窺視「美國啟示錄飛機」

Look Inside America's Apocalypse Plane That Would Take Charge During Nuclear War

難得一見的「美國啟示錄飛機」-它可在核戰中擔當重要任務

The E-4B "Nightwatch" can manage a nuclear war from the air.

E-4B「夜中偵查」機，能在空中管控一場核戰

作者：By Kyle Mizokami

Sep 25, 2017 

A new YouTube video provides a rare look inside one of America's "Nightwatch" planes. The E-4B is a converted 747-200 operated by the U.S. Air Force, and one of these aircraft is aloft and ready to take charge of a nuclear crisis at all times. The video, taken at Travis Air Force Base in California, shows off the flying home of the men and women who would issue control America's nuclear forces, as well as the workstations from which they would coordinate nuclear strikes.

新的 YouTube 視頻，提供了一種罕見的美國"夜間偵察"飛機之一。E-4B 是由美國空軍將民航機747-200改裝而成。操作和這些飛機之一是高空飛行，準備好在任何時候都可以負責核子危機的任務。在加州特拉維斯空軍基地所拍攝的視頻，顯示返航的男女飛空員, 他們會發出控制美國核武和工作站的操控任務，從這些工作站他們將協調核武攻擊。

The four U.S. Air Force E-4B "Nightwatch" planes are designed to ensure continuity of government in the event of a surprise U.S. nuclear attack. In case of attack, the President, Vice President, or the Joint Chiefs of Staff would meet up with the E-4B at a secret location and assume control of remaining American nuclear forces. The E-4B would then fly a classified route over the United States, skirting obvious nuclear targets, theoretically staying in the air for days at a time with the help of Air Force midair refueling tankers.

一旦美國遭受核戰奇襲時,空軍四架""夜間偵察"飛機-E-4B "的設計, 就是要確保政府運作不受干擾。攻擊發生時，總統、 副總統或聯席參謀首長們將與 E-4B在一個秘密地點會合, 並承擔剩餘的美國核武力量的控制。E-4B 然後將循分類的路線,沿著明顯的核子目標，飛越美國，從理論上說, 是藉空軍空中加油機之助, 連續在空中飛行。

The E-4B has advanced secure communications systems that would allow it to remain in contact with America's nuclear forces in wartime. It is also protected against the effects of electromagnetic pulse, a surge of electromagnetic radiation released by a nuclear explosion that can knock out electrical and computer systems. The airplanes are also used by the Secretary of Defense when he travels overseas, to provide a secure communications platform and a means to whisk him or her to safety in a crisis.

E-4B 已擁有先進的安全通訊系統，使其在戰時保持聯繫美國的核武力量。它也受保護,免受電磁波輻射的影響, 此乃核武器爆炸時,所釋出來的電磁放射線物質。當國防部長出訪海外時,也使用此種飛機，以提供他一個安全的通信平臺,和在危機中, 能迅速送他或她到達安全地點。

The Nightwatch planes are based at Offutt Air Force Base, located outside Omaha, Nebraska. Two E-4Bs sustained minor damage earlier this summer when a tornado touched down on the base. The E-4Bs first entered service in 1980, and the Air Force is preparing to replace them with newer aircraft.

"夜間偵察"飛機的基地設在內布拉斯加州,奧馬哈外圍的Offutt 空軍基地。今年夏天當龍捲風襲擊該基地時,有兩架 E 4Bs 遭到輕微損壞. E 4Bs 于 1980 年，首次進入服役，空軍正準備將它們汰換成更新的飛機。

參觀視頻:

https://youtu.be/H7UHjIjNswo

Justin Lai 選稿

10/17/2017

The China Puzzle-『中國謎團』-1

The China Puzzle-『中國謎團』-1

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD, N.Y.T. (紐約時報社論-刊登于Sept.16, 2017)

《編按》

最近不少台灣人憂慮，中國何時武力犯台。2018? 2020? 台灣又能撐多久…..等等。其實中、美、台三地的問題，中美關係決定一切，兩國若能互相信任，中國不必單方面挑起事端，發動台海戰事，兩國若互相猜疑，或中國為安撫國内急進派而冒然出兵，但這個代價太高，中國豈能不三思而行?

                             

自從1970年代尼克森總統敲開中國大門，美國人開始對中國親善，並送它進入聯合國，美、中合作對抗蘇俄，直到1990年代蘇聯解體。從福特總統至歐巴馬，對中國，不論共和民主兩黨幾乎均表示友善。而此期間，中國也逐漸「改革開放」，如今羽毛已豐。但此友善態度隨川普的上台，有某些程度的改變。川普常不經過國務院而隨興發表個人看法。川普預定今年11月，親訪中國，中、美存在之重要問題，包含北韓核試挑釁、美、中貿易逆差及南海霸權問題等，在在考慮兩國領導人之智慧。按目前情勢看，白宮幕僚能掌握中國及中美情勢之智囊者十分有限，相對地，中國方面比較穩定瞭解目前形勢。川、習兩人個性迥異，前者常不經幕僚，即以『生意人』之條件交換方式，代替外交磋商而貿然出口，後者是共產黨鬥争中成長的，看似較為內斂穩重。

本文乃國際著名平面媒體-紐約時報之社論，可見其監督政府之用心，不論川普理不理會它的評論。

【本文】：

Steve Bannon, the former presidential confidante, was as apocalyptic as ever about China on the eve of his trip to Hong Kong. The man who had all but declared “economic war” with China in earlier interviews said to a Times reporter, “A hundred years from now, this is what they’ll remember — what we did to confront China on its rise to world domination.” On arrival, in a speech to a big investor conference, he seemed to have softened a bit, praising China’s leadership and offering hopes that a trade war could be averted.

前川普總統的知己密友，貝隆史蒂夫，(按：已離開白宮) 在出發前往香港旅行的前夕，關于中國，他曾經看作像世界末日一樣十分悲觀。此君在較早的訪談中，幾乎對中國宣佈"經濟戰爭"，他對紐約時報記者說， "百年後的今日他們會記住 ，我們在面對中國之崛起，並竄升至世界的統治地位時的所作所為。" 到達目的地後，在大投資者的會議上，他的語氣似乎鬆動了一下，稱讚中國的領導階層，和祭出一場貿易戰可以避免的希望。

Mr. Bannon reflects a basic tension in the Trump administration: whether to challenge China (and if so, where and when) or work with it. There is, on the one hand, huge resentment toward Beijing — which Mr. Bannon shares — among those who believe that China has grown its economy at the expense of the working and middle classes. (The focus of his speech was instructive: “American economic nationalism and the populist revolt and Asia,” the three intertwined in his mind.) And then there are those who believe that without China’s help there can be no serious deterrent to North Korea (which fired off another missile near Japan last week), no lasting stability in the South China Sea and the Asian rim as a whole.

貝隆(Bannon) 先生反映了川普政府基本的緊張： 是否要挑戰中國 (如果是的話，何時、何地較妥) 要不然就與它合作。一方面，對北京有相當大的怨恨 —包含貝隆本身—還有在那些相信中國之獲得經濟成長，乃經由犧牲中產階層利益的人們之中，他也是其中之–。(他發言的重點是具有教育意義: 「美國經濟國家主義和民粹主義的反抗和亞洲」，這三項在他心中交雜在一起。)然後，有一些人認為，如果沒有中國的幫助，就無法嚴重地遏阻北韓（它上周發射了另一枚導彈至接近日本之處）、在南中國海和亞洲周邊，整體上也不會有一個有持久的穩定。

This much is true: For the foreseeable future, no relationship is more crucial than that between these two nations. Together, they have a combined population of more than 1.7 billion people. Their economies dwarf all others, they both have nuclear weapons, they both have veto power in the United Nations Security Council. Their appetites and ambitions shape the globe: Together they can make for a more peaceful world; as adversaries, they can make a mess of things.

                      

                   前白宮高級顧問因與川普女婿意見不合而離職

這都是真的：在可預見的未來，沒有比這兩個國家之間的關系更重要。合在一起，他們人口總和超過 17 億人。此兩國的經濟加在一起，高於所有其他國家，他們都擁有核子武器，他們兩國在聯合國安理會皆擁有否決權。他們的欲望和野心塑造全球：兩國的合作可促成一個更和平的世界；但若相互為敵，可以把世界搞得一團糟。

To some extent, President Trump seems to understand all that. He engaged early with President Xi Jinping, at his Mar-a-Lago resort, and has sought to regularly consult the Chinese leader, including a recent exchange that the president described as a “very strong phone call.” Yet, at the same time, he has failed to articulate a coherent strategy toward China or to achieve significant progress on the many consequential issues. He seems also to lump all China-related issues into one big, menacing ball — trade, tariffs, North Korea — rather than dealing with them separately, and this has added more complications.

川普總統似乎某種程度地明白所有這一切。之前他約了中國國家主席習近平，來到他在Mar-a-Lafo 湖邊的假家村，並一直設法定期和中國領導人磋商，包括總統形容為「強而有力的電話交談」的意見交換。然而，同時他卻未能明白表達一項，對中國連貫性的戰略，也未能在許多重要問題上取得顯著的進展。他也似乎把所有與中國有關的問題，籠統地混雜成為一個大，且具威脅性的球團，包含貿易、 關稅、 朝鮮等 — 而宣非分別地處理它們，也因此增加了更多的問題併發症。

Additionally, the administration has been slow to get China experts into senior posts at the White House and State Department; for good or ill, Mr. Bannon was one person with Mr. Trump’s ear who took a big interest in China. Now there is no senior person with close ties to the president to oversee China policy, which does little to foster a consistent policy or reflect well on American leadership.

此外，川普政府當局，在白宮和國務院內，一直緩慢地地重用中國問題專家，並安插他們在高級職位上。不論或好、壞，貝隆(Bannon)先生，總算是一位對中國有高度興趣的，川普先生的重要資訊收集人。現在則缺少一位和總統關係密切的資深人士，可以負責監督中國政策，因此無助于促進連貫的政策，或好好地反映美國的領導地位。

待續

Justin Lai 編譯

10/08/2017

『心理作用的醫療效果』

『心理作用的醫療效果』思想能影響基因的表達嗎？

Can Thoughts Influence the Expression of Genes? –

《編按》：

曾經有位日本著名醫學專家曾說，許多病人每日服用的醫藥(medication) ，多半並不需要，亦即不服用也不影響病情。真是這樣? 也許是吧。尤其是疼痛等慢性疾病(chronic diseases) ，如關節炎(arthritis) 或與代謝作用(metabolism)相關的病痛。依本文作者看法，長期服用止痛藥(pain-killer)如習慣成性(habit-forming) ，對心理會造成影響，因為病人基於某種信念，認為服了藥就會止痛，對醫藥的依賴也隨之加深。這就是作者認為「思想能影響人體基因」的道理。

原作者：不詳

    

                  遺傳基因對行為的影響                           行為遺傳 (生理遺傳、基因、環境)

To clarify, “influence your genetics” means to turn genes on or off. Not all genes are accessible to modification. We have critical periods in development during which certain genes may be influenced before they go silent. For example, the genes that build the structure of your body. We have only one window of time during which to build arms, legs, teeth, etc. During this window, things like drugs, maternal illness and nutrition can affect genetic expression. Once that window closes, we cannot “will” to grow a new tooth or replace an amputated limb.

說清楚一些，「影響你們的遺傳基因」意味著打開或關閉基因。並非所有的基因都可以修改。在發展期間，我們遭遇關鍵時期，某些基因在默默無聞之前，可能受到影響。例如，建造你軀體結構的基因。我們只有一個時間的視窗，來打造胳膊、 腿、 牙齒等。在此視窗中，諸如藥物、產婦疾病和營養，可以影響遺傳基因的表達。一旦該視窗關閉，我們將無法"決心想要"長出新牙或替換斷肢再植。

                                                                                                        

                             天生與後天之争辯-包含家庭因素、同性双包胎和收養兒童之比較

Other genes are operative throughout your life, making hormones and enzymes, building proteins to digest food, replacing cells, repairing damage, etc. . These are the ones which might be influenced.

在你一生中其他的基因都是在運作，它們製造荷爾蒙和酶(酵素)，建立蛋白質來消化食物，取代細胞，修復受損等等。這些都是那些可能會受影響的基因。

The simplest demonstration that we do influence our genes by our thoughts is the Placebo effect, in which an inert substance can behave like a real drug.

藉由思想，我們的確影響我們的基因的最簡單的說明，就是安慰劑的效應，在此效應中，某一種惰性物質可以表現得像一個真正的毒品一樣。

When we are given a Placebo pain killer, the mere belief in the power of this pill causes us to generate real endogenous molecules which actually do block pain.

當我們服用安慰劑止疼藥片時，光相信這顆藥丸的力量，就會使我們產生真正內源性分子，而實際阻止了疼痛的感覺。

This can be proven by giving Naloxone to a person after he begins showing a placebo effect of pain relief. Naloxone blocks the action of opioids (pain killers). Once you administer the Naloxone to the person experiencing placebo pain relief, the placebo effect disappears. That is, the pain returns.

在病人開始顯示止痛劑的安慰性效應之後，通過讓他服用酮(嗎啡)，就可以證明。納洛酮(嗎啡)能阻斷鴉片類藥物（止痛藥）的藥性。一旦你讓服用過安慰疼痛緩解劑的人，再服用納洛酮(嗎啡)，安慰劑效應就消失了。易言之，痛苦又回復。

This means the person had created their own opioids(from the mere belief that he would be relieved) and that these opioids (which effectively silenced pain centers) could be blocked (effect removed) by Naloxone, just as real molecules of heroin would be blocked.

 (從單純的相信，他的痛會好的信念），這意味著這個人已創造了他們『自己的』鴉片類藥物，（此等藥物有效壓制了疼痛中心區），而納洛酮(嗎啡)可阻断鴉片類藥物(使喪失藥效) ，正如海洛因真實的分子會被阻断一様。

This demonstrates that the genetic machinery can be turned on by thoughts.

這表明人類思想可以開啟遺傳性的機制效應。

Other examples are the calming effect and reduction of lactic acid brought about by meditation (Wallace RK, Benson H. The physiology of meditation. 1972). Or the therapeutic effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in changing one's maladaptive (stress causing) thoughts into more productive interpretations. Changes in perceived stress levels have a dramatic effect on cortisol production (see Robert Sapolsky Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers). It is rumored that prolonged exposure to stress can turn one’s hair grey and contribute to aging. Too Much Stress May Give Genes Gray Hair.

其他的例子是，鎮靜的效果和因冥想而導致的乳酸減少（見華萊士 RK，本森 H. 所著的「冥想的生理作用」。1972 年作）。或在將一個人的適應不良思考（引起憂鬱）改變為更具成就的詮釋時，認知行為療法的療效。被感覺到憂鬱程度的變化，對皮質醇的產生，有戲劇性的影響（見羅伯特 · 薩波斯基所著「為什麼斑馬不會得到潰瘍症」）。據傳，長時期的憂鬱可以使頭髮變成灰色，並使人老化。太多的精神壓力可能給基因帶來灰白的頭髮。

Studies of single mothers raising disabled children showed a shortening of telomeres at a rate thirteen times that of age matched controls (Epel et al . 2004) Happily, in providing these mothers with a support group, the production of telomerase, the enzyme which acts to restore some of this damage, will increase. So, ones’ social predicament influences one's biology.

對于扶養殘疾兒童的單身母親的研究，已顯示出：她們比同年齡婦女，端粒酶縮短十三倍。 (et al.2004年座談) 幸運的是，在提供支援這些母親的同時，端粒酶的製造，即恢復一些這種損害的酶就會增加。所以人的社會困境會影響他的生物狀態。

                                                              

           婦女易罹患的「猩紅狼瘡症-Lupus」-和遺傳基因有關

In sum, within certain parameters, the mind and body operate dynamically. But you cannot wish yourself to be taller, slimmer or improve your features this way.

總之，在一定範圍內，人類的頭腦和身體可以充滿活力地運作。但是你不能希望自己長得更高，苗條或通過這種方式來改進你的特點。

《譯者後記》：

台灣仍有些生活在較落後地區的人們，迄今仍相信廟宇的神明如乩童能治病，乩童開列治病之藥方，僅是「香灰」加一張冥錢，燒化充水服用。奇怪的是，有時疼痛症狀消失。因為患者對所謂的「神明」和「乩童」具有確能治病的『信心』(confidence and trust) 。有時當你感到疼痛異常，但到了診所，病情突然減輕三分之一，看到醫生再減輕三分之一，也許還未打針、服藥，完全不痛了。這是心理隨『生理基因』的轉變而形成的效應。因此有人說，有時服用自己信賴醫生開出的處方藥，藥效會相對增加，你相信嗎?

Translated by

Justin Lai 譯于美國南加州

09/26/2017

易犯的英文文法的錯誤-4

易犯的英文文法的錯誤-4

Embarrassing Grammatical Mistakes Even Smart People Make

Note: 編按：

美國人的英文，由於疏忽或教育水準不佳，即使聰明人亦常有出錯，久而久之，習以為常，以為錯的就是對的，反正『大家都錯，便是大家都對』。但偶而也有好心人士挺身而出，糾正一下，接不接受隨你，因為離開學校後，不太有人願意或膽敢挑出你的錯誤……。下列為某女士苦口婆心之善言忠告，其實這些錯誤，也發生在其他英語系的民族身上，只是有人知道，有人卻不知道而已。

21. THE FIRST-YEAR ANNIVERSARY-周年紀念-(誤)

   The first anniversary –(正)

註：anniversary, 一字源自ano= year年，如annual a. 每年的，~ income年收入，~ report (銀行) 年度報告。anniversary前僅可加順序形容詞：first, second….50^th ~等，若加year則意思重複。

The use of the word "year" is redundant. (多餘的) "The first anniversary" or "the 50th anniversary" suffice. (周年或50周年，這樣意思就夠了。他例：Suffice it to say, 2.5 million of residents are living without power during the storm. (暴風雨期間，光說有2百50萬人沒有電力可用，就夠了)

22. WORSE COMES TO WORSE. (誤) 每下愈况

  Worse come to worst. (正)

"Worse comes to worst,"--note the t--is better because it indicates something has degraded from one negative plane to the lowest possible.

註：此片語指「負面」的境况，從「比較壞到最壞」，worse乃bad或ill之比較級；worst為最高級。他例：

He lost his way； to make matters worse, he was broke.  (他迷路了，正糟的是，身上分文沒有。)

At worst, 30% of the loss will be recovered. (至壞，30%的損失可以要回來)

另，「更好的」沒有人用 “better to best”, 但可用on top of …..(錦上添花的是,) 例，He passed the oral exam, and on top of that, he won full scholarship. 他通過了口試，更棒的是，他獲全額獎學金。

23. UNTHAW (誤)- 融冰

thaw (正)

Even though people use this word as a verb all the time, the best way to "un-thaw" something would be to put it in the freezer. Is freezing what you mean, or thawing?

註：即使人們常用此字當動詞用，但un-thaw(結冰) 則最好把東西放在冰箱。你到底指何義? 是冷凍? 還是解凍。thaw=to melt(溶冰) ；失去冷淡。故thaw不可再加un-表示否定，否則成為結凍。另註：un+v. =原義相反，如untie解開，unbutton解開鈕釦，unbend變直，uncover=disclose，undress(脫下衣物)揭發，undo取消，恢復原狀，What is done cannot be undone(覆水難收)…。**沒有把握的字，不可自己創造。

24. HOT WATER HEATER (誤) 熱水爐

WATER HEATER (正)

If anything, it's a cold water heater. Just use "water heater."

註：熱水爐，只可用water heater或heater表示，不必再加hot。因heat作Vt. 用即有「加熱」之意，故不必再加hot。但a cold water heater, 則指「未加温」的熱水爐。

25. BaLDFACE LIE (誤) 無恥的謊言

BoLD-FACEd LIE (正)

"Bold-face" means shameless or showing no guilt. When a person tells a bold-faced lie, they are openly lying. An acceptable variant of this phrase is a "barefaced lie."

註：boldface  n. 粗体鉛字；bold-face  n. bold-faced a. 厚顏的，bold-faced lie (= brazen, shameless=bold-faced)公然撒謊) ，也可用barefaced侮慢的。但bold-faced letters則是指粗體字印出的字母。另bald a. 禿頭的

Justin Lai編譯

09/16/2017