Sunday, April 30, 2017

DDJ 46. 以马观道

第四十六章
[原文]
天下有道,却①走马以粪②,天下无道,戎马③生于郊④。祸莫大于不知足;咎莫大于欲得。故知足之足,常足矣⑤。
[译文]
治理天下合乎“道”,就可以作到太平安定,把战马退还到田间给农夫用来耕种。治理天下不合乎“道”,连怀胎的母马也要送上战场,在战场的郊外生下马驹子。最大的祸害是不知足,最大的过失是贪得的欲望。知道到什么地步就该满足了的人,永远是满足的。


老子用马的取样来推导道(Laotzu Horse Indicator), 他取样观察马的用途,解释长远打算供应链,反之穷兵黩武的危害性。  ”天下有道,却走马以粪,天下无道,戎马生于郊“。 老子是女权主义的先驱。 现代多有未婚女首脑,或者怀孕女士身居高位,呼风唤雨。不知道这是有道还是无道?


**********《美国宪法》***********

 "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
ARTICLE II, SECTION 1, CLAUSE 5


Since we are talking about Big Data and Dao De Jing, we might as well crunch the numbers for the Framers of the Constituion.  Since they were all men, we look at their ages and education background.  Most notably, Alexander Hamilton was younger than 35 and George Madison was barely older than 35 at the time.   What about their horses?

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/delegates/age/

https://www.boundless.com/political-science/textbooks/boundless-political-science-textbook/the-constitution-and-the-founding-of-america-2/the-constitutional-convention-25/the-framers-of-the-constitution-148-7498/

凡国开国N代, 守成M代,复兴L代,末世K代。每一代的阅历性格教育挫折挑战行为都大不相同。 如不同开式条件下的状态机,老子的道德经堪称解读时代状态机手册。  ”祸莫大于不知足;咎莫大于欲得。“

DDJ 45. 清静为天下正

第四十五章
[原文]
大成①若缺,其用不弊。大盈若冲②,其用不穷。大直若屈③,大巧若拙,大辩若讷④。静胜躁,寒胜热⑤。清静为天下正⑥。
[译文]
最完满的东西,好似有残缺一样,但它的作用永远不会衰竭;最充盈的东西,好似是空虚一样,但是它的作用是不会穷尽的。最正直的东西,好似有弯曲一样;最灵巧的东西,好似最笨拙的;最卓越的辩才,好似不善言辞一样。清静克服扰动,赛冷克服暑热。清静无为才能统治天下。


"清静为天下正"。  清静为纯直,公正,客观。 反之,巧言令色,抗声疾呼,自夸自恨,偏私偏信,声色犬马。



**********《美国宪法》***********

  The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
ARTICLE II, SECTION 1, CLAUSE 4
http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/2/essays/81/presidential-vote
There are several entities working together on the Presidential Election: Congress, State legislatures, Electoral college, and later on, Parties.  The Constitution tried to limit opportunity and motivation of conspiracy and corruption.   Tao Te Ching, like the Constitution, told us what is good for us, but we must still go through 2000 years of awfulness to understand the simple good.

SNOPE ON "Must the President and Vice-President Be from Different States?"
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/vicepresident.asp

Friday, April 28, 2017

DDJ 44. 多藏厚亡,千里之堤



第四十四章
[原文]
名与身孰亲?身与货孰多①?得与亡孰病②?甚爱必大费③,多藏必厚亡④。故知足不辱⑤,知止不殆,可以长久。
[译文]
声名和生命相比哪一样更为亲切?生命和货利比起来哪一样更为贵重?获取和丢失相比,哪一个更有害?过分的爱名利就必定要付出更多的代价;过于积敛财富,必定会遭致更为惨重的损失。所以说,懂得满足,就不会受到屈辱;懂得适可而止,就不会遇见危险;这样才可以保持住长久的平安。

矫枉必过正,甚爱必大费,多藏必厚亡。  唐玄宗儿子妻可以夺,这天可汗当得太爽,干儿子安禄山想当皇帝,人之常情; 宋徽宗花石纲瘦金体美人什么都只有最好, 儿子们都想当皇帝,一起在汴京窝里斗被一窝子端。 始皇帝就更算了,标准的二世而亡。 尺度不同,国是国,世界是世界,不能以家放大,以公司比拟。  道家知道系统scale, 将产生本质性结构脆弱。”合抱之木,生于毫末“的反面是”千里之堤,毁于蚁穴“。  这是道家儒家政策的很大不同。



**********《美国宪法》***********
The Constitution Article II.Section 1.3: The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.

This entire clause is superceded by Amendment 12.
[Article XII] (Amendment 12 - Election of President)

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;—The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;—The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.14 —The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. ratified #12 affects 8


Note 14: This sentence of Amendment XII has been superseded by Amendment XX Section 3.
Amendment XX Section 3: If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified. 


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
The long story behind the original and the amendment.    


Electoral College merits its own book/documentary.
"The Constitutional Convention in 1787 used the Virginia Plan as the basis for discussions, as the Virginia delegation had proposed it first. The Virginia Plan called for the Congress to elect the president.[15] Delegates from a majority of states agreed to this mode of election.[16]However, a committee formed to work out various details including the mode of election of the president, recommended instead the election be by a group of people apportioned among the states in the same numbers as their representatives in Congress (the formula for which had been resolved in lengthy debates resulting in the Connecticut Compromise and Three-Fifths Compromise), but chosen by each state "in such manner as its Legislature may direct." Committee member Gouverneur Morris explained the reasons for the change; among others, there were fears of "intrigue" if the president were chosen by a small group of men who met together regularly, as well as concerns for the independence of the president if he was elected by the Congress.[17] However once the Electoral College had been decided on, several delegates (Mason, Butler, Morris, Wilson, and Madison) openly recognized its ability to protect the election process from cabal, corruption, intrigue, and faction. Some delegates, including James Wilson and James Madison, preferred popular election of the executive. Madison acknowledged that while a popular vote would be ideal, it would be difficult to get consensus on the proposal given the prevalence of slavery in the South:
There was one difficulty however of a serious nature attending an immediate choice by the people. The right of suffrage was much more diffusive in the Northern than the Southern States; and the latter could have no influence in the election on the score of Negroes. The substitution of electors obviated this difficulty and seemed on the whole to be liable to the fewest objections.[18]"
The more States in the federal system, the harder it was to pass amendments and adapt to new circumstances.  The more choices we have, the more terrible the choices get.  The more numerous members, the more fragile the organization.   甚爱必大费,多藏必厚亡。故知足不辱,知止不殆,可以长久.

Thursday, April 27, 2017

DDJ 43. 不言之教, 无为之益

第四十三章
[原文]
天下之至柔,驰骋①天下之至坚。无有入无间②,吾是以知无为之有益。不言之教,无为之益,天下希③及之。

[译文]
天下最柔弱的东西,腾越穿行于最坚硬的东西中;无形的力量可以穿透没有间隙的东西。我因此认识到“无为”的益处。“不言”的教导,“无为”的益下,普天下少有能赶上它的了。

http://www.daodejing.org/43.html
Christians to Christ, Daoists to Dao. 不言之教,愚人之心,无为之益。

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/01/rod-drehers-monastic-vision

**********《美国宪法》***********
Constitution Article II. Section1.2: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/2/essays/79/presidential-electors

“This method permitted the smaller states to have a somewhat greater proportionate share in the choosing of the President, though not as large an advantage as they had in the Senate. The Framers not only rejected the direct popular election of the President, but also left it to the state legislatures to determine how the states' electors were to be appointed.

This language in fact paralleled the provisions for state legislative appointment of congressional delegates in the Articles of Confederation, and of U.S. Senators under Article I of the Constitution. With political parties widely disdained, this process was designed to pick not the candidate from the most popular political faction, but the wisest and most virtuous leader. The Framers rejected direct popular election of the President (and of Senators), both because they believed that the populace would be ill-informed about national figures and because the Framers wanted to avoid interfering with state authority and underweighing small states.”

Any game will be gamed. All consequences are unexpected.   Once upon a time, "parties" were disdained, now "parties" are duopolies.   Some things are forever.  Other things bounces back and forth.


What if the Constitution actually forbids the existence of "parties"?  How would this  work?

矫枉过正,永恒的痛。最近常看宋朝刷屏:GDP怎么怎么高,文人怎么怎么言论自由,科学怎么怎么发达。  宋朝不可谓不肥美,不自由,可惜万邦来抢,只好见贼就舔。 宋朝的道教越来越与佛教儒教混淆不清,失去真实纯正史家本色。

 宋太宗打破皇帝不看起居注的习惯,亲自关怀修史。 大宋三百年GDP都是替强盗创造的,自由言论都是大屠杀前的最后一句话,科学都用来给自己挖坑掘墓的。

我有个怀疑:男娃千万表读宋词。宋词和宋以后的国史,添堵伤身。 宋以后的阳光少年只能是郭靖张无忌韦小宝这种半文盲。 不言之教,愚人之心,无为之益。 大丈夫扎根于社区,热衷科举是个什么鬼。

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

DDJ 42. 人之所教,我亦教之

第四十二章 
[原文]
道生一①,一生二②,二生三③,三生万物。万物负阴而抱阳④,冲气以为和⑤。人之所恶,唯孤、寡、不谷⑥,而王公以为称。故物或损之而益,或益之而损。人之所教,我亦教之。强梁者不得其死,吾将以为教父⑦。
[译文]
道是独一无二的,道本身包含阴阳二气,阴阳二气相交而形成一种适匀的状态,万物在这种状态中产生。万物背阴而向阳,并且在阴阳二气的互相激荡而成新的和谐体。人们最厌恶的就是“孤”、“寡”、“不谷”,但王公却用这些字来称呼自己。所以一切事物,如果减损它却反而得到增加;如果增加它却反而得到减损。别人这样教导我,我也这样去教导别人。强暴的人死无其所。我把这句话当作施教的宗旨。
http://www.daodejing.org/42.html

贝聿铭原话: 越是民族的,越是世界的。                
我来鹦鹉学舌: 越是宗教的,越是合宪的。 越是封闭的,越是融合的。越是古老的智慧,越是超越现代适用的。

道生一,一生二,二生三,三生万物。  古老的归纳法。 美国建立宗教组织,只需要三个非亲戚愿意合作。 人之所教,我亦教之。 入美国者,行美国事。


教育自古见仁见智。  道教搞科学经济的时候诺贝尔还不知道在哪里呢, 没有妨碍道教医学天文地理文学独步天下。  西方近几百年,靠言论自由/宗教自由/制度公平,赶超道教没落后的中国科学艺术。  为什么呢? 人才不能捧,也不能催,不能侮辱,不能打杀,也就是不能为。  给予自由,给予公平,如阳光雨露,任其自强自弱。 物或损之而益,或益之而损。 封闭以扶其弱,开放以弱其倨。


http://www.ziyexing.com/files-5/guwen/guwen-03.htm


拿诺贝尔是一个高度,长期设立颁发诺贝尔,发展成全世界公认的学术标杆,是另一个高度。  设计JFK memorial 是一个高度,设计建造华人道教社区,是另一个高度。   争进哈佛是一个高度,社区拒绝奢侈合力建造华人名校,是另一个高度。 好像都是高山仰止,但是后者却是一个社区可以道生一,一生二,二生三,靠积累归纳正循环可以达到的目标。  


既然都是低概率,撞彩票求投胎为”王公“或者"天才“,不如愚公移山。



**********《美国宪法》***********

Article II (Article 2 - Executive)   Section 1

1: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows

http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/2/essays/76/executive-vesting-clause


http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/2/essays/77/presidential-term


http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/2/essays/78/vice-president


Quoted: Before deciding on the length of the term of office for the President, the Framers debated whether, after a first term, the President was to be reappointed by the legislature or by the people. James Madison vehemently opposed reappointment by the legislature, arguing that the separation of powers was essential to the preservation of liberty: "The Executive could not be independent of the Legislature, if dependent on the pleasure of that branch for a re-appointment." If the President were thus beholden to the legislature, "tyrannical laws may be made that they may be executed in a tyrannical manner."

On the other hand, the proposal to allow "re-appointment by Legislature for good-behavior" struck George Mason as allowing for too long a tenure. "An Executive during good behavior is a softer name only for an executive for life." Others wanted to avoid "a temptation on the side of the executive to intrigue with the Legislature for a re-appointment." Some feared foreign intrigue in the reappointment of a President.
Now guess:  James Madison and George Mason, which one got to become the President of the United States?

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

DDJ 41. 道的标杆。共和永动机是这样造出的。

第四十一章 [原文]上士闻道,勤而行之;中士闻道,若存若亡;下士闻道,大笑之。不笑不足以为道。故建言①有之:明道若昧,进道若退,夷道若纇②。上德若谷;大白若辱③;广德若不足;建德若偷④;质真若渝⑤。大方无隅⑥;大器晚成;大音希声;大象无形;道隐无名。夫唯道,善贷且成⑦。
[译文]上士听了道的理论,努力去实行;中士听了道的理论,将信将疑;下士听了道的理论,哈哈大笑。不被嘲笑,那就不足以成其为道了。因此古时立言的人说过这样的话:光明的道好似暗昧;前进的道好似后退;平坦的道好似崎岖;崇高的德好似峡谷;广大的德好像不足;刚健的德好似怠惰;质朴而纯真好像混浊未开。最洁白的东西,反而含有污垢;最方正的东西,反而没有棱角;最大的声响,反而听来无声无息;最大的形象,反而没有形状。道幽隐而没有名称,无名无声。只有“道”,才能使万物善始善终。http://www.daodejing.org/41.html
下士,闻道而大笑。 然而下士是道的标杆。不笑,不足以为道。 中士,以怀疑为起点。肺腑之言独特之论点,从怀疑到信任。 自相矛盾鹦鹉学舌的话,从怀疑到漠视。 不怀疑,也不足以为道。 上士,勤而行之,以表明心迹。 不勤而行之,也不足为道。 大音希声;大象无形;道隐无名,善贷且成。
**********《美国宪法》***********
The US Constitution Article I. Section 10.2: No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.
Economical tools of currencies, international trade taxation goes to the Federal government and not to the States.   This was once the main beef at the Constitutional Convention.  However, since private banks were not States, for a long time, private banks were able to issue currencies in America.   Whether the interstate imports/export power go to the Federal government was ”settled“ or unsettled even later.
The US Constitution Article I. Section 10.3: No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
“While the Supreme Court has never found a state compact void for want of congressional approval, some contemporary unapproved interstate agreements (such as the 1998 tobacco settlement between attorneys general and manufacturers) establish tax and regulatory regimes of unprecedented complexity and consequence. It remains to be seen whether this emerging trend could prompt a reexamination and rediscovery of the forgotten Compact Clause.”
The Constitution is a living foundational document.  Tao Te Ching is a dormant living foundational document.  道隐无名,善贷且成。 道有标杆(criteria),共和也有标杆(criteria)。 "in Order to form a more perfect Union"...  美国梦,中国梦,科学梦,宗教梦,哲学梦,永动机是人类的梦想。

Article I 至此结束。 

请大家“勤而行之”,抽样调查:华人移民第一代高学历亲朋好友,多少X%从来没有看见过宪法小册子,道德经小册子? 从来没有读过宪法小册子,道德经小册子?

X小于20, 应该整个社区警报大作。



Monday, April 24, 2017

DDJ 40. 反馈, 河图,状态机

第四十章
[原文]
反者道之动①,弱者②道之用。天下万物生于有③,有生于无④。
[译文]
循环往复的运动变化,是道的运动,道的作用是微妙、柔弱的。天下的万物产生于看得见的有形质,有形质又产生于不可见的无形质。

反者道之动:负反馈; 弱者②道之用, 正反馈。 合抱之木,生于毫末。 虽然初始条件可以是“无”,但是动态系统,变化产生“有”。 老子的文字是古代系统科学的开山路标作。 其基础可能是易经,附加大量现已失传的历史典籍。  孔子学易经比较晚,可能已经40-50岁,然后就“知天命”。 所以易经,河图洛书都是状态机。


**********《美国宪法》***********

Article I.Section 10.Clause 1: No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.


Section 10 开始限制state power.

Some pictures of the Constitution.

附上罗马政府牵制图。

古代西方宪法


Sunday, April 23, 2017

DDJ 39. 琭琭如玉 Emoluments


  第三十九章 [原文]昔之得一①者,天得一以清;地得一以宁;神得一以灵②;谷得一以盈,万物得一以生;候王得一以为天一正③。其致之也④,谓⑤天无以清⑥,将恐裂;地无以宁,将恐废⑦;神无以灵,将恐歇⑧;谷无以盈,将恐竭⑨;万物无以生,将恐灭;候王无以正⑩,将恐蹶⑾。故贵以贱为本,高以下为基。是以候王自称⑿孤、寡、不谷⒀。此非以贱为本邪?非乎?故至誉无誉⒁。是故不欲琭琭如玉⒂,珞珞如石⒃。
[译文]往昔曾得到过道的:天得到道而清明;地得到道而宁静;神(人)得到道而英灵;河谷得到道而充盈;万物得到道而生长;侯王得到道而成为天下的首领。推而言之,天不得清明,恐怕要崩裂;地不得安宁,恐怕要震溃;人不能保持灵性,恐怕要灭绝;河谷不能保持流水,恐怕要干涸;万物不能保持生长,恐怕要消灭;侯王不能保持天下首领的地位,恐怕要倾覆。所以贵以贱为根本,高以下为基础,因此侯王们自称为“孤”、“寡”、“不谷”,这不就是以贱为根本吗?不是吗?所以最高的荣誉无须赞美称誉。不要求琭琭晶莹像宝玉,而宁愿珞珞坚硬像山石。 http://www.daodejing.org/39.html

 不欲琭琭如玉,珞珞如石。 这是道教的标准美学。 贵以贱为本,高以下为基。 这是道教的平等自由意识的来源。
 Checking out pilgrim costume for historic enactment:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/249383227/thanksgiving-historical-clothing?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=pilgrim%20costume&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=55f4cde8eb25e0bcf08cac455638ceb99ed37198:249383227
 Taoist wear.   Since the funding for science and taoism was cut over the last thousand years, we Taoists started to wear very boring and stain resistant clothing.  https://world.taobao.com/item/520608060339.htm?spm=a1z3o.7695283.0.0.1CvdxU
  Other colors Taoist wear.  https://world.taobao.com/item/25798600995.htm?spm=a312a.7728556.2015080705.21.U2dyZ5&id=25798600995&scm=1007.12006.72291.i35068774721&pvid=4fb15001-5964-4587-9bb7-07c2117971db
  During the Jin, Song, Tang dynasties, Taoist literatis could afford white shades.  But the grey, black and navy colors remained the eminent pragmatist choice for the self-sufficient and free-thinking.  Colors like gold, red, purple, metalic shine associate more to Confucians or Buddhists.    
  So when someone asked, why not join the Confucians or Buddhists.  I make my choice based on aesthetics alone.  Sparing, minimal, and pragmatic.  Like Occam's razor or the Puritans, taoist logic and taoist aesthetic sought purity and simplicity in life.
  Confucius and Laotze were both students of Zhou dynasty.   孔子的数据主要来源于鲁国,周公后人封地,孔子把周朝的长寿归功于周公制”礼“。 但是老子的数据(中央和各诸侯,甚至前代商朝夏朝)却认为“礼”既不够开国,也不够中兴,  末世更加无力回天; 礼是锦上添花,容易轻易伪造; 好礼君子本末倒置,酿成大祸的破坏性往往胜过真小人。  
 道德经和US Constitution属于foundational texts.  人生在世,一个foundational text就够幸福,两个就可以立足。 贪图很多个foundational texts就容易迷失本心,邯郸学步。


**********《美国宪法》***********
"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
ARTICLE I, SECTION 9, CLAUSE 8
http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/1/essays/67/appropriations-clause
"Republicanism so understood was the ground of the constitutional edifice. The prohibition on titles of nobility buttressed the structure by precluding the possibility of an aristocracy, whether hereditary or personal, whose members would inevitably assert a right to occupy the leading positions in the state.
Further, the prohibition on titles complemented the prohibition in Article III, Section 3, on the "Corruption of Blood" worked by "Attainder[s] of Treason" (i.e., the prohibition on creating a disability in the posterity of an attained person upon claiming an inheritance as his heir, or as heir to his ancestor). Together these prohibitions ruled out the creation of certain caste-specific legal privileges or disabilities arising solely from the accident of birth."。。。
In every day and age, we need to go back to the original. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/04/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/

Do We have the New Monopolies:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/22/opinion/sunday/is-it-time-to-break-up-google.html




Friday, April 21, 2017

DDJ 38. 忠信之薄而乱之首



第三十八章
[原文]
上德不德①,是以有德;下德不失德②,是以无德③。上德无为而无以为④;下德无为而有以为⑤。上仁为之而无以为;上义为之而有以为。上礼为之而莫之应,则攘臂而扔之⑥。故失道而后德,失德而后仁,失仁而后义,失义而后礼。夫礼者,忠信之薄⑦,而乱之首⑧。前识者⑨,道之华⑩,而愚之始。是以大丈夫处其厚⑾,不居其薄⑿;处其实,不居其华。故去彼取此。
这段描述信任崩溃的过程。 ”故失道而后德,失德而后仁,失仁而后义,失义而后礼。夫礼者,忠信之薄⑦,而乱之首⑧“。  靠提倡伪装的”礼“来修复“道”,已经是不得已的下招,没有后招Plan B, 内外失信的危机只能暂时掩盖。所谓饮鸩止渴。
孔子表面上提倡的”礼“,是非常迂回地立“信”。 子贡问政。子曰:“足食,足兵,民信之矣。”子贡曰:“必不得已而去,于斯三者何先?”曰:“去兵。”子贡曰:“必不得已而去。于斯二者何先?”曰:“去食。自古皆有死,民无信不立。” - 孔子不说礼,因为孔子自己也知道,礼是一个创可贴装饰品,不堪“治国平天下”的大任。

中国的古代货币乱则天下乱。 礼然并卵,类似一种counterfeit prone currency. 

成功的宗教都是社区自主贯彻的blockchain。  Jesus said: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's" 实际上,基督教早期在奴隶,女人,贫民弱势群体中传教,创造了平行的小范围不容易counterfeit的”货币“。所以@hazel 说:监狱黑人发现金融启蒙,跟我想做的宗教启蒙确实差不多。只是启蒙的内容, 启蒙的对象不同。http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/02/10/514577243/episode-753-blockchain-gang


**********《美国宪法》***********
  No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
In The Federalist No. 58, James Madison described the centrality of the power of the purse's role in the growth of representative government and its particular importance in the Constitution's governmental structure:
The House of Representatives cannot only refuse, but they alone can propose the supplies requisite for the support of the government. They, in a word, hold the purse—that powerful instrument by which we behold, in the history of the British Constitution, an infant and humble representation of the people gradually enlarging the sphere of its activity and importance, and finally reducing, as far as it seems to have wished, all the overgrown prerogatives of the other branches of government. This power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure.
Under the Articles of Confederation, under which Congress possessed the power to appropriate, there was no independent executive authority. With the creation of an executive under the Constitution, the Founders decided, in the words of Justice Joseph Story in Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, "to preserve in full vigor the constitutional barrier between each department...that each should possess equally...the means of self-protection." An important means of self-protection for the legislative department was its ability to restrict the executive's access to public resources "but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." 
时事:On Earth Day, Scientists are marching to protest funding cut.  道教推动中国古代科学的发展。 近千年道教失去社区政府的支持,道教的落魄和中国古代科学的沉沦应该是因果关系。 让科学家去算命,让医生去卖假药,让墨子去贩卖军火。引以为戒。    https://www.wired.com/2017/04/march-science-live-updates-washington-dc-around-us/

DDJ 37. 无名之朴,偏心父母




第三十七章
[原文]
道常无为而无不为①。候王若能守之②,万物将自化③。化而欲作④,吾将镇之以无名之朴⑤,镇之以无名之朴,夫将不欲⑥。不欲以静,天下将自定⑦。
[译文]
道永远是顺任自然而无所作为的,却又没有什么事情不是它所作为的。侯王如果能按照“道”的原则为政治民,万事万物就会自我化育、自生自灭而得以充分发展。自生自长而产生贪欲时,我就要用“道”来镇住它。用“道”的真朴来镇服它,就不会产生贪欲之心了,万事万物没有贪欲之心了,天下便自然而然达到稳定、安宁。
http://www.daodejing.org/37.html
老子的理想是"自均","自化","自定"。 方法是无为而无不为。 镇之以无名之朴,夫将不欲,天下将自定。
**********《美国宪法》***********
"No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another."
ARTICLE I, SECTION 9, CLAUSE 6

http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/1/essays/66/port-preference-clause


"Like the Uniformity Clause, with which it was initially joined at the Constitutional Convention, and the Export Taxation Clause, the Port Preference Clause was meant to interfere with the natural tendency of legislatures to become instruments through which powerful commercial interests injure their politically weaker rivals."


Federalists and Anti-Federalists掐架,各个州互相掐架,在掐架中,孩子们都大了。家业铺开, 欲望也大了。  


Juicero is as useless as Theranos, and other Silicon Valley cons.  无名之朴, 说起来容易。  https://qz.com/965505/juicero-turns-out-to-be-pointless-so-is-juice-itself/

Thursday, April 20, 2017

DDJ 36. 负反馈和黑箱

第三十六章
[原文]
将欲歙之①,必固张之②;将欲弱之,必固强之;将欲废之,必固兴之;将欲取之③,必固与之④。是谓微明⑤,柔弱胜刚强。鱼不可脱于渊⑥,国之利器不可以示人⑦。
[译文]
想要收敛它,必先扩张它,想要削弱它,必先加强它,想要废去它,必先抬举它,想要夺取它,必先给予它。这就叫做虽然微妙而又显明,柔弱战胜刚强。鱼的生存不可以脱离池渊,国家的刑法政教不可以向人炫耀,不能轻易用来吓唬人。


道德经的作者观察几种系统的演绎历史,这一段描述常见的负反馈系统。”将欲歙之①,必固张之②;将欲弱之,必固强之;将欲废之,必固兴之;将欲取之③,必固与之“。 老子对系统的启动,壮大,衰老,迷失和崩溃有独到的看法。  什么是人为可以改变的因素? 哪里有四两拨千斤的部位?   重要系统应该放置黑箱?还是透明?  "鱼不可脱于渊⑥,国之利器不可以示人".

********《美国宪法》***********
The US Constitution Article I.Section 9.5:  No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/1/essays/65/export-taxation-clause

"Many of the Southern delegates at the Constitutional Convention regarded the clause as a prerequisite to gaining their approval of the Constitution. As the primary exporter of goods in the late eighteenth century, the South would have borne a disproportionate burden from export taxes. In addition to their disproportionate burden argument, George Mason voiced the South's fear that a tax on exports would create a mechanism through which the more numerous Northern states could overwhelm the Southern states' economies. They also worried that export taxes could be used indirectly to attack slavery. They were joined by Northerners such as Oliver Ellsworth, who declared that export taxes would stifle industry."

The Constitution Convention took place in secret.  Why the secrecy? 

Secrecy could be contrived for a short while, but never for long.  Systems critical for life will sooner or later be exposed, become vulnerable and gamed.


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

DDJ 35. 乐与饵,Direct Taxation

第三十五章
[原文]
执大象①,天下往。往而不害,安平太②。乐与饵③,过客止,道之出口,淡乎其无味,视之不足见,听之不足闻,用之不足既④。
[译文]
谁掌握了那伟大的“道”,普天下的人们便都来向他投靠,向往、投靠他而不互相妨害,于是大家就和平而安泰、宁静。音乐和美好的食物,使过路的人都为之停步,用言语来表述大道,是平淡而无味儿的,看它,看也看不见,听它,听也听不见,而它的作用,却是无穷无尽的,无限制的。


"乐与饵,过客止"。也就是智商税。 劣币驱逐良币,90%营销行为都是100%谎言。 “道之出口,淡乎其无味,视之不足见”。 无色无味无形无修饰,人本,人之本。  道是科学逻辑系统,适用于鉴别真假,预测吉凶,保护自由思想,维系公共安全。 


********《美国宪法》***********
The US Constitution Article I.Section 9.4: No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.7



The intent of this clause is to limit direct taxation (as opposed to indirect taxation on goods like the tea tax, ironically) by the government, thought to engender and enable tyranny.   The only problem is, even at the time of Constitution Convention, it seemed unclear what "direct taxation" meant.   So the later part of this clause was repealed by Amendment XVI.

"These taxes (indirect taxation)were considered safe because, regardless of who collected them, the burden was thought to be shifted to consumers. If Congress became greedy and raised rates too high, fewer taxed goods would be purchased and revenue would decrease. It was thus in the "nature of the thing," wrote Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist No. 21, that further constitutional protection against congressional overreaching was unnecessary."

智商税”大概应该算safe indirect tax.  道教教育的意义就是省税。可惜这个教育已经快绝迹了。
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/中国道教学院

教育的目的是什么? 好的教育是什么? 当社区在死亡,思想不传承,人将何去何从? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-04-18/young-white-america-is-haunted-by-a-crisis-of-despair

The Supreme Court (with Justice Neil Gorsuch) deliberating on State Denying Public Funding towards Church:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/supreme-court-likely-rule-against-missouri-church-state-battle-n748391