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| | | | About two years ago an Oracle sales manager called me from his London office to discuss the sale of some demand management software packages. During the conversation he uncovered one of his big ambitions: he was planning to call all Chinese who speak English in about half a year. I smiled and simply gave him my best wishes. Until now I’m not sure if he has completed this great job or not. But one thing is certain: this task is getting tougher if he doesn’t have it done yet. About one year passed I CAMe across Thomas Friedman’s best seller The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century in which he lists ten world flatteners. What he doesn’t say is that English is also one of such world flatteners perhaps just because this is a self-evident fact. Perhaps he is right in not regarding English as a world flattener because in China the world is unflat as far as English is concerned despite this country’s ever-lasting English fever. This is further supported by one of McKinsey’s studies in which it regarded English as one of the disadvantages China faces in its race of development against the developed Western world as well as the developing India. A survey on the ever accumulating international knowledge base (especially in modern times) shows this quite flatly: any non-English speaking nation will be marginalized in this English dominating world if it doesn’t attempt to be integrated in it. (This is doesn’t mean non-English speaking nation should give up its unique heritages) About two or three months ago, AMT’s V-Sharing honored me by putting in the category of ENGLISH my circle of English Ceiling Breaker. Well, if all of the circles on V-Sharing are classified according to the language used, I’m afraid that they fall into only two categories: Chinese Circle and English Circle! It’s a joke of course. Actually I do appreciate V-Sharing’s special treatment. This serves my purpose well, for I wish that this circle will be a virtual community where ambitious elites with global business horizons converge, though at present it’s only a cradle. English is definitely one of the hallmarks of those elites. Equipped with such a powerful instrument, those elites’ capability of in-informing (one of the ten world flatteners) will be greatly strengthened and enhanced. The world is becoming flat whether we like it or not. Glocalization (Globalization combined with localization) is a trend no one can stop. Consequently, for those built to last companies, they need to go with the trend; for those good to great companies, they need to ride the wave and forge ahead; for those start-ups, they must be able to learn to dance with both local and international giants and survive and prosper in clearly defined market segments even if they just want to do business in their communities. How do they achieve their goals? Search for and make full use of those elites I mentioned above. Where do they find them? Frequently browse most virtual communities (inclusive of the circle of English Ceiling Breaker) on the Internet. The era of 51Job (I want a job said by a job seeker) is going to phase out and the era of 51talent (I want talent said by a talent hungry company) is coming. On the other hand, it’s really tough for an ambitious person to successfully attract the attention of their prospective employers, business partners and good friends that are able to share successes and lessons of their life as well as their careers. A person’s blog may be their second ID, and it may serve as an attractor and an inexpensive marketing platform that may be instrumental in creating numerous opportunities to publicize and make full use of one’s talents and potentials. To gain this end, your rapport is a must. Join this circle and help form a pool of talents, or tap this developing pool. Keep in mind that on this website where knowledge is proliferating at dizzy speeds opportunities have wings. In short, support us, love us or hate us but don’t say “I don’t care” to us. f there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this CAMpaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of_ charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and SCORching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.
I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, 'We are not enemies, but friends＃though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.' And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that 'We Shall Overcome.' Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. 如果还有人对美国是否凡事都有可能存疑，还有人怀疑美国奠基者的梦想在我们所处的时代是否依然鲜活，还有人质疑我们的民主制度的力量，那么今晚，这些问题都有了答案。
这是设在学校和教堂的投票站前排起的前所未见的长队给出的答案；是等了三四个小时的选民所给出的答案，其中许多人都是有生以来第一次投票，因为他们认定这一次肯定会不一样，认为自己的声音会是这次大选有别于以往之所在。
这是所有美国人民共同给出的答案－－无论老少贫富，无论是民主党还是共和党，无论是黑人、白人、拉美裔、亚裔、原住民，是同性恋者还是异性恋者、残疾人还是健全人－－我们从来不是“红州”和“蓝州”的对立阵营，我们是美利坚合众国这个整体，永远都是。
长久以来，很多人一再受到告诫，要对我们所能取得的成绩极尽讽刺、担忧和怀疑之能事，但这个答案让这些人伸出手来把握历史，再次让它朝向美好明天的希望延伸。
已经过去了这么长时间，但今晚，由于我们在今天、在这场大选中、在这个具有决定性的时刻所做的，美国已经迎来了变革。
我刚刚接到了麦凯恩参议员极具风度的致电。他在这场大选中经过了长时间的努力奋斗，而他为自己所深爱的这个国家奋斗的时间更长、过程更艰辛。他为美国做出了我们大多数人难以想像的牺牲，我们的生活也因这位勇敢无私的领袖所做出的贡献而变得更美好。我向他和佩林州长所取得的成绩表示祝贺，我也期待着与他们一起在未来的岁月中为复兴这个国家的希望而共同努力。
我要感谢我在这次旅程中的伙伴－－已当选美国副总统的拜登。他全心参与竞选活动，为普通民众代言，他们是他在斯克兰顿从小到大的伙伴，也是在他回特拉华的火车上遇到的男男女女。
如果没有一个人的坚决支持，我今晚就不会站在这里，她是我过去16年来最好的朋友、是我们一家人的中坚和我一生的挚爱，更是我们国家的下一位第一夫人：米歇尔·奥巴马(Michelle Obama)。萨莎(Sasha)和玛丽亚(Malia)，我太爱你们两个了，你们已经得到了一条新的小狗，它将与我们一起入驻白宫。虽然我的外祖母已经不在了，但我知道她与我的亲人肯定都在看着我，因为他们，我才能拥有今天的成就。今晚，我想念他们，我知道自己欠他们的无可计量。
我的竞选经理大卫·普劳夫(David Plouffe)、首席策略师大卫·艾克斯罗德(David Axelrod)以及政治史上最好的竞选团队－－是你们成就了今天，我永远感激你们为实现今天的成就所做出的牺牲。
但最重要的是，我永远不会忘记这场胜利真正的归属－－它属于你们。
我从来不是最有希望的候选人。一开始，我们没有太多资金，也没有得到太多人的支持。我们的竞选活动并非诞生于华盛顿的高门华第之内，而是始于得梅因、康科德、查尔斯顿这些地方的普通民众家中。
我们的竞选活动能有今天的规模，是因为辛勤工作的人们从自己的微薄积蓄中拿出钱来，捐出一笔又一笔5美元、10美元、20美元。而竞选活动的声势越来越大则是源自那些年轻人，他们拒绝接受认为他们这代人冷漠的荒诞说法；他们离开家、离开亲人，从事报酬微薄、极其辛苦的工作；同时也源自那些已经不算年轻的人们，他们冒着严寒酷暑，敲开陌生人的家门进行竞选宣传；更源自数百万的美国民众，他们自动自发地组织起来，证明了在两百多年以后，民有、民治、民享的政府并未从地球上消失。这是你们的胜利。
我知道你们的所做所为并不只是为了赢得大选，我也知道你们做这一切并不是为了我。你们这样做是因为你们明白摆在面前的任务有多艰巨。因为即便我们今晚欢呼庆祝，我们也知道明天将面临我们一生之中最为艰巨的挑战－－两场战争、一个面临危险的星球，还有百年来最严重的金融危机。今晚站在此地，我们知道伊拉克的沙漠里和阿富汗的群山中还有勇敢的美国子弟兵醒来，甘冒生命危险保护着我们。会有在孩子熟睡后仍难以入眠的父母，担心如何偿还月供、付医药费或是存够钱送孩子上大学。我们亟待开发新能源、创造新的工作机会；我们需要修建新学校，还要应对众多威胁、修复与许多国家的关系。
前方的道路会十分漫长艰辛。我们可能无法在一年甚至一届任期之内实现上述目标，但我从未像今晚这样满怀希望，相信我们会实现。我向你们承诺－－我们作为一个整体将会达成目标。
我们会遭遇挫折和不成功的开端。对于我作为总统所做的每项决定和政策，会有许多人持有异议，我们也知道政府并不能解决所有问题。但我会向你们坦陈我们所面临的挑战。我会聆听你们的意见，尤其是在我们意见相左之时。最重要的是，我会请求你们参与重建这个国家，以美国221年来从未改变的唯一方式－－一砖一瓦、胼手胝足。
21个月前那个寒冬所开始的一切不应该在今天这个秋夜结束。今天的选举胜利并不是我们所寻求的改变－－这只是我们实现改变的机会。而且如果我们仍然按照旧有方式行事，我们所寻求的改变不可能出现。没有你们，也不可能有这种改变。
因此，让我们发扬新的爱国精神，树立新的服务意识和责任感，让我们每个人下定决心全情投入、更加努力地工作，并彼此关爱。让我们铭记这场金融危机带来的教训：我们不可能在金融以外的领域备受煎熬的同时拥有繁荣兴旺的华尔街－－在这个国家，我们患难与共。
让我们抵制重走老路的诱惑，避免重新回到长期荼毒美国政治的党派纷争和由此引发的遗憾和不成熟表现。让我们牢记，正是伊利诺伊州的一名男子首次将共和党的大旗扛到了白宫。共和党是建立在自强自立、个人自由以及全民团结的价值观上，这也是我们所有人都珍视的价值。虽然民主党今天晚上赢得了巨大的胜利，但我们是以谦卑的态度和弥合阻碍我们进步的分歧的决心赢得这场胜利的。林肯在向远比我们眼下分歧更大的国家发表讲话时说，我们不是敌人，而是朋友……虽然激情可能褪去，但是这不会割断我们感情上的联系。对于那些现在并不支持我的美国人，我想说，或许我没有赢得你们的选票，但是我听到了你们的声音，我需要你们的帮助，而且我也将是你们的总统。
那些彻夜关注美国大选的海外人士，从国会到皇宫，以及在这个世界被遗忘的角落里挤在收音机旁的人们，我们的经历虽然各有不同，但是我们的命运是相通的，新的美国领袖诞生了。那些想要颠覆这个世界的人们，我们必将击败你们。那些追求和平和安全的人们，我们支持你们。那些所有怀疑美国能否继续照亮世界发展前景的人们，今天晚上我们再次证明，我们国家真正的力量并非来自我们武器的威力或财富的规模，而是来自我们理想的持久力量：民主、自由、机会和不屈的希望。
这才是美国真正的精华－－美国能够改变。我们的联邦会日臻完善。我们取得的成就为我们将来能够取得的以及必须取得的成就增添了希望。
这次大选创造了多项“第一”，也诞生了很多将世代流传的故事。但是今天晚上令我难忘的却是在亚特兰大投票的一名妇女：安·尼克松·库波尔(Ann Nixon Cooper)。她和其他数百万排队等待投票的选民没有什么差别，除了一点：她已是106岁的高龄。
她出生的那个时代奴隶制度刚刚结束；那时路上没有汽车，天上也没有飞机；当时像她这样的人由于两个原因不能投票－－一是她是女性，另一个原因是她的肤色。
今天晚上，我想到了她在美国过去一百年间所经历的种种：心痛和希望；挣扎和进步；那些我们被告知我们办不到的世代，以及那些坚信美国信条──是的，我们能做到──的人们。
曾几何时，妇女没有发言权，她们的希望化作泡影，但是安·尼克松·库波尔活了下来，看到妇女们站了起来，看到她们大声发表自己的见解，看到她们去参加大选投票。是的，我们能做到。
当30年代的沙尘暴和大萧条引发人们的绝望之情时，她看到一个国家用罗斯福新政、新就业机会以及对新目标的共同追求战胜恐慌。是的，我们能做到。
当炸弹袭击了我们的海港、独裁专制威胁到全世界，她见证了美国一代人的伟大崛起，见证了一个民主国家被拯救。是的，我们能做到。
她看到蒙哥马利通了公共汽车、伯明翰接上了水管、塞尔马建了桥，一位来自亚特兰大的传教士告诉人们：我们能成功。是的，我们能做到。
人类登上月球、柏林墙倒下，世界因我们的科学和想像被连接在一起。今年，就在这次选举中，她用手指触碰屏幕投下自己的选票，因为在美国生活了106年之后，经历了最好的时光和最黑暗的时刻之后，她知道美国如何能够发生变革。是的，我们能做到。
美国，我们已经走过漫漫长路。我们已经历了很多。但是我们仍有很多事情要做。因此今夜，让我们自问－－如果我们的孩子能够活到下个世纪；如果我们的女儿有幸活得和安一样长，他们将会看到怎样的改变？我们将会取得怎样的进步？
现在是我们回答这个问题的机会。这是我们的时刻。这是我们的时代－－让我们的人民重新就业，为我们的后代敞开机会的大门；恢复繁荣发展，推进和平事业；让“美国梦”重新焕发光芒，再次证明这样一个基本的真理：我们是一家人；一息尚存，我们就有希望；当我们遇到嘲讽和怀疑，当有人说我们办不到的时候，我们要以这个永恒的信条来回应他们：
是的，我们能做到。感谢你们。愿上帝保佑你们，保佑美利坚合众国。
It was going to snow as night fell. My good friend invited me to attend her hot pot dinner, which, she claimed, might soothe her troubled mind, for her refusal to have a kid had angered her husband and their tension was running somewhat like flames raging so high that she ordered me who was obviously expected to act as an extinguisher to attend this dinner at full speed after I had picked up my daughter at the kindergarten and settled her at home. Long time ago she tried hard to persuade me not to have a kid because having kids was just like a risky investment: if you had a genius, it would definitely be a glory to the mother; if you had a blockhead, all of your happiness would have to be sacrificed and lost. I smiled at her human trafficker like nonsense, but now I have to admit that what she had said has unfortunately turned out to be true. At the crowded kindergarten gate, I was holding my daughter’s hands in front of her teacher who looked like she had something to say, though she was a bit uncertain. Some minutes later, she said to me in a low voice after a slight sigh: “Your girl is as shy as what mimosa is sensitive to touch and light, I mean, she is as silent as a nut at a music class; she is always half a beat slower than other kids. She is alone with herself at a concern even during a game.” I’m feeling cold all over, and my head ached badly. The face of my daughter was hidden in my heavy coat and was moving to and fro inside uneasily. This made me a bit more disturbed. Compared with other lovely kids, for a girl who was notified to be terminally ill when she was born, my daughter was not only abnormally short, but slow in thought and action as well. The teacher was wrestling with her mind, but finally she told me another more embarrassing thing. These days my daughter can’t control her appetite at meal times. She is always asking for more rice even if she’s already full. Another parent went by overhearing this. He turned back in curiosity and had a look at my girl with a strange smile on his face. Standing in front of the teacher, I struggled hard to keep calm while in the depth of my mind I was so irritated that I just couldn’t help challenging anyone for a big quarrel! I didn’t know how I went back home, only knew that I collapsed on the bed with my head keeping turning. Then my daughter opened the door and murmured to ask me to teach her something. I tried my best to keep me from losing temper, and closed my eyes paying no attention to her. A short while later, just I was about to fall asleep, the door was half opened again with irritating noise, my daughter poked her head out the small opening. This was more than what I could withstand. Like a suddenly erupted volcano, I shouted at her: “You go out of my sight! Bug off!” Daughter backed herself to the corner of the room out of great shock. Ages went by, she asked me in a terrified shaking voice: “Mummy, if a girl has killed her left hand, is she going to die?” Utterly discomfited, I pulled her left hand out of her back only to find that the cut was so deep and was blooding heavily. My head couldn’t help turning again: What a silly girl she was! She nearly killed herself when she was being naughty. Oh, my god, what sort of girl you gave me! We hurried to the hospital with staggering feet in the darkness when the snowing was getting heavier and heavier. Daughter didn’t cry and she didn’t ask me to carry her in my arm. She just followed me silently. It seemed that she also realized that she had made a big trouble. At the hospital, the do ctor said that since the cut was so deep, in order to avoid infection transfusion would be needed after the cut had been sewed. But there might be a permanent scar on my daughter’s hand. This kind doctor gave me such a warning and he also admonished my carelessness. On hearing this, Daughter didn’t make a sound. She just burned her thin little face in her knees and kept that posture for a long time. Only after Daughter had fallen asleep when the transfusion was over, the appointment with my good friend CAMe to my mind. I hurriedly called back telling her the whole story. “It’s so hard to have a child. It seems that I’m right in deciding not to have children”, she whispered. Her words refreshed my old soft wounds. My tears came out all of a sudden. For many years my husband is working at a remote place, leaving me alone to take care of our fragile little daughter and my own troublesome job. The great pressure has almost ground me into pieces, which has wrinkled both my face and heart. I had thought that kids are the best gift from the heaven. Now I’ve come to realize that this gift is accompanied by so many appendants that you can’t take. Holding the phone, I couldn’t help telling her of my grievance and regrets. When my story went to the part of the parent’s strange expression on his face, I couldn’t do anything but weep. My good friend then tried to console me. “Don’t let the girl to hear all of those things”, she added. I looked back at my daughter who was sleeping on the bed with her eyelashes trembling like the wet wings of a butterfly. When we arrived at home, it was already very late. On opening the door, I heard our telephone was ringing. Daughter tiptoed into her bedroom when I picked up the phone. It was her teacher. She told me that she had been calling me all the time and she would be feeling guilty and couldn’t sleep tonight if I didn’t receive her call. It turned out that the parent who had overheard our conversation had a talk with her. He said that his child was getting along well with my daughter. According to his child, her good friend tried to eat more than her stomach could hold not because she was silly or she had an insatiable appetite for food, but because she knew that Mummy had been working extremely hard; by having sufficient food, she would not always fall ill, she would be soon taller and much clever, she would be able to cook for Mummy, and she would be able to do the mopping for Mummy. This way Mummy would have less trouble and worry. At this point, Daughter’s teacher choked for a while, and then she went on in a low voice: “Your daughter further told her good friend, she’s determined to learn how to peel apples because apples are Mummy’s favorites”. Suddenly I felt a spasm of pain and it dawned to me that Daughter first went to my room because she wanted me to teach her how to peel apples. However, I didn’t pay attention to this at all; and she ended up with such a bad cut when she only wanted to try to peel an apple for her mummy! I went to her bedroom. To my surprise, she was wearing a princess dress of summer in this snowy night, and she was standing here silently, as if she was a little snowman that was going to melt when the sun rose. On seeing me, I read in her eyes a shy apology, and all of a sudden, something salty went to my nose. “Mummy, don’t cry. I’m dancing for you, Hyacinth in Full Bloom, a new dance I just learned” I noticed that her right stocking looked funny. “Yesterday I went to the dancing room and took off my shoes to find there was a hole in the toe of the stocking. Some of my kindergarten classmates laughed at me. I later found a needle and some thread to sew the hole. It was okay now only that there was a lump there.” Daughter explained for me. I went down to feel that lump, a rough lump that hurt my hand and my heart. That lump was irritating her right foot the whole day and I knew nothing about this. She’s only a four and half year girl, and being afraid that Mummy would be unhappy, she thought hard and in the end she succeeded in sewing this hole. However, I, as her mother, had thought that she was stupid! She was singing softly and swinging her arms, and her palms were together, as if they were a shy flower bud. In the light of the lamp, the flower bud began to shyly blossom in the wind and rain. When the performance, during which Daughter was staring at me with her bright dark eyes sparking below her single fold eyelids, went to the point where she placed her heavily bandaged left hand placing on the top of her head, all of the petals were slowly to spread bit by bit. In this snow falling evening, my little girl was a wounded soldier who bravely turned herself into a blooming snow white hyacinth! “Mummy, all of my kindergarten classmates laughed at my slow spreading, someone even called me an idiot.” the little hyacinth quietly told me at the end of the performance. A thrill of trembling shock crept over me, and my heart sank sadly. Daughter stopped for a while, and then she continued quietly, “The dancing teacher told the class that I am not an idiot, I am a white hyacinth, a quiet and shy hyacinth that will be the most beautiful one in its full bloom, though compared with purple, blue and red hyacinths, it takes longer time to grow and blossom.” The cold snow in my heart suddenly melted, a wave of sweetness warmed me up. I bent to hold tightly her little body, which is the most moving and tangible warmth in this earthly world. With Daughter in my hug, I saw in the cozy light of the street lamps outside the window, a crystal clear world where white hyacinths are in full bloom on the tender eaves, under the loving branches, and in quiet lanes, a world where every seed from the heaven tries her best to come to the earth to attend a feast of flowers where they will be able to grow into an ocean of hyacinths racing for the glory that only belongs to them. Long lost peace and happiness came to me. Now I want to tell the whole world: please allow a white hyacinth to grow slowly and quietly because no matter how hard it may snow or blow that little one will one day be able to grow into the most beautiful flower to make for the hardships of the gardeners who have been patiently taking care of them all the time. Tomorrow I will tell all of my friends that it’s really a blessing to have a hyacinth. I don't know the orignal source of the article to be shared below. What I do know that it's written by heart. Read it and you may find something real but touching. As a token of my appreciation, I made an English translation for the sake of those readers who are interested in English and frequenters of Ceiling Breaker. 每个孩子都是一朵风信子，请耐心等待他（她）的绽放。 ZT 天晚欲雪，好友邀我去火锅城，说满腹心事要借火锅一涮。为着不肯做母亲，她与老公已成水火之势，欲借我这个过来人做灭火器，令我安置好女儿后速速赴约。 当初她也极力劝过我，做母亲投资太多风险太大，如果生个神童还好，当妈的里子面子全赚足了，万一生个木头木脑的呆瓜，连自己的快乐都得赔进去，实在是亏大了。那时我笑她像个人贩子，现在却觉得她句句都是金玉良言。 幼儿园门前熙熙攘攘，我牵着女儿的手，老师踌躇着，似有话要说。半晌，她微微叹道：这孩子含羞草似的，音乐课嘴闭成一枚坚果，舞蹈课总比别人慢半拍，就连游戏时，也是独自在角落张望。 我似乎感冒了，全身发冷，头痛欲裂。女儿将脸藏在我的大衣里，不安地蹭来蹭去，我愈发烦躁。一出世就得到病危通知的女儿，在这群活泼可爱的宝宝中间，不仅身高不足，性格也甚是木讷。 老师斟酌再三，又说了一件愈发让我尴尬的事，女儿这些天用餐控制不住食量，常常吃到胃痛还要求添饭。旁边有位家长擦肩而过，他好奇地回过头，望望女儿，脸上的表情似笑非笑。我在老师面前兀自强撑着微笑，心里却暴躁得想找谁大吵一架。 头晕目眩地到了家，一摊泥般软在床上。女儿推开门，期期艾艾地要我教她什么，我极力克制着恼怒，闭上眼睛不去睬她。可不一会儿，我刚昏昏欲睡，门又发出刺耳的吱呀声，她的脑袋在门边闪闪缩缩，心力交瘁的我终于爆发了，狂怒地指着她喊叫：滚出去，我不想看见你! 女儿惊骇地缩到墙角，过了好一会儿，才瑟瑟发抖地问：妈妈，一个人杀了自己的手，她会死吗?我气急败坏地将她藏在背后的手拉出来，头立时嗡嗡作响，那么多的血，那么深的伤口!连淘气都笨得险些杀了自己，老天啊，你到底给了我一个什么样的孩子! 我们跌跌撞撞地往医院走，雪大起来，女儿没有哭也没有要我抱，一声不响地在我身后紧追慢赶，看来她也知道自己闯了大祸。 到了医院，医生说伤口太深，为防止感染，缝合后要输液，而且可能会留下永久性疤痕。好心的医生责备着我的疏忽，女儿默默听着，将瘦小的脸深深埋在膝间，长久地不肯抬起来。 打上点滴后，女儿在病床上睡了，方想起好友之约，急急回电说明原因，她幽幽地说：看来不要孩子是对的，太难了。 一句话触痛我所有的暗伤，泪猛然间决堤。这些年丈夫远在外地，我独自在病弱幼女和繁琐工作间奔走，巨大的压力几乎辗我为尘，皱纹天罗地网般自心底罩到面上。当初我认为孩子是上天赠送的最好礼物，现在才知道，这礼物有那么多教人承受不起的附加品。 握着电话，忍不住向好友倾诉自己的委屈与懊恼，说到下午那位家长好奇的表情时，我已是泣不成声，好友连连劝我，说千万不能让孩子听到这些话。 我回头看看女儿，她向里睡着，眼睫毛扑簌簌地抖，像蝴蝶湿了的翅膀。到家已经很晚，一进门就听见电话铃响，女儿轻手轻脚去了卧室。女儿的老师说，她今晚一直在给我打电话，如果打不通她会内疚得连觉也睡不着的。 原来，那位听到我们谈话的家长去找了她。他说他的孩子和我女儿最要好，那孩子告诉爸爸，好朋友拼命吃那么多饭，不是傻，也不是贪吃，是因为她妈妈工作很辛苦，她要吃得饱饱的就不会老是生病，会快快长高长聪明，会给妈妈做饭，帮妈妈拖地，妈妈就不会再烦了。 说着说着，老师忽然哽咽了，她低声道：您的孩子还说，妈妈最爱吃苹果，她一定要学会削苹果。 我的心痉挛着，电光火石间忽然明白，她第一次进来，是想让我教她削苹果，我却没有睬她，她把自己伤得那么重，只是试图学着为我削一只苹果! 我来到她的房间，她居然换上了夏天才穿的公主裙，默默站在红地毯上，似一个小小雪人，仿佛太阳一出即会融化。一见我，她眼里闪过浓浓的歉疚，一下子，我的鼻子酸起来。她喃喃地说妈妈别哭，我给你跳舞，跳我刚刚学会的《风信子开了》。 我发现她右脚的袜子有些异样，她说，袜子破了一个洞，昨天脱掉鞋子进舞蹈教室时，有小朋友笑她露出的大脚趾，她便自己拿针线来缝，缝好后却成了一个小包。 我蹲下来，摸着那个疙瘩，硬硬地硌着手，也硌着我的心。她的脚被磨了一整天，我却不知道，她只有四岁半，怕妈妈会烦，自己苦苦琢磨着，竟然补上了这个破洞，做妈妈的却嫌她笨! 她轻轻唱着，缓缓摆动手臂，合拢的双手如一枚含羞紧闭的花苞。在灯光底下，花苞怯怯地打开，风来了，雨来了，她的单眼皮的黑眼睛一直看着我。她举在头顶的左手，还裹着厚厚的绷带，花瓣一点一点展开，女儿如同一个小小的勇敢的伤兵，在这个大雪纷飞的夜晚，终于将自己开成了一朵比雪还洁白的风信子。 风信子低声说：“妈妈，小朋友都笑我开得太慢了。还有人说我是白痴。”我一震，心被烫了似地猛一缩。 她顿了一下，静静地说：“舞蹈老师告诉大家，我不是白痴，我是白色的风信子，很安静很怕羞，比紫色、蓝色和红色的风信子要开得慢一些，可等到开好了会最美。” 全世界的雪都在瞬间融化，我的脸上溢过暖暖的柔波，我俯下身子，抱住她柔软的小身体，抱住漫漫红尘里离我最近的温暖。 她伏在我的胸前，我看见窗外路灯暖暖的光里，映着一个纤尘不染的琉璃世界。温柔的屋檐上，慈爱的树枝间，静默的巷子里，每一处，都盛放着白色的风信子。每一粒种子，都拼尽气力，自九天深处赶来，匆匆赶赴一场花的盛会，从天上到人间，只为让自己那一颗小小的心，开出一树一树的繁华。 我的心里是从来没有过的安然与甜蜜，我想告诉全世界的人：请允许白色的风信子害羞吧，因为，风雪再大，受伤再深，她都会拼尽全力为你开一朵最美的花。 明天，我将告诉我的好朋友，拥有任何一朵风信子都是一件幸运的事。 Last week I passed the last two exams (ECO & SMR) of Sept 20. Plus the three exams (BSC, MPR & DSP) I’ve passed early this year, I’m expecting to receive the CPIM certificate in two or three weeks. This is definitely a moment for celebration, especially when this fact is fa ctored in: I have passed all of the five modules in a row (within one year as planned). The main purpose of this blog, however, is not simply to share this good news with you. It’s about to encourage those CPIM participants to work and study harder and smarter. If I’ve succeeded in achieving this goal, you must be able to do the same thing. Moreover, I’d like to take this chance to further strengthen contacts with both CPIM participants and CPIM holders. I’m sure that by sharing our CPIM knowledge and exchanging ideas all of our time will be well spent. The CPIM certificate is not an end itself after all. It should be a new beginning. If CPIM participants and CPIM holders are able to frequently exchange ideas and work experiences, our knowledge will be further advanced and honed. We may even work wonders, especially when the world is plunging into an economic downturn or even recession triggered by the US credit crisis. It seems like I’m talking bullshit. Well, equipped with CPIM, we’re in a better position to help companies especially manufacturing companies to sharpen their competitive edge, which may help them survive during this seeming unavoidable slowdown and prosper later. 忍无可忍且数量庞大的中国消费者,终于在三鹿有毒奶粉事件中爆发,市场规模达180亿美元的中国奶制品行业,顿时因消费者对中国国产品牌的极度失望,而摇摇欲坠。三鹿奶粉生死难定，22家被查出婴幼儿奶粉含有三聚氰胺的奶制品厂家灭火未完，丑闻已经从奶粉扩大到液态奶。更令消费者不安的是，蒙牛、伊利、光明等国内致命品牌赫然上榜。难怪出离愤怒的众多消费者，听不进有关专家的“苦口婆心”，执意不买国产品牌的奶制品，纷纷涌到香港、澳门大量购进进口奶粉，或者完全远离所有的奶制品，改喝豆浆等替代产品；难怪中国最大乳制品企业的的股价全面大幅下挫：光明乳业跌幅达25%，伊利股份跌幅达30%，蒙牛更是一日暴跌六成多，牛根生等高管所持股票的市值一日内蒸发50亿。众怒难违，星巴克中国谨慎地画出界线，暂时终止了向消费者提供牛奶，转向豆奶。多个国家纷纷禁止进口中国奶制品。 正当中国奶制品企业焦头烂额之时，朝日啤酒、伊藤洋华堂、零售业巨头永旺等多家日本企业正以“食品安全”为卖点，加大攻占中国市场的力度。国际乳业品牌如美赞臣、惠氏、多美滋等也趁机进一步拓展中国市场。 一句话，背叛了广大中国消费者的中国本土奶制品企业正在遭受消费者唾弃，市场价值大幅缩水，国际竞争对手趁虚而入的严峻考验。当然，如果中国奶制品企业不想坐以待毙，决心洗心革面，卷土重来的机会也是相当大，毕竟民族品牌仍然是中国人难舍的情怀（但愿不是心中永远的痛）。关键是，这些企业必须从这次全奶制品行业的丑闻中领悟到并认真对待这样一个事实：真正惩罚他们的是这些有毒奶粉事件的受害者———数量庞大的中国消费者，而不是取消“中国免检”和“中国名牌”并发起“官员问责风暴”的中国政府。也许有人对此事实不屑一顾，甚至连一些饱受毒奶粉之苦的中国消费者（可能包括因喝毒奶粉而不幸死亡的四位婴幼儿的父母和众多因喝毒奶粉肾结石而住院治疗的父母）也会表示怀疑：我连自己的孩子都保护不了，怎么能有如此的能量？其实，在全球一体化的互联网时代，久经折磨的中国消费者在不断地碰撞中逐渐学会了尝试去保护自己的合法权益。而互联网的不断普及，也使得他们的声音更容易引起共鸣、共震。众多外资企业在中国经营投资，越来越多的中国企业在境外上市。这些不断交织的中外经济活动，既加重了中国消费者（代表着庞大的中国消费市场）在中外企业眼中的经济份量（谁都想占有更多的中国市场份额），也在客观上让中国消费者有了更多的选择。而且，这种“你中有我，我中有你”的千丝万缕的经贸关系，加上无处不在的互联网，使得任何重大的国内事件都回迅速演变成为“国际”事件。正因为如此, 企业任何企图屏蔽丑闻的种种企图, 所能达到的唯一效果就是拖延丑闻暴光的时间；只是，在这个全球一体化的互联网时代，纸是绝对包不住火的。而拖延的时间越长，一旦被消费者发现，企业所付出的代价就越惨重。通俗的说，就是“善有善报，恶有恶报；何时报，马上报”。这就是扁平世界里的质量安全代价。 Last week the June 21 exam result was announced, and I was informed that I had passed the DSP module. It’s another milestone in my pursuit of the APICS CPIM. But the main purpose of this blog is to unfold something interesting for those who are interested in APICS CPIM. This something is an analysis of the June 21 exam results made by me. Here comes the analysis. Course | Candidates | PassRate | MPR | 61 | 77.05% | BSC | 80 | 78.75% | DSP | 41 | 87.80% | ECO | 47 | 76.60% | SMR | 44 | 61.36% |
It’s quite interesting to notice that the pass rate of the DSP module was 87.8%, the highest among the five modules. Another interesting thing is that for most candidates it’s relatively difficult to sit for the ECO and SMR modules because their pass rates was just 76.6% and 61.36% respectively. Based upon this fact, I’m afraid that an elaborate preparation for those two modules will be a must for any candidates who aim to pass them. That’s why I’m studying harder. Despite this relatively low pass rate, I’m quite confident that I will be able to pass ECO and SMR in the oncoming Sept 20 CPIM exams. This confidence is supported by not only my elaborate preparation and a decades’ related working experiences, but also another interesting finding I observed during my analyses of the June 21 exam results: forty people sat for two exams at the same time, most of them simultaneously took the ECO and SMR modules, and the pass rate was amazingly as high as 72.5%. One possible explanation for this phenomenon might be “God always favors those who work harder and smarter”. If you are also going to take the APICS CPIM exams or interested in things related to materials management, logistics, or SCM, contact me. With joint efforts, our world will be much more exciting and amazing than we expected. Excerpts of The Calendar of An E-Love Story Subject: Greetings From Lynn From: Lynn Sent: 10:12 AM Hi Mike, This is Lynn from Wonderland Company Ltd. There are five people in MIS dept here and each of us should report to our different bosses at Hong Kong. They don’t usually stay here long, but they keep constant contact with us assigning tasks to us. We should always email or call them. This Tuesday my boss will come here to meet me and talk something about my job. I think i would be rather busy during the following days because there are too many new things i should learn. The colleagues in MIS dept are very kind to me. Sincerely hope I can get your email soon. Best regards. Lynn Subject: Miss You From: Lynn Sent: 11:59 AM Mike, Everything here is written in English, including documents, procedures, reports and email. In short, though we needn't always speak English, we should always write in English. I’m going to join a team to implement the project of data warehouse. Then I have to develop a lot of programs to support it. I’m pressured heavily. I’m afraid I can't deal with all the things well. Yours Lynn Subject: FW: Miss You From: Lynn Sent: 2:01 PM Mike There are too many things I want to talk with you. I really miss you very much. Have you got my email? Yours Lynn (To Be Continued) 1. Product explosion refers to:
A. calculation of the required materials based on final assembly needs.
B. system nervousness.
C. dynamic characteristics of MRP.
D. system sensitivity.
E. creating a time-phased schedule.
2. "Systems nervousness" in an MRP system refers to the oscillations caused by:
A. irritable operators.
B. too frequent revision.
C. suboptimal inventory levels.
D. user evaluation committees.
E. the high cost of computer processing time.
Use the following information the solve the next 3 questions.
A #2 pencil (P) is made from a wood subassembly (WS), a band (B) to hold the eraser on and an eraser (E). The wood subassembly is made from 2 wood halves (WH) and a piece of lead (L), the wood halves are made from wood blanks (WB). (For this question we will ignore the need for glue and paint.) The lead times for each of these are given below.
Lead Time (Weeks)
P 2
WS 4
B 6
E 2
WH 2
L 2
WB 1
3. If nothing is in inventory (that is, all on hand quantities are equal to zero), and it is now the beginning of period 20, then when is the earliest that we can promise to ship No. 2 pencils?
A. 26
B. 27
C. 29
D. 31
E. 32
4. Which of the above items is purchased?
I. WS, B, E
II. WH, L
III. B, E
IV. WB, L
A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. II and II only
E. III and IV only
5. The Master Production Schedule for pencils should have at minimum how many time periods in it?
A. 7
B. 8
C. 10
D. 12
E. 13
6. All of the following are essential computational procedures of MRP except:
A. Planned order release of component equals gross requirement of parent
B. Netting out on hand quantities
C. Time phasing requirements
D. Offsetting for lead times
E. Level-by-level explosion
7. Which one of the following is not true about the Materials Requirements Plan?
A. It plans production and purchase orders for materials.
B. Its main input is the Master Production Schedule.
C. It is an output of the Capacity Requirements Plan.
D. It plans the priority of materials.
E. It receives input from the Bill of Materials.
8. MRP systems are:
A. appropriate for all end items in the product line.
B. intended to be used for independent demand items.
C. intended to reduce inventory requirements, production lead times, and delivery times to customers.
D. intended to determine an appropriate master production schedule.
E. substitutes for fixed order point/order quantity systems.
9. Product A is made from two B parts and one C part. Part B is made using one D part and Part C is made using 2 D parts. If 50 units of Product A are needed, then the number of units of D required would be:
A. 50
B. 100
C. 200
D. 250
E. 300
10. The time-phased plan specifying when and how many end items are to be built is known as the:
A. aggregate production plan.
B. master production schedule.
C. bill of materials file.
D. item master file.
E. planned order releases.
11. The main purposes of a basic MRP system include:
I. controlling inventory
II. assigning operating priorities
III. planning capacity loads
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. I and III only
E. I, II and III
12. The two main sources of end item product demand which become inputs to the MPS are:
A. forecast demand and planned order releases.
B. planned order releases and known customers.
C. forecast demand and replacement parts.
D. known customers and forecast demand.
E. known customers and safety stock.
13. The main inputs to an MRP program include the:
I. Bill of Materials file
II. Master Production Schedule
III. Planned Order Releases
IV. Inventory Records file
A. I and II only
B. I, II and III only
C. I, II and IV only
D. II, III and IV only
E. I, II, III and IV
14. Retracing a material requirement upward in the product structure, identifying the parent item that created the demand is referred to as:
A. pegging.
B. low-level coding.
C. exploding.
D. regeneration.
E. lot sizing.
15. Which of the following are lot sizing techniques?
I. lot-for-lot
II. economic order quantity
III. least total cost
IV. least unit cost
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and IV only
E. I, II, III and IV
(Answers to be provided later) China 2008 CPIM/CSCP Paper & Pencil Exam Schedule | Exam Date | Registration Deadline | CSCP Eligibility Application Deadline | 2008/3/15 |
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爱若琴弦
创业路上
黑钻顾问
物流与供应链管理研究中心
独自旅行
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