Friday, December 29, 2006

【轉錄】深度旅遊新招式-玩家當領隊,領隊變玩家

喔~我心癢不已!

如果我努力一下,衝一下,是不是有一天可能也有這個潛力當領隊勒?至少領瑞士~哈哈;)

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深度旅遊新招式
玩家當領隊,領隊變玩家

  深度旅遊的出現,反映出國人旅遊,已經到了一定水準。台灣民眾,光國內旅遊,一年就超過1億人次;出國觀光人次,也在2005年突破800萬大關。當出國不再是新鮮事,消費者開始追求深度旅遊時,便有旅行業者,想出「玩家變領隊」或是「領隊變玩家」的行銷策略,讓消費者多花一點錢,便能進行深度之旅。

玩家帶團,深度吸引旅客
  把玩家變領隊,是時報旅遊最新的策略。找來一批不一定有領隊證照,卻精通各地文化的業餘玩家來帶團。這些被網羅的業餘旅遊好手,各有專長。例如在世新大學擔任公關課程講師,並曾撰寫《世界遺產紀行》一書的馬繼康,對第三世界國家有很深的研究,同時也是台灣國家公園的解說員,當他在9月號召柬埔寨團,同樣也是沒幾天,就宣告滿團。

  時報旅遊把玩家變領隊;雄獅旅遊則把自家的資深領隊打造成玩家形象。以其十餘年的帶團功力,及特有的旅行私房菜做為賣點,讓民眾自選領隊。

  在歐洲旅遊線耕耘近十年,每年有2/3的時間都在歐洲度過,36歲的余賢文就是「被拍賣」的領隊之一。「跟歐洲相關的書籍,我翻閱過上千本,」對歐洲的熟悉程度,讓余賢文「破解」電影《達文西密碼》中的各個拍攝場景。順著電影順序,余賢文帶著團員來到艾菲爾鐵塔、羅浮宮、香榭麗舍大道,甚至是藏著「拱心石」的聖許畢斯教堂,最後再回到羅浮宮。讓團員有如電影主角,經歷一場冒險。

  類似余賢文,因對一個地區有深入瞭解,而被拿來當成「賣點」的領隊,在雄獅旅行社中已經有十多位。受歡迎程度,可從實驗性的半個月出兩團,倍增為四團、八團。

「上車睡覺」旅遊時代告終
  對於玩家領隊或是領隊玩家的供不應求,時報旅遊總經理趙政岷認為,這正吻合國人在旅遊上品味的轉變。20年前台灣開放國人出國旅遊時,很多都是「上車睡覺、下車尿尿」或「六天走完歐洲十國」。那個階段國人心態是只要能出國就好,並偏愛「俗擱又大碗」的行程。但久了以後,目前已逐遍轉變為要求旅遊品質,懂得挑選早去晚回的班機,也從短期多國旅遊,改為單一而深入,甚至是定點度假,走向精緻化。而在精緻化後,下一波就是另類的深度旅行;在旅程中安排歷史、建築、藝術、美食等文化元素,都是目前最炙手可熱的旅遊行程。

  「玩家領隊,因為沒有領隊證照,所以還得多派一位專業領隊跟團,整體成本高了一、兩成,但消費者卻覺得物有所值,」趙政岷認為愈來愈多消費者要的是與眾不同的回憶,貴個幾千塊,倒在其次。

舊日黑盒子,現在的活招牌
  可以選擇領隊,等於讓消費者打開了在團體旅遊行程中,無法被預估的黑盒子。「過去,團員可以知道住什麼飯店、去哪些景點,但卻無法選擇影響整體品質至深的領隊,」雄獅旅行社總經理裴信祐指出,過往消費者最無法掌握的黑盒子,現在成為最吸引民眾的特點,甚至有可能吸引偏愛自助行的背包客,擴大整市場。不過,看似一片大好的深度領隊,事實上也有其限制。無法在短期內大量複製,使旅行業者推出「玩家領隊」「領隊玩家」方案後,雖然叫好叫座,但卻供不應求,尚無法拉大整體產值。例如玩家領隊在現實生活中,各有事業,很難大量開團,加上開團檔期不定,消費者難以掌握或配合。不過,能確定的是,有深度、能不斷做功課的領隊,價值也將水漲船高。

玩家領隊》JUSTIN 從愛琴海紅到吳哥窟
  三年前,SARS襲台時,名為《我的心遺落在愛琴海》的希臘照片集,在網路爆紅,由出版社印刷成實體書後,依舊狂銷5萬多冊。照片的主人,是前聯電主任工程師Justin(本名陳昱彰)。1973年生的他,為了想多看看世界,今年7月離開科技業。休息不到兩個月,憑著對旅遊的熱愛,以及在網路上的知名度,Justin被旅行業者力捧成為玩家領隊,帶團前往他繼愛琴海之後的最愛——吳哥窟。

  從招收團員開始,唯一的訊息管道就僅有Justin的個人部落格,但效果卻相當驚人。本來預計只帶一團,但因太多網友報名,最後不得不加開成兩團。在行程的安排上,Justin則採用減法策略。「以前旅行社的安排,三天半在吳哥窟的時間,大概會跑22個景點。這樣的作法,會讓遊客對吳哥窟的感覺,只剩下很累、很趕,」Justin認為時間真的不夠,也不必硬要「走馬看花」,花時間做深入介紹,反而能讓旅客瞭解、愛上吳哥窟。不僅在行程上用心思,Justin也帶團員深入柬埔寨的生活。位在柬埔寨的吳哥窟,附近有許多缺乏物資的小學,Justin在出發前,向網友與團員募集許多文具,準備帶給當地的學校。台灣人的愛心,讓Justin帶著滿滿三大箱的文具,轉贈給當地的小朋友,也讓同行的網友,體驗到了花錢都買不到的感動。

領隊玩家》吳明哲 帶團到荷蘭實現梵谷夢
   44歲的吳明哲,經營歐洲旅線已20年,對歐洲景點不僅滾瓜爛熟,於歐洲人文知識更是下過苦功,光是與《聖經》相關的書籍,就達數十本之多。「歐洲是一個高度人文的地方,每一個知名建築,背後都有典故。如果能在適當的時候,告知遊客,就是最棒的調味料,」吳明哲認為,針對人文歷史多做準備,能讓旅客留下最深刻的印象,不然對遊客而言,「看來看去還不是差不多?」因為有熱誠,並不斷進修人文知識,吳明哲最近被雄獅旅遊當作活招牌,打造出他特有的行程。「梵谷團」就是吳明哲的傑作之一。帶領遊客,從梵谷的出生地走起,再陸續介紹梵谷各時期作畫的地點,並分析各地風景與梵谷作畫時的關係,到最後再帶大家到法國奧維,也就是梵谷的墓地所在,讓許多梵谷迷,用「腳」體驗梵谷的一生。而隨著雄獅旅遊,幫吳明哲架設的部落格開張,吳明哲過往帶過的團員,也紛紛上網討論心得,並感謝吳明哲曾經帶給他們美好回憶。「旅遊業,是一個賣夢想的行業;領隊就是陪著旅客一起實現夢想的重要角色,」吳明哲將用新方式展開他下一個20年的導遊人生。

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

ENG words

affable \AF-uh-bul\ adjective
和藹可親的、平易近人的
友善的、慈祥的
*1 : being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
2 : characterized by ease and friendliness

Example sentence:
Betty's father was so affable that when her friends came over they'd usually end up sitting and chatting with him.
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Wednesday, November 22, 2006

【商周】我的三歲教練

我的3歲教練
本篇文章摘自:商業周刊第 991 期
作者:方德琳

 以成就孩子的精神來成就部屬,就是「帶人帶心」的境界,也是僕人領導的核心價值。
在國外,1份4萬人次的調查顯示:81%的受訪者認為,有小孩的女性主管在耐心、聆聽技巧與時間管理上表現優異;在國內,本刊調查14位高階主管發現,有半數受訪者從育兒上得到工作的啟發,有助於管理能力的提升,「因為我為人父母,所以我才能成為更好的經理人!」

—— 你相信教養小孩的經驗 有助於管理或領導能力的提升嗎?

—— 你是否曾從育兒經驗得到啟發,有助於管理能力的提升?

如果你的回答是否定的,這篇文章,將挑戰你過去的認知。請先看以下兩個例子,她們是全世界最有權力的女人。

歐布萊特(Madeleine Albright),前美國國務卿,她年輕時,為了照顧三個小孩,專心當了十五年的家庭主婦。直到三十九歲,取得博士學位後才重返職場。工作二十年後,也就是一九九七年一月二十三日,她站在白宮著名的橢圓型辦公室內,在總統柯林頓旁,宣誓就任國務卿,成為美國有史以來第一位女國務卿。

證據:
四份調查報告同一結論 養兒育女有助提升領導能力

另一個女人,是跨國品牌公司Sara Lee現任執行長布蘭達(Brenda Barnes),她曾任百事可樂北美區執行長,但為了養育三個小孩,她也曾離開職場,專心的過了六年家庭主婦生活後,於二○○四年復出。一回到職場,她就躋身《富比世》雜誌全球百位最有權勢的女性排行榜,今年十一月,她更是第二次入榜,並高居第九名。

曾是《財星》雜誌權勢女性榜上的人物,寶僑(P&G)全球嬰兒產品部總裁黛比(Deb Henretta)認為,帶小孩的經驗,與一個經理人的領導力,兩者間有顯著的正向關係:「你不能說我是『儘管為人父母,但還能夠成為傑出的經理人』,而應該說『因為我為人父母,所以我才能成為更好的經理人』。」

過去,養兒育女,讓身為父母的經理人,尤其是女性焦頭爛額,在事業與家庭兩邊掙扎。然而,一些新版的故事正在全世界發生,歐布萊特、布蘭達、黛比,將不再是特例。

這個新現象,背後有四份最新報告的支撐。

二○○○年與二○○二年,兩份美國田野調查,共針對一百二十位高學歷的高階女性主管進行研究後發現:「為人父母不僅不會降低,反而有助於她們的職場表現,讓她們得到更高的成就。」(編按:報告來源分別是衛斯理學院女性研究中心〔Wellesley College Center for Research on Women〕、北卡羅萊納州葛林斯堡創意領導中心〔The Center for Creative Leadership〕。)

緊接著,二○○五年,一份四萬人次的問卷調查更顯示:高達八一%的受訪者認為,有小孩的女性主管在耐心、聆聽技巧與時間管理上表現優異,也使得他們比較喜歡追隨有小孩的女性主管。這份報告來自美國女性職涯成長團體WorldWit。

最具體的一份報告,作者則為曾經獲普立茲獎提名的美國紐約時報前記者安‧克坦頓(Ann Crittenden)。她深度訪談CNBC電視台的總裁暨執行長等一百多位專業表現傑出的父母後,歸納出育兒跟領導的共通技巧包括:一、耐心、同理心等人際溝通技巧;二、激發學習成長潛能的技巧;三、以身作則,表現類似誠信、正直這種道德勇氣的特質等。
在這一百多位高階受訪者中,多數都同意,育兒經驗跟領導技巧有密切關聯。因此,她下了一個結論:養兒育女是多數人一生中必經、且最辛苦的工作,若能認真經營親子關係的經理人,一定可從中提升領導能力,因此,「領導從家庭開始」。

時代雜誌集團董事長安‧摩爾(Ann Moore)如是說:「當你需要領導別人,當你需要組織團隊的時候,或許你最需要的技能就是一般母親在家裡帶小孩的那套。」

然而,美國的情況如此,台灣的經理人呢?


針對此議題,《商業周刊》對國內十四名專業經理人進行調查,包括永豐餘董事長邱秀瑩、Google台灣區總經理張成秀、光寶董事長宋恭源、中國輸出入銀行理事主席符寶玲、一○四人力銀行董事長楊基寬等人。

在「你在育兒經驗上得到的啟發,是否有助於管理能力的提升?」問題中,雖有一半的人回答是肯定的,但經交叉比對後,則得到一個有趣的結論:年輕的經理人比年長一代(五十歲以上),較容易從育兒上得到啟發。

落差:
年輕人較年長者易從中學習 台灣人的體驗認知不如美國人

這份調查點出了台灣經理人的育兒狀況:

一、年長的經理人,在小孩的成長過程中普遍缺席,他們對問卷的回答多半是「孩子大了,記不得,」或者間接表示「親子關係沒有很好」。
二、年輕一代的經理人,更重視小孩的養育,關心小孩的競爭力。但他們的育兒類型又分為兩種,一種只花時間,卻沒有用心,因此無法與孩子進行深度互動、得到回饋;另一種父母,他們花了時間、心思陪伴小孩,卻苦無對的方法。

擁有兩個小孩的明基電通台灣區總經理洪漢青,就是一例。他說,由於跟小孩相處的時間不多,「以前,我唯一的教養方式就是溺愛他們。」直到後來,當他要小孩遵守規範,卻發現他們理都不理的時候,才知道小孩也需要領導跟管理。

簡單來說,從育兒學領導的概念,在美國等先進國家成為最新趨勢,在台灣,卻還未被認同,就算有認同者,也很難做到。信誼基金會執行長張杏如點出箇中原因—— 過去一代以權威教養小孩,而年輕父母雖然知道要用愛來教小孩,教養的知識與方法都還不夠成熟,因此,從育兒當中得到有用的啟發比例甚低。

然而,事實是,不管你是否心甘情願,當你為人父母的那一刻,你其實就在家中扮演領導的角色,家庭,是你第一個領導訓練場,而且,「你永遠無法從家裡退休」,即使無所作為,也在發揮負向的領導力。

因此,「這是一加一大於二的結果」,台大管理學院教授柯承恩說。當我們努力做好家中領導角色時,這些內在能力將有助於提升企業領導力。

那要怎麼做呢?

一九九六年被《時代》雜誌選為二十五個最具影響力人物的成功大師——史蒂芬‧柯維(Stephen R. Covey),是九個小孩的父親,四十七個孫子的祖父。他以自身的經歷,總結了一套經營高效能家庭的心法。

典範:
活用「領導樹」四種角色 就可帶領家庭、企業成員成長茁壯

他認為,要營造一個成功幸福的家庭,父母必須扮演四種領導角色,他用「家庭領導之樹」來描繪這四種角色的功能:

一、楷模(modeling),這是樹根,父母必須決定要傳遞給孩子的價值觀與文化後,自己樹立榜樣。

二、輔導支持(mentoring) ,這是樹成長茁壯的養分。父母要無條件的給予,讓家人感受到無私的愛。

三、規畫(organizing),這是枝幹,父母必須建立家庭成員固定聚會的系統。若沒有安排任何家庭的聚會跟時間,家庭結構鬆散,無法建立共享的理念跟價值。

四、教導(teaching),這是枝葉,也就是扮演指正方向的角色。什麼事情該做?什麼事情不該犯錯?

柯維說,越是樹的底部越重要,但為人父母最容易犯的錯,就是在枝葉上花功夫,每天叨念小孩要念書、要誠實……,卻徒勞無功。而家庭領導之樹的經營,與企業領導之樹有異曲同工之妙,若父母能藉由養兒育女的經驗,好好經營家庭之樹,並將這經驗移植到職場上,將可收同等良效。

以最重要的第一層角色——楷模來說,奧美集團旗下,群策促動行銷董事總經理鄭夙雅,就有深刻的體悟。她永遠忘不了十五年前,兩歲多的女兒,所給她的第一個大震撼。

那一天,剛跟先生吵完架的鄭夙雅,情緒激動的走進房間,碰一聲用力把門關上。她沒想到,這個場景會烙印在女兒腦中。三個月後的某一天,當她罵了女兒時,女兒也掉頭走進房間,「碰!」一聲,用力把門關上。

震撼一:
領導不只是開會、評考績 主管與父母一樣隨時被檢驗

英特爾董事長的葛洛夫曾分析過領導風格這回事,他說,不管是什麼樣的領導風格,只有管理者認定「自己是別人表率」的前提下才會管用,身教的力量遠大於任何的指導。當兩歲女兒關上房門的那一刻,鄭夙雅體會到了葛洛夫談的智慧。

一個兩歲多的小孩尚且如此,何況是公司裡二、三十歲的員工?原本,她以為領導只發生在開會、訓話、甚至評估考績的時候,如今,她感受到,主管的喜怒哀樂、食衣住行育樂,無時無刻、隨時隨地被檢驗。「you have to behave!(你必須行為檢點!)」她說。

另外一次震撼教育,則發生在她女兒小學六年級的時候。這天,她帶女兒去買衣服。但一回到家,女兒堅持不肯穿新買的衣服,甚至開始拉高音階,「媽!那是你挑的,不是我選的!」她的行徑與自己在賣場獨斷獨行、掌控全局如出一轍。

「我心裡很尷尬……我想,在公司應該沒有人會這樣直接表達對我的不滿吧,不過在職場上,我是否也讓人有同樣的感覺?」

過去,鄭夙雅工作時,一分鐘可以講上八十個字,獨白講兩小時都不是問題。但從此以後,她隨時提醒自己,一定要讓部屬有開口表達自己想法的機會。現在,鄭夙雅的女兒已經十六歲了,一路走來,她說,育兒與領導力間的相互啟發與激盪,讓她獲益良多。

成為孩子的楷模,是育兒最難的一部分,除非你改造自己,否則,你對孩子的規畫、指導,都只是事倍功半。

此外,第二個領導角色:輔導,也很重要。張杏如說,所謂的「輔導」,就是情感的支持,父母若沒有放下自己的框架,用孩子的高度去看問題,就無法給予孩子足夠的情感支持,包括:尊重孩子的不同、耐心傾聽、發揮同理心等。

PChome電子商務部副總經理羅薇琳,就是一個因為育兒而學到耐心、同理心的典型例子。向來,她就是一個沒耐心的主管,也從來不想改變自己,直到今年一月女兒誕生。

五十八年次的羅薇琳,在日商三井工作近四年,耳濡目染日本企業嚴謹、細緻、有條不紊的工作態度。當她兩年半前來到PChome擔任主管後,斯巴達式的管理方式,就不斷的和網路公司年輕的員工起衝突。

最嚴重的一次,是一個業績檢討會。她要求部屬提出有效的解決方法。「沒想到,大家只是進來抱怨,抱怨公司資源不夠,抱怨別的部門不配合,」一氣之下,「檔案夾跟文件就從我手上丟出去」,「不開了!等你們準備好再說。」她氣得掉頭甩門就走,留下一群面面相覷的員工。

震撼二:
問題可能出在自己身上 部屬、孩子都需要時間去改變

團隊氣氛很差,但她從來沒想到問題出在自己身上,「那是他們的問題,只要他們工作認真一點,業績變好,我怎麼會發脾氣?」直到她有了一個女兒之後,轉變因子才被啟動。

一開始,她面對每天哭鬧不停的女兒,情緒繃到最高點,「我常常想,下一刻,就可能情緒失控,我還曾經打她屁股,希望她discipline(有紀律),但有用嗎?」

後來她發現,只有一個方法可以讓孩子不哭,就是要給孩子時間,全心全意的哄她。當她這樣對待小孩的時候,她突然領悟:「如果我可以這樣對待我的小孩,那麼我是否也可以同樣的對待我的員工?」


對羅薇琳來說,她從小孩身上得到的體悟有兩個:一,要給部屬時間。二,即便部屬有不對的地方,她可以選擇不用直接傷害別人的方式進行溝通。意念一轉,團隊氣氛走上良性的循環,「我自己有很大的感動!我感謝我女兒,」她感性的說。

柯承恩觀察,近來領導力的研究,越來越強調領導者的內在人格精神。例如:《從A到A+》的作者柯林斯(Jim Collins),在探究企業之所以卓越的原因,最後發現關鍵之一是對的人才,而這個對的人才,除了專業之外,其人格特質普遍都是「願意承認自己不足,具有謙卑態度,態度堅定者。」

《僕人領導學》概念的原始創作者羅伯‧格林里夫(Robert K. Greenleaf)則說,「關於權力及授權的議題,近來有全新的看法,那就是應該少一點強迫性,而相對多一點支持性!」

這位被管理大師彼得杜拉克稱為最有智慧的人,他對領導的全新領悟是:必須讓追隨者心悅誠服跟隨,影響力才會擴大、強化。而要讓人心悅誠服跟隨,領導者就得學習放下自己的需求、放棄自己的慾望,而以部屬的需要為前提,他呼籲:領導者「從聆聽中得到智慧」,並且要承諾「打開一扇門」。

換言之,來自家庭跟企業領導力的研究,最後居然有殊途同歸的結果:原來要帶領家庭跟公司其實最後都得歸結到內在的影響力量。而這些共同的因素包括:以身作則當模範、同理心、以及耐心傾聽的能力。

然而同理心、耐心……這些特質唯有透過教養小孩才可以養成嗎?

柯承恩認為,育兒絕對不是唯一的方法,但它卻是「非常有效的訓練所」。因為在職場上,上司與下屬的權力關係本來就不對等,要求上位者替下位者著想,難度甚高。

但面對小孩時,則因為有愛,人們將開放自己的心,成就他人,這將有機會讓人們看到自己積存已久的偏見,進而改變行為。

奧美環球廣告執行長拉沙蘿斯(Shelly Lazarus),擁有一個女兒及一對雙胞胎,她就表示:「當你成為母親,心中無私的愛會逐漸滋長,你信任人們,包容接受他們的缺點和不足,容忍他們不理性的時刻,這是之所以能夠幫助你們組成一個堅強團隊的重要因素!」

領悟一:
親子給彼此機會教育 往往能從小孩身上學到寶貴的一課

美國電信業大廠南方貝爾(BellSouth)的市場總監朵娜.李(Donna Lee)也說,當同事知道她懷孕,「起初他們很驚訝,但他們覺得我變得更可親近,懷孕磨平我原先的稜角,讓我與人們的溝通管道更為開闊,他們見到了我富有人性的一面。」

杜邦安全防護事業群的副總裁艾倫‧古曼(Ellen Kullman),領導五位副總的她則坦承:「我之前不會對別人的想法花太多時間,幸運的是,我的小孩吸引我注意到那些平常不會留意的角度。」

然而,育兒經驗,所帶來的管理體悟,卻要用心,才能有所獲得。現任Google總經理張成秀就舉例,她母親嚴重車禍後,她常親自餵食三餐。但為了讓就讀小學的女兒也有照顧病人的機會教育,她決定這一天由女兒代打上陣。

但是當她看到女兒盛滿一大口飯要送進母親嘴巴時,她心急的大喊「小口一點!小口一點」,因為剛拿掉鼻胃管的母親,吞嚥功能還未恢復正常,她自己餵食時,就常常讓母親咳得滿臉通紅、上氣不接下氣,更何況是這麼一大口飯。

張成秀再三的叮嚀,但卻慢慢發現,母親吃的比她自己親自餵的時候還順暢。事後,她問女兒究竟有什麼訣竅?女兒說:「那是因為你很心急,奶奶根本還沒嚼完,你就急著餵下一口,而我會在心裡默念一、二、三……一百,才餵下一口,奶奶當然不會嗆到了!」


原本要給女兒的機會教育,反倒自己讓女兒上了一課。若非她本身用心為女兒製造機會教育,只怕這一堂耐心的課,她是永遠無法在公司的總經理職位上學到的。

柯維曾說,為人父母是一件最吃力不討好的工作,因為「家庭是修練人性的研究所,」父母無限制的提供給孩子支持、鼓勵、瞭解,就像「空氣」一樣,沒有空氣時,人們會不舒服,但有了它們,人們卻不一定滿足快樂。

領悟二:
教養是無止盡的學習過程 因為知所不足、心懷謙卑而更加包容

換言之,為人父母,是在實踐「不能要求回報」、「成就他人」的精神。這條路,是一個內心修練的過程,它並不好走,卻一定要走。否則,你就錯過了人生最重要的必修學分。

在職場上,柯承恩說,唯有「知所不足而心存謙卑」的經理人,才是最佳企業領導人。而要知所不足,養兒育女最會讓人有所體悟。

國家地理頻道台灣區總經理蔡秋安,她的大女兒十一歲,個性很獨立,回家第一件事就是喜歡看課外讀物,有時候一耽擱,連功課都沒有寫。

「我希望她take priority(設定優先順序),但孩子總是認為喜歡的要先做,其實我也很高興她愛看書……現在我們跟小孩相處的時間不多,還要督促寫功課,親子關係是緊張的,小孩有她的pattern(模式),究竟要怎麼做才是對的?」

為了這個問題,在蔡秋安充滿行銷專業書籍的櫃子裡,近來又悄悄的多了親子教養的書。現在,她最重要的一門親子功課,就是學習接受小孩的個性,然後給孩子更多的空間,「這是一個on going(持續進行)的過程,沒有絕對對的答案,我只能反省自己,不斷的學習」。

「當媽媽真的會謙卑,因為我不知道怎樣做才是絕對正確的方法,」掌管蘭蔻、植村秀、碧兒泉等品牌的台灣萊雅化妝品香水事業部總經理陳敏慧也說,這條育兒路是無止境的摸索跟學習,讓她在公司上採取更包容、更富同理心的管理風格。

無論為人父,或者為人母,面對同樣的育兒情境,有人抓住機會,從中找自己盲點,挑戰自己,最後家庭、事業兩邊都叩關得分;但也有的人,讓家庭事業的天平只往一邊傾斜,顧得了事業顧不了家,到頭來,心中免不了遺憾。你,要選擇哪一個?

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

今周刊 第516期 - 封面故事:墊高自己 做強者

創造力
遇到困難的時候,換個角度想,往往就會有柳暗花明又一村的感覺,創造出新的解決手段。
執行力
坐而言不如起而行,忽視執行能力的養成,往往會讓夢想只是空想,創意只是紙上談兵。
領導力
領導團隊要了解每個成員,讓具有不同背景的每個人都能發揮優點,而非把工作平均分配就好。
忍耐力
任何成功都是一步步執行與累積出來的,若急功近利,不能堅持到最後,是最可惜的。
國際力
除了靠自己的規畫出國外,近年來明顯增加的交換學生,也成為提升國際觀的好方法。
ps 在公司內部,可考慮參加跨國團隊的計劃。


看看別人 想想自己 測量你的五力分數

隨著全球變動趨勢越來越快,擁有語文、專業能力以及適應力強的人才,早已成為國際企業爭相聘請的目標,就算不想進入大企業而選擇自行創業,創造力與溝通能力也早已是必備條件,你是不是一位具有國際競爭力的專業人才呢?在競爭激烈的職場上,你有足夠的能力完成任務嗎?回答下列10個問題,能幫助你自我檢視。

1.您是否具有基本語文的溝通能力?除了母語及英語外,還能再多使用一種以上的語言,完成與別人的溝通任務。

2.您是否具有優異的移動(mobility)能力?除了能在最短時間內接受公司指派,前往全球各地工作外,也能獨自順利運用各種跨國交通工具完成使命?

3.您是否具有國際視野?除了自己的國家外,是否更能時時關心世界各地的政治、經濟、軍事、文化、環保等議題?

4.您可以尊重不同國家的文化嗎?例如各國的宗教、飲食習慣與民俗風情,當然,所謂的尊重是接受,並試著參與其中。

5.專業技能是否扎實?你能否獨自完成公司所交派的任務?或是能敞開心胸與同事合作無間共同解決問題?

6.在遭遇困難時,您是否可以想出解決之道,並帶領、幫助您的同事去克服問題,且大多數人都認同您的作法與看法?

7.您是否常有新奇過人的想法?而且還能說服您的老闆或夥伴與您一同去實行?

8.您是否具有規畫專案的能力?也就是說,老闆或是同事給您想法後,能將此想法落實,並具體規畫出實行的細節?

9.您耐得住寂寞嗎?您是否能忍受獨自離家遠赴國外任職幾個月,甚至幾年?

10.您是否能簡單地與他人打成一片?並且能夠相信、體諒他人?

每個問題分為5個級距,分別為非常好、好、中等、不好及很不好,答案是非常好的分數可得10分、好是8分、中等6分、不好4分、很不好則得2分,若10題回答完,總計分數超過80分,代表你的國際化指數及職場競爭力相當高,若低於60分,則表示你需要再加把勁了。

如果您的分數是80分以上,您應該是一位具有國際競爭力的人才;60分到80分之間,代表你可能還需要針對不足的地方加以改善;40分到60分之間,需要多加把勁來彌補自己的缺點;20到40分,建議你從較為容易改善的地方下手,例如增強語文能力、多看國際新聞以及真誠待人;20分以下,你可能要檢討自己在哪方面出了問題,並尋求別人的幫助來改善現況,方能應付未來的挑戰。

職場競爭全球化
墊高自己 做強者
撰文:林宏文

這是個不一樣的年代,新一代人的工作環境,與全球的聯結緊密而清楚。要如何在這樣的環境下勝出,成了當前六、七年級生最殘酷的考驗。其實,一些傳統的價值,依然有用,只要你敢作夢,肯吃苦,花比別人更多的時間提升自己的實力,職場的所有變化,對你而言,反而是墊高自己、拉開差距的有利條件。


時間是距今十七年前的一九八九年,當時還是台大外文系大三學生的王文華,代表台大赴英國格拉斯哥參加英文辯論賽。那時,滿臉興奮的王文華與世界各國的大學代表齊聚一堂,結果,當評審把題目發下來之後,他一時之間愣住了。

「我記得很清楚,當時的題目是『經濟制裁是不是解決國際爭端的好方法』,但是,你知道嗎,那時我們在台大校園內,最常辯論的題目卻是『高中應不應該解除髮禁』……」王文華回想起那一刻,對他來說簡直就是一記當頭棒喝,只有硬著頭皮,運用邏輯推理勉強上陣。

「當時我心想,我不是建中、台大的嗎?我不是一直都覺得自己最優秀嗎?但那時我只有一個想法,就是,呸!」受到這次的刺激,王文華知道,和他同年齡的全世界年輕人,有著比他更為寬廣的視野;這樣的過程,也讓他決定赴史丹佛念書,增加自己的國際觀。

如今,十七年過去了,五年級生的王文華足跡早已環繞地球好幾圈,曾在跨國公司服務過,也是知名作家,作品在華人世界中暢銷,甚至還譯成多國語言熱賣。

「十七年後的現在,世界變得更平了,大學不只沒有圍牆,而是沒有國界了。」王文華說,這樣的環境,意味著各國大學之間的互動,就和職場一樣,已經進入全球化的競爭時代了。


全球性學習 因應全球化競爭

但是,王文華感慨地說,台灣的教育卻沒有相對地進步,媒體、文化甚至政治風氣,都更加沉淪。

王文華建議,年輕人應該買一張世界地圖,貼在自己的房間,時常問一下自己,未來要在哪裡?也應該要努力參與各種國際性的活動,打開自己的視野,並自我加值,提升自己未來的競爭力。

台灣的學生,也在這樣的環境下,逐漸體會全球競爭的壓力。因此,出國留學,以便具備未來的國際競爭能力,也蔚為風氣。

根據教育部的資料顯示,這幾年,出國留學的學生,幾乎每年都有三千人的成長,到去年多達三萬三千人。

這和四、五年級生,都得到服完兵役後才能出國念書的環境,不可同日而語。

但機會與挑戰並存,這一代的六、七年級生,面臨比四、五年級生更嚴酷的全球化壓力,要如何和全球的同儕競爭,成了六、七年級生最重要的課題。

目前就讀於台大電信研究所的吳孟霖,在念交大電信系時,就參加了國際經濟商管學生會(AIESEC)。

本來只是為了學英文而加入,但後來發現這個活動很有意思,不僅每個暑假都有機會赴各個國家參與世界大會,今年暑假更遠赴土耳其兩個月,前一個月教偏遠地區小孩子英文,後一個月則利用時間去自助旅行,讓他收穫豐富。

在去之前,吳孟霖其實很恐懼,因為一般人對土耳其的印象,就是覺得是有很多炸彈的伊斯蘭教國家,不過隨著自己不斷地蒐集資料,恐懼感降低了一些。

但最後要出發的那一刻,面對未知旅程仍會害怕,「我告訴自己,這個暑假我一定要出去,否則升上研究所就沒機會了,其實,最難的一關就是自己,但我把包包收一收,就走了。」

有過這樣的經驗後,吳孟霖覺得現在自己對很多事情都比較不害怕了,比較不會抱怨,對很多事情也比較能包容。而且,能夠在舉目無親的外國生存兩個月,也是一種勇氣與能力,更是未來他工作職場上的重要資產。

除了靠自己的規畫出國增加視野及國際觀外,近年來明顯增加的交換學生,也成為提升國際觀的好方法。近幾年來各校的交換學生大幅增加,許多學生也利用這個機會增強自己的國際觀,目前在花旗銀行擔任儲備幹部的洪國注,就是案例之一。


跨國界溝通 實力決定主導權

曾在飛利浦公司擔任半導體營運分析師的王思淳,以自身的職場經驗,說明當前職場國際化的溝通問題。

王思淳說,由於飛利浦逐漸把資訊科技(IT)部門移往印度,因此,原本台灣有四個人的部門,逐步縮減到只剩一人,並且要不斷與印度同事討論與報告,這個過程就是「世界是平的」最佳例證。

念政大資管系時,多次參加競賽都得獎的王思淳,是大家口中的「得獎王」。

而在進入台大國企所後,王思淳發現研究所的課程其實只是大學教育的延伸,因此積極開始參加各種競賽活動,從這些活動中,認識不同的人,也透過不斷地出國學習,讓自己的視野更加開闊。

從○四年起,他陸續得到第二屆全國大專院校商業個案大賽的第一名、研華主辦的創業競賽總冠軍,以及時代基金會主辦的第二屆國際青年創業領袖計畫(YEF,Young Entrepreneurs of the Future),在這三項比賽中,他是前兩個團隊中的隊長。王思淳說,這些活動帶給他的收穫相當大,不但交到許多國外的朋友,同時還有機會參訪香港、上海的商業及政府機構。

王思淳認為,具備行銷、管理背景的人,尤其應該要學習和具備技術背景的人一起合作。「首先要了解每個成員,讓具有不同背景的每個人都能發揮他們的優點,而不是把工作平均分配就好。」他說,像有好幾次辦活動,各項工作如海報、產品展示甚至舞台布置等,領導人若能了解團隊中有哪些人很專精,就可以很迅速地完成。

如今,王思淳在美商3M公司工作,過去的創業比賽經驗讓他非常受用,因為公司內有相當多的專案計畫,要和許多跨部門的人合作,尤其3M生產很多原料及化工產品,行銷背景的他可以與各種不同技術背景的人對話及合作,對他的工作幫助很大。

洪國注在念研究所時,曾經申請到加拿大當過四個月的交換學生。「剛到加拿大時,很多課都聽不太懂,但我要求自己上課前,一定要把課先預習一次,我更強迫自己每堂課都要發言至少一次。」洪國注說,那四個月不僅讓他的學習更為專注,也大大提升自己的國際視野,並與許多國外同學結為好朋友。

洪國注畢業後曾在萊雅(Loreal)工作,負責頭髮造形及染髮劑等產品。當時主管亞洲總部的老闆在巴黎,由於台灣與香港對於產品的宣傳及特性都有不同想法,因此免不了要在老闆面前爭取各種主導權,「在跨國性企業中,這種競爭已相當平常,我們必須與各地人才競爭,此時更會看出是否有實力,沒有實力就很快會被淘汰。」


勇敢作大夢 做好準備等機會

許多人認為,年輕人想要出人頭地,除了良好的家世背景外,就讀傳統名校也是必備條件之一。但今年才二十五歲卻已創立一家電動摺疊門公司的王威詔,卻顛覆了這種觀念,用實績證明「只要有實力,就能成功」!

王威詔大學念的是龍華科技大學電機系,去年當他參加時代基金會主辦的國際青年創業領袖計畫創業比賽的時候,在一群出身台大、交大及政大等名校參賽者中,他是錄取名單之中,學歷最普通的。但他卻以踏實、穩健的做事方法,幫助團隊晉級,也贏得所有人的信任。

「我一直認為,機會只留給準備好的人。」王威詔說,台灣的教育方式只教導學生為了讀書而讀書,反而忽略培養學生「夢想」的重要性;而且,在齊頭式教育之下,如果不學會想要、並行動去爭取自己所想要的東西,很快就會被茫茫人海所淹沒。

因此,王威詔在大三的時候,就以參與專題競賽的方式,爭取出國機會,對外更參與多項創業比賽來拓展自己視野,到現在已經連續三年、每年都出國兩次,這對於一般技職大學的學生來說,是相當少見的紀錄。

不僅如此,王威詔曾拿下多次教育部主辦的技專學院專題比賽獎項,更在台灣工銀主辦的「WeWin」比賽中榮獲新銳獎,並於兩個月內創立「奕成門業」公司,開始從事生產電動摺疊門產品。

王威詔表示,其實與人溝通是一種藝術,經由不斷與隊友溝通,使得大家找到一個共同目標的過程,也是一種很好的學習。但他也認為,有實力,別人才會認同你,否則擁有再好的學歷與背景也沒用。


「懷抱夢想,真的是件很重要的事。」王威詔以世界知名的電子墨(E Ink)公司為例,他們就是因為抱持著「不再讓世界上有任何一棵樹,因生產紙張而倒下」的理想所建立,「而我的夢想是,希望不會再有小朋友被鐵捲門壓傷。」他說。

王威詔在開發電動摺疊門之前曾調查過資料,每年台灣大約會有一百名小朋友被鐵捲門壓死或壓傷,這也直接觸動他改良現行鐵捲門的想法。雖然奕成現在生產的摺疊門產品,德國早在二○○○年就已有類似產品,但卻仍有不少問題,王威詔不斷地改善這些問題後,已研發出自己的特殊技術,並已申請到專利。

「我從不想做一個偉大的人,只求能對社會有貢獻。」王威詔說,目前他利用課餘時間衝刺業績,已有一些業務進來,他的夢想是,未來將把這項產品推廣到美國、歐洲等車庫較多的國家,完成他幫助別人的夢想。


吃苦的毅力 熱情才能擁抱成功

一九七八年生的郭榮昌,目前的頭銜是日商Aplix的總裁,早在念研究所時,便與幾位同學創立曜碩科技,開發手機上的Java軟體。因產品開發速度領先國際同業甚多,前年被同樣做這項產品的日本上市公司Aplix收購,並續聘郭榮昌擔任行銷業務總裁,並給予董事席位。

見到年輕的郭榮昌本人,很多人無法把他和日本上市公司的總裁聯想在一起;但只要看一下他的行程表,就可以知道他為何有此能耐。

Aplix由於客戶遍布歐美日及亞洲各國,在七個國家都有辦公室,郭榮昌常常要當空中飛人,甚至還有五次在不到二十四小時裡來回日本芝加哥,與客戶開完會就再飛回來的紀錄。

郭榮昌的部門約有五十餘人,目前是Aplix公司除了研發部門外最重要的團隊,國籍則有美、日、台、韓、中、德、英及香港等;這些員工的年紀幾乎都比郭榮昌大,但都非常佩服郭榮昌的能力。Aplix也因為收購了曜碩,才得以打進除了日本之外的各家手機大廠,今年海外的營收可望超越日本本地的收入。

以目前除了諾基亞外,其餘前五大手機廠都已採用Aplix的情況來看,今年全球將有近一億支手機都採用Aplix的Java軟體,這些都要歸功於郭榮昌。

不過,在現在的風光下,其實郭榮昌曾忍受過很長一段落寞的日子。當時公司沒有收入,大夥兒睡在公司會議桌上,甚至因為公司虧損,還忍痛請當年百般邀請才找來的學長離開,「書上都會說,公司若做不好就要downsize(縮編),但說得容易,做起來卻真的很難受。」

雖然自己還不滿三十歲,但郭榮昌還是覺得,七年級生行事風格好像與六年級生還是有差別,儘管一樣有勇氣與熱情,但能夠吃苦的人似乎少了一點,有些想創業的人心態也比較急。

「如果問我,年輕一代缺乏什麼,我會說,是熱情。」永豐餘協理何奕達說,包括他在內,年輕人的生活條件都太優越,反而對離開所謂的舒適區(comfort zone)有所畏懼,如果要和上一代的施振榮、郭台銘等成功企業家相比,確實是少了「我一定要成功」的決心。

「整個世界就像一個大聯盟,對自己的要求及標準要更高一點。」王文華說,人一生中,要通過無數次「聯考」,國際化是最後一個不用繳報名費,但卻最重要的一次聯考,如果對自己不要求高一點,恐怕很快就會被淘汰。


墊高自己 可以試著修行五力

與上一代比較起來,現在的年輕人需要什麼樣的競爭力,才能讓自己更突出?總括來說,國際力、創意力、領導力、執行力與忍耐力等五種即戰力,是現在年輕人最需要具備的條件。

國際力的重要性已不需要再強調,當世界變得更平以後,年輕人只有提升自己的國際視野,直接迎戰來自四面八方的競爭,才有機會不被世界給剷平。

創意力則是年輕人的專利,在面對傳統的思惟及做法中,年輕人是最能夠突破現有框架的力量,尤其在許多新興的行業中,創業有成者幾乎都是沒有包袱的年輕人。

領導力則是一種整合各種不同背景人才,並且把團隊績效發揮到極致的力量。領導力的另一個面向就是團隊力,年輕人要當領導人之前,當然要先學會被領導,只有在團隊中先扮演好自己的角色,建立多方面的能力,才有機會擔任適格的領導人。

至於年輕人最缺乏的執行力與忍耐力,在這種凡事講究速成的環境中,是最需要強調的兩種能力。任何成功都是注重細節、管理細節的結果,是一步步執行與累積出來的,若急功近利,立刻要看到結果,不能堅持到最後,是最可惜的。


Source 今周刊

Monday, October 16, 2006

ENG Joke- That's Not It

A general noticed one of his soldiers behaving oddly. The soldier would pick up any piece of paper he found, frown and say, "That's not it" and put it down again.

This went on for some time, until the general arranged to have the soldier psychologically tested. The psychologist concluded that the soldier was deranged, and wrote out his discharge from the army.
  • deranged adj. 紊亂的、瘋狂的
  • discharge
    • n.
      • 解職令、退伍證明書
      • 釋放、解雇
      • 排出、流出
      • 執行、履行
      • 卸貨
      • 發射、開砲
    • v.
      • 使免除、使卸脫+from
      • 允許離開、釋放、解雇
      • 排放(液體)
      • 卸貨+from/of
      • (槍砲的)發射+at/into
      • (水泡)出水
      • 撤銷(法院命令)
The soldier picked it up, smiled and said, "That's it."

ENG Joke- Flight School

A blonde went to a flight school, insisting she wanted to learn to fly that day. As all the planes were currently in use, the owner agreed to instruct her on how to pilot the helicopter solo by radio.

He took her out, showed her how to start it, and gave her the basics and sent her on her way.

After she climbed 1000 feet, she radioed in. "I'm doing great! I love it! The view is so beautiful, and I'm starting to get the hang of this."
  • get the hang of.. 漸入佳境
After 2000 feet, she radioed again, saying how easy it was becoming to fly. The instructor watched her climb over 3000 feet, and was beginning to worry that she hadn't radioed in.

A few minutes later, he watched in horror as she crashed about half a mile away. He ran over and pulled her from the wreckage.
  • wreckage n. 失事、遭難;(失事的)殘骸
When he asked what happened, she said, "I don't know! Everything was going fine, but as I got higher, I was starting to get cold.

"I can't remember anything after I turned off the big fan......"

ENG Joke- A Cowboy Rides Into Town

A cowboy rode into town and stopped at the saloon for a drink. Unfortunately, the locals always had a habit of picking on newcomers. When he finished, he found his horse had been stolen.
  • saloon n. 酒吧、小酒館
He comes back into the bar, handily flips his gun into the air, catches it above his head without even looking and fires a shot into the ceiling. "Who stole my horse?" he yelled with surprising forcefulness.
  • handily adj. 靈巧的、熟練的、便利的
  • flip
    • v.
      • 輕拋、擲(硬幣) flip a coin
      • 輕擊、輕彈、輕拍
      • 快速翻閱+through
      • 使翻轉+over
      • 使激動、使高興;(因激動、憤怒)使變得狂熱
      • 蹦蹦跳跳的走動
    • adj.
      • 【口】魯莽的、無禮的、油腔滑調的
  • forcefulness n. 堅強、有力
No one answered.

"I'm gonna have another beer and if my horse ain't back outside by the time I'm finished, I'm gonna do what I dun back in Texas and I don't want to have to do what I dun back in Texas!"

Some of the locals shifted restlessly.
  • restlessly adv. 不安的、慌張的
He had another beer, walked outside, and his horse was back! He saddled up and started to ride out of town.
  • saddle
    • v.
      • 裝馬鞍+up
      • 跨上馬鞍
      • 使負擔、強加+on/upon/with
    • n.
      • 馬鞍、車座
The bartender wandered out of the bar and asked, "Say partner, what happened in Texas?"

The cowboy turned back and said, "I had to walk home!"

Monday, September 18, 2006

Google and Apple "in talks" about iTV

Google and Apple "in talks" about iTV by ZDNet's Garett Rogers -- Last week I wrote about the likelihood of Google and Apple working together on iTV (the codename for an Apple product set to be released in Q1 '07). As it turns out, my speculation might not be too far off -- according to Newsweek, Marissa Mayer says the two companies are "in talks"."Is it possible [...]

Focus on Problems VS Focus on Solutions

1) When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (Ink won't flow down to the writing surface). In order to solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.

And what did Russiansdo........................................??






The Russians used a Pencil!!!

2) One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soap box that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes
of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem.

Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent whoopee amount to do so.

But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, did not get into complications of X-rays, etc but instead came out with another solution.

He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

Moral of the story:

Keep It Simple.
Always look for simple solutions. Devise the simplest possible solution that
solves the problem. Learn to focus on solutions not on problems.

"If you look at what you do not have in life, you don't have anything"
"If you look at what you have in life, you have everything"

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Grab Your Audience Fast

SEPTEMBER 12, 2006

Viewpoint
By Carmine Gallo

Grab Your Audience Fast
You literally have just a few seconds to make an impression on your business audience when you deliver a presentation. Here's how

It's presentation season, when thousands of company executives around the world will be pitching products, services, or companies to a wide range of audiences—at investor and analyst conferences, trade shows, sales meetings, and conventions. The majority of these presentations will be boring, convoluted, and uninspiring. Most presentations flop out of the gate because they fail to answer the key question on the minds of listeners: Why should I care?

In an interview in the March, 2003, issue of O: The Oprah Magazine, talk-show legend Oprah Winfrey offered this advice on public speaking: "A powerful beginning and ending will stick with your listeners. What's the most important message you want to leave your audience with—and why should they care? Every listener instinctively wants to know one thing: What's in it for me? The greatest public speakers are those who work at making their addresses both interesting and relatable." Oprah gets it. Make yourself interesting from the start. You can't afford to have your audience lose interest in those first few moments.

You literally have just a few seconds to make a lasting impression—from as little as two seconds to 90 seconds, depending on which study you cite. Regardless of the exact time, it's fast. Let's leave it at that. Given that fact, it's important that you make a strong, emotional connection with your listeners with your first few words. And those first few words should grab your listeners by getting them involved with the content of your presentation.

MONSTER MOMENT. I once had the opportunity to interview Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor. At the time, Taylor was giving anywhere from 30 to 70 speeches a year on topics ranging from entrepreneurship to employment. As a speaker, I found Taylor to be exciting, captivating, and consistently inspiring. That's because Taylor understands the power of a strong opener. Sometimes, he gets an entire audience chanting a mantra in unison. Other times, he'll involve the audience by asking them to physically do something in order to set up the theme of his speech.

For example, in his talks about innovation, Taylor will ask the audience if they believe they are true innovators. Of course, many people will nod their heads. He then takes off a shoe and asks his audience to do the same. Then he points out the true innovators, or "early adopters," those who removed their shoes immediately; the "massive middle" representing most consumers; and finally the "laggards." Taylor will then ask the innovators and the laggards questions.

I am not suggesting you do something as bold as to ask people to take off their shoes at your next presentation. Taylor has a lot of experience speaking before crowds of several thousand people, and his audiences expect him to be a little outrageous, to push the envelope. They don't necessarily expect that type of opener in your next staff meeting. But they do expect you to grab their attention by giving them a reason to listen, a reason to care.

REASON TO CARE. Make a positive impression on your listeners by giving them a reason to care about your message. Let them know that the next 20 or 30 minutes will be valuable for them. Last year, I worked with the vice-president of sales for a well-known high-tech company. His goal in preparing for the company's annual sales meeting was to motivate his sales team about the state of the company and its new products. This particular executive had planned to begin the presentation by outlining a very long agenda. (It's worth mentioning here that Apple (AAPL) Chief Executive Steve Jobs, considered to be one of the most charismatic pitchmen in corporate America today, never starts with an agenda slide. He gets right to what the audience wants to hear.) (see BusinessWeek.com, 4/6/06, "How to Wow 'Em Like Steve Jobs")

Anyway, back to our VP. The agenda was long. After several minutes, I began losing interest. This wasn't the way to motivate his team, I thought. So I asked him to tell me what he really wanted to say. He thought about it for a moment and said, "Well, this year is shaping up to be the best year in our company's history. We just signed the largest retail agreement in our history and not all of my salespeople know the implications of it, and for most of my sales guys, this will be the most lucrative year of their careers." And with that he not only grabbed my attention but gave his listeners a reason to listen. The agenda slide was out and his new opener was in.

The goal of most presentations is to lead the listener to some sort of action: buying a product, scheduling a follow-up call to learn more, visiting a Web site, investing in a company, or doing whatever it may be. The more memorable the message, the easier it is to act upon.

Make your message memorable by grabbing the attention of your listener right out of the gate. Give them a reason to care!
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Gallo is a Pleasanton (Calif.)-based corporate presentation coach and former Emmy Award-winning TV journalist. He's the author of the book 10 Simple Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators. Visit him online at www.carminegallo.com

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

社會生活中十二大著名法則

一、 馬太效應
二、 手錶定理
三、 不值得定律
四、 彼得原理
五、 零和遊戲原理
六、 華盛頓合作規律
七、 酒與污水定律
八、 水桶定律
九、 蘑菇管理
十、 奧卡姆剃刀定律
十一、 二八法則
十二、 錢的問題
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一、馬太效應
《新約‧馬太福音》中有這樣一個故事,一個國王遠行前,交給三個僕人每人一錠銀子,吩咐他們:「你們去做生意,等我回來時,再來見我。」

國王回來時,第一個僕人說:「主人,你交給我們的一錠銀子,我已賺了1 0錠。」
於是國王獎勵他10座城邑。

第二個僕人報告說:「主人,你給我的一錠銀子,我已賺了5錠。」
於是國王例獎勵了他5座城邑。

第三個僕人報告說:
「主人,你給我的一錠銀子,我一直包在手巾裡存著,我怕丟失,一直沒有拿出來。」
於是國王命令將第三個僕人的一錠銀子也賞給第一個僕人,並且說:「凡是少的,就連他所有的也要奪過來。凡是多的,還要給他,叫他多多益善。」

這就是馬太效應。

看看我們周圍,就可以發現許多馬太效應的例子。
朋友多的人會借助頻繁的交往得到更多的朋友;缺少朋友的人會一直孤獨下去。
這是個贏家通吃的社會,善用馬太效應,贏家就是你。

對 企業經營發展而言,馬太效應則告訴我們,要想在某一個領域保持優勢,就必須在此領域迅速做大。當你成為某個領域的領頭羊的時候,即使投資回報率相同,你 也能更輕易的獲得比弱小的同行更大的收益。而若沒有實力迅速在某個領域做大,就要不停地尋找新的發展領域,才能保證獲得較好的回報。

二、手錶定理
手錶定理是指一個人有一隻表時,可以知道現在是幾點鐘,而當他同時擁有兩隻表時卻無法確定。兩隻表並不能告訴一個人更準確的時間,反而會讓看表的人失去對準確時間的信心。

你要做的就是選擇其中較信賴的一隻,盡力校準它,並以此作為你的標準,聽從它的指引行事。

記住尼采的話:「兄弟,如果你是幸運的,你只需有一種道德而不要貪多,這樣,你過橋更容易些。」

如果每個人都「選擇你所愛,愛你所選擇」,無論成敗都可以心安理得。

然而,困擾很多人的是:他們被「兩隻表」弄得無所,心身交瘁,不知自己該信仰哪一個,還有人在環境、他人的壓力下,違心選擇了自己並不喜歡的道路,為此而鬱鬱終生,即使取得了受人矚目的成就,也體會不到成功的快樂。

手錶定理在企業經營管理方面給我們一種非常直觀的啟發,就是對同一個人或同一個組織的管理不能同時採用兩種不同的方法,不能同時設置兩個不同的目標。甚至每一個人不能由兩個人來同時指揮,否則將使這個企業或這個人無所適從。

手錶定理所指的另一層含義在於每個人都不能同時挑選兩種不同的價值觀,否則,你的行為將陷於混亂。

三、不值得定律
不值得定律最直觀的表述是:不值得做的事情,就不值得做好。這個定律似乎再簡單不過了,但它的重要性卻時時被人們疏忘。

不值得定律反映出人們的一種心理,一個人如果從事的是一份自認為不值得做的事情,往往會保持冷嘲熱諷,敷衍了事的態度。不僅成功率小,而且即使成功,也不會覺得有多大的成就感。

哪些事值得做呢?一般而言,這取決於三個因素。
1、價值觀:
關於價值觀我們已經談了很多,只有符合我們價值觀的事,我們才會滿懷熱情去做。

2、個性和氣質:
一個人如果做一份與他的個性氣質完全背離的工作,他是很難做好的。如一個好交往的人成了檔案員,或一個害羞者不得不每天和不同的人打交道。

3、現實的處境:
同樣一份工作在不同的處境下去做,給我們的感受也是不同的。

例如,在一家大公司,如果你最初做的是打雜跑腿的工作,你很可能認為是不值得的;可是一旦你被提升為領班或部門經理,你就不會這樣認為了。

總結一下,值得做的工作是:符合我們的價值觀、適合我們的個性與氣質,並能讓我們看到期望。

如果你的工作不具備這三個因素,你就要考慮換一個更合適的工作,並努力做好它。

因此對個人來說,應在多種可供選擇的奮鬥目標及價值觀中挑選一種,然後為之而奮鬥。「選擇你所愛的,愛你所選擇的」,才可能激發我們的奮鬥毅力,也才可以心安理得。

而 對一個企業或組織來說,則要很好地分析員工的性格特性,合理分配工作,如讓成就欲較強的職工單獨或牽頭來完成具有一定風險和難度的工作,並在其完成時給 予定時的肯定和讚揚;讓依附欲較強的職工更多地參加到某個團體中共同工作;讓權力慾較強的職工擔任一個與之能力相適應的主管。同時要加強員工對企業目標的 認同感,讓員工感覺到自己所做的工作是值得的,這樣才能激發職工的熱情。

四、彼得原理
彼得原理是美國學者勞倫斯‧彼得在對組織中人員晉陞的相關現象研究後得出的一個結論;在各種組織中,由於習慣於對在某個等級上稱職的人員進行晉陞提拔,因而僱員總是趨向於晉陞到其不稱職的地位。

彼得原理有時也被稱為「向上爬」原理。這種現象在現實生活中無處不在:一名稱職的教授被提升為大學校長後無法勝任;一個優秀的運動員被提升為主管體育的官員,而無所作為。

對 一個組織而言,一旦組織中的相當部分人員被推到了其不稱職的級別,就會造成組織的人浮於事,效率低下,導致平庸者出人頭地,發展停滯。因此,這就要求改變 單純的「根據貢獻決定晉陞」的企業員工晉陞機制,不能因某個人在某一個崗位級別上幹得很出色,就推斷此人一定能夠勝任更高一級的職務。

要建立科學、合理的人員選聘機制,客觀評價每一位職工的能力和水平,將職工安排到其可以勝任的崗位。

不要把崗位晉陞當成對職工的主要獎勵方式,應建立更有效的獎勵機制,更多地以加薪、休假等方式作為獎勵手段。

有時將一名職工晉陞到一個其無法很好發揮才能的崗位,不僅不是對職工的獎勵,反而使職工無法很好發揮才能,也給企業帶來損失。


對個人而言,雖然我們每個人都期待著不停地升職,但不要將往上爬作為自己的惟一動力。與其在一個無法完全勝任的崗位勉力支撐、無所適從,還不如找一個自己能游刃有餘的崗位好好發揮自己的專長。

五、零和遊戲原理
當 你看到兩位對弈者時,你就可以說他們正在玩「零和遊戲」。因為在大多數情況下,總會有一個贏,一個輸,如果我們把獲勝計算為得1 分,而輸棋為-1分,那麼,這兩人得分之和就是:1+(-1)=0。這正是「零和遊戲」的基本內容:遊戲者有輸有贏,一方所贏正是另一方所輸,遊戲的總成 績永遠是零。

零和遊戲原理之所以廣受關注,主要是因為人們發現在社會的方方面面都能發現與「零和遊戲」類似的局面,勝利者的光榮後面往往隱藏著失敗者的辛酸和苦澀。從個人到國家,從政治到經濟,似乎無不驗證了世界正是一個巨大的「零和遊戲」場。

這種理論認為,世界是一個封閉的系統,財富、資源、機遇都是有限的,個別人、個別地區和個別國家財富的增加必然意味著對其他人、其他地區和國家的掠奪,這是一個「邪惡進化論」式的弱肉強食的世界。

但20世紀人類在經歷了兩次世界大戰,經濟的高速增長、科技進步、全球化以及日益嚴重的環境污染之後,「零和遊戲」觀念正逐漸被「雙贏」觀念所取代。人們開始認識到「利己」不一定要建立在「損人」的基礎上。通過有效合作,皆大歡喜的結局是可能出現的。

但從「零和遊戲」走向「雙贏」,要求各方要有真誠合作的精神和勇氣,在合作中不要耍小聰明,不要總想佔別人的小便宜,要遵守遊戲規則,否則「雙贏」的局面就不可能出現,最終吃虧的還是自己。

六、華盛頓合作規律
華盛頓合作規律說的是:一個人敷衍了事,兩個人互相推諉,三個人則永無成事之日。多少有點類似於我們「三個和尚」的故事。

人與人的合作不是人力的簡單相加,而是要複雜和微妙得多。在人與人的合作中,假定每個人的能力都為1 ,那麼10個人的合作結果就有時比10大得多,有時甚至比1還要小。因為人不是靜止的動物,而更像方向各異的能量,相推動時自然事半功倍,相互牴觸時則一事無成。

我 們傳統的管理理論中,對合作研究得並不多,最直觀的反映就是,目前的大多數管理制度和行業都是致力於減少人力的無謂消耗,而非利用組織提高人的效能。換言 之,不妨說管理的主要目的不是讓每個人做到最好,而是避免內耗過多。21世紀將是一個合作的時代,值得慶幸的是,越來越多的人已經認識到真誠合作的重要 性,正在努力學習合作。

邦尼人力定律:一個人一分鐘可以挖一個洞,六十個人一秒種卻挖不了一個洞。

合作是一個問題,如何合作也是一個問題。

七、酒與污水定律
酒與污水定律是指,如果把一匙酒倒進一桶污水中,你得到的是一桶污水;如果把一匙污水倒進一桶酒中,你得到的還是一桶污水。

幾 乎在任何組織裡,都存在幾個難弄的人物,他們存在的目的似乎就是為了把事情搞糟。他們到處搬弄是非,傳播流言、破壞組織內部的和諧。最糟糕的是,他們像果 箱裡的爛蘋果,如果你不及時處理,它會迅速傳染,把果箱裡其它蘋果也弄爛,「爛蘋果」的可怕之處在於它那驚人的破壞力。一個正直能幹的人進入一個混亂的部 門可能會被吞沒,而一個人無德無才者能很快將一個高效的部門變成一盤散沙。

組織系統往往是脆弱的,是建立在相互理解、妥協和容忍的基礎上 的,它很容易被侵害、被毒化。破壞者能力非凡的另一個重要原因在於,破壞總比建設容易。一個能工巧匠花費時日精心製作的陶瓷器,一頭驢子一秒鐘就能毀壞 掉。如果擁有再多的能工巧匠,也不會有多少像樣的工作成果。如果你的組織裡有這樣的一頭驢子,你應該馬上把它清除掉;如果你無力這樣做,你就應該把它拴起 來。

八、水桶定律
水桶定律是講,一隻水桶能裝多少水,完全取決於它最短的那塊木板。這就是說任何一個組織都可能面臨的一個共同問題,即構成組織的各個部分往往決定了整個組織的水平。構成組織的各個部分往往是優劣不齊的,而劣質部分往往又決定整個組織的水平。

「水 桶定律」與「酒與污水定律」不同,後者討論的是組織中的破壞力量,而「最短的木板」卻是組織中有用的幾個部分,只不過比其它部分差一些,你不能把它們當成 爛蘋果扔掉。強弱只是相對而言的,無法消除。問題在於你容忍這種弱點到什麼程度。如果它嚴重到成為阻礙工作的瓶頸,就不得不有所動作。

如果你在一個組織中,你應該:
1、確保你不是最薄弱的部分;
2、避免或減少這一薄弱環節對你成功的影響;
3、如果不幸,你正處在這一環節中,你還可以採取有效的方法改進,或者轉職去謀另一份工作。

九、蘑菇管理
蘑菇管理是許多組織對待初出茅廬者的一種管理方法,初學者被置於陰暗的角落(不受重視的部門,或打雜跑腿的工作),澆上一頭大糞(無端的批評、指責、代人受過),任其自生自滅(得不到必要的指導和提攜)。

相 信很多人都有這樣一段「蘑菇」的經歷,但這不一定是什麼壞事,尤其是當一切都剛剛開始的時候,當上幾天「蘑菇」,能夠消除我們很多不切實際的幻想,讓我們 更加接近現實,看問題也更加實際,而對一個組織而言,一般地新進的人員都是一視同仁,從起薪到工作都不會有大的差別。無論你是多麼優秀的人才,在剛開始的 時候都只能從最簡單的事情做起,「蘑菇」的經歷對於成長中的年輕人來說,就像蠶繭,是羽化前必須經歷的一步。所以,如何高效率地走過生命中的這一段,從中 盡可能吸取經驗,成熟起來,並樹立良好的值得信賴的個人形象,是每個剛入社會的年輕人必須面對的課題。

十、奧卡姆剃刀定律
如果你認為只有焦頭爛額、忙忙碌碌地工作才可能取得成功,那麼,你錯了。事情總是朝著複雜的方向發展,複雜會造成浪費,而效能則來自於單純。在你做過的事情中可能絕大部分是毫無意義的,真正有效的活動只是其中的一小部分,而它們通常隱含於繁雜的事物中。

找到關鍵的部分,去掉多餘的活動,成功並不那麼複雜。  

奧卡姆剃刀:如無必要,勿增實體。

12世紀,英國奧卡姆的威廉對無休無止的關於「共相」、「本質」之類的爭吵感到厭倦,主張唯名論,只承認確實存在的東西,認為那些空洞無物的普遍性要領都是無用的累贅,應當被無情地「剃除」。他主張,「如無必要,勿增實體。」這就是常說的「奧卡姆剃刀」。

這把剃刀曾使很多人感到威脅,被認為是異端邪說,威廉本人也受到傷害。然而,這並未損害這把刀的鋒利,相反,經過數百年越來越快,並早已超越了原來狹窄的領域而具有廣泛的、豐富的、深刻的意義。  

奧卡姆剃刀定律在企業管理中可進一步深化為簡單與複雜定律:
把事情變複雜很簡單,把事情變簡單很複雜。

這個定律要求,我們在處理事情時,要把握事情的主要實質,把握主流,解決最根本的問題。尤其要順應自然,不要把事情人為地複雜化,這樣才能把事情處理好。

十一、二八法則
你所完成的工作裡80%的成果,來自於你20%的付出;而80%的付出,只換來20%的成果

十二、錢的問題
當某人告訴你:「不是錢,而是原則問題」時,十有八九就是錢的問題。

照一般的說法,金錢是價值的尺度,交換的媒介,財富的貯藏。但是這種說法忽略了它的另一面,它令人陶醉、令人瘋狂、令人激動的一面,也撇開了愛錢的心理不談。馬克思說,金錢是「人情的離心力」,就是指這一方面而言。  

關於金錢的本質、作用和功過,從古到今,人們已經留下了無數精闢深刻的格言和妙語。我們常會看到,人們為錢而興奮,努力賺錢,用財富的畫面挑逗自己。

金 錢對世界的秩序以及我們的生活產生的影響是巨大的、廣泛的,這種影響有時是潛在的,我們往往意識不到它的作用如此巨大,然而奇妙的是:它完全是人類自己創 造的。致富的驅動力並不是起源於生物學上的需要,動物生活中也找不到任何相同的現象。它不能順應基本的目標,不能滿足根本的需求- --的確,「致富」的定義就是獲得超過自己需要的東西。然而這個看起來漫無目標的驅動力卻是人類最強大的力量,人類為金錢而互相傷害,遠超過其他原因。

Monday, September 11, 2006

ENG Joke- Spring Fever

  • Spring Fever 春倦症
Four high school boys afflicted with spring fever skipped morning classes. After lunch they reported to the teacher that they had a flat tire.
  • afflicted v. 使苦惱,使受折磨
Much to their relief she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a test today so take seats apart from one another and take out a piece of paper."

Still smiling, she waited for them to sit down. Then she said: "First Question: Which tire was flat?"

ENG Joke- Stained Glass

A minister tells of his first Sunday in a new parish and of presenting the children's message. It seems the sanctuary in the new church had some magnificent stained glass windows, so his message centered on how each of us is called to help make up the whole picture of life (the life of the community of the faithful). Like the pictures in the windows, it takes many little panels of glass to make the whole picture.
  • parish n. 教區
  • sanctuary n. 聖殿
  • panel n. 鑲嵌板
And then he said, "You see each one of you is a little pane." And then pointing to each child, "You're a little pane. And you're a little pane. And you're a little pane. And..."
  • pane n. 玻璃片、鑲嵌片
It took a few moments before he realized why everyone was laughing so hard.

ENG words

poltroon \pahl-TROON\ noun
膽小鬼、懦夫
: a spiritless coward : craven

Example sentence:
In the end, their leader proved to be a traitorous poltroon whose main concern was saving his own skin.
  • traitorous adj. 叛逆的、背信棄義的
同義字: =chicken=craven
--------------------------------------------------
mimesis \muh-MEE-sis\ noun
模仿、【生】擬態
: imitation, mimicry

Example sentence:
Late in her career, the painter became less interested in mimesis and began to experiment in styles of abstraction.
--------------------------------------------------
upbraid \up-BRAYD\ verb
責罵、訓斥
1 : to criticize severely : find fault with
*2 : to reproach severely : scold vehemently
  • reproach v. 責備、訓斥
  • vehemently adv. 激烈地、熱烈地、熱切地
Example sentence:
After being late to class for the third time in a week, Marshall was upbraided by his teacher and given detention.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

ENG words

hinterland \HIN-ter-land\ noun
內地
1 : a region lying inland from a coast
2 a : a region remote from urban areas *b : a region lying beyond major metropolitan or cultural centers

Example sentence:
Ty and Saja spent a few days in the capital before setting off for the hinterland.
  • set off 出發、動身
----------------------------------------------
orotund \OR-uh-tund\ adjective
聲音響亮的
1 : marked by fullness, strength, and clarity of sound : sonorous
*2 : pompous, bombastic
  • sonorous adj. 能發出響亮聲音的
  • pompous adj. 浮誇的、自負的
  • bombastic adj. 誇張的
Example sentence:
Josh cleared his throat dramatically, then did a dead-on impression of the professor's orotund, patronizing speech.
  • dead-on
  • patronizing adj. 要人領情的

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

ENG Joke- Politician's Sandwich

On the Listening Tour, a prominent politician was pleased and proud that the local sandwich shop in a town he was visiting had named a sandwich after him.

He was somewhat less pleased after he found out what was in it.

"Mostly baloney," said the proprietor.
  • baloney n.
    • 燻腸
    • 一派胡言

Friday, August 25, 2006

ENG Joke- Language Lesson

A friend of mine is an officer in the naval reserve.
  • naval reserve 海軍後備隊
A few weeks ago, he was attending a conference that included admirals in both the US and the French navies.
  • admiral n. 海軍上將
At a cocktail reception, my friend found himself in a small group that included an admiral from each of the two navies.

The French admiral started complaining that whereas Europeans learned many languages, Americans only learned English.

He then asked. "Why is it that we have to speak English in these conferences rather than you having to speak French?"

Without even hesitating, the American admiral replied.

"Maybe it's because we arranged it so that you didn't have to learn to speak German."

The group became silent.
----------------------------------------
hahahaha! you have to understand the delicate relations/history among these nations and you can fully enjoy this joke. hahahaha!

ENG Joke- Repeat Offender

  • offender n.
    • 冒犯者
    • 違法者、犯規的人
A judge scowled down at a repeat offender before him. "Haven't I seen you in here many times already? And didn't I tell you that I never wanted to see you in here again?"
  • scowl v. 顯怒容、沉下臉來(+at)
"Yes, Your Honor," the defendant replied. "That's exactly what I told the police officer, but he insisted I come in anyway!"

ENG words

pariah \puh-RYE-uh\ noun
印度階級中的賤民
被鄙視或排斥的人
1 : a member of a low caste of southern India
*2 : one that is despised or rejected : outcast

Example sentence:
Sasha became a pariah among the experts in her field after publishing a highly inflammatory article.
  • inflammatory adj. 激動的
----------------------------------------------
consequential \kahn-suh-KWEN-shul\ adjective
間接的
隨之而來的
重要的
1 : of the nature of a secondary result : indirect
2 : following as a result or effect : consequent
*3 : having significant consequences : important

Example sentence:
Who would have thought stepping off the elevator on the wrong floor that day would be such a consequential moment in Wayne's life?

關聯字:
  • consequence n.
    • 結果、後果
    • 重大、重要性
    • 自大
    • 推論
  • consequent
    • adj.
      • 因..結果而引起的、隨之發生的(A severe flood struck the city and there was a consequent shortage of food.)
      • 邏輯上一致的
    • n. 結果、隨後的事

Monday, August 21, 2006

ENG words

tortuous \TOR-chuh-wus\ adjective
(道路)蜿蜒曲折的
囉囌的、不正直的、陰險的
*1 : marked by repeated twists, bends, or turns : winding
2 a : marked by devious or indirect tactics : crooked, tricky b : circuitous, involved
  • devious adj. 蜿蜒的;步入歧途的、不坦率的
  • crooked adj. 彎曲的、變形的;不正當的、不坦率的
  • circuitous adj. 迂曲的、繞行的
Example sentence:
The road over the mountains was long and dangerously tortuous.
------------------------------------------
weal \WEEL\ noun= wealth
福利、好運道
: a sound, healthy, or prosperous state : well-being

Example sentence:
"During his two years as county judge, other qualities ... became apparent. One was an unusual ability to persuade men to sacrifice for a common weal." (Robert Caro, The New Yorker, January 15, 1990)
------------------------------------------
dearth \DERTH\ noun
缺乏、不足
饑荒
1 : scarcity that makes dear; specifically : famine
*2 : an inadequate supply : lack
  • scarcity n. 缺乏、匱乏
Example sentence:
Teri had forgotten to bring a book, and the dearth of reading material in her uncle's house had her visiting the town library the first morning of her stay.
-----------------------------------------
jeunesse dorée \zheuh-ness-dor-RAY\ noun
: young people of wealth and fashion

Example sentence:
"On any sunny afternoon in Dublin, you will see the jeunesse dorée taking their ease under the awnings of pavement cafes." (Bruce Anderson, The Spectator, July 2001)
  • awning n. 天棚

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

ENG words

discomfit \diss-KUM-fit\ verb
1.破壞、擾亂(計畫)
2.使為難
1 : to frustrate the plans of : thwart
*2 : to put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment : disconcert
  • thwart v. 挫敗、阻撓
    • adj. adv. 橫放著、橫的
  • perplexity n. 困惑、茫然
  • disconcert v. 使困惑、使張惶失措;挫折、擾亂(計畫)
Example sentence:
The governor appeared to be discomfited by the reporter's question, and he struggled for a way to change the subject.

Monday, August 14, 2006

ENG words

delate \dih-LAYT\ verb
1.控告
2.公開
*1: accuse, denounce
2 : report, relate
  • denounce v. 指責、譴責
Example sentence:
"In that year Archbishop Blackadder of Glasgow delated some thirty heretics to James IV who let the matter go with a jest." (J.D. Mackie, A History of Scotland)
  • Archbishop n. 樞機主教
  • heretics n. 異教徒
  • jest n. 笑料
--------------------------------------------
dog days \DOG-DAYZ\ noun
大熱天
*1 : the hot sultry period of summer between early July and early September in the northern hemisphere
2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity
  • sultry adj. 悶熱的、酷熱的
  • stagnation n. 淤塞、停滯
Example sentence:
With the steamy dog days upon us, air conditioners are selling like hotcakes.

Friday, August 11, 2006

ENG Joke- Never Felt Better

One day in court, the prosecuting lawyer asked the farmer on the witness stand, "At the scene of the accident, did you tell the policeman you had never felt better in your life?"
  • prosecute v. 起訴、告發
"That's right." The farmer replied.

"Well, then, how is it that you are now claiming you were seriously injured when my client's auto hit your wagon?"

The farmer explained. "When the policeman arrived, he went over to my horse, who had a broken leg, and shot him. Then he went over to Rover, my dog, who was all banged up, and shot him.

"When he asked me how I felt, I just thought, under the circumstances, it was a wise choice of words to say 'I've never felt better in my life.'"

Sunday, August 06, 2006

ENG Joke- Pull Buddy

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse, named Buddy. He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn't move.
  • out-of- towner n. 【口語】市外居民
  • ditch n. 壕溝
  • desolate adj. 荒蕪無人煙的
  • hitch v. 鉤住、套住
Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn't respond.
  • holler v. 大聲叫喊
Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing.

Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.
  • nonchalantly adv. 冷淡地、漫不關心地
The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.

The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try."

ENG Joke- Too Much Sugar

A fellow nurse at my hospital received a call from an anxious patient.

"I'm diabetic and I'm afraid I've had too much sugar today." the caller said.

"Are you light-headed?" my colleague asked.
  • light-headed adj. 頭昏眼花
"No," the caller answered, "I'm a brunette."
  • brunette n. 具深黑色頭髮與淺黑色皮膚的女子

ENG Joke- Boots

Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his boots?

He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and sure enough, they were.
  • whimper v. 抽咽
It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren't my boots."

She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream,"Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to.

Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."

She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, "Now, where are your mittens?"
  • muster up v. 振作起來
  • wrestle v. 角力、搏鬥
  • mitten n. 連指手套
He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."

Her trial starts next month.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

ENG Joke- Sunbathing

Joan, who was a rather well-proportioned secretary, spent almost all of her vacation sunbathing on the roof of her hotel. She wore a bathing suit the first day, but on the second, she decided that no one could see her way up there, and she slipped out of it for an overall tan.

She'd hardly begun when she heard someone running up the stairs. She was lying on her stomach, so she just pulled a towel over her rear. "Excuse me, miss," said the flustered assistant manager of the hotel, out of breath from running up the stairs. "The Hilton doesn't mind your sunbathing on the roof, but we would very much appreciate your wearing a bathing suit as you did yesterday."

"What difference does it make?" Joan asked rather calmly. "No one can see me up here, and besides, I'm covered with a towel."

"Not exactly," said the embarrassed man. "You're lying on the dining room skylight."

ENG words

ilk \ILK\ noun
那種的
: sort, kind

Example sentence:
Mr. Reynolds ran a tight, efficient business with hard-working employees, and so he had no patience for slackers like Charlie and his ilk.
  • slaker n. 偷懶的人、敷衍取巧者

Friday, July 14, 2006

ENG-Joke- Check Out Mate

A group of chess enthusiasts had checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories.
  • tournament n. 錦標賽、聯賽
After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse.
  • disperse v. 驅散、解散
"But why?", they asked, as they moved off.

"Because," he said, "I can't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."
  • boast v. 自吹自擂、吹噓
  • foyer n. 門廳

Sunday, July 02, 2006

ENG words

festinate \FESS-tuh-nut\ adjective
匆促的
: hasty

Example sentence:
"Even [the company's] successes . . . are vestiges of 1990s thinking. They may halt a festinate death, but you don't build a company around them." (Fritz Nelson, Network Computing, August 21, 2000)
  • vestige n. 遺跡、殘骸 vestige of ancient religion
    • (否定)一點兒、絲毫 not a vestige of truth
-----------------------------------------
ensky \in-SKYE\ verb
使飛上天空
: exalt
  • exalt v.
    • 使升高、高攀
    • 提拔、提高 exalted to the position of president
    • 讚揚
    • 使得意、使喜悅 be exalted by the news
    • 令人興奮、使人得意
Example sentence:
"Her first appearance in evening dress was a revelation to me; she was my idol, enskied and sacred." (Frank Harris, My Life and Loves)
  • revelation n. 出乎意料的事、天啟、神示
  • sacred adj. 神聖的
----------------------------------
quirk \KWURK\ verb
使彎曲、使扭轉
: curve, twist

Example sentence:
David quirked his eyebrow in perplexity at his companion's curious remark.
  • perplexity n. 困惑、茫然

Saturday, July 01, 2006

成功不屬於最早出發的,而是最後倒下的

王品有約/戴勝益著

國小時班上的前三名,到了三十歲時,仍是職界的前三名嗎?到了五十歲,會是商界.政界的前三名嗎?
答案是否定的。

因為從 0~23 歲大學畢業前,只要「記憶力」好,便可出頭天。

23~43歲的出社會20年間,記憶力好已經不是出人頭地的法寶了。
此段時間,最需要的是「創造力」的發揮,才能從競爭中的各行各業中脫穎而出。
否則再好的「記憶力」,在多的「努力」,也只能保住「職稱」的美譽而已。

43歲以後,「記憶力」與「創造力」都顯得不重要了,此時的傑出者都是「領導力」非常強的人。
此階段的格局,已非一人記憶力,一人之創造力所能揮灑。

當然也有人「記憶力」、「創造力」、「領導力」都很強,所以從小到老都一直當領袖,但這畢竟是少數人。
請你細想國小前三名,中學前三名,大學前三名的同學,現在在做什麼?

記憶力是IQ,與生俱來,很難改變;唯一的補強是「勤能補拙」,創造力是智慧,即IQ與EQ的結合體;先天條件佔一半,後天培養佔另一半。

領導力是「IQ+EQ心胸+個性」的綜合,是一種若無其事的從容,是一種舉重若輕的自在,是一種如沐春風的成熟,是一種性靈交織的藝術。

Friday, June 30, 2006

ENG Joke- King of the Open Seas

One foggy night, as the admiral was walking along the deck of his battleship, he saw the light of another ship approaching in the distance. Quickly he went down to the radio room and had a message sent: "Ajust your course 10 degrees starbord."
  • admiral n. 海軍上將、艦隊司令
  • battleship n. 戰艦、主力艦
But the message came back "Adjust your course 10 degrees port"

This began to anger the admiral, so he thought he needed to make himself clear. He sent the message "This is an order from an Admiral. Ajust your course 10 degrees starbord."

But the message came back "I am a petty officer, second class. Adjust your course 10 degrees port"
  • petty officer n. 海軍下士
If the admiral was angry before, he was furious now. No way did he take orders from a petty officer! He ordered a message sent which would make his position clear: "This is a nuclear battleship. Ajust your course 10 degrees starbord."

And again the message came back "This is a lighthouse. Adjust your course 10 degrees port"

ENG Joke- Why Specs Live Forever

The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.
  • gauge n. 標準規格、標準尺寸
  • exceedingly adv. 極度地=extremely
  • expatriate n. 移民國外者、被流放(國外)者
    • v. 1.流放 2.使放棄原國籍、使移居國外
    • adj. 被流放(國外)的、移居國外的
Why did the English people build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.
  • tramway n. 電車軌道
Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.
  • jig n. 裝配架
Okay! Why did the wagons use that odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing the wagons would break on some of the old, long distance roads, because that's the spacing of the old wheel ruts.
  • rut
    • n.
      • 車槽、凹痕
      • 老規矩、慣例、常規
    • v. 在...挖槽、在...形成車轍
    • n. (雄鹿、雄羊等的)發情、發情期 be in the rut
    • v. 發情
So who built these old rutted roads? The first long distance roads in Europe were built by Imperial Rome for the benefit of their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts? The initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagons, were first made by Roman war chariots. Since the chariots were made for or by Imperial Rome they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.
  • legion
    • n.
      • 古羅馬軍團
      • 軍隊、部隊
      • 眾多、大量 a legion of admirers
    • adj. 眾多的、大量的
  • chariot n. 雙輪戰車
Thus, we have the answer to the original questions. The United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from the original specification for an Imperial Roman army war chariot. Specs and Bureaucracies live forever.

So, the next time you are handed a specification and wonder what horse's rear came up with it, you may be exactly right. Because the Imperial Roman chariots were made to be just wide enough to accommodate the back-ends of two war horses.

Notable Events June 30

In 1908, a spectacular explosion occurred over central Siberia, probably caused by a meteorite. The fireball reportedly could be seen hundreds of miles away.
西伯利亞中部發生強烈爆炸,可能是由隕石撞擊地球引發,據報百英哩外都看得到火球
  • Siberia n. 西伯利亞
  • meteorite n. 隕石、流星
In 1923, jazz pioneer Sidney Bechet made his first recording. It included "Wild Cat Blues": and "Kansas City Blues."
爵士樂先驅Sidney Bechet錄下第一張唱片

In 1934, German leader Adolf Hitler ordered a bloody purge of his own political party, assassinating hundreds of Nazis whom he feared might become political enemies some day.
希特勒血腥清黨,暗殺數百位他怕未來會成為政敵的納粹份子
  • purge n. 清洗、淨化,這裡是指"清黨"
In 1936, Margaret Mitchell's Civil War novel "Gone With the Wind" was published.
Margaret Mitchell著作的南北戰爭小說"飄"出版

In 1950, U.S. troops were moved from Japan to help defend South Korea against the invading North Koreans.
美軍從日本推進南韓,協助抵禦北韓南進

In 1971, three Soviet Cosmonauts, crewmembers of the world's first space station, were killed when their spacecraft depressurized during re-entry.
史上第一個太空站的三位蘇聯太空人在重返地球時因太空艙失壓而被殺
  • cosmonaut n. (尤其指前蘇聯)太空人
  • depressurize v. 失壓
In 1992, Fidel Ramos was inaugurated as the eighth Philippine president in the first peaceful transfer of power in a generation.
Fidel Ramos就任第八任菲律賓總統,是該世代第一個和平轉移政權的例子
  • inaugurate v.
    • 使...正式就任 He was inaugurated as President.
    • 開展 inaugurate a campaign
    • 為...舉行開幕式 The mayor inaugurated a bridge.
In 1994, the U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of her 1994 national championship title.
美國花式溜冰協會取消Tonya Harding 1994年的全國冠軍頭銜
  • figure skating n. 花式溜冰
  • strip
    • v.
      • 剝奪 strip him of the right
      • 剝去、剝光 strip off (clothes)/strip of/strip from
      • 拆卸、分解(機械) strip down
      • 從...刪去不需要的內容
      • 擠乾(牛的)奶
      • 去(菸葉等的)莖
      • 脫去衣服、脫光衣服
      • 表演脫衣舞
    • n.
      • 條、帶、細長片
      • 連環漫畫
      • 一行(或一列)郵票
      • 【口】足球選手的制服
      • 脫衣舞
In 1997, Mike Tyson apologized publicly for biting Evander Holyfield's ears during a heavyweight championship boxing match in Las Vegas two days earlier, saying he'd become angered after Holyfield butted him.
拳王Mike Tyson為了在拉斯維加斯比賽重量級拳擊時咬對手耳朵致歉
  • butt v. 用頭(或角)猛撞
In 2000, the Presbyterian Church ordered its ministers not to conduct same-sex unions.
長老會命令神職人員們不准帶領同性的小組聚會
  • Presbyterian n. 長老會教會
  • conduct v. 帶領
In 2002, Israel announced it had killed a top Hamas bomb-maker, responsible for the deaths of more than 100 Israelis in suicide attacks, and had begun work on an electronic fence designed to block off three sides of Jerusalem from the West Bank.
以色列聲稱處決了一名哈瑪斯組織的頭號自殺炸彈客,他發動的攻擊造成上百名以色列人傷亡。以色列政府同時聲稱他們設計了可以防衛耶路撒冷三側以防範攻擊的電子柵欄設施。

And in 2002 sports, Brazil won its fifth World Cup soccer championship with a 2-0 victory over Germany.

In 2003, after agreeing on a cease-fire with the Palestinians, Israel pulled out of most of the Gaza strip, ending for the time being a blockade on the main highway that began in 2000.

Also in 2004, the Cassini spacecraft, after nearly years in space on a U.S.-European mission, became the first to orbit the planet Saturn.
在一項美歐合作的任務中,Cassini太空船成為第一個環繞土星的太空船
  • Saturn n. 土星
In 2005, Israel declared the Gaza Strip a closed military zone. All Israelis, except for residents, service providers and reporters, were barred from entering.
以色列宣布加薩走廊為封閉的軍事區,除了居民、服務提供者、記者以外都禁止進入。
  • Gaza Strip 加薩走廊
  • bar v. 封鎖、阻隔
And, Spain became the third country to legalize same-sex marriage.
西班牙同性婚姻正式合法

ENG Joke- Chemists Last Words

1. And now, the taste test.

2. Are we supposed to heat that?

3. And now a little bit from this...

4. ... and please keep that test tube alone!

5. And now shake it a bit.

6. Why is there no label on this bottle?

7. In which glass was my mineral water?

8. The bunsen burner *is* out!
  • bunsen burner n. 【化】本生燈
9. Why does that stuff burn with a green flame?!?

10. *H* stands for Nitrogen - and that does *not* burn...
  • Nitrogen n. 氮
11. Oh, now I have spilt something...

12. First the acid, then the water...

13. And now the detonating gas problem.
  • detonate v. 使爆炸、使觸發
14. This is a completely safe experimental setup.

15. Where did I put my gloves?

16. O no, wrong beaker...
  • beaker n. 【化】燒杯
17. The fire alarm is just being tested.

18. Now you can take the protection window away...

19. And now, keep it constant at 24 degrees celsius, 25... 26... 27...

20. Peter can you please help me. Peter!?! Peeeeeteeeeer?!?!?!?

21. I feel how long 15 seconds are!

22. Something is wrong here...

23. Where did all those holes in my kettle come from?
  • kettle n. 水壺
24. Trust me - I know what I am doing.

25. And now a cigarette...

ENG Joke- Rednecks Go Fishing

Two rednecks go on a fishing trip. They rent all the equipment - the reels, the rods, the wading suits, the rowboat, the car, and even a cabin in the woods. I mean they spend a fortune!
  • redneck n. 美國南部貧苦農民
  • reel n. 釣竿上的繞線輪
  • rod n. 釣竿
  • wading suit n. 釣魚穿著的涉水服
The first day they go fishing, but they don't catch anything. The same thing happens on the second day, and on the third day. It goes on like this until finally, on the last day of their vacation, one of the men catches a fish.

As they're driving home they're really depressed. One guy turns to the other and says, "Do you realize that this one lousy fish we caught cost us fifteen hundred bucks?"

The other guy says, "Wow! Then it's a good thing we didn't catch any more!"

Thursday, June 29, 2006

ENG Joke- Clarification of Hiring Lingo

  • lingo n. 行話、隱語
Competitive Salary - We remain competitive by paying less than our competitors.

Join Our Fast-Paced Company - We have no time to train you.

Casual Work Atmosphere - We don't pay you enough to expect that you will dress up.

Must Be Deadline Oriented - You will be six months behind schedule on your first day.

Some Overtime Required - Some time each night and some time each weekend.

Duties Will Vary - Anyone in the office can boss you around.

Must Have An Eye For Detail - We have no quality control.

Career-Minded - Female applicants must be childless (and stay that way).

Apply In Person - If you're fat, old, or ugly, you will be told the position has been filled.

No Phone Calls Please - We already have someone for the job, our call for resumes is just a legal formality.

Seeking Candidates With A Wide Variety of Experience - You will need it to replace three people who have just left.

Problem Solving Skills A Must - You are walking into a company in perpetual chaos.
  • perpetual a. 連續不斷的
Requires Team Leadership Skills - You will have the responsibilities of a manager; without the pay or respect.

Good Communication Skills - Management communicates; you listen, figure out what they want, and do it.

ENG Joke- Yesterday for IT People

Yesterday,
All those backups seemed a waste of pay.
Now my database has gone away.
Oh I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly,
There's not half the files there used to be,
And there's a milestone hanging over me
The system crashed so suddenly.

I pushed something wrong
What it was I could not say.

Now all my data's gone
and I long for yesterday-ay-ay-ay.

Yesterday,
The need for back-ups seemed so far away.
I knew my data was all here to stay,
Now I believe in yesterday.

ENG Joke- You Get What You Pay For

A woman went out to her yard one morning and found her dog just laying there, not moving at all. She thought it might be dead, but since it was a basset hound and never moved much anyway, she wanted to be sure... after all, she didn't want to bury it and then find out it wasn't. So she took it to the vet.
  • basset hound n. 矮腿獵犬
  • vet n. 獸醫
    • n. a. 老兵(的)、退伍軍人(的)
    • v. 診療、調查、檢查
The vet agreed to take a look. He shook the dog gently. He checked for a doggy pulse, but couldn't find one. He held a mirror up to the dog's nose but it stayed clear. He said, "Well, the dog does look dead; but I'd like to run one more test."

He goes into the other room and brings back an animal carrier. He opens the door and a cat comes out, walks around the dog two or three times, and finally lifts it's head and tail and goes back into the carrier.

Vet says, "Well, ma'am, I'm sorry to say but your dog is dead."

"Well, that's what I came here to find out," she says, "How much do I owe you?"

"That'll be $520."

"What?" she screams, "$520 to tell me my dog's dead?? Why so much?"

"Well," said the vet, "it's $20 for the office visit, and $500 for the cat scan."

ENG words

yegg \YEG\ noun
盜賊(尤其指偷保險箱的賊)
: safecracker; also : robber
  • safecracker n. 保險箱竊賊
Example sentence:
"[Her] attorney does admit that his client had developed 'platonic' relationships with two cons, a couple of yeggs named Ollie and Marvin, but only to gather information." (Fort Collins Coloradoan, December 6, 2002)
  • platonic a. 理想的、不切實際的
  • con n. 騙子、詐欺者
------------------------------------------------
undertaker \UN-der-tay-ker\ noun
承擔(風險)者、承辦人
承辦喪葬者=funeral director(<-比較常用) 1 : one that undertakes : one that takes the risk and management of business : entrepreneur *2 : one whose business is to prepare the dead for burial and to arrange and manage funerals 3 : an Englishman taking over forfeited lands in Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries
  • forfeited adj. 被沒收的
    • forfeit v. (因失職、違約、犯罪等而)喪失(權利、名譽、生命等)
    • forfeit n. 喪失的東西、沒收物、罰金
Example sentence:
The undertaker offered the family several choices of coffin for the burial service.
-----------------------------------------
teleological \tel-ee-uh-LAH-jih-kul\ adjective
目的論的
: exhibiting or relating to design or purpose especially in nature

Example sentence:
"What is the true purpose of life's voyage?" wrote John R. Illingworth in 1907, posing what he termed "the great teleological question."

關聯字
  • teleology n. 目的論= the study of ends and purposes
  • teleologist n. 目的論者
-------------------------------------------
kinetic \kuh-NET-ik\ adjective
【物理】運動的、運動引起的
活躍的、有力的
1 : of or relating to the motion of material bodies and the forces and energy associated therewith
*2 a : active, lively b : dynamic, energizing
3 : of or relating to art (as sculpture or assemblage) having mechanical parts which can be set in motion : of or relating to kinetic art
  • therewith ad. 與此(有關的)
  • assemblage n.
    • 裝置藝術
    • 集合在一起的人或物 He is one of the assemblage.
    • 聚會、集會
    • 裝配、裝置 the assemblage of parts of a machine
Example sentence:
The dancers infected the audience with their fierce kinetic energy.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

ENG words

noisome \NOY-sum\ adjective
1.有害的,有害健康的
2.有惡臭的
*1 : noxious, harmful
2 a : offensive to the senses and especially to the sense of smell b : highly obnoxious or objectionable
  • obnoxious a. 可憎的、令人非常不愉快的
  • objectionable
    • a. 令人討厭的
    • a. 會引起反對的
Example sentence:
"The streets were narrow and very dirty, the air smoky and noisome, the people mostly wretched." ( Ken Follett, The Man from St. Petersburg)
  • wretched a. 不幸的、可憐的、悲慘的
注意!! noisome 跟 noise 沒有關係~字義中並沒有任何:吵鬧 的意思存在
---------------------------------------------------
jinni \JEE-nee\ noun
回教神話中的神靈
*1 : one of a class of spirits that according to Muslim demonology inhabit the earth, assume various forms, and exercise supernatural power
2 : a magic spirit believed to take human form and serve the person who calls it : genie
  • genie n. 神怪、神魔
Example sentence:
It's always best to stay on the good side of a jinni, and there are ways to placate a troublesome one.
  • placate vt. 撫慰、和解
------------------------------------------------------
deflagrate \DEF-luh-grayt\ verb
使突然燃燒
*1 : to burn rapidly with intense heat and sparks being given off
2 : to cause to burn in such a manner

Example sentence:
Certain materials, such as black powder, will deflagrate rather than cause a violent explosion when they are ignited.

ENG Joke- Three Doors

A rather bad man dies and meets Satan in a room with three doors.

Satan explains, "I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that you have to spend eternity behind one of these doors. But, the good news is that you can take a peek behind each and take your choice."

So, the man opened the first door and saw a room full of people, standing on their heads on a concrete floor. Not very nice, he thought.

Opening the second door, he saw a room full of people standing on their heads on a wooden floor. Better, he thought, but best to check the last door.

Upon opening the last door, he saw a room full of people, standing waist-deep in excrement and sipping coffee.
  • excrement n. 排泄物
"Of the three, this one looks best," he said and waded in to get something to drink while Satan closed the door.
  • wade v. 艱難的涉過、越過
A few minutes later the door opened, Satan stuck his head in and said, "Ok, coffee break`s over, back on your heads!"

ENG Joke- Unlucky Parachutist

A man is skydiving, enjoying his free-fall, when he realizes that he has reached the altitude where he must open his parachute. So he pulls on the rip cord, but nothing happens.
  • skydive v. 特技跳傘
  • parachute n. 降落傘
  • rip cord n. 開傘索
"No problem," he says to himself, "I still have my emergency chute." So he pulls the rip cord on his emergency parachute, and once again, nothing happens.
  • chute n. 【口】降落傘
Now the man begins to panic. "What am I going to do?" he thinks, "I'm a goner!"
  • goner n. 無可救藥的人(或事)
Just then he sees a man flying up from the earth toward him. He can't figure out where this man is coming from, or what he's doing, but he thinks to himself, "Maybe he can help me. If he can't, then I'm done for."

When the man gets close enough to him, the skydiver cups his hands and shouts down, "Hey, do you know anything about parachutes?"
  • cup v. 把手圍成杯狀
The other man replies, "No! Do you know anything about gas stoves?"

ENG Joke- Big Ad Account

During a Papal audience, a businessman approached the Pope and made this offer: Change the last line of the Lord's prayer from "give us this day our daily bread" to "give us this day our daily chicken" and KFC will donate 10 million dollars to Catholic charities.
  • Papal a. 羅馬教皇的
The Pope shook his head and said no to the offer.

Two weeks later the businessman approached the Pope again, this time with a 50 million dollar offer.

Again the Pope declined.

A month later the man offers 100 million, and this time the Pope accepts.

At a meeting of the Cardinals, the Pope announces his decision.
  • Cardinals n. 樞機主教、紅衣主教
"I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have 100 million dollars for charities. The bad news is, we lost the Wonder Bread account."

ENG Joke- Ponderings

- "I am" is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that "I do" is the longest sentence?
說明: "I do" 是婚禮時新郎新娘所說的「我願意」,寫笑話的人影射說出「我願意」是一件很難很難的事...

- If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, and drycleaners depressed?
  • disbar v. 取消律師資格
  • clergymen n. 牧師教士一類的神職人員
  • defrock v. 除去神職
  • denote v. 表示、預示
  • derange v. 瘋狂的
  • depose v. 罷免
說明:寫笑話的人運用【de+與該身分的人看似相關的辭彙】組成了看似相關的「去除...」字串,完全是胡說八道,可是從字型組合上來說還滿有胡說八道的道理的:P

- Why is it that if someone tells you that there are one billion stars in the universe you will believe them, but if they tell you a wall has wet paint you will have to touch it to be sure?

- If you take an Oriental person and spin him around several times, does he become disoriented?

- If people from Poland are called "Poles," why aren't people from Holland called "Holes?"

- If a person with multiple personalities threatens suicide, is that considered a hostage situation?

- Just think how much deeper the ocean would be if sponges didn't live there.

- If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose?

ENG Joke- Hedging His Bets

Father Sullivan was ministering to a man on his deathbed.
  • minister v. 執行牧師的職務
"Renounce Satan!" yelled Father Sullivan.
  • renounce v. 與..斷絕關係
"No," said the dying man.

"I say, renounce the devil and his works!"

"No," the man repeats.

"And why, in the name of all that is holy, not?" asks Father Sullivan.

"Because," said the dying man, "I want to wait until I see where I'm heading before I start annoying anybody."

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

ENG words

revenant \REV-uh-nahng (the final "ng" is not pronounced, but the vowel is nasalized)\ noun
歸來的人、亡魂
: one that returns after death or a long absence

Example sentence:
The play is about a family of revenants who come back to their ancestral home after years of political exile.
  • ancestral adj. 祖傳的
----------------------------------------
obloquy \AH-bluh-kwee\ noun
1.破口大罵
2.恥辱、污名
*1 : a strongly condemnatory utterance : abusive language
2 : the condition of one that is discredited : bad repute
  • utterance n. 發聲、表達
Example sentence:
The manager walked quickly back to the dugout as insults and obloquy rained down from the stands.
  • dugout 【棒球】選手休息區
----------------------------------------------
kludge \KLOOJ\ noun
七拼八湊而成的電腦/系統
: a system and especially a computer system made up of poorly matched components

Example sentence:
"The original satellite contrivance was the asynchronous satellite downlink with a phone connection uplink. This was doomed to fail because it was a kludge." (John C. Dvorak, Boardwatch Magazine, February 2002)
  • contrivance n. 裝置
  • asynchronous adj. 非同期的
  • downlink n. 下行線路
  • uplink n. 上行線路
  • doom to 註定要...

Monday, June 12, 2006

ENG words

omnipotent \ahm-NIP-uh-tunt\ adjective
全能的
: having virtually unlimited authority or influence

Example sentence:
Small children often believe their parents to be omnipotent, capable of commanding any situation or resolving any problem they find before them.

*omni- 全、總、泛 (=all)
關聯字:
  • omniscient adj. 全知的
  • omnivorous adj. 無所不吃的(形容動物);無所不讀的
--------------------------------------------------------
warp speed \WORP-SPEED\ noun
迅雷不及掩耳的速度(比光速還要快的速度)
: the highest possible speed

Example sentence:
When Mario saw Helen enter the elevator, he grabbed his laptop and vaulted down the stairs at warp speed to get to the meeting room ahead of her.
  • vault v. 跳躍
-------------------------------------------------------
mala fide \mal-uh-FYE-dee\ adverb or adjective
不誠實的、不守信用的
: with or in bad faith

Example sentence:
The judge concluded that the company had acted mala fide in concealing the information.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

ENG Jokes- Holmes and Watson

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were camping in the forest. They had gone to bed and were lying beneath the night sky. Holmes said, "Watson, look up. What do you see?"

"I see thousands of stars."

"And what does that mean to you?" Holmes asked.

"I suppose it means that of all the planets in the universe, we are truly fortunate to be here on Earth. We are small in God's eyes, but should struggle every day to be worthy of our blessings. In a meteorological sense, it means we'll have a sunny day tomorrow. What does it mean to you, Holmes?"
  • meteorological a. 氣象的
"To me, it means someone has stolen our tent."

ENG Jokes- If Only You Had Looked

Two men waiting at the Pearly Gates strike up a conversation.
  • Pearly Gates 天國之門
"How'd you die?" the first man asks the second.

"I froze to death," says the second.

"That's awful," says the first man. "How does it feel to freeze to death?"

"It's very uncomfortable at first," says the second man. "You get the shakes, and you get pains in all your fingers and toes. But eventually, it's a very calm way to go. You get numb and you kind of drift off, as if you're sleeping. How about you, how did you die?"
  • drift off 逐漸的睡著
"I had a heart attack," says the first man. "You see, I knew my wife was cheating on me, so one day I showed up at home unexpectedly. I ran up to the bedroom, and found her alone, knitting. I rushed down to the basement, but no one was hiding there. I ran up to the second floor, but found no one there either. I went as fast as I could to the attic, and just as I got there, I had a massive heart attack and died."
  • attic n. 頂樓、閣樓
The second man shakes his head. "That's so ironic," he says.

"What do you mean?" asks the first man.

"If you had only stopped to look in the freezer, we'd both be still alive."

ENG Joke- Signs and Notices

On a ski lift in Taos, NM: 'No jumping from the lift. Survivors will be prosecuted.'
  • NM. abbr.=New Mexico 美國新墨西哥州
Road sign seen on the island of Cyprus. (translation of the Greek): 'Caution: Road Slippery from Grapejuice'

A sign advertising a Company wide skiing race: Let's see who can go downhill the fastest.

A billboard seen next to the highway, travelling from Johannesburg International Airport into town. An Ad for BMW showing a photo of a BMW 328i convertible with the roof and all the windows down. The caption reads:' Our hardware runs better without WINDOWS!!!'
  • convertible n. 活動敞篷車
  • caption n. 標題
Two signs found on top of one another in a country kitchen several years ago: Restrooms to the left. Please wait for the hostess to seat you.

Seen in a health food store. "Shoplifters will be beaten over the head with an organic carrot"

I went to a little hole in the wall restaurant. The sign read: Women are not served here. You have to bring your own.

50 Spots that You Must Visit in Your Lifetime

美國『國家地理旅行家雜誌』於1999年10月,發表了『一生之中不可錯過的50個旅遊勝地』的遴選結果,依其特性予以分類於下:
*I've been there before*
  • 不朽的城市Urban Spaces
    • 西班牙-巴塞隆納Barcelona
    • 中國-香港Hong Kong
    • 土耳其-伊斯坦堡Istanbul
    • 以色列-耶路撒冷Jerusalem
    • 英國-倫敦London
    • 美國-紐約New York
    • 法國-巴黎Paris
    • 巴西-里約熱內盧Rio de Janeiro
    • 美國-舊金山San Francisco
    • 義大利-威尼斯Venic
  • 原野大地Wild Places
    • 南極Antarctica
    • 巴西-亞馬遜森林Amazon
    • 加拿大-洛磯山脈Canadian Rockies
    • 厄瓜多爾-加拉巴哥群島Galapagos
    • 美國-大峽谷Grand Canyon
    • 澳洲內陸Outback
    • 巴布亞新幾內亞-珊瑚礁Papua New Guinea Reefs
    • 非洲-撒哈拉沙漠Sahara
    • 坦尚尼亞-肯亞-色倫吉提草原Serengeti
    • 委內瑞拉-德布伊斯高地Venezuela's Tepuis
  • 人間樂土Paradise Found
    • 義大利-阿瑪菲海岸Amalfi Coast
    • 美國明尼蘇達州-邊界水域Boundary Waters
    • 英屬維京群島British Virgin Islands
    • 希臘群島Greek Islands
    • 夏威夷群島Hawaii Islands
    • 日本民宿Japanese Ryokan
    • 印度-喀拉拉Kerala
    • 太平洋群島Pacific Islands
    • 塞昔爾群島Seychelles
    • 智利Torres Del Plane National Park
  • 自然大地Country Unbound
    • 歐洲-阿爾卑斯山Alps
    • 美國-加州大索爾海岸Big Sur
    • 加拿大-濱海諸省Candian Maritimes
    • 挪威-海岸峽灣Coastal Norway
    • 越南峴港到順化Danang To Hue
    • 英國-英格蘭湖區England's Lake District
    • 法國-羅亞爾河谷Loire Valley
    • 紐西蘭-北島NZ North Island
    • 義大利-扥斯卡尼Tuscany
    • 美國-佛蒙特州Vermont
  • 世界奇觀World Wonders
    • 希臘-雅典衛城Acropolis
    • 柬埔寨-吳哥窟Angkor
    • 埃及-金字塔Giza Pyramids
    • 中國-長城Great Wall
    • 祕魯-馬丘比丘古城Machu Picchu
    • 美國-科羅拉多州維德台地印地安人古居Mesa Verde
    • 約旦-佩特拉古城Petra
    • 印度-泰姬瑪哈陵Taj Mahal
    • 梵蒂岡Vantican City
    • 電腦領域Cyberspace
  • 未來必訪Final Frontier
    • 太空Space

Saturday, June 10, 2006

ENG words

spiel \SPEEL\ noun
流利誇張的講話、生意的言詞
: a voluble line of often extravagant talk : pitch
  • voluble a. 健談的、口若懸河的
  • pitch n. 叫賣、推銷
Example sentence:
We let the time-share salesman give us his opening spiel, but when he got to the high-pressure sales tactics, we cut him short and made it clear that we were not interested.
-------------------------------------------------
caesura \sih-ZYUR-uh\ noun
【詩行中的】休止
1 : a break in the flow of sound usually in the middle of a line of verse
*2 : break, interruption
3 : a pause marking a rhythmic point of division in a melody

Example sentence:
"Without so much as the caesura of a drawn breath I was first shouting in joy, then screaming in shock." (E.L. Doctorow, World's Fair)
  • drawn breath 喘口氣

Thursday, June 08, 2006

ENG Joke- More Differences Between Work and Prison

In prison you get your own bathroom.
At work you have to share.

In prison they allow your family and friends to visit.
At work you cannot even speak to your family and friends.

In prison all expenses are paid by taxpayers, with no work required.
At work you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for the prisoners.
  • deduct v. 扣除、減除
In prison you spend most of your life looking through bars from the inside wanting to get out.
At work you spend most of your time wanting to get out and inside bars.

In prison you can join many programs which you can leave at any time.
At work there are some programs you can never get out of.

In prison there are wardens who are often sadistic.
At work we have Managers.
  • warden n. 典獄長
  • sadistic adj. 殘酷成性的

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

ENG words

bedizen \bih-DYE-zen\ verb
過分地打扮
: to dress or adorn gaudily
  • adorn v. 裝飾
  • gaudily adv. 華麗而俗氣地
Example sentence:
"Adorned by minarets and spires and bedizened by more than a million lights, Coney Island embodied what has been called the 'architecture of exhilaration.'" (Blaine Harden, New York Times, August 28, 1999)
  • minaret n. 清真寺的尖塔
  • spire n. 尖頂
  • embody v. 體現
  • exhilaration n. 愉快的心情、高興
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foodie \FOO-dee\ noun
美食家、美食主義者
: a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads
  • avid adj. 渴望的、貪心的
  • fad n. 一時的流行、一時的風尚
Example sentence:
A serious foodie, Beryl reads cookbooks like novels and scours specialty shops in search of exotic ingredients.
  • scour v. 走遍(某地)搜索(+ for)
  • ingredient n. 烹調的原料
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sabot \sa-BOH\ noun
1.木鞋 2.砲彈軟殼 3.置牌盒
1 *a : a wooden shoe worn in various European countries b (1) : a strap across the instep in a shoe especially of the sandal type (2) : a shoe having a sabot strap
  • strap n. (鞋)帶子
  • instep n. 腳背
2 : a thrust-transmitting carrier that positions a missile in a gun barrel or launching tube and that prevents the escape of gas ahead of the missile
3 : a dealing box designed to hold several decks of playing cards

Example sentence:
"All her kind, at least in the countryside, wore... sabots, well past the century's end." (Eugen Weber, France, Fin de Siècle)
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expiate \EK-spee-ayt\ verb
贖罪、補償
transitive
1 : to extinguish the guilt incurred by
*2 : to make amends for
intransitive : to make expiation
  • expiation n. 補償
Example sentence:
"It seemed to me that I was hurried on by an inevitable and unseen fate to this day of misery, and that now I was to expiate all my offences at the gallows...." (Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders)

Monday, June 05, 2006

ENG Joke- Ponderings for Idle Moments

- How come abbreviated is such a long word?

- If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

- Since Americans throw rice at weddings, do Asians throw hamburgers?

- Why are they called apartments, when they're all stuck together?

- When two airplanes almost collide why do they call it a near miss?? It sounds like a near hit to me!!
  • collide v. 碰撞(+with)

Six Kinds of Souvenirs That Cannot Buy

It's not been confirmed, but we should still be careful on these~
出走旅遊都會習慣買當地的土產紀念品要注意了, 即便沒有認真證實是不是正確會這樣, 還是小心為妙

1.夏威夷沙石

其中最危險者,莫過於夏威夷的沙石。當遊客到臨,夏威夷的旅遊局已有告示板寫上「切勿取走夏威夷境內任何沙石」,許多遊客都只會以為是環保原因,不要破壞大自然而已,但其實是因為夏威夷族人的一個毒咒!

2.蘇格蘭的石頭

除了夏威夷,另一個亦有石頭詛咒的地方是蘇格蘭,但這並非很多人知道。古代的蘇格蘭勇士在死時都落下詛咒,不許外人取走那凗裡的土地,尤其是昔日蘇格蘭人常常入侵,令怨氣加強,故詛咒一直延續至今天。

3.西藏死人骨產品

到西藏或尼泊爾旅遊的人,總喜歡在街上的小販檔購買小精品,但有些卻不簡單,是昔日西藏巫師或貴族用奴隸人骨所做的東西,碗可能是人頭骨;小號角可能是人腿骨;小盒可能是盆骨,買了你也不知道。有人說這些東西若非法擁有,容易招魂,而且可以招來尼泊爾或西藏的魂。萬一手信送給朋友,就真的不得了!

4.日本神社傳統娃娃

在日本許多寺廟及神社的殿內殿外,都不時會有善信送來公仔,尤其是日本常規公仔,但千萬不要取,因為這些放了多年公仔,日本人深信已有靈性,要給寺廟火燒掉或供奉在廟內否則會害了家人。所以日本人都不愛在跳蚤地攤買舊的洋娃娃或公仔,以免惹靈。

5.土耳其邪眼

邪眼Evil Eye,又稱藍眼Blue Eye,是土耳其最出名的手信,亦是最邪的東西。這是 源於中東吉卜賽的巫術,掛一個邪眼在家或在身上,便可吸走外來者的邪氣及妒忌心。所以戴者經常要更換邪眼,因邪氣滿了不但開始有魔力,而且會害人。我有個土耳其朋友就親眼看到邪眼爆開,傷害別人。

6.埃及的黑色貓神像

傳統古文明埃及,流傳最廣的邪惡詛咒自然是法老王詛咒, 只要是破壞了法老沉睡的人都會受詛咒。 但原來連從法老王墓中盜取的物品都會帶來不幸,當中以被塗成黑色的貓神像最為靈驗。在古埃及被奉為神明的貓,特別是受法老寵愛的貓