The High Frequency Game Changer

"High Frequency Trading" ~~~ this is a topic that I am looking forward to explore initially. After all, I have interest in all the stuff that I never read before... However, there is always some risk in reading chronology stuff. It could easily ends up as something boring, dull and dry....  At the end, Paul Zubulake & Sang Lee are the men in that. I fall asleep few times thanks to their effort in producing this book, LOL.

Honestly, this is really a dull book. The revolution of high frequency trading is not as interesting as what I expect. To make things worse, the author did little help in arranging the whole contents. Each chapter seem to be loosely related and certain chapter (especially the last chapter) seems not relevant at all. Furthermore, there are a lot of technical descriptions, which I think most readers may not want to know in the first place.

Overall, I do not see myself getting much from this book. As such, I am rating it at 1/10. One single point was given in view that the topic itself is actually something interesting. However, I finished this book in a messy way and I think this is the messiest book I had read in year 2013. As usual; ding, ding, ding... time to move on, LOL...

One Good Trade

One good trade...kind of special name... yet, it reflects the very nature of trading ~~~ simply to make a good trade rather than a profitable or losing trade!

Well, a good trade may define differently for different types of traders. This is why we have this book, where the owner of a proprietary trading firm tries to nurture a group of good traders. One of his very good traders was shown in this example: "It's about doing the little things every single day and making yourself better, and that's my goal. If I do something everyday to make myself better, I know eventually my P&L is going to show." ~~~ JToma. At first glance, this whole thing may sound weird. In my humble opinion, there are other better and more productive stuffs in the world of finance. Nurturing a team and reveal in a book does not seems to be an appropriate idea. Well, since I could not find the answer, this is why this book ends up on my book shelf, LOL.

This book serves as a good exposure to newbie (in the world of proprietary trading) like me. My conclusion is: proprietary trading is something tough to follow. In my humble opinion, this is a game for small capital. Once your capital getting huge, the whole concept just cannot works as slippage, errors and tons of possibilities (black swan?) will come in. As such, unless you are comfortable working with small capital, I personally do not see this as an excellent long-term strategy.

Secondly, the last few chapter of this book started to focus on adapting. Obviously, this is very much different compares to the school of thoughts that I believe. The author started the whole book with intraday trading. Yet, it was "adapted" throughout his career that... at the end, they develop something new, named "Trades2Hold". Well, the name itself tells the whole story. The initial idea seems to "adapt" to a better idea although the latter idea can be adapted in the first place!

Lastly... the more I read it, the more I feel like being influenced into some marketing gimmicks.... Well, a buddy of mine finally proved that when we found out SMB (the said proprietary trading firm) are actually selling their trading stuff and subscribers can watch them trade lively. Hmm... Sounds familiar?

To be honest, I actually enjoy certain part of this book. As mentioned above, it opened up my mind to something new. However, there are flaws where I cannot accept blindly. As such, I am rating it at 4/10. Overall, it is an interesting "inside" stories for readers. However, I found my own disagreements. As such, I have no objection in adding this book into my trading library. But, repetition in reading this book is an absolute "no-no" in this case... Ding, ding, ding... Next book, please! LOL...

No One Would Listen

A thrilling story....A story nobody would bother to listen when Harry Markopolos and his team uncovered what Madoff was doing...

Harry Markopolos is a hero in this context... An initial "Quant" from Boston, who started the whole investigation innocently after being forced to create the equivalent model to match the performances by Madoff.... Life is funny at times. Most of the times, the initial intention is nothing related to the final consequences. Obviously, Harry Markopolos went through the whole process in danger zone. After all, he is trying to stop more peoples from helping Madoff into digging a bigger gold mine...

In the whole story, no one seems bother to listen.... Of course, SEC included. It reminds me of my last invited discussion with our own SC in regards to gold issue after the famous G brand gold business uncovered. Ignorant is the best word to describe the whole thing. End up, several months pass through and I still did not see anything fruitful. Meanwhile, similar things happened with our local adjustments in regards to margin requirements (FKLI & FCPO). Last year was a very good example. A full volatile year was met with minimal adjustments. As Frank Casey pointed out in the book, Mother Teresa did not work on Wall Street. Obviously, Mother Teresa is not found in Malaysia financial world too, LOL.

Overall, reading this book is very relaxing although it involves tons of financial wordings. End of the day, the author successfully brought to us a well-written thrilling story with a lot of charms and humors. As such, it is attractive from the first read on first chapter. I am quite busy for the past few days. However, this book remains my priority whenever I have time to sit down and read a book. After all, it is hard to get a book with interesting, yet educating story to explore on....Having said that, I am rating this book at 10/10. Well done to the authors for being a whistleblower as well as an excellent author in presenting such a nice book. Thumbs up!

他们比你更焦虑

很特别的一本书。。。看多了赞扬中国富豪的书，是时候看一看他们焦虑的一面。。。

想知道他们怎么焦虑吗？看看以下吧：

1。 上市前夕，一位记者问吴亚军，龙湖上市的同时失去了什么？吴亚军的回答是：失去了不发展的自由。

2. 唐骏“学历门”。。。陈发树对唐骏的容忍是能够为自己加分的。。。但，无论如何，在离开新会都之前，唐骏是陈发树的一块“负资产”。

3. 廖海亭：“一山不能藏二虎？什么二虎？我们根本不是虎。我们连狗都不如。”

4.牟其中：“我不着急中国赶超不了美国，我着急的是中国人学不会做好一个富人的本领。做好一个穷人，有骨气就行了。做好一个富人则需要巨大的智慧和仁慈的灵魂。”

5. 梁启超拜访李鸿章劝他革命，李鸿章长叹一口气说：“一代人只做一代人的事。”这句话用在中国政商两界，都是句至理箴言。

6. 许多理想主义者在遭受重大挫折，习惯用一项尘封多年的个人爱好来麻醉自己，罗红便是其中之一。

7.  从非常高调到极度低调，三个月的时间里，书商张小波想换了个人似的。

8. 晋江富豪，野蛮生长成就了他们，但也埋下了一些隐患，如财务粉饰，快速扩张后遗症等。

诚如书中所描述般，中国富豪真的是过剩了。因此，我们才有台前光辉夺目，而光鲜背后则暗自忧伤。。。作者还用了电影『艋甲』里的一句名言：风往哪里吹，草就要往哪个方向倒，年轻的时候我曾以为自己是风，可是遍体鳞伤之后，我才知道我们原来都只是草。。。好贴切的一段经典句子。。。

如以上所说，这是本很特别的书。其实，不只特别，还很另类。。。有别于一般“富豪”书籍，这本书更着重于富豪背后的辛酸，代价和以上所说的忧虑。但，或许我还不够富有；总觉得所谓的焦虑也并不是那么值得焦虑。因此，想尝试从书中列出种种焦虑；但，最多也只找到以上所列出的。 虽不多，总算也是几段合格的焦虑个案吧。。。只能说，做富人肯定不容易。每样美好的东西（除非你认为钱不是美好的东西？）总有它背后的代价。所以，读完整本书后，是不是应该庆幸自己不够富有？（哈，见仁见智。。。）至少，下次感叹自己不够富裕时，想一想富豪们的焦虑应该可以舒缓一下自卑的心理吧。。。呵呵！

整体来说，这是本不错的书。评分方面，因为不完全感受到所谓的“焦虑”，10分满分，最多也只值6分。。。虽然，我不完全认同书中的“焦虑”；但，个人思想方面肯定因为这一次的阅读而开拓了许多。。。好期待下一本更焦虑的书籍。。。毕竟，我还是认同钱的价值的，哈。。。

生存·奋斗

黄百鸣出书了。。。出书的动机还真的下了我一大跳。原来，黄百鸣内人生病了。。。因此，这是本关于黄家如何“生存”和如何“奋斗”的对抗癌魔。后半部有一小段黄百鸣真正的传记。但，整体上还真的被癌魔袭击给掩盖了。所以，主题上选择“生存”，“奋斗”是没错。但，如果把他看成是100%黄百鸣传记则不太恰当。。。这其实更像是一本癌症教科书（透过真人真事）。黄百鸣也真的太用心良苦了。。。

这其实是一本很特别的书籍。第一，它够短。（138页，图案占了一半）因此，阅读时间只需要短短的半小时就解决了。通常，半小时书籍不太会让读者留下深刻影响。但，这本书很出奇的一直煽动着我的心灵。半小时里，我感动了不少次。只能说，黄百鸣的书和他的电影一样；总有能感动人的地方。这就是第二个特点。第三，里面的抗癌指南还真的挺详细的。短短的文字却交代了清清楚楚。。。

评分方面。。。很矛盾。不想给太低，因为毕竟这本书能带给读者意想不到的惊喜和知识。（它太另类了，哈）但，138页（60页文字）好像又不太符合它的价钱，呵呵。。。好吧，满分10分就给8分吧。。。整体来说，这本简单易读的不伦不类传记还真的有它的吸引力。推荐，推荐。。。

你够拼命吗？

黎智英的书我一直都爱不释手。。。打从一年前接触【我是黎智英】，肥佬黎的书一直都是我很期待的。最近，好不容易又在书局看到黎智英的旧作；因此，怎么能放过呢？

之前读了四本，原以为第五本总还有些新意吧。。。结果，想象和现实往往是有落差的。。。怎么说呢？不是肥佬黎的书写能力忽然变差了。重点是，重复性不少，而且好像也是免不了的。。。再来，可能一年的时间也把我磨成了另一个我吧。感觉上，有些黎氏心法不再那么吸引我（起码不像一年前的“简单法则“那么吸引我）。换来的，反而是有点罗嗦的教诲。。。哈！

凡事有利必有弊。。。当然，有缺点总也会附带一些些优点吧。。。距离上一回阅读黎氏书籍，这一回感觉上自己的视野也开拓了不少。比如，个人开始可以接受并领悟到肥佬黎对于中国的抗拒。坦白说，以往，我还真的很反感这一点。但，一年来的思想洗礼再加上一些小遭遇，还真的把我给逼大了，呵呵。。。毕竟，人类不应该在不同的时间，还在做着，想着同样的事情吧。。。

书柜上第五本黎智英书籍给我的惊喜不大。因此，10分满分只能给4分。一年前阅读【我是黎智英】时，感觉上兴奋多了，哈哈。。。

最后，经典语录不是不再经典，而是我看黎智英的书看的也不少了，呵呵。。。

创业，怎可能以弱的对手为假想敌？要创业成功，便要以最强的对手为假想敌。

世情岂是可以预测的？消极，灰暗的预测，更是从来都靠不住，因为人的创造能力都是积极的，都是走向光明的。自信心从来都是对未来最准确的预测。

像诸葛亮这样做事，只见树木不见森林，并且披星戴月，埋头苦干，那又何来精力照顾大局？看不清大局加上疲于奔命，又怎能不失败？

到非洲推销鞋的故事。。。这个题材是错的。信奉这个题材的推销员有的只是盲目的斗志。在我看来，这个故事真正的教训是，创业家不能站在卖家的立场来看市场，必须设身处地，深入消费者的感受。。。没有使用者便没有市场。

摘下浪漫色彩的眼镜，网络世界跟传统世界都一样，皆面对交易诚信形成的障碍，因为我们原是活在同一个物质的世界。

三星内幕

又是一本自传。。。这回不谈娱乐，不谈香港。。。谈的是世纪过江龙。。。这条过江龙非常不简单。。。所以，这本自传更是不简单中的不简单。。。

像六叔自传般，这本自传的爆料程度还真的不相上下。 当然，像六叔事迹般，我也是这里听一些，那里看一点。如果不是【邵逸夫大传】，很多事情我也搞不清楚前后次序。因此，【三星内幕】再次起到了同样的作用。对于三星，我总算来个彻底翻查了，呵呵。。。

关于李健熙的一生，“传奇”还真的是很贴切的形容词。 老爸的严厉和冷酷无情在以下的这段描写中表露无疑：“原来父亲在传给儿子的三星集团这个礼物上扣着锁。要想打开这把锁，就得超越父亲。这就等于是有附加条件的继承。如果不解决，三星集团就不可能成为自己的。” 当然，有其父必有其子。而且老爸的原始目的也是想把李健熙训练成立过一个冷酷无情的商人。因此，李健熙在翻看【湖岩自传】时并不是为了倾听父亲讲述自己的人生故事。相反的，他是为了打破和粉碎父亲的形象以达到超越父亲的目的。据说，这是为了寻找突破父亲的世界的方法。。。好狠噢。。。

老实说，整本书的故事记载方面还好。但，次序，排位就显得稍微凌乱了点。 年份在书里跳来奔去，就是没有一个像样的节奏。。。两个可能性；一，原装版本就是那么凌乱。二，可能是翻译方面的问题。所以，基本上，我都尽量避免选择翻译书籍。但，没办法。。。韩文我认识它，而它就是不认得我，呵呵。。。

再来，我不太习惯作者东扯西扯的手法。明明是韩国事迹，无端端的怎么搞了个日本战国时代？再来，越扯越远；德川家康的故事也出来了。后半段更离谱。“明天的果酱”提了又提。忠南泰安前海上发生的漏油事件也出来了。加莱的义民与贵族义务更不靠谱。类似这样的胡扯有必要吗？老实说，我不介意作者引述一些别的事迹。但，点到为止，不是吗？感觉上，作者好像越讲越爽；主和副都给搞乱了。。。试问，读者如我怎么能专心去探讨所谓的三星内幕呢？

最后，想用里面一句经典语录来做个结论：要跑就跑吧。要匆忙赶路就赶路吧。我不会拦住的。不想走路，就停下来吧。不想干活儿，就休息吧。我会保障你们的生活。但是，不要拖别人的后腿。为什么非要把向前奔跑的人拉向旁边呢？这句语录足于证明李健熙的自传其实是非常值得探讨的。但，可惜技术上（如果是翻译的话）或是文化上的差异把这本书给毁了。（至少在我的角度）满分10分，我给6分。很可惜。。。故事情节可达10分的一本书；却因为一些主观因素而达不到我个人要求。很期待下一本（另一本）李健熙自传。。。

邵逸夫大传

读别人的大传永远容易过去经历大传里的点点滴滴。更何况，读的是邵逸夫。。。“邵氏”，“无线”，这两个陪着我们成长的故事一直是我个人很佩服六叔的地方。但，之前所接触过的六叔事迹好像都不太完整。总是漏掉这个，漏掉哪儿的感觉。这回，总算有个彻底的交代了。。。

对于六叔，我个人是佩服得五体投地。试想，当年的恶劣环境；想在那种环境下突围已经不是有钱或没钱所能办到的。它的背后隐藏着许许多多的坚持，毅力以及誓不低头的精神。。。当然，这本自传中自然也少不了兵不厌诈的场面。但，相比起商业界的诈，六叔的诈还真的微不足道，呵呵。。。

再来，从过去那些似真似假的故事中，隐隐约约可以看到六叔很有远见的一面。除非这本书籍的记载有问题，不然里面的精彩事迹的确证明了我的观点。从邵氏何时开始，何时结束直到从邵氏再转战无线都彻底浮现出六叔很有远见的一面。市面上（包括这本书）惯性的批评六叔不懂的把握人才。但，如果握得住未来走势，少那一两个人才应该也还好吧。。。

六叔现今也已经迈入高龄了（不对，应该是超高龄！）。一直以来，我都不太明白六叔这么忙碌的人怎能保持着那么健壮的体魄和健康呢？原来，早睡早起，不喝酒，适当的忙碌还真的起到作用。。。

其实，很多你和我都很好奇的细节，在这本自传里还真的交代了清清楚楚。所以，这本自传写的真不错。至少，我是很享受正本书。恰巧，又刚好在放小假；因此阅读这本书还帮我度过了一个很有意义的假期。。。

个人对于这本书的评价是很高的。。。理由是，它提供了我所要知道和未必想知道的一切。再来，作者的笔墨完全都不沉闷。 因此，10分满分我给足了10分。或许，这是我第一本彻彻底底关于六叔的自传。因此，还真的找不到任何缺点。阅读有时还真的不能太挑剔。感觉对了，就是本好书。这本自传给我的感觉还真对了。。。