The Darkest Hour

Saw the movie “The Darkest Hour” tonight. This is a “Grade B” science fiction movie, the kind you used to see in movie theaters on Saturday mornings.  However, I enjoyed this movie.  This is one of the few movies where the 3D looked real.  I also liked the fact that it was filmed in Moscow.  The movie gave me a good impression of that city.  This is a better movie than, say, “Battle for L.A”.  I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Review of "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol"

Saw Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol on IMAX today. I loved the movie, thought it was the best “Mission Impossible” yet. Good cast, good script, and non-stop action. I'm told Tom Cruise did his own stunts. I don't know, but if he did, that guy has got balls of steel.

This is one of the first movies I've seen on IMAX. My impression of IMAX is the same as my impression of HDTV. The picture is indeed clearer, but the biggest surprise is the sound. The sound volume, range, and clarity far exceeds conventional movies. (If you don't like loud movies, you probably would not like IMAX.)

The cost of admission is twice the admission of a conventional movie. Is IMAX worth the additional cost? For 3D movies, I would say no. I try to avoid 3D. IMAX, though, is different. The enhanced audio and video experience is substantially better. I enjoyed watching MI4 on IMAX. I might be a minority, but I would pay extra to see a good movie on IMAX.

Preparing Chinese Ink from an ink stone

Chinese language practice 2011-12-26

Homework assignment due 2011-12-21

Sentences from new words on page 86

问题【wèntí】 question; problem

Have questions?  No questions!

nǐ yǒu wèn tí ma  wǒ méi yǒu wèn tí  

你有问题吗? 我没有问题。

请教【qǐngjiào】 ask for advice; consult.

You ought to consult an attorney.

nǐ yīng gāi qǐng jiào lǜ shī 

你应该请教律师

终结【zhōngjié】 end; final stage.

Tomorrow I will terminate our lease.

wǒ míng tiān huì jié shù wǒ men de zū lìn 

我明天会结束我们的租赁

送终【sòngzhōng】 attend upon a dying parent or other senior member of one's family

When my mother died, I was unable to attend.

wǒ mā mā qù shì de shí hòu  wǒ bù néng qù sòng zhōng  

我妈妈去世的时候，我不能去送终。

散开【sànkai】 spread out or apart; disperse; scatter.

When the dog entered the house, the cats all scattered.

gǒu jìn wū de shí hòu  māo dōu sǎn kāi le  

狗进屋的时候，猫都散开了。

禁忌【jìnjì】 taboo

Smoking cigarettes in school is a taboo.

chōu yān zài xué xiào shì yī zhǒng  jìn jì 

抽烟在学校是一种禁忌

海边【hǎibiān】 seaside.

We often go to the seaside and stay at a hotel.

cóng jīn yǐ hòu wǒ bù hē pú táo jiǔ le  

从今以后我不喝葡萄酒了。

翻【fān】turn upside down 

Spill the tea.

dǎ fān le chá 

打翻了茶

怕【pà】 fear; dread; be afraid of; I'm afraid; I suppose; 

I fear lightning.

wǒ pà shǎn diàn 

我怕闪电

看来【kànlai】 it seems (or appears); it looks as if.

It seems that my friend will not visit us.

kàn lái wǒ de péng yǒu jiāng bù néng tàn shì wǒ men

看来我的朋友将不能探视我们

以后【yǐhòu】 after; later; afterwards; following; later on; in the future.

From now on, I stop drinking wine.

cóng jīn yǐ hòu wǒ bù hē pú táo jiǔ le  

从今以后我不喝葡萄酒了。

注意【zhùyì】 pay attention to; take note (or notice) of.

Be careful of the words you say.

qǐng zhù yì nǐ shuō de huà  

请注意你说的话。

Memorable Books Which I read in 2011

My most memorable books in 2011 were

Finding Nouf (Katya Hijazi) by Zoe Ferraris,

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes,

The Help by Kathryn Stockett,

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson,

Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver,

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See,

Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore.

I've read more books than that, but this list is of those books that impressed me most during 2011.

I'm still reading Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks.  The title is somewhat misleading. Still it's a good description of the life and culture around Harvard University in the year 1630.  

Allen

President Obama

President Barack Obama’s approval rating jumped 5 percentage points from November to December, fueled by dramatic gains among middle-class Americans, according to a CNN/ORC International poll released Tuesday.

Obama’s approval rating rose from 44% last month to 49% now, and the results suggest the debate over extending the payroll tax cuts in Congress is helping Obama’s efforts to portray himself as defender of the middle class. The poll was conducted from Friday through Sunday, while the Senate was passing the measure with bipartisan support and House Speaker John Boehner was giving it a dim outlook in his chamber.

Obama’s gains appear to have come at the expense of congressional Republicans and the GOP in general -- the party’s overall rating has dropped 6 points, to 43%, since June while Democrats’ rating has stayed at 55%.

And a majority now say they have more confidence in Obama than in Republicans in Congress -- last spring, only 44% felt that way.

Democrats do particularly well among middle-income Americans, while the Republicans win support only from the top end of the income scale.

The Internet

I can talk instantly with friends in India and China, but while having lunch with my lovely wife at a restaurant, I noticed two lovers talking to their phones but not to each other.  The Internet is both good and bad.