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Leo Huang

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艾玛空间

Exploring the Unknown

公告

I love my Blackberry!
October 27

有没有人告诉你 (second try)

伴奏来源:http://wo99.com/
混音软件:Cool Edit Pro 2.1
麦克:普通电脑用外置麦克
 

October 02

音乐会纪实

image 西雅图交响乐团在美国不算顶尖的乐团,来这以后一直没去听过。时隔多年,有点怀念以前在北京和哥伦布听现场音乐会的情形了。这次在特殊的日子正好碰上个好曲目--《孟德尔松小提琴协奏曲》,欣欣前往。

孟德尔松的这个曲目就不用说了,脍炙人口。小提琴第一个乐句一出来,俺的鼻子就酸了。小提琴家Isabelle Faust我不熟,咱这个外行就是听热闹,不敢妄加评论。

下半场是马勒的第五交响曲。马勒,马勒,俺大学时听过一次,就没听明白。时至今日,还是不会欣赏。节目单上写着Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor,恩,看来还是编程高手,不知会不会C++?这老哥用了一大堆乐器,是一个指挥难度很高的交响曲,可把指挥忙坏了。你说你何苦非要指挥这个曲目,来点通俗好听的不好吗?第三个乐章带有舞曲性质,乐曲总算欢快了点。指挥把一个吹圆号的老哥给叫到台中间,我注意到这老哥没事就把圆号给转几个圈,居然敢在指挥跟前耍花样?后来猜想可能是要把圆号里的口水给倒出来,这岂不是满地的。。。?

我们的位置正中靠前,音响效果很好。从我们的位置望去,满场的银发,全是老头老太,起个座都要费半天劲。不由感慨等他们听不动音乐会了以后,还有谁来支持古典音乐会。老婆敏锐的指出,这是因为是周五,只有老头老太不用上班,周末的场就不一样了。有道理。

五个乐章的马勒终于结束了,真累。还是孟德尔松好。


September 22

Taking Train From Seattle to Portland

(The following photos were taken by my phone)

IMG00043-20090920-1554 

King Street Station. 100 years old.

IMG00037-20090920-1437

Passing by the water. There were people on the beach waving to us. One of them held his kid (waving) high to us. I wonder why nobody waves to the passing train in China.

IMG00039-20090920-1448

Under a bridge

IMG00030-20090919-1133

The Coast Starlight train is double-decked. It has a formal dining cart, and a sunroof cart which Emma loved very much.

The end.

September 05

Be Financially Responsible For Yourself

我们的大学教育,包括美国的,缺了很重要的一堂课--Personal Finance. 走出校园的毕业生们,意气风发的走上工作岗位,把工作做得出色,加班,climbing the laddar,yada yada. 银行的存款渐渐多起来,还有一个叫401K的东东也在日积月累。突然,2008年,一个叫金融危机的monster一口气吃掉了许多日子积累起来的财富。平时的节省--这个那个的coupon,开车老大远得来的deal--与这个monster相比之下是那么的渺小。其实,如果花一点点的功夫在Personal Finance上,这个效果—making money using money or protecting the nest eggs--很可能远远超出平时的节俭。

如果你能回答一下问题,you can be financially responsible for yourself.

  • Do you contribute to your 401K accounts? Why? If you do, can you explain your contribution strategy?
  • What’s ROTH IRA? Does it apply to you?
  • How often do you check your 401K accounts? Do you believe in buy-and-hold? Why?
  • What’s the difference between mutual funds and ETF?
  • What kind of role do bonds play in your portfolio?
  • What’s an index fund? What’s a value stock, and what’s a growth stock?
  • What’s the impact of capital gain/loss on your tax?
  • Should you consider buying a house? Why?
  • What’s the impact of owning a house on your tax?
  • How to deduct childcare expenses from your tax?
  • How do you prepare for the college education of your kids?
  • How much cash should you have in your bank accounts?
  • Should you pay in cash when buying a car? Why?

以上问题对于不同家庭情况,不同目标,答案自然不同。关键是,你对这些问题是否有自己的答案。

July 31

我的家庭新成员

以为又添了宝宝?Nope!image

“上帝给了我一双挑剔的耳朵,我要用它来测听所有会发声的东西。”

我对一切会响的东西都感兴趣。家里有一套5.1的音箱,功放,一台能放SACD和DVD-Audio的DVD player(后来证明SACD和DVD-Audio还是流行不起来),两套电脑音箱,四副headphones,小耳塞若干,一个boombox,一个带3-way speakers的walkman,一个CD随身听,三个MP3 players(其中一个电池不行了)。

当然,我认为买这么多东西是有道理的,比如,四副headphones中的两副是无线耳机,连着功放,就是看电影打游戏时用,为了不吵到Emma。另一副DJ监听耳机,早先买的,听古典音乐用。最后一个较便宜些,在办公室里听歌写程序,用坏不心疼。

这次的新成员是Boston Acoustics Horizon Solo clock radio。 我对所有会响的东西音质都很挑剔,对radio clock也不例外。这个radio clock的最大特点就是音质。掂一掂就知道了,将近五磅重的一个电子钟!它只有一个喇叭,3 1/2" full-range speaker。但是由于它的音质是如此的好,让人不会注意到立体声的欠缺。它的低音充足,中音真实。欠缺的是高音,毕竟只是个radio clock。Radio reception很好很强大,没有一点噪声。用它听Jazz是个享受,萨克斯吹奏时的气流声都可以真实感受到。

其他features包括audio input(for MP3, CD),可调bass/treble,和电子钟应该具有的功能(对了,它毕竟还是个clock)。作为high-end radio clock,功夫真是做到了细微处,比如液晶屏亮度是根据光照条件自动调节的。

现在这个baby放在餐桌上,吃饭听广播或是评书俱佳。:-)

参考:CNET的review

July 25

一个真实的网络连接troubleshooting

这次碰到的这个小troubleshooting练习其实是一个很好的面试题。

先说说俺家电脑配置。有一个DSL moden,一个Netgear wireless router,台式机A和笔记本B,都在书房。A直接cable接router,B是无线接router。

问题:A上网正常,启动B进入Windows,A就掉线了。router显示Internet连接故障。

昨晚

猜想一:B到router的无线连接出了问题,并影响了router的Internet连接。

尝试一:关闭B的无线网功能。

结果:故障依旧。

尝试二:将B关机。

结果:在IE里reconnect后,A上网恢复。

我:难道B的无线网功能关闭后还能影响router,非要关机才行?不解。

今晨

尝试三:改变设置,A直接接moden,router不接moden。

结果:A上网正常。启动B进入Windows,A掉线。

我:what? moden和A是一起,B和router是一起,两边没有任何连接,how come?

尝试四:将B挪至另一个房间,看你还有鬼吗?

结果:A上网恢复。

我:见鬼了?

尝试五:将B挪回书房。

结果:A上网依旧。

我:尝试四前和尝试五后的唯一区别是B是否连接电源。难道是电源干扰?爬到桌子底下一看,果然,B的电源变压器和电话线以及DSL filter正在亲密无间。终于真相大白了。

尾声:A,B,moden and router lived happily ever after. The end.


June 28

西部李寻欢

他是个肺痨,却又嗜酒如命。他经常不停地咳嗽,有时甚至会咳出血来,咳到停不下来就用喝酒来止。

他看起来很虚弱,脸色苍白,满头虚汗。但是他的手干燥而稳定。

他拔枪很快,没有人看得清,听到枪响,才看到枪,枪口还冒着烟,人才倒下。

他的朋友不多,但是爱友如己,为朋友两肋插刀,赴汤蹈火。

他是Doc Holiday,美国西部的传奇人物。他是西部片里的李寻欢。

Val Kilmer扮演的Doc Holiday绝对是电影Tombstone中最惹眼的角色。他与快枪手Ringo之间的对决也绝对是本片的亮点。他们的第一次冲突是在赌馆里。

Johnny Ringo: [Ringo steps up to Doc] And you must be Doc Holliday.
Doc Holliday: That's the rumor.
Johnny Ringo: You retired too?
Doc Holliday: Not me. I'm in my prime.
Johnny Ringo: Yeah, you look it.
Doc Holliday: And you must be Ringo. Look, darling, Johnny Ringo. The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill, they say. What do you think, darling? Should I hate him?
Kate: You don't even know him.
Doc Holliday: Yes, but there's just something about him. Something around the eyes, I don't know, reminds me of... me. No. I'm sure of it, I hate him.
Wyatt Earp: [to Ringo] He's drunk.
Doc Holliday: In vino veritas.
["In wine is truth" meaning: "When I'm drinking, I speak my mind"]
Johnny Ringo: Age quod agis.
["Do what you do" meaning: "Do what you do best"]
Doc Holliday: Credat Judaeus apella, non ego.
["The Jew Apella may believe it, not I" meaning: "I don't believe drinking is what I do best."]
Johnny Ringo: [pats his gun] Eventus stultorum magister.
["Events are the teachers of fools" meaning: "Fools have to learn by experience"]
Doc Holliday: [gives a Cheshire cat smile] In pace requiescat.
["Rest in peace" meaning: "It's your funeral!"]
Tombstone Marshal Fred White: Come on boys. We don't want any trouble in here. Not in any language.
Doc Holliday: Evidently Mr. Ringo's an educated man. Now I really hate him.

Doc在片里的台词几乎句句出彩(Imdb里的quotes基本是都是他的)。Val给他配以一副懒散、sarcastic的嗓音,使得他的台词更加的挑衅。口上交锋,Ringo败下阵来,被激怒的他耍了一套枪花来挑衅Doc,博得众人喝彩。如果这时Doc也来耍枪花,那么他就不是Doc了,Tombstone也不会是史上最牛的西部片之一了。Doc用他喝酒的小酒杯复制了Ringo的枪花,众人大笑,Ringo只能皮笑肉不笑的悻悻走了。

影片最后,好友Wyatt Earp要去对决Ringo,问病重卧床的Doc,我能赢吗?Doc说,你没戏。Wyatt很无奈的去赴死亡之约。Doc骗来军徽,抢先赴约。Ringo心虚,不想决斗。

DARK SILHOUETTE
    I'm your huckleberry.
Ringo stiffens as the silhouette steps into the waning light. 
It's DOC, pale and drawn, looking like death itself, but awake
and ready just the same:
DOC
    Why Johnny Ringo, you look like
    Somebody just walked over your grave.
    Oh, I wasn't quite as sick as I
    Made out.
RINGO
    My fight's not with you, Holliday.
DOC
    I beg to differ.  We started a
    Fight we never got to finish.
    Play for blood, remember?
RINGO
    I was kidding about that.
DOC
    I wasn't.
    (pins on Wyatt's badge)
    And this time it's legal.
RINGO
    All right, lunger.  Let's do it.
DOC
    Say when.

枪响,Doc麻利的耍个枪花,把枪插回枪套。Ringo额头中弹,慢慢倒下,两个快枪手终于有了了断。

"Say when".