Snow: Sign of A Prosperous New Year

It is very hard to tell why it happen, but it is becoming the truth that the weather is now becoming quite curious. Taking the recent days of Suzhou as an example, a city can seldom see snow in early spring, is now snowing around the Spring Festival. In fact, rolling back to the days that we have past years, some curious things can also still be reminded, e.g the snow in November of Wuhan. Admittedly, it is the first time that I see the snow at the Spring Festival in Suzhou.

Following are some pictures that I took in my flat through the window at about 2 a.m. It is really a difficult to take a photo with the exposure time of 1.6 seconds. And with a photo on the grass in front my house, you can see it more clearly.

The snow is not stop until the second day, though the snow on the roads has been wrapped, those on the grass and roof remains. In fact, this sight reminds me of the old days when the snow disaster happened in 2007. According to the CNN that the US is also snowing heavily in US this year.

These are two photos that I took the second day. For large pictures, just click on them.

However, there is a Chinese old saying goes that, with the heavy snow, you are expected a prosperous new year. I do wish this saying would promote me of my dream come true this year!

Some Words for The Chinese New Year of 2010

Time has been passed over the 12:00 point and now it is the last day of the 2009 and we are welcoming the first day of the new year, according to the traditional calendar of China. Just like the westerners are caring much on the Christmas and New Year’s day, that the Chinese have paid adequate attention to this festival for thousands of years. However, the Chinese New Year is a bit different from the others. More precisely, I find no feeling that I am welcoming an important festival. Instead, I have received some unexpected gifts for my coming new year.

  1. The poor weather these days

    Such feeling may be partially due to the poor weather that most regions in southern China are suffering. It is curious that the weather of this winter is so abnormal that you can hardly judge whether you are living in spring or winter. The temperature of Suzhou yesterday has been raised to 17 degrees while it drops to 3 today. It is just like that we are drawn back from the spring to winter. So, definitely, it is very hard to keep a good mood in humid days. I am really quite interested in how the Britain overcome such influence from the weather to their moods. You should know that such humid weather is quite normal in England.

  2. Concerns on admission to graduate schools

    The application of graduate schools is also making me feel increasingly anxious. Anyway, a lesson that I learned in this process is quite similar to what Kuan told me before. That is, never try the thing before you are fully prepared and understood. The weakened economic conditions around the world is really a bad news for my application. A special funding for overseas research student has been abandoned. And there is no news now for the schools in Asia.Frankly, comparing to the different systems, for PhD programs in business school. The schools in US and Asia are definitely choices. I can hardly understand why there is no requirement for publications to the PhD students in UK and Australia. While, for candidates, it is quite a good news, since they won’t have to lead a life that is fully composed with paper writing, and they may thus have a excuse to stop reading papers. While, when graduated, I am quite worried about the employment of these students. Concerning the immigrants policy in UK, most graduates may have to come back to China. However, a PhD without papers of high quality may have to face a nightmare when applying for a teaching position.

  3. Dissertation

    The dissertation is also a terrible experience for me. Though with the skills that I have mastered in the past two years, working as a research assistant, the accomplishment of such a dissertation would not be a problem, it is becoming a problem as well. The most definite reason for this unfortunate is my timing arrangement as well as the concerns on the dissertation itself. Frankly speaking, timing is really a great problem for me, reading books, papers at the same time has been a great job, I have to spare some more time for my writing.The paper is also encountering its own difficulty. Following my research interest in the past few years, the topic of my dissertation is also about the timing patterns of the annual reports. However, to construct a paper with recognized quality, solid foundation on theory and hypothesis development is quite essential, as I have suggested to my colleagues. However, with the theory that I have mastered, considering the behavior via the timing pattern is a too superficial decision that it fails to dig into the nature of contemporary research. Obviously, the essential factor that are affecting the investors’ protection should be the earning information, while the timing patterns is only a behavior that is influenced by the similar root.

  4. My Wish for the New Year

    Anyway, things have to be dealt with regularly no matter how boring and difficult they are. Following the tradition of the Chinese New Year that I should establish my own wish for the coming year, I do wish I can be admitted to a recognized graduate school, or alternatively, be offered an accepted industrial position with average salary that I can consider my house compensation and marriage. This is of great priority.

Determination and Success: A Story from Yangzi

A story on Yangzi, a deaf girl, who spent her 15 years on learning how to speak, by observing the mouth behavior and feeling the vibrancies of throat with her hand, was introduced in a documentary broadcasted tonight in CCTV 4. It is so moved a story that I am fully impressed. Just imagine the difficulty for a girl to learn to speak without any direct information from her ears! What’s more impressively, she can talk to the journalists with comparatively fluent Chinese, and getting to know what the question is by observing. An early news report in 2004 is avilable online by clicking here.

Since very young, we were told by our parents that we should be determined individuals. What is determination? In a dictionary that is formed since our naive brain when being a lad, it means permanent sticking, without allowance on simple giving up and unapproved failure. I don’t know if it is related to a special culture or a generally accepted virtue. But I am for sure on its root in Chinese culture with the proof of the early education that is from my grandma and parents. Numerous stories in children books tell us to be determined. In my mind at that time, all the great scientist are of great determination.

Admittedly, such story is a great power for my later study, though they have been gradually eliminated from my mind with the growing on age. But the story that I got on CCTV today bring me back to this topic. And unfortunately, I found I am not that determined when I get older. An accidental search on Douban.com for the read books bring me back to the old days when I was study at high school. At that time, my brother received his offer to University of Ohio, and then his American dream started. The event is a great shock for me, and I was getting aware that I should learn English well. Such belief and strong motivation directly bring me inexhaustible power, and thus render my determination of studying English. The result for my efforts are quite pleasant, my English was boosted, and the benefit from my English excellence is available even today!

But such determination is not available for me anymore. I don’t know if it is the reasons on social environment or just some personal reasons. I am not that ideal and naive any more for imagine my future life in decades after, and I would never set a remote purpose that I shall fight for, like my English study in high school. What I am caring more is about the present situation, e.g. job seeking, graduate school entrance, PhD programs overseas, etc. Admittedly, concern on present situation is not a fatal mistake, it reflects the fundamental desire for the survival of an individual. But the problem is, I have lost my desire on remote plans, only a confusing framework for my present situation is available.

We are living in the emerging market, and incomplete human characteristic may be partly an important feature to such setting. But I don’t know if it would be of severe consequence when increasingly social members are losing their remote plans and then belief and determination. Indeed, such effect can be widely amplified.

PS:Since today, The QQZone would be synchronized with the blog, but I would not take any adjustment for synchronized posts on QQZone for any format settings.

Citizen-managed Teachers: Their Past and Future

villiage school For most students like us, who were born and grew up in a city, participating state-owned schools, from kindergarten, primary school to middle school and university, it is hard for us to imagine the ‘citizen-managed’ teachers. The only impression for me is from the documentary films. But a recent notice on the future of these teacher bring such persons into our sight. It is the headlines of the journals and newspapers bring us the opportunity to take a consideration of all these teachers. Prior to the start of this article, I do wish all these teachers everything goes well. They have devote too much to the development of the education in China.

  1. Citizen-managed Teachers and Their Past

    Citizen-managed teachers, a special group of teachers that is widely seen in rural regions of China, forms a significant portion of the teachers in less developed regions of China. Unlike the teachers who are holding an official certification from the Ministry of Education, these teachers are taking their teaching positions in quite weak conditions, and are awarded quite little salary, which is about 1/4 to the certificated teachers, though their responsibilities on teaching and their loyalty on students are identical. The asymmetric role on their output and input is an essential feature for these teachers.

    The citizen-managed teachers are rendered due to the demands from the comparatively weak economic conditions in some regions. Due to the schools in China are mainly state-owned, the salary for the teachers, especially those for primary and middle school, are from the government. The salary for the teachers is an important portion for the expense on education in annual budget for the government, both the central and locals. For those regions that can hardly support this salary in their budgets, citizen-managed teachers are employed. Their salary are mainly paid by the local village and the school they are working for directly.

    For decades, the poor situation for these teachers are focused, and numerous films, documentaries and reports were published. With the concern of the financial constraints that are frequently suffered in those regions that the citizen-managed teachers are mainly distributed, these teachers may suffer from low payment for their salary, and they may not receive the medical insurance and pension plan from the government. For them, they have devoted too much to the education career.

  2. The Contributions of the Citizen-managed Teachers to the Education in China

    Though the development of the Chinese economy since the Open Door Policy from 1979 has promoted the civilization process of major cities in China, and the population living in metropolis and medium cities has been rapidly increased, the population of the rural regions is still dominant. The statistical showed that the amount of citizen-managed teachers was to be over 4.8 million in 1977 and this number was reduced in the near decades but it is still a large number due to the financial conditions.

    In fact, these teachers has taught quite a lot of students, and they offered the children in remote rural regions an opportunity for their knowledge. Those we can easily find fully equipped schools in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai, where students are enjoying good education quality and excellent instruments, the conditions in rural regions are still limited, especially for the primary schools. One of my classmate used to tell me that his primary school was set by his resident village, which is located in a local temple. And there is only one teacher, who teaches all the grades and subjects, including Chinese, Moths, Music and Sports. It is such teachers that promoted the development of the education and indefinitely, the development of the country, on various realms, including science, technology and economy.

  3. The Mandatory Termination for Citizen-managed Teachers: Possible Reasons 

    A recent announcement from the Ministry of Education showed that the citizen-managed teachers would have to be terminated mandatorily if they are not able to transfer their identity to a qualified teachers in time. This transfer would consist of a series of exams for courses on pedagogy and an integrated investigation on their teaching performance. The exams sounds likely to be simple but difficult for those teachers since they seldom receive formal training for such courses. In fact, in my opinion, a mandatory termination for such teachers may not that stable. But I suppose this announcement may involve two following governmental considerations.

    1. Consideration on Improvement of Education Quality

      Frankly, the limited educational background fro most citizen-managed teachers can prevent them from improving the education quality. A statistics on these teachers shows that great partition of them are holding a high school diploma or equivalent. Though they may not face difficulty when teaching in a primary school, the enlightens on the students for broadening their horizon is a problem. In fact, the education quality on knowledge itself is undoubtedly important since it would perform a fundamental role in a student’s further study, the horizon should not be overlooked. And the termination may based on this consideration, since qualified teacher should know more besides teaching itself, ideally assumed.

    2. Consideration on Employment for Newly Graduated Students

      This consideration sounds more or less out of morality though it is comprehensive. For years, the employment of newly graduated college students has been a social difficulty. And such problem is more severe in normal schools. Since the unique institutional background that the teachers in most public schools are supported by the government, the total amount is more or less fixed. Such situation made the employment for students from normal schools a great trouble. I have ever studied in Department of Mathematics in a normal school, I clearly understand its difficulty. My friends are working in various teaching positions, ranging from teachers in kindergarten to high school.

      Such difficulty on employment markets drive me to this direction. Terminating the citizen-managed teachers can provide more vacancies for these students. It sounds quite rational. Such solution can both reduce the difficulty of employment for college students and improve the education quality. But the question is, shall the graduates be willing to go to the rural regions for their career?

  4. What Can They Do in Future?

    For those teachers that are facing mandatory termination, it is obviously a tragedy. Since such termination mean they would have to transfer themselves to another industry. The process for such transfer can be difficult, especially when they are getting old, and they have devoted nearly all their best ages to their students. For younger teachers, who are in his/her 20s or 30s, taking some training, or obtaining a higher diploma would be a good idea. More directly, they can make full efforts on exams, pursuing to be a qualified teacher. While for the old ones, their lives may be a problem. They would be returned to the lives like their predecessors, leading their lives on the plants. I don’t know whether they should thank the government for such a release or not.

    I don’t know why the governmental decision is always so arbitrary, from the Internet constraints, the controlling on the property market, to this termination for citizen-managed teachers. I suppose only when the government can fully make their decisions according to the wealth economics, the China can really be a developed country!

PS:Writing a structured blog is really a tiring job, but it does improve the readability.

Some Words on Earthquake in Haiti

If you are watching the CNN News daily you would find the earthquake that happened in Haiti some days ago is now a hot event. CNN, FOX, ABC and CBS are all focusing much on this event. Taking CNN for example, the most frequent channel that I am watching these days, they are broadcasting the news on this earthquake in 24*7 mode with frequent remote connection with the journalists in Haiti, delivering the latest news to the audio in front of the TV set.  For the details and developing of this event, please visit related sites on CNN directly. In fact, the earthquake has been raised to the first rank for the hottest topics.  The two following graphs on worldwide and China visits respectively provides additional evidence on this event.

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This earthquake reminds me of the days when the earthquake happened years ago in Wenchuan, Sichuan of China. It was such a great disaster that the whole China was suddenly dropped into the sadness. As is told by a friend who was just a student in Sichuan that time, the earthquake would be deeply impressed in her heart that can never be forgotten. So now, I fully understand who would the Haiti be at present. Such feeling is enhanced when I saw the terrible videos through the CNN. The reports from CNN bring me a new understanding on the styles on the news delivery in US.

Undoubtedly, a comparison on the news reports and the governmental announcements can bring us better understanding to the differences between the culture in China and that of the West. The rescue of this earthquake is to be an opportunity for the US to exhibit both its respect on human rights as well as the high technology that is adapted in this rescue. Admittedly, the rapid response of the US for this earthquake lays on two reasons: one is its short geographic location, the other is the care about the US citizens in Haiti.

A first difference that I find on the news reports is its focus. In CNN reports, they are caring on two key points. One is the medical condition. We can see frequently from the remote connections to the Haiti where the journalists are concerning about the poor medical condition. There is no information on the doctors who are working for the rescue, even no interview, but only about the patients. Still remember what we saw in China? We were watching the efforts from the doctors who are working for the treatments, but no information on the patients and treatments themselves. Can the equipment and medical conditions satisfactory at that time? I don’t think so. The only explanation for this is that we are caring more about the individuals but the westerners are not.

The other difference observed on the news reports is about the children. The both the CCTV and CNN are caring about the situations of the children, they are still under some different. Similar to the attitude towards the medical conditions and doctors, one or two boys (girls) are presented as the symbol. But in a CNN report, we are informed that there are so many orphans now in Haiti, and they want help. A good example is the large photo on the front-page of CNN.

I don’t know whether it is from the difference on the cultural basis that renders all these differences. It is hard to tell which is better. But admittedly, the way that CNN delivers its news can bring its watchers better understanding on the whole development of an event.  I am not an expert on media, and I don’t know if the medias in China should learn from CNN for a more transparent and effective way of delivering the news. But, I do prefer the CNN style.

The CNN reports bring me an associate product, the understanding of the unofficial organization in US.  Still remember President Bush and Clinton? They have just founded a fund organization aiming at allocating donations and offering help for the sufferers in Haiti. A website named ‘Clinton Bush Haiti Fund’ has been settled. I don’t want to deny the political incentive of this fund, but they do good things.

With there would be more survivors in Haiti, God bless you all!

 

A Visit to Tongli: An Ancient County of Suzhou

江南小镇总是以其小桥流水的特色而闻名于世。正是基于此,苏州亦被称为“东方威尼斯”。而随着现代工业文明的发展和城市化的加剧。苏州市区的小桥流水似乎已经销声匿迹,而只有在平江路,山塘街等几处“自然保护区”。但是,由于周围环境的差异,以及过度商业化的运作。我们已经很难感受到烟雨江南的特色。作为一个土生土长的水乡小子,如此的进程不得不让我很是惋惜。现代化的都市感觉的确给了我生活的便利和现代感,却同时失去了水乡的感觉。那种传统的苏州,似乎只能存在于我娇小的残缺不全的童年回忆中了。

今日受好友之托,要寻一地来感受水乡特色。更重要的,必须要坐一叶小舟,穿梭于水乡的水道之中,感受一下水乡的特色和东方威尼斯的魅力。而这本不该成为问题的问题却成了我的一件头疼事情。苏州市区的地方就不用再考虑了。而周边地区能去的主要有三个地方:周庄,同里和浙江的乌镇。考虑再三,我们选择了同里。原因是其相对低廉的费用(我们当时不知道同里也要门票了),以及该地方的商业气息远没有周庄那么严重(这点估计还算准确)。

俗话说,好事多磨。我们刚到同里就被摆了一道。不知道是不是同里政府因为财政危机,还是羡慕周庄蒸蒸日上的旅游业,他们居然也开始收门票。依托江南四大园林之一的退思园,他们也来了个捆绑销售。要80块。这点让我们很是郁闷。说实话,除了退思园,我实在想不出同里有什么值得买票的地方。好在后来我们发现,只有大门查票是最严的,其他地方的入口根本没人管。想想也对,本来游客的进入就可以拉动当地GDP,干嘛非要严格去查门票呢?要知道,在市场经济条件下,得罪游客往往是不会有什么好处的。

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走进大门,迎面看到的就是一排排店面。不得不说,同里的商业化进程还是很快的。它已经不是我父辈们所说的一条街的小镇了。他已经逐步成为了一个专业化的旅游经典。当然,毕竟旅游可以给当地带来丰厚的收益,从福利经济学角度上来说,如此发展旅游业的确是一件值得鼓励的事情。tongli-gate2

周边的店铺有经营各种食品,土特产,丝绸制品等等,业主大多为当地人。因为从他们富有乡土气息的方言中就可以听出来。但是我同时也注意到,这里的差异化经营做的还很不够,周边店铺经营的产品大多具有很强的同质性。我不清楚他们内部是否有商会或者价格协定协调机制。我希望有这种制度。否则这种同质性经营很可能会面临着相互拆台的价格竞争。而这,往往是最要不得的。事实上,这种同质化竞争在小镇中心的饭店里更容易看到。这个我到后面再说。

IMG_0103 让我大感诧异的是,在小镇的一个广场上,我看到了一位酷似张三丰的老者。他鹤发童颜,在那里悠然自得的拉着二胡。尽管他的衣服明确告诉我们他是景区的工作人员。但是老人的敬业精神还是让我心中为之一振。毕竟如此的天气在外面拉二胡还是非常冷的。老者拉二胡的水平本人在此就不评论了。一者此处是同里景区,并非国家大剧院等专业场所;二者,本人对音乐也实在是个二把刀。我不知道为什么景区的管理方要把老人安排在这里。靠老人来创收恐怕不现实,毕竟老人赚不了多少钱。如果说是为了突出景区的特色,那似乎也不对,毕竟拉二胡的老者和同里古镇之间我实在是无法领悟其中奥秘。如果说是一种文化的象征,那也不至于请一个老者啊?此望知情人给予解答。

走入小镇的中心,我们看到一条小河弯弯曲曲的从小镇中穿过,的确很有点威尼斯的感觉。与威尼斯不同的是,贡多拉换成了水乡的小船,两边的欧洲古罗马时期的建筑换成了水乡的风墙黛瓦。在水中我们看到了大量的小船待租。35块钱一条船,25分钟的确是不太贵。记得我们6月份时候跟一群年轻的博士去上海朱家角划船是10块钱/人30分钟。而且相比较朱家角的船夫,同里的船娘显然热情好客了很多,还告诉了我们很多有关典故,并给我们建议说哪里可以比较好的取景。

我们雇了一条小船,缓缓的向小镇的深处开去。在船上看风景的感觉的确是不同。沿岸有很多的饭店和茶馆。但是看了几家菜谱就发现,他们的饭店具有非常大的相似性。船娘也说,其实各家饭店的菜品和价格都差不多,唯一的差别就是做菜的质量。但是作为游客,这显然“不足为外人道也”。

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在拐过几座桥洞以后,我们来到了一处非常漂亮的河道。两侧的树郁郁葱葱,非常漂亮。而值得一提的是,其中有一家饭店曾被CCTV等报道过(船娘所言,未查实)。但老板的苏州方言的确是很标准,到底是唱评弹出身。

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而另一个拐弯处的这家大红灯笼高高挂的店铺应该也吸引了足够的眼光。

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而岸边也有人在作画,引得路人围观

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在水中我们其实可以饱览小镇的风光,以至于我们上岸后几乎不用再逛。只是在桥上,我们看到了水下有人用鹭鹚在捕鱼。当然,如果你要观看捕鱼过程,你得出20元人民币啊。但是大家都会看到。所谓见者有份嘛。也算是为人民服务了。我不知道那位付钱的哥们会有什么特别的好处。

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应船娘的指点,我们上岸后去了“穿心巷”。据说这里拍摄了很多的电视剧。悠长的巷子总是给人以无限的遐想。

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而其中江南小庭院四角的天空却让我想起了鲁迅先生笔下的百草园。

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出了巷子,就到了同里老街,那里是我们旅行的最后一站。老街人不多,应该是当地居民的生活区。但是往前走我们就会看到有茶楼和特色店铺。只是相比较小镇中心,人气要低了很多。

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这条古街上有很多特色店铺,其中有一家是卖字画的。老板正在伏案创作,而另一家则是竹制品。尽管粗糙,却具有鲜明的乡土气息。

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这就是同里,江南小镇,有着鲜明的水乡特色。有兴趣的朋友不妨到此一游。您将会不虚此行。

Plain but Colorful: A Summary of 2009

image No one can deny the process of time processing, for which, the individuals like us, can only obey this regulation. Time pass smoothly no matter whether you are successful or not, no matter whether you are taking adequate care on it, and no matter whether you are young or old, boy or girl. Following my traditions, I would like to take a summary of my past year at last day. Taking a scan on the summary of mine in 2008 and 2007, I find, my 2009 is quite plain,there is nothing impressive to note, and honor to share with, except for something unpleasant.

The GRE, both the preparation and the two attempts,forms up the the mainstream of my life this year. Admittedly, GRE is the most difficult exams for the students in China because of two reasons. The first reason is that you are required to memorize and understand over 20k words. My first failure in this step is that I failed to make an in-depth understanding of the words, but only try to memorize them.  But the problem is that without good understanding on the real meaning, you can hardly find the potential relationship between the words and hence you fail. Anyway, my writing skills is greatly improved during this preparing process. I can start to write my own formal English. Admittedly, without sufficient training on GRE training, I won’t finish my first English manuscript and the research proposal.

For academia, there is nothing important as well except for the training program in Shanghai, conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Due to the funding from my professor and the arrangements on my research, I didn’t go to any highly ranked academic conference, totally different from what I did in 2008. However, I have to say, not to flatter the faculties of CUHK, their lectures broaden my horizon on my research greatly. From their delivery, I learned the importance of fundamental papers, always those enlightening works that also own great amount of reference. Without sufficient understand on the previous literature, not only for my topic, but also the common backgrounds, I won’t be a qualified scholar and a qualified reader of the papers in top journals.

Though I get the scholarship, and the prize of honored paper from an internal conference, I am not satisfied. For the scholarship, I have experienced too much, much more than it deserved. Though the prize of the honored paper partially convinced myself of the potentials of research, that’s far from enough. I would not repeat all these trivialities. For those readers who are interested in further information, please refer to relevant posts.

The perspective of my 2010 is quite simple, just two English words-Go Smoothly!

At the end of my summary, I shall acknowledge the thanks to numerous people that have helped me in various realms. Some of these friends are Kuan Song, Prof. Wang Xiongyuan, Prof. Xu JIalin, Prof. Shirley J. Daniel, Zhang Peng, You Tingting, Guan Kaolei, Tang Jianxia, Zhuang Chunfang, Chen Wenna.  Fundamentally,I shall express my thanks heartedly to my mama, papa, and the gone grandma. I wish and would keep appreciating your kindness in the coming 2010.

LYX: A New Written Instrument

经过几天的奋斗,终于完成了研究计划的初稿。12页的英文写作果然不是闹着玩的。累的我差点小命送掉。不过这次我也得到了一个教训,那就是,只有自己熟悉的东西才能做好,永远不要轻易去尝试你所不了解的事情。不过首当其冲要感谢的,则是我在Linux下新伙伴,LYX。这个系统同时给了我LATEX系统的便捷,也让我享受到了可视化编辑的乐趣。我之所以喜欢LATEX,是因为在我结束了最后一个字符的同时,我的文本排版也在倾刻间完成了。这是Word系统远远不能比拟的。

我不知道现在新版本的LYX是否支持了JabRef的管道功能。至少在我于Windows系统上使用LYX 1.5的时候,该项功能是不支持的。在LYX中输入参考文献的唯一方法是直接在系统自带的BiBTEX中跟据Key来寻找。这是一个非常费力而且容易出错的工作。尤其是对于我这样的习惯Endnote的人而言,不能从文献管理工具直接插入Citation,而是需要如此的手工操作直接就是一场噩梦。另外,如Bill所言,Java在Linux下的执行效率相当高,这也为我电脑上流畅运行JabRef提供了保证。

说到JabRef,我不得不同时提到另一个工具。该工具是Firefox下的插件,叫做Zotero。这个插件可以非常高效从Google Scholar,JSTOR等数据库中快速提取Reference,并且记录。此类技术,比较Endnote的导入工作,显得更进了一步。当然,不可否认,Endnote可以使用大部分英文数据库的Direct Export。这也是非常有吸引力的。

最后要提到的Bibtex的自动生成Reference。不知道为什么,我总觉得BiBtex显示的效果要比Endnote要漂亮。Lyx还有一个很人性化的功能。就是你在插入Citation的同时,可以选择显示方法,比如王小二(2009)要改成(王小二,2009)。这点比Endnote需要手工修改来的容易的多。

总而言之,我觉得Ubuntu+Lyx+Zotero是一个不错的选择,绝对不亚于Windows+Word+Endnote。有兴趣的朋友可以去试试看哦。

Reading the Blogs: The Way You Understand Him

image 今天终于开始着手准备国内的博士考试,尽管两次GRE的悲剧很是让我伤心,一度让我都没有了自信并在博客上发了大量的牢骚(如某某某某),以至于我对所有的“绣球”都来者不拒。非常感谢我姐在关键时候对我的激励,使我顿然醒悟,其实我并不是我想的那么没用,或许我也需要做些事情来证明自己。但是这种转变很容易因为年轻而变得锋芒毕露。锋芒毕露最要命的问题就是会让人很不爽,高调做事,低调做人或许就是这个意思吧。一些本来没打算伤害别人的事情却会因不太恰当的做法而出问题。如果再加上信息不对称,信息成本过高等问题的话,这个现象会更严重。

晚上看书看累了,在Google上闲逛(我一直有这种习惯),利用某一个关键字,居然很轻松的找到了我的一位至交好友的博客。这点事实上是让我非常吃惊的。因为他在我眼里似乎并不是一个非常喜欢接受新技术的人。我仔仔细细看完了这个非常素雅的博客的所有的日志。说实话,我心里起了非常大的波澜。因为这个博客帮我降低了非常大的信息成本,而同时也给了我一个Access进入了我这位朋友我所不知道的另一面。他那种内心的细腻,男人的坦荡,以及我们做研究的人所需要的那种心思缜密,都在那字里行间彰显无遗。相比较我们学校另一位教授的博客而言,我朋友的博客尽管没有那样工整的排版,却显然更具有可读性。因为,它们更能打动人。作为一名博客读者,我所关注的永远是原创和内容,而不仅仅是排版。

阅读博客,同读文章一样,也是分类的。我见过的博客往往包括了三类人。第一类的博客是我一般都不去的,它们往往是我们所谓的垃圾博客,里面的文章毫无原创性可言,都是一些网上摘录的东西,不多说;第二类,是博客的大多数,就是新浪,搜狐等等的托管博客(不包括熟人的)。托管博客往往都是偏文科工作性质,并没有技术或者动力去自己捣鼓一个博客的人。当然,第一类所谈的垃圾博客不包括在内。这类博客往往会有很多不错的文章,比如一些时尚热点的评论,以及一些名人博客。但是这类博客有被微博给侵占的危险。因为毕竟并不是所有人都喜欢在电脑前码一大堆字的。而最后一类,则是我基本每天都要报到的博客,基本属于我朋友们的博客。因为这样可以每天知道我的朋友们在关注什么,在做什么,在想什么。事实上,这本身也寄托着我本人对朋友们的一种思念。

至于博客的写作,则也有很大的讲究。比如我前面所提的那位朋友,他的博客更多显示了个人的内心世界和兴趣。这种博客是最符合博客的初衷的。第二类则是技术博客,比如我朋友Bill,他是个技术狂人,经常在博客上讨论一些技术问题,而这些帖子对我而言基本是可以跳过的,但每次看到技术贴,我都会知道,他一直在努力(哪家的广告词?),至于第三类,则是一些广告博客,比如Wordpress的官方博客,Google Analytics的官方博客等等。而至于我自己的Junjun’s Home?呵呵,我自己都说不清楚,尽管我倾向于第一类,但是有时候也讨论一些“不入流的”IT题目。

该睡觉了,就写这么多了,祝我那位朋友每天好心情。至于地址嘛,我还是不公开了吧。

对了,有玩博客朋友可以考虑Follow我哦

新浪微博http://t.sina.com.cn/gujun1225

Twitter:@gujun1225

Delicious Food in Suzhou: For Breakfast

今晚破天荒的吃了两个菜还加一只大鸡腿,终于暂时遏制住了我肚子里的馋虫。不知道是不是冬天的原因,最近的胃口出奇的好。看《永远的普罗旺斯》里说,法国人在冬天也总是猫在家里大吃。当然了,我们这武汉倒数第一的食堂自然是无法与举世闻名的法国大餐相媲美的了。近日总是有很多身边的朋友已经,或者在考虑去苏州旅游,而作为一个地地道道的苏州人,回答他们的千奇百怪的问题自然也就不在话下啦。在所有关于苏州的问题中,吃是一个重要的问题。

苏州的饮食,讲究清淡,精致,更讲究一种品质。这点与武汉的饮食习惯大不相同,或许这也是为什么他们会对苏州的吃比较有兴趣吧。但是不得不说明的是,这篇文章其实对打算在苏州生活的朋友们更有价值,而作为游客,可能比较难。就像一个来到武汉的游客,他去品尝小吃的地方基本是户部巷和首义园,却不会像我们这样钻到坊间去。但是脱离了坊间的民意的小吃往往其代表性也大大了折扣。本文是系列文章的第一部分,主要涉及苏州日常百姓的饮食,同时与我这两年多来在武汉的生活经历相对应。其中涉及的某些信息可能已经过时,还请多多自行查实。毕竟,这篇文章更多的是我的回忆和理解,而不是苏州版的《米其林指南》。

fangxin_breakfast

俗话说,一日之计在于晨。而小吃和点心的一大功能就是解决广大群众的早饭问题。在早饭问题处理上,武汉和苏州的差距非常大。普通苏州家庭的早饭都是自己准备的,作为传统的苏州人,早饭一般是米粥,或加以油条,或加腌菜。个人感觉这是最没有贫富差距的行为(上初中时,我会路过学士街,经常看到很多大餐馆的老板坐在门口喝粥)。但是与此相对应的是,武汉人似乎更喜欢在外面买吃的。在大清早的武汉街头,你经常可以看到各式美味,当然,热干面大叔和豆皮大姐肯定是主角,而一杯豆浆往往是少不了的配角。

youtiao 当然,苏州在90年代转型以后,生活节奏也在加快,而也有很多人开始没有时间做早饭。但是在苏州,在外面用早餐显然不是个太明智的选择。对于讲究卫生条件的大多数人而言,放心早餐车(不知道现在改名没?)似乎是唯一的选择。但是很可悲,他们大多没有武汉朋友的口服,因为由于标准化经营的问题,这种鬼车卖的东西几乎都是一样的,无论你在苏州城的东边南边,西边还是北边。(左图为苏州放心早餐车)。其实在放心早餐车出来以前,最常见的早餐莫过于大街小巷的大饼油条摊点。其中有一门技术就是拿一根筷子,从油条的中间穿进去,然后直接提着回家。如果技术不过硬,那就只有用个篓子装回去了啊。

noodle-pork 倘若在假日,则事情完全不同了。平日里不太拥挤的百年老字号的生意会变得超级的好,大家会带着自己的家人,孩子一同出去吃早饭。而其中苏式汤面是大多数人首选。比较著名的面馆有朱鸿兴,陆长兴等等。而我个人比较中意,也乐于向朋友们推荐的,则正是这些姑苏汤面。如果正宗的话,他们的汤料往往油而不腻,而且每家店都有各自的特点。诸位可以自行Google。与大多数地方的汤面不同,或许也与苏州本地食客的口味有关,这汤面吃起来有点甜甜的,难怪我一个常去苏州的哥们跟我抱怨说苏州人是不是把糖放到面汤里去了?而且与现在的很多高价面不同,传统的苏州食客往往中意爆鱼面(不知道写错没?),焖肉面(我高中时候吃了N次),还有略微高级的鳝糊面和虾仁面等。而这些面,其实往往都会因为它们的朴素而蜷缩在面馆中价格牌上的角落里而不被大多数第一次来苏的朋友们所注意。

shaomai 除了汤面,大多数的苏州食客也会去点一些面点。当然这些面点不是北方常见的馒头和包子了。尽管我也对肉包子情有独钟。 不过就我所了解的传统做法一般更多的是去点小笼馒头和汤包,或者烧卖。就烧卖而言,近水台的烧卖是做的不错的了。小时候因shengjianmantou为离家比较近,周末我总会被母亲带去,以作为一周来“良好表现”的奖赏。但是自从我去外地上学以后,同时也因为我家搬离那个区域,我就很少去了。想来大概也有10多年了吧。汤包和小笼馒头的做法其实从某种程度上来讲彰显了当地婉约的人文特色。小小的面点从面料到肉馅以及配料都是大有讲究,不可甜,不可腻,更不可过咸或过淡。而据说老食客品尝此类点心,最重要的就是其中所含的一口汤水。而这汤水,也点出了江南面点的特色。从此处派生出来的,则是一种称为生煎馒头的东西。那也是我的另一项最爱,我的感觉是它融入了汤包和小笼的做法(里面有很不错的汤汁),同时加入了锅贴的那种生煎的做法。若无经验的话,经常会因为其突然喷出来的汤汁搞得狼狈不堪。武汉也有类似的东西,被称为煎包,不过无论是品相,做工还是配量都与此相去甚远,不可同日而语。

绿杨馄饨 作为汤面的替代品,馄饨在苏州的饮食中也具有举足轻重的作用。比较有名的就是苏州的绿杨馄饨店。我小时经常去,但是现在的品质有下降的趋势。作为一家传统的小店,他也经营了很多其他上面所涉及的点心。不过我始终认为馄饨才是他们的核心竞争力。对于他们家的馄饨,我实在是了解不多。不过它给我留下的印象是非常不错的(不过据说现在他们有的分店做的并不好)。不过有朋友去苏州还是可以去尝尝的。不过记住哦,是馄饨,不是饺子。饺子是北方的。如果没有记错的话,馄饨的要求跟汤包有些许类似,也是要求皮薄,馅儿厚。至于馄饨汤嘛,恕我直言,我觉得它就是清汤,没什么好说。不过右边图上这碗叫做什么蟹粉鸡丝馄饨,是绿杨馄饨店的招牌,可千万别错过哦。

苏州的早点品种是不少的,我就不一一道来了,这里只是蜻蜓点水,更多的有待大家去发掘。而苏州的很多小吃也都附带了很多传说和故事,如果有机会,大伙儿可以去读下苏州地区的乡土教材,或者Google。我这里就不重复了。与武汉这里的小吃相比,苏州的小吃更多的突出的是“鲜”,讲究原汁原味,却不是如武汉的早点更多的靠花生酱,辣椒等来直接给予感官的刺激。同时苏州的小吃做工相对讲究,追求色、香、味。更多的,他们是艺术品,而不仅仅是食品。

在下来的篇章中,我会更多的来介绍一些苏州的地方菜肴,民间小吃和节日特殊饮食等,欢迎大家前来踩踩。

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