Monday, September 28, 2009

征佣启事


岁月如矢,倏忽三十载,遇人无数,昔日的纯朴天真不再。如今,多了份沉着,多了份谨慎,多了份远虑。长期顾家有道的辅助即将离去,但家不可一日无佣。想是危急之秋将近,吾虽躬读於清华,反思再三,仍无良策,以至寝食难安,伤身伤神。叹焉世态炎凉,贤助难求,幸得友人献计曰:可于新闻纸上,出银若干,刊一证人启事,自有有心人。然静心忖度,无妨一试。吾誓以礼相待,以诚相交。

为防招摇撞骗,心怀鬼胎者,征者必备条件十条。

一,自视智理平上即可;缺乏智慧信心者勿扰。
二,思路清晰,口才一流;缺乏表达,理解能力者免谈。
三,以礼相待,以诚相交,坚守三从四德之祖训,乃服务业之本。
四,勤奋好学,与时并进,方能分担解忧之一二。
五,体格健壮,三尺之垣,需一跃而过,有遮风挡雨之能。
六,可谈音律诗画,解风情。 精于查言观色,解人意。
七,肤白身高,端庄靓丽;惊世脱俗者吾请不起,身形样貌欠佳者吾留不下。
八,无烟酒之嗜好,无情债损友之缠身,乃洁身自爱之本。
九,心胸有海量,能忍人所不能忍。
十,一心一意,忠心不二,以吾为尊。

今告白四海:凡属有意者,男女不分,岁限三十(太年轻不懂事,太年老没精力),以书信为介,以己为题,禁吹捧,禁废谈,禁虚构,字限二千,附件自画一幅和诚意三千,现金支票皆可。

Meteor


"Meteor," the two-part miniseries, is long, predictable and ultimately boring. The only reason I bear the pain of the 3 hour or so ordeal is probably a curiosity to see how bad it can get.

The giant asteroid Kassandra has been knocked out of its orbit and is heading toward Earth.
With showers of debris meteorites already knocking out hospitals and airplanes, Kassandra is somewhere between 24 and 48 hours from direct collision with Earth, which will be what scientists succinctly term "an extinction event."


What puzzles me is that the geniuses of the world cannot come up with a better plan than to use brute force to take on the asteroid head on. Then the resulting debris will still be extinction resulting. The fact that a movie junkie like me took about a second to come up with a better alternative proves the lameness and childishness of the plot. Come on, for a world ending event, the task force is ridiculously small and amateurish. How is there only one person who can come up with the coordinates of the trajectory of the asteroid (And I don't see many others trying.) ? The mad genius, played by Christopher Llyod, didn’t even make it a half hour past the opening before being randomly killed by a hit and run. Climax or anti-climax, you decide.

The side stories can be quite a nice complement to create a panicky and urgent mood to the film but at last, they failed miserably. What is with this lunatic who is obsessed with getting his revenge yet is always late to pull the trigger or kill the main cast when he has his chances? Other sub-casts are easily ridden off without any hesitation. And by this time, when the perp. Is down, why wouldn’t you shoot him in the head and make sure he is permanently dead? Too many clichés and loopholes just kept the disappointments coming.

The director needs to learn that to create an atmosphere for a global catastrophe, you cannot be focused on US and Mexico. If you want to throw in side-stories, make sure to link them cohesively and not jumping from place to place while confusing the hell out of audiences. And also, next time, please do not choose a place like Taft to focus 90% of the story. Even if you do small towns stories, make sure the big cities shots are not neglected for a more complete effect.

For some reason, I am compelled to think the film makers were trying to portray Americans largely as a pack of jackals who face a crisis by behaving as abominably as possible -- whether hoarding necessities and selling them at wildly inflated prices or instantly turning uncivilized and taking shots at one another. Perhaps it is a cry against social perversity, nonetheless, it is still missing a comparison with how other countries are dealing with the threat.

The special effects of the meteors are spectacular at times but too few to mention. One last thing, endings are meant for closures or at least a corridor to a sequel. This ending was ineffective in either case. I would assume after a life-threatening event, people will think more about what they really want to do and how they want to live their lives. Instead of focusing on the few characters which did not seem to have much of a change other than being a little grateful, it would be more interesting to see how people are coping with life after the crisis, what they are doing to prevent a similar future threat and perhaps how social mentality have changed.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Global issues require global effort


Friday evening, the heads of the world's 20 biggest economies encompassing 85% of global economic activity, will have dined, met, lunched, met again, and made their pronouncements. If history is any judge, this will end up being a 24-hour series of photo ops producing little if none at all immediate or lasting results.

Certainly, weighty issues are on the table: rebalancing world commerce, reforming the global financial system, reining in executive pay, fending off protectionism, and plotting out how to extricate national governments from deep involvement in the financial markets. However, the most successful events have been those bringing together technocrats and finance ministers over extended periods. Only during times of crisis, such as last fall’s financial crisis, having a forum like the G-20 will be invaluable as a speedy communication and cooperation forum.

It is hard to imagine that world leaders would reach consensus to coordinate stimulus spending, monetary policy, and other moves to stabilize the economy in normal times. Desperation eliminates many of the unnecessary options and leaves you with the bare necessities. No more redundant procedure or idealistic differences.

Surely, pressing issues of the summit would be to ensure the US continues to save more and spend less while China steps up its nascent shift toward a more consumer-driven economy and away from exports. Such would counter the slowdown of worldwide growth as we strive for economic balance and stability.

On trade, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization reports more than 100 protectionist measures, which include a U.S. ban on certain Mexican trucks from operating in the U.S. and a "Buy American" provision in the Administration's $787 billion stimulus package.

Another issue that is likely to arise again is efforts by China, Russia, and other countries to create some other form of reserve global currency in addition to the dollar.

While the G20 is not structured to examine the scarcity of resources or the effects of global warming, I feel it is time for a cooperative effort to rectify the situation.

Since the Chinese, Indians and Russians have entered the market economy, the number of employed people worldwide has doubled, to about 3 billion. Vast new markets and low-wage production countries have developed, with serious consequences for the consumption of energy and water.

Oil consumption has increased by more than 25 percent since 1990, while the consumption of natural gas has grown by more than 50 percent. Fossil fuel production is becoming more and more difficult and costly.

The scarcity of water is even more serious. Global water use has doubled since 1950, and even as large segments of the world population lack adequate access to clean water, more and more water is being used in food production. For example, more than 1,000 liters of water are consumed to produce one kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of bread, while producing a kilo of beef uses up almost 16,000 liters of water.

We have reached the point at which the Earth's regeneration capacity is being stretched too thin. Theoretically, humanity today already needs 1.3 planets to maintain its lifestyle. If everyone were as wasteful as the Americans, five planets would not be enough. Not to mention that by 2050 the world's population will have increased by 2 billion needing food, clothing and shelter.

Given the Earth's limited system, the economy clearly cannot grow indefinitely. From an ecological perspective, this is the fundamental contradiction within the logic of growth. As economies mature, it automatically becomes more difficult for them to sustain their rates of growth. The principle is clear: Resource consumption must be decoupled from growth.

This is effectively what representatives of the world's governments will be discussing when they meet in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. But, I remain reserved as to how effective the meeting will be. The UNO (A.K.A “Organization of the Useless Nations”) continues to be nothing more than a rubber stamp or a high-profile excuse for the America’s dominance.

We need change and perhaps, the world is changing, but we are far from our goal.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Real estate bubble and global crisis overview


It is no longer a surprise that following real-estate frenzies, home-owners, developers and major financial institutions end up seriously overleveraged in real estate and real-estate related assets. Credit ratings by major rating agencies are inadequate prediction of bubbles leading to underestimation of the risk involved in subprime and other mortgage instruments.
Ultimately, responsibility for the fate of many failed financial firms must fall on the CEOs who were blinded by the seemingly high profitability of financing the housing market and failed to control risk and leverage of their institutions.

The real estate market is a two-sided mirror, posing grave risk and dangers but also promising great returns when they do deliver. As history has shown, real estate boom leads to bullish stock markets, stronger consumer spending and growth in related industries. Who wouldn’t want a real estate boom?

However, the underlying principle to a sustainable and healthy economy and financial system is that prices need to be justified. Evidence should be readily available to prove the market value is reasonable and affordable by means of true demand and supply. True demand and supply are often hidden under the guise of profitability. It is important to recognize market manipulation, and effectively analyze the effect it has on demand and supply.

Dubai offers an example of things to come if a property bubble develops and then bursts. Dubai real estate, leaping skywards both physically and financially, enjoyed a final blowout in early 2008. It seemed an exciting alternative to wobbly stock markets for what investors' cash remained in the system. But after September, it all turned out to have been a Ponzi scheme in disguise. Dubai's trademark developers had been encouraged to sell off-plan sites low to create a feeding frenzy of "flippers" who sold unfinished properties to each other at ever higher prices.

Now leading in real estate price drop, Dubai real estate is down over 47% by the second quarter of 2009. Some of Dubai's most celebrated companies teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Do I dare draw comparison to Canada? Multiple offers are back and there are hints of a shift to a sellers’ market. The financial crisis has pushed interest rates down to unthinkable levels but unlike US counterparts, Canadian mortgage credit is still flowing. Housing demand will be dampened if full-time employment continues to decline. The uptrend in part-time employment is not an effective substitute as far as housing markets are concerned. The condo-market is over-supplied. In contrast to the low-rise market, the number of completed but unsold condos is up sharply. Developers are resorting to large price reductions to move condo sales. New construction financing is hard to find. Securitization is still shut-down in Canada and bank lending terms and conditions are expensive for both condo and commercial real estate developers. In the commercial sector, office rents are declining and vacancy rates are rising. Existing tenants are downsizing in an effort to control costs and sub-lease space is up sharply.

The recession in US is likely over in August. The current stock market rally will not last and a second-guessing in global stock markets will probably be kicking in soon. While this should not signal an impending economic stall-out, it would be a reassessment of economic prospects. Note that there has been a discrepancy between stock market and bond market behaviour this summer. Stocks have reflected expectations of a robust V-shaped and a sustainable economic recovery. Bonds have been signaling slow growth and non-existent inflation risk.

Also note that consumer spending and inventories are currently growth drivers, having revived respectably in Canada and US. Unfortunately, inventory levels are still far too high in Canada and inventories will not provide an additional growth boost. Even though consumer finances and the retail outlook are in better shape in Canada, surplus inventories will dampen the initial upturn in output.

Employment, always a lagging indicator, would be helped by less extreme payroll downsizing. Yet faced with a balance sheet recession and the need to remain solvent, companies might continue to cut payroll headcounts and reduce per-worker wage levels, albeit a more comfortable pace.

Canada’s current account balance of payments deficit is running at $44.8 Billion (annualized). This is 3% of GDP, back to the early 90s levels. Normally a C/A deficit this large would be bad news for the CAD as the foreign exchange market does not appreciate C/A deficits this large. However, the CAD has been rising as there has been a big increase in net capital inflows that has more than offset the increase in the C/A deficit. However, the surge in net capital inflows is likely to be temporary while the C/A deficit could be longer term. This translates to downside risk for the CAD as foreign investors might not be as willing to invest heavily into Government of Canada bonds when they realize how far Canada’s government finances have deteriorated (Budget deficits for next 5 fiscal years).

Canada’s leading economic indicator index is not as robust as the US index. More of concern is the decline of Canada’s exports of goods , some 35% over the 12 months ended July. Exports of energy products, down 50% year to year are the largest losers. Given the large continuing surplus in natural gas markets, and historically low natural gas export prices, Canada’s trade performance in energy is unlikely to improve anytime soon. Looking beyond the government induced jump in US auto sales, Canada’s export outlook for automotive and industrial products also remains soft. Job market weakness may therefore rein-in consumer spending growth and home sales. The August increase in employment was entirely attributable to part-time hiring.

Meanwhile, the US economy is growing again but the “recovery” is misleading. Full employment would be delayed until 2013 with improvement in economic conditions hard to detect. Many lagging indicators such as bankruptcies and bank failures will continue to give negative signals. GDP and growth rates have been positive with strong federal government spending and a swing to inventory accumulation. Consumer spending has stabilized. Auto sales, a major industry, will decline rapidly. Residential construction activity is beginning to edge higher while house prices stopped declining in many cities. Business capital spending is also inching higher. Export numbers are at their highest level since last December.

Domestic spending is providing an increasingly important economic boost in the emerging economies. China, being on the center stage is showing huge year to year gains in crude oil consumption and industrial production. Meanwhile China’s exports are running 20% below year-earlier levels. Motor vehicle market in China, India and Brazil is now running well in excess of the trend in US market. As such, unemployment is declining in emerging economies.

The mature overseas industrial countries are beginning to join the emerging country recovery with Germany and France recovering earlier than expected. Starting with noticeable improvement in export order, economic conditions are stabilizing and confidence is improving both for consumers and businesses. This has led to a higher floor for a wide range of commodity prices. Energy and oil are still at desperate levels reflective of weakened demand from US markets. Meanwhile Gold has broken the $1000 mark as nickel and copper are setting new heights, a clear indication that inflation is in progress.

多么完美的老婆(网上故事)


随着熙熙攘攘的人流挤进车厢,有很多人先冲进来来的人都抢到了座位,虽然我位置比较靠前,但我没去抢,

因为我觉得在车门打开的一刹那冲进去,找到座位后把屁股狠狠的放在上面这一举动显得很不雅。

我站在靠门的一侧,琢磨着晚上回去吃什么。一阵悦耳的铃音响起,我这才注意到在我的右侧站着一位女孩子 ,人很漂亮,长长的头发如瀑布倾泻而下,一袭长群将她衬托的宛若人间仙子。

她接电话的时候笑的很甜蜜:老公,我在车上了。什么?你又加班啊?到几点啊?怎么也12点啊?太晚了,你在单位下面的饭店吃点吧,别吃太油腻的东西,还有,天太热,别吃辣的,容易上火。少抽点烟,晚上你打车回来吧?提前给我打个电话,我到小区门口接你。恩,恩,我随便吃点就行,好,好,88。

多么体贴的妻子啊,不禁艳羡。

到**足球场时,她的电话又响了,她又接起电话:老公怎么啦?回来吃啊?不是要加班吗?哦,那太好了,你想吃点什么?我回去就去买菜,没事,不麻烦,我去咱家楼下的超市,家里有豆角,我把豆角择好,我再买点西红柿吧,什么?给你炒米饭?好的,蛋炒饭吧?没问题,水果我就不买了,冰箱里还有半个西瓜,咱就吃西瓜吧。恩,行,我给你榨西瓜汁…………

听得我都妒忌了,唉,标准的贤妻良母啊。她似乎并不关心这是在车上,身边还有很多人,也许她觉得尽管人很多,但谁都不认识谁,下车各走各的,所以,她还在继续:老公,你早点回来哦,路上小心,哦,吃完饭我就不出去玩了,我还得先把你的衣服洗了…………

天啊,做这么多活还洗衣服,有这样的老婆,此生也真该知足了,我忽然很想看看她的老公是什么样,一个如 此幸福的人是什么样。

车到**中路的时候,这位贤妻拿着电话又拨了一个号码,说话的声音明显比刚才小,但离我比较近,我相信身边几个人还是能听到的,内容如下:

你别过来了,我老公一会就回来,他不加班了。

我不知道电话那边说什么,只见女孩子认真的听着电话,沉默了一会说,面露愁容的说:恩,我也是……我也爱你…………



看完,不知该哭还是笑。不过,渐渐明白了现今社会早已经非我所想,也不用执著。如果要骗,希望她能骗她老公一辈子。

Emmys 2009 Opening Act - Neil Patrick Harris - Put Down the Remote

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Modern Dating


王羽佳

王羽佳1987年出生于北京,自6岁起学习钢琴。一次偶然机会,王羽佳在公众场合练琴虫虫钢琴博客g*Kb%f[;{4A2Q
被音乐公司经理人看中,从此跻身国际舞台。2001年王羽佳获得德国第二届“塞勒国际虫虫钢琴博客.fh.TzW-EE
钢琴比赛”少年组第一名后,德国媒体赞许她“诗意诠释了李斯特的作品”。华盛顿一虫虫钢琴博客,m/XTrB;k t*U B W
演出管理公司的副总裁马克·阿尔伯特在听过她的演奏后赞不绝口:“王羽佳有一天将
(}1g`1l�E.| S0会成为第二个李云迪,她将会让更多的人吃惊。” 现在,王羽佳就读于美国费虫虫钢琴博客0Qh/Q1t+J
城Crutis音乐学院,师从于郎朗的恩师加里格拉夫曼。2005~2006乐季,王羽佳代替钢
L ZPP,fOEU0琴家鲁普与祖克曼指挥的渥太华国家艺术中心乐团合作,演出贝多芬第四钢琴协奏曲。
KNC5KL8x j#f/F+A0演出后,她立即受邀继续与其合作演出肖邦第一钢琴协奏曲,于是外界一致期待她破茧虫虫钢琴博客#[#L$OFD
成为“女版郎朗”。


超强的记忆力: 王羽佳天生对音乐有着超强的记忆力,储存在脑海中的钢琴曲容量达200余首,协奏曲30多首。更难得的是,她连协奏曲中乐团伴奏的部分都记得十分清楚,所以女版面对头天通知第二天便演出这样临时的情况完全难不倒她,而她也很喜欢这样的挑战。



Friday, September 18, 2009

甘婷婷 - 新潘金莲














生日:2月5日

身高:165 cm

体重:42 kg

星座:水瓶座

Hugh Jackman Medley

Man, he is talented.


Thursday, September 17, 2009

原是梦遗


言情,而不悉情之所由始,为心迹而感动,因感动而梦牵,因梦牵而情痴。一种情缘,隐约之中環環相扣,朦朧之中心心相連。恍然,原是梦遗。

是如仙境般的心境。一幅绚丽的夕景,火烧云在蔚蓝底色的天空上连成一片,幻化出满天绚烂的晚霞,也将整片大地印的绯红。山风呼啸,阳光懒散的洒在小溪中,瀑布打下来的水汇成急沿着石道往山下冲去。鱼儿舒服地停滞在湍急的溪流中享受上苍的恩赐,或而轻抖尾鳍,嗖的穿到上游。山涧的鸟雀鸣唱嬉闹。湍水宁鳞,风林静羽。直到夜幕垂落,星点罗布,银月当空,心欲静而不止。

“似此星辰非昨夜, 为谁风露立中宵”

相思苦,相思疼,慌觉天已变色中。雷电肆虐、暴雨如注,幸好,并非孤独,昏沉中,有个熟悉的人陪着,温暖着,守护着。望着你:玉骨冰肌,揮雲而揭雪;花容月貌,尤过沉鱼落雁;蓮步輕移,恍如飛燕之舞;蘭室靜坐,疑是仙姬之居。那柔和脱俗的神态在淡淡的夜光下散发出无限的写意。时有貌似天仙的惊艳,时有娇弱可人的怜爱,时有大家闺秀的矜持,时有小家碧玉的精致。迷光朦胧中,猛然驱进了我的心灵,如那场突如其来的暴雨。使得吾心旗搖動,难克自制。

时间如座停摆的钟,处处是你的身影,你的气息,你的温言细语,你的坚定,你的痛楚,你的欣悦和你的沉默。你是天上的月,皎洁而明亮,你的光芒滋润我的生命,让我尝到幸福之味;你是水中的月,靠近却不可企及,唯恐在我掌中破碎成幻影。你是云,变幻不定,每种姿态,都叫我心醉不已。你是风,随心恣意,拂过竹林,每片竹叶都为你吟唱,越过山川,回音里都是你的气息。

我握紧你颤抖的手,给你取暖,庆幸红颜知己伴身旁。雨步渐停,夕阳渐显。绿水青山,花开人间,只因你嫣然一笑。

VMO After-Concert Reception










Here to share some pictures of yet another successful music-themed house reception last night. It was also a belated birthday celebration for Keiko, the young conductor from Japan.

As usual, great music, and even though I never thought I would get tired of sushi and seafood noodles, it might be time for a menu change. As the pool of new blood livened the party, I almost forgot how tiring it is to host these parties.

Great night but for some reason, I made Sharon angry. Anyways, enjoy the pictures.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Karena Lam 林嘉欣 - Honey smile









中文名 : 林嘉欣
英文名 : Karena Lam
身高 : 162 cm
出生日期 : 1978年8月17日
出生地點 : 加拿大溫哥華
血型 : B型
家庭 : 父母, 一個姊姊, 兩個妹妹, 及一隻狗 (Snoopy仔)
語言 : 廣東話, 英文, 國語
興趣 : 看電影, 看演唱會, 閱讀及攝影
喜歡顏色 : 基本(如:黑, 海藍, 黃褐色)及粉色系列
喜歡地方 : 日本, 歐洲及夏威夷
喜歡歌星 : 張學友, Beth Orton, Fiona Apple 及 Kohji Tamamki
喜歡藝人 : 張曼玉, 梁朝偉, Winona Ryder 及 Ethan Hawke
喜歡活動 : 游泳, 潛水, 排球, 遠足及騎馬

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

A year after Lehman


The ever so eloquent Barack Obama, delivered a speech in New York on September 14th to mark the anniversary of Lehman Brothers’ failure. This was more about applying a bit of presidential pressure but spoken more like propaganda seminar.

By sketching out the rationale behind his legislative proposals for a systemic-risk regulator, a new consumer-protection agency, the need for strong capital and better resolution regimes, he reminded Congress that health care is not his only priority. If anyone needed reminding, Obama chided bonus-hungry bankers for failing to learn the lessons of Lehman while emphasizing the inadequacies of the financial regulatory system.

It is the responsibility of homeowners for taking risks they could not afford. But Obama urged banks to bring financial services to those currently outside the financial system and put the consumer-protection agency first on his list of reforms. In so doing, the cost of future failures would fall on shareholders and creditors. But it is far from clear that he will force money-market funds, a major source of bank funding, to give up their promise to return their capital to investors intact.

It is also a political stunt to pledge that in the event taxpayers ever had to step in again to rescue the system, they would get every cent back. In reality, even if taxpayers have earned a 17% return on their “investment” in banks that have since bought the government out, such figures ignore the money shelled out on too-big-to-fail institutions such as AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And they fail to adjust the returns for risk, the very sin that banks committed leading to the whole unregulated financial mess.

I suspect, many will be charmed by Obama’s ability to package and deliver the message, leading them to believe that the crisis occurred because there were no regulations, that big banks will be responsible and be allowed to fail in the future, and that the proposed constraints of finance will create a new age of prosperity.

There is no denying that reform is badly needed. But baring unrealistic risk-to-reward proportions especially for bankers and investors, people will still be greedy. This is an underlying flaw in the free market system which will lead to the same crisis all over again. Banks and big credit agencies will still fail and still need saving. Then as the gap between the rich-gets-richer and the poor-gets-poorer widens, social, political and financial reform will be eminent. The cycle continues.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Patrick Swayze - sweet goodbye


Mr. Swayze died with family at his side at age 57 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2008. He outlived his pronogsis and even went through with plans to star in “The Beast,” a new drama series for A&E, filming a complete season while undergoing treatment.

“How do you nurture a positive attitude when all the statistics say you’re a dead man? You go to work.”
Patrick Swayze

Luxury SuperCar Show
















The 2-day Luxury Super-Car Show at Plaza of Nations featured easily 70+ cars. More importantly, it featured for the first time in Canada the world’s fastest car with two v8 engines, four turbos and over 1,000 horsepower, the Buggatti Veryon.

Next in line were the makes of Lambourghinis, Mercedes and Ferraris. The McClaren clearly seems overpriced at over $600,000 with its open winged doors (not up but out). There were the discontinued Enzo, with its eye-catching bright yellow. Lambourghinis, probably about 15, had too many on display easily looking better than most of the other cars but seemingly more common. Some models that I were happy to see were the Saleen (Nice body kit), Super 7 (small and classic) and Dutch’s Spyker (old-school interior and gearshift).

On one side of the show, you have the likes of Vipers, Corvettes and other collectables that were restored with new engines or modified. There was also a little demonstration of the cellular anti-theft tracker system. And who can forget the beautiful car models which I was lucky enough to take photos with. It is hard to miss the VIP stage, which I honestly question why anyone would pay $55 more for the lounge-like setting for some refreshments and some comfortable seats.

It was a beautiful day, the sun spoiled some of the photos but overall, I was pretty satisfied and impressed with this luxury car show. One final note, the Buggatti will be available for test drive to a few privileged in a week or two. The only question is where do you find a long enough runway.