Let’s be honest, producing a mainstream TV show in today’s market with no reference, blueprint or previous proof of success is difficult enough, let alone one about improv music creation 🤯

Not only did #MusicWarHall ( #演鬥聽 ) require incredible trust from everyone involved, but also superhuman patience throughout endless adjustments and impossible deadlines🙏🏻

I am so grateful to all my brothers and sisters on stage and off, for being so generous with their time and talent (as well as opening up their studios and homes); with broadcast delays, real time format modifications and (at times) 14 hour shoots, it’s a miracle these guys still answer my calls 🤣

All in all though, this show really has been an absolute joy to make, because no matter how chaotic things get, you know us musicians will do absolutely anything to ensure a good performance for you guys 🎸🤘🏼

After months of hard work and every conceivable accident along the way #MusicWarHall is finally here. I hope this little musical baby of ours will be able to grow and mature with you guys’ love and support 🤗

#演鬥Band #YDBand #YDB

Wendyz 鄭嘉嘉
Byron 張可永
Tomy 何家銘
Logout 范文浩
Joey Lam
Gary 咖啡因公園
Lydia 包仲欣
KW 朱敏希
dR. X黃浩邦
DJ King 吳崇銘

#jwomusic #王梓軒

***生命科學閱讀之 3***

物理，化學，生物學，三者的發現碰撞在一起時，會如何改變製藥的方式，以及生命科學研究的推進呢？

“Physicists tell us what’s conceivable, chemists tell us what’s possible, and biologists tell us what actually happened.” Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek
（“物理學家告訴我們如何理解世界，化學家告訴我們其中的可能性，而生物學家告訴我們當中到底發生了什麼事”） -- 諾貝爾物理學家 Frank Wilczek

這本書是我追蹤的矽谷新創公司 a16z ，提到生技業蓬勃的創新能量時，建議閱讀的書籍之一。故事的時代背景是在90年初期，一個在知名製藥公司默克工作的科學家，看見人們對於疾病的分析越來越精準，同時又有龐大數據處理的電腦，大膽的預言藥物的製作方式必須被更新。在眾人一片驚訝和不看好中，他離開了製藥界巨頭的老東家，找到一些認同這個理念的科學家們一同創立了 Vertex (福泰製藥）。

他所倡導的製藥方式是所謂 「結構分子設計」。在這之前最好的方式是從大自然裡面去找尋各種微生物然後逐一比對淘汰，一直找到適合治療某種藥物的成分，然後用化學的方式去人工合成這樣的成份，再大規模量產。而結構分子設計的藥物設計理念，是針對病症或是病毒的分子結構清楚分析，然後再把原子當成單位一點一滴，量身訂做的製造出相對應的解方，有點像是為一個鎖頭量身訂製出鑰匙一般，這樣的好處是可以啟動該啟動的，但減少可能帶來的副作用。聽起來很棒，但要投資時間精力卻是巨大的風險。裡面延伸提到一個抑制免疫的重要應用領域 -- 器官移植， 和這個領域的先鋒 Thomas Starzl 史塔哲醫師的故事。看到器官移植初期各種難以想像的實驗，平常人很好但在手術室裡像個暴君的史塔哲醫師，如何抵擋各種的道德爭議性，各式謠言攻擊，甚至自己的許多錯誤，就是想要讓器官移植可以成真。也因為這樣他不斷找尋可以抑制免疫系統避免身體在移植初期，排斥新器官的藥物，也奠定了本書這個新創公司的研究啟蒙基礎。

雖然我不是相關領域的，但從當中一窺他們如何定義什麼是值得解決的問題，然後如何定義挑選首要目標的想法，同時組織適合這個理念的團隊，真的還蠻有收穫的，畢竟不管任何行業任何組織這樣的能力，都是關鍵的。他們最開始挑選抑制免疫系統的藥物，就是因為這個話題並不是大公司競相追逐的，但卻有廣泛的應用 （當時大公司追逐的都是愛滋病藥物，但後來抑制免疫藥物的設計，不免還是跟愛滋病藥物研究領域有所碰撞）。除了募資找錢諸多的挑戰，和創始團隊超級強大的心臟之外，也可以看見因著找來一票明星科學家極有專業度和自信，所以管理起來，需要領袖能夠讓人服氣的氣場。他們在沒有產品的時候看準最後一波生物科技投資風潮，硬是要上市籌募夠多的資金，造成實驗室裡面因著壓力的各種瘋狂故事。壓力極大又疲憊不堪的科學家們，把自己推到極限，也開始讓辦公室內火藥味十足，有人有精神崩潰自殺的傾向，有人用暴力威脅，還有一位科學家在餐廳裡把椅子砸爛了。這樣的狀態下還能夠持續研究工作，只能說他們想要事情成功的信念，真的很強大。

這本書雖然不是很容易讀，但我覺得最棒的一點是，作者忠實地描述了一個新興產業中創業的戲劇性和壓力，不是把它形塑成一個成功範例或是勵志故事。很佩服這位作者不是相關專業出身，與福泰製藥的員工們朝夕相處3年左右，透過無數的對談，採訪，和觀察，寫出了這個深刻的故事。最後會看到，這位新創公司的創始人，最終想要贏得的冠冕就是他的觀點被證明是對的，讓他願意承受所有的壓力，每一次的危機，在一片阻力當中堅持到最後的決心。雖然說意志力和決心很重要，但成功從來就不是保證。我不禁在想，有什麼樣的價值值得如此追求，不管最後結果如何，仍然能夠覺得心滿意足呢？

延伸閱讀：
"Inflamed Mind"
身體的免疫系統-- 以及它對精神狀態的影響

"Billion Dollar Burger"
人造肉-- 分子科學的另外應用

全文與延伸閱讀和相關文章都在部落格中👇👇
https://dushuyizhi.net/the-billion-dollar-molecule-%e5%8d%81%e5%84%84%e7%be%8e%e5%85%83%e7%9a%84%e5%88%86%e5%ad%90/

#TheBillionDollarMolecule #Biotech

#Opinion by Chang Ping 長平｜"Heaven has been pitying and protecting Beijing for it has not really been able to attack by force but words for decades. It is conceivable how angry Beijing is at Pompeo adding fuel to the flames. "

Read more: https://bit.ly/35CLt6l

天可憐見，北京多年來所言所行其實就是「千萬別逼我動手，因為我實在沒有辦法動手啊」。由此可以想見，蓬佩奧的火上加油讓北京多麼惱火。
____________
📱Download the app:
http://onelink.to/appledailyapp
📰 Latest news:
http://appledaily.com/engnews/
🐤 Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/appledaily_hk
💪🏻 Subscribe and show your support:
https://bit.ly/2ZYKpHP

#AppleDailyENG

Official Kento Bento Merch: https://standard.tv/kentobento
Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kentobento

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentobento2015
Facebook: https://facebook.com/kentobento2015
Business Inquiries: kentobento@standard.tv

Other videos you may like:
These Events Will Happen in Asia in 2020: https://youtu.be/qrataK7FxRA
How Would You Take Down North Korea? (The 7 Choices) https://youtu.be/VM_fzaWAybw
How North Korea Held the Greatest Pro Wrestling Event in History: https://youtu.be/U_ZkqfSpbg4
The $1,000,000,000 North Korean Bank Heist: https://youtu.be/Usu9z0feHug
How Macau Became North Korea's Base of Operations: https://youtu.be/BQ5x8riJ6SA
How This Lake in Northwest Asia Got Deadlier Than Chernobyl: https://youtu.be/SQCfOjhguO0

Music:
Ross Bugden: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKGLOK2FqmVgVwYferltKQ
Brandon Maahs: brandonmaahs.com

Channel Description:
We do videos on intriguing & thought-provoking Asiany topics, including stereotypes, history, culture & geography.

Credits:
Research, Script, Narration & Video Editing by Kento Bento
Artwork by Nina Bento

————————————————————————————————————————

[HOW WOULD YOU ESCAPE NORTH KOREA? (THE 7 CHOICES)]

If you were living in North Korea right now - trying to survive on a diet of rats, grass, soil and tree bark, quenching your thirst by drinking out of mud puddles in the ground - what would you do?

There's also the conceivable chance of being sent to a political prison camp for years on end just because you innocently thought out loud one day to a bunch of friends (North Korean propaganda is strong), where you are then beaten, tortured, and left so hungry that you are forced to dig and consume the grains out of faeces, or the maggots from dead bodies just so you have the energy to perhaps last one more day.

You'd probably wanna escape. But how?

The North Korean government in Pyongyang refuses to let its citizens leave, a clear violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, viewing North Korean defectors as traitorous criminals. Captured North Koreans would be subject to unimaginable torture and often public executions.

If they are successful in their escape, then three to four generations of their family back home would be sent to North Korean prison camps to rot ....or worse. This is a strong deterrent.

But this still doesn't stop desperate North Koreans from tempting fate. In this video, I'll go over the seven ways to escape the DPRK, including the most dangerous, the most unforgiving, the most unique, and the most unexpected.

The North Korean border on the south side (ie. South Korean border / Korean DMZ) is the shortest distance to travel for safety and stability but as a result, the regime makes it dangerously hard. A North Korean escapee can be shot down by North Korean soldiers (border guards) or step on the many landmines in the area.

The northern border to China has it's own set of challenges. Most North Korean refugees escape through this way, usually crossing the Tumen River border (like the famous North Korean defector Hyeonseo Lee). Once in China, the nightmare doesn't end there.

There are also other, more unconventional ways you can try to escape such as through North Korean labor camps.

Even if you make it to safety and resettle in a stable country, the North Korean regime will still try to hunt you down, so you're never truly safe. Especially if you're an outspoken critic or a threat to Kim Jong-un's power - just ask his half brother, Kim Jong-nam.

Sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070303203248/http://www.hrnk.org/refugeesReport06.pdf
http://bushcenter.imgix.net/legacy/gwb_north_korea_executive_summary_r4.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/world/asia/north-korean-soldier-braves-dmz-to-defect-to-south.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11033003/North-Korean-pair-swim-across-sea-border-to-defect-to-South-Korea.html
http://time.com/4205785/london-new-malden-north-korean-refugees/