weigh sb/sth down

Growing Doubts on Palin Take a Toll, Poll Finds
By MICHAEL COOPER and DALIA SUSSMANThough a focus on taxes is helping John McCain, Sarah Palin is weighing down the Republican ticket, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

weigh sb/sth down (LOAD) phrasal verb [M usually passive]
If someone or something is weighed down with something, they are carrying a lot of or too much of it:
Weighed down with supplies, they found the steep path difficult to climb.


weigh sb down (WORRY) phrasal verb [M usually passive]
to make a person feel worried and unhappy because of problems, responsibilities and duties:
I thought she looked somehow older, weighed down by all her new responsibilities.
Too much responsibility when too young can weigh down on a child.

where

"倫敦人總愛問「Where」，簡單一語卻是萬千盤算──你和某人相識，那是在晚宴的主桌還是前堂的廁所？是音樂廳保留座還是寄物櫃前的長隊？關係界定，方能決定對話內容，甚至對話與否。"

Definition

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where Show phonetics
adverb, conjunction
1 to, at or in what place:
Where does he live?
"I put it on your desk." "Where? I can't see it?"
Where are we going?
Now where did I put my glasses?
Where's the party being held?
Could you tell me where Barker Drive is please?
Where did you put my umbrella?
I've left my keys somewhere and I don't know where.
You've found my diary - where on earth was it?
I've been meaning to ask you where you get your hair cut.
Bradford, where Bren comes from, has a lot of good curry restaurants.
She lived in Rome for a couple of years, where she taught English.
You see where Mira is standing? Well, he's behind her.
I like to have him next to me where I can keep an eye on him.
I read it somewhere - I don't know where (= in which book, newspaper etc.).

2 used when referring to a particular stage in a process or activity:
You reach a point in any project where you just want to get the thing finished.
I've reached the stage where I just don't care any more.

3 in what situation:
You're not available on the 12th and Andrew can't make the 20th - so where does that leave us?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?

broadcaster, "favorite dish"

Belgian Broadcaster Drops Show on Hitler's Favorite Dish

A Belgian public TV network has scrapped the airing of a controversial
episode on Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's "favorite dish" on a popular
culinary show after widespread protests by Jewish groups.

The DW-WORLD Article
http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evzk32I44va89pI4



broadcaster

1. One who delivers or sponsors an announcement, commercial, or program on a radio or television station or network, including station and network owners or operators, performers, and advertisers.

2. Owner or operator of a radio or television station or network.

early voting, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Press Association,

Early voting has many advantages. The main one is that it makes it likely that more eligible voters will participate in democracy.


The Success of Early Voting
Early voting has many advantages, but the main one is that it makes it likely that more eligible voters will participate in democracy.

Welcome to the Foreign Press Association

The independent professional body representing foreign journalists working in the UK. Based in the heart of London, only minutes away from Whitehall and Buckingham Palace, the FPA provides the ideal location for foreign correspondents working in the UK. Whether you need to file a story, attend a special briefing or just enjoy a cup of coffee between meetings, the FPA is the first port of call for new correspondents as well as those who know their way around.

We must act together to tackle economic problems and prepare for the recovery - Alistair Darling addresses the FPA

Wed Mar 11 16:12:23 2009

Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, today addressed the Foreign Press Association in London in anticipation of the G20 Finance Ministers meeting on 14 March. He outlined how he intended to deal with the current economic problems, emphasising the need not only to tackle existing problems, but also to plan for recovery. A substantial question and answer session with the foreign press then followed. [Click To Download Audio File]



這個周末「二十國集團」（G20）的財政部長們聚集在倫敦，共商如何因應當前全球金融危機大計，以期為四月初即將在英國召開的「二十國集團」高峰會議鋪路。 上周三，英國財相達林（Alistair Darling）特別就周末的「二十國集團」財長會議，在倫敦外籍記者協會（FPA）舉行 ...

Chancellor of the Exchequer Show phonetics
noun

the person in the British Government who is responsible for deciding tax levels and how much money the Government can spend



Early voting, is the process which voters can cast their vote on a single or series of days prior to an election. Early voting can take place remotely, such as by mail, or in person, usually in designated early voting polling stations. The availability and time periods for early voting vary based on jurisdiction and type of election. The goal of early voting is usually to increase participation and relieve congestion of polling stations on Election Day.
An advance poll (also "advance voting") is held in some elections to allow participation by voters who may not be able to vote on the set election day(s). This may include people who will be out of the polling area during the election period, poll workers, campaign workers, people with medical procedures scheduled for that time, among others.

zippo

What Does the Google Book Scan Settlement Mean for Viacom?
Wall Street Journal Blogs - New York,NY,USA
We’ll say at the outset that the answer, at least according to Google’s Chief Legal Officer, David Drummond, is zippo. “I would not read anything into the ...


Definition of Zippo: Babylon English-English n. (Slang) zip, zero, nothing, zilch.

raffish, self-effacing, tawdry tabloid, rakish

Frank Mundus

Scourge of the deep, many knew him as the rakish Captain Quint

Sep 25th 2008

WordNet: rakish

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The adjective has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: marked by smartness in dress and manners
Synonyms: dapper, dashing, jaunty, natty, raffish, smart, spiffy, snappy, spruce

Meaning #2: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
Synonyms: devil-may-care, raffish

London's Tawdry Tabloids Turn Upmarket
(By Karla Adam, The Washington Post)


LONDON — Any writer who has struggled to “do the words” would take heart from the self-effacing assessment written for himself by Ian Fleming, the raffish Englishman born 100 years ago this month who became one of the most successful authors of his time through the creation of the world’s best-loved spy, James Bond.

self-effacing
adjective
not making yourself noticeable; not trying to get the attention of other people; modest:
The captain was typically self-effacing when questioned about the team's successes, giving credit to the other players.

raffish
adjective
not following usual social standards of behaviour or appearance, especially in a careless and attractive way:
He has a certain raffish elegance.


adj. ━━ a. 品のない, けばけばしい; やくざ風の.

1. Cheaply or showily vulgar in appearance or nature; tawdry.
2. Characterized by a carefree or fun-loving unconventionality; rakish.

[Probably from dialectal raff, rubbish, from Middle English raf, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.]

raffishly raff'ish·ly adv.
raffishness raff'ish·ness n.

raffishness
noun [U]


tawdry Show phonetics
adjective
looking bright and attractive but in fact cheap and of low quality

tawdriness Show phonetics
noun [U]

tabloid Show phonetics
noun [C], adjective
a type of popular newspaper with small pages which has many pictures and short simple reports:
the tabloid press
a tabloid newspaper

patronize, derogatory,nightclub patrons

Panel to Review Arson Claims in Deadly 1977 Kentucky Fire
By STACY L. NEITZEL
Though initial reports blamed faulty wiring for a fire that killed 165 nightclub patrons in Southgate, rumors of arson have persisted ever since.

There have been further clashes since then - and Mr Blair is known to have felt patronised by Mr Chirac on occasions - but the relationship has always been patched up, and the pair claim to be friends.

In the run-up to the G8 summit, Mr Chirac reportedly joked that one could not trust a nation with a national cuisine as bad as England's.

He also made derogatory comments about a Scottish dish that former Nato Secretary-General George Robertson once offered him.

patronize

(pā'trə-nīz', păt'rə-) tr.v., -ized, -iz·ing, -iz·es.

1. To act as a patron to; support or sponsor.
2. To go to as a customer, especially on a regular basis.
3. To treat in a condescending manner.

Definition

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patron (SUPPORTER) Show phonetics
noun [C]
a person or group that supports an activity or organization, especially by giving money:
The Princess Royal is a well-known patron of several charities.

patronage Show phonetics
noun [U]
the support given to an organization by someone:
The Conservative Party enjoys the patronage of much of the business community.


derogatory Hide phonetics
adjective
showing strong disapproval and not showing respect:
He made some derogatory comment/remark about her appearance.

2005/7/

【綜合外電報導】英法兩國爭辦奧運的煙硝味，不僅新加坡會場，還蔓延法元首與英媒體的口水戰。 「他們（英國人）對歐洲農業的貢獻只有狂牛症。」法國總統席哈克當著俄羅斯總統普丁以及德國總理施洛德的面，竟然多番揶揄鄰邦英國，但這番真心話被法國記者聽到，刊登在報章上，引起英國媒體猛烈抨擊。

難吃食物是北約亂源

法國《解放報》報導，席哈克周日在俄羅斯參加加里寧格勒建城750周年慶祝活動時，跟普丁和施洛德進行私人茶敘，席間席哈克多次拿英國開玩笑：「怎能信任烹飪技術那麼差的人呢？這個國家（英國）的食物是繼芬蘭之後最糟的。」

席哈克又提到前北大西洋公約組織秘書長羅伯森(George Robertson)曾請他品嘗「令人反胃的蘇格蘭菜」羊肉雜碎布丁(Haggis)，他坦言：「這便是我們和北約麻煩的根源」，惹得普丁和施洛德大笑。普丁後來問：「那（英國的）漢堡又如何？」席哈克說：「不！不！漢堡根本不值一瞧。」。

據悉英首相布萊爾得知此事後，曾勃然大怒，但顧及倫敦正申辦2012年奧運、英國又是G8峰會東道國和歐盟輪任主席的身分，他決定吞下這口氣。

英國《太陽報》批評席哈克似乎忘了法國在5年前，曾隱瞞爆發狂牛症的醜聞。席哈克事後飛抵新加坡為巴黎申辦奧運作最後拉票，記者追問他有沒有說過貶低英國的話，他未正面回應。

《每日電訊報》頭版頭條的大標題是：\"希拉克說：英國人對歐洲農業的唯一貢獻就是瘋牛\"。該報和其他各報都報導說，希拉克在法德俄三國峰會時，和施羅德、普金開玩笑，嘲笑英國的烹飪是\"世界上除了芬蘭飯以外最糟糕的食品\"，並說\"你怎麼能相信飯燒的這麼差的人\"。

此外，希拉克還提起前北約秘書長、英國人羅伯遜請他吃過一種\"難吃\"的東西（暗指蘇格蘭特產哈吉斯腸），並說：\"這正是北約的問題所在\"。該報稱，這些傷人的話體現了英法兩國將在申辦奧運會和八國首腦會議上針鋒相對。希拉克的這些話被法國\"解放報\"的記者聽見，傳了出來。

2005.07.06　 中國時報

席哈克：與英食物比 漢堡如山珍海味

黃建育/綜合報導

法國總統席哈克三日在一酒會場合上取笑英國的食物難吃、英國沒有文化，說著說著最後竟然與在旁的俄羅斯總統普丁、德國總理施若德三人笑成一團。

據法國《解放報》報導，席哈克當時是說：「那些食物品味太差的人，無法讓人信任。」後來又加了一句：「繼芬蘭之後，英國是食物最難吃的一個國家。」這時，普丁總統也在旁加油添醋。

普丁問席哈克說，對漢堡有何看法。結果席哈克答說，跟英國食物相較，漢堡簡直有如山珍海味。

據稱席哈克還當著普丁、施若德的面前諷刺英國文化說：「英國人對歐洲文化的唯一貢獻是傳染狂牛症。」

上述交談內容都一一被在旁豎起耳朵的記者聽到。不過，法國政府發言人對這些報導則不願多做評論。

席哈克是在出席俄羅斯加里寧格勒省成立七百五十周年紀念會上與普丁、施若德交談時，脫口而出這些會讓英國人跳腳的評語。

不過，令人更尷尬的是席哈克竟然回憶說，有一次前「北大西洋公約組織」秘書長羅柏森（英國籍）要他嘗嘗蘇格蘭菜。結果，席哈克說他品嘗之後的感想是，「這就是我國跟北約之間的困難所在。」

席哈克將在周三飛往蘇格蘭參加八大工業國高峰會議，而英國女王伊莉莎白二世屆時將在開幕典禮上以蘇格蘭美食款待各國貴賓。

由於巴黎、倫敦申請二○一二年夏季奧運主辦權的競爭已白熱化，席哈克這番話或許別有用意。四日在新加坡替倫敦申奧助陣的英相布萊爾則不願惹不必要的外交齟齬。

布萊爾表示，此次峰會將討論援非和對應地球氣候變化等議題，在此關鍵時刻，「老實說，我不會去貶損任何人」。

play fast and loose

play fast and loose with sth/sb

to treat something or someone without enough care
Like many film-makers, he plays fast and loose with the facts to tell his own version of the story.

play fast and loose/ play loose and fast

Be recklessly irresponsible, unreliable, or deceitful, as in This reporter is known for playing fast and loose with the facts. This term probably originated in a 16th-century game called "fast and loose," played at country fairs. A belt was doubled and held with the loop at table's edge, and the player had to catch the loop with a stick as the belt was unrolled--an impossible feat. The term was already used figuratively by the late 1500s, especially for trifling with someone's affections.

taxes the less well-off to protect the relatively privileged

Second, this bailout taxes the less well-off to protect the relatively privileged. The average individual General Motors production worker, whose job would be saved by the bailout, makes $56,650 per year, according to the Center for Automotive Research, and that doesn't count better-paid, white-collar types. Meanwhile, half of all households-- which typically include more than one earner -- make less than $50,000 per year. Where's the justice in that?

Dominion Domination

today's papers

Dominion Domination

By Ryan Grim
Posted Monday, Oct. 27, 2008, at 2:00 AM ET

The Washington Post leads with a poll showing Barack Obama up eight points against John McCain in Virginia. If McCain loses the Old Dominion, he'll have to run the table in states where he's currently down much more than eight. The Los Angeles Times leads with news that voting by mail will be at historic levels in California and elsewhere, transforming the relationship voters have with the trappings of democracy. The New York Times highlights the predicament McCain is in.

Old Dominion

A nickname for Virginia. King Charles II gave Virginia this name because of its loyalty to England during the English Civil War (1642-49).

domination

(dŏm'ə-nā'shən)

n.

1. 1. Control or power over another or others.
   2. The exercise of such control or power.
2. dominations Christianity. The fourth of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology. Also called dominions.

Dominations：宰制天使；宰制天神：出自聖保祿的書信（弗一21）。為九品天使之一。詳見 choirs of angels。

Definition

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daylight Show phonetics
noun [U]
(the period when there is) natural light from the sun:
The colours look much better in daylight.

daylight-saving time

n. (Abbr. DST)

Time during which clocks are set one hour or more ahead of standard time to provide more daylight at the end of the working day during late spring, summer, and early fall.

英國的日曆上，在十月二十六日這天，寫著，「英國夏令時間結束日」--回到格林威治冬令時間了。26日凌晨開始，每個人都得記住把時鐘往後撥一小時。夏天時候，英國人向時間借貸來的一個小時，以便可以每天早點開始，享受夏日陽光的時期結束了。

"Lord Mayor". trappings and keepsakes. garage sales

Yard Sales Boom, and Sentiment Is First Thing to Go
By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN
As people seeking cash in hard times sell life’s daily trappings and keepsakes, garage sales are flourishing so much that some cities have begun cracking down.



City of London chief urges Japan deregulate
The Japan Times - Japan
LONDON (Kyodo) Lord Mayor of the City of London David Lewis, the ambassador for all British-based financial services, is urging Japan to loosen its banking ...


〔英〕 （ロンドンなど大都市の）市長.---錯誤的翻譯

Wikipedia article "Lord Mayor".

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is a purely ceremonial post, see Mayors in the United Kingdom, list of cities in the United Kingdom, especially Lord Mayor of the City of London (the ceremonial representative of the one square mile small financial district, but with the trappings of a viceroy).

keep・sake

形見; 記念品.

trap・pings

━━ n.pl. 装飾, 装身具; 馬飾り.

━━ n. （植民地などを統治する）国王代理, 太守, 総督.