Category Archives: General

I have already begun to hand in homework unfinished, which, of course, is not a good thing. The problem is I have been plagued by headaches and omni-present sleepiness since my arrival. I guess I probably need to see a doctor sometime later.

Black Cuisine

It suddenly came to me during dinner that rarely do we see restaurants run by Blacks. We go to grills, bars, cafés and fast food chains; we see Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, Mexican, Thai, Vietiamnese…even Tibet restuarants. But not Black–indeed, I wonder what “Black Cuisine” is like. It is a striking contrast to the popularity of Black music and art. Did the Black brought along their dishes when their were being sold to Europe and America? Going further back in history, when do a race start to see cooking as an art of its own, and not merely a process to make food more edible?

First day of class

So I am officially working towards my doctoral degree. The first class–mathematics for economists–went better than I thought; hope I can do well in it.

Before class starts I paid the Berkeley Marina a visit; it was nice with the sea wind and birds. I am planning to bring my camera along next time.

Love you dear.

So…

I am not happy.

The campus is beautiful, classmates are nice, the program is not harsh, homemates are very kind–all in all, the environment is very ideal for study. It is more about my reluctance to commit five years of separation to the goal.

Back to Lens

So I got my lens, actually two of them. Now Evelyne you would probably like the first one–a Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX APO RF HSM (a.k.a. “Bigma”).

It is second-hand but in very good condition. Now the decision was far from an easy one; paying abit more I either can get a new Canon 70-200mm f/4L USM or a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX IF HSM. As if to make the decision even harder I also found a second-hand Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM selling at a very tempting price. A 70-200mm f/2.8 has always been my “dream lens”; I had once spent some very happy time with a Canon 70-200 2.8/L (thanks to Mr. M). In the end I got the Bigma for several reasons,

1. I am no longer an official photographer for anything; the 70-200mm f/2.8L was almost a necessity back in high school but is much less so now;
2. I do not expect myself taking alot of action shots in low-light condition;
3. I would like to try out wildlife photography; and
4. It was the cheapest among all the above options.

So far the Bigma has been very rewarding; on a 300D it actually has a very long 35mm-equivalent zoom range of 80-800mm. Here is some birds shots from Kowloon Park.

IMG_6782

That said, I wished for a 70-200mm f/2.8 yesterday when I was taking photos of the DBS Homecoming Concert.

The second lens I got is a Canon 50mm f/1.8 II

This lens is described as a “must get”–it is very cheap but among the sharpest of all EF lens. I cannot agree more; here is an example,

IMG_7168

It is always said that the 50mm prime is the best lens to learn photograhy (although on a 300D 50mm has a FOV of 80mm so it is no longer standard). Indeed with a prime the framing becomes very important; still much to try out here.

New Camera

EOS 300D

As some of you know my beloved Nikon CoolPix 990 has malfunctioned a few months ago. After careful thoughts I have bought a “new” camera–a EOS 300D. It will replace not only the CoolPix but also my film SLR–a Minolta Dynax 505si Super–which has also broken down in an accident (which I was not involved). It is not actually new since it is second-hand. For those of you who are familiar with digital photograhy you probably know that Canon has put forward a new–and much better–model, the EOS 350D. My parents suggested that I should buy the new one; I decided to go for a used 300D so to save money for some better lens and all other indispensible accessories–flash, bag et al.

As a first step I traded the kit lens for a Sigma 18-125mm DC (at a premium, of course).

Sigma 18-125mm DC

Now using a Sigma lens is always a gamble, some are great while others are just miserable; this model has quite some positive reviews. After some testing it seems the copy I have does not possess the front-focusing problem many owners have experienced; I would much like to conduct outdoor testings but the weather in Hong Kong does not really permit that.

埋首計量模型 經濟患自閉症

Now I have high hopes of Berkeley…

林行止專欄 : 埋首計量模型 經濟患自閉症 (2005-06-23)

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 一、

  《華盛頓郵報》(和《新聞周刊》)的經濟評論員羅拔.森穆遜(與諾獎得主保羅.森穆遜的兒子同名,但他們沒有親屬關係)昨天(二十二日)的專欄以〈是時候丟掉〔經濟學〕教科書〉,顧題思義,這位資深作者對經濟學無法解釋由於經濟環球化而愈趨複雜的經濟現象,甚為反感。他的觀察有對有不對。不過,對新古典經濟學(neoclassical economics)有所不足大表不滿的,非自今日始。說來真是慚愧,以為對經濟學動向略知一二的筆者,對一宗發生於二○○○年六月的「經濟學學生叛變記」,竟無所聞遑論評論。這件經濟學界大事,是月前拜讀富爾布魯克編輯的《經濟學出了什亂子》(G.Fullbrook《A Guide to What’s Wrong with Economics》)才知道。原來當時巴黎索邦大學多名經濟學系博士生聯合請願,要求大學當局修改課程,傳媒報道後,教育部成立「高級委員會」進行研究……。整整一年後,英國劍大二十七位經濟學博士生,響應法國同輩的訴求,發起一項稱為「開放經濟學」的抗議,他們認為當時所學的是「窄頻(narrowband)經濟學」,非改為「寬頻(broadband)經濟學」無以幫助他們理解世界。到了○三年三月,美國哈佛經濟系學生作出類似的訴求,要經濟學教科書包含更寬的視野(按孟球〔N. G. Mankiw〕那本收了數百萬美元版稅、成為大新聞,被行家大力推薦、高居暢銷書榜多月的教科書《經濟學原理》於一九九九年出版),他們當時在校園靜坐示威,高舉「我們要後自閉經濟學」─他們稱其所學為「自閉經濟學」(Autistic Economics),「寬頻經濟學」便是「後自閉經濟學」。有關學生們要求修改教科書內容的「鬥爭」經過,稍後將另文論述。

  西方國家經濟學系學生尋找不足後的要求,十分合理,原因是在一八七○年前後發韌、第一次世界大戰後茁壯至三十年代後期「壟斷」經濟學因此亦被稱為主流(mainstream)經濟學的新古典經濟學,已與世情脫節。稱新古典是有別在十八世紀末期至二十世紀三十年代盛行、奉阿當.史密斯的《原富》(一七七六年出版)為聖經、強調自利心及堅信經濟體系會自動調節(必能充分就業及達致均衡)的古典經濟學。

  新古典學派的開山祖師為劍橋的馬歇爾(因此亦稱劍橋學派),在一八九○年出版的《經濟學原理》,他依據「部分均衡分析」或「其他情形不變」(ceteris paribus approach),奠下了微觀(個體)經濟學理論基礎;這一派學者廣泛運用數學,特別是微積分,當代經濟學科學的架構主要便建立在這些先驅研究上。可是,「其他情形不變」已不可能,令他們運用高深數學建構的計量經濟模式漸漸與現實世界脫節,這正是經濟學被研究生們稱為「自閉經濟學」的底因。

  從森穆遜的文章,「一發不可收拾」,信手寫下千字「舊聞」。筆者的用意是,本港大專院校的經濟學教材,不能一本教科書教到老,而是要對課程內容不時作出檢討,才能與時並進……。

二、

  森穆遜的觀察有數點值得注意。

  一向以來,經濟學家認為地大物博的國家如美國,由於物產應有盡有,人口不少、食指浩繁,經濟因此不假外求,一切自供自足,即使「閉關自守」亦能豐衣足食、蓬勃發展;現在有不少經濟學家對中國的經濟發展亦持此觀點,準此,即使與美國和歐盟爆發貿易戰,只要鼓勵國人多消費(少儲蓄),問題便可迎刃而解。

  現在的情形已遠為複雜,愈來愈多美國工業(行業)面對外國的劇烈競爭正在掙扎求存,有的過分依靠外國企業(如供應零件等)才能生存;而國際貿易則大幅增長,一九六○年美國的出入口總額佔GDP百分之九點五,去年激增至百分之二十五;而儲蓄和投資早已環球化,這點香港人最清楚;二○○三年,美國人一共持有值三萬一千億美元的外國股票及債券,外國(不計中國)則持有四萬一千億美元的美國金融工具,這種「互通有無」的情況很理想,問題是金融危機一旦出現,必會牽一髮動環球……。所有種種,都令「閉關自守」變成不可能。試想Wal-Mart一旦不能獲得中國商品的供應對消費者的影響。

  經濟學家本來以為掌握了消費行為「模式」,這即是說,可動用收入(除稅及儲蓄後的錢)和消費開支同步升降。一九五九年平均美國人消費掉百分之九十二的可動用資金,六九、七九和八九年的數字依次為百分之九十二、九十一和九十三,期間經濟有盛衰惟消費開支穩定;但九○年這種消費行為已起變化,消費用度急速上升,到○四年消費已用去百分之九十九的錢(平均儲蓄率不足百分之一)。所以如此,並非分期付款購物突然普及(先使未來錢是六十年代便養成的習慣),而是「財富效應」發揮驚人作用。九十年代股票牛市令投資者(美國人直接間接〔比如管理退休金的公司購進股票〕持有股票的比例極高)身價驟增,出手闊綽點(炫耀性消費)是自然的事;進入新世紀後則「樓價學(九七年前)香港」,升完可以再升,自從二○○○年至今年第一季,美國平均樓價升百分之五十五(總市值為十七萬七千億美元),人人爭供樓、成為準業主(融資的機構才是真業主),但人們管不了這多,消費程度與樓價升幅共進,因為如此才能「物業與消費相稱」。教科書上似未提及這種消費行為模式,萬一遲早會出現的衰退拖垮股市樓市,消費行為會回到從前、恢復九十年代前的舊觀嗎?

  森穆遜對經濟學有「調節經濟」功能的信心動搖。他指出二十世紀六十及七十年代,主流經濟學派以為他們了解消費行為、能準確估計什水平的失業是「充分就業」,同時提出一些「算無遺策」的防範衰退的計量經濟模型;但世人面對的是一次惡性通脹及四場衰退……。現在世界經濟進入前所罕見的佳境,通脹已伏,增長有序,這究竟是經濟學家的功勞?是因為新科技的發明與普遍應用提高了生產力?還是中國和印度以至東歐及東南亞諸發展中國家提供以億計廉價勞動力有以致之?現在的教科書並無答案。

Photo with Prof. Frank

和法蘭教授 (Prof. Robert H. Frank) 的合照。法蘭教授可說是我的經濟學啟蒙老師,若本科第一年沒上他的課我很可能不會轉讀經濟。我個人認為他教的初階經濟學課程(美國大學的入門課程很多時候都會由名教授任教)屬做到既生趣實在又不教錯誤東西的少數。法蘭教授的著作讀經濟的同學大概會聽聞過,較出名的有<<贏家通吃>> (The Winner-Take-All Society) 、 <<侈華狂潮>> (Luxury Fever) 、Passion Within ReasoningMicroeconomics and Behavior