Get Rid Of Aurora/Nail.exe [General]

Recently my computer was hijacked by some pop-up programs. The major problem happened to the web browsers, both IE and the Mozilla. A pop-up called Aurora never stopped to show up. I followed the following instructions to get rid of it. If you have the same problem, you may want to also try it.

1. Download the trial version of Ewido Security Suite here. Install it, and update the definitions to the newest files. Do NOT run a scan yet.
2. Download Nailfix (For XP, For 2K). Unzip it to the desktop but please do NOT run it yet.
3. Reboot your computer in Safe Mode. Once in Safe Mode, please double-click on Nailfix.cmd. Your desktop and icons will disappear and reappear, and a window should open and close very quickly --- this is normal.
4. Then run Ewido, and run a full scan. Save the logfile from the scan.
5. Run HijackThis, click Scan, and check:"F2-REG:system.ini:Shell=Explorer.exe C:\WINDOWS\Nail.exe". Close all open windows except for HijackThis and click Fix Checked.
6. Restart your computer in normal mode and please post a new HijackThis log.

Weiwei posted @ 10:15:02 || New Haven, CT || Comments (2)

The Big Wave Surfer [Thoughtful]

Today's NATURE is talking about a historic big wave that happened in Hawaii in January 1998 and some world top surfers' life-changing experience. Every time I watch NATURE, I am always get extremely touched. Compared with the power of nature, how tiny our human beings are. But what a big heart human beings have to try very hard to conquer the nature.

I signed up the trip to North Carolina in July. This will be my first real photo as well as diving trip. Before that, I need to buy the housing and the strobe. I have had this dilemma for a long long time: besides the cost of the expensive diving trip, not to say how much I need to pay for the housing. Life is just like a big machine. Sometime I feel it's really hard to run every part to its perfection. But I am trying my very best. Whenever I experience a breath-taking moment, all the hard work is paid off.

Weiwei posted @ 18:36:56 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

A Real Capturing [Photography]

When I was a kid, I knew the carnivorous plants - those plants that feed on animals. Actually they are a kind of orchid. I heard a lot and saw some of the plants but never saw one that really captured an "animal" unitl today I saw this one - with a big spider captured. The gardener told me it's usual to see the plant capturing some tiny insects. It's really rare to see such a big thing trapped in side the plant. Isn't it amazing?

Weiwei posted @ 18:01:36 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Just Came Back [General]

Hi, I just came back from Jimmny Peak. Everything goes pretty well. I did my presentation very well and seemed lots of people were interested in the topic. I found this was a good chance to give a refresh to my project and think about what I am going to say for my interview soon. After the meeting I also drove around Rt2 and the Williams College. There is not too much during the spring in the New England forestry.

Weiwei posted @ 22:05:02 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

More Updates [General]

Sorry for the late updates recently. First of all, take a look at the picture I took this morning on the way to school. It's hard to do the handheld closeup. I got one which was sharp from about ten shots.

I was busy preparing for the conference tomorrow. There should be no problem for the slids but I need to practice a little bit more. There experiment did not go very smoothly. (Even though I had though it would not be very difficult.) But the good news is there is no fatal problem - only thing we need to do is to put more effort.

The weather is getting better and better. Just can not wait any longer for the diving season. I called my parents on the other side of the earth. They are busy modifying the whole structure of the apartment - I mean 'modifying' not 'renovating'. So it's really a big construction actually. My mom is very happy with the work.

Weiwei posted @ 10:12:43 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Student Travel Fund and Some Updates [Research]

I got the graduate student travel fund for the meeting next week to Mass from the Graduate Student Associate. I am pretty glad with it. I will give a presentation. Professor I. E. Wachs will be there, who has done so much pioneeirng work in the supported oxides catalysis.

I am very busy this week with the STM experiment. We have solved two big problems that have hindered our research a lot: one is the heater and the other is to make the anatase film conductive enough so that we can do STM experiment. Seems like the rest of the work is to do the real imaging, which is not easy at all.

Below is a picture I saw on a website. It's the scene of south China (Gui Lin) and it's amazingly beautiful. I really like it.

Weiwei posted @ 14:05:34 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Dr. Jane Goodall at Yale [General]

Please forgive me that I did not take a good picture for Dr. Goodall at Yale this afternoon. There were just too many people. I had thought it would be crowded but actually far beyond what I could imagine. I think I was the lucky one even to get in. After Min and I found the seats, somebody behind me grabbed my shoulder and shouted on me - "Put the camera away!" - even before I pushed the shutter! (I was really angry then and thought that some people do need learn a lot from chimpanzees!)

You may already know a lot about Dr. Jane Goodall. Her lecture is really touching. That's not hard to believe because it is from a person who devoted herself in the deep forest for a quater of centuray. I really like what she talked about hope - basically it's belief. These are the words from her mother:"if you really want something, and if you work hard, take advantage of the opportunities, and never give up, you will somehow find a way."

Weiwei posted @ 16:12:28 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Competition Of Camera Club [Photography]

Tonight is the last competition of the camera club of this season. I finished with the first and the second in the category. I do think about two issues: (1) I may misundertand the concept of "snapshot" and have done a little bit too much. But with a digital camera today even the snapshot can be well-done. (2) Digital manipulation. This is a topic which people are even tired of debating. My religion is no matter you shoot with digital or film, any kind of post manipulation can not transform a bad image to a good one!

I put a short flash presentation. You can watch it by click here! Hope you enjoy it!

Weiwei posted @ 22:11:33 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

General Thought - Weekend Update [General]

I spent the whole day today in the lab and ran an experiment. However, there are no very good results. That's experiment and normal. But I am pretty glad that everything about my research switched back to its normal track. And it seems like I regained my power to do it.

I cleaned the printer and finished the last several pictures for the club competition. They look very good actually. The season will finish very soon. I will put up a summary about the pictures very soon.

Another thing in my mind. I am planning some diving/photo trip for the summer and I do need a housing for my SLR. Everyone buying a housing has this dilemma: the housing costs even more than twice of the camera itself. Plus the camera is going behind very fast. But it seems I do not have better choice.

I watched the movie Kingdom of Heaven. Well it's okay for entertainment.

Weiwei posted @ 18:42:15 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Lunch - Science Saturday [General]

Professor Ramirez host a lunch reception for the success of Science Saturday program which started early this year. The lecture series drew attention of many people, beyond what had been expected. I think it is a good idea to cultivate an enviroment that young people can have chances to learn some simple ideas of good science. And I believe this is one of the most fun parts of science.

Weiwei posted @ 09:37:27 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Commemorative Stamps - American Scientists [General]

If you study science or engineering, there should be no reason you don't know Gibbs. His work formulated the modern system of thermodynamics. Gibbs recieved the first engineering PhD degree ever since in American history. He was born in New Haven, studied and worked at Yale and died in New Haven.

Gibbs was buried in Grove Street Cemetery, which is only one block from my lab. Eventhough I pass the cemetery almost everyday, it is until today that I get into to take a look. There are a big ceremony to celebrate the first day of issue of the commemorative stamps - American Scientists. Besides Gibbs, there are Barbara McClintock, John Neumann and Richard Feynman.

Weiwei posted @ 16:23:03 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Growing Anatase TiO2 (001) [Research]

Even though growing anatase TiO2 (001) is my first PhD experiment project, I am still happy for my these two days' work of growing another film. The most important reason is that we solved the problem of the heating in O2 enviroment, which has retarded my progress for a very long time.

The reliable heating will make my next several projects much easier. Seems like I am again powered up for my research work - the feeling I miss so much.

Weiwei posted @ 18:42:09 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Newport, RI [General]

After the dive, we drove around the Newport. Even though I have been here several times, this time I eventually got a shot of the huge bridge. You can check out some pictures!

Weiwei posted @ 18:26:28 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)

Diving in Fort Getty, RI [    ]

I dove with Don's class today in Fort Getty, RI. It's basically the first dive of the new season. I remember I had my first open water dive this day the last year.

It was very cold last year. But today the situation is much better than I expected. It's not very cold and the visibility is not bad. I dove with John, Tom and Mark. Chi drove all of us from Yale all the way to Fort Getty. I really appreciate for the ride.

I hope I will enjoy the new season of the diving yet I still do not have any idea about my job hunting. But no matter what will happen, I will do all my best effort and be the most optimistic.

I get several very sharp shots underwater. I really like the flounder shot below.

Weiwei posted @ 18:14:08 || New Haven, CT || Comments (0)