TED演讲:曝光政府腐败的战斗(3)

 　　Well, that's not exactly the story, because the problem was that Parliament delayed and delayed releasing that data, 呵呵，但我讲述的并不是很完整的故事。因为问题在于，议会不断地拖延公布这些信息，

　　and then they tried to retrospectively change the law so that it would no longer apply to them. 不仅这样，他们还尝试回溯性地改变这方面的法规，让新法规不再适用于揭露这种信息。

　　The transparency law they'd passed earlier that applied¹ to everybody else, they tried to keep it so it didn't apply to them. 之前他们颁布的新“透明”法规对于其他人都适用，他们试着让法规不再适用我的要求。

　　What they hadn't counted on was digitization, 但是他们忘记了在数据数字化上下规定，

　　because that meant that all those paper receipts had been scanned in electronically, 因为这些纸质收据已经被电子扫描过了，

　　and it was very easy for somebody to just copy that entire database, 所以要复制整个数据库是非常容易的，

　　put it on a disk, and then just saunter outside of Parliament, which they did, 只需要将数据装入磁盘，然后就可以悠闲地在议会楼外散步了，他们就这样做了，

　　and then they shopped that disk to the highest bidder², which was the Daily Telegraph, 还把装有数据的磁盘卖给了出价最高的《每日电讯报》，

　　and then, you all remember, there was weeks and weeks of revelations, 然后，你们记得的，就有了周周不断地揭露，

　　everything from porn movies and bath plugs and new kitchens and mortgages that had never been paid off. 从色情电影、浴盆塞、新厨房，到没有还清的抵押贷款。

　　The end result was six ministers resigned, the first speaker of the house in 300 years was forced to resign, 最后的结果是十六个部长辞职了，三百年内第一次有议会发言人被迫辞职，

　　a new government was elected on a mandate³ of transparency, 120 MPs stepped down at that election, 基于对透明化的命令，一个新的政府被选举出来，120个下院议员在那场选举中也无奈下台，

　　and so far, four MPs and two lords have done jail time for fraud. So, thank you. 至今，四个下院议员和两个勋爵因为作假进了监狱。谢谢大家。

　　Well, I tell you that story because it wasn't unique to Britain. 我告诉大家这个故事的目的是因为这个现象不只存在于英国。

　　It was an example of a culture clash that's happening all over the world between bewigged and bestockinged officials 这只是在全球文化冲击的一个例子而已，在世界各地仍有无数的戴着假面具，藏着无数“秘密”的官员，

　　who think that they can rule over us without very much prying⁴ from the public, 而他们总认为自己能在公众睁一只眼闭一只眼状况下统治人民，

　　and then suddenly confronted with a public who is no longer content with that arrangement, 但是突然，他们得面对对这种现状不再满意的民众，

　　and not only not content with it, now, more often, armed with official data itself. 民众不仅对官员不满意，更多时候，还对官方的数据产生怀疑。

1 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

2 bidder   

n.(拍卖时的)出价人，报价人，投标人

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder.电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。
• The bidder withdrew his bid after submission of his bid.投标者在投标之后撤销了投标书。

3 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

4 prying   

adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开

参考例句：

• I'm sick of you prying into my personal life! 我讨厌你刺探我的私生活！
• She is always prying into other people's affairs. 她总是打听别人的私事。 来自《简明英汉词典》