Save the last dance for me

Letchworth State Park

This park is beautiful, especially in Fall. You're better hurry as the Fall is leaving soon.

Approximation Algorithms

1. Lecture notes on Approximation Algorithms by Chandra Chekuri
http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/homes/chekuri/teaching/fall2006/approx.htm
2. Using primal dual method for Approximation Algorithms, a good survey by David P. Williamson
The primal-dual method for approximation algorithms and its application to network design problems
3. Using Local Ratio method for Approximation Algorithms, a survey by Reuven Bar-Yehuda, Keren Bendel, Ari Freund, and Dror Rawitz
Local ratio: A unified framework for approximation algorithms
4. Some time it seems that whatever way we try, we just can find a approximation. Well, maybe computing good approximation for that problem is also NP-hard. To prove the hardness of approximation, following documents are good starting point:
A survey by Sanjeev Arora, and Carsten Lund
Hardness of approximations
Another one by Luca Trevisan
Inapproximability of Combinatorial Optimization Problems
For approximating minimization problems
On the hardness of approximating minimization problems

I am trying to sing this song in English.

The Great Circle of Viet Nam

(translated by Richard Fuller)

1. From jungled hills to the distant sea,
We form a giant circle to unite our country.
From far and wide, we now return,
With joy, like a sandstorm, to the far horizons,
Let's now join hands :
A great circle of Viet Nam

Flags in the wind, happy nights and days,
Of one blood our hearts ablaze,
Reconciled, a new day.
Hamlet, town now joined as one,
Remember the dead as we bask in the sun,
And one by one, we spread our smiles.

2. From North to South, we all join hands,
From fields long abandoned to mountainous lands,
We'll ford deep streams, climb over hills.
From hamlets to the cities,
We embrace with glee an eternal circle :
Dead and living, one are we.



Nối vòng tay lớn
(Trịnh Công Sơn)

Rừng núi dang tay nối lại biển xa
Ta đi vòng tay lớn mãi để nối sơn hà
Mặt đất bao la anh em ta về
Gặp nhau mừng như bão cát
Quay cuồng trời rộng bàn tay ta nắm
Nối tròn một vòng Việt Nam

Cờ nối gió đêm vui mỗi ngày
Dòng máu nối con tim đồng loại
Dựng tình người trong ngày mới
Thành phố nối thôn xa vời vợi
Người chết nối linh thiêng vào đời
Và nụ cười nối trên môi

Từ Bắc vô Nam nối liền nắm tay
Ta đi từ đồng hoang vu vượt hết núi đồi
Vượt thác cheo leo tay ta vượt đèo
Từ quê nghèo lên phố lớn
Nắm tay nối liền biển xanh sông gấm
Nối liền một vòng tử sinh.

July 12, 2008 - Harriman State Park

Back to our hiking season, this time we went to Harriman State Park. It's bigger than Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, we visited two weeks before. There are mountains and lakes. The trail was bit more challenging this time. The evidence was that after eating a quarter of an average-size watermelon, I felt like my legs were cemented on the rocks. You can see how happy I was when I was on top of mountain (or hill?).



Yah, now it's easy to get down to the ground.



... and enjoyed fishing time

A gift

This is a gift from "someone". I love it very much. Every day, I put those marigolds in front of the house, before I go to school, so that they can enjoy summer's sunshine. In the late afternoon, I water them when I come home. Then, I bring them to the porch, behind the living room door. There, they can enjoy sunset (and I can gaze at them). Wait and see how they will grow up.
Thanks "there" alot :)

Yah, now you should come here and see I have done good job

July 4, 2008

I went to NYC some times, enjoyed broadway shows, bars, shopping, having dinner on boat tour; but NYC haven't , really, attracted me much. Even though I am living close to NYC now, it is very convenient to catch a train to there; but it's the last thing I want to do, I guess.
Last week, I were there with 3 friends for a special day, Independence Day. After walking, watching, eating around for almost whole day, finally we settled down for fireworks . We sat on shower curtain, played cards, and ate tons of fruits IN THE RAIN. It's fun to play cards, and hold an umbrella at the same time :)
The fireworks weren't as beautiful as I expected,but didn't matter. We had something to remember :)