Tuesday, April 29, 2008

You Can Count On Me


Tang Yueyun and his wife after home burned down. Their eight years old daughter Xiaomin fled from her flaming house, but then rushed back in to save his little brother Xiaoze.

April 27, 2008, Kunming. When the family of Tang Yueyun opened door after having lunch at home, a big flame jumped on them and ignited the room all of a sudden. The flame came from a gasoline tank they placed outside the house, although the reason why it is burning by itself on a cloudy day remains unknown. The Tang couple and their eight years old daughter who were about to leave for work got out just in time while the fire consumed the entire house. All the neighbors started running for life, while the Tangs stood in a distance watching their home burned. They one year old son was still sleeping on the bed.

The fire is just too hot for anyone to get close. But suddenly, Xiaomin got out of hands of Tang and rushed back to the house. "I have to go save Xiaoji", that's why she said before disappeared in the big flame. Perhaps her last word, Tang jumped in the flame too and found the two children. The eight years old sister was covering the little brother with her body. Tang was able to take both children out. Both children were severely burned.

The Tangs lost everything they had owned, including all $700 savings of cash. The house is little more than ashes, and all they have is $40 pay from a past job.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

It IS the People They are Talking About


While CNN clarified that when they said Chinese were 'Goons' on air on April 9, 2008, they actually meant the government, rather than the people. They refused to answer the demand from overseas Chinese for an apology because it's justifiable to call on a communism government Goons according to the manual of conduct code used by mainstream media in the US. However, the TIME Magazine, another branch of the Time Warner Group, just reconfirmed that they did, actually, mean the people.

In the April 21, 2008 issue of the TIME Magazine, NUMBERS column on page 22, it said when refer to Made-In-china Crocs, '..Chinese-made Crocs being sold to Palestinians'. TIME went extra miles to tell the world, the TIME Warners Group did mean, however, Chinese, when they used the world 'Chinese'.

Adviser Fed Up with Clinton's 'Gratuitous China Bashing'


Dr. Richard Baum, a UCLA professor, resigned role as a political adviser to the Clinton campaign in protest of the campaign's 'gratuitous China bashing'. There's an interesting reading on the UCLA site, titled: Ten Questions for Richard Baum.


Clinton is the first candidate in the election year to urge Bush to boycott the 2008 Olympic Game to be held in Beijing, and boasted herself as 'the only candidate who isn't just talking about cracking down on China but I have a specific plan on how to do it'. Alike the 'change' for the Obama campaign, the sale point of the Clinton campaign is her 'experience'. In the past year or so, the Clinton campaign has been caught wet hand repeatedly on their characterization of Clinton's 'experience'. In one incident, Senator vividly depicted a scenario when she had to bent over and rush down a runway to dodge sniper bullets. It turned out, first by witness and later by document file record that there was a big welcome ceremony on the runway. Mrs Clinton was seen on the film walking down the red carpet to kiss a little girl with flowers waiting on the other side. It is not a new problem for the Clinton to make up experience, but what is more toxic is the history she made up on the side.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

A Hero Or a Victim of Western Media


To recap the story. A duke freshman Grace Wang (Chinese name Qianyuan Wang, for now, later on) confronted a group of Chinese students in a rally for the Beijing Olympic Game with what conceived to be pro-Tibetan Independence messages. She was immediately picked up by western medias as a hero who stands up against the Communism government, as well as overseas Chinese students community. NPR granted her an interview, and both NY Time and Washington Post made her a first page story. It turned out, though, revealed by the blogs attached, that Wang is but a mentally ill person who need medical attention, not political spotlight. I guess Wang's parents should sue NPR, NY Time and Washington Post for exploiting a mentally ill patient for commercial purposes, what else could it be.

From a blog Bibita Naturale D'italia made by her dorm mate,

I just really have to write this.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008
I really just have to write this.

Wow. Just wow. While I have physics and a paper to write, I really need to get this out.
Grace Wang. She's really something.

She's quite useful to the media. Both sides are having a field day. The chinese TV are branding her as this terrible traitor while western media is holding her up as the lone voice of reason. They both are neglecting the truth, what Grace really is, beyond the 9 minute Youtube video and glorious interviews.

When I first met her at a dinner, she immediately spilled her life story. I thought, maybe she was being a slightly socially incompetent fob and trying to make friends. I listened. What a good story it was.

She told of how she was involved in a political group with some top lawyers in China. They were trying to get the truth out of the Tiananmen square incident. They wrote articles and blogs together on the subject. Then one day, one of her friends involved in the group disappeared. They called her, went to her house, tried everything, but she was no where to be found. Then Grace and her parents start freaking out. Grace's dad, at the time the ex mayor of Qingdao, afraid of Grace facing a similar fate, went to her files in the city government and threw them out. She got a new name, and quickly moved to South Korea. At the time, Grace told us that she already dropped out of her high school in Qingdao because she was unsatisfied by the best high school in Shandong province. She moved to Korea, and there she learned English by watching American films. While she was there, she also slept around with a lot of guys. Then she applied to Harvard and got rejected. The next year, she applies again, to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Duke. She gets accepted to all but Harvard. She chose to come to Duke because she got the Robertson. She then turns down the Robertson because she didn't want the restrictions set by the program.

After the story finished, we were all pretty amazed. We were all thinking that this seemingly innocent Chinese student is destined for greatness. After we come back to my room, she proceeds to tell one of us about the guy in the dorm she had sex with. I was quite shocked by this. She seemed so innocent, and we had only been at Duke for less than 5 days. She says the guy was a virgin and now he wants a relationship. We go to the common room, she points him out, and he was playing pool at the other side of the room, totally not paying attention to her. Later on, Grace begins telling us many stories about herself. All she ever talks about is herself. As the stories piled on, they became inconsistent, and sometimes directly contradicting. People begin question her trustworthiness. Eventually, after months of lies and irrationality, people begin disliking her. For such a trusting and kind dorm like Brown to dislike someone, you really have to be special. And Grace is that special. Now we know she is a liar. She didn't go to Korea or even participate in anything political. She even told people that she wrote her own recommendations for college applications. She made up stories to make herself seem impressive for colleges, and now, the western media.

She's overloading by taking around 6 courses. 2-3 of those are foreign language courses. She was angry that the academic dean wouldn't let her do more. Funny thing is, she's definitely not doing well in any of them. I've heard her practice her German, and it is atrocious. She also reads like a maniac. I don't really know what she reads, but it's Chinese literature/philosophy and political theory. She prints hundreds of pages a night to read, parades around with her stack of papers, telling anyone who would listen, trying to impress another person of her political acumen. She shaved off her eyebrows the other day. Because 1: all her boy problems will go away, and 2: pretty girls never make history. She also makes up stories about how people ask to have sex with her or perform sexual acts with her. Is it me, or is she someone trying to convince herself that she's destined for greatness?

It would really take a really long time to really describe all my Grace stories and I don't have time for it. But all I can say is, she has been lifted up by western media as a martyr in this battle for Tibet. And she's drinking in every moment of it, because finally, she is being seen as a hero. What a silly, irrational girl.

Oh how could I forget to mention, she wants to be president of China.
Posted by pleskita at 8:22 PM
Labels: Brown, Duke, Grace Wang, 王千源

Dorm Drama

Monday, March 3, 2008
Dorm Drama

There's a certain Grace Wang in Brown. just wow. I shall copy and paste an interesting email conversation.

Dear Brownies,

I'm Grace Wang (王千源) from second floor. I think I've at least talked to everyone here. If not, I'll pay a kind visit to you as soon as possible. I've experienced some serious issues in our dorm recently that almost made me move out. Actually I've already submitted my reaccommodating application and decided to leave by next Friday. But after days of serious consideration, I decided to stay because I believe the best way to solve the problem is not to quit but to confront it. I'm writing this email to you because I think this is an issue considering every one of us.

The problems are distrust and gossip. Of course, not all Brownies gossip. But a lot do. Brown is a very close community, which facilitates communication of all kinds and, of course, a curiosity of our neighbors' interesting lives. Not only do many of us nose into others' privacy, but also do we share our amazing discoveries. I've heard some very unkind sayings from young gentlemen gossiping about their roommates, or ladies meanly mentioning their neighbors, even from people I trusted and respected so much. Many, if not all, of the stories were simply fabrication but like snowballs they grew bigger and bigger. None of us is perfect but that is not an excuse for us to hurt others. Treat others as how we want to be treated and insulting others is humiliating ourselves. I became a target probably because I acted up against it. Recently I was openly insulted by more than ten people who barely talked to me anywhere but Marketplace about several different issues in public. When I responded to those rummors, I was laughed at by many other watchers who seemed to be so nice otherwise. I was forced to answer questions that should not be asked by any rational being in public. (When he asked me these questions the gentlemen was wearing a contented smile.) I was chased by a gentleman who had insulted me many times and he even cornered me to forgive him without trying to appologize after all he did. Suddenly, after all these happened, everyone went back to their small niche and became a saint again. From their smile I saw insecurity; from their pretension I saw hollowness; in their eyes I saw fear. Majority is no guarantee to be correct. Up till now I haven't received any apology from any single person. All I got is denial and denial and denial. Dumb as I am, I still got the message. All they meant is just "it was not my fault," "it was only a joke," and "I didn't say anything." This is how responsible and brave they are. I was so frustrated. I almost packed up everything and then I unpacked again. I unpacked and decided to stay because I know I'm not alone. If they can gossip about me then they can gossip about everyone. Or maybe they even gossip about each other. Only by blaming others would they find their own security and peace.

I have already forgiven everyone and forgotten every insulting word. But my principles are inviolable. I don't mind if some people would continue gossiping about me after I wrote this letter. What I want to tell them is that I will defend everybody's privacy to be protected and reputation to be preserved. I will fight for this public disease to death. If anyone want to talk with me about this, my room is 226.

My last words here are that we should cherish the opportunity to have everyone here. Instead of hurting each other or saying a superficial hi, there're much more meaningful things to do with each other. Together, we should protect each other, help each other, and love each other.

Peace,

Grace

A response sent to her in private, but she decided to send the response to everyone in the dorm, including the original message.

Hi Grace,

I don't really know how I am considered by you, but I feel that you are a great person and have lots of potential. You should know that Brownies are not malicious beings who gossip to hurt you. You should try to see that they are trying to help you.

The distrust is there because you tell us many different versions of your life. You are the propagator of all these rumors. Like this email, your stories get told by mostly you. You do realize that mountains of rumors will now spread because you have brought yourself to the attention of others and now you will be discussed? You might feel that people are insulting you by their disbelief, but I think you are the one insulting yourself with your false stories. You first told me that you are from Qingdao and that you are here due to political persecution. I have heard different versions where you organized an international conference and it flopped, thus you are here. People are not dumb, we piece together your inaccurate stories. I will not guess at the reason why you make up many different versions of your life, but perhaps you are doing this to impress us? Please do not feel a need to impress everyone you meet, spill your lifestory to everyone you meet. There is distrust because you created it. Not only do you make up lies about yourself, you openly tell stories about others. Perhaps they are true, but because of our previous experiences with you, we do not how to view this. If you did fabricate these events that have taken place, you have hurt them way more than anyone has hurt you because you are actively harming others. But perhaps you did not make anything up and we are just very bad at piecing together your lifestory (we do so because it definitely is interesting, from what you have told us), so we could take all those stories as truth with a grain of salt.

Also to let you know, you are infamous on west and infamous within the Chinese circle at Duke. Had you escaped Brown, you would have been confronted with a world of people who arent so patient with your lies.

Curiosity is only natural, from what I hear, you are also very curious about political science. Curiosity means no harm. If I were you, I would be grateful that no pranks have befallen you.

Like any person with self respect, you have a sense of pride. I respect that, yet it is wise now, and definitely in the future if you wish to persue a successful political career, to be humble. Try to understand others, look at yourself for perhaps the blame lies there.

I do this not to hurt you, but to ease your current social situation on campus.
Please try to be open minded about things.




Grace (王千源)'s Response:

I admire your courage to reply in such a candide way. When I wrote the letter to everyone, I never thought about you so I was surprised by what you said about Chinese community. You have made a very fast judgment on me and also an unfair generalization about Chinese community. As far as I can see, you like to make fun of Chinese people and see yourself superior than Chinese (maybe only those who are more Chinese than you are?) Candidate, I have faith in Chinese community here and everywhere. I also believe that people have the ability to tell right from wrong. Apparently some people have eagerly spread the rumor to as many people as possible. I can tell you that all of the stories you heard from me are true. I am also very happy to see how much interest you showed to my and others' life. If you want to know something about my personal life as you have shown apparent interest, I can tell you very candidly whatever is appropriate to tell. I am from Qingdao, which is a fact that I have never ever hide. I have also organized an important political protest in Beijing. The political science professor Tianjian Shi at Duke and a Chinese student (Class 11 from Beijing) called Ruochen Zhu can attest what I've said. I can also tell you that that protest had something to do with Duke university political science department and I communicated with president Brodhead and got replies from the then political science departement acting chair Michael A Gillespie and Vice Provost for International Affairs Gilbert Merkx.

If I feel a little intimidated, I wouldn't even try to write this email or to stay here. I told the story because my past shows who I am today and I am still bothered by a lot of the experiences. I also want people to be aware of the political status quo in China and feel a need to care. I have been through a lot more than you can ever imagine and it is not easy to handle by myself. You don't need to worry about how do I or others think about you. It is what you think of you and what you do that matters. I have said I have chosen to forget about everything everyone did. I hope this is the end of your game.

Best,

Grace


Posted by pleskita at 9:37 AM
Labels: Brown, Duke, 王千源, 王千源 杜克, 青岛 王千源

As a side node, Grace Wang (Chinese name Qianyuan Wang) was formerly known as Patricia Wang (Chinese name Jiani Wang) according to information available on the Internet. She applied for colleges in the US for 2007 admission. For certain reason, she changed her name and applied again the next year. This time she received the full scholarship from Duke university in North Carolina and came to Durham, NC.

Monday, April 14, 2008

This Time It Is Different, And Why


This time it is different. Never before had oversea Chinese protest the western, especially the western 'journalism' represented by major networks such as BBC and CNN.

Overseas Chinese left the mainland to the western for one reason or another, but many fled from the suffocating ruling of the CCP, and had longed for the free air in the West. Many have been vocally critical on every steps of the Chinese government, but not this time. All oversea Chinese are united to protest the distortion of news conducted by the mainstream media, represented by CNN.

For more than half century, the Chinatown San Francisco had been divided by the Taiwan Strait, not this time. Even those ailing veterans who hated the communism most walked on the street, with the red flag in hand to celebrate the Olympic Game to be held in Beijing.

Never before had wealthy Chinese bother to check the political news, but not this time. Fashion girls are boycotting covet French luxuries. Instead of showing up their collection of LV purses, they are busy making phone calls to stores to return their purchases.

A minute ago they were chef, students, scientists or engineers, the next minute they are on the street to protest for the first time in western countries against western countries, the land used to be dream their dream land. People are marching in Sheffield (4/12), Sydney (4/13), Melbourne (4/13), Ottawa (4/13), Heidelberg (4/12), Seattle (4/14).

Now, let me tell you what woke up the overseas Chinese community's dream of quiet personal prosperity. It is the blunt lie made by the western medias. There's an old saying in China that you are wrap fire with papers, which is exactly what western media had been doing since the riot broke out in Xizhang (Tibet) on March 13, 2008. It is the western press who warned overseas Chinese, after all, they are Chinese and China is their motherland.

One thing for sure: these protests were not sponsored by government. As a matter of fact, the communism propaganda department is trying their best to block any news that is deemed not 'harmonic'. This time, the Internet, which was used to obtain truth from western media, was used to obtain the true color of those western press. It is the people, get it?

When Voice of America (VoA), the US government funded radio service had their Chinese audiences on air, instead of criticism to human right issues in China, everyone with no exception started storming on how the western media has been lying on Tibet. These are the same people who are victimized and persecuted by the communism government. But this time, they recognized there is a more alarming criss on their motherland, a crusade led by the western journalism that vowed to crush the county and people who dwell on it. In the darkest time of the communism ruling, voices from BBC and Voa were like lights in a tunnel, encouraging Chinese people to keep fighting for their freedom. But this time, they revealed their true identity and true agenda. Their target was not the communism party, it was the land and the people.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

A Complaint Filed to FCC

I was appalled by racism, hatred remarks towards Chinese population made by CNN commentator Jack Cafferty on air. In CNN 'Situation Room' aired on April 9, 2008, Cafferty called on Chinese 'They (Chinese) are basically the same bunch of Goons and thugs they have been in the past fifty years.' <transcript as posted on CNN official website> Racial hatred remarks in this scale hadn't been heard from major networks for at least 60 years as far as memory serves, not even in the dark era proceeded the twilight of the civil right movement.

I hereby request FCC to take immediate and resolute action against CNN for using public mass media to spread racial hatred messages. I also request FCC to take immediate and resolute action against Comcast for allowing message of nature of racial hatred to be carried through their cables to millions of TVs, including the TV in my living room.


Date of Program: April 09,2008
Time of Program: 6PM US EDT
Network: CNN
Call Sign, Channel OR Frequency of the station on which you viewed/heard the material: CNN
City and State Where Program Was Viewed/Heard: Beijing, China
Name of Program or DJ/Personality/Song/Film: “The Situation Room”/ Jack Cafferty

A complaint can be filed by clicking here.


Jack Cafferty “Well, I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different. We're in hawk to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We also are running hundred of billions of dollars worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years.”

Thursday, April 10, 2008

A Chinese Toy


There are Made-in-China toys, and there are Chinese toys. Yesterday New York Police released two African Americans who attacked a Chinese on 122nd Street and Broadway around 9pm Friday during which the Chinese was chased to the street and killed by a car. The city police decided Chinese are but property, and the African Americans were playing with toys. In contrast, another student of Columbia University, a white student was assaulted and stuck by a passing vehicle. The assailants in that case, all teenagers, were all charged with robbery and murder. The judge overseeing the hearing is Mary E. Bednar. The prosecutor is Keith Brown. The two names should be kept in a history book, along the NYPD.

All three murders were arrested by the police, but the judge decided to set them free. One of the African American, who repeated attacked the victim according to police record, told the police that they were playing with the Chinese, and he just wanted to show his buddies 'Watch what I do to this guy'.

When questioned by defense lawyer Bruce Carpenter whether the murder showed any remorse after the Chinese's death, detective John Garvey said, 'No, he didn't'.

The slain student is Yu Minghui 24 years old, who was a PhD candidate in the School of Arts and Sciences of Columbia University.

Sadly, in the US judiciary system a Chinese is but a toy.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Elite Overseas Chinese Disappointed the West


A true herolne. The 27 years old Shanghai girl's name is Jin Jing. Jing lost her right leg in childhood due to a malicious tumor. Jing grew up an Olympic athlete despite the physical challenge. When being asked afterwards what did she think when attached by Tibetan mobs, she said 'they will get the Olympic torch over my dead body'.

Elite Overseas Chinese disappointed the West. MITBBS, the largest online community of Chinese students in the US was almost stalled by the flooding of angry anti West protests.

The overseas Chinese community was awaken, and San Fransisco board became the front line of the battle field. $12,875.45 were raised overnight to assist poor students from remote states to travel to San Francisco on the torch relay day, April 9th, 2008.

Chinese all over the world were shocked when they watched the torch relay girl on the wheelchair was beaten by western sponsored 'Tibetan Independence' mobs. They were shocked when the mayor of Paris mocked the Chinese ambassador in front of the city hall. Fashion girls and office ladies vowed to boycott French product for five years. Thousands and thousands Chinese poured in San Francisco to celebrate the Olympic torch relay, chanting 'This is not Paris'. Hundreds of SF residents volunteered to make boarding available for out of towners. The site even managed to get two airplanes flying with banners of the Olympic flags.

Not everyone supports the ruling communism government in China, many deliberately fled from it. However, all were shocked by the hostile shown by the West towards the Olympic Game to be held in Beijing which is seen and felt as an insult to the Chinese. This is no return point, and the West just lost all credits it has accumulated. The West just accomplished one thing that the communism propaganda department had dreamed for 20 years, that was to make the younger and elite Chinese hate the West.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Indians: Fastest Growing Illegal Immigrants

Although 7 million Mexicans made up the majority of illegal immigrants in the US, Indians has more potential to take up the top illegal immigrants spot if the trend continues. There were about 120,000 illegal Indian immigrants in the US in 2000, while the number has grown to 270,000 in 2006 which converts to an increase of 125%.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Live Like a Dog in the United States of America

Live like a Dog in the United States of America: A Journal of my garbage picking life
by spatial, originally posted on MITBBS
The author of this humorous article on a garbage picking life in the New York City is purported to be a PhD in physics. Actually based on the writing and the wording of this piece of humorous piece of work, there's no question the author is a funny and smart guy, regardless of his terminal degree. Enjoy if you can read Chinese.


发信人: spatiaI (spatial), 信区: JobHunting
标 题: 像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(完整版)
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Mon Mar 24 21:02:06 2008)

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(1)之序

兑完了易拉罐回来,看见门上夹着一张纸条。不用说,肯定是房东在催帐了。这个月的房租还欠着,房东已经几次威胁要叫警察来抄家了,只是还没有付诸行动。看来说话不算数并不总是坏的。

找工作基本上没希望了。八个月了,面试了五家,结果惊人的一致。我读物理博士时的实验结果从来没有这么一致过。当初搬家到纽约,孤注一掷找所谓的矿工,希望把30年的光阴来个大翻盘。当然,这样的雄心壮志现在已经完全让位给了捡易拉罐换钱付房租了。这还是最近才发现的一条生财之路。不过竞争对手也多,都是说广东话的老头老太。

捡易拉罐也是技术活儿,不掌握诀窍也做不好。要在傍晚时分出动,太早了垃圾袋还没有扔出来,太晚了被老头老太抢了先。对市场上的稀有事件也要关注,也就是随机过程里面的泊松分布,对fair price的影响还是挺大的。seaport举行露天音乐会就是这样的稀有事件,往往伴随着易拉罐的大量出货。

我现在要清点一下今天兑易拉罐的钱了......

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(2)之得而复失的100美金

和东边不一样,运河大道西边的易拉罐似乎是完全不可预测的,也就是马汀狗(martingale)的标准状态。

看来今天运气不好。我没捡到易拉罐,却注意到街边围了很多人,我拨开诡异兴奋的人群挤了进去。原来是有人设局赌博。三个矿泉水瓶盖,一个红豆子。猜豆子在哪个瓶盖下面。赌注是惊人的100美金。赌客却不像是有钱人。设局的是一个肥胖的黑女人,貌似精明,对我大喊, "just point it"。我不想参与这样的赌局。

但我还是很快就看出了这个赌局并不是1/3的胜率。虽然黑女人手法很快,但是还是可以很容易跟踪到红豆子。而且红豆子在瓶盖下面竟然能透过一抹红色。

我指了一个瓶盖,揭开真有红豆子。我竟然赢了。黑女人没有丝毫犹豫的抽出百元大钞给我。我急忙捏住大钞,但是抽不出来。黑女人嚷道,"show me your 100 bucks"。我没钱,我连赢钱的资格都没有!

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(3)之derivatives

垃圾会有很多衍生物(derivatives),天生就有的,不是华尔街的肥胖的CEO们空想出来的骗钱的玩意。我就是垃圾衍生物,我捡垃圾,我从物理博士到一文不名。

傍晚匆匆赶到中国城的Pell street。那里有个垃圾堆经常有易拉罐。鹿鸣春外面挤满了人等着进去,女侍者拿着牌在外面傲慢地叫着号。我的目光却如同极的磁铁一样躲过鹿鸣春的玻璃窗。广东老头也知道这个易拉罐地点,所以我要快点过去。

路过德昌门口,看见一个长相很福建的干瘪老头蹲在他的自行车下面倒油桶。自行车上面夸张的挂满了餐馆用过的32磅的白色食用油桶,很多。这种油桶是不能换钱的,我知道。

老头慢慢悠悠的把油桶往另一个桶里倒。我注意到其实每个空桶底还剩一口黄黄的油。要倒出来却颇为不易。油是有粘性的,这是由于油分子侧链之间的引力引起的。所以油会附在桶壁上,能流出来的或许只是一小滴。这个工作需要耐心。显然老头符合这个工作要求。他已经收集了小半桶油了,小半桶食用油,他可能会用这个炒菜。

食用油也是垃圾的衍生物......

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(4)之四维时空和虫洞

时空是四维的,你不需要是物理博士就能明白这一点。捡易拉罐也需要掐好时间和地点才能捡到。虫洞是连接两个四维时空的通道。当我通过虫洞时,原子会被从新排序,我就在虫洞的另一端获得了重生。但是我没法携带信息,所以我在虫洞的两端都失忆。

从seaport到孔子大厦,两个相距较远的易拉罐地点。但是扔垃圾的时间却很接近。我必须在seaport完工后迅速赶到孔子大厦。推着超市购物车,装满空易拉罐赶路,罐子们会发出非常吵杂的响声。

人在这种状态下会恍惚发呆。直到路过布鲁克林大桥的桥底,被桥上滴下来的冰冷水滴直穿后脖颈来个透心凉,才会从发呆的状态恍然醒悟过来。发呆的本质其实就是通过虫洞到了四维空间的另一端,返回后却完全失忆,只有时间的流逝证实了虫洞的真实存在。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(5)之无产阶级的援助

"东"就是贫穷。东方国家,东欧,东德。当然,东纽约是这里的贫民窟这毫不奇怪。

不太冷的时候,我能够打开窗户看到后面的破败小街。有个破房子,窗户上钉着木板子,墙上有油漆喷的大的立体感的字母。几个月前搬来一家墨西哥人。他们认识我。有时候看我走过来,会提出一大袋子空罐子给我,同时感谢我正在做一件很有意义的工作。我其实没有工作。他们有。因为那个墨西哥男的前几天很兴奋的告诉我,他找到工作了。我问是什么工作,他说是cut fish。要每天早上4点钟起床。我表示了祝贺。

今天路过的时候,在他们门口捡了个空易拉罐,上面插着一张钱,是20美元。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(6)之秘笈不外传

捡易拉罐不纯粹是体力活。只要是人干的活,都是有诀窍的。

首先就是要发现新的易拉罐地点,淘汰枯竭的易拉罐地点。好喝啤酒的住户搬走以后,自然易拉罐的来源就枯竭了。这样的地点要排除。新住户搬来后,要观察是不是又是一个酒鬼。有的每天都有一两箱子罐子扔出来。那就是钱。

对纽约的大小公共聚会要留心。经常会扔很多很多空罐子。这样的聚会一般都是在几个固定地点,时间却不固定。

还有就是罐子的牌子,不是每个罐子都能换到钱的。有的罐子纽约是不收的,除非拿到缅因州去换钱。

哦,对了,罐子回收机也各有不同,有的很挑剔罐子的牌子,有的很宽容。和人一样。

还有其他的诀窍我现在不能告诉你。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(7)之所罗门王的宝藏

所罗门王的宝藏是一部老电影。电影里,所罗门王囤积大量金银珠宝,宝藏所在地没人知道。我也不知道。

但是我也有一个秘密地点,别人不知道。所罗门王也不知道。我捡到大量的易拉罐来不及换钱,又没法拖回家,就会暂时存放在我的藏宝地点,上面搭上油毛毡。没有人会注意到下面是钱。第二天我会起个早床来把财宝拖出来,还要避免被他人看见。

这样会产生一些刺激兴奋感。我也许会画一张藏宝图,然后把它扯成两半,分给两个继承人。又或许会写一首诗,暗示藏宝地点,只有聪明人才能看明白。但这有一定的危险性。福尔摩斯探案集里面有一篇"马斯格雷夫典礼"。管家和福尔摩斯都是聪明人。管家其实更聪明,先一步看明白了那首诗而发现了宝藏的秘密,但却栽在女人手里。

其实我没有宝藏,我只有一些没人要的易拉罐。或许早就有人翻开过油毛毡,但是没人在意那些垃圾。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(8)之平地大道的农贸市场

东纽约的平地大道(Flatlands Ave)附近,所有的不像样的东西全在这里扎堆,像样的东西你一样也看不到。但有一点例外,这里有受人喜爱的廉价的农贸市场。说廉价其实并不准确。大家其实把它当成免费菜市场。

傍晚6点钟光景,小贩会开始收摊。具体方式有两种:超低价甩卖,或者倒扣在地上踩烂。而最终结局都是在地上踩烂,因为超低价还是不会有人买的,大家都等着捡免费菜。

运气好的话能捡到整箱子的芹菜,我一般不需要这么多,就会招呼附近的看得顺眼的或黑或棕或灰的哥们,一起分享。或者交换一下对方手中多余的菜。大家都兴高采烈,混乱肮脏的菜市场上弥漫着过节的气氛。

当天色渐渐黑下来的时候,大铲车会过来把地上的垃圾撮成一座小山,里面全是破烂的青椒茄子芹菜洋葱和板条箱之类。

大家都满载而归。我也是。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(9)之弗来明戈的纹身

有人在敲门,我犹豫着把门打开,幸好不是房东。是墨西哥邻居。我问他有什么事。他说要我帮个忙。我说行,是什么事。他说他的名字用中文怎么写。我询问了之后写在纸上给他。他很高兴,问我能不能用中文书法写给他。我觉得这个忙我能帮。我大概花了25分钟,在一张旧报纸的空白处把他的中文名字描成楷书。然后小心的撕下来给他。我觉得他很感激我。

几天之后,我路过墨西哥邻居家,他正在门口摆弄一把烂锯条。看见我,颇为自豪的展现左胳膊给我看。上面纹着四个楷书汉字"弗来明戈"。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(10)之带血的鱼头

弗来明戈凌晨3点来敲我的门的时候,我早已戴好帽子穿好大衣,还不忘在口袋里面塞上几个塑料袋子。弗来明戈带上水,我们就在夜幕中匆匆出发了。

筋疲力竭又冷又饿的时候,弗来明戈说到了。抬头发现是一处海滩,乱石嶙峋,长满青苔和贝壳。地上却有凌乱的脚印和拖拽的痕迹。岸边有一条废弃的木船,半船仓水。弗来明戈踩着乱石跳过去说,今天果然有。我也看见岸边有很多血淋淋的鱼头,有的很大,有的还在动。很显然,渔船刚来过。

弗来明戈拿出他的塑料袋,一个套在手上当手套。另一个用来装鱼头。很快就捡了一大袋子鱼头,然后又加了几层袋子提着顺手。

我也捡了更大的一袋子鱼头。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(11)之国际友人的问候

收获一大推车易拉罐的日子屈指可数,今天就是这样的一天。我已经在易拉罐回收机旁边工作了好一会儿了。我的后面还有一个黑人,他有一小袋子罐子。他在等我。

回收机的设计是笨拙的。只有听到易拉罐被哗的一声压碎的时候,才能塞进下一个。有时候塞进去还要转好几圈,又吐出来。换个方向塞进去,又可以了。如果几次都吐出来,我就把它扔进旁边的垃圾桶。表示这个不能换成钱。回收机是通过扫描条码来认识罐子的。如果复印很多条码贴在所有的罐子上,那么应该都能换成钱。愚蠢的回收机!

黑人似乎等的不耐烦了,开始左右晃动。

课本里面讲过,多线程可以减少等待时间。也就是说,我仍一个罐子,换黑人来扔一个,然后我再来。如此而已。我觉得是自欺欺人。我读过的课本大部分是胡说八道。

我还有半车子罐子。

黑人终于等不了了,大叫,"what the hell?!"

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(12)之上帝的蓬蓬车

布鲁克林学院东边的东42街,那里有一座教堂。我去那儿不是因为我是上帝的羊。我不进教堂,我只去教堂后面停车场。那里有一个黄色的铁皮箱子,一人多高。这是教徒捐东西的地方。也是我捡东西的地方。

有几个篮球扔在地上。我挑了一个手感好的。我还没想好去哪儿玩球。有一个烤面包机,我捡起来发现好像坏了,又放下。还有一双鞋子,看起来很脏。我是不屑于要的。还有几本书。有一本是little woman。书脊的装订胶被掰成了两半。还有一箱子别人不要的玩具。都是一些式样非常古旧的汽车模型,和烫了卷发的男人画片。大概是猫王时代的东西。都是一些旧东西。

除了一辆蓬蓬车。

那是一辆看起来比较新的蓬蓬车。小孩子用的。可以坐,也可以躺,前面有小餐台,下面有踏脚的。上面还有帐篷可以撑起来挡太阳。我小的时候没有享用过这东西。那个时候的人们需要找关系到车间弄几根铁条,然后求人把它焊接起来。坐在上面大概像古代的囚车。

爱因斯坦说上帝不掷骰子。上帝看来掷蓬蓬车。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(13)之我的物理学垃圾

我捡垃圾。我也扔垃圾。今天晚上要把一些垃圾书清出来扔掉。

量子力学讲义,两本,我能说出哪个公式在哪一页。还有两本很厚的习题书,手写的。有代表性的题我都做过,考qual也有一题是这上面的。我把他们放进垃圾桶。

近代数学讲义。一堆稀奇古怪的符号。学了不用,现在再翻开好像没学过。也进了垃圾桶。

费曼物理学讲义,罗哩罗嗦,不是我喜欢的书。

然后看到了我的paper,是一篇晶体衍射的文章,我的30年光阴就浓缩在这几页纸上。我用量子力学来研究这个问题的。物理评论上有copy,全世界到处都能找到这个copy。所以我不需要保留这个。它也进了垃圾桶。

我不停的扔,我的纸箱子很快见了底。我其实没有什么可保留的。他们都是垃圾。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(14)之30岁的单车

弗来明戈的儿子在家门口用锈铁丝在地上掏一个洞玩。我骑着单车在他面前转了几
圈。我很满意。

我花了一整天时间修好了这个车。捡的。我把锈死的链条拆下来在地上摔了很久,直到水泥地上出现了一大片白印子。唯一的麻烦是那个密码锁。四位。我随机的试了几次,打不开。我把它调到零,一个一个的试。我需要试一万次。当我最终试到四个九的时候,还是打不开。

弗来明戈家门口有一箱破烂工具。我拿起一个拧歪了的螺丝刀,又放下。然后看到一把合不拢的钳子。我没有碰它。我不知道我在找什么。

我从四个五开始又试了一次。这次打开了。这不难,我知道它一定有一个答案。但是很多问题不一定存在答案。或者是混沌态,有无穷无尽的答案 -- 也就是没有答案。

我又骑了一次,直到街头南边的那段废弃铁路。然后回来。我需要捡一个气筒,虽然我已经很满意了。

弗来明戈的儿子已经走了。他可能回去吃饭去了。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(15)之哥伦布公园的精灵

我觉察到的时候,一个黑女人已经坐在石头凳子的另一侧了。她有一只竹篓,里面有木屑和彩蛋。她说她认识那个守门的,所以拿到了只有小孩子才能领到的篓子。

这个公园称作一小块空地更合适。一道铁丝网把公园分割成更小的两块。那边一块是草地,有个守门的只让小孩进去。大人在铁丝网外面看,或者闲聊。小孩在里面跑,或者叫。

黑女人接着说,彩蛋里面是巧克力,可以吃的。我说我知道。然后她又重复了一遍她认识那个守门的,所以拿到了只有小孩子才能领到的篓子。我看了一下守门的人,点头表示同意她的说法。

我走的时候,小孩还在里面跑。

我说的精灵是指那个守门的。如果你学过热力学,你知道我在说什么。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(16)之冰箱贴

我把一个冰箱贴剪坏了。我发现没有修补的可能了。

这是我花了40美元邮购的。几个简单工具,一个冰箱贴样品,和一套原材料。按照样品做好后,邮寄回去。合格的话,会寄更多的原材料给我。他们会按照成品付钱。

但是,我把它剪坏了。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(17)之运河大道的奢侈品

运河大道东的奢侈品分两类:真的和假的。我无法鉴别真的,但是那些晃眼的金银首饰店显然不欢迎我。我只能挤在街边侃价的人群中,时不时摸起地摊上的假表,用拇指擦亮表盘左看右看。我需要买一块手表看时间。

和老板艰难的侃价到5块钱。然后我发现表带太长。老板拿出一套工具把表带去掉了几节。我求他把那几节还给我。然后我给了钱准备走。我对今天的购物比较满意。

我开始兴奋的摆弄这个表。我把分钟调到0,发现时钟不能指到整点。转了几圈还是不行。我忙回去问那个老板能不能修好。他接过去看了一下,摸出一叠钱,抽出5块给我,说,你走吧。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(18)之摩门教

在10点还差10分钟的时候,我急忙拉上窗帘,好让我看起来不在家。

过了一会儿,有人敲门。然后他们开始敲我的窗户玻璃。我只好掀开窗帘。果然是他们,那两个穿着黑西装的年轻人,我前几天遇到的两个摩门教的传道士。

我只好把他们让进来。他们问我那本摩门经读得怎么样了。我说我没时间。他们说其实不用花很多时间,每天只要抽出30分钟就可以了。我说我现在要谋生,没有办法认真读那个书。然后他们开始胡扯创世纪以及耶稣到南美洲传道的神迹,以及强调这本经书的重要性。然后我给他们普及了一下天体物理的基本知识。然后他们继续强调要先相信神,不要纠缠细节,神这样做肯定有他的道理的。我们的对话就像两条平行的铁轨,没有交点。

看来还是不学物理比较好。物理是可以明目的,但是看的太透了反而不好。就像亚当夏娃本来很快乐,吃了蛇果,反而看明白了很多事情,徒增烦恼而已。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(19)之我的同事

如果捡垃圾是一个工作的话,我也有几个同事。

一对老两口,每天很高兴的样子,说靠捡易拉罐,老家已经盖起了楼房,准备再干一阵子就回国了,再也不来了。反正身份早就黑了。

还有一个越南人,把我当假想敌。早上看见我,就随便指一个方向,说那边有,然后自己却往另一边跑。其实两边我都捡过了。

另一个老头,知识分子模样,看见我总是很不好意思的说,随便捡捡,是个早餐钱。我不知道我是不是应该告诉他我靠这个付房租。

=====【作者: spatiaI于纽约,持续更新中, 转载请注明出处】======

像狗一样赖在美国系列:捡垃圾日记(20)之尾声

这个系列发表以来,大量的读者朋友发来邮件表示关心。所以我觉得有必要交代一下故事的结局。

文章中的我,现在在华尔街工作也有些年头了,也早就搬家到了世外桃源般的罗斯福岛。这个系列之所以称作"日记",而不是"故事",因为它是一段真实的经历,而且还没有结束。我偶尔还会捡易拉罐,正像弗来明戈说的,这是一个很有意义的工作。

弗来明戈,现在升任华尔街一家快餐厅的烤鱼主厨。如果有读者朋友在华尔街地区,我们可以一起去吃烤鱼午餐。弗来明戈一定会亲自为我们烤鱼,顺便显摆一下他的中文名的纹身。有兴趣的读者可以通过damingli@gmail.com联系我。