2025年12月31日 星期三

"Trumpnado" .As the Trumpnado spins on in 2026, here are ten trends and themes to look out for in the coming year

 This is Donald Trump’s world—we’re all just living in it. As the Trumpnado spins on in 2026, here are ten trends and themes to look out for in the coming year https://econ.st/496vvmi

這就是唐納德·川普的世界——我們都生活在其中。隨著川普的旋風在2026年繼續肆虐,以下是來年值得關注的十大趨勢和主題:




"Trumpnado" is a 
portmanteau (a blend of words) combining "Trump" (referencing U.S. political figure Donald Trump) and "tornado". The term is used informally, often in political commentary and media, to describe the perceived disruptive, whirlwind, or chaotic nature of Donald Trump's political campaigns, presidency, and its impacts on global affairs, the economy, and domestic policy. 
The phrase uses the imagery of a tornado—a powerful, unpredictable, and potentially destructive windstorm—to characterize the rapid and significant changes associated with his actions and style. 
Key aspects the term often implies include:
  • Disruption and Chaos: A rapid, ferocious, and often unpredictable style of leadership and policy changes.
  • Widespread Impact: The wide-ranging effects of his policies on various sectors, from the economy (tariffs, taxes) to international relations and climate issues.
  • Uncertainty: The difficulty in predicting the severity or direction of future changes under his influence. 
The term has been used by various publications, including The Economist and MarketWatch, since his initial political rise in the mid-2010s. 


lapse, retirement (STOP WORKING), chastity, go deep, on the line. Southwest Rethinks Plane Retirement. A final farewell to the MetroCard ahead of its retirement


I do not mean to embody the illusions of Tonio Kröger, whose dreams of uniting a chaste north to a passionate south were exalted here, fifty-three years ago, by Thomas Mann.


"Adolescent angst is one thing", says Dan O’Mahoney, vocalist forDONE DYING. "But in reality adult life is harder and the pressures are greater. There is more on the line".


Southwest Rethinks Plane Retirement
Southwest is reconsidering some operating plans in the wake of maintenance lapses, from the pace of retiring old jetliners to outsourcing maintenance overseas.


Journey to the East by Le Corbusier, Edited by Ivan Zaknic《東方游記》:兩處錯誤

這本書牽涉到西方基督教藝術的地方不少,而一些地方是作者回想起幾年前他的義大利之旅的觀畫經驗,譬如說,英文本注說:The panels he mentions are exhibited at the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Sienna. The four separate panels depict The Triumph of Death, The Triumph of Chastity, The Triumph of Love , The Triumph of Fame 可惜我在internet上找不到詳細的解釋。

Today's Papers: The Fed Goes Deep


The New York TimesWashington PostLos Angeles Times, and USA Today all lead with, while the Wall Street Journal devotes much of its Page One to, the Federal Reserve announcing a series of moves to try to bring some stability to the increasingly shaky financial markets. Lest these be confused as just one more of the series of measures the Fed has taken in recent months, the papers make clear that this latest action is "dramatic" (WP), "extraordinary" (LAT), and "apparently unprecedented" (NYT). The Fed opened up its lending practices to make more money available to the biggest investment firms on Wall Street, and cut a key interest rate (the so-called discount window) for financial institutions by a quarter of a percentage point. The central bank also announced it would extend a $30 billion credit line to help J.P. Morgan Chase complete the purchase of Bear Stearns for what the WSJ calls "the fire-sale price" of $2 a share.

Top stories

on the line
phrase of line
  1. 1.
    at serious risk.
    "their careers were on the line"

  2. 2.
    (of a picture in an exhibition) hung with its centre about level with the spectator's eye.

 go deep

Meaning #1: extend in importance or range
Synonym: go far

chastity:(1)貞潔聖德;貞德;守貞:讓理智控制自己的性感、情慾,人應有羞恥之心,非禮勿思、勿視、勿言、勿動。拉丁文稱作 castitas;又稱貞操或潔德。任何基督徒,無論結婚與否,都應照自己身分潔身自愛。(2) 貞潔聖願:照福音勸諭誓許天主度獨身生活的信徒,譬如男女會士和拉丁禮的神父、主教即是。

chastity 
noun [U]
the state of not having sexual relationships or never having had sex:━━ n. 純潔; 簡素.
 chastity belt 貞操帯.
As a monk, he took vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.

chaste
adjective FORMAL
1 not having had sex, or only having a sexual relationship with the person whom you are married to:
In the past, a woman needed to be chaste to make a good marriage.
They exchanged a few chaste kisses (= not expressing sexual desire).

2 describes decoration or style that is very simple and smooth:
I like the simple, chaste lines of their architecture.



lapse (FAILURE)
noun [C]
a temporary failure:
a lapse of concentration
The management's decision to ignore the safety warnings demonstrated a remarkable lapse of judgment.
a memory lapse上面本段用法比一般的 retirement用意更廣:
retire (STOP WORKING)

spam, Python, python (一般に)大蛇(boa,anaconda など), punch above your weight. From movies and TV to K-Pop, South Korean culture manages to punch far above its weight - across East Asia, and beyond.



From movies and TV to K-Pop, South Korean culture manages to punch far above its weight - across East Asia, and beyond. But how did this happen, and why is it so important to Koreans? In three exclusive films produced and directed by Phil Tinline for BBC Arts, Rana Mitter visits the South Korean capital, Seoul, to investigate.
從電影、電視到韓流音樂,韓國文化的影響力遠超其國土面積,遍及東亞乃至更廣闊的地區。但這究竟是如何發生的呢?它對韓國人為何如此重要?在菲爾廷林為BBC藝術頻道製作並執導的三部獨家影片中,拉娜米特探訪了韓國首都首爾,展開了深入調查。



For The Economist's World Ahead 2026, the China-Taiwan dynamic centers on escalating pressure via China's "anaconda strategy," intensifying economic coercion and military gray-zone tactics, while Taiwan focuses on deepening U.S. defense ties, enhancing self-defense (especially in semiconductors), and leveraging its crucial chip role, all under increasing geopolitical uncertainty and potential shifts in global alliances influenced by U.S. politics. Expect more assertive Chinese actions, testing Taiwan's resilience and international support, while Taiwan boosts military readiness and economic insulation, knowing its chip dominance is a key asset. 
《經濟學人》2026年世界展望報告指出,中台關係的核心在於中國透過「蟒蛇戰略」不斷升級施壓,加劇經濟脅迫與軍事灰色地帶策略;而台灣則專注於深化與美國的國防關係,加強自衛(尤其是在半導體領域),並發揮其在晶片領域的關鍵作用。所有這些都發生在日益加劇的地緣政治不確定性和受美國政治影響的全球聯盟格局潛在變化的大背景下。預計中國將採取更強硬的行動,考驗台灣的韌性和國際支持,而台灣則會加強軍事戰備和經濟隔離,因為它深知其晶片領域的主導地位是一項關鍵資產。



Wikipedia article "Spam (electronic)"

It slithered into his bed while he was asleep


punch above your weight

mainly UK informal If a ​country or ​business ​punches above ​its ​weight, it ​becomes ​involved in, or ​succeeds in, an ​activity that ​needs more ​power, ​money, etc. than it ​seems to have:Singapore ​punches above ​its ​weight in the ​world ​economy.


Python

  1. [名詞] 〔ギリシア神話〕 ピュトン:Delphi にいた大蛇;Apollo に退治され,Apollo はこの場所に神託所を開いた.
  2. [語源]
    <ラテン語 Pthōn<ギリシャ語 Pthōn

python1 


音節
 
py • thon1
 
発音
 
páiθɑn,-θən|-θən
  1. [名詞]
  2. 1 ニシキヘビ:ニシキヘビ科 Pythonidae のユーラシア,アフリカ,ニューギニア,オーストラリアの熱帯から亜熱帯に分布する無毒の大ヘビの総称.
  3. 2 (一般に)大蛇(boa,anaconda など).
  4. 3 ((俗)) ペニス
  5. [語源]
    1590.<近代ラテン語;PYTHON の特殊用法

spam
(spăm) pronunciation
n.
Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.
tr.v., spammed, spam·ming, spams.
  1. To send unsolicited e-mail to.
  2. To send (a message) indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups.
[From SPAM (probably inspired by a comedy routine on the British television series Monty Python's Flying Circus, in which the word is repeated incessantly).]

讓世界上許多互聯網用戶煩惱不堪的垃圾電子郵件“spam”,在這個周末迎來誕辰30周年。
世界上第一個能辨認出來的電子市場推廣郵件在1978年5月3日由一家現在已經不再存在,名為DEC的公司寄出。
這封電郵由該公司職員圖爾克透過網際網絡始祖Arpanet向400名居住在美國西岸的用戶發出,邀請他們出席兩場DEC公司當時新推出的微型電腦的演示會。
這封電郵迅速得到回應,據報當時負責管理Arpanet的美國國防通訊局向公司負責人投訴,促使對方採取行動。
不過,在圖爾克的歷史上首封垃圾電郵之後許多年,主動發放的商業電郵才成為擾民的東西。
到1993年,網絡聊天系統Usenet的系統管理員富爾創造了垃圾電郵英語“spam”一詞。
據說富爾是從一份丟在餐廳內的喜劇《巨蟒的火腿騎士》草稿中取得靈感。劇中一家餐廳正是以“Spam”品牌罐頭豬肉招徠食客。-- ━━ n. 【商標】スパム ((米国・英国製の豚肉の缶詰)).
草稿的末端寫道,餐廳內所有人在一群北歐海盜鼓動下,大叫“Spam、Spam、Spam、Spam、Spam”。
1994年4月出現了垃圾郵件發展史的又一個裡程碑:移民律師坎特和西格爾在Usenet討論群組向超過6000人寄出商業宣傳信息。
坎特和西格爾的電郵被普遍視為網絡商業化的開始,也是今天垃圾電郵泛濫的開始。
30年後的今天,垃圾電郵已經發展成一個地下工業,更成為了高科技犯罪團伙實行各式各樣詐騙的工具。
美國聯邦調查局的統計指出,超過75%網絡詐騙案件透過垃圾電郵來進行。單是2007年,犯罪分子們透過垃圾郵件騙取的金額超過2.39億美元。
統計數據也指出,全球所有電子郵件當中,超過80%到85%是垃圾郵件,這些電郵每天寄出數目高達1000億封。
這些垃圾信息主要透過被電腦病毒騎劫的家庭電腦發放的。
英國電腦保安企業Sophos的高級科技顧問克魯雷說:“垃圾郵件對於我們所有人來說都是一個負累。”
“更糟糕的是,今天的許多垃圾郵件都是懷有惡意的,目的是偷取你的銀行賬戶信息,或者安裝惡意軟件。”

Potemkin, anaconda, an"anaconda twist", palanquin, reputedly, to keep up the mirage of a bumper harvest. the China-Taiwan dynamic centers on escalating pressure via China's "anaconda strategy," intensifying economic coercion and military gray-zone tactics, while Taiwan focuses on deepening U.S. defense ties, enhancing self-defense (especially in semiconductors), and leveraging its crucial chip role,


For The Economist's World Ahead 2026, the China-Taiwan dynamic centers on escalating pressure via China's "anaconda strategy," intensifying economic coercion and military gray-zone tactics, while Taiwan focuses on deepening U.S. defense ties, enhancing self-defense (especially in semiconductors), and leveraging its crucial chip role, all under increasing geopolitical uncertainty and potential shifts in global alliances influenced by U.S. politics. 
《經濟學人》2026年世界展望報告指出,中台關係的核心在於中國透過「蟒蛇戰略」不斷升級施壓,加劇經濟脅迫與軍事灰色地帶策略;而台灣則專注於深化與美國的國防關係,加強自衛(尤其是在半導體領域),並發揮其在晶片領域的關鍵作用。




Taiwan on edge as China draws closer
The Australian
Taiwan has been increasingly drawn into China's orbit as it becomes more dependent on the mainland for its economic growth. This warm embrace, described by one Taipei-based Western official as an "anaconda twist", has been encouraged by the ...
隨著中國步步逼近,台灣局勢緊張

澳洲人報

台灣的經濟成長越來越依賴中國大陸,因此它與中國大陸的關係也日益密切。一位常駐台北的西方官員將這種密切的聯繫形容為“蟒蛇纏繞”,而這種密切聯繫的形成也受到了…的鼓勵。


It was clear to her that any success in land reform was an illusion when she met emaciated villagers with tales of family members who had died of starvation. Yet instead of reporting the true numbers of depleted crops, she and other villagers created a Potemkin wheat field for senior Party members in order to keep up the mirage of a bumper harvest.

The BBC is to commemorate its former employee George Orwell four years after having initially rejected the plan, reputedly because he was too leftwing
Broadcaster to commemorate former employee after initially rejecting plan,…
THEGUARDIAN.COM|由 MAEV KENNEDY 上傳

 palanquin

Syllabification: (pal·an·quin)
Pronunciation: /ˌpalənˈkēn/

(also palankeen)
Definition of palanquin

noun [名](インドや中国で用いた)輿(こし).

  • (in India and the East) a covered litter for one passenger, consisting of a large box carried on two horizontal poles by four or six bearers.

Origin:

late 16th century: from Portuguese palanquim, from Oriya pālaṅki, based on Sanskrit palyanka 'bed, couch'


anaconda

    
音節
an • a • con • da
発音
æ`nəkɑ'ndə | -kɔ'n-
anacondaの変化形
anacondas (複数形)
[名]アナコンダ(南米産の大蛇);(一般に)大蛇.

獨 立經濟學家、強烈質疑華西村發展模式的溫克堅表示:“華西村模式實際上是中國模式。”溫克堅認為華西村只不過是另一個波將金村(Potemkian Village),是中國統治者為了展示其最新政策而樹立的樣板村莊。(波將金村是俄國女皇葉卡捷琳娜二世的寵臣波將金於1787年修建的村莊,專為女皇 視察他的領地時使用,以顯示領地的“繁榮”——譯者註)
吳仁寶要求他的同志們每天學習中共機關報《人民日報》(People’s Daily),並按照中共的優先事項制定當地所有的經濟和政治計劃。




Potemkin2

Syllabification: (Po·tem·kin)
Pronunciation: /pəˈtem(p)kin/

Definition of Potemkin

adjective

informal
  • having a false or deceptive appearance, especially one presented for the purpose of propaganda:it proved her to be a Potemkin feminist

Origin:

1930s: from Grigori Aleksandrovich Potyomkin (often transliterated Potemkin), a favorite of Empress Catherine II of Russia, who reputedly gave the order for sham villages to be built for the empress's tour of the Crimea in 1787



reputedly 

Pronunciation: /rɪˈpjuːtɪdli/ 

ADVERB

According to what people say or believe; supposedly:he reputedly gained a £1.2-million settlement at the end of their marriage


Potemkin1

Syllabification: (Po·tem·kin)
Pronunciation: /pəˈtem(p)kin/

Definition of Potemkin
a battleship whose crew mutinied during the Russian Revolution of 1905 when in the Black Sea, bombarding Odessa before seeking asylum in Romania. The incident persuaded the tsar to agree to a measure of reform.

Sergei Eisenstein 說拍Battleship Potemkin 的 the massacre on the "Odessa Steps" (此為電影之虛構) 時. 2000人在台階上亂竄. 第一次拍的時候大家很認真 接下來重拍幾次. 大家沒新鮮感疲了. 這時候 Sergei Eisenstein應用所謂拿破崙效應---拿擴音器對幾位演員 指名道姓請他們認真點----果然......