關於 the card was declined ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

[重要個股資訊: Square(SQ)]

我知道不少讀者持有SQ. 我對SQ研究不多, 但我知道CFO很厲害. 她基本上是在做CEO該做的事情(因為CEO同時是兩家公司的CEO--Twitter and Square).

㊙️CFO對一家公司來說很重要, 尤其是Square. 因為CEO Jack Dorsey身兼兩家公司的CEO, 很忙.

㊙️巴菲特說管理階層不重要, 這點不適用在成長型的中小型公司上.

所以可以說, SQ的基本面已經產生變化了. 個人淺見. 供參~

A longtime Goldman Sachs analyst, Friar joined Square as CFO in 2012 when she was an executive at Salesforce.com Inc. Her hiring received applause from analysts and investors, who saw her as a driver of growth and stability at Square, where CEO Jack Dorsey is also the leader at Twitter Inc.

Friar isn’t a “normal” CFO, Andrew Jeffrey, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, wrote in a note to investors. “Her leadership in many ways has been more instrumental to Square’s emergence as a true payments disrupter and impressive growth story than CEO, Jack Dorsey’s.”

Square investors viewed Friar, 45, as a disciplined executive who set ambitious financial targets, while carefully choosing areas of market expansion. Since she joined the company, Square has transformed itself from a credit-card reader for street sellers into a payments and business software tool for retailers around the globe. It has expanded into loans, food delivery, instant deposits, accounting, inventory, website building and more.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-10/square-cfo-sarah-friar-steps-down-to-join-nextdoor-as-ceo

【如何在兩個月內買到小米手機
How to Buy a Xiaomi in Two Short Months】

Beijing, Sept. 4th (by Carlos Tejada) -- China’s Xiaomi rose to the top ranks of global smartphone makers in only five years by selling high-spec phones at lowball prices. The phones have been snapped up by Chinese consumers looking for an affordable, homegrown alternative to pricier gadgets made by Apple and Samsung Electronics. Its success has made it China’s most valuable startup and second only to Uber in terms of global valuations.
中國的小米公司僅用了不到五年的時間，藉由以低價銷售高規格手機商品，在全球智慧型手機市場中躍昇至名列前茅的位置。與美國蘋果和南韓三星生產且較為昂貴的智慧型裝置相比，小米公司給中國消費者提供的是可負擔得起的國產化和實惠替代選擇，其產品也屢屢被中國消費者一掃而空。小米公司的成功使它一舉成為中國最具市場價值的新創企業，即使在全球範圍來算，其市值也僅次於 Uber。

So goes the story behind Xiaomi’s rise. Still, there’s one aspect of its business that can be hard to convey to the outside world: Its phones can be very, very, very difficult to buy.
以上便是小米崛起的故事，然而這其中尚有一個難與外界陳述的事實是：小米手機是非常，非常，非常難以購買的。

Xiaomi sells its phones only in China, India and a few other Asian markets. But that’s just the start of the difficulties. In China the company sells its newest phones online in limited batches through what are called flash sales. Xiaomi and analysts say that helps the company cope with demand for new products as it ramps up production.
目前小米公司僅在中國、印度及一些亞洲國家銷售智慧手機，不過這其實只是造成購買困難的第一個因素。小米公司在中國是透過所謂線上分批搶購的方式來銷售其最新機型。小米公司和分析家認為這種銷售方式有助於公司更好地控管新產品產量只能逐步上升可能造成的供不應求狀況。

On a practical level, it means those who aren’t quick enough with a computer mouse may have a long time to wait before they get one.
實際一點來說，這就表示那些使用電腦滑鼠不夠敏捷的人可能就得在買到一台小米手機之前要等上好長一段時間了。

I chose to buy a Xiaomi phone after the company lent me its newest phablet, the Note Pro, to use for a few weeks. I liked the large screen, decent camera and its take on Google’s Android phone-operating software, which in my opinion is still inferior to Apple’s mobile software but is closing the gap. Mostly, I liked the price – the Note Pro costs about half the price of Apple’s base-model iPhone 6 Plus, which is the same size but comes with only a quarter of the memory.
在小米公司把最新型的 Note Pro 智慧型大螢幕手機借給我使用了幾個星期之後，我決定自行購買一台小米手機。我非常喜歡它的大螢幕以及拍照效果不錯的鏡頭。小米手機使用的是 Google 公司的 Android 手機作業系統，雖然 Android 系統跟蘋果公司的 iOS 系統還存在一定差距，但這個差距正逐漸縮小中。我最在意的還是價格：小米 Note Pro 的售價僅為蘋果公司 iPhone 6 Plus 基本款(16 GB)的一半，且這兩台手機的尺寸一樣，而 Note Pro 的記憶體容量足足為 iPhone 6 Plus 的 4 倍 (64 GB)。

Another reason I liked it: In China-nerd circles, the phone is a conversation starter. People who follow China or technology but who aren’t on the mainland rarely see one. In that crowd everybody has an opinion of Xiaomi, ranging from respect for a scrappy startup to contempt for a cheap copycat. “Oh, you have a Xiaomi?” they ask, with some mix of curiosity and amusement.
我喜歡小米手機的另一個理由是，在愛好中國事物的群體之中，小米手機總是一個很不錯的開場白，因為關注中國或者科技產品但身不在中國的人很少能看見小米手機。那個群體的人對於小米都有各自的看法，有的人對這個草莽的新創公司表達尊重，也有人輕蔑地認為小米手機僅僅是廉價的山寨產品。他們會帶著愉悅和好奇問說：「哦？你的是小米手機？」

I chose to buy my phone like most Chinese people buy theirs: through an online flash sale. I skipped online brokers and secondhand dealers over concerns about malware and fakes. I also declined an offer from Xiaomi for a pass that would let me jump to the front of the line, an inducement it offers to its biggest Mi fans.
我選擇採用大多數在中國的消費者們所使用的方式來購買小米手機：線上搶購。出於對惡意軟體和假貨問題的擔憂，我略過了從網路賣家和二手交易者那邊購買的方案。我還放棄了小米公司提供的「插隊」優待，這對於廣大的「米粉」族來說可是項福利啊。

I went in with a co-worker, Olivia, who wanted to buy a budget-level phone for her father.
我和我的同事 Olivia 一起進行搶購，而她想幫她爸爸購買一台經濟實惠的手機。

Day 1第 1 天
Xiaomi holds its flash sales on Tuesdays at noon sharp. To buy one, a customer needs access to a Chinese debit or credit card or an account with an online payment system like Alibaba Group’s Alipay affiliate. With all those in check, I perched over my computer with my mouse at the ready.
小米在週二中午整點展開了一次搶購活動，想要參與的消費者必須擁有中國記帳卡、信用卡或者像隸屬阿里巴巴公司的支付寶那樣的線上付款系統。一切就緒以後，我手握滑鼠靜候在電腦旁邊嚴陣以待。

As it turns out, there’s another helpful prerequisite: An ability to read fine print in Chinese. My noontime click generated a message congratulating me for registering to try to buy a Xiaomi phone. The fine print on the website said people trying to buy a phone must first register on the site. My first true opportunity, it told me, would be next Tuesday.
有一個先決條件更能使我們成功搶購到手機：你需要具備讀懂中國文字的能力。我算好正午時間點下按鈕之後出現一個視窗，是一條恭喜資訊：小米網站祝賀我註冊成功，並可以開始嘗試搶購小米手機。網站上的中文有提示希望搶購小米手機的用戶必須先在網站進行註冊，我成功註冊以後的第一次嘗試機會變成了下週二。

Day 8第 8 天
Primed and registered, I set off with my mouse promptly at noon as if a starter’s pistol had gone off next to my ear. Two pages of options popped up on my browser. I read the Chinese as quickly as I could and clicked away.
確認註冊成功，且一切就緒以後，我又一次算準正午時分點下了滑鼠，那時的聲音就像是起跑槍的聲音從我耳邊呼嘯而過。隨後瀏覽器上出現了兩個頁面，我盡可能快速地閱讀了上面的中文資訊並隨後點了關閉。

Xiaomi’s mascot – a white rabbit named Mitu wearing a green Chinese army hat – popped up on my screen. It appeared to be running in place. The text explained that too many people were trying to buy phones too. “I’m lined up and currently moving forward with everything I’ve got,” it said.
小米的吉祥物，一隻戴著綠色中國軍帽，名為「米兔」的兔子出現在我的螢幕之上，一切看似順利。但上面的文字卻顯示目前搶購小米手機的人數已經太多，而且頁面一直顯示「正在排隊中」。

It ran with everything it had for the next 20 minutes. I wondered how long it would take for me to find out whether I had won my phone.
結果20 分鐘過去了，頁面所顯示的內容還是一樣，我當時就很好奇還需要等多久我才會知道是否搶到了手機。

A colleague, Yang Jie, walked by and sighed. “You didn’t get it, Carlos,” she said. Sure enough, the image soon changed to a Mitu gushing tears. “Sorry, we’re already sold out,” it said.
這時我一位同事Yang Jie經過並嘆了一口氣。她說：「Carlos，你沒有搶到。」果不其然，頁面隨後便出現了一隻淚水狂噴的米兔。上面寫著：「非常抱歉，我們已經售罄。」

I looked to Olivia, who shook her head. Sold out too.
我望向 Olivia 那兒，她搖了搖頭，顯然她也沒有搶到。

Day 15第 15 天
I noticed this time that Xiaomi offers potential buyers the option of ordering the Xiaomi phone for guaranteed delivery in a month. I snorted. Waiting, I decided, is for chumps. I’m not a chump. I’m a champ. Surely I can click as fast as anybody.
這次我注意到小米為潛在購買者提供了預約購買的服務，並保證在一個月內進行配送。我對此冷哼一聲。我主意已決，這種等待方案是準備給傻瓜的，但我並不是一個傻瓜，我是一個贏家，我肯定可以比別人更快點下滑鼠。

Apparently not. This time the crying Mitu quickly replaced the running Mitu. Sold out. On to next week.
結果根本事與願違，這次哭泣的米兔很快便取代跑步的米兔出現在了螢幕之上。再次售罄，只好再等到下個星期了。

But not with Olivia. Twice was enough, and she dropped out. “It’s too hard,” she said.
不過這次 Olivia 並沒有參與，因為她覺得兩次嘗試就夠了所以罷手。她說：「這太難了」。

Day 22第 22 天
I was on the phone with a colleague in Hong Kong when the trumpets from theme music of China’s national noon television broadcast blared across the newsroom. Noon! I scrambled to my open browser. Those precious seconds may have cost me. The crying Mitu mocked my inattention. Vigilance is the price of flash sales.
當時我在跟一位在香港的同事講電話，隨後我聽到了中國午間新聞的主題音樂。又到正午了！我習慣性反射地衝到開啟的瀏覽器前面，每一秒鐘都太寶貴了。哭泣的米兔再一次無情地嘲笑著我不夠投入的搶購行為。在進行秒殺搶購的時候警惕性實在是太重要了。

Day 29第 29 天
Xiaomi says it sells phones in limited batches strictly for production reasons, not to stoke demand through what’s known as scarcity marketing. “We have to monitor the demand for our smartphones, and produce our inventory accordingly, which requires us to use the flash sale model,” a spokeswoman said.
小米公司稱其之所以採用限量搶購的方式主要是由於產能問題，而並非像所傳的那樣利用所謂的「饑餓行銷」來刺激需求。「我們必須對自己智慧手機的銷量進行監控，並據此對庫存及產能進行調整，因此我們只能選擇限量搶購的模式。」小米公司的一位女發言人這麼說。

Whatever the reason, it resulted in a crying Mitu on my screen.
不管理由是什麼，最終我的螢幕上還是再度出現了一隻哭泣的米兔。

Day 36第 36 天
Hello again, you crying little lapin tease. Had I chosen to be a chump, instead of a champ, I’d have my Xiaomi by now.
再次見到了米兔的哭臉嘲諷。如果當初能自認蠢蛋，不要選擇當贏家的話，現在我應該已經把小米手機拿到手了。

Still, I wasn’t frustrated. More curious. Was it possible, in fact, to buy a Xiaomi phone?
但我並沒有感到沮喪，只是更加好奇用搶購這種方式的消費者究竟能否買到小米手機？

Day 42第 42 天
Noon on Tuesday in China came at 9 p.m. Monday at the airport in Phoenix, where I was schlepping two children from one set of grandparents to another. I thought about telling my wife I wanted to put down our luggage and pause our U.S. vacation while I try to buy a phone in China from a company that uses a militant rabbit as a mascot. I thought about the divorce proceedings. I kept silent.
中國週二的正午是美國鳳凰城（Phoenix）週一早上 9 點，當時我在鳳凰城的機場內，手上抱著兩個孩子，我剛把他們從祖父母處接回，現在正前往外祖父母的住處。當時我想要告訴太太我想放下行李並暫停我們的度假，因為我正嘗試從一家以軍裝兔子作為吉祥物的公司處搶購一台手機。只是在我想到了離婚的訴訟程序之後，我選擇了保持沉默。

Day 49第 49 天
I just plain forgot.
我壓根兒忘記了有搶購這件事情。

Day 55第 55 天
I logged into Xiaomi’s Chinese site the day before the Tuesday auction to register for the big showto be greeted with a message that the Note Pro was available for immediate sale. The Xiaomi spokeswoman later said that “we move from flash sales to open sales after we determine the exact alignment of demand and supply accordingly.” My Xiaomi would be waiting at my desk in Beijing when I returned.
我在週二的搶購開始之前就先登入小米的中文網頁，結果登入後我看到一則訊息說小米 Note Pro 已經可以即時購買。隨後小米公司的女發言人表示：「在確認了供應量能夠滿足需求量以後，我們決定將銷售方式從限量搶購調整為公開銷售。」在我回到北京的時候我的小米手機就已經躺在我桌子上等著我了。

TZ Wong, an analyst with research firm Canalys, says Xiaomi will need to broaden its distribution channels, “especially if it wants to achieve its ambitious 80 million to 100 million smartphone target for this year.” The Xiaomi spokeswoman said it doesn’t pursue market-share targets.
市場調查及研究機構Canalys 的分析師 TZ Wong 表示小米公司必須拓展其分配銷售的管道，「特別是如果他們想在今年達成 8 千萬至 1 億的銷售目標後。」但小米的女發言人稱公司並不以追求市場佔有率為目標。

My phone works fine so far. Does it work two-months’-wait fine? That’s between me and the Mitu.
目前我的手機運作的狀況一切良好，不過這支手機真的值得這兩個月的苦苦等候嗎？這個問題就留給我和米兔吧。

#高雄人 #學習英文 請找 多益達人 林立英文

Nha Trang, March 29, 2015
Dear Mr. Felix Schwartz, Political Officer at the German Embassy in Vietnam,
Dear Professor Norbert Lammert, President of the Bundestag,

My name is Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh. I am writing to apologise to you for failing to attend the meeting in Hanoi with the Delegation of the Bundestag on Sunday, March 29, as planned. I am extremely sorry because an undesired incidence has prevented me from going to Hanoi, though I have tried my best to get there on time.

Yesterday (March 28), on the way to the airport for our departure to Hanoi, my companion – blogger Vo Truong Thien – and I were stopped by two traffic policemen. Then a group of plainclothes security officers openned the taxi door, pulled us out, pushed us into another car, and took us to the police station of Khanh Hoa province, located at 80 Tran Phu street. They did that without showing us any official paper or even their ID card.

One of those officers grabbed my mobile phone so that I could not contact you, my lawyer or my family to notify you of this arbitrary detention.

I remained silent for more than four hours. Afterwards, they asked me to take back my private belonging, ie. a battery charger that they had confiscated of me since last July.

Then they showed me a printout of a letter advocating for the 2015 Campaign for Freedoms, Democracy and Human Rights for Vietnam, of which blogger Vo Truong Thien and I were two of the initiators. They asked me about this letter, but I declined to say anything and just remained silent.

The 2015 Campaign for Human Rights for Vietnam is one of the topics I was planning to present to you in our meeting so that you could introduce it to the Bundestag Delegation as well as the diplomats attending IPU 132 in Hanoi.

Blogger Vo Truong Thien and I were detained for more than ten hours. In the end, the security forces quietly released us and had us get out from the back door of the police station. Some bloggers and friends of mine had been waiting at the front door to call for our release. That may be the reason why we were made to leave from the back door, and the street light there was cut off, so that our friends were unable to meet or photograph us.

Notably, the head of the security forces said to me in a low voice, “Do not try to leave for Hanoi in the next few days.”

Dear Mr. Felix Schwarz and Prof. Norbert Lammert,

I am so sorry about what has happened to us as mentioned above, and I also learn that many bloggers, as members of the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers, and some other religious and human rights activists, were put under house arrest by plainclothes security forces during the event of IPU 132.

Even until now, I cannot think of any effective way to stop arbitrary detentions in our country. As blogger Vo Truong Thien told me today, “It is unacceptable when we, as Vietnamese citizens, are maltreated.” This is the first time my friend was kidnapped in the street, and the fourth time for me.

Once again, please accept my sincere apologies for I have failed to go to Hanoi and tell you what is happening in my country and the efforts by Vietnamese people to fight for freedom, democracy and human rights, especially the 2015 Campaign for Human Rights in Vietnam.

Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh
Member of the Vietnamese Bloggers Network
-----
***
Kính gửi ông Felix Schwarz tham tán chính trị Đại sứ quán Đức và giáo sư Norbert Lammert - trưởng phái đoàn Quốc hội Liên bang Đức

Tôi, Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, xin lỗi quý vị đã không thể có mặt tham dự buổi gặp gỡ với phái đoàn như đã hẹn vào Chủ nhật ngày 29 tháng 3, 2015. Tôi lấy làm tiếc về sự việc ngoài ý muốn này mà không có cách nào thay đổi dù đã cố sắp xếp công việc để có mặt tại Hà Nội.

Hôm qua, thứ 7 ngày 28, 2015, trên đường ra sân bay từ Nha Trang để ra Hà Nội, tôi và bạn đồng hành của tôi là blogger Võ Trường Thiện đã bị hai cảnh sát giao thông chặn xe lại. Sau đó, một nhóm an ninh gồm 9 người mặc thường phục ập vào xe, không xuất trình bất kỳ giấy tờ nào và họ lôi chúng tôi ra khỏi xe đang đi, tống lên một xe khác và đưa về trụ sở công an tỉnh Khánh Hòa, số 80 đường Trần Phú.

Một người đàn ông trong số họ đã giật lấy điện thoại của tôi và giữ nó cho đến khi về trụ sở, ngăn cản tôi không thể liên lạc để thông báo với luật sư của tôi, gia đình và quý vị về sự bắt người trái phép này.

Sau hơn 4 tiếng im lặng, họ yêu cầu tôi nhận lại tài sản cá nhân của mình, đó là cục sạc pin mà họ đã tịch thu từ tháng 7/2014.

Tiếp sau đó họ in sẵn trên giấy thư vận động về Chiến dịch Tự do, Dân chủ và Nhân quyền cho Việt Nam năm 2015, mà tôi và blogger Võ Trường Thiện là hai trong số những người khởi xướng để yêu cầu tôi giải trình về nó. Tuy nhiên tôi đã từ chối và giữ im lặng.

Chiến dịch Vận động Nhân Quyền 2015 là một trong những đề tài mà tôi dự trù sẽ trình bày cùng quý vị trong buổi gặp gỡ để quý vị có thể truyền đạt đến phái đoàn Quốc Hội Liên Bang Đức cũng như những đồng nghiệp ngoại giao đang tham dự Đại hội đồng Liên minh Nghị viện Thế giới IPU132 đang diễn ra tại Hà Nội.

Chúng tôi đã bị giam giữ hơn 10 tiếng và an ninh đã lặng lẽ thả chúng tôi ra bằng cửa sau của trụ sở công an tỉnh. Một số blogger và bạn bè tôi đã có mặt ở trước của đồn công an để đòi tự do cho tôi và blogger Võ Trường Thiện. Có lẻ vì lý do đó mà họ đã thả tôi ở cửa sau và tắt đèn đường lúc thả tôi ra để tránh cảnh chào đón, chụp hình bởi bạn bè chúng tôi.

Điểm đặc biệt là người chỉ huy công an đã nhắn nhỏ với tôi: đừng tìm cách ra khỏi nhà để đi Hà Nội trong vài ngày tới.

Thưa ông Felix Schwarz và giáo sư Norbert Lammert

Tôi rất tiếc về sự việc đã xảy ra như đã trình bày ở trên, và tôi cũng được biết là nhiều blogger, thành viên của Mạng Lưới Blogger Việt Nam, cũng như một số các nhà hoạt động Nhân quyền, Tôn giáo khác cũng bị an ninh thường phục bao vây, canh gác, ngăn chặn không cho ra khỏi nhà trong thời gian IPU132 đang diễn ra.

Đến giờ phút này tôi vẫn chưa nghĩ ra cách nào hữu hiệu để chấm dứt tình trạng bắt giữ tùy tiện tại đất nước tôi. Hôm nay, blogger Võ Trường Thiện đã nói với tôi: Không thể chấp nhận được khi chúng ta là những công dân mà bị đối xử ngược đãi tuỳ tiện kiểu này. Đây là lần đầu tiên bạn tôi bị bắt cóc giữa đường và lần thứ 4 xảy ra đối với tôi.

Một lần nữa, tôi chân thành xin lỗi quý vị là đã không thể có mặt tại Hà Nội để trình bày cùng quý vị những gì đang xảy ra trên đất nước Việt Nam và những nỗ lực tranh đấu cho Tự do, Dân chủ và Nhân quyền của người Việt chúng tôi, đặc biệt là về Chiến dịch Vận động Nhân Quyền 2015.

Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh - Thành viên Mạng Lưới Blogger Việt Nam
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Em cám ơn chị Đoan Trang đã giúp sức

If you know me personally, you know I have always had a special place in my heart for Canada, and I was finally back after nearly 2 years, as a spring break vacation. To be honest, I have not felt happy in a long time, I was not being myself at all. But 10 days in Canada, reunited with my really really amazing friends that I don't deserve, I felt happy. I cried so hard at the airport when I had to leave, not because spring break was over & I had to go back to college, but because I felt like I left a piece of me there & my whole entire body hurt so bad. I promise myself that I will try to find a way to come back to Canada every year, at least for the next 10 years (until my visa expires lol).
This is the proudest video I have ever filmed and edited, it took awhile but it's finally here now. I hope you enjoy!

Shoutout to Teeayz for being my personally tour guide and photographer/videographer, Fogii for letting me stay when I literally had no where to go lol and also for keeping me company, Angela for letting me stay at her house (in both Toronto & Kingston), Nishad for literally driving 2 hours just to pick me up and did carpool karaoke with me, Chedy for having Korean food with me, Đức Minh for paying for my noodles when my card got declined lol and also for letting me stay the night when i (again) had nowhere to go smh, Angela's boyfriend & guy friends for being such gentlemen & overall awesome dudes, Angela's mom for being so nice and cooked for me, Peter for being so crazy lol & made me feel welcomed when we literally just met...
I can go on and on and on.. See? This is why I love Canada! All my friends there are the real ones and I appreciate them so much!!!

Music used in the video:
0:00 Better Not (Jerrod Jeremiah remix) - Louis the Child
0:17 Sunday Best - Surfaces
0:50 Heaven Falls / Fall On Me - Surfaces
2:21 Honey (medasin redo) - Kucka
3:59 beats to sleep to (lofi hip-hop mix) - steezyasfuck

Music played in the carpool karaoke part:
4:51 Sucker - Jonas Brothers
5:38 Start of Something New - High School Musical
5:50 Just Wanna Be with You - High School Musical
6:06 Baby - Justin Bieber

Disclaimer: All the songs used/played in this video belongs to their owners. I do not own any of the songs, credits go to them.

3/15 - 3/24/2019
ig: @ngxuanhuong