Organized

Recently read: Daniel Levitin 《The Organized Mind》

Dark

Lovers of modern physics would have heard of the existence of dark energy.

In short, dark energy is an obscure form of energy that contributes around two-third of the total energy in the universe.

While watching Matrix again in Chicago, I suddenly suspect we are all living in hallucination within an experimental system created by highly intelligent extraterrestrials or computers - and dark energy is the force that drives the entire system. That's why we cannot explain it by the rule of physics within the system.

摩連奴

在芝加哥其間做了一樣久不為之的事：看電視英超聯足球直播。（實情是晚上睡下着又只能做些不太用腦的事。）

這次是曼聯對阿仙奴。

看着，忽有遐想：其實摩連奴（Jose Mourinho）個樣好似戇豆先生（Rowan Atkinson）。

茹絲葵

不記得從甚麼時候開始，每次到美國都要到間正統的扒房吃一次。今年我在芝加哥，酒店位於「河北」，吃的便是一箭之遥的「茹絲葵」（Ruth Chris）。

其實這個連鎖品牌香港也有兩間分店，位於尖東的那間更曾光顧數次。（還記得第一次是同事王醫生帶路。彼私人執業多年，如今只偶然在雜誌上看到他的消息矣。）也好，質素可以比較。

正因為是每次留美的指定動作，菜色也幾乎一樣：蟹餅前菜，8安士肉眼扒，椰菜苗（brussel sprout）伴碟。

茹絲葵上桌的碟極熱，看着食物仍滋滋作響，是其各店特色。相較香港，芝加哥河北這間裝碟顯得隨便，食味卻是一貫水準。肉眼扒叫了medium rare，火候準確，只嫌肥膏稍多，肉質便不如Morton等同業。但蟹餅香嫰、椰菜苗也爽口惹味，是較其他品牌優勝。埋單百二美金，偶一為之也不妨。

Chicago

新電腦安裝不久，便起程往芝加哥參加美國腎科學會年會。

芝加哥到過多次，不過要數次留得最久。直航機，中午出發，當地中午到達。年紀大了，時差反而比從前厲害。不過已學會順其自然。睏了便睡，睡不着便起床工作，反正幾日後又返港了。

其實自己一直對芝加哥的觀感不太好。為的是第一次路過此地是十六七年前一次國際會議，由阿根廷返港於此轉機。由於有半天空閒時間，便和同事乘火車到市中心吃早餐順便逛逛。時為四月初，天色昏沉，氣温不過十一二度，到處寒風陣陣。要命的是市內到處掛上海報，原來是慶祝大地回春的花節。當時心中已下結論：連你們覺得值得慶祝的天氣也如此不堪，此地實不宜久留矣！

Idiot

Frequent visitors of my previous blog may remember I have a rooted belief: It is usually impossible to tell an ingenious crook from a complete idiot.

(For example, see: http://ccszeto.blogspot.hk/2010/01/consent.html)

But, now I see light.

First, from a simple epidemiological point of view (alas, that's the physician's jargon of by chance), ingenious crooks are a rare species, while idiots are of abundant supply. It is therefore almost always the latter case.

And, since you can predict the action of neither (as you cannot put yourself into their very special shoes), and, to us, their detrimental effects are identical, we should treat them as all but the same species.

Idiots.

Softwares

You may ask: How about other softwares?

Simple - for I need very few. Yes, there is Microsoft Office. (I must say I tried Open Office and Google Document, but neither is satisfactor.) And there is Acrobat Reader and Evernote - and the latter takes another night, as I put all my reading notes, reference, and scan documents here. I also use FastStone Image Viewer for figure editing, Google Keepand XMind for the construction of complicated charts.

That's all.

Well, I used to install Cute PDF Writer but it has very little use nowadays. I also have SigmaPlot for the preparation of scientific charts in my desktop computer, but I shall spare it in my laptop (which is not meant for detailed figure construction anyway).

Again, the KISS principle applies.

Update

When my wife Vivian first heard that I bought a new laptop, the first question she put up was: How long does it take for me to install everything back into the new computer?

Thank goodness, not much.

The reason is simple. I am a loyal Google user and put all my working files in Google Drive. To me, the only use of Microsoft Internet Explorer is for the downloading of Google Chrome. Once I sign into my Google account, all my internet bookmarks are back into place. The next step is to connect with Google Drive and let all files download back to my laptop hard disk - which I just leave the computer to work over night.

PS. However trustworthy the Google Drive is, I still keep a backup copy of all my working files in a separate portable hard disk - just in case - and I have this backup drive updated every month.

Tablet

One consideration that deters me for a long time from buying a new laptop computer is my tablet.

In other words, why do I need a laptop computer? I have my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 with me most of the time. With the leather cover, it is still nothing more than 300-g in weight. Although used primarily for reading journal papers and Kindle books during travel, it is good enough as a web browser, scanner (by its Evernote document camera), and word processor (especially for its capability of recognizing hand-written Chinese). When used with my blue-tooth keyboard, it is almost a miniature computer - with the advantage of being easy to carry.

Nonetheless, I finally conclude that a laptop is needed, for travel as well as home office during the rare incident of long holiday. However powerful a tablet is, I could only have all my files at hand in an ordinary computer. With a tablet, it is not convenient for writing long papers or working on Excel sheets, and an even worse idea to create charts. Powerpoint slides prepared in a tablet usually need extensive editing when transfer back to an ordinary computer. The two gadgets are, therefore, complementary rather than one replacing the other.

Thinkpad

I bought a new laptop computer recently.

Frequent visitors of my blog may recall I bought my last one in early 2011 (see http://ccszeto.blogspot.hk/2011/02/made.html). It actually works well until recently, when the touchpad and the screen cursor seem to go mad every now and then.

To follow my consideration at that time, Hang Seng Index remains around 22000 lately (that is, no change in the past five years). It was a Fujitsu Lifebook at a price of HK$11,000 last time, and now it becomes a Lenovo Thinkpad X260 at HK$7500 only.

I bought this new toy from the Lenovo on-line store directly - another new experience for me. The model is not top in the series, but is the one recommended by the computer officer of my department. It is not as expensive and suite my purpose well enough. In fact, X1 Carbon - the most advanced model - is a trace too big for my backpack.

測驗

（真實對白。）

幼女升小一後第一次測驗。第一日是中文科。放學時我問她：「今天的測驗怎樣？」

她說：「今天中文堂沒有測驗。」

「呃……！？」

「但是很奇怪，英文課時老師卻給了我們一份中文的題目，內容和昨天的試卷並不相同。下課時老師又把這份題目收回了……」

我想：天呀！我昨天給你練習的是姐姐小一時的測驗卷，當然和今天的不同。

翻譯

常常覺得香港的地名音譯英文並不妥當。有許多用意譯更為貼切，也更有詩意。例如：

紅磡: Red Pier （磡，碼頭也。）

石硤尾: Rocky Gap

荔枝角: Lychee Court

樂富: Tiger Rock （樂富原名老虎岩。）

黄大仙: Huang's Temple

天后: Queen's Temple

太古: Swire

彩虹: Rainbow

牛頭角: Cow Head Corner

油塘: Oil Pond

將軍澳: General's Bay

調景嶺: Hanging Height （調景嶺原名吊頸嶺。）

Quality

While talking about the academic qualification of prospective medical students, there is a related consideration that involves a deeper water.

Let me explain in a convoluted manner.

To begin with, you may recall some medical schools, such as ours, and contrary to our sister institute across the Victoria Harbour, emphasize the humanistic quality of future doctors. In addition to having a reasonable and all-rounded intellectual capability, they should show personalities that are (believed to be) important for good doctors: honest, empathetic, good team workers, and eager to help anyone in need.

But, hold on. Do we not expect the same characters in our country leaders, backbenchers, lawyers, nurses, and - seriously - cashiers of the McDonald's nearby?

In other words, these are qualities we expect for every (ideal) citizen in a modern society. For the general public, such an expectation is psychologically projected to doctors because, unfortunately, not all ordinary citizens are in the possession of these desirable characters, but doctors should be able to do a bit better. And, for the administrators of medical schools, such a declaration is a blind. It pleases the general public, and it serves other realistic purposes.

I shall not elaborate further.

Relevant

A common opinion is prospective medical students should have a sound basic knowledge in biology and chemistry.

That argument, unfortunately, does hold water. In many countries (notably the States), secondary school teaching on neither chemistry nor biology is necessary for the admission to a medical school. For visitors from my institute, you may like to know our founding professor of ophthalmology got his MD from a renown medical school in America. His first degree was, notably, on music, and his knowledge on chemistry and biology was as good as Sherlock Holmes' on the solar system.

The logic is simple: As long as the candidate is smart and hardworking enough, he could always pick up missing background basic knowledge on any subject. And, if you consider chemistry or biology essential, there are so many other subjects that could prove relevant for the study of medicine: psychology, statistics, sociology, economics, computer science - just to name a few. Another remarkable example, also from our own university, is our previous professor of endocrinology. After A-level examination, his application for studying medicine was accepted because of his exceptional knowledge in Latin.

Alas, and that turned out to be enormously helpful - when he began to study anatomy.

Criteria

A recent hot topic within our circle is the new admission criteria of new medical students to our sister medical school.

The idea is simple: The calculation of scoring becomes more flexible. Some allowance is given to applicants who do not do quite well in Chinese or Liberal Studies (or, at least on paper, any other subject) in the DSE Exam, as long as the performance in other subjects is good enough.

There is much concern - mostly by the alumni of our sister university - that the standard of medical students (and therefore that of future doctors) would be compromised. In this regard I am sure they are barking on the wrong tree. The hidden message of their dean is simple: The performance in DSE Exam does not reflect the actual Chinese or general capability of the students.

Nonetheless, there are other related points that worth discussion on this matter.

I shall elaborate tomorrow.

釋

釋，對一般人的意思是解釋。

但在另一個宇宙裡的意思是釋放。例如一隻老虎，自古以來都被關在籠裏，大家只是不知道而已。現在把它釋放出來，使把人們咬個措手不及。

法

立法: 從今以後你要遵守這項法律。

釋法: 這項法律自古以來已經存在，你們過去和將來都應當遵守。

2020

Presidential election of USA, 2020.

帶領

（河邊故事繼續。）

自此以後，人群的歷屆首領都不再叫人過河，大家也繼續生活，彷彿從來不曾有人淹死。

直至多年後，一個新的首領繼任。他站在岸邊對人們說：「看看大家的口袋。我們已經過河了！」大家都十分雀躍，似乎百多年多努力終於成功了。

有幾個人悄悄指出口袋和過河是兩碼子事，而鄰村的人老早已經有渡輪碼頭和定期航班，但人們都說這一小撮壞分子是鄰村的奸細。大家只會年復一年，等一個會帶領他們渡河的人，卻永遠都也不明白，渡河是靠他們自己各盡其力，而那個傳說中帶他們過河的人永遠都不會出現。

推測

一些關於特朗普擔任美國總統後的推測：

1、日本成功將自衞隊改編為正規軍隊。

2、台灣及南韓更趨親日。

3、中國控制南海。

4、中俄交惡。

5、俄歐結盟對付伊斯蘭國。

Win

過河

最初，那人對他們說：「我大叫一聲，河水便會分開，你們過河吧！」

但他只是吹着笛子，很多人都跳進河裡淹死了。有幾個人大叫「小心」，可是沒有人理會。

之後那人又說：「因為那些叫“小心”的人擾亂了我的笛聲，所以才有人失足墜河。」各人把那幾個叫囂的捉住打死。笛聲再響，更多人淹死了。

自此以後，再沒有人敢說「小心」。後來那人死了，另一個人叫他們抱着石頭過河，可是那條河很深，又有許多人淹死了。

Freedom

"Do you mean you make your tail a bullet and you bite on it?" Raphael asked, half jokingly.

"I mean I would tell them everything and let them choose, but I am always cautious with my wordings."

"I do not see..."

"For example, if you prefer them eating the fruit from the Tree, you could tell the man This is the apple of wisdom, the god would be disappointed if you eat it."

"Yes...?"

"And, if you prefer them getting away from the Tree, you may try giving them another ninety-nine plants to choose - and make the Tree of Wisdom the ninety-eighth on the list. Alternatively, you can lead him to another tree that bears some sour fruit and let them try. After several rounds of bitter experience with no obvious gain, I'm sure he would come to the conclusion that apples are not edible and would never get close to the Tree. In short, Adam is a falling stone who believes it has a free will - and we are the gravity."

"My god, you are really a devil!" Exclaimed the great angel.

"Yes, but, without the permission of the god, do you think I could get entrance to his Garden?"

Autonomy

"My dear fellow, what are the major principles of being an angel?" The serpent asked.

"Do good, do no harm, and, above all, respect autonomy..." Raphael recited.

"Spot on. Therefore tell them all about the tree and let them choose."

"But if I am pretty sure they would choose something that harms themselves, I would prefer keeping everything to myself."

"My friend, in that case you are practising against the ethical principles and, in short, playing god."

"Are you conveying to me the message of the god, or is it all a temptation?"

"It depends on your point of view. You know, since I am a snake, I know exactly how to make both ends meet..."

Serpent

(The story of Raphael continued.)

The great angel walked confusedly in Eden. As you imagine, his subconscious mind brought him to the Tree of Wisdom.

A voice appeared between the branches.

"My dear fellow, you look puzzled. What's the matter?"

"Alas, nothing. Who are you?"

"I am Serpent - you could see that much. Can I help you?"

"How could you? To tell you the truth, I'm wondering whether I should tell the two human beings everything about this tree."

"Of course. You should respect their free mind!"

"Even if they would probably eat the apple and be expelled the paradise?"

Raphael

(Again, history in another parallel universe.)

God told Raphael, "I shall take a break. As the archangel, you shall take charge of the Garden of Eden while I'm not around."

"Yes, sir," Raphael said, "When will you be back?"

"God knows. Oh, I should say even god doesn't know. A few millennia, I suppose."

"In that case what should I do with the two persons in the Garden?"

"Do you mean Adam and Eve? You don't have to do anything. Just leave them there and they are all content and happy."

"But, they may touch the Tree of Knowledge..."

"Don't be silly. They don't even know there is such a tree. I got to go. Everything is up to you. So long..."

In no time the God disappeared. Standing in the middle of Eden, Raphael was confused - he didn't know what he was allowed to do.

推論

你也許不能接受追求健康和享受奢侈的生活本質上沒有分別。我們現在略過這點，考慮另一個情況：

如果一個人只要花得起，便應該改為購買有機食物以追求健康，那麼，他是否也應該買更多更新更有效的藥物，聘用手藝更好經驗更高的外科醫生為他動手術？（注意的是，有機食物對健康的好處，證據其實非常薄弱，關於許多藥物的研究反而可信得多。）

至此，除非你是極左硬膠認為醫療服務應該眾生平等，否則必須承認每個人的經濟能力決定他得到甚麼治療。這未必是烏托邦的理想，卻至少是現實世界的情況。

吊詭的是，如果我們將過去幾天的推論反過來看，結果便非常可笑。粗俗的說：有錢，便可以用貴藥（或其他昂貴而的治療），用錢買健康。故此，有錢也可以吃較健康的有機食物。由於有機食物和鮑參翅肚在本質上沒有分別，所以有錢人朱門酒肉，道德上也無不妥。

有機

由於當初討論的是奢侈的晚宴，昨天我故意提到鮑參翅肚。但是，有另一類飲食上的奢侈經常被人忽略。

我說的是有機食物。

邏輯是這樣：如果我們覺得應該將晚宴上的鮑參翅肚改為牛羊雞鴨，而用省卻的金錢來周濟貧困，同一道理，我們便應該由有機食物轉為普通食物。（在這裡，有機食物比鮑參翅肚的考慮可能更多一層：有些資料都顯示，用同一耕地的面積，進行有機耕種的收成較少。換句話說，較多化學品較不健康的耕作方法，可以填飽更多人多肚子。這個論點並非全然可靠，我們暫且忘記。）

你可能會說：有機食物並非奢侈的享受，只是健康的追求而已。

但事實上兩者本質上並無分別。說得明白一點：追求健康，便是一種奢侈的享受。

論點

關於奢侈，有兩個論點必須澄清一下。

首先，右派人士和自由經濟論者會說，宣揚清教徒式的生活而禁止奢侈對不少貧困人士其實有壞影響。舉例說，減少在六星級酒店晚宴會直接影響侍應、清潔工、生產高檔食物的農夫的生計。當然，影響未必很大，用奢侈的生活來支持酒店侍應的就業也不符合成本效益。一餐豪華的晚飯，大部份的消費是歸於盈利和租金（這裡我是用阿當·斯密《國富論》中廣義的定義），真正到了低下勞動階層的口袋的不多。從這個論點出發，把晚餐的花費捐給窮人是遠比維持幾個酒店員工的就業有意義。

另一方面，左派綠色的支持者會說，奢侈的食材本身便應被禁。與其吃鮑參翅肚，不如吃牛羊雞鴨更經濟，也對環境更少害處。如果你讀過李天命，便會發現這是邏輯謬誤中的轉移命題――由原來的論節儉變成論環保了。當然，節儉並不一定環保。

標準

看過昨天的討論，你可能會說：「這不過是個中庸之道的問題。我們當然可以利用財富適當改善生活，只要不過份就成。」

問題是，「適當」和「過份」是否有一個絕對的標準？如果我們說要視乎那個人有多少財富而定，那麼便等如承認「奢侈」或「過份」沒有客觀的絕對標準，換句話說，只要一個人非常富有，多花些錢也不成問題。

你可能直覺感到這個推論有誤，並說：「不然。無論一個人多富有，花錢也不能超過某一絕對標準。」噢，我們又走回討論的第一步。容許我用一個例子代替重複解答：一個富豪用十多億元買了一個海灘，在那裡蓋了一座極豪華的屋子居住。那裡有私人碼頭、道路、城牆、和守衛。如果他把那筆錢捐出扶貧，大概足夠幾個非洲小國的所有小朋友一年的衣食。那麼，這個富豪是否太奢侈？

唔，我告訴你，這人叫比爾蓋茨，而他已經是捐了以千億元計的財富扶貧了。