The good shepherd is one of the longest movies I have ever seen. It lasts for almost 3 hours, twice as long as most of the movies.
This movie is about the life of a legendary spy. But it's nothing like the glamorous 007 movie. The story is realistic and slow paced, sometimes even boring. There are so many characters that I have difficulties in recognizing who is whom. The plot is so complicated and there are so many metaphors so that I have to replay certain parts to find out what is really going on. It's the kind of mind-challenging movies that you'll have to keep focused all the time. However, you might not understand all of it even then.
Matt gives a mediocre performance, but there are no much room for him to shine. I guess he is better playing these bad guys such as "the talented Riply".Angelina Julie looks absolutely fantastic even for the character in her twenties. And she looks credible for a sad wife and worried mother too.
Not bad for the first movie directed by Robert Deniro. But I still think he is better at acting than directing. I believe this movie is worth seeing but don't keep your hopes too high. I'll give it 6.5/10.
28 January 2007
Wi-Fi Router
Recently, I bought a wireless router. Kind of regret that I didn't try it before.
The speed is much faster than I expected. The downloading of my ADSL is still reachable at 70K bytes. I can hardly feel any difference between now and before. Not too expensive too. It set me back with only about 200 RMB.
With this router, I am finally able to go online wirelessly with my laptop in all the rooms of my apartment. Also, if I go back to my parents house during the spring festival, we'll be able to surf on line with the desktop and my laptop at the same time. Maybe we can do a little cheating with the card online game too. Isn't that wonderful?
The speed is much faster than I expected. The downloading of my ADSL is still reachable at 70K bytes. I can hardly feel any difference between now and before. Not too expensive too. It set me back with only about 200 RMB.
With this router, I am finally able to go online wirelessly with my laptop in all the rooms of my apartment. Also, if I go back to my parents house during the spring festival, we'll be able to surf on line with the desktop and my laptop at the same time. Maybe we can do a little cheating with the card online game too. Isn't that wonderful?
25 January 2007
Big love
Recently, I have finished another TV serie: Big love, season 1. It's a story about polygamy. In other words, it's about a family with one husband and three wives. It's really fun to watch and I strongly recommend it.
I don't know much about mormons people. I am under the impression that they often wear dark clothes and have very long hair and beard. Polygamy is also what they are famous for.
Many people like me might consider mormon men lucky. But after I finished the first season, sympathy is what I really feel. Polygamy comes with great responsibility. Here are some necessities for a qualified mormon man.
1. You have to work very hard to earn a lot of money. It's certainly not easy to raise a family, expecially when you have 2-digit wives and 3-digit children. And it seems traditional mormon women don't work at all.
2. You have to be super strong and super healthy. Not just physically, which is pretty obvious, but also mentally. You have to be able to pull yourself together when the wives are fighting and the children are crying. It requires no less energy of running a family than running a company.
3. You have to be a good liar. Since polygamy is not allowed by the law, it is usually frowned uopn by others. All the wives but the first have to publicly live as neighbors. All you family members have to careful not to reveal themselves. Or you career or reputation will be severely damaged. And many, many more...
Knowing these, I guess most men won't be jealous of them anymore. But of course, they have their own fun and live as a big happy family. Still, there are many hostile opnions upon them, expecially from those Christians. In my opnion, as long as they don't hurt people or break the law, I guess it's nobody's business but their own.
I don't know much about mormons people. I am under the impression that they often wear dark clothes and have very long hair and beard. Polygamy is also what they are famous for.
Many people like me might consider mormon men lucky. But after I finished the first season, sympathy is what I really feel. Polygamy comes with great responsibility. Here are some necessities for a qualified mormon man.
1. You have to work very hard to earn a lot of money. It's certainly not easy to raise a family, expecially when you have 2-digit wives and 3-digit children. And it seems traditional mormon women don't work at all.
2. You have to be super strong and super healthy. Not just physically, which is pretty obvious, but also mentally. You have to be able to pull yourself together when the wives are fighting and the children are crying. It requires no less energy of running a family than running a company.
3. You have to be a good liar. Since polygamy is not allowed by the law, it is usually frowned uopn by others. All the wives but the first have to publicly live as neighbors. All you family members have to careful not to reveal themselves. Or you career or reputation will be severely damaged. And many, many more...
Knowing these, I guess most men won't be jealous of them anymore. But of course, they have their own fun and live as a big happy family. Still, there are many hostile opnions upon them, expecially from those Christians. In my opnion, as long as they don't hurt people or break the law, I guess it's nobody's business but their own.
20 January 2007
Painted Veil
Painted Veil is a nice movie I recently saw. Tyler Durden and KingKong girl both gave excellent performance. Most importantly, the movie was shot in southern China and most scenes were incredibly beautiful with mountains and rivers. I did some background checking and found that the title was from a poem by Shelly. Don't we all have painted veils?
Here goes the poem:
Lift not the painted veil which those who live
Call Life: though unreal shapes be pictured there,
And it but mimic all we would believe
With colours idly spread:--behind, lurk Fear
And Hope, twin destinies; who ever weave
The shadows, which the world call substance, there.
I knew one who lifted it--he sought,
For his lost heart was tender, things to love
But found them not, alas! nor was there aught
The world contains, the which he could approve.
through the unheeding many did move,
A splendour among shadows, a bright blot
Upon this gloomy scene, a Spirit that strove
For truth, and like the Preacher found it not.
By Percy Bysshe Shelley, Sonnet IV in Posthumous Poems
Here goes the poem:
Lift not the painted veil which those who live
Call Life: though unreal shapes be pictured there,
And it but mimic all we would believe
With colours idly spread:--behind, lurk Fear
And Hope, twin destinies; who ever weave
The shadows, which the world call substance, there.
I knew one who lifted it--he sought,
For his lost heart was tender, things to love
But found them not, alas! nor was there aught
The world contains, the which he could approve.
through the unheeding many did move,
A splendour among shadows, a bright blot
Upon this gloomy scene, a Spirit that strove
For truth, and like the Preacher found it not.
By Percy Bysshe Shelley, Sonnet IV in Posthumous Poems
CFA Level II
A couple of days ago, I got the result for my CFA level I exam: pass. I am so excited with this outcome because I really worked my ass off then. Here goes my detailed result (marked with *):
As you can see, I am troubled by those financial statements, which I have never liked or been good at. Unfortunately, I might also have some ethical problems : (. Both of them are heavily weighted and almost add up to half of the credits.
Now that I have got the new curriculum and started preparing for level II of this June. Although I have no plan of being an accountant in the future, the problems will still be haunting me, since these two topics will carry even more weights. Isn't it ironic?
| Q# | Topic | Max Pts | <=50% | 51%-70% | >70% |
| - | Alternative Assets | 12 | - | * | - |
| - | Derivatives | 12 | - | - | * |
| - | Economics | 24 | - | - | * |
| - | Equity Analysis | 24 | - | - | * |
| - | Ethical & Professional Stnds. | 36 | - | * | - |
| - | Financial Statement Analysis | 68 | - | * | - |
| - | Fixed Income Analysis | 24 | - | - | * |
| - | General Portfolio Management | 12 | - | - | * |
| - | Quantitative Analysis | 28 | - | - | * |
As you can see, I am troubled by those financial statements, which I have never liked or been good at. Unfortunately, I might also have some ethical problems : (. Both of them are heavily weighted and almost add up to half of the credits.
Now that I have got the new curriculum and started preparing for level II of this June. Although I have no plan of being an accountant in the future, the problems will still be haunting me, since these two topics will carry even more weights. Isn't it ironic?
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