Nov 30, 2008

A new approach for science : Article : Nature Materials

A new approach for science : Article : Nature Materials: "First, in spite of America's deepening financial crisis, Obama has pledged to boost scientific funding significantly under his presidency. Like Roosevelt, Obama hopes to ameliorate the deepening recession by increasing spending on domestic programmes, including research and innovation1.

The most likely boon for materials researchers will be a promised US$15 billion annual investment in clean energy technology. That would be a formidable increase compared with the roughly US$2 billion a year that is spent at present. Almost certainly, a significant fraction of the new money will go towards materials research in areas such as fuel and solar cells, energy storage technologies and energy efficiency."

The trend of new energy is too obvious to be ignored.

Nov 20, 2008

Seriously, why so serious?

Why so serious?
-- Joker, in The Dark Knight
Be serious, not too serious.
-- John Polanyi
Take everything you like seriously, except yourselves.
-- Rudyard Kipling
Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.
-- Oscar Wilde
Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit.
-- Aristotle

I like to plan things. And when planning, I need to be serious. But things do not always go according to plans. Actually, things usually go in different directions other than the planned, especially for things involving two persons, such as dating.

Toronto is a fascinating place where people with all sorts of backgrounds meet. And their dating behaviours differ dramatically. I've met a guy who changes his girlfriends every two months; I've seen a girl who calls one-year relationship a long one. But I've also acquainted with people who know what they are looking for, and once they find it, they commit totally to it. Different cultural and social backgrounds put different labels on each behavior, and these labels reflect their values and attitudes towards what is acceptable. Though it might be easy to judge each behavior within one particular community, judgment becomes increasingly difficult in a multicultural society. The clashes of values from different backgrounds make me really wonder what my values are and what I believe.

I had my trials. There has been awkward situations. Being too serious does not seem to be a good option. But insights into myself accumulate each time. So far, one thing has persisted. It's the belief, forcefully expressed by Steve Jobs, that "as with all matters of the heart, you know it when you find it".

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/miserynewt/2760646821/

Nov 15, 2008

D-Wave

Axiom 1: Hardware's sole purpose is running a specific algorithm.
Axiom 2: You have to bring up your own process within semiconductor industry
-- Geordie Rose, D-Wave

Geordie Rose, the founder of the first company that commercializes quantum computer D-wave, gives a brief talk at CIFAR Nanoelectronics about bringing quantum computation into reality. The axioms of his company are at heart of the company's problem-oriented philosophy. Their computer is algorithm-dependent. It means that the hardware is designed and fabricated to run a specific algorithm. This approach is completely different from the generic approached adopted by researchers worldwide who try to build basic logic unit. Because their computer can only run one algorithm, their application is limited, and therefore their market is limited as well. But the company still attracted huge amount of attention from the media, academy and business, and have investors such as Goldman Sachs. Why?

When I asked Geordise Rose how could he convince his investors to put money to a computer that can only solve a specific problem, his answer surprised me. He said being specific is actually an advantage in his case.

Nov 9, 2008

Justified Hope

This is our time — to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

-- Barack Obama Presidential Victory Speech

To be frank, I had been cynical about US politics, especially presidential elections. But since his first victory in Iowa, I have become more and more interested in Barack Obama and have been following his journey to the White House closely. His respect for opponents is the first character that I admire, among many others, such as humility, calmness, acknowledging the imperfections of US, vision, discipline, looking for mutual understanding instead of direct confrontation, and, most of all, the ability to inspire hopes.

His huge popularity around the world proves again that there is something that we human all share, something most fundamental to all, something deeply rooted in our conscience: hope, hope that helps us conquer over fear. But hope alone will not make the change happening. What distinguishes him from the rest politicians is his ability to inspire others to take the responsibility and initiatives, and to be that change. It is only when actions are taken that changes are possible, that the gap between where we are and where we want to be is filled, and that hope is justified.

China Unveils $586 Billion Economic Stimulus Plan - NYTimes.com

China Unveils $586 Billion Economic Stimulus Plan - NYTimes.com: "In a sweeping move at a time when major projects are being put off around the world, Beijing said it would spend an estimated $586 billion by 2010 on wide array of national infrastructure and social welfare projects, including constructing new railways, subways, airports and rebuilding commuties devastated by an earthquake in southwest China in May."

Besides being a strategic responce to the current financial crisis, this plan contains a message that challenges the old Chinese wisdom of how ordinary people should handle their money: Spend it; not save it.

Image source: Flickr/delapropia