Must-see events include musical concerts under the stars, circus workshops and the open-air Bazaar.
=> 不可錯過的活動包括星光、音樂會、馬戲團工作妨和露天市集
must-see adj. 不可以錯過的
eg: Taipei 101 firework show is a must-see events in the last day of the year.
must-see n. 不可以錯過
eg: The Statue of Liberty is a must-see.
=> 自由女神是不可錯過的
not to be missed (要用被動語態)
eg: Everyone agrees that the closing ceremony, the Fire Event, is not to be missed.
=> 閉幕式的火焰秀是不容錯過的
2011年12月28日 星期三
2011年12月25日 星期日
2011年12月22日 星期四
[職場教育] 你的忙碌不是因為工作太重，而是工作太「雜」！
這週美國網路界出現了一篇名文，提供了簡單的職場建議，完全顛覆一般想法。作者說，你要將你自己「變得沒有用」(make yourself useless)，這樣，你就成功了！
什麼意思？
注意，此建議和一般認知剛剛好「相反」，因為大部份的老職人都是建議：要讓自己變得「很有用」。沒有你，公司就做不成這件事，所以你就會被加薪、被升遷……。
然後咧？
然後，這些「很有用」的傢伙加薪又升遷，最後公司因為太仰賴你，所以要做更多的事！古云「仁者多勞」，做更多的事表示你是仁者，但你也要變「忍者」，不斷的多勞、多勞、多勞，薪水和工作時數一起不斷的增加，直到你掛掉的那一天
這一切都是你「太有用」的結果。
不過這位職人的「讓你自己沒有用」的意思和小學老師口中罵人的「沒有用」是兩件事，這位職人的意思是，透過巧妙的「方法」，讓自己的工作時數「降低」，效率卻「提高」，對自己、對公司都好
這巧妙的方法為何？
那位職人舉例，當年當他還是18歲，有生第一份工作在Shell油廠，負責不斷做「測試」，測測這個油的順便清洗引擎的副效果如何？在他負責的範圍內，他最快可以一次跑四次的測試，每一次的測試，都要花4.5個小時，幾乎是半天了！
這個18歲的年輕人，竟然想出一個超簡單的方法，來改善他的工作時數，因為每次都要等4.5小時，每天送東西來給他的就在近中午時，他才可以開始測試，測完了交給下一關，所以他基本上一天只能run一次的測試，就要下班了。他遂建議，可否每天早一點送東西來給他？別擔心，不是叫你一大早送，而是早個1小時就好了，這位年輕人自願願意多待幾小時在公司，每天都弄得比別人晚三小時才回家，但他要求一週只要工作4天。
老闆答應了。
他的第二份工作，來到當地的廣播電台，當時他的工作是協助計算到底整個電台公播了這麼多音樂、歌曲，那麼這一季要付多少權利金給每一位歌手、音樂家？
他的老闆告訴他，這個計算總共要花2星期，裡面很多人力的工作，再加上一些Excel計算，但這位年輕人發現，有些計算不需要自己拉自己製Excel，可以直接使用Visual Basic的script、寫一段小小的計算式就可以做到同樣的事情，於是為他自己省下大量的時間，讓他那時候的老闆特許他在閒時可以製作自己的電台節目；而他之所以有這樣的「特權」，都是因為他發現一支小小的計算式。
讓自己變得「沒有用」，一再而再，老闆會喜歡你，而不是壓死你！畢竟無論什麼工作，最後被認同的都是「產出」，我自己後來有了這樣的覺悟與領悟，所以我現在要求同事，目標是「準時下班」，所有的東西，儘量「簡單做」，做得聰明；在這過程中，我可以配合，一起研究最簡單也最可以work的方法，在哪裡？
不過，我卻也從這位職人的文章中，發現另一個重要的關鍵，是我以前沒注意的
沒錯，或許，有些工作流程可以變簡單？
但，現代人工作愈來愈「多樣」、愈來愈「雜」了，我回想，在我工作過的幾家公司中，我的任務似乎都無法像這位美國職人一樣，精準的算出，我做一件事情原本每兩週可做10個測試？現在我經過「無用化」之後我可以做到18個測試？
我無法精準算出這個，是因為每個月、每星期、甚至每天，我都會有其他的事情要做，這個月要多跑外面，那我可以做電腦工作的時間就被壓縮；另一個月要支援每個月特別報告，那麼我可以做專案的時間又被壓縮；甚至尾牙到了要表演節目，我可以做某某事的時間更被壓縮，於是，我永遠算不出來，我到底做一件事要花多少時間？
自然也算不出來，我要怎麼再降低時間、提升產能！
我驚覺，現在上班族的工作loading如此之大？主要原因，應該不是因為單一工作太「重」，而在工作太「雜」。
事實上，如果你每天只是做一兩樣事情，但做的量非常非常大，大到你想要離職，那你的上司一定會想辦法幫你解重，除非你做的真的比上一任還差，上一任都行，你不行，那真的要摸摸鼻子自認不足。
但現在的狀況不是這樣！現在的狀況是，每個人要做的事太「雜」，以致於上司或整間公司根本看不太清楚每個人到底該花多時間、該花多少精力在上面，於是，你只是知道「好忙」，卻不像文章裡這位職人一樣，知道從哪邊下手、哪邊提升效率；連你自己都看不出來了，更何況是上司或公司，於是，你只能乖乖的「繼續忙下去」。
哀哉！
我覺得，換來亞洲職場來看，那篇美國職人的文章只寫對了一半
沒錯，人們「太有用」，已成這高壓職場的致命傷！
但，同樣重要的是，人們「太有用，而且可以做太多太『雜』的事」，才是真正的致命傷，因為你連變得「沒有用」的機會都沒有，只能任憑工作不斷的往上加，一點辦法也沒有！
畢竟，加班也要加在「刀口」上，提升效率，將工作做得更好、更滿意，真的告訴你的老闆和同事，首要的就是──「去雜存菁」。
什麼意思？
注意，此建議和一般認知剛剛好「相反」，因為大部份的老職人都是建議：要讓自己變得「很有用」。沒有你，公司就做不成這件事，所以你就會被加薪、被升遷……。
然後咧？
然後，這些「很有用」的傢伙加薪又升遷，最後公司因為太仰賴你，所以要做更多的事！古云「仁者多勞」，做更多的事表示你是仁者，但你也要變「忍者」，不斷的多勞、多勞、多勞，薪水和工作時數一起不斷的增加，直到你掛掉的那一天
這一切都是你「太有用」的結果。
不過這位職人的「讓你自己沒有用」的意思和小學老師口中罵人的「沒有用」是兩件事，這位職人的意思是，透過巧妙的「方法」，讓自己的工作時數「降低」，效率卻「提高」，對自己、對公司都好
這巧妙的方法為何？
那位職人舉例，當年當他還是18歲，有生第一份工作在Shell油廠，負責不斷做「測試」，測測這個油的順便清洗引擎的副效果如何？在他負責的範圍內，他最快可以一次跑四次的測試，每一次的測試，都要花4.5個小時，幾乎是半天了！
這個18歲的年輕人，竟然想出一個超簡單的方法，來改善他的工作時數，因為每次都要等4.5小時，每天送東西來給他的就在近中午時，他才可以開始測試，測完了交給下一關，所以他基本上一天只能run一次的測試，就要下班了。他遂建議，可否每天早一點送東西來給他？別擔心，不是叫你一大早送，而是早個1小時就好了，這位年輕人自願願意多待幾小時在公司，每天都弄得比別人晚三小時才回家，但他要求一週只要工作4天。
老闆答應了。
他的第二份工作，來到當地的廣播電台，當時他的工作是協助計算到底整個電台公播了這麼多音樂、歌曲，那麼這一季要付多少權利金給每一位歌手、音樂家？
他的老闆告訴他，這個計算總共要花2星期，裡面很多人力的工作，再加上一些Excel計算，但這位年輕人發現，有些計算不需要自己拉自己製Excel，可以直接使用Visual Basic的script、寫一段小小的計算式就可以做到同樣的事情，於是為他自己省下大量的時間，讓他那時候的老闆特許他在閒時可以製作自己的電台節目；而他之所以有這樣的「特權」，都是因為他發現一支小小的計算式。
讓自己變得「沒有用」，一再而再，老闆會喜歡你，而不是壓死你！畢竟無論什麼工作，最後被認同的都是「產出」，我自己後來有了這樣的覺悟與領悟，所以我現在要求同事，目標是「準時下班」，所有的東西，儘量「簡單做」，做得聰明；在這過程中，我可以配合，一起研究最簡單也最可以work的方法，在哪裡？
不過，我卻也從這位職人的文章中，發現另一個重要的關鍵，是我以前沒注意的
沒錯，或許，有些工作流程可以變簡單？
但，現代人工作愈來愈「多樣」、愈來愈「雜」了，我回想，在我工作過的幾家公司中，我的任務似乎都無法像這位美國職人一樣，精準的算出，我做一件事情原本每兩週可做10個測試？現在我經過「無用化」之後我可以做到18個測試？
我無法精準算出這個，是因為每個月、每星期、甚至每天，我都會有其他的事情要做，這個月要多跑外面，那我可以做電腦工作的時間就被壓縮；另一個月要支援每個月特別報告，那麼我可以做專案的時間又被壓縮；甚至尾牙到了要表演節目，我可以做某某事的時間更被壓縮，於是，我永遠算不出來，我到底做一件事要花多少時間？
自然也算不出來，我要怎麼再降低時間、提升產能！
我驚覺，現在上班族的工作loading如此之大？主要原因，應該不是因為單一工作太「重」，而在工作太「雜」。
事實上，如果你每天只是做一兩樣事情，但做的量非常非常大，大到你想要離職，那你的上司一定會想辦法幫你解重，除非你做的真的比上一任還差，上一任都行，你不行，那真的要摸摸鼻子自認不足。
但現在的狀況不是這樣！現在的狀況是，每個人要做的事太「雜」，以致於上司或整間公司根本看不太清楚每個人到底該花多時間、該花多少精力在上面，於是，你只是知道「好忙」，卻不像文章裡這位職人一樣，知道從哪邊下手、哪邊提升效率；連你自己都看不出來了，更何況是上司或公司，於是，你只能乖乖的「繼續忙下去」。
哀哉！
我覺得，換來亞洲職場來看，那篇美國職人的文章只寫對了一半
沒錯，人們「太有用」，已成這高壓職場的致命傷！
但，同樣重要的是，人們「太有用，而且可以做太多太『雜』的事」，才是真正的致命傷，因為你連變得「沒有用」的機會都沒有，只能任憑工作不斷的往上加，一點辦法也沒有！
畢竟，加班也要加在「刀口」上，提升效率，將工作做得更好、更滿意，真的告訴你的老闆和同事，首要的就是──「去雜存菁」。
2011年12月4日 星期日
《Cheers》杜書伍：不停換工作，只會浮在半空中
11.08.2011
文／羅儀修/2006年5月/Cheers快樂工作人雜誌第68期
雙排扣西裝、兩撇小鬍子、灰白相間的頭髮；這是你所知道的杜書伍：嚴格、自律、比老師還像個老師。
每週勤練土風舞、跟人家比舞技、經常為班上辦舞會；這是你所不知道的杜書伍：愛玩、親和、餘興活動的策辦人。
年逾半百的杜書伍，提起學生時代愛跟人飆舞的興趣，笑得合不攏嘴。
這位帶領聯強國際成為亞太第1大資訊通路商的CEO，在離開校園之前，動如脫兔；但走入職場後，卻靜如處子，轉為沈斂、溫謙。唯一不變的，是他做任何事的投入和專注，以及不斷思考、隨時和自己的經驗對話。
這樣的轉折點，可以說來自於上大學後的「危機感」作祟。
杜書伍說，在全台灣電腦不到2、3台的時代，去念一個控制與計算工程系(現為交通大學電機與控制工程系)，是很怕找不到工作的。因為有深切的危機意識，他便積極選修商管相關科系，讓自己的主學科，和其他專業知識連結。
而他所為人津津樂道的創業經驗──和大學同學在新竹合開「酒精燈唱片行」，將每張唱片賺到的1塊錢，捐贈給慈善機構，還吸引故總統 蔣經國 先生前往巡視的往事；事實上，有一部份的動機，是他想藉此了解怎麼樣經營一家唱片行。
他在1976年進入神通電腦，一待至今30年。他無時無刻不在動腦，公司大小事一肩擔，主動擴大工作的範疇。從技術、業務，到行政管理職：寫程式、開發電腦、推廣業務、創辦《微電腦時代》雜誌(1986年還榮獲金鼎獎)、後勤管理等等；進職場8年，杜書伍就把一間科技公司的裡裡外外，徹底掌握。當時他不過32歲。
杜書伍認為，職涯是一個在大悟中開徹的過程。新鮮人剛出社會，要從最基本的事務、從一個單點很投入去做，然後再慢慢拉大工作的廣度。學會又精又廣，才能成為一位大將。
大學以前的我，還滿愛玩的，一個星期跳3天的土風舞，也沒有在念書。跟人家比的都是，我會幾百支舞，舞技當然很好啊(笑)。但後來因為要聯考，我就趕快收心去讀書。
我經常說，大學是事業的先修班，你念了什麼，將來你出社會就靠著大學所學的專業領域當作敲門磚，你才能進入那個領域去發展。
大一就怕找不到工作
我大學的志願是自己填的，就專挑電子方面的科系填。填填填，看到控制與計算機，覺得這個應該也是電子的吧？所以就見詞生義，選了這個科系。
當時台灣只有2、3部電腦、價格又貴，念這個科系其實很怕失業、怕找不到工作，所以我的危機感很強。因此，我就花了很多時間，選修很多課程，除了鑽研本科專業，還去學習經營管理的知識，希望多增加自己的競爭力。
幾乎所有時間，我都盡可能去想，怎樣多增加一點經驗，盡量去實習，所以才會和同學一起開唱片行。一方面由於它是做公益，一方面也是把它當作實習的機會，去了解如何經營一家唱片行。
那時我負責採購，因為家住台北，我每星期回家時，就會去批發唱片回新竹賣。這才知道唱片有多重，那一整疊一整疊都是塑膠塊，我每次扛兩疊，走個10步路就要休息一下。當時又沒錢坐計程車，就這樣扛扛扛。反正，歷練嘛。
堅持自己的信念
我們那個時代，整個社會還是一個滿貧困的時期，加上自己的危機意識和企圖心，所以心裡總是存著一個觀念，就是努力培養自己，才有好的發展。
那時我相信，將來的微處理器應該會普及，會有很大的市場空間，所以就抱持這樣的信念，一頭鑽入職場。
我認為，出了社會不是像在學校一樣選課。不能老是在想：我第1份工作要做什麼、第2份做什麼、第3份做什麼；從哪裡轉到哪裡、再轉到哪裡。不是這樣子的，應該相信「行行出狀元」的道理。每一個行業都會有發展，關鍵就在於，你能不能真正的投入，變成那個行業的頂尖高手。
先有專精，再求廣度
尤其，現在媒體資訊的流通相當多元，年輕人可以接收到的訊息很多。但最大的問題就是，他對於實務及執行的經驗是非常少的。以至於他當學生時，什麼都會；但真的要工作，就什麼都不會。
踏入職場，要求專業、專精，要在某一個領域裡面比別人都強。很多人最大的毛病就是，不停地換工作，最後反而變成浮在半空中，滿天是金條，要抓卻沒半條。談起來好像都很懂，但是做起事來，卻沒有一樣做得出來。所以，出了社會，專精就是要修練的第1個主軸。
用一個圖來表示：橫軸是時間，縱軸是專業的精度和廣度。在學校時，你要追求廣，但是一踏入社會，就要立刻掉到某一個單點，然後非常精深地鑽研。之後，再慢慢擴大廣度，讓它在10年後提升到一個高度。這樣才能培養出既精又廣的能力。
這個轉折點是很重要的，否則就沒有辦法讓自己低下頭來，去鑽研實務面，真正細緻地學習專業的內涵。
不要排拒任何小事
我們以前念書的時候，會念到「少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲」。現在我認為，所謂的少壯，是從你就業的時間算起。你在前面不努力，基礎沒有打好，你後面就免談。
在職場，任何一個很low end(末端)的事，你都應該要做。一般人很難想像，早期我們設計開發一套電腦出來，根本沒有辦法為它做一個殼。我們就用木頭做一張桌子，然後把電腦build in(嵌入)在裡面。
為了讓電腦通風，還得拿電鑽在桌子的側板，一個一個鑽洞，就像蜂巢一樣。鑽得不好，鑽斜了，可能兩個洞就打通了。因為有做過，我才會知道怎麼鑽。像這種最基本的事，即使是非常dumb(無聊)的工作，你在剛入職場的時候，能夠碰到的你都要去做。
在你做了很多小事，知道裡面有哪些訣竅後，一定要多思考，把你所經過的點點滴滴整理一番。唯有不斷的思考，你才能體悟到更多的觀念跟意涵。否則你做了很多，每個都很零碎，就無法體悟到更多的事。
樂於承擔挑戰
我在進公司約2個月時，因為是菜鳥，主管對我沒有很高的期望。剛好公司要趕一個軟體研發計劃，原來的負責人因故無法執行，所以公司就問我能不能做。其實我當時也不知道自己能不能，但是我那天晚上就沒睡覺，直接動手做。等到隔天我回覆老闆，不是跟他說我能不能做，而是告訴他我做得差不多了。
半年後，公司業務主管離職，沒有人接手。主管就問我，願不願意做業務？我接了，但那時沒有人接我技術部門的工作，所以我就一個人做兩件事情。
每天一早，我就出去拜訪客戶，回到公司已經是下午6點了。晚上再幫客戶上課，教他們了解相關技術。10點多上完課，回家洗個澡，再繼續研究技術資料。那時我幾乎每天工作超過16個小時，大約持續了1年。即使後來有人接替我做技術支援，我因為工程師習性不變，還是會自己研究產品的技術資料。
豐富你的工作
那時，我認為值得做的就去做，所有時間我能拿出來用的，我就用。講嚴苛一點，那時沒有什麼下班生活，下班後大概唯一就是睡覺，因為睡眠時間已經很短了。而我只是不斷地enrich(豐富)自己的工作，主動擴大我的工作內涵，也不停去想，怎麼樣把事情做好。
我在做業務推廣的時候，為了讓它更有效益，我就跟公司提議要辦雜誌，就是《微電腦時代》。剛開始，真的很刻苦，每個月的預算只有5萬元。我不敢跟老闆要很多錢，也不敢說要增加人力，因為不知道自己能不能辦得起來。所以我就白天做業務，晚上做編輯，要自己去找稿、翻譯，甚至自己寫稿。
1984年時，我跑去管行政。那時只是覺得行政的步調趕不上我業務的需求，為了解決問題，我就跳進去管。沒想到學了好多，所有柴米油鹽醬醋茶的事，我都學過了。當時我才32歲，算起來只有8年的工作資歷，但因為我每天上班15個鐘頭；可以說，那時應該有12、13年的經驗累積了。後來有機會獨當一面，去建構通路事業，也是自然而然的事。
這只是過去的經驗之一，很多東西是一種醞釀，你要醞釀得快，或是醞釀得多，就看你下多少工夫。尤其，當你未來要成為一位高級主管，你所需要的經驗面向就要廣。你對事務的判斷力，就是靠這個更廣大的經驗，來提高你的決策品質，不能只守在小範圍裡。
著迷工作，就慢慢「浮」上去
如果你很投入於工作，大約2~3年，你就能體悟到工作內涵的know-how，是如此迷人。它會變成你的興趣，讓你著迷於追求那個know-how的喜悅，然後就像滾雪球一樣，你會越陷越深。
因為很投入，你也會有一定的成績，所以在老闆心中，你會建立一定的credit(信用)。當你提出更多的計劃，你所獲得的支持度就越高。公司就會給你資源，給你員額，自然而然你就會越做越大。
所以我常講，人是浮出來的，不是爬上去的。不是說你想要，你去抓、才往上爬。大家都說職位的階梯是爬上去的，但是我以個人的職涯來看，職位卻是浮上來、不是爬上去的，因為下面的水越來越多，你自然就浮上去了。
文／羅儀修/2006年5月/Cheers快樂工作人雜誌第68期
雙排扣西裝、兩撇小鬍子、灰白相間的頭髮；這是你所知道的杜書伍：嚴格、自律、比老師還像個老師。
每週勤練土風舞、跟人家比舞技、經常為班上辦舞會；這是你所不知道的杜書伍：愛玩、親和、餘興活動的策辦人。
年逾半百的杜書伍，提起學生時代愛跟人飆舞的興趣，笑得合不攏嘴。
這位帶領聯強國際成為亞太第1大資訊通路商的CEO，在離開校園之前，動如脫兔；但走入職場後，卻靜如處子，轉為沈斂、溫謙。唯一不變的，是他做任何事的投入和專注，以及不斷思考、隨時和自己的經驗對話。
這樣的轉折點，可以說來自於上大學後的「危機感」作祟。
杜書伍說，在全台灣電腦不到2、3台的時代，去念一個控制與計算工程系(現為交通大學電機與控制工程系)，是很怕找不到工作的。因為有深切的危機意識，他便積極選修商管相關科系，讓自己的主學科，和其他專業知識連結。
而他所為人津津樂道的創業經驗──和大學同學在新竹合開「酒精燈唱片行」，將每張唱片賺到的1塊錢，捐贈給慈善機構，還吸引故總統 蔣經國 先生前往巡視的往事；事實上，有一部份的動機，是他想藉此了解怎麼樣經營一家唱片行。
他在1976年進入神通電腦，一待至今30年。他無時無刻不在動腦，公司大小事一肩擔，主動擴大工作的範疇。從技術、業務，到行政管理職：寫程式、開發電腦、推廣業務、創辦《微電腦時代》雜誌(1986年還榮獲金鼎獎)、後勤管理等等；進職場8年，杜書伍就把一間科技公司的裡裡外外，徹底掌握。當時他不過32歲。
杜書伍認為，職涯是一個在大悟中開徹的過程。新鮮人剛出社會，要從最基本的事務、從一個單點很投入去做，然後再慢慢拉大工作的廣度。學會又精又廣，才能成為一位大將。
大學以前的我，還滿愛玩的，一個星期跳3天的土風舞，也沒有在念書。跟人家比的都是，我會幾百支舞，舞技當然很好啊(笑)。但後來因為要聯考，我就趕快收心去讀書。
我經常說，大學是事業的先修班，你念了什麼，將來你出社會就靠著大學所學的專業領域當作敲門磚，你才能進入那個領域去發展。
大一就怕找不到工作
我大學的志願是自己填的，就專挑電子方面的科系填。填填填，看到控制與計算機，覺得這個應該也是電子的吧？所以就見詞生義，選了這個科系。
當時台灣只有2、3部電腦、價格又貴，念這個科系其實很怕失業、怕找不到工作，所以我的危機感很強。因此，我就花了很多時間，選修很多課程，除了鑽研本科專業，還去學習經營管理的知識，希望多增加自己的競爭力。
幾乎所有時間，我都盡可能去想，怎樣多增加一點經驗，盡量去實習，所以才會和同學一起開唱片行。一方面由於它是做公益，一方面也是把它當作實習的機會，去了解如何經營一家唱片行。
那時我負責採購，因為家住台北，我每星期回家時，就會去批發唱片回新竹賣。這才知道唱片有多重，那一整疊一整疊都是塑膠塊，我每次扛兩疊，走個10步路就要休息一下。當時又沒錢坐計程車，就這樣扛扛扛。反正，歷練嘛。
堅持自己的信念
我們那個時代，整個社會還是一個滿貧困的時期，加上自己的危機意識和企圖心，所以心裡總是存著一個觀念，就是努力培養自己，才有好的發展。
那時我相信，將來的微處理器應該會普及，會有很大的市場空間，所以就抱持這樣的信念，一頭鑽入職場。
我認為，出了社會不是像在學校一樣選課。不能老是在想：我第1份工作要做什麼、第2份做什麼、第3份做什麼；從哪裡轉到哪裡、再轉到哪裡。不是這樣子的，應該相信「行行出狀元」的道理。每一個行業都會有發展，關鍵就在於，你能不能真正的投入，變成那個行業的頂尖高手。
先有專精，再求廣度
尤其，現在媒體資訊的流通相當多元，年輕人可以接收到的訊息很多。但最大的問題就是，他對於實務及執行的經驗是非常少的。以至於他當學生時，什麼都會；但真的要工作，就什麼都不會。
踏入職場，要求專業、專精，要在某一個領域裡面比別人都強。很多人最大的毛病就是，不停地換工作，最後反而變成浮在半空中，滿天是金條，要抓卻沒半條。談起來好像都很懂，但是做起事來，卻沒有一樣做得出來。所以，出了社會，專精就是要修練的第1個主軸。
用一個圖來表示：橫軸是時間，縱軸是專業的精度和廣度。在學校時，你要追求廣，但是一踏入社會，就要立刻掉到某一個單點，然後非常精深地鑽研。之後，再慢慢擴大廣度，讓它在10年後提升到一個高度。這樣才能培養出既精又廣的能力。
這個轉折點是很重要的，否則就沒有辦法讓自己低下頭來，去鑽研實務面，真正細緻地學習專業的內涵。
不要排拒任何小事
我們以前念書的時候，會念到「少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲」。現在我認為，所謂的少壯，是從你就業的時間算起。你在前面不努力，基礎沒有打好，你後面就免談。
在職場，任何一個很low end(末端)的事，你都應該要做。一般人很難想像，早期我們設計開發一套電腦出來，根本沒有辦法為它做一個殼。我們就用木頭做一張桌子，然後把電腦build in(嵌入)在裡面。
為了讓電腦通風，還得拿電鑽在桌子的側板，一個一個鑽洞，就像蜂巢一樣。鑽得不好，鑽斜了，可能兩個洞就打通了。因為有做過，我才會知道怎麼鑽。像這種最基本的事，即使是非常dumb(無聊)的工作，你在剛入職場的時候，能夠碰到的你都要去做。
在你做了很多小事，知道裡面有哪些訣竅後，一定要多思考，把你所經過的點點滴滴整理一番。唯有不斷的思考，你才能體悟到更多的觀念跟意涵。否則你做了很多，每個都很零碎，就無法體悟到更多的事。
樂於承擔挑戰
我在進公司約2個月時，因為是菜鳥，主管對我沒有很高的期望。剛好公司要趕一個軟體研發計劃，原來的負責人因故無法執行，所以公司就問我能不能做。其實我當時也不知道自己能不能，但是我那天晚上就沒睡覺，直接動手做。等到隔天我回覆老闆，不是跟他說我能不能做，而是告訴他我做得差不多了。
半年後，公司業務主管離職，沒有人接手。主管就問我，願不願意做業務？我接了，但那時沒有人接我技術部門的工作，所以我就一個人做兩件事情。
每天一早，我就出去拜訪客戶，回到公司已經是下午6點了。晚上再幫客戶上課，教他們了解相關技術。10點多上完課，回家洗個澡，再繼續研究技術資料。那時我幾乎每天工作超過16個小時，大約持續了1年。即使後來有人接替我做技術支援，我因為工程師習性不變，還是會自己研究產品的技術資料。
豐富你的工作
那時，我認為值得做的就去做，所有時間我能拿出來用的，我就用。講嚴苛一點，那時沒有什麼下班生活，下班後大概唯一就是睡覺，因為睡眠時間已經很短了。而我只是不斷地enrich(豐富)自己的工作，主動擴大我的工作內涵，也不停去想，怎麼樣把事情做好。
我在做業務推廣的時候，為了讓它更有效益，我就跟公司提議要辦雜誌，就是《微電腦時代》。剛開始，真的很刻苦，每個月的預算只有5萬元。我不敢跟老闆要很多錢，也不敢說要增加人力，因為不知道自己能不能辦得起來。所以我就白天做業務，晚上做編輯，要自己去找稿、翻譯，甚至自己寫稿。
1984年時，我跑去管行政。那時只是覺得行政的步調趕不上我業務的需求，為了解決問題，我就跳進去管。沒想到學了好多，所有柴米油鹽醬醋茶的事，我都學過了。當時我才32歲，算起來只有8年的工作資歷，但因為我每天上班15個鐘頭；可以說，那時應該有12、13年的經驗累積了。後來有機會獨當一面，去建構通路事業，也是自然而然的事。
這只是過去的經驗之一，很多東西是一種醞釀，你要醞釀得快，或是醞釀得多，就看你下多少工夫。尤其，當你未來要成為一位高級主管，你所需要的經驗面向就要廣。你對事務的判斷力，就是靠這個更廣大的經驗，來提高你的決策品質，不能只守在小範圍裡。
著迷工作，就慢慢「浮」上去
如果你很投入於工作，大約2~3年，你就能體悟到工作內涵的know-how，是如此迷人。它會變成你的興趣，讓你著迷於追求那個know-how的喜悅，然後就像滾雪球一樣，你會越陷越深。
因為很投入，你也會有一定的成績，所以在老闆心中，你會建立一定的credit(信用)。當你提出更多的計劃，你所獲得的支持度就越高。公司就會給你資源，給你員額，自然而然你就會越做越大。
所以我常講，人是浮出來的，不是爬上去的。不是說你想要，你去抓、才往上爬。大家都說職位的階梯是爬上去的，但是我以個人的職涯來看，職位卻是浮上來、不是爬上去的，因為下面的水越來越多，你自然就浮上去了。
摩天輪小姐蔡英文（陳文茜）
2011年 04月23日
政治
有時需要創意式的模糊，那是高明的政客；但經貿不可以，因為那將只是高明的騙術。這是身為富家女的蔡英文想成為國家領袖，必須深刻體認的基層民生之苦。她若當選，其大陸經貿政策將深深影響台灣眾多企業與其千萬僱員家庭的悲歡生計。
舉一個例子，去年 4月26日 蔡英文與馬英九辯論，公開反對ECFA。反對理由之一是WTO談判時，已幫台灣的工具機爭取最惠國待遇，她批評馬為什麼要為工具機業者再爭取特權？馬英九告訴她，工具機業者聽了她的談話會掉淚，因為他們在大陸的關稅是8%；相反的，東協加一（2010年起）東南亞各國工具機的關稅已趨近於零；台灣幫他們爭取比照東協的低關稅，根留台灣，怎麼叫特權？
我常對朋友說蔡式兩岸政策語言習慣套套邏輯，聽她的談話比搭摩天輪還糟；過程滔滔不絕，中場毫無驚喜，結尾只是回到原點。
如果「實踐」是檢驗真理的唯一標準，ECFA的實踐是檢驗蔡英文滔滔不絕的「套套大戰略」最好的標準。辯論一年過去了，今年4月20日剛出刊的《天下雜誌》第46頁，刊登「台灣工具機訂單爆景氣大翻紅」的消息。台灣工具機業者因兩大因素，一是大陸工資漲各工廠自動化風潮雲起；一是ECFA簽訂後台灣工廠不用移至大陸，在低關稅也沒有被大陸工廠仿冒的威脅下，台灣工具機接單已旺至第四季。此外中國市場雖佔出口42%，但美、印度、土耳其皆已分別成為台灣工具機新市場，產值與出口從2009年20億美元V型反彈增加1倍至40億美元。
如果2012年蔡英文執政，拒絕談判她口中的「特權」ECFA，這些台灣工具機廠商有一部分可能遷廠大陸，有一部分遷廠馬來西亞或越南；工具機的員工們，他們的家庭或因此被迫分隔、或面臨失業，家庭收入停滯甚至下滑。
一個領導人的決策，牽涉千萬家庭的生計；這是爭取大位的人，要永遠心存的磨難之念。台灣絕大多數的家庭子女，都沒有蔡主席的好命。人生只靠繼承家產、口才便給，聰明模糊，即可謀生。蔡英文在第一場電視辯論會中，不遑多讓地宣稱2012若是民進黨執政，也會開放直航及大陸觀光客。我幫失憶的蔡主席回憶一下， 2008年6月2日 她接受《中時》三位記者吳典蓉等聯訪，明白反對若兩岸以「九二共識」為前提包裹客運包機、貨運包機及陸客來台；民進黨再執政，「繼任政府可以不接受。」
她的意思是2012若她當選，她將推翻「九二共識」；至於大陸是否因此停止直航、陸客，那是大陸的事；不是 蔡 小姐的事。當蔡英文如此「堅定」時，她是否意識，她的決策風險代表多少行業、多少家庭，可能收入下滑、失業甚至崩潰。
蔡英文總把「多邊體系」掛在嘴邊，坦白說，我沒有她的學問。但我知道最新一期美國《外交期刊》（Foreign Affairs），刊登了美國WTO前談判代表Susan C. Schwab撰文「WTO杜哈回合談判已死」。同一時間不說星、日、韓吧，連越南都積極與歐、美、日、韓，洽談雙邊貿易FTA。在蔡英文誇口的主政期間，台灣於「多邊」也好、「雙邊」也罷，唯一完成的「大國」貿易談判，就是與巴拿馬簽訂了FTA。
蔡世界只有巴拿馬
以「實踐」檢驗蔡英文的「世界」「多邊體系」，她的世界就是小小的巴拿馬，她的多邊就是台與巴；佔全台出口貿易比不到1%。
我個人期待也希望女性領導人可以出頭；但男也罷、女也好，最重要還是老百姓生活要出頭。周四我從南京回台那一天，桃園機場不再如2008年前老是令我傷心，空曠無人；我持中華民國護照快速通關，另一邊擠得黑壓壓的，全是大陸或外國觀光客。
兩岸政策不是繞口令，更不是 富家 小姐搭摩天輪；它模糊了，更不是創意，而是欺騙選票。
作者為電視節目主持人
陳文茜《我的陳文茜》
政治
有時需要創意式的模糊，那是高明的政客；但經貿不可以，因為那將只是高明的騙術。這是身為富家女的蔡英文想成為國家領袖，必須深刻體認的基層民生之苦。她若當選，其大陸經貿政策將深深影響台灣眾多企業與其千萬僱員家庭的悲歡生計。
舉一個例子，去年 4月26日 蔡英文與馬英九辯論，公開反對ECFA。反對理由之一是WTO談判時，已幫台灣的工具機爭取最惠國待遇，她批評馬為什麼要為工具機業者再爭取特權？馬英九告訴她，工具機業者聽了她的談話會掉淚，因為他們在大陸的關稅是8%；相反的，東協加一（2010年起）東南亞各國工具機的關稅已趨近於零；台灣幫他們爭取比照東協的低關稅，根留台灣，怎麼叫特權？
我常對朋友說蔡式兩岸政策語言習慣套套邏輯，聽她的談話比搭摩天輪還糟；過程滔滔不絕，中場毫無驚喜，結尾只是回到原點。
如果「實踐」是檢驗真理的唯一標準，ECFA的實踐是檢驗蔡英文滔滔不絕的「套套大戰略」最好的標準。辯論一年過去了，今年4月20日剛出刊的《天下雜誌》第46頁，刊登「台灣工具機訂單爆景氣大翻紅」的消息。台灣工具機業者因兩大因素，一是大陸工資漲各工廠自動化風潮雲起；一是ECFA簽訂後台灣工廠不用移至大陸，在低關稅也沒有被大陸工廠仿冒的威脅下，台灣工具機接單已旺至第四季。此外中國市場雖佔出口42%，但美、印度、土耳其皆已分別成為台灣工具機新市場，產值與出口從2009年20億美元V型反彈增加1倍至40億美元。
如果2012年蔡英文執政，拒絕談判她口中的「特權」ECFA，這些台灣工具機廠商有一部分可能遷廠大陸，有一部分遷廠馬來西亞或越南；工具機的員工們，他們的家庭或因此被迫分隔、或面臨失業，家庭收入停滯甚至下滑。
一個領導人的決策，牽涉千萬家庭的生計；這是爭取大位的人，要永遠心存的磨難之念。台灣絕大多數的家庭子女，都沒有蔡主席的好命。人生只靠繼承家產、口才便給，聰明模糊，即可謀生。蔡英文在第一場電視辯論會中，不遑多讓地宣稱2012若是民進黨執政，也會開放直航及大陸觀光客。我幫失憶的蔡主席回憶一下， 2008年6月2日 她接受《中時》三位記者吳典蓉等聯訪，明白反對若兩岸以「九二共識」為前提包裹客運包機、貨運包機及陸客來台；民進黨再執政，「繼任政府可以不接受。」
她的意思是2012若她當選，她將推翻「九二共識」；至於大陸是否因此停止直航、陸客，那是大陸的事；不是 蔡 小姐的事。當蔡英文如此「堅定」時，她是否意識，她的決策風險代表多少行業、多少家庭，可能收入下滑、失業甚至崩潰。
蔡英文總把「多邊體系」掛在嘴邊，坦白說，我沒有她的學問。但我知道最新一期美國《外交期刊》（Foreign Affairs），刊登了美國WTO前談判代表Susan C. Schwab撰文「WTO杜哈回合談判已死」。同一時間不說星、日、韓吧，連越南都積極與歐、美、日、韓，洽談雙邊貿易FTA。在蔡英文誇口的主政期間，台灣於「多邊」也好、「雙邊」也罷，唯一完成的「大國」貿易談判，就是與巴拿馬簽訂了FTA。
蔡世界只有巴拿馬
以「實踐」檢驗蔡英文的「世界」「多邊體系」，她的世界就是小小的巴拿馬，她的多邊就是台與巴；佔全台出口貿易比不到1%。
我個人期待也希望女性領導人可以出頭；但男也罷、女也好，最重要還是老百姓生活要出頭。周四我從南京回台那一天，桃園機場不再如2008年前老是令我傷心，空曠無人；我持中華民國護照快速通關，另一邊擠得黑壓壓的，全是大陸或外國觀光客。
兩岸政策不是繞口令，更不是 富家 小姐搭摩天輪；它模糊了，更不是創意，而是欺騙選票。
作者為電視節目主持人
陳文茜《我的陳文茜》
2011年7月17日 星期日
搖錢樹--英文的說法
今天來學搖錢樹怎麼說，
牛可以製造牛奶，因此被拿來引用為可以替你帶來金錢流的象徵，字面上雖然是現金牛，但是不難和搖錢樹聯想在一起。
cash cow 搖錢樹
來張圖片增加大家對搖錢樹的印象
圖片來源 http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/jamesgor2001/index?l=f&id=16
牛可以製造牛奶，因此被拿來引用為可以替你帶來金錢流的象徵，字面上雖然是現金牛，但是不難和搖錢樹聯想在一起。
cash cow 搖錢樹
來張圖片增加大家對搖錢樹的印象
圖片來源 http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/jamesgor2001/index?l=f&id=16
2011年4月24日 星期日
<轉錄> The Mountain
<轉錄>
微速度攝影「The Mountain」，獻給勞累了一整天的大家，挪威攝影師Terje Sorgjerd在西班牙最高峰－泰德峰花了7天時間拍下這影片 ，當中捕捉到驚人的銀河景象，這部影片的整體氛圍非常吸
微速度攝影「The Mountain」，獻給勞累了一整天的大家，挪威攝影師Terje Sorgjerd在西班牙最高峰－泰德峰花了7天時間拍下這影片 ，當中捕捉到驚人的銀河景象，這部影片的整體氛圍非常吸
The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.
2011年4月2日 星期六
奢侈稅 (Luxury Tax)
luxury tax 奢侈稅
eg: Luxury tax has a small impact on those who buy houses for living.
budge v. 讓步
eg: She won't budge from her opinions. 她絕不會改變自己的意見。
real estate 不動產
民視英文新聞
Luxury tax set to take affect on July 1 (2011/03/31)
The luxury tax is set to take effect on July 1, but it has already dampened enthusiasm in the real estate market. In the month after the policy was announced, housing prices in Taiwan's six major metropolitan areas have shown clear downward trends.
The average housing price in Taichung fell nearly 11 and a half percent in March compared with February, the steepest drop of any urban area in Taiwan. Prices in Taoyuan fell 9 percent, 6 percent in Kaohsiung and were down three and a half percent in Tainan, and 5 and a half percent in New Taipei City. However, in taipei real estate prices, barely budged, falling only 0.2 percent compared with February.
奢侈打房後
7月1日奢侈稅就要正式上路，效應也陸續顯現，
統計奢侈稅公佈後一個月，全台六大都會區在房價上，已經出現明顯變化。
其中，台中市3月均價比起2月，下滑11.42%，是受創最深的地區，
另外，桃竹縣市以及高雄市，分別下滑8.99%以及5.8%，
至於新北市，房價也跌了5.46%，另外，台南3.5%，台北市影響比較小，微幅下降0.19%。
2011年4月1日 星期五
和fat相關的日常用語
fatty foods 高脂的食物
low in fat 低脂的
low in fat 低脂的
fat free 無脂的
lean meat 瘦肉/無脂肪的肉
chew the fat 閒聊
chew the fat 閒聊
eg: You and I often chew the fat in the library.
fat chance 機會很少，一件事情發生的機率很低甚至根本不會發生
2011年3月30日 星期三
Ted.com
可以把TED想成一個網路學校，網站上藉著十八分鐘的演講介紹一些概念。
TED發起人希望藉由各方面領域的菁英腦力激盪出讓世界更好的一些想法，
我還沒有仔細看過這個網站，不過Advanced Studioclassroom介紹這個網站，
那我也把它推薦給大家。
2011年3月24日 星期四
20110324 Matt Damon (2)
calculus n. 微積分/計算法
eg: After 9/11, teh calculus of risk changed for international airports and
new security measures had to be implemented.
case in point 明證/恰當的例證
eg: Sometimes you can diet and not lose any weight. Case in point: I dieted for one month without progress, until I started exercising too.
adulation n. 吹捧/奉承
eg: The famous musician seemed to be used to all the adulation and adoring fans.
20110324 Matt Damon (2)
calculus n. 微積分/計算法
eg: After 9/11, teh calculus of risk changed for international airports and
new security measures had to be implemented.
case in point 明證/恰當的例證
eg: Sometimes you can diet and not lose any weight. Case in point: I dieted for one month without progress, until I started exercising too.
adulation n. 吹捧/奉承
eg: The famous musician seemed to be used to all the adulation and adoring fans.
20110324 Matt Damon (2)
calculus n. 微積分/計算法
eg: After 9/11, teh calculus of risk changed for international airports and
new security measures had to be implemented.
case in point 明證/恰當的例證
eg: Sometimes you can diet and not lose any weight. Case in point: I dieted for one month without progress, until I started exercising too.
adulation n. 吹捧/奉承
eg: The famous musician seemed to be used to all the adulation and adoring fans.
2011年3月23日 星期三
20110323 Matt Damon
abiding adj. 持久的/始終不渝的
eg: His abiding love for his country caused him to serve it for most of his life.
ambivalent adj. 有矛盾情緒的/憂喜參半的/好壞參半的
eg: I feel ambivalent about studying abroad. I'm very excited to go, but I know I'll be homesick.
phil-愛
philanthrope n. 博愛的人/慈善家
philanthropist n. 慈善家/博愛主義者
philanthropic adj. 慈善的
philanthropically adv. 慈善地/博愛地
=> done in a manner that shows concern for others, especially by giving them money
eg: Bill Gates is not just a rich businessman; he's also a philanthropist. He has given billions of dollars to charity.
eg: The orphanage received a generous donation from a wealthy philanthropist.
eg: an philanthropic organization 慈善機構
non-partisan adj. 無黨派的/超黨派的
=> not supporting or controlled by any person, special interest group or political party
2011年3月19日 星期六
20110318 The Culture of Curacao (2)
Here I find the Jewish quarter and synagogue, the oldest in the Caribbean;
synagogue n. 猶太會堂/猶太教堂
=> a building in which Jewish people worship and study their religion
At the Old Market, people sit at long, communal tables and eat baked whole snapper, fried plantains, goat stew and the other traditional foods of Curacao.
communal adj. 共享的/共有的/共用的
eg: Because of germs, people are not always eager to eat or drink from communal bowl or cup.
The Queen Emma is a pontoon bridge for pedestrians.
pontoon n. 浮橋
=> a small flat boat or a mental structure of s similar shape used especially to form or support a temporary floating bridge
But when a freighter or cruise ship approaches, the bridge operator fires up the engine, and like a truck driver, steers the Punda end of the bridge a full 90 degrees to the opposite shore so that the length of the bridge is snug up against the Otrobanda side, leaving plenty of room for the ship to pass.
fire up 發動(機器/引擎等)/激發
eg: When the pilot fires up the engine, I know we'll be takign off very soon.
snug adv. 緊貼地/緊密地
eg: The TV stand fits snug up against the wall
2011年3月17日 星期四
20110317 The Culture of Curacao (1)
The Culture of Curacao
Dutch, Netherlands and Holland的關係如下
If you are a Dutch, you are from Netherlands.
Sometimes we call Netherlands Holland, but Holland is a part of of Netherlands.
Curacao is in the Netherland Antilles and became an independent country October 10,
autonomous from the Dutch.
autonomous adj. 自治的/有自治權的
eg: The country became autonomous over 50 years ago, but has struggled to establish a stable government.
Poverty and affluence are side by side as well, even in the touristy part of town along the harbor where the cruise ships dock.
affluence n. 豐富/富裕
eg: She displays her affluence by wearing expensive clothes and jewelry.
To get my bearings, I sign up for a three-hour tour.
get one's bearings 弄清楚自己所處的位置/熟悉環境
eg: To get my bearings, I drove back to the starting point. Then I was able to figure out which way to go.
Blo-blo lizards skitter through the cacti and a little land crab raises its claws as if to thwart this invasion by tourists.
thwart v. 阻止/阻撓
eg: Debra tried to thwart the dog attack by covering her face with her arms.
2011年3月16日 星期三
20110316 NEWSworthy Clips (3)
NEWSworthy Clips
Automakers and gadget purveyors are increasingly turning to applications for Apple's iPhone and other smartphone as a way to bring more high-tech electronics into cars.
purveyor n. 供應商
eg: Pork purveyors from all over the world attend Memphis' famous barbecue competition.
Their portability allows motorists to keep their auto data close at hand even when they are away from their cars.
portability n. 便於攜帶/輕便
eg: The portability of the new computer tablets makes it easy to work from anywhere.
2011年3月15日 星期二
20110315 NEWSworthy Clips (2)
Yahoo became one of the web's most popular news sources by aggregating and featuring other people's journalism.
aggregate v. 匯集/合計
eg: The website is known for aggregating the top new stories of the day.
The Internet giant launched the Yahoo Contributor Network, harnessing 400,000 freelance writers, photographers and videographers from Associated Content, a firm that Yahoo bought in May.
harness v. 控制(引申為握有)/利用
eg: By harnessing wind power, electricity is provided to the energy-efficient house.
Although others including AOL and Demand Media are also wooing freelancers, Yahoo's ability to distribute to such a vast audience "is not something that exist [elsewhere] on the web today," says Kuke Beatty, Yahoo's general manager.
woo v. 爭取...的支持/尋求...的贊同/追求
eg: We've discovered which techniques are most effective in wooing new customers.
Others forgo payment to share views or interests with a large audience.
forgo v. 放棄/棄絕
eg: I'll forgo lunch today in order to finish early and get to my doctor's appointment on time.
He doesn't know how many editors review the stories, but he says computers check to be sure nothing is plagiarized or offensive.
plagiarize v. 嫖竊
eg: The professor warned us that we will fail his class if we plagiarize.
面對大地震 台日政媒比一比
文 / 王崑義
面對大地震，日相菅直人馬上設立危機管理對策室，召開緊急應變會議。媒體的畫面除冷靜且翔實提供正確訊息外，也沒有災民呼天搶地的樣子。反觀台灣在九二一與八八水災時，我們的官員與媒體的操作，真的「差很大」！
日本發生芮氏規模9.0 超級大地震，這如果發生在台灣，可能會是一個什麼樣子？想想1999 年發生的「921 集集大地震」，芮氏規模7.3，比這次日本的大地震規模小400 倍，在沒有發生海嘯的情況下，台灣的死亡人數超過2,000 人。
再想想2009 年發生的「八八水災」，卻把整個劉兆玄內閣給淹沒了，馬英九總統從此也被民進黨定位為「無能政府」。
媒體誇張 形塑無能政府
其實，淹沒劉兆玄內閣和馬政府無能的不僅是水災本身，而是台灣的媒體。台灣媒體在強大的競爭壓力下，不是用斗大的字下出聳動的標題，就是電視主播誇張的言語與動作，讓人恨不得都知道他們的新聞是獨家報導。
更誇張的是，我們的媒體總是喜歡把鏡頭對準災民呼天搶地的畫面，或者救災毫無秩序的場景，不然就是一些招魂、哭泣的場面，讓無辜的觀眾也跟著暗地啜泣。
我們無能的政府就是這樣被製造出來的。
再看看這次的日本，本來他們的首相菅直人在政治獻金疑雲中已經搖搖欲墜，但這次發生大地震以後，他馬上在首相官邸危機管理中心設立官邸對策室，要求所有內 閣成員到官邸，召開緊急應變會議。首相菅直人在會議上還呼籲日本國民此刻更要保持沉著冷靜，「希望每個人都拿出行動來，發揮互助精神，將損失控制在最小範 圍內」。
日本首相菅直人的呼籲並不是沒有效果的，在東京街頭，雖然鐵公路可能都中斷，但民眾還是相當有秩序的在等待， 沒有亂糟糟的樣子，更沒人趁火打劫。記得海地大地震發生時，災民把救災物品搶成一團，一個現代化的國家，和一個開發中的國家人民素質的比較，這一幕應該就 可以看得很清楚。
如果我們再把鏡頭轉到NHK 即時呈現的空拍畫面，他們冷靜而翔實提醒海嘯的正確訊息，即使全城發生大火災，也沒有看到災民呼天搶地的樣子，在日本的電視畫面上，更看不到死屍或遺體，以免讓災難更讓人感覺世界末日的恐怖景象。
但我們呢？
台媒亂報 歸咎超級月亮
我們的電視台卻找一些非專家，在那裡高談闊論這次日本大地震，可能是「超級月亮」所引發的全球大災難之一。
什麼是「超級月亮」，觀眾其實沒幾個人弄懂。所謂「超級月亮」，是指月亮和地球最近的時刻，所以我們看到的月亮會特別圓。而這次「超級月亮」會發生在今年 3 月19 日那天，到那天會不會再發生阿扁「兩顆子彈」的事件呢？應該是不會，因為現在阿扁的「辦公室」在監獄，沒有人對他再有興趣了。
那回頭來看什麼是「超級月亮」吧！這是因為月球繞地球的軌道是橢圓形的，所以月球跟地球的距離每個月各有一次「近地點」和「遠地點」。最近時（近地點）約 36 萬3,300 公里，最遠時（遠地點）約40 萬5,500 公里。今年地球與月亮將於3月19 日經過「月球近地點」，到時月球與地球的距離將只有約35 萬6,578 公里，是1992 年以來最接近地球的一次。
就因為這樣，網路上許多網友就開始猜測，最近連續發生的紐西蘭大地震、中國雲南大地震，還有這次日本所發生的大地震，可能都是「超級月亮」所造成的。
網路上的傳言，我們的電視台卻拿來大做文章，網友根據歷史記錄，每一次「超級月亮」出現時，地球上就有不同尋常的災害發生。比如2005 年1 月的印度洋海嘯，以及1974 年澳大利亞達爾文遭遇到的龍捲風等。
這項「超級月亮」的傳言， 馬上被我們的天文台專家給否認。而國際電波天文學中心（International Centre for RadioAstronomy）科學家惠勒（Pete Wheeler）也表示懷疑。他在接受媒體採訪時說：「在出現超級月亮前後，地球只會出現比平常低或高的潮汐。屆時將不會因此發生地震或火山爆發，除非那 是原本就會發生的。」另外，澳洲天文學家勒內克 (DavidReneke) 也持相同看法。他指出，陰謀論者總能找到與特定時間扯上關係的天災，並怪罪「超級月亮」。國際天文學專家都否認這項說法，但是我們的電視台卻可以夸夸而 談，而且一談就是半小時。
日本震災 馬政府動作快
這次日本發生大地震，馬英九總統不再像過去的麻木不仁，畢竟已經作了快3 年的總統了，所以他第一時間就趕到中央災害應變中心了解日本震災相關影響。其他在立法院接受質詢的官員，也立刻請假趕過去，為了怕比總統到得晚，座車司機幾乎是使命必達。
我國中央氣象局也表示，根據太平洋海嘯中心發布的第一報海嘯警報，台灣也被列為海嘯觀察名單，海嘯預估將先後抵達花蓮、台東與基隆。中央氣象局發布海嘯警 訊，預估海嘯將於下午5 時32 分抵達花蓮、5 時36 分到達台東，6 時04 分到達基隆，提醒沿海地區民眾提高警覺，嚴加防範，嚴密注意海嘯發展情形。行政院長吳敦義說，已請災防中心通報所有各機關因應。由於海嘯警報的發布，雖然 沒有真正來臨，讓東、北部沿海民眾撿到半天的假，但人命關天，預防總比真正發生的好。
馬英九總統也在第一時間，透過駐日代表致電日本首相菅直人表達慰問與關心。日方也隨即提出救援要求，我國救援團隊將盡快出發，馬總統還說：「我們的朋友受難，一定要積極予以援助」。我國並捐款1 億元給日本協助災民。
從馬政府的快速動作，不再像過去對災難的麻木不仁，不管藍綠，這種改變都應稱讚的。因為災難如果發生在台灣，沒有一個有能力的總統指揮救難，那才是大家的災難。
情況嚴重 核電廠也爆炸
日本位於福島的核電廠傳出爆炸，情況到底多嚴重，我們的媒體說「恐釀大禍」。我們的原能會核能管制處處長陳宜彬說，根據所知的消息研判，福島核電廠的機組 反應爐應該已經融毀了，當地的輻射劑量將會持續上升，這是核電廠所面臨最高等級的危機。如果情況真是如此，陳宜彬說，日本官方現在只能設法把污染的範圍降 低了。
但是，日本官房長官枝野幸男在12 日晚上8 點多召開記者會，說此次爆炸為廠房牆壁垮塌，並非內部的核反應堆安全殼發生爆炸。他還表示，外部的放射性物質比爆炸前反而有所減少。
而東京電力公司4 名工作人員在爆炸中受傷被送至醫院救治，但無生命危險。他們在聽到爆炸聲前感到如同地震的劇烈搖晃。
另外，東京電力公司為防止核反應堆安全殼內的壓力上升導致破損，從12 日凌晨起著手向外排放內部蒸氣，並於下午2 點多獲得成功。含有安全殼內放射性物質的蒸氣向周邊地區排出後，導致附近輻射量一度增加。
我們的原能會只依照媒體的消息研判這是「最高等級的危機」，但日本官房長官否認外界的傳聞。日本原本是全球唯一遭到原子彈攻擊的國家，所以他們對核能的應對能力，應該比其他國家更為謹慎，我們到底要聽原能會的說法，還是該聽日本的說法，讀者應該很容易判斷。
經濟影響 應信專家分析
日本發生大地震之後，許多人開始擔心這對全球經濟的影響到底會有多大？一般的股市分析師說對台灣有得有利，讓人摸不著頭緒。但日本做為世界第二大經濟體， 現在已經被中國超越，所以美國哥倫比亞大學經濟學家韋恩斯坦就說，日本整體經濟不會受到此次地震太嚴重的影響，其短期影響可能小於神戶地震，不過日本政府 仍將面臨一些挑戰。
韋恩斯坦說，雖然11 日地震對於受損最嚴重地區的影響將是災難性的，但從神戶地震來看，日本經濟仍舊可以迅速反彈。
他還說，日本工業產值在2005 年1 月、即地震發生的那一個月下降2.6％之後，到2 月和3 月，又隨著重建工作的加強反彈了3％以上。神戶地震對日本工業中心造成了直接衝擊，地震造成的損失共計13 萬億日圓左右，以當前匯率計算約合1,580 億美元。
相比之下，作為11 日地震受損最嚴重地區的北方宮城縣，其經濟規模較小，且更側重於農業和木材業。該地區經濟產值占日本總產值的1.7％左右，不到神戶的一半。因此，短期影響可能要更小。
從這裡來看，我們應該相信經濟學家的判斷，而不是股票分析師的胡謅。
面對大地震，日相菅直人馬上設立危機管理對策室，召開緊急應變會議。媒體的畫面除冷靜且翔實提供正確訊息外，也沒有災民呼天搶地的樣子。反觀台灣在九二一與八八水災時，我們的官員與媒體的操作，真的「差很大」！
日本發生芮氏規模9.0 超級大地震，這如果發生在台灣，可能會是一個什麼樣子？想想1999 年發生的「921 集集大地震」，芮氏規模7.3，比這次日本的大地震規模小400 倍，在沒有發生海嘯的情況下，台灣的死亡人數超過2,000 人。
再想想2009 年發生的「八八水災」，卻把整個劉兆玄內閣給淹沒了，馬英九總統從此也被民進黨定位為「無能政府」。
媒體誇張 形塑無能政府
其實，淹沒劉兆玄內閣和馬政府無能的不僅是水災本身，而是台灣的媒體。台灣媒體在強大的競爭壓力下，不是用斗大的字下出聳動的標題，就是電視主播誇張的言語與動作，讓人恨不得都知道他們的新聞是獨家報導。
更誇張的是，我們的媒體總是喜歡把鏡頭對準災民呼天搶地的畫面，或者救災毫無秩序的場景，不然就是一些招魂、哭泣的場面，讓無辜的觀眾也跟著暗地啜泣。
我們無能的政府就是這樣被製造出來的。
再看看這次的日本，本來他們的首相菅直人在政治獻金疑雲中已經搖搖欲墜，但這次發生大地震以後，他馬上在首相官邸危機管理中心設立官邸對策室，要求所有內 閣成員到官邸，召開緊急應變會議。首相菅直人在會議上還呼籲日本國民此刻更要保持沉著冷靜，「希望每個人都拿出行動來，發揮互助精神，將損失控制在最小範 圍內」。
日本首相菅直人的呼籲並不是沒有效果的，在東京街頭，雖然鐵公路可能都中斷，但民眾還是相當有秩序的在等待， 沒有亂糟糟的樣子，更沒人趁火打劫。記得海地大地震發生時，災民把救災物品搶成一團，一個現代化的國家，和一個開發中的國家人民素質的比較，這一幕應該就 可以看得很清楚。
如果我們再把鏡頭轉到NHK 即時呈現的空拍畫面，他們冷靜而翔實提醒海嘯的正確訊息，即使全城發生大火災，也沒有看到災民呼天搶地的樣子，在日本的電視畫面上，更看不到死屍或遺體，以免讓災難更讓人感覺世界末日的恐怖景象。
但我們呢？
台媒亂報 歸咎超級月亮
我們的電視台卻找一些非專家，在那裡高談闊論這次日本大地震，可能是「超級月亮」所引發的全球大災難之一。
什麼是「超級月亮」，觀眾其實沒幾個人弄懂。所謂「超級月亮」，是指月亮和地球最近的時刻，所以我們看到的月亮會特別圓。而這次「超級月亮」會發生在今年 3 月19 日那天，到那天會不會再發生阿扁「兩顆子彈」的事件呢？應該是不會，因為現在阿扁的「辦公室」在監獄，沒有人對他再有興趣了。
那回頭來看什麼是「超級月亮」吧！這是因為月球繞地球的軌道是橢圓形的，所以月球跟地球的距離每個月各有一次「近地點」和「遠地點」。最近時（近地點）約 36 萬3,300 公里，最遠時（遠地點）約40 萬5,500 公里。今年地球與月亮將於3月19 日經過「月球近地點」，到時月球與地球的距離將只有約35 萬6,578 公里，是1992 年以來最接近地球的一次。
就因為這樣，網路上許多網友就開始猜測，最近連續發生的紐西蘭大地震、中國雲南大地震，還有這次日本所發生的大地震，可能都是「超級月亮」所造成的。
網路上的傳言，我們的電視台卻拿來大做文章，網友根據歷史記錄，每一次「超級月亮」出現時，地球上就有不同尋常的災害發生。比如2005 年1 月的印度洋海嘯，以及1974 年澳大利亞達爾文遭遇到的龍捲風等。
這項「超級月亮」的傳言， 馬上被我們的天文台專家給否認。而國際電波天文學中心（International Centre for RadioAstronomy）科學家惠勒（Pete Wheeler）也表示懷疑。他在接受媒體採訪時說：「在出現超級月亮前後，地球只會出現比平常低或高的潮汐。屆時將不會因此發生地震或火山爆發，除非那 是原本就會發生的。」另外，澳洲天文學家勒內克 (DavidReneke) 也持相同看法。他指出，陰謀論者總能找到與特定時間扯上關係的天災，並怪罪「超級月亮」。國際天文學專家都否認這項說法，但是我們的電視台卻可以夸夸而 談，而且一談就是半小時。
日本震災 馬政府動作快
這次日本發生大地震，馬英九總統不再像過去的麻木不仁，畢竟已經作了快3 年的總統了，所以他第一時間就趕到中央災害應變中心了解日本震災相關影響。其他在立法院接受質詢的官員，也立刻請假趕過去，為了怕比總統到得晚，座車司機幾乎是使命必達。
我國中央氣象局也表示，根據太平洋海嘯中心發布的第一報海嘯警報，台灣也被列為海嘯觀察名單，海嘯預估將先後抵達花蓮、台東與基隆。中央氣象局發布海嘯警 訊，預估海嘯將於下午5 時32 分抵達花蓮、5 時36 分到達台東，6 時04 分到達基隆，提醒沿海地區民眾提高警覺，嚴加防範，嚴密注意海嘯發展情形。行政院長吳敦義說，已請災防中心通報所有各機關因應。由於海嘯警報的發布，雖然 沒有真正來臨，讓東、北部沿海民眾撿到半天的假，但人命關天，預防總比真正發生的好。
馬英九總統也在第一時間，透過駐日代表致電日本首相菅直人表達慰問與關心。日方也隨即提出救援要求，我國救援團隊將盡快出發，馬總統還說：「我們的朋友受難，一定要積極予以援助」。我國並捐款1 億元給日本協助災民。
從馬政府的快速動作，不再像過去對災難的麻木不仁，不管藍綠，這種改變都應稱讚的。因為災難如果發生在台灣，沒有一個有能力的總統指揮救難，那才是大家的災難。
情況嚴重 核電廠也爆炸
日本位於福島的核電廠傳出爆炸，情況到底多嚴重，我們的媒體說「恐釀大禍」。我們的原能會核能管制處處長陳宜彬說，根據所知的消息研判，福島核電廠的機組 反應爐應該已經融毀了，當地的輻射劑量將會持續上升，這是核電廠所面臨最高等級的危機。如果情況真是如此，陳宜彬說，日本官方現在只能設法把污染的範圍降 低了。
但是，日本官房長官枝野幸男在12 日晚上8 點多召開記者會，說此次爆炸為廠房牆壁垮塌，並非內部的核反應堆安全殼發生爆炸。他還表示，外部的放射性物質比爆炸前反而有所減少。
而東京電力公司4 名工作人員在爆炸中受傷被送至醫院救治，但無生命危險。他們在聽到爆炸聲前感到如同地震的劇烈搖晃。
另外，東京電力公司為防止核反應堆安全殼內的壓力上升導致破損，從12 日凌晨起著手向外排放內部蒸氣，並於下午2 點多獲得成功。含有安全殼內放射性物質的蒸氣向周邊地區排出後，導致附近輻射量一度增加。
我們的原能會只依照媒體的消息研判這是「最高等級的危機」，但日本官房長官否認外界的傳聞。日本原本是全球唯一遭到原子彈攻擊的國家，所以他們對核能的應對能力，應該比其他國家更為謹慎，我們到底要聽原能會的說法，還是該聽日本的說法，讀者應該很容易判斷。
經濟影響 應信專家分析
日本發生大地震之後，許多人開始擔心這對全球經濟的影響到底會有多大？一般的股市分析師說對台灣有得有利，讓人摸不著頭緒。但日本做為世界第二大經濟體， 現在已經被中國超越，所以美國哥倫比亞大學經濟學家韋恩斯坦就說，日本整體經濟不會受到此次地震太嚴重的影響，其短期影響可能小於神戶地震，不過日本政府 仍將面臨一些挑戰。
韋恩斯坦說，雖然11 日地震對於受損最嚴重地區的影響將是災難性的，但從神戶地震來看，日本經濟仍舊可以迅速反彈。
他還說，日本工業產值在2005 年1 月、即地震發生的那一個月下降2.6％之後，到2 月和3 月，又隨著重建工作的加強反彈了3％以上。神戶地震對日本工業中心造成了直接衝擊，地震造成的損失共計13 萬億日圓左右，以當前匯率計算約合1,580 億美元。
相比之下，作為11 日地震受損最嚴重地區的北方宮城縣，其經濟規模較小，且更側重於農業和木材業。該地區經濟產值占日本總產值的1.7％左右，不到神戶的一半。因此，短期影響可能要更小。
從這裡來看，我們應該相信經濟學家的判斷，而不是股票分析師的胡謅。
2011年3月12日 星期六
20110311 Pocket Change (1)
Pocket Change
The race is on to transform your smartphone into your wallet
The Japanese call it osaifu keitai (cell-phone wallet). Flash your phone virtually anywhere you go for almost any purchase and it's automatically logged into a digital expense report. Eat frequently at McDonald's? Tap your phone to pay and your all-in-one debit card/receit tracker/loyalty program may instantly offer you 10 percent off. Today, if you want to enjoy these benefits, you have to go to Japan. But after years of talk, wireless carriers, bank, startups and handset makers are now actively working to transfer Americans' cell phone into mobile wallet. The goal: to snag a share of the processing fees associated with the $3.2 trillion in annual retail credit-card charges, and to turn the $1.2 trillion in cash and check spending into digital transactions.
A new era for credit cards
For the past five-plus years, Visa and MasterCard have used near-field communication (NFC) chips in tap-to-pay credit cards and key fobs. Now they're embracing mobile phones as well.
"Consumers already use phones for online payments," says Josh Peirez, MasterCard Worldwide's chief innovation officer, referring to downlaoded songs and software. "The goal is to get them comfortable doing the same thing in the physical world." Nokia has announced that it will include NFC chips in all its 2011 smartphones, effectively forcing Apple, Research in Motion and other rivals to follow suit.
"... Demand is growing," says Gerhard Romen, Nokia's director of mobile financial services, "and full implementation is what makes a technology go forward." Analysts estimates NFC will become ubiquitous within the next three to five years, which will give wireless carriers newfound leverage in determining the future of the mobile wallet.
log into 登入
=> to access a computer system by providing proper identification
key fob 密碼卡/感應卡/感應扣
=> a small device with a built-in USB flash drive used for data storage or identification
expense report 支出報告/支出報表
eg: Don't gorget to add last month's trip to your expense report before you turn in.
snag v. 搶先奪取/爭奪
eg: Jan hopes to snag one of the designer wedding gowns when they go on sale.
follow suit 跟進/仿效
eg: Once our school enforces the new testing guidelines, it won't be long before other school follow suit.
implementation 履行/實施/引進新措施
eg: Effective implementation of the English program has increased English fluency within the government offices.
The race is on to transform your smartphone into your wallet
The Japanese call it osaifu keitai (cell-phone wallet). Flash your phone virtually anywhere you go for almost any purchase and it's automatically logged into a digital expense report. Eat frequently at McDonald's? Tap your phone to pay and your all-in-one debit card/receit tracker/loyalty program may instantly offer you 10 percent off. Today, if you want to enjoy these benefits, you have to go to Japan. But after years of talk, wireless carriers, bank, startups and handset makers are now actively working to transfer Americans' cell phone into mobile wallet. The goal: to snag a share of the processing fees associated with the $3.2 trillion in annual retail credit-card charges, and to turn the $1.2 trillion in cash and check spending into digital transactions.
A new era for credit cards
For the past five-plus years, Visa and MasterCard have used near-field communication (NFC) chips in tap-to-pay credit cards and key fobs. Now they're embracing mobile phones as well.
"Consumers already use phones for online payments," says Josh Peirez, MasterCard Worldwide's chief innovation officer, referring to downlaoded songs and software. "The goal is to get them comfortable doing the same thing in the physical world." Nokia has announced that it will include NFC chips in all its 2011 smartphones, effectively forcing Apple, Research in Motion and other rivals to follow suit.
"... Demand is growing," says Gerhard Romen, Nokia's director of mobile financial services, "and full implementation is what makes a technology go forward." Analysts estimates NFC will become ubiquitous within the next three to five years, which will give wireless carriers newfound leverage in determining the future of the mobile wallet.
log into 登入
=> to access a computer system by providing proper identification
key fob 密碼卡/感應卡/感應扣
=> a small device with a built-in USB flash drive used for data storage or identification
expense report 支出報告/支出報表
eg: Don't gorget to add last month's trip to your expense report before you turn in.
snag v. 搶先奪取/爭奪
eg: Jan hopes to snag one of the designer wedding gowns when they go on sale.
follow suit 跟進/仿效
eg: Once our school enforces the new testing guidelines, it won't be long before other school follow suit.
implementation 履行/實施/引進新措施
eg: Effective implementation of the English program has increased English fluency within the government offices.
2011年3月11日 星期五
日本8.9強震 發布大海嘯警報
2011/03/11 華視新聞
日本下午發生芮氏規模8.9的淺層強烈地震，震央位在本州宮城縣外海，日本東岸隨後立即遭到海嘯襲擊。設在夏威夷的太平洋海嘯警報中心，已經針對幾乎整個環太平洋地區，包括台灣在內，也發佈了海嘯警報，估計五點半將會撲到台灣東部沿海地區。沿海低窪地區民眾，最好趕快撤離。從空中鳥瞰，才半公尺高的海嘯，整個撲向宮城縣海邊，大浪所到之處，不管是人車還是建築物，都經不起衝擊，在瞬間被吞沒，海水持續一路倒灌，事先來不及撤離的人，恐怕是難以脫身了。您現在看到的畫面，就是仙台臨海地區稍早第一波海水倒灌，碼頭整個都淹沒在海水中，許多車輛被沖得東倒西歪，就怕有人躲避不及，被捲進了海裡。鏡頭拉到地平線，在仙台的另外一頭，從地面上竄起一道濃烈的黑煙，目前還不清楚是哪裡發生大火。其實從畫面上，就可以看到整個仙台地區，已經有好幾處建築的窗口竄出火苗，很可能都是因為瓦斯管路被震毀，以及電線短路造成的。這起強震發生在當地時間下午兩點時46分，也就是台北時間一點46分，震央位在仙台外海125公里的海底，距離海平面只有十公里，幾乎整個日本，都能夠感受到強震的威力。當地電視台在地震剛剛發生的時候，竟然有記者不忙著逃難，還拿起錄影機，就近拍下了辦公室劇烈搖晃的實況。而連遠在將近四百公里的東京，正在開議的日本國會議事廳，從天花板的大燈，到地面的桌椅也跟著搖晃。
日本下午發生芮氏規模8.9的淺層強烈地震，震央位在本州宮城縣外海，日本東岸隨後立即遭到海嘯襲擊。設在夏威夷的太平洋海嘯警報中心，已經針對幾乎整個環太平洋地區，包括台灣在內，也發佈了海嘯警報，估計五點半將會撲到台灣東部沿海地區。沿海低窪地區民眾，最好趕快撤離。從空中鳥瞰，才半公尺高的海嘯，整個撲向宮城縣海邊，大浪所到之處，不管是人車還是建築物，都經不起衝擊，在瞬間被吞沒，海水持續一路倒灌，事先來不及撤離的人，恐怕是難以脫身了。您現在看到的畫面，就是仙台臨海地區稍早第一波海水倒灌，碼頭整個都淹沒在海水中，許多車輛被沖得東倒西歪，就怕有人躲避不及，被捲進了海裡。鏡頭拉到地平線，在仙台的另外一頭，從地面上竄起一道濃烈的黑煙，目前還不清楚是哪裡發生大火。其實從畫面上，就可以看到整個仙台地區，已經有好幾處建築的窗口竄出火苗，很可能都是因為瓦斯管路被震毀，以及電線短路造成的。這起強震發生在當地時間下午兩點時46分，也就是台北時間一點46分，震央位在仙台外海125公里的海底，距離海平面只有十公里，幾乎整個日本，都能夠感受到強震的威力。當地電視台在地震剛剛發生的時候，竟然有記者不忙著逃難，還拿起錄影機，就近拍下了辦公室劇烈搖晃的實況。而連遠在將近四百公里的東京，正在開議的日本國會議事廳，從天花板的大燈，到地面的桌椅也跟著搖晃。
2011年3月5日 星期六
20110304 Selling Tunes the 21st-century Way (2)
Selling Tunes the 21st-century Way
Musical fair trade
"As a musician, I make and record all the music, drives of miles to do concerts, eat ramen and sleep on floors. And here these companies were charging up to 15 percent of my sales in perpetuity, just for sending a file from one server to another," Price said. "It really upset me that people were getting ripped off like that."
So he set up a website that charged artists a flat fee to distribute their songs. That meant Jay-Z paid the same amount to post his music on iTunes as someone recording in their suburban garage. When TuneCore launched in January 2006 it disrupted a tradition of taking percentages of sales, which can mean thousands of dollars for a song by a major artist.
While TuneCore also doesn't front money or market bands in the way a label would, its service is part of burgeoning digital toolset that allows artist to be more self sufficient.
A lifeline for indie artists
TuneCore isn't the only outfit that distributes digital music for artists. Companies such as CD Baby, Ioda and Orchard also sell distribution services for do-it-yourself musicians. But TuneCore is perhaps the most well-known in the pack.
Its success isn't just about doing business with [established musicians]. It's also about people like Dave Days, a 19-year-old pop musicians who isn't represented by any labels.
Days, who markets his musics on YouTube, has sold more than 250,000 singles on iTunes alone, using TuneCore. While iTunes takes a 30 percent cut of every song sold, TuneCore collect only its flat annual fee -- $9.00 a song, $19,99 album -- no matter how many times the music is sold and for as many online stores as artists select. TuneCore collect the revenue from iTunes and elsewhere on behalf of musicians, allowing artists to withdraw the money whenever they want for no additional fee.
ramen n. 拉麵
flat fee 固定費用
=> a pricing plan that charges a fixed amount for a service, regardless of usage
perpetuity n. 永遠/永存/不滅
in perpetuity
=> going on forever
rip (someone) off 敲竹槓/剝削
=> to cheat someone by charging too much money
indie
=> short way of saying "independent"
front v. 預付錢/付訂金
=> to pay someone an amount of money before they start a job
outfit
=> group
=> an organization, company or team
burgeoning adj. 增長迅速的/發展很快的
=> developing quickly
Musical fair trade
"As a musician, I make and record all the music, drives of miles to do concerts, eat ramen and sleep on floors. And here these companies were charging up to 15 percent of my sales in perpetuity, just for sending a file from one server to another," Price said. "It really upset me that people were getting ripped off like that."
So he set up a website that charged artists a flat fee to distribute their songs. That meant Jay-Z paid the same amount to post his music on iTunes as someone recording in their suburban garage. When TuneCore launched in January 2006 it disrupted a tradition of taking percentages of sales, which can mean thousands of dollars for a song by a major artist.
While TuneCore also doesn't front money or market bands in the way a label would, its service is part of burgeoning digital toolset that allows artist to be more self sufficient.
A lifeline for indie artists
TuneCore isn't the only outfit that distributes digital music for artists. Companies such as CD Baby, Ioda and Orchard also sell distribution services for do-it-yourself musicians. But TuneCore is perhaps the most well-known in the pack.
Its success isn't just about doing business with [established musicians]. It's also about people like Dave Days, a 19-year-old pop musicians who isn't represented by any labels.
Days, who markets his musics on YouTube, has sold more than 250,000 singles on iTunes alone, using TuneCore. While iTunes takes a 30 percent cut of every song sold, TuneCore collect only its flat annual fee -- $9.00 a song, $19,99 album -- no matter how many times the music is sold and for as many online stores as artists select. TuneCore collect the revenue from iTunes and elsewhere on behalf of musicians, allowing artists to withdraw the money whenever they want for no additional fee.
ramen n. 拉麵
flat fee 固定費用
=> a pricing plan that charges a fixed amount for a service, regardless of usage
perpetuity n. 永遠/永存/不滅
in perpetuity
=> going on forever
rip (someone) off 敲竹槓/剝削
=> to cheat someone by charging too much money
indie
=> short way of saying "independent"
front v. 預付錢/付訂金
=> to pay someone an amount of money before they start a job
outfit
=> group
=> an organization, company or team
burgeoning adj. 增長迅速的/發展很快的
=> developing quickly
2011年3月3日 星期四
Smartphone Symphony
Wang's passion for developing Smartphone music led him to co-found Smule, or "Sonic Mule." This start-up allows him to share his music research with the masses by developing apps that feature "interactive and expressive audio." To date, the company's most popular product is Ocarina, an app that turns the iPhone into an electronic version of the ancient wind instrument of the same name. Users create melodies by placing their fingers on the touch screen's four animated finger, holes and then blowing into the phone's microphone. It looks and sounds as if the users are playing real ocarinas!
In line with the company's goal of creating interactive apps, Smule designed Ocarina with a World Listener mode. When this mode is selected, users can listen to Ocarina players from around the world whose locations are represented on a global map. As Wang says, Ocarina is perhaps the first instrument in history that allows players from around the world to hear each other. To date, more than 40 million performances have been shared within the Ocarina community. And if Wang has his way, millions more will soon join this global Smartphone symphony.
inter- 在兩者之間
interactive adj. 互動式的
eg: This interactive computer game has become really popular lately.
=> 這個互動式的電腦遊戲最近變得非常流行
eg: This interactive computer system allows you to make your reservations at any time.
=> 這個互動式的電腦系統可讓你以隨時預約
eg: Language development is an interactive process.
=> 語言發展是一種互動式的過程
version n. 同一種物件的不同版本型號/樣式
eg: The latest version of this computer software costs over $1000.
=> 這個電腦軟體的最新版本要價超過一千美金
eg: A Chinese version of this novel will be published in May.
=> 這本小說的中文版會在五月份出版
mode n. 電腦/電話設定的狀態
eg: The computer was set to hibernation mode.
=> 電腦被設定為休眠的狀態
eg: The office phone was set to automatic-transfer mode during the holidays.
=> 假期的時候辦公室的電話會被設定為自動轉接的模式
animated adj. 動畫的
in line with
=> in agreement with
Ocarina n. 小鵝笛
//== Chat room ==//
coin v. 創造
eg: a newly coined word
=> 一個新創的字
unfriend
=> 在facebook 上刪除好友，引申為不想和某人當朋友。
blend 混合字
Smule
=> 由Sonic和Mule所組成的，這種由兩個字組成的字稱作blend(混合字)
brunch
=> 由breakfast和lunch所組成的blend(混合字)
compound 複合字,
eg: smartphone, newspaper, eyebrow
Wang's passion for developing Smartphone music led him to co-found Smule, or "Sonic Mule." This start-up allows him to share his music research with the masses by developing apps that feature "interactive and expressive audio." To date, the company's most popular product is Ocarina, an app that turns the iPhone into an electronic version of the ancient wind instrument of the same name. Users create melodies by placing their fingers on the touch screen's four animated finger, holes and then blowing into the phone's microphone. It looks and sounds as if the users are playing real ocarinas!
In line with the company's goal of creating interactive apps, Smule designed Ocarina with a World Listener mode. When this mode is selected, users can listen to Ocarina players from around the world whose locations are represented on a global map. As Wang says, Ocarina is perhaps the first instrument in history that allows players from around the world to hear each other. To date, more than 40 million performances have been shared within the Ocarina community. And if Wang has his way, millions more will soon join this global Smartphone symphony.
inter- 在兩者之間
interactive adj. 互動式的
eg: This interactive computer game has become really popular lately.
=> 這個互動式的電腦遊戲最近變得非常流行
eg: This interactive computer system allows you to make your reservations at any time.
=> 這個互動式的電腦系統可讓你以隨時預約
eg: Language development is an interactive process.
=> 語言發展是一種互動式的過程
version n. 同一種物件的不同版本型號/樣式
eg: The latest version of this computer software costs over $1000.
=> 這個電腦軟體的最新版本要價超過一千美金
eg: A Chinese version of this novel will be published in May.
=> 這本小說的中文版會在五月份出版
mode n. 電腦/電話設定的狀態
eg: The computer was set to hibernation mode.
=> 電腦被設定為休眠的狀態
eg: The office phone was set to automatic-transfer mode during the holidays.
=> 假期的時候辦公室的電話會被設定為自動轉接的模式
animated adj. 動畫的
in line with
=> in agreement with
Ocarina n. 小鵝笛
//== Chat room ==//
coin v. 創造
eg: a newly coined word
=> 一個新創的字
unfriend
=> 在facebook 上刪除好友，引申為不想和某人當朋友。
blend 混合字
Smule
=> 由Sonic和Mule所組成的，這種由兩個字組成的字稱作blend(混合字)
brunch
=> 由breakfast和lunch所組成的blend(混合字)
compound 複合字,
eg: smartphone, newspaper, eyebrow
2011年3月2日 星期三
20110302 Smartphone Symphony(2)
Smartphone symphony
Described as a "vocal instrument," Improvox helps even terrible singers sound like professionals by correcting their pitch in real-time. Users sing into their phone's microphones and slide their fingers across their touch screens to adjust background harmony and add in effects like echo and reverb. Indeed, Improvox provides tools similar to the ones used in professional recording studios so the users can adjust their sound. And when they'er done singing, they have the option of saving their performances and sharing them with friends via e-mail.
Ocarina
Dr. Ge Wang, a professor at Standford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics(CCRMA), specializes in making computer-generated music more mobile. His efforts have led to the formation of such experimental groups as the Princeton Laptop Orchestra(PLOrk) and the Stanford Mobile Phone Orchestra, or MoPhO. Dressed in black and wearing gloves with round speakers attached, the members of MoPhO look more like super heroes or rock stars than orchestra members. As Wang conducts, they make music by moving their hands in different directions and sliding their fingers across their iPhones' touch screens.
voc- 聲音
vocal adj. 聲音的/使用嗓音的
eg: The vocal techniques for singing operas take years of training to master.
=> 演唱歌劇的聲音技巧需要幾年的訓練才可以掌握
eg: Lips are an important vocal instrument.
=> 嘴唇是非常重要的發聲樂器
eg: The vocal part of this picee of music was recorded in another studio.
=> 這首曲子原聲的部分是在另一間錄音室錄製的
via prep. 透過/經由
=> by way of
eg: We had our meeting via Skype.
=> 我們透過Skype 開會
eg: I ordered a new cell-phone via on-line shopping.
=> 我透過網上購物訂了一支手機
eg: The plane flew from Taipei to LA via Tokyo.
=> 飛機由台北起飛經由東京飛到洛杉磯
conductor n. 指揮家
conduct v.指揮
eg: This piece of music is considered extremely difficult to conduct.
=> 這首曲子被認為是極度困難指揮的曲子
eg: Henry has been conducting a church choir for several years.
=>Henry 指揮一個教會的唱詩班已經有幾年的時間了
pitch n. 音高
=> the quality of note
echo n. 回音
reverb v. 回響
= reverberate
=> long lasting sound that cause things to vibrate
acoustics n. 聲學
=> scientific study of sound
=> how sound is received/sent out
computer-generated 電腦生成的
//== Chat room ==//
speaker n. 演講者
keynote speaker 大會主持人
speaker n. 喇叭/揚聲器
= loudspeaker
woofer n. 低音喇叭
subwoofer n. 超低音喇叭
Described as a "vocal instrument," Improvox helps even terrible singers sound like professionals by correcting their pitch in real-time. Users sing into their phone's microphones and slide their fingers across their touch screens to adjust background harmony and add in effects like echo and reverb. Indeed, Improvox provides tools similar to the ones used in professional recording studios so the users can adjust their sound. And when they'er done singing, they have the option of saving their performances and sharing them with friends via e-mail.
Ocarina
Dr. Ge Wang, a professor at Standford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics(CCRMA), specializes in making computer-generated music more mobile. His efforts have led to the formation of such experimental groups as the Princeton Laptop Orchestra(PLOrk) and the Stanford Mobile Phone Orchestra, or MoPhO. Dressed in black and wearing gloves with round speakers attached, the members of MoPhO look more like super heroes or rock stars than orchestra members. As Wang conducts, they make music by moving their hands in different directions and sliding their fingers across their iPhones' touch screens.
voc- 聲音
vocal adj. 聲音的/使用嗓音的
eg: The vocal techniques for singing operas take years of training to master.
=> 演唱歌劇的聲音技巧需要幾年的訓練才可以掌握
eg: Lips are an important vocal instrument.
=> 嘴唇是非常重要的發聲樂器
eg: The vocal part of this picee of music was recorded in another studio.
=> 這首曲子原聲的部分是在另一間錄音室錄製的
via prep. 透過/經由
=> by way of
eg: We had our meeting via Skype.
=> 我們透過Skype 開會
eg: I ordered a new cell-phone via on-line shopping.
=> 我透過網上購物訂了一支手機
eg: The plane flew from Taipei to LA via Tokyo.
=> 飛機由台北起飛經由東京飛到洛杉磯
conductor n. 指揮家
conduct v.指揮
eg: This piece of music is considered extremely difficult to conduct.
=> 這首曲子被認為是極度困難指揮的曲子
eg: Henry has been conducting a church choir for several years.
=>Henry 指揮一個教會的唱詩班已經有幾年的時間了
pitch n. 音高
=> the quality of note
echo n. 回音
reverb v. 回響
= reverberate
=> long lasting sound that cause things to vibrate
acoustics n. 聲學
=> scientific study of sound
=> how sound is received/sent out
computer-generated 電腦生成的
//== Chat room ==//
speaker n. 演講者
keynote speaker 大會主持人
speaker n. 喇叭/揚聲器
= loudspeaker
woofer n. 低音喇叭
subwoofer n. 超低音喇叭
2011年3月1日 星期二
20110301 Smartphone Symphony (1)
Smartphone Symphony
Grab your phone and make some music! The days of carrying around both a cell phone and an MP3 player are history. Nearly all cell phones sold today double as music-listening devices, with Smartphones going one step further. Thanks to features such as built-in motion sensors and touch screens, Smartphones have turned cell phones into music-making devices that respond to a user's hand movements. Music apps available now allow users to produce the sounds of instruments by tapping virtual drums and forming chords on virtual strings. The following musical apps are two of the most powerful and creative ones on the market.
Improvox
Robert Taub, a famous concert pianist, was looking for a way to help his daughter remember musical compositions. His original idea was to develop software that could photograph a score, play it back and allow a student to imitate the music. Taub decided to leave his performing career behind and form a start-up company called MuseAmi for the purpose of developing such a musical app. Although MuseAmi's first app, the iPhone app called Improvox, doesn't live up to Taub's original idea, it does break new ground.
double as something 兼具另外一種身分/功能
eg: The dining room table double as Josh's worktable.
=> 餐廳的餐桌也兼具Josh的工作桌
eg: Before we find a substitute, the receptionist, Becky, will have to double as our operator.
=> 在我們找到替代者之前接待員Becky會兼任我們的接線生
score n. 樂譜
eg: The score of this new song can be downloaded on the internet.
=> 這首新歌的樂譜可以從網路上下載
eg: This music genius memorized the whold score of Symphony No.7 by Beethoven.
=> 這位音樂奇才可以將整首Beethoven的七號交響曲背起來
score n. 戲劇/電影配樂
eg: The scores for this animated movie were written by a Chinese composer.
=> 這部動畫電影的配樂是由一位中國的作曲家所寫的
start-up n. 新創立的公司
eg: This start-up software company only focuses on the local market for now.
=> 這家新成立的軟體公司目前只針對當地的市場
eg: A lot of people are paying attention to this start-up because the owner is a celebrity.
=> 因為這家新公司的老闆是一位名人,許多人都很關注這家公司
Although MuseAmi's first app, the iPhone app called Improvox, doesn't live up to Taub's original idea,
=> Although MuseAmi's first app, the iPhone app called Improvox, doesn't satisfy/fulfill Taub's original idea,
//== Chat room ==//
muse n. 靈感的來源
=> 繆斯，宙斯的九個女兒
=> 這些muse精通善長詩歌，音樂，舞蹈，歷史等。
=> 靈感的來源，任何給你靈感的東西都可稱做muse
eg: exercise is my Muse.
=> 運動是我靈感的來源。
muse v. 深思熟慮/沉思/冥想
eg: I'm musing over a trip to South America.
=> 我在慎重思考要不要去南美洲
//== More Information ==//
As the creativity and power of music-making apps continues to grow, some music bands are turning in their traditional instruments for smartphones.
One such group, iBand, a trio from Europe, plays original music using iPods and iPhones with costume-designed musical apps. Although the group features computer-generated music, the band's singer, Mara, still uses her actuarial voice to sing the group's lyrics.
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Although Museami's first app ... doesn't live up to Taub's original idea, it does break new ground.
break ground
=> to make progress or achievement that no one else has done before.
eg: In 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon (or Sri Lanka) broke new ground by becoming the world's first female prime minister.
eg: The medical team broke new ground when they discovered how the new drug could fight cancer cells in mice.
Grab your phone and make some music! The days of carrying around both a cell phone and an MP3 player are history. Nearly all cell phones sold today double as music-listening devices, with Smartphones going one step further. Thanks to features such as built-in motion sensors and touch screens, Smartphones have turned cell phones into music-making devices that respond to a user's hand movements. Music apps available now allow users to produce the sounds of instruments by tapping virtual drums and forming chords on virtual strings. The following musical apps are two of the most powerful and creative ones on the market.
Improvox
Robert Taub, a famous concert pianist, was looking for a way to help his daughter remember musical compositions. His original idea was to develop software that could photograph a score, play it back and allow a student to imitate the music. Taub decided to leave his performing career behind and form a start-up company called MuseAmi for the purpose of developing such a musical app. Although MuseAmi's first app, the iPhone app called Improvox, doesn't live up to Taub's original idea, it does break new ground.
double as something 兼具另外一種身分/功能
eg: The dining room table double as Josh's worktable.
=> 餐廳的餐桌也兼具Josh的工作桌
eg: Before we find a substitute, the receptionist, Becky, will have to double as our operator.
=> 在我們找到替代者之前接待員Becky會兼任我們的接線生
score n. 樂譜
eg: The score of this new song can be downloaded on the internet.
=> 這首新歌的樂譜可以從網路上下載
eg: This music genius memorized the whold score of Symphony No.7 by Beethoven.
=> 這位音樂奇才可以將整首Beethoven的七號交響曲背起來
score n. 戲劇/電影配樂
eg: The scores for this animated movie were written by a Chinese composer.
=> 這部動畫電影的配樂是由一位中國的作曲家所寫的
start-up n. 新創立的公司
eg: This start-up software company only focuses on the local market for now.
=> 這家新成立的軟體公司目前只針對當地的市場
eg: A lot of people are paying attention to this start-up because the owner is a celebrity.
=> 因為這家新公司的老闆是一位名人,許多人都很關注這家公司
Although MuseAmi's first app, the iPhone app called Improvox, doesn't live up to Taub's original idea,
=> Although MuseAmi's first app, the iPhone app called Improvox, doesn't satisfy/fulfill Taub's original idea,
//== Chat room ==//
muse n. 靈感的來源
=> 繆斯，宙斯的九個女兒
=> 這些muse精通善長詩歌，音樂，舞蹈，歷史等。
=> 靈感的來源，任何給你靈感的東西都可稱做muse
eg: exercise is my Muse.
=> 運動是我靈感的來源。
muse v. 深思熟慮/沉思/冥想
eg: I'm musing over a trip to South America.
=> 我在慎重思考要不要去南美洲
//== More Information ==//
As the creativity and power of music-making apps continues to grow, some music bands are turning in their traditional instruments for smartphones.
One such group, iBand, a trio from Europe, plays original music using iPods and iPhones with costume-designed musical apps. Although the group features computer-generated music, the band's singer, Mara, still uses her actuarial voice to sing the group's lyrics.
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Although Museami's first app ... doesn't live up to Taub's original idea, it does break new ground.
break ground
=> to make progress or achievement that no one else has done before.
eg: In 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon (or Sri Lanka) broke new ground by becoming the world's first female prime minister.
eg: The medical team broke new ground when they discovered how the new drug could fight cancer cells in mice.
2011年2月24日 星期四
20110224 Good Parenting Skills Can Change the World (1)
Good Parenting Skills Can Change the World
All of us need to practice healthy parental behaviors toward young children and teenagers
Have you noticed that relationships all over the world are full of tension? Many families are stressed to the breaking point. Governments, schools and workplaces all wrestle with "people problems." The world cannot change for the better until families become more emotionally healthy. Mental health and balanced citizens create a sane society. There is no substitute for a mentally healthy parent figure in one's life. Individuals who raise mentally and emotionally healthy children make a major contribution to our world.
Good parents use these strategies:
* They listen to their children. We all feel valued when other people listen to us. Children cannot feel safe without adults taking time to listen.
* They treat children with respect. Respect means treating a child's feelings tenderly in every possible situation.
* They give out hugs. Children need the power of touch. Parents who dish out orders and never give hugs are raising emotionally deprived children.
* They discipline properly and consistently. Parents should take control and speak authoritatively when necessary. Children feel safe when parents take control.
wrestle v. 摔角/角力
wrestle with something 努力解決/對付某個問題
=> try to deal with something
eg: For weeks, Sean has been wrestling with the decision of which school he should go to.
=> 幾個星期以來，Sean 一直在為要到哪個學校苦思
eg: The goverment is wrestling with the problem of unemployment.
=> 政府正在努力解決失業問題
dish out something (口語用語)給/分發/提供
=> give out something
eg: Tom loves to dish out advice that you don't need.
=> Tom 喜歡給一些你根本就不需要的建議
eg: Hilary dishes out criticism so easily that she often hurts the people around her.
=> Hilary隨隨便便就批評別人,所以常常傷害週遭的人
deprive v. 剝奪/使喪失
deprived adj. 缺乏的/貧窮的/被剝奪的
=> lack something
eg: Brenda came from a deprived family, but that only motivated her to succeed.
=> Brenda出生於貧困的家庭, 但這是鼓勵他成功的動機
eg: Steep-deprived teenagers may have emotional problems.
=> 缺乏睡眠的青少年可能會有情緒上的問題
tension n. 緊張局勢/緊張狀況
sane adj. 健全的/無疾病的
contribution n. 貢獻
authoritatively adv. 命令式地
//== Chat room ==//
parent figure 父親或母親的化身
=> substitue parent who cares for a child in many ways
=> 一個parent figure不一定是guardian
=> 但是不是只有孤兒才有parent figure
=> 任何一位能像父母親一樣扶養照顧教導你的長者都可以是parent figure
=> 如果出遠門到一個陌生的環境求學或是工作能夠有一位parent figure收容你
=> 提供你一個home away from home 像家一樣舒適的地方
guardian 法律上的監護人
home away from home 當出遠門求學或工作,有parent figure提供像家一樣舒適的地方
All of us need to practice healthy parental behaviors toward young children and teenagers
Have you noticed that relationships all over the world are full of tension? Many families are stressed to the breaking point. Governments, schools and workplaces all wrestle with "people problems." The world cannot change for the better until families become more emotionally healthy. Mental health and balanced citizens create a sane society. There is no substitute for a mentally healthy parent figure in one's life. Individuals who raise mentally and emotionally healthy children make a major contribution to our world.
Good parents use these strategies:
* They listen to their children. We all feel valued when other people listen to us. Children cannot feel safe without adults taking time to listen.
* They treat children with respect. Respect means treating a child's feelings tenderly in every possible situation.
* They give out hugs. Children need the power of touch. Parents who dish out orders and never give hugs are raising emotionally deprived children.
* They discipline properly and consistently. Parents should take control and speak authoritatively when necessary. Children feel safe when parents take control.
wrestle v. 摔角/角力
wrestle with something 努力解決/對付某個問題
=> try to deal with something
eg: For weeks, Sean has been wrestling with the decision of which school he should go to.
=> 幾個星期以來，Sean 一直在為要到哪個學校苦思
eg: The goverment is wrestling with the problem of unemployment.
=> 政府正在努力解決失業問題
dish out something (口語用語)給/分發/提供
=> give out something
eg: Tom loves to dish out advice that you don't need.
=> Tom 喜歡給一些你根本就不需要的建議
eg: Hilary dishes out criticism so easily that she often hurts the people around her.
=> Hilary隨隨便便就批評別人,所以常常傷害週遭的人
deprive v. 剝奪/使喪失
deprived adj. 缺乏的/貧窮的/被剝奪的
=> lack something
eg: Brenda came from a deprived family, but that only motivated her to succeed.
=> Brenda出生於貧困的家庭, 但這是鼓勵他成功的動機
eg: Steep-deprived teenagers may have emotional problems.
=> 缺乏睡眠的青少年可能會有情緒上的問題
tension n. 緊張局勢/緊張狀況
sane adj. 健全的/無疾病的
contribution n. 貢獻
authoritatively adv. 命令式地
//== Chat room ==//
parent figure 父親或母親的化身
=> substitue parent who cares for a child in many ways
=> 一個parent figure不一定是guardian
=> 但是不是只有孤兒才有parent figure
=> 任何一位能像父母親一樣扶養照顧教導你的長者都可以是parent figure
=> 如果出遠門到一個陌生的環境求學或是工作能夠有一位parent figure收容你
=> 提供你一個home away from home 像家一樣舒適的地方
guardian 法律上的監護人
home away from home 當出遠門求學或工作,有parent figure提供像家一樣舒適的地方
2011年2月23日 星期三
20110223 Aluminum Does it All (1)
Aluminum Does it All
You'll be amazed at what this silvery metal can do!
Ask your friends to name some things made with aluminum. Chances are they'll mention common items like cooking foil or soda cans. But do they know that aluminum was once so rare it was considered a precious metal? Before the late 19th century, aluminum was rarely found in its pure form. But in 1886, American Charles Martin Hall and Frenchman Paul-Louis-Toussaint Heroult both made a discovery. They found an inexpensive way to separate aluminum from other minerals using electricity. Thanks to Hall and Heroult, aluminum became easier to process. It has since become the second most-used metal in the world after iron.
Prized for its many uses, aluminum can be combined with other metals to create alloys with unique features. Depending on which metal is added, aluminum can be made stronger or more flexible. By far, aluminum's most attractive feature is its light weight. Pure aluminum is roughly one-third the weight of steel. That means aluminum can be used to make items that are light and durable. Uses range from car parts to power cables. Aluminum may be less expensive than it once was, but it remains as valuable as ever!
electricity n. 電/電力
eg: Make sure you turn off the electricity before you change the light bulbs.
=> 在換燈泡之前確定你把電先關掉了
eg: There's no electricity left in my laptop.
=> 我的筆電沒有剩下電力
electrical adj. 電的/用電的
eg: electrical wire 電線
electric adj. 電動的
eg: electric cars 電動車
flex 彎曲
flexible 易彎曲的/有彈性的
eg: These flexible plastic tubes are replacing the old tubes.
=> 舊式的水管會用新的有彈性的塑膠水管取代
eg: The flexible working hours allow me to study while I am at work.
=> 彈性的工作時間可以讓我半工半讀
dur- 堅固的
durability n. 持久/耐久
durable adj. 持久耐用的
eg: The appliances manufactured by this company are very durable
=> 這家公司出產的小家電都很耐用
eg: The cell-phones they made are quite durable.
=> 這家出產的行動電話都很耐用
aluminum n. 鋁
precious metal 真貴金屬
flexible adj. 柔韌的/有彈性的
//== Chat room ==//
use在當名詞和當動詞時的複數形發音不同
eg: John uses the chopsticks well.
versatile adj. 多才多藝/多用途的
=> have a lot of usage
=> 美國人和英國人對這個單字的發音不同
eg: versatile tool 多用途的工具
eg: versatile chef 能夠做出各式各樣菜餚的廚師
//== Grammar on the go ==//
Prized for its many uses, aluminum can be combined with other metals to create alloys with unique features.
=> Because aluminum can be used in many things, it is considered valuable.
prized for its ..., subject + verb
=> how highy value something is because of certain trade or characteristic it has
eg: Prized for its ability to improve many things in life, salt has been fought over by different governments and people groups throughout history.
eg: Prized for its soft texture, light weight, and breathable quality, silk was traditionally reserved only for the Chinese imperial courts.
//== More information ==//
Why does aluminum have two different pronunciations? Before the metal was officially discovered, it was known as aluminum. Later, to conform to the I-U-M ending of the other elements on the periodic table, the British changed aluminum to aluminium. In 1925, the American Chemical Society officially changed the name of aluminium back to aluminum. And that's why there two different pronunciations – one American and one British!
You'll be amazed at what this silvery metal can do!
Ask your friends to name some things made with aluminum. Chances are they'll mention common items like cooking foil or soda cans. But do they know that aluminum was once so rare it was considered a precious metal? Before the late 19th century, aluminum was rarely found in its pure form. But in 1886, American Charles Martin Hall and Frenchman Paul-Louis-Toussaint Heroult both made a discovery. They found an inexpensive way to separate aluminum from other minerals using electricity. Thanks to Hall and Heroult, aluminum became easier to process. It has since become the second most-used metal in the world after iron.
Prized for its many uses, aluminum can be combined with other metals to create alloys with unique features. Depending on which metal is added, aluminum can be made stronger or more flexible. By far, aluminum's most attractive feature is its light weight. Pure aluminum is roughly one-third the weight of steel. That means aluminum can be used to make items that are light and durable. Uses range from car parts to power cables. Aluminum may be less expensive than it once was, but it remains as valuable as ever!
electricity n. 電/電力
eg: Make sure you turn off the electricity before you change the light bulbs.
=> 在換燈泡之前確定你把電先關掉了
eg: There's no electricity left in my laptop.
=> 我的筆電沒有剩下電力
electrical adj. 電的/用電的
eg: electrical wire 電線
electric adj. 電動的
eg: electric cars 電動車
flex 彎曲
flexible 易彎曲的/有彈性的
eg: These flexible plastic tubes are replacing the old tubes.
=> 舊式的水管會用新的有彈性的塑膠水管取代
eg: The flexible working hours allow me to study while I am at work.
=> 彈性的工作時間可以讓我半工半讀
dur- 堅固的
durability n. 持久/耐久
durable adj. 持久耐用的
eg: The appliances manufactured by this company are very durable
=> 這家公司出產的小家電都很耐用
eg: The cell-phones they made are quite durable.
=> 這家出產的行動電話都很耐用
aluminum n. 鋁
precious metal 真貴金屬
flexible adj. 柔韌的/有彈性的
//== Chat room ==//
use在當名詞和當動詞時的複數形發音不同
eg: John uses the chopsticks well.
versatile adj. 多才多藝/多用途的
=> have a lot of usage
=> 美國人和英國人對這個單字的發音不同
eg: versatile tool 多用途的工具
eg: versatile chef 能夠做出各式各樣菜餚的廚師
//== Grammar on the go ==//
Prized for its many uses, aluminum can be combined with other metals to create alloys with unique features.
=> Because aluminum can be used in many things, it is considered valuable.
prized for its ..., subject + verb
=> how highy value something is because of certain trade or characteristic it has
eg: Prized for its ability to improve many things in life, salt has been fought over by different governments and people groups throughout history.
eg: Prized for its soft texture, light weight, and breathable quality, silk was traditionally reserved only for the Chinese imperial courts.
//== More information ==//
Why does aluminum have two different pronunciations? Before the metal was officially discovered, it was known as aluminum. Later, to conform to the I-U-M ending of the other elements on the periodic table, the British changed aluminum to aluminium. In 1925, the American Chemical Society officially changed the name of aluminium back to aluminum. And that's why there two different pronunciations – one American and one British!
2011年2月22日 星期二
20110222 A Different Approach to Choosing a Career(2)
A Different Approach to Choosing a Career
The resulting combination points you to jobs meant to be in sync with your nature. For example, extroverts need a lot of people contact, so they might make good sales people. Introverts need depth and focus, often preferring to work behind the scenes. Sensors thrive on concrete details and facts, so they might consider accounting. Intuitive people prefer ideas and concepts, and so are more inclined toward the arts or advertising.
Armed with a list of personality-appropriate jobs, teens can then research to find out what the job entails. "The main question is, 'What do I do that makes me really feel alive, that energizes me'" Tirger said.
High school students likely won't – and shouldn't – nail down a specific career path; exploring your interests and life's purpose is partly what college is for. But it helps to develop a general idea, so when the time comes to pick a major they can choose something relevant. "Basically what you're starting out with is a compass needle that's going around in circles, so anything you can do to make the swing of the compass needle smaller will be really helpful," said Nicholas Lore, director of the Rockport Institute (rockportinstitute.com), a career design and research firm in Rockville, Md.
syn- 一起
sync n. 同步/一致/符合
= synch
=> synchronize
in sync with 與...一致/同步
eg: She sang in sync with the playing of the band.
=> 她的歌聲與樂團的演奏是一致的
out of sync 不一致
eg: The style of the costumes is out of sync with the setting of the film.
=> 戲服的風格跟電影的背景並不協調
-clin 彎曲
incline v. 傾向於/容易..
incline toward something
=> want to do something
eg: Cathy is inclined to sympathize with people. She would be a great counselor.
=> Cathy很容易對别人的處境感同身受，她會是一個很棒的輔導。
eg: Laura inclines to get frustrated.
=> Laura很容易感到沮喪
nail v. 集中於某物標
nail down 確定/做出決定
eg: We will nail down our sales target for this season in today's meeting.
=> 今天的會議中我們會確定本季的銷售目標
eg: The two companies finally nailed down the details of the contract.
=> 這兩家公司終於確定了契約的細節
behind the scenes 在幕後
thrive
=> grow and develop very well
compass needle 指南針
//== Chat room ==//
picking a major 選擇主修
declare a major 正式聲明主修
Sophomore year 在美國大學二年級時聲明主修
在美國大學是要apply的，申請的結果有兩種，一種是收到rejection letter，另一種是收到acceptance letter
apply 申請
rejection letter 拒絕入學通知書
acceptance letter 接受入學通知書
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Armed with a list of personality-appropriate jobs, teens can then research to find out what the job entails.
armed with
=> to have something useful in order to successfully accomplish a task
eg: When Randy went to babysit his nieces and nephews, he was armed with a good storybook and a children's DVD.
eg: Even though Priscilla has never cooked a meal, she was armed with a cookbook when she walked into the kitchen to fix dinner for her family.
The resulting combination points you to jobs meant to be in sync with your nature. For example, extroverts need a lot of people contact, so they might make good sales people. Introverts need depth and focus, often preferring to work behind the scenes. Sensors thrive on concrete details and facts, so they might consider accounting. Intuitive people prefer ideas and concepts, and so are more inclined toward the arts or advertising.
Armed with a list of personality-appropriate jobs, teens can then research to find out what the job entails. "The main question is, 'What do I do that makes me really feel alive, that energizes me'" Tirger said.
High school students likely won't – and shouldn't – nail down a specific career path; exploring your interests and life's purpose is partly what college is for. But it helps to develop a general idea, so when the time comes to pick a major they can choose something relevant. "Basically what you're starting out with is a compass needle that's going around in circles, so anything you can do to make the swing of the compass needle smaller will be really helpful," said Nicholas Lore, director of the Rockport Institute (rockportinstitute.com), a career design and research firm in Rockville, Md.
syn- 一起
sync n. 同步/一致/符合
= synch
=> synchronize
in sync with 與...一致/同步
eg: She sang in sync with the playing of the band.
=> 她的歌聲與樂團的演奏是一致的
out of sync 不一致
eg: The style of the costumes is out of sync with the setting of the film.
=> 戲服的風格跟電影的背景並不協調
-clin 彎曲
incline v. 傾向於/容易..
incline toward something
=> want to do something
eg: Cathy is inclined to sympathize with people. She would be a great counselor.
=> Cathy很容易對别人的處境感同身受，她會是一個很棒的輔導。
eg: Laura inclines to get frustrated.
=> Laura很容易感到沮喪
nail v. 集中於某物標
nail down 確定/做出決定
eg: We will nail down our sales target for this season in today's meeting.
=> 今天的會議中我們會確定本季的銷售目標
eg: The two companies finally nailed down the details of the contract.
=> 這兩家公司終於確定了契約的細節
behind the scenes 在幕後
thrive
=> grow and develop very well
compass needle 指南針
//== Chat room ==//
picking a major 選擇主修
declare a major 正式聲明主修
Sophomore year 在美國大學二年級時聲明主修
在美國大學是要apply的，申請的結果有兩種，一種是收到rejection letter，另一種是收到acceptance letter
apply 申請
rejection letter 拒絕入學通知書
acceptance letter 接受入學通知書
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Armed with a list of personality-appropriate jobs, teens can then research to find out what the job entails.
armed with
=> to have something useful in order to successfully accomplish a task
eg: When Randy went to babysit his nieces and nephews, he was armed with a good storybook and a children's DVD.
eg: Even though Priscilla has never cooked a meal, she was armed with a cookbook when she walked into the kitchen to fix dinner for her family.
2011年2月21日 星期一
20110221 A Different Approach to Choosing a Career (1)
A Different Approach to Choosing a Career
Helping teens find a career path that suits them
As students near the end of high school, many for the first time start thinking seriously about what they want to do when they grow up and how they plan to get there. And, more often than not, the answer is a nervous shrug: no idea. The challenge is to get students – and parents – to think beyond external rewards, like salary and prestige, so they explore careers that are fulfilling on a deeper level. Because a teen's interests and skills are often transient and changing, a more useful approach to identifying fitting career paths is to focus on the teen's personality, said Paul Tieger, an expert in personality typing and co-author of Do What You Are...
"If you know your personality type, you have an extraordinary advantage in finding something satisfying," said Tieger, the creator of mypersonaljobcoach. com. On Tieger's website, people take a personality assessment that evaluates how they interact with others, make decisions and take in information. It classifies them as one of 16 personality types based on the Myers-briggs model. Thie model measures four aspects of personality: extrovert or introvert: sensor or intuitive: thinking or feeling; judging or perceiving.
trans- 超越/通過
transient adj. 短暫的/三分鐘熱度的/稍縱即逝的
=> last only a short period of time
eg: His transient fame made him very proud and he lost a lot of friends.
=> 他本身的名氣讓他變得非常驕傲失去了許多朋友
eg: Transient workers move from state to state to help with the different harvests.
=> 這些臨時工到各州去幫忙不同農家的採收
ex- 向外的
in- 向內的
extrovert n. 外向的人
=> someone who enjoy being with people
introvert n. 內向的人
=> someon who is shy
eg: Sally is an extrovert. She hardly stays at home. On the contrary, her sister Georgia is an introvert.
=> Shally 非常外向，她幾乎很少待在家裡，相反的她的妹妹卻非常內向
-ceive 拿取
perceive v. 感知/察覺到
eg: I perceived someone walking toward me in the darkness.
=> 黑暗中我可以感覺到有人朝著我走過來
eg: Computer games are often perceived as bad influences on children.
=> 電腦遊戲一般被認定對兒童有不良的影響
shrug n. 聳肩
prestige n. 名聲
=> respect/admiration
assessment n. 評量
Myers-briggs model 邁爾斯，布里格斯模型
intuitive adj. 直覺的/有直覺力的
=> make decision based on your emotions and feelings rather than proves
//== Chat room ==//
personality n. 個性/人格
eg: personality test人格測驗
personality n. 人物或名人
eg: sport personality 有名的運動家
eg: TV personality 電視名人/名嘴
eg: radio personality 廣播名人/電台的節目主持人
personality n. 一個場所的特質
eg: The room has a lot of personality.
=> 一個很有特色的室內設計
Helping teens find a career path that suits them
As students near the end of high school, many for the first time start thinking seriously about what they want to do when they grow up and how they plan to get there. And, more often than not, the answer is a nervous shrug: no idea. The challenge is to get students – and parents – to think beyond external rewards, like salary and prestige, so they explore careers that are fulfilling on a deeper level. Because a teen's interests and skills are often transient and changing, a more useful approach to identifying fitting career paths is to focus on the teen's personality, said Paul Tieger, an expert in personality typing and co-author of Do What You Are...
"If you know your personality type, you have an extraordinary advantage in finding something satisfying," said Tieger, the creator of mypersonaljobcoach. com. On Tieger's website, people take a personality assessment that evaluates how they interact with others, make decisions and take in information. It classifies them as one of 16 personality types based on the Myers-briggs model. Thie model measures four aspects of personality: extrovert or introvert: sensor or intuitive: thinking or feeling; judging or perceiving.
trans- 超越/通過
transient adj. 短暫的/三分鐘熱度的/稍縱即逝的
=> last only a short period of time
eg: His transient fame made him very proud and he lost a lot of friends.
=> 他本身的名氣讓他變得非常驕傲失去了許多朋友
eg: Transient workers move from state to state to help with the different harvests.
=> 這些臨時工到各州去幫忙不同農家的採收
ex- 向外的
in- 向內的
extrovert n. 外向的人
=> someone who enjoy being with people
introvert n. 內向的人
=> someon who is shy
eg: Sally is an extrovert. She hardly stays at home. On the contrary, her sister Georgia is an introvert.
=> Shally 非常外向，她幾乎很少待在家裡，相反的她的妹妹卻非常內向
-ceive 拿取
perceive v. 感知/察覺到
eg: I perceived someone walking toward me in the darkness.
=> 黑暗中我可以感覺到有人朝著我走過來
eg: Computer games are often perceived as bad influences on children.
=> 電腦遊戲一般被認定對兒童有不良的影響
shrug n. 聳肩
prestige n. 名聲
=> respect/admiration
assessment n. 評量
Myers-briggs model 邁爾斯，布里格斯模型
intuitive adj. 直覺的/有直覺力的
=> make decision based on your emotions and feelings rather than proves
//== Chat room ==//
personality n. 個性/人格
eg: personality test人格測驗
personality n. 人物或名人
eg: sport personality 有名的運動家
eg: TV personality 電視名人/名嘴
eg: radio personality 廣播名人/電台的節目主持人
personality n. 一個場所的特質
eg: The room has a lot of personality.
=> 一個很有特色的室內設計
2011年2月20日 星期日
20110219 Fashion Goes Green (2)
Fashion Goes Green
Designers and manufacturers clearly have environmental responsibilities to uphold and so do consumers. Fortunately, getting a green wardrobe is easier than you think.
Shop your own closet
Instead of purchasing a new outfit from the mall, make what you already have look new again. Use your creativity to mix old items and accessories together in fresh, new ways. If you know how to sew, the possibilities are endless. Cut up old shirts and piece them together to make a new skirt or jacket. Have fun and be creative.
Be a thrifty shopper
Save money and avoid waste at the same time by shopping for gently used clothing items. Although thrift shops are most ideal for this type of shopping, many online sites, including eBay, sell used clothing.
Get to know eco-friendly brands
What brands do you shop for? Today, high-end designers like Stella MaCartney and Loomstate are supporting sustainable fashion. Likewise, more affordable options include popular chain H& M, which is committed to responsibly using the planet's resources to manufacture its clothing. Buy brands that support eco-fashion. Become an environmental activist by starting with your closet. Dress green every day!
wardrobe n. 一個人全部的服裝/衣櫃
=> a referece to all the clothes that you have
eg: Check your wardrobe before shopping so you can avoid buying things you already have.
=> 逛街前先檢查一下已經有的衣服，避免買到重複的衣服
eg: Betty showed us her new red-wood wardrobe.
=> Betty展示她的紅木衣櫃
accessories n. 配件
eg: The store has all kinds of accessories to go with dresses.
=> 這家店有各種搭配洋裝的配件
eg: The accessories for the convertible are too expensive.
=> 這個跑車的配件太貴了
thrift n. 節約/節儉
thrifty adj. 節省的/節儉的
=> be careful to your money, not spending too much
be a thrifty shopper 花錢買東西會精打細算的人.
eg: Even though Eric is very rich now, he's still very thrifty.
=> 雖然Eric現在非常的有錢，但是他仍然很節儉
eg: Mom has always been a thrifty housewife.
=> 媽媽一直以來都是節儉的家庭主婦
eg: thrift shop
frugal 節儉的、節省的
=> thrifty/economical 經濟的、節約的
penny-pinching 吝嗇/小氣
=> 把每一penny(一分錢)都pinch緊緊地捏在手上/放不開
penny-wise adj. 省小錢的/在小事情上精明的
uphold v. 支撐/支持
=> support/obey
eg: uphold a principal/rule/responsibility
outfit n. 全套服裝
activist n. 激進主義分子/行動主義者
//== Chat Room ==//
tightwad n. 守財奴
=> 緊緊抓住錢的人
wad 一疊的東西
eg: a wad of bills 一疊鈔票
tight adj. 緊的/緊緊的
nest egg 為了養老或是不時之需的儲蓄
=> 留在鳥窩裡的蛋
pay an arm and a leg 貴得要命
= cost an arm and a leg
= charge an arm and a leg
=> 付出一支手臂和一條腿才買得起，即貴得要命
=> pay a very high price, higer than you should
eg: That hair salon charges an arm and leg for a haircut
=> 那家美容院剪髮的價錢很昂貴
Designers and manufacturers clearly have environmental responsibilities to uphold and so do consumers. Fortunately, getting a green wardrobe is easier than you think.
Shop your own closet
Instead of purchasing a new outfit from the mall, make what you already have look new again. Use your creativity to mix old items and accessories together in fresh, new ways. If you know how to sew, the possibilities are endless. Cut up old shirts and piece them together to make a new skirt or jacket. Have fun and be creative.
Be a thrifty shopper
Save money and avoid waste at the same time by shopping for gently used clothing items. Although thrift shops are most ideal for this type of shopping, many online sites, including eBay, sell used clothing.
Get to know eco-friendly brands
What brands do you shop for? Today, high-end designers like Stella MaCartney and Loomstate are supporting sustainable fashion. Likewise, more affordable options include popular chain H& M, which is committed to responsibly using the planet's resources to manufacture its clothing. Buy brands that support eco-fashion. Become an environmental activist by starting with your closet. Dress green every day!
wardrobe n. 一個人全部的服裝/衣櫃
=> a referece to all the clothes that you have
eg: Check your wardrobe before shopping so you can avoid buying things you already have.
=> 逛街前先檢查一下已經有的衣服，避免買到重複的衣服
eg: Betty showed us her new red-wood wardrobe.
=> Betty展示她的紅木衣櫃
accessories n. 配件
eg: The store has all kinds of accessories to go with dresses.
=> 這家店有各種搭配洋裝的配件
eg: The accessories for the convertible are too expensive.
=> 這個跑車的配件太貴了
thrift n. 節約/節儉
thrifty adj. 節省的/節儉的
=> be careful to your money, not spending too much
be a thrifty shopper 花錢買東西會精打細算的人.
eg: Even though Eric is very rich now, he's still very thrifty.
=> 雖然Eric現在非常的有錢，但是他仍然很節儉
eg: Mom has always been a thrifty housewife.
=> 媽媽一直以來都是節儉的家庭主婦
eg: thrift shop
frugal 節儉的、節省的
=> thrifty/economical 經濟的、節約的
penny-pinching 吝嗇/小氣
=> 把每一penny(一分錢)都pinch緊緊地捏在手上/放不開
penny-wise adj. 省小錢的/在小事情上精明的
uphold v. 支撐/支持
=> support/obey
eg: uphold a principal/rule/responsibility
outfit n. 全套服裝
activist n. 激進主義分子/行動主義者
//== Chat Room ==//
tightwad n. 守財奴
=> 緊緊抓住錢的人
wad 一疊的東西
eg: a wad of bills 一疊鈔票
tight adj. 緊的/緊緊的
nest egg 為了養老或是不時之需的儲蓄
=> 留在鳥窩裡的蛋
pay an arm and a leg 貴得要命
= cost an arm and a leg
= charge an arm and a leg
=> 付出一支手臂和一條腿才買得起，即貴得要命
=> pay a very high price, higer than you should
eg: That hair salon charges an arm and leg for a haircut
=> 那家美容院剪髮的價錢很昂貴
2011年2月18日 星期五
20110218 Fashion Goes Green (1)
Fashion Goes Green 時尚吹起環保風
When it comes to fashion, green is the new black
Every day you wake up and get dressed. But have you ever stopped to think about the clothes in your closet? Most likely, they were manufactured in distant countries under hazardous conditions in pollution-emitting factories before being loaded into shipping containers or trucks. From there, they made the long, oil-burning journey across land and sea to finally arrive in local shops, and ultimately, in your closet.
Every time the fashion industry carries this process out, it's at the expense of the environment. And what's more, most of the clothes produced - including the ones found in your closet - are not made from sustainable materials.
Fortunately, there is a solution to this environmental problem: sustainable fashion. Also known as eco-fashion, it is the concept of considering the environmental impact of what you wear each day. So what exactly makes eco-fashion so eco-friendly? For one, it encourages designers to create clothing using green fabrics and fibers such as organic cotton and bamboo. In addition, designers and manufacturers are encouraged to use responsible production techniques, which include producing materials that use fewer toxic chemicals and striving for more energy-efficient processes.
hazard n. 危險/危險物
hazardous adj. 有害的/有危險的
=> dangerous, poisonous
eg: The chemicals in the detergent were reported to be hazardous to human bodies.
=> 這個洗潔精被報導對人體有害
eg: A hazardous working environment can damage the workers' health in a very short period of time.
=> 危險的工作環境可以在短時間內就危害工人的健康
expense n. 犧牲/損失/代價
all the expense of something/somebody 以...付上代價/以犧牲某人為前提
eg: He made a lot of money at the expense of his family.
=> 他賺了很多錢，但是犧牲了家庭．
toxic adj. 有毒的
=> poisonous, dangerous.
eg: These toxic chemicals need to be stored in special containers.
=> 這些有毒的化學物質必須用特殊的容器儲存
eg: Toxic fumes can cause nausea and dizziness.
=> 有毒氣體可能會引起噁心或是暈眩
sustainable adj. 能保持的/能維持的
=> continue for long perioud of time
eco 生態學
= ecology
fiber n. 纖維
fabric n. 織物/織品/布料
=> put the fiber together, they create fabric
//== Chat room ==//
When it comes to fashion, green is the new black.
=> 我們都知道在配色的時候，黑色是所謂的基本款，
=> 也可說是永遠的潮流，因為它和所有的顏色都很搭配
=> 現在越來越注重環保，所謂的green就是注重環保的意思
=> 所以這個句子的意思為"環保已經融入了服裝設計"
=> 環保已經是新的黑色，即新的主流
=> 可以把這個慣用語套用在不同的地方
40 is the new 30
=> 40歲的人越來越會打扮/保養，長相就像三十歲一樣年輕
When it comes to computer, small is the new big
=> (電腦趨勢)小型的電腦取代了大型電腦
//== Grammer on the go ==//
What's more, most of the clothes produced are not made from sustainable materials.
what's more
= in addition, furthermore
=> Use "what's more" when you want to add more information.
eg: Because we just bought a new house, we can't afford to go on a trip this year. And, what's more, we still have to pay for our kids' tuition.
When it comes to fashion, green is the new black
Every day you wake up and get dressed. But have you ever stopped to think about the clothes in your closet? Most likely, they were manufactured in distant countries under hazardous conditions in pollution-emitting factories before being loaded into shipping containers or trucks. From there, they made the long, oil-burning journey across land and sea to finally arrive in local shops, and ultimately, in your closet.
Every time the fashion industry carries this process out, it's at the expense of the environment. And what's more, most of the clothes produced - including the ones found in your closet - are not made from sustainable materials.
Fortunately, there is a solution to this environmental problem: sustainable fashion. Also known as eco-fashion, it is the concept of considering the environmental impact of what you wear each day. So what exactly makes eco-fashion so eco-friendly? For one, it encourages designers to create clothing using green fabrics and fibers such as organic cotton and bamboo. In addition, designers and manufacturers are encouraged to use responsible production techniques, which include producing materials that use fewer toxic chemicals and striving for more energy-efficient processes.
hazard n. 危險/危險物
hazardous adj. 有害的/有危險的
=> dangerous, poisonous
eg: The chemicals in the detergent were reported to be hazardous to human bodies.
=> 這個洗潔精被報導對人體有害
eg: A hazardous working environment can damage the workers' health in a very short period of time.
=> 危險的工作環境可以在短時間內就危害工人的健康
expense n. 犧牲/損失/代價
all the expense of something/somebody 以...付上代價/以犧牲某人為前提
eg: He made a lot of money at the expense of his family.
=> 他賺了很多錢，但是犧牲了家庭．
toxic adj. 有毒的
=> poisonous, dangerous.
eg: These toxic chemicals need to be stored in special containers.
=> 這些有毒的化學物質必須用特殊的容器儲存
eg: Toxic fumes can cause nausea and dizziness.
=> 有毒氣體可能會引起噁心或是暈眩
sustainable adj. 能保持的/能維持的
=> continue for long perioud of time
eco 生態學
= ecology
fiber n. 纖維
fabric n. 織物/織品/布料
=> put the fiber together, they create fabric
//== Chat room ==//
When it comes to fashion, green is the new black.
=> 我們都知道在配色的時候，黑色是所謂的基本款，
=> 也可說是永遠的潮流，因為它和所有的顏色都很搭配
=> 現在越來越注重環保，所謂的green就是注重環保的意思
=> 所以這個句子的意思為"環保已經融入了服裝設計"
=> 環保已經是新的黑色，即新的主流
=> 可以把這個慣用語套用在不同的地方
40 is the new 30
=> 40歲的人越來越會打扮/保養，長相就像三十歲一樣年輕
When it comes to computer, small is the new big
=> (電腦趨勢)小型的電腦取代了大型電腦
//== Grammer on the go ==//
What's more, most of the clothes produced are not made from sustainable materials.
what's more
= in addition, furthermore
=> Use "what's more" when you want to add more information.
eg: Because we just bought a new house, we can't afford to go on a trip this year. And, what's more, we still have to pay for our kids' tuition.
2011年2月17日 星期四
20110217 Working From Home (3)
Working From Home
Rachelle Goldenberg, a contract social worker, says setting up a home office dedicated to work was a necessity when she started working form her residence. She also created a routine to keep her motivated to work rather than goof off throughout the day. "I set a specific time when I start working on projects in the morning. When 8 a.m. rolls around, I start to work," she says.
Goldenberg says working at home has been a necessity because she was laid off last year. But she says she has been rewarded with more time for her kids and a flexible schedule. That allows her to, for example, take a break to watch her son's swim meet and then work later in the evening. Goldenberg is also highly organized. She creates lists of tasks that need to be done and checks them off when complete.
Acuthor Lister says the most successful at-home workers are systematic with their work. They have a home office and never routinely take care of children at home while trying to perform work tasks.
"There are so many remote workers doing so many different jobs today." she says.
reside v. 居住
=> live in a place
residence n. 住所/住宅
eg: The governor's residence is located near the state capitol.
=> 州長的官邸的位置很靠近州的首府
eg: The Peterson's residence is undergoing some remodeling now.
=> Peterson的房子現在正在重新裝修
goof v. 閒晃
goof off 混日子/偷懶
=> avoid work, spending time in a lazy way
eg: The boy has been goofing off the whole weekend and didn't finish any homework.
=> 這位男孩整個週末都在偷懶，沒有完成任何的功課
eg: Becky和同學偷懶沒上課跑去看電影
sytem n. 系統
systematic adj. 有條理的/系統化的
eg: The article is a systematic introduction to the issue of global warming.
=> 這篇文章有系統的介紹暖化這個議題
eg: Hank is systematic in his job.
=> Hank在工作上相當有條理
dedicated adj. 專注的/獻身的
=> designed specifically for something
motivated adj. 有動機的/有目的的
=> want to do something well
roll around
=> When something happen regularly, as the time passed and it happened again
eg: Christmas rolls around every December 25.
lay someone off 開除某人
//== Chat room ==//
necessary adj. 必要的
necessity n. 必要/需要
=> 出於不得以的需要
eg: the necessities of life
=> 生活中的必需品，像是食衣住行
necessary evil 必要之惡
=> necessary evil並不一定是什麼大的罪惡，
=> 任何一件你不喜歡但是必須做的事情，
=> 像是整理房間或是報稅都可以稱為necessary evil
=> 因為即使你不想做，你還是得做
//== Grammer on the go ==//
When 8 a.m. rolls around, I start to work," she says.
=> Whenever it is 8 a.m., I start to work.
=> I begin to work at 8 a.m. every day.
to roll aaround (用於非正式的場合)
= to happen again
eg: When summer rolls around, the school campus becomes a very quiet place.
eg: When evening rolls around, bats come flying out of their cave looking for food.
==============================
The pig likes to roll around in the mud.
=> roll around 打滾
Rachelle Goldenberg, a contract social worker, says setting up a home office dedicated to work was a necessity when she started working form her residence. She also created a routine to keep her motivated to work rather than goof off throughout the day. "I set a specific time when I start working on projects in the morning. When 8 a.m. rolls around, I start to work," she says.
Goldenberg says working at home has been a necessity because she was laid off last year. But she says she has been rewarded with more time for her kids and a flexible schedule. That allows her to, for example, take a break to watch her son's swim meet and then work later in the evening. Goldenberg is also highly organized. She creates lists of tasks that need to be done and checks them off when complete.
Acuthor Lister says the most successful at-home workers are systematic with their work. They have a home office and never routinely take care of children at home while trying to perform work tasks.
"There are so many remote workers doing so many different jobs today." she says.
reside v. 居住
=> live in a place
residence n. 住所/住宅
eg: The governor's residence is located near the state capitol.
=> 州長的官邸的位置很靠近州的首府
eg: The Peterson's residence is undergoing some remodeling now.
=> Peterson的房子現在正在重新裝修
goof v. 閒晃
goof off 混日子/偷懶
=> avoid work, spending time in a lazy way
eg: The boy has been goofing off the whole weekend and didn't finish any homework.
=> 這位男孩整個週末都在偷懶，沒有完成任何的功課
eg: Becky和同學偷懶沒上課跑去看電影
sytem n. 系統
systematic adj. 有條理的/系統化的
eg: The article is a systematic introduction to the issue of global warming.
=> 這篇文章有系統的介紹暖化這個議題
eg: Hank is systematic in his job.
=> Hank在工作上相當有條理
dedicated adj. 專注的/獻身的
=> designed specifically for something
motivated adj. 有動機的/有目的的
=> want to do something well
roll around
=> When something happen regularly, as the time passed and it happened again
eg: Christmas rolls around every December 25.
lay someone off 開除某人
//== Chat room ==//
necessary adj. 必要的
necessity n. 必要/需要
=> 出於不得以的需要
eg: the necessities of life
=> 生活中的必需品，像是食衣住行
necessary evil 必要之惡
=> necessary evil並不一定是什麼大的罪惡，
=> 任何一件你不喜歡但是必須做的事情，
=> 像是整理房間或是報稅都可以稱為necessary evil
=> 因為即使你不想做，你還是得做
//== Grammer on the go ==//
When 8 a.m. rolls around, I start to work," she says.
=> Whenever it is 8 a.m., I start to work.
=> I begin to work at 8 a.m. every day.
to roll aaround (用於非正式的場合)
= to happen again
eg: When summer rolls around, the school campus becomes a very quiet place.
eg: When evening rolls around, bats come flying out of their cave looking for food.
==============================
The pig likes to roll around in the mud.
=> roll around 打滾
2011年2月16日 星期三
20110216 Working From Home (2)
Working From Home
"There are radiologists working at home in their pajamas reading X-rays. There are nurses taking calls at home from anxious mothers-to-be. There are a lot of industries going this way even in a wholesale way, not just ad hoc, a couple of days a week," says Kate Lister author of Undress for Success: The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home. She says about 2 percent of the American workforce currently telecommute some days a week.
Lister is a champion of working at home. She says if more companies would allow their employees to work at home just a couple days a week, the overall savings nationwide would amount to billions of dollars. She also says that individuals would save $2,000 to $7,000 per year, including a total of $15 billion at the gas pumps. Lister argues that workers appear to lead more balanced lives when they work at home. "It does take an amount of discipline. There is a settling-in period," Lister says. "But generally, when you get a routine down, you work more when you work at home."
wholesale adj 批發的
=> in a very large way
eg: The wholesale price of this TV is only $350.
=> 這個電視的批發價只要350元
wholesale adj. 大批的/大規模的/全面性的
=> 本課的意義為大規模的
eg: The wholesale changes in the management caused many confusion.
=> 管理方面大幅度的更改造成許多的困惑
eg: The bombing caused wholesale destruction of the city.
=> 這次炸轟在這城市造成了全面性的破壞
champion n. 冠軍
champion v. 某件事情的擁護者/提倡者
=> a person who supports an idea strongly
eg: Sherry is a champion of home-schooling.
=> Sherry是在家裏受教育的提倡者
eg: Lindsey has long been a champion of equal rights for the disabled.
=> Lindsey長久以來都是維護身心障礙者的提倡者
discipline n. 紀律/自制力/自制力
eg: Ricky lacks discipline. He seldom shows up at work on time.
=> Ricky缺乏自制力，他很少準時上班
eg: The class needs better discipline for the students to excel.
=> 這個班級需要更好的紀律，學生們才能突破
eg: Learning how to save money rather than spend it takes discipline.
radiologist n. 放射線研究者
=> person who specializes in radiology
pajamas n. 睡衣褲
wholesale <=> ad hoc
ad hoc
=> just one thing
workforce n. 勞動力/受雇用的人
=> a large of group people who are working.
=> A company or a country has their own work force
//== Chat room ==//
productive adj. 有生?力的/多產的
=> 用在人身上表很有工作效率的/工作事半功倍的
conducive adj. 對...有益的
=> 通常用來形容一個地方/一樣東西/一種行為
eg: Is that conducive for your health?
= is it good for your health?
eg: conducive to studying 有助於學習。
eg: Smoking is never conducive to one's health.
=> 吸菸絕對不會對身體有益處
2011年2月15日 星期二
20110215 Working From Home (1)
Working From Home
For many, working from home is more efficient and saves money
With a rich Bologness sauce simmering in a pot in her kitchen - that's for tonight's dinner - Cheryl Haga starts her workday. But instead of hopping in her car and driving 40 minutes to her San Francisco office, Haga takes about 10 steps to her dining room table and fires up her laptop.
Working at home is a delicate balance between being productive on the job and avoiding distractions like that pile of laundry. It's all about organization, Haga says.
"I've created an action plan for myself, and I prioritize what I am doing each day. I estimate the time each general task is going to take. For example, it's going to take me five hours to get to all e-mails on Monday," Haga says. She organizes her time in terms of priority and checks off each task once completed.
According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau and private studies on the subject, a growing number of people are telecommuting, working from home one or several days a week.
simmer v. 用小火燉煮/小火煨煮
eg: Let the beef simmer for 40 minutes.
=> 用小火燉牛肉四十分鐘
eg: The spaghetti sauce is simmering on the stove.
=> 義大利麵正在正在爐子上燉著
simmer v. 某種危機/情緒蘊釀
eg: The protest has been simmering for weeks.
=> 這個示威活動抗議已經醖釀了幾個星期了
fire up something 啓動
=> turn on, start
=> start up something, which could be a car, computer or a conversation.
=> 口語用語
eg: He fired up his convertible and headed to the beach.
=> 他啟動跑車引擎往海邊出發
fire up something 激發
eg: Jack is all fire up about this new project.
=> Jack對這個計畫興致非常高昂
priority n. 優先權/優先要做的事情
eg: Katherine's first priority is to finish her schooling.
=> Katherine最優先要做的事情就是要完成她的學業
prioritize v. 排出優先順序/按優先次序處理
eg: Frank's job involves many duties, so he's learning how to prioritize them.
=> Frank的工作包括許多職責，他正在學習如何排出優先順序來
Pasta with Bolognese sauce 波隆那肉醬麵
delicate adj. 需要小心處理的
=> something need to be done with extra careful.
distraction n. 分心/注意力分散
=> something is easy to take your attention away from what you are doing.
U.S. Census Bureau 美國人口普查局
telecommuting
=> not traveling a distance to work through computer, electronic, WFH (work from home)
//== Chat room ==//
working from home 在家工作
HBWM 把家當作工作場所的媽媽
= Home Base Work Mom - working from home,
SAHM 在家照顧孩子的媽媽
= Stay At Home Mom - mainly is staying home and take care of children. may or may not work.
=> 仍然沒有放棄職業的訴求，也許等孩子長大後，一個SAHM就會回到職場工作
Housewife
=> 帶有刻板印象的字，會讓人聯想到整天帶小孩和忙家事，使自己變成沒有自主的家庭主婦
//== Music room ==//
Libeck Kodu "Rex Rock"
Dare to dream
Deep within you'll find your faith,
You will have no regrets
Step out from the shadows
And from behind the silhouette
Now you're glowing like the sun
Your life has just begun
Should you stumble, you won't fall
Just believe and have faith
In the one who sees it all
He'll never let you fall
If you just...
Dare to dream, dare to believe
You can soar so hight beyond the clouds
Discovering where dreams are found
Dare to dream, dare to believe
God knows all that you can do
How far you go is up to Him and you
Dare to dream, dare to believe
This is your once in a lifetime
This is your moment
Your time to shine
Any dream is possible
Any star is reachable
Life is so incredible when you can dream
Life is so incredible when you can dream
Any star is reachable
When you can dream
//== More information ==//
If you're considering using your computer to work from home, you'll have a much better chance of succeeding if you....
*** Have a supportive family
*** Don't have to care for young children during work hours.
*** Have a quiet, secluded area to work in.
*** Have strong communication skills.
*** Are a self-starter.
*** Have a strong work ethic.
*** Have good time management skills.
*** Are goal-oriented.
*** Are comfortable with technology.
2011年2月14日 星期一
20110214 The Flowers of Valentine's Day (1)
The Flowers of Valentine's Day
Discover the meaning behind some of your favorite flowers
Walk into a flower store and an amazing number of colors and smells greet you! How do you choose which flowers to give to that special someone? Believe it or not, flowers can convey many messages. You can "say it with flowers."
The power of flowers
Even before the first Valentine's Day, people celebrated events by giving flowers. Back in the 1700s, people believed every flower had a special meaning. When they gave flowers, they chose the ones that best expressed their feelings. Remember that not everyone agrees on these meanings. But to help you make your choice, here are some flowers and the ideas they can stand for.
Red roses
Each color of rose has its own meaning, and red roses often show romantic feelings.
Peruvian lilies
These flowers suggest both loyalty and the bond between friends.
Forget-me-nots
These cleverly named flowers are associated with cherished memories.
Sweet peas
These sweet-smelling flowers are often given when people move and are saying good-bye.
In the end, it doesn't matter which flowers you choose. They will always carry your own personal meaning.
convey 傳達/表達
eg: In the article, the reporter conveyed his opposition toward the new foreign policy.
=> 在這篇文章中，記者表達他對新的外交政策的不贊同
eg: I tried to convey, in my letter, how grateful I am for his help.
=> 我試著在信中表達我對他的幫助的感激之情
celebrate v. 慶祝
eg: We're throwing a surprise party tonight to celebrate Henry's birthday.
=> 今晚我們要舉行一個驚喜派隊來慶祝Henry的生日
eg: Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian countries.
=> 許多亞洲國家都慶祝農曆年
celebration n. 慶祝
eg: The couple invited many friends to join their anniversary celebration.
=> 這對夫妻邀請許多朋友來參加他們的結婚周年慶的慶祝
cherish v. 珍惜
cherished adj. 寶貴的/珍愛的
eg: These cherished love letters were kept in a beautiful wooden box.
=> 這些很珍貴的情書保存在一個很美麗的木盒中
eg: His most cherished possession is his Harley motorcycle.
=> 他最珍愛的財產就事他的哈雷機車
peruvian lily 秘魯百合
forget-me-not 勿忘我
sweet pea 香豌豆
romantic adj. 羅曼蒂克的
//== Chat room ==//
birth flower 生日花
=> 在西方每個月都有birth flower
=> 像三月的生日花是daffodil
daffodil 三月的水仙花
florist n. 花商/花匠/花卉栽培家
corsage
=> 在正式場合，女性用來別在胸前或是戴在手腕上的小花束
boutonniere
=> 在正式場合，男性拿來插在鈕扣口上的小花束
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Walk into a flower store and an amazing number of colors and smells greet you!
Different flowers have different meanings so let's take a look at the meaning behind some of your favorite flowers.
Walk into a flower store
eg: Last week, while I was crossing a street in the rain with two heavy bags of grocery, a taxi driver honked at me impatiently.
eg: Growing up I enjoyed spending time with my grandmother. Although she had never attended school, I learned more from her than from any class or teacher.
//== More Information ==//
If you plan on giving roses to that special someone today, you should know that different colored roses give different messages. There's a color that symbolizes love at first sight, a color for appreciation, a color for friendship, and a color that expresses wishes for good health. Now, be careful with black roses because the very unromantic message they send is : the relationship is over!
2011年2月13日 星期日
20110212 Training New Staff (2)
Training New Staff
When I begin to instruct someone, I first give the big picture of the project and where our group fits into it. Next, I set up daily, weekly and monthly agendas and goals. These help new people understand what we need to accomplish by the end of each training section.But people can be so impatient with all this step-by-step training. They get the gist of a project and immediately begin to think of ways to make the process better.
I tell them that before they do that, they probably should understand why things are done the way they are. I've learned two important lessons through my experiences in training people. One is that everyone is different: I can't force others to learn things my way. If I do, I will be frustrated all the time. The second is not to micromanage but leave room for the trainees to grow. Who knows - they might come up with newer and better ideas. Isn't that why companies like to hire new blood?
struct- 建造
instruct v. 指導/訓練
=> teach
eg: All the students were instructed in the use of the school website.
=> 這裡的學生都被訓練學習使用學校的網站
instruct v. 指示/吩咐
eg: My boss instructed me to collect information about our competitors.
=> 我的老闆吩咐我收集競爭對手的資料
gist n. 要點/主旨
=> gist前面通常都要加定冠詞the
eg: Sarah gives the gist of the news of the day to the boss every morning.
=> Sarah 每天早晨替老闆歸納當天的新聞重點
get/catch the gist of something 掌握...的要點
eg: After a while, I think I got the gist of what the speaker wanted to express.
=> 過了一段時間，我想我終於聽懂這位演講者所要表達的重點
micro- 微小的
micromanage v. 上司對每個細節都必躬親/凡事都要過問(通常是負面的意義)
eg: Larry was criticized by his employees for micromanaging. He leaves them no room to express their own thonght.
=> Larry的職員批評他事事過問讓人沒有空間表達自己的想法
impatient adj. 沒有耐心的
=> not patient
trainee n. 受訓者
=> someone who you are training
new blood 新血
=> somebody who is hired by the company
//== Chat room ==//
give the big picture of the project 大方向
=> the main goal of the project
big picture 大局
=> 如果去美術館看畫，有些油畫面積很大，
=> 若是站得離油畫太近就看不清楚整幅的畫，必須要後退才能夠看到the big picture
=> 因此big picture在這裡指的是大局
當一個團體發生意見分歧的時候可以說Look at the big picture.
Look at the big picture.
=> 以大局為重。
big-picture person
=> 顧全大局，專注於大方向的人
big-pitcute-oriented
detail-oriented person 非常注重細節的人
事情要做的好，做的成功，一定要有big-picture person and detail-oriented person 兩種人
2011年2月11日 星期五
20110211 Training New Staff (1)
Training New Staff
Training new people correctly takes time and energy
Training someone to do a job can be harder than doing the work yourself. It's hard partially because people vary in their approaches to a task. But mostly it's because people's working paces and styles are very different. In the last three months, I have trained two new members in my group. I have to say these have been the longest three months I've had at work. My philosophy of training is to teach someone how to fish instead of just giving him or her the fish.
But human nature makes people want a shortcut to get a job done. They prefer that to taking the time to understand why things are done in a certain way. Their desire for a shortcut is my biggest frustration in training. I try my best to explain the "whys" of a task so the new people understand how to solve a problem on their own. That way they can do it themselves in the future.
mostly
=> mainly
partial adj. 部分的
partially adv. 部分地
=> not completely
eg: The house was partially renovated.
=> 這棟房子局部做過裝修
eg: Mark admitted that he was partially responsible for the delay.
=> Mark承認自己要為延誤付部分的責任
eg: The company is partially owned by the government.
=> 這個公司部份是公營的
philosophy n. 理念/人生觀
=> someone's idea
eg: Many young people nowadays adapt the philosophy of “live now, pay later.”
=> 現在許多年輕人順應一種"先買先享受，以後再付錢"的人生觀。
eg: The company's philosophy of management is very human-based.
=> 這家公司管理的理念相當人性化
frustrate v. 使沮喪/阻撓
frustration n. 挫折/失敗
=> something that makes you upset
eg: Despite all the frustrations, Simon is determined to get this deal.
=> 即使有許多的挫折，Simon立志一定要拿到這筆生意。
frustration at ... 對某事的挫折感
eg: Charles expressed his frustration at not being able to help.
=> Charles表達了自己沒有辦法幫上忙的挫折感
//== Chat room ==//
staff n. 一個組織的全體職員/所有的工作人員
=> 不可數的集合名詞
=> refer to administrator or people who perform other duties besides teaching
=> 指一個組織的全體職員/所有的工作人員，因此我們不能說一個人是staff
=> 而要說是個staff member
on the staff 在職/屬於一個組織的員工
eg: She is on the staff of Studio Classroom.
=> 她是空中英語教室的員工
faculty n. 一個學校全體的教職員
=> 不可數的集合名詞
=> refer to people who teach, like a professor
employee n. 一個受雇的人/一個職員
=> 可數名詞
=> workers who are hired to perform a job
//== Grammar on the go ==//
They prefer that to taking the time to understand why things are done in a certain way.
to prefer A to B
=> to think A is better than B
eg: I prefer taking the bullet train to going by plane.
eg: Haley prefers the French café to the Japanese restaurant.
公司可以給一個人職位，但不能給他來自同仁的尊敬
(文：杜書伍）在公司的組織架構下，隨著層級之分而有不同的職位。依照一個人經驗與能力的不同，公司會授予他合適的職位，並賦予相對應的職掌與職權。然而，這只不過是法定的授予，並不必然表示擔任的職位越高，所獲得他人欣賞、尊敬的程度也越高。
由於每個人都不是完美無缺，能力、經驗也都是在持續增長的過程，所以，一個人剛開始擔任某一職位時，並不必然就能立即完全勝任，毫無瑕疵。初上任者通常也會因為自己對該職位還不夠進入狀況，對職掌的運作、職權的拿捏還不夠純熟，所以心態上會比較戰戰兢兢、戒慎恐懼，並且廣納他人意見、虛心求教，在待人處事、溝通協調方面也會格外注意到各個層面，藉此希望自己能盡快勝任新的職位，並獲得他人的認同。
就公司與全體同仁的立場而言，也通常能認知到一個初上任者，必然需要一個調適期，並且給予一定的時間，以及某種程度的包容。亦即，一開始能力或許稍嫌不足，但是會等待其持續提升；經驗也並非絕對豐富，但是會等待其逐步增長。
經過一段時間之後，隨著這個人的能力、經驗逐步提升，加上為人處事方面能夠公正客觀地處斷事物、遇到問題勇於承擔責任並加以解決、細心熱誠地輔導同仁、冷靜耐心地溝通協調，配合自己持續不斷的虛心學習，則不僅他的工作能力將受到認可，甚至於他的為人處事也會被欣賞，於是贏得其他同仁對他的尊敬。這個尊敬，完全是經由他自己平日點點滴滴的累積而獲得，公司雖然給了他職位，但是卻無法強迫同仁發自內心地產生對他的尊敬。許多受到同仁尊敬的主管，通常都是經由這樣的過程而來。
但是我們也可以看到，有些人被授予某個職位以後，在初期或許還非常謙虛，凡事不恥下問，沒有架子。可是，經過一段時間之後，等到他對於該職位上的事物熟悉了、進入狀況了，原本戰戰兢兢、戒慎恐懼的態度便逐漸鬆懈下來，反而慢慢顯露出喜歡品嘗權力滋味的現象，享受透過職權支配他人的快感，嚴重者甚至濫用權力；卻未能持續虛心地自我提升，學習如何更準確地拿捏職權的分際，進而把本身肩負的職掌功能充分發揮出來，提升整體的運作。我們常說某個人「官僚」、「官氣」，往往便是這種情形，而這種人即使坐上了某個較高的職位，也很難贏得同仁對他的尊敬。
其實，在一家公司裡頭，每一位同仁心中都有一把尺，主管平日需要評核同仁的工作表現，同仁同時也在心裡仔細觀察、衡量著每一個看得到的主管：哪些主管官僚官氣，遇到自己主管的事物有時便會擺擺姿態？哪些主管經常報喜不報憂，遮掩瑕疵、迴避問題？哪些主管常常不自覺地誇大吹捧自己的功勞與績效？哪些主管愛面子甚於辨是非，討論事情常會做防衛性的辯解？而又有哪些主管是讓大部分人打從心底尊敬、佩服？
事實上，公司賦予一個人職位與職權，是給他一個空間、舞台。要成為受尊敬的主管，則除了提升本身的見解、能力，把部門效能發揮到最好，同時細心輔導同仁使其從工作中獲致成長之外，更要隨時切記，能力強只是正面的加分；但性格上的缺點帶給別人的負面印象，卻會產生很大的減分效應，必須格外提防。
一個稍有理性判斷能力的人，也大多能認知到官僚、掩飾、自誇、愛面子等現象都應該要避免。但因為這些現象的產生，往往是一個人的性格因素使然，因此常常在一舉手、一投足之間，便不知不覺地流露出來。可是，在組織當中那麼多雙眼睛下，加上長時間的相處互動，這些性格必然無所遁形。唯有用健康、開放的心態，持續不斷地提醒自己，從本身內在的性格去調整，假以時日，必能重新贏得他人的尊敬
由於每個人都不是完美無缺，能力、經驗也都是在持續增長的過程，所以，一個人剛開始擔任某一職位時，並不必然就能立即完全勝任，毫無瑕疵。初上任者通常也會因為自己對該職位還不夠進入狀況，對職掌的運作、職權的拿捏還不夠純熟，所以心態上會比較戰戰兢兢、戒慎恐懼，並且廣納他人意見、虛心求教，在待人處事、溝通協調方面也會格外注意到各個層面，藉此希望自己能盡快勝任新的職位，並獲得他人的認同。
就公司與全體同仁的立場而言，也通常能認知到一個初上任者，必然需要一個調適期，並且給予一定的時間，以及某種程度的包容。亦即，一開始能力或許稍嫌不足，但是會等待其持續提升；經驗也並非絕對豐富，但是會等待其逐步增長。
經過一段時間之後，隨著這個人的能力、經驗逐步提升，加上為人處事方面能夠公正客觀地處斷事物、遇到問題勇於承擔責任並加以解決、細心熱誠地輔導同仁、冷靜耐心地溝通協調，配合自己持續不斷的虛心學習，則不僅他的工作能力將受到認可，甚至於他的為人處事也會被欣賞，於是贏得其他同仁對他的尊敬。這個尊敬，完全是經由他自己平日點點滴滴的累積而獲得，公司雖然給了他職位，但是卻無法強迫同仁發自內心地產生對他的尊敬。許多受到同仁尊敬的主管，通常都是經由這樣的過程而來。
但是我們也可以看到，有些人被授予某個職位以後，在初期或許還非常謙虛，凡事不恥下問，沒有架子。可是，經過一段時間之後，等到他對於該職位上的事物熟悉了、進入狀況了，原本戰戰兢兢、戒慎恐懼的態度便逐漸鬆懈下來，反而慢慢顯露出喜歡品嘗權力滋味的現象，享受透過職權支配他人的快感，嚴重者甚至濫用權力；卻未能持續虛心地自我提升，學習如何更準確地拿捏職權的分際，進而把本身肩負的職掌功能充分發揮出來，提升整體的運作。我們常說某個人「官僚」、「官氣」，往往便是這種情形，而這種人即使坐上了某個較高的職位，也很難贏得同仁對他的尊敬。
其實，在一家公司裡頭，每一位同仁心中都有一把尺，主管平日需要評核同仁的工作表現，同仁同時也在心裡仔細觀察、衡量著每一個看得到的主管：哪些主管官僚官氣，遇到自己主管的事物有時便會擺擺姿態？哪些主管經常報喜不報憂，遮掩瑕疵、迴避問題？哪些主管常常不自覺地誇大吹捧自己的功勞與績效？哪些主管愛面子甚於辨是非，討論事情常會做防衛性的辯解？而又有哪些主管是讓大部分人打從心底尊敬、佩服？
事實上，公司賦予一個人職位與職權，是給他一個空間、舞台。要成為受尊敬的主管，則除了提升本身的見解、能力，把部門效能發揮到最好，同時細心輔導同仁使其從工作中獲致成長之外，更要隨時切記，能力強只是正面的加分；但性格上的缺點帶給別人的負面印象，卻會產生很大的減分效應，必須格外提防。
一個稍有理性判斷能力的人，也大多能認知到官僚、掩飾、自誇、愛面子等現象都應該要避免。但因為這些現象的產生，往往是一個人的性格因素使然，因此常常在一舉手、一投足之間，便不知不覺地流露出來。可是，在組織當中那麼多雙眼睛下，加上長時間的相處互動，這些性格必然無所遁形。唯有用健康、開放的心態，持續不斷地提醒自己，從本身內在的性格去調整，假以時日，必能重新贏得他人的尊敬
2011年2月10日 星期四
20110210 Sally Hawkins – Toronto's Belle of the Ball (2)
Sally Hawkins – Toronto's Belle of the Ball
When it comes to her own films she says, "I just love creating characters, but it's always weird to watch yourself. I'll be thinking I didn't know my mouth made that shape. It's so big. What am I doing? Ohh, don't do that!" But you just have to kind of get over it. And the older I get, the less I worry about it all." But theater has a definite allure for someone who's all about creating characters.
"There's nothing like a live audience," she says. "It's great, so very different from film. You're having to communicate to a big collection of people, but it's a two-way thing. You're getting back from the audience. You have to be aware of what's happening as well as of what you're doing." But you can overdo it. "You have to be aware but also you have to not aware," she said. "It's terrifying to be on Broadway, and it's also very exciting."
get over something 克服某件事/把某件事情忘記
eg: After a lot of practice, Sandra finally got over her stage fright.
=> 經過許多的練習，Sandra終於克服了上台怯場的毛病。
eg: Although years have passed, George still can't get over the break-up with Molly, his ex-girlfriend.
=> 雖然幾年已經過去，但George仍然?有辦法從與前女友Molly的分手中平復過來。
definite adj. 明確的/肯定的
=> certain, clear
eg: The owner of the house needs a definite offer from us by tomorrow.
=> 明天之前，屋主需要我們給他一個明確的出價。
eg: There has been a definite improvement of the patient's health since he was admitted.
=> 病人從住院之後健康情形就顯著的改善
allure v. 誘惑/強烈的吸引
allure n. 魅力/誘惑
=> the quality of being interested
eg: The allure of winning a fortune attracts people to buy lotto tickets.
=> 獲得大筆財富的誘惑吸引人們去買彩券
eg: The allure of working in the fashion business draws many young talented people.
=> 在時尚界工作的魅力吸引許多有才華的年輕人
lure v. 引誘/誘惑
eg: The prey(獵物) was lured into a trap set by the hunter.
eg: Money lured him away from his morals and he betrayed his boss.
lure v. 吸引
eg: Good benefits and a cash bonus should lure new graduates to accept a job here.
weird adj. 鬼怪似的/怪誕的/神祕的
overdo v. 把...做得過分
=> do it too much
terrifying
=> extremely frightening
Broadway n. 百老匯
//== Chat Room ==//
cast v. 分派角色(在戲劇或電影的角色)
eg: Peter was cast as a salesman in the play.
=> Peter被選派扮演推銷員的角色
type n.類型
typecast
=> 讓演員總是演同一類型的角色，久而久之，被typecast的演員就被定型了
=> 就像成龍早期被typecast，後來進軍好萊塢嘗試了一些喜劇的角色
stereotype n. 刻板印象
=> 通常指對特定族群普遍的看法，這種看法往往是不正確或充滿偏見的。
=> 好萊塢早期的電影，常讓亞裔演員專門扮演陰險的壞角色，這就加深了亞裔族群在美國社會的stereotype。
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Theater has a definite allure for someone who's all about creating characters.
=> Theater has a definite allure for someone who's very interested in creating characters.
be all about
=> very interested or dedicated to
=> often used in informal situation
eg: John is all about protecting the environment.
eg: When it comes to hosting a party, Martha is all about the presentation.
===========================================
eg: This book is all about the history of Germany.
2011年2月9日 星期三
20110209 Sally Hawkins – Toronto's Belle of the Ball (1)
Sally Hawkins – Toronto's Belle of the Ball
This star loves both the theater and film
Sally Hawkins loves movies – even the not so great ones. "I love film," she says. "I love all genres of film. It's still exciting for me. I even love the ones that aren't so good. There's always a piece of magic there, always a moment which engages you or moves you in different ways." So it's appropriate that she's the big Toronto player – with three movies at the Toronto International Film Festival. Hawkins, 34, stars in the much-buzzed-about Never Let Me Go, as well as Made in Dagenham and Submarine.
Don't ask her to choose her favorite when it comes to theater versus film. "I love both." she said. "I'm interested in creating stories. Theater is how I got into acting, and theater is how I learned." Even as a child growing up in southeast London, she was always playing characters. "In primary school I was engaged with creating characters with friends." she said. "It was like an extension of play."
engage v. 吸引住/從事某件事
eg: The magician's performance fully engaged the audience.
=> 這位魔術師的表演完全吸引住觀眾
eg: Work engages most of Bobby's life. He hardly spends time with his family.
=> 工作佔掉Bobby生活中大多數的時間，他幾乎沒有時間可以跟家人相處.
buzz v. 嘰嘰喳喳的討論/引發討論
=> talk about
eg: The girls are buzzing about what they should wear to the prom.
=> 女孩子們嘰嘰喳喳的討論該穿什麼衣服去參加畢業舞會
eg: The whold company buzzed with the news of the merger.
=> 整個公司流傳著合併案的消息
versus prep. 對抗/與...相對
=> 略寫vs.
eg: Tonight's game is the Red Sox versus the Dodgers.
=> 今晚的球賽是紅襪隊和道奇隊的比賽
versu n. 法律上的訴訟
eg: The Robinson vs. Clark case made the headlines today.
=> Robinson 和 Clark的訴訟今天登上了頭版新聞
belle 美女
ball 舞會
be the belle of the ball 成為舞會裡最漂亮的女生/豔冠群芳
=> the center of attention
=> the most popular woman at this dance
eg: Whenever Samantha appears, she is always the belle of the ball.
=> Samantha一出现，她總是豔冠群芳。
eg: After a successful makeover, Vanessa became last night's belle of the ball at the party.
=> 經過成功的改造之後， Vanessa成為昨晚派對中最醒目的女生。
genre n. 文藝作品之類型
=> different category/type of
player n. 演員
=> someone who acts in a play
=> someone who is competing in something
primary school 小學
=> elementary school
//== Chat Room ==//
I love film. I love all genres of film.
=> film 這裡的單數並不是表示只喜歡一部電影
=> 而是喜歡電影這個藝術工具、電影的製作、電影的拍攝等
film n. 電影
=> 有藝術價值/有深度的電影
film festival影展
movie n. 電影
=> 用於比較大眾化、娛樂性質的商業片。
the big screen n. 大銀幕/電影
the big screen adj. 電影的
eg: He is a big screen star.
=> He is a movie star.
small screen
=> TV
//== More Information ==//
Actress Sally Hawkins has avoided being typecast by giving convincing performances in a variety of roles. Her breakout performance was as the charismatic schoolteacher Poppy in the 2008 film Happy Go Lucky. In Submarine, Hawkins played a self-absorbed mother of a teenage boy who has a vivid imagination. In Made in Dagenham, Hawkins plays a hardworking machinist who engineers an important workers strike.
2011年1月24日 星期一
20110124 Tomatoes (1)
Tomatoes
They are more than just delicious
What is your favorite way to eat tomatoes? Do you enjoy them raw, red and juicy in a salad? Or do you prefer them cooked on a pizza or in a soup or sauce? No matter how you eat them, they are good for you. The tomato is a true super food that contains many nutrients, including lycopene. These substances can help fight cancer and prevent heart disease.
But people have not always enjoyed tomatoes. For years, people thought they were poisonous. It wasn’t until the 16th century that people in Europe started to eat them. It took until 1820 for Americans to learn to enjoy them. But now each American eats an average of 22 pounds of tomatoes per year!
When you buy tomatoes, choose deep red and sweet-smelling ones. Or grow your own! Tomato plants can easily be grown in pots on a balcony. Keep tomatoes at room temperature. If you put them in the refrigerator, their ripening process changes and ruins the flavor. Have a tomato today! It may just keep the doctor away!
raw adj. 生的/沒有煮熟的
=> not cooked
eg: Raw beef is served as the appetizer for the meal.
=> 這個套餐的開胃菜是生牛肉
eg: The chicken is still raw. You need to cook it longer.
=> 這個雞肉還是生的，你得再煮一下。
eg: If you process fish properly, it can be eaten raw.
=> 如果你會處理魚類，魚是可以生食的。
ripen v. 成熟
=> a fruit matures
eg: When mangoes ripen, they turn yellow and red.
=> 當芒果成熟時會變成黃色和紅色
eg: Apples ripen during the fall.
=> 蘋果在秋季成熟
ripen v. 使成熟
eg: The high temperature ripened the melon quickly.
=> 高溫使哈密瓜快速地成熟
ruin v 破壞/毀壞
=> destroy
eg: Too much seasoning ruined the natural flavor of the steaks.
=> 太多調味品破壞了牛排的自然風味
eg: Her bad temper ruined her chances of succeeding in her profession.
=> 她的壞脾氣破壞了她在專業中成功地機會
eg: Parents can ruin their kids by giving them too much freedom.
=> 父母對孩子們過度放縱可能會寵壞他們
nutrient n. 營養
lycopene n. 番茄紅素
poisonous adj. 有毒的
balcony n. 陽臺/露臺
//== Chat room ==//
salad n. 沙拉
green salad 生菜沙拉
= garden salad 花園沙拉
=> 放萵苣或是一些綠色蔬菜
=> green salad為正餐前上的一道開胃菜
bound salad
=> 一種濃稠的混合沙拉，和生菜沙拉完全不同
=> 可以夾到麵包裡，做成三明治。
=> bound salad的種類有鮪魚沙拉、鮪魚沙拉、雞肉沙拉、馬鈴薯沙拉和義大利麵沙拉
=> 這種沙拉是不必加沙拉醬的，因為本身就有很重的口味
chicken salad 雞肉沙拉
egg salad 鮪魚沙拉
tuna salad 鮪魚沙拉
potato salad
pasta salad
//== Grammer on the go ==//
It wasn't until the 16th century that people in Europe started to eat them.
=> People in Europe started to eat tomatoes in the 16th century.
It wasn't until a certain time or moment that subject + verb
eg: It wasn't until Bob saw his classmates turn in their reports that he realized his own report was still at home.
eg: Even though the team assigned to the project a month ago, it wasn't until yesterday that they finally began to work on it.
//== More information ==//
The Tomato: Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Technically, a tomato is a fruit, since it contains seeds. But for those who think it is eaten more like a vegetable, you have the Supreme Court on your side. Back in 1893 a case was heard in the U.S. Supreme Court over this very question. The court ruled that the tomato was to be considered a vegetable!
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