ARCADIA

A Missed Opportunity (Greg Mankiw's Blog) From Donald Marron:

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed its climate change bill by a slim margin. The bill’s key feature is a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases. That system would set national emission limits and would require affected emitters to own permits (called allowances) to cover their emissions.

The number one thing you should know about this bill is that the allowances are worth big money: almost $1 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and more in subsequent decades.

There are many good things the government could do with that kind of money. Perhaps reduce out-of-control deficits? Or pay for expanding health coverage? Or maybe, as many economists have suggested, reduce payroll taxes and corporate income taxes to offset the macroeconomic costs of limiting greenhouse gases?

Choosing among those options would be a worthy policy debate. Except for one thing: the House bill would give away most of the allowances for free. And it spends virtually all the revenue that comes from allowance auctions.

As a result, the budget hawks, health expanders, and pro-growth forces have only crumbs to bargain over. From a budgeteer’s perspective, the House bill is a disaster....

Economists have spent decades demonstrating the potential benefits of using environmental taxes to help finance the government (and make no mistake, a cap-and-trade system is a tax; the Congressional Budget Office, much to its credit, even scores it that way). But that economic logic works only when a substantial fraction of the revenues are used to improve fiscal policy — e.g., reducing deficits or reducing distortions from the tax system. The House bill does neither.

Donald is right. The Pigou Club is not happy.

Vitali Chaconne by Sarah Chang

转载自HoopChina

就像郭耸阳任荆无命把自己刺成了蜂窝煤，还要把垂死之躯挂在瀑布给李寻欢看一样：里昂、拜仁、里斯本竞技，以及过去三年西班牙的所有球队：他们倒下的身影把话带给曼联。巴塞罗那10号，梅西。当他去到球场右侧边线时，也许是足球史上最可怕的刺客。他是超越足球寻常体系的怪物，他的左脚，随意一蹬草皮就会让身体变成液态或气态，流淌、漂浮、闪映到禁区之内。剑割破咽喉表皮、血急急忙忙飞出来时，你才听得见风。

所以，开场，红衣那边，左路层层陷阱。那是安联球场万人绝望咆哮得出的结论：埃托奥的猎豹奔撕和亨利的舞步一对一可以冰火两重天的颤栗你肌肤，可是梅西却是淡绿的芥末——你要小心的远离他、端详他、保持距离的吞服他。不然，他会让你瞬间无法动止。

可是，埃弗拉没等到梅西，维迪奇来不及看埃托奥——梅西，10号，中路。
命中注定一般：曼联的安排，克里斯蒂亚诺·罗纳尔多，中锋。过去三年以来，世界最强的两个右路王牌，金球奖上空最亮的两颗星辰，都在中路。
——当然，意义大不一样。

开场后曼联的套路：右路，朴智星狂奔如野驴，串起一次又一次地面攻势；左翼，长传球找鲁尼。边路鲁尼与韩国人反复拉开向中路找机会。中路无可奈何：安德森的中转滞涩而缓慢，吉格斯每次接到球都只好横传。C罗偶尔回撤接球，随后启动一对一：远射、摔倒。疾风快马，洒脱利落。尤其是开场时分，前场逼抢规模严整：轻快简洁的把阵线撕开，局部配合奔袭禁区前沿，然后交给C罗操办。

而巴塞罗那那厢，却只拈花一笑。

巴尔德斯扑出了C罗的任意球，目送了C罗的远射。哈维与伊涅斯塔像一对情人，你来我往喂巧克力一样轻软的传递。梅西、埃托奥和亨利，组成一个钝角三角形，梅西在中，是那个钝角顶点。当哈维、伊涅斯塔彼此你浓我浓时，他过去拆一脚，把球踢给西尔维尼奥。回过头来，维迪奇与他遥遥相望，愁肠百结：
本来是那个黑大汉来与我缠绵，怎的给我配了个小郎君？——还离咱远远的一副不近女色状。
正胡思乱想之际，埃托奥拍了拍他的肩：妹子，哥来了。

那一切都是伪装。埃夫拉武大郎刚出门，埃托奥西门庆就扑向了维家金莲。里奥在中间等候传球……埃托奥逼到了维迪奇身边，金莲小娘子乱了方寸：不对啊，本来该在禁区弧大门口等他，这，这，这冤家怎么都进了我小禁区闺房了？？
一扣，一射。
——范德萨，197公分的身高，世界上脚法最好的门将之一。身体急速下沉，快似拉肚子时蹲坑。可是，球还是从指尖下弹了进去。
——那一瞬间，荷兰人会不会有一点点后悔？如果我只有192公分，这个球是不是会正中手掌？
——奥特加说：那么，1998年，老子就真能顶碎你的下巴了！！

埃托奥晃过维迪奇进球，想必惊不到爵爷。但是，那是一个梅西的角度、梅西的位置。而正主儿还在中路，和里奥隔河相望……这就是你的目的吗，瓜迪奥拉？

当然不是。

“当我们必须逼出去、朝对手施压时，我发现了我们的弱点：我们承受不起前场丢球这样的错误。”
赛后，瓜迪奥拉如是说。

巴塞罗那和阿森纳，全世界最喜爱控球的两队。当他们可以流畅传递球时，犹如将身体舒展、舞步轻扬。可是，他们没有马克莱莱或戴维斯——也已经没有了德科。当他们朝前场施压时，一旦丢球，就会完蛋。

两难的选择：要抵挡曼联那万马奔腾的进攻，最好的方式是釜底抽薪的多控球；控球如果不推进，就无异给曼联挠痒；前场30米附近的传递，惊险刺激，犹如在刀尖跳舞。一旦丢球，曼联拥有世界上最壮实和最迅速的反击队伍。图雷和皮克，你们玩得起吗？
所以，梅西来了：他在中路，回撤，成为了那个钝角三角形的顶点。

伊涅斯塔堪称巴塞罗那全场最佳。他细密轻盈，不断滑冰一般溜向曼联禁区。哈维一直在西尔维尼奥、亨利和伊涅斯塔之间运动，有时和队长心有灵犀的互望一眼，挑一脚长距离地滚球。可是，他们在前场盘旋时，曼联就是不敢扑出来。禁区正面，三个人目送着他们玩游戏，偶尔瞥一眼边线：埃托奥低声嘶鸣，似乎随时可能奔袭。

曼联不能轻松呼吸，因为有一根骨头，梗塞着曼联的禁区。

梅西一直在中路游弋。偶尔接一脚球，面对两到三个人的墙壁。上半场，他每次贴向禁区，都没有选择变线向右。他向左传球给亨利，或是一个加速向禁区角扑去。他的奔袭极有节制，就像斗牛士引逗公牛：曼联没人能够扑及他，因为他并不向范德萨发起挑战。他只是随时提醒着曼联：我一直在这里哟。

他一直没染指的中路靠右位置，伊涅斯塔不断穿刺，偶尔和普约尔做配合。他经常在哈维靠前一点的位置，拿球，传递。因为有了他的牵制、干扰、威胁和偶尔吓唬，巴塞罗那得以在前场看着伊涅斯塔与哈维这对欢喜冤家盘旋。于是磨完了上半场，于是推进着下半场。巴塞罗那的控球数字仅是51%比49%？地道的谎言。如果将比赛做成一个缩影，你会发现，球就是反复在曼联禁区三人墙面前鱼水之欢的快乐着。

一个赛季初即讨论过的主题：梅西正从专诸变成伍子胥，从刺客变成谋划者。以前他提起鱼来一匕首夺人性命，如今他用华丽的脚腕变化传送、接应，而且用跑动来使巴萨进攻流畅，悄悄把匕首塞进鱼腹，交托给他人去刺杀。他了解自己带给曼联的恐惧，于是适当的利用着他：他在中路的游弋穿插，就这样使曼联杯弓蛇影草木皆兵。而巴塞罗那，就这样保持着优势。
直到第69分钟。

尴尬的时间段：曼联的体力开始下降，新换上来的人还在找感觉，红色禁区把球破坏后瞬间犹豫——回防还是反击？哈维盘带推进。曼联禁区正面又是三人墙，亨利和埃托奥天涯海角的隔着。哈维望了一眼。
在全英国的电视屏幕上，足球划出一道弧线。那么慢，慢到仿佛失去重力。
——23年前，那个让英国人心碎的下午：一个阿根廷的矮个子10号起跳，用手臂和头把球点进了球网。那是那个阿根廷人一生的写照：他的狡猾、不择手段和聪慧。
——那之后一年，梅西出生。
——这个阿根廷的矮个子10号头点了一下球，第二道弧线，足以高过范德萨的手指。
——罗纳尔迪尼奥看着西曼问：为什么英国人总被弧线击败？

从那一刻起，比赛其实已经结束了。

2007 年，铜球；2008年，银球。2009年，梅西举起了冠军杯，冠军杯最佳射手，三冠王。他用三年的时间从举世颤栗的边路斜插奔袭者，变成了如今的思考者。终于，在对英超球队的第十一战中，他扮演了策划者、阴谋家的角色，保持了巴塞罗那的传球平衡，然后，在一个适当的时刻射进了他对英超球队的第一个头球。接下来是什么呢？当他举起冠军杯时，阿根廷史上第一个金球奖已经不可能逃出他的口袋了。

还不够吗？

如果你还曾经在他奔袭进球、翼侧斜插时犹豫，犹豫他的偏仄、锐利和削薄是否配得上帝王冠冕的话，那么，这一个赛季，这一场球，你大概可以得出一些结论了？为什么他成为突破魔王到中路进攻自由人的过渡可以如此自然？为什么在命运的节点——那些需要他做一些表现来成就其生命伟大剧情的时刻——他就能够做出表现？他似乎天生有点石成金的本领。亨利那些伟大而艰难的岁月、瓜迪奥拉初当教练的青涩之年，加上一点点梅西，就变成了喜剧。我们观赏他的生涯，就像观赏一场梦境一样。

——现在，梦境正演到他在王座上调整姿态，从王座右侧移到王座正中的戏码。
——哪怕只有这一晚，但在这一晚，我们可不可以说，他就是王了呢？

我的最爱：Rachmaninov第二钢琴协奏曲，Mendelssohn小提琴协奏曲。真是百听不厌的好曲子！

我其实很期待曼联和切尔西再一次会师决赛，因为去年的两队留下了无数的纠结：切尔西控制了场面，德罗巴领到了红牌，然后特里很NC的踢丢了制胜的点球。这届杯赛打到半决赛，最有冠军相的不得不承认是切尔西，而且迷信一点的讲，他们背后有连续应验了六年的“皇马定律”支持（堂堂百年最强豪门给欧冠冠军做了这么多年背景，也真是不小的讽刺）。只可惜人算不如天算，尽管切尔西表现出了令人赞叹的实力和战斗精神，结果却是希丁克再一次栽在了西班牙人手里。

半决赛我只看了两个下半场，第一回合巴萨对切尔西，然后第二回合。先说裁判。这两场的执法一场比一场黑：首先是反客为主，客场的队伍各自得了便宜，第一场偏松，让切尔西可以充分利用对抗压制巴萨在禁区前沿的传切，而第二场偏紧，或者准确点说，对主队紧而对客队松，否则巴萨未必能捱到80分钟。至于点球，皮克的无意手球明显获利，埃托奥的有意手球（抬臂）获利不明显，但是巴萨的两个手球至少该判一个（不然以后手球的规则差不多可以取消了）…… 禁区逼抢的几个争议球大部分属于不判可以，判了我萨也没理由追打裁判的那种，不过上半场阿比达放倒德罗巴那一次毕竟没有铲到球，多数场合是要判的。下半场裁判借着阿内尔卡摔倒亮给巴萨红牌，大概就是找平衡的。总而言之，虽然没有许多极端NC球迷渲染得那么罪无可恕，但是巴萨毕竟明显获利了，胜之不武。

再谈比赛。巴萨的人员不整，今天比赛前我认为巴萨不输两个当赢，毕竟中后卫都凑不齐，更不要说前场最稳定的接应点亨利上不了场。切尔西这边，不得不说，中后场的配置实在是豪华，虽然有巴拉克这个伪球星，但是兰帕德和埃辛都是实打实的顶尖中前卫，后卫线更是有能力一对一防死我萨的前锋。从这一点说，切尔西比曼联要厉害许多。瓜迪奥拉的对策是用队上最强壮图雷（虽然基本没有弹跳争顶能力）控制德罗巴--我觉得这是明智的对策--代价是牺牲了中场的控制力，派上水准二流的凯塔和根本不入流的布斯克茨。身边没有接应点，哈维纵使有天大的本领也组织不起进攻。

希丁克在我看来是世界足坛的Top 3教练--另外两个是里皮和雷哈格尔。他们三个加上利物浦的贝尼特斯是这些年来最擅长利用阵型压制对手的教练。切尔西的这两场比赛，三条线的距离很好，防守可以迅速收缩，反攻又蕴含着极强的爆发力，对照半个赛季前斯科拉里的切尔西简直是天壤之别。当然想达到这个层次需要顶尖的后腰压阵：切尔西有埃辛，当年的尤文图斯有戴维斯，利物浦有马斯切拉诺和阿隆索，至于希腊，我只能说他们在那个夏天有无穷的RP和战术执行力。话说回来，我萨的中场软，原因之一就是缺少埃辛这样的牲口。本赛季饱受热捧的DZ前锋埃托奥和伪球王梅西连续两回合玩消失完全在意料之中，唯二的意外是射门暴烂的小白抽中了我萨第一脚门框内射门并绝杀，以及平时充当观众、卧底兼背景的传奇门将巴神完成了两次世界扑。

RP泛滥的我萨接下来要和RP同样泛滥的红魔争夺冠军。梅西对C罗？说说而已，别往心里去。这场比赛必定是红魔边锋与我萨中场对爆的比赛：我萨的仅有的两个边后卫一起被禁赛，而红魔唯一一个拦截型中场弗莱彻也吃到了红牌；不过曼联毕竟有鲁尼挂前锋之名行后腰之实，我萨的左边位呢？希尔韦尼奥，还是卡塞雷斯？坦率地说，决赛四六开，我萨下风。但是话说回来，比起去年好死赖活的那支巴萨，菜鸟教练瓜迪奥拉带队坚持到三线作战的最后时刻、并且如此显著的改造了球队的气质，再加上客场创纪录斩杀皇马，我们也不可能要求更多了，不是么？

说到皇马，最后我们来普及一下前面提到的欧冠“皇马定律”：
01-02，皇马夺冠；
02-03，尤文图斯淘汰皇马，米兰胜尤文图斯夺冠；
03-04，摩纳哥淘汰皇马，波尔图胜摩纳哥夺冠；
04-05，尤文图斯淘汰皇马，利物浦淘汰尤文图斯，后夺冠；
05-06，阿森纳淘汰皇马，巴萨胜阿森纳夺冠；
06-07，拜仁淘汰皇马，米兰淘汰拜仁，后夺冠；
07-08，罗马淘汰皇马，曼联淘汰罗马，后夺冠；
08-09，利物浦淘汰皇马，切尔西淘汰利物浦，半决赛负，OVER。

转载自校内网  留学生英语笑话精选

 1.
有次房东问我 did you eat anything yet? 我说no.
她听后重复了一遍 so you didn’t eat anything. 我说 yes...
房东老太太犹豫了下 又问did you eat? 我说 no. 她接着说 so you didn’t eat .
我说yes ......
估计她当时要崩溃了。

2.
刚上班不久，有个公司的A/R打电话来催支票，我循例问了一下他是哪间公司打来的，那男的很有礼貌的说：“This is xxx calling from Beach   Brother." 听懂了很开心，不过由于对公司名字还不熟，心想先用笔记下来公司名，省得等下忘记了，正得意忘形之间，顺嘴开始拼写人家公司的名字，还说得一本正经：" b.i.t.c.h......bitch, correct?" 。。。。。那男的终于还是没能忍住怒火，近似于怒吼似的对我喊道：" NO!!! B.E.A.C.H... BEACH!!!!!!" 接下来的一年里，没再跟这间公司又过任何生意往来...... 汗

3.
第一次跟老外去打painball，玩的是抢旗的那种。由于第一次玩，一直跟着个看起来很专业的队友跑，一路上躲着子弹跑到对方的base. 我们人都挂了，对方就剩一个人在看老家。就听那老外跟我说了一大堆术语，我也没听懂。他看我没听懂就跟我说：it’s easy just cover me when i go out. 说完了就喊了一声 cover me! 然后跑了出去，我也不懂他是让我掩护他，没等我想清楚他就跑了。我就顺手从一个箱子上扯下来一块帆布，丢他头上，把他盖住了。结果他就光荣牺牲了。当时大部分人都挂了，在旁边观战。所有人都笑趴了。

4.
讲一个我老公的笑话：去年过情人节，我让他买点牛排回来。出门前怕他忘记了，就给写了一张纸条。吃饭的时候他说他去LOBLAW买牛排的时候，给店员说来两块T-BACK牛排，店员愣住，他以为店员没有听清楚，又重复了一遍，T-BACK STEAK PLEASE！店员这次听到了，顿时**！我老公见店员愣在那里，连忙把我写的纸条递过去，那小伙子一看，上书：T-BONE STEAK！这回轮到我老公**，尴尬不已了！

5.
一个好朋友刚来加拿大，有一天口渴了想喝可乐。去到便利店很大声的说EXCUSE ME, DO YOU HAVE COKE? 可是我朋友刚出国，英文尚有很重的口音，好端端的COKE让她说出来就变成了 EXCUSE ME, DO YOU HAVE COCK？店主听得一惊一乍的，连连说：WHAT??? WHAT? 最后店主终于弄明白她想要喝可乐，钱货两清之后，见我朋友多半是初来乍到，还很好心的给我朋友说以后去买可乐不能再问别人有没有COCK了，那样很让人误会！本来我朋友完全不知道发生了什么事，可是店主解释以后恨不得立刻找个地缝钻进去！后来很长一段时间都不喝可乐了！

6.
我刚来的时候邻居小孩看见我跟我说what’s up. 我疑惑的朝天上看了半天然后说了句up？那孩子顿时无语。

7.
还有一次是去McDonald's, 问朋友“圣代”的英文怎么说, 他就说是音译sundae, 我茅塞顿开, 恍然大悟,十分自信的说了一句....那“奶昔”是不是叫nancy?? 朋友当场喷可乐......

8.
第一次打电话叫TAXI...... 对方问where you from.....我回答CHINA,还在奇怪叫taxi还分国籍~?对方可能以为我在搞笑,很郁闷的说：sorry, we can not do that.....我一听，火大... 怎么有种族歧视啊... 就问: why~? 对方楞了半天，挂了......

9.
一刚到US的朋友,到了纽约,想去看自由女神,但是不知道路.于是乎在路边抓了一个老美
--Hi, do you know where is the free woman?
老美愣了半天,支支吾吾
--I... don’t know... Tell me when you know it.

10.
有一天去KFC, 要土豆泥，不会说，就在那里跟cashier苦喊potato sauce, 她以为我sb呢，然后给我了7、8袋ketchup（tomato sauce）........
被鄙视了~~

11.
在加拿大帮老外拔火罐,但是罐很容易掉，我的英语不好，我解释说：you have too much fur.他听了之后大笑 ：it is hair, not fur, fur is for animal…… 我也大笑了起来。

12.
刚来加拿大的时候去酒吧玩，而且还带了一个mm去的，她在国外呆了很一段时间…… 我看她很吊的样子，于是我就装的很帅，走过去打算请她喝酒，于是我问她，喝什么酒，她说：sex ON THE beach（鸡尾酒名）... 但是当时很吵，我也压根不知道酒吧里都啥酒名，听成son of bitch... 当时我也愣了下，然后吧台很性感的bartender已经在等我叫酒，我回头大声地喊，can i have a son of bitch…… 接下来…… 我不想再回忆

13.
在homestay住，想洗澡。跟房东讲了后，房东说：go ahead。我当时寻思“去个头”的意思是能去还是不能去啊……

14.
我的一个朋友说，当时他一个不懂英文的朋友刚来多伦多，自己一个人出去了，迷路了然后打电话给他，他说没关系你把你现在呆的地方路名拼给我听，他朋友一个字母一个字母地拼出来了“S--T--O--P"，我那朋友当场就乐傻啦！

15.
刚来上学发现老外都喜欢用铅笔，所以去书店跟风买铅笔和橡皮。找不到橡皮就问：do you have rubber. 人家笑笑说让我去药店买。郁闷…… 为什么去药店买橡皮，去了药店问：do you have rubber? 人家笑笑拿给我一盒避孕套。我倒~~！！原来加拿大管橡皮叫eraser。

16.
一同学第一次去吃McDonald。结果进去后一紧张，大声说了句: i want to this hanbaobao，边说边指。对方一时不知所措，我那同学又重复了n遍...

17.
我的某人初来报道，跑到快餐店买面包。之前表现很是不错，一直维持到服务员问：for here or to go?.第一次接触外带餐这词，还好思维敏捷马上明白过来了，可是嘴上紧张，对着那男服务员直接喊出"Let’s go!"……

18.
来的第二年了，我去商店买鞋，然后拿着就去问营业员：is this made of beef or pork ( 俺的意思就是牛皮还是猪皮的），那个营业员的表情到现在都记得。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAsV5-Hv-7U&feature=related

Don McLean wrote the song "American Pie" in 1971. What do the Lyrics mean?

Verse 1

A long, long time ago...
American Pie was written in 1971 and the time McLean is going to talk about is the 1950's. This seems like a long time ago 'cause of all the turmoil that occurred in the 60's.

I can still remember how that music used to make me smile.
McLean's favorite music was that of the 50's.

And I knew if I had my chance, that I could make those people dance, and maybe they'd be happy for a while.
In the 50's, the major purpose of music was for dancing (sock hops). He wanted to play rock & roll so people could have a good time.

But February made me shiver
Buddy Holly died on February 3, 1959 in a plane crash in Iowa. He was McLean's hero.

With every paper I'd deliver
Donny boy's only other job besides songwriting was a paper boy.

Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn't take one more step
This story was obviously on the frickn' front page and made McLean freeze in his tracks.

I can't remember if I cried
He can't remember if he cried.

When I read about his widowed bride
Holly's wife was pregnant when the accident occurred and soon after had a miscarriage.

But something touched me deep inside
I don't even wanna know!

The day the music died.
The crash took the lives of three current rock legends: Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, so now Feb. 3, 1959 is called "The day the music died." The music that died is considered the standard rock & roll songs. The crash was the final blow («--keyword) to this music 'cause these three were that only major artists left. Elvis was drafted, Little Richard (or "Little Dick") turned gospel, and Chuck Berry was arrested for screwin' a prostitute.

Verse 2

Did you write the book of love?
"The Book of Love" was a hit in 1968 by the Monotones.

And do you have faith in God above, if the Bible tells you so?
In 1955, Don Cornell wrote "The Bible Tells Me So" and there is a Sunday School song "Jesus Loves Me," with the line "For the Bible tells me so."

Now do you believe in rock & roll?
This is from the great song "Do You Believe in Magic?" by the Lovin' Spoonful, written by John Sebastin in 1965. One of the lines is like trying to teach a stranger 'bout rock & roll," and another is "the magic's in the music and the music's in me." The "magic" this Johnny was talking about is the ability of a song to stick in your head. Often times songs bring back memories of the past, this is what the magic is. This magic is especially in rock & roll, 'cause you experience it without thinking about it or trying to analyze the bloody lyrics (like some asshole is right now). Another lyric is "so just blow your mind." (Don't think about it).

Can music save your mortal soul?
Given all that, can music help you get though life? I'm sorry I can't answer that. All of these questions ask about life and if God exists.

And, can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Dancing in the 50's wasn't like it is today. If you danced with someone, you then were committed to them.

Now I know that you're in love with him, 'cause I saw you dancing in the gym.
Like I said, dancing was serious shit. McLean caught his love cheating on him.

You both kicked off your shoes
Reference to a "sock hop."

Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
He's depressed, and you listen to that kinda of music. There's a style of music for every feeling.

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
ummmm.....yeah, so was I......

With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
A pickup truck was a symbol of sexual freedom (and it rhymes with "buck" and "luck"), and Marty Robbins had a hit with "A White sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation) in 1957.

But I knew I was out of luck, the day the music died.
These old crazy things that worked in the fifty's no longer work, 'cause the 60's brought a new social revolution. Peace Out!

Verse 3

Now for ten years we've been on our own

The music died 1959, McLean more than likely started writing this song around 1969.

And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
The great Bob Dylan wrote "Like a Rolling Stone" in 1965. This was his first MAJOR change from folk music. In late 1966, Dylan was involved in a motorcycle accident, and hid in his house in Woodstock, NY for a good year, hence the "fat," and the moss shows the time change. Dylan didn't really get his muse back till 1975.

but that's not how it used to be.
McLean liked Dylan as a folk singer in the early sixties more than his folk-rock style in the mid sixties. (I wonder what he thinks of Dylan's religious phase!)

When the jester sang for the king and queen
Ok, the jester's Bob Dylan. The king is Peter Seger and the queen is Joan Baez. These were the two big names in folk at the time early '60's). During the Newport Folk Festival in 1963, Dylan was honored to play his own set and then combine with these two legends to sing his song "Blowin' in the Wind."

In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
In the Dean movie "Rebel Without A Cause," he wears a red windbreaker. On the cover of the Dylan's "Freewheelin'," he is seen also in a red windbreaker. This cover also resembles a famous picture of Dean. This ties in with the previous line 'cause this album is were Dylan really took off, with such songs as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."

And a voice that came from you and me.
This means two things. 1. Dylan was the spokesman for the 60's (and he was) and 2. He didn't have the best singing voice in the world, and even you and me could sing like him (but you could write like him if Shakespeare «he's in the alley» himself told you what to say!)

Oh, and while the king was looking down
This could mean two things; Pete Seger remained a traditional folk singer, while Dylan was constantly reinvented himself and therefore became unbelievably popular. This could also be a reference to Elvis (the King of rock and roll), because he joined the U.S. Army and reportedly dropped his soap everyday in the shower.

The jester stole his thorny crown
While Elvis was in the army, Dylan took his spotlight and changed the whole music business. The thorny crown is the price of fame, and is referenced with Jesus's thorny crown before he was murdered.

The courtroom was adjourned, no verdict was returned
This deals with the Kennedy assassination. Lee Harvey Oswald was never convicted because he was murdered.

And while Lennon read a book of Marx
This is about the Beatles music becoming political. Songs like "Revolution" (1968) (which actually mentions Chairman Mao) were much different then "Love Me Do" (1963). Many American adults thought the Beatles were bad for the American youth, especially after Lennon's remark in 1966 about Christianity. He said "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first: rock 'n' roll or Christianity." This started anti-Beatles burnings and such.

The quartet practiced in the park
The quartet was the Beatles (there were four, not including if Paul McCartney is really dead!) and the park thing is Candlestick Park, the place of their last concert. It was practicing 'cause their music would grow after they stopped touring (their first project after this was "Sgt. Pepper" which is considered the best album of all time).

And we sang dirges in the dark, the day the music died.
A dirge is a funeral song. These songs were for the Kennedy's (John and Robert) and Martin Luther King, all who died in the mid 60's. And remember- "Dark" rhythms with "Park"

Verse 4

Helter Skelter in a summer swelter
Charles Manson is one of the most dangerous cereal killers ever (his favorite was coco-puffs). In the summer of 1968, he massacred an entire family 'cause of the Beatles song "Helter Skelter," which appeared on the white album. He thought that the Beatles were warning America about the racial conflict and it was "coming down fast." He thought the Beatles were the four angels mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. Manson wrote the title of the song on the wall in blood after committing the murders. Also, he thought in "Revolution 9" that Lennon was saying "rise" instead of "right," thought the line "They need a damn good wacking" from "Piggies" was telling him to kill people and the "Hollywood Song" in "Honey Pie" was about him 'cause he lived near Hollywood. He was dropping too much acid and thought the Beatles were talking directly to him and told him to kill those people.

The Byrd flew off with to a fallout shelter
The Byrd's were a popular folk-rock group, with the huge cover of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," in 1965. One of the members was arrested for possession of marijuana and a fallout shelter was another name for a rehab program. A strange note is that Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" appeared on his "Bringing It All Back Home" record, and on the lower left corner of the cover is a fallout shelter sign.

Eight miles high and falling fast.
"Eight Miles High" was the first ever psychedelic song (it was written while high on speed, and the sound of the guitar was supposed to sound like a saxophone). The falling fast part is probably about the fact that the Byrd's abandoned folk-rock for country music with the album "Sweetheart of the Rodeo," in 1967

Then landed in the foul grass
Foul grass meaning marijuana.

The players tried for a forward pass
Here the football metaphor starts. The players are the protesters in the 60's. The forward pass was their movement to change the situation they were in, full of government corruption.

With the jester, on the sidelines in a cast.
emember jester=Dylan. In late 1966, while riding near his house in Woodstock, NY, he briefly glanced into the sun and lost control of his bike. When he went to brake, they locked up on him and sent him flying off the motorcycle. It took him about 9 months to recover (or was he just pregnant and trying to hide it from the world????), in which time he very rarely left the house, hence the cast.

Now the half time air was sweet perfume
Flower Power, groovy baby! Drugs, man, drugs.

While sergeants played a marching tune
Sgt. Pepper, Beatles, 1967, recently named the most influencal album of all time. First ever concept album. First to have lyrics printed on the back. First to have a design on the protector of the record. Included an elaborate cover design and cut-outs. As far as the music goes, it had drug references in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, sitars, animal sounds and studio trickery. In the song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" at one point in the sound the engineer was instructed to cut the tape into small pieces, scatter them around, then tape them back together. In "A Day in the Life" (which was banned from the radio 'cause of the drug reference line "I'd Love to Turn You On"), after the piano cords die out, there is a minute of silence, followed by a high pitched sound (by the request of John Lennon, especially to annoy the family dog), then a loop of Beatles gibberish to make the owners of the LP think that the needle had stuck! What was I talking about again?

We all got up to dance, but we never got the chance
Oh yeah, American Pie!! That's a good song...anyway, the Beatles helped to start a new kind of music that was meant to be listened and not danced to (how do you dance to "Within You and Without You"?).

'Cause the players tried to take the field
Players=Protesters. In 1968, at the Chicago Democratic convention, protesters rioted, and some were beaten by the police. It is now known as the days of rage. Also in 1970, at Kent State University, four students were killed by the National Guard in response to their anti-Vietnam protests, which inspired the song "Ohio" by CSN & Neil Young.

The marching band refused to yield
The Beatles had some anti-violence songs that made protesters think twice about the way they were acting. "All You Need is Love" (1967) says there is a better way then violence, and in "Revolution" (1968) one of the lines is "But when you talk about destruction, don't you know that you can count me out." The beatles were in no way pro-government (as seen in 1968's "Piggies," which is about Congressmen), but they were against violence.

Do you recall what was revealed, the day the music died.
So what was revealed? ...well look at today, the president gets more ass then a toilet seat. As Dr. Evil says in Austin Powers, "Face it, freedom failed" or more accurately, the protests failed. The government is more corrupt now then ever before. McLean wasn't a big 60's fan and here is putting down the efforts of the failed generation.


Verse 5

And then we were all in one place
Woodstock Performing Arts Festival took place in August in 1969. 400,000 of McLean's generation were there. It took place at Woodstock (actually Bethel) because that's were Dylan was hiding, and they were hoping he would come out and play. Unfortunately he turned it down for the "Isle of Wright" concert.

A generation lost in space
The moon landing was of course in 1969, David Bowie's "Space Oddity" was released (which was about 'major Tom' who got lost in space), there was a TV show called "Lost in Space" and this is a drug reference, the 60's are generalized by saying everyone in the entire world was on acid.

With no time left to start again
It took them a whole decade to get to this point, the generation's time was quickly fading. McLean thinks they wasted most of there time on drugs.

So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack flash sat on a candlestick
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" was a hit for the Rolling Stones. In this song, McJagger compares himself with Jesus. This line comes from the nursery rhyme that has the line "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumps over a candlestick."

'cause fire is the devil's only friend.
The Stones sold out to the devil. Their only comeback to the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper" was their album "Their Satanic Majesties Request." Seeing that you've probably never heard of this, you can imagine that it pretty much sucks. Also, their song "Sympathy for the Devil," proves that they were desperate to sell their records (the Beatles were SOOOOO much better!). Was it really worth celebrating the devil?

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
No, it wasn't. In December of 1969, the Stones attempted another Woodstock, this time at Altamont Speedway. This time it was a free concert, with the Hell's Angel's handling the security. The biggest mistake was paying them in advance, but instead of money, with beer and handfuls of acid. While the stones were singing "Sympathy for the Devil," a black man was beaten and stabbed to death by the Hell's Angels. They soon began beating everyone, include a member of the Jefferson Airplane.

My hands were clenched in fists of rage
He was pissed.

No angel born in hell could brake that Satan's spell
"angels born in hell" a.k.a. the "Hell's Angels!" When you have sympathy for the devil, you're asking for trouble.

As the flames climbed high into the night, to light the sacrificial rite
The stones were helicoptered out of there it became so crazy, hence the "climbed high." It's like the Stones started the living hell, and left in the middle of it...what's up with that? The sacrifice to the devil was the man's life.

I saw Satan laughing with delight, the day the music died.
This was the definitive ending of the sixties. The generation that was lost in space was now lost on earth. Before the only violence was between the hippies and the police, now it was amongst themselves. Satan had won, in one final blow.


Verse 6

I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news, but she just smiled and turned away.
Janis Joplin is most the girl who sang the blues. Her big hits were "Piece of My Heart" and "Me and Bobby McGee." She died of an accidental heroin overdose on October 4, 1970. McLean is still trying to find happiness like in the beginning of the song "Maybe they'd be happy for a while," "That music used to make me smile." (Note the tone of the song is very similar in these to verses) But this time the smile isn't for happiness but regret.

I went down to the sacred store
Here he's talking about record stores that sold 50's albums.

Where I heard the music years before, but the man said the music wouldn't play
By the 70's, the 50's music was almost ignored by everyone. Hundreds of great albums were released in the 60's, and it seems that everyone has forgot about the 50's.

And in the streets the children screamed
The youth of America were beaten in the streets especially at the end of the decade. (Like I said earlier, the Kent State murders and the Chicago Democratic Convention)

The lovers cried and the poets dreamed
In Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," he says: "I met one man he was wounded in love, I met another man he was wounded in hatred," showing that love hurts sometimes as much as hate.

But not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken.
Again in "A Hard Rain...," the line is "I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken." Simon and Garfunkel had a hit with "Sound of Silence." The church bells all were broken shows that people have forgotten God. All things are are so sacred are gone, love, faith, happiness, peace. In Dylan's "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," one verse goes: Disillusioned words like bullets bark . As human gods aim for their mark . Made everything from toy guns that spark . To flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark . It's easy to see without looking too far. That not much Is really sacred. McLean isn't the only one that feels this way. He was obviously a religious man, and is very disappointed that they have abandoned God.

And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost
The trinity of God, McLean was Catholic.

They caught the last train for the coast.
God has left. Time magazine even featured a cover story "Is God Dead?" The generation has failed, and "with no time left to start again." It was now up to the next generation to put things right (and they did a terrible job might I add).

The day the music died. And we were singing....
This last verse is the hardest to explain...Remember, McLean never would talk about what what the lyrics definitely mean, so it's not perfectly clear. Some people believe there were more references to the Kennedy's (him being the king and his wife the queen), but I feel his presence is felt though the songs from the 60's better. Ps, this took me forever.


Refrain

So bye, bye Miss American Pie
Pimp Daddy McLean was dating one of the Miss America contestants during one of the pageants. Also the "American Pie" part is a symbol of the American Dream (at least of the 50's), it was also the name of the plane that crashed and killed Holly (or so goes the rumor).

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
The American automobile was the Chevy. The levee business shows that America wasn't fertile anymore (at least in the sense of music). "Chevy" rhymes with "levee."

And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye singing "This will be the day that I die, this will be the day that I die."
The traditional Americans are depressed with the current lifestyle (60's). The song comes from Buddy Holly's "That'll be the day," that eventually says "that I die."

（一）
老妇悲壮的出局了。其实，当我在名单里看到格里格拉镇守右路、昆哥领衔性感三前锋的那一刻，我便意识到这是一场光着屁股提着菜刀跟机械化敌人搏命的比赛。最终不出意外，我妇一球小负，输得体面死得光荣……

（二）
巴萨的主场毕竟容得下十万极端狂热的球迷，再加上钟灵毓秀的小白复出，所以法甲七连冠里昂队上半场被砍瓜切菜般灌进四个也不算什么新鲜事儿。不过我萨并不是只有梅西、大帝，我们还有金牌卧底黄油手巴神，于是不到十分钟，比赛又恢复了悬念…… 任人唯亲祸害无穷啊。

（三）
曼联的胜利又一次证明了一件事：维季奇是世界最强中后卫。曼联的复兴，正是从他和埃弗拉加盟、海因策与布朗淡出的那个赛季开始。

（四）
皇马健儿们在第二回合前是不是说过“我们要展示漂亮的足球给英国佬看”？总之，最后的比分是零比四，净吞四蛋的圣·卡西被不怀好意的球迷们评为全场最佳，场面之惨烈可想而知。我真的怀疑把普茨茅斯放到西甲是不是也能拿个十连胜。

（其他）
拜仁创纪录屠杀里斯本，不过其真实实力请参考德甲联赛对汉堡及不来梅；潜艇过关马竞出局，智利球王依旧坐穿板凳；意甲英超的下驹之战激战至八轮点球，最终以双方门将的崩溃和罗马后卫的一记高炮为欧冠八分之一决赛画上了华丽的句号。

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (午夜巴塞罗那)

自由与开放是这部轻喜剧的灵魂。巴塞罗那的热烈与奥维耶多的宁静，节拍鲜明的西班牙音乐和画卷般美丽的小镇风景，温柔地溶解在故事的每一处细节之中。传统女性Vicky站在婚姻的门槛前后取舍不定，而热衷幻想的Cristina与离异的画家夫妇维持着微妙的三角恋情。她们在两条偶尔交错的线索上摸索着各自的情感。巴塞罗那强烈的的叛逆感与创造力，仿佛不可阻挡的湍流，将一对性格迥异的女孩导向无法预测的未来。




The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (本杰明·巴顿奇事)

如果没有《阿甘正传》，那么《本杰明·巴顿》便是一出神作。一战结束的夜晚，到计算机时代的前夕，历史如同静谧曲折的溪流，送来春天的生机、卷走秋日的落叶。本杰明·巴顿的一生，是一片逆流而上的独木舟，是一面逆时针走动的表盘。如果生活美好的一面在于同你的亲友爱人一同成长和老去，那么它忧伤的一面便是你无法伴随着时代变得更加年轻而开放。本杰明·巴顿，一个好人，幸运地、或者不幸地，走在与所有人相反的轨迹上。

“阿甘是现实社会中的美好的童话。本杰明·巴顿是童话故事里的残酷世界。”




The Reader (朗读者)

这部作品很难评价。我不会说它是佳作，因为自始至终，我没有感受到任何情感或者行为上的脉络，每个人的举止仿佛被断章取义、生生地从不同的几本日记上撕下，然后粘在一起；我也不能说它是烂作，因为我完全没有理解几个人物，特别是女主角Hana的复杂心态。不论导演是否在刻意布置这样一种结构，至少我觉得这里面有太多晦涩的环节。

潜水钟与蝴蝶（The Diving Bell and The Butterfly）, 2007

一流作品。撇开精彩的剧本和对白不谈，这部电影单是对光线和场景的运用便极其精彩。欧陆电影的风格一览无余：简约的对白，利用插叙和隐喻的手法渲染人物的心理、暗示情节的走向--在许多方面，都可以看到波兰电影大师Kieslowski的影子。



贫民窟的百万富翁（Slumdog Millionaire）, 2008

一流的拍摄和三流的情节。前半部分描述兄弟俩成长历程的场景剪切（类似阿甘正传的风格）与音乐搭配堪称惊艳，而后半部分却落入俗套，彻头彻尾地变作一出私奔戏。顺代提一句，印度英语（极其诡异的音调）搭配上美式的对白（“dude r u kidding me”），实在是非常可乐……

http://jacqueline.814e.com/2002_Veronique.html

马后炮及鼓吹帖，供我妇、我萨的粉丝们消遣。



尤文：沉稳睿智的老妇
自从卡莫受伤，如今这支尤文从技术上讲便退化成了皮队加十个民工，好在皮队今年异常的妖、全队一如既往的富有战斗精神、防守依然还算靠谱，至今稳坐次席。去年被我日夜诅咒的塞科大人总算有了点长进，买入的曼宁格和阿猫拜伤病减员所赐皆快速上位表现抢眼，不过一想到英明神武的莫吉大神，我还是禁不住泪流满面……
自从95年看尤文，数一数已经第14个赛季了，不管成绩好坏，老妇一直都是我的第一主队。论性格，尤文并不保守，却也不仅仅是稳定。在电话门之前，他们控制比赛的能力一直都是超一流的，教练组的智慧加上经理部的眼光，保证队伍总是签到合适的选手并且人尽其用。尤文的务实程度近乎冷酷，在收益和成绩面前从来不会犹豫--由于没有强势的后台支持，这种性情也是必然的结果。
可以说，97-06十个赛季里的尤文和国米，是穷苦孩子奋斗成才和纨绔子弟一事无成的典型写照，直到世界杯后，借助某些球场外的力量，后者谋杀、削弱了强大的对手们，在衰落的意甲联赛里享受独霸的快感。讽刺的是，谁会想到三年之后，联赛里面唯一能够带给他们一点理论上的压力的，仍旧是这支从乙级联赛回来的、看上去虎落平阳的尤文图斯？
繁荣是一时的，队伍的性格、名望和气质是长久流传的。我相信终结国米独霸、带领意甲振兴的力量，必定是尤文图斯。只是希望那个时候，意大利的空气变得干净一些，免得某些输不起的人又要背后使坏。


巴萨：性情无常的佳人
巴塞罗那人是世界上最偏激、最倔强的一群人。所谓宁为玉碎不为瓦全，这一点上和巴萨足球的风格真是不谋而合。
上半季，类似尤文，随着转会市场上的改进，去年灰头土脸的巴萨获得了一帖良药。后防线上的阿尔维斯和皮克解决了右路缺乏突破、短配合能力，以及中路高点控制的麻烦。对于巴萨这样拥有巨大技术优势和成型战术体系的队伍，修补软肋是明智之举。
瓜迪奥拉显然比拉涅利好运，因为他在低潮期接手了一支欧洲冠军级班底的队伍。巴萨的遭遇战、反击战能力一向独步欧洲，解开防守这个死结、激活两个边路的策应能力，足以彻底释放了巴萨的才华和威力。新教头解决了这两点，接下来，便是摧枯拉朽的半个赛季，西甲历史最高的半程积分。
所以自从上个赛季，我的看法便是：赞布罗塔的存在和吉奥的退出，导致了巴萨边路的瘫痪，从而引发攻击乏力、中场失控的一连串问题。10号球星去不去夜总会，并不重要。与其说他是黑羊，不如说他是替罪羊。
接下来，巴萨需要做的是祈祷伤病不要到来，或者拿赫莱布套现，签下正在贬值的阿尔沙文。对于巴萨这样需要智慧来运转的足球，能够充当核心的攻击手永远也不嫌多。
重塑05年那风姿卓绝的流畅足球，才应该是他们的最终梦想。

除了《日出》和《日落》，没有那部电影能在短暂的几分钟内给我这样一种纯粹的认同感。这是一部关于生活与伴侣的精妙小品。相比于《蓝白红》对个人内心客观甚至冷酷的剖析，《日出》、《日落》充溢着轻快与伤感、热情与踌躇，飘逸的气度和似曾相识的氛围。

生活与感情是很难去介定的东西，有的人也许愿意选择来的简单，而有的人希望付出和得到的多一些；柴米油盐以外，生活又有着完全不可预知的一面，有的人随遇而安，而有的人更愿意向前、或者向后看的远一点点。从任何角度来看，人们都可以轻易的许诺和接受无法控制、无法担负的约定，以透支未来的代价来满足现在。

如果你有过类似的想法，那么看过《日出》与《日落》，你一定会或多或少的喜爱上它，即便你知道，它只不过是维也纳、巴黎街头的寻常风景，只不过是轻巧温柔的音乐和舞蹈，只不过是一对陌生男女在九年前后的两番对白。