Monday, March 21, 2005

Florida - "We Know Drama" too

Federal court set to hear Schiavo's case

The Florida's case now is in the hand of the Federal court... Great, let the drama continue.

I have one questions though, quoted from Bill Maher, "Why it's always the religious people who are having the most difficult time meeting their God?"

Thursday, March 17, 2005

March Madness Again

没有NCAA男子篮球的三月是怎么样的?我不知道,也不想知道。三月疯是让人迷恋的,对很多平时不得不疯狂工作的人来说,这可是一个从天上掉下来的3-week vacation,只不过度假的地点在办公室里。大家工作的效率都降到了一个骇人听闻的地步。没人去关心市场上发生了什么,大家更关心的是自己的Final 4 picks还剩下几个。在过去两天里,我花了几乎一半的时间在上网研究我的picks,然后信心十足把我的bracket 递到我们group的小Analyst手里。这个可怜的Analyst然后要把将20多份的bracket都手工的输入电脑,然后根据实际的比赛结果来更新积分榜,看谁是领头羊。我们这个小组人不多,所以我们总共的pool也不大,很有限,大约四五百块钱的样子。在trading floor上的人就更专业点,有专门的trader making a market on various teams. 所有的球队都可以在这个公开的期货市场上交易,根据比赛结果,所有球队的价值或涨或跌。一份payout $100的Illinois合同目前价格在$20左右。

好了,废话少说,以下是我的Final 4 Picks:

(1) # 2 Seed Oklahoma State (24-6)

Illinois is the most favored team. They are 30-1 in the regular season and have the best back-court in college basket today. But I don’t think they are tough enough inside. When they were playing Wisconsin in the regular season, they had a tough time defending the paint. I saw that game live and I didn’t like what I saw. I am picking Oklahoma State over Illinois because I believe Oklahoma State’s toughness and inside presence will force Illinois to pack and head home.

(2) # 3 Seed Gonzaga (25-4)

Gonzaga has always been a good team. They have enough firepower to play against anyone in the country. Regardless their seeding, they are always dangerous. The section they are in this year is potentially the second weakest. Washington is over-rated, the same as last year’s Stanford. Pac-10 is no longer a dominant force in college basketball these days. Wake Forest is always soft, mentally. I won’t put any chips in them. The only real challenge is Louisville. They are well-coached and ready to play. But if I have to choose, I will still put money on Gonzaga. Just call it an “instinct”.

(3) # 1 Seed UNC (27-4)

This year could be well be North Carolina’s year. It’s been a while since last time UNC was seeded #1, and they are deservedly so. With their unmatched scoring talents, they can knock out anyone on their way to the Final 4. UConn is the only obstacle. But if they can beat UConn once in the regular season, they can definitely do it again. I have to admit though, it’s a tough pick. I like UConn a lot, but UNC this year may just be a little bit better.

(4) # 1 Seed Duke (25-5)

Devils, devils, and devils. It’s always about the Devils, isn’t it? They may well have the best Forward-Guard combo in the nation. Both J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams are simply too good. As juniors, they have enough tournament experiences when the game is on the line. Syracuse may be the only threat but Syracuse’s inconsistence will not make them go far.

Here are my picks and let’s see what happens.

(I actually pick Duke to win it all, beating Oklahoma State in the final.)

Friday, March 11, 2005

Monday, March 07, 2005

回来吧,我亲爱的袜子们

每次洗袜子,我总发现好好的一双双袜子总会丢掉这么一两只。几乎每次如此,奇怪的很。袜子到底有没有生命,这对于我来说是个非常疑惑的问题。虽然我不太肯定他们的物种起源和繁衍方式,但他们有脚的事实是不容否认的。

袜子就好像The Shawshank Redemption里的Andy,平时忍辱负重,但一有机会就逃之夭夭。当然我承认袜子的遭遇实在不比监狱的犯人强多少,平时上班的时候要暗无天日的环境下伺候臭烘烘的脚丫子,好不容易轮休的时候也还要和equally臭烘烘的内衣裤挤在一起打地铺,这日子的确没什么盼头。两周一次的洗衣服是袜子们唯一的快乐时光了。老实点的袜子估计就享受一下阳光雨露,呼吸着香喷喷的泡沫,在滚筒洗衣机里畅游一把。这也就相当于我们的夏威夷度假吧。不老实的袜子呢,就乘别人不注意,一闪身的跑到外面的崭新世界里happily ever after。

哎,袜子啊袜子们,其实你们不知道外面世界的险恶啊。的确,外面的世界很精彩,但外面的世界也很无奈啊。你和我都不算什么啊,都是为老板打工的命,那被称为“狗狗”的生物才是真正的煞星啊。他们不仅衣食无忧,吃香喝辣,而且个个还身体健壮,膀粗腰圆的。他们行动迅速,目光敏锐,拥有锐利无比的牙齿,平时以虐待线团,报纸,和骨头为乐。鞋子算是体面地上层人士了吧,富有曲线的身材,高科技的设计,夺目的色彩,还去过这么多地方,天天呼吸着新鲜空气,牛B吧,嘿嘿,可惜不还是经常被狗狗们咬得伤痕累累,无话可说。狗狗们可不给任何人任何面子,一旦你被他们盯上了,就以你的体质,那可不给咬得死无全尸啊。外面实在太危险了,袜子们,回来吧,回到我们的大家庭里吧,我们永远欢迎你!

Thursday, March 03, 2005

The Best Games I’ve Ever Played

1. Civilization II (Turn-Based Strategy)1995

这是我玩过的所有游戏中最可怕的一个。其实它一点也不血腥,更不暴力,相反它及其具有教育意义。<文明II>是一个策略游戏,大家开始都是小村庄,然后通过军事扩张,科技投入,和贸易往来去建立你的文明国度。在这个游戏里,历史的车轮会在你面前慢慢滚过,彻底让你了解过去5,000年人类的漫长科技文化演变史,在不知不觉中我也学习了很多有意思的东西。但它的可怕在与它太addictive了。无数个夜晚就这样不知不觉地消失了。有好几次我都是玩到早上4,5点,然后打个盹就去上课了。当然上着上着一头撞在书桌上的事情也时有发生。

2. StarCraft - BroodWar (Real Time Strategy)1998

一句话:这是有史以来最好的即时策略游戏。就算到今天,还是没有任何游戏可以超越它的,包括Warcraft III。这个游戏可以说是真正意义上的完美之作,三个种族之间的平衡性是无以伦比的。这个游戏真正开创了竞技电子游戏的先河,没有它,就没有今天的WCG(World Cyber Gaming)盛况。

3. Heroes of Might and Magic III (Turn-Based Strategy)1999

<英雄3>是史诗级的游戏。它是那种你玩了一辈子游戏,但临死前还回念叨的游戏。它在当时是让人耳目一新的大作,华丽的画面,聪明的AI,合理的设计,和兵种的搭配都让人津津乐道。我和以前的roommate玩这个游戏一直玩了整整四年。这个游戏的魅力实在让人疯狂。我的roommate亲手掰断了<英雄3>光碟两次。那时候他实在控制不了他打游戏的欲望,但为了他的PHD前途,被迫壮士断腕般的亲手掰断了光碟。但过两天,他实在又忍不住了,又去买了张新的来玩。结果壮士不得不再次断腕,就又掰断了。结果又来问我借我的,我没敢给他,怕他又把我的腕给断了。就这样,这他才从这个游戏里彻底解放出来。嘿嘿,这才叫欲罢不能啊!!

4. Baldur’s Gate II (Role Playing Game)2001

<博得之门2>是我第一次接触到AD&D的世界。AD&D不是保险里的Accidental Death & Disarmament,而是Advanced Dungeon & Dragon,也就是西方的神话世界。Dark Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Giant, Rouge, Paladin, Ranger, 和最恐怖的Dragon,都会出现在你的眼前。游戏的故事千曲百折,但毫不杂乱。人物的刻画也是入木三分,Minsk的鲁莽,Imoen的善良,以及主角内心的挣扎与痛苦都展现的活灵活现。这个游戏就像一个生活卷轴,背叛,遗弃,友谊,爱恋,善良,邪恶,牺牲,亲情都囊括其中。AD&D里的20-face dice也让我心仪已久,到底是什么样子的呢?热切期盼<博得之门3>中。。

5. Gran Turismo III (Racing/Driving)2003

是我买PS2的唯一原因。好久以前就听说这个游戏有多好多好,于是有一天实在忍不住了,就去捧了个PS2回来,当然也捧回来了这个游戏。我很喜欢开车,这个游戏当之无愧是我玩过所有游戏里最接近现实的一款。车子在高速入弯和出弯的时候,都容易打滑,尤其是后轮驱动的车,很有真实感。在跑越野赛的时候,通过恰到好处的刹车和加速,以及方向的运作,你可以像电视的WRC上那些选手一样腾云驾雾般的通过hairpin corners. 游戏中严格的考牌制度强迫你去练习开车技术,我认为这对我的驾驶技术提高非常有帮助,尽管有时候某一个牌照试了15次都fail的感觉非常糟糕。这是一款很严肃的赛车游戏,如果你是个糟糕的车手只是想找找乐子,这个游戏不适合你,但如果你喜欢开车,你一定不会失望。This game is the best of the best!!

6. Halo 2 (First Person Shooting)2005

我买了之后,很长一段时间都不喜欢玩这个游戏。觉得头晕,而且不就打打杀杀么,有什么好玩。但后来朋友来家里坐坐的时候,才发现多人打Halo是一件多么爽的事情。当你用shotgun把别人打得嗷嗷乱叫的时候,心头的喜悦无法言表。 Halo 2 更是支持Xbox Live,那就更爽了,你可以带着对讲机和十万八千里外的朋友一起打。真是老毛那句话呀,“人与人斗,其乐无穷”。游戏里每次转过一个墙角的时候,都是胆颤心惊的,因为你永远都不知道拐角后面有没有蹲着一个拿着火箭筒的鬼子瞄着你。4对4群队作战讲究配合和战术,其复杂程度和乐趣都是单人游戏没有办法比拟的。这个游戏rocks!!!!!!!!!!