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March 11 Dig Dig Digging 002The essential feature of a game—that the best strategy to adopt depends on what others are doing. 博弈论的精髓在于:你的最佳策略取决于他人的策略。 communal consciousness 中国人经常说的“集体意识” Gutman recreates the family and extended kinship structure mainly through an ingenious use of what any historian should draw upon... Gutman重塑了家庭和广泛悠久的家属结构,主要是通过某种独具匠心的做法, 这就是利用了任何一个史学家都应加以利用的东西... terrestrial clouds 从外星人的角度说“地球上的云” It pleased me to indulge her wishes. I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, to discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and to be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. Walden or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) 摘抄自《瓦尔登湖》作者亨利·梭罗,怕自己把意境翻译没了,就不翻了。 March 09 【zz】EDC 艳照门道歉声明英文剖析Thx Sien, who found this article from EnglishWorld on BMY. All rights reserved by ffjlk. 发信人: ffjlk (ffjlk), 信区: EnglishWorld 前言:真的没想到陈冠希会用全英文做道歉陈述,虽然知道他是CBC(Canadian Born 核心词汇解析 account for 1) 说明,解释;2) 占…比例 核心词汇解析 circulate = circul(circle圆圈) + ate v.循环,流通 核心词汇解析 upload = up + load vt.上传(图片, 文件等) 核心词汇解析 look up to 仰望,尊重= respect 核心词汇解析 whole-heatedly 全心全意地; single-mindedly一心一意地 核心词汇解析 assist = as(to) + sist(stand) vt.(站在一旁来) 协助 核心词汇解析 单词组记:prior to, priority Dig Dig Digging 001"I grew up," she says, "with a sense of impending loss." 她说:生于忧患 "Just because you are not an honor roll student," he said, "does not mean you do not have a valuable contribution to make. The backbone of our society is the good, solid-C student. Some of you have to work the fields in the evening and do not have the time to study. But if you do your best, you have a gift to give." 他说:不是优等生的你,不代表你不会给这个社会做贡献。我们这个社会的建造者,正是你们这些C等生。你们中的有些人也许会在未来忙于工作而没有时间学习,但是努力做最好的自己,你总会为这个社会的繁荣贡献自己的力量。 FROM: Teacher's Bet09MAR08 Heading in the wrong direction 走错了方向以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有 IF ANY more evidence is needed that America’s economy is perilously close to recession, it was delivered this week. On Friday March 7th the Bureau of Labour Statistics announced that the economy lost 63,000 non-farm jobs in February, following a smaller decline in employment in January. Even with all the bearish talk recently, these results were unexpectedly bad; forecasters had projected a small increase, not the largest drop in five years. The unemployment rate edged down from 4.9% to 4.8%, but only because there were fewer unemployed people actively searching for work. 本周的一切迹象再次证明了美国经济已经进入萧条期。三月7日星期五美国劳动局发布的数据表明,继一月低迷的就业市场后,二月非农民工的招聘量少了63000人。即使在最近最苛刻的评论中,大家都认为现在的情形是意想不到的糟糕。有分析家认为其实情况还是好的,起码现在的就业率不是五年来的最低。失业率从4.9%缓和到4.8%,但是这只是一种假象,因为那些失业的人也早已不怎么找工作了。 On the same day the Federal Reserve announced that it would make additional loans of up to $100 billion available to prevent renewed strains in money markets from hurting the economy. The question for many is now turning from whether a recession is on the way to how long and how deep it will be. 同在一天美联储宣布将投入1000亿美元贷款来遏制现在的经济状况进一步恶化。于是现在人们担心的问题是美国是否已经进入经济萧条,如果是,将会有多糟糕。 The worst jobs news is still in the house-building sector, which is reeling from the effects of plummeting home prices. Since an industry high point in 2006 some 209,000 trade jobs (such as plumbers and electricians) and 137,000 construction jobs have melted away. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported on Thursday that foreclosures are up by 71% from a year ago. 受持续低迷的房产价格影响,境遇最糟糕的仍然是房地产商。因为其在高峰期2006年创造的209000份交易员岗位和137000建工岗位就这样在这场经济萧条中消无踪影。抵押银行家星期二的报告指出在去年一年房屋回收率高达71%。 March 08 演讲技巧 Greening the ghetto 城市绿化工程比较老的一个片段了,今天才看到的,Majora Carter的精彩演讲风格让我还是把它贴出来了。自信,幽默,对未来充满希望。 Carter是一位积极的环保主义者,在她的演讲中,主题大概可以定为这句:“No community should be saddled with more environmental burdens and less environmental benefits than any other.”
美国大选 Obama演讲Remix版Black eyed peas重新翻录了Obama的演讲,做出了这样的DV。 It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation. Yes we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom. Yes we can. Yes we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness. Yes we can. It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballot; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountain-top and pointed the way to the Promised Land. Yes we can to justice and equality. (yes we can) Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world. Yes we can (repeat). We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change. We want change (repeat)! We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics who will only grow louder and more dissonant. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. We want change (repeat)! The hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in America’s story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea - Yes. We. Can. 08MAR08 What's holding India back? 是什么阻挡印度经济增长?以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有
“THE tiger is under grave threat,” India's finance minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, intoned at one point in his budget speech on February 29th. He was referring to the stripy animals that prowl the country in declining numbers. But India's tigerish economy, which has grown by 9% a year on average over the past three years, is itself under threat. “印度虎正处在危机之中,”印度经济部长Palaniappan Chidambaram在二月29日的预算演讲中语重心长的说。他用印度虎来比喻印度这个国家正在下降的经济形势。印度这个经历了持续三年高于9%的经济增长速度的国度,却有着自己的内部危机。 In many ways India counts as one of liberalisation's greatest success stories. For years, it pottered along, weighed down by the regulations that made up the licence raj, producing only a feeble “Hindu” rate of growth. But over the past 15 years it has been transformed into a far more powerful beast. Its companies have become worldbeaters. Without India's strength, the world economy would have had far less to boast about. 印度经济上的成功大多程度上取决于其经济自由化改革的成功。这么多年来,仅印度手工制陶业,在旧体制下负重不堪从而导致许可证制度的出现,最终导致脆弱的印度式经济增长。在过去的15年中这种改革形成了一股强大的力量,印度公司也在国际市场中更具竞争力。如果没有印度经济的强势增长,全球经济的增长也许不会这么快。 注:Licence Raj 在印度,专门指那些出售各种经济活动所需要的许可证的人。 Sadly, this achievement is more fragile than it looks. Many things restrain India's economy, from a government that depends on Communist support to the caste system, power cuts and rigid labour laws. But an enduring constraint is even more awkward: a state that makes a big claim on a poor country's resources but then uses them badly. 遗憾的是,印度的成就本质上非常脆弱。有太多因素制约着印度的经济发展,从共产主义制度到等级制度,从官僚制度到残酷的劳工法。然而最可怕的制约因素是:经济发展对资源和能源的依赖,增加了对环境的压力。 (换句话说,忽略了可持续发展) March 07 07MAR08 The decoupling debate 关于脱钩理论的争论以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有
“DECOUPLING” is the source of a great deal of controversy. Economists argue about whether or not emerging economies will follow America into recession. The most pessimistic claim that as economies have become more intertwined through trade and finance, this should make business cycles more synchronised, not less. The slide in emerging stockmarkets on Wall Street’s coat-tails appears to endorse their view. Yet recent data suggest decoupling is no myth. Indeed, it may yet save the world economy. “脱钩”一直是在经济学中备受争议的理论。经济学家们就新兴市场是否会步美国经济萧条的后尘各持己见。最悲观的论调莫过于所有经济体在全球化的大背景下,国际市场应该变的更加一致,而不是现在所显示出的这些新兴市场经济正在和美国经济“脱钩”。华尔街市场的下滑似乎应证了这点,但是最近的数据显示“脱钩”并不是一个神话,它也许正是拯救全球经济的切点。 Decoupling does not mean that an American recession will have no impact on developing countries. That would be daft. The point is that their GDP-growth rates will slow by much less than in previous American downturns. Most enjoyed strong growth during the fourth quarter of last year, and some speeded up, even as America’s economy ground to a virtual halt and its non-oil imports fell. 但是“脱钩”并不意味着美国金融市场的萧条对发展中国家就一点影响都没有。那些认为发展中国家的GDP增长率在美国经济衰退时都有所缓慢的想法简直就是闹剧。大多数国家的GDP增长率在去年第四季度非常强劲,有些速度反而增加,甚至在美国经济大触底的时候。 One reason is that while exports to America have stumbled, those to other emerging economies have surged (see chart 1). China’s growth in exports to America slowed to only 5% (in dollar terms) in the year to January, but exports to Brazil, India and Russia were up by more than 60%, and those to oil exporters by 45%. Half of China’s exports now go to other emerging economies. Likewise, South Korea's exports to the United States tumbled by 20% in the year to February, but its total exports rose by 20%, thanks to trade with other developing nations.
一方面的原因是,即使美国出口量缩水,但是其他新兴市场的出口市场却依然繁荣。中国对美国的出口量从去年到今年一月仅降低了5%,然而中国对其他国家,比如巴西,印度和俄国却剧增60%,对石油出口国达到了45%。中国一半的出口量现在转移到了其他新兴市场。同样的情况,南韩去年到今年二月期间对美国的出口量降低了20%,但是总体出口量却增加了20%,多亏了南韩与其他新兴市场的贸易合作。 A second supporting factor is that in many emerging markets domestic consumption and investment quickened during 2007. Their consumer spending rose almost three times as fast as in the developed world. Investment seems to be holding up even better: according to HSBC real capital spending rose by a staggering 17% in emerging economies last year, compared with only 1.2% in rich economies. 第二个原因是,大多数新兴市场的国内市场消费和投资在2007年猛增。这些市场的消费量的增长量甚至是发达国家的三倍。投资市场的发展甚至更好:根据HSBC的报告,去年新兴市场的资本投资猛增17%,而发展国家只有可怜的1.2%。 Sceptics argue that much of this investment, especially in China, is in the export sector and so will collapse as sales to America weaken. But less than 15% of China’s investment is linked to exports. Over half is in infrastructure and property. It is not just China that is building power plants, roads and railways; a large chunk of the Gulf’s petrodollars are also being spent on gleaming skyscrapers and new airports. Mexico, Brazil and Russia have also launched big infrastructure projects that will take years to complete. 怀疑者反对说,大多数中国的投资是来自出口部门,所以这些市场最终要随着美国市场的衰弱而倒塌。但是事实上低于15%的中国投资是与出口相关的。大多数的投资被用于基础建设。要知道这个世界上不仅仅只是中国在造发电厂,道路和铁路;还有很多中东石油国家也在大量投资在摩天大楼和机场建设中。墨西哥,巴西和俄国也正在有大量的基础工程在进行。 The four biggest emerging economies, which accounted for two-fifths of global GDP growth last year, are the least dependent on the United States: exports to America account for just 8% of China’s GDP, 4% of India’s, 3% of Brazil’s and 1% of Russia’s. Over 95% of China’s growth of 11.2% in the year to the fourth quarter came from domestic demand. China’s growth is widely expected to slow this year but to a still boisterous 9-10%. 最大的四个新兴市场,也就是去年占全球GDP增长五分之二的国家,也正是对美国依赖最少的国家:美国出口对中国仅占8%,印度占4%,巴西占3%,同时俄国占1%。中国去年GDP增长总量为11.2%,其中95%来自其国内市场需求。人们曾经预测中国GDP增长会在今年减弱但是其实它仍然保持9-10%的快速增长。 被点名了被海浪点名了(link: http://hailangqin.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!B78F26D3A5C4EADA!135.entry) 只做回答吧,就不继续了。 1.你相信命中注定吗? Yes, if you call it a FATE. But for DESTINY, not yet happened in my life so far. 2.认为分手后男女朋友还可以做普通朋友吗? Depends. It is not a matter of who is the first one to save; it is a matter whether I have the ability to save them both finally. And I think, yes, I am quite confident about this point. 4.你相信承诺吗?为什么? Depends. Traveling around world with the right person at the right time in the right places. 6.你觉得朋友相处最重要是什么? I think friendship involves recognition or familiarity with another's personality. My friends should share likes and dislikes, interests, pursuits, and passion.
7.你最喜欢吃的水果是什么?
Um... Apple? 8.你最喜欢的颜色 Dark red and black, I use this kind of background color for my presentations a lot recently. Two-timer. Depends. Same as Hailang's answer "Excellent friends". And I also want to live a good lifestyle life. 12.理想中生活的地点是哪里?为什么。
I don't care where I live, I care what kind of life I live. 13.如果有来生,你想作什么。 A pop star in front of flashes... Um, well, I know that's pretty sick. I think if I could make an end goal of the thinking to create a happier life, and keep that in the back of my mind, so that I can't go wrong with any amount of thinking, then I would be the happiest person in this world. Too sad I still can't figure out that END GOAL. 15.每到年末,你的心情如何? Calm.
Like said before, two-timer is unforgivable. But I will be over it, and move on. Those did not kill me makes me stronger, and yes, be aware of what kind of person is the really Mr. Right. 17.2007年你最后悔的一件事是什么? 2007? None, it is the best year in my life so far. 18.你的新年愿望是什么?
Like said before, traveling around world with the right person at the right time in the right places. Hell yeah, I am on my way. 19.如果遇到不顺心的事,你最想干什么? Eat. 20. Which problem is more complex, social or science? Case-by-case. And I believe that every problem can be figured out. February 26 26FEB08 Play your cards right 善待你的信用卡以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有
WHEN markets are rocky and the economy is wobbling is it a good idea to splash out on a credit card? Visa, the world’s leading credit-card operator, certainly thinks so. On Monday February 25th Visa said that it would soon go ahead with an initial public offering (IPO) of around half of its shares, which might raise as much as $18.8 billion. Given the dark mood at most of America’s leading financial institutions what has motivated Visa to embark upon what would be, by a comfortable margin, America’s biggest IPO? 当美国经济一片萧条的时候,是否也是人们开始大量使用信用卡的时机呢?Visa,这个世界信用卡行业的领头军,显然是打算抓住这个契机的。二月25日星期一,Visa宣布其将首次公开募股,筹资额可能达188亿美元。在美国经济如此萧条的时候,到底是什么促使Visa做出这个将成为历史最高首次公开募股额的大胆决定呢? In October 2006 Visa took the decision to float its businesses outside Europe (within that continent Visa will continue to be operated by the banks that own it). An IPO in May of that year by MasterCard, its nearest rival as an enemy of deferred gratification, proved a roaring success. Despite the troubles in credit markets its shares are still worth five times their value on flotation. Visa clearly reckons that it might benefit in the same way. 2006年十月Visa曾作出决定在欧洲以外的地区发行债券(同时Visa仍然受银行控制)。同年五月,Visa的最大竞争对手MasterCard在由首次公开募股获得了巨大成功。尽管信用卡市场仍存在问题,但是MasterCard的债券仍然翻了五番。Visa也许就是因为这点,希望通过与MasterCard融资相同的方式来获取成功。 February 23 我思故我在【转】HP大中华区总裁退休感言HP大中华区总裁孙振耀退休感言(关于工作/生活),关于将来选择怎样的生活方式,去公司,外企还是国企;去公务员,政府还是高校;当作选择的时候,也许不能只看前几年,眼光稍微远一点,将来的路子就宽一点。
一、关于工作与生活 我有个有趣的观察,外企公司多的是25-35岁的白领,40岁以上的员工很少,二三十岁的外企员工是意气风发的,但外企公司40岁附近的经理人是很尴尬的。我见过的40岁附近的外企经理人大多在一直跳槽,最后大多跳到民企,比方说,唐骏。外企员工的成功很大程度上是公司的成功,并非个人的成功,西门子的确比国美大,但并不代表西门子中国经理比国美的老板强,甚至可以说差得很远。而进外企的人往往并不能很早理解这一点,把自己的成功90%归功于自己的能力,实际上,外企公司随便换个中国区总经理并不会给业绩带来什么了不起的影响。好了问题来了,当这些经理人40多岁了,他们的薪资要求变得很高,而他们的才能其实又不是那么出众,作为外企公司的老板,你会怎么选择?有的是只要不高薪水的,要出位的精明强干精力冲沛的年轻人,有的是,为什么还要用你? 从这个角度上来说,我不太赞成过于关注第一份工作的薪水,更没有必要攀比第一份工作的薪水,这在刚刚出校园的学生中间是很常见的。正常人大概要工作35年,这好比是一场马拉松比赛,和真正的马拉松比赛不同的是,这次比赛没有职业选手,每个人都只有一次机会。要知到,有很多人甚至坚持不到终点,大多数人最后是走到终点的,只有少数人是跑过终点的,因此在刚开始的时候,去抢领先的位置并没有太大的意义。刚进社会的时候如果进500强公司,大概能拿到3k-6k/月的工资,有些特别技术的人才可能可以到8k/月,可问题是,5年以后拿多少?估计5k-10k了不起了。起点虽然高,但增幅有限,而且,后面的年轻人追赶的压力越来越大。 二、 根源 你工作快乐么?你的工作好么? 三、什么是好工作 当初微软有个唐骏,很多大学里的年轻人觉得这才是他们向往的职业生涯,我在清华bbs里发的帖子被这些学子们所不屑,那个时候学生们只想出国或者去外企,不过如今看来,我还是对的,唐骏去了盛大,陈天桥创立的盛大,一家民营公司。一个高学历的海归在500强的公司里拿高薪水,这大约是很多年轻人的梦想,问题是,每年毕业的大学生都在做这个梦,好的职位却只有500个。 四、普通人 我发现中国人的励志和国外的励志存在非常大的不同,中国的励志比较鼓励人立下大志愿,卧薪尝胆,有朝一日成富成贵。而国外的励志比较鼓励人勇敢面对现实生活,面对普通人的困境,虽然结果也是成富成贵,但起点不一样,相对来说,我觉得后者在操作上更现实,而前者则需要用999个失败者来堆砌一个成功者的故事。 你想要的东西,或者我们把它称之为目标,目标其实并没有高低之分,你不需要因为自己的目标没有别人远大而不好意思,达到自己的目标其实就是成功,成功有大有小,快乐却是一样的。我们追逐成功,其实追逐的是成功带来的快乐,而非成功本身。职业生涯的道路上,我们常常会被攀比的心态蒙住眼睛,忘记了追求的究竟是什么,忘记了是什么能使我们更快乐。 首先要说明,工作是一件需要理智的事情,所以不要在工作上耍个性,天涯上或许会有人觉得你很有个性而叫好,煤气公司电话公司不会因为觉得你很有个性而免了你的帐单。当你很帅地炒掉了你的老板,当你很酷地挖苦了一番招聘的HR,账单还是要照付,只是你赚钱的时间更少了,除了你自己,没人受损失。 六、等待 这是个浮躁的人们最不喜欢的话题,本来不想说这个话题,因为会引起太多的争论,而我又无意和人争论这些,但是考虑到对于职业生涯的长久规划,这是一个躲避不了的话题,还是决定写一写,不爱看的请离开吧。 有很多时候我们需要等待,需要耐得住寂寞,等待属于你的那一刻。周润发等待过,刘德华等待过,周星驰等待过,王菲等待过,张艺谋也等待过……看到了他们如今的功成名就的人,你可曾看到当初他们的等待和耐心?你可曾看到金马奖影帝在街边摆地摊?你可曾看到德云社一群人在剧场里给一位观众说相声?你可曾看到周星驰的角色甚至连一句台词都没有?每一个成功者都有一段低沉苦闷的日子,我几乎能想象得出来他们借酒浇愁的样子,我也能想象得出他们为了生存而挣扎的窘迫。在他们一生最中灿烂美好的日子里,他们渴望成功,但却两手空空,一如现在的你。没有人保证他们将来一定会成功,而他们的选择是耐住寂寞。如果当时的他们总念叨着“成功只是属于特权阶级的”,你觉得他们今天会怎样? 逆境,是上帝帮你淘汰竞争者的地方。要知道,你不好受,别人也不好受,你坚持不下去了,别人也一样,千万不要告诉别人你坚持不住了,那只能让别人获得坚持的信心,让竞争者看着你微笑的面孔,失去信心,退出比赛。胜利属于那些有耐心的人。 七、入对行跟对人 在中国,大概很少有人是一份职业做到底的,虽然如此,第一份工作还是有些需要注意的地方,有两件事情格外重要,第一件是入行,第二件事情是跟人。第一份工作对人最大的影响就是入行,现代的职业分工已经很细,我们基本上只能在一个行业里成为专家,不可能在多个行业里成为专家。很多案例也证明即使一个人在一个行业非常成功,到另外一个行业,往往完全不是那么回事情,“你想改变世界,还是想卖一辈子汽水?”是乔布斯邀请百事可乐总裁约翰·斯考利加盟苹果时所说的话,结果这位在百事非常成功的约翰,到了苹果表现平平。其实没有哪个行业特别好,也没有哪个行业特别差,或许有报道说哪个行业的平均薪资比较高,但是他们没说的是,那个行业的平均压力也比较大。看上去很美的行业一旦进入才发现很多地方其实并不那么完美,只是外人看不见。 八、选择职业 职业的选择,总的来说,无非就是销售、市场、客服、物流、行政、人事、财务、技术、管理几个大类,有个有趣的现象就是,500强的CEO当中最多的是销售出身,第二多的人是财务出身,这两者加起来大概超过95%。现代IT行业也有技术出身成为老板的,但实际上,后来他们还是从事了很多销售和市场的工作,并且表现出色,公司才获得了成功,完全靠技术能力成为公司老板的,几乎没有。这是有原因的,因为销售就是一门跟人打交道的学问,而管理其实也是跟人打交道的学问,这两者之中有很多相通的东西,他们的共同目标就是“让别人去做某件特定的事情。”而财务则是从数字的层面了解生意的本质,从宏观上看待生意的本质,对于一个生意是否挣钱,是否可以正常运作有着最深刻的认识。 虽然离开惠普仅有十五天,但感觉上惠普已经离我很远。我的心思更多放在规划自己第二阶段的人生,这并非代表我对惠普没有任何眷恋,主要还是想以此驱动自己往前走。 我思故我在 【转】我为什么回国2001年张朝阳接受专访时的谈话整理,这么多年过去了,现在重新看,仍然有很多启发价值。 关于出国,关于具体去哪个国家,是需要想清楚的一个问题。 我到美国考取的奖学金项目是由李政道发起的,这个项目每年从中国招100个学生到美国去学习。考这个项目的时候,全国各大学筛选出来700个人参加考试,清华送出一个有25人参加的代表队。说实话,所有能来参加考试的人其实都是各学校的尖子,几乎每个人都有远大的抱负,想拿到诺贝尔奖、想当物理大师的比比皆是,每个人都特别狂。而且在应考阶段,主考方面把大家放在一起,一天24小时让他们在各个方面进行较量,这就把学习变成了一场非常艰苦的心理搏斗。 这个项目最终的录取人数为100人,所有这700名学生都经过了严格的三天考试。那次清华有8个人考上这个项目,我就是其中的一个。这场竞争给我留下的印象之深,至今都让我觉得有一种“曾经沧海难为水”的感觉。事实的确如此,现在经常有人问我:“在面对风险投资时心理压力能不能承受?”我则回答:“这些压力比起我在清华参加考试的时候的压力要小得多。” 那时候我正十八九岁,在这样的年纪就必须面对这种竞争,对人的心理折磨是很厉害的。所以我从那时候起就开始冬泳,当时自认为是锻炼身体,现在仔细想想那实际上是在进行一种自我虐待,是想通过一种非常艰苦的过程来向自己证明自身的坚强。 这场竞争最终把我带到了美国。 我靠着这个奖学金项目到美国之后,辗转进入了麻省理工学院搞凝聚态物理。现在想想其实我挺为自己觉得幸运的。麻省理工学院本身的校风非常务实,我从这种务实的校风里体会到不少正确做事的方法。 1993年年底我拿到博士学位,这时候的我已经开始对物理以外的很多事情感兴趣起来。那时候华尔街的人认为麻省理工学院的学生都很聪明,尤其是学物理和学数学的,所以他们的人愿意到我们学校来招人,我的很多同学都因为这个原因到华尔街当股票分析员去了。 但是我当时觉得在美国呆了这么长时间,最能发挥我作用的是必须做一些跟中国有点关系的事情,不然我跟美国人比起来几乎可以说没有什么特长。经过仔细为自己分析,我觉得对当时的我来说,最直接的一条路就是留在麻省理工学院做跟中国相关的事情。那时候我的导师已被提升为副校长了,而且我们学校也真的有和中国发展一些关系的设想,校方就任命我来做这些事情。在行政上,校方把我放在一个叫做企业关系部的部门里面,专门负责跟中国方面的联络事务。其实,这个职位等于是为我这样一个人凭空创造出来的。 从此我在这个职位上开始了完全与物理无关的工作,更多的是跟别人吃饭,做国际关系,在学校里接待中国来访的官员,也安排校方领导到中国访问。 我明白我当时所做的事情使得我在这个社会所受到的重视程度跟我想得到的重视程度根本不相符,所以我一直觉得特别迷惘,不明白自己的人生为什么这么艰难,自己为什么生活得这么痛苦。但是,每当我回到国内的时候,我就能感受到一种非常明显的理直气壮。真的,那时候在国内遇到的任何人,我觉得他们都活得那么理直气壮,哪怕他们是在跟人吵架。而我在美国见到的华人,不管他是做什么的,哪怕是高级教授,都给我一种疲弱无力的感觉,我相信这是长期客 居他乡给人造成的外在精神缺憾。 我同样观察到在北京的美国人也一样给人这种感受。也就是说我在北京看到的美国人和在美国看到的美国人感觉是不一样的。在北京看到的美国人大多也给人疲弱、苍白的感觉,而在美国看到的美国人都显得生活很充实、很忙碌的样子。 所以,这个问题不是华人在美国有没有受到歧视的问题,而是你究竟有没有主流文化的感觉。你不在主流文化里面,你的生活中必定缺乏营养。我常常这样觉得:任何离开从小长大的环境到另外一个文化圈子里面去的人,都不太可能在新文化圈子里融入主流文化,哪怕这个人外语讲得再好。 这些思考让我得出的体会是:如果我跟美国人之间想达成类似中国人之间的那种“一回生二回熟”的信任,以求谋得一些商业利益,可能需要很长时间。 这让我觉得作为一个在自己文化圈中运作的人可以利用的社会资源特别特别多。 这样的一种思考贯穿了我整个1994、1995年反复回国的过程,我越来越觉得自己只有回到国内才能做出更大的事情。 当我把我的这个想法说出来之后,我周围的很多朋友都很不理解为什么我要放弃。 我知道这些人能有今天都是靠他们自己奋斗得来的,再加上他们已经在美国呆的时间很长了,你问他:“想不想回国?”他们一定回答:“不想回国。”如果你再问他:“在美国生活得快乐不快乐?”他们一定会说: “我在这儿挺好的。”根据这样的回答你会得出这样一个结论:中国人在美国混得都挺好的。但是如果你把时光压缩一下,比较一下这些人在出国前怀有的满腔抱负和他们现在在美国所处的境况,就会发现他们在自己的理想和抱负方面已经大打折扣了,也就是说他们已经对自己无所求,求的就是稳定和安逸的生活。 这点毫无疑问是和仍旧留在国内的人不大一样的。我回国之后见到国内的三四十岁的知识分子,他们一个个基本上还和以前一样,都还是忧国忧民主义者。 美国社会整个一切一切的事情基本上都跟我们在文化圈之外的人没有关系。长期处于这种状况下的人慢慢就会忘记了当初的抱负,只是看到了一些表面的东西:在郊外有一栋洋房,有几辆车,孩子能上最好的大学。或者扩大一点来说,一个议员要到华人社区来募捐竞选,大家都去参加参加等等。如果总是停留在这样一些活动中,他们就会不知道这个圈子之外还有一个更加辉煌灿烂的、主宰和控制美国的东西。 老实说我在回国之后的这三年里见到过许多很核心的美国人,比我过去呆在美国那么多年所见到的美国重要人物要多得多,我同时也知道了主宰美国这个社会的这些人都在干什么。 如果我像过去一样停留在美国的话,这些人我是不可能见到的,或者说我可能要花很多时间才能见到他们,才能和他们一起做生意,但是我立足于国内再回到美国之后,由于我带来的是一种他们所没有的机会,我和他们的这种交流和合作就格外受到重视。 在国内的这三年我更清楚地看到了主宰美国这个社会的主流在什么地方,所以越回国呆就越觉得当时所作的回国决定绝对正确。当年我在美国虽然在麻省理工学院工作,但是我还是觉得自己不在美国主流社会里面,包括我们学校里一些很著名的院级华人教授我都不觉得他们生活在主流社会里面。华人在美国处于亚文化这事情是绝对的,这并不因为你上过美国的什么学校就能够改变。 在美国如果我去酒吧喝酒的话,我甚至不如当地一些做蓝领工作的人知道的事情多,我在那里看到一帮美国人在谈论周围发生的各种各样事情的感觉,都让我觉得自己是外人。 而后来我回到国内来,我从国内出租车司机、餐馆服务员、走在街上的人们身上也能够感受到人活在自己的国土上、在主流文化的圈子里的那种津津有味。 说到回国,又必须牵涉出另外一件事情和另外一个人。 他是我同学的同学,他从哈佛商学院毕业之后准备开办一个商务信息发展公司,而且他准备开办的这个公司已经进入了筹备阶段。他是美国人,父母给了他一些钱,他的公司叫INTERNET SECURITIES INC.(简称ISI),比照当时非常受欢迎的“美国在线 (AMERICAN ON LINE)”,他想做一个“欧洲在线”,我当时其实正在想做一个“亚洲在线”或者是‘冲国在线”。 因为他的业务要在全世界发展,所以他需要在中国建立一个办公室来收集中国的商业信息,这样的话他需要派一个人到中国来。当时我急需回国,所以我忍受了非常低的工资待遇。但是有些话我是和他明说了的,我告诉他我虽然接受了ISI的工作,但我最终还是要开办一个自己的公司,所以我要他给我一定的时间来探索这件事情的可能性。我的这位朋友很开明,他允许我有百分之三十的时间来研究自己的事情。 我就这样带着他人的使命和自己的想法回国了。 也许是因为我在美国一直呆在学校里,即便后来工作了,但时间也不长,因此我对物质生活的要求也不是很高。回国后的前几个月我一直住在一个既当办公室又当住处的二星级酒店里,房间只有四平方米,热水也时常并不很热,条件很不好。但与此同时我能够看到周围的人都是和自己一样的人,这种感觉让我觉得心情很好。 时间很快地就到了第二年。第二年的4月份我回美国开会,特意绕道麻省理工学院商学院去,找以前我认识的一位教授爱德华·罗伯特谈,那时候我已经对自己的公司有一点初步的想法。我的这个想法得到了这位教授的支持,他愿意拿出一笔钱来帮我成立这个公司,但是他提出还需要另外有人一起投资共担风险。 到1996年11月份的时候我最后落实下来的只有两个人,筹集到的资金总额为22.5万美元。有了这笔钱之后,我回到中国来开始探索自己的新公司该怎么做。 1997年一整年的时间我都在探索新公司的专业发展模式,首先我决定我们的公司主要做内容,而不是做基础结构的ISP,也就是说我们不去管网络的基础结构,而是管网络所蕴含的内容。后来我们做了一阵又决定应该集中精力来帮助别人分类整理内容,而不是去做原始内容。 到了1998年2月份的时候我们把自己主要业务的产品起名叫做“搜抓(SOHU)”正式推出,我们网站一炮打响,从此“搜狐”成为中国互联网第一品牌。 1998年是我们推出“搜狐”以后进入巨大增长的阶段,而在资金方面,到 1997年 11月份我手里的22.5万美元就已经快用光了。9月份我又到美国去融资,这一次融资就应该算是比较正式的风险融资了。 这一次其实是非常艰苦的融资过程,因为你站在中国的国土上到美国去融资或者说要想说服美国人往中国投钱,这件事本身就是非常非常难的。当时对方担心的主要问题在于究竟中国有没有市场。这在美国人来讲心理上有一个很大的台阶要上。所幸那次我一共融来了二百多万美元,是英特尔(INTEL)公司和其他几个公司联合投入的。这样的话,1998年整个“搜狐”的发展就不缺资金了。 迄今为止,我们公司业绩发展不错,到1998年公司的收支已经可以靠广告持平了,公司1998年全年的收入达到100万美元。而且更为重要的是,现在国内的人已经开始对“风险投资”这个概念持接受态度了,在这方面我们算是国内的一个典范,人们一提到风险投资就会提到我们的“搜狐”。 现在,国内的风险投资甚至已经成为一个相当时髦的概念,所以现在的融资和过去相比变得容易多了。但是由于我们有很多东西都还处于探索阶段,这就带来了很多危机和很多危险性。但是我们绝对看好自己的事业,互联网能够在美国乃至国际上取得那么大的成就,在国内也一定能行。美国很多成功的模式在中国最后肯定也能够获得成功,对此我深信不疑。 在过去的三年里,我在公司里做的一直是管理工作,现在我们的公司已经有一百多人了。我的管理经验也从管理一个人、两个人一直成长到现在,到年底,我们的员工人数大约要增加到两百人。 走到今天,自己回想一下,如果没有美国的经历,我会在好几个方面比较欠缺。到美国去生活使我见了比较大的世面,理解了世界上除了一种国家的生存形态还有另外一种形态的生存,同时也体会到美国人定义下的平等概念。在我看来,这种平等的概念特别重要,所以我在价值取向上没有很强的等级观念。 当然,除了没有等级观念之外我还获得了危机意识和生存意识。我在美国奋斗了九年多,那种危机感一直都跟随着我。 而且,在美国的这么多年里见识了很多人的各种各样的生活方式以后,我已经不会很狭隘地保留一种小人得志的感觉,可以生活得非常平民化,这些都是综合了美国给我的各种观念而成的,比如平民精神,比如平民文化,比如见过世面,比如边缘人心态,等等。 但是我一直有一个观念,那就是我觉得自己并不是儒商,之所以有这样的想法,也是因为我去美国接受了这种平等的、没有官本位观念的概念。中国的儒商因为受到中国学而优则仕观念的影响,对于一些冠冕堂皇的大目标比较关注,相比之下,我比较崇尚美国电脑大亨比尔·盖茨的追求,他说:“我这辈子没有什么要求,我的要求就是想要让每个人的桌面上有一台电脑。”这其实是很崇高的理想,这样他就可以形成百年老店,这样他就可以屹立不倒。 而在中国,儒商稍微做出了大一点的成就,他们马上就会想到政治上的、文化上的、忧国忧民上的事情,最后,他作决定的时候观念都可能模糊了。他在作很多决策的时候就开始头脑发热,从而变得不会去务实,不会去瞄准一件产品让它长期地发展,不考虑自己的产品真正能够为市场带来什么,这其实就是中国儒商自我发展的一种局限性。 至于我自己的目标,其实很简单:我最终希望公司能够在华尔街上市,我的心愿是要把它变成更大的品牌。 发展到今天这样一步,我认为我们这批人当百万富翁的可能性很大很大,因为我们已经占据了一个有利的地形,我们有很强大的风险资本的支持,我们有一个很好的队伍。如果说中国互联网上能够有人成功,我认为非我们莫属。 我觉得在国外接受过教育再回国来创业,走这样的一条路很好。一个知识人才如果单独在国内发展会受很多限制,这种限制来自多种方面,因为西方的商业操作是非常成熟的,中国搞市场经济也就十几年,所以中国在市场操作方面是很幼稚的。因此,在经营操作方面我绝对推崇美国做法。 未来我会一直生活在中国,我不想来中国来挣一笔钱又回美国去居住。 我告诉你一个让我自己也觉得奇特的感觉,对美国,对我去美国交涉事情的城市,我每每完成了在那里的事务之后,那个城市就让我觉得倏然陌生起来。 唯一不变的是我还是喜欢喝咖啡,我喝咖啡已经可以算是一种情结了,就跟抽烟一样。我觉得自己享受的不只是咖啡的那个味道,还有由那个味道所诱发的思想和那种拿着林子坐在那种环境中的氛围,这其实已经是一种文化了。 我有时候自己喝,有时候和别人一块儿喝,有时候也在喝咖啡的时候写东西。 这时候的咖啡之香充满心脾和周围,我告诉过你这是文化。 February 22 Babbling and Blabbing (6) 幸儿的胡言乱语六What am I supposed to be doing with my life? -- The QLC Message Boards of this month 拿什么拯救我的人生?——本月QLC问题 QLC, is they so called the "Quarter-life Crisis", technically for twenty and thirty. It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now. QLC是“中少年危机”的缩写,主要人群是二十到三十岁的人。如果你是这个群体中一员,你是否有这样的感觉,在人山人海的人潮中,你突然停下来发现自己已经跟不上时代的潮流,那些新事物对你来说是那么的陌生,甚至厌烦。于是你开始紧张自己的未来,你该何去何从,这个问题如同梦魇一直困扰着你。 My life quantity is pretty bad during the past month, even it's Chinese New Year break time. I get up early 6 o'clock every morning and did not go to bed until midnight. And what I have gained, nothing but exhaustion. What worse, I even can not figure out what I've done all through a day, it is just looked like I've been busy, without any practical result. 我的生活质量在过去的一个月中降到了最低点,即使是过年放假期间,我早6点起床晚12点入睡。这样的生活看上去忙碌,但是却实在收获甚微。我只是看上去非常的忙碌,但是忙来忙去,我自己都不知道自己忙了些什么。 I am getting all old, with health problem, lovely handle and eyes problem. I spent RMB688 to attend the gym in the next three months, for the cost, I have to get some really practical result this time. 是的,我也成为了中少年危机中的一员,同时困扰我的还有健康问题,比如由于长时间坐姿引起的腰部游泳圈和视力问题。所以,我花了688元买了张健身房的季卡,看在这卡的价格份上,我想我必须在健康问题上得到实际的收获。 February 21 EDC 返港记者会宣布退出香港娱乐圈听译视频地址:http://you.video.sina.com.cn/8etv 受中文同声传译影响,部分英文没有听清,这些部分由蓝色标注。不过这些没听清的部分不是重点。 (sigh...) Today I've come back to Hong Kong to stand in front of you, and come to myself. I've never escaped from my responsibility. During the past weeks, I've been with my mother, and my family lovers, to show their support care. And I, for all the time, have their support care for me. I've been known most of the photos been circulating on the Internet were taken by me. But these photos were very private and have not been shown to people and were never intended to be shown to anyone. These photos were stolen illegally, and without my acceptance. There is no doubt that obtaining of these photos, have uploaded mountain to the Internet with malicious intent. This matter is seriously have affected to all the society. And in this regard, I am deeply sad. I would like now to apologize to all the people for all the suffers it has caused, that has been caused for the reason I have mentioned. I would like to apologize to all the ladys and their families, for any harm or hurt. I am sorry. I am sorry for my mother and father, for all the suffer I've caused. Most importantly, I would like to apologize for all the people in Hong Kong. I give my apology sincerely to you all, split it out, and with my heart. I know young people in Hong Kong like to admire figures in this society, and in this regard, I have failed, failed as a role model. However, I wish that this matter will teach everyone a lesson. To all the young people in our community, let this be a lesson for you all. This is not an example to be set for you. During the time I was away, I've made an important decision, I would whole heartly take all the commitment I have made, but after that, I've decided to step away from the Hong Kong entrainment industry. I've decided to do this to give myself an opportunity to heal myself and to search my soul. I would dedicate my time to charity community work within the next few months. I would be away from the Hong Kong entrainment immortally, there is no time limited. I've been assisting the police for the photos published in the Internet from the first day. At this present point, I have the response to help them with the investigation, and hope this case would end soon. I'd like to use this opportunity to thank the police, for the help in this case. Thank you. I believe everyone, and myself now, is to stop the suffering from the pain, and not let this situation out of control. We need to protect all the innocence and all the young from matter like this. In this regard, I've asked my lawyer to do everything possible for the victims in this case. I believe the speech has been issued as we speak, as my advice. Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for coming here today, and listen to what I have to say, I would like also to apologize once again for all the ladys and their family, and everyone in Hong Kong and everyone else. I am deeply sorry about this. And I apologize for everyone who has to go through this. I would like also thank you for giving me this opportunity to say what I am want to say all along in my heart. I hope after today, I can have your forgive for this. In regards to this case with everything and everything did happen, I am deeply sorry. I hope all of you would accept my apology, and give me a chance. Thank you. February 17 17FEB08 Turn that noise off 关掉噪音以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有
MUSIC has the power to delight the listener, improve well-being and uplift the soul. But sounds have more malign uses too. The beauty of the music produced by the Sirens of ancient Greek legend drew unwary sailors to their doom on the rocks. And in Britain calls have been made this week to ban the use of the Mosquito, a high-pitched-noise generator that is used to disperse groups of unruly teenagers from congregating points such as shopping centres and housing estates. Campaigners say that it is unfair to subject the young to a discomforting sound that only they can detect—older ears are no longer sensitive enough to detect the Mosquito’s din. 音乐能使人心情愉悦,净化人的心灵。然而声音有时候也有副作用。比如古希腊传说中妖媚的笛声却也是使水手失去心智从而触礁沉船的“死亡之音”。本周英国下令禁止使用“音频驱蚊器”,这种设备能发出脉冲高频从而驱逐在商店闹区或者居住区的闹事街头少年。有人认为利用只有“年轻的耳朵”听得到,但是“年老的耳朵”听不到声音而做成的“音频驱蚊器”是不公平的。 The aural assault on Britain’s potentially troublesome youth is not the first. Over ten years ago stations on the Tyne and Wear Metro were equipped with speakers that blasted out classical music. Mozart and Beethoven did the job of dispersing or calming hooligans so successfully that London Underground later adopted the idea too. Australian authorities used a similar technique by playing cheesy music, such as Barry Manilow, deemed so “uncool” by suburban teens that it would drive them away from troublespots. 这些由于街头少年搞出来的音乐事件在英国已经不是第一次。十年前在泰恩-威尔郡地铁就曾安排了演奏古典音乐的人,用莫扎特和贝多芬的曲子来驱散和平静那些闹事的街头少年,这种方法十分有效以至于后来伦敦地铁也效仿。澳大利亚当局则采用播放俗气音乐的方法,比如Barry Manilow这种老掉牙的歌从而使街头少年不耐烦的走开。 Few could argue that harnessing classical music to keep the peace is anything but a fine idea. But music (or noise, depending on the age of the definer) has been used for far more sinister purposes too. In the second world war rumours circulated of a giant German sonic device that could be deployed to devastating effect on the battlefield. Fortunately its vast size and almost complete lack of portability reputedly limited its destructive potential. During the cold war similar devices were said to be in development on both sides of the Iron Curtain. 恐怕没有人会否认利用古典音乐来维护和平不是个好主意。但是音乐(不是那种会由于年龄不同而听到或听不到的噪音)却曾被当作恶劣的武器。在二战中曾有谣言德国制造出巨大的可以用在战场上的具有杀伤性功能的声学武器。幸运的是,这种武器那庞大的体积和难以移动性限制了其杀伤能力。冷战期间,类似的声学武器在冷战双方的特种装甲中都有配备。 Even in 1999 Human Rights Watch, a pressure group, fearful of the humanitarian threats posed by acoustic weapons, monitored developments. Since then the group has gone quiet but its concern may not be misplaced. America’s military has shown that it is prepared to deploy sound to its tactical advantage. After America’s invasion of Panama in 1989 its intention to seize Manuel Noriega, the head of state it accused of drug running, was thwarted after he took refuge in Panama City’s Vatican embassy. A siege lasting nearly two weeks was broken only after the forces surrounding the embassy played deafening rock music 24 hours a day (including Van Halen and Guns 'n' Roses), over loudspeakers that ringed the compound. 甚至在1999年,一个叫做“人权观察”的组织,为了防止人类受到这种声学武器的危害,组织了倡议运动。自那以后,这个组织虽然销声匿迹但是其倡议却是没有被人忽视(这里指不好的方面)。美国军方利用声音作为战术优势。在1989年美国入侵巴拿马并试图捉拿毒贩头Manuel Noriega时,Manuel Noriega却躲到巴拿马的梵谛冈大使馆里。于是美军在使馆周围布满了扩音器,连续两周每天24小时不停地放震耳欲聋的摇滚乐(包括范海伦和枪花)。 America’s armed forces are also accused of using loud rap music and television theme tunes to disorient and disturb prisoners both in Iraq and Gunatanamo Bay. Another technique is to impose absolute silence as part of a sensory-deprivation programme. And both American and Israeli armies and some less scrupulous police forces around the world are said to have used a sonic tool, the “long range acoustic device”. It emits unpleasant high-pitched wails that are intended to disperse crowds. In 2005 a cruise ship even reported its use to repel pirates off the coast of Somalia. But the effectiveness of the device is subject to much dispute. 美军还被指责大声播放说唱音乐和电视剧主题曲来干扰和折磨被关在伊拉克和关塔纳摩监狱的囚犯。还有一种技术是把人放在绝对的安静之中,这是“听觉剥夺计划”的一部分。并且美军和以色列部队以及其他名声不好的部队,都曾使用过一种叫做“大范围声学设备”。这种设备可以发射出令人不悦的高频悲叹声用来驱散人群。甚至在2005年有报道索马里海岸边防的巡逻船用这种声学设备来驱逐海盗(或者偷渡者?)。但是这种设备的功效还是有所争议的。 Nevertheless the aggressive use of music and tailor-made sounds is becoming more commonplace. But these weapons, like any others, risk falling into the wrong hands. The simple technologies that are the bad neighbour’s weapon of choice (big speakers, “bad” music) might be turned against their users. Rap and heavy metal music is freely available though more fiendish musical terroriser might even choose experimental jazz or Maltese folk music. Hefty speakers are bought and sold openly too. 不过随着音乐在人们普通生活中的渗透如今它已无处不在。但是作为武器,就像其他任何形式的武器一样,却有着一但落入不法分子手里后果不堪设想的风险。这种简单可以用来抗议你的邻居的方法,也许违背了其产生的本质。说唱和摇滚乐是触手就可以得到的,哪怕更残暴的音乐恐怖分子也许会实验性的选择爵士乐或者马耳他民谣。大音箱也是到处就可以买到的。 British teenagers have already shown how the table can be turned. Using mobile phones to record the silent-to-many output of the Mosquito machines they have used the sound to disrupt classes by irritating fellow students while teachers remain oblivious. And in schoolrooms, where mobiles are banned, the sound is a useful semi-private ringtone. In an already noisy world an arms race of sound is not to be welcomed. 英国青少年已经以其人之道还其人之身。根据声音选择性听到这原理,制作了高频手机,来骚扰那些正常听课的学生而站在讲台上的老师仍然对下面发生的事情一无所知。然而在禁止使用手机的课堂里,这种声音就变成了一种半隐私性的铃声。在这个已经喧闹嘈杂的世界,我们不欢迎这支用声音武装的部队。 February 16 16FEB08 High hurdles 困难重重以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有
LOFTY words are always a hostage to fortune. The Olympic movement boasts that the Games “have always brought people together in peace to respect universal moral principles.” Yet history suggests otherwise. Boycotts marred the jamborees of 1956, 1976, 1980 and 1984. In 1968 two American sprinters gave a Black Power salute on the podium. The 1972 Games were blighted when Palestinian terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes. 崇高的话语是运气的人质。奥林匹克标榜自己是“在全人类共同的道德准则下,使世界人民团结在一起”的运动。然而历史却告诉我们另一些事实。不和谐的事件就曾经破坏了1956,1976,1980和1984年的奥林匹克盛会。还有,1968年两名美国短跑运动员在领奖台上向“黑人权利”致敬事件。1972年巴勒斯坦恐怖分子刺杀11名以色列运动员事件。 幸儿手记:blight愿意指植物枯萎病,这里做动词讲是阻碍。用词真妙。 LOFTY words are always a hostage to fortune.这句很异译有点难,意思理解了但是没有想到汉语中与其意思大概对应的话语。 Now China, due to host the Games in August, is finding that its Olympic slogan—“One world, one dream”—also rests on hope more than fact. Steven Spielberg, an American film director, has quit as an artistic adviser for the opening and closing ceremonies: China, he said, must do more to stop the bloodshed in Darfur. On February 14th a group of Nobel laureates and athletes said the same in a letter to the Independent, a British daily. 作为八月奥运会的主办方的中国,,也陷入其奥林匹克标语——“同一个世界,同一个梦想”——言而不实的困扰中。美国大牌导演斯蒂芬•斯皮尔伯格(Steven Spielberg)以达尔富尔问题为由辞去了奥运会开幕和闭幕仪式的艺术顾问一职。他说,中国必须在阻止达尔富尔流血暴力事件上做出更大的努力。在2月14日,由诺贝尔文学奖获得者以及运动员组成的团体,(让我们姑且叫他们“达尔富尔队”吧)在接受英国《独立日报》采访时,也表示了同样的看法。 Since Beijing won the right to stage the Games in 2001 China has known that it would have a hard time preventing critics of its human-rights abuses from spoiling the event. In 2006 it was delighted when Mr Spielberg came on board. But to China’s surprise, its behaviour abroad, particularly in Sudan, has been the focus of Hollywood’s ire in the run-up to the Games. 自从2001年北京申办奥运会成功后,中国政府就知道自己的人权问题将面临严峻的挑战,而这与其奥运会形象息息相关。2006年斯皮尔伯格出任艺术顾问本来是个喜事。然而让中国政府意外的是,就在奥运会的开幕式即将临近时,其海外政策,尤其是苏丹,竟然成为了好莱坞不满的焦点。 China has reacted angrily to what it calls attempts to “politicise” the Olympics. But recently it has been stung by the attempts of activists like Mia Farrow, an American actress, to portray the games as a “genocide Olympics” because of the killings in Sudan. China buys most of Sudan’s oil and sells it arms. This, say activists, makes it complicit in the state-orchestrated killing that has devastated Darfur. 中国政府已经对于此事件进行了强烈的回应,并且称之为“试图将体育政治化的奥林匹克精神”。但是讽刺的是,最近美国演员Mia Farrow,借正在苏丹发生的流血暴力事件,将这次奥运会称之为“种族灭绝的奥林匹克精神”。“达尔富尔队”认为中国政府对于发上在达尔富尔的流血事件负有不可推卸的责任。 To deflect such charges, China has shifted a little from its usual refusal to get involved in other countries’ political affairs. Western diplomats credit China with helping to persuade Sudan to accept a UN peacekeeping mission there. But this has not satisfied Mr Spielberg. 为了减少这些负面指责,中国政府稍微转变了其在国际争端中的“中立态度”。西方外交家们称赞中国劝说苏丹政府接受联合国驻兵的做法。但是斯皮尔伯格却仍然觉得不满意。 Even as it rejects their “politicisation”, the Games are of huge political importance to China. The Olympiads of the 1970s and 1980s were an athletic projection of the cold war; now China’s leaders want to show off their country as a respected world power, no longer weighed down by memories of the killings of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing in 1989. (They want to top the medal table too.) George Bush has said he will be there. 即使中国政府试图摆脱这次奥运会的“政治化”帽子,但是奥运会确实对于中国的政治有很大的影响。如果说1970到1980冷战期间的奥林匹克还仅仅只是参与运动层面上的,那么这次中国政府希望树立其世界大国形象,从而摆脱1989年天安门事件的恶劣形象。(当然他们也想站在奖牌榜上的第一位。)乔治布什曾说他将参加这次奥运会。 But activists may be hard to muzzle. What if one of the guests says something rude? The Olympic movement’s rules bar athletes from making political “demonstrations” at Olympic venues. But this week, after much criticism, the British Olympic Association said it was rethinking a decision to ask its team members to promise not to comment on sensitive issues during the games. Politics will intrude one way or another. 但是这次“达尔富尔”事件的负面影响难以消除。如果参加者出言不逊怎么办?奥林匹克精神是不容许运动员有政治化的“言论”。但是这周,发生了如此多关于北京奥运会的批评后,英国奥林匹克协会表示其将重新考虑关于不容许其运动员在比赛期间对敏感话题发表评论的规定。看来,政治因素总是要被牵扯到这届运动会中。 幸儿手记:继污染,中国商品质量低劣之后,“达尔富尔”问题大概是北京奥运会迄今为止面临的最严重的一次负面新闻。事情既然已经发生,太多评论似乎没有太多实际意义。我觉得我们需要反省的是,奥委会对于处理这些可以在国内不公开,但是对国外必须公开的问题的方法,确实需要改进。要知道,国外的评论家,比起国内的评论家,要更难忽悠,也需要更“精明”的方法。这种企图用“体育政治化”的概念偷换来平息这场风波,显然反而被别人拿来笑话了。也许采取更主动积极的顺水推舟,向外部公布更多的中国政府在为阻止这场流血暴力事件中所作的努力(哪怕不是实质上的),会更好一些。 February 15 出国行李清单(补完01)Thanks GM. Noted here, it's a nice call: the dental health. Meanwhile, it remind me of the eye health. You'd better renew your glasses before going abroad. 谢谢GM。他的建议非常好,出国前提前检查好的:牙齿健康。同时,还要注意你的眼睛健康。最好在临走前配新的眼镜。 February 13 出国行李清单Glad to hear that one of my best friends is going to Korea for an exchanging program at the end of this month; much better than me here, life is just round and round till down to the ground. So again, BIG CONGRATULATIONS~~ and I am here to write a list about what you'd better take along with, to be specific, as a girl. 很高兴得知我的好朋友之一将在这个月底踏上前往韩国的海外交流生生活;比我在这里日复一日的枯燥生活要好很多。所以,在此恭喜她~~而我也将列出一份出国行李清单,主要是为女生。 Stock up on right medicines OTC medicines like Nyquil, Dyer's woad root, Digestant, Drugs for when you have loose bowels; allergy; sore throat, Woundplast, Drugs for your own case 必备药 感冒药(建议感康+头孢,感康是强力治感冒药,头孢是消炎用的); 板蓝根(强烈建议,我当时买了几十包,变天的时候就注意喝着,所以一直没有感冒); 胃药(佛排酸,水土不服时使用); 治拉肚子的药(韩国Kimuqi辣的出名,小心吃的肠胃不舒服); 过敏药(皮炎平,用于皮肤过敏/红霉素,用于眼睛过敏); 咽喉冲剂(才去可能会说很多话,容易造成咽喉肿痛); 创伤药(创可贴和云南白药之类);根据自己身体情况所需要配备的特殊药; Cosmetics You'd better take a set of cosmetics for face care and make up, respectively. For the face care stuff, you can just take a little bit to be enough for the first arriving month use; don't neglect it, believe me that other crucial official documents will take you much effort and time so that you will not have any other energy to shopping for these daily necessaries; For the make up things, they are prepared for the Orientation and Parties. And yes, the place you're going to is Korea, the world of cosmetics, but sweet, leave that shopping time in the future when you get familiar to. Lotion, powder, blushes, conclear etc. 洗漱用品和化妆用品各带一套。 洗漱用品可买小盒装先带过去,最起码保证头一个月不需要逛当地超市就可以自给自足;不要小看这些日需品,才到外地其它更重要的文书办理需要花费很多时间和体力,千万不要想着自己还有精力逛超市买这些日需用品。 化妆品也要带一套,为正妆使用;才去会参加很多宴会和Party。至于安顿好以后再慢慢淘好宝贝儿,都是需要时间和精力的。 乳液,隔离霜,粉底,睫毛膏,眼影,眉笔,粉彩,卸妆油;睫毛夹,秀眉笔,排刷;指甲油,香水,除汗滚珠; Clothing Up to the whether there, but in my opinion: bigger, better and best. Take as many as you can, you'd better prepare to a fabulous debut. In my case, I took four sets of clothing for each season and a suit (but never used o_0), surely you'll find much better clothing there and that's why actually it's your suitcase back to China would be overloaded, I didn't bring all of them back even in twice. Socks and underwear, I took a lot. 决定于那里的天气,我的意见是,多带多拿,初次亮相,好好准备。 我当时为每个季节带了四套衣服还有一套正装(可是从来没有用),当然你会在那里买到更好的衣服,所以其实真正是你回国的行李要超重,我分两次都没有把行李全部带回国。 袜子和内衣裤,我当时带了很多。 Others Books, Notes book, Pocket guidebook of Korea, Digital dictionary, Pencase etc; Stamp; Gifts, for your supervisor (if you have), and friends; Girl's things (well, you know, better take than never); Kitchen things; You'd better check if the electrical socket in Korea is different from ours; 其它 书,记事本,韩国导游口袋书,电子辞典,文具等等; 印章(当然签名也是有效合法的); 礼物,给你的监管人(如果你有),还有朋友; 女孩的东西(恩那,比较多哈,比如红糖,大枣。。); 厨房用具(调料,水果刀,衣服架子); 你最好问问韩国的电器是否和中国是通用的; To be continue 未完待续 February 12 一则关于科西嘉人的笑话The French also like jokes about the Corsicans, Corsica is a French island where people have a reputation for being lazy, vengeful and clannish. Then the Corsicans have their own jokes about the "French" meaning the continental ones, from Paris... 科西嘉是法国的一个岛,科西嘉人被认为是懒惰的,记仇的以及排外的,因此法国人喜欢开科西嘉人的玩笑。与此同时,在科西嘉“法国”这个单词也有特殊的含义,是只那些有别于科西嘉人的内陆人,比如巴黎人。。。 The journalist asks the Corsican peasant how they build roads in his mountains. The peasant explains: we take a donkey and where he goes, we build the road. And when you do no have a donkey? We take a French engineer says the peasant. 记者问一位科西嘉农民如何在山上修路。 农民解释道:"我们牵一头驴,驴走到哪里,我们就在哪里修路。" "可是如果你们没有驴呢?"记者问。 农民回答到:"那我们就带一位"法国"工程师。" 幸儿手记:对于科西嘉的了解来自对于某人在那里的实习经历,今日正巧看到此篇笑话,闲中找乐,逗君一笑。倘若今生有幸,希望去那里一游。 February 11 11FEB08 Megaphone apology以下翻译仅为本人休闲练习英语之用,文章以及照片版权归The Economist所有 THE last time anyone can remember a Chinese leader venturing, megaphone in hand, into a disgruntled crowd to offer an apology was in May 1989 when Zhao Ziyang visited Tiananmen Square to say sorry to students protesting there. The apology neither saved Mr Zhao's career nor prevented the army's advance on the square a few days later. But it seems to have impressed one man, at Mr Zhao's left shoulder in this famous photograph of the incident (see above). This year Wen Jiabao, now China's prime minister, has been mimicking his former boss. He dropped into railway stations where freezing crowds had waited for days to get home for the annual Chinese new year holiday. He used his megaphone to apologise for the disruption caused by the worst winter weather southern and central China have endured in at least five decades. 人们所能记住的最近一次中国领导冒着危险,拿着扩音器站在不满的群众面前道歉,是1989年5月赵紫阳(中共中央总书记)在天安门广场平抚请愿学生的场景。然而这次道歉并没有能阻止事情的进一步恶化,赵紫阳既没有保住自己的官位,也没能阻止军队介入天安门事件。但是这种拿着扩音器走到不满群众面前道歉的做法似乎给某人留下了深刻的印象,这个人就是在照片中站在赵紫阳左肩方向的人(当时温家宝是中共中央办公厅主任)。今年温家宝,也就是中国国务院总理,正在效仿他的前辈。他拜访了因大雪滞留在火车站等待过年回家的旅客。他拿着扩音器,向滞留的群众道歉。中国南部和中部遭受的大雪是中国近五年来最为严重的一次,导致了铁路交通的瘫痪。 In China as anywhere else, when a politician apologises, he is usually saying “it is not my fault.” Everyone loves to blame the government and some Chinese bloggers have been muttering about Hurricane Katrina. But even in China many people will have attributed this disaster to an “act of God” rather than a foul-up by the Politburo. 在中国还有其他地方,当政客道歉的时候,他总是说“这不是我的错”。每个人都喜欢责备政府然而同时有些中国人的博客在责备Katrina飓风。即使这样大多数中国人,当灾害发生的时候,都宁愿选择相信那是天意而不是因为(共产党的)政治局的管理不当。 All the same, in a one-party dictatorship, where power has traditionally meant never having to say you're sorry, Mr Wen's humility is a welcome nod towards accountability. It forms part of a broader awareness on the part of China's leaders of the discontented grumbling of those who feel left behind in the breakneck dash for growth. In speech after speech, Mr Wen and Hu Jintao, the party's boss and China's president, have promised to do more to bridge the widening gap between China's mostly urban rich and its mostly rural poor. That gap is inhabited by people like those suffering in the cramped, icy railway stations. Many have escaped rural penury in China's interior to work as migrants in the booming factories and building sites of the coastal belt. The annual lunar new year holiday represents their one chance to have a few days off, go home and see loved ones. No wonder Mr Wen was worried about their mood. 与此同时,在一党制的体制下,也就是说当政局永远不需要承认是自己犯了错,温总理的谦虚态度是一种值得人民信赖的标志。这形成了一个广泛的群众共识,对于中国领导人的共识,那就是这些在改革大潮中感到自己落后,从而发出的不满的抱怨。在演讲之后,胡锦涛总书记和温家宝总理,在另一次讲话中承诺要尽快缩小中国城市乡村之间的贫富差距。而这些贫富差距的代表者们,就是现在被困在寒冷拥挤车站的人们。大多数是从农村到沿海经济发达地区打工的农民工。这一年一度的春节是他们唯一可以请假过年和家人团聚的机会。难怪温总理如此关怀他们的心情。 Out of controlDespite their professions of concern, however, Mr Wen and Mr Hu have done little in concrete policy terms to make them count. And there are some ways in which policy failures have indeed exacerbated the weather-induced agony. The first is the inadequacy of disaster-response mechanisms, and the poor co-ordination between the various government departments involved. Second is the refusal to tackle a basic structural problem: that China is a country with hundreds of millions of migrant workers, most of whom are separated from their families, who all take their holidays at exactly the same time. A reform to holiday entitlements is belatedly under way. Residency rules that force families apart also need reviewing. 失去控制 虽然他们的关怀是真诚的,但是胡书记和温总理都没有想过从政策上解决这个问题。确实有几点政策上的失误导致了这次由于恶劣天气引起的恐慌更加严重。第一点是不准确的自然灾害预报系统,和各省政府之间的相互合作。第二点是拒绝从根本上解决这个问题:这个问题就是中国目前有成千上万的农民工,大多数人因为和家庭分离,并且在别人休假的时候还得工作。所以与此相关的休假制度需要改革。同时那些导致家庭分离的大城市户口法规也需要重新调整。 Thirdly, at least one aspect of the latest crisis was both foreseeable and in part a direct result of government policy: the electricity shortages, which afflicted tens of millions and worsened the transport bottlenecks. A flawed reform had freed fuel prices but left power-producers unable to pass on the rising cost of coal to consumers, because electricity prices are fixed. Many producers responded by letting their stocks fall to dangerously low levels, in the hope prices would fall when the weather warms up in the spring. 第三点,至少还有一方面的危机多少是有政府政策导致的:发电力,折磨了成千上万人并且是致使这次灾害恶化的瓶颈。错误的电力系统重组政策,促成了煤价自由交易却是各大发电厂陷入了发电成本提高而电费不得提高的两难处境中。很多发电厂因此任其股票下降到哪怕十分危险的价格,通过这种手段来希望开春后煤价能够也因此而下降。 Little scares China's leaders as much as high rates of price inflation. And with food production and distribution both affected by the bad weather, they are likely to be tempted by further administrative price controls. But the lesson of the recent crisis is not that they are needed; it is that they do not work. 中国领导人似乎根本不担心货币膨胀。那些由于恶劣天气造成的对食物供应的影响,中国领导人似乎想通过进一步的价格管制来解决。他们并不需要从这次灾害中吸取教训,因为那不是他们的错。 幸儿手记:撇开这篇社评所用的对中国政府的贬义用词不说,最后提到的几点建议倒是值得思考。尤其是电力系统在这次灾害中,据我所知已经有4名职工因抢险线路而殉职,大过年的,这些家庭却要承受失去家人的痛苦;而历时一年的电力系统改革,也就是发电和电网分家的改革,到现在为止似乎收益甚少。真是又赔钱又赔命。 |
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