2008年3月31日星期一

临时补助通知

各位同学,大家好!
 
  目前,由于食品价格较高,为体现中科院领导对在学研究生的关心,给予每位学生食堂临时补贴,补助期限为3月-6月,每月20元标准。中心将此补贴80元一次性在4月份工资中发放,请查收。
  
 
    祝愉快!

2008年3月28日星期五

天和国士无双

国中杰出的人物。指一国独一无二的人才。 出处《史记淮阴侯列传》:"诸将易得耳,至如信(指韩信)者,国士无双。"

这里我们要讨论的是麻将中的一种牌型。国士无双是日本人的说法,中国传统说法叫十三幺。国士无双牌型的组成为东,西,,,,,,一万,九万,一条,九条,一筒,九筒,,若持有这13张牌, 则听的牌为这13张的任何一张,该牌型除了胡牌状态外,没有任何成双的对子,所以也叫"国士无双"

国士无双是麻将牌中我最喜欢的牌型,没有之一。虽然同大三元,大四喜等牌型同为88番,但是比起那些还能靠别人的牌型来凑的和法,国士无双除了最后听和的那张牌以外,其他的牌都要靠自摸,而且,都是非常偏的牌,一般就算打错也不会有太大损失。

天和就是庄家起手和的意思,计168番。下家和庄家打出的第一张牌和牌称为地和,计158番。第一圈内其他和法成为人和,计108番。

天和国士无双即是麻将中最高的番数,一直以来对于这副牌非常向往,今天我们就来讨论一下这副牌出现的概率。

问题描述:

麻将共计136张牌,筒,条,万从一到九每个四张,共计108张,加上东南西北中发白每个四张,计28张。四个人进行游戏,第一个摸牌并出牌的人为庄家,庄家起手摸14张,其他人起手摸13张,由庄家开始按照某种顺序规则依次打抓牌,直至有凑够14张和牌型为止。

问题基本假定:

1 每次每人摸牌概率独立,不受牌的顺序和别人摸牌影响;

2 同一圈中每人摸牌概率相同;

3 游戏其他规则对于摸牌顺序和规则没有影响,即每个人的目的都是为了和国士无双。

问题求解:

算法分析略

天和国士无双概率:2.0865e-019

平和国士无双概率:2.1280e-011

和这种几辈子才能做到的牌,难怪人家说和国士无双会减少寿命。

其实平和国士无双如果计51%以上概率的话,只要玩3.3521e+010局就可以。一辈子如果不吃不喝不睡光干这个也还有戏;天和的话,我的算法是没戏了,几辈子的事情。

 

印象中最早看到国士无双牌型是在《最游记》第一部23集中,在www.56.com上还能找到,很黄很暴力,小盆友请远离。

2008年3月27日星期四

2008年3月26日星期三

测智商的网站

http://web.tickle.com/tests/uiq
去年无意间发现的,上面有很多有趣的测试
欢迎大家报告结果哈
PS: 貌似美国ip不能看免费的报告

2008年3月24日星期一

我也贴点冷笑话好了 zz from 我们爱讲冷笑话

淘宝里的冷笑话

http://lengxiaohua.blogbus.com/logs/10923633.html

      买家:请问欧版和行货为什么要分开卖?
  卖家:因为粘在一起不方便使用
  买家:。。。。。。。。

  买家:老板,你说欧版质量好,还是行货质量好?
  卖家:也许是欧版的吧!
  买家:为什么?
  卖家:因为我只见过行货有专门的维修中心。

  买家:老板,能不能帮我挑一部最好的?
  卖家:好的,我把几百部手机组织起来,让它们先海选后PK。

  买家:老板,这个手机的铃声怎么样?
  卖家:绝对能响

  买家:掌柜的,这个手机的最大优点是什么?
  卖家:可以打电话。
  买家:?!哦有什么缺点呢?
  卖家:不能剃须!
  买家:!?

  买家:老板现在什么手机最贵?
  卖家:诺基亚1100
  买家:不会吧,那个才300多!
  卖家:你镀层金,镶两颗钻石就齐活了。
  买家:倒!

  买家:3230
  卖家:9@9t
  买家:诺基亚
  卖家:飞利普
  买家:你说什么啊?
  卖家:你不是在对暗号吗?
  买家:晕!

  买家:老板,我同学说的,你们这里买的手机,即使从4楼上掉下来摔坏了,你们也可以换的,是这样吗?
  卖家:你们应该多关心一下这位同学,不要让他一个人呆着,多陪他说说话,参加一些集体活动。如果还不见有什么好转的话,可以送到医院观察一下。
  买家:哦。。。。。。

  买家:老板这款手机有货吗?
  卖家:没有了
  买家:为什么没货啊!
  卖家:因为缺货了
  买家:哦!为什么会缺货呢?
  卖家:因为断货了。
  买家:哎,怎么会断货呀!
  卖家:因为没货了
  买家:哦。。。。那什么时候有货啊?卖家:到货的时候

  买家:相片是你的吗?还真帅!
  卖家:不好意思,不还价的!
  买家:........

  买家:老板,有巧克力吗?
  卖家:有,德芙的,还有金帝的
  买家:我是说手机!!!
  卖家:哦,经你这么一提醒我才知道我是卖手机的

  买家:老板,那你再给说说怎么分辨这个原装电池和组装电池
  卖家:你把电池扔到火堆里,原装的爆炸声音更响些
  买家:哈哈

  买家:掌柜的,你四钻怎么也有那么差评
  卖家:你难道不认为中国是个冤假错案很多的国家吗?有不公就会有反抗,有反抗就会有牺牲。

  买家:老板,你是深圳人吗?
  卖家:你见过深圳人吗?
  买家:没有
  卖家:那我也没有
  买家:那你怎么会去深圳呢?
  卖家:还不是为了给深圳的经济建设添砖加瓦。
  买家:。。。。。。

  买家:这么贵的手机,我还不如买个笔记本电脑
  卖家:也对,我想象你站在人群中,把笔记本翻开,贴在耳朵边听电话的造型一定很酷。

  买家:有人吗?
  卖家:不好意思,我只卖手机!

  买家:老板,这个手机的通话质量好吗?
  卖家:三星的一般都很好的
  买家:我已经买的好几部手机都不行,听不清楚别人说什么。
  卖家:哦
  买家:你推荐我应该买什么
  卖家:助听器

  买家:老板,问你个问题?大陆行,港行,亚太行,欧行的,哪个的质量更好?
  卖家:都一样,行行出状元嘛!
  买家:倒!

  买家:老板可以见面交易吗?
  卖家:你在哪里?
  买家:武汉
  卖家:我在深圳,你愿意过来吗?
  买家:我怎么可能走得开呢?
  卖家:你就离不开那片热土?
  买家:???
  卖家:有热干面吃的土地
  买家:。。。。。。。。。。。

  买家:老板,有什么手机最耐用?
  卖家:只有相对耐用的,没有绝对耐用的
  买家:为什么?
  卖家:你见过谁家有祖传的手机
  买家:晕。。。。。。。

  买家:哥哥,你给我说说智能手机和非智能手机有什么区别啊!?
  卖家:就以闹钟为例,一般的手机到点就闹,闹得醒闹不醒不管,智能手机见闹不醒你,会打电话给你们单位领导请假。
  买家:哦。。。。。。。。。。

  买家:多少钱?
  卖家:2560
  买家:2000卖不卖?
  卖家:好的,支持支付宝吗,给我来一打
  买家:什么?
  卖家:我觉得你的价格更实惠。

  买家:大哥,我发觉你好酷
  卖家:那还用说,你去社区看看,我是本年度十佳最酷卖家之一。
  买家:晕,这也有评的!
  卖家:当然了,哪个行业不评点先进
  买家:哦。。。。。。。

  买家:老板,你们卖手机赚钱吗?
  卖家:那是相当的赚
  买家:那一个月能赚多少?
  卖家:你先买部手机,让我先赚点钱,把昨天的饭钱结了再告诉你

  买家:老板,我们这里不到快递,还有什么办法能更快送到吗?
  卖家:你包个机,然后空投

  买家:老板,这个手机有红色吗?
  卖家:没有的,厂家没有出过
  买家:哎,我是女孩想要红的,怎么办呢?
  卖家:你可以定做
  买家:真的吗,要多少钱?
  卖家:一部到不要多少钱,就是5000部起定
  买家:哦,那谢谢了,我再考虑下
  卖家:好的,考虑好了,带够钱了来

  买家:有MOTO的998吗
  卖家:不好意思,我不是收藏家

  买家:今天还能发货吗?
  卖家:应该没问题
  买家:听说你们那边刮台风了
  卖家:是的,前几天特别厉害
  买家:有多厉害?
  卖家:我们这里郊区的农民刮完台风都要到拿梯子到房顶去打水
  买家:为什么啊?
  卖家:他家井给刮到房顶去了!
  买家:啊!?

  买家:掌柜的,问下你,你说这网上有骗子吗?
  卖家:那是肯定的
  买家:哦,那你给我说说有什么特征?
  卖家:有什么特征我就没时间归纳了,但被骗的人一定有一个特征
  买家:什么?
  卖家:相信天上会掉馅饼

  买家:请问手机你们售出之后,用什么方法保证质量?
  卖家:祈祷

  买家:请问用EMS多少钱
  卖家:20
  买家:邮局是不是按重量的吗?就一个读卡器还要这么多?
  卖家:出租车不会因为你的距离短而不收你起步价

  买家:多少钱?
  卖家:1780
  买家:怎么这么便宜,我有点担心
  卖家:这样吧,为了避免你不必要的担心,我受累点,我去改成1980
  买家:。。。。。。。。。

  买家:老板,我给我女朋友买部手机,你给推荐一下
  卖家:你随便找个合适的就行了
  买家:但是她的要求挺高的
  卖家:那你就听她的啊,男人应该对女人狠一点
  买家:呵呵。。。。。。。


  买家:老板,这个手机大概有多重
  卖家:60多克
  买家:哎,其他都好,我就是嫌太轻了
  卖家:你可以绑在哑铃上使用
  买家:晕倒

2008年3月21日星期五

关于第二个故事

听到的原版是这样的,写得时候顺带作了点改动。冲哥看完了八成又该来砍我了。

从前有个魔法师,住在一个美丽的草原上。那里有着美丽的蓝天,美丽的白云,还有美丽的河流。

魔法师养了很多的山羊,他的草场为山羊们提供了她们所需要的一切。作为交换,魔法师需要用山羊的血来换取更高级的魔法,而山羊们并不知道魔法师的最终目的。

过了很久以后,有几个聪明的山羊发现了魔法师的目的。这件事在羊群中造成了恐慌。羊群们惶惶不可终日。

终于有一天,一部分山羊不能忍受这种不公正决定出逃,于是他们离开了美丽的草原和丰富的食物,逃到了黑冷的森林中,过着凄惨的生活。

出逃的一部分山羊终于不能忍受艰苦的环境,担惊受怕而充满了各种天敌,眼看同伴们纷纷成为熊和狼们的食物,她们跑回到魔法师那里:你把我们催眠了吧,我们再也不跑了。

就是这样的一个故事。可以看出,山羊们结局无外三种:担惊受怕地活着,担惊受怕地死去,幸福地活着。这就是关于真实的故事。

对比最近大家普遍关注的那只的山羊,我想应该都知道我说的是什么。

 

科学真的是在追求真理么?

说起科学的研究方法,无外两种:一种是做大量的实验,从相互类似相互关联的实验数据中找出之间相似的地方和不同点,整理规律;另外一种只能得到少量数据,将这些数据同之前已经研究比较透彻的结果进行类比,找出相同和不同。

显然,这两种方法都没有办法到达所谓的"真理"。对比上面的故事就可以看出来,山羊们无论如何是没有办法拿到魔法师用她们血祭的证据的,得到了"真理"的她们却过着悲惨的生活。

其实多数时候我们真的没有对"真理"有着足够的思想准备。而从历史发展的角度来讲,还是"人性"要来的更靠谱一点。

2008年3月20日星期四

第一个故事的主人公们 zz from 《北京青年报》2002年7月29日


    21年前的今天,英国王储查尔斯和戴安娜结婚了。但十年之后,这个以美丽开始的童话却以悲伤结局告终。

    童话总是这样告诉人们:相爱的王子与公主从此开始了幸福的生活。

    在1981年7月29日这天,英国王储查尔斯和戴安娜结婚了。那一天,伦敦城内所有教堂的钟声在上午9时一起敲响,服饰鲜艳的英国皇家骑兵仪仗队护送着王室的婚礼车队驶向教堂,沿途是上百万因为感受到大英帝国的幸福而欢呼不已的民众,英国广播电视公司用33种语言向世界转播了婚礼的盛况,全球7亿多观众沉浸在这童话般的王子与公主的爱情中。

    查尔斯与戴安娜的婚礼被誉为本世纪最隆重的爱情盛事。

    然而,仅仅10年后,举世瞩目的爱情已面目全非――尽管查尔斯与戴安娜在婚礼上的誓言是:互爱、忠实、珍惜。

    -裂痕在日复一日中不可弥合

    身为英国王位继承人,查尔斯系统地接受过正规的传统教育。他爱好历史、哲学、考古学、人类学,考入剑桥大学的时候,历史和法文成绩均为A。大学毕业后,先后进入英国皇家空军学院、英国皇家海军学院、格林威治海军学院深造,取得了喷气式战斗机驾驶员证章,并在驱逐舰、巡洋舰、扫雷艇上服役、任职。查尔斯为继承王位做好了一切准备,但他仍是个"没有正式工作"的王储。于是,除了出访、公益、社会活动之外,查尔斯有了首先符合自己的教养,然后又是最需要体力或耐心的爱好:打猎、钓鱼、打马球、听歌剧、绘画、研读哲学。只要世界上有重要的马球赛事,查尔斯总是想方设法亲赴赛场,哪怕打得伤痕累累,总能获得他热衷于收藏的奖杯。而他钓鱼时,即使是两天没能钓上一条鱼,依然能够乐观地继续守候。查尔斯还是英国皇家歌剧院的资助人,欣赏古典歌剧令他流连忘返。

    如果查尔斯仅仅是王储,那么他当然应该迎娶戴安娜,因为她出身名门,年轻漂亮,更重要的是,在与查尔斯相遇以前,她甚至没有交过男朋友,她让乐此不疲地搜罗王室秘闻的英国媒体找不到任何污点。戴安娜成为了英国王妃,但最终却无法成为查尔斯所需要的女人。没能读完中学的戴安娜喜欢时尚杂志和通俗小说,喜欢逛街购物和流行音乐,喜欢被查尔斯称为"可怕的表演"的跳舞。当戴安娜成为王妃后,她可以学会王妃所需要的礼仪、着装、言谈;但作为要与查尔斯日日相伴的女人,戴安娜无法具有与查尔斯相同的兴趣和爱好,她几乎没有时间也没有能力去了解和体贴一个与她迥异的男人,因为她和查尔斯结婚的时候只有19岁,在这之前她的全部经历仅仅是学业平平的学生、一家贵族幼儿园的保育员。

    查尔斯在与戴安娜结婚的那天对全世界说,他要长久地记住这美好的时刻。然而一天的记忆弥合不了现实生活中日复一日的裂痕。更何况英国王室的情事从来都是最值钱的新闻,而任何情事中的裂痕一旦成为众目睽睽下的"猎物",结局只能是不可修复。

    -他们尊重各自的生命渴望,却伤害了彼此

    相对于查尔斯和戴安娜在婚礼上的誓言,他们惟一能够葆有的只有忠实了――即使贵为一国之王储和王妃,他们仍无法漠视自己的生命理想。

    1994年,查尔斯被立为英国王储25周年,在电视采访中,当着1270万观众,他承认自己与另一个女人拥有25年之久的感情。25年间,这份感情断断续续,但终令彼此难以割舍。面对查尔斯的公开表白,全世界都无法理解,因为全世界只看到了那个女人不及戴安娜的年龄和容貌,全世界都认为查尔斯最应该在乎的是他的王储地位。可是,查尔斯在25年间一直感受着那个女人温存的关心,她和他一样爱好骑马和打猎,她也喜欢阅读历史书籍,她那被蒙巴顿勋爵誉为"超群的智力"令她能与查尔斯热情而幽默地畅谈他感兴趣的一切。查尔斯不想放弃他所渴望的感情,虽然受过最严格的礼仪教育,他也不想过表演式的生活。1996年,查尔斯与戴安娜离婚了。

    当初戴安娜嫁入王室,所有的人都羡慕不已,只有一个女人反对,她就是戴安娜的生母。母亲极力反对戴安娜成为全英国的公众人物,她的道理是,世界上没有一样东西能够经受得住千万双眼睛成年累月明目张胆地打量。然而,任何一个19岁的普通女子都难以拒绝一夜之间贵为王妃,更何况戴安娜在成为保育员之前甚至没有一份固定的工作。戴安娜爱查尔斯,只是无法令查尔斯对她的感情持久弥坚。查尔斯的日渐疏远令戴安娜饱尝孤寂之苦,她还那么年轻,陌生的王室生活和刻板的社交礼仪令她更加需要呵护和关爱,在这种情形下她遇到了皇家骑兵队的休伊特。戴安娜向休伊特倾诉自己的苦恼,感受着休伊特给予她的激情和赞誉,这是一个女人在爱情生活中格外需要的。1991年,休伊特被派往海湾,戴安娜的情书一封接一封地跟随着休伊特发往海湾:"我极度痛苦地等待着你的消息……快快安全地回来……我多么盼望能为你生一个孩子……"戴安娜珍重自己与所有普通女人一样的渴望,但毕竟全英国只有她这一个王妃,于是,有一天,她的爱情被休伊特无情地出卖给公众,价格仅为300万英镑――人也许会错爱,但爱没有错。当休伊特的《爱河中的王妃》出版后,整个英国都等着戴安娜的回答。1995年11月20日,戴安娜接受了英国广播公司的采访,面对全世界两亿观众,王妃第一次说出了她在华丽生活的外表下的不幸。戴安娜曾对女友说,除非找到真正的爱情我才结婚,因为我永远不愿离婚。可命运是她必须离婚。

    -与婚礼同样隆重的是葬礼

    1997年8月30日,戴安娜在法国巴黎遭遇车祸身亡。导致车祸的原因是媒体对英国王妃的新恋情穷追不舍。9月6日,英国为戴安娜举行了葬礼,英国广播公司用44种语言向世界转播了葬礼的实况,全球25亿人看到了本世纪最令人伤感的一幅画面,看到了那个使戴安娜的人生发生了非常故事的查尔斯在葬礼上悲伤的面容。此时此刻,是否有人想起过16年前查尔斯与戴安娜那同样举世瞩目的婚礼?――岁月不是童话,经历才是人生。

2008年3月19日星期三

两个故事

冲哥说我如果把这两个故事写在blog上会被!・#%……,所以我想试试。听过的同学就不要发言了,没听过的同学可以来问我这是讲的啥。

 

故事1

很久以前有个身份高贵的小王子,有一天去到乡下结识了一个农家女孩。王子非常喜欢那个女孩,之后经常会来和那个女孩玩。随着王子一天天长大,他非常希望那个农家女孩可以作他的妻子。可惜由于身份相差过于悬殊,加之家族内部的压力,王子只得和一位同样身份高贵的王室公主结婚。

后来,他们有了两个可爱的小王子。

后来,王子发现其实他的心里还是喜欢那个农家女孩。

后来,王子不顾家族和社会的反对,和公主离了婚,娶了那个农家女孩,从此过上了幸福的生活。

 

故事2

很久以前有个魔法师,住在一个美丽的草原上。那里有着美丽的蓝天,美丽的白云,还有美丽的河流。

魔法师有一只美丽的小山羊,对她倾注了自己全部的爱,彼此都觉得很幸福。

突然有一天,小山羊不知道从哪里听说,魔法师养她是为了以后将她的血献给恶魔以获得更高深的魔法。她很害怕,于是在某天逃出了草原,逃进了森林。

可是到了森林里她却发现,那里没有美丽的蓝天白云,有的只是阴暗湿冷的泥巴和蛆虫,还有很多的狼和狗熊。她很绝望。

后来……(故事没有完,欢迎大家来续)

2008年3月16日星期日

All About You zz from RD

15. Why do we turn into our parents when we swore we wouldn't?
Because really, when all is said and done, we admire them.

16. Can a half-empty person become a half-full person?
A current theory is that people have an "emotional set point." Some folks are just made happier than others. Pessimists will see this as bad news, believing it really doesn't matter what you do -- they are never going to be any happier. But there is hope -- as any optimist will see! Happiness has more to do with how you construe the events in your life than the actual events themselves.

17. When do kids become adults?
Biologically, it's happening earlier; emotionally, it seems to be happening later. Nowadays puberty occurs in females between ages 8 and 14, between 9 and 15 in males. A generation ago, when you turned 18, you were out the door and on your own. Now we see kids in the Boomerang Generation coming home to Mom and Dad after college, hoping for a hand with bills, laundry, meals and other responsibilities of adulthood. It's cute for a while, less adorable the older the kid gets.

18. Can a mother be friends with her teenage daughter?
No. Most teens aren't ready for anything close to a mature friendship. According to current research, the brain continues to develop into a person's 20s. Mothers often want to befriend their daughters; fathers, their sons. But this is not in anyone's best interest. Teenagers need to form identities distinct from their parents. That means: lots of privacy, even some secrets. It's usually easier for a teenage girl to befriend the friend of her mother, and it's usually best for the mother to leave it at that.

19. Does money really buy happiness?
No. Because happiness isn't for sale. Many people get tripped up by this one, amassing wealth only to find themselves cycling into a bottomless pit of unsatisfiable yearning. Turns out, joy and misery are not that far apart when it comes to very big wads of cash. Consider the case of a Kentucky couple who won $34 million in 2000. Thrilled to be released from the demands of their boring old jobs, they frittered their fortune away on fancy cars, mansions, all the usual stuff -- losing everything that mattered in the process. They divorced, he died of an alcohol-related illness, and she died alone in her new house just five years after cashing the winning ticket. When it comes to happiness, only people you love, and who love you, can bring it. If you have enough dough to buy yourself a luxurious yacht, but no real friends to sail with, you're sunk.

20. Can spenders and savers stay married?
Sure -- and they won't run out of things to talk about either. Disagreements over money are a leading cause of divorce, so experts advise lots of work around this issue if, financially speaking, you've found yourself married to your opposite. Tip: Always talk in terms of "ours" instead of "mine" or "yours," and work your strengths. The saver should be allowed to draft the budget; the spender gets to be in charge of vacations, celebrations and ordering extra toppings on the pizza.

21. Is money the root of all evil?
No. Greed is. Elvis nailed this one when he said, "Sharing money is what gives it its value."

22. What do you do if you see a parent berating a child?
Cringe. Take a deep breath. If you truly believe you can help the situation, approach as someone showing sympathy -- not as an accuser or member of the parent police. Empathize with the overstressed parent. Suggest that he take a deep breath. Tell him it worked for you.

23. Why is it so hard to say you're wrong?
Because it often involves saying, "I'm sorry," which is even harder. Throughout history people have found it easier to stop speaking to one another, punch, slander, shoot and bomb rather than apologize. Tip: Next time just say, "Whoops," and see what happens.

24. When should you reveal a secret you said you wouldn't?
It's a matter of damage control. Is the person who asked you to keep the secret in danger of hurting himself or others? If so, intervene. Otherwise, mum's the word.

25. Does the toast really always fall buttered-side down?
Scientists in the Ask Laskas Kitchen conducted a study for which they first toasted an entire loaf of bread, one slice at a time. They buttered each slice, and dropped it from a variety of heights ranging from tabletop to ceiling. Among their findings: A dropped piece of toast never lands on its edge; stomping your foot and yelling "Darn!" does not change a thing; and the floor in the Ask Laskas Kitchen is not nearly as clean as we'd like. Well, life's like that. Never as neat as you'd like it to be. But keep buttering your toast. And savor every slice you've been given.

Love and Other Cosmic Questions zz from RD

1. Can love really last a lifetime?
Absolutely -- but only if you chuck the fairy tale of living happily ever after. A team of scientists recently found that romantic love involves chemical changes in the brain that last 12 to 18 months. After that, you and your partner are on your own. Relationships require maintenance. Pay a visit to a nursing home if you want to see proof of lasting love. Recently I spoke to a man whose wife of 60 years was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease. He came to sit with her every day and hold her hand. "She's been my best friend since high school," he told me. "We made a promise to stick together." Now, that's a love story.

2. Why do married folks begin to look like one another?
Watch any two people who like each other talking, and you'll see a lot of mirroring. One smiles, and so does the other. One nods or raises her eyebrows, and so does the other. Faces are like melodies with a natural urge to stay in sync. Multiply those movements by several decades of marriage, all those years of simultaneous sagging and drooping, and it's no wonder!

3. Can a marriage survive betrayal?
Yes. It takes time and work, but experts are pretty unanimous on this one. In her book The Monogamy Myth, Peggy Vaughan estimates that 60 percent of husbands and 40 percent of wives will have an affair at some point in their marriages. That's no advertisement for straying -- but the news is good for couples hoping to recover from devastating breaches of trust. The offended partner needs to make the choice to forgive -- and learn to live with a memory that can't simply be erased. Infidelity is never forgotten, but it can gradually fade into the murky background of a strong, mature marriage.

4. Why does summer zoom by and winter drag on forever?
Because context defines experience. As Albert Einstein once said: "When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour."

5. Do animals really have a sixth sense?
Or seventh or eighth! A box jellyfish has 24 eyes, an earthworm's entire body is covered with taste receptors, a cockroach can detect movement 2,000 times the diameter of a hydrogen atom -- and your dog's sense of smell is up to 100,000 times greater than yours (some dogs have been known to smell human cancers). It's safe to say that animals experience a much different world than we do.

6. Why does the line you're in always move the slowest?
Because you're late for your kid's band practice, and you curse your luck and envy those speeding by. Conversely, when you're in the fast line, unfettered by stress, you don't even notice the poor schlubs in the slow lane. Good luck rarely commands one's attention like bad luck. (See answer on buttered toast, "The Ultimate Test," below.)

7. By what age should you know what you want to do with your life?
Any moment now. This used to be a question the young asked. Now it's a quandary for baby boomers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that younger boomers have abandoned the American ideal of picking a job and sticking with it. Between the ages of 18 and 36, these boomers held an average of 9.6 jobs. That's a lot of exploration. The wisdom of elders in all cultures seems to be this: There's nothing to do with a life but live it. As Gandhi pointed out, "Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

8. Where do traffic jams come from?
Scientists are hard at work on this one, studying computer models of the physics of gridlock and inventing all new traffic-light algorithms. Some of them postulate that the rhythms of automobile traffic are influenced by the same cyclical forces that cause waves in the ocean. For the average commuter, though, it may be helpful to think of it this way: congestion. There are just too many darn people trying to do the same thing at once. (Flush every toilet in a single office building simultaneously, and see what happens.) All of this by way of saying: Buy a newspaper, load up some favorite tunes on your MP3 player, and take the bus.

9. When is your future behind you?
When you stop chasing dreams. So don't stop!

10. Do you have to love your job?
No. Love your children, your spouse and your country. Love your parents, your neighbor and your dog. Loving is too important an emotion to attach to the way you make a living. But it's OK to strive for satisfaction. According to a recent Harris Poll, across America 59% of workers say they are extremely, somewhat or slightly satisfied with their jobs, but a depressing 33% feel as if they've reached a career dead end. If you're among the latter and thinking about a new job, consider the fact that employees in small firms said they felt more engaged in their work than did their corporate counterparts.

11. Can a man and a woman ever just be friends?
For a short time perhaps. Making the friendship last requires that you find each other at least vaguely repulsive. Good luck!

12. When do you take away Grandpa's car keys?
Twenty-two states currently require frequent testing for senior drivers. The American Medical Association and the AARP, however, say safe driving has more to do with functional ability than age. True, seniors are more at risk for reduced vision, hearing loss and impairments associated with arthritis -- but all of these conditions depend on the individual. So when it seems to you that Pop is becoming a danger to himself and a danger to others, tell him straight. Point out that his reactions have slowed or his judgment is losing its edge. Suggest he not drive anymore. Be firm, but at the same time, don't treat him like a child. Allow him his dignity. Offer him a ride.

13. Do siblings who fight really end up liking each other?
I surveyed my older sisters, both of whom have vivid memories of how I tripped, pummeled, and whacked them with various large plastic dolls (hey, they started it -- they teased me!), and both confirmed my suspicion that nowadays they like me just fine. I sure like them. All the experts will tell you that fighting among siblings is normal. The key is how parents handle it. Rule No 1: Don't take sides. Never get into a discussion of who started what or what is more fair. Stop fights with a time-out for all offenders. My mother would send us to separate rooms. So we invented string phones and a pulley system to transport necessary treats and toys. And whatever we were fighting about was forgotten.

14. How do you know when to end a friendship?
As soon as you get that sneaking suspicion that it never really began.

2008年3月11日星期二

科学是什么?

昨天上信息分析课的时候老师又提出了这个古老的问题。记得上个学期自辩的讨论课上,老师问科学是追求真理还是解决问题。现在想想感觉是被老师给误导了的。追求真理大概是哲学的事,而简单的说是解决问题不能将科学和技术加以区别。
 
给科学下定义大概是很难的事,如同问哲学家什么是哲学是一个道理。科学哲学的观念远远走在科学之前。从朴素的自然哲学到归纳演绎,实证主义科学,再到证伪主义,以及后来的类似于修正主义的无政府主义,讲实用主义的贝叶斯体系和新实验主义。而实际上个人感觉科学哲学家们跑得实在是太远了,所以才会使得大量的科学工作者无法接受他们的观点。(当然也不排除少数哲学工作者人格魅力太低的原因)
 
从描述上讲,爱因斯坦倒是我们认识科学的一个很好的样本。因为他将牛顿的体系由实证主义推到了证伪的高度,而历史上大概也只有牛顿的体系站到了被证伪的高度。被证伪并不代表科学理论的倒退,相反认识到科学的有限性和可错性才能帮助我们进一步认清科学的意义。
 
康德站在个体的存在即是事物本源的角度完成了他的若干批判,怀特海接着康德,将事物的本源解为实存个体之间的关联。爱因斯坦很大程度上就是受到了怀特海的影响:狭义相对论讲光速不变,时间和空间通过光速联系起来,成为一种const;而光子本身的波粒二象性又是粒子性和波动性的统一。我们能够观察到的实体其实都是事物的两面,也可能是某些相互关联事物的叠加导致的结果。
 
我们的世界为笛卡尔以来的机械自然观所左右,不管是唯物还是唯心的哲学体系都默认了世界的单一本源,这种思路深深影响着我们的科学体系。想想看物理学上的宏观理想模型都是立足于个体的实在性,而将个体之间的相互关联进行化简建立理想模型。这种思想也同样渗透到了其他领域。直接导致我们对于世界和自身的认识变得简单而粗暴:We are machines!
 
不过现在不一样了。我有非常强烈的感觉:纳米科技的发展不简单是在推动科学的进步,在这其中构建的新世界观和方法论将有望取代传统的机械自然观推动时代的发展。大概这只能算作一种信念,不知道拉卡托斯和贝叶斯究竟哪个体系会在这种变革过程中给出合适的描述。