用法学习: 1. backhaul [ˈbækˌhɔːl] 回程. 回路. 回货 noun. I. a return load of cargo; cargo which is carried by a vehicle on its return journey. II. the return trip of a vehicle, as a truck, transporting cargo or freight, esp. when carrying goods back over all or part of the same route. a return journey of a vehicle after it has transported and delivered goods. the return movement of a transportation vehicle from the direction of its principal haul especially transporting a shipment back over part or all of the route. the return trip made by a cargo vehicle after delivering its cargo. II. the physical part of a communications network between the central backbone and the individual local networks. In a hierarchical telecommunications network, the backhaul portion of the network comprises the intermediate links between the core network, or backbone network 骨干网, and the small subnetworks at the edge of the network (like for example private networks, LANs, etc … the data flows along the power lines for about a kilometer before it's siphoned off the line and into an optical fiber or cellular-based backhaul system. Thirdly, the issue arises of connecting the community wireless network to the main internet, known as backhaul. In some exchanges in remote areas, a substantial investment is needed to provide the backhaul into the main network. In particular, there is the problem of the so-called backhaul infrastructure—the cost of connecting a local exchange or a new wireless base station to the core network. verb. I. to pick up (something) at one of the stops along a delivery route and transport it over part or all of the return route. The grocer has its own recycling facilities where materials to be recycled are backhauled to its distribution centres. As shipping rates increase, backhauling empty containers makes less economic sense. II. to transmit (data) over the backhaul part of a network. The exponential growth in wireless traffic … [is] forcing mobile carriers to deal with backhauling data from the cell sites to the core network.
How Hollywood's production crisis became a key issue in the L.A. mayor's race: Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who serves the 4th District, makes her way across an empty, unnamed backlot(an area outside a film or television studio used for outdoor filming.), presenting her case to be the city's next mayor."Studio lots 片场 like this one used to be filled with people, costumers, electricians, set medics, caterers, thousands of Angelenos making a living," she says in the video posted on social media. "Now these lots are quiet. Since 2018, shooting days in the city have fallen by half." After telling voters this issue is "personal" (her husband is a TV writer and producer), criticizing Mayor Karen Bass' leadership on the matter and outlining her own plans, Raman proclaims, "I'm running for mayor to make sure Los Angeles stays the film and TV capital of the world." Placing the concerns of the entertainment industry at the center of the city's mayoral race would have been unthinkable even in the last election cycle. But the production crisis, which has rocked Hollywood and pummeled its workforce, has reached a critical juncture. The state of L.A.'s signature industry is now a political flashpoint alongside affordability, crime and homelessness in the upcoming election. In campaign ads, interviews and the recent televised debate, the top three contenders: incumbent Mayor Bass, former reality TV villain Spencer Pratt and Raman, have made the ongoing production slump 衰败, 衰落 a pivotal topic, highlighting their plans to revitalize the industry while deploying the issue to undercut one another. For decades, elected officials have not had to focus on the film and TV business, let alone turn it into a campaign issue. It was simply a given that local production would continue to play a dominant role in the city's economy as it has for more than a century. But the cumulative effects of consolidation, runaway 落跑的, 跑路的 production to tax-friendly states and countries and the end of the streaming boom has caused Los Angeles to lose billions in economic activity, shed some 57,000 jobs over the last four years and led to the closing of more than 80 film and television production service businesses across the city since 2022. "For us, 'save Hollywood' is more than a slogan and more than headline. It is what needs to be done," said Pamala Buzick Kim, one of the co-founders of Stay in LA, a grassroots campaign aimed at increasing film and television production in Los Angeles. To be sure, the biggest driver of where studios and producers film are state and federal tax credits, over which the city has no control. But Buzick Kim and others argue that "there is lots the mayor can do, hand-in-hand with the City Council." For starters, say filmmakers and advocates, much can be done to tackle the city's sclerotic ( sclerotic [sklɪəˈrɒtɪk] I. affected by sclerosis (= a medical condition in which body tissue or organs become harder): sclerotic arteries. II. 僵化的. not happening, developing, or changing quickly enough: The tax cuts are designed to bring growth to a sclerotic economy. III. relating to the sclera (= the white layer that covers the outside of the eye, except the coloured part): The size of the sclerotic aperture is a good estimation of the size of the cornea. The diameter of the sclerotic ring was proportionately larger in juveniles relative to adults. noun. the white layer that covers the outside of the eye, except the coloured part: The iris forms in the interior of the eye, at the anterior opening of the sclerotic. sclerosis [skləˈrəʊ.sɪs] 硬化 a medical condition that causes body tissue or organs to become harder, especially the arteries (= thick tubes carrying blood from the heart). ) bureaucracy, onerous ( onerous [ˈəʊ.nər.əs] difficult to do or needing a lot of effort. causing great difficulty or trouble. If you describe a task as onerous, you dislike having to do it because you find it difficult or unpleasant. ...parents who have had the onerous task of bringing up a very difficult child. The tax bill was aimed at lifting the onerous tax burden from the backs of the middle class. onerous task the onerous task of finding a peaceful solution. She found the duties of motherhood onerous. ) regulations and a slow and costly permitting process that has pushed filmmakers to flee to friendlier and cheaper locales. While steps have been put in place recently, including a pilot program offering reduced-cost filming permits for shoots that demonstrate a "low impact" to the surrounding community, many complain such steps have come too little and too late. "The industry is in collapse and people have been talking about fixing things for years, but all we get are incremental little changes," said Ed Lippman, a location manager of 34 years who lives in Sherman Oaks and has worked on such shows as "ER" and "The X-Files" and movies including "Galaxy Quest." "And if the city is not being business-friendly, the business will go elsewhere." Compounding the problem, the Los Angeles area has more than 100 jurisdictions, many of which have their own set of rules and regulations regarding filming. "There needs to be universal standards," said Travis Beck, a location manager for commercials, small films and music videos. "Burbank is different from Glendale, which is different from Pasadena." The recent kerfuffle over filming "Baywatch," the lifeguard reboot at Venice Beach, underscored both the efforts to bring production back to L.A. — enticed by a $21-million tax credit — and the complex, baffling red tape required to film here. When shooting began in March, the production encountered a number of hiccups 小问题, including that it needed nearly double the parking space it had received a permit for, which was not part of the original approvals. An anonymous crew member claimed on Facebook that government restrictions had forced production to relocate from Venice Beach. Production staff denied they had relocated. However, the incident prompted a backlash, becoming a rallying cry 集体声讨 over L.A.'s burdensome filming bureaucracy. On his Substack and various podcast interviews, Pratt has promised to slash location fees in half, speed up permit approvals, reduce on-set city staff for the majority of productions and waive all fees for shoots with budgets under $2 million. All three candidates have attacked one another over their approach to Hollywood. Pratt and Raman have said Bass moved too slowly to address spiraling production and retain film jobs, saying she enacted measures only recently as the mayoral race was heating up. Bass and Pratt have taken Raman to task, calling her out for what they say is her lack of advocacy during her time on the City Council. "She feels very strongly about it. But never offered one motion on the industry, and when motions came up on the industry she either recused 避嫌 herself, or got up and walked out," said Bass during a debate this month. Citing a potential conflict of interest over her husband's work in television, Raman refrained from voting on several motions related to Hollywood. Many working in the industry would like to see full-throttled support coming from the mayor's office that will get results. They note how New York City has successfully promoted itself as a leading film destination over the years. "For all the talk about, 'We need to support and bring back filming,' if they just did basics like lowering the fees and simplifying the process ... that would actually help people and get things produced," said Chris Fuentes, 66, who worked for 30 years as a location manager until he retired last year. "We've heard a lot of great things, but not all things are possible in the mayor's remit," said Buzick Kim, noting that tax incentives are a state and federal issue. Still, she said, "the mayor must understand that Hollywood needs to be made a priority and to find and create inspired thinking to make things easier and cheaper." Kang agrees, but says there are limits to what the mayor can achieve. "We definitely can do a lot to really open up the entertainment industry, but at the same time, we recognize the larger impact needs to come from Sacramento and Washington, D.C., because L.A. just does not have the resources to compete with other jurisdictions in providing millions of dollars in tax incentives," he said. For most working in the industry, they just want city leadership that will execute on more than just talking points. "This is the birthplace of cinema," Beck said. "It shouldn't be so hard to film here."
