2012年12月18日 星期二

李應元, Jerome Alan Cohen孔傑榮

美國紐約大學法學院教授孔傑榮(Jerome Cohen)抵台,昨日前往台北榮總探視前總統陳水扁,會後大批聲援民眾包圍孔傑榮,盼要求馬英九放人。 (記者方賓照攝)
Jerome Alan Cohen is a professor of law at New York University School of Law, an expert in Chinese law, a senior fellow for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves as "of counsel" at the international law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.


孔傑榮於1930年出生在美國紐澤西州,父親是一個地方政府檢察官。1947年進入耶魯大學就讀。1951年以Phi Beta Kappa學生聯誼社成員身份畢業後,他接受福布萊特計劃的資助到法國研究國際關係。一年後,回到耶魯大學繼續攻讀學位,並於1955年獲得法學博士。在耶魯期間,他曾擔任《耶魯法律雜誌》的主編。1955至1956年,他先後在最高法院首席大法官厄爾·沃倫及大法官費利克斯·弗蘭克福特的手下當書記官。
1959年,孔傑榮到柏克萊加州大學法學院裡任教。期間,洛克菲勒基金會請他代為徵求一位能接受四年贊助,研究中國問題的學者。由於一直沒有適合的候選人出現,於是孔決定毛遂自薦。他開始學習中文,但是在當時美國人不准進入中國的情況之下,他只好到香港,在那裡訪問從中國大陸逃出來的難民,請教一些有關中國刑事訴訟程序的問題。後來他根據這些訪問記錄完成了他的第一本著作:《中華人民共和國刑事訴訟程序:1943-1963》。
1964年,孔被聘為哈佛大學法學院教授,他在那裡前後待了17年,創立了學校的東亞法律研究會。這段期間,他不時主張與中國實現關係正常化。1972年,孔傑榮以美國科學家聯盟訪問團團員的身份,終於進入中國大陸,並見到了中國總理周恩來。1977年,他陪同參議員泰德·甘迺迪到北京,會見了鄧小平[1]
1972年,孔成為第一批訪問北韓的美國學者之一。1973年8月,他曾協助拯救被綁架的金大中。金後來在1997年成為大韓民國總統,並於2000年獲得諾貝爾和平獎[2]
1979年中國改革開放之後,對外國投資者而言,孔傑榮稀有的中國法律專業使他成為搶手的人物。1980年他獲得了一個前所未有的機會可讓他在中國生活且發展所長,於是他向哈佛大學請了年假,到北京向商務官員教授美國的合同法。次年,當假期即將結束時,他決定留在中國並進入寶維斯律師事務所工作。
1989年六四事件爆發,寶維斯關閉了其香港辦公室,孔傑榮也回到美國並在1990年受聘為紐約大學法學院教授,同時擔任寶維斯律師事務所的資深顧問。後來他在紐約大學成立了亞美法研究所,致力於促進整個亞洲的法治發展。

人權工作

孔傑榮在一生中對提倡人權一直努力不懈。除了關注中國的法律改革,在推動釋放政治犯方面也產生了積極的作用[3]。他也經常在《南華早報》的雙週專欄裡評論有關中國和台灣的人權問題。
2012年,他協助逃離軟禁的中國維權運動人士陳光誠到美國紐約大學就讀。[4]

與台灣的關係

孔傑榮在台灣的影響力特別大,中華民國總統馬英九在哈佛大學深造時是他的學生[5][6],馬的夫人周美青亦曾是他的人權事務研究助理[7]。1985年,孔在台灣政治犯呂秀蓮被釋放的過程中發揮了關鍵作用——呂在哈佛大學求學時亦是他的學生,後來成為中華民國副總統[8]
此外,在1985年江南案發生後,他曾義務代表劉宜良(即江南)的遺孀到台灣出庭[9][10][11]。於訴訟的期間,他認為光是將凶手——也就竹聯幫分子陳啟禮等人——定罪是不夠的;他認定中華民國政府必定直接參與了這次陰謀,且必須為之負責。後來證明他是對的,中華民國的情報局長及其屬下相關人等也被逮捕並判刑入獄。
2008年,中華民國前總統陳水扁貪污及洗錢案入獄,孔傑榮雖對陳及其的家人牽涉的金額感到「噁心」,但是他也認為此案也反映出臺灣過渡中的法律體制之部分缺失 ——法院該在保證他不會逃跑的條件下釋放他,也要保證他有適當的機會為自己辯護[7][12][13][14]。不過,馬英九隨後也公開澄清其對司法羈押的質疑[15][16]



*****

立委李應元、林世嘉今天開記者會指出,文化部砸上億元國發基金挹注文創產業,節目製作人王偉忠陸續拿國發基金投資旗下公司華星娛樂、魔法胡同娛樂公司,取得總金額高達8300萬元,有撈錢自肥之嫌,文化部也怠於監督。文化部回應說,投資過程作業審議嚴謹。
「這堪稱文化界豆腐渣工程!」李應元說,文建會先前編列百億元國發基金,委託12家創投公司執行「加強投資文創方案」,至今完成14個投資標的,總金額約3億元,王偉忠接受的挹注就將近三分之一。由他擔任董事的台灣文創一號公司,更轉投資力捧自家節目「華人星光大道」及魔術師Yif,未利益迴避。




李應元:台電應調降民營電廠購電價格 再談績效獎金
NOWnews – 2012年12月1日 下午2:59
記者林修卉/台北報導
經濟部國營會討論中油與台電的經營績效獎金,認為兩公司今年合計虧損1200億元,為是「配合政策」造成。民進黨立委李應元今(1)日表示,台電應先合理調降與民營電廠的購電價格,再談經營績效獎金,社會才會接受。
李應元指出,以2009、2010、2011這三年為例,9家民營電廠合計賺了113、182、231億元,但台電卻分別虧損14億、181億、及433億元。
他說,在引發眾多民怨後,經濟部在7月發布「台電及中油公司經營改善初步檢討報告」,預計每年向民營及汽電共生廠減少51億元的購電。
李應元表示,社會各界對減少的金額很不滿意,結果經濟部還測試全民的容忍底線,日前竟然放出「與民營電廠的電價協商有突破,預計每年可減少9億元的購電支出。」
他說,原本有百億元的節省空間,在檢討報告中減為50億元,現在竟再萎縮到9億元,改革的成果一減再減,實在很難向國人交代。
李應元指出,台電若以為社會監督的力量已經疲乏,可以蒙混過關,那就大錯特錯了;民營電廠購電價格,經濟部若拿不出令全民滿意的改革,那就不要談經營績效獎金,否則台電一定又成為眾矢之的。
李應元表示,台電必須要有進行訴訟的決心,不容再和稀泥,假改革。他說,台電為台灣汽電共生公司的最大股東,台汽電轉投資4家民營電廠IPP的談判結果都如此不堪,那麼與其他電廠的談判如何進行?目前與民營電廠的談判決果,不符社會期待,全民絕對無法接受。



李應元

 李應元Lee Ying-Yuan,1953年3月16日),雲林縣崙背鄉人,台灣政治人物,前行政院秘書長,前行政院勞工委員會主委,前雲林縣副縣長,現任第八屆立法委員。

 http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%8E%E6%87%89%E5%85%83


2012年12月15日 星期六

山中伸弥(50)排灣族的台灣人

山中伸彌日文:山中 伸弥,1962年9月4日),出生於日本大阪府東大阪市,日本醫學家,京都大學教授。成體幹細胞研究的先驅。2012年諾貝爾生理學或醫學獎得主[5]

目錄

生平

1987年3月畢業於神戶大學醫學院,1993年在大阪市立大學獲得醫學博士學位。之後在大阪國立外科醫院矯形外科擔任醫師,隨後前往美國加州大學舊金山分校附屬格拉德斯通心血管病研究所進行博士後研究工作。


山中さん、色紙に「初心」 授賞式から一夜明け抱負

写真:会見で、報道陣の求めに応じ色紙に書いた今後の抱負「初心」について語る京大の山中伸弥教授=11日午前11時9分、ストックホルム、池田良撮影拡大会見で、報道陣の求めに応じ色紙に書いた今後の抱負「初心」について語る京大の山中伸弥教授=11日午前11時9分、ストックホルム、池田良撮影

 【ストックホルム=下司佳代子】ノーベル医学生理学賞を受賞した山中伸弥・京都大教授(50)が授賞式から一夜明けた11日朝、ストックホルムで記者会 見した。「今日は科学者として仕切り直しの朝だと感じている」と話し、「iPS細胞(人工多能性幹細胞)を創薬に役立てるという応用に向けて、これまで以 上に力を入れていきたい」と抱負を語った。
 山中さんは一連の行事について、「研究はマラソンとよく似ている。今回は、栄養補給のような意味があった」と振り返った。
 今年の漢字を一文字で表すなら「驚」と答え、「ノーベル賞受賞を端的に言うと『びっくり』です」と説明。会見場にあった白板に書いてほしいと言われて「ちょっと練習しないと。間違えると子どもたちに悪影響があるので、やめておきます」と話し、笑いを誘った。



 【ストックホルム=下司佳代子】ノーベル医学生理学賞を受賞した山中伸弥・京都大教授(50)が14日、ストックホルムから帰国の途に就いた。
 山中さんはホテルの前で「母親も含めて家族で一緒にすばらしい時間を過ごせ、一生の思い出になりました」と、10日間のストックホルム滞在を振り返った。数多くの行事をこなしたためか、「飛行機の中で少し休みたい」と少し疲れた様子も見せた。



*****

NHKの歴史番組巡る訴訟、台湾人らの賠償請求棄却


 日本の台湾統治を批判的に検証したNHKの番組が偏った内容だったとして、台湾人や日本の視聴者ら計約1万人がNHKに約1億1千万円の損害賠償を求めた訴訟で、東京地裁は14日、請求を棄却する判決を言い渡した。小野洋一裁判長は「番組の編集はNHKに委ねられており、恣意(しい)的な編集はなかった」などと述べた。
 問題となった番組は2009年4月に放送されたNHKスペシャル「アジアの“一等国”」。日本が1910年に台湾の先住民を英国の博覧会に連れて行き、「人間動物園」として見せ物にしたなどとする内容だった。
 この台湾人の子孫ら2人は「NHKに取材を受けたが発言をねじ曲げられ、期待と違う内容が放送された」と訴えた。しかし、判決は「番組内容への期待は法的に保護されない」と述べた。
 また、「祖先を動物扱いされた」とする台湾人の主張に対しては「歴史的事実として紹介しただけで、原告の名誉を傷つけたとはいえない」と判断。NHKは 公平な放送をする義務があると訴えた視聴者らの主張についても、「NHKは視聴者ら個人に対する義務は負わない」と退けた。
 NHK広報局は「妥当な判決と考えている」とコメントした。
 英国の博覧会に連れて行かれたのは台湾南部・屏東県高士村の先住民、パイワン族の人々だ。元村長の荘来金さん(53)は判決内容を聞いて、「取材を受け た者の意に反して一部だけ引用したのならNHKは謝るべきだ。でも裁判を続ければ互いに傷つく。理解し合う方がいい」と話した。


 訴訟駁回索賠的程序NHK的歷史台灣人


作為NHK驗證嚴格治理台灣,日本有失偏頗內容的節目NHK擁有10,000個觀眾和日本台灣尋求賠償日元,110在訴訟中,14,東京地區法院下達裁決,駁回了要求 編輯程序委託給NHK,編輯一個(新的不是任意的洋一說:”審判長小野

展會已成為一個大國問題“亞洲”NHK特別在2009年4月播出你來了如日本和眼鏡作為“人類動物園,給您帶來博覽會於1910年在英國台灣原住民

抱怨“扭曲的言論,接受採訪的NHK,不像預計將播出”兩個後裔台灣人,這不過,我說的裁決“對節目內容期望並不受法律保護”

此外,決定推出僅作為一個歷史事實傷害原告的聲譽不能說:”對於那些聲稱台灣“,並接受治療的動物的祖先,也拒絕了要求NHK觀眾抱怨說,廣播公正義務“NHK從觀眾個人責任,拿”

我評論NHK新聞部認為,一個合理的決定

原居民村屏東縣台灣南部您帶來英國的論述排灣族Gyoka (53)NHK了解彼此互相傷害,如果保持的審判應該道歉如果報價只有一部分反對意志的判決內容採訪來到市長與我交談的人誰是好“

2012年12月13日 星期四

Oliver Stone,石錫勳《磺溪一老人》

 English

 威廉·奥利弗·史東William Oliver Stone,1946年9月15日),美國電影導演編劇,同時還是一名演員。其電影多是政治或戰爭題材,其中《前進高棉》、《誰殺了甘迺迪》、《閃靈殺手》等都是公認的佳作。他的《前進高棉》、《七月四日誕生》、《天與地》三部越戰題材的作品被譽為「越戰三部曲」。由於他曾經參加過越戰並負傷,因而在其電影中注重利用暴力進行對社會的反思。這點與另外一名著名導演 昆廷·塔倫蒂諾 恰恰相反;後者的作品崇尚暴力美學,暴力在其電影中的目的往往只是娛樂觀眾。


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《磺溪一老人》(1980?)有清朝所謂"磺溪"之地圖示意圖表示清水等地以北為待開發地

「磺溪一老人」石錫勳病逝1985/9/22,享年 86歲
「吾輩激奮兮,安五方;三十年遺恨兮,今相存。有血有淚兮,漢男子;中宵拔劍兮,台灣魂!」
「台北醫學校」學生石錫勳為抗議學校台、日學生不公平的待遇,在教室黑板上題了此詩;適巧又發生台籍學生拒組啦啦隊為該校專門部日籍學生棒球隊加油,毆打一位背叛大家的蘇姓低年生,石錫勳險遭校方以肇事首謀之一,給予開除。
石錫勳,字逸南,1900 年出生於彰化街北門外(今彰化市中正路)。從小即跟父親石汝鏘研習「漢學仔」;「彰化第一公學」畢業後,考進「台北醫學校」,在學期間,即參予「台灣文化協會」的籌備工作,是該會創立時理事之一。
醫學校畢業後,他到高雄旗後(旗津),一面行醫,一面從事民族運動;他是高雄州「台灣議會期成同盟會」的負責人,也因此成了「治警事件」的受難者,被判罰金百圓。劫後,負笈日本東京醫專進修,學成,返回彰化老家行醫,並繼續擔負中部地區的文化協會活動。
文協分裂後,他的立場仍循同鄉王敏川的路線,不過行動沒有以前熱衷;1931 年新文協遭到當局全力鎮壓,他倖免於難。從此專心經營石內科醫院及南亞製粉株式會社。
戰後,他被推舉為彰化市接管委員會主席及省轄市彰化市長,但不久即下台;後繼擔任國民黨彰化市黨部財務委員、三民主義青年團彰化分團主任,彰化市參議員。1947 年,黨團合併,他放棄歸隊登記,成了黨外人士。
石錫勳以參予民主運動為己任;1954 年,在「彰化縣政由彰化人自治」的呼聲下,他毅然參予第二屆縣長選舉,不幸以微差票數飲恨,而後,他屢敗屢起,先後再參予第三屆、第四屆彰化縣長及第三屆省議員選舉,每次都是「輸了選票,贏了民心」,使他成了民、青兩黨爭取的對象。

1968 年,青年黨提名他參加第六屆彰化縣長競選,他滿懷雄心,準備全力一搏的前夕,竟告神秘失蹤。2 月入獄,直到年底才被獲准保外就醫。
這位身負 7 年徒刑的「磺溪一老人」,從此退出政壇,避居高雄養老。1980 年,他返回彰化,曾有「殘骨終埋桑梓下,赤心難挽舊山河」的詩作。
1985 年今日,石錫勳以 86 高齡病逝。
◎歷史台灣內容節錄自莊永明先生著《台灣紀事(上)(下)》一書(時報出版社出版),著作權屬莊永明先生所有,非經同意請勿任意轉載。

2012年12月12日 星期三

Ravi Shankar, Sitar Master


Ravi Shankar, Sitar Master Who Spread Indian Music, Dies at 92

Tonight at 8 pm: Hear the Third Shankar Sitar Concerto, Recorded at Carnegie Hall in 2009

Tuesday, December 11, 2012 - 10:50 PM

Ravi Shankar, the sitar player and composer who became India's most influential musician, died Tuesday evening in San Diego, CA. He was 92.
Shankar's death came after he underwent heart-valve replacement surgery on Thursday. He had been suffering from upper-respiratory and heart issues over the past year, said his New York-based representative.
Shankar is best known for having influenced the Beatles – and much of the youth counterculture – during the 1960s, performing at the legendary Woodstock and Monterrey Pop music festivals. He also put a distinctive stamp on classical music. Between 1967 and 1976 he made three "West Meets East" albums with the American violinist Yehudi Menuhin. Featuring the hypnotic interplay of Menuhin's violin and Shankar's sitar, the albums were critical and commercial successes and won a Grammy Award.
"Ravi Shankar has brought me a precious gift and through him I have added a new dimension to my experience of music," Menuhin once said.
Other Western classical musicians sought out the sitar player. Shankar collaborated with the flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal and the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, among other soloists. He composed three concertos for sitar and orchestra: for the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic (led by Zubin Mehta) and theOrpheus Chamber Orchestra.
Shankar also worked with Philip Glass, whose minimalist aesthetic had an affinity with the patterns of North Indian ragas. Their collaborations included the 1990 album "Passages," and Orion for the Athens 2004 Cultural Olympiad. In a 1985 interview on WNYC's New Sounds, Shankar recalled meeting Glass at a recording session for the soundtrack to the 1966 film "Chappaqua." "He was so curious," Shankar said. "He was asking questions about ragas, talas and counting. In that period of six or seven sessions I told him as much as I could."
Although his health declined in recent years, Shankar remained active in music: he and his musician daughter Anoushka had been nominated for a 2013 Grammy in the world music category. In a statement, Shankar's family said, "Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as a part of our lives. His spirit and his legacy will live on forever in our hearts and in his music."
Below is a video of Shankar and Menuhin performing in the 1970s.

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2012年12月9日 星期日

司馬庫斯部落/gaga 舞












 
 一輛連司機共廿三人的中型巴士,下午三點多從新竹縣司馬庫斯部落出發準備返家,在行經泰崗部落和宇老部落間, 可能因為山區路況不熟,整輛中巴滑落三百五十公尺深的山谷。消防局據報後緊急派人前往救援,目前廿三人當中,有十三人死亡,另有十人分別受輕重傷。而戴姓 司機則是骨折被救起送醫,檢警也漏夜訊問相關人士,以查明這起意外發生的原因。(彭清仁報導)
據了解,這輛出事的中型巴士乘客,都是新北市的泰山國小十九屆的畢業校友,因為辦理戶外同學會,共有廿二人參加新竹縣尖石後山的司馬庫斯部落兩天一夜旅 遊。成員大都是五、六十歲的中老年人,九日中午吃完午餐從司馬庫斯出發返家,中型巴士在行經泰崗部落和宇老部落間,可能因為山區天候不佳和路況不熟,中型 巴士從右側滑落深達三百五十公尺的山谷,有多人被甩出車外,後方車輛發現後也立刻報警。
救難人員和山青先以繩索拉起,陸續抵達溪谷巴士翻覆現場,再以人力接駁搬運方式,以繩索將傷亡者從山谷拉起,整個救援過程相當困難耗時,而傷亡者也隨即以 救護車分送新竹縣市的大型醫院救治。據救難人員指出,由於中型巴士翻落過程,讓車內的乘客在激烈的翻滾撞擊下,才會造成重大的傷亡,多名死者身體肢離破 碎,現場慘不忍睹,中型巴士也扭曲變形橫躺在溪谷。至於戴姓司機目前骨折緊急送醫,檢警也連夜訊問中巴的駕駛,了解事發的原因。而焦急的死傷者家屬,九日 晚間陸續抵達醫院,對一場同學會造成昔日老同學幾乎是死傷各半,場面哀淒。


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這片還有一2003脫離共同體的人物 他希望自己的後代可以有自己的土地房舍

Lady Gaga 看泰雅族的 gaga 舞

公視紀錄片司馬庫斯 部落首映

  • 2011-06-28
  • 【中央社】

 司馬庫斯部落素有「上帝的部落」之稱,公視國際團隊歷經15個月的長期拍攝,終於完成高畫質紀錄片作品「司馬庫斯」,30日晚上首播,首映會今晚在司馬庫斯部落舉行。
 不畏颱風米雷剛過境,公視董事長趙雅麗、總經理曠湘霞等人,今晚在司馬庫斯教堂前廣場出席首映會。首映前,公視依循原住民傳統文化習俗,致贈1頭豬,部落頭目倚岕.穌隆與公視製作團隊代表,遵循泰雅古禮宰豬,慶祝全片製作完成。
 司馬庫斯部落拉互依?倚岕表示,除邀請新竹縣尖石鄉鄰近部落的族人共襄盛舉參與首映,還有許多透過影片臉書粉絲團知道訊息的網友提早預定民宿,把握這次難得體驗,見證這場史無前例、海拔最高的部落首映會。
 公視國際合製團隊繼2009年推出「返家八千里黑面琵鷺」之後,走進了新竹縣尖石鄉最後山的司馬庫斯部落,以HD高畫質電視技術拍攝大自然四時變化的繁茂生態,並呈現泰雅族人交織著歡笑與淚水的真實故事。
 這裡是台灣最後一個通電,也是最後一個有路到達的原住民部落,直到1995年,對外道路才開通。早年生活困苦,許多人離鄉到都市生活,部 落頭目倚岕.穌隆不願放棄祖先留給他們的土地,帶領著族人在這裡辛勤工作、傳承文化、守護山林;這裡也是台灣唯一實行土地財產共有的地區。
 紀錄片為呈現壯麗的司馬庫斯紅檜巨木「YaYa」(泰雅語媽媽之意),更在台灣首次引進奧斯卡等級的加拿大高空繩索攝影團隊,呈現世界級 古老森林之美。兩位英國籍導演強生(Dean Johnson)和史密斯(Frank Smith)的眼裡,司馬庫斯宛如現代烏托邦一般,是十分特殊的社會實踐。
 公視表示,本片是第1部經過司馬庫斯部落會議通過拍攝的紀錄片,加上超過一半以上對白是以泰雅語母語發音,特別邀請長期採集泰雅古調的泰雅族女歌手雲力思擔任中文與泰雅語旁白,把故事訴說給世人聽,更期望能夠藉由這部紀錄片讓泰雅語永續傳承下來。1000628

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education




專欄作者

我力挺阿恩·鄧肯出任國務卿

奧巴馬總統正在組建新的國家安全團隊,約翰·克里參議員(John Kerry)可能入主五角大樓,美國駐聯合國大使蘇珊·賴斯(Susan Rice)被認為是國務卿的最熱門人選。對國防部而言,克里是個優秀的人選。我完全不認識賴斯,所以我不知道她是否適合這份工作,但我認為,抓住她在利比 亞事件上的言論而作的牽強文章,肯定不應當剝奪她的資格。雖說如此,我心中的國務卿人選是現任教育部長阿恩·鄧肯(Arne Duncan)。
對,對,我知道。鄧肯並沒有試圖得到這份工作,而且根本不可能獲得任命。但是,我要提名他,因為我認為現在是提出一個問題的重要時機,這個問題並不是誰應當做國務卿,而是21世紀的國務卿應當是怎樣的?
首先從明顯的地方說起。這份工作的一大部分是談判。就此而言,任何與芝加哥教師工會(Chicago Teachers Union)談判過的人,都會發現跟俄羅斯人和中國人談判輕鬆得很。鄧肯在去華盛頓任職之前是芝加哥公立學校學區(Chicago Public Schools)的首席執行官。教育部長(和國務卿)的一大部分工作,是讓盟友和對手在他們通常不會同意的事情上達成一致,同時讓他們認為這全是他們自己 的主意。相信我,如果你能與美國教師聯盟(American Federation of Teachers)主席蘭迪·溫加滕(Randi Weingarten)達成這種協議的話,你就能與弗拉基米爾·普京(Vladimir Putin)和比比·內塔尼亞胡(Bibi Netanyahu)達成協議。
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國務卿工作的一大部分,還包括在不同的群體中尋找共識:國會、其他國家、大型企業、白宮、五角大樓和外交官們。學監也有這樣的職責,但他們要促成共識的群體要可怕得多:“家長”、“教師”、“學生”和“學校董事會”。

這裡還有一個更深層次的理由:當今世界最大的主題是增長,而在這個信息時代,為更多年輕人改善教育結果,如今是提高經濟增長、縮小收入不均的最重要 槓桿。換句話說,教育現在是可持續實力的關鍵。如果有一名世界領先的教育權威擔任國務卿,那麼,每個人都會想與之交談。比方說,與哈馬斯(Hamas)領 導人談判(假如我們會與他們談判的話)的時候,如果國務卿能首先問“知道你們的孩子有多落後嗎?”可能會非常有益。這也許會比“你們為什麼不承認以色 列?”更管用。

“當今世界最大的課題是增長,而世界可分為兩個群體:一個群體懂得這一點,另一個群體不懂得,”約翰·霍普金斯大學(Johns Hopkins University)的外交政策專家邁克爾·曼德爾鮑姆(Michael Mandelbaum)說。“如果是與中東打交道,假如有人能告訴某些群體:他們走錯了道路,他們的問題並不是他們自以為的那些,而解決辦法也不是他們所 認為的,那可能真的會有所幫助。”

的確,伊斯蘭教是世界上最偉大的一神論信仰之一,但它不是當今阿拉伯發展的答案。數學才是答案。教育才是答案。讓中東關注到這一點,將比其他任何事 情更能促進美國的利益和他們的繁榮。正如我們在埃及所看到的,突然創立一個大眾民主體制,卻沒有改進大眾教育,那是非常不穩定的。

與此同時,隨着美國對外援助預算的縮減,越來越多的援助將由傳統資助轉為“力爭上遊”式(Race to the Top)的援助。鄧肯領導的教育部在美國的校園改革中首先倡導了這種方式。我們將不得不告訴有需要的國家,誰能拿出最好的主意來教育年輕女性和女孩、激勵 初創企業,或者加強法治,那麼該國就能獲得稀缺的美國對外援助。這種競賽將是對外援助的未來。

最後,自冷戰結束後,我們的國務卿累積的飛行里程超過了他們所創造的歷史,這是有原因的。1995年前,國務卿的工作涉及終結或避免超級大國之間的衝突,以及簽署大規模的軍備控制條約。那些都屬於英勇外交的範疇。幸運的是,如今要終結的大型戰爭少得多了,現在的宏大協議關注的是貿易和環境(這些協議 很難達成),而不是核武器。還有,今天的國務卿需要應對多得多的失敗或即將失敗的國家。希拉里·克林頓國務卿(Hillary Clinton)實際上不得不推動敘利亞各反對派形成一股具有凝聚力的力量,作為說服他們正確行事的必要前提。今天,國務卿要想創造歷史,就得先塑造出要 打交道的國家。

簡言之,美國仍然不可或缺,但問題要棘手得多。我們的盟友今非昔比,敵手也如此,他們與其說是超級大國,不如說是大權在握的憤怒男女。許多國家將需 要回到黑板、回到基本的人力資源建設,然後才能與我們進行任何的合作。因此,儘管我們不太可能讓教育部長去當國務卿,但讓我們至少明白,這為何並不是一個 荒謬的主意。
翻譯:黃錚

My Secretary of State


President Obama is assembling his new national security team, with Senator John Kerry possibly heading for the Pentagon and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice the perceived front-runner to become secretary of state. Kerry is an excellent choice for defense. I don’t know Rice at all, so I have no opinion on her fitness for the job, but I think the contrived flap over her Libya comments certainly shouldn’t disqualify her. That said, my own nominee for secretary of state would be the current education secretary, Arne Duncan.
Yes, yes, I know. Duncan is not seeking the job and is not the least bit likely to be appointed. But I’m nominating him because I think this is an important time to ask the question of not just who should be secretary of state, but what should the secretary of state be in the 21st century?
Let’s start with the obvious. A big part of the job is negotiating. Well, anyone who has negotiated with the Chicago Teachers Union, as Duncan did when he was superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools before going to Washington, would find negotiating with the Russians and Chinese a day at the beach. A big part of being secretary of education (and secretary of state) is getting allies and adversaries to agree on things they normally wouldn’t — and making them think that it was all their idea. Trust me, if you can cut such deals with Randi Weingarten, who is president of the American Federation of Teachers, you can do them with Vladimir Putin and Bibi Netanyahu.
A big part of the job of secretary of state is also finding common ground between multiple constituencies: Congress, foreign countries, big business, the White House, the Pentagon and the diplomats. The same is true for a school superintendent, but the constituencies between which they have to forge common ground are so much more intimidating: They’re called “parents,” “teachers,” “students” and “school boards.”
There is a deeper point here: The biggest issue in the world today is growth, and, in this information age, improving educational outcomes for more young people is now the most important lever for increasing economic growth and narrowing income inequality. In other words, education is now the key to sustainable power. To have a secretary of state who is one of the world’s leading authorities on education, well, everyone would want to talk to him. For instance, it would be very helpful to have a secretary of state who can start a negotiating session with Hamas leaders (if we ever talk with them) by asking: “Do you know how far behind your kids are?” That might actually work better than: “Why don’t you recognize Israel?”
“The biggest issue in the world today is growth, and the world is divided into two groups — those who get it and those who don’t,” said Michael Mandelbaum, the Johns Hopkins University foreign policy expert. “If you’re dealing with the Middle East, it might actually be helpful to have someone who can tell some of the parties why they are going in the wrong direction and how their problems are not what they think they are, nor are their solutions.”
Indeed, Islam is one of the world’s great monotheistic faiths, but it is not the answer to Arab development today. Math is the answer. Education is the answer. Getting the Middle East to focus on that would do more to further our interests and their prosperity than anything else. As we are seeing in Egypt, suddenly creating a mass democracy without improving mass education is highly unstable.
At the same time, as our foreign budget shrinks, more and more of it will have to be converted from traditional grants to “Races to the Top,” which Duncan’s Education Department pioneered in U.S. school reform. We will have to tell needy countries that whoever comes up with the best ideas for educating their young women and girls or incentivizing start-ups or strengthening their rule of law will get our scarce foreign aid dollars. That race is the future of foreign aid.
Finally, there’s a reason that since the end of the cold war our secretaries of state have racked up more miles than they’ve made history. Before 1995, the job involved ending or avoiding superpower conflicts and signing big arms control treaties. Those were the stuff of heroic diplomacy. Fortunately, today there are fewer big wars to end, and the big treaties now focus more on trade and the environment than nukes — and they’re very hard to achieve. Also, today’s secretary of state has to deal with so many more failed or failing states. Secretary Hillary Clinton practically had to forge the Syrian opposition groups into a coherent collective, as a necessary precursor to persuading them to do the right things. Today, to make history as a secretary of state, you have to make the countries to deal with first.
In short, we’re still indispensable, but the problems are much more intractable. Our allies are not what they used to be and neither are our enemies, who are less superpowers and more superempowered angry men and women. A lot of countries will need to go back to the blackboard, back to the basics of human capacity building, before they can partner with us on anything. So while we’re not likely to shift our secretary of education to secretary of state, let’s at least understand why it is not such a preposterous idea.



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Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education—Biography
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Arne Duncan is the ninth U.S. secretary of education. He has served in this post since his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on Jan. 20, 2009, following his nomination by President Barack Obama.
Duncan's tenure as secretary has been marked by a number of significant accomplishments on behalf of American students and teachers. He helped to secure congressional support for President Obama's investments in education, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's $100 billion to fund 325,000 teaching jobs, increases in Pell grants, reform efforts such as Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation, and interventions in low-performing schools. Additionally, he has helped secure an additional $10 billion to avoid teacher layoffs; the elimination of student loan subsidies to banks; and a $500 million national competition for early learning programs. Under Duncan's leadership at the Department, the Race to the Top program has the incentives, guidance, and flexibility it needs to support reforms in states. The Department also has focused billions of dollars to transform struggling schools, prompting nearly 1,000 low-performing schools nationwide to recruit new staff, adopt new teaching methods, and add learning time. He has led new efforts to encourage labor and management to work together as never before, and their new collaboration is helping to drive reform, strengthen teaching, create better educational options, and improve learning. During Duncan's tenure, the Department has launched a comprehensive effort to transform the teaching profession.
In support of President Obama's goal for the United States to produce the highest percentage of college graduates by the year 2020, Duncan has helped secure increases in the Pell grant program to boost the number of young Americans attending college and receiving postsecondary degrees. He has begun new efforts to ensure that colleges and universities provide more transparency around graduation, job placement, and student loan default rates. With the income-based repayment program introduced during Duncan's tenure, student loan payments are being reduced for college graduates in low-paying jobs, and loans will be forgiven after 10 years for persons in certain public service occupations, such as teachers, police officers and firefighters.
Before becoming secretary of education, Duncan served as the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), a position he held from June 2001 through December 2008. In that time, he won praise for uniting education reformers, teachers, principals and business stakeholders behind an aggressive education reform agenda that included opening more than 100 new schools, expanding after-school and summer learning programs, closing down underperforming schools, increasing early childhood and college access, dramatically boosting the caliber of teachers, and building public-private partnerships around a variety of education initiatives. Duncan is credited with significantly raising student performance on national and state tests, increasing graduation rates and the numbers of students taking Advanced Placement courses, and boosting the total number of scholarships secured by CPS students to more than $150 million. Also during his leadership of CPS, the district was recognized for its efforts to bring top teaching talent into the city's classrooms, where the number of teachers applying for positions almost tripled.
Prior to joining the Chicago Public Schools, from 1992 to 1998, Duncan ran the nonprofit education foundation Ariel Education Initiative, which helped fund a college education for a class of inner-city children under the I Have A Dream program. He was part of a team that later started a new public elementary school built around a financial literacy curriculum, the Ariel Community Academy, which today ranks among the top elementary schools in Chicago. From 1987 to 1991, Duncan played professional basketball in Australia, where he also worked with children who were wards of the state.
Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1987, after majoring in sociology. He was co-captain of Harvard's basketball team and was named a first team Academic All-American.
Duncan is married to Karen Duncan, and they have two children who attend public school in Arlington, Va.

Sir Patrick Moore, astronomer and broadcaster, dies aged 89

Sir Patrick Moore, astronomer and broadcaster, dies aged 89

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20657939

Sir Patrick Moore's contribution to the world of astronomy

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British astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore has died, aged 89, his friends and colleagues have said.
He "passed away peacefully at 12:25 this afternoon" at his home in Selsey, West Sussex, they said in a statement.
Sir Patrick presented the BBC programme The Sky At Night for over 50 years, making him the longest-running host of the same television show ever.
He wrote dozens of books on astronomy and his research was used by the US and the Russians in their space programmes.
Described by one of his close friends as "fearlessly eccentric", Sir Patrick was notable for his habit of wearing a monocle on screen and his idiosyncratic style.

Start Quote

Through his regular monthly programmes he was telling us what to look for and what was out there and that was a real inspiration”
Maggie Aderin-Pocock Space scientist
Sir Patrick presented the first edition of The Sky at Night on 24 April 1957. He last appeared in an episode broadcast on Monday.
A statement by his friends and staff said: "After a short spell in hospital last week, it was determined that no further treatment would benefit him, and it was his wish to spend his last days in his own home, Farthings, where he today passed on, in the company of close friends and carers and his cat Ptolemy.
"Over the past few years, Patrick, an inspiration to generations of astronomers, fought his way back from many serious spells of illness and continued to work and write at a great rate, but this time his body was too weak to overcome the infection which set in, a few weeks ago.
"He was able to perform on his world record-holding TV programme The Sky at Night right up until the most recent episode .
"His executors and close friends plan to fulfil his wishes for a quiet ceremony of interment, but a farewell event is planned for what would have been Patrick's 90th birthday in March 2013."
'Father figure' Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore was born at Pinner, Middlesex on 4 Mar 1923.
Heart problems meant he spent much of his childhood being educated at home and he became an avid reader. His mother gave him a copy of GF Chambers' book, The Story of the Solar System, and this sparked his lifelong passion for astronomy.
Sir Patrick Moore was the voice of the space age.
I recall as a child not following every detail of that famously rapid patter but I never minded - because like everyone who watched his broadcasts I was swept along by his extraordinary energy and excitement.
Here was someone who could catch the mood of a world enthralled by a heady mix of discovery and achievement.
With rockets launching satellites and then astronauts above Earth and beyond, there was no greater enthusiast to chronicle and illuminate an exhilarating new era of exploration.
Generations grew up with Patrick Moore as their guide and he proved hugely influential. Astronomy was no longer a niche activity.
The man with the monocle had touched people who had never even thought of stargazing.
When war came he turned down a place at Cambridge and lied about his age to join the RAF, serving as a navigator with Bomber Command and rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
But the war brought him a personal tragedy after his fiancee, Lorna, was killed when an ambulance she was driving was hit by a bomb. He never married.
Sir Patrick, who had a pacemaker fitted in 2006 and received a knighthood in 2001, won a Bafta for services to television and was a honorary fellow of the Royal Society.
He was a member of the UK Independence party and, briefly, the finance minister for the Monster Raving Loony Party, and attracted some controversy for his outspoken views on Europe and immigration.
His other TV credits include the role of Gamesmaster in the 1990s computer games show of the same name.
BBC science correspondent Pallab Ghosh said Sir Patrick's appearance sometimes aroused as much comment as his astronomy: "He was six-foot-three, and was once described as having 'an air of donnish dishevelment', with his raised eyebrow, scarcely-brushed hair and poorly-fitting suits.
"His enthusiasm was unstoppable, and on occasions he would talk at 300 words a minute."
Queen guitarist Brian May, who published a book on astronomy written with Sir Patrick, described him as a "dear friend, and a kind of father figure to me".
The Sky At Night through the years
He said: "Patrick will be mourned by the many to whom he was a caring uncle, and by all who loved the delightful wit and clarity of his writings, or enjoyed his fearlessly eccentric persona in public life.
"Patrick is irreplaceable. There will never be another Patrick Moore. But we were lucky enough to get one."
Television presenter and physicist Professor Brian Cox posted a message on Twitter saying: "Very sad news about Sir Patrick. Helped inspire my love of astronomy. I will miss him!"
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "Since I first met Sir Patrick when he dominated a UKIP stage in 1999, he has been a friend and an inspiration - not only to us in UKIP, but across the country and around the world. Today we have seen the passing of a true great, and a true Englishman."
And Dr Marek Kakula, public astronomer at Royal Observatory in Greenwich, described him as a "very charming and hospitable man".
"When you came to his home he would always make sure you had enough to eat and drink. He was full of really entertaining and amusing stories.
"There are many many professional astronomers like me who can actually date their interest in astronomy to watching Patrick on TV, so his impact on the world of professional astronomy as well as amateur is hard to overstate."

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