Quantum ( 量子 ) computers have been on my mind a lot lately. A friend has been sending me articles on how quantum computers might help solve some of the biggest challenges we face as humans. I’ve also had exchanges with two quantum-computing experts. One is computer scientist Chris Johnson who I see as someone who helps keep the field honest. The other is physicist Philip Taylor.

For decades, quantum computing has been little more than a laboratory curiosity. Now, big tech companies have invested in quantum computing, as have many smaller ones. According to Business Weekly, quantum machines could help us “cure cancer, and even take steps to turn climate change in the opposite direction.” This is the sort of hype ( 炒作 ) that annoys Johnson. He worries that researchers are making promises they can’t keep. “What’s new,” Johnson wrote, “is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers.”

As quantum computing attracts more attention and funding, researchers may mislead investors, journalists, the public and, worst of all, themselves about their work’s potential. If researchers can’t keep their promises, excitement might give way to doubt, disappointment and anger, Johnson warns. Lots of other technologies have gone through stages of excitement. But something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype, Johnson suggests, perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.” And that brings me back to Taylor, who suggested that I read his book Q for Quantum.

After I read the book, Taylor patiently answered my questions about it. He also answered my questions about PyQuantum, the firm he co-founded in 2016. Taylor shares Johnson’s concerns about hype, but he says those concerns do not apply to PyQuantum.

The company, he says, is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin ( 幅度 )” to building a “useful” quantum computer, one that “solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise.” He adds, “People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others.”

Could PyQuantum really be leading all the competition “by a wide margin”, as Taylor claims? I don’t know. I’m certainly not going to advise my friend or anyone else to invest in quantum computers. But I trust Taylor, just as I trust Johnson.

According to findings of a survey by Citi and Seventeen Magazine, nearly four out of five (almost 80 percent) college students work while attending college, with the average work load of 19 hours per week. But should college students work while at college? Many factors should be considered.

One benefit of working while in college is that it can help build your resume, regardless of whether the job is in your field, according to an article at Scholarships.com. "If you're lucky enough to find a job that closely relates to your major, you could get a leg up on the rest of your class once you graduate, because you'll have more experience in your chosen field," according to the article.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for working while earning a degree is the money. While it's unlikely to entirely finance your education through a part-time or full-time job, you can still make quite a dent(削减) in the college bill by working.

But some students prefer not to work while earning a degree so they can focus on getting the best grades. It's true that you'll have more time to stay at school if you don't work, provided you use that time wisely. If you feel like even 10-15 hours a week of work will hurt your grades, then perhaps you should not consider working.

Working a part-time or full-time job can take away time from social activities, according to a You University TV article. "Trying to balance a job and your college studies, and taking a job can cut down your time to hang out with friends," according to writer Dave Potts.

In addition to missing out on hanging out with your friends, working during college could prevent you from attending a number of campus events, such as movies on the lawn or football games. While you may be able to land a job that's flexible, it seems unlikely they'll let you choose your own schedule.

So should students work at college? The decision should be made on a case-by-case basis. Some students can also thrive in school while working, whereas others can't.

A culture's values can be mirrored by its humor.Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes,who,in"On Nature",disliked humor,"Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others."He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness.

However,Mordechai Gordon,PhD of Education,insists,"Humor allows us to view the world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious."I agree with Gordon.Learning to look at the world through humor is important.

In the United States,every four years an election occurs.Without humor as a way to express their feelings,how would Americans be willing to support the election?Television shows like "The Daily Show" have become important parts of American culture.They are mothering the masses by unconsciously inputting politics into our mouths.They make politics fun.

Of course, politics is only one type of humor.Social humor helps people through the twists and turns of the human condition.American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self image.On the topic of self-image,Hari Kondabolu stands out.He has a joke about the popular musical group "The Pussycat Dolls",describing their hit song "Don't Cha" as a negative representation of women.He points out an obvious offence in American culture.

A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner.Amongst other things,mates look for an outstanding funny bone in a potential partner.

Of course,humor is not always used for good purposes.Humor can be linked to vulgarity（粗俗）and racism,but, like everything else,it has potential to unite human beings by allowing us to laugh at ourselves,our failures and our connection with one another.

Though life may seem tough and depressing at times,all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles（皱纹）to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of.

With that in mind,remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity.