Yearly Archives: 2007

Daily Scribble

Intellectual conversation

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Tonight two boys from Pat’s choir join us for dinner.  Both of them are university students.   To my surprise I got a very intellectual conversation from one of the guy.  Rarely I can find anyone who know enough theology, religion or philosophy knowledge to engage in a deep conversation.  He is a psychology major, so his point of view is quite different from my engineers point of view.  Our chat shed me new lights on how to see many things.

I finally have a clear understanding of the difference between innocent and ignorance.  Many people use these two words interchangeably, but they have different meaning.  Using book as an analogy.  Being innocent means you don’t know there exists such a book.  Being ignorance is you know the title of a book, but knows nothing about the content.

I learn the minimum requirement for Catholic mass is 2 people, the priest plus an audience.  The priest by myself cannot have a mass in law’s definition.  Then I pose the question what about a priest with a split personality, does it count as one person or 2 people.

We talked about what-if scenario, what if African conquer Europe in early centuries.  This leads to whether history has determine course of action or history is accidental.  I am defending our life will be pretty much the same using Hegel and he disagree.  Well, the fact that he knows the name of Hegel is quite impressive.

In addition, he explain some psychology to me.  One school of thoughts in psychology thinks how the human mind works are just reinforcements.  However main stream psychology reject this idea because the mind clearly able to change states, say from happy to sad, without any sensory inputs.  I try to defend the reinforcement theory using analogy from CPU design.  In semiconductor, alpha particulars can toggle the state of the electrons which causing bit error in the memory.  How about alpha particulars is the reason for human mind changing states without any reason.  The alpha particular excite an electron in a neuron, which cause a chain reaction eventually turn you from happy to sad.

I really enjoy tonight’s conversation.  However, Pat and the other boy said this involve too much thinking, and they got a headache just from listening to our talks.

政治經濟

電槍慘劇

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taser

平靜的溫哥華這星期發生了一件慘劇﹐波蘭藉男子Robert Dziekanski在溫哥華機場情緒失控﹐在入場大堂投擲椅子和電腦器材。由於言語不通的關係﹐警察不能勸服他冷靜下來。一位警員拔出電槍電擊他﹐他隨即倒地並掙扎反抗。警察最後將他制伏時他失去知覺﹐救護員到場後證實他已經死亡。

整個過程被一位遊客拍攝下來﹐ 到了今天警方公開事發經過的錄影帶。各方評論隨即質疑警方濫用暴力﹐並指責警方不應該輕率使用電槍。不過很多人只看過報章報導或新聞片段﹐未能完全了解事發的真相。我發現香港的中文傳媒對這件慘劇的報導﹐與溫哥華這邊鋪天藝地的報導些微差誤。就是因為資料上的些少差誤﹐評論者對警方的做法有完全不同的結論。為此我上Vancouver Sun把所有報導重看一遍﹐到Taser電槍公司的網頁查核電槍的規格﹐希望能指出那些評論的問題。

我們事後閱讀報導的讀者﹐當然知道受害人是無辜﹐他來加拿大探望母親﹐只是不幸地在機場精神失常。可是警察扺達在現場時﹐不知道受害人只是來探親。根據事件發生之前的報案﹐只知道他是一名有暴力傾向的外藉男子﹐一個未知的潛在危險人物。警察包圍受害人時﹐按照正常的拘捕程序﹐警察應該是叫他伏在地上。很明顯受害人因為聽不懂英文﹐所以沒有聽言合作。受害人只是舉高雙手﹐警察若埋身拘捕他時﹐他可以很容易揮拳反抗打傷警察。警察不能冒自身受傷的危險﹐埋身將受害人制伏。不埋身制伏疑犯的方法只有三種﹐手槍﹐警棍和電槍。前兩者很明顯會造成更大傷害﹐電槍是最少暴力的選擇﹐總不成叫警察赤手空拳﹐冒著被打傷的危險去制伏受害人。到目前這一刻唯止﹐警察有充份合理的理由使用電槍。

跟據Vancouver Sun的科學鑑證報導﹐受害人的死因並不是因為給高壓電流電死。先是受到電擊呼吸困難﹐加上因為過份驚恐而強烈爭扎﹐給警察強行按在地上﹐做成呼吸道受壓迫﹐最後室息死亡。很明顯在這裏警察犯了程序上的錯誤。按照程序﹐警察應該讓被電槍擊倒的人安躺鬆馳。直接至死亡原因是警察不當地強行按他在地上﹐而非給電槍擊中。若果警察有按程序﹐受害者應該沒有生命危險﹐亦不會留下永久性傷害。問題不是出在電槍上﹐而是出在使用電槍後制伏疑犯的手法。警察似乎忘記了疑犯已給電槍擊中﹐已經衰失行動能力﹐照舊採用對付一般暴力犯人的壓制手法﹐才釀成今次的慘劇。

警察在制伏受害人程序出錯﹐導致人命事故﹐他們難逃紀律處份。這次慘劇的成因是警察不熟習使用電槍後的拘捕程序﹐而非警察濫用暴力侵犯人權。警察在拘捕程序上處理失當﹐改善辨法是加強警員的訓練。胡亂把責任推御在使用電槍上﹐要求取締電槍並不能解決問題﹐正確使用電槍並不會做成永久性傷害。警員接受電槍訓練時﹐是包括給電槍射擊的經驗﹐讓他們親身感受電槍的威力。當然在安全的訓練環境下﹐警員有充足心理準備﹐放鬆呼吸接受電槍射擊﹐就正如Taser公司說明書一般﹐只是短暫衰失行動能力﹐並沒有其他的危險性。也許正正因為警員有被電槍射擊的經驗﹐他們認為疑犯給電槍擊中的經驗也會相同。可是他們忘記了電槍電壓雖然相同﹐人在不同環境受到電擊的反應會很不同。在訓練中電擊會令警員哇哇叫痛﹐然後站起來時哈哈大笑。可是在實戰中的高壓﹐電擊會令疑犯產生意想不到的生理反應。若果這些反應若不適當處理﹐則有可能令疑犯有性命危險。若果疑犯給電槍擊中﹐只要保持身體放鬆﹐乖乖就擒不作無謂爭扎﹐其實與警察訓練時同樣般安全﹐這也是電槍的設計原意。若果疑犯被電擊時激烈爭扎反抗﹐導致身體機能關閉而失去性命﹐疑犯對自己的死亡也要負上一半的責任﹐不能把錯誤完全歸咎警方。

Product Reviews

Nike ACG Hiking boots

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Nike ACG

In English, there is an idiom, as comfort as an old shoe. It is a known fact that an old shoe is most comfortable to wear. However, old shoe wears off, eventually you can’t wear it any longer. So, what is the most comfortable shoe other than your old shoe? Of course it is a new shoe that is exactly the same as your old shoe!

I have been wearing the Nike ACG hiking boots for many years. It has been so long that I couldn’t keep track of how many pairs I had, probably 8 or 10 pairs. On average I wear out a pair every year, so I need to get a new pair every year. Shoes are on sales at Foot Locker, buy one and one half prince. Since I will need a new pair every year, why don’t I buy an extra pair and save it for next year? Not only I got a great discount, but also save me the trouble to shop for shoes next year.

I wonder what should I wear if Nike discount the ACG hiking boots. I guess I don’t have to worry about this question for the foreseeable future. I heard from the sales at Foot Locker, Nike ACG hiking boots are one of their best sellers. It would not make much business to discontinue a popular model.

If you like boots， check out more about boots at Bootbomb

動漫

Baccano! 永生之酒

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Baccano 近年日本動畫界興起改篇輕小說的熱朝﹐差不多銷量好的輕小說必定會推出動畫。輕小說與流行小說最大的分別﹐是輕小說附有漫畫風格的插圖﹐人物設定在小說出版時已經做好。「永生之酒」改篇自成田良悟的輕小說﹐十三集動畫講述小說首四集的內容。由Aniplex負責製作﹐動作場面沒有偷功減料﹐動畫中看不到定格快線﹐畫面流暢作畫穩定。音樂的旋律輕快有趣﹐配合動畫在美國禁酒時期的年代背景﹐很有舊荷里活滑稽黑幫片的風情。單純動畫技術來說﹐這動畫比同期作品出色。

這動畫採用很獨特的拍攝手法﹐絕對考驗觀眾的拼圖推理能力。第一集完全沒有交待任何故事﹐只是兩個報社職員講故事﹐描述不依時序的零碎片段﹐討論故事應該從那一個切入點開始講起。那些片段故然精采吸引﹐足以勾起我追看的好奇心﹐決心要弄清楚這畫動葫蘆裏賣什麼藥。原來總共有三個故事平衡發展﹐鏡頭與鏡頭間沒有明顯的連接性。觀眾要一邊看一邊記錄片段在腦中﹐最後才能重組出完整的故事。三個故事也是環繞著喝過永生之酒的不死人﹐他們不老不死受傷後會立即神奇地愎原。戲中不乏不死人再生的鏡頭﹐他們給人斷手斷腳地殘殺﹐血肉橫飛骨與肉臟走出來已很不堪入目。更詭異是再生時血液凌空倒流回體內﹐給打成肉醬的身體像倒鏡般自我重組。初看時覺得很恐怖駭人﹐很適合追求暴力視覺效果的觀眾。

第一個故事發生在1930年﹐講述紐約黑幫小頭目﹐如何巧合地喝下永生之酒的故事。第二個故事發生在1931年﹐講述在加哥到紐約的高速鐵路上﹐上演一幕三組人分別同時劫車﹐兼變態殺手屠殺火車乘客的故事。第三個故事發生在1932年﹐富家女來紐約尋找失蹤哥哥的故事。這三個故事沒有直接關連﹐但故事間有著前因後果的關係。在一個故事中某人物做某些事情的原因﹐原來是因為另一個故事另一人物做的某件事情。片頭出場有名姓的人物多達二十人﹐三個故事均沒有明顯的主角設定﹐每個人的戲份相若。唯一在三個故事中也有出場是對傻瓜夫婦﹐他們大慨是這套動畫的吉祥物﹐專門負責搞笑和巧合地推進劇情。

這套動畫要至少看兩次﹐第一次看來知道大慨的故事發展﹐驚嘆故事中出人意表的轉向。第二次看就要細心留意伏線﹐發現自己只是粗心大意見不到精心安排。導演刻意引導觀眾思考一個方向﹐但其實劇中所有的暗示也指向另一方向。第一次看時有很多不明白的地方﹐看完一篇知道了相關的背景資料與人物關係後﹐第二次看同一件事情就變得合情合理。大慨沒有多少人肯這麼花心機去看一套動畫﹐多數看過幾集還不明白劇情就決定放棄。不過如果能夠堅持一路看到底﹐就會發現花在記錄角色和時序的精神沒有白費﹐可以拼砌出一個與眾不同的奇特故事。

Daily Scribble

Gym

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I bought Pat a gym pass for her birthday present, so she can look better for our wedding.  The gym give me a few free day passes, so I tag along with Pat.  I need some exercise myself and I can give her moral support to go working out.

I never go to a gym before.  I always found working out boring.  You are just repeating the same action again and again in front of a mirror like an idiot.  I still think working out is boring.  However, I notice my arms do not have enough strength since I begin shooting.  I always know my lack of endurance is a road block to improve my skiing skills.  So the fact is I need exercise stay fit and train my muscle.  Going to gym is probably the easiest and quickest way to achieve my goal.

I like using the elliptical machine most.  It is kinda a combination of the treadmill and stepping machine.  The motion is kind a combination of cycling and running.  I have to constantly shift the body weight from one leg to another leg.  It is a very good cardio exercise, I sweat a lot and I think it also strength my leg muscles.  Usually I work on this machine for 30 minutes.  The first 10 minutes is not too bad, since I am not tried.  The next 15 minutes is the toughest, I really have to struggle to keep up.  Somehow the last 5 minutes is the easiest, my body starting to get used to the pain and sours from the muscles.  I feel like I can keep running forever without feeling tried.  However once I stop running, the pain and sours kicks in and my legs really hurt.