清明时节，澄澈的多伦多湖景。故人不在，万事纷扰。世界的过去，现在和将来好像是被一齐抛出来，迫使我们接受。时光是流逝走的？还是记忆才是流逝的？

春天来了。在纷乱的人世中，四季守约而至让人心暖。

A view of Castillo de Santa Catalina (Cadiz). The castle had been used as a fortress and a military prison from 16th till 20th century.

Roman Theatre (Cádiz). Amazingly intact after ~ 2000 years.

福山说，良好的政治秩序有三要素：法治，民主问责加国家治理能力，缺一不可。他没有说三个因素有怎样的“度”与协作才是最优。如果社会大众对民主问责的理解完全同，如现今之美国，那这样的民主问责机制应该是失效。国家治理能力与专制还是民主政体无关。都应有不同政体下良好的国之治。福山的三因素有关现代国家的内部治理。在对外政策上，现代国家互相是不是只有采用丛林法则？有没有更好的建制能良好地内治国家，外谋人类和平？看了澳大利亚学者John Keane 的新作“中华之银河帝国”。虽然不同意他所有的观点。但中国这半世纪的崛起与西方政治上出现的问题，让人摒弃过时的观点，重新审视什么是对内对外的良好政治生态。推荐阅读。

On the two biggest issues in the world (global warming and the threat of nuclear weapons), the vast majority of earthlings are under the "autocracy" of a few national leaders and have no say. We can only hope to live our best life in this world we love. For now, read more and watch less US news.

Delighted to read on Sea Silk. It comes from the anchoring hairs of Shells (Pinnacle Nobilis). Those shells are largely from the Mediterranean water. They are precious and rare golden fabrics with ~2000 years of history. Photos were from the website of Nature History Museum of Basel.

From AI.

去水边健走，碧空如洗，一群迁徙的雪鹅闪着银光，从眼前掠过。万树皆空，只剩荚蒾果火红似花。苇叶旁一对加拿大鹅在休息，安静打量偶尔经过的闲人。万物有序。所有的妄行姿意最终都是带来自毁。我们只需等待。

上周在书店随手拿了一本美国地理杂志的综合刊。这次讲的是美国简史。美国的确是一个Predatory Empire。不把美国视为灯塔，我们的现在的忧伤就会少些。再细看十九世纪美国政府以武力逐赶印第安人的“Trails of Tears” 历史，更能理解这种扩张的帝国本性。

The Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal, located on the west side of Montreal, opened in 1843. It connects Lake Saint-Louis to Lake of Two Mountains. It is also a favourite spot for locals to watch sunset.

秋水长天共吾闲。

My 48th book of the year. Silk production is a special aspect of agriculture in China since Neolithic times. But it was not until 17th century in Western Europe that people understood the biology of Silk Worms.

从X转来蓝天，希望这里山清水净。秋去冬将至，万物皆有时。该发生的就面对。