Do not read “The Ravens”; never-nevermore!

There was a bet between N.Y. Senator Hillary Clinton and Maryland senators during the 2001 Super Bowl; if Baltimore wins, Sen. Clinton will read “The Ravens” on the steps of U.S. Capitol and if N.Y. Giants wins, then the two Maryland senators will sing Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York!” on the same steps—an ultimate humiliation for the defeated.  (click the photo to enlarge it)

This is an article (Poe at 200) in the Wall Street Journal in January 2009 on Edgar Allan Poe's 200-year birthday.

In preparation for the Steelers-Ravens game on Sunday (10/3/10), I am asking no one read “The Ravens” until the game is over and the Ravens defeated Sunday afternoon.

The rivalry between the Steelers and the Ravens likens that of Red Sox and Yankees, not as ancient though it may be. (“From ancient grudge, break to new mutiny”—the prologue in Romeo and Juliet—only applies to Red Sox and Yankees).  The Ravens is almost as good as the Steelers; we treat them with respect.  Of the 30 games played between these two teams, 11 have been decided by four or fewer points and four of the last 14 games have gone to overtime.

Dr. Cheng-Hung Lin may be eager to move on to Johns Hopkins; let’s remind him not to let his heart go to Baltimore before he does.  We want to hear him cheering “Go! Steelers, Go!” the loudest.  Little did I ask, “This it is, and nothing more.”

Peggy Cancelmi did i read this correctly...'the ravens are almost as good as the steelers?"....let's not be so hospitable..or are you using stealth...and a little flattery, to keep our opponent off his mark...it must surely be the latter...we will utter no words even remotely like poe's until the matchup is history....we will only call that baltimore team 'turkey'....staying far clear of the other avian reference.

Jer-Yuan Tsai What is "the other avian reference"? that little bird!

Peggy Cancelmi of course, and we not utter his 'quoth',,till the game is won.

Peggy Cancelmi turkey is the bird with the reputation of diminished brain power..you will note no team called the terrible turkeys.

Jer-Yuan Tsai Shall we add "the Ravens" to the long list of illustrious banned books/poem?

Peggy Cancelmi untill the next time, when the steelers will play smarter...and may i say our opponent did not beat us...we beat ourselves....no 'quothing' till then..we will remain loyal to the bard.

種瓜得瓜, 只是我們兩個傻瓜不知道種的是什麼瓜

種瓜得瓜, 只是我們兩個傻瓜不知道種的是什麼瓜. (種瓜得瓜 means “one gets squash when one plants squash” or can be loosely translated as “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”) 

The first photo was taken at “China Palace” restaurant at Wexford, PA, where we indulged a few weeks ago. The second and the last word (reading from right to left) are “squash or 瓜 ” (the last one shown as picture of squash). We planted various squashes; we did reap what we sowed, except the two fools we are; we have no idea what kinds of squashes we got. I am hoping the seasoned gardeners, the likes of Dr. Fang and Dr. Liang, could tell us what kind of squash we got.

Since we’re talking about “squash” (瓜), we also use “傻瓜” (foolish squash = fool) to describe us accordingly.  These photos are taken by using a “傻瓜"相機 (“dummy” camera) 拍攝的.

Our luffas grow in good company of beautiful flowers

Taiwan is a paradise for growing luffa (菜瓜); they love hot, humid weather with lots of water; some of our fellow gardeners (in western Pennsylvania) have given up growing luffa. Our success in growing luffa this year surprises many; credit to our faithful and diligent (at times using flash light) watering. But, let’s not forget they grow accompanied by beautiful flowers in an aesthetic garden. These photos can prove it.

The birth of quantum mechanics

Roy Glauber

Max Planck

Roy Glauber’s (see photo left) Nobel lecture (2005) video gave a good summary of the birth of quantum mechanics—during 1924-26 when Louis de Broglie, Heinsberg and Schrodinger were working on the atom.  But, Glauber made it clear that it was December 14, 1900 (a good day to get married, for those in the know) when Max Planck (see photo right) announced his revolutionary idea that energy emitted by a resonator could only take a discrete value (quanta, hence quantum mechanics) that separates the classical physics and quantum mechanics.  Based on Planck’s concept, Einstein (see photo) proposed in 1905 that light is also quantized—his photoelectric effect that earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921, and Planck was so honored in 1918.

Einstein

Thus it is ironic that Einstein never fully embraced and accepted quantum mechanics which he himself helped create.  Niels Bohr (see photo) once said, "For those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum theory cannot possibly have understood it." 

Niels Bohr

I once wrote a lengthy article likening molecular biology of life science to quantum mechanics of physics, and never liked it; undoubtedly the most difficult task I ever attempted; I planned to re-write it from the scratch, only if I can have better understanding of quantum mechanics.  I recently picked up a book by Manjit Kumar: Quantum, talking about the debate between Bohr and Einstein.

Newton’s classic physics started the modern science and quantum mechanics propelled it to a higher level.  And it is also Newton that gave us the tool (calculus) so the best minds after him can develop quantum mechanics theories; none of the giants in quantum mechanics era ever had the same deed and legacy.  Of course, we have to give the equal credit to Leibniz in creating calculus.  Bertrand Russell wrote, “Leibniz was one of the supreme intellectuals of all time, but as a human he was not admirable.”  Some kind of new math may be needed before the Unified Field theory can be attained.

Understanding science and religion

This letter to the Observer-Reporter was written shortly after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.

“In its unfading flowers”

Emily Dickinson’s letters often came with a poem; this one was in the letter to her brother, Austin. I think she must have written it about this time of the year: she was concerned about the frost (“Where not a frost has been”) and emphasized her flowers had not faded yet (“In its unfading flowers”); I can boast the same, the photo of “unfading flowers” were taken this morning. “Prithee” comes from “pray thee” which is used to express a wish or request for something to be done; something like “please”. Let me paraphrase her, “Prithee, my [Facebook] friends, / Into my garden come!”


Linda Mosier was still entertained by butterflies and hummingbirds at this time of the year; and Emily still “hear the bright bee hum”.

There is another sky,

Ever serene and fair,

And there is another sunshine,

Though it be darkness there;

Never mind faded forests, Austine,

Never mind silent fields –

Here is a little forest,

Whose leaf is ever green;

Here is a brighter garden,

Where not a frost has been;

In its unfading flowers

I hear the bright bee hum;
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!

Joy's shoe garden

Inspired by our grand garden, Joy managed to set up a garden of her own in her Chicago high-rise apartment; that is her way of recycling. You cannot find any shoe more beautiful than this one.

Say good-bye to summer and Summers

When Lawrence Summers was forced to resign from Harvard presidency in the summer of 2006, I said (in spring) “when summer comes Summers will be gone!”  Now he announced his resignation from the position of White House chief economic advisor (Director of the White House National Economic Council) at the end of summer.  He’s returning to Harvard lest the allowed 2-year leave of absence for his tenure would expire, not that he couldn’t find any job (in academic) he wants.

He can unabashedly say his job is done, given the economic climate—no double dip recession and the march to recovery is inexorable.  But, deep down in his heart, he’s disappointed that he didn’t get his old job (the Treasury Secretary) or get Bernanke’s job (the Fed Chief).                  (click the photo to enlarge it)

Katy’s report at World Journal: Celebration of 中秋節

This is Katy’s dispatch to the World Journal (世界日報) that was published today (September 22). The report is about the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival at Pittsburgh attracting many Pittsburghers and tourists. (click the photo to enlarge it)

匹茲堡慶中秋 吸引中外遊客
【賓州匹茲堡訊】
September 22, 2010 06:01 AM

Read more: 世界新聞網-北美華文新聞、華商資訊 - 匹茲堡慶中秋 吸引中外遊客

去年曾停辦的匹茲堡龍舟節，今年延至中秋節前，在匹城南邊河畔公園盛大舉辦。當天秋高氣爽，匹茲堡華人教會、匹茲堡台灣同鄉會及僑領黃呈昌也各自舉辦大型中秋節迎新聚餐活動，但是並未減少該慶中秋活動的中外遊客。

這項中秋活動參與社團包括賓州匹茲堡美華協會、匹茲堡餐飲公會、匹茲堡慈濟聯絡處及其人文學校、三河領養華童美國家庭組織、匹茲堡大學東亞圖書館、匹茲堡中 文學校、匹茲堡玉山科技、匹茲堡大學台灣學生會等，最大贊助者為台灣僑務委員會，由駐紐約台北經濟文化辦事處免費提供台灣觀光資訊和孩童的紙工藝等。

活動中，有中國、日本、泰國、菲律賓、印度等國的食品攤位，以及提供精彩的民族舞蹈表演，由陳嘉興做開幕致詞。娛興節目則由俞凱倫(Karen Yu)主持，中餐協會供應各式佳肴，與泰菜及菲律賓菜互相輝映，各顯特色。

謝家碧老師指導民族舞蹈，她與慈濟人文學校的學生負責從上午11時舞獅開幕到民族舞蹈、少林功夫、太極、扯鈴、西洋劍術等表演。謝家碧說，到年底，她們每個 月都受邀參與匹茲堡各項公益活動。使得學生在繁忙課餘，須緊密練習。今年，有些她的學生還特地趁暑假到台灣學民族舞蹈，在這回中秋活動特地公開表演。

當天，日本太鼓與歌舞也表演得很出色。每場表演後，在場觀賞的中外人士均掌聲雷動。直到下午6時，活動才圓滿閉幕。（張瓊月）

Emily Dickinson’s mourning on the end of summer

I just post Emily Dickinson’s poem marking the beginning of autumn, here is her mourn on the end of summer.  I interpret this as the “mourning” of the passing of summer since Auburn was mentioned (“Will idle lie – in Auburn –” I think she referred to the celebrated Mount Auburn Cemetery—the noble and beautiful place.  (Edwin, Mount Auburn is  at Cambridge.

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir,

And Violets are done –

When Bumblebees in solemn flight

Have passed beyond the Sun –

The hand that paused to gather

Upon this Summer’s day

Will idle lie – in Auburn –

Then take my flowers – pray!

Emily Dickinson on the beginning of autumn

Peggy said “Emily Dickinson, with her poems of this season, must have the right words for the equnox”; she did have a poem to mark the beginning of the autumn, which is supposed to be today/tonight (Septemer 22/23).  We took this photo at Fredericktown area 3 autumns ago, I said “the language to describe this blaze of colors is not yet invented”, Emily never ran out of words, “Some Dyer of a distant tree / Resumes his gaudy industry.”

Summer begins to have the look

Peruser of enchanting Book

Reluctantly but sure perceives

A gain upon the backward leaves –

Autumn begins to be inferred

By millinery of the cloud

Or deeper color in the shawl

That wraps the everlasting hill.

The eye begins its avarice

A meditation chastens speech

Some Dyer of a distant tree

Resumes his gaudy industry.

Conclusion is the course of All

A most to be perennial

And then elude stability

Recalls to immortality.

Our garden refuses to say good-bye to summer

Summer is officially gone and done, but our garden refuses to believe it. These photos are taken today (Sept. 22); they may have seen their best days, but they still linger; many are still thriving, and I need not apologize if I said it is still a lush garden!

Karen Patterson Eisiminger Yes, many of my flowers look better now than they did earlier this summer when it was so hot!

Linda Elliott Mosier It is beautiful...and I know what you mean. I was still entertained by butterflies and hummingbirds yesterday and I'm enjoying it and will continue to do so until they start their journey south. Had a white crowned sparrow stop by yesterday, just had lunch and went on his merry way. : ) 

They are all related

Today (September 14) in 1814 Francis Scott Key wrote a poem (“Defence of Fort McHenry”) after witnessing how Fort McHenry had endured a night of British bombardment during the War of 1812; it later became the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner”—the American national anthem.


F(rancis) Scott Fitzgerald (of The Great Gatsby fame) is his distant cousin.  His sister married Roger Taney, The Supreme Court Chief Justice during Lincoln Presidency (I just wrote about Lincoln and Taney at Sermo today), Thomas Hunt Morgan (of the Drosophila fame) was a direct descendant.  Morgan became a Nobel laureate in 1933 for his discovery of genes being carried on chromosomes and are the mechanical basis of heredity.

The origin of the cruise ship

While Joy went cruising with several of her good friends, I emailed her this comic strip asking her whether her cruise ship was as fanciful as the one Hagar’s (The Horrible) battle ship running into.

A captive and captivating beauty

Zinnias do not die, they just fade away; they lost their luster first before they do their color, but many of them are still beaming in their glory. While watering from outside the fence this afternoon, I saw this captive (kept inside a chain-link fence) and captivating beauty.

Do the flowers know they are beautiful? Emily Dickinson wondered the same question.

How many Flowers fail in Wood –
Or perish from the Hill –

Without the privilege to know

That they are Beautiful –

Pink for breast cancer awareness

These are the pinks from our garden; this post raises two hands supporting Linda Mosier’s original post of the same title.

菜瓜有幸, 鮮花相伴

Emily Dickinson romanticized the bee-flower relationship with sexual allusion

In Emily Dickinson’s poems, the bee-flower relationship is romanticized with sexual allusion.  In The Seductions of Emily Dickinson, Robert McClure pointed out that flower is, after all, a sexual organ and pollination is a sexual act (one cannot be more explicit in saying “Their moment consummated”).  Bee is always a male one, even though it was actually a female bee that collects the nectar, whereas the flower is always a female one.  I would call this luscious poetry of garden scene.

Their moment consummated –

A Bee his burnished Carriage

Drove boldly to a Rose –

Combinedly alighting –

Himself – his Carriage was –

The Rose received his visit

With frank tranquility

Withholding not a Crescent

To his Cupidity –

Their moment consummated –

Remained for him – to flee –

Remained for her – of rapture 

But the humility

The passing of summer

It is inescapable that a gardener would mourn the passing of summer when the garden activities were winding down; Emily Dickinson was no exception.  This is how she did it.  Emily must also plant flowers of gentian family, which are colorful; many are blue.  Again both bee and butterfly showed up hand by hand.

The Gentian weaves her fringes –

The Maple’s loom is red –

My departing blossoms

           Obviate parade.

A brief, but patient illness –

An hour to prepare,

And one below this morning

Is where the angels are –

It was a short procession,

The Bobolink was there –

And aged Bee addressed us –

And then we knelt in prayer –

We trust that she was willing –

We ask that we may be.

Summer – Sister – Seraph!

Let us go with thee!

In the name of the Bee -

And of the Butterfly -

And of the Breeze - Amen!

Early Christmas shopping at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland -- Photo diary of baby-sitters: 9

Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland at Frankenmuth, MI is dubbed as the largest and most comprehensive Christmas store in the States and it is only 10-15 minutes drive away from where Ben & Gabi live.


The store is as large as 1.5 football fields having all kinds of Christmas ornaments, lights, trees, collectibles, and nativities; if you couldn’t find what you want, you do not need it.

So we took Ben and Gabi for an early Christmas shopping in August; Christmas shopping comes earlier every year.

Baby sitting is a full time job -- Photo diary of baby-sitters: 8

What’s “The Shack” got to do with baby-sitting? Before leaving for Michigan for our delightful baby-sitting mission, Thinking I will have lots of time on hand for three and half days: no clinic, no hospital rounds, no calls from the nurses or the patients, I well prepared bringing Moby-Dick, The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde, and Barbra Walters’ Audition (lest Janice would say that I only read deceased authors), or so I thought.

It turned out I never opened the books I brought with me. I noticed a book Jo was reading: William Young’s The Shack; I picked it up and couldn’t put it down. However, I could only manage to read it half way through during the next three days. I couldn’t even read even when they’re watching TV for I had to listen to their commentaries, especially Gabi’s.  If I went away for a few minutes, Gabi would walk to the kitchen (A woman’s job in the kitchen is never done! Katy was making rice dumpling or 肉粽—Jo and Sean’s favorite) asking Ah-ma “where is Ah-gong?” Gaby kept an eye on me just as if she were baby sitting me.

I even brought my iPod and never used it as I had to keep vigilant watching any move or listening for any noise or cry, such as “I want mommy” (unfortunately, I never did, Jo) even after they went to bed; baby-sitting is a full time job.

We left our hearts in Micgigan -- Photo diary of baby-sitters: 7

We arrived Wednesday evening and Jo and Sean left 4 o’clock next morning. Waking up in the morning at her usual hour, Gabi noticed that Katy and I were the only ones around; she was quiet but visibly not happy; she was contemplating how to respond. We left her alone for 5 or 10 minutes. No sooner did Katy bring her up, than she cried; it was obviously a symbolic one; she needed to make effort to keep it going. After a few minutes she stopped crying, realizing she has done her duty to make Jo feel better that she was being missed. For the next 3 and half days she woke up in the morning, took her nap in the afternoon and went to bed in the evening as a happy girl.

Jo has told Ben before they left and on the second day Ben began to ask what day they're coming home; he obviously began to have the concept of "duration" of time.


We always complimented Gabi whenever she peed or pooped and that might have led Gabi asking to pee more often than she needed. Once she asked to pee and Katy hurried bringing her upstairs; upon reaching the bath room, she said she didn't need to pee. Katy said "you're tricking me," to which Gabi whispered to Katy's ear, "no, I just want you to hold me!"


This is how we fell for Gabi who exudes her charm in her own way, and this is why we left our hearts in Michigan.


WeiChen Tsai Gabi responded, “No, I just want you to hold me!”..... 哈哈哈! 她真是超可愛的! 難怪你們left your hearts in Michigan.
Peggy Cancelmi thank heaven for little girls....

An artist at work -- photo diary of baby-sitters: 6

Sean’s (dad) family is a family of artists; Katy’s artistic talent is also well known and Gaby is no exception; she is not shy in showing her talents. Ben is an art instructor.

An artist at work

Playtime at play grounds -- Photo diary of baby-sitters: 5

Recess time at two play grounds. Gaby tried to follow Ben and did every thing he did, but she knew her limit; certain Ben’s daredevil or not lady-like acts, she would stay put and watched. In the end, she still did most of what Ben did and truly enjoyed herself.

Butterflies cruising round the purple line

I 'steal' (sharing euphemistically) these photos from Linda Eliott Mosier at Facebook so my FB 'friends' can see them; they're too good to be missed; they also remind me of Emily Dickinson's "Cruising round the purple line -" poem. The purple butterfly bush is the favorite of butterfly, and Emily Dickinson also noticed as we read,

 
Flowers - Well - if anubody
Can the ecstasy define -
Half a transport - half a trouble -
With which flowers humble men:
Anybody find the fountain
From which floods so contra flow -
I will give him all the Daisies
Which upon the hillside blow.

Too much pathos in their faces
For a simple breast like mine –
Butterflies from St. Domingo
Cruising round the purple line –
Have a system of aesthetics –
Far superior to mine.

Richard Feynman wondered whether the aesthetic sense exists in lower forms of life such as bees or butterflies; Emily would resoundingly say yes. She would say “that is my kind of garden” had she seen Linda's.

Who says saying good-bye has to be a sad occasion? -- Photo diary of baby sitters: 4

The day before Jo and Sean returned, I began to ask Ben and Gaby whether they wanted to come back to Pennsylvania with us. When I told Gaby that we’re going home tomorrow and “Do you want to go with us?” she said “Pennsylvania!” So I began to ask “Who wants to go to Pennsylvania?” Gaby would raise her hand and say “Gaby”, Ben would say, “No, you don’t!”

When Jo and Sean came back, I asked Gabi again “Who wants to go to Pennsylvania?” she smiled, pointing me and said “YOU!”

I am hoping this photo shows they are happy for Jo and Sean’s coming back, not for our leaving.  Who says saying good-bye has to be a sad occasion?

Vivacious zinnia

Linda Elliott Mosier posted this vivacious zinnia at FB and wrote,

"Walking out through the garden today made me think of you and Katy...and of course the zinnias brought to mind your literary friend, Emily Dickinson. I loved this pale pink with the white center. The vibrant ones are beautiful, but the pale ones steal my heart."

To which I commented,

"This is not a photograph; this is a painting—a work of art. The bold strokes of mixed colorful background—dim, blurry, indistinct, and uncertain, are in sharp contrast to your focus—bright, clear, vivacious, and confident. At Sermo (a physician-only online site) I know a colleague (a vascular surgeon in Michigan) who is an accomplished photographer; I know he uses Nikon camera, a professional one that only a vascular surgeon can afford it. This photo reminds me of some of his flowers."

红杏出牆 (a red apricot flower slipping out of wall)

We do not plant apricot/almond flower in our garden, but the red geranium behaves like one, slipping out of the chain-link fence. Virtually all Taiwanese know “红杏出牆” (a red apricot/almond flower slipping out of wall or leaning over the wall) means one’s wife has an affair. (It doesn’t apply when husband has an affair, though). This famous poem is almost untranslatable; I made a bold attempt.

 

春色满園關不住 A garden filled with love and passion, contained no more;

一支红杏出牆來 A lone red apricot flower leaning over the wall.