Among the thirty or so paintings that have survived by Johannes Vermeer, "The Little Street" is a particularly special one and also my favorite.
The vast majority of his works depict indoor scenes and figures, with only one outdoor view, "View of Delft," and this street view close-up. Very little is known about the painter personally or about the background to his works, but it is believed that this painting was executed around 1660 and depicts a street scene in Delft at that time.
约翰内斯·维米尔（Johannes Vermeer）存世的三十多幅画中，「小街」是很特别的一幅，也是我最喜欢的一幅。
他绝大部分作品都是室内人物和场景，只有一幅室外远景的「代尔夫特风景」，以及这幅街景特写。画家个人及作品的背景信息很少，这幅画据推测作于 1660 年前后，他 43 年的一生都生活在代尔夫特（Delft），这幅画应该也是描绘当时代尔夫特的街景。
通信网络是人类构建的最复杂的工程系统，上篇写了海底电缆，这次写卫星通信的一点知识。
地球上有许多极为复杂的工程系统，它们每天影响着世界的运作，但会被大部分普通人所忽略。通信网络是人类构建的最庞大的工程系统，作为其基础设施之一的海底电缆，就是这样一个隐藏的庞大系统。
19 世纪 30 年代，电报被发明后，通信行业开始蓬勃发展。1851 年，第一条海底电缆穿过英吉利海峡，连接了英国和法国的电报网络。1866 年，第一条横跨大西洋的海底电缆铺设成功，由曾经世界最大的蒸汽船「大东方号」改建成的电缆铺设船，在爱尔兰和加拿大纽芬兰之间铺设了电缆，从此美洲和欧洲大陆建立了商业电报通信。
刚刚铺设完跨大西洋海底电缆的大东方号，1866 年
1 .
最早知道 David Byrne 和 Talking Heads，是很多年前偶然看到 Phycho Killer 的视频，看到这个人神经病般的表演，不太规整的节奏，奇奇怪怪的歌词和唱腔，一下子被吸引住了。后来才陆续听了他们的唱片，读了 Byrne 的那本「制造音乐」，他们的故事实在太多太多，还是从唱片说起。
这张黑胶是英国首版，由 EMI 发行于 1984 年，盘号 EJ 24 0243 1。
1 .
This vinyl record is the first edition of Dire Straits’ debut album, numbered 6360 162, released in 1978.
That year, China reinstated the national college entrance exam and began its reform and opening-up policy. Future Asian superstars Sun Yanzi and Ayumi Hamasaki were born in that year. The 37-year-old Bob Dylan embarked on a global tour, making his first appearance at the Nippon Budokan in Japan and preparing for the biggest stylistic change of his career after his legendary status was established.
Meanwhile, four young men from London, who had been performing in underground venues for several years, pieced together their first album. They shot to stardom right away, and the album later sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, becoming a double platinum record in the UK and the US. It also catapulted the precocious Mark Knopfler into the ranks of the greats.
想慢慢写一写家里的小东西们，唱片、书和画。
1 .
这张黑胶唱片，是 1978 年 Dire Straits 第一张专辑的首版，编号 6360 162。
那一年，中国恢复高考，刚刚开启改革开放。未来的东方巨星孙燕姿和滨崎步在这一年出生。37 岁的 Bob Dylan 开始一轮全球巡演，第一次来到日本武道馆，也正酝酿他封神之后最大的一次风格转变。
此时英国伦敦的四个年轻人，在地下演出几年后，拼凑出了他们的第一张专辑。出道即巅峰，这张专辑后来在全世界卖出 1100 多万份，成为英美双白金。也让早熟的 Mark Knopfler 跨级晋升到大师之列。