Lulu's World - Between Ignorance and Enlightenment

This year's Christmas day fell on a friday, and there's no dance class and sunday school this weekend, which means I have 3 days in a row for holiday.^_^ Since 2010 is approaching, and Chinese New Year is not too far away, I better get some of my stuffs cleared up and room cleaned before my usual routine activities resume.
I spent whole afternoon just cleaning my bookshelves and sorting documents that accumulated this year, deciding which to keep or else thrown away. I find it difficult sometimes deciding which items to be thrown and which to be kept. There are birthday gifts from others which I'm not likely to use (for the rest of my life). If they are small in size, I can still keep them but some are rather big to store. You see, the old things are always there, yet new ones keep coming in. I'm left with not much space to store all the things and thus are 'forced' to throw or give some stuffs away. But this is impossible with my books. New books keep coming in, old books can't be discarded, so perhaps I need more bookshelves?
I tried to categorise stuffs that made up my 'garbage'. There are printed materials, booklets, bags etc from attending conferences and workshops, papers and articles that I printed out for research reading purpose, documents like meeting minutes etc. Looks like most of them are papers. So I sorted them into 'coloured' and 'white' for recycling purpose. Present wrapping papers are kept so that I could reuse them.
Hmmm.... I seriously feel that we all need to change our lifestyle to reduce the waste of resources unnecessarily. Keep everything to basic minimal need. Maybe I should start telling friends to not buy me birthday gifts next year onwards or ask me beforehand so that they could get me something useful and not 'ornamental'. Well, books are always a good choice, hehe. (>_^)

There was no romantic dinner this year on my birthday as both HG and I were attending the Buddhist forum. Nevertheless, I saw this on my study table when I returned from dance performance the night before my birthday: Although I'm quite a practical person, I found this surprise lovely. Is it in the genetics that all women love flowers?
The best surprise came 2 days later. Initially he thought of giving me my present when we go out for belated dinner, but was 'forced' by me to surrender the gift. He made me guessed by hinting that it will be spoilt by water. I couldn't think of a correct answer and gave up. And TA-DAA.....
Collection of books by Master Hsing Yun! Something that I've wanted so much but no luxury to buy. I can't tell you how thrilled I was when I saw it. Then it all becomes very clear, books are spoilt easily when in contact with water. I couldn't get the answer right because I never think he would buy me books as present. (He thinks books are not environment friendly products and you only read the contents once so it's a waste.)
It is indeed a wonderful gift. Something that came as a real surprise. Y(^0^)Y

It can be tough
It can be lonely at times (especially when you feel so isolated in your own cold cubicle)
You may need to sacrify some very important things in life
In order to get there (ya, for that Permanent Head Damage thing)
But never let go
Hang on
(Even if you have to crawl)
Never give up
Fight on!
March on!
Have faith
As you always believe (and as I've always believed in you)
And we will reach the other end of rainbow
Together

一如所承诺的，为大家带来关于世界居士论坛的报导。此届居士论坛在古晋的喜来登酒店举行。出席发表论文的各国佛教学者约40人，参加的总人数大约250人。由于是由我所参加的佛团所承办，所以我有幸参加第一届和这一届的论坛会。与第一届相比，我感觉这一次的论坛会更国际化，除了中国、台湾、大马的学者，还有英、美、日、韩、越、泰、印度、印尼等国家的学者。同时，论文也以中、英文发表。这一次的论坛会主题是《引领居士走向世界的平台》。发表的论文除了关于经典、佛法的研究，有些也触及教育、法律、环保、健康等课题，内容兼顾法义与居士入世生活的探讨，至少对我这种非专家学者而言，不致于过于学术性（至少有些东西是我可以消化的）。

My labmates and I celebrated my birthday in advance at the Pumpkin Cafe situated somewhere near FTMS and Ipoh Town cafe of Jalan Song. The cafe is a corner shoplot, owned by my dance friend Mabel's husband. She had given me some cash vouchers, so we decided to go for a try. Being a scientist, I'll be as objective as possible in reviewing. Hehe. The counter (please bear with me the resolution of these pics as I'm capturing from my 2.0 pixels hp)

I am reading 'On being a scientist' written by the US National Academies (of Sciences, Engineering and Medical Institutes). The booklet is meant to be a guide to responsible conduct in research. It touches aspects like what are the practices, values and standards in scientific research, what are classified under 'research misconducts' and ethics of a professional researcher. For anyone who is thinking about a career in research or is a beginning researcher, I think it would be a helpful guide. (click here to download the pdf file)

I especially would like to share the following passage taken from the book (pg 2-3) with all friends out there doing research discoveries:

Researchers have three sets of obligations that motivate their adherence to professional standards.

First, researchers have an obligation to honor the trust that their colleagues place in them. Science is a cumulative enterprise in which new research builds on previous results. If research results are inaccurate, other researchers will waste time and resources trying to replicate or extend those results. Irresponsible actions can impede an entire field of research or send it in a wrong direction, and progress in that field may slow. Imbedded in this trust is a responsibility of researchers to mentor the next generation who will build their work on the current research discoveries.

Second, researchers have an obligation to themselves. Irresponsible conduct in research can make it impossible to achieve a goal, whether that goal is earning a degree, renewing a grant, achieving tenure,or maintaining a reputation as a productive and honest researcher.Adhering to professional standards builds personal integrity in a research career.

Third, because scientific results greatly influence society, researchers have an obligation to act in ways that serve the public. Some scientific results directly affect the health and well-being of individuals, as in the case of clinical trials or toxicological studies. Science also is used by policy makers and voters to make informed decisions on such pressing issues as climate change, stem cell research, and the mitigation of natural hazards. Taxpayer dollars fund the grants that support much research. And even when scientific results have no immediate applications—as when research reveals new information about the universe or fundamental constituents of matter—new knowledge speaks to our sense of wonder and paves the way for future advances.

By considering all these obligations—toward other researchers,toward oneself, and toward the public—a researcher is more likely to make responsible choices. When beginning researchers are learning these obligations and standards of science, the advising and mentoring of more-experienced scientists is essential.