Today’s news coverage devoted a large section to Pope’s funderal. I don’t have CNN on cable and I was not really interested, so I didn’t watch it last night. Apparently, it’s a big social gathering for all the leaders of the nataions. Taiwan had made quite a process this time, as the president finally able to shake hands and talk to the leaders of other world powers. Shame on Chinese government refuse to send official representative because of the presents of Taiwan’s president. I feel kinda sorry for Prince Charles, because of the sudden death of the Pope, he has to move his wedding. No wonder people says wedding is planned but funeral just happens.
Tonight, I got dragged to a memorial service of the Pope at St. Mary. I managed to fall asleep while kneeing down during the eucharist adopration. My theory is that between half sleep and half awake is the best state to communicate with God. I feel I had gain more from the inspiration in my dreams than the boring talks from the speakers. Moreover when one is asleep, he is still listening subconciously, the message may sinks in even better. Why can’t the self-claim religious show some respect and let us sleep peacefully in church, as long as we don’t snore? Why people has to pray and worship God using nothing else but a standard template? If God havn’t say anything against sleeping in church, others people please stop making judgements on our way of worship.
I have been sturggling with ns2 for the past 24 hours. ns2 is an open source network simulation implemented in tcl and C++. It suppose to be one of the most popular academic reseach tool in communication network. My problem right now is the compliation doesn’t seem right, when I run a sample testscript, it dies with a segmentation fault. I had tried different version under linux and cygwin without luck. Cygwin is another interesting open source program. It is like a linux emulator sitting on top of Windows, so user can compile and use unix/x-win softwares. If ns2 under cygwin still fails, I’m afraid to use brute force attack, fire up the debugger and figure out exactly what went wrong.
The email group of my highschool friends from La Salle is quite busy these few days. The death of the Pope had somehow started a political/theological discussion. I found it interest that you had know your friends for so many years, yet we havn’t dicussion this issues in depth at all. Probably we were just too young to understand the implication of all those complex world issues. The email exchanges really inspire me, give me some idea that I had never thought of. I am not surprise to see some of my friends has totally different view than myself on certian issues, judging from where they had been. It would be odd if they think the other way. Yet, it doesn’t affect our friendship, because we all know those are just BS talk anyways. Isn’t it the same in the case of most moral and political debates? The conclusion so far, Peter seems on the right, Lenny seems on the left. I split in between, right on political/economical issues, left on social/moral issues. First those who are not sure what side they are one on, try the test at political compass
My score is:
Economic Left/Right: 2.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.77
I have went to too many farewell lunch this month. Today yet another colleague is leaving the company and with stunting news three more I had worked with will leave soon, including one of my chess buddies. When the ship is sinking, I guess it is normal for everybody to jump the ship. I wonder does anyone will still listen to the tune of struggle with the company these days. Corporate loyal is long gone since the days of costing cutting become the norm in running business. What you get is what you pay, the universal truth.
Today is the first meeting of the toastmaster club in PMC. I have heard of it several years ago, apparently it once was quite popular in HK. Toastmaster basically is just a group of people come together to practice public speaking. Experience members provide guidance and feedback to junior members, aided with reading material from the mother organization on basic technics. A friend of mine, Chris, had joint it for two years and today he is one of the hosts. I can see his speeches improved alot. Other than I am not used to those exaggrated gestures, I think toastmaster really helps you to improve your communication skill. I’m looking forward to join one for quite sometime, but didn’t make the effort to actually join one. Now, the opportunity come to me conviniently, I got seize it and get most out of it. Even better the fee is covered by PMC.