Loud Thoughts

Resident EvilsMilla JovovichPub. Date: 2002, 2004, 2007

I am so sorry. Unlike more sophisticated people　that watched Oscar nominees, I watch all 3 Resident Evils this weekend: Biohazard, Apocalypse, and Extinction. I feel so mindless, just like when I finished RoboCop 3, Omen 3, and Rocky 6. Sigh… No wonder they keep on producing sequels.

Watch only for, “What next?” Since the movie makers knew, they avoid answering. Instead, they fill the time with mindless killings, cheap emotions, and, once in a while, good fights.

The general story line, after watching all 3 episodes, is the sterotypical virus genetic mutation one. This time, a scientist created a virus to cure his daughter’s inability to walk. The evil management tried turning it into a bio-weapon. A greedy insider stole it. Everything went wrong and the earth is destroyed. Why is this not a ruin? Because you don’t watch these movies for the stories. Besides, I did not reveal those details designed to hook you.

Milla Jovovich is another female fighter on the silver screen. For some reasons, they have this draw on male viewers. We have Trinity, Sarah Connors, Violet, the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon girl (what’s her character name?), and many more. I guess their fight scenes are more pleasing to watch like dances than those masculine power displays.

Fine, Lynn. I will watch Atonement next. Geez. Enough the rolling eyes.

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有气质的人看奥斯卡提名片。我一个周末看了三场“生化危机”。看完后心神麻痹，依稀记得像看完“铁甲威龙3”，“洛奇6”，“凶兆3”后一样。难怪他们劲拍续集，有我这种没气质的人啊。一直看下去的理由是，“然后呢？” 拍电影的当然知道，也就不告诉你。全片乱杀乱打，滥情死爱，偶有几场精彩打斗。看完三部，剧情其实简单：病毒基因突变。这回，科学家为女儿腿疾发明病毒。公司拿去做生化武器。一个内贼偷了。世界大乱，地球毁灭。我没泄漏剧情。不过你反正也不是为剧情去看的。 而且，真勾人的细节我没提。Milla Jovovich又是个银幕女侠。为什么女侠会吸引男观众呢？ 看： Trinity, Sarah Connors, Violet, 还有“卧虎藏龙”的那女子（剧里叫什么的？） 我想女侠的打斗像跳舞般好看。男大侠就是威力。

好好好，Lynn，我马上去看“赎罪”。别那眼神了。

Four recent news articles string into a follow-up story.

• New York Times reported that Marion Jones will be sentenced for 6 months for lying. She took performance enhancement drugs at 2000 Olympic competition.



• International Herald Tributes reported that IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations, the top organization to govern track and field competitions) ruled Oscar Pistorius ineligible for Olympics. Mr. Pistorius is a double amputee. When he competes in 100 meter sprint, he attaches two Cheetah blades. IAAF clearly believes those blades gave him unfair and artificial advantages over other athelets.
  
  Personally, I think Mr. Pistorius is pretty inspiring.
• ABC reported a new protocol to treat dogs with damaged joints. The vet extracts the stem cells from the same dog, cultivates them into larger quantities, then injects the concentrated cells into the damaged joint. Few weeks later, the previously limping and inactive dog will be bouncing around like puppies.
• Lastly, New York Times reported that a research lab has grown a rat heart from adult stem cells. The lab first washed out every muscle tissues from the damaged heart, leaving only the blood vessels, nerves, etc. Then they use the stem cells to grow them back. The result is a pumping, healthy rat heart ready to be implanted.

Do performance enhancement drugs relevant when genetic engineering is thriving? If Mr. Pistorius’s legs gave him unfair advantages, what about his new heart or increased muscle, not from steroid, but from his own stem cells?

Some years from now, when I am old and frail, should I find a doctor to give me a new lease of life or wither away like all my ancestors did? The most scary part of this question is its possibility. I can feel these technologies coming and these questions will become real.

You get the story? Are we ready?

Next Michael Crichton ISBN: 978-0060872984 Pub. Date: November 28, 2006 Publisher: HarperCollins

I don’t know if I read Michael Crichton for education or entertainment.

As I scanned the paperback section of the airport bookstore, “Clever,” I thought. Michael Crichton’s book occupied not one, but three, shelf spaces. The book has three different covers: same design of a monkey and bar code, different background colors of red, green, or white. It worked. I bought a copy.

And this is a usual page turner. Gerald the parrot is the most alive and memorable character. Other are all superficially developed and stereotyped. Then again, you read a Michael Crichton for education and entertainment, not for literature.

He strongly criticized the genetic industry as greedy, anarchical, predatory, and confused. The main point is ownership of genes can people own genes like intellectual properties?

But I own my body and therefore all my genes, if genes can be owned. I then own half of my biological children’s genes too. Unless there was a mutation, they are simply copies of my genes. In fact, biological parents together own all of children’s genes.

Hold on. Grand-parents own parents’ genes, by the same logic. When they die, their properties, including the genes, are inherited by their offspring. Uncles and aunts therefore own all cousins’ genes together. If we pushed upward in the ancestry line, eventually, in legal sense, there is only one possible conclusion: the whole human population together owns the human genome.

This is fun then. If genes can be owned like properties, then genes must be owned by the entire human population, therefore genes cannot be owned by anyone. Without too much effort, one will reach the same conclusion for genes of any species.

No one owns life. How simple and blatantly obvious can that be?

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我也不知道我读 Michael Crichton 的著作是为了学习还是为了娱乐。我在机场书店浏览平装书时，看到 Michael Crichton 的同一本书占据了三个书架的位置，就因为它有三种不同的封面：设计是相同的，都是一只猴子上覆盖着条形码，只是背景色分别为红色、绿色和白色。我不禁感叹道：此举真是聪明啊！还真有点儿作用。我就买了一本。这本书真无法释手。鹦鹉 Gerald 是其中最生动最令人印象深刻的角色。其他角色都不够深入所以难免落于俗套。再次重申，读 Michael Crichton 的书是为了学习和娱乐，不是文学鉴赏。他尖锐地批判了基因工业的几大问题：贪婪、无法、掠夺和混乱。最主要的是基因的所有权问题——人们能像拥有知识产权一样拥有基因吗？

但我的身体是我的，如果基因能被拥有的话，我身体理的基因也当然是我的了。既然如此，我亲生子女们的一半基因也是我的。因为除非发生突变，那一半是我的基因。实际上生父母共同拥有他们子女所有的基因。

等一下。依此类推，祖父母拥有父母的基因。他们去世后，他们的遗产，包括基因所有权，都会被他们的子孙继承。叔父和姨妈会因此拥有堂兄弟姐妹们的基因。如果我们通过家族血统向上追溯，最终，从法律的角度，我们只有一个结论：整个人类拥有整个人类的基因。

有趣吧。如果基因能像物品一样被拥有，那么基因的主人一定是全人类，而不是个人。不用多想，任何物种都是如此。

没有人能拥有生命。这难道不是不言自明的吗？

I am a big fan of The Economist. Read it religeously every week. But this recent article got me scratching my head. Who was the editor of that issue? This article argues that it is economically a bad decision for British businessmen to learn Chinese.

Three main points are in the article: China will dominate world market soon, Chinese are too hard to learn, and, lastly, elite Chinese professionals already speak English fluently. The return, therefore, does not justify the investment of time and energy.

Let’s say all three points are valid, would they draw the conclusion that learning Chinese is not fruitful? In a global market place, speed and information win. Isn’t it fearful that the other side know you better than you them? And, how come Brits found Chinese too hard and those elite Chinese are fluent in English? Are Chinese smarter? Work harder? Or they don’t look for excuses to do it?

I was in a meeting with an important partner in north-eastern China. The meeting went the normal way, all in English. Presentations, discussions, etc. At the end, action items taken, meeting wrapped up, and everyone shook hands. Just as the chairman of the company is walking out of the door, the CEO, who was just a step ahead of me, whispered something to the chairman. Instinctively, I said, in Chinese, “We can help. No problem. Give me about 2 weeks.” Without even pausing a step, the chairman patted my shoulder and told the CEO, “That’s it then.”

I cannot testify that Chinese fluency is required for a foreigner to function, or even succeed, in doing business in China. Can one win a foot-race with an extra 20-pound bag on the back? Sure! But not in Olympics.

How We Die: Reflections on Life’s Final Chapter Sherwin B. NulandISBN: 978-0679742449 Pub. Date: January 15, 1995 Publisher: Vintage

House is a popular TV series about a medical doctor trying to solve some very difficult cases.

Death fascinates me like life. Sherwin Nuland, a practicing medical doctor, depicted death with autopsy clarity. It is a freaky, moving, and addictive book. It is also a wonderful book to learn some basic medical terminologies; my appreciation on House is now greatly enhanced.

Except for by trauma, such as gun shot, car accident, etc., death is a process that takes a lifetime; it is not an event that terminates a person. Fearing or trying to avoid it is not acknowledging life itself. That said, there are certainly smart things to do to enhance its quality or not shortening it unnecessarily.

Note that Dr. Nuland does not believe one can live beyond the length programmed by one’s genes. It appears cells can only divide a finite number of times, organs will gradually lose their efficiency, and entropy in the system can only increase. Modern medicine has not found a way to reverse this process yet.

Dr. Nuland stopped short of promoting assisted suicide. The medical profession and institutes dispense excessive amount of resources just to maintain signs of life. Since death is a process, and not an event, there is really nothing to avoid and meaningless to catch just few more breaths.

He admitted it is easier said than done in a painful and emotional story regarding his own brother. He seemed to be trying to convince himself with those grueling chapters on AIDS and cancer death: their inevitable ugly and painful processes. Where is dignity, where is social responsibility, where is humanity, to prolong their suffering while dispensing away resources?

I rewrote my living will and checked my medical power of attorney after reading this book.

天觀雙俠 (繁體中文) 鄭丰 (陳宇慧)ISBN: 9789867131881 Pub. Date: 2007年07月19日 Publisher: 奇幻基地

How do I describe this style of literature? The straight translation will be “KungFu fictions.” But that is not justice. On the other hand, many will snicker at even trying to acknowledge them as literature, similar to what New York Times will call tabloids journalism, I guess. I have been obsessed with them when I was much younger, spending a big part of my allowance renting them (the other parts are on other similarly questionable categories).

This popular art form combines the elements of fantasy, western, history, and folk lores. Decades ago, no serious writers dare to use their real names writing these, lest ruining their pure artistic reputation. Many admitted subsidizing their normal salaries with this side-job, but usually long after they have firmly established themselves in the literature circle.

About 10 years ago, GU Long (古龙) and JIN Yong (金庸) changed the industry. The former wrote stories that are unrealistically and sappy poetic. The latter actually tried to turn this form into real literature. Mr. GU died from alcoholism: very fitting to his characters in the books. Mr. Jin essentially killed the industry by setting a new benchmark few can surpass.

Until this one came. I have not read Kung Fu books for so many years now. But this one captured me no less firmly than Harry Potter.

The Economist Special Report on India and China Nov. 3rd, 2007

The Economist had a special report on India and China titled High-Tech Hopefuls. As I would expect from any world-class publication, I have always found this magazine fair and informative. Its subscription fee at China, however, is more than double of USA. These economists really “charge what the market can bear.”

The opening article offered a rather interesting point of view on why did these great civilization declined — they were both technology leaders in this world few hundred years ago. “Lost of interest!” said Joel Mokyr. Both China and India ran out of challenges at that time. Hmm… Another classic economic doctrine: competition is always good for the society.

The report focus very much on present and future. And its points are simple and compelling. For the next few years, both China and India would reap the benefits from existing technologies, mostly originated from abroad, instead of developing their own. They will catapult themselves over the mistakes made by the 1st world countries these few hundred years and land on the modern world in much shorter time. During that speedy flight, they need to scoop up a bigger piece from the value chain: Apple keeps $80 for each iPod and leaves $3.70 to China’s assembly lines. Innovation seems to be the key. But insisting on re-inventing a China version is not getting very far, even in China.

I endured years of protest imposing strict sleeping routine for my kids. They must be in bed and light-out earlier than most of their friends, at least so they claim.

A recent study showed a good night's sleep, when the kid is young, will help their grades, make them more socialable, and even avoid later time over-weight.

I guess this makes sense. A good night's sleep give them more energy, to focus in class, and more participatory on the playground — that becomes higher interest in activities and exercises later.

Qing Dynasty's 12 Emperors (New with Full-Color Illustrations) YAN ChongNian ISBN: 710105062X Pub. Date: 2006-4-1 Publisher: 中华书局

Only Han, Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties survived more than 200 years in China history. Qing is the last one and also the only one whose rulers were not of the Han race. Every Chinese people shakes head and sighs when they read the recent history. Why! Is it the monarchy governance? Is it Cixi (慈禧) to be blamed? Was it God's will? If I were Qian Long (乾隆), would China have risen to its place as a major global player 300 years ago? At the very least we would have avoided the multi-nation invasion and the Opium Wars. After the Tong Zhi period, the demise of the Qing Dynasty became just a matter of time. The government botched one opportunity after another. It has been 210 years since Qian Long descended from the throne in 1796 and left behind the most prosperous time. If we think about these last 200 years Chinese people have to sigh again.

YI ZhongTian's (易中天) commentary on the era of the Three Kingdoms (品味三国) has inspired the public to take an interest in popular history. YAN ChongNian (阎崇年) further demythified history for the mass. They both came to fame as media personalities before they published: re-printed again, then new edition, then newer with illustrations, then with color illustrations - the contents are mostly the same but the price is not. Those who bought the book early on might begin to feel buyer's remorse. But the whole book (TV versions) can be downloaded free of charge. Interesting business model.

Although the Qing Dynasty had such a long history it had no more than twelve emperors. The reign of Nurhaci (努儿哈赤) and Hung Taiji (皇太极) didn't really count. Guang Xu (光绪) and Xuan Tong (宣统) were useless. The prosperity of the early era was followed by the Jia Qing (嘉庆), Dao Guang (道光), Xian Feng (咸丰) and Tong Zhi (同治). Those 4 did away the great Qing Dynasty in 80 short years.

Make you think.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J. K. Rowling ISBN: 978-0545010221 Pub. Date: July 21, 2007 Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix Michael Goldenberg (screenplay) J.K. Rowling (novel) Directed by David Yates Release: 10 August 2007

There are no spoilers in this blog. Feel safe to read this even if you have not finished the book or watched the movie.

A generation grew up with Harry Potter since Sorcerer's Stone published 9 years ago. And the series ended this summer. The publishing industry will eagerly wait for the next J.K. Rowling, or her next endeaver.

Good thing that the movie series will keep everyone hooked for a few more years.

I did not dress up as one of the characters to wait for the clock to strike mid-night. Instead, we drove to Costco at 9am, July 21st, and got a copy with no wait. I woke up at 7am the next morning and took the book from the bedside of my younger daughter and started reading. I knew that she finished. The older daughter woke up few hours later, walked up to me without a word, and I surrendered the book without protest. We understood the faster reader get it first. By the afternoon of July 23rd, Monday, she handed it back to me. Then work got in the way. I attended all-day meetings from July 24th to 27th, Friday. Wife did not protest about my absence during the weekend. By Sunday morning (really early), I put down the book, sighed, and went to sleep. It ended.

Structurally, this may be J.K. Rowling's best. The main line kept its focus the sub-plots are natural. Her socio-political points are obvious and the human tragedies are just enough for older readers to understand and younger ones to feel the gravity.

Harry Potter books gave me this 9-year journey with my kids. They grew up with Harry Potter and I participated. They really have out-grown the magics and sometime the patience for J.K. Rowling's compusion became thin. The last few books are honestly obligatory readings — few days of light works in exchange of keeping up with the story line and the buzz. This finale, slightly anticlimactical, is refreshing as well as a relief.

The movie high-lighted one of my senior moments — I have forgotten what the book was about. And I remembered the cute little kid Daniel Radcliff was. How much Harry, Hermione, and Ron have grown! Maybe a 18-year-old (he was born in 1989) actor can still play the 15-year old Harry. It will be unrealistic for the next 3 movies.

This book turned mature in the series with a cold-blooded murder and the beginning of teenage romance. The movie faithfully reflected that changee. Magic is no longer the attraction; complex characters and intensive struggles are. I watched all those small kids in the theater and wondered how much they enjoyed it. They clearly did. The new director seemed to have find a good balance between keeping the little kids excited and older ones entertained too.

Soon, my senility will win and I won't remember exactly what happened in which book. It is pretty certain that there will be a box edition of all Harry Potter movies in few years. I probably will add them to my collection, together with God Father, Indiana Jones, Matrix, Lord of the Rings, etc. Nope, although I did watched them all, I do not intend to add Rocky and RoboCop to my collection.