Augustus Saint-Gaudens Diana (1893)

"David with his sling shot, / and I with the bow— / Michelangelo.". In his Stanford lecture (5-19-2011), Prof. Leonard Barkan noted that Michelangelo rarely signed any of his artworks. Yet in the drawing, Michelangelo signed his name in the three-line verse next to the arm sketch for his David sculpture (1501). He rhymed Michelangelo with arco (bow), and inspired me to write a poem "Michelangelo's Bow" (6-28-2011) with Notes (6-29-2011). Began this chapter on "arrowheads" with Michelangelo because he spearheaded the Italian Renaissance with his monumental work of the Sistine Ceiling (1508-1512). In my poem "One and the Many" (8-8-2018)— Cosmo di Medici read to the young / Michelangelo on "One and the Many" / now displayed on the Sistine Ceiling / for the Neo-Platonic initiates— // Many in "The Drunkardness of Noah" / to the One God: "Let there be Light !" Chose Diana by Saint-Gaudens (1893), to introduce this chapter as she is shooting an arrow. Diana (Greek Artemis) is the Roman Goddess of the Moon and the hunt, and her twin brother is Apollo, God of the Sun, music, arts, and archery. May Michelangelo's art and the archery god & goddess Apollo & Diana resonate with arrowheads of Platonic Λ— "Soul of the Universe".

Native Americans with Arrowheads Hunting Buffaloes

U.S. 1364 Chief Joseph (issued 11-4-1968)

Arrowhead Agate Stone Algonquin Tribe

Arrowhead Alibates Flint Brazos Tribe

Arrowhead Brown Agate Navaho Tribe

Arrowhead Burlington Chert Sioux Tribe

Czecholovakia 1406 Dakota Chief (issued 6-20-1966)

Czechoslovakia 1404 Indian Hunting Buffalo (issued 6-20-1966)

Charles Marion Russell Native American Buffalo Hunt (painted in 1894)

U.S. 287 Indian Hunting Buffalo (issued 6-17-1898)

Arrowheads Poster

Read about Native American Arrowheads— "Archeologists are able to distinguish what particular Indian tribe created the American arrowheads as characterized by the distinct points they present." Took awhile to locate the four arrowheads associated with Native American tribes. Recalled postage stamps of Indian Chiefs and used them as bookends to these arrowheads. U.S. 287 stamp (1898) showing "Indian Hunting Buffalo" is one of my favorites in design. Found Czech 1404 stamp (1966) of "Indian Hunting Buffalo" while getting Czech 1406 of Dakota Chief. Was not aware of Charles Marion Russell's voluminous paintings of Native Americans. Found his painting "Indians Hunting Buffalo" (1894) to match the postage stamps. Because arrows are used to kill enemies and the buffaloes (for food and clothing), need to find a positive theme for this chapter.

Zen in the Art of Archery

Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugene Herrigal (1953)

Eugen Herrigel's Zen in the Art of Archery (1953)— “In the case of archery, the hitter and the hit are no longer two opposing objects, but are one reality” is a gem you'll find in this book. Herrigel, a German professor, taught philosophy at University of Tokyo in the 1930s. He trained in archery with a Zen Master for six years. He brings the heart of Zen to perfect clarity— intuition, imitation, practice, practice, practice, then, BOOM— wondrous spontaneity fusing self and art, mind, body, and spirit. I love the account of the Zen Master hitting the bullseye target in the dark, then splitting the first arrow's shaft with a second shot, saying “It shot! Let's bow to the Buddha.” Another archery story is from my favorite sage Wang Yang Ming who taught unity of knowledge and action. After his success subduing the bandits, the jealous petty court officials challenged him to an archery show. The enlightened sage hits the bullseye thrice in a row.

Wang Yang Ming (1472-1529) Harvard Fogg Museum

Arrow in Traffic Sign
Arrow is a directional symbol. Below are twelve traffic signs with arrows to guide us on the road.

One Way Sign

Straight Ahead Sign

Winding Road Sign

Double Arrow Sign

Entrance Sign

U-Turn Sign

Go Right & Go Left Signs

Curve to Left Sign

Entrance Sign

Two Way Sign

Exit Sign

Traffic Cones

Traffic Cone uline.com

Traffic Cones on Road kmart.com

Cone on Duke of Wellington commons.wikimedia.org

Giant Traffic Cone, Seattle commons.wikimedia.org

VideoLAN Logo commons.wikimedia.org

Traffic cones, also called pylons, witches' hats, road cones, highway cones, safety cones, channelizing devices, construction cones, or just cones, are usually cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner. Often used to create separation or merge lanes during road construction projects or automobile accidents, although heavier, more permanent markers or signs are used if the diversion is to stay in place for a long period of time. Traffic cones were invented by Charles D. Scanlon, patented in 1943. In the U.S. on May 1, 1959 the Pacific Gas & Electric Company in Oakland, CA adopted the policy of placing the orange safety cones at left front and the left rear corners of their service trucks while parked on the street to increase visibility and safety for the workers. Although originally made of concrete, today's versions are more commonly brightly colored thermoplastic or rubber cones. The statue of Duke of Wellington outside Glasgow Museum of Modern Art in Glasgow, Scotland, with a traffic cone on his head. Sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844, it is notable for being typically capped with a traffic cone, a practice which has become traditional in the city and is claimed to represent the humour of the local population. Dennis Oppenheim sculpted a giant Traffic Cone in Seattle (30-foot tall). VideoLAN is a non-profit organization which develops software for playing video and other media formats. Founded in Paris, France (2009), it has a Traffic Cone as its Logo.

Arrow in Bike Lanes

Cyclist in Bike Lane, Grand Rapids mlive.com

Cyclist in Bike Lane, NYC nydailynews.com

Cyclist in Bike Lane, Paris climatechangenews.com

Bike Lanes (US) or cycle lanes (UK) are types of bikeways (cycleways) with lanes on the roadway for cyclists only. In the United Kingdom, an on-road cycle-lane can be firmly restricted to cycles (marked with a solid white line, entry by motor vehicles is prohibited) or advisory (marked with a broken white line, entry by motor vehicles is permitted). In the U.S., a designated bicycle lane (1988 MUTCD) or class II bikeway (Caltrans) is always marked by a solid white stripe on the pavement and is for 'preferential use' by bicyclists. There is also a class III bicycle route, which has roadside signs suggesting a route for cyclists, and urging sharing the road. A 2019 study showed cities with separated bike lanes had 44% fewer road fatalities and 50% fewer serious injuries from crashes. Noticed arrows in bike lanes resembled arrowheads and took the photo below.

Bike Lane Arrow Evanston, Illinois

* Fifteen stretches of road totaling 16.5 miles will get marked with bike lanes this fall as the city, pushed by the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition, progresses toward 100 miles of on-street bike lanes in the coming years. (mvandebu@mlive.com, 4-3-2019) * Regional Plan Association proposed 425-mile network of bike lanes would make New York an easier place to pedal, (New York Daily News, 6-17-2020); * Paris announced the creation of at least 50 kilometres of temporary bike lanes during the lockdown. (climatechangenews.com, 6-12-2020); * City of Evanston in summer, 2010, painted new dedicated bike lanes on the extra-wide portion of Central Street between Crawford & Central Park. (centralstreetneighbors, 10-13-2010); * Photo of Arrow in Bike Lane at Rengstorff Ave & Stanford Ave, Mountain View, California (4-5-2017)

Bike Lane Arrow Rengstorff Ave

Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape in the Four Elements

Fire Candle Flame

Air Lambda Cloud at Stanford

Water Banks of Green Willow

Earth Lambda Ridge at Pinnacles

While there are over 100 elements in the Periodic Table, the ancient Greeks just had four basic elements— fire, air, water, earth. Plato writes that God created the "Soul of the Universe" in the shape of Lambda Λ (Timaeus 35b), after which the four elements were born (Timaeus 52d). Since the Soul is the Father of the four elements, there are resemblance of the Λ-shape found in fire, air, water, and earth as shown above. FIRE: associated with the qualities of energy, assertiveness, and passion. In one Greek myth, Prometheus stole fire from the gods to protect the otherwise helpless humans, but was punished for this charity. Heraclitus regarded the soul as being a mixture of fire and water, the goal of the soul is to be rid of water and become pure fire: the dry soul is the best. Plato associated fire with the tetrahedron, and heat of fire is sharp and stabbing, like the points of a tetrahedron. In alchemy, metals are incubated by fire in the Earth's womb and alchemists only accelerate their development. Poem: "The Gods Need Our Light". AIR: Plato considered air to be both hot and wet, and associated it with the octahedron formed from eight equilateral triangles. This places air between fire and water which Plato regarded as appropriate because it is intermediate in its mobility, sharpness, and ability to penetrate. Air is not one of the traditional five Chinese classical elements. Nevertheless, the ancient Chinese concept of Qi or chi is close to that of air. Qi is part of every living thing that exists, as a kind of "life force" or "spiritual energy". It is frequently translated as "energy flow", or literally as "air" or "breath". WATER: Plato associated water with icosahedron which is formed from twenty equilateral triangles. This makes water the element with greatest number of sides, which he regarded as appropriate because water flows out of one's hand when picked up, as if it is made of tiny little balls. For Aristotle, water is both cold and wet and occupies a place between air and earth. In alchemy, the chemical element of mercury was associated with water and its symbol was a downward-pointing triangle. In India, water is associated with Chandra or the moon and Shukra, who represent feelings, intuition and imagination. EARTH: In the Platonic solids, the cube was assigned to Earth. Plato says "the Earth is our nurse" (Timaeus 40b). Aristotle believed earth was the heaviest element. Due to the hero cults, and chthonic underworld deities, the element of earth is also associated with the sensual aspects of both life and death in later occultism. In alchemy, earth was believed to be primarily dry, and secondarily cold. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of Earth, and is mother of Uranus (the sky), from which the Olympic gods were born. Gaia philosophy claims the Earth is an living organism and is alive.

Pierce-Arrow Automobile (1901-1938)

World on Wheels #64: Pierce-Arrow 1916 skytamer.com (1953 Topps Gum Card)

World on Wheels #64: Pierce-Arrow 1916 skytamer.com (Back of card)

1929 Pierce-Arrow Automobile hemmings.com

1935 Pierce-Arrow Hood Ornament

Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company was an American motor vehicle manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901 to 1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also made commercial trucks, fire trucks, boats, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles. The 1919 Pierce-Arrow Hood Ornament (right) shows an arrow through "PIERCE". Its 1935 Hood Ornament (left) is more picturesque— a hunter with bow shooting an arrow. Topps World on Wheels cards (1953-1954) have three Pierce-Arrow cars #16 (1911 Pierce-Arrow Station Wagon), #24 (1905 Pierce-Arrow Touring Car), #64 (1916 Pierce-Arrow Raceabout), shown above.

1919 Pierce-Arrow Hood Ornament

Cities with Arrowhead Names

Arrowhead Condominiums Denver, Colorado

Arrowhead Lake, California Postcard of Λ-Shape Steeples

Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City Chiefs Winner of 2019 Superbowl LIV

Arrowhead, Virginia

Arrowhead Trail, Nevada

Arrowhead Motel, Missouri

Arrowhead Log Cabin, Tennessee

Arrowhead, Maryland

Arrowhead Sign, Alabama

Arrowhead Camp Ground, Ohio

Arrowhead Trail, British Columbia

Above are 11 photos from "Cities Named Arrowhead"— Arrowhead, Colorado, Lake Arrowhead, California, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri, Arrowhead, Virginia, Arrowhead, Nevada, Arrowhead, Tennessee, Arrowhead, Maryland, Arrowhead Alambama, Arrowhead, Ohio, and Arrowhead, British Columbia, Canada..

Business Cards Showing the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

Aerotestra Business Card of Sean Hendricks

Business Card of David Massolo

Business Card of Stephen Wolfram

Accura Business Logo

Mitsubishi Business Logo

Infiniti Business Logo

Salisbury Cathedral Logo

Shown above are seven business cards with Platonic Lambda Λ-shape in them. Composed a poem on this topic (10-30-2017), and will not repeat the images here. Consult the poem to see five more business logos with Lambda symbol in them— KIA Motors, Motorola, Willys Overlands Jeep, American Airlines, and AAA.

Jewelry in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

Blue Sapphire Necklace angara.com

Arowhead Pendant etsy.com

Triangle Pendant wisdomportal.com

Opal Arrowhead artofishi.com

Triangle Earrings pinterest.com

I was dancing the Two-Step with Deborah at Cubberley Pavilion Ballroom Dancing on Saturday. Noticed she was wearing a Triangle necklace, and mentioned it's the Platonic Lambda "Soul of the Universe". She tells me it's the "Trinity" which she wears rather than a "Cross". Found two Arrowhead pendants, a blue sapphire necklace, and triangle earrings shown above. Sharon McKee's article "Triangle Jewelry Is Always On-Trend" (9-13-2018) has the most visits on her site since 4-8-2014. The reasons for triangle jewelry's popularity go much deeper than fashion. For Christians, the triangle symbolizes the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). The Eye of Providence inside a pyramid, as etched on the U.S. dollar bill, is a symbol of Freemasonry. A triangle pointed upwards represents male energy, and the masculine elements of fire and air. The point-down triangle celebrates female energy, and the feminine elements of water and earth.

Ferns in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

Ferns at El Corte de Madera Hike (7-4-2010

Fern at Saratoga Gap Hike (8-15-2010)

Fern at Hidden Villa Hike (11-22-2013)

Ferns at Skyline Trail Hike (7-28-2013)

Fern Grotto at Nisene Marks Hike (9-6-2009)

Fern (polypodiopsida) is earth's oldest plant with Platonic Lambda shape— "Soul of the Universe". Ferns first appear in the fossil record about 360 million years ago in the middle Devonian period, but many of the current families and species did not appear until roughly 145 million years ago in the early Cretaceous, after flowering plants came to dominate many environments. The photos above are from hikes in the Bay Area.

Leaves in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

White Ash Fraxinus americana

Arrowhead Houseplant Syngonium podophyllum

Dutchman's Pipe Aristolochia californica

Broadleaf Arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia

Black Hickory Carya texana

When telling Ann that I'm writing a chapter on Arrowheads, she emailed a photo of an Arrowhead Houseplant (left) that I was unfamiliar with. Later, she emailed the Dutchman's Pipe (above), also resembling the Lambda Λ-shape. Found the Broadleaf Arrowhead that is also arrowhead-shaped. Browsing my little "Trees" book by Herbert S. Zim book (1956), noticed more trees with leaves shaped like Λ arrowheads— White Ash, Bitternut Hickory, Smooth Sumacs, California Bay, Black Walnut, American Hornbeam. Just including White Ash and Black Hickory above.

Trees in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

Norway Spruce Picea abies

Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis

Norfolk Island Pine Araucaria heterophylla

Monterey Pine Pinus radiata

Korean Fir Abies koreana

While browsing my little Trees book by Herbert S. Zim (1956) and Taylor's Guide to Trees (1987), found Trees in Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape— Norway Spruce, Northern White Cedar, Norfolk Island Pine, Monterey Pine, Korean Fir. Will not repeat nine photos in Ch. 2: Platonic Λ Redwoods in this chapter on "Arrowheads Shape". Norway Spruce: a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, 9-17 cm (3.5-6.75 in) long. It is widely planted for its wood, and is the species used as the main Christmas tree in several cities around the world. Northern White Cedar: an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is native to eastern Canada and much of northcentral & northeastern U.S. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. It is only a small or medium-sized tree, growing to a height of 49 ft tall. It has fan-like branches & scaly leaves. Norfolk Island Pine: a vascular plant in ancient & now disjointly distributed conifer family Araucariaceae. As its name Norfolk Island pine implies, it is endemic to Norfolk Island, a small island in the Pacific between New Zealand & New Caledonia, 890 miles east of Sydney, Australia. Sometimes called a star pine, Polynesian pine, triangle tree or living Christmas tree, due to its symmetrical shape, although it is not a true pine. Monterey Pine: a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico (Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is the most widely planted pine in the world, valued for rapid growth and desirable lumber & pulp qualities. Grows to 100 ft tall in the wild, but up to 200 ft in cultivation. It has a lifespan of 80-90 years. Korean Fir: a species of fir native to the higher mountains of South Korea, including Jeju Island. It grows in temperate rainforest with high rainfall and cool, humid summers, and heavy winter snowfall. It is a small to medium-sized evergreen coniferous tree growing to 33-39 ft tall with a trunk diameter of up to 2 ft 4 in. It is a popular ornamental plant in parks & gardens, grown for its foliage but also for the abundant cone production.

Plants with Conical Shape

Ponderosa Pine Cone Wikimedia.org

Tree Houseleek (Aeonium arboreum)

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)

Armenian Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)

Douglas Fir Cone www.pngjoy.com

Took photos of the Tree Houseleek (3-18-2017) and Butterfly Bush (4-13-2017) and wrote about the flowers in my courtyard. The Ponderosa Pine Cone was photographed (4-5-2017) at Rengstorff Ave & Stanford Ave in Mountain View while waiting for Bus #40 to Foothill College. Wrote about them in "Platonic Lambda Λ in Flowers, Pine Cones and Trees around Mountain View Parks & Streets". Added the Armenian Grape Hyacinth & Douglas Fir Cone when writing this section. Ponderosa Pine Cone: Wrote about Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) as one of my favorite trees in a poem (5-2-2019) and Notes. Two other poems were "Seven Pines at Woeber House" (7-9-1989) in Squaw Valley and "Sacred Geometry" (6-29-1992) at Charleston Ave & Middlefield Ave in Palo Alto, when Denise Garlow greeted me on her bicycle. Pine cones are oval, 3 to 6 inches long and 2 to 4 inches in diameter. While hiking at the Pinnacles (6-14-2009) found some jumbo pine cones 7 inches long & 5 inches wide. Tree Houseleek: its botanical name is Aeonium arboreum, a succulent, subtropical subshrub in the flowering plant family Crassulaceae. The plant is endemic to the western Canary Islands of Tenerife. The stamens are bare. It bears rosettes of leaves and large pyramidal panicles of bright yellow flowers in the spring. After seeing it in my courtyard, found its name Aeonium arboreum and that it's an invasive weed. Butterfly Bush: its botanical name is Buddleja davidii, a species of flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae, native to Sichuan & Hubei provinces in central China, and also Japan. Butterfly Bush cultivars are much appreciated worldwide as ornamentals and for the value of their flowers as a nectar source for many species of butterfly. Wrote poem "Butterfly Bush" (4-24-2020). Aristotle called butterfly "psyche", the Greek word for soul, and Plato's Timaeus 35b tells how God used Λ to form "Soul of the Universe"— amazing the Butterfly Bush flower has the Platonic Lambda Λ shape! Armenian Grape Hyacinth: its botanical name is Muscari armeniacum, a species of flowering plant in the squill subfamily Scilloideae of asparagus family Asparagaceae. It is a bulbous perennial with basal, simple leaves & short flowering stems. One of a number of species & genera known as Armenian grape hyacinth. Flowers are purple, blue (with a white fringe), white or pale pink, and the plants are usually 6 inches tall. Douglas Fir Cone: its botanical name is Pseudotsuga menziesii, an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. Despite its common name, it is not a true fir (i.e. not a member of the genus Abies). The coast Douglas-fir, grows in the coastal regions from west-central British Columbia southward to central California. Douglas-firs are medium-size to extremely large evergreen trees, 70-330 ft tall. The female cones are pendulous, with persistent scales, unlike those of true firs. They are distinctive in having a long tridentine (three-pointed) bract that protrudes prominently above each scale (it resembles the back half of a mouse, with two feet and a tail.

Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape Trees at Royal Palaces

Conical Trees at Kensington Palace, UK

Conifer Trees at Versailles, France

Conifers at Belvedere Palace, Vienna

Balsam Fir

Shown above are three Royal Palaces of Europe with Platonic Lambda Λ-shape trees lining up— Kensington Palace, Versailles, and Belvedere Palace, Vienna. With their bottom close to the ground, they resemble Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) trees (left). For thousands of years Native Americans used Balsam fir for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. The needles are digested directly off the tree by many animals and humans. Higher content dosage is ingested in tea. Balsam Fir contains Vitamin C, which has been studied for its effects on bacterial and viral infections. Of 25 million Christmas trees cut yearly, 30% are Balsam Fir, with Douglas Fir ranking second (Herbert S. Zim's Trees, 1956, p. 33).

Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape in Chiefs, Kings, and Popes

Conical Cap Pope Paul VI Vatican 365 (10-16-1963)

Lambda-Shaped Curtains Pope Francis (3-13-2013)

Chief's House (1952) Papua New Guinea 128

Chief's Conical Tipi of Native Americans

Skunhka King 6th Centuy BC

When Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope on 13 March 2013, he took the papal name Francis. During his first appearance as pontiff on the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica, he wore a white cassock, not the red, ermine-trimmed mozzetta used by previous popes. The Time magazine photo of Pope Francis on the balcony struck me deeply, and I scanned it (3-21-2013) to place in my "Platonic Lambda" folder. Here's the "Soul of the Universe" as background of the first appearance of Pope Francis to the public. What a poignant symbol! So I'm writing this section to share this photo along with images of Pope Paul VI and a Shunkha King wearing conical hats (from Ch. 9 Wizard's Hat). Also adding Papua New Guinea 128 stamp of Chief's House (from Ch. 10 Church Steeple). There is a D.F. Barry 1891 photo of Sioux Chief Sitting Bull & family in front of his conical tepee. However, I chose another conical tipi without people in the image. Chinese Qing Emperors (1644-1912) also wore conical hats. Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace with angel on top has a conical resemblance. Interesting those in power have used the Lambda Λ figure as their symbol.

Stones & Sculptures in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

Cleopatra's Needle Obelisk Central Park, NY (1881) (top) (wikipedia.org)

Eye in Triangle Rock Unknown Field (By John Johnson)

Brass Pine Cone Vatican City (1608) (Fontana della Pigna)

Lambda Λ Rock Ferne Ave & Alma Street (Palo Alto, CA)

Washington Monument Washington D.C. (1884) (top) (wikipedia.org)

Mystery Photo appeared in Daily Post 12-21-2018, p. 43— Google Maps Street View showed images 1 and 2. Surprised at the Lambda Λ Rock near my neighborhood, so adding this section. The Pine Cone fountain at Vatican City is another Lambda image (erected 1608). Don't know the whereabouts of the "Eye in the Triangle" Rock photographed by John Johnson. He may be a Freemason imitating the Eye of Providence on the back of the U.S. dollar bill. An Obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument ending in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the apex. Roman Emperors have looted 13 obelisks from Egypt, which has only 11 left. England has 4 obelisks. One of the Luxor Obelisks is at the centre of the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. It had been given to France by Muhammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Ottoman Egypt in exchange for a French mechanical clock (that's faulty and not working). United States has one Egyptian obelisk, 69 feet tall Cleopatra's Needle, in Central Park, NYC. Erected on January 22, 1881. Jesse B. Anthony, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York, presided as the cornerstone for the obelisk was laid in place with full Masonic ceremony on October 2, 1880. Over 9,000 Masons paraded up Fifth Avenue from 14th Street to 82nd Street, and over 50,000 spectators lined the parade route. Hieroglyphic inscriptions from 1425 BC— ending with "Glorified of Osris / Like the Sun life-giving forever." The other U.S. obelisk is Washington Monument (555 feet high), tallest structure (1884-1889), until the 894 feet high Eiffel Tower (tallest 1889-1930). In Chapter 7: Pyramids of Giza, listed the Chrysler Building (1046 feet) and Empire State Building (1454 feet) superceding it in height. It's interesting that the tallest world's man-made structures are all shaped like Platonic Lambda Λ at the top (Soul Soaring to Heaven?). Interesting that the Lambda Λ Rock is located at Ferne Ave & Alma Street in Palo Alto. Wrote about the "Ferns in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape" earlier in this chapter, and "Alma" means "Soul" in Spanish.

Clouds in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

Giant V-Shaped Cloud Stanford Serra Mall (11-3-2010)

Lambda Cloud Stanford Hoover Tower (11-14-2010)

Lambda Cloud (closeup) Stanford Hoover Tower (11-14-2010)

Arrowhead Cloud Foothill College (4-18-2012)

Sideways Lambda Cloud Los Altos Library (8-29-2018)

I love clouds. Some cosmic artist painted them on the clear blue sky canvas for us to enjoy. Most common are the cumulus clouds, white fluffy and puffy. My favorites are cirrus clouds, thin, wispy strands like a painter's brushsrokes. Often clouds may be shaped like animals, birds, and fish. Sometimes you'll recognize a country's map or mythological creatures. Went through 11 cloud folders to retrieve above photos at Stanford University, Foothill College, and Los Altos Library of clouds resembling the Platonic Lambda Λ-shape.

Postage Stamps of Christmas Trees in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

U.S. 1240 Christmas Tree (issued 11-1-1963)

U.S. 1508 Christmas Tree (issued 11-7-1973)

Canada 900 Christmas Tree (issued 11-16-1981)

Austria 590 Girl & Christmas Tree (issued 11-30-1953)

Austria 2832 Christmas Tree (issued 11-8-2019)

Norfolk Island 153 Child & Xmas Tree (issued 10-22-1973)

There are probably dozens of postage stamps depicting Christmas Trees. I've gathered six stamps above as a sampling. U.S. 1240 shows a Christmas Tree and the White House (1963). U.S.1508 is a needlepoint Christmas Tree with candy canes & gingerbread cookie (1973). Canada 900 shows a small Christmas Tree dated 1781 (1981). Austria 590 shows a girl looking at a lit Christmas Tree in wonderment (1953). Austria 2832 shows a Christmas Tree with a real crystal on top (2019). Norfolk Island has a sleeping child dreaming of a Christmas Tree (1973).

Christmas Trees in the Platonic Lambda Λ-Shape

2012 Christmas Tree Rockefeller Center

Oakland Tree Jack London Sq.

Los Gatos Vasona Christmas Tree Lane

Christmas in the Park, San Jose

2020 Christmas Tree Rockefeller Center

2017 Christmas Tree White House

2019 Christmas Tree Buckingham Palace

"12 Days of Christmas" in the Platonic Λ-shape

2012 Christmas Tree Jerusalem, Israel

2013 Christmas Tree Shanghai, China

Gathered above are nine Christmas Trees— two from Rockefeller Center, NYC (2012 and 2020), 2020 Christmas Trees from Jack London Square, Oakland and San Jose's Christmas in the Park were reported in San Jose Mercury News. The Christmas Tree Lane at Los Gatos Vasona Park is usually crowded with visitors. Lighting of the White House Christmas Tree is an annual event. Those at Buckingham Palace, Jerusalem, and Shanghai are less well known. After writing the poem "12 Days of Christmas" (1-1-2003), spent some time illustrating the song in the shape of a Λ-shape Christmas Tree. Four members from Stanford's SARUM group in medieval studies sent emails (12-23-2020) on Christmas Carol singing at Salisbury Cathedral in England. and a bright Christmas Tree in the Cathedral (left). Christmas Tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine, or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition began in Germany in early 16th century. On Dec. 8, Ann sent me a BBC story “'Oldest' Christmas tree at Wrest Park to be decorated” for the first time in a century (12-2-2014). It was planted in 1856 by Thomas de Grey. Now a 3 ft star will be put at the top and visitors will decorate the lower branches with ribbons. History of the First Christmas Tree: The first documented use of a tree in a winter Christmas celebration was in several locations in Northern Europe including Estonia, and Latvia, in the year 1510 according to documents from the Blackheads Fraternity chronicles and from various sources in Germany. It is not totally clear whether the birthplace of the Christmas Tree was in Tallinn or Riga. As the two Black's Fraternity were related, one might conclude that it happen in both cities in the same years. The star on top of Christmas Trees is a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three Wise Men to the manger where Christ was born. Christmas is a happy time, for family get-togethers, giving of gifts, and year-end celebrations. Since Christmas is three days after the Winter Solstice (darkest day of the year), there is reason to cheer. From this day forward, each day gets brighter and brighter until the Summer Solstice. That's why Christos is the "Bringer of Light"— both in the physical and spiritual sense. This will end Chapter 13 "Arrowheads" on a happy and positive note.

Comets as Arrowheads of Destruction

Halley's Comet 1986

Comet

Halley's Comet 1986

Comet C/2019-Q4

1301 Halley's Comet as Star of Bethelehem in Giotto's "Adoration of the Magi" (1306)

The link to Star of Bethelehem in Christmas Tree showed Giotto's painting "Adoration of the Magi" (1306) triggered some pleasant memories. Presented a paper at the 20th Anniversary of CEMERS (October 1986) at SUNY Binghamton, on the symbolism of Giotto's Adoration of the Magi (1306) with the Star of Bethelehem as Halley's Comet of 1301. Showed that comets to be disaster symbol with more deaths of kings and popes with their arrival. The Tunguska event was a massive explosion that occurred in Siberia, Russia, on 30 June 1908. The explosion flattened an estimated 80 million trees over an area of 830 square miles of forest. The explosion is generally attributed to the air burst of a stony meteoroid about 330 feet in size. One of the greatest scars on our planet is hidden beneath the Yucatan Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. The buried crater, over 90 miles in diameter, was created when a massive asteroid struck the planet 66 million years ago and brought a calamitous end to the reign of dinosaurs. While arrows kill just one person or buffalo at a time, impacts of comets and asteroids can wipe out an entire civilization. Can't end this chapter on a sad and negative note.

Sperms as Arrowheads of Creation

Sperm as "Arrowhead"

Sperms Swimming to Egg

Sperm Penetrates Egg

Human Foetus

Sperm as "Arrowhead"

After completing the "Comet as Arrowhead of Destruction" at 5:10 am last night, that my plan of Christmas Tree as celebration took a surprising turn to "Star of Bethelehem" and Halley's Comet to a sad ending. Then, a Stanford lecture "The Sparks of Randomness" by Henri Atlan (11-18-2010) flashed to mind. Wrote a poem "Enlightment to Enlightenment" (2-9-2011) with Notes. Atlan discounts the certainty of science and technology, saying that life began as randomness with the sperm. Since sperms are shaped like arrowheads, I can have a positive ending. Began this chapter on December 2 gathering Indian arrowhead images, and wrote 20 sections with lots of twists and turns before concluding this chapter on a happy note.

  — Peter Y. Chou
      Mountain View, 12-13-2020