we're going to an infected mushroom concert this weekend. i'll try to take pics
also, today was the first day of school! awwww...
it was awesome. although i think i really have a problem reading. i'd like to get a portable scanner so that i can scan in papers and have my computer read them to me.
look http://jocr.sourceforge.net/
one of my ta's is working on energy harvesting from waste heat. basically it is small scale combustion. he's working for my power electronics professor, steve leeb.
then i was shooting the shit with the smart cities group at the media lab and they're going to working on a vision of shanghai in 2030 to be presented in 2010. a futurama sponsored by gm. wow. they're going to be rethinking the architecture but also have a vision for a new kind of car. haha.
http://cities.media.mit.edu/
when people ask me what my field is, my new line is that i'm interested in developing tools for global sustainability. still working on a better way to explain what i mean by that.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
affirmative action
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118861213090515447.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
this is an interesting article about how backlash to labor union activities brought on affirmative action. that is, labor unions historically supported racial discrimination against chinese and blacks.
this is an interesting article about how backlash to labor union activities brought on affirmative action. that is, labor unions historically supported racial discrimination against chinese and blacks.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
i met this girl in Portland who really loved photobooths. Like, we were at the Mirah show, but she was there b/c there was a photobooth. Like, she was driving cross country to visit photobooths. "Did you know the city of Portland only has TWO photobooths?" Also she hated digital photography and loved organic food but was really defensive about not being a vegetarian
anymore. So the venue didn't allow smoking except for inside this little (not ventilated room) where i spent most of my time. Here's a picture of not the photobooth girl. This is me w/ some kids who really liked drugs and eventually found some by stopping someone on a bike at 4AM.
Portland has a great sense of humor. This is Mill Ends Park. Actually it is a flower pot in the middle of the street where a light pole was going to go but didn't. Some guy could see this park from his window and started writing a column about the leprechaun that lived in it. Later they made it an official city park. It is also in the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds smallest park. http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=265
THIS GUY should be in the Guinness Book of World Records as the sweetest puppy in the world! He is sooo sweet.
Steve behind him is pretty cool too. Steve told us about this block party which turned out to be a joint 40th birthday bash for Chet and John. Chet is the drummer for the eels so he can party like a rockstar. Other rockstars were there. This one band that Kathy saw open for the Pipettes for example. When she saw them the first time though she didn't realize the oldest member was a 14 yr old girl. Smoosh rocked. Clowns from the Clown House performed as well as MarchForth Marching Band. Check it.
We met some cool people at the hostel as well. In fact, everyone we met at the hostel was more interesting than we were. My fav. roommate was Andreas. The singer from a German screamo band called "a dead letter theory." While he was in Portland, his first submission to the Toronto Film Festival was being played.
Yup. Here's a picture of my new piercing.
Ok. Bye bye.
anymore. So the venue didn't allow smoking except for inside this little (not ventilated room) where i spent most of my time. Here's a picture of not the photobooth girl. This is me w/ some kids who really liked drugs and eventually found some by stopping someone on a bike at 4AM.
Portland has a great sense of humor. This is Mill Ends Park. Actually it is a flower pot in the middle of the street where a light pole was going to go but didn't. Some guy could see this park from his window and started writing a column about the leprechaun that lived in it. Later they made it an official city park. It is also in the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds smallest park. http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=265
THIS GUY should be in the Guinness Book of World Records as the sweetest puppy in the world! He is sooo sweet.
Steve behind him is pretty cool too. Steve told us about this block party which turned out to be a joint 40th birthday bash for Chet and John. Chet is the drummer for the eels so he can party like a rockstar. Other rockstars were there. This one band that Kathy saw open for the Pipettes for example. When she saw them the first time though she didn't realize the oldest member was a 14 yr old girl. Smoosh rocked. Clowns from the Clown House performed as well as MarchForth Marching Band. Check it.
We met some cool people at the hostel as well. In fact, everyone we met at the hostel was more interesting than we were. My fav. roommate was Andreas. The singer from a German screamo band called "a dead letter theory." While he was in Portland, his first submission to the Toronto Film Festival was being played.
Yup. Here's a picture of my new piercing.
Ok. Bye bye.
Friday, August 24, 2007
algorithm march
I've already talked about this with many of you. I've been watching hours of people doing the algorithm march.
The internet told me how to get the sound from a youtube video so I got the mp3 for it and also the mp3 for a remix that someone made.
Beth and I and some other friends are going to do it during Rush at school and see if people join in. BWAHAHAHA Just say 'yes' to getting people to do stupid things. I like masses. I am a true Chinese.
The internet told me how to get the sound from a youtube video so I got the mp3 for it and also the mp3 for a remix that someone made.
Beth and I and some other friends are going to do it during Rush at school and see if people join in. BWAHAHAHA Just say 'yes' to getting people to do stupid things. I like masses. I am a true Chinese.
obamamamamama
barararararack
by the way people should go to the comedy central website and watch barack on the daily show.
i been reading and posting on the obama facebook group. i particularly like my answer to the question, would I vote for Ron Paul?
no, i would never vote for ron paul.
personally i think a lot of so-called libertarians don't know shit and just like the word freedumb.
people who believe free-markets solve everything really makes me hate democracy. part of me would really like it if people had to take some kind of test before they vote. democracy only works if people who vote are educated and vote based on things that are true.
to set the record straight.
yo, free market is only efficient if certain conditions are in place. for one, there needs to be competition. second, demand must exceed supply.
for healthcare, often there is not competition because in many towns there is only one hospital or healthcare provider anyway, or at least only one that is a reasonable distance from where you live. also, demand is time sensitive. since nixon, healthcare is mostly privatized and free market is very efficient, in a way. the problem is that there is a conflict of interest. that is, health care providers profit when people get sick and buy their "products." insurance companies profit when people don't get sick but pay them anyway. sure, if you figure out a way for companies to profit when people stay healthy, then free-market economy could work although it's still not like there are competitors in your area.
this is also true for utilities. you do not get to choose what utilities company you want to use. that is why prices are regulated. you also usually do not get to choose what internet provider you use, but it is not regulated, but dammit, it should be. it costs comcast almost nothing to provide internet access, but they charge $60/month. their profits make me tremble with rage.
there are similar problems with free-market education. and obviously things wrong with free-market free speech.
there is also a huge problem with free market agriculture. the problem is that supply easily surpasses demand, driving prices way down. before nixon? the US gov't used to have storehouses of grain, which would buy grain from farmers if there was a surplus, thus keeping prices stable. in shortages, they would sell it again. this is how it was done in china, too, during feudalism and probably many other places. they got rid of that. now, we include grain as part of mexico's wto package, ruining their economy in order to keep ours in tact. (and then we complain about immigrants that the agriculture business and restaurant business depends on.) this is part why agriculture in america is really messed up right now.
SO FUCK ALL YOU FREE MARKET LIBERTARIANS.
ron paul was a doctor not an economist.
on the other hand, i do know a few very intelligent libertarians who are not so much free-market, anti-gov regulations people, but do believe in decentralizing, strengthening state jurisdiction. because it is probably true that the central gov't is bloated right now. it is inefficient. it oversteps bounds. the mechanism that states get resources is almost totally crooked.
there is a case for less federal control of education and more state control. for the states that are lagging, though, my lib friend agrees that the idea would be for the fed to give that state more money and give educated people incentives to go teach there (which obama advocates. that is part of why she is supporting him). but the state ultimately gets to manage the money.
i still think ron paul is the best republican candidate, haha. he believes in scaling back the military, and it's not like anyone would implement his free-market reforms...especially if there is a dem controlled congress.
actually, if it were clinton vs. ron paul, i'd probably vote for ron paul. but he's such a dirty libertarian.
by the way people should go to the comedy central website and watch barack on the daily show.
i been reading and posting on the obama facebook group. i particularly like my answer to the question, would I vote for Ron Paul?
no, i would never vote for ron paul.
personally i think a lot of so-called libertarians don't know shit and just like the word freedumb.
people who believe free-markets solve everything really makes me hate democracy. part of me would really like it if people had to take some kind of test before they vote. democracy only works if people who vote are educated and vote based on things that are true.
to set the record straight.
yo, free market is only efficient if certain conditions are in place. for one, there needs to be competition. second, demand must exceed supply.
for healthcare, often there is not competition because in many towns there is only one hospital or healthcare provider anyway, or at least only one that is a reasonable distance from where you live. also, demand is time sensitive. since nixon, healthcare is mostly privatized and free market is very efficient, in a way. the problem is that there is a conflict of interest. that is, health care providers profit when people get sick and buy their "products." insurance companies profit when people don't get sick but pay them anyway. sure, if you figure out a way for companies to profit when people stay healthy, then free-market economy could work although it's still not like there are competitors in your area.
this is also true for utilities. you do not get to choose what utilities company you want to use. that is why prices are regulated. you also usually do not get to choose what internet provider you use, but it is not regulated, but dammit, it should be. it costs comcast almost nothing to provide internet access, but they charge $60/month. their profits make me tremble with rage.
there are similar problems with free-market education. and obviously things wrong with free-market free speech.
there is also a huge problem with free market agriculture. the problem is that supply easily surpasses demand, driving prices way down. before nixon? the US gov't used to have storehouses of grain, which would buy grain from farmers if there was a surplus, thus keeping prices stable. in shortages, they would sell it again. this is how it was done in china, too, during feudalism and probably many other places. they got rid of that. now, we include grain as part of mexico's wto package, ruining their economy in order to keep ours in tact. (and then we complain about immigrants that the agriculture business and restaurant business depends on.) this is part why agriculture in america is really messed up right now.
SO FUCK ALL YOU FREE MARKET LIBERTARIANS.
ron paul was a doctor not an economist.
on the other hand, i do know a few very intelligent libertarians who are not so much free-market, anti-gov regulations people, but do believe in decentralizing, strengthening state jurisdiction. because it is probably true that the central gov't is bloated right now. it is inefficient. it oversteps bounds. the mechanism that states get resources is almost totally crooked.
there is a case for less federal control of education and more state control. for the states that are lagging, though, my lib friend agrees that the idea would be for the fed to give that state more money and give educated people incentives to go teach there (which obama advocates. that is part of why she is supporting him). but the state ultimately gets to manage the money.
i still think ron paul is the best republican candidate, haha. he believes in scaling back the military, and it's not like anyone would implement his free-market reforms...especially if there is a dem controlled congress.
actually, if it were clinton vs. ron paul, i'd probably vote for ron paul. but he's such a dirty libertarian.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
titles
so me and lynn were talking
we don't really know what to call white people's parents and grandparents
in chinese it is standardized.
moms - ayi
dads - shushu
grandmas - nainai (or waipo if it's your mom's mom's friend)
grandpas - yeye (waigong if it's your dad's dad's friend)
not so simple in the west (or maybe it is, and we don't get it)
mr and mrs sounds too formal, and mom and dad sounds kind of presumptuous.
the answer? this is always my gut feeling
how about mrs grandma!!!
how are you doing, mr. dad?
we don't really know what to call white people's parents and grandparents
in chinese it is standardized.
moms - ayi
dads - shushu
grandmas - nainai (or waipo if it's your mom's mom's friend)
grandpas - yeye (waigong if it's your dad's dad's friend)
not so simple in the west (or maybe it is, and we don't get it)
mr and mrs sounds too formal, and mom and dad sounds kind of presumptuous.
the answer? this is always my gut feeling
how about mrs grandma!!!
how are you doing, mr. dad?
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Pictures From Vacation
These are some pictures. Toby learned how to ride a bike in Vermont, and so we went on the trail. It went along a mountain stream and so we stopped to take a dip in the stream before heading back.
We also went to Toby's house to house-sit and take care of his parents' animals. They have a dog and cat.
Then when I got home, I gave myself a haircut.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Thursday, August 2, 2007
obamareign policy
haha
hey, read/listen to the speech
these are my thoughts about it. I send them a message, hehe
This speech shows how well Obama understands the current state of the world and the fundamentals behind how terrorism and conflicts arise. That is, terrorism is bred out of poverty and desperation. This is also the stance of the Chinese government, and that is why they believe in investing in the development of the rural provinces in China as well as around the world.
On one hand, I understand that many Pakistanis are
concerned about a breech on their sovereignty. It is true that Musharraf's support of the US is very unpopular at home, and it would be bad to aggravate that situation. However, it is my understanding that Obama does not accuse Pakistan of supporting terrorism as a state. Also, he offers to "help Pakistan invest in the provinces along the Afghan border." Economic and social support can show Pakistanis that the US acts in good faith. I would also hope that the support we provide isn't just US propaganda in the form of "secular education." I think that concern is also what causes Pakistani people and Muslim people in general to distrust US intentions.
We need to remember that the terrorists who cross the border to Pakistan to hide should be deem criminals under Pakistani law and prosecuted. If the state is not strong enough to uphold the law, then it is not an unreasonable request to allow US pursuit into Pakistan.
hey, read/listen to the speech
these are my thoughts about it. I send them a message, hehe
This speech shows how well Obama understands the current state of the world and the fundamentals behind how terrorism and conflicts arise. That is, terrorism is bred out of poverty and desperation. This is also the stance of the Chinese government, and that is why they believe in investing in the development of the rural provinces in China as well as around the world.
On one hand, I understand that many Pakistanis are
concerned about a breech on their sovereignty. It is true that Musharraf's support of the US is very unpopular at home, and it would be bad to aggravate that situation. However, it is my understanding that Obama does not accuse Pakistan of supporting terrorism as a state. Also, he offers to "help Pakistan invest in the provinces along the Afghan border." Economic and social support can show Pakistanis that the US acts in good faith. I would also hope that the support we provide isn't just US propaganda in the form of "secular education." I think that concern is also what causes Pakistani people and Muslim people in general to distrust US intentions.
We need to remember that the terrorists who cross the border to Pakistan to hide should be deem criminals under Pakistani law and prosecuted. If the state is not strong enough to uphold the law, then it is not an unreasonable request to allow US pursuit into Pakistan.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
obamanomics
an article from US News
talking about obama's economic policy.
on trade: not protectionist, but believes in supporting american workers to better compete in the global economy.
on taxes: the usual, but specifically mentions what he considers good things that clinton and reagan did.
talking about obama's economic policy.
on trade: not protectionist, but believes in supporting american workers to better compete in the global economy.
on taxes: the usual, but specifically mentions what he considers good things that clinton and reagan did.
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