basalt, menorah, Hanukkah, free-associating mash note

British Museum

A glass pendant showing a menorah dating from 2nd-4th century AD.

Yale University Art Gallery

Happy Hanukkah! This basalt relief depicting a menorah is from the 2nd-3rd century A.D. (Roman, Syrian).
http://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/7325

Hanukkah at the Carter White House, December 1980:

Leonard Bernstein and his family “were invited to rest in the historic bedroom where Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Left on their own, the Bernsteins placed a menorah on the mantelpiece and lit their Hanukkah candles before leaving for [The Kennedy Center Honors] ceremony. 'We were really proud of our little act of solidarity with Jews everywhere,' Nina Bernstein remembered. Alexander prudently moved the flaming menorah to the bathroom."

("Leonard Bernstein," biography by Humphrey Burton)

(click to enlarge)
Roman soldiers carrying the menorah from the Temple of Jerusalem, 70; detail of a relief on … (credit: Alinari/Art Resource, New York)

Multibranched candelabra used by Jews during the festival of Hanukkah. It holds nine candles (or has nine receptacles for oil). Eight of the candles stand for the eight days of Hanukkah — one is lit the first day, two the second, and so on. The ninth candle, or shammash ("servant") light — usually set in the centre and raised above the others — is used to light the others. The menorah is an imitation of the seven-branched golden candelabra of the Tabernacle, which signified the seven days of creation. The menorah is also an ancient symbol of Jewish identity and the official symbol of the modern state of Israel.

Restaurant Review | Empellón Cocina

A Taste of Mexico, as in a Dream

By PETE WELLS

Alex Stupak offers smart and often inspired cooking at Empellón Cocina, his free-associating mash note to the food of Mexico.

• Slide Show
• Diner's Journal: Three Dishes at Empellón Cocina

• More Dining & Wine »

 維基百科，自由的百科全書

一塊玄武岩地理樣本

玄武岩（英語：Basalt）是一種地下岩漿從火山中噴出或從地表裂隙中溢出凝結形成的火成岩。

英語名basalt，一說源自希臘語basanos，意為試金石。另一說，此名稱源自富藏玄武岩的約旦東部地名Bashan。

玄武岩的中文名稱源自日語，得名於兵庫縣城崎溫泉附近的玄武洞，由小藤文次郎於1884年（明治十七年）命名。玄武洞在大約165萬年前經歷岩流，產生六角形的玄武岩岩山洞窟。而玄武是中國神話四方神之一，代表北方和黑色。

常見的光明節燈台式樣

現代的九燈燭臺

光明節燈臺（希伯來語：מנורת חנוכה‎，轉寫：M'noraht Khanukkah，Menorot）是瑪喀比成功領導猶太人反抗塞琉西王朝統治而慶祝再獻聖殿節的九燈燭臺。根據塔木德記載，勝利後猶太人發現剩下的純淨橄欖油只夠燈臺無休止燒一天，但燈油神奇地持續燒了八天，直到獲得新橄欖油供應。

mash

 (măsh)
n.

1. A fermentable starchy mixture from which alcohol or spirits can be distilled.
2. A mixture of ground grain and nutrients fed to livestock and fowl.
3. A soft pulpy mixture or mass.
4. Chiefly British. Mashed potatoes.
5. A crushing or grinding.
6. Slang. An infatuation or act of flirtation.

tr.v., mashed, mash·ing, mash·es.

1. To convert (malt or grain) into mash.
2. To convert into a soft pulpy mixture: mash potatoes.
3. To crush or grind. See synonyms at crush.
4. Chiefly Southern & South Midland U.S. To apply pressure to; press.
5. Slang. To flirt with or make sexual advances to.

[Middle English mash- (as in mashfat, mash tub), from Old English *māsc, *mǣsc, māx- (in māxwyrt, wort). V., sense 5, perhaps from Romany mash, to entice.]