2008年6月25日 星期三

Nature Lovers Cause Soil Erosion in Britain

Living Planet | 26.06.2008 | 04:30

Nature Lovers Cause Soil Erosion in Britain

A nice walk in the hills is something many people in Manchester in the UK enjoy doing in their spare time. Too many, it seems: the soil is eroding from too many feet trampling on it.

Britain is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe, and open spaces offer a much sought-after pleasure - rambling, or hill walking.

But most British land is privately owned, and it was only relatively recently that the public gained the right to use it for their leisure. That happened just outside Manchester in the 1930s, but the hard-won right to roam the green, rolling hills is now threatening the very ground people are walking on.

Report: Lars Bevanger

Sexism in the City

sexism




慾望都市、脫衣舞廳

英倫隨筆
BBC中文網記者 蘇平

倫敦金融城
倫敦金融城-英國經濟的馬達

上個月在倫敦首映的《慾望都市》(Sex and The City)仍然在全國上下紅紅火火。與友人聊起這部影片,一聯想,話題就拐彎轉到了真實生活中的City----倫敦的金融城。

商場謀生,招待客戶是例行公事。喝酒宴請、唱歌打球還好說,到了桑那按摩、脫衣舞廳這種通常靠"女色"款待來賓的場所,就出問題了:女職員怎麼辦?去還是不去?

不去,就算不丟生意,至少也缺了一個和客人拉關係、套近乎的機會﹔去?攤在我身上,我肯定坐立不安眼睛不知往哪兒看。

英國女權壓力組織福西特協會最近說,在倫敦金融城內,大公司請客戶去看脫衣舞正在成為"慣例"。

在性別平等法案問世40年的今天、在自稱文明、前衛的現代都市倫敦,呼風喚雨的大公司有必要在燈紅酒綠的舞廳內、在半裸女郎的影子下敲定合同嗎?

慾望金融城

呼吁政府將脫衣舞廳列入色情范疇之內
呼吁政府將脫衣舞廳列入色情范疇之內
英國第一家脫衣舞廳(Lap dance club)1995年開業,現在全國各地共有300多家,倫敦有50多家。

福西特協會說,這給商業文化帶來了巨大衝擊:現在,請看脫衣舞,正在成為公司款待客戶越來越普遍的方式。

福西特協會認為,這深化了職業場所中把女性"性化"的"破壞性文化"。在倫敦的金融城更是如此,因為城中的性騷擾、性歧視已然嚴重到了"令人擔心"的程度。

4月起,福西特協會發動了一場名為"慾望金融城"(Sexism in the City)的運動,目的之一就是要將脫衣舞廳從"商業會晤場所"的名錄上開除出去。

福西特協會委托權威民調機構Ipsos Mori對1000名英國成年人做了一項調查。調查發現,60%的女性都不願意加盟允許雇員請客戶看脫衣舞的公司﹔過半男性、近六成女性表示,"基本不能接受"或者"根本不能接受"公司允許雇員請客戶看脫衣舞的做法。

福西特協會收集了金融城內性別歧視的大量"人證和物證"。

一名原來在金融城工作的雇員"凱特"說,和客戶開會,經常拖到下班後,開完了會就是一起去脫衣舞廳。凱特還抱怨,"聽說公司一位領導告誡人事部,新招聘的秘書必須身材苗條、金發、漂亮"。

福西特協會說,金融城的財富背後隱藏著女性遭受歧視的真相。女人在工作城所、日常生活中必須享有和男性同樣的尊嚴、尊重和權利。

福西特協會呼籲政府將脫衣舞廳和性商店一樣列入"色情場所"範疇之內,不再享受酒吧、夜總會同類待遇。

同時,他們還呼籲雇主雇員共同行動起來。特別是大公司,有了對付性別歧視的政策並不能高枕無憂,還要對諸如請看脫衣舞這類做法作出具體規定。

怕燙就別進廚房

位於倫敦中心的金融城,面積只有一平方英里,但卻是英國經濟的馬達----英國GDP的3%都是在這裡創造出來的。

今天的金融城,仍然是男人的天下,雄性激素的水平在英國所有的就業場所中恐怕是位居前茅。

金融城是一個報酬如天、但卻競爭激烈的地方,任何人要想在這裡扎下腳跟、創下一番事業都必須付出一定的犧牲。面對傳統和文化的不利條件,女人恐怕需要付出更多。

請客戶去看脫衣舞
態度 男人 女人
完全可以接受 12%, 7%
基本可以接受 28%, 23%
完全不能接受 27%, 36%
來源:Ipsos Mori 調查

英語中有一句話叫做"受不了熱就別進廚房"。每一次金融城面臨指控時,都會有人反駁說,金融城內的性別歧視和其他工作場所、比如商店、餐館、建築工地沒有區別。

唯一的不同是,這裡的性別歧視案見報率高、賠償金額大,引起的關注和評論更多而已。

一位金融城的男性雇員曾經在BBC留言稱,金融城沒有性歧視,這裡,男人不過是在展示"異性戀男人的正常行為"。

就連身為女性的自由撰稿人普拉特爾(Amanda Platell)都曾經告誡姐妹,別抱怨,怕燙手,就請走人。

返回來再看Ipsos Mori的調查。40%的男人和30%的女人表示,"可以接受"公司允許請客戶看脫衣舞廳表演的做法。持這種觀點的人也絕對不是一小撮。

講個葷段子?

從法律上來講,英國女性在職場進取確實不再面對制度性的障礙。但是,傳統與文化的改變,恐怕還要經歷更加漫長的過程。

比如說,現在的辦公室都是開放型的,鄰桌男同事的屏幕保護是半裸女郎、酒吧裡男同事講個"葷段子"、見到美女吹聲口哨、叫清潔女工甜心寶貝,這算不算歧視、騷擾?

你願意加盟允許雇員請客戶看脫衣舞的公司嗎?
受訪者僅限女性
沒問題 &nbsp7%
基本沒問題 15%
無所謂 11%
有點不舒服 16%
特別不舒服 44%
來源:Ipsos Mori 調查
原來英國有項研究說,與男性相比,女性加薪、提拔的機會更少,原因之一是女性不提要求。

但是,女性提要求,經常被刻畫為自私、攫取,男性提同樣的要求則可能被看作自信、成功,這又該怎樣解釋呢?

面臨女權機構、政治正確的強大壓力,說實話,我還真是同情現在的人事幹部。但是,嗨,誰說當官容易了?

女性訴訟性騷擾的故事層出不窮。有些事例單看起來,確實不足以給當事人紀律處分。但是,我們應該容忍辦公室內一點一滴地把女職員"性別化"的做法嗎?

你說,公司讓員工帶著客戶去看脫衣舞,是對女員工不尊重、不平等嗎?

(2008年6月24日)

2008年6月24日 星期二

London Chaffs

café, caff

一本蒐集報導倫敦舊式「茶餐廳」的《London Caffs》

London Caffs




London Caffs (ペーパーバック)
Edwin Heathcote (著), Sue Barr (写真)

2008年6月22日 星期日

60周年慶 (bbc)



英國紀念"帝國疾風號"返航60周年

BBC英國事務記者康威

帝國疾風號
帝國疾風號:英國歷史上的一個里程碑

英國各地舉辦多起慶祝活動,紀念"帝國疾風號"返航60周年。

1948年,帝國疾風號輪船從西印度群島地區帶回了首批移民,標誌著加勒比地區向英國移民潮的開始。直到1960年代,移民數量才慢慢下降。

當年乘坐帝國疾風號來到英國的首批將近500多名移民只不過計劃在這裡呆上有數的幾年,但結果絕大多數都在英國定居了,這給英國社會帶來了巨大衝擊。

裡程碑

1948年6月22日,帝國疾風號停靠在倫敦東部泰晤士河邊的蒂爾波裡碼頭。

船上有492名乘客,大多數來自牙買加和特立尼達。其中包括加力索歌星基奇納爵士,他演唱了一首讚美倫敦的歌曲。

這些人衣冠楚楚,穿著西裝,帶著禮帽,他們踏著木板走下船舷的黑白照片已經成了當代英國歷史的一個關鍵裡程碑。

這批移民在牙買加報紙上看到一則英國招募工人的廣告之後決定來這裡尋找工作機會。同時,英國對英聯邦所有國家的移民實行"開門政策"也特別有吸引力。

二戰之後的英國,勞動力嚴重短缺,有足夠的工作機會。但是,為新移民安排住宿成了一個大問題。

隨著越來越多的加勒比和次大陸移民抵達英國,英國白人的不滿也越來越嚴重。

1968年,保守黨政客鮑威爾發表了著名的《血河》演講,警告英國過度接納移民可能引發的嚴重後果。

1980年代以來,英國一些城區爆發過嚴重的種族衝突。

但是,拋開這些起伏,大多數移民都在英國安頓了下來,他們的文化和英國的傳統互相交融,徹底改變了英國社會。


Beta Version The BBC Audio & Video search is a new service. More content will be added in the future. Help Me

Image: Stephen Dorrell - NHS at 60

Former Health Secretary, Stephen Dorrell, talks to East Midlands Political Editor John Hess about how the NHS must re-motivate demoralised staff as it approaches its 60th...

22 Jun 2008
Image: NHS at 60 - A Picture of Health

Liz MacKean explains how Newsnight is marking the sixtieth anniversary of the National Health Service, with online help from viewers.

9 Jun 2008
Image: Israel's military at 60

To mark Israel's 60th anniversary, the BBC's former Middle East correspondent, Paul Adams, looks at the role of the military in modern Israel.

8 May 2008

Image: The Zionist dream: 60 years on

To mark Israel's 60th anniversary, the BBC's former Middle East correspondent, Paul Adams, looks at whether or not the Zionist dream of an independent homeland for the Jews has...

7 May 2008
Image: Couple mark platinum wedding

A couple are about to celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary as the Queen and Prince Philip celebrate their 60 years of marriage.

19 Nov 2007
Image: Royal couple celebrate 60 years

A service to celebrate the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's 60th wedding anniversary has taken place in London.

19 Nov 2007

Large Video Image

American air crews based in Suffolk have been celebrating the founding of the USAF 60 years ago.

18 Sep 2007
Image: India celebrates 60 years

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addresses the nation on the 60th anniversary of independence.

15 Aug 2007
Image: India's 60th anniversary

Celebrations mark India's birth as a multi-cultural, multi-faith, secular society, 60 years after independence.

14 Aug 2007

Image: Yorkshire Life 60 years on

Staff at the magazine Yorkshire Life have been celebrating its 60th anniversary.

14 May 2007
Image: Women's jail marks 60 years

Askham Grange women's prison near York has been marking its 60th anniversary.

3 May 2007
Image: Bafta at 60

The Bafta film nominations have been announced in London, with the awards being handed out in February.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has praised the organisation in a statement to mark 60 years since the signing of the UN Charter.

27 Jun 2005
Image: Sixty years since liberation of Belsen

Holocaust survivors and their liberators are marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

15 Apr 2005

Sing-A-Longs Fashionable Again in London

EuroVox | 23.06.2008 | 05:30

Sing-A-Longs Fashionable Again in London

In chic modern London, there's an old fashion musical tradition that just become very hip again.

A "cockney knees up"( 請搜索YouTube等即可了解這種大家唱) is a kind of sing-along that used to take place in working class pubs and music halls across of the British capital. But these days a much younger, urban crowd is rediscovering the joys of a beer and a song.

Report: Martin Vogl

2008年6月21日 星期六

Ascot Racecourse or Royal Ascot

Adrian Dennis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
To be seen at the races at Ascot is undeniably a British tradition.

2008
雨傘 英國圖輯
衣香鬢影皇家賽馬




维基百科,自由的百科全书

跳转到: 导航, 搜索
雅士谷馬場
雅士谷馬場

雅士谷馬場(英語:Ascot Racecourse)是位於英國伯克郡雅士谷的一個馬場,與英國皇室有密切關係。主要舉辦平地及國家狩獵跳欄賽事。最為人所知的是每年六月下旬舉行的皇家雅士谷賽馬日,每次連續五天舉行。在1711年建成。目前由Crown Estate管理。

目录

[隐藏]

[编辑] 歷史

1711年喜歡賽馬的安妮女王在離溫莎城堡不遠的地區舉行賽馬比賽。第一場賽事是女王殿下錦標,總獎金為100堅尼。距離是4哩(6437米)。早期是皇室使用的馬場。1813年國會通過法案,成為公眾馬場。不過直到1945年以前為止,馬場只在皇家雅士谷賽馬日舉行賽事。以後才在賽馬日以外有賽事舉行(英皇喬治六世及女皇伊利沙伯錦標在1951年首次舉辦)

1965年馬場增設欄柵,首次舉辦國家狩獵跳欄賽事。

2005年馬場改建,由聯合愛爾蘭銀行出資1億8500興建,除了新增看台外,還改建了馬場的賽道,皇家雅士谷賽馬日改在約克馬場舉行,在2006年6月20日重開。

[编辑] 馬場詳細

馬場一圈長14化郎(約2814米),跑道與三角型非常相似。最後直路長2.5化郎(502米)

[编辑] 主要賽事

[编辑] 皇家雅士谷賽馬日

[编辑] 其他主要賽事

[编辑] 外部連結



PPE--Philosophy, Politics and Economics



Philosophy, Politics and Economics or Politics, Philosophy, and Economics[1] (often abbreviated to PPE but known as social studies at Harvard) is a popular interdisciplinary degree which combines study from the three disciplines. It is most strongly associated with the University of Oxford – the institution that first offered the degree – but is increasingly being offered at universities elsewhere in the United Kingdom (including the Open University) and around the world including Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Iceland, and the United States.

Contents

[hide]

[edit] History

PPE was established in Oxford in 1920 as a modern alternative to Classics (known as Greats) because it was thought that a course in Philosophy and Ancient History was no longer relevant for those entering the civil service. It was thus initially known as Modern Greats. It was also the first opportunity for students to study philosophy at Oxford without having to learn Ancient Greek or Latin and hence sparked a huge growth in the number of students studying philosophy at Oxford. The University of York was the first university to introduce a one-year PPE postgraduate programme (MA PPE).

[edit] Course material

The design of the programme emanates from the view that to understand social phenomena one must approach them from several complementary disciplinary directions and analytical frameworks. In this regard, the study of philosophy is considered important because it both equips students with meta-tools such as the ability to reason rigorously and logically, and facilitates ethical reflection. The study of politics is considered necessary because it acquaints students with the authoritative structures that govern society and help solve collective action problems. Moreover, the study of political science is thought to put students in a position to evaluate the choices political systems and regimes regularly make. Finally, studying economics is seen as vital in the modern world because political decisions often concern economic matters, and government decisions are often influenced by economic events. Additionally, the analytical framework of economics (the rational actor model) is an important approach to studying social phenomena and, as such, students ought to be familiar with it.

[edit] Notable people with PPE degrees from Oxford

PPE has traditionally been a programme pursued by those seeking a career in politics or public life – with quite a few subsequently achieving it. Oxford's notable PPE graduates include:


MORE FROM WIKIPEDIA

Oxford 某些學院colleges 設此課程 如林肯

聖安妮(PPE School) 等等
英國文領事館British Council等似乎有代考





2008年6月20日 星期五

ministers to review climate change plan

《衛報》在頭版刊登一篇文章說,英國和歐洲必須要重新思考他們的環境戰略方案。

文章說政府的一份調查報告結果發現發展生物燃料對目前全球的食品價格大舉上揚有主要的關係。 《衛報》的報道說,這份將於下星期發表的名為加拉格爾的報告將促使英國以及歐洲重新審視他們研製和發展生物燃料的計劃。 文章說這項研究標誌著在利用生物燃料對付全球氣候變暖措施的戲劇性的轉變。


New study to force ministers to review climate change plan

Exclusive Official review admits biofuel role in food crisis

Britain and Europe will be forced to fundamentally rethink a central part of their environment strategy after a government report found that the rush to develop biofuels has played a "significant" role in the dramatic rise in global food prices, which has left 100 million more people without enough to eat.

The Gallagher report, due to be published next week, will trigger a review of British and EU targets for the use of plant-derived fuels in place of petrol and diesel, the Guardian has learned.

The study marks a dramatic reversal in the role of biofuels in the fight against global warming. As recently as last year, corn ethanol and biodiesel derived from vegetable oil were widely seen as important weapons in that fight - and a central plank of Gordon Brown's green strategy. Now even their environmental benefits are in question.

A panel of government experts, chaired by Professor Ed Gallagher, head of the Renewable Fuels Agency, has said that far more research is needed into the indirect impact of biofuels on land use and food production before the government sets targets for their use in transport.

The first such target is already in place. Since April, all petrol and diesel in Britain has had to contain 2.5% of biofuels, a stepping stone towards a 2010 target of 5%. The EU is contemplating a 10% target by 2010. The new report means all those goals will have to be reconsidered.

A government official familiar with the Gallagher review said: "Simply setting a target without stipulating what kind of biofuel is to be used in what circumstances can have all sorts of unintended consequences."
John Vidal on a report that says biofuels have caused world food shortage

Another official said: "The review has thrown up the likelihood of significant impacts. UK and EU targets will have to be addressed."

The report says there is a place for biofuels, both as an alternative to fossil fuels and as a source of income for poor farmers with marginal lands. But it says a distinction must be drawn between "first-generation" biofuels, which use food crops such as corn, rapeseed, palm and soya, and experimental "second-generation" fuels based on fibrous non-food plants which could theoretically be grown without displacing other crops and raising food prices. Criteria to guide fuel policy would consequently have to be drawn up.

It was unclear yesterday whether Britain had left it too late to influence EU biofuel targets, after the government failed to raise objections in a succession of votes in European environment and industry committees. British officials believe the issue can still be revisited in Brussels.

The transport secretary, Ruth Kelly, ordered the review in February, at the height of the food price crisis, but the panel only began work in March and was asked to deliver its conclusions three months later. "There was so little time, I expected it would just be a review of the literature, but it has gone much further than I expected. It has substantive things to say," said a government official involved in drafting the report.

The role of biofuels, which pits concerns over climate change against the need for food security for vulnerable populations, was the most controversial issue at a summit on the food crisis earlier this month in Rome. The US and Brazil, both large-scale biofuel producers, argued fiercely against any hint of criticism of their cultivation in the conference's final statement, which called only for "in-depth studies".

An American claim that biofuels contributed less than 3% to food price rises was widely derided. The IMF estimates their impact as 20-30%, and other estimates are even higher. Over a third of US corn is used to produce ethanol, while about half of EU vegetable oils go towards the production of biodiesel.

After the Rome summit, a British government team involved in the Gallagher review visited the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to consult specialists who had drawn up UN recommendations on biofuel use. They emerged saying their views were "identical". The FAO recommendations advised against a moratorium on biofuel use or the continuation of "business as usual" under existing policies, calling instead for a set of international standards to ensure plant-derived ethanol and biodiesel did not harm the food supply. Keith Wiebe, a senior agricultural economist at the FAO, said: "There is a push towards the development of these liquid biofuels that is in advance of our understanding of their impact. We need to know more about those impacts, before pushing too hard."

The UN's World Food Programme has called the food crisis a "silent tsunami" which is pushing more than 100 million people worldwide into hunger.

2008年6月19日 星期四

Civil liberties erosion

Civil liberties

Mary Poppins and Magna Carta

Jun 19th 2008
From The Economist print edition

British liberties have been eroded under Labour. Few seem to mind much

Illustration by David Simonds

LIBERALS have long lamented that, despite much stirring rhetoric about the mother of parliaments and Magna Carta, modern Britons have little real interest in their hard-won liberties. On June 17th, as Gordon Brown gave a speech on the subject, that pessimism seemed confirmed when one rapt listener fell asleep in the middle of the prime minister's oration.

Yet civil liberties are much in the news these days. Mr Brown's speech came in the wake of the surprise resignation on June 12th of David Davis, the Conservative shadow home secretary. Mr Davis quit the House of Commons after it voted to allow terrorist suspects to be detained without charge for up to 42 days (the bill now looks set for a rocky ride in the House of Lords). From the steps of the Palace of Westminster, Mr Davis accused the government of presiding over the “slow strangulation” of freedoms and the “ceaseless encroachment of the state” into daily life. He hopes to use the resulting by-election in his Yorkshire constituency as a referendum on Labour's liberal credentials, and on the growth of the nanny state in general.

The charge sheet against the government is long and damning. Besides its 42-day detention proposals (and earlier, failed plans to imprison suspects for 90 days), it is accused of colluding with America to transport terrorist suspects to secret prisons abroad. It has created new crimes, such as glorifying terrorism or inciting religious hatred, that, say critics, dampen freedom of speech. Those who breach one of its Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, introduced in 1998, can be jailed for things that are not illegal in themselves (such as visiting a forbidden part of town or talking to certain people). In 2005 the prohibition on double jeopardy—trying a person twice for the same offence—was removed for serious offences. The government has tried to cut back the scope of trial by jury.

Along with the new crimes have come new ways of detecting them. Millions of publicly and privately owned closed-circuit television cameras (no one is sure precisely how many) monitor town centres. The latest innovation is unmanned, miniature aircraft (adapted from army models) that can loiter over trouble spots, feeding images to police on the ground.

Vast computerised collections of information have become popular too. Britain possesses one of the largest police DNA databases in the world, containing the records of over 4m of 60m citizens (including a third of the black men in the country). Records are kept for everyone who is arrested, meaning that many on the system have never actually been charged with any crime. The government's identity-card scheme, the first phase of which is due to start later this year, aims to record the fingerprints and biographical details of everyone in the land.

Other big databases are justified on grounds of administrative convenience rather than crime-fighting and security. One such is a plan to centralise the records of all patients of the National Health Service. Another would allow social services to monitor every child in the country, including how parents spend their money and how many portions of fruit and vegetables they feed their offspring each day.

Mr Brown argues that frightening new threats—terrorism, drug trafficking and (rather incongruously) benefit fraud—require new powers. In his speech he turned criticisms about authoritarianism on their head, saying that new state powers were guarantors of liberty, not threats to it. He expanded on the risks—the 2,000 terrorist suspects whom the security services are apparently tracking—and the benefits—the 8,000 suspects who have been matched with crime scenes since 2001 thanks to DNA evidence retained when they were released, uncharged, after a previous arrest. He repeated his promise that Parliament would prevent abuse of the 42-day detention law. Labour has passed a raft of other measures too: the Human Rights Act in 1998, freedom of information legislation in 2000 and changes to ensure the rights of gays and other groups.

An unhappy few

Government reassurances do not impress civil libertarians, who argue that, once restrictive new laws are in place, uses for them tend to multiply. In March it emerged that local councils had been using surveillance powers intended for deployment against serious criminals to check up on footling infringements: people who flouted smoking bans, for instance, or tried to game the school-admissions system.

And promises that sensitive personal data will be carefully stewarded look rather limp next to an official proclivity for leaving confidential material in public places. Mr Brown was badly embarrassed in November, when CDs containing 25m child-benefit records were reported lost by the Inland Revenue. More recently, on June 12th a civil servant was suspended after top-secret papers about terrorism were found on a train; on the same day another set of documents—this time on financial fraud—turned up on a different train. Five days later it emerged that a laptop stolen from the office of a cabinet minister may have contained confidential documents, violating data-protection rules.

But Britain's small band of civil libertarians has bigger problems than a recalcitrant prime minister and careless civil servants. Despite Benjamin Franklin's famous advice, the public seems happy to trade a little liberty for a little security. Surveys before the 42-days vote consistently showed public opinion in favour. More recent polling for The Economist shows broad public support for many liberal bugbears (see chart). Women tend to be more authoritarian than men, Labour supporters more relaxed about infringing civil liberties than Tories and Liberal Democrats, and richer folk more worried than the poor (full details can be found here). Half of the respondents were consistent in their answers to most questions; this, says YouGov's boss, Peter Kellner, is rather high.

The poll suggests that people are vehement in defence of civil liberty and privacy when considered in the abstract. Confronted with specific situations, their resolve wilts, especially when specific security gains are promised (although administrative benefits can overcome libertarian instincts too). Trust in private firms is much less than in the government—odd, since more than half of all consumers are voluntarily enrolled in data-tracking supermarket loyalty schemes.

Mr Davis's supporters point to a poll in the Daily Mail in which 57% of respondents said they supported his crusade. That is hard to reconcile with the findings of our survey. The alternative explanation—that any politician seen to thumb his nose at the establishment delights disenchanted voters—seems rather plausible.

2008年6月18日 星期三

handover and ceremonies (Olympic Games)

The first major events for London 2012 are at the Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

At each of these events is a ceremony to mark the official 'handover' of the Games to the next Host City.

In the ceremony, a Flag is passed from the Mayor of Beijing to the Mayor of London. This is followed by a short performance inviting the world to London for the 2012 Games.


Olympic Games Handover - Sunday 24 August


The Olympic Flag is handed over in Beijing on Sunday 24 August - Bank Holiday for many.

London 2012 will stage an eight minute performance in the Olympic Stadium, watched by around 1.5 billion people worldwide.

Created and staged by LOCOG’s Ceremonies team, the show will reflect London through dance and music. As part of the show, dancers from the Royal Opera House, CanDoCo and Zoo Nation are collaborating in a unique performance.

Read more about how you can celebrate the Olympic Handover in the UK

霹雳舞代表英国出席京奥闭幕式

霹雳舞
霹雳舞是英国城市青年时髦的舞蹈(ZooNation网站照片)
根据国际奥委会的规定,在每届奥运会闭幕式上,下一届奥运会主办国将有一个为时八分钟的表演。在2004年的雅典奥运闭幕式上,张艺谋导演的以武术、中国民乐和舞蹈的表演,展示了一个代表2008北京奥运的有中国特色的“雅典8分钟”。

在2008北京奥运即将来临之际,人们的眼光也开始关注2012年的伦敦奥运会。在北京奥运闭幕式上,伦敦将如何展示英国的“北京8分钟”呢?

霹雳舞引起争议

经过了好几个月的讨论,最近英国奥组委宣布,伦敦将派出一支来自西区音乐剧的霹雳舞团队代表英国出现在8月24号的北京奥运闭幕式上。

主演的将是伦敦城区Hip Hop乐队Zoo Nation。他们将表演在城市青年中非常时髦的霹雳舞和街舞,再融入一点高雅艺术,有英国皇家芭蕾舞团的演员助阵,还有英国残疾青年舞蹈团CandoCo参加演出。

选择本来源于美国的霹雳舞代表伦敦在北京奥运闭幕式上演出,引起不大不小的争议。

Zoo Nation在伦敦西区上演的音乐剧Into the Hoods,是一个反映当代伦敦内城区青年生活的音乐剧,当然少不了毒品和帮派斗殴。Hoods是年轻人爱穿的一种戴帽运动衣。在英国,人们常称那些街上寻悻滋事的年轻人为Hoodies。

伦敦奥组委说,霹雳舞代表了伦敦的多元文化、创造性和年轻活力的形象,并且充满了幽默感。这正是当代伦敦的写照。

而不少反对这一选择的人则说,霹雳舞和Hip Hop音乐是典型的美国城区音乐舞蹈,完全没有英国特色。

贝克汉姆和红色双层公车

贝克汉姆
球星贝克汉姆据说也将出现在北京奥运闭幕式上

其实,伦敦的“北京8分钟”并不只是霹雳舞。伦敦奥组委说,到底伦敦将在北京奥运闭幕式上展现一台什么样的表演,人们还需拭目以待。市长鲍里斯•约翰逊(Boris Johnson)说,保证是非常精彩的。

有新的消息说,英国足球名将大卫•贝克汉姆(David Beckham)将出现在北京奥运闭幕式上,和他一起出场的还有出生于伦敦的英国女歌星Leona Lewis。

一辆伦敦人熟悉的红色双层公共汽车将载着球星和伦敦市长鲍里斯•约翰逊进入闭幕式场地,和他们一起出场的还有一群来自英国的、代表世界所有国家的儿童。

届时,巨型屏幕将树立在伦敦市中心,现

牛津大学新校长

Professor Andrew Hamilton confirmed as next Vice-Chancellor

Andy Hamilton
Professor Andrew Hamilton, FRS

The appointment of Professor Andrew Hamilton as the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford has now been confirmed. Professor Hamilton will succeed Dr John Hood in October 2009.

Professor Hamilton’s nomination was announced on 3 June after the University Council accepted the unanimous recommendation of the Nominating Committee for the Vice-Chancellorship. However, University regulations make it possible for members of Congregation, the University’s parliament, to object to a nomination. The deadline for objections passed at noon today, with none received.

Professor Hamilton, who is currently Provost of Yale University, said: "I am delighted that my future colleagues have shown this confidence in me and my appointment. It is still well over a year until I take up my new duties but I would like to assure everyone at Oxford, and all those associated with it, that I shall work tirelessly to repay their trust and to help ensure that a great University has an even better future."

As the nomination of Professor Hamilton was the only scheduled business for the meeting of Congregation on 24 June, the meeting is cancelled. Formal notice of the cancellation of the meeting will appear in the University Gazette of 20 June.



congregation, council



汉密尔顿将在2009年10月接替现任校长约翰·胡德博士(Dr John Hood),成为牛津大学的新校长。此前,牛津校务会议(University Council)一致通过校长提名委员会的建议,接受汉密尔顿的提名,但是牛津校规规定,扮演大学议会角色的牛津大学大会(Congregation)有 权反对这项提名。反对提名的截至日期在本周到期,没有任何反对意见,因此汉密尔顿的提名获得确认。

汉密尔顿表示,“我非常高兴我未来的同事们对我个人和我获得提名展现如此信心。”

“距离我正式接任新职务还有一年多的时间,但是我想向牛津每个人和所有与牛津有关的人保证,我将会不屈不挠的工作,以报答各位对我的信任,并确保这个伟大的大学未来将更好。”

外人

此前,有人担心汉密尔顿既没有在牛津大学读过书,也没有在牛津大学教过书,可能会因此被视为是“外人”,而无法获得正式任命。

但汉密尔顿的任命没有遭遇反对意见,他将成为第一个没有在牛津大学读过书或教过书的牛津校长。

英国出生的汉密尔顿曾经在英国埃克塞特大学(University of Exeter)和剑桥大学接受教育。

有分析说,从美国耶鲁大学招募汉密尔顿回来英国的牛津大学当校长,与该大学最近发起大型募款活动有关。

此前,牛津大学正式启动大型的美国模式的教育募款活动,希望能筹募到12.5亿英镑的教育经费,以加强牛津大学的学术独立地位。

牛津大学还表示,希望能筹募到和美国常春藤联盟名校所得到的同等捐款。