樹木與我

Liquidamber

This is the time of late autumn.  A lot of trees already turned yellow, red and start to fall on the ground.  As part of maintenance and my exercise, I rack the yard and appreciate all the autumn foliage around me.  One thing I found interesting is some trees around my house.  In the first few years after I moved in, I didn't pay any attention to what those trees are since they belong to the city.  When time goes by, I got some spare time to care about trees and tried to find out what they are.  I found out that the two tall trees in front of my house is Liquid Amber and commonly called Sweet Gum.  I dug in and found that this particular sweet gum is called Liquidamber Formosana, commonly known as the Formosan Gum or Chinese Sweet Gum, a species of tree native to East Asia.  It is a surprise to me that the tree has something to do with Formosa and I have never known this when I was in Taiwan.  Further investigation, I found that it is called 楓香樹:

落叶乔木，高达30米，胸径最大可达1米，树皮灰褐色。喜温暖湿润气候，性喜光，耐干旱瘠薄。产中国秦岭及淮河以南各省， ...
別稱台灣香膠樹、楓樹、楓子樹、楓仔樹、楓仔、香楓、白楓、白膠香、雞楓樹、雞爪楓、靈楓、大葉楓、香菇木、路路通等，為楓 ...

I feel sort of embarrassed as I don't know anything about this 台湾特產 until now.

Several years ago, city planted two little trees along the curb near my garage.  They grow every year and now look nice as the leaves turned red and become part of the wonder of autumn foliage.  The arborist told me that they are Chinese Pistache.   Since I am from Taiwan, I feel a little bit weird that I don't know anything about this tree.  With some curiosity, I dug in and found out that it is called 黄連木 in China.

Chinese Pistache

黄連木（Pistacia chinesis Bunge ）别名楷木、楷樹、黄楝樹、藥樹、藥木、黄華、石連、黄木連、木蓼樹、雞冠木、洋楊、爛心木、黄連茶。爲漆樹科落葉木本油料及用材樹種。黄連木壽命長達幾百年，是城市及風景區的優良綠化樹種。樹冠渾圓，枝葉繁茂而秀麗，早春嫩葉紅色，入秋葉又變成深紅或橙黄色，紅色的雌花序也極美觀。宜作庭蔭樹、行道樹及山林風景樹，也常作“四旁”綠化及低山區造林樹種。黄連木栽培具有極大的生態效益、社會效益和經濟效益。

It is interesting & odd that I have to come to the North America to know two kinds of tree around my house and they are actually originated from Taiwan & China which I call' 故鄉'.  The trees and I all migrated several thousand miles to meet and make acquaintance in Palo Alto, a city of Big Stick.

It is interesting to note that 'Tree & I' is like 'Christine & I'.  Christine & I lived within two miles of radius in Taipei long time ago and we have never met & known each other there.  We have to migrate several thousand miles to meet and make acquaintance in Dallas, a city of Lone Star.  Love, like Life and infact a part of life, is a many splendored thing.

化学與我

第一次接觸化學可以說是在小學時的自然課,從稻,麥到盬,糖,味精及明礬,林林總總,可說化学也是大自然的一門學問. 到初中時,有理化課程,這是物理和化學的混合課程,其主题 包括大部分從來没聪到过的一些名詞,諸如萬有引力,鈉鉀矽等元素及氫氧氮的氣体,從此眼界大開,我再也不是一個小學生了. 這理化課对我來說真是中學和小學 的分水嶺, 記得有一次去参观某化學工廠,第一次見証液態氮氣的奇蹟. 一位工程師把一些樹葉子放進液態氮氣的容器裏,拿出來後,所有葉子全部硬化,往桌上一敲,居然碎碎片片,散落一地. 當時恍如看了一場魔術表演,啧啧稱奇,大呼过癮. 我喜欢理化課还有一原因,那就是引進一些新名詞,加上單位及数字的應用,連接了数學和自然的奇妙関係.

高中以後,化學和物理分家,各自為政. 高二開始正式化 學 課程. 當時用的教科書是吳冶民編著的'高中化學', 厚厚兩大冊,每冊有幾百頁,看來有点嚇人.當年吳冶民是建中名師之一,無人不知. 高二時正好是我班的级任老師,從此我和吳先生有一段交情,在以後的日子裡從來没忘了他. 吳冶民本名‘吳國賢’,在大陸時進某名校的礦冶系. 當時的礦冶系乃热門系之一,可見吳先生是高手人士. 他平時教學認真,不苟言笑,但有時也會忽然來一個颇富意味的幽默笑話,他確是有內涵的修養人士. 學校和學生看到他那兩大冊‘高中化學’,無不肅然起敬,加上他年紀也不輕,有老者的風範,大家对他更是敬仰有嘉. 我們高二四班在他指導下,真是幸運. 現在想想,有名師指導,在教育上真是意義非凡,非親身体驗,不能知其精髓.

高二兩學期,把上下兩本高中化學,從頭到尾,通通念完,尤其是週期表和化學元素的來龍去脈,讓我們這些学子大開眼界,受用不盡. 高二念完,我想以後要念化學系了. 可是人生常常不是你能预測的. 在以後的日子裡為什麽我會去念电机系呢? 這當然有原因,不过這是後話,也祇有混沌學說可以解釋. 在念化學的日子裡,我还記得一些人物影响过我. 兹举幾位與大家共享: 車乘會,顧均正,法布尔,愛迪生,法拉第.

'車乘會'老師是我在初中時,有一段日子他來代課理化. 其名字本身就是怪事一椿,怎麼會有人姓車,而倒著念名字是,‘會乘車’,真是精彩. 記得第一天他來時就在黑板寫下他的大名,可是大家面面相覷,不知道他在賣什麼藥. 等到他說出真相,大家如釋重負,哈哈大笑. 後來聽說他有個兒子,其名也是很精彩,祇是我已经忘了這陳年往事. 我當時想,如果他取名'車班末',將更精彩,因為倒念起來就是'末班車'了. 車先生是吳冶民的学生,可見吳先生是大我們兩輩. 車乘會講課很好，祇是牢騷一大堆,批抨學校,駡市政府,總之他一定生活不太開心或顺遂。他和我以後在大學日子裡碰到的'凌霄'有異曲同工之妙. 車生生夫人蔡秀嫻是教生物的,她是一位盡责的好老師,也没有她先生牢騷那広多. 初中那年學生物,使我有想當医生的念頭,不过時过境遷,我的興趣馬上轉到別地方去了.

'顧均正'其人我不認識,但他编的一本‘應用化学’,也和吳冶民的‘高中化學’一樣精彩,而且圖文並茂,我買了一本,再三閲之,愛不釋手. 看好書學新知,真是一種非凡的享受,這種经驗,非身经其境,很難感受其中奧妙.

'法布尔'是法國一位化學教師和博物專家. 他寫的 '昆蟲記' 和 '化學奇談' 真是馳名遠近. 開明書店出版這兩本書,真是造福學界. 這本'化學奇談'寫一位鄉绅和兩個姪兒 (喻兒和愛弥兒) 學習化學的经厂过程。描寫生動活潑,興趣盎然,对初中學生尤有價值.

'愛迪生'是顶顶有名的發明家. 初二時我在重慶南路一家書店買了一本'爱迪生傳'. 我閲讀再三,对其在火車上做化學實验,印象深刻. 我也因此花了好多時間在建立我的化學實驗室,祇是我那時初二那來那麽多錢,但東湊西拼,也做了一些簡單的化學實驗.

'法拉第'是電學大師,也是一位精明的化学實驗家,他的电解分析理論,實在精彩. 當時中央圖書館正好座落南海學園,就在建中对面,我到那兒借了一本‘法拉第的電学實驗’. 因為不能借出館外,我畢恭畢敬的在館內花了兩個星期才把它看完. 當時我懂多少,實在不太清楚,但我对他的實验方法及耐心大大佩服. 法拉第不但把化学能变电能,也把机械能变电能,而且是双向能換。在以後的日子裏大大影响了人類的生活和文明.

話說回來,吳冶民先生在建中任職前曾有一段不為人知道的辛酸史. 聽說吳先生的姪女婿曾向吳先生的兒子'吳乃天'幫他製作無線电發報机,但被吳乃天拒绝. 當時白色恐佈當道,知匪諜不報會犯法. 所以後來他姪女婿案發,吳冶民和吳乃天皆被捕,双双入獄,真是無妄之災. 現在想想這種白色恐佈就像大陸文革時期,告朋友,告親人,連父母親都告發檢拳,人倫價值,蘯然無存,可悲可嘆. 話說回來,社會的穩定也有賴法律和規章,嚴格執行. 總之一句話,"人在江湖,身不由己",要如何保護自己,真是需要智慧.

我在1975 年回台北時,曾去探望过吳先生,他當時尚住在建中一個教員小宿舍,非常清寒,煮菜和上廁所皆在公共地方. 我觉得很辛酸,替他打抱不平,社會对他太差了,這種好老師,那把年紀,應該退休,讓他有個舒適的住所过馀生,寫他的回憶錄. 我也覺得我們這些受他影响过的学生,沒有及時出面募款接濟這位恩師,實在也是我們餘生的一大遗憾.

Lawn Mowing and Life

Since I bought my first house in 1972, I have to deal with the lawn mowing.  Like anything you own, you have the responsibility to take care of it.  The more things you own, the more responsibilities you have.  At the very beginning, I bought a gas mower as it was most popular at that time.  It is like motorcycle, you have to put in gasoline and you have to start it with string pulling.  Meanwhile, you have to add some oil to make it run smoothly.  The whole thing works but it is noisy and tedious.  After the first 6 months, it became a chore and I sort of lost my interest and enthusiasm.  

Several years passed, I found that a newer gadget showed up, it is Electric Mower.  This thing is lighter & smaller, although it is just as noisy as the gasoline type.  The drawback is the electric cord.  You need a long and good electric extending cord to reach each corner of your lawn.  For my case, there is no problem as my lawn is not really that big or odd shaped.  It seems a piece of cake to handle the cord while moving around the lawn and house.  The electric mower is simpler in design, no spark plug and fine tuning and no more string pulling.  You just flip a switch and the mower is on and ready.  Every time I flip a switch, I thank Michael Faraday on his contribution of electricity and motor.

For many years, I loved the electric mower.  However, when time goes by, I found that I accumulated a lot of long electric extending cables, some of them 50 feet and longer.  The problem of the cable is that you have to form a habit of watching it not in the path of the mowing.  So while you mow, you fling the cable around from time to time.  Eventually you form a habit of mowing pattern that you can minimize the cable fling.  Even so, every once in a while, accident did happen.  I once mowed the cable just like grass and the machine of course stop immediately with a laud spark.  Anyway, with careful maneuvering of cable, I achieved high efficient modern lawn mowing.  My lawn is short, clean and green and I am happy as a lark.  However, when time goes by, I found that one thing I don't like is to unwind and wind the cable into a little rack.  It is a kind of unwelcome chore that I have to do every time I mow the yard.  It is not just before the mowing, it is also after the mowing.  Of course, I can leave the cable around in a pile.  But it is just not for the nice house and a neat man like me.  At any rate, electric mower serves the purpose for many years.  I like its smaller size, lighter weight and no gasoline to mess around.  It is also environment friendly as it doesn't pollute the air.

When the Internet age comes, I got the luxury to get onto the cloud to find some better mower.  I located something called Neuton Battery Mower.  Yes, a battery mower, I kind of puzzled why I didn't come up with this idea before.  With battery, all the issues related to the extending cables suddenly disappear.  But the most beautiful thing is that I no long need to fling or fumble the cables anymore.  This Neuton seems ideal except for the price.  I felt it is overpriced as I was not that well-to-do at the time.  Two hundred dollars more than the usual electric mower seems to hit my inner nerve to resist the spending.  So I requested the brochure and studied with my satisfaction but without footing the bill.  However things change when time goes by and this can only be explained with Chaos Theory and so-called the Butterfly Effect.  Since when this neighborhood got some internet group, neighbors exchange information and tidbits.  One day, suddenly someone advertised he has a Neuton lawn mower to give away as he just contracted one professional mower service for his lawn.  I happily replied to show my interest.  But there was no response.  Here I found that proactive comes in handy.  I checked out his address and just walked to his house.  The timing was just right, my neighbor was just got out and entered his car for some errand.  I waved my hand and announced my visit and intention.  He happily got out and showed his mower and even spent time explaining how to use it.  Within ten minutes, I push this Neuton Mower to my house and eagerly tried it out.  Guess what I found, it seems everything works except the power is a little bit weak and sometime didn't start well.  I suspected that the batter might be the culprit.  I immediately got onto the Internet and ordered a new battery.  The battery is not cheap, it costs $90.  This is a special 24 volt battery.  I found out later that it is actually a two-battery connected together in series.  Each 12-volt battery is just the same as those battery used in most of the tennis ball machine.  After a week, Amazon sent me this new Neuton battery, I waited no time and tried it out.  It sure works like a charm.  It is powerful, easy to start and stop.  Most striking thing is that it is much quieter than all the previously electric mower I have ever used.  I even removed the discharge bagger to make it compact and easy to move around.  This new machine infuses a new life into me and I am happy as a lark since then.

You might ask me why not just hire a human mower and forget all the mowing problem or chore.  Ah, something you may not know.  According to most my neighbors, they constantly complain about the work quality and high turn-over rate.  Most of the lawn mowers are Hispanic and they charge around $100 to $200 for the monthly service.  It is okay in your life, but I always have a hunch that most my neighbors are just too lazy to do some exercise like lawn mowing.  Perhaps, it is the economic factor, they rather like to take advantage of the cheap labors than sweating themselves.  In other words, tennis playing is more fun and better than the lawn mowing.  For me, lawn moving is just as interesting as tennis playing.  It not only gives me some sense of achievement but also gives me some exercise to move around my house and get acquaintance with lawn, bushes, flowers and trees, all beautiful things Mother Nature can give.

亞洲腹地旅行記 與 話說長江

在那很古老的年代 (circa 1950年代),我曾閲讀開明書店出版的那本"亞洲腹地旅行記",是李述礼先生翻譯 Sven Hedin (斯文.赫定, 1865-1952) 的名著. 其中描绘新疆和青藏 的一些人文地理,接近中亞的一些文化. 當時眼界大開,因為地理教科書上很少寫的奇形怪貌,人文野味,在此活龍活现. 斯文先生的書和後來房龍有一極類似的地方是書中的一些插圖,這些皆是作者自己畫的,簡潔有趣且傳神,又能表達作者的一些經验和看法,增加讀者的兴趣和感受,誠屬不可多得. 也許因此影响了後來的一些史地学人. 房龍(Van Loon)先生是一位富人文主義思想的歷史学者,对地理通曉熟悉. 他在1921 年寫了一本暢銷名作 '人類的故事',其中圖文並茂,其插圖和'亞洲腹地旅行記'有異曲同工之效,傳神更有过之而無不及. 赫定先生則是地理学者和一位精力充沛的探險家,他繪製和考察中央亞细亞及蒙古,中國西域,和青藏的地圖,幾可比美 庫克 (James Cook ) 先生在南太平洋的 survey and exploration. 斯文对新疆罗布泊盆地的面積和形狀及对塔里木河的經常改道,曾提出理論解釋,到現在尚為学界所接受. 赫定先生誠然在中國西部的地理学,考古学,和人類学有卓越的貢献.

西方另一位有名的地理探险学者是 Alexander Von Humboldt (洪保德, 1769-1859). 他的探險生涯以一本名著 'Kosmos' 作為最佳句奌. 洪保德在考察 Amazon River 的發源地和熱帶雨林的观察,对後來地理学有很大的影响. 他在 Amazon 有関動植物的研究和描述对達尔文也有深遠的影响. 他逝世之年(1859),正是達尔文發表'物種原始'的那一年. 世界著名而重要的河流,非洲有尼羅河,北美有 Mississippi, 南美有 Amazon, 亞洲有長江. 赫定的出生(1865),好像接續洪保德的探險生涯, 祇是把足跡從西方轉到東方.

中小学時,開始接觸萬里長城,接著是萬里長江. 最近幾年遊歷上海,看到蘇州河注入黄浦江,然後缓緩地拐一個弯,注入太平洋. 幾年前一次西行,至安徽黃山,横跨湖北,到武昌漢口. 再沿長江西行,路过兩大水壩,横穿三峽,重溫酈道元的水经江水注. 當白水滔滔,進入重慶,看到嘉陵江滙入長江的壯观, 真是印象深刻. 從這山城,遙遙西眺,依稀想像岷江,沱江和烏江也和嘉陵江一樣注入長江,造就了所謂的四川天府之國. 這些幾乎皆是身歷其境,水经江流,憾動心靈,冶地理與ㄏ史於一爐. 從四川再上去,沒有身臨其境,雖非完全空白,總是若有所失. 後來回到上海,在小書攤上居然找到三張 DVD 的 "再說長江". 來去匆匆,幾年过後,我把 DVD在客廳用大影幕和身歷声 播放,果然不同凡响. 以前古老年代的長江,發源於青海巴颜喀拉山南麓. 現在DVD 尋根到青藏高原的雪山大群,冰河環列. 由冰河的第一滴水滙集成 N 滴,然後一絲水集成 brook 和 creek, 四面八方齐集而成沱沱河,這就是長江的正源. 南源在當曲注入了沱沱河,北源楚瑪尔河接著來相会,成了通天河,從此浩浩蕩蕩地往東去,不久南拐成金沙江经雲贵高原,南北縱向切割,水势汹湧,直到進入四川才缓流下來. 從沱沱河到四川的宜賓,幾乎佔了長江的一半旅程. 這一段地理補足了我中小等教育的一些缺憾. 從冰河雪山群,沱沱河上源一直到黄浦江出海口, 大江蜿蜓南北,西東流向,終於連成一線,淵源流長,澎湃壯麗. 其間夾雜洞庭,鄱陽,洪澤及巢湖和太湖,大自然的鬼斧神功,壮观偉大,實筆墨難以形容. 

'再说長江'是新版的 '話说長江',它除了介紹長江的地理景观,也介绍很多長江沿岸的人文氣息與動態,諸如三星堆文化的出土和來尤去脈,噶州垻和三峽大水霸的工程规模和沿岸人口的大遷徙及对整個中國厂史的意義和影响. 還有長江中下游的牯嶺和盧山一些有趣的歷史,夾雜着赛珍珠和宋美齡的軼事. 对长江下游三角州及上海周边城市亦有精彩的描繪. 最後对長江三角州堆積的崇明岛,更有嶄新的銓釋. 它不但是一本地理的江水注,也是长江沿岸的歷史故事. 有注解字幕,有繪圖畫相,更有生動的 video and audio (视频和音频), 這種全方位的 multimedia presentation (多媒体介绍) 更是生動有力,感人至深. 在這方面,'再说長江'比'亞洲腹地旅行記'更上一層楼,可稱之'長江通史'. 我知道在有生之年,不太可能有時間和精力看完一些想看的地域人文,高品质的 DVD (光碟) 恰足以填補這一缺陷. DVD 以真實的影像,把那边遠足跡難以進入的地方,很清晰地呈現给我們,真要感謝這些 video 的製作人.

重慶南路與我

重慶南路 at 漢口街

Facing Opposite Direction

五十年代台灣物貭缺乏,大陸人士大批來台,一切乱七八糟，混乱異常. 那時正逢我念小学之時,也受波及和影响. 誰說命運是你自己選擇的? 那些時日你能選的，祇是在幾十項偶發事件中選一項而已,勉強安慰自己,可說是為前程奮鬥,決定自己的人生。 事實上從上往下看,就像一個氣体分子到處乱竄,是 Browning Movement follows some boundary condition 而已. 对於一個外星人飛过地球,他看我們芸芸眾生,祇是一個 Distribution Function 的現象. 每個分子本身則是混沌初開,到處活動,那边有縫,就往那边流,那边有洞,就往那边鑽. 我的小学(建成國小) 雖然沒有校舍,到處奔波,卻也祇是在方圆三里內東奔西走. 一直到小学畢業上初中時,才忽然間世界大開. 首先家從台北搬去士林,然後初中要上建國中学,於是我不能光靠兩隻脚了. 我要一大早坐公車十路,從士林经圓山，中山北路到台北東站,然後換乘三或五路公车到南海路，其間顛簸，浪费時間真不可以道理計. 有時公車太挤,乾脆從東站沿重度南路走到南海路,這樣因缘际會我就和重度南路結了缘.

重慶南路是一條商業大道，其中又以書店林立著稱。中学時代正是思想啟蒙時期，又沒有小学補課的惡習，所以有一些閒情去逛書店,看一些課外書。一天兩日看不出有何影响，可是六年下來潛移默化,其影响力则是驚人。在從東站到總統府的一段長路，經过幾十條小巷和大街，其中以开封街，汉口街，武昌街，襄阳路，衡陽街最有名。以下是憑我記憶的一些書店,那些是我小時候流連忘返的地方. 在以後的人生歲月中，不時在夢中出現，它們伴隨者我長大，深深影响了我. 不知道為什麼有那麽多人要寫書,有那麼多人要開書店，讓我們這些毛頭小子,莘莘学子受益無窮. 在以後的歲月中才慢慢体會到這社會的運作是依循一些 亞當斯密的 '一隻不可目見之手' 在冥冥中操作。

從車站往南走，憑我記憶,書店有台灣書店，啟明書局，大中國圖書公司,文源書局，商務印書館，世界書局，三民書局,中華書局，正中書局，東方出版社，文興書局，淡江書局，路茜書店.  尚有—些小書店及舊書攤,可稱琳琅滿目，美不勝收. 幾次重返台北,總是舊地重遊,仔細品賞當年的美好回憶. 現在台北車站有地下街可達重度南路和開封街口,真是方便,尤其下雨天或盛暑日可方便太多了. 逛書店浏覽書本，不花一文，經济實惠，但時日久了也發觉花了不少錢，貢献给書店。這些書當然都是課外讀物，以下是我記憶所及，列出清單記载一下，我想如果現在不寫,將來一定會忘得一乾二淨。 書目如下： 愛的教育，林肯外傳，富蘭克林自傳，處世教育，口才訓練，愛迪生傳，隆美尔傳，俾土麥傳，約输克利斯多夫，福特傳，林白征空記，海底長征記，科学的故事，人類的故事，聖经的故事，昆虫記，化学奇談，海外軒渠錄，傲慢與偏見，悲慘世界，基督山恩仇記，簡爱，维特的煩惱，音樂創作與欣賞，双城記，巴伐利夫人，居礼夫人，海的故事，馬克吐温傳，湯姆ㄏ險記，孟田文選，培根論文集，航海的故事，天空的神祕，地球，諸神復活，史懐哲自傳, 原子概論, 沉思錄，基督教入門，如何使思想正確，罗素傅，生命之歌，美麗的青春。数学列車，苏鲁支語錄, 航海的故事，天空巡礼，数学列車，植物的生活，進化的故事，怎樣判別是非 ....

隨著科技的進步和互聯網之賜，尤其是 Google Map, 現在居然可以大大方方,神遊重慶南路,祇用一個大影幕和一支小老鼠就可從台北車站漫步到衡陽路，從衡陽路右轉,走—條街 以後就在街角看到功学社,一棟九層楼的音樂專賣店. 街角就是博爱路，從那兒左轉再走五條街，居然可達植物園的一個入口。 從那兒,縱穿植物園就可到南海路，一过馬路就是建國中学---我的母校---真該感謝建國中学和重度南路. 在那短暂的六年中,它教育了我,薰陶了我，把我從一個毛頭小孩,陶冶成一位有朝氣的青年，勇敢地邁向未知的前程.

1812 Overture and 4th of July

Fireworks on July the 4th

Here comes July the 4th, we celebrate the Independence Day every year, year after year. To most people, this is a cook out day, BBQ in the backyard or go out attending some open field concert. After that, we watch the firework. This happens everywhere. The spectacular firework usually is held in a big city near bay, river or near the park, so it accommodates a lot of people near open space under big sky. With this kind national fanfare, music is a must and so band and orchestra are highly demanded and they are busy on the Independence Day.

The most common music played is march of course. The most and usually played last is 'The Stars and Stripes Forever', an immortal work of Sousa. In addition, they play Manhattan Beach, El Capitan, Washington Post ... etc etc etc. Meanwhile among all these fanfare, it is almost a must to play "1812 Overture". This one is really odd and peculiar as this Tchaikovsky's master work really has nothing to do with America and its tune is Russian or French at best. The only reason to play it is the cannon scene near the end of the music. Per history, it was Arthur Fiedler, the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, wanted some special effect in his outdoor performance near Boston on the 4th of July. He staged a real cannons, lined them up near the park and fired them synchronously with the orchestra playing the '1812 Overture'. People loved it when they saw the fire, smoke and loud explosions while the music raced to the final moment.

Arthur Fiedler's performance was a single successful event. It was so spectacular that people remember it well. After that year, this '1812 Overture' is played year after year and becomes a tradition. It sounds like the 'Nutcracker' played each year near the Christmas Season, a traditional event for ballet lovers and dancers . Nutcracker sounds more reasonable as it is a story about a girl's dream after Christmas Eve party. But '1812 Overture' has nothing to do with American Independence. The cannon is just too awkward to be the main reason. Some people think this '1812 Overture' has something to do with the war between America and British in 1812 AD. Actually no American composes anything for it as this war has nothing to celebrate for. Remember that British Soldiers got into White House and a lot of American fled the city in 1812. Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer. He composed '1812 Overture' to commemorate the event of Russian defeated Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The music contains the tunes of French and Russian national anthem with cannon explosion and fireworks. Here let's take a look at it on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIQSEq6tEVs

(0:42-2:04) "La Marseillaies", French National Anthem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEATiGKOTEs

(0:09-2:24) "God Save the Tsar", Former Russian National Anthem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op6e5BcmqV0

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (conclusion part of the overture)

(0:01-1:12) Pastoral scene of the Russian countryside

(1:15-2:07) Russian folk tune and dance, 'At the Gate'

(2:08- 2:41) Introduction of La Marseillaies, French soldiers marching

(2:42-2:55) La Marseillaies, French National Anthem

(2:56- 3:37) Music winding down like elevator music, signifying the retreat of Napoleon

(3:38-4:40) Victory celebration in Orthodox Church with bell ringing

(4:41-4:51) Victory to the Russian finally

(4:52-5:07) God Save the Tsar, National Anthem of former Imperial Russia

If I were a French American, I would be embarrassed or humiliated by this 1812 Overture playing La Marseillaise (French National Anthem) in a retreated fashion and faded into the oblivion while celebrating the American Independence. Russian used to be a communist country with cold war animosity with America. Even today Americans don't have good opinion about the Russians on human right record. Playing old Russian national anthem, 'God Save the Tsar' on American Independence day is odd and weird at best.

I think Sousa should have composed some cannon march or added some cannon section in his 'The Stars and Stripes Forever'. Even with his genius, Sousa seems missing the opportunity as it would have been the most spectacular fanfare at the final moment of the Independence Day Concert. Also there have been many well-known American composers like Aaron Copland who composed 'Fanfare for the Common Man'. I wonder why he also missed the opportunity to compose something like 'Fanfare for the American Independence'.

Menlo Park and Edison

While I was a kid in Junior High I bought a book '愛迪生傳' from a bookstore along 重慶南路.  I glued to the book and read it in details.  It was a very good book for a little kid like me.  At least it gave me some push and inspiration to study Electrical Engineering years later.  I was especially impressed on his inventive work in Menlo Park (孟洛公園) at which he invented phonograph and light bulb.  So in 1972, I moved down here from Dallas, the first thing caught my eyes was Menlo Park and immediately reminded me of Edison.  Then it dawns on me that the Menlo Park of Edison is in New Jersey, not here in California.

Silicon Valley's Menlo Park

When time goes by, I noticed that many companies have done some brilliant work started here in Menlo Park of California.  Examples are SRI International, Netscape, Sun Micro System, Google, Facebook etc.  After all, Menlo Park is a good name and this one seems to follow the tradition of the east coast. Ironically, Palo Alto and East Palo Alto are both right next to Menlo Park but belong to different county.  Palo Alto is right next to Menlo Park to the south, it belongs to Santa Clara County.  But Menlo Park is part of San Mateo County.  The strange thing is the little town East Palo Alto belongs to San Mateo County.  It is on the east side of highway 101 and adjacent to Menlo Park.  This little town was not very safe several years ago and some real estate agents were nervous to prospect there.  Some Palo Altans thought since East Palo Alto belongs to San Mateo County and right next to Menlo Park, it should be renamed to something like XXX Park.  Someone suggests Jurassic Park.  Of course it sounds like a bad joke.

Edison was considered a 'Wizard of Menlo Park' at his time of 1875-1885. Both sound reproducing, (recording device) and bulb lighting device are technical breakthroughs and both of them were invented by Edison and his team in Menlo Park.  The phonograph has revolutionized the audio device and used continuously until about 1970.  It lasted about 100 years.  The bulb also revolutionized the working time of human society. The light bulb has been used uninterrupted until around 1980 when fluorescent type of lighting device finally replaces it.  Its time of influence also lasts more than 100 years.  They are the great contributions Thomas Edison gave to our society and the whole world. He is listed at the 38th most influential persons in our human history in the book 'The 100' by Michael Hart.  Edison later also invented the Motion Picture.  Consider the enormous impact his inventions of Light Bulb, Phonograph and Motion Picture to our society, Edison is truly a modern Prometheus who stole fire from heaven and gave it to the mankind.

In Silicon Valley, some people think lately that Steve Jobs is a 'Wizard of Cupertino'.  Cupertino is 10 miles south of Menlo Park, also considered part of Silicon Valley.  The comparison of Steve Jobs to Edison seems odd as Jobs is not an inventor of any science or technology,  He simply a package innovator who performs mix and match of various technology to form a gadget that people want or desire to have.  A better saying perhaps should be Marketing Genius of Cupertino.  His Machintosh personal computer was not successful and his iPod only last for a few years.  The real success is his iPad and iPhone.  It makes a lot of money for Apple.   However it remains to be seen how many years iPhone and iPad will be around in the market.  It is interesting to note that what iPhone integrates is actually audio, video and microprocessor.  The first two technology audio and video are essentially the same as Edison's phonograph and motion picture.  Packaging of technology changes very fast.  It remains to be seen whether iPhone will last for more than 20 years, let alone 100 years as Edison's invention.