Morgan^^ I Think therefore I am

Windows 7

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:59:00 +0000

After 7 years with windows xp, and totally skipped vista, I've finally upgraded to 7.

A brief guide to scientific literature

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:22:00 +0000

A brief guide to scientific literature:

It has long been known == I haven’t bothered to check the references.

It is known == I believe.

It is believed == I think.

It is generally believed == My colleagues and I think.

There has been some discussion == Nobody agrees with me.

It can be shown == Take my word for it.

It is proven == It agrees with something mathematical.

Of great theoretical importance == I find it interesting.

Of great practical importance == This justifies my employment.

Of great historical importance == This ought to make me famous.

Some samples were chosen for study == The others didn't make sense.

Typical results are shown == The best results are shown.

Correct within order of magnitude == Wrong.

The values were obtained empirically == The values were obtained by accident.

The results are inconclusive == The results seem to disprove my hypothesis.

Additional work is required == Someone else can work on the details.

It might be argued that == I have a good answer to this objection.

The investigations proved rewarding == My grant has been renewed.

Synthesized according to standard protocols == Purchased.

Ottawa渥太华

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:45:00 +0000

加拿大的首都, 位于安大略与魁北克的边境. 距离Montreal 2小时车程.旅程很顺利, 7点顺利赶上巴士, 正点到达Ottawa U. 9点半parliament hill一开门就拿到票. 10点半就玩遍parliament, 徒步跨省走到魁北克一侧的Civilization Museum. 行程关键字为Korean Lunch, Sunset, 和失败的夜景.

Ottawa人都说"Hello ,Bonjour"纯正美音 , Montreal有可能说"Bonjour, Hello"纯正法音

Ottawa广告牌大大的英文, 下面总有一小行法文; Montreal广告牌大大的法文, 下面有可能有一小行英文

Ottawa美女少,Montreal美女多

Ottawa穿着打扮out, Montreal衣着服饰in

Ottawa人遵守交通规则, 车总让人, Montreal人随便横穿马路, 人有时让车

Ottawa 巴士3$地铁覆盖率很低, Montreal巴士2.75$地铁覆盖率很高

Ontario高速修的跟中国一样漂亮, Quebec高速修的跟魁北克一样破旧

Midterm

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:29:00 +0000

这周终于考完了3门课的midterm. 意味着第一个学期已经过去大半. 看着自己8月份maths camp时候记的笔记想想已是很久以前的事情了. 班上的同学是越来越少了, 偶尔想起来几个面孔才陡然发现很久没见过了. 约摸是quit掉了. 下午上micro的时候稀稀拉拉的坐了半个课室, 8月份第一次上课的时候那可是满满的一个课室还加坐呢. maths camp时候认识的另外一个中国同学也已经半个月没来上课了. 打电话来说他打算回国找工作去了. 8月份见面时自我介绍的时候很多人都说strong interest in economics bring me to this program, 如今是路遥知马力日久见人心. 不感兴趣的人早早就quit了,感兴趣的人每天在lab里泡10多个小时也乐此不疲. 而我只是苟延残喘的偷生着, just surviving.

花了半个学期终于明白了一些事情. 比如读研究生的确不是什么好玩的事情. 明白了出来混迟早是要还的. 明白了经济学的博大精深而自己的智商是多么渺小. 还明白了怎么在极度stressful极度hopeless的时候take a warm shower, have a good sleep然后wake up smile.

一黑人哥们考完midterm后拍拍我肩膀说, cheer up, man. C'est la vie…

Éducation/Education

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:03:00 +0000

It seems that until now, all of my blog entries here were about traveling and entertainment, which are biased samples apparently. As a graduate student, much much more of my time was contributed to serious works towards future career as a researcher.

Pursuing a graduate degree is a demanding job, really. Besides tough courses and endless paper readings, as graduate students, the most significant thing is to identify your passion in research, and began to establish a blueprint of your career. Doing an undergraduate in SYSU truly gave me a clear picture of what economics theories are. But, that’s not enough for graduate studies. Here in McGill, we hold workshops every week in topics such as “How to do networking in an academic conference”, “how to create pleasant interactions with supervisors” or “how to expand your teaching portfolios”. Those seminars always spotlight the main practical skills we need to become a successful researcher, and encourage students to the right direction. Those trainings make my thinking much more mature than before.

Education is far above the level of teaching PhD students theorems or proofs. PhD, in the end, is just a basic prerequisite into the academic world. Future accomplishment largely depends on teaching skills, research potentials and your networking. Just like most industrial companies had their profession training for their employees, graduate schools do exactly the same thing.
I don’t know what if I stay in China for my master degree, but my first two months as a graduate student here is indeed quite a rewarding experience.

Confused

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:14:00 +0000

Amis ? Amants ? Que Pense-vous me?

22 years old

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Birthday again. I hate getting old now. There's no birthday cake this year. I just want Chinese food now.

Four people, 2 chinese 2 taiwan, in Chinatown, really had a great time. Enjoy both the food and the chat.

22 years old now, I will start learning something. I will begin to think about the plan of my life, to pursue the goals of my life, and to live my life on my own.

Trop de livres à lire!

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:31:00 +0000

J'ai trop de livres à lire. Je me sens très paresseux aujourd'hui …

I read too much books today, so tired.

今天看书看累了

Culture Shock free

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:13:00 +0000

After finished reading macro theory this afternoon, for some unknown reasons, I began to think about the days I had in Hong Kong two years ago. I still remembered the first month I stayed in HK, which is full of adventure and excitement, or "culture shock" in a different word. I kept comparing Hong Kong with Guangzhou: food, teaching, price, people etc. And every time I did this, there is always a surprise for me. Throughout the 5 months’ stay in HK, everyday is an adventure, an exploration, and a discovery.

Now, there has been already one month since I landed in Canada. Many people asked about whether "culture shock" hit on me as it happened in Hong Kong. Unlike two years ago, I don’t find too much surprise. And I haven’t experienced any “culture shock” as well, which may seem shocking to others. I can understand the language as soon as I got off the plane, I started cooking as soon as moving into my apartment, and I stopped exchange dollar into RMB as soon as I walked into a store.

The only “shock” to me, could be the crystal-blue sky and gemstone-green trees.

Au revoir

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:36:00 +0000

How time flies![cliché ;) ]
The previous entry of this blog was about graduation, so is this one! The only difference is that this is my own time to graduate.
Bonne chance à moi-même.

Sun Yat-Sen University

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:36:00 +0000

Graduate

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:32:00 +0000

Every year at this time, Senior students are always crazy. In the evening, People shout loudly outside the dormitory: some tried to express their love, others just tried to have some fun. A few senior students asked me to take some photos at the graduate ceremony, but I didn't make it. Not because I hardly know them, but for the reason that I am not ready to accept the fact I am leaving next year...
Watching the seniors, in those funny but formal dress, smile at the camera, It seems that the young people are stepping into the society-the realistic and cruel world.
I have already worked in my intern fund house for several weeks. Although dressed up clean and sitting in well-decorated office, I am still not quite used to it. Everyone are attempting to be nice, and routines are boring. But luckily, I don't have to work during my final exam.
Okay, library are much more lovable than office, now.

Hide myself

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:26:00 +0000

I closed my MSN Space today. Just try to hide myself... Life is mysterious, I believe.

Google, what do you think about it?

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:01:00 +0000

When someone mentioned the word "Google", what will come into your mind for the first time? Search Engine! Yes, I would give the answer 5 years ago, and even today I mostly use Google to search the Internet.

Gmail! True, I have used its excellent mail box 3 years ago.

Blogger/Orkut/Google Earth etc. Wow! Those are the web products I can't live without.

Google Calender, Google Reader, Google Translate! Bingo, 2 years since I first enjoyed the innovative service.

What's more?

er... Perhaps Google Notebook and Checkout... Correct! I finally sign up for these two service today. Can't wait to explore them, although it may seems to be a little bit outdated.

Long time no update

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sat, 03 May 2008 11:05:00 +0000

It really has been a long time since my last entry in this blog. Recently, I am puzzled and discontented about my life and my future. Without any reasons, today I just feel like to make some wishes here, for my last year in college.

5.10: TOEFL, 100+, with every section above 20
Summer: Find a good intern, decently paid and recognized overseas.
Fall semester: Finish my application, and job hunting. Make some publications in Chinese journals.
Spring semester: I desire to be an offer-reaper!
Same time next year: On the other side of Pacific Ocean…

U.S. and Canadian license plates

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:01:00 +0000

In China, the license plates are boring: 粤 A 12345, for example, means simply a car from Guangzhou. However, I find that license plates in US/CAN are more interesting and even had culture element in it. In US or Canada, the issuer of plates, say, the states, always put a
slogan of their local region on the car plates. Here are some of them I found funny.

Alberta "Wild Rose Country"
Arizona "Grand Canyon State"
Arkansas "The Natural State"
British Columbia "Beautiful British Columbia"
Connecticut "Constitution State"
California "California"
Florida "Sunshine State"
Illinois "Land of Lincoln"
Idaho "Famous Potatoes"
Massachusetts "The Spirit of America"
Minnesota "10,000 Lakes"
Michigan "http://www.michigan.gov/"
New Jersey "Garden State"
Quebec "Je me souviens"
Puerto Rico "Isla del Encanto"

If we Chinese followed such ways, what would be put on plates in Beijing/Shanghai/Guangdong cars?

Movie Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:39:00 +0000

After the final exams, films are becoming part of life, taking the place of books two weeks ago. I ended up with three movies at last this day. Here are some of my comments. Let’s start with the worst.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Seldom did I watch love theme movies, but the million dollars box selling record draw my attention. But again, it let me down. Maybe I find no interest in such type of films.

The Princess Diaries (2001)
Story about an ordinary American girl, maybe ugly and vulgar to some extend, became a princess of a small European country. In my opinion, the plot is stale: it merely symbolizes the covetousness psychology of became “rich and famous” in a single day. However, what attracts me most is that the culture confliction between common sporty Americans and rigid Europeans, and usually many funny guffaw comes out.

Borat: Cultural Learning of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
The best movie I have seen these days. Story lines are simply: the experiences of some Kazakhstan host traveling across US. What I can see through such black humor director Larry Charles brought to us, is that the whole refection of the society in United States and probably the World. I see frosty relationship between people in New York; I see homosexual culture in San Francisco; I see deprived black community in Atlanta; and I see cowboy style in Texas. In the movie, Christians are always mad religious extremist; Islam is terrorists with a bomb to destroy the world; and Feminists are usually unreasonable illogical. Moreover, the Kazakhstan people are also amusing: they are bigot, improperly, and living in the world behind the times. After the movie was renowned, president of Kazakhstan even protest the untruthful image of his country in the movie… Cut it short, Larry Charles has the courage that I admire, to present us a parody ridiculing the social problems.
The most famous lines in the movie are also conspicuous:
1. “She is my sister. She is number four prostitute in whole of Kazakhstan.”
2. [To American Audience] we support your war of terror.
3. Go, kids! Smash the Jews chick before he hatches!
4. [Sees the Uzbekistan embassy in Washington DC] Hey look who has an embassy here.
[Puts up his middle finger] Hey fuck you, you motherfuckers!

Finance Slang

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:04:00 +0000

Today I come across some funny staff in Wikipedia, here is one of them- a slang of finance industry in Wall Street.

Rocket scientist: a financial consultant at the zenith of mathematical and computer programming skill. They are able to invent derivatives of frightening complexity and construct sophisticated pricing models. They generally handle the most advanced computing techniques adopted by the financial markets since the early 1980s. Typically, they are physicists and engineers by training; In fact, rocket scientists do not necessarily build rockets for a living.

Invisible Hand

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Adam Smith had a great prescience: “invisible hand” that makes people work harder than ever for their own interest, and in turn, achieves fully efficiency.
Now, the invisible hand are driving students crazy in library day and night, reciting books again and again, and thus multiplied the knowledge faster than ever… THIS IS THE FORCE OF FINAL EXAM, the Invisible hand Adam Smiths himself probably never thought of.

Apply for Asia Institute for Political Economy

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0000

International Programs Admissions AIPE The Fund for American Studies 1706 New Hampshire Ave., NW Washington, DC 20009

Topical Essay (500 words): “Describe one economic or political problem facing your country and how you would solve it as a leader.”

The onus is falling on us Chinese to re-thrive our great economy. However, the "brain drain" is one great threat to this aspiration of all Chinese. As recent studies showed, quite a lot of well-educated Chinese, such as doctors or engineers, trained at considerable expense by means of taxpayers' subsidies to higher education, are leaving their home country for careers in North America and Europe. The damage it brings to the society was obvious. Therefore, if I were the leader, I would take every possible measure to curb the problem, no matter following experiences of other nations or creating our own innovative scheme.

First of all, the primary step I would take is to improve the fundamental infrastructure for those erudite people. Admittedly, places with murky career opportunity and those offering insufficient cultural and social amenities to attract young educated people are having the hardest time. As a study by Dr. Michae Brobbey, a prominent expert in International Immigration, suggested, most of the learned population immigrates for the reason of unpromising career opportunity and below-standard working condition. Thus, for this concern, other nations are already making practicable attempt to handle the problem, from which we could learn as well. For example, a group named EMPOWR in Canada is lobbying the federal government for targeted funding of up to $500M over five years to support university research in specific technology areas, the largest expenditure on R&D in Canada. The program later turns out to be successful: it creates many novel research centers and develops production capacities, where attracted amounts of fresh native graduated students from institutions abroad. Ultimately, it is the outstanding research environment and funding that keep the local "brains" away from "draining". Therefore, from this standpoint, administrators in China similarly can mitigate some the effects of this "brain drain" through an improvement of career environment for the talents, like the Canadian way.

Besides the mechanism to prevent "brain"from "drain", we could consider from an opposite approach, say, to devise strategies of “brain gain”: If we cannot circumvent talents' out, why not attract talents in to make up the losses? In my opinion, China should allow experts from abroad much more freedom as we granted for the cargo trades. In the education sector, for example, more scholarship would be offered to the overseas students, and issuing working Visas more generously in order to draw talents from all over the world to work in China. In addition, since other countries are competing with China for similar qualified human resources, a potentially rewarding solution might be to formulate a skills export and import policy that promotes and provides the framework for the training of human resources in China for the labor markets of both target countries and China.

In the final analysis, the only way for China to out-think, outsmart and out-innovate the competition, is to look hard at government policies that either maintain our best brains local or encourage more brains coming here; to question business practices that increase reliance on foreign brains while "buying out" our own; and to demand more from our education system. It's not too late to stanch the surge of brain drain. But first we have to put our own brains to work on the problem.

Pressure

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:16:00 +0000

In the econometrics class, prof. made some striking announcement:
1) One more course, Stochastic Process, will be add in our curriculum next semester.
2)The one who rank last each year in class will be kicked off, to assure the so-called education quality.

I'm feeling the pressure right now. Econometrics, real analysis, functional analysis, dynamic optimization... OMG... PhD really means Permanent Head Damage, indeed.

Auxiliary

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 13:32:00 +0000

Today, a question occur to me when I'm reviewing papers from JSTOR and Worldbank: What do we need to publish in top Journals like "American Economics Review"?

I would answer "Mathematics" when in year one or two in college. Scientific research, to me, seems to be pure logical argument and theoretical creativity. Thus, in my opinion, A man who is doing best in the Mathematics or his major field coursework should be the one publishing his work in top journals.

Now, I know I was wrong. "YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW TO TELL A STORY", this is a quotation of my econometrics prof. If we open journals like AER or Journal of Finance, every passage in it would be fluent in language, or even like a poem: Extremely logical but with a literature style. Besides the mathematical elements, in them, there always consist many descriptive explanations to the theory or model from real world perspective - some previous research, real examples, or theory from sociology and political fields. Therefore, I am feeling insufficient of my language skill. Maybe I should read some Shakespeare... So, I come to blogger to practise my writing...

Groan,Wail,Moan

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:02:00 +0000

Just when I'm cracking the New Institutional Economics homework which will due on next Monday, Alex told me, that Lingnan Board Scholarship list have NO his name. Wh..wh..what?? I was totally shocked! "Unbelievable, Incredible, Preposterous, Absurd."- That's the only words I could come up with at that time.
Then I feel sad. I can remember clearly how happy both of us were when receiving the honor on the stage, just same time last year, right? So What about this year, then? OH,No... I know it's absolutely a disaster.
Suddenly, I feel lucky for myself. Maybe I am the very boy that taking the last train to the scholarship. I know I could do nothing but to feel sorry for you, Alex; to ridicule "Good Luck" for myself; And say "thank you" to Mr.Wong Kin Hang.

Beautiful & Ugly

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 15:31:00 +0000

Here's something I find beautiful recently:
1) Chamberlin Monopoly Competition Model- simply maths but with striking results. Especially when proving the ATC curve touches Demand curve. Logically Beautiful~
2)Shakespeare in Love- Oscar Winner Movie, although with a little English accent. But I like the sonnet like words and metaphor, and the original Shakespeare's lines in the movie. Emotional Beautiful~

However, here's a black list in which I found Ugly:
1)Lust and Caution. A Bad movie! stale story-line, incomprehensible ending. worth much less than your time and film ticket. Especially when mainland censorship cuts the only eyeball attracting points-LUST
2)KTV. I have no interest in sing songs in front of many others, only to rape their ears. Therefore, for the same reason, I hate others raping my ears either.

Can I play Tennis?

noreply@blogger.com (JIAO Feng) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:28:00 +0000

No Econometrics computer class this week(hooray...), since school computers infected the virus. Therefore Alex and I went to fix our tennis pat in Mon. evening. After RMB 50 got away from me, a wonderful pat stand in front of me. But a question comes out: Can I play Tennis Now? I asked myself, when's my last time playing? Perhaps 3 months ago... God! wish to remember how to hold the pat...