Live As You'll Die Today

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
- James Dean

Goodbye to Randy Pausch!

It was a coincidence, but it became more meaningful if I linked those two things together.

Yesterday, I first came to know the quotation in the beginning of this post:"Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today". At the time I was wondering in Target aimlessly. I just bought a car and drove myself to this super market. It made me feel excited and powerful to control this big toy. But on the other hand, I had a strong feeling I should do something more meaningful. The first year of my PhD life seemed so flat. There was nothing noticeable and I am not sure what I should do in the future. Then I went by the picture & frame section, a poster with a white-black portrait of a serious man attracted my eyes: there were a line saying "Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today" and the man was James Dean.

This morning I heard of the death of Randy Pausch in New York Times: Randy Pausch, 47, Dies; His ‘Last Lecture’ Inspired Many to Live With Wonder. I expected this result when I first heard of Randy Pausch: miracles seldom happens in real life. Randy was a virtual reality pioneer, a computer scientists and a professor at CMU. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Aug. 2006; then he gave a series of lectures called "The Last Lecture" in the year of 2007, which inspired many people thanks to the internet. His most memorable lecture was about his childhood dreams and how he achieved them. If he had ever heard of James' words, he must have a better understanding of it.

It's Cherry Picking Time

It is cherry picking time in Calif. The most popular place near L.A. that has lots of cherry orchards.

Leona Valley (Website http://www.cherriesupic.com/ ) There is a report about this orchards in L.A. Daily News

CHERRY PICKING TIME: It's the season to load up on fresh cherries. For a fun family outing, head to the cherry orchards in the Leona Valley from June 6 through the end of the month.

Although more than two dozen orchards allow consumers to pick their own fruit, times and days vary. Most places provide all the equipment you'll need, including buckets, bags and containers.

Prices likely will average about $2 a pound if you pick your own (a few orchards also sell picked cherries). Take cash since some growers don't take credit cards. Ask if you can taste-test varieties to find the cherry you like the best.

If you go, make the trip worthwhile and pick plenty as the cherries will last two to three weeks in the refrigerator and are easily frozen whole with stems attached for a snack long after the season is over.

To get to the Leona Valley from the San Fernando Valley, take the Antelope Valley Freeway (14) north and exit at Palmdale Boulevard. Go left (west) 10 miles on Palmdale Boulevard to 90th Street and look for the cherry orchard signs. For more information, call the Leona Valley Cherry Growers Association hotline at (661) 266-7118.

The annual cherry parade starts at 10 a.m. June 14 on 90th Street west at Leona Avenue and goes north to Elizabeth Lake Road where it proceeds east. Plan to arrive early in the morning, before the roads close.

There is link to the relatively newly updated information about Leona Valley http://www.chowhound.com/topics/528281

The second place is Beaumont Valley http://www.bcvparks.com/ This place seems to charge a higher fee and is not as popular as Leona Valley.

Finally, I find this website PickOnYourOwn.org http://www.pickyourown.org/CAla.htm

Song Qiang Goes to the Moon

I am Song Qiang and I approve this message: Song Qiang goes to the moon in late 2008. Sorry I can't tell the exact date, which is a top secret presently. I understand that it's not Apr. 1st today. This is a serious message. In case you still suspect, here is the certificate from NASA

Accompanying Song Qiang, Qiang Song and 宋强 will travel in the same spacecraft: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Song Qiang feels it a great honor to be able to go to the moon. He said :"That is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind". He sincerely invites all of you to join this travel. If you, like Song Qiang, has a forever lasting Moon dream, why not come along? Click here: NASA's First Step Back to Moon

Memo: Name Certificate # Song Qiang 580152 Qiang Song 579931 宋强 579827

USC Safety Chart

Exactly Speaking, the title should be USC unsafety chart.

The following map shows the distribution of criminal activities around USC area. The data is based on DPS crime alerts since Aug. 16, 2007. From the map we can see four hot spots and one noticeable line. The four spots are W 37th St. & Vermont, Orchard & Jefferson, W 30th St. & McClintock, W. 27th St. & Hoover. The most dangerous line is Hoover St. from USC gate 4 to Adam Blvd.

These hot spots may be explained by the criminals' behavior. They often linger around certain spots. Once they find a right target, they attack and flee. The above spots are hubs from USC campus to students' residence, so it is easy for them to find a target there. And They can easily escape in main streets by car. It's rare that they wait around your residence or break into your residence because its risk is too high for them. So, it matters most on the way from the campus to your residence, and less where you live.

I will update this map when new incident occur (I hope not). You can bookmark this map with this url .



View Larger Map


Disclaimer of Warranty.
THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE MAP AND INFORMATION ABOVE. IT INTENDS TO BE USEFUL, BUT FOLLOW IT AT YOUR OWN RISK

Body Worlds: Our Bodies and Respect for Life

Configuration of the Arteries of the Head and Brain

On Friday afternoon, I went to California Science Center to see the Body Worlds exhibition. The single fact that the work on display are real human corpse make this exhibition the most special one. Before I continue, I would like to introduce the plastination technique. Basically, more than 50% percent weight of our body are water and lipid. Soon after one is dead, anatomist injects a kind of chemicals into the body, which replace the water and lipid. After this treatment, the chemicals polymerizes and solidifies, thus keeping the shape and microscopic structure of the body. It doesn't decay any more even exposed to air. Dr. Gunther von Hagens invented this technique in 1970s. It was initially used for anatomy teaching, and obviously it's scientifically good.

And then Dr. Hagens explores this controversial art form. He makes the bodies posing different postures as they are alive. So, there are runners, warriors, dancers, torchbearers, horse riders, etc. But their muscle and bones are naked. You can also see nerves, arteries and veins. You see with your own eyes the internal structure of human body. But they have not find a ideal way to keep the texture and shape of skin. When you face these plastinationed bodies, they look like sculptures at first glance. But they are real human corpses. That's why this exhibition impressive.

That's also why they have an emotional impact on the audiences. Actually similar exhibitions are not allowed some cities. Though my education in biology tells that human body can in fact be reduced to basic elements, such as carbons and nitrogens, I felt strongly that they are humans, who were alive like me no long ago. This feeling made me tired; I quickly finished this supposedly 3-hour tour in two hours.

I am not religions; I don't believe in the next life. What I am concerned is how to show our respect for life. In most culture, after one man is dead and his/her body is buried to ground; we believe they can return to the nature in this way. I ask myself whether do you like to be plastination-ed or buried or burned after you die. Well, it will be interesting to let my body perpetuate than to let the body decay in the earth or burned to ashes, it hurts me that my body will be peeled, cut and displayed. So, I haven't made up my mind.

References:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_worlds
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastination
3. http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html
4. There are many related videos in youtube.com, just search "body worlds"

Speak with Respect

The photo shows I stood in front of CNN's Hollywood office on Saturday Apr. 19, 2008. Many people (some estimated 2000~5000) gathered, among which there are Taiwaneses waving flags of China Republic and people from San Diego and Arizona. We, waving Chinese flags and singing Chinese songs, shouted again and again "CNN Liar" and "Cafferty Fire". I saw some Mexicans and black people saluting our demonstration. For the first time, I felt the strong sense of being a Chinese. Though it was not as exciting as I expected, it was worth memorizing.

Here I would like to state two points: 1) why I am angry at CNN and Jack Cafferty; and 2) my thoughts about speech freedom and press freedom.

The first point is straightforward. CNN reported Tibet incident inaccurately. For example it used a picture from Nepal to report what happed in China. Jack Cafferty commented on April 9 on CNN’s political programme, that "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." Though CNN later made a statement saying Cafferty's comments aimed at Chinese government and CNN apologized to those who understood otherwise. But this explanation hardly stands if you listened to Cafferty's comments yourself. I guess Jack Cafferty actually aimed directly at those Chinese people protecting Olympic torch in San Francisco. The number of Chinese people involved in that activity and the passion they showed was astonishing. Besides, Jack Cafferty is jealous with favorable balance of China-US trade. So he attacked the whole Chinese people indeed. Therefore, our demand that Jack Cafferty himself apologize publicly and resign is justifiable.

As for the second point, I admit that we take advantage of the right of free speech and free demonstration in America, which we cannot have in mainland China now. Similar demonstration against CCTV or People's Daily is highly probably prohibited in the name of "harmony" there. In the long run, we Chinese should advance towards the right of free speech and free demonstration. However, the way and the pace they fight for that right should be decided by Chinese people, not by foreign medias. Anyway China is a complicated society with big historical burden, we can only gain the political rights and learn the political skills to use our political rights gradually if we don't want to see blood; certainly we don't. America's model of free speech and free demonstration, though not perfect (see how Jack Cafferty abuses his rights), may be an example for us. At least, I believe those who stood in front of CNN office today will appreciate the value of free speech and free demonstration.

I just noticed that CNN itself reported this event (see http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/19/cnn.china/index.html). At this point, I appreciate CNN's courage and frankness, though it may also be a tactic to restore their public image.
[updated Apr. 20, 2008]



I am going to attend the demonstration protesting CNN's inaccurate report on Tibetan incident and Jack Cafferty 's insulting remark against Chinese people. The above is my banner. I just made it myself with whiteboard and pen. It's simple but I hope it conveys my meaning:"If you value freedom of speech, then SPEAK WITH RESPECT".

I love the following quote

The fact that you can possess a gun doesn't mean you can shoot anyone in the campus. Similarly, the fact that you have freedom of speech does not equal to you can insult others.

Tibetan Protests Attack Olympic Torch Holder, Who is a disabled female in wheelchair

As a Chinese, I personally wish the Olympic torch relay will unite people of different belief. I hope it leads to a "journey to harmony" . However, you have the freedom of speech and the right of demonstration. I respect that; indeed your voices are heard. But, take care: don't turn a legal demonstration into a violent turmoil; don't do anything as shown in the following video again (if you choose not to watch this, I call tell you, in this video, Tibetan protestants attacked the Olympic torch holder, who is a disabled female in wheelchair). don't add to our hatred. What happened yesterday makes me worried 'cause you know hatred makes peaceful resolutions more hopeless.

And follow Dalai Lama's teaching (cited from Statement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to All Tibetans)

8. The hosting of the Olympic games this year is a matter of great pride to the 1.2 billion Chinese people. I have from the very beginning supported the holding of these Games in Beijing. My position on this remains unchanged. I feel the Tibetans should not cause any hindrance to the Games. It is the legitimate right of every Tibetan to struggle for their freedoms and rights. On the other hand, it will be futile and not helpful to anyone if we do something that will create hatred in the minds of the Chinese people. On the contrary, we need to foster trust and respect in our hearts in order to create a harmonious society, as this cannot be built on the basis of force and intimidation.