B71 #63: BSc class album (by David Yau)

Dear eSin,

Be informed that 2 photo folders have just been added to my BSc class album, contents self-explanatory:

http://www.esnips.com/web/CarriebecomesMIL

http://www.esnips.com/web/DinnerwithWilliamGraceNov27

You may want to make broadcast to all our classmates.

Many thanks.

David @Hong Kong

B71 #62: All-in-one spreadsheet EditGrid (contributed by Ferdinand Ho)

If interested in analyzing the stock performance, please click into the spreadsheet below:

all-in-one - Online Spreadsheets - EditGrid

B71 #61: Dinner on Nov.4, 2007

Back (from left):
Yau Man Tak, David
Lam Chiu Ying
Leung Wing Hong, Henry
Wu Dick Kin, William
Sin Wing Sang, Edward
Couple Gilbert Wong
Couple Stella & David Yam
Couple Josephine & Ho Yue Tim
Peter Rebello (husband of Eunice Wong)

Front (from left)
Lilian Kwan
Fu Fu (wife of David Yau)
So Man Wan
Michelle (wife of Henry Lwung)
Nancy (wife of Edward Sin)
Eunice Wong
Couple Andus & Lam Hung Biu, Robert
Leung Wing Kwong, Willy
Carrie Yau (not in picture)


//////// Message from David Yau dated Nov. 6, 2007 ////////////

Dear eSin,

Find those pics taken at the Nov 4 dinner at:

http://www.esnips.com/web/BScDinner04November2007

In the future, I will upload class photos to individual folders hosted at:

http://www.esnips.com/user/hkubsc1971

Please make the broadcast + thanks.

David Yau @Hong Kong

//////////// Message from So Man Wan dated Oct. 27, 2007 ///////////

Dear All,

Eunice will return to HK shortly next week (2/11) and stay until 6/11. A dinner gathering is arranged and details are as follows:

Date : 4-11-2007 (Sunday)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Venue:
Shing Hin Restaurant, 城軒
Room 902 & 903 Amenities Building,
City University, Yau Yat Chuen

So Man Wan

The following have signed up, will more (biological group) be interested?

Eunice Wong x 2
David Yam x 2
Gilbert Wong x 2
Ho Yue Tim x 2
So Man Wan x 2
Edward Sin x 2
Lilian Kwan
Carrie Willis
Robert Lam x 2
Wu Dick Kin
Leung Wing Hong, Henry x 2
Leung Wing Kwong
David Yau x 2

***

B71 #60: Proposed Hiking on 4 November, Dragon's Back

It is proposed that the hiking to Dragon's Back of Shek O Country Park to be rescheduled to 4 November 2007. It so happens Edward Sin's secondary school friends will be having a similar activity on the same date and to the same destination. It is proposed to join the two groups for this function.

The following is Edward's secondary school circular:

***********************************
spb66 #36: Hiking on Nov. 4 2007
Message from Ip Ka Lam:

The spb66 hiking group resumes its activity on Sunday, Nov 4.

The first hiking route is the Dragon's Back, Shek O.

One can choose to join in at any of the following assembly points :-

# 1. Assemble at 12:45 pm at Shaukeiwan No 9 Bus station.
# 2. First half-hike (starts at 1:30 pm walk from To Tei Wan to Mount Collinson).
# 3. Second half-hike (starts at 3:30 pm walk from Mount Collinson to Big Wave Bay).
# 4. Dinner at Shek O (starts at 6:30 pm).

The route is suitable for everybody. Spouse and children are welcome.Those who do not like to do any hiking may consider joining at #4. There is no excuse for not joining.

Cheers,
Ip Ka Lam
***********************************

Interested:
Robert Lam x2
Edward Sin
William Wu Dick Kin

B71 #59: Dinner gathering on October 12, 2007

We haven't met for quite some time.

It is now proposed to organize a dinner gathering on October 12, 2007.

Family members are welcome to join.



So far, we have 15 participants (counting double for some classmates):
* Robert Lam x 2
* Clara Fung
* Daniel Ho
* Edward Sin x 2
* Wu Dick Kin
* David Yau
* Lam Chiu Ying x 2
* Leung Wing Kwong
* Lilian Vrijmoed
* Choi Ho Pang
* Philip Chow
* Christopher So

Hope you can join.

For the venue, it will be held at City University's Restaurant (Shing Hin). For details, please refer the following email from Lilian's secretary.

////////////////////////////////////////

Please be advised a table for 10 has been reserved on 12 October at 7 pm in Room 901, 9th Floor, City Top, Amenities Building (Lift 19 or 20). A map showing the location of the City Top is attached in the email for your reference.

Thanks and regards,

Winnie
Secretary to Prof. Vrijmoed
Tel: 2788 9433
Fax: 2788 9922

B71 #58: Chiu Ying in Ming Pao

See Chiu Ying in Ming Pao - setting up a lightning detector unit in Huidong of Guangdong, to detect lightnight strikes and disseminating the information to all living aroung the Pearl River estuary.

http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070908/gne1.htm

B71 #57: Lilian appearing in CityU Today

Lilian, who is Dean of Student Learning at the City University of Hong Kong, appears in a full colour page of the university's regular bulletin. See her at the following link:

http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/puo/newscentre/publication/CT_Magazine/issues/issue19_Aug07/iss19_photoessay.pdf

Or go to http://www.cityu.edu.hk/newscentre, click "CityU Today" on the left-hand side and look for "Learning through field trips".

B71 #56: Chiu Ying & Man Wan trip to Mongolia

Chiu Ying writes:

Man Wan and myself visited Mongolia in late July. You are invited to see a photo report which I have posted in the following blog:

http://skyandlife.blogspot.com/

B71 #55: Proposed hiking on September 9, 2007 (Cancelled)

Message from Robert Lam:

This activity has been cancelled , to be postponed until further notice.

It was a very enjoyable hiking on Sunday (July 29, 2007), and the three of us
decided to have an encore in September. I am not sure how to post on to
the blog so perhaps you can help me out.

The proposed route for the
next hiking event is Shek O Country Park 龍 脊

特 色 ： 此 路 乃 港 島 徑 第 八
段 部 份 ， 初 段 平 坦 小 徑 ， 中 途 轉 上 打 爛 埕 頂 山 龍 脊 ， 沿 山 脊 而 行 ， 兩 旁 風 景 秀 麗 ， 下 望 大 浪
灣 、 石 澳 、 大 潭 港 及 一 望 無 際 大 海 ， 清 風 送 爽 ， 令 人 心 懭 神 怡 。

全 程 時 間 ：
漫 步 約 三 小 時
前 往 方 法 ： 筲 箕 灣 地 鐵 站 乘 搭 9 號 巴 士 至 大 潭 峽 懲 教 所 下 車 - 石 澳 郊 野 公園
入 口 - 龍 脊 - 下 山 - 石 澳 道

或許你會想知道： 1. TIME, Lonely Planet, UK
Guidance都把它列為香港主要景點。 2. TIME 2004 更選了這條路線為亞洲"Best Urban
Hike"(最佳市內行山徑)

You can visit the following website of HK Traveller
to see photos and map:

http://www.traveler.com.hk/route/route_01_a.asp

The
proposed date and time are ----9-9-9-9---- :
Date:9/9/2007 Sunday
Time: 9
am
Place of assembly: No. 9 bus terminus at Shaukeiwan

We should
arrive at the entrance of the country park at about 9:15am, walk the route
(about 3 hours, slow pace, walk and photo), reach Shek O Road around
12:30pm, then we can have lunch either at Shek O (BBQ, Thai food, seafood, etc.)
or at Shaukeiwan, depending on what the group prefers.

Bring
swimwear if anyone would fancy a dip in the ocean at Shek O beach.

Interested:
Robert Lam & spouse
Raymond Choi Ho Pang
William Wu Dick Kin

B71 #54: Chiu Ying cooking his own meals (reproduced from Post #48)

Chiu Ying writes:

I spent three weeks in Geneva in May attending the once-in-4-years Congress of the World Meteorological Organization, as the "Permanent Representative" of Hong Kong, China. We hold a seat in this organization, separate from China mainland.

It was a long time away from home and I thought that I could not possibly eat in restaurants everyday. So I decided to cook myself. I was a boy scout many years ago. It was like re-living my scout days.

To show what I could do to please my own appetite, here come a couple of photographs showing my productions for breakfast and dinner. I am quite pleased with the output. How about you?

Breakfast could be truly complicated

Dinner looked relatively simpler - I like the combination of
colours myself

B71 #53: Hiking on July 29, 2007

Here is a hiking route proposed by Choi Ho Pang for July 29, 2007.

Please let me know if you are interested.

Hiking Route:
From 榕樹澳(Yung Shue O) to 海下(Hoi Ha).

It’s about 3.5 to 4 hours of walk, partly along seashore and partly into the hills.

As this is in the Sai Kung area, the scenery and vegetations are beautiful.

We start in the morning assembling at the Shatin train station, take the 299 bus to Yung Shue O (30 minutes) then start walking. From Hoi Ha, we take the bus back to Sai kung, lunch there and disperse.

Time & Place of Assembly:
8:00 am at Shatin Train Station Bus 299 Terminus


Participants:
* Choi Ho Pang
* Wu Dick Kin
* Robert Lam + spouse
*

B71 #52: More classmate honoured - Justice of Peace

Another classmate has been honoured.

Dr WILLIS YAU Sheung Mui, Carrie (as published in the Gazette notice) is now a Justice of Peace. Congratulations!

If you want to read the formal notice, go to the same link given in the last message, but click for the first notice on JPs.

If you want to read more about her and perhaps see her latest offical photo, go to: http://www.vtc.edu.hk/vtc/web/template/senior_directorate.jsp?fldr_id=362

B71 #51: Classmate and professor honoured in Hong Kong

According to the Gazette of the Hong Kong government today, our classmate Mrs Mary Ma (née Lo) and our professor of physics Enoch Young have been awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Medal. Congratulations!

To see the formal notice, go to the following link and look for the gazette no. 29 dated 1 July 2007:

http://www.gld.gov.hk/cgi-bin/gld/egazette/index.cgi?lang=e&agree=0

B71 #50：益壽一到十 (contributed by David Yau)

益壽一到十
充滿前人智慧的益壽良方，請用心品嘗.....

一句箴言：
天下沒有偷懶可得的健康。

二句話：
對於以往不愉快的事及逆境，不發牢騷，不念舊惡。
對於未來的日子沒有奢望，但求平安幸福。

三養：
保養，
營養，
修養。

四忘：
忘記年齡，
忘記錢財，
忘記子孫，
忘記煩惱。

五福：
有健康身體謂之福，
有興趣讀書謂之福，
有知己好友謂之福，
有人惦念你謂之福，
做自己喜歡做的事謂之福。

六喜：
一喜退而不休，
二喜兒女獨立，
三喜無欲則剛，
四喜問心無愧，
五喜好友甚多，
六喜心情不老。

七樂：
知足常樂，
閒中作樂，
自得其樂，
及時行樂，
助人為樂，
行善是樂，
平安最樂。

八點：
嘴巴甜一點，
腦筋活一點，
脾氣小一點，
度量大一點，
心放寬一點，
做事多一點，
說話輕一點，
微笑多一點。

九常：
齒常叩，
津常咽，
鼻常揉，
眼常動，
面常搓，
足常磨，
腹常旋，
肢常伸，
肛常提。

健康十則：
少肉多菜，
少鹽多醋，
少糖多果，
少食多嚼，
少衣多浴，
少言多做，
少欲多施，
少憂多眠，
少車多行，
少氣多笑。

B71 #49: Lunch on July 12, 2007

Please read Lo Mun Ling's email attached.

For lunch,
the arrangement is as follows:
July 12, 2007 at 12:45pm
Man Ho Chinese Restaurant
JW Marriott Hotel
Level 3 of Pacific Place
(Telephone number is 2841-3853).

Participants:
* mun ling lo
* edward sin
* dick kin wu
* philip chow
* david yau
* chris so
* wing kwong leung
* david yam
* raymond choi






////////////////////////////////

Dear Edward,

I would be very happy to meet with you all and talk about my experience. Since I work and live at Tai Po most of the time, it is difficult for me to join you for lunch, unless you are willing to come and have lunch at Tai Po some time.

However, on 12 July, I would be having a meeting in Wan Chai from 2.30 - 5 p.m., so lunch is possible. Dinner is also possible since I am already in town.

Failing that, August would be a good time for me.

Regards

Mun Ling

=====================================================
Professor LO Mun Ling Director, Centre for Learning-study And School
Partnership The Hong Kong Institute of Education
=====================================================

B71 #47: Aerial photos (from ywchung)

As some of you know, I have been a pilot for over eight years. Viewing the earth from above gives a totally different perspective. Here are some pictures taken when I flew over San Francisco. Hope you enjoy them.

B71 #46: Dinner on June 12, 2007

Dinner photo (contributed by David Yau)

Dinner Date & Time:

June 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm

Venue:

Shing HinVIP Room 905, 9th Floor, Amenities Bldg (Lift 19 or 20), CityU

Participation List:
* edward sin
* yip wah chung
* david yau
* kevin ko
* dick kin wu
* chiu ying lam
* philip chow
* david yam
* chris so
* raymond choi
* fai tsun cheng
* wing kwong leung
* man wan so

*

If you still have hesitiation in joining, please see if the following hints would motivate you:

a) With kind arrangement by Lilian Kwan, we shall dine at Shing Hin, Room 901,
9th Floor, Amenities Bldg (Lift 19 or 20), CityU.

b) If you read Post #47, you will know that YW Chung will share with us his flying experience for the past 8 years during the dinner function.

c) If you read the following extract (quoted below) from David Yau, you may find some good reasons for joining our gathering functions

請問：您有幾個老伴？「老伴」在銀髮族的世界裡佔了非常重要的地位，因為，兒女們忙碌的忙碌，離家的離家，身旁是否有幾位談得來的陪伴者成了不可忽略的事。過去，「老伴」是指婚姻關係裡的配偶，是孩子的爹娘，如今，社會價值觀在演變，加上老年喪偶的情形也不在少數，「老伴」應該擴大為泛指可以「老來作伴」的親朋好友，不再單指家中的老夫老妻。銀髮族一定要走出家門、走進社區、參與社會的脈動，更重要的是去結交「老伴」，哪些人可能成為你的老伴呢？

1. 原生家庭的兄弟姊妹；

2. 家中的兒女和孫姪輩的年輕人；

3. 過去的同事、同學；

4. 社區的鄰居；

5. 成長課室的學員；

6. 宗教團體的教友；

7. 來探望的社工員或志工。

建議您花個 5 分鐘，列下您目前相處中「老伴」的數目，如果至少有 20 位，表示您的銀髮生涯「非常充實」。如果至少有 10 位，表示您的銀髮生涯「相當充實」。如果只有 5 位左右，那麼一定要有危機意識，因為支持網絡越薄弱，銀髮生涯「不夠充實」，日益退縮的日子也就不遠了。

「每天早上醒來，想到大伙兒要去『玩』，就是很開心！」一位過去非常「黏」老妻的銀髮伯伯，終於聽從老妻的建議，參加「吃喝玩樂派」社團，他笑呵呵地說：「我的生活一下子多了 20 多個好朋友，幾乎都是夫妻檔，今天去爬山，明天去看畫展，後天去吃民間小吃，大家輪流安排，錢又不用花費很多，生活變得充實多了。」

原來，「老伴」是多多益善，因為每個人都有不同的人生歷練和生活智慧，當彼此擦出生命的火花時，那種笑聲、招呼聲和分享的話語，在在刺激著身心的活力哩！ 記住哦！「老伴」不能只有一個！看看四周吧！誰是您要收編的「老伴」呢？

B71 #45: Sad news about 葉錦明 IP Kam Ming

While David Yau keeps updating our memory with his photos in Posts #43 & #44, I am sorry to break the sad news that one of our U-mates, 葉錦明 IP Kam Ming, passed away in Australia in 2005.

He was in the Biology group while in HKU. I recall that I last saw him live and healthy in Hong Kong in July 2005.

B71 #44: Photos contributed by David Yau

Please find the photos from the following website:

http://www.esnips.com/web/ScienceGradsReunions2007

B71 #43: Science Society committee members

38 YEARS HAVE MADE "LITTLE" DIFFERENCE

Committee Members of your Science Society 1969:

vs.

Ex-Committee Members of your Science Society 2007:

(Picture taken on March 31, 2007)

B71 #42: Dinner with Joseph WOO Yam Ting

Lunch with math seniors





Dinner with Math Tutor Joseph WOO Yam Ting





My first year Math tutor Joseph Yam Ting Woo kindly invited Wai Lun, me and Kwok Pun Lee for dinner on 8 Feb. 07 in New York. It's really great to be able to see Joseph again after he had left HK over 36 years ago and Kwok Pun over 20 years.

Joseph met us at the Metropolitan Museum and gave us a guided tour through his favourite part-the Chinese section and shared with us his insights in many of the exhibits.

B71 #41: South America Trip

South America Trip photos contributed by Grace Lee & William Ho:



South America Trip

B71 #40: Lunch on April 23, 2007

Date & Time:
April 23, 2007 at 12:45 pm

Place:
頂好海鮮酒家
Very Good Restaurant
尖沙咀彌敦道90-94號 華敦大廈
Basement of Burlington90-94 Nathan Road
(TST MTR Station B1 Exit, walk northward past the HSBC building)
Tel: 2366-5660

Interested parties:
* cy lam
* edward sin
* david yau
* kevin ko
* raymong choi
* pui hing chu
* william ho
* wing kwong leung
*

B71 #38: Lam Chiu Ying in Bhutan (continuation of Post #33)

Two photos taken during my first visit there in April 2006. It was a birding trip and we spent most nights camping.

The first picture shows me having a good time with my birding companions, arguing about the bird species we saw after dinner in our dining tent. The lady standing on the left is Clara's younger sister, who is also a birder.

The second picture shows me with a performer with a mask (and something else in his embrace). He is a character who performs during intervals between solemn and colourful dances in temples on special occasions.

B71 #37: OIympic Volunteer (message from William Ho)

Below is a message from William Ho

Dear Edward,

A friend of mine in Qingdao, China is calling for volunteers for the Olympic. Below is the website and the message. Can you send it out to our classmates to see if they or their friends and relatives are interested.

Best regards,
William

Qingdao 2007 Sailing Regatta and Qingdao Olimpic 2008 Regatta are calling for volunteers from all over the world.

Here is the online application:

http://www.sailing2008.org/qingdao2008_volunteer_system/volunteers/enindex.aspx

PS: All the volunteers whose native language is not Chinese must be able to comunicate in Chinese.

For more information please visit:

http://sailing2008.org (Chinese)

http://www.sailing2008.org/defaulten.aspx (English)

B71 #36: Dinner on March 23, 2007

Sitting from left: Tse Tsun Him, Edward Sin, Grace Lee, David Yam, David Yau

Standing from left: Kevin Ko, Raymond Choi, So Ting Kwong, Leung Wing Kwong, Ho Fook Hong

Date & Time:
March 23, 2007 at 7:00 pm

Place:
Shing Hin Restaurant
城軒
8th Floor, Amenities Building
City University of Hong Kong
Tat Chee Avenue
Yau Yat Chuen
Kowloon

Vote of thank:
A BIG THANK TO LILIAN KWAN!!!

B71 #35: Money-spinner for You!!!

Dear Classmates:

豬年伊始，與其空口講「恭喜發財」，老同學就送您們一部印錢機器吧！

來來來，大家一起「豬籠入水」，想要多少自已印吧！！！

邱曼德 鞠躬

B71 #34: Bhutan (message from David Yau)

Herebelow is a message from David Yau:

Subject: Bhutan - a Happy Country

Just came across the attached PowerPoint presentation on Bhutan which could better prepare ourselves when Director Chiu Ying should soon be briefing us on his Bhutan trips! Please click here to view the presentation.


QUOTE

I went to Bhutan in April and December 2006, the first time for bird-watching and the second time with the family and classmate Clara and husband.

See my blog http://skyandlife.blogspot.com for a few photos from my April trip.

Chiu Ying

UNQUOTE

B71 #33: Bhutan (continuation of Post #29)

See my blog http://skyandlife.blogspot.com/ for pictures taken in Bhutan, December 2006.

B71 #32: Greetings from NJ (message from Patty Chan)

Thanks to Grace and William for taking the time to see us at NJ.

Above was taken on Chinese New Year's Eve at Silver Pond Restaurant.

Wishing you all A Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year.

Patty & YK

B71 #29 Chiu Ying's blog

I went to Bhutan in April and December 2006, the first time for bird-watching and the second time with the family and classmate Clara and husband.

See my blog at
http://skyandlife.blogspot.com
for a few photos from my April trip.

Chiu Ying

B71 #28: Mastering computer technique

In the absence of any U-mates proposing activities for February, we shall focus attention to organize our dinner function on March 30, 2007 (refer #13 archived in December 2006).

At this age of technological advancement, we can't do as much without a computer.

Elaborating a bit, we can improve Health and Wealth with our computer (more than what the famous Stephen Hawking is doing):

a) Physical health - fit to go around on computer platform

b) Mental health - fit to think and reason on computer platform

c) Spiritual health - fit to do something meaningful on computer platform

d) Physical wealth - possess all necessary computer hardware and software and keep upgrading

e) Mental wealth - possess all necessary knowledge to operate computer and keep upgrading

f) Spiritual wealth - possess all necessary linkage to share with friends and keep upgrading

So, for our meeting on March 30, let us find a place where we can share knowledge on the know-how of computer, at least to make sure that everyone is comfortable with the Blog.

For your information, the Blog management system has been updated. It has new feature to enable the Blog to restrict access to invited parties only. For security reasons, I shall instal the feature soon.

For those who have enrolled before, please sign on to the Blog system again to show your presence. Lily Yeung, Edward Sin and Henry Leung (and not the 21 other U-mates) are among the first batch to appear on the Contribution list because Lily and Edward are using Gmail accounts favoured by the Blog management system, and Henry Leung enrolled recently under the new Blog management system.

We shall further discuss this during our dinner gathering. To help to find an ideal place to organize our dinner function, we shall be grateful if you will kindly make suggestion.

B71 #27: Random news

Just like Yuet Ming, I just want to post a message to make sure that Edward is not the only one doing the blogging.

My wife and I will be visiting Hong Kong and Indonesia between Feb 11 and 19, mainly to celebrate Chinese New Year with our relatives in these two places. This is something we haven't done for 30+ years.

On a pure self-promotion note, I just published a textbook entitled "Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering" (Publisher: CRC Press/Taylor and Francis Group). I worked on this for more than three years. My attempt is as much to educate as it is to entertain. My ties with Hong Kong are apparent from the first page, which shows a Boeing 747 landing at the old Kai Tak Airport.

B71 #26: Method to sieve for Prime

Article #24 talked about Learning Disabilities. You may wish to know that Hong Kong has a "Society for Learning Disabilities" with website: www.sld2000.com. The name of the Society has now been changed to "Distinguished Learning Society" because the helpful learning method can shed new light, on gifted as well as less gifted ones.

Having spent some time to study Prime numbers in the past few days, I find that we can easily identify Prime numbers within 120 if we change our numbering system to base 6.

To work with base 6, we arrange number in 6 columns and labelled them sequentially as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20 etc.

Then:

all numbers that ends with digit 0 are divisible by 6 (Rule #1);

all numbers with last digit divisible by 2 are divisible by 2 (Rule #2);

all numbers with last digit divisible by 3 are divisible by 3 (Rule #3);

all numbers whose Q-sum (i.e. sum of all digits) divisible by 5 are divisible by 5 (Rule #4);

all numbers whose A-sum (i.e. sum of odd digits minus even digits) divisible by 11 on base 6 (i.e. 7 on base 10) are divisible by 7 (Rule #5)

After having eliminated the above, the remaining numbers are Prime numbers on base 6. When converted back to base 10, they form the complete list of Prime numbers within 120.

1=decimal 1
2=decimal 2
3=decimal 3
4(#2)
5=decimal 5
10(#1)
11=1x6+1=decimal 7
12(#2)
13(#3)
14(#2)
15=1x6+5=decimal 11
20(#1)
21=2x6+1=decimal 13
22(#2)
23(#3)
24(#2)
25=2x6+5=decimal 17
30(#1)
31=3x6+1=decimal 19
32(#2)
33(#3)
34(#2)
35=3x6+5=decimal 23
40(#1)
41(#4)
42(#2)
43(#3)
44(#2)
45=4x6+5=decimal 29
50(#1)
51=5x6+1=decimal 31
52(#2)
53(#3)
54(#2)
55(#4)
100(#1)
101=1x36+0x6+1=decimal 37
etc...

Nonsense, afterall.

B71 #25: Signing in

Seems like Edward Sin is the only frequent blogger so far. I'm signing in just to make sure I can do it.

B71 #24: Thoughts on Learning Disabilities

On January 7, 2007, there was a TV programme talking about students with Learning Disabilities ("LD") problem.

As age develops, sooner or later we may encounter learning disabilities problem, especially when senile dementia creeps in. So, by helping students with LD problem, we may in fact benefit "ourselves".

Would you mind contributing your time to help to teach LD students or to develop LD teaching tools. If so, let's team up for synergy effect.

The following information is extracted from website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_disability

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In the United States and Canada, the term "Learning Disabilities" is used to refer to a range of neurological conditions that affect one or more of the ways that a person takes in, stores, or uses information.

Learning disabilities ("LD") are specific, not global, impairments. For example, a person may have LD which impact on the his/her ability to understand written information, while the same information, delivered orally, presents no problem.

The term LD includes such conditions as:

a) dysgraphia (writing disorder),
b) dyslexia (reading disorder),
c) dyscalculia (mathematics disorder) and
d) developmental aphasia.

It should be noted that most definitions of LD do not include people with an IQ lower than 70 who are usually characterized as having mental retardation, mental deficiency, or cognitive impairment, and their learning difficulties are related directly to their low IQ scores.

In contrast, LD individuals have the potential to learn as much as other people of average intelligence, but something is preventing them from reaching that potential.

LD affect all areas of life to the extent that the affected mode is used in that area. They are most often noticed in school settings, where certain learning modes are employed more than others, causing the weaknesses caused by the LD to stand out.

During the school years, LD are suggested by unexpectedly low academic achievement or achievement that is sustainable only by extremely high levels of effort and support.

Frequently LD co-exist with other conditions, including attentional, behavioural and emotional disorders, sensory impairments or other medical conditions.

LD are a life-long condition, and are not "curable". But learning can be facilitated by tailored teaching and multi-modal compensatory tools such as:

a) special seating assignments

b) alternative or modified assignments

c) modified testing procedures

d) electronic spellers and dictionaries

e) word processors

f) talking calculators

g) audio books

h) Text-to-Speech (TTS) Software

i) note-takers readers

j) proof-reader

B71 #23: Metacognition

Since nobody is contributing UGC, let me start one with "metacognition".

At our age, our primary concerns are Health and Wealth. Elaborating a bit, our primary concerns are:
a) Physical health - fit to go around
b) Mental health - fit to think and reason
c) Spiritual health - fit to do something meaningful
d) Physical wealth - have money
e) Mental wealth - have knowledge
f) Spiritual wealth - have friends

I read the term "metacognition" from today's newspaper, and extracted related information from internet. The news relate to the introduction of "3-3-4" education system in HK which means 3+3 years of secondary school and 4 years university.

Among other requirements, all students (irrespective of arts or science major) are required to study language and mathematics subjects up to Form 6 before graduating from secondary school. Some education experts suggest to introduce "metacognition" along with the change to facilitate students to cope with multi-discipline learning.

Being science graduates, I think we are well-trained under item (b) and (e) to apply "metacognition" and to continue our life-long learning.

As suggested in the newspaper, we have great potential to pursue items (c) and (f) to help others (especially youngsters) to expand knowledge.

I hope our "teacher" U-mates would join our discussion.

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Website:
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/後設認知

後設認知(Metacognition)，又名"Knowledge of knowledge", "Learning of learning"， 是一種個人控制及引導心智歷程的現像。利用這種現像，我們可以用之於學習策略，讓學生瞭解到自己的思想模式之同時，透過控制自己的思想模式，從而達至果效的學習方法。簡單一點來講，就是對自己的認知過程(包括：記憶、perception、計算, 聯想等各項)的思考。

Metacognitive strategies are thought to be valuable classroom tools by contemporary teachers, since most successful learners engage these naturally to some extent. Therefore they are explicitly taught and utilised across curricula to enhance learner performances.

後設認知這個概念對教學非常重要。唯有一個人瞭解到自己如何獲取一件新的知識，他才有能力把這個新的知識傳遞給其他人。

Website:

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1metn.htm

METACOGNITION consists of three basic elements:
Developing a plan of action
Maintaining/monitoring the plan
Evaluating the plan

Before - When you are developing the plan of action, ask yourself:
What in my prior knowledge will help me with this particular task?
In what direction do I want my thinking to take me?
What should I do first?
Why am I reading this selection?
How much time do I have to complete the task?

During - When you are maintaining/monitoring the plan of action, ask yourself:
How am I doing?
Am I on the right track?
How should I proceed?
What information is important to remember?
Should I move in a different direction?
Should I adjust the pace depending on the difficulty?
What do I need to do if I do not understand?

After - When you are evaluating the plan of action ask yourself:
How well did I do?
Did my particular course of thinking produce more or less than I had expected?
What could I have done differently?
How might I apply this line of thinking to other problems?
Do I need to go back through the task to fill in any "blanks" in my understanding?

B71 #22: YOU contributor, we welcome your UGC

To all science graduates, at the start of Year 2007, may I implore YOU not to drown yourself in obscurity, but to join and share the excitement of the global intellectual economy. Do contribute your valuable UGC to Blog.

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Please read Wikipedia about YOU & UGC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-generated_content

User Generated content ("UGC") is featured in TIME magazine's 2006 Person of the Year, in which the person of the year is "you", meaning all of the people who contribute to user-generated media such as YouTube and Wikipedia.

User-generated content is a similar phenomena to open source which encourages user-generated software. A key example of this is LINUX which is a user-generated operating system started in 1991.

TIME magazine's "person of the year" issue from Dec. 25, 2006 notes the comparison as follows:

"Car companies are running open design contests. Reuters is carrying blog postings alongside its regular news feed. Microsoft is working overtime to fend off user-created Linux. We're looking at an explosion of productivity and innovation, and it's just getting started, as millions of minds that would otherwise have drowned in obscurity get backhauled into the global intellectual economy."

B71 #21: Hiking & Dinner on Jan.6, 2007

This supersedes #9, #10, #19.

Particulars for Hiking ("H"):
Jan. 6, 2007 at 3:00 pm at:
Kotewall Road #13 Bus Terminal.

Particulars for Dinner ("D"):
Jan. 6, 2007 at 7:00 pm at:
The Best Club
聚豪會
2/F Elizabeth House,
#250-254 Gloucester Road,
Causeway Bay, HK
Tel. 2537-3388
(public parking available in Elizabeth House)
A private room with TV, sofa and ensuite toilet will be reserved if there are more than 8 participants.

Participants List:
* Edward Sin + spouse (HD)
* Robert Lam + spouse (HD)
* Wu Dick Kin (HD)
* Leung Wing Kwong (D)
* Christopher So (H)

Happy to report that activity (Hiking & Dinner) was started at 3:00 pm and finished at 9:00 pm with most gratifying result.