約翰·帕海貝爾 D大調卡農與吉格 / John Pachelbel's Canon & Gigue in D major

* Please also read Space's November 26, 2010 article: "依稀記得的旋律" *


I was inspired by Brother Space's article and decided to find out more abt this masterpiece. Above are the three versions of the same music (more or less) with the last one showing the piano keyboard. Enjoy !!!

根據「維基百科」"約翰·帕海貝爾 D大調卡農與吉格":

D大調卡農與吉格（德語：Kanon und Gigue in D-Dur für drei Violinen und Basso Continuo），也稱約翰·帕海貝爾卡農（Pachelbel's Canon），是德國作曲家約翰·帕海貝爾最著名的作品。因為它是最著名的卡農樂曲，有時也常以「卡農」代指。然而實際上卡農（Canon）並非曲名，而是一種曲式。卡農在字面上是「輪唱」的意思，吉格（Gigue）則是舞曲。D大調卡農作於1680年前後，是巴洛克時期的室內樂作品，採用數字低音手法，供三個小提琴演奏。它曾被改編為多個不同版本，供不同樂器組合演奏。它原有吉格舞曲伴隨，但現在很少演奏這段。

According to Wikipedia "Pachelbel's Canon":

Pachelbel's Canon, also known as Canon in D major (Kanon und Gigue für 3 Violinen mit Generalbaß in German) (PWC 37, T. 337, PC 358), is the most famous piece of music by German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel. It was originally scored for three violins and basso continuo and paired with a gigue in the same key. Like most other works by Pachelbel and other pre-1700 composers, the Canon remained forgotten for centuries and was rediscovered only in the 20th century. Several decades after it was first published in 1919, the piece became extremely popular, and today it is frequently played at weddings and included on classical music compilations, along with other famous Baroque pieces such as Air on the G String by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Updated Dec 3, 2010: "You Can Shine"

Related Link:
* Space's November 26, 2010 article: "依稀記得的旋律"
(updated Dec 3, 2010 - more YouTube videos !!!)
* Fresh Designer's Oct 13, 2010 article: "You Can Shine"
* 魔術師的伊謝爾倫日記: "电吉他版 - audio clip" http://magician__yang.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=871080



References:
* 維基百科: 約翰·帕海貝爾 D大調卡農與吉格
* Wikipedia: Pachelbel's Canon

「週日名采」: 【戰略計算家】 / 「Weekend Brunch」【Calculating Strategists】

攝影图片: 世事如棋局局新

今天是週末,我在網上左逛右逛,無意在Alex处看到這個有關【計算】的題目,所以也來湊湊熱鬧。

雖然我是化工畢業,也在科技一門混了一段時日,但提起「數學計算」,浮現在我腦海中的並不是「水蛇春」般長的代數方程式,而是一群工於心計的策官口臉。如果政客是加拿大首都的米飯班主,那么策官就是他∕她們的頭廚。無論是有關本國或跨國的政策分析和戰略,各黨各派的首魁都会和心腹策官「計算」這政策对加拿大國家和選民的影響,然後才作一决定。

楓葉國是西敏政制式的社会Westminster System,國家公民当然希望政客做事是会有層有次,是会先分析而後跟進,在上議会和下議会作一個有建設性的辯論和决定。但問題是在黨派政客的「計算」過程之中,他∕她們用來衡量利與弊的天秤又是以什么為準則呢?是國家和老百性的利益?還是以選票和权力作為平衡籌碼?

在正面來看,善於計算的人可以說是精明能幹丶工於心計丶長袖善舞、三思而後行。但在負面來看,善於玩弄政治手腕的策官謀士,我卻只能以calculating wheelers-dealer 狡猾自私的「計算家」來形容他們了。

Related Links:
* 「週日名采」本週主持人 Wordy："數學"
- Wordy: "成也數學,敗也數學"
- Alex: "計算"

References:
* Wikipedia: "加拿大政治"

Photo Credit 攝影图片:
* I took the top photo on September 16, 2010 while attending the Lewis Chessmen exhibition at the Royal Museum in Edinburg, Scotland.
* Bottom photo: Wikipedia "The Lewis Chessmen".

" ... The Lewis Chessmen (or Uig Chessmen, named after the bay
where they were found) are a group of 78 chess pieces from the 12th century
most of which are carved in walrus ivory, discovered in 1831 on the Isle of
Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. They may constitute some of the few
complete medieval chess sets that have survived until today, although it is
not clear if any full set as originally made can be made up from the varied
pieces. They are currently owned and exhibited by the British Museum in
London, which has 67 of them and the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, which has
the rest... "

古斯塔夫·克林姆《吻》: 蝶戀花 ∕ Gustav Klimt "The Kiss": You Mean Everything To Me

Photo Credit: Lotusandcedar
* "The Kiss" 《吻》 1907–1908 (based on Gustav Klimt 古斯塔夫·克林姆) is a Venetian mask I purchased in Italy
"You Mean Everything To Me"
You are the answer to my lonely prayer
You are an angel from above
I was so lonely till you came to me
With the wonder of your love
I don't know how I ever lived before
You are my life, my destiny
Oh my darling, I love you so
You mean everything to me
If you should ever, ever go away
There would be lonely tears to cry
The sun above would never shine again
There would be teardrops in the sky
So hold me close and never let me go
And say our love will always be
Oh, my darling, I love you so
You mean everything to me
So hold me close and never let me go
And say our love will always be
Oh, my darling, I love you so
You mean everything to me
Singer: Neil Sedaka
Song and lyrics: co-written by Neil Sedaka & Howie Greenfield

References: * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Mean_Everything_to_Me_(song) * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Sedaka * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_mask

捉貓麵(用手作餌捉鯰魚) / Noodling Catfish

最近數年,美國南部一些釣魚人,模仿以前原住民土著 aboriginals 用手作餌的捉魚方法,在河床湖岸鯰魚(貓魚)出沒水域,伸手探入它們的洞穴竇口,挑引大魚襲撃噬捕魚人的手,從而把重達六十磅的巨形鯰魚從水裡抽上來!! 這種赤手捉鯰魚的玩意,俗稱 noodling,我中譯為「捉貓麵」。

鯰魚是素葷兩食,牙尖嘴利,有些背上更有毒刺,捕魚人多帶手套,以防咬著手不放的大鯰魚折斷數根手指。但是有兩位好逞強的「紅脖硬漢 Rednecks」,卻連手套也不帶,赤手捉貓麵!!!! Crazy or what ??!!

維基百科: ".... 鯰魚沒有魚鱗。一般都有鬚，和其他淡水魚不同，鯰魚是夜行動物，主要感覺器官不是依靠視覺，而是觸鬚或其他感覺器官。一般為雜食性，也有幾種是單一性，如寄生鯰只食動物血。鯰魚是主要食用魚之一，在亞、美、非洲都有很多飼養鯰魚的魚場，出產食用鯰魚。...."
Below is a photo of two fishing buddies showing their catch-of-the-day:
And here is the photo of my catch-of-the-day from the local fish monger !!! This catfish weighs over a kilo and its chopped up pieces fill up my 12-inch diameter frying pan !!!
Related links:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noodling
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_catfish

Other related blog article:
* Lotusandcedar: 電影【貓/鯰魚】: 疑幻疑真的網絡女友 ∕ "Catfish" the Movie: Is your girlfriend real or a manufactured persona?

學習英語: 沒有法則的英文 ∕ Learning English: When Exceptions Become the Rules

來來來!

我們齊齊學英語!!

首先讓我們

聽聽作家Kathryn Lindskoog的意見,

讀讀她在近作

"Creative Writing - For people who can't not write"

寫的一首打油詩:

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis and shim!

Let's face it - English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger;
neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England.
We take English for granted, but if we explore its paradoxes,
we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square,
and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing,
grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?
Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend.
If you have a bunch of odds and ends and
get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
Sometimes I think all the folks who grew up speaking English
should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.

In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?
We ship by truck but send cargo by ship...
We have noses that run and feet that smell.
We park in a driveway and drive in a parkway.
And how can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language
in which your house can burn up as it burns down,
in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and
in which an alarm goes off by going on.

And in closing, if Father is Pop, how come Mother is not Mop?

哈!哈! 好一個沒法則的語言
When Exceptions to the Rules Become the Rules !!

References:
*「維基百科」: 英語語言發展史
* Wikipedia: English language
*「維基百科」:英語

Photo Credit / 图片:
* Amazon dot com

加拿大軍人: 2010年國殤紀念日 ∕ Canadian Armed Forces-Forces armées canadiennes: Remembrance Day 2010

"War does not determine who is right -
only who is left."
- Bertrand Arthur William Russell

"When you go home, tell them of us and say:
For Their Tomorrow,
We Gave Our Today."
- Major John Etty-Leal

今天是11月11國殤紀念日,加拿大和很多國家都在上午11時靜默記念殉職軍民。我雖然是愛好和平者,但亦明白在人類歷史的發展過程中,無論是在世界那一個地方,無論是怎樣一個自稱文明進步的民族,戰爭與和平,都是無可避免的現實。

每逢11-11-11,我都不禁会想起T和S的外祖母麥金蓮博士(PhD in Mathematics),在二次大戰時她是屬加拿大國防部的一個秘密研究小組,專設計蘭開斯特重型轟炸機Avro Lancaster heavy bomber 的投彈系統,幫助盟軍改善在歐洲空戰的實力。

而大約同一時期,在太平洋的彼岸,加拿大和其他在港守軍慘受日本侵華軍隊炮擊圍攻,終於寡不敵众,在1941年黑色聖誕日被迫投降,香港宣佈淪陷,開始了三年零八個月的日治痛苦經歷。而在11月從加拿大運來的1975個援軍, 共有557人戰死犧牲，餘者成為日軍的戰俘。

加拿大和香港,就是因為戰亂,而共同成了保衛和平的戰友。為客死異鄉的加拿大軍人,我寫下了這幾句:

黃沙白土,
我在舊戰場中尋覓,
那多年戰亂的遺痕。
陣亡士兵,
長埋在異邦叢林中,
仍在靜靜的等待,
那勝利的號角,
叫喚他們,
重歸入愛人的懷抱。

劉藍溪 - 微風細雨 / Liu Lan Xil - Gentle Breeze, Drizzling Rain

微風細雨

曲詞：林功信 , 主唱：劉藍溪

微風吹著浮雲
細雨漫漫飄落大地
淋著我...淋著妳...
淋的世界充滿詩意

微風伴著細雨
像我伴著可愛的妳
看著我...看著妳...
看這世界多麼美麗

啊...願我是風妳是雨
啊...微風浸在細雨裏

漫步青青草地
小草也在輕輕低語
訴說無盡秘密
讓我們共尋覓

Related link:
在所有我與合唱團唱的中國歌曲，這是我最喜歡其中之一首: 劉藍溪 - 小雨中的回憶 / Liu Lan Xil - Rains & Tears

兒童神話故事:【神筆馬良】 / Childrens Fairytales:【The Magic Brush of Ma-Liang】

The following article is supplementary to my Oct 28, 2010 blog post entitled:
「兩週一聚」第28期:「人間,神話」之【神筆】 / 2weeks1gather #28:【My Magic Brush】

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

根據「維基百科」:

《神筆馬良》是兒童文學作家洪汛濤創作的一個童話故事。故事描述的是中國古代一個名叫馬良的少年獲得神筆前後的傳奇經歷。 神筆馬良有兩個故事版本。一個是1955年發表在《新觀察》雜誌上的短篇版本。另一個是隨後創作的《神筆馬良傳奇》，分為三部：《神筆馬良正傳》、《神筆馬良外傳》和《神筆馬良新傳》；其中，只有《神筆馬良正傳》正式出版，約十多萬字。

根據「中華農曆網」:

神筆馬良的故事到現在也是家喻戶曉。《神筆》是《神筆馬良》改編的1955年的木偶動畫片,片長20分鐘。影片是中國較早的木偶片。畫面優美、活潑，木偶造型栩栩如生，富於人情味，具有鮮明的民族風格。影片不但在國內影響巨大，在國外也獲得了很多獎項。意大利威尼斯第8屆國際兒童電影節八至十二歲兒童文藝影片一等獎；南斯拉夫第1屆國際兒童電影節優秀兒童電影獎；1956年在第3屆大馬士革國際博覽會電影節獲短片銀質一等獎章；1957年又獲華沙第2屆國際兒童比賽會木偶片特別優秀獎；還獲加拿大斯特拉福紀念莎士比亞國際電影節獎狀。

【神筆馬良】神話故事

聽人家說，從前，有個孩子名字叫馬良。父親母親早就死了，靠他自己打柴、割草過日子。他從小喜歡學畫，可是，他連一支筆也沒有啊！ 一天，他走過一個學館門口，看見學館裡的教師，拿著一支筆，正在畫畫。他不自覺地走了進去，對教師說：“我很想學畫，借給我一支筆可以嗎？”教師瞪了他一眼，“呸！”一口唾沫啐在他臉上，罵道： “窮娃子想拿筆，還想學畫？做夢啦！”說完，就將他攆出大門來。馬良是個有志氣的孩子，他說：“偏不相信，怎麼窮孩子連畫也不能學了！”

從此，他下決心學畫，每天用心苦練。他到山上打柴時，就折一根樹枝，在沙地上學著描飛鳥。他到河邊割草時，就用草根蘸蘸河水，在岸石上學著描游魚。晚上，回到家裡，拿了一塊木炭，在窯洞的壁上，又把白天描過的東西，一件一件再畫一遍。沒有筆，他照樣學畫畫。

一年一年地過去，馬良學畫從沒有一天間斷過。他的窯洞四壁，畫上疊畫，麻麻花花全是畫了。當然，進步也很快，真是畫起的鳥就差不會叫了，畫起的魚就差不會遊了。一回，他在村口畫了隻小母雞，村口的上空就成天有老鷹打轉。一回，他在山後畫了隻黑毛狼，嚇得牛羊不敢在山後吃草。但是馬良還沒有一支筆啊！他想，自己能有一支筆該多麼好呢！

有一個晚上，馬良躺在窯洞裡，因為他整天地干活、學畫，已經很疲倦，一躺下來，就迷迷糊糊地睡著了。 不知道什麼時候，窯洞裡亮起了一陣五彩的光芒，來了個白鬍子的老人，把一支筆送給他：“這是一支神筆，要好好用它！”馬良接過來一看，那筆金光燦燦的；拿在手上，沉甸甸的。他喜得蹦起來：“謝謝你，老爺爺，……”馬良的話沒有說完，白鬍子老人已經不見了。
馬良一驚，就醒過來，揉揉眼睛，原來是個夢呢！可又不是夢啊！那支筆不是很好地在自己的手裡嗎！ 他十分高興，就奔了出來，挨家挨戶去敲門，把夥伴都叫醒，告訴他們：“我有支筆啦！”這時才半夜哩！他用筆劃了一隻鳥，鳥撲撲翅膀，飛到天上去，對他喊喊喳喳地唱起歌來。他用筆劃了一條魚，魚彎彎尾巴，游進水里去，對他一搖一擺地跳起舞來。他樂極了，說：“這神筆，多好呀！”馬良有了這支神筆，天天替村里的窮人畫畫：誰家沒有犁耙，他就給他畫犁耙；誰家沒有耕牛，他就給他畫耕牛；誰家沒有水車，他就給他畫水車；誰家沒有石磨，他就給他畫石磨……

天下沒有不透風的牆，消息很快地傳進了鄰近村里一個大財主的耳朵。這財主，就派兩個家了來把他抓去，逼他畫畫。 馬良年紀雖小，卻生來是個硬性子。他看透有錢人的壞心腸，任憑財主怎樣哄他、嚇他，要他畫個金元寶，他就是不肯畫。財主就把他關在一間馬厩裡，也不給他飯吃。 傍晚，雪紛紛揚揚地落著，地上已經積起了厚厚一層。財主想，馬良這一下不是餓死，也準凍死了。他走過馬厩門口，只見門縫裡透出紅紅的亮光，還聞到一股香噴噴的味道。他覺得奇怪，湊近眼去，往門縫裡一張，啊！馬良不但沒有死，而且還燒起了一個大火爐，一面烤著火，一面正吃著熱烘烘的餅子呢！財主知道，這火爐和餅子，一定是馬良用神筆劃的，就氣呼呼地去叫家丁來，要他們把馬良殺死，奪下那支神筆。十多個兇猛的家丁，衝進了馬厩，卻不見馬良，只見東面牆壁上，靠著一架梯子。馬良趁著天黑，攀上這梯子，翻牆走了。財主急忙攀上梯子去追，沒爬上三步，就摔下來了。原來，這梯是馬良用神筆劃的。

馬良出了財主的家，他知道在村里是不能住了，他向自己的村莊揮了揮手，默默地說了一句：
“夥伴們，再見啦！”馬良用神筆劃了一匹大駿馬，跳上馬背，向大路上奔去。沒有走出多少路，只聽見後面一陣喧嘩，回頭一看，火把照得通明，財主騎著匹快馬，手執一把明晃晃的鋼刀，帶著一二十個家丁，追上來了。 眼看就要追著了，馬良不慌不忙，用神筆劃了一張弓，一支箭。箭一上弦，“颼”的一聲，正射中財主的咽喉，財主翻身跌下馬去了。馬良拍拍大駿馬，大駿馬像飛一樣地向前馳去了。

馬良連日帶夜地在路上跑了幾天，到了一個市鎮裡，看看離家鄉已經很遠，就在這兒住下來。他畫了許多畫，拿到街坊去賣。因為他怕別人知道，便不讓畫活起來，畫成的東西，不是少嘴便是斷腿的。 一天，他畫了一隻沒有眼睛的白鶴。一不小心，在它臉上濺上一滴墨水，白鶴便眼睛一睜，扇扇翅膀飛上天去了。 這一來，整個市鎮都轟動了。當地的官員，馬上把這件事奏給了皇帝。皇帝就下了一道聖旨，派人來召他到京都去。馬良不肯去，他們把他拉去了。

馬良聽見過許多皇帝欺侮窮人的事，心裡恨透了，哪肯給皇帝畫畫呢！皇帝叫他畫一條龍，他卻畫了一隻大壁虎；皇帝叫他畫一隻鳳，他卻畫了一隻大烏鴉。大壁虎和大烏鴉十分難看，在金鑾殿裡亂爬亂叫，還打起架來，弄得宮殿里烏七八糟。皇帝大為發怒，就命衛士們搶下他的神筆，把他打人了天牢。

皇帝拿到神筆，就自己來畫了。他先畫了一座金山。貪心不足的皇帝，畫了一座又一座，畫了一座又一座，重重疊疊地畫了許多。畫好一看，哪是金山！卻是一堆堆的大石頭；上面壓得太多，就塌下來，差一點把皇帝的腳也打傷。 皇帝還不死心。他心裡想，畫金山不成，就換金磚。他畫了一塊嫌小，畫了一塊嫌小，最後畫了長長的一大條。畫好一看，哪是金磚！卻是一條長長的大蟒蛇，張開血盆似的大口，向他撲來。幸虧衛士們救得快，不然，皇帝早被大蟒蛇吃掉了。
皇帝沒有辦法，只得把馬良放出來，又假惺惺地對他說了一些好話，說什麼要給他許多許多金銀，還說什麼要把公主嫁給他，招他做駙馬。

馬良一心想奪回神筆，他裝作答應下來。皇帝見馬良答應了，十分高興，就把神筆還給了馬良，要馬良給他畫畫。皇帝想，畫金山、金磚都不成，那末畫株搖錢樹吧！搖錢樹上，長的都是錢，輕輕一搖，就能掉下許多錢來，這有多好啊！他就叫馬良畫搖錢樹了。 馬良心裡打定了主意，不說什麼話，提起神筆一揮，一個無邊的大海，出現在眼前了。藍藍的海水，沒有一絲波紋，亮閃閃的像一面大玉鏡。皇帝看了很不高興，臉一板，罵道：“叫你畫搖錢樹，誰叫你畫海！”

馬良在大海中央畫了塊小島，島上畫了株又高又大的樹，說：“這不是搖錢樹嗎？”皇帝看見那株樹，發著耀眼的金色光芒，喉嚨裡咽了幾口唾水，就嘻嘻地笑了起來，急巴巴地對馬良說：“趕快畫隻船吧！我要到海中央去搖錢！”馬良畫了一隻很大很大的木船，皇帝就帶了娘娘、太子、公主和許多大臣、將軍，都上船去了。

馬良又畫了幾筆風，海水掀起密密的波紋，大木船就開動了。 皇帝心裡癢滋滋的，嫌船走得太慢，在船頭上叫：“風大些！風大些！……”馬良就加了幾筆粗粗的風。海動蕩起來了，白帆鼓得滿滿的，木船急速地向海中央駛去。 馬良又加上幾筆大風。大海不安地吼叫起來，捲起滾滾的浪濤，大木船搖搖晃晃了。 皇帝心裡害怕，向馬良搖手，大聲地喊道：“風夠了！風夠了！……”馬良裝作沒有聽見，不歇手地畫著風。海水發怒了，浪濤撲上船去了。船傾斜了，船上亂起來了。

皇帝被海水打得渾身濕漉漉的，抱著船的桅杆，不住地叫喊：“風太大了！船要翻了！不要再畫了！……”馬良不去睬他，還是不住手地畫風。風更大了，吹來了許多厚厚的烏雲，又鳴，又閃電，還下起暴雨來。浪更猛了，海水像一堵堵倒坍的高牆，接連不斷地往船上壓去。船翻了，船碎了，皇帝他們都沉到海底去了。

皇帝死了以後，《神筆馬良》的故事就傳開了。但是，馬良後來到什麼地方去了呢，大家都不清楚。有的說：他回到自己的家鄉，和那些種地的伙伴在一起。有的說：他到處流浪，專門給許多窮苦的人們畫畫。

References 信息來源：
* 中華農曆網: http://www.nongli.com/Doc/0409/1818282.htm
* Videos: YouTube 神筆馬良

劉藍溪 - 小雨中的回憶 / Liu Lan Xil - Rains & Tears

在所有我與合唱團唱的中國歌曲，這是我最喜歡其中之一首。


小雨中的回憶
(曲詞：林詩達, 歌手: 劉藍溪)　

我時常漫步在小雨裡
在小雨中尋覓
小雨像一首飄逸的小詩
常縈繞在我心裡

在沒人的雨中更顯得孤寂
但我臉上並不流露出痕跡
每當小雨飄過總喚起我的回憶

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劉藍溪1991年7月出家，法號「道融」

劉藍溪（1960年3月29日－），臺灣女歌手，灌過多張唱片，劉藍溪的聲音完全符合臺灣校園民歌時代的聲音美學標準，加上形象甜美，第一張唱片《夕陽戀曲》就很暢銷，在當年臺灣唱片工業「低制作成本、大量出片」的策略之下，短時間內就出了《風兒別敲我窗》、《野薑花的回憶》、《小時候的願望》、《又是輕輕的風》等專輯。

劉藍溪也演過不下十餘部電影，值適八十年代初，臺灣愛情文藝片走下坡，香港電影公司新藝城邀她赴香港演出《泡妞》（港稱《追女仔》）一片，之後也在桂治雄導演的電影《邪完再邪》中演主角。

1984年，劉藍溪與大她十歲、在中心診所擔任內科醫師的梁榮基文定，當時她表示，不會為了結婚放棄工作，但也不會勉為其難在演藝圈蹉跎歲月。事實上，這段時期劉藍溪對演藝工作已不像初期那麽活躍，主要是因為她長期都是擔任第二女主角，由她領銜主演的《亮不亮沒關係》賣座也不理想，讓她沮喪了好一段日子。

隔年，劉藍溪與丈夫赴美國，在三藩市進修英文，同時上大學選修大眾傳播，她丈夫則在三藩市醫學院專修糖尿病科。也就在這個時候，夫妻同時參佛，鑽研佛法。兩年後，她丈夫返臺灣繼續行醫，她則留在美國的法雲寺向妙境法師學佛。

1991年7月，在美國學習了五年佛法後，劉藍溪獲得家人、尤其是她丈夫的成全，正式出家。剃度時，她的父母都立在一旁，她跪著，一遍遍默念：「不要哭！千萬不要哭！」。

劉藍溪1991年7月出家，法號「道融」。

Source of info:
* Wikipedia: 劉藍溪
Photo Credit:
* Baby-kingdom dot com: discussion forum

成功建國: 瞎子摸象 / Successful Nation Building: Is that an Elephant?

Here are my comments in response to Space's Nov 3, 2010 blog article entitled "人民素質展示"

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Haricot to Space:

Thank you for the excellent, excellent article on "人民素質展示", as well as the great references on GDP, HDI, GNH, HPI, etc. The richness/divergence of information in your blog is one of the reasons why I keep coming back !!!

Your article raises the difficult issue of defining and measuring success in nation building. As you have pointed out, China has advanced tremendously in its "hardware硬件" department but seems to lack behind other developed countries when it comes to "software軟件" (which you call 普偏人民素質).

While I agree with you that GNP and GDP measure only a country's economic results and should not be the only indicators of success, I am hesitant to drop them and embrace HDI, GNH, HPI, etc as my new favourites. Just like GNP and GDP, these indices are only indicators of success, but not success itself.

In a way, the challenge is like the 瞎子摸象 story, it's the combination of the different descriptive indicators that will provide a more complete picture of what we are imagining is the "real" thing, and even then, we might not all agree on what the "real" thing (in this case: success in nation building) would/should look like. For example: Ever since the release of the 2006 UN Gross National Happiness GNH report 「全球快樂排行榜」which ranked不丹 #1 among Asian countries and 8th in the world, there has not been a big line-up of ppl trying to immigrate into that country (not counting the 100,000 Lhotshampas that had been expelled by the govt). The same with the Happy Planet Index: The tourist industry of Jamaica is hurting because of the reported high crime rate, and yet its HPI was ranked 3rd by the New Economics Foundation in 2009. Even with the widely used HDI Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living, some critics are saying that the indicator does not take into account a human being's spiritual and moral development.

Conclusions:

1. Defining and measuring success in nation building is a complex, multi-faceted task that will require a combination of different indicators, none of which by itself will tell the "real" story.

2. The "real" story is real only if everyone agrees to the methodologies of defining and measuring success. Otherwise, nobody can say for sure, whether there is or is not an elephant in the meeting room.

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Just a thought:

I should find time to do some research and write an article to further explore an approach to define and measure the success/failure of nation building.

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References:
* A related article I started on Oct 29, 2008: 建國 - 行政重點和基礎設施 (其一) / Nation Building - Priorities and Infrastructure (Part 1) (I will write Part 2, some day !!)
* Space: 人民素質展示

Photo credit:
* I took a photo of this poster in the Dolphin Coast B&B place on Dec 5, 2009 during the trip through South Africa

加勒比海 聖盧西亞島國 / Caribbean Island of St Lucia

Last weekend, Hurricane Tomas killed 14 ppl on the Caribbean Island of St Lucia, which K and I visited in June 2010. I shall give our friend C a call and hope all is well with her aging mother and family living in Soufrière.

(維基百科: 聖盧西亞是東加勒比海鄰近大西洋的島國。它在聖文森特和格林納丁斯之北和法屬馬丁尼克之南，是小安地列斯群島的一部份。首都設於卡斯翠。)

攝影图片 Photo Credit:

Wikipedia / St Lucia

* 小錐山 Pitit Piton (which I hiked all the way to the summit in June 2010)
* 蘇弗里耶爾 Soufrière

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Updated: Nov 6, 2010:

I ran into T at the Carlingwood Mall. She had called C this morning to let her know the phone system was back in service. C talked to her brother in Soufriere and was relieved to find out her family members were all safe. According to T, there were mudslides everywhere and some villages would never be the same again. She also mentioned that one of the family selling souvenirs on the hilly road leading into Soufriere was wiped out. I hope it was not the woman from whom I had bought K's bracelet. Sigh !!!

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November 2, 2010 BBC:

At least 14 people are now known to have died on the Caribbean island of St Lucia after Hurricane Tomas triggered landslides, officials say.

Tourism minister Allan Chastanet told local radio that the southern town of Soufrière had been worst hit and resembled "a war zone".

The storm, which struck at the weekend, also battered the island of St Vincent.

Tomas, now a tropical storm, is veering towards Haiti where thousands are still homeless after January's earthquake.

In St Lucia, Prime Minister Stephenson King declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance, local media reported.

Bridges were destroyed, and some of the worst-hit communities in the south could only be reached by boat.

"Recovery efforts are very slow. Our efforts to get help to the ravished community have been weakened as a string of fires in homes brings us to our knees," a firefighter in the capital Castries told the BBC.

He said the water mains were empty and that trying to get water to the fires "was an exercise in near futility" due to the mountainous landscape.

Tomas, downgraded from a hurricane on Sunday evening, lashed islands in the eastern Caribbean with sustained winds of 75mph (120km/h).

(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11672819)

2weeks1gather: Complete Set of 48 Themes

I have finally completed the eight blog articles missing from the series of 48 2weeks1gather themes. Now my "homework" set is done !!!

Please click to read the new articles I just posted at lotusandcedar (they are back-dated):

「兩週一聚」第二期題目: 【愛】 ∕ 「2weeks1gather」 #2: 【Love】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/2weeks1gather-2-love.html

「兩週一聚」第28期:「人間,神話」之【神筆】 / 2weeks1gather #28:【My Magic Brush】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/28-2weeks1gather-28my-magic-brush.html

兩週一聚第廿九期題目【最大收穫: 十年回顧 2000-2010】 / 2weeks1gather #29 【Progress Report: Ten Years 2000-2010】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/2000-2010-2weeks1gather-29-progress.html

「兩週一聚」第30期題目:【三件事情】 / 2weeks1gather #30: "Three Happy Things" http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/30-2weeks1gather-30-three-happy-things.html

兩週一聚第卅一期題目:「萬聖節鬼故事」之【七姑媽的陰眼】 / 2weeks1gather (#31)「Halloween Ghost Story」: 【The Eye of Aunt #7】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/2weeks1gather-31halloween-ghost-story.html

「兩週一聚」第卅二期題目:【如果你能當別人一天】 ∕ 2weeks1gather #32 【Being Another Person for a Day】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/2weeks1gather-32-being-another-person.html

「兩週一聚」第四十一期題目: 【夢想之旅】 ∕ 2weeks1gather # 41 【My Dream Trip】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/2weeks1gather-41-my-dream-trip.html

兩週一聚第四十八期:「教我如何說再見」之【好頭好尾】 / 2weeks1gather #48: 「Time to Say Goodbye」:【All's Well that Ends Well】
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/10/2weeks1gather-48-time-to-say.html


Thanks !!!

Haricot

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Reference: Articles with "2weeks1gather" label

http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/search/label/%E5%85%A9%E9%80%B1%E4%B8%80%E8%81%9A%202weeks1gather