Monday morning and it
is time to summarize. We’ve arrived at
the eightieth day of salt and silt. Reading over the last nineteen is a good
exercise. You see what’s interesting,
and what’s flat. I frame my expectations
in terms of what I hope to get accomplished in the next twenty days. There's a lot that had better happen. I’m happy to say that this dustybrine metaphor
has begun to wash up in my professional world, as well. The confluence informs how I look at a new
business I am launching. More on this as
the yellow hits the blue.
I won’t spend much time on it, as this is a summary day, but
it is fascinating to watch the palace intrigue not only over in North Korea but
here in China as well. No matter how
polished and profound China’s rise, the core transference of power is ever so
fragile. Former Standing Committee member, Zhou Yongkang is under investigation. That hasn’t happened in while. Perhaps he knew his days were numbered once
they threw the gauntlet down at Bo Xilai.
On the one hand it suggests the strength of the current regime. On the other, the fragility of rule by man. Even
though China’s economic standard of living is drawing up aside South Korea and
Japan the political standard of governance remains more closely akin to
Pyongyang.
I just tallied everything up. I always miss one of the chengyu and have to
check all nineteen all over again. I’m
notice the degree to which I rely on The New York Times and Wiki. The latter is
reasonable, as it is a quick source for basic information. And the prior strives to be the paper of
record. But I should push for broader
media sources. Nearly ¾ of the music I
reference is jazz, most of it hard bop.
That’s just what I have in my ears when I write, I suppose. It’s what’s on right now, as usual.
We'll be off in the New Year by the time we get to our Summary 100. Lots to accomplish in the next twenty days.
We'll be off in the New Year by the time we get to our Summary 100. Lots to accomplish in the next twenty days.
Chengyu
1. 跌脚捶胸: diējiǎochuíxiōng: lit. stamping and beating the chest (idiom);
fig. angry or stressed about sth
2. 感激不尽: gǎnjībùjìn:
can't thank sb enough (idiom)
3. 以夷制夷: yǐyízhìyí： to use foreigners to subdue foreigners
(idiom); let the barbarians fight it out among themselves (traditional policy
of successive dynasties) / To use western science and technology to counter
imperialist encroachment (late Qing modernizing slogan).
4. 苦海茫茫: kǔhǎimángmáng: sea of bitterness is vast (idiom)
5. 朝过夕改:
zhāoguòxīgǎi: to correct in the
evening a fault of the morning (idiom) / to quickly amend one's ways
6. 推陈出新: tuīchénchūxīn: to
push out the old and bring in the new (idiom); to innovate / to go beyond old
ideas / advancing all the time
7. 乘人不备 chéngrénbùbèi: to take
advantage of sb in an unguarded moment (idiom) / to take sb by surprise
8. 另辟蹊径: lìngpìxījìng:
to take an alternate route (idiom) / to find an alternative / to take a
different approach / to blaze a new trail
9. 笑脸相迎: xiàoliǎnxiāngyíng: to welcome sb with a smiling face (idiom)
10. 衣食住行: yīshízhùxíng:
clothing, food, housing and transport (idiom); people's basic needs
11. 铁树开花: tiěshùkāihuā: lit. the iron tree blooms (idiom) / a highly
improbable or extremely rare occurrence
12. 篝火狐鸣:
gōuhuǒhúmíng: to tell fox ghost
stories around a bonfire and incite rebellion / an uprising is afoot (idiom)
13. 十全十美: shíquánshíměi: complete and beautiful / to be perfect
(idiom)
14. 灭此朝食: miècǐzhāoshí： lit.
not to have breakfast until the enemy is destroyed / anxious to do battle
(idiom)
15. 易如反掌: yìrúfǎnzhǎng: easy
as a hand's turn (idiom); very easy / no effort at all
16. 踌躇满志: chóuchúmǎnzhì: enormously proud of one's success (idiom);
smug / complacent
17. 雷厉风行:
léilìfēngxíng: pass
like thunder and move like the wind (idiom); swift and decisive reaction
18. 掩人耳目: yǎnrén'ěrmù: to
fool people (idiom) / to pull the wool over people's eyes
19. 动人心魄: dòngrénxīnpò: to
move and thrill (idiom); exciting
Music Introduced
Joe Batanan, “Fuego” from the album “Gypsy Woman”, 1967
Mal Waldron “Left Alone Revisited” w. Archie Shepp, 2002
Bill Hardman “Asunta” from the album “Coffee”, 1962
Al Cohn, from the album “Nonpareil”, 1981
Anita O’Day “Anita Sings the Most”, 1957
Phily Joe Jones album “Showcase”, 1959
The Dead Boys “Sonic Reducer” 1977
Jackie McClean “Sentimental Journey” from the album “4, 5
& 6”, 1956.
Archie Shepp “In a Sentimental Mood” from the album “Live in
San Francisco”, 1966.
Ray Brown, “This is Ray Brown”, 1958
Duke Ellington “The Nutcracker Suite” 1960
Oscar Pettiford “Golden Touch” from the album: “Oscar
Pettiford Modern Quintet”, 1954
Carole King “Tapestry”, 1971.
Lightnin’ Hopkins “The Great Electric Show and Dance” 1969
Sly and the Family Stone “Loose Booty” from the album “Small
Talk” 1974
Howard McGhee “Dusty Blue” 1961, and “Jazz Brothers”, 1978
Peter King, “Shango”, 1974
Phineas Newborn Jr, “This is Phineas” from 1956
Harold Mabern,
“Wailin” , 1970
Media introduced
Joe Bataan on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Bataan http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/archives/Profile69
Mal Waldron on Wiki:
John Fordham Obituary for Mal Waldron in The Guardian:
New York Times on the Metro North train
derailing:
More New York Times
on the Metro North train derailing:
Philly Joe Jones on Wiki
New York Times on China’s moon launch:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/02/world/asia/china-prepares-to-launch-moon-rover-mission.html?ref=international-home
Legs McNeil "Please Kill Me.", 2006
Legs McNeil "Please Kill Me.", 2006
New York Times on Shinzo Abe and
relations with China:
Andrew Erickson blog on China defense
strategy
New York Times on Japan’s relations
with China:
New York Times on Joe Biden’s visit to
Beijing:
Colum McCann “Let the Great World
Spin”, 2009.
Mircea Eliade “The Myth of the Eternal
Return”, 1954
Ray Brown on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Brown_discography
“This is Ray Brown” the album on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Ray_Brown
Arthur Miller “Death of a Salesman”,
1949.
Wiki on “Death of a Salesman”
Dust mites on Wiki:
Chinese literature on Wiki:
“Classics of Poetry” on Wiki:
M. I. Finley, “The World of Odysseus”,
1954
New York Times on purge in North
Korea: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/world/asia/a-gamble-for-north-korea-leader-kim-jong-un.html?ref=international-home&_r=0
Evan Osnos in “The New Yorker” on
China’s media crackdown: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/world/asia/a-gamble-for-north-korea-leader-kim-jong-un.html?ref=international-home&_r=0
Sly and the Family Stone album “Small
Talk” on Wiki:
Shadrach, Meshach, Abedego on Wiki:
New York Times on Obama and Raul Castro
Howard McGhee on Wiki:
Southpark Smug Alert on Wiki:
Yahoo news on CCTV telling Chinese
citizens that smog isn’t all bad:
http://news.yahoo.com/china-39-state-media-under-fire-arguing-benefits-040519244.html
http://news.yahoo.com/china-39-state-media-under-fire-arguing-benefits-040519244.html
London Jazz News on Peter King and
Shango
Baidu news on history of prince regents
in the region:
Phineas Newborn Jr. on Wiki:
Youtube clip on the sign language
translator of ill repute:
New York Times on the Chang ‘e Landing:
Techcrunch on Oculus Rift and their new
virtual reality goggles.
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