2008年12月31日 星期三

The End of 2008

隨著2008的結束,2009年也隨之到來。
回首2008年,一個不知道如何形容的年度,卻也充滿辛酸歡樂。


Cast - Mairi Campbell & Dave Fran

2008年上半年,過得渾渾惡惡的,時光多半停留在'07暑假待在美國的美好時光,直數落台灣的不是,卻沒有看到台灣的文化、美麗、創新與活力,沒有想過如何能夠讓台灣變得更美好。

那時不知道為何會對一個人充滿憎惡,現在想想,自己真是很傻,傻在幹麼自己一個人賭氣,別人生活好端端的,而賭氣、憎惡只是讓自己傷神而已。

2008下半年,參加了營隊,去了一趟西安,認識了不少朋友,打開了眼界,和高中最棒的朋友相聚,2008年暑假就這樣的過去了。

大三回歸到緊湊、忙碌又routine的生活,去成大修了一門以英文授課的美國政府與政治,變成每週來回高雄與台南的通勤族;持續在教務處打工;週末則上英文課。平常沒事則就宅在家中,反而不像從前到處走走,亦缺乏了運動。

在支出增加、基金失利後,變得精打細算,卻被同學說你真是夠了。但是卻完成了一年讀完50本書的目標。

2008年結束了,一個多災多難的一年(我指國際社會,但是在自己身上卻何嘗不也適用)。

翁山蘇姬在一次演講中談到,緬甸有四種腐敗:
第一種,貪婪的腐敗:人因過度追求自己的欲望而不惜出賣自己。
第二種,偏狹的腐敗:人不見容跟自己意見不同的人。
第三種,愚昧的腐敗:因無知而引起的腐敗。
第四種,恐懼的腐敗:此腐敗讓人不僅恐懼,更因此逐漸喪失、抑制自己對是非、善惡的正覺。

她說的四種腐敗是指緬甸的政治社會,但是在我看來對我在2008年下了一個註腳,檢視自己,我除了第四種貪婪沒有以外,前三種在2008的我身上都發生過。

2009到來,除了已經計畫好的寒假活動外,避免上述的貪婪,好好思考自己未來的道路都是我對自己的期許。

彼得‧杜拉克在《My Personal History》提到,持續學習的必要性,設定出3年的長期學習計畫和短期3個月的學習計畫是目前我所要做的目標。

避免自己亂花錢的衝動,做好時間管理,對人寬容,常與朋友聯繫等等,是2009年我對自己的新年期許與目標。

2008年12月26日 星期五

一點歡樂的感覺都沒有

有事情就找你,

沒事情理都不理你,

想請你幫個忙,

口氣是差個什麼勁,

人善被人欺,

最後,

只有武裝起自己。

2008年12月17日 星期三

Ponzi scheme

「龐茲騙局」(Ponzi Scheme)是一種古老的投資騙局,形式類似層壓式推銷。

1920年,意大利移民龐茲(Charles Ponzi)在美國設計了一宗全國聞名的騙局,透過一家空殼公司,做國際郵政聯會發行的郵政票券(Postal coupons)買賣,聲稱由於歐洲貨幣兌美元貶值,他能以低價購進郵政票券,然後在美國換取美國郵票圖利。

為了吸引人投資,他開出45天存款利率高達50%的「優厚」條件,但事實上他只是利用第二批投資者的本金,撥作首批投資者的利息收入。

不少人不虞有詐,短短1年多,龐茲一共吸引了數以萬計投資者,「吸水」800萬美元,但手上其實只有值61美元的美國郵票。東窗事發後,龐茲以詐騙罪被判刑。


SEC investigating 'multiple failures' in Madoff fraud case


WASHINGTON (CNN)
The government commission tasked with protecting investors has launched an internal probe into why, despite credible allegations for at least 10 years, there were "multiple failures" in investigating what may have been the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

The federal Securities and Exchange Commission said Tuesday that allegations against Bernard Madoff and his securities firm had "repeatedly" been brought to the attention of SEC staff as early as 1999 but were not recommended to the commission for action.

"I am gravely concerned by the apparent multiple failures over at least a decade to thoroughly investigate these allegations or at any point to seek formal authority to pursue them," said commission Chairman Christopher Cox in a written statement.

Federal prosecutors have charged Madoff with securities fraud that could result in huge losses to financial firms worldwide, charities and individual investors.

The alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme operated by Madoff from his investment advisory business may have cost some of the largest financial firms in the world hundreds of millions of dollars apiece.

A federal judge on Monday issued an order that may help investors swindled by the scheme to recover some of their money.

The order, by U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York Louis Standon, said customers of Bernard Madoff Investment Securities are "in need of protection" under federal securities law.

Cox said he had directed a "full and immediate" review into the past allegations made against Madoff and his firm and into why staff members did not act on them.

The investigation also should include any contacts SEC staffers may have had with the Madoff family and firm and what effect, if any, those relationships may have had on staff decisions.

Cox said that, since the commission initiated emergency action against Madoff and his firm on Thursday, "every necessary resource at the SEC has been dedicated to pursuing the investigation, protecting customer assets and holding both Mr. Madoff and others who may have been involved accountable."

"Although the information I can share regarding an ongoing investigation is limited, progress to date indicates that Mr. Madoff kept several sets of books and false documents, and provided false information involving his advisory activities to investors and to regulators," he said.

Madoff made an initial court appearance last week and was freed on $10 million bond.

2008年12月11日 星期四

Taiwan is in danger of losing independent Public Television Services

2008 / 12 / 10

The Kuomintang (KMT) legislative caucus proposed new legislative measures on Tuesday (Dec. 9) that, if enacted, would violate the widely embraced principle of government and military non-interference in the Fourth Estate and deprive Public Television Services and its member channels, Taiwan Indigenous Television, Taiwan Hakka Television and Taiwan Macroview Television of their independence.

If the proposed legislation is passed, the above four public television channels would require prior item-by-item governmental approval for all budgetary dispersals. The KMT party holds an over three-quarters majority in the legislature. President Ma Ying-Jeou is a member and former KMT party chairman.

Public Television Services Foundation issued an emergency public statement on Tuesday evening critical of the proposed measures. In the statement, the foundation appeals to the public to support the independence of Public Television and uphold Taiwan’s democratic values.



↓The official statement by the PTS

財團法人公共電視文化事業基金會聲明

Public Television Service Foundation Statement



Taiwan Public Television Service (PTS) was founded in the spirit of the Public Television Act to strengthen the development of public television broadcasting in Taiwan. PTS’s core mission is to establish a public broadcasting system in service of the public interest, maintain independent and autonomous media operation, and defend freedom of speech and the public’s right to know where the corporate media is unable to deliver.

However, at a time when PTS should be celebrating its 10th anniversary, US$14 million – half of the legally appropriated annual budget of US$28 million – has been frozen by the Legislative Yuan for nearly one year. During this time, PTS has made every effort to communicate with the Legislative Yuan through official channels and appealed for assistance from the Government Information Office (GIO).

PTS has further demonstrated ample good faith through the submission of assorted operational plans and performance reports in the effort to justify the resumption of its budget. However, not only have these actions failed to elicit a direct response from the GIO, neither has the Legislative Yuan offered a clear rationale for the continued budget freeze. Similarly, the GIO has also failed to respond to PTS’s request for assistance in retaining the suspended US$14 million budget.

The budget suspension has had a dire impact upon PTS, hampering daily operation, program production, and the payment of fees to commissioned production houses and partners. On December 9, 2008, we were shocked to learn that the Education and Culture Committee and Internal Affairs Committee of the Legislative Yuan have each passed the proposition to impose the resolution on Public Television. The proposal states that Public Television Service (PTS), Taiwan Indigenous TV (TITV), Hakka TV, and Macroview TV can only disburse programming and production budgets upon prior item-by-item government approval. The resolution even contains the further provisions that would empower the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Council for Hakka Affairs, and Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission to exercise censorship and oversight over the programming policy and daily operation of their respective subordinate media agencies.

The proposed legislation seriously violates the social consensus for all political parties to withdraw from media operation. Further, it seriously threatens the independence of public media and violates the intent of The Statute of Disposition of Government-owned Shares in Terrestrial TV Industry. If passed, it would signify the undoing of hard-won freedom of the media and democratic progress in Taiwan.

PTS operates in strict accordance with the legal responsibilities accorded in the Public TV Act. Over the course of its history PTS has never transgressed its designated role and has always respected criticism and suggestions from the legislature and society. However, we will never accept unjustified interference in our independence, and will take whatever steps necessary to protect the freedom of public media and the core democratic values that the people of Taiwan have cultivated at great cost.

PTS website




財團法人公共電視文化事業基金會聲明

公共電視之設立,乃依循公共電視法所追求之精神,「為健全台灣公共電視發展,建立公眾服務之大眾傳播制度,維護媒體獨立自主經營,並藉以彌補商業電視之不足,維護國民表達自由及知之權利為核心宗旨」。

如今,在公共電視創台十週年之際,九十七年度法定編列捐贈預算九億元,自去年十二月中遭立法院凍結四億五仟萬元,迄今已長達十二個月仍未撥付。期間公共電 視透過正常程序不斷向立法院溝通、向新聞局求援,一切努力,從未間斷;同時更已盡最大努力,配合立法院之需求提供一切管理營運計畫與績效報告,以爭取年度 法定預算之解凍,但至今不僅仍未獲得立法院正面之回應,立法院亦未明確告知不解凍之理由。對於主管機關新聞局,公共電視在十一月中亦去函要求協助對仍遭凍 結的四億五仟萬元預算申請年度保留,但迄今,同樣未獲新聞局正式回覆。

值此年終歲末之際,公共電視依法應編列捐贈之預算仍有四億五仟萬元遭凍結,已嚴重影響公共電視日常營運週轉、節目製播,以及廠商往來付款之正常運作。昨 (12/09)日更驚見立法院教育文化委員會與內政委員會分別通過對公共電視台、原住民族電視台、客家電視台、宏觀電視台之九十八年度預算執行施以附加決 議,要求各台於執行明年度預算時須逐項報請主管機關核可同意始能動支,更明文要求原住民族委員會、客家委員會、僑務委員會等機關要對所主管之電視台執行節 目製播、審核、監督之責。

對此立法院所作出之主決議事項,已嚴重破壞黨政軍退出媒體之社會共識,更已嚴重侵害媒體獨立自主之精神,違反公共電視之創立價值與無線電視事業公股處理條例之立法目的,更是開台灣媒體自由與民主發展之倒車。

公共電視一切營運乃根據公視法所賦予的法定責任,從未逾越,並尊重立法院與全體公民對公共電視之批評與指教,但絕不接受任 何可能破壞媒體獨立自主,損害公共媒體價值之不當干預。公共電視更將盡一切力量捍衛媒體自由與台灣得來不易的民主價值,為全國人民保存一塊媒體淨土,並籲 請所有珍惜民主價值的國人同胞共同支持。



財團法人公共電視文化事業基金會
董事長  鄭同僚
總經理  馮賢賢
執行副總 鍾裕淵
副總經理 林惠英
副總經理 郭至楨
一級主管 徐秋華.丁曉菁.何國華.林樂群‧吳忠山
     張貞璞.楊家富.吳昌融.李桂芝.賴文惠

中華民國九十七年十二月十日

原文連結