Groundhog at First Sight

 Ever since Groundhog Day debuted in 1993 starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, I have always regarded it as a mythical figure until the day before yesterday when Paul watered the side bush and disturbed a cat-size creature in my sister's backyard. It ran away along the brick path, through the gate and disappeared.

Since it is neither a cat, nor a dog, nor an opossum, nor a skunk, nor a racoon, Paul checked Internet and IDed the being and confirmed Hui's findings not long ago. Apparently her abundant backyard provides a haven for at leas one big guy. That has explained why some of her flowers, plants and vines were broken or chucked away, as no deer could easily venture in over her high fence.

According to Wiki, groundhog (Marmota monax) is also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or land-beaver or 土拔鼠 in some areas. It is a rodent of Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. 

Books on Cassette

As of May 6, 2013, books on cassettes were to be discontinued at SCPL, thus ending a category since 1980's, another victim of fast growing technology. The discontinuation is per explicit order of cms manager.

So far, 6 requests have been cancelled for brand-new titles.

Through Our Lenses

In collaboration with Santa Cruz County Bank, Pajaro Valley Arts Council (PVAC) has curated  Through Our Lenses, a photography exhibit on China and India, August 27 - October 12, 2014 at PVAC gallery, and September 5, 2014 – January 9, 2015 at 5 Santa Cruz County Banks.

Paul has been selected as one of the six finest travel photographers in Santa Cruz County to exhibit his works created in his year-and-a-half in P. R. China, Philippines, India and Bangladesh in the mid 80s when the region was not impacted by global economy, plus half a dozen subsequent trips to China. His photography is known for its candid portrayal of regular people in the ordinary urban or rural street, a setting Henry Miller values most highly, “In the street you learn what human beings really are; otherwise, or afterwards, you invent them. What is not in the open street is false, derived, that is to say, literature."

Here are a number of major links to the exhibits:

1. Arts Council Santa Cruz County: http://www.artscouncilsc.org/event/through-our-lenses-china-and-india/
2. First Friday Santa Cruz: http://firstfridaysantacruz.com/walk-of-frame/
3. Good Times: http://www.gtweekly.com/index.php/santa-cruz-arts-entertainment-lifestyles/santa-cruz-arts-entertainment-/5876-walk-of-frame.html
4. PVAC Official Invitation: http://www.pajarovalleyartscouncil.org/

5. Santa Cruz County Bank in Collaboration with PVAC: http://firstfridaysantacruz.com/santa-cruz-county-bank-through-our-lenses/

6. Santa Cruz Weekly Announcement: http://www.santacruz.com/through-our-lenses-china-and-india-e2142491

eSequels: A New Tool in Our Arsenal

Thanks to Heather N. and Leslie A., my library has a new tool in its arsenal. It is called eSequels (http://www.esequels.com/barcode.asp?id=sazcrpl). According to Heather's introduction, it was first published by ALA in 1982, covering the most popular series in fiction, mystery and science fiction. It indexes U.S. and British series novels and European series that have been translated into English.

I did a little testing and decided to like it. To a great extent, it is more nimble and cost-effective than NoveList. We can search (browse) by Authors, Titles, Character, Location, Subject and Keyword (truly search).

It is very user-friendly to search (fictitious) characters, for we can browse either their first or last names. Another amazing feature is Location if we want to locate authors from or about Iceland or Thailand.

As a special warning from Heather. We do need to enter our library card numbers in Patron Barcode, even if within the library. 

Our Proud Candelabra Roses

Every year we enjoy our front yard candelabra roses, especially the first batch of them. They are simply bountiful and spectacular. Neighbors and passersby simply cannot help themselves admiring or stopping to admire their vivid salmon colors and subtle fragrance.

They have bloomed in varied formations for over a decade now. Unfortunately we never actually documented them. Yesterday, Paul decided to start a record book for them, better later than never.

Unlike their mother rose in the backyard, they stand tall and proud, but respectful of our mailman.

 Courtesy of Paul Titangos

The 吴天明 (Wu Tianming) I Know

From my former classmate's forwarded obituary article, I learned that 吴天明 (Wu Tianming) had died at the age of 74. It is sad to see another great artist leaving us. For personal reasons, I feel especially sad. I met 吴 天明 at an international film conference held at UCLA in spring 1990. I saw his name among many famed attendees from China, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the States.

Of course, I was eager to talk to 吴天明. Surprisingly, he was a very personable man. Like a walking encyclopedia of the Chinese film industry, he could tell you anything you wanted to know at anytime. Out of curiosity and respect, I bugged him about his well-known film studio. In true storytelling manner, he told us (a group of conference participants) how he brought to the wilder world the unknown 西安电影制片厂 (Xi'an Film Studio), and how he recruited the fifth generation filmmakers. In this aspect, he was a true pioneer in the profession of headhunters in China.

The time I saw 吴天明 was a struggling period in his career, and the beginning of his 5-year exile in America. I did detect a profound sadness in him.

I never kept my promise to keep in touch with him after the conference, but sincerely wished him more success. I am so happy to read of all his bouncing back to achieve greater artistic achievements in the last three decades.

Reluctant Chief Inspector VV

I have just devoured the latest three mysteries by Håkan Nesser's, Hour of the wolf (Carambole: 2012), The strangler's honeymoon (Svalan, katten, rosen, döden: 2013) and The weeping girl (2013).

The three mysteries are of great interest to me on multiple levels. First of all, even though they feature Ewa Moreno, and her current chief inspector and team members, the retired Chief Inspector Van Veeteren (VV) is inevitably involved, either through the death of his son, or the seeming suicide of his acquaintance. Unlike many other murder cases which deal more or less with low-life criminals, Nesser's murderers are chiefly professionals and intellectuals held high in esteem in society, such as doctors, businessmen, police offers and university professors. 

Secondly Nesser is a great writer in dissecting typical social issues, such as loneliness which has penetrated into traditionally close-knit units, such as family, or police force through the investigation of a body being discovered in a busy apartment for months. He is an equally effective writer in voicing out the fragility of life: a happy family can be destroyed after the death of a father or an infidelity committed by a father (The strangler's honeymoon, and The weeping girl); a successful life can be turned upside down after one accidentally kills without reporting himself to the authorities (Hour of the wolf).

Last but not least, Nesser is anything but a hopeless pessimist. Life goes on: VV has a granddaughter to hold on to after his son's death; VV is waiting for his girl friend to continue a real vacation on the Greek Island after the strangler's suicide; and Moreno is still cherishing the dream for an ideal man to show up. 

 

After Linda Murder

I just finished Leif G. W. Persson's new mystery Linda, as in the Linda murder (Linda, som i Lindamordet: 2013). It tells a story about Linda, a young police cadet being raped and strangled in her mother's apartment. The cop-killing followed by two subsequent attempted and actual rapes led National Crime Center to believe that it was a true terrorist attack, so two teams were sent to assist the local police in Vaxjo located in Smaland, a particularly religious part of Sweden. 

The first team led by Evert Backstrom relied heavily on modern technologies. It gathered hundreds of un-matching DNA samples until a lucky break came. Quietly on his own, a team member used conventional detective method to conduct indepth interviews to locate a real murderer. On the same day when the first team arrested the murderer the relief team led by Anna Holt arrived. 

The story seems to tell us that there are always more approaches to deal with a problem. Usually the more complicated approach is not the right one. Meanwhile there are traditional and technological methods. More often than not, the traditional method is still effective. Last but not least, there are always conflicts between local and outside forces. But the one who does the real work can be from either camp. Local knowledge is not a guarantee to solve a local crime.

I agree with the view that  “LINDA, AS IN THE LINDA MURDER is witty and the dialogue is at times devastatingly cruel. This is Scandinavian crime fiction at its very best and it is appropriate that the dedication is 'to Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo - who did it better than almost anyone.' This novel reminded me of my first discovery of the Martin Beck series with the not so subtle difference that Backstrom is the anti-Beck, the classic anti-hero." (http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/reviews/Linda_as_in_the_Linda_Murder.html)

Endeavour: Young Morse

This week Paul and I devoted ourselves to Endeavour Series 1. We were enjoying thoroughly every episode (5 in all: Pilot, Girl, Fugue, Rocket and Home). Why is it so enjoyable? We put our heads together and came to the following conclusions.

1. Accompanying music. Like any other Morse films, Endeavour is always accompanied by classic music, especially scenes from various operas, which transports us to a former familiar world. We are suddenly reminded what we have missed in our busy life, and what music is for us.

2. Impeccable storyline. To retro-construct a character is not something new. We have Andre Camilleri's Detective Montalbano and then The Young Montalbano. But there is a consistency in Colin Dexter's young and old Morse. Every character has a reference to the future, unlike Detective Montalbano's first time meeting with Fazio's father, who should be his original colleague/mentor in the Young Montalbano episodes.

3. Oxford's finest. Young Morse manages to take us back to the finest world of Oxford, beer, classic cars, classically trained detectives, college courts, crosswords and operas, whether it is in an analog or digital age. To solve a criminal case, it involves intelligence, literary tradition and logic as well as experience and intuition.

No wonder Colin Dexter can retire neither Morse nor Jaguar.

CLA INSIDER Reporting

So far CLA Insider reported twice about my publication: January 2014 and July 2013. As a member, I do find the publication very relevant and responsive. I enjoy reading it and hope you do too.