鬼节的另一好处是促进人们的交往。欧洲和拉美国家有狂欢节，有关狂欢节让人们一时抛弃身份地位的平等作用，在社会学和文学批评中的论述已是汗牛充栋。美国的鬼节虽然没有那么狂，那么欢，那么大面积地“一夜平权”，但在这个理论上没有社会等级，而实事上因经济差异还相当不平等的社会里，鬼节起到了与狂欢节很近似的作用。白天，工作单位里无论是总裁还是职工，大家都换上奇装异服，扮上鬼脸，一反平日正襟危坐的严肃模样，嘻嘻哈哈一天。虽然一年只是这么一天，其效果却令人难以想象。那些平日不待见的人，如果带上了丑陋的面具，你可以痛痛快快地告诉他：“你今天比往常好看多了！”他就是爱生气，也不会生气，俩人在笑声中可能就开始亲近了。如果是老板来了，你不妨直说：“我真希望你老戴着这种面具，比那一本正经的面孔可亲多了。”多数人可能会因此而有所改进。晚上，带着化了装的孩子，拎着小桶，在社区里转悠，只要门口亮灯，就去敲门高叫：“Trick or treat！”无论是深宅大院，还是柴扉小屋，主人都会友善地出来，欣赏你给孩子的装扮，甚至假装吓得半死，再给孩子们一些糖果。在欢笑中，邻里亲近了。即便是平日里“鸡犬之声相闻，老死不相往来”的那种美国人，今晚也会门户大开，以笑脸和糖果相迎，而绝不会像杜甫那样，因为小孩子拿走几根茅草而哭天抹泪地哀怨（真不懂这老夫子怎么还可能大庇天下众寒士）。当然，你自己也应准备好糖果。尤其是没有小孩子的人家，你要是不出门，就等邻居来访，别关着灯，一屋死气沉沉，连鬼都不上门，自绝于这热热闹闹的大千世界。
The one on the left is missing something...K. Welsh, Alamy / R. Cyril, BIOSphoto, Still Pictures
Nature（McLean, C. Y. et al. Nature 471, 216-219 (2011)）发表了一篇斯坦福大学科学家们的研究文章，他们要研究人类的某些独特特性到底是如何进化来的。和以前不同的是，他们并没有研究人类在进化过程中如何获得基因或者是旧的基因获得新的功能，而是和人类的近亲黑猩猩的基因组比较，看人类在进化过程中，‘丢失’了哪些DNA。经过比较，他们发现人类的基因组上竟然比黑猩猩少了510段DNA序列，而这些序列基本都属于基因组的非编码区。非编码区或内含子的DNA以前被一些一知半解的科普作者说成是毫无用处的‘垃圾基因’或‘垃圾DNA’,甚至被用来证明人类不是上帝设计的证据
（方舟子：总之，内含子和假基因都是生物在长期的进化过程中堆积下来的垃圾。这类垃圾，是生物进化的最好的证据，也是对于存在智能设计者的观点的最有力的否定。）
1954年美国乔治敦大学，在IBM公司的支持下，进行了第一次机器翻译试验，把俄文译成了英文。五年之后，1959年中国试验成功了俄汉机器翻译。当年，由于计算机软硬件能力有限，只能在有限的范围内进行很简单的翻译试验。如今，机器容量和速度已不成问题，翻译能力大增，在线翻译也已实现。但总的说来，还有不少问题。例如， Google的翻译工具，把I don’t go to the party 和 I didn’t go to the party 都翻译成“我没有去参加派对”。
1) [英译中] I played basketball at school this morning.
我打了今天上午在学校的篮球。[Google]
我在学校打篮球，今天上午。[Baidu]
[中译英] 我今天上午在学校打篮球了。
This morning I played basketball in school. [Google]
Today I am playing basketball at school. [Baidu]
2) This black granite wall includes the names of over 58,000 American soldiers who died or disappeared during the Vietnam War.
这个黑色花岗岩墙包括超过58,800人死亡或在越南战争期间失踪的美国士兵的名字。[Google]
这个黑色的花岗岩壁包括姓名，超过58000名美国士兵死亡或失踪，在越南战争。[Baidu]
3) The newest of the Presidential memorials is dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Located in west Potomac Park, it includes four open air rooms made of rough granite blocks. The four rooms symbolize the four terms that President Roosevelt served guiding the nation through the Great Depression and World War ll.
在我朋友的这个具体例子中；朋友信任方舟子，可方舟子控制信息，只让这位朋友看到了那张五岳散人一脸凶相，领着木刀的照片。这样再理性的人（我的朋友是理科生），他不可避免地对散人产生恶感，一旦你对一个人产生了恶感，你再去看有关这个人的全部信息，你的眼睛只会看到那些“尊重”你的感觉的信息；英文叫：You see what you want to see（你只看到你想看到的东西）。这就是我们人人下意识的信息选择性！
【立委按】要说这世界雷锋并没有绝迹，远在天边，近在眼前，咱科网就有。不过因为大数据时代了，信息泛滥，人心浮躁，雷锋们比较矮小，常被视为无物而已。不必谦虚，自举不避嫌，立博（立委博客）就是一例。单说这 n 年如一日编发【镜子大全】，洋洋洒洒百万言。连铁石心肠的毛委员都会被感动，说：一个人做点好事并不难，难的是天天做好事。今天再添一好事，编发【唐老师网文钩沉】一篇，与各位分享。
【立委按】见过能侃的，这么能侃的还真不多见。显然作者读书涉猎很广，也比较善于思考，表达能力更了得。他对大数据前景的描述还是有参阅价值的，虽然有些事例显然是张冠李戴。比如关于“开除一个语言学家，则系统质量就提高几个百分点”是一个NLP历史上著名的掌故，讲的是近20年前 IBM 实验室的语音系统（见【立委随笔：文傻和理呆的世纪悲剧】），却被按到现代的 Google Translate 项目上。
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, therefore,
The General Assembly,
Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
第三条
人人有权享有生命、自由和人身安全。
第四条
奴役严禁。
Article 4
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
第四条
任何人不得使为奴隶或奴役；一切形式的奴隶制度和奴隶买卖，均应予以禁止。
第五条
虐待可耻。
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
第五条
任何人不得加以酷刑，或施以残忍的、不人道的或侮辱性的待遇或刑罚。
第六条
无论何地，一视同仁。
Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
第六条
人人在任何地方有权被承认在法律前的人格。
第七条
法律面前，人人平等。不受歧视，同享法制。
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
第八条
任何人当宪法或法律所赋予他的基本权利遭受侵害时，有权由合格的国家法庭对这种侵害行为作有效的补救。
第九条
公安为民，严禁滥权。
Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
第九条
任何人不得加以任意逮捕、拘禁或放逐。
第十条
司法独立，公开审讯。
Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
1. Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
2. No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
第十三条
（一）人人在各国境内有权自由迁徙和居住。
（二）人人有权离开任何国家，包括其本国在内，并有权返回他的国家。
第十四条
此地迫害，他国避难。自主自由，天赋人权。
Article 14
1. Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
2. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
第十四条
（一）人人有权在其他国家寻求和享受庇护以避免迫害。
（二）在真正由于非政治性的罪行或违背联合国的宗旨和原则的行为而被起诉的情况下，不得援用此种权利。
第十五条
国籍天然，换籍自愿。
Article 15
1. Everyone has the right to a nationality.
2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
第十五条
（一）人人有权享有国籍。
（二）任何人的国籍不得任意剥夺，亦不得否认其改变国籍的权利。
第十六条
男女平等，自由成亲。
两厢情愿，禁止逼婚。
组建家庭，社会单元。
Article 16
1. Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
2. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
3. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
1. Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
第十七条
（一）人人都有单独的财产所有权以及同他人合有的所有权。
（二）任何人的财产不得任意剥夺。
第十八条
思想无罪，信仰自由。
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
2. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
第二十条
（一）人人有权享有和平集会和结社的自由。
（二）任何人不得迫使隶属于某一团体。
第二十一条
民议国事，匹夫有责。或选代表，或竞公职。
人民意愿，政府之基。平等投票，自由选举。
Article 21
1. Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
2. Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
3. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
1. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
2. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
3. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
4. Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
第二十四条
人人有享有休息和闲暇的权利，包括工作时间有合理限制和定期给薪休假的权利。
第二十五条
全民社保，衣食住医。救济贫困，社保病疾。孤寡有助，老有所依。
照顾妇孺，责归社稷。婚生私生，呵护无歧。
Article 25
1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
1. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
第二十七条
（一）人人有权自由参加社会的文化生活，享受艺术，并分享科学进步及其产生的福利。
（二）人人对由于他所创作的任何科学、文学或美术作品而产生的精神的和物质的利益，有享受保护的权利。
第二十八条
普世人权，人人惠及。务必保障，国内国际。
Article 28
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
第二十八条
人人有权要求一种社会的和国际的秩序，在这种秩序中，本宣言所载的权利和自由能获得充分实现。
第二十九条
人人有责，社会维系。
他人权益，不得侵蚀。
Article 29
1. Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
2. In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
3. These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
说起教英语，我当年的学生中名人可不少，皆因中国音乐学院是中国民族音乐的最高学府，能够攻读研究生的都不是等闲人物，甚至名冠中外的作曲家金湘（当时是作曲系主任，曾创作歌剧《原野》）也是我的编外学生。其他学生如今有的官至音乐学院副院长，有的是中国琵琶皇后，还有的被誉为某少数民族偶像级“夜莺”。最知名的当然是第一夫人彭丽媛。平时聊起来，她对媒体恭维她是歌唱皇后或巨星什么的很不以为然，她 preferred 的称号是歌唱艺术家。彭丽媛本科时期一唱成名，就上了春晚，到了研究生阶段已经名满全国。常常她在上课，门外就有记者等着采访她。她当年演出任务很多，没有那么多时间在功课上。让人惊异的是，当我循环提问到她时，无论句子多长，我说得多快，她都可以八九不离十的复述出来。有些句子显然她并不熟悉。看来她的音乐训练培养了她敏感的听觉和极强的模仿力。音乐学院的公共外语虽然是研究生必修课程，毕竟不是他／她们 career 的中心内容。期末给她出题，让她带回家做，第二天交来。她大概是熬了夜认真做的，可以看出是个很有天分的人，也确实花了功夫。
怀孕头三个月，妊娠反应特别重，腾云驾雾，翻江倒海，Mary 吐得稀里糊涂，有时连喝水都吐。Mary 是个倔脾气的人，吃了吐，吐了再吃，大量喝牛奶，生怕孩子缺少营养，影响发育。好不容易反应轻点了，孩子胳臂腿也成形了，可她就是不老实，好像生怕我们忽视她的存在似的，老拿脚踢妈妈，只见肚子上不时鼓出一个小包来，Mary笑着说，又揣我呢。出生前几个月更在里面大闹天宫，拳打脚踢不停，还恣意排泄，卓卓有声。Mary 于是不断跟她说话，絮叨做母亲的盼望和欣喜，一边数落淘气的宝宝：大宝宝呀，小宝宝，乖乖的宝宝是好宝宝。久而久之，甜甜似乎也能会意，妈妈一絮叨，她就慢慢安静下来。至今我老怀疑，甜甜后来的快言快语是 Mary“胎教”的结果，正如甜甜自己说的那样，I am born talkative, I can’t help it.
例行B超检查，得知是个女孩，我们很高兴，当天还根据胎儿透视第一次留了影，初具人形，可爱复可怜。我们于是商量起个什么名呢，Mary 提议叫甜甜，希望宝贝女儿甜甜蜜蜜。正合我意，我于是想找一个谐音的英文名，有两个选择：Tanya 和 Tina。虽然 Tina 与甜甜音更近一些，我总觉得，不如带有（俄罗斯）斯拉夫色彩的 Tanya 好听和浪漫，这也许与我小时候看《钢铁是怎样炼成的》，对小资情调的冬妮亚的美好印象有关。
我1986年硕士研究生毕业留语言研究所，受到导师器重，春风得意。除了组里的日常研究开发外，每个周末都泡在所里，干些自己感兴趣的项目，都与世界语（Esperanto）的研究和应用有关。第一个项目是把自己的硕士毕业设计从封闭系统转为开放系统。这是我用 BASIC 编写的一款从世界语自动翻译成汉语和英语的系统 E-Ch/A。麻雀虽小，五脏俱全，是当年少有的一个一对多系统，也算填写了“空白”。这项工作的直接结果有三。一是在演示后，受到德国控制论专家 Frank 教授激赏，除了决定在他的控制论杂志发表该系统的论文外，教授还写了长信，要资助我到他的实验室去继续开发这个系统（“我非常希望，北京的李维硕士能到德国工作数月以便使他的国际语到民族语的翻译程序能适应我们的需要”）。这本是一个千载难逢的出国机会，又不用考TOFEL, GRE和到处发信申请。当年出国热已经持续升温，而我和太太却浑然不觉，自得其乐。并没有把这次机会认真当回事，加上我的老板和导师刘教授巧妙劝阻，说要继续开发可以，让Frank教授出钱，承包到语言所来。知道自己走不成（觉得中途离开，跟导师面子抹不开），我就做顺水人情，把我的同事兼师兄乔毅介绍给 Frank 教授，成就了他的出国。研发世界语系统的第二个结果是，我发表在El Popola Chinio（中国报道）上的世界语语言学特点的粗浅论文引起了一个著名的西班牙教授 Juan Regulo 的注意。这位老先生是世界语界老前辈，在他的大学和城市威望极高，以他名字命名街道、广场等。正值他退休，学校决定给他出四大卷印制精美的专辑，表彰他的贡献。其中一卷是关于世界语学（Esperantologio）的论文专集，于是老先生邀请我在《中国报道》的论文基础上，扩展加工，单成一章。我文思泉涌，洋洋洒洒写了17页，有老先生来来回回多次校改修正，发表了我平生第一次的Book Chapter " Lingvistikaj trajtoj de la lingvo internacia Esperanto"（发表时老先生已经过世，他的去世在国际世界语界引起很多纪念，老先生千古！）。 我的世界语活动的第三个结果，是使我一夜之间成了万元户。在那个年头，市场经济刚刚萌芽，开始出现了第一批市场经济催生的万元户，但与多数知识分子无关。我们这些助理研究员，每月工资100元左右，即便加上工余的兼课外快（我由导师和师母引荐，在中国音乐学院兼职教授研究生英语，每课时不到10块钱，还要备课和自理交通），做梦也不敢指望哪天成为万元户。
话说当年荷兰有一家软件公司 BSO，从政府申请到一笔科研资金，公司本身补足另一半，做一个以世界语为媒介语的分布式多语机器翻译项目 DLT。五年下来，成绩斐然，开发了一个很像样的原型系统（但是分布式翻译的设想有点超越时代，最终没有找到后续资金去做商业开发）。为了对多语言机器翻译做可行性研究，BSO 要求按照一个统一的依存关系句法的理论框架，对十几种主要语言编写形式句法，用来支持媒介语和自然语言的相互转换。他们看到我在世界语机器翻译上有研究，于是请我承包汉语的依存句法的编写项目。也算他们找对了人，我周末日以继夜，努力工作五六个月，编写了一部比较完整的汉语形式句法－现代汉语依存关系句法（A Dependency Syntax of Contemporary Chinese），给他们交活，极受欣赏。他们先给了我1000荷兰盾的支票作为报酬，于是拿到中国银行托收。大概是荷兰太遥远，需要通过多次银行间的中转，结果三个月了，钱还收不到，我就写信抱怨。过了一周，突然接到中国银行通知，让我去取一笔电汇。我跟太太去王府井中国银行，惊奇地发现在我的名下有1000美元汇款。拿到这笔折合人民币约万元的“巨款”，当时没有顾上高兴，一路走一路嘀咕，难道钱真可以从天上掉下来。太太甚至坚持这肯定是搞错了，说要回去把不义之财退还。第二天接到荷兰公司的信，才明白是他们邮寄的，作为对我的工作的额外奖赏，同时对支票不能及时兑现致歉（后来还是兑现了）。汉语是主要语言，我承包的项目对于他们的多语研究和寻找后续资金意义重大。后来乘我1989年去德国开机器翻译高峰会议，他们还特地邀请我和我的导师去他们实验室访问一周，进一步探讨汉语用于多语机器翻译的一些问题。
.jpg)
圣诞快乐
