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<channel>
	<title>冰火结构 &#187; 学英语</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.icyfire.info/tag/%e5%ad%a6%e8%8b%b1%e8%af%ad/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.icyfire.info</link>
	<description>——思考，表达，备忘</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:53:16 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2</generator>
	<language>en</language>
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			<item>
		<title>红外线测温仪英文词汇</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/thermometer.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/thermometer.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=549</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Accuracy 精确度
Ambient Operating Range工作环境温度Data Hold Function
Distance to Spot Size测量距离比率
Emissivity发射率
Laser Target Pointer Selection镭射目标显示选择功能
Relative Temp. and Humidity测试的湿度温度条件
Response Time响应时间
Spectral Response响应波长
Storage Temperature储存温度
Temperature Display 分辨率
Temperature Range 温度测量范围
Typical Disance to target与目标的典型距离
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<ol>Accuracy 精确度</ol>
<ol>Ambient Operating Range工作环境温度Data Hold Function</p>
<p>Distance to Spot Size测量距离比率</p>
<p>Emissivity发射率</p>
<p>Laser Target Pointer Selection镭射目标显示选择功能</p>
<p>Relative Temp. and Humidity测试的湿度温度条件</p>
<p>Response Time响应时间</p>
<p>Spectral Response响应波长</p>
<p>Storage Temperature储存温度</p>
<p>Temperature Display 分辨率</p>
<p>Temperature Range 温度测量范围</p>
<p>Typical Disance to target与目标的典型距离</ol>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>收音机中英文词汇</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/radio-words.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/radio-words.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:05:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=495</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[按Ctrl+F快速查询相关词汇
automobile radio 汽车收音机
badge radio 胸章式收音机
cabinet set 落地式收音机
car radio 汽车收音机
clock radio 时钟收音机
console radio set 落地收音机
console radio 落地式收音机
crystal radio 晶体管收音机
crystal radio 晶体接收机;
crystal set 晶体检波接收机;
domestic receiver 家用收音机
double range receiver 中短波收音机
dual range receiver 双波段收音机;
eliminator receiver 交流收音机
five-valve receiver 五灯收音机
home radio 家用收音机
long-wave radio 长波收音机
people&#8217;s receiver 民用收音机
personal radio 袖珍式收音机
phono-radio 电唱收音机
pocket radio set 袖珍收音机
portable radio set 便携式收音机
radio receiver control 收音机操纵件
receiver chassis 收音机底架
receiver for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>按Ctrl+F快速查询相关词汇</strong></p>
<p>automobile radio 汽车收音机<br />
badge radio 胸章式收音机<br />
cabinet set 落地式收音机<br />
car radio 汽车收音机<br />
clock radio 时钟收音机<br />
console radio set 落地收音机<br />
console radio 落地式收音机<br />
crystal radio 晶体管收音机<br />
crystal radio 晶体接收机;<span id="more-495"></span><br />
crystal set 晶体检波接收机;<br />
domestic receiver 家用收音机<br />
double range receiver 中短波收音机<br />
dual range receiver 双波段收音机;<br />
eliminator receiver 交流收音机<br />
five-valve receiver 五灯收音机<br />
home radio 家用收音机<br />
long-wave radio 长波收音机<br />
people&#8217;s receiver 民用收音机<br />
personal radio 袖珍式收音机<br />
phono-radio 电唱收音机<br />
pocket radio set 袖珍收音机<br />
portable radio set 便携式收音机<br />
radio receiver control 收音机操纵件<br />
receiver chassis 收音机底架<br />
receiver for automobile 汽车收音机<br />
receiver input circuit 收音机输入电路<br />
receiver rectifier 收音机整流器<br />
receiver technics 收音机技术<br />
reflex(receiver) 来复式收音机<br />
seat radio 车厢收音机<br />
semiconductor receiver 半导体收音机<br />
ship radio 船用收音机<br />
stenode radiostet 超外差收音机<br />
stereo radio 立体声收音机<br />
stereo receiver 立体声收音机<br />
stereophonic receiver 立体声收音机<br />
superheterodyne radio set 超外差式收音机<br />
superregenerative receiver 超再生式收音机<br />
table-model receiver 台式收音机<br />
transistor radio n.半导体收音机<br />
transistor radio 晶体管收音机<br />
two-way receiver 交直流两用收音机双频道接收机<br />
vacuum-valve receiver 电子管收音机<br />
valve receiver 电子管收音机</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>计步器英文使用说明书</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/pedometer-translation.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/pedometer-translation.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:22:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=490</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[这几天在公司写了计步器系列产品的英语规格书，这种工作是“体力活”，根本不用思考，直接用下面的词汇套进去，加上一些press或者press and hold**for 2 seconds,等等。
如需快速查找请按Ctrl+F
 
上电复位power-on resert; power-on initializing
初始值Initial value
功能概述function summary
默认值default value
英制单位imperial unit of measurement
公制单位metric unit of measurement
体重范围body weight range
低电力警示low battery alert
同屏显示display in one screen
最大值Max. value
记忆提示memory prompt
自动保存天数store data automatically
设置模式setting mode
按键声音key tone
无按键响应自动退出设置模式automatically return to**display after**seconds if no changes are made
快速查询quick query
查询用户信息view user information
设定步距stride length
可调范围adjustable range
PC通讯PC communication
USB连接电脑并产生图表  connect coputer via USB cable for onging graphs
覆盖最早的记录overwrite the oldest data [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>这几天在公司写了计步器系列产品的<strong>英语规格书</strong>，这种工作是“体力活”，根本不用思考，直接用下面的词汇套进去，加上一些press或者press and hold**for 2 seconds,等等。</p>
<h2>如需快速查找请按Ctrl+F</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>上电复位power-on resert; power-on initializing</p>
<p>初始值Initial value</p>
<p>功能概述function summary</p>
<p>默认值default value</p>
<p>英制单位imperial unit of measurement</p>
<p>公制单位metric unit of measurement<span id="more-490"></span></p>
<p>体重范围body weight range</p>
<p>低电力警示low battery alert</p>
<p>同屏显示display in one screen</p>
<p>最大值Max. value</p>
<p>记忆提示memory prompt</p>
<p>自动保存天数store data automatically</p>
<p>设置模式setting mode</p>
<p>按键声音key tone</p>
<p>无按键响应自动退出设置模式automatically return to**display after**seconds if no changes are made</p>
<p>快速查询quick query</p>
<p>查询用户信息view user information</p>
<p>设定步距stride length</p>
<p>可调范围adjustable range</p>
<p>PC通讯PC communication</p>
<p>USB连接电脑并产生图表  connect coputer via USB cable for onging graphs</p>
<p>覆盖最早的记录overwrite the oldest data stored</p>
<p>未上传数据fail to upload data</p>
<p>清除运动记录clear data</p>
<p>邦定图bonding diagram</p>
<p>LCD全图LCD total graph</p>
<p>红外遥控infrared remote conrol</p>
<p>数字频显收音机digital frequency display radio</p>
<p>元器件表components</p>
<p>贪睡功能snooze function</p>
<p>注意事项precausion</p>
<p>定时开机turn-on at a set time</p>
<p>开启/取消闹钟activate/deactivate alarm</p>
<p>尺寸图dimension diagram</p>
<p>兼容性测试compatibility test report</p>
<p>待机/静音stand by/mute</p>
<p>调整音量adjust the volumn</p>
<p>状态提示status alert</p>
<p>两组闹铃dual alarm</p>
<p>闹铃图标alarm icon</p>
<p>响铃时间alarm sound duration</p>
<p>如果需要帮助，请在此处提交评论。我会尽快解答。</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>用户使用说明书翻译心得</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/how-to-write-usermanual.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/how-to-write-usermanual.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=484</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Technical Writing 要求的是规范和严谨，我翻译公司的各种电子产品用户使用说明书已经有好些日子了，自认为非常顺利。现在把整个翻译过程整理如下，希望对各位有所帮助：

阅读大量的欧美公司发布的user manual, 把能用到的表达方式和句子都用笔记摘抄下来。
睡觉前和起床后把笔记通读一遍，直至“眼熟”甚至“心熟”。
把产品的中文规格书通读一遍，再拿样品玩一遍，要求对每一个功能都了如指掌。
开始翻译！有了前面的精心准备，觉得“胸有成竹”，翻译无非是把“前面记住的表达方式”拿出来描述“试用样品的过程”。

在这四个步骤中，前面三步占用了７０％的时间，所谓“磨刀不误砍柴功”，说得正是这个道理。
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Technical Writing 要求的是规范和严谨，我翻译公司的各种电子产品<strong>用户使用说明书</strong>已经有好些日子了，自认为非常顺利。现在把整个翻译过程整理如下，希望对各位有所帮助：</p>
<ol>
<li>阅读大量的欧美公司发布的user manual, 把能用到的表达方式和句子都用<a href="http://www.icyfire.info/technical-writer.html" target="_blank">笔记</a>摘抄下来。</li>
<li>睡觉前和起床后把笔记通读一遍，直至“眼熟”甚至“心熟”。</li>
<li>把产品的中文规格书通读一遍，再拿样品玩一遍，要求对每一个功能都了如指掌。</li>
<li>开始翻译！有了前面的精心准备，觉得“胸有成竹”，翻译无非是把“前面记住的表达方式”拿出来描述“试用样品的过程”。</li>
</ol>
<p>在这四个步骤中，前面三步占用了７０％的时间，所谓“磨刀不误砍柴功”，说得正是这个道理。</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>电子表石英钟中英文词汇</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/electronic-clock-usermanual.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/electronic-clock-usermanual.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=481</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[按Ctrl+F 快速查询相关词汇
1.5V供电 (Single 1.5 volt battery operation)
+15ppm~－20ppm、32768Hz晶振 (+15ppm~－20ppm 、32768Hz quartz crystal with capacitor)
每秒一个驱动脉冲 (1Hz stepping motor drived with a pulse)
四段响铃 (2048Hz modulated by 8Hz and 1Hz alarm output)
单段响铃(2048Hz modulated by 8Hz and 1Hz alarm output)
每秒16个驱动脉冲 (16 stepping motor drive with a pulse)
脉宽(PULSE WITH) ms 62.5 46.875 31.25
32768 Hz晶振荡(32768Hz quartz crystal)
每秒16个驱动脉冲(16Hz stepping motor drived with 1 [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><span id="more-481"></span>按Ctrl+F 快速查询相关词汇</strong></p>
<p>1.5V供电 (Single 1.5 volt battery operation)</p>
<p>+15ppm~－20ppm、32768Hz晶振 (+15ppm~－20ppm 、32768Hz quartz crystal with capacitor)</p>
<p>每秒一个驱动脉冲 (1Hz stepping motor drived with a pulse)</p>
<p>四段响铃 (2048Hz modulated by 8Hz and 1Hz alarm output)</p>
<p>单段响铃(2048Hz modulated by 8Hz and 1Hz alarm output)</p>
<p>每秒16个驱动脉冲 (16 stepping motor drive with a pulse)</p>
<p>脉宽(PULSE WITH) ms 62.5 46.875 31.25</p>
<p>32768 Hz晶振荡(32768Hz quartz crystal)</p>
<p>每秒16个驱动脉冲(16Hz stepping motor drived with 1 second)</p>
<p>秒针连续转动（Second hand runs smoothly)</p>
<p>提供Option Pin</p>
<p>控制脉宽(Mask option select pulse width)</p>
<p>石英晶振(Single 1.5V battery operation and 32768Hz quartz crystal controlled)</p>
<p>1Hz马达驱动器(1Hz stepping motor driver)</p>
<p>提供不同警声和具有贪睡功能(Provide variable alarm tone and snooze function)</p>
<p>警告自动停功能(Provide alarm auto-off function)</p>
<p>提供两种控制警告和贪睡模式(Provide two mode of alarm/snooze control)</p>
<p>模拟鸟叫闹铃声 + 铃铛控制信号 ( Bird sound alarm + Bell control)</p>
<p>256秒贪睡功能（256 Seconds snooze function)</p>
<p>256秒贪睡功能（256 Seconds snooze function)</p>
<p>内建三极管 (Built in drive buzzer)</p>
<p>内建振荡电路 (Built in oscillator)</p>
<p>自动止闹（Auto-stop Alarm）</p>
<p>256秒贪睡间隔 (256 seconds snooze interval)</p>
<p>24小时闹铃间隔（24Hours Alarm interval）</p>
<p>快速测试功能 (Fast test function)</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Obama Seeks Reforms in Financial Supervision</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/financial-supervision.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/financial-supervision.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:57:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=360</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
On Wednesday, President Obama proposed major changes to rebuild government supervision of the financial industry. 
President Obama announces his plan at the White House
BARACK OBAMA: &#8220;So today, my administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of the financial regulatory system, a transformation on a scale not seen since the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, President Obama proposed major changes to rebuild government supervision of the financial industry. </p>
<p>President Obama announces his plan at the White House<br />
BARACK OBAMA: &#8220;So today, my administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of the financial regulatory system, a transformation on a scale not seen since the reforms that followed the Great Depression.&#8221;<br />
<span id="more-360"></span><br />
The current economic downturn grew out of a culture of irresponsible lending and borrowing and &#8220;a failure of the entire system,&#8221; he said. He says a new system is needed to meet the speed and complexity of a twenty-first century global economy. </p>
<p>Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says the financial crisis developed in part because the existing system let some companies &#8220;shop for the weakest regulator.&#8221; He discussed the plan before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. </p>
<p>One goal is to increase supervision of big companies whose failure could threaten the financial system. The Federal Reserve would gain new powers. The central bank would work with a proposed Financial Services Oversight Council to decide which companies are too big to fail. </p>
<p>The idea is to identify troubled companies early. But the Fed would now have to seek permission from the Treasury to carry out emergency lending. </p>
<p>The administration also proposes a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. It would be responsible for protecting people from unfair and abusive practices with borrowing and investing. </p>
<p>The administration also supports another proposal. Lenders would have to keep five percent of the home loans they would normally group together to sell as securities. The idea is that lenders will be more responsible in making loans if they might not be able to pass off risky mortgages to investors. </p>
<p>Democratic leaders in Congress say they hope to pass a bill for the president to sign by the end of the year. </p>
<p>Some groups were dissatisfied with the proposals. Insurance companies hoping for simplified rules will continue to deal with different supervisors in every state. And there is almost no effort to combine the numerous federal regulatory agencies into a single financial regulator. </p>
<p>An industry group, the Financial Services Roundtable, says it supports many of the administration&#8217;s proposals &#8212; but not for a consumer protection agency. It opposes separating the regulation of a company from its products, saying each regulator will only have half the information. The industry &#8220;does not necessarily need more regulation,&#8221; it says,&#8221; but rather more effective regulation.&#8221; </p>
<p>And that&#8217;s the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I&#8217;m Steve Ember. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Driven by a Business Plan, but How Far Will It Get You?</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/business-plan.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/business-plan.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:57:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=363</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. 
A business plan, in the words of the Small Business Administration in Washington, is a tool with three basic purposes. As a communication tool, it can show possible investors how well you have considered your ideas. As a management tool, it can list goals and ways to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. </p>
<p>A business plan, in the words of the Small Business Administration in Washington, is a tool with three basic purposes. As a communication tool, it can show possible investors how well you have considered your ideas. As a management tool, it can list goals and ways to measure progress. And as a planning tool, it can help guide a business around problems.<br />
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<p>Businesswoman<br />
For people starting a new business, the biggest problems commonly involve financing. Entrepreneurs often seek venture capital. This is money from wealthy individuals or investment companies for the purpose of building new businesses. </p>
<p>Each year, entrepreneurs with ideas for the &#8220;next big thing&#8221; flood venture capitalists with business plans. But John Mullins of the London Business School, writing in the Wall Street Journal, says most business plans are never even fully read. </p>
<p>A good business plan, he says, must define a problem that the new business will solve. Many plans fail to show how a product or service meets a need. </p>
<p>Also, business plans often assume it will be easy to gain a share of a large or fast-growing market. Professor Mullins advises entrepreneurs to do market tests so they have real numbers to support their claims. </p>
<p>And he says honesty about possible problems with the plan is important. Successful businesses often change plans as conditions change. </p>
<p>Business students spend hours and hours learning how to write a business plan. But even a good one has its limits. </p>
<p>A new study suggests that venture capitalists rarely consider the business plan when deciding whether to invest in a new company. </p>
<p>David Kirsch is an associate professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He and others examined more than seven hundred requests made to an American venture capital firm. He says he was startled to find that planning documents have such little influence. </p>
<p>Professor Kirsch tells us that venture capitalists instead talk to people who know the entrepreneur. They talk to business experts, lawyers and other knowledgeable people. The study appeared in the May issue of Strategic Management Journal. </p>
<p>David Kirsch considers business plans a good way to organize an entrepreneur&#8217;s ideas. But, in his words, &#8220;A smart entrepreneur should spend his time developing the business rather than the business plan.&#8221; </p>
<p>And that&#8217;s the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. Transcripts and archives are at www.unsv.com. I&#8217;m Steve Ember. </p>
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		<title>Money, Influence and the Election of Judges</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/influence.html</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:57:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=358</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. 
Elected judges in the United States got a warning this week about money, politics and the law. The Supreme Court ruled that a huge campaign donation can be reason enough not to judge a case involving the donor. 
Thirty-nine of the fifty states elect at least some [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. </p>
<p>Elected judges in the United States got a warning this week about money, politics and the law. The Supreme Court ruled that a huge campaign donation can be reason enough not to judge a case involving the donor. <span id="more-358"></span></p>
<p>Thirty-nine of the fifty states elect at least some of their judges. Terms can last from two to twelve years. Experts say Japan and Switzerland are the only other countries that hold some kind of judicial elections. </p>
<p>In many states, elections for judges are increasingly competitive. The Justice at Stake Campaign says candidates raised one hundred sixty-eight million dollars between two thousand and two thousand seven. The group says that was double the amount raised in the nineteen nineties. </p>
<p>Critics say the situation threatens the fairness of state courts. It may create the appearance that judges are selling their influence. </p>
<p>Chief Justice Brent Benjamin of West Virginia<br />
The Supreme Court ruled on a vote by a judge elected to West Virginia&#8217;s high court five years ago. Justice Brent Benjamin &#8212; now chief justice &#8212; voted to overturn a fifty million dollar judgment against the Massey Coal Company. </p>
<p>Massey&#8217;s chairman had spent three million dollars to help elect him to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. That was after the company lost a jury trial over a business dispute. </p>
<p>Justice Benjamin refused to remove himself from Massey&#8217;s appeal and cast the deciding vote. The reason he gave for not recusing himself was that there was no financial gain for him in making his decision. The donations, however, represented about sixty percent of all his campaign money. </p>
<p>The United States Supreme Court found that the &#8220;extreme facts&#8221; of the case raised the probability of bias to an unconstitutional level. Not every campaign gift requires a judge&#8217;s recusal, the court said, &#8220;but this is an exceptional case.&#8221; </p>
<p>Yet the nine justices were narrowly divided in their opinion. Chief Justice John Roberts was one of four dissenters. He said the court provided no guidance about when recusal will be constitutionally required. This, he said, will lead to an increase in claims that judges are biased, &#8220;however groundless those charges may be.&#8221; </p>
<p>The American Bar Association&#8217;s Committee on Judicial Independence is working on guidelines for when judges should recuse themselves. Committee chairman William Weisenberg says the lawyers group is for greater use of merit-based selections. This is where a committee nominates candidates to the state governor for appointment.</p>
<p>And that&#8217;s the VOA Special English Economics Report. I&#8217;m Mario Ritter. </p>
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		<title>White Firefighters Win Closely-Watched Employment Case</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/employment-case.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/employment-case.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:57:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=365</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. 
The United States Supreme Court began its summer break this week. One of the last decisions of its term will likely cause employers to take greater care in how they choose workers to promote. 
The case involved tests that the city of New Haven, Connecticut, gave to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. </p>
<p>The United States Supreme Court began its summer break this week. One of the last decisions of its term will likely cause employers to take greater care in how they choose workers to promote. </p>
<p>The case involved tests that the city of New Haven, Connecticut, gave to firefighters in two thousand three. Minorities were heavily involved in the testing process because of disputes over earlier examinations. But the only firefighters who qualified for immediate promotion to lieutenant or captain were whites and two Hispanics, no blacks.<br />
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<p>Fred Ricci was the lead firefighter in the case<br />
City officials believed that offering promotions based on the results would violate the nineteen sixty-four Civil Rights Act. Title seven of that federal law says employers cannot discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. </p>
<p>But it not only bars &#8220;disparate treatment.&#8221; It also bars &#8220;disparate impact&#8221; &#8212; actions that are not meant to discriminate but in fact disproportionately harm minorities. </p>
<p>The city canceled the test results, fearing legal claims by minorities who failed the exams. Instead, white and Hispanic firefighters who passed went to court. Their case reached the Supreme Court, and in a five-to-four decision on Monday they won. </p>
<p>Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion. &#8220;The City,&#8221; he said, &#8220;rejected the test results solely because the higher scoring candidates were white.&#8221; Fear of legal action alone, he said, &#8220;cannot justify an employer&#8217;s reliance on race&#8221; if it hurts qualified individuals. </p>
<p>Writing for the dissenters, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said the white firefighters who scored high &#8220;understandably attract this Court&#8217;s sympathy.&#8221; But, she said, they had no right to a promotion. </p>
<p>The majority found that the city failed to prove a disparate impact violation. But the court did not rule on the constitutionality of the provision itself. Still, Kevin Russell, a lawyer who specializes in Supreme Court cases, says the ruling puts all employers to a task. They have to make sure a test is truly unlawful before changing it. </p>
<p>Three judges on a federal appeals court had earlier sided with the city of New Haven. Their ruling, now reversed by the Supreme Court, was not unusual. But the case got special attention because one of the judges was Sonia Sotomayor. </p>
<p>President Obama has nominated her to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court. Her Senate confirmation hearings are set to begin July thirteenth. </p>
<p>And that&#8217;s the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I&#8217;m Steve Ember.</p>
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		<title>General Motors Seeks Quick Bankruptcy</title>
		<link>http://www.icyfire.info/motors.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.icyfire.info/motors.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:57:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>逸林居士</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[逸林居士]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[学英语]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.icyfire.info/?p=356</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
This week, General Motors went to bankruptcy court. It became the second of the big three American automakers to seek protection from its creditors while continuing operations. Chrysler declared bankruptcy on April thirtieth, though its plans to leave the process quickly still await final rulings.

A GM dealership in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.</p>
<p>This week, General Motors went to bankruptcy court. It became the second of the big three American automakers to seek protection from its creditors while continuing operations. Chrysler declared bankruptcy on April thirtieth, though its plans to leave the process quickly still await final rulings.<br />
<span id="more-356"></span></p>
<p>A GM dealership in Burlingame, California, that sells Hummers. GM is expected to sell its Hummer brand to a Chinese company.<br />
General Motors led the auto world for seventy-seven of its one hundred years. Last year Toyota took the lead. Not all of G.M. is losing money. Asia and Latin America have provided growth and profit. But lately bankruptcy became less and less of a surprise. </p>
<p>G.M. was one hundred seventy-two billion dollars in debt. Now creditors will learn who gets repaid and how much. The bankruptcy is America&#8217;s fourth largest, but the largest for a manufacturer. G.M. hopes it will be quick. </p>
<p>The government plans to invest thirty billion dollars, on top of an earlier twenty billion. In return, taxpayers will own sixty percent of a smaller G.M. Canada and the United Auto Workers union will also own part of the restructured company. </p>
<p>But President Obama made it clear Monday that he wants to limit the intervention in what some now call &#8220;Government Motors.&#8221;</p>
<p>BARACK OBAMA: &#8220;In short, our goal is to get G.M. back on its feet, take a hands-off approach and get out quickly.&#8221;</p>
<p>Is all that possible? Experts say one concern is that lawmakers will try to control company decisions like where to build new factories.</p>
<p>Another concern is that trade partners may consider the G.M. rescue a form of government support barred by free trade agreements. Only one of Detroit&#8217;s big three, Ford Motor Company, is not taking aid. Yet other countries, especially in Europe, have acted to save jobs in their own car industries.</p>
<p>University of Michigan transportation researcher Bruce Belzowski says one big question is what effect employee morale will have. Employees must believe in the new G.M. And, of course, its products must satisfy the public, as well as new government rules for fuel economy. </p>
<p>To reduce costs, G.M. plans to close more factories and cut more jobs by the end of two thousand eleven. And it wants to cut more than one thousand dealerships by the end of next year. Chrysler wants to quickly dismiss almost eight hundred dealers across the country. </p>
<p>The automakers defended their plans Wednesday as Congress heard from angry dealers. </p>
<p>G.M. plans to sell or discontinue its Saturn, Saab and Pontiac lines. And it may sell its Hummer brand to a heavy equipment company in China.</p>
<p>And that&#8217;s the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I&#8217;m Steve Ember.</p>
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