on your mark意思的八卦，YOUTUBE、DCARD和Yahoo名人娛樂都在討論

[時事英文] 死亡率（mortality rate）*、壓平曲線（flattening the curve）、活動限制 （lockdown）：如何理解這些術語？
　
Language goes beyond a sealed system governed by a rigid set of rules. To fully understand the meaning of a word, one must look further than connotation and denotation, and also take context into consideration. In this case, one needs to examine the social, political, economic, and even statistical contexts of the terms.
　
語言並非只是受嚴密規則所約束的封閉系統。為了充分理解一個單詞的意涵，我們不僅要瞭解其本義與引申義，同時還要考慮整個語境。在此一情況下，應要考察社會、政治、經濟甚至統計上的語境。
　
Does “confirmed cases,” for example, mean the same thing in every country before and during the coronavirus outbreak? What about “lockdowns”? Does it mean that the government is advising people to stay home or is someone nailing your door shut? Some food for thought when reading about the coronavirus outbreak.
　
例如，在冠狀病毒爆發前以及爆發期間，「確診病例」在各國是否具有相同的含義？那麼，封鎖呢？這是否意味著政府正建議人們留在家中，抑或有人正把你家大門釘上？以上是在閱讀疫情的相關資訊時所引人深思的一些事情。
　
*同學好心的補充說明：「mortality rate」通常指的是死亡率，而「fatality rate」則是（因罹患某疾病）致死率。兩者都是重要的死亡指標，但計算公式不相同。
　
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《紐約時報》報導：
　
Making sense of the coronavirus pandemic requires getting up to speed on semantics as much as epidemiology. Government officials and health care professionals toss off mentions of mortality rates, flattening the curve and lockdowns, assuming that we know what they mean. But the terms mean different things from country to country, state to state, even city to city and person to person. Officials use the same phrases about mass testing, caseloads and deaths to describe very different situations. That makes it hard to give clear answers to vital questions: How bad are things? Where are they headed?
　
1. make sense of… 理解……
2. get up to speed on 了解最新情況；跟上進度
3. toss off 輕而易舉地處理*
　
弄懂新型冠狀病毒大流行，既需要了解流行病學的最新情況，也需要在語義學上跟上形勢。「死亡率」、「壓平曲線」和「活動限制」等說法從政府官員和公共衛生專業人士的嘴裡脫口而出，他們假設大家都知道這些詞的意思。但對不同的國家、不同的州，甚至不同的城市和個人來說，這些術語有著不同的含義。 官員們使用「大規模檢測」、「病例數」和「死亡病例數」等相同的措辭，來描繪非常不同的情況。這令一些重要的問題難以得到明確的回答：情況有多糟糕？正在向什麼方向發展？
　
toss off: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toss%20off
　
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People search for insight by comparing their countries to those that are further along in the epidemic. But if the terms are misleading or used in differing ways, the comparisons are flawed. Also, the statistics and vocabulary offer a false sense of precision while in reality, the information we have shows only a fraction of what’s going on. “The new cases or deaths each day are given as exact numbers, and we’re trained to take that at face value,” said Mark N. Lurie, an epidemiologist at Brown University’s School of Public Health. “But those are far from exact, they’re deeply flawed, and their meaning varies from place to place and from time period to time period.”
　
4. be further along in 在……上走得更深遠
5. at face value 根據外表；從表面上看
　
人們將自己的國家與那些經歷了疫情更多階段的國家進行比較，以求了解情況。但是，如果這些詞語使人產生誤解，或在使用方式上存在差異的話，這種比較就是錯誤的。此外，這些統計數據和詞彙給人以精準的假象，而現實是，我們所掌握的信息僅代表冰山一角。「每天的新增病例數或死亡人數都是以精準數字的形式通報的，我們被訓練成只看這些表面數字。」布朗大學公共衛生學院流行病學家馬克・盧裡說。「但這些數字遠非精準，而且有嚴重缺陷，它們的含義因不同的時間和地點而不同。」
　
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I. Confirmed Cases 確診病例
　
Countries vary wildly in testing for the virus and how they report the numbers, and experts say most infections are going undetected. So the publicized national tallies are rough, incomplete pictures that may not be all that comparable. And that’s if countries are forthcoming about their data.
　
6. vary wildly in 在……上有極大的差異*
7. publicize 公布；宣傳
8. national tallies 國家的統計數據
9. incomplete pictures 不完整的狀況
10. forthcoming 樂於幫助的
　
各國在病毒檢測以及通報數字的方式上有很大差異，而且專家們說，大多數感染都沒有被發現。因此，各國公布的只是粗略的數據，這些並不完整的描繪也許沒有多少可比性。這還是在假設各國願意提供數據的情況下。

wildly: https://bit.ly/2wkgPjo
　
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Officials in the United States say that China, which has reported more than 82,000 infections, has understated its epidemic. Until this week, the Chinese government excluded those patients who tested positive for the virus but had no symptoms. China also doesn’t say how many tests it has conducted, and doubts have been raised about whether it has tested extensively in Xinjiang, the province where it holds hundreds of thousands of Muslims in indoctrination camps. The Covid Tracking Project, run by The Atlantic, has tried to compile all the numbers in the United States and reports more than 1.2 million tests so far, over 3,600 per million people.
　
11. understate 未如實陳述；避重就輕地說
12. exclude 把……排除在外
13. indoctrination camps 再教育營
14. run by 由……經營
　
中國通報的累計確診病例超過８萬２千例，美國官員說，中國淡化了國內的疫情。直到本週前，中國政府一直把病毒檢測呈陽性但沒有癥狀的感染者不納入確診病例。中國也未公開接受檢測的人數，而且外界已對中國是否在新疆進行了大規模檢測表示懷疑，中國在那裡把數十萬穆斯林關進了拘禁營。《大西洋月刊》的新冠肺炎追蹤計劃試圖匯總美國的所有數據，它統計到的數字是，美國迄今為止進行了逾１２０萬例檢測，平均每百萬人超過３６００例。
　
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II. Widespread Testing 大規模檢測

It matters not only how many people are tested, but also when, and who they are. Once again, countries differ, shaping what the numbers mean. A few countries, like South Korea, Australia and Singapore, got serious about mass testing early on. They used the information to do ambitious contact-tracing — finding and testing those who had recently been near infected people, even if they had no symptoms.
　
15. it matters 重要的是
16. not only……, but also…… 不僅……，而且……
17. get serious about 認真對待某事
18. early on 在早期
　
重要的不只是多少人做了檢測，檢測時間和檢測對象也很重要。各國在檢測時間和對象上也有不同，這讓數字的含義也有所不同。韓國、澳洲和新加坡等少數國家很早就開始認真地進行大規模檢測。他們利用這些信息嚴格追蹤接觸者，也就是找到並檢測那些親密接觸者，即使他們沒有癥狀。
　
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But most nations with large numbers of cases have done less testing, waited longer to do it in bulk, and made little attempt at contact tracing. They find themselves playing catch-up with the virus, ramping up testing after their outbreaks had already mushroomed. They detect more cases, but by then it’s hard to tell how much of that growth is the expanding epidemic and how much is expanding surveillance. Unable to meet the demand, they often limit testing to the sickest patients and health workers.
　
19. in bulk 大量
20. make little attempt 幾乎未做嘗試
21. ramp up 增加*
22. mushroom (v.) 迅速增長；迅速發展*
23. meet the demand 滿足需求
24. limit……to 將……限制在……
　
但大多數存在大量確診病例的國家進行的檢測數量都比較少，都是等了更長時間後才開始進行大規模檢測，而且對追蹤接觸者的工作幾乎未做嘗試。這些國家發現自己在拚命追趕病毒的傳播，在疫情迅速蔓延後才加大了檢測力度。這些國家都檢測到了更多的病例，但此時已很難判斷新增病例中有多少是疫情不斷擴大的結果，有多少是擴大疫情監測的結果。由於無法滿足檢測需求，這些國家通常只能對病情最嚴重的患者以及衛生工作者做檢測。
　
ramp up: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ramp-up
mushroom: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mushroom
　
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III. Fatality Rates 致死率
　
It has been stated time and again: Italy and Spain have high mortality rates among coronavirus patients, Germany’s is low, and China’s is somewhere between. It may not be that simple. Counting the dead is as flawed and inconsistent as counting the infected. Recent reports say that mortuaries in Wuhan, China, where the disease was first discovered, have ordered thousands more urns than usual, suggesting a much higher death toll than the city’s official count, 2,535. The outbreaks in Wuhan, and parts of Italy and Spain, overwhelmed hospitals, forcing many sick people to ride it out at home. No one knows how many people have recovered or died without ever being tested. And if only the sickest patients are tested, then the number of infections will appear smaller and the percentage who die will seem higher.
　
25. time and again 屢次；一再
26. as flawed and inconsistent as 像……一樣存在缺陷與不一致
27. mortuary 停屍間（太平間）
28. urn 骨灰罈
29. suggest 暗示*
30. death toll 死亡人數
31. to ride it out 安然渡過（難關）*
　
一個反覆提及的說法是：義大利和西班牙的新冠病毒肺炎患者死亡率高，德國的低，中國的居中。情況也許並不那麼簡單。統計死亡人數和統計感染人數一樣存在缺陷和不一致的地方。最近有報導稱，武漢的殯儀館訂購的骨灰盒數比該市官方統計的２５３５例死亡高出好幾千，表明死亡人數遠高於官方公布的數字。新冠病毒最早就是在這座城市發現的。武漢以及義大利和西班牙部分地區的疫情使醫院不堪重負，許多患者被迫在家中渡過難關。沒人知道究竟有多少人在從未做檢測的情況下康復或死亡。如果只對病情最嚴重的患者做檢測的話，感染人數看上去會更低，而死亡率看起來將更高。
　
suggest: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/suggest
ride sth out: https://bit.ly/2Rd6Tj6
　
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IV. The Peak 疫情高峰
　
Officials often talk about when the epidemic peaks or plateaus — when a country “flattens the curve.” But they rarely specify, the peak of what? And how can we be sure we’re past it? When an outbreak is growing unchecked, more people become infected and more die each day than the day before. On a graph, the curve showing the daily count of new cases has gone from rising sharply to moving sideways — the curve has flattened — and even begun to move downward. That is one corner being turned: The rate of the spread of the virus has slowed down. It takes longer to turn another: the rate of people dying.
　
32. from rising sharply to moving sideways 從急劇上升到橫向移動
33. turn the corner 好轉；度過難關*
　
官員們經常提疫情何時達到高峰或進入平台期，也就是一個國家「壓平曲線」的時候。但他們很少具體說明是什麼達到了高峰，以及我們怎麼能確定高峰已過？當疫情不受控制地發展時，每天的感染和死亡人數都比前一天多。曲線圖上顯示的每天新增病例數從急劇上升變得趨於平緩——曲線已被壓平——甚至開始下降。這是一個轉折點：病毒的傳播速度已經放緩。度過死亡人數的轉折點則需要更長的時間。
　
turn the corner: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20the%20corner
　
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But even when those curves flatten, the epidemic still has not “peaked” by another crucial measure: the number of active cases. That figure continues to rise until the number of patients who either die or recover each day is larger than the number of new infections. To ease the staggering load on health care systems, the active cases curve must also flatten and then fall.
　
34. peak (v.) 使……達到頂峰
35. either……or…… 不是……就是……
36. staggering 沉重的；巨大的
　
但是，即使這些曲線已趨於平緩，疫情的另一個重要衡量指標——現存確診病例數——仍未達到「峰值」。在每天的死亡或康復患者人數超過新增感染人數之前，這個數字還將繼續上升。為緩解衛生系統的沉重負擔，現存確診病例數的曲線也必須先趨平，然後下降。
　
peak: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/peak_2
　
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V. Lockdowns 封鎖（活動限制）
　
More than two billion people, including most Americans, are living under something usually called a lockdown. But there is no set definition of that word — or related terms like stay-at-home mandates and social distancing — so the details differ from place to place. The biggest differences may be in enforcement. Some places, like those in the United States with lockdowns, mostly rely on people to follow the rules without coercion. But Italy and others have deployed soldiers to ensure compliance, and French police have fined hundreds of thousands of people for violating restrictions. China, in addition to using security forces, mobilized an army of volunteers, ratcheting up social pressure to obey.
　
37. set definition 固定的定義
38. enforcement 實施；執行
39. rely on 仰賴；依靠
40. deploy 部署
41. compliance 服從
42. fine 處……以罰款（或罰金）
43. in addition to 除了……之外
44. mobilize 動員
45. ratchet sth up/down 逐步增加／減少
　
全球有２０多億人，包括大多數美國人正生活在一般被稱為「活動限制」的狀態下。但這個詞沒有固定的定義，其他的相關說法，比如政府的「待在家裡」和「保持社交距離」令也沒有明確的定義，所以各地的具體做法也不一樣。最大的不同可能在執行方面。有些地方，比如美國有限制令的地方，主要依靠人們自覺遵守，而非強制。但義大利等國為確保限制令的落實而動用了軍隊，法國警方還對數已十萬計的違反禁令者處以罰款。中國除了使用安全部隊外，還動員了一支志願者大軍來加大服從封鎖隔離措施的社會壓力。
　
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Italy’s experience shows the looseness of the term. It has gone through several phases of restrictions, applying them to more people, making them stricter and increasing enforcement. A few weeks ago, a person could travel around Italy for a valid work or family reason. Now, people are fined for nonessential walking too far from their homes. But each stage was widely called by the same name: lockdown.
　
46. looseness 鬆散
47. valid 確鑿的；合理的；有根據的；讓人信服的
　
義大利的經歷表明了這個詞語解釋上的自由。義大利的封鎖令經歷了幾個階段，適用範圍擴大到越來越多的人，封鎖及其執行也變得越來越嚴格。幾週前，人們還可以因為正當的工作或家庭原因在義大利旅行。現在，人們會因不必要的離家太遠的走動而被罰款。但禁令的每個階段用的都是同一個泛泛的名稱：活動限制。
　
《紐約時報》完整報導：https://nyti.ms/2XcCUeT

圖片出處：https://fxn.ws/34gwSeH
　
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時事英文大全：http://bit.ly/2WtAqop
　
如何使用「時事英文」：https://bit.ly/3a9rr38
　
＃疫情英文

#葉郎每日讀報 #一週大事版
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如果我們沒能通過這次考驗，
勢必會遭到歷史的嚴厲評判
——facebook員工
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COVID-19疫情未去，美國再起種族歧視引發的抗爭和騷亂。但在亂世之中，各個行業仍繼續在夾縫中努力尋求生存，好萊塢片廠和來自科技業的外星勢力之間的串流大戰也沒有要收手的意思，WarnerMedia、Apple、Netflix本週都有牽一髮動全身的新動作：


亂世之中關於串流的永久承諾
￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣
串流大戰的局勢在本週進入全新的一頁：5月27日WarnerMedia的HBO Max正式參戰。

疫情當前，HBO Max的開台可謂跌跌撞撞：原本預計今年上線的《Friends 六人行》特輯因為疫情關係無法開拍；機上盒的談判也不順利，只有Comcast的合約在開台前最後一刻拍板，另外兩家電視服務守門員Roku和Amazon’s Fire TV 都沒有搞定，因此使用者暫時還無法在這兩家機上盒上看到HBO Max的服務。

至於外界一直關切HBO Max遠高過競爭對手的14.99美元定價問題，即將升任AT&T執行長 的現任WarnerMedia主席John Stankey則表示HBO Max預計在明年初推出月租費更便宜的廣告版：「我們認為串流的長期發展將同時會有訂閱制和廣告制。如果你留心消費者的喜好，就會知道消費者喜歡有選擇性。如果精心安排並且提供與消費者自身相關廣告，你根本不會在意這個服務是不是有廣告」

最終，讓人最混淆的還是品牌的問題：到底HBO Max是什麼？我們可以肯定它不是HBO（因為HBO的優質節目只佔了一小部分），而更加接近WarnerMedia整個集團的片庫整合。HBO Max在對外行銷上也比較傾向給大家這個印象。但這個印象也是錯的：媒體發現HBO Max的片庫充滿令人狐疑的漏洞，比如有各種DC電影卻少了《Man of Steel 超人：鋼鐵英雄》在內的所有超人電影；有每一部魔戒和哈比人電影，除了第二部哈比人之外；有整套吉卜力電影，卻獨獨少了《螢火蟲之墓》.....

歸根究底，過去串流服務從來不等於某家的完整片庫，更像是一些附有還片期限、不斷變動的片單組合。串流的片單意義上比較像是樣本。串流產業的新常態是列出足以吸引你訂閱的當下片單，而非永久。串流片庫必須像一道旋轉門：讓新的一直進來，舊的一直出去。

HBO Max的各種缺漏多半是因為先前給別家的授權合約尚未期滿無法收回版權所致（同樣的授權問題也導致HBO Max預估會比其他串流品牌更晚進入國際市場）。問題是，就算這些片子回來之後，HBO Max準備關掉旋轉門要給觀眾一個直到天荒地老的永久承諾嗎？

在好萊塢片廠不斷集結軍火（片庫）直搗串流市場的同時，串流的業者正在高舉戰旗進攻好萊塢自己的領土：

繼日前買下Tom Hanks主演戰爭電影《Greyhound 怒海戰艦》後， Apple本週再下一城：該公司確定從Paramount手中買下尚未開拍、預計由Leonardo DiCaprio 及Robert De Niro主演的西部片《Killers Of The Flower Moon》。

該片將是Paramount第二次對大導演Martin Scorsese放鴿子。前一次的《The Irishman》因為 Paramount覺得預算破兩億風險太高而選擇轉手賣給Netflix，這次 Paramount再度以一模一樣的理由同意讓DiCaprio的經紀人到處去兜售該案。過程中多家片廠和串流業者都先後舉手表示有興趣，本週則傳出Apple確定搶親成功。不過雖然全片會改由Apple出資，顯然未來也會上架Apple TV+平台，但Paramount仍會負責全球的電影院發行任務，使該片成為少數的「串流＋片廠」混種新產品。

串流霸主Netflix則在本週終於買下他們的第一家電影院。

就像買人生第一部車一樣歡欣鼓舞，串流平台Netflix的成年禮儀式是買下人生第一家電影院。這樁延宕了超過一年的交易，標的物是有98年歷史的洛杉磯埃及劇院Egyptian Theatre。該電影是1920年代開始的電影宮movie palace風潮的代表作，也是電影產業從街邊擺攤的五分錢電影院邁向等同於歌劇院、音樂廳等級體驗的轉大人指標。

Netflix過去兩三年一直想擁有電影院的最大動機當然是向奧斯卡或是坎城影展證明自家影片也是第一流的電影院體驗。但Netflix為了買新車敲鑼打鼓發新聞稿的同時，文化資產界卻對該交易有所不滿：埃及戲院經歷無數人發起運動保存，以及市政府和各方熱心人士捐款才有今日妥善修復的樣貌，當初市政府以1美元象徵性價格賣給非營利組織American Cinematheque美國電影中心就是為了讓它得到活化，讓更多人可以親近這個好萊塢活歷史。如今百年劇院被私相授受交易成為私人的事業版圖中，公共性將很難以繼續確保。Netflix對於這個百年劇院能承諾什麼？

這個拖延多時的交易成交的時刻有點讓人心酸，因為美國電影院產業正陷入全面停業的焦土狀態。什麼時候能恢復？是不是真的能恢復？本週持續有互相矛盾的線索：

投資機構MKM Partners的分析師Eric Handler週三將世界最大連鎖電影院 AMC的評等從「賣出（sell）」升級為「中性（neutral），並稱該公司的破產危機應該已經平息。他的理由是歐洲和美國市場有望於七八月間恢復營業，而且AMC現金流已經改善。AMC先前表示他們不會因為政府許可就立刻重新開門營業，會等到好萊塢片廠推出新片才會再開張。而這幾天正好Christopher Nolan導演的《Tenet 天能》釋出第二支預告片，顯見片廠並沒有異動7月17日上映日期的打算。投資機構因此重振對於電影產業的信心。分析師仍然憂慮AMC的負債狀況，不過他認為暑假重新開門營業後的收入應該足以讓AMC的現金撐到今年底。

但另外一個壞消息是：舊金山市長London Breed提出的重啟計畫中，電影院被非常謹慎地列在八月中的第三階段重啟方案中。關鍵是這個令好萊塢錯愕的日期遠在《天能》和《Mulan 花木蘭》上映日期之後。美國投資銀行B. Riley FBR的分析師認為如果美國票房占比最高的城市舊金山都要到八月中才能開門營業，就意味著紐約和洛杉磯的電影院開門時間可能也不會早太多。

光舊金山一個城市的決策還不一定動搖得了Christopher Nolan 和片廠的決心，但如果是三個城市的重啟計畫都有同樣的延遲情形的話，好萊塢勢必將陷入一個兵荒馬亂的動盪夏天。


疫情之中不同產業的創意解
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雖然全世界各國的疫情各有不同程度的好轉，但對各個產業的傷害是持續的，也不會在疫情結束的瞬間就立刻反彈復甦。

於是大家繼續想出各種求生存的創意解：

1)卡羅維瓦利影展的疫情創意解：你不要動，我去放電影給你看

已經取消舉辦的Karlovy Vary Festival卡羅維瓦利影展決定在原本影展預計舉行的時間，將16部參展電影帶到捷克全國80個城鎮96家電影院放映。「既然目前的疫情使影迷們今年沒辦法前來卡羅維瓦利，我們決定至少把部分參展電影帶去找他們」影展主席Jiří Bartoška說，因此這個名為KVIFF at Your Cinema的活動真的可以稱作卡羅維瓦利到你家。影展中每部電影將在同一時間於所有電影院中放映一場，並且還會有策展人演前導聆。

2)NBA的疫情創意解：不如我們去迪士尼樂園打球吧

從三月以來一直處在暫停狀態的 NBA突然從好萊塢的劇組集中管理式復工計畫中得到了他們自己的復賽靈感。因為球賽和拍片一樣涉及人員眾多，而且必須反覆往來住家、練球場地和比賽場地，在短期內疫情仍可能再度爆發的前提下，NBA必須尋找復賽的替代方案。幾週前Yahoo Sports的專欄作者突發奇想寫了一篇怪文，說NBA應該去迪士尼樂園比賽，因為這世界上沒有比那裡更受到嚴格的控制，而且還有旅館、球場以及各種展覽會場能夠改裝成練球的替代場地，讓球員可以在剩下的賽季中完全待在迪士尼樂園裡。該文引發不少嘲弄，甚至還有人指出作者本人根本就是迪士尼的前員工。劇情急轉直下的奇妙進展是NBA真心覺得這是個滿不錯的主意，已經開始和佛羅里達的Walt Disney World 展開磋商。

3)色情表演者的創意解：跳過中介直接面對消費者

同樣遭到疫情波及而全面停工的色情工業正在被徹底顛覆。那些無法踏出家門工作的情色表演者選擇用更個人化、更親暱的網路管道營生：他們自己拍攝、剪輯演出影片，在ManyVids之類的平台銷售，也努力經營各種私人直播演出，並透過訂閱制社交平台如Snapchat和OnlyFans的訂閱機制賺取收入。這些社交平台都不是剛剛才冒出來的，但這波疫情加速將情色工業中的明星級人物推向這些平台。這個變化正在顛覆情色工業的權力結構，情色表演者開始自產自銷之後，片廠的中介角色變得弱化。跳過片廠，消費者和情色表演者之間的親密感將大大提升。透過直播，消費者可以一睹表演者的真實生活面貌，而即時互動的真實感受更毫不費力地就勝過那些經過縝密規劃、拍攝、剪輯的舊時代色情影片。

4)電視台訂購節目的創意解：沒有試播集那就矇著眼睛下訂吧！

等等，這個好像不是什麼創意解。因為疫情的阻礙，今年目前為止美國電視台幾乎都無法讓劇組製作試播集，藉以評估是否下訂購買整季節目。從來沒試過矇著眼睛下單購買動輒5~8千萬成本節目的電視台主管，被迫採用以下原則來降低這一季的風險：盡可能訂購有大明星或是超級showrunner的節目，盡可能是已經具有知名度的IP，比如重開機、延伸宇宙、暢銷書改變等等素材。短期內觀眾只能在電視上看到這些冷飯熱炒、缺乏新意的舊面孔和舊題材。

問題是：人家Netflix也從來沒有拍試播集，他們家的節目有比較沒新意、比較難看嗎？


刪還是不刪：版主的兩難
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美國Minneapolis市先前發生黑人男子因警察執法過當致死的事件，過去48小時快速擴散成為全美的抗爭和騷亂。幾個社群平台的事實查核和言論審查機制成為另外一個線上戰場：

導火線是美國總統Donald Trump不久前在Twitter上大肆批評加州政府推的郵寄投票會導致選票被攔截、竄改、濫用，結果他的貼文首度被Twitter的事實查核機制標示為誤導資訊，並引用各大媒體關於郵寄投票的報導內容來強調Trump貼文內容事實有誤。

Trump隨即勃然大怒，接連發文指控這些社群媒體專門打壓美國保守派觀點、侵害言論自由，並強調他絕對不會坐視，將立刻開始嚴格管理並且不排除讓這些社群平台關門大吉。他並特別直接指名要對Twitter實施制裁。隨後Trump火速簽署了令人錯愕的行政命令，宣示要去除這些社群平台的言論保護傘。

1996年通過CDA通訊規範法案第230條一方面讓社群網站不必為使用者的言論負責，一方面賦予其權限可以出於善意刪除使用者上傳的不當內容。Trump則意圖用行政命令來限縮後者的效力，讓社群網站不再可以任意修改或刪除使用者發佈的貼文。

Trump向來語不驚人死不休的霸凌貼文已經是美國知名風景，但逼得Twitter挺不住壓力首度針對總統帳號開鍘的真正源頭是他更早之前的另外一個流氓行逕。Trump心血來潮突然在Twitter上鍵盤辦案，指稱經常批評他的前共和黨議員、現任MSNBC主播Joe scarborough的助理在辦公室心臟病發死亡的事件應該是一起婚外情的謀殺滅口案。讓死者家屬憤而發表公開信給Twitter執行長Jack Dorsey，要他刪除這些霸凌死者家屬的貼文。

緊接著Minneapolis市連夜的街頭暴亂中包含市警局在內多棟建築物遭抗議民眾縱火劫掠。Trump Twitter帳號再次正常能量釋放：他在貼文中揚言動用軍隊鎮壓黑人，並引用1967年因鎮壓種族騷亂而惡名昭彰的邁阿密警察局長的名言「你敢行搶我就敢開槍」。結果貼文再度觸發Twitter的審查機制，被以「美化暴力」的事由直接隱藏貼文內容（稍後Twitter保留這個「美化暴力」的標籤但開放了貼文內容）。

紐約時報專欄作者引用20年前網路論壇開始盛行以來的經驗，認為這就是最典型的「大吵大鬧的論壇成員試圖挑戰版主執法手段紅線」的典型論壇鬧劇，只是這次雙方當事人一方管理的是一個哥吉拉等級的全球公共論壇，另一方則是哥吉拉本人——世界最有權力的人：美國總統本人。有趣的是作者真的請教了資深論壇版主的經驗，得到了一個有趣的觀點：所有挑戰版主紅線的大吵大鬧爭的從來不是公平標準，爭的是權力。如果版主屈從於他們，只會讓他們一次又一次得寸進尺、不斷越界，直到整個公共論壇就是他們說了算為止。

在Twitter的事件鬧得滿城風雨的同時，Facebook和Mark Zuckerberg的立場完全沒有動搖：他們長久以來的信念是公司不應介入政治衝突，並認為應該讓30億用戶自己想辦法講出個道理來。Zuckerberg主張Facook無權做事實查證，並再三宣稱即便是包含謊言的政治言論都需要受到保護。不過許多人認為長期在華府被緊咬的Facebook這麼做的真正目的是要果斷擺脫這群一直跟在他們後頭的惡犬。

然而媒體披露了外洩的貼文顯示Facebook內部其實也激辯是否要處理Trump貼文。其中一名員工措辭強烈地要求Facebook必須有所作為，因為一切跡象顯示年底美國將會陷入嚴重騷亂，如果我們沒能通過這次考驗，勢必會遭到歷史的嚴厲評判。

來得早不如來得巧，同一週美國華盛頓特區上訴法院正好撤銷了一個右翼人士指控Apple、Facebook、Twitter、Google的言論自由侵害訴訟。原告Laura Loomer因各種反穆斯林的種族歧視貼文而一再被關閉帳號，她認為保守派的觀點被這些平台有意抑制，使她的YouTube帳號在Trump選舉期間一直無法獲得更多粉絲成長。她在訴訟中主張這些科技公司侵害她基於美國憲法第一修正案的言論自由權。但法院認為言論自由權是用來對抗政府濫權，而原告並未能說明為何這幾家公司的行為如何等於政府對人民言論自由的侵害效果。因此法院形同認定私人公司有權在其經營的平台上恣意禁言任何人。

恰巧也在同一週發生的是YouTube被批審查含有批評中國政府關鍵字的內容，官方則說這只是「系統錯誤」。同一時間TikTok抖音用戶則反映這幾天包含Black Lives Matter等抗爭關鍵字都被系統封鎖，抖音官方回應也有志一同地使用差不多的說詞：嗯......系統錯誤。

審查還是不審查，這是讓全世界（個個實力足以動搖國本的）版主頭痛的兩難。


｜新聞出處｜

5/25~5/31一週大事

Karlovy Vary Film Festival to Screen 16 Films in 96 Movie Theaters（https://bit.ly/3eezo8Y）

Could Disney World really solve the NBA's coronavirus conundrum?（https://bit.ly/2AXgFjT）

Broadcast Nets Bet On IP, Proven Showrunners & Big Stars In New Series Orders Amid Derailed Pilot Season（https://bit.ly/3d3x9VL）

AMC Theatres Gets Analyst Upgrade: "Near-Term Bankruptcy Risk Has Subsided"（https://bit.ly/3guXXAi）

Porn Takes On a Personal Touch in the Pandemic（https://bit.ly/3d8TgKH）

Apple To Team With Paramount On Scorsese-DiCaprio-De Niro Drama ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’（https://bit.ly/36Oc3Zv）

Appeals court rules in favor of Google, Apple, Facebook and Twitter in anti-conservative bias suit（https://tcrn.ch/36DnMd3）

HBO Max’s catalog is full of weird holes（https://bit.ly/2yNl08C）

Why You Can’t Get HBO Max on Roku and Amazon (Yet)（https://bit.ly/2XjsqKe）

The President Versus the Mods（https://nyti.ms/2AkOiMp）

Film Schedule "in Flux" as San Francisco Eyes Reopening After 'Tenet,' 'Mulan' Dates: Analyst（https://bit.ly/2M9W8Lv）

Netflix Finally Sealed the Deal on Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, but Not Everyone Is Happy（https://bit.ly/3djCmZF）

Leaked posts show Facebook employees asking the company to remove Trump’s threat of violence （https://bit.ly/2TPiiGY）

While Twitter Confronts Trump, Zuckerberg Keeps Facebook Out of It（https://nyti.ms/3cbbnyg）

【專題訪問 Interview Feature】2019年度香港大學學生會周年大選中央幹事會候選内閣蒼傲訪問（內務篇） | Interview with Prism, the Proposed Cabinet of Executive Committee, The Hong Kong University Students’ Union of Annual Election 2019 (Internal Affairs)

(Please scroll down for English version.)

中央幹事會候選內閣蒼傲就內務議題接受本台訪問，就內閣理念、參選原因、及政綱如增設中央幹事會席位專注管理國際生事務等發/表意見。

訪問節錄如下：

1. 你們可否簡單自我介紹？
鄭鎮熙（下稱鄭）：大家好我是鄭鎮熙（候選會長）， 來自理學院五年級。 今次參選學生會因為對學生會有一些意見、 一些改進空間、 自己一直以來都希望為學校和學校未來的發展而發出一些聲音。

張信一（下稱張）：Hi, so I am Shaun, studying Economics and Finance Year 3. The main reason why I have nominated myself to be the executive committee of the HKUSU is because, I have been a little bit unhappy with the way it has been running in the last few years I have been here. I want to see if I could make a difference.

李鎔津（下稱李）：我是李鎔津， 候選大學事務秘書， 現就讀文學士及法學士二年級，參選中央幹事會的原因與其他兩位一樣希望令港大變得更加好， 我們有意見想提出和改進。關於議題參與率低的問題，若果我們有很幸當選， 便會為各個議題製作簡介， 希望讓同學知道怎樣從議題入手，從而提高參與率。 第二個原因是希望學生會會作為橋樑與校方討論大學事務，大學事務與每一個同學息息相關， 於各種議題同學都會想提出意見。

2. 你們可否解釋莊理念？
鄭：我們內閣名字是蒼傲， 分開八個字便是「蒼茫大地，傲骨依然」，頭四字是我們認為今屆學生會選舉只有四個人出選，反映出港大學生投入讀書以外活動有很大的疑問。蒼汒大地、傲骨依然正正代表了學校現在的情況、社會現在的情況、甚至整體香港的未來其實都是一個大問號。至於「傲骨依然」四個字我們認為作為港大學生應有一份榮譽感，畢竟港大是最高學府，所以每一個在港大學習的學生都是十分有能力，所以傲字不單是自我的鼓勵，亦是向所有的學生說面對不如意或逆境時，都希望能有一份永不放棄、倔強的精神，去迎接當下的困難，因為我們相信困難過後必會雨過天晴，會看見彩虹，所以這也是我們選擇Prism為我們英文閣名的原因。

張：What we think Prism represents is simple. We want to act like a prism, and we think everybody in HKU is like a light. We have a lot of potential in all of us and we want to use your light and turn the campus into a more vibrant environment for all of us. Hence, Prism, we think is pretty good symbol of what we intend to do.

3. 你們為何於重開提名期後才報名參選？
鄭：我們在（12月）24、25日左右收到重開提名期的電郵，剛好我跟一大班的朋友舉行聖誕派對，期間我們就這問題（重開提名期）進行討論。剛好認識到Shaun和 Kelly，我們三人想法上十分接近，就是認為既然沒有人參選，我們或者可以試一試，所以最後參選今屆的學生會。

4. 為何沒有人競逐外務副會長一職？
鄭：其實我們希望將視線放在會務及校務上。當然我們並非將外務議題全面拋棄，只是我們認為就校內參選氣氛、學生關注的事情等，都是在提醒我們今年學生會認該將更多的時間放在內務常務的議題上。

5. 你們於政綱提出「是時候做不同的事」，是什麼意思？
張：The thing we want to do differently, is to provide a more positive atmosphere that I think is more reflective of the student body in HKU as a whole. Because, if you look around, a lot of the posters and and lot of notices put out by the Student(s’) Unions of the past have been predominantly negative, I think they are right to be upset about some of the issues, but I think it’s a bit overboarded and a bit dramatic, and it turns a lot of students off. So, we acknowledge that there are issues but we will face them in a positive manner.

6. 近年學生會就社會時事（如DQ議員事件) 出聲明 ，若果來年當選會否出聲明？
鄭：我們認為學生會代表了全學校的學生去發聲，所以學生會應該絕大部份的時候保持中立，因為它只是一個連接外界及學生的橋樑。

7. 你們可否解釋就國際生議題上與往年學生會有何分別
張：First thing is, we are going to consider opening a new seat in the executive committee that is dedicated to non-local students' affairs. And of course we are going to have a series of activities that we hope to be more effective (in the issue of international students). For example, we are considering hosting a non-local orientation camp and some other cultural immersion activities, for example a mahjong class for non-local students, and also some cultural heritage tours. We hope to invite students of different nationalities to take part in it.

Campus TV has interviewed with Prism, the Proposed Cabinet of Executive Committee, The Hong Kong University Students’ Union, Session 2019, with regards to their treatment of internal affairs. Prism has expressed their opinions on internal affairs, which include: the Cabinet’s mission statement, the reasons for running as candidate, and details on their platform such as increasing the seats in the Students’ Union, and focusing on international students’ affairs.

The interview excerpts are as follows:

1. Could you please introduce yourselves?
Andrew Cheng Chun Hei (Cheng): Hello, I am Andrew Cheng Chun Hei (Proposed President), from the Faculty of Science Year 5. I am running for the Students’ Union because I have some opinions about the Union, I think there is some room for improvement. All along, I have wished to voice my opinions regarding the school and the school’s future development.

Shaun Cheung Shun Yat (Cheung): Hi, so I am Shaun, studying Economics and Finance Year 3. The main reason why I have nominated myself to be the executive committee of the HKUSU is because, I have been a little bit unhappy with the way it has been running in the last few years I have been here. I want to see if I could make a difference.

Kelly Li Yung Chun (Li): I am Kelly Li Yung Chun, the Proposed University Affairs Secretary, I am a Year 2 pursuing the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. The reason why I am running as candidate in the Annual Election 2019 is in line with the other two candidates in a sense that I wish to see the University of Hong Kong become better; we have comments we wish to raise and matters we wish to improve on. The first reason (of running as candidate) is due to the (students’) low participation rate in (social) issues. If we have the honour to be elected, we will make an introduction for each issue or topic, so that students know how to understand these issues, thus increasing (their) participation rate. The second reason is (we) wish to act as a bridge between students and the school in discussing about university affairs. Since each and every student are related to university affairs, they would want to express their opinions on various issues.

2. Could you explain your Proposed Cabinet’s vision/ mission statement?
Cheng: Our (Proposed) Cabinet’s name is Prism, in a non-abbreviated form (of the Chinese name of the Cabinet), it means “in face of the boundless land, remain a lofty and unyielding character”. The former part of the phrase reflects how we view Annual Election 2019, it shows a problematic lack of extra-curriculars for the University's students outside of academics. The whole phrase precisely represents the school’s current situation, the society’s current situation, even the whole of Hong Kong’s future, which is actually a huge question mark. The former part of the phrase means that the students of the University definitely has a sense of pride and honour, nevertheless it is the elitist of educational institutions, every student of the University must have superb abilities. Therefore, the words “lofty” and “unyielding” are not only a form of self-encouragement, they are to tell students to always have a persevering spirit in face of predicaments. Because we believe after tribulations, there is always rainbow after rain, which is why we chose “Prism” to be the English name of our Cabinet.

Cheung: What we think Prism represents is simple. We want to act like a prism, and we think everybody in HKU is like a light. We have a lot of potential in all of us and we want to use your light and turn the campus into a more vibrant environment for all of us. Hence, Prism, we think is pretty good symbol of what we intend to do.

3. Why did you run as candidate only after the reopening of nomination?
Cheng: We received the email about the Notice of Reopening Nomination (of Annual Election 2019) on around the 24th or 25th (of December). Coincidentally, me and a group of friends were having a Christmas celebration, during which we discussed about the matter (of reopening of nomination). Coincidentally, I met Shaun and Kelly, the three of us shared similar thoughts, that if nobody was running as candidate, perhaps we could give it a try, and so we nominated ourselves as the candidates.

4. Why is nobody running for the position of the Vice-President (External)?
Cheng: Actually, we wish to focus on affairs of student societies and organisations, and university affairs. That being said, we are not neglecting all of the external issues, we just believe that in view of the school’s participation atmosphere, and students’ awareness to issues, all of these (situations) are reminding us as the (Proposed) Students’ Union that we should spend more time in dealing with internal affairs and general affairs.

5. In your platform you raised that “it is time to do something different”, what does that mean?
Cheung: The thing we want to do differently, is to provide a more positive atmosphere that I think is more reflective of the student body in HKU as a whole. Because, if you look around, a lot of the posters and and lot of notices put out by the Student Unions of the past have been predominantly negative, I think they are right to be upset about some of the issues, but I think it’s a bit overboard and a bit dramatic, and it turns a lot of students off. So, we acknowledge that there are issues but we will face them in a positive manner.

6. The Students’ Unions of recent years have always issued statements in response to social issues. If you are elected for the coming session, will you do the same?
Cheng: We think that the Union represents and speaks on behalf of the whole of student community. Therefore, the Union should for the most part stay neutral on matters, because it is merely a tool that bridges the outside world and the students.

7. Can you explain what are the differences of your Proposed Cabinet compared to last year’s regarding the issue of international students?
Cheung: First thing is, we are going to consider opening a new seat in the executive committee that is dedicated to non-local students' affairs. And of course we are going to have a series of activities that we hope to be more effective (in the issue of international students). For example, we are considering hosting a non-local orientation camp and some other cultural immersion activities, for example a mahjong class for non-local students, and also some cultural heritage tours. We hope to invite students of different nationalities to take part in it.

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二零一九年度香港大學學生會周年大選其他候選人包括候選常務秘書麥嘉晉、校園電視候選內閣、學苑候選編輯委員會及候選普選評議員。

2019年度周年大選中央諮詢大會將於一月二十一日至一月二十五日在中山廣場舉行，時間為下午十二時半至二時半。

Other candidates for the Annual Election 2019 include the Proposed General Secretary Mak Ka Chun Eugene, the Proposed Cabinet of Campus TV, the Proposed Editorial Board of Undergrad, and the Proposed Popularly Elected Union Councillor.

The Central Campaign for Annual Election 2019 will be held from the 21st to 25th of January at the Sun Yat-sen Place, from 12:30 to 14:30.