smchow's Xanga

You know you're a PhD student when...

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 05:09:32 GMT

You might be a PhD student if...

Project

You refer to late work as an "ongoing project"
You procrastinate on one project by working on another project.
You are working on one thing but feeling guilty that you aren't working on the other thing

Study

You get a 3-hour final with 5 questions or less
More than 25% of your textbook is "left as an exercise for the reader."
The number of library books that you have checked out at one time= 20 library books checked out from two university libraries, 2 books on hold, 2 books from a different state, and 2 books borrowed from professors... and then you wonder why you are online instead of reading them...

Life Style

14 hours a day on campus is typical, even on an elusive day known as Saturday
You appreciate the fact that you get to choose which twenty hours out of the day you have to work
You have a favorite flavor of instant noodle
You look forward to summers because you're more productive without the distraction of classes
The area under your desk is never vacuumed because you are occupying your desk when the cleaners vacuum at 4am
You look forward to taking some time off to do laundry

Money Related

You are staying in school simply to avoid paying off the tens of thousands of dollars you owe the government in student loans
You think you should be paying rent for your office instead of your home

Occupational disease

You are constantly looking for a thesis in novels
You find the bibliographies of books more interesting than the actual text
You start referring to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" as "White et al"
You get irresistible urges to use in-text citations in casual e-mails
You write programs for classes that have nothing to do with programming
You have ever brought a scholarly article to a bar
You have ever discussed academic matters at a sporting event
You have ever brought books with you on vacation and actually studied

Skills

You can analyze the significance of appliances you cannot operate
You can identify universities by their internet domains
You can read course books and cook at the same time

Other Entities in the Univeristy

You look at undergrads and long for the "simple life"
You can't help but sigh with envy when you overhear undergrads stress over 10 pg final papers in the elevator
People (non-grad students) ask you "Are you going to be done soon?" and you laugh but inside a little part of you dies
Professors don't really care when you turn in work anymore.
You actually _hope_ your professor assigns homework

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2213843823

way back machine

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:35:51 GMT

When I was editing the assignment for the class I TA: "Applied Cryptography and Network Security", there is an obsolete URL: rfidanalysis.org, I am too moliu to search for an archive of it, and I found web.archive.org.

Tonight, when I am facebooking, a photo leads me to a prof's website, and I found web.archive.org again, I am too moliu to search for my HKU cs site, and I found http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.cs.hku.hk/~smchow

It reminds me a little dark age, no acceptance from 08/06-02/07.

I will try to be less productive in order to be more productive.

Atom #0E

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 08:00:50 GMT

Silicon chips do not survive temperatures higher than 50C, how can Silicon Valley survive 96F?

VAIO and Vista

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 07:14:16 GMT

My 2-yr-old Samsung laptop had some accident and the display part is broken. I don't bother to move my monitor with me to California so I need to buy a new one now.

Appearance is important for me (Yes, I'm "full-$"), so I was thinking to get a Mac Book (Yes, Mac Book Pro looks much "pro"-er). A long story about why I decided not to buy it will be given later. Finally, I chose a VAIO. $12xx. Here is her configuration.

Sony VAIO VGN-FZ140E/B

Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz (I was planning to buy 2GHz, but no discount for that model)
2GB Ram (which is barely the oxygen for Vista)
200GB HD (which is never enough for me)
15.4" Widescreen (large screen is important, indifferent for the widescreen)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 and DVD-RAM (I don't really use them)
14.0" x 10.2" x 1.4" x 5.8lbs (thin and light-weight are equally important)

I found FZ160 in Amazon, which is tax-free and shipping-free. However, in some weekends I found that FZ140 is on sale in CircuitCity (btw, this VAIO is not that eye-catching and I missed it at the first place). After adding the tax, it is actually more or less the same price as Amazon, but it comes with free (after rebate) printer, router and anti-spyware program. So I finally gave up the better CPU model.

I already sold my printer+scanner at $40.
(Btw, any one wants to buy a wireless AP from me?)

It's my first time mailing for rebate myself (I tried to buy a wireless router with my ex apt-mate and he dealed with the rebate thing). I hope I can get them all (not a small amount of $!) The first problem already come up. The original "UPC code", which is required for mail-in rebate, is missing from the package of my router... Besides, the email response of their rebate service is so stupid, I asked if "a copy of UPC code" means I need to make a photocopy of just copied the code to the form (well, the UPC code is sticked firmly on the box that one do not want to make a photocopy of it). And the reply I got is "the copy of UPC code" is required. Even my question may be a dumb confirmation, do you think anyone will learn something from this answer?

Vista
Now a few words about my experiences with M$'s new OS.

Security often compromises user-friendliness. It asks me to approve many program executions and file operations. (Is it a trick that any malware infection is no longer the responsibility of the OS since the user has approved it him/herself?) The worst thing is I cannot create or delete any files at the root directory in the DOS prompt. I tried to "copy con" a simple HTML file for downloading purpose but my request is denied even I am using the
administrator account. (Yes, I am a DOS guy).

The Program Menu is good, I can access my program by typing a few characters instead of finding it in a hierarchy of menu. (Yes, I am a keyboard guy).

Aero (the transparent window, or Desktop Window Manager) is cool!
(Yes, I know there are OSes having even fancier/better interfaces).

Nevertheless, the cost of fanciness is memory. Here comes to the famous "memory eating" feature of Vista. After loading all those rubbish TSRs (I hate buying computer from big company which have many useless thing preloaded) but nothing else, more than half of my memory has gone! My first reaction is to disable DWM (and thought that I should go downstairs to buy 2 more GBs of ram). After a bit of search for finding how to disable DWM, I found that the large amount of memory are just used for cache, specifically pre-fetching of programs to be executed. i.e. it is used for good. I wonder the usefulness of the prediction algorithm since one often uses a fixed set of programs anyway.

Windows Media Player no longer blocks my video even it is not under full-screen mode. A high-density video explaining how to setup the monitor is pre-loaded. I wonder whether I can delete it to free up some space.

P.S. Xanga and IE7 suck! I just wanted to unify the font of the whole passage but what I've typed for an hour has been accidentally deleted! Originally I've finished this passage and my Apple story yesterday...

DQE, and projects

Mon, 21 May 2007 05:26:23 GMT

DQE
第一次有"過埋聽日就冇事"o既感覺
Depth (not Death) Qualification Examination Syllabus之大
仲有兩個一路都冇做過o既Projects
好在第三科冇第三份功課, 同埋TA淨係改o下功課唔駛好似上次咁改埋考試
如果唔係o係empire state building跳落o黎都唔掂

之前問個過師兄話佢DQE有人問佢o的勁number theory o既o野, 好似係點factor
於是用o左唔少時間睇返個sub exponential o既 factoring 同 discrete log algorithm
上堂又冇聽書, 又要睇CS signature同encryption
淨係呢兩part都用o左我唔少時間

本來定o左5/1, 但係睇個勢都係睇唔切, 於是改o左做5/3
如果想o係5/10畢業, 5/4係department submit exam result o既deadline
同學問我做乜迫到自己咁, 我答唔想重覆犯錯
當年就係因為最後一日8/31先交thesis, 攪到畢業典禮要遲一年
(仲因為已經人在紐約冇去到)
佢話其實暑假仲有一次畢業, 不過我5月中都要離開NY, 結果咪至多推遲得幾日

DQE之前個晚, 先發現其實上個sem Intro2Crypto教唔晒書, 有好多關hash function o既o野都未睇過!
仲要有一part到而家都未諗明...

終於到o左DQE, 10:30, WMH Rm 1302
其實3個exam committee lunch time都要去見faculty candidate
結果係presentation part先開始, 正合我意
第一part係同我細老闆傾出o黎, 佢忍唔住幫我解釋o左唔少o野, hehe
第二part由於時間關係, 冇乜點詳述

因為聽眾係兩個cryptographers, o的低能o野跟本冇時間講清楚
結果又係俾第三個話present得唔好, background要俾清楚o的...

中間發生o左段小插曲, 幫我用o左唔少時間
我book o左人o地攪開seminar間房
可能因為係sem o既teaching period完o左o既關係, 所以個system冇繼續reserve呢個slot
結果一大班人o黎話我o地一樓都o係呢度開seminar, 係人都知, 做乜霸o左我個場

問題部份, 好在有佢o係度, 於是由ElGamal encryption開始問起
佢o既問題係叫我解釋清楚俾一個淨係識number theory但唔識crypto o既人聽

大老闆食住條水, 叫我define semantic security model同prove佢secure
易過借火

跟住細老闆問點樣MAC arbitrary long o既message
我第一時間答用CRHF, hohoho
跟住佢話ok...但係唔駛咁勁都得
咁我咪答用UOWHF
咁淨係用OWF呢?
然後我話, 咁用OWF o黎淨個UOWHF囉
監生將佢激死

最後我終於捨得答用MAC
跟住畫o左一個MAC出o黎
點知之前衰多口up o左XOR-MAC
佢追問你畫o個個係就係MAC, 不過唔係XOR喎
我諗極都諗唔到究竟點畫!

咁佢問o左幾個佢以為可以幫我記返起o既問題
包括點用short MAC佢MAC long message
但係我都係諗唔到
仲propose o左個唔secure o既long MAC出o黎
最後佢話你propose舊o野其實satisfy到某o的property
佢自己多口講o左係UHF
於是最後一條問題係UHF definition同點解我propose o個舊o野係
終於收工!

佢o地三個之前仲走出間房開strategy meeting, 嚇得我
結果咁就攪掂!
到今日我都仲未睇返咩係XOR MAC

走落china town食lunch"慶祝", 好似冇試過o係返學日子走落去咁遠

返到o黎交張form, 原來係要佢o地簽名話pass, 順利搵到兩個簽名
細老闆話大老闆應該會去同佢一齊開會, 結果係開會間房呆等成半粒鐘都等唔到
等o下等o下, o係同一日o既computer-lie poster session就快到, 唯有走返office print o野貼poster

poster session開始冇耐就落去搵多次, 好在搵到, 張form成功5/3交到
雖然我估5/4交都o黎得切

5/4, 撞到PhD同學著晒老西, o係度呆等, 等我同同學K講完o野, 走過o黎話"我今日pass o左DQE"
大家都係last second o既人, 我同佢講我琴日已經攪掂喇, haha

Computer-Lie
DQE前兩日仲要用o左成日"傾"同"諗"個computer-lie project
原來之前一直誤解某份ACNS paper, 諗o左好耐都諗唔到點將o的crypto攪好o的

最後...突然諗到, 橫掂都係要信o個o的nodes嫁喇, 點解唔信晒佢, 仲要簽o黎簽去?
但係9張slides講唔到咁多o野, 都係留返o係project report啦

poster session, 俾第二個professor不停challenge, 我都知個project唔好嫁喇, 功課o黎o者...
deadline 5pm, 6點幾終於寫好4頁幾紙double column, 收工!

ERC
最後發現個ReKey要晒兩個party幫手
好在都叫做work, 曾幾何時以為唔work!
通o左一晚頂但係都唔夠時間寫security proof
上到去present俾老闆聽又係俾返個trivial generic construction我
都係o個句, 功課o者...

AdvC
第二份功課, 最後亦都成為最後一份功課, 全班得我一個準時交, 幾巴閉

March2007

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 05:09:23 GMT

冇錯, 呢個月勁忙, 週記變成月記

工
3/4 收到M$ e-interview
3/5 俾MS reject
同一晚收到細老闆email話IBM research有intern, 老闆第一次主動理o下我...令人感動
3/15 本來去interview, 點知...
3/22 終於去到hawthorne
見o左一陣之後成team人去食飯, 然後再in 過
大家都不停咁話個project唔關我research事...
又懷疑我識唔識寫program...當我個bachelor流o既一樣...
淨係車費(cab+train+cab+train+cab+train)都用o左我 = 9+7.25+8+7.25+11+2 = $44.5
3/29 某professor打o黎問我暑假有咩攪, 初頭以為parc, 點知原來唔係...

紙
3/7晚, 通頂趕起份被迫要寫o既paper
起身去St Alps食o左個brunchtea, 5:00上lie堂繼續改
好在個submission server遲遲未閂

3/20晚, 終於趕起acns camera-ready
夜晚叫nyu safe ride, 攪到我o係721等o左我成粒鐘

3/21, VLDB deadline
夜晚7點鐘開會, 先發覺實驗結果唔理想
我呢o的攪開理論o既, 唔識submit paper去要實驗結果o既conference
結果唔駛做~ 如果唔係肯定攪通頂

研
3/22 interview 完返學校搵大老闆, 第一次present 我o既idea
佢又唔記得晒GOS o既o野, 結果再約下星期四見
點知聽日開會o個陣, K同學話下次講group signature, 結果變成GOS review
下星期三一齊開會講group, 咁我幾時先可以自己present...
好驚某份Crypto submission又做o左我o既idea...

Present
3/21 無啦啦o係人o地o個組present個低能DB idea, 又屈我唔識present, 我講唔夠幾句你就插口講晒出o黎, 我點present呀大佬
3/26 present project idea, 又係話我唔識present, 見人講人話見鬼講鬼話係人都知啦, 咁我開口講幾句先知你係人定鬼嘛, 點知你身為教我呢科o既人但係乜都唔知o既o者, 我個project個focus跟本就唔關o個o的o野事, 你又話我做乜事唔由盤古初開開始講起, 點知你連我1頁紙o既draft 都冇睇o既o者, 之後3/29個電話仲要再話我多一次, 真係吹到啤一聲, 唔係淨係你識present, 我都去過唔少conference present o架

3/28 打slides o個陣先發覺之前我發現份paper個anonymity proof o既問題其實幾有問題
諗o左好耐, 結果再prove一次, 其實冇問題... 但係sin o左唔少時間...
到 3/29 Reading Group o個陣, 只有兩個老闆, 兩個師兄, 一個同學+一個未來新生聽
一如以往, 大家都好似冇乜興趣聽o的number theory o既details, 我最sin時間打o既o野全部跳過
第二日仲要俾大老闆話我唔想對你咁critical...但係...唔係話你present得唔好...不過可能你揀錯topic啦
份o野已經係PKC, 唔係最top o既conference... 咁你想我點呀, 之前BB, Waters, Hierarchical同subgroup都present過晒俾你聽o架啦, 其他人唔明你都應該明啦...

會
老闆要求交review report之前見見佢, 本來話6點但佢又冇回email, 我6點去到又見緊第二個叫我等佢email, 之後夜o的見見o下又話某師兄要過o黎傾幾句, 不如遲o的再傾, 結果成晚都冇打過o黎, 到聽日
2點鐘send封email問我係咪學校, 我3點鐘去到又講緊電話唔得閒, 等到3點半入去搵佢, 佢又約好o左同第二個傾, 唉~

堂
3/6 做完adv crypto第一份功課, 用o黎交功課o既multi-prover security model
轉頭copy and paste去我份anonymous identification paper

3/20 上堂講返份功課, 簡單o既rewinding竟然唔work
佢解完一次, 我諗全班都唔明, 佢話佢用o左兩個禮拜先說服到我個師兄
最後佢將佢o既crypto submission send俾我, 叫我睇appendix
亦都叫做明o左IBE同IBS security proof入面一個(應該)waters提起o既分別

3/27 講signature+encryption, 我一直以為secure o既o野原來冇人prove過係(in)secure

仲有trapdoor pair function o既concept

ER Crypto大講KI同IBE o既關係, 提到very hard function o既concept
o的o野好generalize

4/1, 後日交adv crypto第二份功課, 仲走去k-town食夜晚o個餐同o係度打日記...
btw, chicken BBQ好難食, o係NY咁耐都冇乜食過好食o既雞
懷念o係正街(執o左 ) 同mary street (brisbane)食到o既越式香茅雞扒飯

春
3/12 - 3/18: Spring-break 只係俾我清o下張to-do list, 仲有, 一o的都唔spring, 依然好凍依然落雪

買/賣
終於賣o左張床褥, 以後佢就要服待鬼妹喇
終於bid到enamel navy NDSL, 點知俾完$後個賣家唔再o係eBay...

K
3/8: 返返NY 第一次落biny (雖然之前去過一次monster), 大家都係放長假去玩o既時候, 其實我聽日仲要見老闆...
3/22: 去mott, 冇古巨基 my love my fate, 冇人陪我狂串樂基兒
3/29: HKSA Games Night, poker 第三名, 玩tournament所以最終都係輸$ 之後落biny, 終於同唱廣東話o既人唱K喇, 仲玩o左種好可愛教主o既枚...

癮
3/12開始玩Yahoo! Knowledge+, 每日都sin唔少時間搵問題答, 22日之內直昇大學級, 採用率雖有60%, 不過只係答o左百零題...幾時先到博士級o既600題最低要求...知識長仲要2000題+採用率70%

中o左可樂毒, 每日可能平均一罐

3/31, 終於睇完死亡筆記2-最後的名字
L終於做o的L應該做o既o野, L o既fans應該好開心
點解漫畫o既L諗唔到 (因為要有下一part故仔囉)
漫畫結局o既原素依然o係返度, 不過避免唔到原本作者要避免o既
(唔想仲未睇o既人睇到呢part)弒父場面
漫畫o既結局入面夜神月唔算輸 (都唔係輸佢, 佢有落order叫佢唔好自把自為), 呢個我有o的唔鍾意
電影版就唔同. 不過某種意義上, 佢兩個都係殊途同歸...始終同L打o既係死神唔係人, 佢都算勁嫁啦

丁亥年第一個星期

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:14:42 GMT

年初一

新年快樂~ 喱o係屋企...

睇o左份p2p o既o野, send o左2封email俾同學, 而家都仲未有reply

年初二

恭喜發財~ 繼續自閉...

download o左一ja NDSL game

諗o左陣DB, 又send o左封好長o既email交差

赤口

初三啟市

今日做o左好耐冇做o既o野: 主動約人食飯, 食o左兩粒鐘

有齊兩份references喇!

以為今日要scribe notes, 好認真咁抄o左notes之後先發覺佢唔知我未scribe過, 搵o左第二個人做

Life is like a Game of Chess! 夜晚msn求其同人傾o下p2p o的o野, 佢叫我整個pbgs出o黎, 然後我諗到個好似好勁o既scheme! 即刻打佢出o黎, 打到四點

年初四

TCC關係, ERC休市

世事如棋局局新~ 以為一定唔得o既paper竟然accept o左, 前o個幾日先呻緊自從八月起冇conference accept我o既paper

今日做o左個好偉大o既工程, 執office張枱!

年初五

TCC關係, Reading Group休市

"電腦若說謊呢?"無啦啦變o左搵個學生出o黎present paper, 完全冇聽書

本星期第二次"約"人食飯, 聽到一條"俄羅斯輪盤轉好定唔轉好"題

年初六

TCC關係, Independent Study 休市

Camera-Ready, 第一回合, 繼續發揮先accept後research精神

人日

我真係好憎改功課

R4終於到手

初八

搵NDSL, 行o左兩間Game Stop, 最後Circuit City有貨, 但係冇得睇辦

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investment_bank

初九

一早起身check email, 見到有人叫我review, 個title咁似我呢期想寫o既journal version o既...點知個idea同我一模一樣!!! 我都唔知re定唔review好...

今日第一次o係美國見唔關研究事o既工, 早知琴晚唔駛睇咩叫i-bank, 自介都唔駛做. 記錯時間早o左米個鐘去, 等我仲飛o左4蚊的添...In我o既係一個台灣人, 一入到佢佢就問我做乜事報份o係food chain最底o個層o既工...之後半個鐘內容如下:

Diff. between: java 1.4 and 1.5, process and thread, asp and asp.net, jsp and servlet, assembly in usual sense and that in .net platform, cluster index and non-cluster index

How to ensure thread-safety in java, what is http, what is 401 error, what is COM/Active X

Have u tried: stored procedure in oracle, sed and awk in unix...

我用o左幾次呢個pattern: "我唔知乜乜乜, 但係我識乜乜乜"...佢心入面一定啤o左好多次

初十

從某個來源收到crypto 07 o既submission list, 我主動問老闆話有邊幾份我有興趣睇睇, 點知佢大為緊張地問: "係咪我唔記得拎返份print out, 唔該你快o的還返俾我...." 以為我偷走佢張list...

第一次scribe VS o既lecture, 邊scribe邊留意e-bay o既DS Lite Enamel Navy, 最後不敵

打起VLDB第一份draft, o係office打到2點, 我一o的都唔覺得呢份o野有機會囉...

初十一

早知就閃, 隔離組o既會今次係我officemate講wireless network, 我一o的都唔熟...但係佢o地講得面紅似葉, 呀, 係面組耳熱. Berkeley印度代表大戰全組所有人, 打足個幾兩個鐘. 我唯一明o既係佢o地話緊佢用個蘋果同個橙比. 我一樓都支持"都唔同, 點比"o既觀點. 又或者大家可以睇睇呢兩份papers.

"sherman 攪 pairings o既, 所以呢類papers佢好熟, 不過呢份好似唔關pairings 事...anyway... 佢都知"

類似o既事做多幾次大家就會叫我做人肉bibliography

今堂佢講佢o個份SM-CCA, 我份pkc其中一部份有用到呢類o野, 我問個vk係咪一定要o係ciphertext度, 佢講o左陣其他o野就話"其實實際上係會用pke /w label, 大家可能唔知係乜, 不過sherman應該識..."

旁邊o既同學們又一次望住我...

夜晚同人msn, 佢話佢o岩o岩有兩份paper accept o左, 都係講attack o既, 我話"你唔會又同我做埋同一樣o野下話..."結果佢o個兩份就等於我o既1又1/3份....兩日前先有單咁o既o野, 打擊真係一浪接一浪咁o黎...高潮叠起...

第三次"約"人食飯, 其實只係咁o岩o係校車撞到, 佢話math in finance得一科淺, 其他都超深, 咁我唔駛take啦...

房東今晚不在家 hohoho

Practice makes perfect, 俾個你

初十二

聽完seminar, 大家走去老闆房分paper review, 22份paper 出動NYU Crypto Group同人7 個學生 = 每人3份, 我想話拎某份paper睇睇, 佢話你拎得就要寫返幾句comment, 結果變o左4份

夜晚我仲自己主動問某人拎多3份o 黎review, 加埋之前2份journal submission有9份係手...擺到明想玩死自己

聽日開會個proof都未睇, forking lemma又未睇完, 聽日開會o既db survey又未做, 份被逼要盡快起貨o既paper又仲未諗得唔得, 星期二o既功課仲未睇過, 而家仲o係度打日記, 繼續玩緊自己

丙戌年最後一星期

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 21:10:15 GMT

PairDele (2/13, Tue)

朝早七點訓, 四個鐘後又起身繼續做, survey愈寫愈多o野

年廿六晚, 稍為執o下屋

白色情人節(2/14, Wed)

為何要斗數問我前途? 點解要情人節reject我兩次?　

淨係可以submit o野去美國conference, 攪到我要submit去鼎鼎大名o既ACM e-commerce, 每個reviewer都話呢份o野睇落好似唔錯, 之但係好似唔多關e-commerce事喎...整!　

Warning to my fellow researchmates: 本人從上年八月十一號開始未試過有conference accept我o既paper, 同我一齊寫o野o既人好自為之...　

朱古力餐廳

繼續睇返半年冇睇過o既鬥魚2

夜晚竟然收到email話我細老闆已經幫我寫好份reference, 第一次!!! 唔知係咪可憐我俾人double reject

PairDele 最後趕工 (2/15, Thu)

寫o左大約4頁紙o既pairdele, 寫到4點先有得訓

起身收到今年第一個interview通知, 普通IT工乙份, 係去info session遞resume得返o黎o既, 所以唔知份工係做o的乜

Skip o左groupmate o既 TCC07 預演

第一次去"八掛"食lunch

大班椅仲未買, 就想買張disc chair

Pairings Deadline 七點鐘, 執頭執尾到五點半先去上堂, 完全冇聽書, 無啦啦俾人編o左去做routing o既survey, 好在係拍住個year 1o既PhD, 起碼唔係完全3唔識7

返到office發覺個submission server仲未close, 愈執愈多o野, 結果deadline後兩個零鐘又update過

前幾日份o野成個scheme改過晒, 今次呢份last minute咁做成日俾人催, 同人一齊寫paper真係要夾

有咩research好做 (2/16, Fri)

飛的趕返學校見老闆, 點知佢一個鐘頭施施然出現話趕deadline好忙唔開喇, 啤~

同K同學傾有咩research好做, 拎住本TCC 06 o黎睇, 大家都唔知本o野up乜, 我建議不如睇UC

本來等緊J同學send o的paper過o黎等我慢慢睇完先傾, 點知佢3點鐘打o黎問我係咪開會, 攪到我五分鐘要食晒盒飯

傾o左兩個鐘, 第一次o係度同同學傾research! 佢睇o左一ja P2P o野, 又有crypto底, 我就勝在乜鬼crypto applications都睇過o下, 睇o下有咩可以拎o黎用

佢同我講話佢同我細老闆之前傾呢單o野, 得到o既回覆係too much for a paper. 估唔到我個老闆竟然會講o的咁o既o野...睇o黎我真係唔識搵topic

夜晚去睇阿Pan的迷宮, o係度咁耐第一次睇戲咁明佢講乜, 係隻隻字都明, 因為有字幕... 都唔明美國戲院做乜事冇字幕, 咁聾o既咪唔駛睇, 擺到明係歧視啦, 搵人告佢丫唔該

年三十 (2/17, Sat)

俾包租公gut成個closet都係moth ball味, 我都唔想o架...盒o野得個紙盒, 已經有兩個膠袋封住o架啦...夜晚的起心肝執晒o的ball出o黎dump晒佢...基本上成盒未用過咁滯

返o黎New York咁耐第一次見佢, 食o左餐飯, 跟住join佢個friend班friend去唱K, 唱得六首, 仲有兩首係twins... 錢櫃竟然有愛美麗! o係香港唱o個陣仲諗住呢面實冇

第一次行Flushing Macy's, 感覺俾去開o個間up dup; 然後第一次o係呢面小肥羊打邊爐, 初頭諗住佢o的friend我都唔識, 點知原來全部見過

去Sago飲o野, 大家"吹水"o個陣"曬命"咁恥笑人唔識咩係"溝女"

收到隻巫毒娃娃, 功能強大: 聲稱可以忠心守護我的愛情事業財富學業

Many Ongoing Projects

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:11:23 GMT

Disappointing SMS (2/4 Sun)

Got an expected message, then I go home.

Great and Damn, Damn and Great (2/5 Mon)

The title is copied from my friend's MSN personal msg. After great damn 1914 days, she got the damn great thing she wants.

Regular depression, not regular expression.

Crypto Class (2/6, Tue)

Last seen online updated.

Try in vain to have a look of executive chair in Staples. For Logitech headset+microphone, the Staples downstairs offers $20 one and $50 one before tax, while I can get it using $13 and $30 including shipment online.

Are you Sherman? (2/7, Wed)

Unexpectedly "make a new friend", who is actually getting her CS master soon.

Again, the first half of the class looks familar to me but somehow I do not fully understand and finally get lost, while myself can go out to teach about the second half -- they are about pairings.

A co-author of my advisor audited his crypto class. At the end of the lecture, I thought he left some gloves and asked if they are his. In return he asks if I am Sherman. As far as I remembered we only have one physical contact when he dines with our research group and some one else asked me if I am going to join, although we have email contact once before. He may be one of the few here knows my history. The reply about my thesis topic is still un-interesting...

Never try me again (2/8, Thur)

First half of the computer-lie class is about project and survey.

Talked phone with a friend in CA who may go back to HK soon.

Went to St. Mark's from home at 00:00am.

The last night to sleep on that fitted sheet.

Meetings (2/9, Fri)

Today's meeting is an easy one, IBE becomes signatures. After meeting I tried to ask V about the KA thing, but he is busy with the phone call. Then I am late for the TA meeting. When I rush to my office, I bumped into another TA, that means the meeting has ended. I went to apologize then I rushed back to V's office. Just talked for a few mins then he needs to go another meetings.

Evening is the meeting about DB things, need to do a survey of both DB and crypto papers.

All bedding stuffs bought online arrived. I have a brand new bed~

After done my first laundry after moved in, I start to "decorate" my bed. The queen size mattress is so heavy, I spent so much effort to put the bedskirt. When I am about to finish the phone in my home rings. It is from those living under my bed complaining I am so noisy. Note that I haven't closed my room's door and even my landlord sitting in the living room has not complained yet! A piece of advice for them: don't provoke any nocturnal creature.

A Holiday before Deadlines (2/10, Sat)

Bought some relatively $-ive thing from Italy.

Planned to do some light basketball exercises, but ends up to watch the floating landscape.

The second time to return bedding thing to Basement

E-Voting (2/11, Sun)

I didn't plan to stay at home today, but when I start to thinking of going out, it is already 3pm.

Online shopping continues, this time is Akademiks.

Landlord is not at home again, so I watched X-Files for 1.5 hrs. Got some yummy but cheap dinner box from #2.

Thinking of the e-voting thing for nearly the whole day, started a major re-write after 12am, and finished at 7am...

Who is Who? (2/12, Mon)

Luckily the P2P meeting is cancelled, I only have read one of the survey paper which I think is not useful.

Luckily I found my design still has problem after slept for 4 hours.

Luckily I have the intension to upload the updated version 10 mins before the deadline, otherwise all the updates effort went in vain and an insecure version is being considered.

I am invited to be listed in Who's Who in Science and Engineering, but later I found that it is just a vanity publication.

So sleepy at night, better write the pairdele thing tomorrow morning.

Movings and Meetings

Sun, 04 Feb 2007 01:45:05 GMT

First research meeting in Spring 07 (1/26, Fri)

Research meeting is NIZK. The meeting is so short that makes K worries about his performance.

Dinner is HKSA hotpot. In such a cold winter hotpot is a popular choice so I bump into some of my friends there. No biny party afterward and I just go back home.

Coma Again (1/27, Sat)

This Sat I sleep around 6:45pm.

Review (1/28 Sun)

I got a review task for the conference I have submissions! There are a few interesting things about it (I mean the review task, not the paper)!

Robbed by Privacy Guard (1/29, Mon)

I discover in my credit card statement that I paid for something when I was in HK! I check the old record and they have charged me 5 times already! A little bit of googling shows I am just 1 of the many victims of Privacy Guard in US.

I dialed to Chase to ask about it and my call is quickly redirected. I got that so-called-service cancelled but I was told that I can only get refund for previous months by mailing or faxing. Then I call that fcuking PG again saying that I will contact my bank and dispute the charge, but of course it is of no use. So I call to dispute the charge, and get redirected again. This time I naively think that she somehow notify PG that I am a trouble customer and will get my refund back. The reponse I get is a mailing address to issue refund request and what I say are all ignored. Last time I call Chase complaining it is ridiculous to get my money back from those who robbing my money, and they still want to transfer my call! OK at this point I can only say I am not going to have any future business with your company, and my call is still transferred. Well, this time it is to the staff for cancellation. I was asked the reasons behind, after I explained yet another time briefly, I was assured that the previous payments will be refunded in a few days.

Well, up to this moment I only got 1 month's payment back. To all who want to apply for Chase credit card: be aware of such collusion.

A bit of basketball at evening, the bedding stuffs at Basement are so-so.

急轉直下 (1/30, Tue)

琴日都仲係指日可待 , 點知今日劇情急轉直下. 你而家先講下年唔響樹? 仲話仲有兩個新o靚?

The bedding stuff at Macys are so expensive.

Last day on E 7th (1/31, Wed)

Evening is HKSA general meeting, luckily I get 1 more friend helping me to move my mattress -- my first craigslist ad posted on yesterday got no response. We tried to get a cab but the cabs not only ignored us but switch the service led off! So we walk instead. Carrying my unmovable suitcase is as difficult as carrying the mattress.

從聽日開始, 唔可以

話咁快行返學
話咁快食到日本o野
唔駛搭lift就出到門口
唔駛半分鐘就到deli
轉過街口就有Mc記早餐
搭RW6FV返屋企 (今晚第一次搭G+L返屋企)
一起身就掂到部電腦
一出房門就係廁所
走落樓下個廳
冇人知道我幾點返房

因為聽日搬返去Stuy Town喇!!!

Information Session (2/1, Thur)

The mattress in my new home is rather dirty and I need some time to clean it. It is around 4am when I sleep, which is late when compared with my recent sleeping time.

Consequently, I missed the crypto group presentation to new student again. The reading group presentation after that is about quantum stuff and is incomprehensible for me.

Computer-lies class this time is an easy one, coz it is about using cryptographic primitives to secure routing.

Evening is IBM and Morgan Stanley information session. The 1st time for me in this year and it is also the 1st time I submit resume in a face-to-face manner. No cover letter is needed but I need to come up with something to chat with the person in charge. I am not aware of the possibility of submitting resume there so I just print my standard research oriented one. I wonder whether I can get any interview.

Meeting and meeting (2/2, Fri)

The conference version seems explained the things better than the version for journal submission, I should have read it. At the end of the meeting, it becomes a discussion of IBI literature. We will revisit W signatures. Hope something interesting can be done.

Then it comes to the first meeting of computer-lies project group, I suggest having it in 513 since I was having research meeting there. After we started for a while, V comes back from his core exam proctoring and discovers I am there. Then the meeting becomes crypto research meeting again, and he seems want to discuss with me how to make an ID protocol from W signatures. It seems a good sign, but actually all the needed primitives have been built and I am not involved in this ID-based related at all.

Pair-Dele project turns out to be dead, sigh

At 10 I tried to wait for the C bus but it never come. Someone else asked the staff and later I ask him what the staff says. Basically the official reply is some BS, and he got angry coz it is not the 1st time. It seems that for the rest of this year I need to walk back and forth but not enjoying the bus. Finally I walked back to home with him. He is saying Je-Bon is a good place, unbelievable.

A day in my big room (2/3, Sat)

My biological clock goes back to normal (whatever that means). I wake up just before 1pm. After my shower my HK friend called, I should buy a better microphone when I was in HK. Then I do my first cocking (again whatever that means) in my new home, and enjoy it with the Matrix, a DVD I borrowed for year but still have not watched.

Around 5pm my aeroplane is flied by someone then I continue to stay at home, and enjoy the big room I have. Dinner tonight is shrimp with lobster sauce from #2, have not been there for half a year and now there is a Cantonese speaking staff there. After ordering I go to Associated to get 12 cans of Coke, a small bottle of milk and Oreo cereal, something I have not tried for more than 1/2 year. My landlord then leaves home and I have access to the TV -- Sex and the City and Breaking up.