tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56992432024-03-08T04:20:49.002+08:00My Little MomentsFraming fleeting moments and sharing humble perspectives since 2003.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.comBlogger636125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-46999854806154213132021-01-02T15:19:00.007+08:002021-01-02T22:55:30.628+08:00A Non-Car Enthusiast's Review of Tesla Model 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47DYSASMlks/X_AXtwtd00I/AAAAAAAADJE/Qs14xtKyBS0tU_mrrJEexnHPQev63qVBQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1440/SyXxkxcLL.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47DYSASMlks/X_AXtwtd00I/AAAAAAAADJE/Qs14xtKyBS0tU_mrrJEexnHPQev63qVBQCNcBGAsYHQ/w320-h213/SyXxkxcLL.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>My wife and I are in our 30s and we own a 2018 Mazda 6 (full size sedan) as well as a 2019 Honda Odyssey VTi-L 7-seater. We have a 4-year-old and a 4-month-old. <div><br /></div><div>I do not count myself a car enthusiast; I don't spend my day lusting over the latest luxury or sports cars or researching each car's spec. However I am a technology enthusiast, and as with every other geek in the world I have been excited by Tesla's futuristic electric cars for their form, function and the long-term benefit of electric vehicles to the carbon footprint. I have watched various reviews of Tesla Model S and Model 3 on YouTube, and found myself engrossed by its crazy acceleration, the futuristic controls and just the overall sleekness. I have also observed TSLA's spectacular share performance in bewilderment. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I discovered a relatively affordable Tesla rental service in Australia, I jumped at the opportunity and decided to hire a Model 3 for a 3-day road trip with my family. I joined the Australian Tesla Model 3 Facebook group to learn more about the car and the charging facility, and made sure I am fully equipped with the know-how of the car. I even downloaded its user manual. </div><div><br /></div><div>My verdict? (a) It is fun. (b) I am not buying it at least in the near future. </div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Performance</b></h4><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7ObbhqOZVo/X_AYEvfcaAI/AAAAAAAADJg/E44FdcdJ_wgfpg8OEdG92c_RKdoQeURvACNcBGAsYHQ/s1350/Hyc8uHywI.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>The Model 3 we hired was a 2020 Standard Range plus which is the base model of Tesla Model 3. It was purchased for 74,000 AUD in early 2020. </div><div><br /></div><div>The car is fast. Now I have not driven performance cars and the Mazda 6 is already a reasonably powerful car compared to everything else I have owned / driven; but it still only does 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. This Tesla does it in 5.6. On paper it is only around 2.6 second difference, but the moment I floored the pedal for the first time I thoroughly loved how fast it picked up its pace. Bear in mind that this is only the base model, the two higher trim levels (long range and performance) do it in 4.4 and 3.3 seconds respectively. Even at highway speed, it takes just a press of the pedal for the car to pick up plenty of additional speed, making overtakes a piece of cake. This makes it such a joy to drive, and one can't help but to engage in some lighthearted traffic light drag-race. (Spoiler: You usually win)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Handling</b></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cd8FBZd1zkc/X_AYHTvWbHI/AAAAAAAADJk/WSOJZg3QxxIBC2XU_00jvJDk1Nu_PZFFgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2416.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cd8FBZd1zkc/X_AYHTvWbHI/AAAAAAAADJk/WSOJZg3QxxIBC2XU_00jvJDk1Nu_PZFFgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2416.jpeg" width="320" /></a>The Tesla is very responsive for a 1.6-ton car, we drove through some winding roads and the car managed them with ease. At no point did it feel like we were driving a heavy car. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have known about regenerative braking from reading, but driving it still takes a bit of getting used to. Normally when you let a car coast by releasing its pedal, it will gradually slow to a stop. Not with the regenerative braking - releasing the pedal means that the car will noticeably brake immediately (as it uses the braking energy to recharge the battery). I got the hang of it within the first hour, but even by the last day of my road trip I still couldn't quite get the car to slow smoothly by controlling how I release the pedal slowly. Perhaps this would come after even more experience, I don't know. It makes for slightly uncomfortable braking at each of the stops whenever I am not using the car's autopilot (which I will come to later). </div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Driving Enhancement </b></h4><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cN6sJyuXTQk/X_AYWmGrukI/AAAAAAAADJ4/vmTCZ58wgosYBf8ushCxihy5-hk8VAmWwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2321.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cN6sJyuXTQk/X_AYWmGrukI/AAAAAAAADJ4/vmTCZ58wgosYBf8ushCxihy5-hk8VAmWwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2321.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>Tesla cars are famed for their futuristic self-driving feature. In Australia, you are given the option of standard lane-keeping and traffic-aware cruise control; versus a "full self driving" add-on (worth an additional ten thousand dollars) which is able to change lane to overtake in the freeway, and for the car to park itself in a spot or come to you in a parking lot.</div><div><br /></div><div>The car I hired only has the former, and to be honest it turned out to be a bit of a letdown. Adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping are becoming standard features for most of the newer cars (both my Mazda and Honda have it), and I greatly cherish their ability in reducing the mental strain of a long drive in highways. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Tesla's version of cruise control and lane-keeping (called "autosteer") works well but they are nothing to call home about. It maintains a safe distance from the car in front, keeps itself in its lane when there is clear marking, and stays on even in a bad congestion with stop-start traffic. My Mazda and Honda both refuse to work when the traffic is fully stopped; although they are relatively functional for normal traffic (Mazda's version being a lot more comfortable than the Honda's jarring braking). </div><div><br /></div><div>What turned me off though are the phantom-braking and bad decision-making in crossing traffic. In my three days of driving, the Tesla phantom-braked at least four times, which means that it decides to brake emergently for no good reason. Only once was there even a slightly plausible reason (another car in the same direction is turning right, but I am in a separate lane which is clear); in other cases there were zero reason for the car to brake. These make for uncomfortable, and sometimes frankly nerve-wrecking moments. For crossing traffic, when there's a car crossing the road a safe distance away, the Tesla would brake hard even though it's pretty obvious that we would not have collided if we kept our speed. Both Mazda and Honda's cruise control are smart enough to not slow down in those circumstances, and Tesla, for its famed auto-driving, is over-conservative. </div><div><br /></div><div>What I do like about Tesla's cruise control is its ability to recognise speed signs and adjust the cruising speed with just a tiny input (a one-second tap on the driving stick to tell the car to update cruising speed after a speed limit change). When the speed limit returns to the previous higher number, the cruise control goes back to that speed automatically. It was nifty and smart. </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall though, the smart-ness of the auto-steer let me down, and I found that they are not much of an improved experience to what I already experience in my slightly more affordable cars. In other words, I don't imagine my 40-minute commute being a lot more fun or stress-free in the Tesla, compared to my current Mazda.</div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Battery and Range</b></h4><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRHSVanFaOY/X_AYV5EYsYI/AAAAAAAADJ0/K5G0PfEF-Z88Qc1oF-iR97GzJBbrrRzDgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2291.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRHSVanFaOY/X_AYV5EYsYI/AAAAAAAADJ0/K5G0PfEF-Z88Qc1oF-iR97GzJBbrrRzDgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2291.jpeg" /></a>This is unfortunately still a major issue for EVs like Tesla <i>in the context of a road trip</i>. This particular Model 3 has a claimed range of 460km, though the real-world range is closer to 250-300km depending on driving speed, air-conditioning and the use of a few other features. The battery capacity is 50kWh, and the charging speed of various chargers are:</div><div><br /></div><div>- Regular home socket: 2kW - meaning that it takes 25 hours (50 divided by 2) to fully charge the battery</div><div>- Home Tesla charger: 11kW</div><div>- Fast DC charger: 50kW mostly, some faster versions e.g. 320kW now becoming available. </div><div>- Tesla superchargers: 120kW in most Australian stations. There is ONE supercharger station in Western Australia currently, 170km south of Perth, though one is being planned at Perth CBD. </div><div> </div><div>Note that these charging speed are all "maximum" values which only apply when the battery state of charge is low; when the state of charge is higher e.g. 80%, the charging speed is designed to slow significantly even at the supercharger to lengthen the long-term battery life. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AQLU-9Egmxc/X_AYXx5h7qI/AAAAAAAADKI/ucDTXXdAzv8AxV1pLm0max4nTvvJR2FBgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2441.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AQLU-9Egmxc/X_AYXx5h7qI/AAAAAAAADKI/ucDTXXdAzv8AxV1pLm0max4nTvvJR2FBgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2441.jpeg" width="320" /></a>In practice, this means that I had to:</div><div><br /></div><div>- plot my trips to coincide with fast chargers - right now these are spaced approximately every 50km at my standard Margaret River tourist route (Perth all the way down to Augusta). </div><div>- at the fast chargers, I usually have to charge at least 30 minutes to get meaningful charges e.g. from 40% to 90%. </div><div>- usually there is only one or two parking spots at the fast charger (except the one Tesla supercharger which has 6 chargers). This means that if the charger is currently occupied, you might end up waiting for 30 to 60 minutes before the current car leaves, and that is assuming that the owner is a responsible owner who returns to the car as soon as the car is ready. </div><div>- one of the fast chargers failed (at Augusta) and I had to use the slower backup charger which took longer and provided much lower charge (24% of battery capacity after one hour). </div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned in the first paragraph of the section, these drawbacks are in the context of a road trip; the usual 250-300km range would have been sufficient for most commute or short-distance travels. However, before fast chargers become commonplace (e.g. found in all regional town's shopping centre parking lot), there remain a lot of range anxiety for road trips, and you have to be either by yourself and have a spirit of adventure, or have very understanding travel partners in order to make it work (i.e. a 4 month old is a bit of a stretch). </div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Luxury</b></h4><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7ObbhqOZVo/X_AYEvfcaAI/AAAAAAAADJg/E44FdcdJ_wgfpg8OEdG92c_RKdoQeURvACNcBGAsYHQ/s1350/Hyc8uHywI.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1350" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7ObbhqOZVo/X_AYEvfcaAI/AAAAAAAADJg/E44FdcdJ_wgfpg8OEdG92c_RKdoQeURvACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Hyc8uHywI.jpeg" width="320" /></a>Model 3 is a mid-sized sedan, and it shows. The backseats were cramped after a booster and a capsule. The front seats are noticeably less spacious than the Mazda 6 the moment I sat down. We had to leave behind the pram for our 4-month-old as it wouldn't fit in the trunk after two medium-sized luggage. It has heated leather seats, excellent speaker system, a 15-inch touch screen to control almost every feature (down to opening the glovebox!) and a grill-less design of air-conditioning vents, which again is controlled with the touchscreen. It all looks super slick. </div><div><br /></div><div>Travelling in the middle of summer means that we could put the car's comfort to the test. One of the nice features was the ability to turn on the air conditioner remotely prior to entering the car - this proved extremely handy in the summer heat. The air conditioner usually cools down the cabin sufficiently within 5 minutes (and you could see the cabin temperature live as it does that!). The glass roof is extremely effective at blocking the thermal heat, such that we always had a clear panoramic view of the sky yet did not feel warm even at midday. </div><div><br /></div><div>The built and sound-proofing of the car however turned out to be a bit of a let-down. I am not sure whether it's just the optics and the sounds, but closing the car doors and the trunk all gave me the impression of slamming rather flimsy metal, not the impression one would associate with closing the door of a 70k luxury car. The soundproofing of Model 3 is also lacklustre, despite the much quieter motor (compared to a normal internal combustion engine), at highway speed the wind and tyre noise is quite significant and it is noticeably louder than my Mazda 6. Again, a bit of disappointment given the price point. </div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Entertainment</b></h4><div>I did not have enough time to explore all the Easter eggs but I played with a few. There are the fart sounds, Christmas jingles, and even a fireplace mode where the 15-inch screen displays a cracking fireplace while a romantic couple enjoy their private time in the parked car. One could also play some classic games like solitaire, or enjoy a Netflix show. </div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Safety</b></h4><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMnUlRW3KYU/X_AYVomggjI/AAAAAAAADJw/f9kASnBxWC8SjCCHauPYVE3i0pECFC2-QCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2305.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMnUlRW3KYU/X_AYVomggjI/AAAAAAAADJw/f9kASnBxWC8SjCCHauPYVE3i0pECFC2-QCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2305.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div>The car has top safety rating including 5-star for Australian ANCAP standard. You could always see the GPS location with your phone app. There is a built-in dash cam feature where the car records visuals from all directions of the car. There is even a sentry mode when the car is parked, such that any curious strangers trying to touch the car will be warned that they are being recorded on the screen. </div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Running Cost</b></h4><div>From a road trip perspective, I did not manage to save any money from electricity compared to an ICE car. For the 832km trip I needed to pay for 158 kWh of electricity, which cost me 71.59 dollars (a combination of rates e.g. 0.52 per kWh for supercharger, 0.45 per kWh for fast charger, and 0.30 per kWh for home charger). </div><div><br /></div><div>I looked up a similar trip I did last year on Mazda 6. Using the fuel efficiency figure from that trip of 7.4L/100km, this trip would have required 61.57L of fuel which would cost me anywhere from 61.47 to 86.20 depending on which price point I fill the car in Perth's crazy fuel price cycle (1.00 to 1.40 per L currently). </div><div><br /></div><div>Outside the context of road trip, however, a Tesla would cost a lot less to drive than my Mazda. Home charging costs 0.30 per kWh (and lower if you have solar panels). You would also achieve better energy efficiency in general. There are also some free "destination chargers" around where you essentially get to charge your car for free, though at a relatively lower charging speed. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>EDIT: The home charging cost is much lower than 0.30/kWh if one uses off-peak electricity which is 0.15/kWh from 9pm to 7am here. </i></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Environmental Cost</b></h4><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DN6pE4SBTl4/X_AYXY4eNDI/AAAAAAAADKE/F7nMpkt4Y-As06jJBv3s0xYEgJ1ZqsbpgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_2385.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DN6pE4SBTl4/X_AYXY4eNDI/AAAAAAAADKE/F7nMpkt4Y-As06jJBv3s0xYEgJ1ZqsbpgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2385.jpeg" width="320" /></a>This has been a huge reason behind EV's increasing popularity especially amongst the environmentally conscious. Many people erroneously label EV as "emission free driving" - this is of course false as it greatly depends on how clean your source of electricity is. If you charge your car using mainly coal-derived electricity, your car is still producing some carbon footprint - the <strike>only </strike>major difference is you are now producing greenhouse gas at the coal generator rather than in your own engine. There is also significant carbon footprint involved in the mining of the lithium used for the battery, however over the lifespan of the EV this higher footprint is usually offset by the lower footprint during actual driving. </div><div><br /></div><div>In WA renewable energy is now overtaking fossil fuel as the main source of electric energy, so the equation tips heavily towards EV being more carbon-friendly. Besides, the lack of emission directly from the car is also extremely noticeable. When I was parked at local shopping centre, I immediately noticed exhaust gases from the adjacent idling cars a lot more when I was driving the Tesla. One wonders just how much we put up with in our modern society with these fumes, especially in areas where children hang out e.g. schools, shopping mall etc. The redirection of emission away from vehicle has to be advantageous for our children. </div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Conclusion</b></h4><div>As I alluded to in the beginning, despite my enthusiasm, I am not interested in owning this car (at least in the near future). And don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed my three-day road trip, and electric cars are definitely the future of personal vehicle. </div><div><br /></div><div>If the Model 3 costs the same as my Mazda 6 (38k 2 years ago) or only slightly more expensive, I would have bought it two years ago. At this point, however, it is still not a sound financial or practical decision for me. It is not a family car due to the smaller size (and if I wanted a more equivalent-sized car it would have to be a Model S which begins at 140k), and for my regular commute to work I still do not see it improving my driving experience enough to justify the much higher cost. If the price drops further, when I have had more savings and investments, when my kids grow out of the car seats, and when the chargers become more ubiquitous then it would make a bit more sense to own this car. On the balance of all these factors it is still not justified. </div><div><br /></div><div>You should try it out though if you have a chance. It's fun. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Credit for photos 1 & 6: <a href="https://www.evee.com.au/vehicles/tesla-model-3/HJQtO_o3S" target="_blank">Matt Kocaj</a> (from whom I hired the car).</span></i></div>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-90094317808907290472020-09-22T07:04:00.005+08:002020-09-22T07:07:44.017+08:00Fatherhood Again<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F6eNPEORB9U/X2kw4-GTaaI/AAAAAAAADEw/TQgNmVhNsPgo_NlA8WkkVgNt-p2BIBNvwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_1190.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F6eNPEORB9U/X2kw4-GTaaI/AAAAAAAADEw/TQgNmVhNsPgo_NlA8WkkVgNt-p2BIBNvwCNcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/IMG_1190.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Against the backdrop of the worst pandemic in 100 years, Xuan Ni and I welcomed the arrival of our second child Thomas. <p></p><p>We are no longer the tentative parents who were afraid of holding our baby the wrong way, and a second child isn't as much of a "<a href="http://changyang1230.blogspot.com/2016/06/fatherhood.html" target="_blank">forever change</a>" compared to when we first welcomed Tara. </p><p>However, the overwhelming feeling of joy remained the same as four years ago. We adored you the moment you arrived, and had so much joy watching you grow from a scrawny 00000 late-preterm infant to the chubby wide-eyed baby in mere weeks. </p><p>Thomas is a common name, meaning "twin" and "leader". It is also the name of many people who have achieved great things in history. </p><p>Your Chinese name is 靖衡 (jìng héng). </p><p>靖 - 平安、恭敬。(Calm and peaceful - a generational name you are sharing with your sister)</p><p>衡 - 平衡、对等。(Balanced and equal)</p><p>May you be safe in this uncertain time and grow up to be a man of justice and reason. We can't wait to watch you grow and shower you with love. </p>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-83834336435662823432019-08-22T23:18:00.000+08:002019-08-22T23:18:47.776+08:00Malaysian Races are Stuck in Prisoner's Dilemma<img alt="Image result for prisoner dilemma" class="irc_mi" height="240" src="https://static.businessinsider.com/image/5756c8da9105841d008c7255-1200/image.jpg" style="float: right;" width="320" />Let's talk about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_dilemma">prisoner's dilemma</a> and how this relates to Malaysia's interracial relationship.<br />
<br />
You and your partner-in-crime are arrested and imprisoned. You are both in solitary confinement with no means of communicating with each other.<br />
<br />
Each of you is given the opportunity either to betray the other by testifying that the other committed the crime, or to cooperate with the other by remaining silent. The offer is:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you betray each other, each of you serves two years in prison </li>
<li>If one betrays another but the other person remains silent, the traitor will be set free and the silent partner will serve three years in prison. </li>
<li>If you both remain silent, both of you will serve only one year in prison. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Think about what you would do, and what would have been the best self-serving strategy.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you think your partner was going to betray you, then your best strategy is to betray him (as you would serve 2 instead of 3 years) </li>
<li>If you think your partner was going to stay silent, then your best strategy is still to betray him (as you would serve 0 instead of 1 year). </li>
</ul>
<br />
Therefore, if both you and your partner are "smart", the most likely outcome would be that you both betray each other, and you both end up with two years. This unfortunately is non-ideal, as it turns out that both people remaining silent would have been the best case scenario, however the lack of information and the mutual distrust has driven you to choose the worst options.<br />
<br />
Let's talk about how this relates to politics in Malaysia. Many of the more politically conservative Malays are holding the sanctity of the Malay special rights as the key to the race's survival and success in the country. Politicians continue to toy with this sentiment and encourage the continued affirmative action and discrimination of non-Malays in matters such as scholarship, business ownerships and other policymaking. They are keen to keep most non-Malays out of MARA and UiTM.<br />
<br />
Chinese, on the other hand, have long had the besieged mentality. They fight to keep the vernacular school, and many continue to practise racial discrimination in employment and trades. Some major Chinese-owned companies discriminate against the Malays, citing "government already helps them, we have to protect our own people". On the topic of separate schooling system being a source of racial segregation, they say "you have to abolish UiTM and religious schools first before we even think about it".<br />
<br />
Both Malays are Chinese are choosing the suboptimal strategy due to the distrust of each other. Any clear-thinking person could see that the best strategy for everyone is for all of us to abandon our own shields and mutually pointed spears, and start helping each other regardless of skin colour. However, almost every single day we continue to be disillusioned by betrayal of our leaders - people continue to speak of DAP's failure to protect the Chinese interests or PPBM's ability to protect the Malays.<br />
<br />
In other words, we are like the two prisoners who choose to betray each other, unable to recognise that cooperating with each other is in fact the optimum strategy that we need.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately mutual attack and "tit-for-tat" remains the "optimum" survival strategy in this racial game in Malaysia. Until a huge revolution or a brave leader is able to get us to play a different game altogether, it’s hard for us to leave this age-old game of survival between races in this country. This is the disappointing reality I have come to witnesschangyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-33713706469044179032018-04-11T10:10:00.000+08:002018-04-11T10:10:03.660+08:00Malaysian General Election - A Reflection From A Malaysian in Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a9cBSpD_B2w/Ws1o_tGLZ_I/AAAAAAAACrc/A1xqB2Ge_LUgGT-w5fgYhIrywKxPUZsBACEwYBhgL/s1600/Australia-Malaysia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="700" height="170" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a9cBSpD_B2w/Ws1o_tGLZ_I/AAAAAAAACrc/A1xqB2Ge_LUgGT-w5fgYhIrywKxPUZsBACEwYBhgL/s320/Australia-Malaysia.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone likes to feel that we have a calling for something bigger than ourselves. During the election season, this manifests as engagement in all things election such as spending ridiculous amount of money to fly home to vote, commenting on social media about the state of affairs and joining political campaign trails. It energises us, gives us a sense of solidarity and a sense of meaning. It gives us hope, however tenuous it may be. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though we think we are doing these for altruistic "patriotism", deep down we are all doing it for selfish reasons. We want to live in a country where the leaders do not rob money from their people and where people are entitled to voice dissent. We want our kids to grow up on a level playing field, where they will be judged by the content of their character but not the colour of their skin. We want a better life for ourselves and our loved ones. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have now lived the vast majority of my adult life in Australia. I first came here because of an opportunity, and I have since stayed put. I have now started a young family with a daughter who's turning two soon. My daughter will hold both Malaysian and Australian passport until she turns 18, but she will not speak a word of Malay language, nor will she ever learn the delights of dropping marbles into the wooden vessel in a good game of <i>congkak</i>. Instead she will grow up speaking ABC-accented English while playing a game of Aussie-ruled footy. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My brother-in-law who has migrated to US once gave a nice analogy about people like us. He said that our great grandfather left China for Malaysia in search for a better life, but a few generations later we have now embarked on a new journey as we migrate to Singapore, Australia, USA and many other countries. Like our great grandfather, we left our family behind and try to claim the new country as our home. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wNwzGoWkqEk/Ws1pxgCrIpI/AAAAAAAACro/WCRKwV4JJD4WwOeaAgoCxlzzT0i_w53fgCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wNwzGoWkqEk/Ws1pxgCrIpI/AAAAAAAACro/WCRKwV4JJD4WwOeaAgoCxlzzT0i_w53fgCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_1128.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But where is home? To this day, I still can't answer this very simple question with conviction. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Whenever I spend a couple of weeks back in Malaysia, I would tell my Australian friends and colleagues that "I am going home". However for all intents and purposes, Australia is now home. This is where my little girl attends daycare and plays with her little friends. This is where I stream my Netflix and Youtube after work. This is where I live my professional life where I find some sense of purpose in providing quality care to my patients. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the last five years I spent a mere 114 days in Malaysia - I had to count that when I applied to be a postal voter for the Malaysian General Election. That 114 days qualified me for postal vote (only 30 days minimum required), however it also made me more a tourist than a citizen. I used to be a keen follower of political news in high school and university, but today I get my Malaysian news through Facebook walls and BBC's "also in the news" section - whenever a Malaysian politician makes a name for themselves via embarrassing gaffes. It is only this year that I realised Tun Mahathir is now the opposition leader. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In some ways though, Australia is also not home. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am just a permanent resident, which means that I do not have the voting right in state and national election. Partly because of that I am fairly distanced from Australian politics, and until recently I didn't even know which party was the ruling party in my state. I am lucky that I feel mostly comfortable in my own skin everyday - Australian hospitals are extremely multi-racial so we fit in nicely. Outside work we hang out with some social groups occasionally and it make us feel like part of the community. I love the outdoor barbies (that's barbeque in Australian English) and am starting to occasionally fit Bunnings into our weekend schedule. I love some outdoor hiking and join the ranting about various first world problems. Unfortunately there are still some odd occasions like when a random mad man barged into a Vietnamese restaurant and commanded us to return to where we came from. Such incidence only happens rarely but it dampens our spirit somewhat. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of my Malaysian friends in Australia have either already obtained an Australian citizenship, or in the process of obtaining it. Given our permanent residency status, this is actually a relatively easy process. Because of the Malaysian law, however, this requires relinquishing the Malaysian citizenship. Over the years, I have held on to the Malaysian passport and will probably do so in the foreseeable future. There's one huge reason behind this - I still want to vote in the Malaysian election. It's the one thing that still connects me and the country where I spent the first 19 years of my life. Over the last two elections, I have painstakingly ensured that I join the voting process through postal vote. It may not amount to much, and there's always the risk of my ballot being sabotaged, but at least I am doing the best I could. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This election Malaysians will vote for the lesser of two evils. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Barisan Nasional and Najib has been called out for numerous corruption and mismanagement, and Najib somehow managed to survive despite a scandal which would have easily toppled the national leader in any other country. On the other hand though the opposition is now led by the ex-PM Tun Mahathir, a 92-year-old man who is made the figurehead for the respect he still draws even amongst many opposition supporters. In my mind though Tun M is not much of a better option. People somehow forget that over 22 years, he singlehandedly built this political hegemony by ruthless oppressing his political foes, delegitimising the separation of power, institutionalising cronyism and normalising kleptocracy. The ruling party he now opposes furiously today is essentially his own legacy. He's now chummed up with Anwar and his wife Wan Azizah, and has promised to release Anwar from jail to become PM if he wins, but we all know that he most likely just wants to pave the way for his own son's political future in his last years on earth. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Given that they are both rotten apples, there's a movement called "undi rosak" which a few of my contacts are part of. Essentially they argue that if we remove the current government only to install someone else that is equally bad, it's no different than if an ex dumps you only to immediately hook up with someone who's no better. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My personal opinion is that even assuming that they are “equally bad”, the optimum move is still to change the status quo, i.e. to vote for Mahathir's Pakatan Harapan (PH). The biggest incentive for any politician is the fear of losing power, not the fear of losing votes. If these two sound the same to you, I beg you to give some thought about it. By causing a shift in power, it will send the strongest fear to all politicians that losing grip of power in Malaysia is possible, even for a party that has ruled for more than 60 years. That is a strong message, and can only be good for the structural strength of the country’s political tapestry. By undi rosak and allowing BN to hang on to status quo, we are not changing anything or sending any message. Do you think the PH will care that 15% electorate put in an undi rosak this election because of Mahathir? No they won’t. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To be honest, I am growing slightly more disillusioned as time goes by, and I am not as enthusiastic and optimistic this election. I read through some of my old Facebook posts from the last election, and felt really nostalgic seeing the younger, more enthusiastic version of myself and my friends. A few friends flew home from overseas, gathered and sang Setia ("demi negara yang tercinta...") together the night before election. I also read through the black, depressed posts and profile photos posted days after the election. However we have all gone back to living our lives, despite the despair and anger. Five years is a long time, and we all look very different now. We are at a very different stage of our lives, many of us now have a young child, and we live a very different life. In another five years these children will be attending primary school, another five they will be in high school. We just don't have that many five years in our lives. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have taken the very selfish decision of living in Australia and continuing to believe that I am a Malaysian. I selfishly chose what I believe would provide the best quality of life for myself and my children. I will continue to vote in Malaysian election, in hope that it amounts to a small trickle of change that the country requires. In five years I may be writing a very different reflection, but for now that's the part I am doing. </span></div>
changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-90311528277482077482016-06-26T00:36:00.001+08:002016-06-26T00:38:32.041+08:00Fatherhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JEY8pFN4sQo/V26r7Thub_I/AAAAAAAACYE/1QdnMcLv5V8y5EXdyVYVSBr8XV_ZZDsCACLcB/s1600/IMG_3681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JEY8pFN4sQo/V26r7Thub_I/AAAAAAAACYE/1QdnMcLv5V8y5EXdyVYVSBr8XV_ZZDsCACLcB/s320/IMG_3681.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
On the winter solstice of Tasmanian winter, Xuan Ni and I welcomed the arrival of our beloved daughter Tara.<br />
<br />
The days will be longer, and life as we knew it is changed forever.<br />
<br />
In Irish Gaelic language, Tara is taken to mean "Queen". In Sanskrit, Tara means star.<br />
<br />
Your Chinese name is 靖玟 (jìng mín).<br />
<br />
靖 - 平安、恭敬。<br />
(Calm and peaceful)<br />
<br />
玟 - 古同“珉”,意为像玉的石头, 或玉的纹理。<br />
(Stone resembling jade, or streaks in jade)<br />
<br />
The word 玟 is also in honour of your mother's name 璇, which means 美玉 (beautiful jade).<br />
<br />
May you be at peace and beautiful, my little Tara. May you grow up to be a strong and beautiful woman like your mother. May you be showered with love in every day of your life, as you deserve nothing less.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-42666970712748072782015-10-18T15:10:00.002+08:002015-10-19T09:14:49.252+08:00I Am A Runner<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--MWbpFKI7aQ/ViREBgu9KeI/AAAAAAAACSQ/urDXWIDAA2o/s640/blogger-image--1308925464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--MWbpFKI7aQ/ViREBgu9KeI/AAAAAAAACSQ/urDXWIDAA2o/s640/blogger-image--1308925464.jpg"></a></div>Not a good one, but I am a runner.<br>
<br>
Back in 2007 and 2008, as a lazy bum I joined my friends in Melbourne's yearly fund-raising "Run for the Kids".<br>
<br>
In 2007 I clocked 1:50:07 for 15.2km (7:14 pace or 8.28km/h).<br>
<br>
In 2008 I clocked 1:41:54 for 14.14km (7:12 pace or 8.33km/h).<br>
<br>
In 2014 I decided that my BMI was a bit too high for comfort and started running regularly. At first it was 2k. Then I started running 5k. Then I started training for a 10k race.<br>
<br>
In 2015 I clocked 52:27 for 10.0km (5:14 pace or 11.4km/h).<br>
<br>
I think I will keep running.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-46031236046461172352014-12-19T10:18:00.002+08:002014-12-19T10:25:54.248+08:00Of Terrorism, Delusion and Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eTpnZC3spjY/VJN5gExHXBI/AAAAAAAABPE/8MWucRb1gmo/s1600/terrorism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eTpnZC3spjY/VJN5gExHXBI/AAAAAAAABPE/8MWucRb1gmo/s1600/terrorism.jpg" height="200" width="170" /></a></div>
This week, the killing of two innocent Australians by a Muslim gunman in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Sydney_hostage_crisis">Sydney hostage crisis</a> has shoved reluctant Australians right into the spotlight of global terrorism. Prior to this, Australians have always felt like a safe spectator due to the country's seclusion from the rest of the world. Terrorism is something you associate with USA, Afghanistan and the Middle East; not with the laid-back, easy-going country where an excellent welfare system keeps most people at peace. Despite the relatively low mortality count in the context of the macabre history of terrorism, this Sydney chapter is turning into a watershed incident. It heralds the era of Australia finally facing Islamic terrorism in its own soil.<br />
<br />
Now, religion extremism is nothing new; in fact, wars waged in the name of religion are as old as religion itself. There is a popular sentiment that our generation is living through the brunt of religion extremism in recent years, however I argue that this merely reflects the globalised and decentralised nature of the modern warfare, and perhaps the freshness of our memory.<br />
<br />
Australia has done as well as any country could have done in the face of the crisis. While there are the unavoidable Islamophobes who lambast the entire religion, most people have aligned themselves with the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-15/illridewithyou-hashtag-takes-off-following-siege/5969102">#illridewithyou</a> sentiment, a grass-root movement which started with a woman offering to walk with a Muslim woman who removed her religious headdress to avoid becoming a target of Islamophobic sentiment in the wake of the hostage situation. Islamic leaders in Australia unanimously voiced their renouncement of the terrorist act, while a few mosques around the country organised interfaith vigils attended by people of all faiths.<br />
<br />
All these are truly positive development towards the resolution of religious conflicts. Even though we might not see it directly, someone somewhere who might grow up to become a terrorist, is being touched by the gesture of human kindness, and would now be a moderate human being with appreciation of unfettered empathy.<br />
<br />
This, however, does not address the core question: Why does religion make people kill, and what can we do to stop it? Many answers have been offered, ranging from the defensive "religion does not kill, people kill using religion as the pretext", to the outright accusation of Islam being based on violent tenets, while blissfully ignoring the similarly violent verses in other major religious scriptures. Some militant atheists go as far as claiming that religion is inherently bad for our civilisation.<br />
<br />
Throughout the years, I have had my fair share of dabbling with religion-talks, mostly through online forums. I grew through different phases. From the uninitiated pseudo-Buddhist, I morphed variously into the undecided, the almost-militant atheist, and finally becoming the comfortable agnostic. Through the exchanges I had with people of various faiths and non-faiths, I became fascinated by the concept of "faith".<br />
<br />
Faith is at the core of almost every religion. It means complete trust. It means a strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof. In some cases, it even means a persistent belief despite evidence to the contrary. The latter also happens to be the definition of the word "delusion".<br />
<br />
Within the context of religions, faith is seen as a virtue. In many settings, the unshakable belief is indeed the most valuable thing about religion. In the face of uncertainty, knowing that the heavenly Father is up there hearing your prayer and guiding you into the light would give anyone unbelievable power and hope. In a similar scenario, a militant materialist atheist could only count on the emotionless statistics and probability, in a universe governed only by the ruthless laws of physics. We are just a bag of molecules with some neural synapses forming this thing we call "consciousness", evolving through generations just to propagate our genes, apparently. How boring and how meaningless.<br />
<br />
All of us would have heard some versions of sermons where we are encouraged to hold strong to our faith even when it is shaken, to believe when the belief is challenged. Time and again, we are drilled into our minds that only the faithful is a good believer. Apart from some rare exceptions such as Buddhism, few religions in this world encourage its believers to question the veracity of its teaching.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, faith can sometimes transform into delusion, and delusion is the father of much human depravity. One could argue that even if one's faith turns out to be ultimately untrue, there's no harm in believing in something good. And this is right most of the time. Even if Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any other religion turn out to be a huge fairy tale and there's no God or afterlife, many good things would have come out from the good followers of major religions during their times on Earth, as they live their lives based on faith.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, living our lives based on absolute faith could also make us do horrible things. It is no secret that both the Bible and the holy Quran contain verses which condone and encourage the alienation and killing of non-believers. In response to these violent verses, the peaceful believers often quote other verses which encourage acceptance and co-existence; but this does not prevent some other "faithful" believers to interpret the violent verses literally and act accordingly. Suicidal terrorists' willingness to kill themselves in the act is unthinkable for many of us, but to them it is all natural as they KNOW that they will be rewarded with martyrdom and bountiful awards in the eternal life. Through a lifetime of indoctrination, these people have lost the innate ability to think "what if I am wrong".<br />
<br />
I argue that absolute faith is bad and should be discouraged. Even though we do not outright promote it or admit it, rational believers already renounce absolute faith. When you do not attack your neighbour of different faith, you are no longer blindly faithful - you allow the secular ethics of "thou shalt not harm others" to trump the many verses which ask you to kill the non-believers. Even the moderate religious leaders openly admit that they sometimes <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/archbishop-canterbury-justin-welby-questions-whether-god-exists-n206261">question the existence of God</a>. Questioning is not a bad thing, it is what make us human, and it is what makes us good.<br />
<br />
In the face of religious extremism, we are so used to religious moderates from both sides claiming that "these terrorists do not represent my religion". I think that saying so is not truly honest - yes, the terrorists do not represent the moderate brand of your religion, but it still is an expression and interpretation of the religion. We only call them "extremists" because we the moderates have decided to gloss over the violent aspects of our religions with our peaceful intentions.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, I am not arrogant enough to tell people how and what to believe. However, I do hope that we start teaching our children to question, and to always accept the possibility that "I could be wrong". Bertrand Russells hit the nail on the head when he said, "Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality." If he is alive today, I imagine he could have also said that "Not to be absolutely certain is the key to curbing religious fanaticism, and to reduce blood shed in the name of Gods".changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-57469414222864363732014-08-04T22:34:00.001+08:002014-08-05T09:40:01.741+08:00Is This Photoshopped?Ever since photoshop was invented, it has become commonplace for people to ask "Is this photoshopped" whenever they see a photo which is "too good to be true". It is sometimes annoying for photography enthusiasts to come across this question. While it may not be the actual intention, such question could be taken as an insinuation that the photographer is not as skillful as initially thought.<br>
<br>
Just imagine a chef who's asked "Did you put MSG in?" for every nice dish he has prepared.<br>
<br>
The fact is, I photoshop <sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>[see note]</i></span></sup> the vast majority of my photos that I publish online these days, and it is not something I need to hide.<br>
<br>
Recently I posted a photo on social media which I was quite happy with. It was taken in Tasmanian winter from Hobart Waterfront, which is conveniently just a few minutes' walk from my residence here in this seaside town. This is my result: (yes, the "photoshopped" version)<br>
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="333" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/14640200437/player/" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe>
</div>
<br>
A good friend of mine immediately asked "Is this photoshopped?". While I did not take much offence from this usual line of questioning, I was glad to use opportunity to explore the fact that photoshopping a photo is not always the same as "cheating".<br>
<br>
This is the original, straight-out-of-camera version of the photo above:<br>
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/14847214803" title="IMG_1959 by Chang Yang Yew, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1959" height="333" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2928/14847214803_e5971a66cd.jpg" width="500"></a>
</div>
<br>
It is already a pretty decent shot, and one that I would have been happy enough to publish in my social media. To produce this shot I had the following combination<br>
<ul>
<li><b>Weather: </b>It's Tasmanian winter where the Mount Wellington is snow-capped (it could have been more densely capped but I might just have to try another time). The cloud has also been kind enough to not obscure the summit. </li>
<li><b>Time:</b> Sunset (or sunrise) is the best time to bring out the best colours of a landscape. </li>
<li><b>Equipment:</b> Any semi-decent camera on a tripod would have been able to produce this photo, although having a good body and a good lens probably helped produce the best quality possible for a given scene. I use Canon 5D mark II paired with Canon 24-70mm f/2.8, mounted on a sturdy tripod. It is also shot in RAW to enable the most editing flexibility. </li>
<li><b>Composition / Location:</b> Rule of third (with more emphasis on the sky). This is taken from a strategic spot at the Waterfront where a clear layering of the boats, town and then the mountain is formed. </li>
<li><b>Exposure Setting:</b> I used manual exposure (with the help of live view to get an accurate exposure). To get a smooth water I used a long-ish exposure of 0.8s (hence the absolute need for a tripod). A longer exposure would have made it even smoother; but the boat would become blurry because of the constant movements. Low ISO (for best colour and minimum noise) and medium aperture (for maximum sharpness and depth of field) are standard as per most landscape photos. </li>
<li><b>White Balance:</b> An important setting I went for is "shade" white balance which helps bring out the glorious warmth of a sunset. The default setting on the camera (the "auto white balance") would have gone for the cold, blue tone which is why most sunset photos taken on auto mode look drab and cold. </li>
</ul>
<div>
So where does photoshop comes into play for the final photo? Putting them next to each other...</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/14847214803" title="IMG_1959 by Chang Yang Yew, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1959" height="160" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2928/14847214803_e5971a66cd_m.jpg" width="240"></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/14640200437" title="IMG_1959.jpg by Chang Yang Yew, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1959.jpg" height="160" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5593/14640200437_45b0a68474_m.jpg" width="240"></a>
<br>
<span style="text-align: start;">(L: Original; R: Photoshopped)</span></div>
<br>
What I did in photoshop were:<br>
<ul>
<li>Cropped the photo to make it tighter</li>
<li>Brought out the details of the darker area (the buildings are brightened, for example)</li>
<li>Brought out the details of the brighter area (the bright area of the sky now have more texture rather than just awash with bright patch)</li>
<li>Minor tweaking of the colour</li>
<li>Tiny amount of vignetting (darkening of the fringe of the photo to bring attention to the middle, a common technique)</li>
<li>Contrast adjustment.</li>
</ul>
<div>
So in the end it is a photoshopped photo, but there is a lot more to photoshopping in its production. As illustrated above, more than half of the work came from getting the shot right in the camera. Photoshopping helps bring out the best in a photo, and just because something is photoshopped does not mean the original is a lot worse. Also worth knowing is that for as long as photography has been around, photographers have been post-processing the photos in the dark room - all we do in photoshop are exactly the same things that photographers have been doing with their negatives for the last century. It is arguable that post processing photos is part of photography itself. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Note: I actually use Photoshop Lightroom as my main post-processing tool. It is produced by Adobe, the same company which makes Photoshop, but it has different designs and is made specifically for photo-editing, unlike the Photoshop proper which is an all-purpose behemoth with far more capability and uses. </span></i></div>
changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-74253334368595724322014-07-19T13:28:00.001+08:002014-08-05T09:12:03.222+08:00On MH17 and Air Travel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/14502177707" title="Melbourne at Night by Chang Yang Yew, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3892/14502177707_aa544f94ba.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Melbourne at Night"></a></div>
<br />
Air travel is close to our heart. It is a means to our dreams, and a means to reach our loved ones. It brings us to a vantage point we would otherwise never reach, and a soaring height only few before our generation could imagine.<br />
<br />
This is Melbourne at night. It is the scenery I enjoy every fortnight as I travel between work and family. It is also the scenery that many on #MH17 would have enjoyed have they made the connection flight to Melbourne, and where the 100 AIDS researchers and activists would have convened to further their noble effort in curbing the AIDS epidemic.<br />
<br />
Even though I fly quite often, every time the jet engines revs up on the runway, I still get the jitters. This is the juncture where the devout offers a prayer to the Gods. This is also the juncture where I take comfort in the air safety statistics, the rigour of aeronautical engineering, the excellent training of the air pilots, and the relentless work of the ground staff checking on the aircraft's structure every time it lands.<br />
<br />
Much has been written about the fragility of life in light of recent events. Every time I fly my mother would say "be careful" - and I know by that she actually means "please don't be unlucky". It is pointless pointing out that air travel is the safest mode of travel, because we as passengers have zero control over its safety, and when things go wrong, they go horribly wrong. "You only live once", as the partygoers say.<br />
<br />
Let us grieve with our fellow friends and families. Let us offer our condolences. Let this be a seed for us to seek peace, for us to engage in world events and do our parts. Let this be a trigger for us to be a better person to strangers around us. Our individual lives are ephemeral, but our love and our values outlive us, and on the larger scale, this is what really matters.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-65291022062655589212014-07-09T11:03:00.002+08:002014-07-09T11:03:37.117+08:00Pretty Lucky Sports SpectatorI seem to have a knack for picking the right matches to stay up for.<br />
<br />
Sporting history I stayed up to witness past midnight in recent years:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Zidane's headbutt in World Cup Final 2006</li>
<li>Federer vs Nadal "best match ever" Wimbledon Final 2008</li>
<li>Federer vs Djokovic "most epic final since 2008" Wimbledon Final 2014</li>
<li>Kyrgios vs Nadal "giant slaying" Wimbledon Quarter Final 2014</li>
<li>Brazil vs Germany "the worst slaughter in World Cup history" 2014</li>
</ul>
<div>
I think I am pretty lucky. </div>
changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-77956207763715344052014-07-02T15:14:00.000+08:002014-07-02T15:14:01.857+08:00Doctors' Right to Dispense Medicine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kshWDkAvPJA/U7OxKIMtw3I/AAAAAAAABJQ/YQSML3RuKAQ/s1600/medication_errors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kshWDkAvPJA/U7OxKIMtw3I/AAAAAAAABJQ/YQSML3RuKAQ/s320/medication_errors.jpg" /></a></div><div class="tr_bq">
I refer to the Dr Sng Kim Hock's letter to The Star on 27 June 2014 titled "<a href="http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Letters/2014/06/27/Docs-right-to-dispense-medicine/">Docs' right to dispense medicine</a>". In the letter, Dr Sng (and Association of Specialists in Private Medical Practice, which he represents) is of the view that dispensing of medication is the sacred right of the physician.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
The family practitioner must be appreciated and valued for their contribution to society, as they have for decades been providing primary care to the patients, screening the patients and hence ensuring that the general health of the community remains good.
<br /><br />
The foundation of their practice includes the dispensing of medication, thus ensuring prompt symptomatic and curative care.
<br /><br />
The presence of pharmacies nearby or next door should complement their service, but should by no means displace their role in early and urgent therapeutic intervention of illnesses as provided by the family doctor.
<br /><br />
We cannot copy the practice of the developed western world, where there is a clear distinction and division between the roles of a doctor and a pharmacist.
<br /><br />
No pharmacy in the West would continue to provide repeat medications or even offer consultation to the patient, to “save” costs, as is sometimes seen in this country.
<br /><br />
For the above reasons, the role of the physician and doctor to provide consultation, care and treatment to the patient as a one-stop centre must be protected and continued for the present.<br />
</blockquote>
I am flabbergasted that Dr Sng actually believed that a doctor should dispense drugs <i>because it's the sacred right</i>, rather than because of the logistical limitation of our country. As a couple of academics have pointed out in <a href="http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Letters/2014/07/02/A-case-for-separation-of-roles/">a well-written response</a>, there are a variety of reasons why the separation of role between doctors and pharmacists are beneficial and is something we should strive towards.<br />
<br />
The elephant in the room, in my opinion, is the conflict of interest. When doctor prescribes a medication and derives financial benefits from the dispensing of the said medication, it is vulnerable to monetary incentives. Why would I dispense the generic rosuvastatin which is shown to be equally effective in ischaemic heart disease, when I know the rich patient in front of me can afford the Rolls Royce atorvastatin, which would keep my wallet and my pretty pharmaceutical rep happy?<br />
<br />
One could argue that similar financially swayed practice may also be seen if dispensing is to be left to pharmacists. However, when the division of role is implemented, there is an additional chain on which government can regulate. For example, in Australia there is a government sponsored campaign for pharmacist to dispense pharmaceutically equivalent generic version of a drug when a patient is prescribed a branded medication.
<br />
<br />
I am similarly baffled by the fallacious statement in the penultimate paragraph. Is the author implying that doctors in Malaysia will repeat medication because they know the patient, while in Western countries patients have no access to repeat medications? Has he not heard of a "repeat prescription" which allows patients to a certain number of repeat medication? Besides, what is the reasoning about consultation being offered to save cost? Do Malaysian doctors do repeat consults and give discount simply because the patients are also obtaining their drugs in the same practice?<br />
<br />
The logic is beyond me. I hope more pharmacy colleagues would stand up and stand for the division of role between two inter-connected but distinct healthcare specialties. In essence, this is only the fairest and safest option for our patients' welfare. </div>
changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-23499675759291193942014-06-08T00:00:00.002+08:002014-06-08T00:00:23.182+08:00The Fault in Our Sobs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582846/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZOqCEHcpQ0/U5M1Ojc6Q8I/AAAAAAAABHE/BQXr2nJsFYA/s1600/MV5BMjA4NzkxNzc5Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzQ3OTMxMTE@._V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_AL_.jpg" title="The Fault in Our Stars" /></a></div>
Today I watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582846/" target="_blank">The Fault in Our Stars </a>which is an outstanding movie about two teenage people in love, who happen to have cancer. It is adapted from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fault_in_Our_Stars" target="_blank">an eponymous book</a> written by John Green who is one of my idols - a nerd with a passion for sharing knowledge and wisdom, who creates some of the most inspirational <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse" target="_blank">youtube educational videos</a> out there.<br />
<br />
After reading some glowing reviews online, I went to the cinema expecting a fully enjoyable experience with my wife. Unfortunately, my expectation fell way short - the movie itself is excellent, but the experience was not. It was probably a bit dumb of me to not have foreseen the general population of the movie audience of this movie.<br />
<br />
High school girls.<br />
<br />
For almost the entire movie, quite a number of these young souls were sobbing so loudly that I am constantly distracted from the movie itself. Obviously this being a tragic romance, most people would shed a tear or two in the cinema; but these few girls brought it to an entirely different level by crying louder than the characters in the movie itself. I was not even just unfortunate to be sitting close to them; they were sitting some three to four rows away from me.<br />
<br />
In fact, they were still sobbing in the shopping centre after the movie.<br />
<br />
I think there should be movie etiquette somewhere that says "thou shalt not impair fellow moviegoers' experience". In fact I am sure there already is, and the same principle is what underlies the banning of mobile phone, crunchy chips, and spoiling the plot. I would kindly argue that sobbing at 90 decibels should probably be one of them too.<br />
<br />
---<br />
SPOILER<br />
<br />
Spoiled experience aside, I was quite pleasantly surprised by the relative accuracy of portrayal of illness, medicine and disease in general in this movie. As a hopeless fussy nerd, it really helps with keeping my annoyance at bay when I see an accurate portrayal of a tight fitting non-invasive ventilation mask for a girl in respiratory failure from worsening pulmonary effusion. Or a chest drain inserted to drain a pulmonary effusion (albeit being on the opposite side of what is shown on her X-Ray). And the delayed shortness of breath as she struggles to make up for the oxygen debt after climbing the stairs.<br />
<br />
Tiny things like these show that these are done by people who have seen actual patients instead of just making it up, like most Hong Kong dramas do. They help make things real enough and allows you to start feeling empathy for the characters, instead of being constantly reminded of the artificiality of the movie. The fact that John Green drew his inspiration from his day as a student Chaplain in a children's hospital also helped. He's just such an awesome guy.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-44622784859425225232014-05-10T11:31:00.001+08:002014-05-10T11:31:47.381+08:00My Frank Two Cents - Now PublicJust a quick note to announce that seven years after its conception, I have now made public my previously "private" blog. It's accessible <a href="http://frank2c.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
It has not been updated for a pretty long time but I believe most of the content remains relevant today.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-13163869175812394702014-01-19T13:22:00.003+08:002014-01-19T22:00:48.280+08:00This 15-Year Old Did Not Transform Medicine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/Z7sNPSh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.imgur.com/Z7sNPSh.jpg" height="197" width="320"></a></div>
I recently came across this<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2270016/The-15-year-old-schoolboy-invention-revolutionise-cancer-detection.html" target="_blank"> news article</a> about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Andraka" target="_blank">Jack Andraka</a>, a 15-year-old boy from Maryland who invented a test to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages. Naturally this is HUGE. For those who are not familiar, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancreatic_cancer" target="_blank">pancreatic cancer</a> is one of the worst cancers one could get. Due to its lack of symptoms (as it's seated deep inside the abdomen), it's usually diagnosed at a very late stage, and the majority of people do not survive for longer than one year.<br>
<br>
This simple, fast and cheap blood test Jack Andraka invented promises to change all that altogether, creating an unprecedented revolution in medicine by causing the greatest improvement in cancer medicine we have ever seen. This test costs just 3 cents, nearly 100% accurate, and won him the grand prize in the prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. The test uses nanotechnology to detect mesothelin, a type of protein which is found in the blood when one has pancreatic cancer. His wish is that this test will become widely available on the shelves of the supermarket, and everyone could just pick it up and do this test during their free time, and no one will die from late stage pancreatic cancer any more.<br>
<br>
<i>It's very nice, except that it does not work.</i><br>
<br>
First of all, I would like to congratulate this bright young man for achieving so much at such a young age, and has dipped his feet into the world of scientific research and made a name for himself. To have your name on a "cancer sensor inventor" as a 15-year-old boy is simply amazing.<br>
<br>
However, unfortunately that's where the achievement ends.<br>
<br>
As a medical doctor I feel compelled to debunk the hype: This invention will unfortunately NOT save lives, and in fact I suspect if it were to be introduced as a 5-cent dipstick available in your local supermarket (which WILL NOT happen as you will see below), it may actually end up doing more harm than good to people's health.<br>
<br>
It may be a difficult concept to explain but I hope you bear with me as I go through the reasoning.<br>
<br>
I would begin by how making diagnosis works. It is often mistakenly thought that diagnosing a disease in the modern era is as easy as finding the correct protein in the blood, and BAM you have this disease. It's almost like if you find a fingerprint then BAM there has to be matching, unique person behind that fingerprint. However, the majority of medical diagnoses are simply not made this way.<br>
<br>
I would use the pregnancy test as an example. We all know that urine or blood pregnancy tests are pretty accurate these days - it detects a hormone called βHCG which is secreted during pregnancy. So, if you find βHCG in urine or blood, then you are pregnant, right? WRONG. While the vast majority of high βHCG is due to pregnancy, sometimes it could also be due to sinister causes called gestational trophoblastic diseases which are a type of tumour in the genital organs. But in practice, if you missed your period and you are tested positive, then you would be told "you are pregnant" unless the doctor has deep suspicion that something amiss is going on.<br>
<br>
This is because<br>
<ol>
<li>There are FAR MORE pregnant people than people with this tumour </li>
<li>The fact that you missed your period makes pregnancy even more likely.</li>
</ol>
βHCG is useful because:<br>
<ol>
<li>When it's level is very close to zero, then you can't be pregnant (It has good <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_and_negative_predictive_values" target="_blank">negative predictive value</a></b>) </li>
<li>In pregnant people the level is ALWAYS elevated. (It is <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitivity_and_specificity" target="_blank">sensitive</a></b>)</li>
<li>When it's elevated, 99% of the time it's gonna be due to pregnancy (the other 1% being the gestational trophoblastic disease) (It is highly <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitivity_and_specificity" target="_blank">specific</a></b>)</li>
<li>When it's used, it enables good outcome (you know you are pregnant hence you commence antenatal care etc)</li>
</ol>
While these 4 conditions, especially the last, may seem trivial, they are THE criteria that any diagnostic test have to meet prior to being practical. If someone comes along and develop a 5-cent new pregnancy test, they will either have to meet these criteria, or being dumped despite being only 5 cents.<br>
<br>
That's for diagnostic test. Moving on to screening test. Wouldn't it be nice if we find a test for early stages of various cancers, so that all we need to do is to wake up everyday and dip a few drops of blood, and we would know that we have (or not have) cancer? Yes it would be nice, but unfortunately medicine is hard and nothing like this exists, and no, Jack Andraka's dipstick is not the elusive magic test.<br>
<br>
I would use PSA as an example. PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen), as the name suggests, is a protein quite specific to the prostate, and is elevated in prostatic cancer. We used to do PSA screening quite commonly to detect early prostate cancer (but it's no longer recommended but that's a long story on its own). The problem with PSA, as with many other types of cancer blood tests, are that they are not specific and often not sensitive enough. In PSA's case, there are many other conditions which also increase its level (namely large prostate, severe infection etc). And last but not least, because prostate cancer is such a slow growing tumour, it's been found that even after using PSA and detecting some earlier cases, the mortality rate (chance of dying) is THE SAME whether or not you test everyone for PSA. Hence population-wide prostate cancer screening is no longer recommended.<br>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<div>
Moving on to mesothelin and pancreatic cancer. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
For the scholarly minded, this is THE article that shows why mesothelin is useless as a pancreatic cancer screening marker: </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22149739" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1957761411"></span>Sharon, Elad, et al. "Serum mesothelin and megakaryocyte potentiating factor in pancreatic and biliary cancers." <i>Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine</i> 50.4 (2012): 721-725.</a><span id="goog_1957761412"></span></div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
Jack Andraka is right in pointing out that mesothelin is almost always present in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, mesothelin is ALSO present in ovarian and pleural cancer, AND in normal healthy people. The range of mesothelin level amongst pancreatic cancer sufferers overlaps greatly with the level amongst normal population. Even though Jack claims this to be 100% sensitive, it only means that it will detect a particular level of mesothelin 100% of the time. It still does not meet these criteria:</div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
1. Does mesothelin differentiate between different cancers? No as it's also present in ovarian and pleural cancer. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
2. Does mesothelin differentiate between disease and health? No, when you are "positive" for mesothelin you may very well be healthy. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
In other words, if you bought this test and is tested positive, you could either have pancreatic cancer, other pancreatic conditions, ovarian cancer, pleural cancer, or have nothing at all. Not that useful isn't it? </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
At this juncture, some people might claim, even if some healthy people mistakenly test positive in this test, they could always just do more tests and find out that they don't have disease - isn't that better than the alternative, having pancreatic cancer and not knowing it? The answer is NO. As pancreatic cancer is such a rare disease, you will have far less disease detection rate (true positive) than false positives. The thousands and thousands of people who had false positive results will now have to go through more tests (CT scans, biopsies etc), and all these tests actually do harm if you are healthy (CT increases your risk of cancer, biopsies are invasive procedures and put you at risk of infection and bleeding). So in the end, having such a test, despite costing only 3 cents, will end up putting a lot more healthy people at risk of complications of over-investigation than saving a few lives from its actual detections. </div>
<div>
<br></div>
<div>
To sum it up: Yes this man has a bright future, but he's not a cancer saviour, and we still have a long road ahead in our battle with cancer. <i>He is not the genius kid who managed to discover something that millions of scientists in thousands of universities have overlooked in decades of cancer research.</i> Unfortunately there has been a huge media circus surrounding his invention, most of which were more focused on perpetuating the "prodigy cancer saviour" feel-good story without getting an established scientist to put things into context. The whole media circus has planted a distorted perception on cancer research, and could end up instilling distrust amongst public in proper scientists and researchers. In the comment section of the aforementioned news article, the top comment is about how such an invention (like the many dozens of "cancer cures" invented each month) will never see the light of the day because pharmaceutical companies need to keep making money from cancer treatment drugs rather than saving people's life with cheap, easy and effective inventions like this. <i>It insults the efforts of millions of scientists in labs everywhere, who toil away in their often frustrating and mundane efforts day in day out, without the benefit of being glorified in the media as a cancer saviour.</i><br>
<br>
When something sounds too good to be true, often it's because it is too good to be true.<br>
<br>
Footnote: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/01/08/why-biotech-whiz-kid-jack-andraka-is-not-on-the-forbes-30-under-30-list/" target="_blank">This article</a> by Forbes Science is one of the rare media articles which summarised the hype surrounding Jack Andraka instead of joining the media circus of how we have found the young saviour which will save millions of lives, before he even published a single journal article on the invention.<br>
<br>
Footnote 2: <a href="http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2014/01/03/the-jack-andraka-story-uncovering-the-hidden-contradictions-of-an-oa-paragon/" target="_blank">Another article </a>with a LOT more details about doubts on Jack Andraka's invention and personal motives, though it is a lot more sensational and may sound more personal. </div>
</div>
changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-89356397494852563572012-04-30T18:43:00.000+08:002018-07-05T19:03:27.849+08:006 ÷ 2 (1+2) = ?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cYGs6YUydc0/Wz369zTHP9I/AAAAAAAACs0/DEyu8lO05vYIoKQNiqeo7NnILYkFWoFGgCLcBGAs/s1600/536282_355235017858716_241806149201604_956057_2070122440_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cYGs6YUydc0/Wz369zTHP9I/AAAAAAAACs0/DEyu8lO05vYIoKQNiqeo7NnILYkFWoFGgCLcBGAs/s1600/536282_355235017858716_241806149201604_956057_2070122440_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Personal Note: It's been more than a year since I last wrote on this blog, and let's just begin by stating that, YES I AM ALIVE. It's been an interesting fifteen months, where I transformed from a sheepish new intern with a quavering voice while saying "Hi it's Yang one of the... doctors" to a more confident doctor who is still humbled everyday by the nature of the amazing job. Oh and I also got engaged in the process. :)</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You have seen it before. Yes, this is a reincarnation of the infamous 48/2(9+3). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you have not seen it, take a few seconds to work out the answer. In fact, even if you have seen it, try to solve the equation again in your head. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now that you have got it, let's check the answer. The "correct" answers are 288 and 9 respectively. Now, I will explain the quotation marks in a second.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When the original 48/2(9+3) question was released into the World Wide Web, it cooked up a storm as people hotly debated whether the answer should be 288 or 2. The "correct" answer is derived based on the strict interpretation of the "BODMAS" rule, which stands for Brackets, Order (Exponent), Division and Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction. Based on this rule, the operation should be</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
48 / 2 (9+3)<br />
= 48 / 2 (12)<br />
= 24 (12)<br />
= 288</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On the other hand, the proponent of the answer of 2 works it out this way:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
48 / 2 (9+3)<br />
= 48 / 2 (12)<br />
= 48 / 24<br />
= 2</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Evidences have been thrown about in support of each argument. WolframAlpha and Google's default calculators both give the "correct" answer of 288. <a href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=48%2F2(9%2B3)" target="_blank">[1]</a><a href="https://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=48%2F2(9%2B3)" target="_blank">[2]</a> However, different scientific calculators give either versions of the answer depending on brands and models. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/112/837/16h6ja8.jpg?1302454815" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/112/837/16h6ja8.jpg?1302454815" height="244" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So which answer do I think is correct? I think the first one is technically correct, but the second one is not wrong either. The biggest mistake is in fact the person who wrote such an ambiguous expression in the first place. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Before we go any further, let me introduce you to this video by vihart (starting from 2:32)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/a-e8fzqv3CE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>"I would like some juice or water with ice - do you mean you want either juice with no ice or water with ice, or do you mean you want either juice with ice, or water with ice?"</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Essentially this argument is pointless. It detracts from the true spirit of mathematics which is to derive and discern fascinating pattern and relationship in nature based on a set of axioms. All this argument does is to delve into syntax which evolved arbitrarily in the evolution of mathematical notation - it has NOTHING to do with whether the maths is right or wrong.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The conflict comes from the fact that "BODMAS" is taught in primary schools when we still use the sign "X" to mean multiplication, and the sign ÷ to mean division, and if you wrote out this equation 6 ÷ 2 X (1 + 2), then no one would have gotten it "wrong" based on the simple BODMAS rule. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, as we progress in our mathematical education, X is replaced by simply having two entities written next to each other, and ÷ is replaced by writing out the expression as a fraction. Because of this, when first presented with this writing of 6 ÷ 2(1+2) [also note the very intentionally misleading spacing in the original photo], the intuition in anyone who have become familiar with the advanced mathematics notation would automatically translate this into:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8MYIYgmfH5I/T5-fegRawMI/AAAAAAAAAXw/oPZ2DlPw6Nk/s1600/eqn8251.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8MYIYgmfH5I/T5-fegRawMI/AAAAAAAAAXw/oPZ2DlPw6Nk/s1600/eqn8251.png" /></a></div>
especially due to our natural instinct of grouping the multiplication together when a bracket is involved. So this is where the mistake came from. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just throwing a last question here to illustrate my point: what is 1/2x? Is it half of x, or is it the inverse of 2x? The answer is, it is neither, it's just a poorly constructed mathematical expression, and the debate on semantics is just a waste of time.</div>
</div>
changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-17743848227565192892011-05-06T08:25:00.003+08:002011-05-06T08:26:51.032+08:00On The Celebration of Death of Osama bin Laden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rQU4dY8X9Gk/TcM9mbr0CLI/AAAAAAAAAWA/PeQsvgvLhiE/s1600/OBL+Deceased.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rQU4dY8X9Gk/TcM9mbr0CLI/AAAAAAAAAWA/PeQsvgvLhiE/s200/OBL+Deceased.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Osama bin Laden is dead.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I have been reflecting about the crowd's jubilation and celebration over his death, and how ethicists are at a dilemma of whether or how to justify our reactions. I think the explanation comes down to the very core of human nature - we are still animals regardless of how we would like to think of our established civility and morality.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The reason war, schadenfreude, and revenge are so much easier to do, and I dare say prevalent than love, forgiveness and peace-keeping, is that we are hard-wired to behave this way. Even though we were taught to believe in "人之初性本善" (the human nature starts out with kindness), I don't think we need to teach a kid how to revenge a bully, whereas it takes a lot more effort to inculcate the value of forgiveness. In neuroscience we have the fight-or-flight circuitry built in as part of the basic neuro-circuitry, but there's no such anatomical equivalent for love. I am not a neuroscience expert, but from what I could deduce, morality, love and forgiveness remain a higher-level, cerebral level of mental function, whereas hedonism, aggression, animosity towards enemy, herd mentality etc remain the domain of more primitive human behaviourism.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In the case of OBL, I think a lot of people hold such profound hatred towards him that the primitive reaction has overwhelmed the moral code of not celebrating a person's death. I don't really think too negatively of the crowd reaction, I think it reflects on just what we really are. Ethicists are fumbling over things that are really outside their domain. If someone revealed a national security secret after waterboard interrogation by his enemy, would you blame him for being unpatriotic?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">Image credit: <a href="http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten">FBI - Ten Most Wanted</a></span></i></div>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-76964777832635889342011-01-01T01:48:00.000+08:002011-01-01T01:48:25.606+08:00[Photo] A New Year<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/5310172648/" title="A Moon Gate by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="A Moon Gate" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5003/5310172648_44b40a26d5.jpg" width="500" /></a></center><br />
A new year, just like a moon gate, is a separator we create to demarcate the future from the past. By decorating it we tempt ourselves with a promise that what's ahead is better than what's behind. <br />
<br />
Happy 2011, may you have a fruitful year with many good returns!changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-77681856196204306312010-12-24T14:59:00.000+08:002010-12-24T14:59:01.196+08:00Merry Christmas!<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/5287534986/" title="_MG_2860.jpg by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="_MG_2860.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5287534986_2f908b4369.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i>1/20s . f/4.0 . ISO 800 . 17 mm<br />
The Boulevard, Ivanhoe-ho-ho</i></center><br />
<br />
Kids watch a decorated lawn during a <a href="http://www.banyule.vic.gov.au/events/#2">Christmas Light event</a> in Ivanhoe, just outside Melbourne. For 60 years, the residents of Ivanhoe's Boulevard and surrounding streets have been decorating their houses and gardens with vibrant Christmas lights. Commonly recognised as one of the most impressive Christmas displays throughout Melbourne, many residents make an annual visit to the area during the festival.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-38937907669366201152010-10-10T22:02:00.004+08:002018-07-05T09:56:09.971+08:00Painting with Light (2)<div style="color: #666666;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Continued from <a href="http://changyang1230.blogspot.com/2010/05/painting-with-light.html">here</a>.</i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/u72WMa" title="IMG_8172"><img alt="IMG_8172" height="333" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3048/2854833021_ceb3180aba.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
In 2006, I joined <a href="http://www.fotoholics.org/">Fotoholics</a> which is a photography club in Melbourne University. Over time my knowledge and experience grew, and I began to appreciate that the "photo" in photography doesn't just begin and end with a photo's brightness. The quantity of light obviously matters in a picture, otherwise you would be looking at a black canvas. However, at the end of the day, it is the <i>quality</i> of the light that delivers a far greater impact on the audience. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/2K3s0d" title="IMG_8178"><img alt="IMG_8178" height="500" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3037/2855676378_a357537f72.jpg" width="333" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
Through activities like workshops and outings, I learned a lot about the quality of light. Here we have the Fotoholics adviser Shayen demonstrating lighting in a studio workshop. Have you ever wondered why studios use so many huge light boxes for their models? No, it's not because they need lots of light, though these equipments could indeed be very bright. The answer simply lies within the quality of the light we could achieve with them. A big light source like the one we see here is used to achieve a soft, glowing quality as it avoids the casting of harsh shadow.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/c19RU1" title="IMG_0853"><img alt="IMG_0853" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/39/83796267_aed2ab3eea.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
It's a difference between this...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4594207873/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Profile Picture (by changyang1230)"><img alt="Profile Picture (by changyang1230)" src="https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/4594207873_b53ffd5ac8.jpg" height="500" title="Profile Picture (by changyang1230)" width="375"></a></div>
<br />
and this.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/2997315122/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_9132 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9132" src="https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/2997315122_06e54ee142.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
We don't really have to splash thousands of dollars to get studio equipments to get nice looking lighting. For example, this shot was captured in a safari bus without any special equipment. The safari bus was trekking through a rather boring part of the safari so I didn't pay much attention outside. I happened to notice that the light from outside the window fell on this girl evenly, so I turned my camera towards her and snapped while she was looking sideway. By using window light alone I got myself studio-worthy lighting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3808392394/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6583 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6583" src="https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3808392394_7fc939fe6e.jpg" height="500" width="333"></a></div>
<br />
The same principle applies when shooting things like flower. I used to shoot things under direct sunlight thinking that it would be "bright" enough, but the pictures shot this way all turned out to be rather uninspiring as the harsh direct light produces a lot of distracting shadows. So I learned to shoot in the shade - yes it might be darker and you might have to use higher sensitivity setting (ISO) or use a tripod, but the result would also be much nicer. The reason is that in the shade, all the lights are coming from all directions instead of just one spot in the sky, so the light would have a soft quality to it. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3861575709/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_7045 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7045" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/3861575709_ceb802fced.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
Using a camera on its automatic setting is fine in many cases, but in some cases the camera would get it wrong. Here Grace is sitting in a hall with lots of light filtering through the window panes behind her. The camera incorrectly interprets the scene as being too bright, so it tries to darken the picture. However, by doing so Grace's face now turned out quite dark as it is not as bright as the windows to begin with. It's Grace's face I am interested in, not the window panes, so the auto mode gave me a crappy picture.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/fwiB21" title="Grace Looking Sophisticated"><img alt="Grace Looking Sophisticated" height="333" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2514/3862359772_a08b386beb.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
To fix the problem, I added some flash to the picture so that Grace's face lights up a bit. This, together with the coffee, makes her happy and shiny. Note that in this picture, Grace's face also has a soft quality to it, that is because instead of pointing my flash directly at her, I pointed the flash at the ceiling and let it reflect back towards her. This technique, called "bounce flash" in photography jargon, makes flash light softer and is one of the most commonly used techniques in flash photography. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4509986823/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_7297 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7297" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2374/4509986823_b835e1688b.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
Nature is the best painter, but it is quite an unpredictable one at that. I was strolling along the Circular Quay, breathing in the fresh air of the late afternoon when I saw the Sydney Harbour Bridge glow under the golden sunlight. This picture was straight out of the camera and it had a fantastic colour to it. However, I was a bit unhappy with the little pole smack in the middle of the picture, so I walked around it...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4509987693/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_7298 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7298" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/4509987693_4bb4efb315.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
... and took this shot merely 3 minutes later. The sky was still a very pretty violet, but the golden sunlight was <i>gone</i>. You can see here just how important it is to be at the right place at the right time, and more importantly, to be able to recognise wonderful light which is all too often very ephemeral.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4510318576/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6500 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6500" src="https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4510318576_98da49b656.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
Photographers often talk about the golden hours of the day, i.e. the few hours around sunrise and sunset. In these hours not only nature showers us with a whole gamut of glorious colours, it also delivers them in a soft, diffused and glowing way. I once read somewhere that an editor in a renowned landscape photography magazine has a policy of only accepting pictures taken during golden hours.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3861567797/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Emo by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="Emo" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2621/3861567797_8ed01b8db1.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
The landscape exudes an incredible aura during the golden hours. The next time you come across a wonderful landscape photograph, pay some attention to the time it is captured. More often than not they would be shot during sunrise or sunset, or even during dawn or dusk. That editor may have a point after all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3459735718/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Sunrise at Grampians (Uncropped) by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="Sunrise at Grampians (Uncropped)" src="https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3459735718_8b9315e206.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
This picture was taken in Grampians National Park which is about 4 hours away from Melbourne. The difficult thing about chasing the golden hour is that you either have to wake up at ungodly hours, or continue shooting late in the day when everyone else would have had enough for the day and had started thinking about dinner. For this picture, I woke up at 5 so that I could be there just when the sun was rising. I got lucky, the sun shone through a gap between the clouds and gave me this surreal scene.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/809nYL" title="IMG_0007"><img alt="IMG_0007" height="333" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2745/4447280601_178a5b7f74.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
Of course the golden hour is not limited to landscape alone. It worked equally well in this cityscape of Shanghai.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4510489554/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG-7 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG-7" src="https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4510489554_c09f2b7b20.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
You may not know that our eyes are actually much better at perceiving light in most regards compared to even the best camera in the world. This is your standard postcard picture of the two most iconic structures of Sydney, taken from the best vantage point during the best time of the day. But I cheated here. This is actually not just one picture. What you are seeing is actually a combination of three pictures.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4509851065/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6923 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6923" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4509851065_be6fe713a0.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
1. This is what you would get if you just shoot it without changing any setting on your camera. Note that the Opera House is a bit dim here. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4509852891/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6925 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6925" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/4509852891_ab64afec4b.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
2. This is what you get when you take the picture of the same scene, but exposing for longer to get a brighter version. Notice how the Opera House is now bright, but the sky is so bright that you can't even see the details of the clouds anymore. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4510490024/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6924 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6924" src="https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4510490024_534d6b4165.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
3. Lastly this is the dark version of the same picture, and it allows us to see the detail of the sky. <br />
<br />
The three pictures of the same scene with different brightness are then combined to give us the final picture. The final picture is the most similar to what you would see with naked eyes, however due to the camera's limitation of the range of brightness it could capture, if you only took one shot you would not be able to get the same result. The technique of combining pictures of different brightness is called "High Dynamic Resolution" (HDR). The Grampians shot above was done with HDR too. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4509854105/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG-8 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG-8" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/4509854105_73dc2e8372.jpg" height="334" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
Another HDR shot: Sydney skyline.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3716401246/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="_MG_2240-2 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="_MG_2240-2" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2441/3716401246_1863df9147.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
I am still in the process of appreciating the quality of light. Be it contrasty light,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3807372475/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6372 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6372" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2551/3807372475_1460ce8ff5.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
straight-from-above light,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3808422488/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_6618 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6618" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2491/3808422488_6e2f844081.jpg" height="333" width="500"></a></div>
<br />
selective illumination<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4455118016/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_5656 by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5656" src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4455118016_6626b1215f.jpg" height="500" width="333"></a></div>
<br />
or bright background light ("high key"), it's the way we paint the picture with light that counts the most in the final outcome.<br />
<br />
And I will keep on enjoying light-painting for years to come.changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-95796982177109172010-09-22T20:15:00.000+08:002010-09-22T20:15:03.352+08:00外国的月亮<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gq1t_rf4Ksk/TJnrs4kK06I/AAAAAAAAAVE/zl0RnZjU0es/s1600/_MG_8274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gq1t_rf4Ksk/TJnrs4kK06I/AAAAAAAAAVE/zl0RnZjU0es/s640/_MG_8274.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><br />
第一次自己一个人过中秋,有点淡淡的惆怅。我在墨尔本的小房里吃着自己煮的菜,如常面对着那银屏,看到大家在面子书上一个又一个的“中秋节快乐”,心里纳闷了起来。<br />
<br />
该找些事来做啦。 如果以后还是在异乡过中秋一定要提一提灯笼,吃一吃月饼。虽说我不是最传统的人,但在这样的日子里独处的时候,我还是不禁感受到那团圆、团聚的意义,还有明月寄相思的韵味。<br />
<br />
在这里用我两年前和朋友庆中秋时拍的一双灯笼,向大家说一声“中秋节快乐”吧!changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-91447958509116096832010-06-11T00:50:00.001+08:002018-07-05T10:03:55.752+08:00Add Your Own Background Image to Google<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/64b1B3" title="Google Background"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4046/4687964843_222e7372df.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="Google Background"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Now you can add your own background image in Google homepage! Just click on "change background image" and choose an image either from your own computer or from one of the choices given by Google, and you will enjoy your new background in no time.<br />
<br />
Before trying it out I thought this is quite a useless cosmetic thing, but after plugging in my recent Great Ocean Road shot (pictured above) it worked very well, and I am in love with it :) The fact that the Google symbol and the search bar is located amongst the clouds is quite symbolic of the whole "knowledge in the cloud" idea of the Internet too. <br />
<br />
Try it out and see whether you like it as much as I do!changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-69668700179338755462010-06-05T00:24:00.000+08:002010-06-05T00:24:31.270+08:00[Photo] Yes I Own Them<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4668936051/" title="IMG_0373 (by changyang1230)"><img alt="IMG_0373 (by changyang1230)" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4668936051_7ca257a385.jpg" title="IMG_0373 (by changyang1230)" width="375" /></a><br />
Western Medicine is not such a lucrative means of earning money...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4669559368/" title="_MG_4754a (by changyang1230)"><img alt="_MG_4754a (by changyang1230)" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4669559368_fc03c39fc8.jpg" title="_MG_4754a (by changyang1230)" width="500" /></a><br />
so I decided to diversify my business in alternative medicine,<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4668938871/" title="_MG_4024a (by changyang1230)"><img alt="_MG_4024a (by changyang1230)" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1273/4668938871_5710721f4a.jpg" title="_MG_4024a (by changyang1230)" width="333" /></a><br />
and open a branch in China.<br />
<br />
Sorry that's lame. <br />
<br />
I apologise. </center>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-31325644950473400492010-05-29T12:52:00.000+08:002010-05-29T12:52:38.538+08:00[Photo] Running Late<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4648731125/" title="Running Late by changyang1230, on Flickr"><img alt="Running Late" height="333" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3399/4648731125_fe6d7df9db.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<i>1/80s - f/5.0 - ISO 800 - 10 mm</i><br />
Flinders Street Railway Station, Melbourne</center>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-1523453538692691662010-05-21T19:30:00.002+08:002018-07-05T10:12:25.311+08:00Hollywood at My DoorstepI have never thought that one day Hollywood would shoot a movie at my doorstep. Today it happened. I walked out of my house and I was immediately met by a HUGE crew equipped with every piece of cinematography imaginable - huge tents, giant soft box, big-ass cameras, realistic looking props and intimidating security guards who seem to be employed to shout at people who try to shoot the filming set with a big camera. But of course a brave photographer wouldn't give up the rare opportunity just because of some scary-looking security guards. So I present to you, "The Killer Elite" filming featuring Robert De Niro, Jason Statham, Yvonne Strahovski, Clive Owen etc.<br />
<br />
<b>EDIT 05/07/2018: This post originally contained a slideshow but it no longer works due to Flickr retiring the feature. Also I have made the photos private. </b>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5699243.post-23345806348668915002010-05-10T16:10:00.001+08:002018-07-05T19:09:56.204+08:00Painting with Light (1)I realised that I haven't been posting anything in the last few weeks, and this blog is more dead than ever. I was supposed to do some travel-logs from my recent trips; I have even written up half a post but it has since been collecting dust in the draft folder. I have also had some ranting about people's general attitude towards racism but I have also pushed that aside for more farming in Farmville. <br />
<br />
<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/4594207873/" title="Profile Picture (by changyang1230)"><img alt="Profile Picture (by changyang1230)" src="https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/4594207873_b53ffd5ac8.jpg" height="500" title="Profile Picture (by changyang1230)" width="375"></a></center>
<br />
Every once in a while, I sit down thinking that I should post some photography stuff. A few months back a camera shop approached me to put a link to their shop because they thought this is a photography blog. Well, since they paid me, even if this isn't a photography blog, it kind of is one now. Who knows if I don't post anything on photography for a few months they might just ask for a refund. <br />
<br />
So here goes. Something about photography. <br />
<br />
<center>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/2j49eP" title="PICT3022"><img alt="PICT3022" height="333" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1173/1369795462_ea9369244f.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></center>
<br />
Photography comes from two root words, "photo" which means "light" and "graphy" which means "writing or drawing". So photography literally means "painting with light". My journey in photography has been about how I slowly come to gain insight about the importance of light. <br />
<br />
<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/2898297/" title="DSC03611 (by changyang1230)"><img alt="DSC03611 (by changyang1230)" src="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/2898297_2d91906788.jpg" height="375" title="DSC03611 (by changyang1230)" width="500"></a></center>
<br />
When I first got my compact camera back in 2003 (shown here is Chin Fei's Minolta Dimage Z3), I knew pretty much nothing about light, except maybe for "it's bad if it's too bright or too dark". I played around with my tiny Powershot A70 trying to make sure that everything was bright enough. <br />
<br />
<center>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/464S64" title="101_0136"><img alt="101_0136" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/2/2946461_846ccfb6a4.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></center>
<br />
If it was dark, I added flash. (Gosh I was actually better looking than Yee Pin before I put on all the fat)<br />
<br />
<center>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/sh38TT" title="IMG_5758"><img alt="IMG_5758" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/5/10636363_405514ec3e.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></center>
<br />
Or, I exposed for a bit longer. <br />
<br />
<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/3148645/" title="Alor Star Trip 070 (by changyang1230)"><img alt="Alor Star Trip 070 (by changyang1230)" src="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/3148645_9485f799fc.jpg" height="375" title="Alor Star Trip 070 (by changyang1230)" width="500"></a></center>
<br />
I thought I was pretty good, and once in a while I did get pretty good shots with sheer luck. <br />
<br />
<center>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/gp/changyang1230/1042Kx" title="IMG_8281"><img alt="IMG_8281" height="375" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/33/48476102_a5c55df8de.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></center>
<br />
I played little tricks,<br />
<br />
<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/48476113/" title="IMG_8282 (by changyang1230)"><img alt="IMG_8282 (by changyang1230)" src="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/33/48476113_cdfca4d1ca.jpg" height="375" title="IMG_8282 (by changyang1230)" width="500"></a></center>
<br />
like changing the colour of the picture by shooting through sunglasses.<br />
<br />
<center>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/changyang1230/66115264/" title="Eric-100 (by changyang1230)"><img alt="Eric-100 (by changyang1230)" src="https://farm1.static.flickr.com/28/66115264_19de672393.jpg" height="375" title="Eric-100 (by changyang1230)" width="500"></a></center>
<br />
But that's pretty much all I knew about light and photography in general, and my knowledge about light pretty much halted without further improvement for the next three to four years. <br />
<br />
<i>[to be continued...]</i>changyang1230http://www.blogger.com/profile/03033947855086870014noreply@blogger.com2