通勤學英語 15Mins Today

Papa roach: Chinese farmer breeds bugs for the table 蟑螂老爹：中國農民養蟑螂上餐桌

 

As farmer Li Bingcai opened the door to his cockroach farm in Yibin, Sichuan province, a critter flew into his face. He tossed it back into the dark room where some 10 million more of its kind scurried around.

 

當四川省宜賓市農民李炳才（譯音）打開蟑螂養殖場大門，一隻生物飛到他的臉上。他將牠扔回漆黑的房間，裡面還有約1000萬隻這類生物四處飛舞。

 

These creatures may be a bugbear for most, but breeders like Li are turning them into a niche business. While some sell cockroaches for medicinal purposes, as animal feed or to get rid of food waste, Li breeds them for food for human consumption.

 

對多數人來說，這些生物可能是怪物，但像李炳才這樣的飼主，正將這種生物變成一種利基產業。有人將蟑螂以藥物用途賣出，也有人拿來餵養動物或消耗廚餘，李炳才則是養來做為人類的食物。

 

A restaurant down the road from his small facility fries them up in famously spicy Sichuan sauce for the gutsier eaters. "People don’t believe how good it is until they try some," Li said, putting one into his mouth.

 

從他的小工廠那條路往前走，有家餐廳會將蟑螂油炸，搭配著名的四川辣醬，讓膽子大的饕客嚐鮮。「直到吃進去前，大家都不相信有多美味。」李炳才一邊形容，一邊將炸蟑螂放入口中。

 

Known colloquially as American cockroaches, the Periplaneta Americana is one of the largest species and is consumed for a variety of ailments: stomach ulcers, respiratory tract problems, and even simply as a tonic.

 

這種俗稱「美國蟑螂」的美洲家蠊，是個體數量最多的物種之一；人們會吃牠來治療多種病痛，包括胃潰瘍、呼吸道問題，甚至當成補品進食。

 

Next

 

Cockroaches could soon be almost impossible to kill with pesticides 蟑螂不久後恐幾乎不可能用殺蟲劑殺死

 

A new study has found that German cockroaches, the most common species of the insect in the world, are developing cross-resistance to numerous insecticides.

 

一項新研究發現，全球最常見的蟑螂品種德國蟑螂，正對多種殺蟲劑產生交叉抗藥性。

 

Not only were researchers in some cases unable to reduce cockroach numbers during a six-month study period, even when combining different insecticides, but they found the insects’ resistance increased up to six-fold within one generation.

 

在某些情況下，研究人員不僅無法在為期半年的研究期間減少蟑螂數量，甚至合併使用不同殺蟲劑也是如此，但他們發現，蟑螂的耐藥性在一代之內提高到此前的6倍。

 

The team says it was able to keep the roach populations stable during the study period, but could not make a significant dent in their numbers.

 

研究團隊表示，蟑螂的數量可在研究期間維持穩定，但無法大幅減少。

 

With the two-insecticide mixture, the pests even appeared to thrive.

 

在混合使用兩種殺蟲劑後，蟑螂的數量甚至增加了。

 

One of the single-insecticide experiments suggested the population was at first vulnerable to the method, and in that case they were able to mostly wipe them out. But, in another trial with 10 percent starting resistance, the population grew despite treatment.

 

其中一項單一殺蟲劑試驗表明，蟑螂起初對此難以抵抗，在此情況下，他們可將大半蟑螂消滅。然而，在另一項耐藥性達10％的試驗中，儘管使用殺蟲劑，蟑螂數量還是增加。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1304126 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1307078

 

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每日跟讀#659: Japan-South Korea trade spat continues to intensify

 

Antagonisms between South Korea and Japan, already at a boiling point, deepened with Tokyo’s decision on Aug. 2 to expand controls over exports of sensitive materials by dropping its neighbor from a “white list” of 27 countries granted preferential trade status. The implications of the decision have rippled across the high-tech sector, further shaking up supply chains already rattled by US-China trade tensions.

 

南韓與日本間之敵對已處於沸點。在東京八月二日決定擴大對敏感材料出口之控制、將南韓自優惠貿易地位的二十七個「白名單」國家中剔除後，兩國間之敵對情緒更形激烈。此決定在高科技領域掀起了波瀾，讓已因美中貿易緊張局勢而飽受衝擊的供應鏈遭受進一步打擊。

 

In retaliation, mere hours after Japan’s move, South Korea announced its intention to remove Japan from its “white list” of trusted trading partners.

Of the three sensitive materials targeted, Japan supplies about 90 percent of the fluorinated polyimides, 90 percent of photoresists and 40 percent of hydrogen fluoride used by South Korean companies, Fitch Ratings said, citing the Korean International Trade Association.

 

南韓也不甘示弱，在日本做出此決定數小時後，也宣布要把日本移出其信任貿易夥伴的白名單。

信用評等機構惠譽引述韓國貿易協會的話說，就已被限制的三種敏感材料而言，南韓公司約百分之九十的氟聚酰亞胺、百分之九十的光阻劑，以及百分之四十的氟化氫，都是由日本供應。

 

As of July 4, Japanese companies need case-by-case approvals to export to South Korea the three materials, which are used to make semiconductors and displays used in smartphones and other high-tech devices. With the loss of South Korea’s “white country” status, that requirement will apply to dozens more products on a list of items that potentially could be converted to weapons, according to a Japanese trade ministry document.

 

這三種材料是製造半導體及顯示器所必需，用以組裝智慧型手機與其他高科技設備；然而，自七月四日起，日本公司若要向南韓出口這些材料，必須逐案申請批准。日本經濟產業省的一份文件顯示，南韓失去「白名單國家」地位，表示該申請程序將套用在可能用來製造武器的數十種產品。

 

Japan’s trade ministry says Seoul has undermined a “relationship of trust,” including export controls, with lax controls on re-exports. South Korea denies this. Meanwhile, tensions have risen with some South Koreans calling for boycotts of Japanese products.

 

日本經濟產業省表示，首爾的出口管制，以及對其他國家再出口的疏於管制，已破壞了日韓的「信任關係」。南韓對此加以否認。同時，一些南韓人呼籲抵制日本商品，兩國緊張局勢升高。

 

South Korea’s trade ministry has acknowledged that from 2015 to March 2019 the government detected 156 cases of unauthorized exports of sensitive materials that could be used for military purposes. A report by the Japanese network Fuji TV that cited government data said the illegal shipments included thermos-cameras, carbon fibers, zirconium and sodium cyanide, among other items, and went to countries like China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Turkey and Sri Lanka.

 

南韓產業通商資源部承認，自二○一五年至二○一九年三月，政府發現了一百五十六起未經授權的敏感材料出口案件，這些材料可做為軍事用。日本富士電視台引述政府資料說，非法貨品包括熱像儀、碳纖維、鋯和氰化鈉等，被運往中國、俄羅斯、印度、巴基斯坦、伊朗、敘利亞、土耳其和斯里蘭卡等國家。

 

The tightening controls are adding to uncertainty for technology manufacturers. According to IHS Markit, in 2018 Korean firms SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics supplied 61 percent of memory components used in various electronics, relying heavily on Japanese suppliers. “If restrictions remain, Korean chipmakers‘ production lines and therefore global semiconductor supply chains are likely to be disrupted. Korean chipmakers are major actors in global semiconductor supply chains,” Fitch said in a recent report.

 

緊縮的控制措施給科技廠商增加了不確定性：經濟預測機構 IHS Markit 表示，在二○一八年，全球百分之六十一的記憶元件是由南韓公司SK海力士及三星電子所製造，以供各類電子產品使用，而這些南韓公司極度仰賴日本所供應的原料。惠譽在最近的一份報告中表示：「韓國晶片製造商是全球半導體供應鏈的要角。如果貿易限制仍然存在，南韓晶片製造商的生產線以及全球半導體供應鏈可能會斷裂」。

 

Adding another layer of ambiguity to the diplomatic dispute, Tokyo also has expressed dissatisfaction over demands for compensation for people forced to work for Japanese companies before and during World War II, an issue Japan says it settled under a 1965 treaty normalizing relations.

 

此外交爭端因另一事更形撲朔迷離。東京不滿南韓要求日本賠償二戰期間及戰前被日本公司強迫徵用的韓國勞工，日本稱此問題在一九六五年簽訂日韓關係正常化條約時已經解決。

 

Japan and South Korea are both important hosts for US military bases in East Asia, but they’ve been bickering for years over a territorial dispute and over South Korean demands for more contrition and compensation from Japan for its use of forced labor and sexual abuse of Korean women in military brothels during the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula in the early 20th century. Until recently, such issues had not affected trade between the two countries, both of which depend heavily on exports.

 

美國在日本及南韓都駐有軍事基地，兩國皆為美國在東亞的重要盟友。但日韓兩國多年來爭端不斷，問題包括領土爭端，以及南韓要求日本對二十世紀初占領朝鮮半島時的強行徵兵及慰安婦等問題加以賠償及道歉。日韓兩國都極度依賴出口，在此貿易爭端發生之前，這些問題並未影響兩國間的貿易。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/08/06/2003719968/2

 

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每日跟讀#658: Lang Lang Is Back: A Piano Superstar Grows Up

 

It was late one afternoon this spring, and Madison Square Garden’s 19,000 seats were empty as Billy Joel and Lang Lang began jamming onstage.

 

今春某日傍晚，當比利喬和郎朗在台上開始即興表演時，麥迪遜花園廣場的1萬9000個座位是空的。

 

Pop’s piano man had invited the superstar classical pianist to make a guest appearance at his sold-out April show at the Garden, and they were rehearsing a duet of Joel’s “Root Beer Rag” during the soundcheck, taking it from fast to blisteringly fast.

 

流行樂界的鋼琴人（比利喬的自稱）邀請古典樂界的天王鋼琴家，在他4月於花園廣場已完售的演唱會中擔任嘉賓，他們在音效檢查時，以雙人合奏排練比利喬的「自由歡呼」，從快速變到極快速。

 

Then they started goofing around. Suddenly they were trading riffs from Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. They teamed up on some Bach. Finally, with Joel’s band looking on in surprise, the two launched into the thunderous opening of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

 

接著兩人開始即興表演，突然間以貝多芬的「皇帝」鋼琴協奏曲你來我往。他們合作彈了些巴哈。最後，當比利喬的樂隊吃驚地注視時，兩人已彈起柴可夫斯基第一號鋼琴協奏曲氣勢磅礡的開頭。

 

It was as good a sign as any that Lang — the world’s most famous, and bankable, concert pianist — still has his chops, after a career-threatening injury to his left arm in 2017 sidelined him for more than a year.

 

這是個絕佳的徵兆，證明郎朗這位世上最知名、最有票房的鋼琴家，在2017年因左手危及職涯的傷勢暫停演出一年多後，功力仍在。

 

After rebuilding his strength and technique, he is returning in earnest this fall. He is again appearing with the world’s leading orchestras. He is again promoting a new album — his first in several years — as few other classical musicians can, with appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Good Morning America.”

 

在重建力量與技巧後，郎朗今秋將積極復出。再一次，他將和世界頂尖交響樂園同台。再一次，他正以少有古典音樂家辦得到的方式，為幾年來首張新專輯做宣傳，上了「吉米法倫今夜秀」和「早安美國」節目。

 

And he is again arousing the suspicion, if not outright hostility, of the classical field by applying lessons from the pop world to his career, trying to navigate a delicate balance between popularization and artistic integrity.

 

而且，又一次，他激起了古典音樂圈的懷疑，甚至是明白的敵視，因為他把從流行音樂界學到的功課應用到自己的職涯，在大眾化和藝術性之間尋求微妙的平衡。

 

But he insists he is not the same man, or musician. Lang — who long maintained that his greatest fear was an injury that would leave him unable to play the piano, and therefore, as he once put it, “render me useless for life” — spent his forced sabbatical taking stock.

 

而郎朗堅稱自己已非過去那個人或那個音樂家。他一向表明最害怕的就是受傷無法再彈琴，以致如同他說過的，「讓我終生變成廢人」，因傷被迫休息的這段期間，他做了省思和評估。

 

“I used the time,” Lang said in an interview, “to rethink everything I do.”

 

郎朗在一次受訪時說：「我利用這段時間重新思考我做的每件事。」

 

His health crisis hit at a pivotal moment. Lang, who recently turned 37, is at an age when he must navigate the next leg of the journey from wunderkind to mature — even veteran — artist. Such transitions are not easy, noted conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim, a mentor of Lang’s and a former child prodigy himself.

 

他的健康危機在關鍵時刻來襲。剛滿37歲的郎朗正處於必須探索人生下一階段的年紀，要從神童變為成熟，甚至資深的藝術家。郎朗的恩師、指揮家兼鋼琴家丹尼爾．巴倫波因指出，這樣的轉型並不容易。他也曾是音樂神童。

 

“Either the child goes and the prodigy remains," Barenboim said, “or the prodigy goes and the child remains.”

 

「不是童不再，神依然；就是神不再，童依然。」巴倫波因說。

 

That Lang has taken the first course is evident to conductor Franz Welser-Möst, music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, who has known the pianist since Lang was a teenager.

 

對於克里夫蘭交響樂團音樂總監、指揮家法蘭茲．魏瑟－莫斯特而言，郎朗顯然選擇了前者。他在郎朗還是青少年時就已認識他。

 

“We all go through phases, and I think there was a time when success sort of started to have a negative influence on him,” Welser-Möst said. “Then he was out of the business for health reasons for quite some time, which was a shock for him.

 

「我們都會走過各個階段，我認為，有段時間功成名就多少開始對他產生了負面影響。」魏瑟－莫斯特說。「然後他因為健康因素離開業界頗長一段時間，對他是個打擊。」

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/343372/web/

 

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Welcome to 15mins.today the home of English Shadowing.

I'm your host Gavin and this is InTense Episode 19.

In this episode we will be reviewing the simple past tense, so let's get going with the questions.

 

 

Did Jane send the email? Yes, she sent the email.

Did Jane send the email? No, she did not send the email.

 

Did the conference finish on time? Yes, it finished on time.

Did the conference finish on time? No, it did not finish on time.

 

Did you attend the meeting? Yes, I attended the meeting.

Did you attend the meeting? No, I did not attend the meeting.

 

Did Peter complete the report? Yes, he completed the report.

Did Peter complete the report? No, he did not complete the report.

 

Did you stay at a hotel? Yes, I stayed at a hotel.

Did you stay at a hotel? No, I did not stay at the hotel.

 

Did John and Jane book the tickets? Yes, they booked the tickets.

Did John and Jane book the tickets? No, they did not book the tickets.

 

Did you visit the museum? Yes, only visited the museum.

Did you visit the museum? No, I did not visit the museum.

 

Did Jeff reboot the computer? Yes, he rebooted the computer.

Did Jeff reboot the computer? No, he did not reboot the computer.

 

Did Anna backup the files? Yes, she backed up the files.

Did Anna backup the files? No, she did not backup the files.

 

Did you update the drivers? Yes, I updated the drivers.

Did you update the drivers? No, I did not update the drivers.

 

Great job everyone, keep repeating and I'll catch you next time, bye!

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Summary:

In the city of Las Vegas, the abundant hotels and restaurants generate a large amount of leftover food and food scraps. Considering the environmental effects of disposing food waste, Las Vegas city has found innovative ways to deal with food scraps by sending them to pig farms, offer unserved banquet foods to food banks, and oyster shells to fill the sea.

 

Full article: https://www.15mins.today/blog/612-donations-pigs-part-of-las-vegas-efforts-to-cut-food-waste

 

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

 

Leftover/s n. food remaining after being consumed.

Leftover adj. surplus, extra

 

Leftovers from the top Michelin restaurants are being sent to pig farms as animal feed.

 

Would you like to take some of the leftover finger food from the conference?

 

Compost n. decayed material as plant fertilizer

There are many YouTube videos teaching people how to be environmentally friendly by making compost from food waste.

 

You have to dry your grass clippings before you can make compost with it.

 

Landfill n. a place to dispose waste by burying it or covering it with soil.

 

If you don’t put your garbage out on time, you would have to take it to the landfill by yourself.

 

It is not safe to build houses on land that used to be a landfill.

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By 2050, London’s climate will be as warm as Barcelona’s／到2050年，倫敦氣候將像巴塞隆納那樣暖和

 

In 2050, London’s climate will feel more like Barcelona’s, according to a new climate change study.

 

一項新的氣候變遷研究指出，在2050年，倫敦氣候將感覺更像是巴塞隆納的氣候。

 

The study predicted the future climate conditions of 520 major cities worldwide, and paired those predictions with the conditions of cities today. By 2050, Madrid will feel more like Marrakesh, Seattle will feel like San Francisco, and New York will feel like Virginia Beach, according to the study.

 

這份研究預測全球520個主要城市的未來氣候狀況，並將這些預測與今日城市的狀況配對。根據這項研究，到了2050年，馬德里會感覺更像（摩洛哥）馬拉喀什，西雅圖會感覺像是舊金山，紐約會感覺像是（維吉尼亞州）維吉尼亞海灘市。

 

Hundreds of other major cities worldwide could be facing droughts, flooding, storms, and other climate catastrophes. European cities are expected to become 3.5 degrees Celsius warmer in the summer and 4.7 degrees Celsius warmer in the winter, the study said.

 

全球數以百計的其他主要城市，可能面臨乾旱、洪災、風暴及其他氣候災難。研究指出，歐洲城市可望在夏季升溫攝氏3.5度，在冬季升溫攝氏4.7度。

 

An estimated 77% of cities around the world will see their climate conditions drastically change, indicating "the global scale of this climate change threat and associated risks for human health," the study warned.

 

研究警告，估計全球77％的城市將出現劇烈的氣候條件改變，這顯示「全球規模的氣候變遷威脅，以及人類健康的相關風險」。

 

Next 下一篇

 

For Greeks, burgeoning gig economy means low wages, long hours 對希臘人來說，迅速發展的零工經濟意味著低工資、長工時

 

When he set up his own business washing boats and cars on the Greek island of Skyros nearly a decade ago, 42-year old Nikos Vourliotis was a young man with dreams and aspirations.

 

現年42歲的尼可斯．烏里歐提斯近10年前在希臘斯基羅斯島開設自己的洗船洗車店時，是個滿懷夢想和希望的年輕人。

 

Then the reality of Greece’s austerity regime kicked in. A stipulation by debt-laden authorities that he should pay his annual tax bill upfront killed the business. Now, he has joined the growing ranks of Greeks in a precarious "gig economy" working long hours for low wages and no job security.

 

然後，希臘撙節措施的現實開始產生影響。債台高築的政府規定他必須預繳年度稅金，扼殺了他的小店。現在，他身處充滿不確定的「零工經濟」，與愈來愈多希臘人一樣，長時間工作換來低工資，而且工作沒有保障.

 

In August, Greece will mark the first anniversary of being free from the close financial supervision of lenders whose 280-billion-euro lifeline kept the country afloat for nine years after a debt crisis brought it to its knees.

 

希臘擺脫貸款方嚴密金融監管將在8月屆滿1年，這筆2800億歐元的救命錢，讓希臘被債務危機擊倒後勉強撐了9年。

 

One in two young people in Greece are unemployed. According to a survey by MRB in late 2016, roughly half of Greeks aged 18-35 lived on financial support from relatives.

 

在希臘，每2個年輕人就有1個人沒有工作。根據市調機構MRB在2016年底的調查，18到35歲的希臘人有約半數靠親戚接濟度日。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1303444 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1305578

 

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South Korea’s coffee market to reach W6.8tr－韓咖啡市場達6.8兆韓元

 

The size of the South Korean coffee market will reach 6.8 trillion won by the end of this year, according to a report released by the Hyundai Research Institute.

 

根據「現代經濟研究院」一份報告，今年底前，南韓咖啡市場的規模將達6.8兆韓元。

 

Koreans, aged over 20, drank a total of 353 cups of coffee per person on average last year, the report said. The average per capita coffee consumption in the world was 132 cups in the same year, which is one-third of domestic consumption.

 

該報告指稱，20歲以上的南韓人，去年每人平均總計喝了353杯咖啡。同年全球人均咖啡消費量則為132杯，乃（南韓）國內消費量的3分之1。

 

Shinhan Card said Thursday it has started running "Shinhan Face Pay," a facial recognition-based payment system. Its employees are able to make payments with the system at the cafeteria, coffee shop and CU convenience store inside the company’s headquarters building.

 

「新韓信用卡」週四表示，該公司已開辦「新韓人臉支付」（服務），這是一種以臉部辨識為基礎的支付系統。其員工能在該公司總部大樓內的自助餐廳、咖啡廳和「CU」（南韓便利商店品牌）便利商店，藉由該系統進行付款。

 

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Irregular workers’ strike disrupts school operations - 非正職勞工的罷工打亂學校運作

 

Irregular workers at schools went on strike Wednesday, calling for an end to discrimination in wages and welfare benefits vis-a-vis regular workers and disrupting meal services at thousands of schools nationwide.

 

（南韓）學校的非正職勞工週三發動罷工，要求終止相較於正職勞工，對非正職勞工在薪資和福利上的歧視，這也使全國數千所學校的供餐為之中斷。

 

Six-hour-long negotiations between irregular workers at schools and education authorities fell through the previous day, leading some 22,000 irregular workers at schools － including cooks, nutritionists and administrative workers － to stage a walkout until Friday.

 

學校的非正職勞工與教育當局間長達6小時的談判，在前一天破裂，導致約2.2萬名在學校的非正職勞工─包括廚師、營養師及行政人員─舉行罷工到週五。

 

A total of 2,802 of 10,438 public kindergartens and schools were affected nationwide. School meal services were suspended at 2,572 schools. The students were asked to bring their own lunches or else they received bread, milk, juice or other simple food instead of hot meals. Some 230 schools cut classes short.

 

全國1萬0438所公立幼兒園和學校中，共2802所受罷工影響，其中有2572所暫停供餐。校方要求學生自己帶午餐，不然就領取麵包、牛奶、果汁或其他簡單的食物來代替熱食。另有約230所學校提前放學。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1301398 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1308192

 

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Decentralized Finance As a New Financial Sector 做為一個新金融領域的「去中心化金融」

 

Nowadays, decentralized finance （DeFi） is becoming one of the leading narratives for promising blockchain use-cases. It is not surprising as more than 85% of all cryptocurrencies market cap is already allocated to coins and tokens representing an industry of decentralized finance.

 

時至今日，去中心化金融（DeFi）已成為前景可觀的區塊鏈應用實例主要敘事之一。這並不讓人意外，因為超過85％的加密貨幣市值，已經分配在做為「去中心化金融」產業代表的貨幣和代幣。

 

The DeFi sector will see the future of financial services in a digital light, the same as traditional finance through financial technologies （FinTech）. Both financial sectors aim to reinvent financial services as automated software products with programmed business logic.

 

去中心化金融領域將從數位角度展望金融服務，與運用金融科技（FinTech）的傳統金融服務相同。去中心化金融與金融科技都旨在將金融服務重塑為具有程式化商業邏輯的自動化軟體產品。

 

The trust source of DeFi is public blockchains while the trust source of traditional finance is public governance frameworks composed of laws, licensed financial institutions and financial authorities.

 

去中心化金融的信任來源是公開區塊鏈，傳統金融的信任來源則是法律、持牌金融機構、金融主管機關組成的公開治理框架。

 

The DeFi sector is a more open system with almost no entry barriers as everybody who has programming skills can build financial services on top of public blockchains. In contrast, the tradition financial sector has massive entry barriers.

 

去中心化金融領域是一套更開放的系統，幾乎沒有進入門檻，懂得程式設計的人都能在公開區塊鏈上建立金融服務。相對而言，傳統金融領域存在龐大的進入障礙。

 

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Kakao launches blockchain platform for enterprise service Kakao推出企業服務區塊鏈平台

 

Kakao’s blockchain subsidiary Ground X on Thursday launched a public network platform for companies and developers. Dozens of regional tech giants pledged to work with it to promote blockchain-based businesses.

 

（南韓網路公司）Kakao的區塊鏈子公司Ground X，週四為企業和開發人員推出一個公共網路平台。為推廣以區塊鏈為基礎的交易，多家（東亞）地區的科技巨擘此前承諾與該公司合作。

 

Ground X said its blockchain platform Klaytn has officially begun operations by releasing its mainnet for commercial use. Klaytn is designed for easier access and faster speed compared with existing blockchain platforms, and various companies have joined its test operations since October last year.

 

Ground X表示，其區塊鏈平台Klaytn，已藉由公布它的商用主網，正式開始營運。相較於現有的區塊鏈平台，Klaytn旨在更容易使用且速度更快，多種不同行業的公司自去年10月以來，已加入其試營運.

 

Among the firms that will run Klaytn are South Korean companies such as LG, Celltrion and Netmarble. Union Bank of the Philippines and other finance and tech giants in Southeast Asia have also joined the project. Ground X chief Han Jae-sun stressed the combined market value of the participating companies amounts to 75 trillion won.

 

將會運作Klaytn的公司中，有「樂金」、（生技製藥公司）「賽特瑞恩」及（遊戲開發公司）「網石遊戲」等南韓公司。「菲律賓聯合銀行」和東南亞其他的金融與科技巨擘，也已參與該計畫。Ground X的代表韓在善（譯音）強調，所有參與（試營運）的公司的市值，合計達75兆韓元。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1301610 ;https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1299764

 

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每日跟讀#654: EU top jobs explained: who is coming in and what is their role?

 

On July 16, the European Parliament approved the German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen to be the next European Commission president. Earlier, in late May, around 500 million voters had cast their ballots in the five-yearly European Parliament member election. The following is a summary of the main organs of the European Union and their incoming heads:

 

歐洲議會七月十六日投票通過，由德國國防部長馮德萊恩接掌下屆歐盟執委會主席；而稍早在五月下旬，歐洲議會完成了五年一度的選舉，由約五億歐盟選民選出議員。以下是歐盟主要機關及其將上任之首長一覽：

 

European Commission president

Outgoing: Jean-Claude Juncker

Incoming: Ursula von der Leyen

Job spec: Established in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, the president of the European Commission leads the EU’s executive branch, chairing a cabinet of 28 commissioners known as the college, and setting the bloc’s policy agenda over a five-year term. The commission president designate is nominated by the 28 heads of state and government, but they must be elected by a simple majority in the European parliament to formally take on the role. On July 16, then German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen was elected to be the 13th commission president, and the first woman in the post.

 

歐盟執行委員會主席

卸任：尚－克勞德．容克

上任：烏蘇拉．馮德萊恩

職權：歐盟執委會是歐盟的執行機關，依據一九五七年的羅馬條約而設立。歐盟執委會主席任期五年，領導由二十八名執行委員組成、稱為歐盟執委團的內閣，負責制定執委會之政策議程。歐盟執委會主席之任命，是由歐盟二十八國之元首及政府首長提名人選，然後必須在歐洲議會中通過簡單多數決才能正式當選。歐洲議會於七月十六日通過由德國國防部長馮德萊恩接掌第十三屆歐盟執委會主席，成為擔任該職位的第一位女性。

 

European Council president

Outgoing: Donald Tusk

Incoming: Charles Michel

Job spec: The 2007 Lisbon Treaty created the current role of a full-time president, appointed by the leaders, who serves a two-and-a-half-year term, with a one-time possibility of renewal. The president represents the EU on the world stage and chairs summits of the European Council, the body on which the 28 leaders sit to give the EU its political direction. The Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel will be the third such president of the European Council. The convention is that the role is filled by former heads of state and government.

 

歐洲高峰會主席

卸任：唐納．圖斯克

上任：夏爾．米歇爾

職權：此一類似歐盟總統的常任職位，是根據二○○七年的里斯本條約所設立，由歐盟各國領導人推派，任期兩年半，並可連任一次。歐洲高峰會主席對外代表歐盟，並主持由歐盟二十八個成員國的領導人所組成的歐洲高峰會議，為歐盟提供政策方向。比利時總理米歇爾將成為第三位常任的歐峰會主席。此職位按慣例是由成員國的總理、首相或總統所擔任。

 

European Central Bank president

Outgoing: Mario Draghi

Incoming: Christine Lagarde

Job spec: The ECB is responsible for the monetary policy of the 19 EU member countries that have adopted the euro and acts as central supervisor of their financial institutions. Headquartered in Germany, the bank has been responsible for monetary policy in the euro area since Jan. 1, 1999.

The bank’s president is technically “first among equals” on the governing council that sets the eurozone’s interest rates, but every word issued by the incumbent moves the markets. Mario Draghi’s commitment to do “whatever it takes” to save the euro in large part saved the currency.

The role demands specialist knowledge. Although Lagarde is not an economist, her experience as the outgoing managing director of the International Monetary Fund and as a former French finance minister is regarded by the leaders as being sufficient for the role.

 

歐洲中央銀行總裁

卸任：馬力歐．德拉吉

上任：克里斯蒂娜．拉加德

職權：歐洲中央銀行負責使用歐元的十九個歐盟成員國的貨幣政策，並擔任其金融機構的中央監管機構。歐洲央行總部位於德國，自一九九九年一月一日起負責歐元區的貨幣政策。

歐洲央行負責歐元利率的調控，央行總裁實為機構之靈魂人物，其所發布的每一個字動輒影響市場。將卸任的德拉吉曾誓言盡一切努力拯救歐元，這在很大程度上也拯救了歐元。

擔任此職務需要專精的知識。雖然將上任的拉加德並非經濟學家，但她是現任國際貨幣基金總裁，並曾任法國財政部長，這樣的經歷被歐盟各國領導人認為足以勝任此職務。

 

European Parliament president

Outgoing: Antonio Tajani

Incoming: David-Maria Sassoli

Job spec: The president acts as the speaker of the house, chairing debates in the plenary and ensuring parliamentary procedures are followed. They also represent the 751-strong chamber to the world. The term is for two and a half years, which can be renewed once. To be elected, a candidate must win an absolute majority of the valid votes cast. Technically, the election of a president is decided by the MEPs, but the heads of state and government, as key members of their political groups, have a heavy say. The new president, Sassoli, is a member of Italy’s Socialists and Democrats group, which lost out on the commission presidency.

 

歐洲議會議長

卸任：安東尼奧．塔加尼

上任：大衛－瑪利亞．薩索利

職權：歐洲議會議長主持議會、確保議事遵行程序，並對外代表有七百五十一席的歐洲議會。任期兩年半，可連任一次。要當選，必須贏得有效選票的絕對多數。嚴格來說，議長是由歐洲議會議員所選出，但擔任政黨要角的各國領導人，對議長人選之決定亦有很大的影響力。新任議長薩索利為義大利民主社會黨之一員，該黨在歐盟執委會主席之選舉中敗陣。

 

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Outgoing: Federica Mogherini

Incoming: Josep Borrell

Job spec: The idea was that the holder of the post would shape and execute the EU’s foreign and security policy and lead the EU’s diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service. The lack of consensus among the member states on policy has undermined the original vision. The leaders appoint the holder of the post by a qualified majority vote, but the president of the commission must agree with the decision. Spain’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell, 72, will be the fourth high representative.

 

歐盟外交暨安全政策高級代表

卸任：費德麗卡．莫格里尼

上任：何塞普．波瑞爾

職權：按規畫，此職位是負責制定與執行歐盟的外交及安全政策，並領導歐盟的外交使團──歐盟對外事務部。然而，成員國之間在政策上的缺乏共識，破壞了規畫的初衷。此職位之任命，是由歐盟各國領導人以條件多數決通過選出，但必須經執委會主席同意。七十二歲的西班牙外交部長波瑞爾將擔任第四任高級代表。

 

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每日跟讀#653: Animated Movies Give Women More Leadership Roles, Study Finds

 

The movie business has been famously tough on women, who have found themselves excluded from key roles throughout the decision-making and creative processes.

 

電影業對女性嚴苛出了名，整個決策和創作過程都不讓女性扮演要角。

 

But in parts of the animation industry, women have thrived. Women hold half of the leadership positions at the major film animation companies, new research has found. And, of the top 120 animated films over the last dozen years, nearly four in 10 had female producers, which is more than double the number of women who produced live-action films in that time.

 

不過，在動畫業的某些部分，女人可是出頭天。最新調查研究顯示，各大型動畫片公司半數領導職位由女性出任。此外，過去12年票房最佳的120部動畫片中，近四成有女製片，比同一時期真人電影的女製片多了一倍有餘。

 

Still, the study, released by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California, showed a mixed bag, especially for women of color, who accounted for just 5 percent of producers on those top animated films.

 

不過，美國南加州大學智庫「艾能伯格包容計畫」公布的這份調研結果顯示，情況其實憂喜兼具，尤其是有色人種女性的際遇，她們在那些票房最佳動畫片的製片人中只占5%。

 

Women also remained the minority in a slew of key roles elsewhere in animation.

 

在動畫業其他區塊的許多重要角色中，女人也仍是少數。

 

As cherished as such animated characters as Moana, Elsa (“Frozen”) and Judy Hopps (“Zootopia”) are, they are also rarities. Less than a fifth — 17 percent — of the 120 top animated movies from 2007 to 2018 had female leads.

 

雖然「海洋奇緣」的莫娜、「冰雪奇緣」的艾莎和「動物方城市」的茱蒂這類動畫片女主角深受寶愛，但她們也似鳳毛麟角。2007年到2018年120部票房最佳動畫片中，只有17%、不到兩成有女主角。

 

And of the 197 directors of those films, just five, or 2.5 percent, were women. Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who directed two “Kung Fu Panda” films, was the only one to appear on the list twice.

 

而在這120部片的197位導演中，只有五位、也就是2.5%是女性。執導「功夫熊貓」及「功夫熊貓2」的余仁英，是唯一兩度上榜的女性。

 

The figures stand in contrast to the number of women who are clearly hoping — and training — to rise in the business.

 

相對於顯然希望在動畫業崛起、並正接受訓練的女性的人數而言，前述數字少得可憐。

 

According to the study, about two-thirds of the students enrolled in animation programs at several top feeder schools in recent years were female. Women also directed roughly half of the animated shorts at several major film festivals in the last few years.

 

根據這份調查，近年來在一些頂尖附屬學校註冊修讀動畫課程的學生，女性約占三分之二。最近幾年在一些大型影展入選的動畫短片，約有半數由女性執導。

 

Probing further, researchers found that many women trying to work their way up in the animation business reported that their workplaces heavily favored and promoted men, and left them feeling less valued and recognized.

 

這些研究人員進一步探索後發現，許多有志在動畫業裡往上爬的女性說，她們的工作場所嚴重偏袒並且提拔男人，讓她們覺得比較不受重視與肯定。

 

The researchers said their findings indicate that the animation industry, as with so many others, is governed by a culture of “homophily” — employers’ “birds of a feather” tendency to prefer people who are just like them.

 

前述研究人員說，他們的研究結果顯示，動畫業就像許多其他的行業一樣，由「同質性」文化主導，雇主傾向「物以類聚」，偏愛跟他們一樣的人。

 

“In this case, the male-dominated nature of animation means that women feel excluded,” the report said, adding, “If the respondents to our survey and interviews are to be believed, the animation industry privileges stereotypes over skills.”

 

研究報告寫道：「在這個案例中，動畫業由男性主導的本質意味女性覺得被排除在外。如果我們問卷和訪談的受訪者所言屬實，那麼動畫業就是刻板印象壓過實力。」

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/342730/web/

 

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