Clear your calendars, everyone!

For the annual Rubber Ducky Race,

June 14th, 2008

in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

(I knew our dear little hamlet would

gain fame some day)

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/NEWS04/80522032/1017/RSS04

Alternative mode of transport "upon the dolphin"

Psykter, ca. 520–510 B.C.; Archaic; red-figure Attributed to Oltos. Greek, Attic Terracotta; H. 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm) Gift of Norbert Schimmel Trust, 1989 (1989.281.69) Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Hoplites astride dolphins encircle the body of this psykter, a vessel used for cooling wine at symposia (drinking parties). After filling the psykter with wine, participants would have placed it inside a large krater containing cold water. As the psykter bobbed in the water, the dolphins would have appeared as if diving into and leaping from the depths of the krater. This psykter is attributed to Oltos, an early red-figure painter who specialized in decorating cups and other vessels used at symposia.

Each of the six hoplites on this drinking vessel is armed with a shield and spear; each wears a Corinthian helmet, greaves, and a cuirass over a short chiton. Their postures are almost identical, as befitting a well-disciplined military squadron. Only the emblems on their shields vary: three are vessels used at symposia—a krater, kantharos, and cup, and three are symbols—a whirl with four dolphins, a triskelis (three running legs that symbolize human industry), and a whirl with the foreparts of a lion, horse, and griffin. The painter carefully arranged each ornament so as to impart a certain rhythm to the scene.

A number of vases from this period are decorated with hoplites riding dolphins. Each of these scenes, however, includes a flute player, which suggests that the hoplites represent a Greek chorus. The similarity of the dolphin riders on this psykter with the choruses of dolphin riders on these other vessels suggests that this scene, too, illustrates a dramatic chorus, perhaps from a contemporary play performed on the Athenian stage. On this particular vessel, the words "upon the dolphin," which are carefully inscribed in retrograde in front of the mouth of each hoplite, may be the opening words recited by the chorus.

I'm saving energy--This is my last post ...

... until next time.

Gas is at 4.259 for regular.
(It doesn't feel good to lead the nation.)

The eternal impulse to a memorial day (or is it revenge?)

"Far from home he (Patroclus) has fallen, dead in a strange land, with no quiet grave. My hand did not help him in his hour of need—now is the world empty of all delight. I have brought no promised bounty to Patroclus or to my comrades, so many slaughtered in battle by Hector. I stay here, alone by my ships, sitting, a useless burden on earth, who in fight has no peer among the Achaeans. But some are wiser than me. How now shall I pray? That strife among men may perish? And anger too—Anger that seeps like smoke through the soul. Anger that tastes sweeter than honey. Anger that makes even a virtuous man harden his heart—even so did Agamemnon infect me with anger. And yet—no more. It’s over. I now must force my soul into subjection, go fight for the Achaeans. I will find Hector, who has slain my dear friend, and face what my fate is."

Achilles in Homer's Iliad

Can you see the Piping Plover?

A perfectly camouflaged small bird is in the middle of this picture looking for a good place to settle. This is their traditional nesting area. Piping plovers don't really make nests; they lay their eggs in a depression in the sand. Very vulnerable. Signs have been posted and the vicinity has been roped off so humans won't disturb them. I took this picture on Monday while the wind was whipping, clouds were scudding, yellow warblers were flitting among the cedars, and this little bird was peeping loudly and dashing here and there. Almost invisible.

This is what he/she looked like: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pipingplover/

Letter from Sweden ... on the environment

I received this email today. Thought you might be interested in reading how one American observes the Swedish way of living with nature.

Dear SBEC [Stony Brook Environmental Conservancy]Member/friend:
A message from John Robinson, a founding Director of SBEC, who is presently on sabbatical in Sweden with his family. John has always been one of our most dedicated and supportive Directors; this is the first annual dinner the Robinson's have missed. He sends these greetings and thoughts about an apparently more environmentally attuned society..... Malcolm

Dear Malcolm and all,
We are very sorry to miss this year's SBEC dinner, but will think of you all. It has been very enlightening to experience first hand some of the environmental ideals we imagine for our area in practice here in Sweden. Upon our arrival in Stockholm last December, we experienced an immediate feeling of increased quality of life and a corresponding decrease in carbon footprint. The obvious thing helping this was the efficient and cost-effective local, regional and national mass transit systems, and the nearly universal use of people's own legs (both on their own and bicycle assisted) to get around. Cars are not king, are generally really small, and automobiles actually stop for pedestrians crossing roadways. In striking contrast to Port Jefferson on a Sunday afternoon, we walked by a Vespa rally last week. There is a bicycle HIGHWAY system, which is largely bike lanes built off the roads. One of the most surprising things was how easy it is to live without a car. Americans tend to idealize the car as the key to freedom and yet it is really stunning how freeing it is not to have one. We have not had to maintain a car, fill it with gas, insure it, or sit stuck in traffic once yet in 2008 in Sweden. At the risk of over-generalization and rampant idealism, our impression is that the Swedish value of nature and open space is radically different than the average American's. Nature isn't a thing apart from people, but continuous and integrated. People have extensive balcony gardens, wildflowers and bulbs are planted in the "lawn areas" in public places, and after a park area was used by thousands of picnickers one beautiful Sunday, there was not a piece of litter to be observed the next day (they packed it out!) . Stockholm in particular is roughly one third parkland (and another third water) that is used extensively and obviously cherished by the Swedes. Indeed, they have a national park within the city and one just on the outskirts, accessible by bus and bike. The parks are clean, beautiful, safe and used by people of all ages. We have wondered how this Swedish nature sense develops. A hint toward the answer to this question was revealed one day when I was out running on trails through the woods of one large park. There, in the middle of the forest, were 4 year old pre-school children and their teachers just playing...yes, playing... in the woods. Being Swedish, they all had day-glow safety vests on, but I couldn't think of a better way to encourage children to form positive associations about the woods and see visiting the forest as a routine part of life than that. I could not imagine that those kids would grow up to tolerate the destruction of that forest that they had played in as children.
John.

At least my carotid arteries are normal!!

This morning a health fair was held at the Smithhaven Mall, an annual event sponsored by our local University Hospital. I had four tests done: blood pressure, glucose level, cholesterol, and vascular screening of the two carotid arteries. All for free (not a bad price). The carotid arteries, as you probably know, are the two thingies that run down your neck and swell up when you laugh hysterically or get angry.

First the technician greased up my neck, then held the scope or whatever it was just below my ears, and peered intently at the computer screen. I couldn't see the screen but all the people in line behind me could see it and their faces looked serious. (Uh-oh, should I head right for the hospital?)

Then she smiled and said "Both sides normal"and I breathed a big sigh of relief. I was sure it would be otherwise. Every now and then it's good to be normal!!

Since I'm in a confessional mood I will further tell you ... how very hard it was for me to skip breakfast and come to the Mall in a fasting condition!! Irritation galore. But... gift horse in the mouth and all that.

At the risk of becoming normal, won't you all go and have your carotid arteries checked? It only takes two minutes and it's very important.

Graduation Day... Two Views

End of the Semester

Students relaxing after turning in last term papers.

A few miscellaneous pictures

This was last Sunday. I paid 4.09 yesterday.

Beach plums in bloom at the beach.

Civil War binoculars and cornet. Heavy!

All that's left on the ledge.

Did somebody call my name?

We got rid of all the termites on Priscilla's web page last year, and what does she go and do?

She locks us in the closet!! There's gratitude for yah.

Red Pandas of the world unite!

Shake off your chains!

Your hour has come!

Arise and seek new allies... monkeys, lemurs, whatever!

Excelsior!

There are 300 policemen in the building!

And some of them are wearing skirts!

Today is graduation day for the Suffolk County Police Academy. When I heard the bagpipes skirling I grabbed my camera, abandoned my post at the reference desk, and dashed out into the lobby hoping to get some good pix. Here are a few of the bagpipe guys, relaxing after they piped the cadets into the auditorium.

Bear Grylls--My Hero

If my TV went on the fritz tomorrow the only program I'd really miss would be "Man vs. Wild", the survival adventures of Bear Grylls on the Discovery channel.

What an inspiration!

Today I discovered he has a blog: http://beargrylls.blogspot.com/

Check out those bee stings!

We Have Goslings!!

Three eggs have hatched since yesterday and the little guys are already running around and pecking at pebbles and falling over each other and huddling under Mama's wing. They are adorable. And ... she's sitting on 2 more eggs. We're all thrilled.

I took these pictures a few minutes ago. They were moving around so fast it was hard to get the pictures.

The Stump Pond Monster!

See the long skinny neck and turned up snout?

I couldn't believe my luck in catching a picture of this seldom-seen crypto-phenomenon.

This is Blydenburgh Park, about eight miles from where I live, a lovely place to ramble. It's never been farmed or developed so there are some really old trees here (black Tupelo).

Beech Leaves in Spring

The Hounds of Spring
by

Algernon Charles Swinburne

When the hounds of spring are on winter's traces,
The mother of months in meadow or plain
Fills the shadows and windy places
With lisp of leaves and ripple of rain;
And the brown bright nightingale amorous
Is half assuaged for Itylus,
For the Thracian ships and the foreign faces,
The tongueless vigil, and all the pain.

Come with bows bent and with emptying of quivers,
Maiden most perfect, lady of light,
With a noise of winds and many rivers,
With a clamor of waters, and with might;
Bind on thy sandals, O thou most fleet,
Over the splendor and speed of thy feet;
For the faint east quickens, the wan west shivers,
Round the feet of the day and the feet of the night.

Where shall we find her, how shall we sing to her,
Fold our hands round her knees and cling?
O that man's heart were as fire and could spring to her,
Fire, or the strength of the streams that spring!
For the stars and the winds are unto her
As raiment, as songs of the harp-player;
For the risen stars and the fallen cling to her,
And the southwest-wind and the west-wind sing.

For winter's rains and ruins are over,
And all the season of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins;
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,
And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins...

Fountain of Youth 101: Your assignment for Monday

Nathaniel Hawthorne's story "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" is a fascinating study of the search for eternal youth. Unlike some of the assigned readings in this course, this one is enjoyable. Read it!

Warning: This text WILL be on the Final Exam.

http://www.classicreader.com/read.php/bookid.196/sec./

Canada Goose nesting on a ledge

Poor deluded goose, she doesn't know that her goslings, if any manage to hatch, will fall to their deaths from this roof in the vain search for a pond to swim in. The pair made their nest right outside the 2nd floor stacks of the library. I took the picture through a large pane of glass two weeks ago. Last Friday she was still sitting. I'll find out tomorrow if any eggs have hatched. (I work at this campus only on Fridays, and at another campus on Wed. and Sat.) The mate is sometimes there beside her all hunkered down and staring balefully into the library. We know it's Survival of the Fittest, but you hate to see the doomed ones.