| 200 pilots lied about experience |
二百多名飛行員資質造假 |
| When China's Civil Aviation Administration mounted an investigation into airline pilots in 2008 and 2009, it turned out that more than 200 had lied about their work experience, and 103 of those worked for Shenzhen Airlines, China Business News reported. Following the recent Yichun plane crash, the capacity and quality of pilots is once again attracting public concern. A safety check is under way and a detailed report is expected to be finished by Sep. 15. Insiders told the newspaper that the Civil Aviation Administration is set to tighten control over the growth and technology of aviation industry, and that in the near future, the utilization ratio of planes will be strictly monitored. Taking a longer view, this will further control the introduction of new planes. |
據《第一財經日報》報道，民航局于2008至2009年曾對飛行人員資質進行檢查，查出來飛行經歷不實多達200多人，其中深圳航空有103人。伊春空難發生后，飛行員能力和資質問題重新引起公眾注意。目前，一場對全行業的安全檢查已經展開，詳細的檢查報告將在9月15日前完成。業內人士表示，民航局將對民航業在總量和技術等各方面進行控制，近期會嚴格檢查飛機的使用率，長遠看很可能會進一步控制新增飛機的引進速度。 |
| Power cuts to save energy |
河北安平全民限電節能 |
| Residents in Anping County, Hebei Province faced power cuts from Sept. 3, as part of a local government drive to save energy, the Beijing Times reported. The county was divided into three areas and power was cut for 22 hours from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. the next day every two days. Even hospitals and traffic lights were not exempt. But normal power supplies were resumed today as the government looked for alternative ways to restrict the use of electricity. According to local officials, they were set a target of reducing energy consumption by 6.6 percent over the whole year, but only managed to achieve a cut of 0.9 percent in the first six months. Residents in neighboring Wuqiang County, were even worse off, only having power in the evenings between 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., every day except Saturday. |
據《京華時報》報道，從9月3日開始，河北衡水市安平縣為完成節能降耗指標，對全縣分3批實施限電，每批限電22小時。限電期間，不僅居民家停電停水，醫院和紅綠燈也遭停電。5日，安平縣有關部門表示，醫院和紅綠燈將不限電，但當地仍將出臺新的限電措施。當地官員介紹，該縣今年節能指標是下降6.6%，但前六個月只完成0.9%的任務量。而同屬衡水市的武強縣，從9月2日起，除每周六供一天電外，其他六天都是18時至23時供電。 |
| How to beat 'vacant flats probe' |
“空房管家”應對空置調查 |
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Media reports can give birth to new professions. Last week, reports that Beijing was investigate the huge numbers of vacant houses in the city upset some but delighted others. A new group of professional "house-sitters" has appeared on the scene. Mr. Wang, a pioneer in the profession, says he has all bases covered when it comes to satisfying investigators. He makes sure that water and electricity services are connected and deals with property managers. "We will send people to stay in the house during inspections, turn the taps and lights on to make sure the meters record usage every month, and make contact with property managers, acting as the owner of the house if necessary."
The service does not come cheap. The price for monthly cleaning and fortnightly inspections ranges from 350 yuan for a one-bedroom apartment to 1150 yuan for a four-bedroom. For 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom villas, the cost ranges from 700 yuan to 1450 per month.
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媒體報道可以催生新的職業。上周，北京開始試點調查空置房。消息一出，幾家歡樂幾家愁。“空房管家”應運而生。王先生就是先行一族。他表示，空置房調查無非三個手段：“入戶調查、查水電和查詢物業，他們都有針對性措施，入戶調查時可以按照要求留人；查水電，每月可以派專人定期進房間放水、開燈，只要水表電表走字，調查部門就沒話說；到物業查詢，我們也可以有人專門與物業接洽，必要時可以身份扮演”。
服務如此貼心，費用當然也不菲。公寓一室一廳最便宜，每月350元，四室兩廳最貴，每月1150元；別墅三室一廳最便宜，每月700元，最貴的是四室兩廳，每月1450元。以上費用只包括每月一次的保潔和每月兩次的房屋設備設施定期巡查維護。
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| 'Free phones' for freshers |
“校園必備手機”遭質疑 |
| What is the first thing to think about after enrolling in college? The answer, of course, is a mobile phone. Now some colleges in Heilongjiang, Gansu, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces are handing out free mobile phones to freshers, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported. The new student guide at Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational college says "find your dormitory, pick up the key and your free mobile phone." The phone can be used to borrow books from library, as a security card to dorms and as a pre-payment card for the cafeteria. The phone can also be used to record class attendance and choose courses. Some freshmen say they already have phones and don't want the hassle of using two at the same time. Others attacked the scheme as compulsory consumption. But a college official said the phones are not compulsory; students have the right not to use them and can use a card instead for on-campus purchases. A telecom operator said the phenomenon reflected unhealthy competition in the local market. |
大學入學第一件事是什么? 答案是一部免費的手機。據《南方都市報》報道，黑龍江、甘肅、江西、浙江等地的一些高校向2010級新生免費配發一部手機。浙江工貿職業技術學院入學指導中第一項就是“住宿安排、領取宿舍鑰匙及一卡通手機”。還有一份說明:該手機是圖書館借書、宿舍門禁識別、食堂的必備工具，還可實現考勤、手機選課等其他功能。有學生說上學前就已有手機，不想同時用兩部。有人抱怨這是強制消費。學校領導在接受采訪時表示，這不是強制的，如果學生不選擇，還可以使用原有的校園一卡通系統。某電信運營商表示，這種現象可能是由當地電信市場不良競爭導致。 |
| Whale meat back on school menu |
日本學校午餐重現鯨肉 |
| Whale meat is back on the menu at around a sixth of Japan's state-run elementary and junior high schools, AFP reported. In Japan, eating whale meat was common in the 1960s and 1970s, and annual consumption of the meat reached a peak of 220,000 tons. It subsequently fell out of favor, with the supply dwindling to around 1,000 tons in the 1990s after an international ban on commercial whaling was introduced. But whale meat has recently reappeared on the school lunch table as the country gradually increases its catch of the ocean giants. The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research, which carries out whaling in the name of research, sells whale meat to local municipalities for school lunches at one-third of the market price. |
據法新社報道，日本全國小學和初等中學中，有超過六分之一的學校向學生供應的午餐中有鯨肉制品。上世紀60年代和70年代，日本人食用鯨魚肉相當普遍，年均消費鯨肉22萬噸。但受國際捕鯨禁令等因素影響，日本鯨肉消費在上世紀90年代大幅減少，一度跌至年均1000噸的歷史低水平。近年來，國家逐漸恢復捕鯨，使得鯨肉重回學校餐桌。日本鯨研究學會名義上以鯨類研究為任務，但實際上也向地方學校出售鯨肉，且價格一般只有市場價的三分之一。 |
