Pete's Room

又想到来耕地了。原因是最近经常忙着修理家里用了不到一年的家用电器，从更换了三星电视的液晶屏开始，接下来又换了大金空调电脑板，三洋微波炉的触摸板。这样算算08年4月买的家电已经有一半修理过了，这还没包括已经疏通过了两次的净水器；一个坏了变压器的吊灯；一个送去拆洗的空气净化器和一个怎么也洗不干净西门子油烟机滤网（西门子没有免费送网的服务，当初买的时候没意识到这点有多重要，还是支持国货好阿，悔的肠子都青了）。现在没被人拆开过的家电已经不多了，博士冰箱、松下洗衣机和老板的燃气灶是仅存的硕果。现在的家电质量太差了，难道是国美之类的经销商压价的结果吗？虽然现在厂家态度都一个比一个好，电话过去72小时之内都会到。可终究是个麻烦事，还要不上班在家等他上门呢。除了家电质量外，房产商造房子用的零件质量也不怎么样，我家的总水阀就因为完全锈蚀而引起大喷发，据说这事还不是第一次发生，上次发生在楼下某户，据说把电梯都淹了。哎，住进来之后就挨个的修，还有定制的家具质量也不怎么样，酒柜的板材就有严重变形，铰链都崩掉过。厂商还觉得是个小事，不值得上门，要求我自己修理下就好了。还好我有点动手能力，否则就只能看着酒柜门耷拉在那里了。哎，睡觉了。。

 对啦，今天又冲动了下，又买了一把新的网球拍，两把羽毛球拍，60个吸汗带，又腐败了。。。怀着罪恶感入睡。。。

 

Hello, Chicago!

芝加哥，你好啊！

 

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

假如还有人怀疑美国是不是一切皆有可能的地方，假如还有人困惑于我们的建国先辈们所持有的梦想，在今天还是不是鲜活，假如有人仍在质疑我们民主的力量到底强不强大，（那么）今晚（发生的一切）就是给你们给他们的回答。

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voices could be that difference.

这个回答，是由那些连续三四小时在学校，在教堂，排着长长的队伍的人们给出的，这情形美国历史上从来没有发生过。其中有很多人是平生第一次去投票，因为他们相信，这次一定与以往不同，他们相信，自己的声音肯定会使一切与过去不同。

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

这个回答，是由下面的人给出的：年轻人和老人，有钱人和没钱人，民主党的和共和党的，黑人，白人，西班牙裔人，亚裔人，美国本土人，同性恋，异性恋，残疾的和不残疾的。所有这些美国人，都在向世界发出一个信息，那就是，我们从来不仅仅是无数个人的累加，不仅仅是红州（代表共和党）和蓝州（代表民主党）的混合体；我们是，也将永远是，美洲上团结起来的州（即美国）。

It's the answer that – that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

对于那些长期以来被灌输不信，恐惧和怀疑我们到底能做出什么的人们来说，今晚（的一切）也是一个回答。我们可以掌控历史前行的弧线，并把这一弧线弯曲，令它重新朝着更好的未来延伸。已经等了好久，但今晚，由于我们今天在这选举时刻，在这重新定义一切的时分所做出的一切，变革已经莅临美国。

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him, I congratulate Governor Palin for all they’ve achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

今晚稍早些时候，我接到麦坎恩参议员打来的电话，麦坎恩参议员十分有君子风度。他为此次竞选，做出了艰辛而长久的付出。不过，他对自己热爱的这个国家，则付出了更多艰辛与岁月。他为美国做出了多少牺牲，我们多数人甚至难以想象。而现在，我们则因为这位勇敢而无私的领袖所做的奉献，正过着幸福的日子。我向他和佩林州长所赢得的一切表示祝贺。并且，我期待在未来数月后，与他们一道，为重新振兴国家而工作。

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

我要感谢这次竞选行程中我的搭档，他为竞选尽心尽力，为那些和他一起在斯克兰顿街头上长大的男人女人们发声，为跟他一起搭乘火车，回特拉华老家的男男女女们发声。他就是，美国当选副总统，乔·拜登。

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama.

今晚，我能站在这里，是因为我拥有着过去16年来我最好的朋友，我们家的基石，我生命中的挚爱，我们国家的下一位第一夫人，米雪·奥巴马的始终不渝的支持。

Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.

莎莎，还有玛丽亚，我爱着你们两个,爱得超出了你们的想象。你们已经赢得了一个新的宠物，它要随我们一起搬进白宫啦。

 

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

还有一位，她已经不再与我们在一起了，我知道，姥姥在高天上正望着我，她跟所有培养我成为今天这样的亲人们一起，在望着我。今晚，我想念他们，我内心知道，我对他们永远感激不尽。

 

To my sister Maya, my sister Auma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

我还要感谢我的妹妹玛亚，另个妹妹奥玛，以及我所有其他的兄弟姐妹们。感谢你们给予我的全部支持。我对他们怀着感念之情。

 

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign who built the best – the best political campaign I think in the history of the United States of America；to my chief strategist David Axelrod, who has been a partner with me every step of the way, to the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

我要感谢我的竞选经理D·普劳夫，他是这次竞选活动中的无名英雄，但正是他完成了最好的，我想，是完成了美国历史上最好的政治选举活动。我还要感谢首席策略专家D·艾克斯罗德，他在我一路竞选活动中，一直不弃不离陪伴着我。我还要感谢我这个最好的竞选团队。这个团队是政治历史上最好的团队了。是你们使得这一切成为事实，我对你们为赢得这一切所付出的牺牲，永远心存感激。

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

但除了上述这些，我永远不会忘记的是，这场胜利真正该属于谁，这胜利属于你们，这胜利属于你们。

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

我一直不是最有希望进入白宫的候选人。开始时，我们没有太多的资金，或者，也没有很多重要人物支持我们。我们的竞选活动，并不是在华盛顿的豪华大厅里策划出来的，而是始于小城市得梅因的后院里，始于康科德和查尔斯顿这些小地方的起居室里，前门走廊上。

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to the cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; it grew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

这竞选的胜利，是由那些劳作的人们，从自己很少的积蓄中，掏出五块十块二十块赞助后赢得的。是从年轻人那里赢得的，他们拒绝承认自己对政治不感兴趣，他们离开家，离开亲人，干收入很少的助选的活儿，睡很少的觉。是从那些并不太年轻的人那里赢得的，他们在严冬酷暑里，勇于敲开一点也不认识的陌生人的家门。是从数百万自愿组织起来的美国民众那里赢得的。而且它也证明，两百多年后的今天，一个民有，民治，民享的政府，并没有从这个地球消失。这是你们的胜利。 

 

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for their child’s college education. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

我知道，你们这样做，并不是只为了赢得一次选举，我也知道你们这样做，并不是为我。你们之所以要这样做，是因为你们懂得，摆在眼前的任务太过艰巨了。因为即便我们今晚这样庆祝胜利，但我们都明白，明天带来的挑战，是我们一辈子里最大的挑战了____两场战争，危机四伏的地球，百年里最糟糕的金融危机。因为即便我们今晚站在这里，但我们都明白，在伊拉克的沙漠里，在阿富汗的群山中，还有我们勇敢的美国人，他们一觉醒来，就面临着为保护我们而牺牲性命的危险。还有无数母亲们和父亲们，孩子已经熟睡了，自己却不能入眠，他们要盘算着如何才能偿付房贷，怎样支付医疗费用，如何才能攒够孩子上大学的钱数。还有，新能源要开发，新的就业机会要创造，新校舍要搭建，无数威胁要面对，友邦关系要修补。

 

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

前面的路，还很长，我们要攀爬的坡，还很陡。也许，我们在一年内，甚至一届总统任期内，都不一定会抵达那里。但美国人民哪，我从来没有像今晚这样，充满着憧憬，这憧憬就是，我们一定会抵达那里。我向你们承诺：我们美国全体人民一定会抵达那里！

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hands by calloused hands.

今后一定会有诸多挫折，也会有很多个出师不利。还会有许多人，对总统的我所作出的每个决策或政策，都不认可。但我们都明白，政府不可能解决得了每个问题。不过，我一定竭尽可能，与你们坦诚面对，直陈我们面临的各种挑战。我一定会倾听你们的声音。尤其当我们意见不一样时，我更会倾听。总而言之，我还要请你们加入到重建这个国家行列里来，重建的方式，是美国221年来，一直使用的唯一方式，那就是，用一双双长满老茧的手，一块砖一块砖地建，一片瓦一片瓦地盖。

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter can not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you, without a  new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of  responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.

21个月之前，在那个寒冬里开始的事情，绝对不应该在今天这个秋天夜晚，就结束了。这场胜利本身并不是我们要追求的变革。它不过是我们要进行变革的一个契机。假如我们再回到从前，那么，变革就不可能发生。假如没有你们的参与，没有全新的奉献精神，没有全新的牺牲精神，那么，这变革就不可能发生。所以，让我们凝聚起新的爱国精神，凝聚起责任感，我们每个人下定决心，全情投入，更拼命地工作，并且，不仅仅关照自己，也彼此关照吧。

Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers. In this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

如果这场金融危机的确给教会了我们什么的话，那就让我们铭记吧：当华尔街以外的大街都在遭受煎熬时，华尔街是不可能繁荣的。在这个国家里，我们兴盛，国家兴盛，我们跌倒，人人跌倒。

 

Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity. Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

让我们抵御住诱惑吧，不再党派纷争，不再鸡毛蒜皮，不再幼稚，因为它们长久以来一直毒害着我们的政治环境。让我们记住吧，正是从我们这个州里，走出一个人来（指林肯），是他首先肩扛共和党的旗帜，走进了白宫。这个共和党，是以自强，个人自由以及全民团结为价值基础，而建立起来的。这些价值，我们所有人都十分认同。所以，当今晚民主党赢得了一场伟大的胜利之时，我们尤其带着谦卑与无比的决心，认同这些价值，并力求弥合阻挡我们前行的纷争。

 

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends -- though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.

正如林肯面对比目前更加分裂的美国时，所说的那样，“我们不是敌人，而是朋友，尽管激情令我们的关系紧张，但绝对不许它将我们彼此的感情纽带撕裂。”对于那些我仍没有赢得支持的美国选民们，我想说，今晚，我尽管没有赢得你们的选票，但我已经听到了你们的声音，我需要你们的帮助，而且，我也将是你们的总统。

 

And all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those – to those who would tear the world down: we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

此外，对那些关注今晚选举的大洋外的人们，从各国的议会和皇宫里，一直到世界上被遗忘的角落中围聚在电台旁的人们，我要说，我们的故事，各有不同，但我们的命运，却彼此相通。美国领导的新的黎明，已经来临。对那些人，那些要撕裂世界的人，我要说：我们将打败你们。而对那些寻求和平与安全的人们，我则说：我们支持你们。而对于所有还在怀疑美国这盏灯塔是否依然闪耀着如初光芒的人们：今晚我们再次向你们证明了，我们国家的真正力量，并非来自我们军队力量的强大，或我们拥有的巨大财富，而是来自我们持久的诸多理念：民主，自由，机会，以及永不放弃的希望。

That’s the true genius of America, that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

而这就是美国的宝藏，也就是，美国可以变革。我们要使自己更加团结。我们已经赢得的一切，给了我们希望，它令我们明天能够，也必须赢得更多。

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She is a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

这次总统选举，产生了很多“第一”，也诞生了很多必将被后人传诵的许多故事。但今晚，我脑海里一直萦绕着的，却是在亚特兰大投票的一个妇人的故事。此次选举中，她跟数百万排队希望自己的声音被听到的投票人，没有什么两样，只有一样与众不同：这位叫安·尼克松·库柏的妇人已经106岁了。

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons, because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin. And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America: the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

她出生时，奴隶制刚刚结束有一代人的时间。那时，路上没有汽车，天上也没有飞机，那时，像她这们的人，因两个原因不能投票，一是因为她是个女性，再就是她的肤色。今晚，我在想，她这一百年里，在美国都看到了什么：她看到的是，心痛与希望，争斗与进步，是我们被告之我们不能，却也看到，有很多人坚信美国信念，继续顶着压力向前：不，我们能。

 

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

她看到的是女性的声音被压制，女性的希望被抛弃，但她活着看到，女性已经站立起来，发出声音，并伸手投票了。是的，我们能。

 

When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

她看到的是，30年代的沙尘风暴，是遍及全国的经济萧条，但她也看到，通过（罗斯福的）新政，通过创造就业机会，通过新的共同目标的认同，一个国家竟战胜了恐慌。

 

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

她看到的是，炸弹扔到了我们的（夏威夷珍珠）港口，残暴威胁着世界。但她在那里，也看到了一代人的伟大崛起，看到了一个民主制度被拯救。是的，我们能。

 

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "we shall overcome." Yes we can.

她看到了蒙哥马利市公交车上对黑人的种族歧视；看到了伯明翰市白人水枪喷向抗议的黑人学生；看到了塞尔马市的大桥上黑人在为争取权利所进行的拼争。但她还看到，来自亚特兰大的马丁·路德·金牧师这样跟大家说，“我们终将冲破一切樊篱。”是的，我们能。

 

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

她看到了人类登上月球，看到了柏林墙的被推倒。她还看到，我们用自己发明创造的科学技术与想像，将整个世界连成了一片。而今年，就在这次总统选举，她只用手指轻触一下电脑屏幕，就投下了自己的那一张票。当美国走过了106年，穿越过最好的时光，也走过最黑暗的时刻，她知道，美国还会怎样变革下去。

 

Yes we can.

是的，我们能。

 

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there’s so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves, if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

美国人民啊，我们走过了漫长道路，我们已经见多识广。但我们仍有太多的事情要做。所以今晚，让我们扪心自问一下吧，假如我们的孩子们能活到下个世纪，假如我的两个女儿有幸活到安·尼克松·库柏那样的年龄，他们将看到什么样的变革呢？到时候，我们会取得什么样的进步呢？

 

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time: to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

现在是我们回答这一召唤的时机了。就在当下。就在我们这个时代：让我们的人民回到工作中去吧，并且为我们的孩子们，打开机会的大门吧；让繁荣再现，将和平的事业推向前进吧，让“美国梦”重回人们的心中，并再次证明一个最基本的真理吧，那就是，无论我们有多少人，统统都是一家人；只要我们一息尚存，就要心存希望；当有人不信，有人怀疑，有人告诉我们，说我们不能的时候，我们要带着那永恒的信念，带着那使美国人民振作精神的信念，高声答道：

 

Yes We Can.

是的，我们能。

 

Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

谢谢，上帝祝福你们，愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。

 

（呵呵，我翻译的，有人信吗？）

终于又想到来这里看看了，主要原因是受到了油价上涨的打击，突然想写点什么。

从我开第一辆车起，油价大概只有2.73元，那时开着一辆夏天油耗高达14L的车时，也没觉得太贵。今非昔比，到我落笔之时，油价已升至6.09元。但显然这仅仅是个开始，按照国际油价，现在油价应该在9-10元之间了。再加上有可能的燃油税改革，最终可能涨到15元/L。不过香港的油价早就是15元港币了，现在估计都快20块了。

 

抱怨也没用，美元贬值和中国的强劲发展带动了全球油价走高，目前的油价可能还没见顶。对于有车族来说，简直就是灾难。立时三刻去换辆低油耗的车，也不太现实，还是想想怎么开更省油吧。

我的车刚拿到的时候，百公里10.5L。现在我总结了一些省油的方法，目前油耗大约9L多一点，不过是不开空调的情况下。方法很简单，轮胎气压比厂家建议的要高一点，以减少滚动阻力，但也不能太高，否则会造成轮胎的偏磨；选用半合成以上级别的机油，减少发动机的工作阻力；最有效的一条，每次遇到长时间红灯的时候建议熄火，等待红灯时的发动机工作，不但没有作用，而且排放的废气比行驶时更不清洁，无论是为了减排还是省油，都应该熄火。大部分用车时间都是上下班道路，每天走同样的路，应该知道那些路口的红灯时间比较长，一般来说超过30秒等待的红灯，就可以熄火了。这种方法相当于一辆初级的混合动力车了，至少可以节省油耗10%（君越的混合动力其实也就是停车自动熄火功能而已，自己动动手也可以做到），不过夏天这个方法可能就不太好用了，因为熄火后空调就停止了，而且空调也不太好重复启动，所以喜欢开空调的人慎用此法；出门行车时间尽量避过高峰时段，这样避免拥堵而产生的油耗浪费；车辆在最高档位的低转速运行是最省油的，所以尽量以60公里的时速工作，最高时速不宜超过90公里，在高速公路上建议不超过120公里。更高的时速会让油耗疯狂增长，除非你得变速箱有7个以上的档位，那你可以开得更快些，最高转速不超过3000转都不会有太多油耗。还有其他一些常用方法，比如减少车辆负重，每次不要把油箱加满，取下背胎，给每个轮胎注入自动补胎剂之类的东西，也可以减少油耗。

 

大家还有什么诀窍的欢迎留言。

 

天灵灵，地灵灵，中国赶紧发现个比沙特更大的油田吧。