下一段見證。帶走的,卻包括我當年的天真、幻想與勇氣。

Notebook search(2)

Last time I was considering the Vaio FJ(39000NTD) and the Macbook(really cheep, but only avaliable in the US for now), now they're both out of the list. The FJ is too heavy (2.4kg) and made in China. The Macbook also has the same problems (2.36kg & MIC...)

Then, I really liked the Vaio S, which is all well (Made in Japan, great looks, great specs with dedicated graphics, light and under 47000NTD), but discontinued and out of stock.
The new Vaio SZ is too expensive(51000+NTD) and too flashy. (seem to shouts out: "steal me!") It's rumored that the SZ is also out of stock.
And a problem with Vaio's is that they come with no CDs, you can burn your own recovery CD, but can't get all the needed drivers (which is not on the CD, and only some of them are avaliable on their site). So installing a clean new OS on a Vaio is almost impossible.

Then I started considering ASUS (Which is mostly made in Taiwan, nice). Well, their website is crap, with tiny photos, ambiguous specs and no price range. The U5 seems okey, but just okey. Light, reasonable price(39000NTD), and very unimpressive specs. It also has an unimpressive design, sort of blends in with the crowd. The W5 seem better, a little more expensive and heavier, but the camera on the top of the screen doesn't look right, sticks out like a sore thumb.

For the fun of it, I went to see the Dell Inspiron 710m. And boom! Seems like the greatest deal avaliable, nice specs, 12inch, under 2kg, and much cheaper then the closest ASUS U5. It's a WHOOPING 32000NTD!!! Just as I was about to like it, I saw the photo, and boy, this is certainly the most UGLY thing I've ever seen! Behold, the uglyist thick slab of plastic in earth: photos of the Dell Inspiron 710m Sorry Dell, I'd never want to hug that kind of thing around, you're out!

So far, the Apple Macbook seems to have the best combination of specs, design and low price. (1099USD/about 35000NTD) But could only get it in the US. I could goto an Apple store in LA, but then, my software collection would start from scratch. There's less freeware, and our school only provides us with the PC version of Office, which means I'd have to buy it. The Missing Sync for my Clie would be yet another investment. But hay, I might just use boot camp and bring my own copy of Windows and Office... hmm...

Or, I could look for more ASUS's...

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Notes on the club site redesign

Links to look for advice:

http://www.rohdesign.com/weblog/archives/cat_design.html
Mike documented his blog redesign!!! Nice source of tips for me, now, seems that I should also bring around a sketch book of instant sketching of spontanious ideas.

http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/archive/2004/05/24/grey_box_method.php
Another tip on the design process, gotta read it...

Cyclub website new design

I'm planing to give the NTUCyclub site a face lift + an English version site
So, off to sketching!

This is my latest design, black & white blockyness, Japanese style. The main idea, came from Sony Japan's Walkman site, though.
But, still, need to ask for suggestions for this one before we move on to the computer.


This is my first remake. Thought it was cool, with colorful gradients and photos, also a washed out background photo. However, when my friend saw this, she asked:"Is this the drawing of the present one?" Then it hit me, yup, this just look like the recent one, marked up with some minor changes that are brought over from the current Wuling site.

However, the wild card in this project is that it could not be done if I couldn't get a new notebook for the summer. (Couldn't do image manipulation on a handheld, could I?) And now, Mom doesn't seem to like the idea of buying my a notebook... (I want a Sony Vaio, but it's too expensive, and also out of stock...) If unfortunately I can't get a notebook, I'd have to just translate the current website to English, which is quite boring; by editing raw HTML code on my handheld, which would be painstaking :(

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Common Logical Fallacies

Things you should watch out for when reading someone's arguments, and which are most abundant in the news.

Also, what I should look for in the Argument-Analysis Task in the GRE.

What's sad is that my GRE prep book mentained that I may "remember a list of logical fallacies during my undergraduate education", while I didn't take any class as such. I only remember from Psychology: "Correlation doesn't confer cause." Is it that there's some class I should've taken, or is it something we lack in Taiwan's higher education?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_fallacy

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/argument/fallacies.html

宅化現象

漫画を終日読むて、あの内のかわいな女の子にますます好きた、(審美観開始和現実脱節)......なぜ?

駄目〜〜〜!

I need to get back to reality. Back to assignments, reports and GRE.

Friday, May 26, 2006

Desperado/the Eagles

lyrics here

This is a great song that I've been listening to since young. I've always thought that it's about some exile in hiding, escaping something. Fast forward, years later, I've finally comprehended the profound meaning of this rock classic, as it's one of those songs which are impossible for the sophomorfic to sympathise with.

There was once a time that I only found the melody "not bad". But now, hearing the lachrymose lyrics, all the sorrow, the fear, the reluctance, the memories comes back. Every advice given to the desperado rings bells in my heart, but this pusillanimous thing just quailed and fleed at the thought of it.

I surmiss that wound licking is a continuous and perpetual process after all.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

vocab practice(ventilation)

To recapitulate the actions of some guy:(but, of course, not as an obloquy, but rather, as a GRE practice)

An obdurate, recalcitrant, quixotic person, rapt in his lofty illusions.

Clearly we need a more receptive person.

Monday, May 22, 2006

What a Walkman phone should really be like

Think the newest Walkman phones from Sony Ericsson are cool? Wait till you see what they launched in Japan.

Here comes the first Walkman phone to be avaliable in Japan: The au W42S.
http://www.sonyericsson.co.jp/product/au/w42s/index.html
ヒートブラックの正面写真
It has a swivel keypad form factor, a huge and bright color screen, big speakers, music in line remote, 1GB flash memory on board with a MS duo slot, can buy music on line, and also has the jog wheel from Sony's Walkman!

This is really cool, all the other Walkman phones are child's play. How come Sony Ericsson could never bring the cool Japanese models to other markets?

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Treo 700p video introduction!

Treo 700pIn my previous post, I was unimpressed with the spec sheet of the new Treo 700p, but after seeing this video, all I could say is: "Wow!"

See the videocast on mobilitytoday.com here.

You've got streaming video, streaming audio, instant news updates, online software searchs... etc. All the great implementation of a next generation broadband mobile network. SprintTV simply rocks!

The sad thing is that this is the next generation of mobile phones, our current GSM/GPRS networks cannot provide this kind of experience. This clearly needs 3G networks, which means global rollout of this model would be slower and harder, since most countrys haven't upgraded to broadband mobile networks.

But finally, we finally see something out of Japan and Korea that makes 3G networks really make sense.

Skype stuff

I'd always like to say this:
Most of my friends pronounce "Skype" wrong. The last "e" is a silent "e", you don't pronounce it.
It's read: "SKYP".
Just go to skype.com and see the intro video, and listen how they pronounced it.

By the way, SkypeOut in the US is free until the end of 2006, greeeeeaaaaaat! It'd be really useful this summer :D

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Which book? Macbook or Vaio FJ?

Gallery
The new Macbook or the Vaio FJ?
Just as I was about to decide on the Vaio, Apple released the new intel Macbook that replaced the iBook G4. Previously, I hated the white & cubic "plastic feel" of the iBook. But now, it thinner, it's lighter, and there's a black model, removing all that I hate about the iBook. What's more, the Macbook's pricing is really nice. With a similar hardware spec list, it's cheaper then the Vaio, but it's dual-core, while the vaio isn't. And it's got the ever-stable and friendly MacOS X!

But, what disapoints me is that the Macbook isn't avaliable here in Taiwan yet, and the cheepest model is still white. The black casing is restricted to the top model, which is too expensive to me. What's more, most 3rd party Mac apps arn't universal, or intel compatible, yet(requiring the rosetta powerPC emulator).

On the other hand, with the Vaio, it's got Sony eyecandy, but since it's the cheapest vaio, the specs are so-so. And, it may suffer if you load Vista on it in the future.

Macs have problems with processor transition; while PCs with OS transition. But damn, I need a notebook in this freakn' time period.

Should I just pass and depend on my Clie for the 2 months of summer? (Doesn't seem too good to me...)

Monday, May 15, 2006

Freshly announced Treo 700p & Vaio UX

Treo 700pAfter all the rumors, the "not so secret" Treo 700p is now officially anounced.

Comparing it with it's predecessor, the Treo 650, it supports EVDO highspeed networking, camera upgraded to 1.3MP, more memory, and the crapy Realplayer is replaced by the amazing PocketTunes(should have long ago).

So much for the incremental upgrades, this is not fun nor exciting, they are just doing a minor upgrade to the 650. (Boring!)


Although the Treo 650 was a big hit, not everyone liked the formfactor. Comeon, man, give us something new!


---------------
Vaio44Now for something more exciting...
Sony has been hinting on this release for days with this flash movie.
Behold the Vaio UX ultra mobile PC, the latest update to the Vaio U series.

The Blog jkOnTheRun has a report on this, and many pictures. The Japanese Sony fansite, So-Mo has more on this.

It runs XP pro, instead of Microsoft's new "Origami" : XP tabletPC ed. for UMPC.

What's exciting about this is the way Sony's marketing presented it with a cool adumbrating flash site. It also seems to have many similaritys with Clies, such as the slider (VZ like form factor), a capture button and the Power/hold slide switch. However, it's way too heavy(yet another brick), and too expensive.

Kudos for Sony on the marketing part. Palm should really take a page from Sony's book. However, the price of the UX is restricting it to wealthy techies, it would never be a hit. Wish the next generation would be more friendly.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Anxiety of the future...

It growing...

First of all, it of this year.
In the first place, I set my targets to get my self some better social/acedemic experience and challenge, to pacify my feel of self-childishness. I'm trying to grow up spritually, be independent. So, I'm going to the states for summer research, and I'm doing all the main planing of this summer's ride trip (Wuling), then, next summer, arrange to go biking in Hokkido. OK, so, sweet and grand plans, sure challenging. Now comes the problems. As the plans pan out, the expenses sky-rocket. Let's see, summer ride trip: 4000; to the US: over 30000, I guess; summer housing: Not found, but may be as much as 30000; GRE: 6000...... (all in NTD) I feel like a money sucking tick. And then I saw in the NY times that gas prices in the US are incredibly high, talk about my need to go between LA and Rancho Cucamonga each week, maybe I should cut that. And I may need to get a new notebook and backpack for the summer.

So, I just canceled next week's class trip. Guess I'd also have to cut back on the lavish bedtime snacks. And I'd certeinly be tutering next semester. But hay, I still can't find housing for the summer in LA, ARRRG!

And then, I'd be homesick for bad in 2008. 'Cause after I graduate next year, my ARC/student visa would be expired for good. Next time I come back "home", I'm a "tourist". Taiwan is where I spent most of my life, where most of my friends are, where most of my memories are, but I'm not part of it, I'm just a damn-ol' "foreigner". And the immigration office wants me out of the country within days of my graduation. No time to celebrate graduation, no time for rest, no time for party, no time for saying good-bye; it's just "pack and flee". On to the "familiar, but not so familiar" US, where the officers smile at you and say: "Welcome home!" This all seems like a parody. The place where you set up your self-identity, wants you out of here fast, like you're some kind of pest or something.

OK, it's approaching. My last year in Formosa, the island of beauty. Starting summer 2007, I'm out of here, no longer a resident, away from everything I know, I love......

OK, I've made up my mind. Before I leave this country, I want to ride around the island once again, savor all that I see, all that I feel, and remember for good, the wonderful tropical island.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Cyclub president election

That guy just doesn't get it! He is so naive!
He thinks that repairing bikes for the whole school is doable (WTF?), but he hasn't even repaired his own bike! He doesn't understand.

Why are the recreational ride trips so unpopular? They seem too difficult to out siders, but not challanging enough for clubmembers. You wanna advertise for every trip, every week? Fine, get expelled.

He is dreaming a fantacy, but he doesn't know that he isn't so "omnipotent". He has no experience, he can't fathom the hardships, but he THINKs he knows.

Go get experience, go see the world, get the whole picture into your mind, before you attempt to lead us. Before that, I don't want you to ruin this wonderful club. It's be a tragady to kill what you love so dearly by heart, with your own hands.

Friday, May 12, 2006

What do boys like?

禮拜三去夜騎平溪看螢火蟲時,芳諭問我說會不會喜歡上美國人然後就不回來了。我很理所當人的說我比較喜歡臺灣人,不喜歡高加索人。她竟很驚訝,並說大部分 臺灣女生反而喜歡外國男生!怎麼差這麼多?對我來說,我覺得烏亮的黑髮有種奇特的光彩,是金髮不能比擬的。小一點的身材和淺一點的臉部輪廓也有種比較容易 親近的含蓄之美。高加索種的女生當然自有她們美麗的地方,可以當朋友,可以當工作夥伴,但再怎樣也無法跟"喜歡"有所聯想,總之就不是我的type啦。

今天又看到報紙裡的小說說男生普遍喜歡長髮的女生。說到此,真的有點慚愧。總覺得能在風中輕輕飄逸的東西,舉凡長髮,長裙,甚至是跳舞時用的絲質彩帶或國 劇中的水袖,都有種致命的吸引力。而偏偏這些會隨風飄的東西都是在生活中極其麻煩的東西。為何會喜歡這些東西呢?這些東西對生存上的適應沒有任何關係吧, 為何會演化出喜歡這些東西的男生呢?

以上幾點的完美組合,也許是我一年級時被她所吸引,而被拒絕一年多後還是無法忘掉她的原因吧。真是白癡。不過,至少我現在已經比較會控制自己的心情,好好過活。重要的是,有車社的眾多朋友不用再怕孤獨。

Sunday, May 07, 2006

梅峰野調

剛從梅峰回來,真棒啊~~!
先貼照片吧。
在即將考遺傳的狀況下大概也不能po遊記了
photos here

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Altrusic behavior

這是怎樣?
幫忙朋友討好女朋友讓我感到高興;自己追女朋友時卻很痛苦?

為何者我這種只會增進別人的genetic fitness的基因會留下來不被淘汰?這不符合達爾文的適者生存演化論啊~~

What has Firefox done for the world?

I'm now playing with IE 7 beta 2. Seems nice, but not as good as Firefox. However, Firefox is clearly what made Microsoft push out IE 7. Let's see what Firefox has done for the world:

  1. Let the world know how IE 6 sucks
  2. Let people know that you aren't stuck with IE, you have a choice
  3. Popularlized the concept of Free software
  4. Popularlized tabbed browsing
  5. Forced Microsoft to work harder on IE 7 (which is, frankly, quite nice)
  6. Forced Opera to strip out the ads and be totally free
  7. Reminded lazy website managers about the importance of standards and browser interoperability.
  8. Made web surfing a much better experience
  9. Taught the world that there's something called a "browser", and it's not "just the blue E"

Now, about IE 7.

The new interface seems nice, clean and provides more space for your webpages. I expecially like the way they made adding new tabs stright foward. But here's the complaints:

  • You need to "click to activate" flash movies before they work.
  • Takes a long time and a reboot to install.
  • There's no way to import bookmarks from other browsers.
  • No bookmarks toolbar, you need to dig-into the favortes menu.
  • Slower then Firefox to activate.

So, IE 7 is my new toy, while Firefox sticks as my main browser :)

Congrats

要祝福一個很好的朋友幸福快樂
我終於看懂你最近的進版畫面了
不過不是約好先有的要請客嗎?
Where's my meal???

陳明章 重回現場 校園演唱會

The image “http://www.asenka.com.tw/DB/object/%BAt%B0%DB%B7%7C%AB%C5%B6%C7%AE%FC%B3%F8%A5%BF%A6%A1%BDZ.JPG” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
今天晚上正心煩不想唸書時,剛好發現活大有陳明章的校園演唱會耶~~^^
於是,就臨時起意,給他走了進去

我想他算是很有名的台語歌手吧,之前「手牽手護台灣」的主題曲就是採用他的創作,有名的「流浪到淡水」,更是今天的壓軸好歌。一些熟悉的音樂,聽現場的真的棒很多。在台北住久了,很久沒有這種這麼親近這片土地的感覺了。我尤其喜歡他那種每一首歌都是以台灣的一個地方為主題的創作方式(讓人有點想要再來環一次島XD)。正港的台語,對於我這個台南人之子,更是倍感親切。

把電視關掉

今天他還講了不少有趣的銘言:
「教你們一個愛台灣的方法:把電視關掉。那些人都很糟糕。」
「中國文化最美的東西都在文革時被毀滅掉了,他們現反而要來台灣把它學回去。」
「不要使用簡體字,很糟糕。」
「有自己的文化,才能有自信。」
「人生是一張單程車票。要回去時要用感性,不能用理性。」

嗯,我想,我們真的要為自己的文化感到驕傲。

photos:

陳明章把飲料喝光後,在台上喝起歌迷送的啤酒
陳明章音樂的宣傳車吧
會後的簽名會(我也買了一張簽名CD耶)

有趣的是,這次示愛鮮家食品贊助的,據說老闆想辦「文化活動」,就找來了陳明章。
會後還每人發一罐「卡打車」單車運動飲料呢XD
還不錯喝,不過據說富含vitamin B,結果就是跟維大力一樣黃。瓶子不錯看,但是瓶口不適合邊騎邊喝,單手操作。(反而比較像是洗碗精的蓋子耶)

Links:
陳明章音樂工作室留言板中有關於今天的留言呢)
愛鮮家食品活動網頁(為何還沒有「卡打車」產品網頁?)

Monday, May 01, 2006

[大私約]台大2團-武嶺宜蘭支線

今年武嶺我想走宜蘭支線
希望招得到4個人以上 (大家來啊! 好玩耶)

原訂行程五天,6/27-7/1
走北宜公路(台9)經宜蘭市轉台7->台7甲就是中橫宜支了
然後走一段台8, 到大禹嶺
然後再到觀雲山莊跟大家會合,最後一天跟大隊

不過...剛剛查過里程, 覺得應該可以4天解決耶
以下為PaPaGo所查到的資料
day1
台大 -74.7km->宜蘭市
day2
宜蘭市 -40.8km->棲蘭山莊
day3
棲蘭 -61.7km-> 武陵農場(住武陵青年活動中心吧)
day4
武陵農場 -61.5km-> 大禹嶺 -14.9km->觀雲山莊
day5
觀雲山莊 -36km->武嶺 -54.4km->埔里

若真的要玩5天, 那等於要在宜蘭玩一玩了
難道還要去礁溪泡溫泉???

---

來寫寫為何想走宜支好了
一開始是覺得太魯閣我已經去過太多次了,所以去年有點羨慕師大團
而去年走過一次東段後,更覺得今年想走個不一樣的路線
再加上木瓜溪時感受到一個小團私約活動中,大家同甘共苦所得到的快樂,是參加多人大活動所不能比的。尤其是像武嶺這種超大活動,一大群人,跟大拜拜一樣;見到很多人,卻沒辦法深入瞭解任何一個人,結果回來後,連有誰跟著一起去都際不太清楚了。

真的希望能夠成行