Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/mar/26/internet-translation-project

A new Wikipedia-style project will rely on users to upload translations of blogs and newspaper articles.

Could online language barriers be overcome using the same crowd-sourced approach that has made Wikipedia a success?

That's the aim of the Worldwide Lexicon (WWL) project, which released a suite of new translation tools last month. Visitors to any blog or newspaper that uses the software will be able to click on to the site's text and enter a translation in the language of their choice, just as Wikipedia users can edit any entry in the encyclopaedia. The translated version will then be accessible to other visitors.

Read more at guardian.co.uk Technology

You might be hearing these words more often in the upcoming months or even (God forbid!) have to say them yourself some day. Have no fear if you get a pink slip! Who knows, maybe, this pink slip will turn out to be your ticket to a brighter future. You never know! Just keep yourself prepared.

There are tons of great articles on what to do if you lose your job. Here are my two cents based on my personal experience, which as of today, is 5 months and 6 days old.
1. Try not to get stuck in the original shock-anger-depression state for too long. Give it a month, maximum two to mourn over “poor me.” The shorter the grieving period, the sooner you can start rebuilding your life.
2. Register for the unemployment benefits right away (you can do it online at https://ui.labor.state.ny.us/UBC/home.do). It may take up to three weeks for your first “check” to arrive. You can choose either a card (which works as a debit card) or direct deposit option. As of today, in New York State you are eligible to receive 26 weeks of regular benefits and 33 weeks of emergency benefits.
After you register for your unemployment benefits for the first time, place your next claim on the first Sunday after that. You are allowed to place a claim for the current week between Sunday and Saturday. Personally I found it easier to place a claim on a certain day of the week, let's say Sunday (you can set a weekly reminder in your Outlook). Otherwise, you may lose track of the submitted claims and then you will be looking into a gap between the payments.
3. Go to your local Workforce 1 branch (find the closest center at http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/wf1/html/home/home.shtml) and schedule an appointment. Through this organization you can get the so called Individual Training Grant (ITG), which will pay for your course tuition. The size of the grant is state-specific. In New York, it is $1,500 (as of today March 2009). Be prepared to do a lot of paperwork and to pay numerous visits to your Workforce center. At the end of this paper marathon you might very well be awarded with the grant and receive the opportunity to take a free course. By the way, take advantage of other programs and services Workforce 1 has to offer. Attend their seminars and workshops. They might help you do brainstorming and give you insights regarding your future course of action.
4. When searching for a course to take, go to http://mtprawvwsbswtp.nyc.gov/Search/Search.aspx. If you have a choice, try to select a course that is offered by a college or university rather than by a local computer school. Also, when choosing a program, make sure that it has a logical connection to your previous job (and especially to your resume!). If you were a vice-president at Citibank, don’t apply for a certificate program in plumbing. You will be denied! But if you worked as a multilingual desktop publisher or localization engineer, you can apply for a program in web design or web development. That worked for me. I got a training grant to study web design at Pace University. Excellent program and great staff! By the way, Pace offers Certificate Program in Applied Project Management as well as other great programs, many of which are covered by ITG. You can check the list of available programs at http://pclc.pace.edu/pclc/.
5. Keep yourself busy! Establish a certain daily routine (for example, 9-10:30am gym; 11am-1pm job search; 1-2pm lunch; 2-3pm go for a walk; 3-4pm networking; 4-6pm job search...). Look for freelance opportunities. You might even consider doing some pro bono work, which will help you stay in a professional shape, expand your connections, or at least will make you get out of the house and your pajamas.

6. Exercise! This is really important because physical activity helps you release the stress and overcome depression. If you can’t afford your old gym anymore, switch to a cheaper one (there are plenty of them in NYC) but don’t quit working out.
7. As you have to cut back on your lifestyle, don’t stop enjoying life and its small pleasures. Just try to find the ones that are less expensive or maybe even free. In New York, there are always some free events, especially during the upcoming summer. If you are interested, we can post information about free events in NYC. Just let us know!
8. Stay connected! Expand your online network via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter. Use our website to create your local social network and meet its members in person. Come to our get-togethers and meet people. Don't lock yourself in, otherwise you will feel isolated and even more depressed. Network! It will be good for your job prospects as well as your mental health.

To sum it up: If you are laid off, don’t think of it as the end of the world. This may be the beginning of new and exciting discoveries of yourself and the possibilities around you. Just be prepared to see them. Good luck!

Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Lionbridge-Announces-Global-prnews-14726470.html

Lionbridge Technologies Inc., which translates software and Web content to help companies operate internationally, is slashing 325 jobs as part of a global restructuring plan.

The Waltham-based company said the reduction -- equal to about 8 percent of its total workforce -- will result in $18 to $20 million in annualized cost savings.

Lionbridge also said it would consolidate some of its offices.

The firm expects to incur restructuring expenses of $13 to $15 million, most of it in the current fiscal year.

Link: http://www.arborvitaeacu.com

Many of you probably remember Margarita Borisova who worked for Bowne several years ago. She left the company to get her Master's of Science in Oriental Medicine and has become Licenced Acupuncturist. Watch her showing how acupuncture works!

Link: http://web.me.com/m_thornton/Jude_Doyle_Thornton/ITS_A_BOY!.html

Congratulations to Melissa and her husband Matthew who welcomed their son, Jude, into the world on 3/12!

See some pictures of Jude in our Photoblog as well as at http://web.me.com/m_thornton/Jude_Doyle_Thornton/ITS_A_BOY!.html

Link: http://blogs.msdn.com/translation/

Microsoft Research this week released a web application that can automatically translate websites into other languages.

The Microsoft Research Machine Translator is based on a new API Microsoft released this week, the Microsoft Translator AJAX API, and can translate a website into 12 languages, according to a posting on Microsoft's Via Windows Live blog. The Microsoft Translator AJAX API allows people to integrate translation functionality into Web applications and sites.

Currently, the translator has the ability to translate a Web site into Arabic, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Microsoft is working on adding new languages as well, it said.

Microsoft said its goal with the widget is to provide "useful" translations rather than exact human translations, at least for the time being.

"While the technology is improving month to month, it will still take a long time before it can match human translation quality," the company said on the blog post. "We don't recommend using machine translation for sensitive or highly critical information."

A new business center opening in Flushing will help Asian businesses enter the American market. The facility provides fully furnished office space, translation services for English, Chinese and Korean, as well as basic office support. The center reduces the overhead costs for businesses so they only have to pay one flat rate per month to rent an office. So far, six offices in the center have been rented out of the 27 available.
Among the services designed to attract businesses to Queens Crossing is the ability to participate in web conferencing. Businesses will be able to take advantage of three conference rooms that are equipped with new video conferencing technology. The conference rooms can be rented at a rate of $70 per hour. The three rooms vary in size and can seat from six to 12 people.
When businesses are entertaining clients, they do not even have to leave the building. Restaurants and retail shops are located throughout the building, including a banquet hall for wedding receptions, an English tea house and a food court. Businesses that sign up for a special debit card for use at the restaurants and retail shops are eligible to receive discounts.

Source: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20283332&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574902&rfi=6

Link: http://www.inquisitr.com/19497/one-less-us-state-department-translator-has-a-job-now/

It is always a good idea when trying to give someone who speaks a different language a cute little gift that has a saying in their language on it that you get the translation correct. It is especially important when you are dealing with international politics and how touchy politicians can be over something said incorrectly.

However it seems that someone in the U.S. State Department forgot to double check a recently translation that was used to engrave a special little gift Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave to her Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"I would like to present you with a little gift that represents what President Obama and Vice President Biden and I have been saying and that is: ‘We want to reset our relationship and so we will do it together,’" Clinton said, presenting Lavrov with the red button.

What the foreign minister got, however, was a button that said "peregruzka," which translates into Russian as "overcharge" or "overload" (depending on the context). Oops…

"You got it wrong," Lavrov teased Clinton, but said he would put it on his desk anyway.

Source: http://www.inquisitr.com

The Austrian Cultural Forum New York is pleased to announce the Austrian Cultural Forum Translation Prize, aimed at the promotion of intercultural exchange between the Republic of Austria and the United States. This initiative will support translators of contemporary Austrian Literature into English with a grant of EUR 3000.

Applications are evaluated by a transatlantic advisory board, comprised of Fatima Naqvi (Rutgers University), Michael Orthofer (The Literary Saloon), Ricky Stock (German Book Office, New York), Daniela Strigl (University of Vienna), Martin Rauchbauer (Deputy Director, ACFNY) and Andreas Stadler (Director, ACFNY).

Scope and Eligibility

The ACF Translation Prize supports translations of contemporary Austrian fiction, poetry, and drama that have preferably not appeared previously in English. The award will be disbursed upon the formal acceptance of the manuscript by a publishing house, which must occur within a period of three years

Applicants are asked to submit the following material with their application:
1. Completed cover sheet (available for download --->here).
2. 20-page, single-spaced sample of the translation.
3. Description of the project and its significance (no more than one to two pages, single-spaced).
4. Biography and bibliography of the author, including information on translations of his or her work into other languages.
5. CV of the translator (no more than three pages).

Applications are accepted between July 1 and September 1, 2009. Early submissions are strongly recommended. Please submit the completed application material by email to translation@acfny.org after July 1, 2009.

Come to see the Anthropology of Tango Dance Show which will be presented at the beautiful Yonkers Riverfront Library auditorium.

The show created by Anton Gazenbeek & Sergio Segura, and featuring the presentation of the Traditional Argentine Tango Dance, demonstrates all the unique styles and forms of tango, tracking the evolution of tango from its birth in the late 1800’s to present day. The multimedia aspect of the show forms a smooth transition between stories and explanations told in lecture format by utilizing one-of-a kind video footage and show stopping dancing that has left audiences on their feet begging for more.

Show time is at 3pm and the show is two hours long with a twenty minute intermission and there will be a “milonga” 5:00pm in the lobby. There will be a VIP reception at 2:15 pm for donors.

The library is located at 1 Larkin Center in Yonkers New York, 10701. Just 20 minutes from Grand Central station on the Metro-North rail line, it is located across the street from the Yonkers train station and a few blocks from the Ferry station. Yonkers is a lovely city known for its scenic riverfront, top notch restaurants and lovely artist shops.

Cast: Anton Gazenbeek, Carolina Jaurena, Sergio Segura and Traditional Argentine Tango Dance Company with the special participation of Walter & MariLynne Kane
Choreography and Artistic direction: Anton Gazenbeek, assisted by Sergio Segura.
Production manager and graphic design: Sergio Segura
Produced by Strictly Traditional Argentine Tango
Sponsored by City of Yonkers.

Program:

2:15-2:50 pm VIP reception in the lobby
3:00-5:00 pm Show (With 20 min. intermission)
5:00-6:00 pm Milonga

Tickets:
$25 or $20 in Advance at www.sergioseguraproductions.com/statnyc/antrhopology_ypl_2009.html
Minimum donation for VIP reception $50 (ticket to the show included)
Discount for senior citizens (60+), students (with ID) and groups (10+)

For additional information, please contact Sergio Segura at 917-373-7446 or statnyc@yahoo.com or visit www.sergioseguraproductions.com/statnyc/antrhopology_ypl_2009.html

Strictly Traditional Argentine Tango
www.LEARNARGENTINETANGO.COM
917-373-7446 / 917-373-7444

"HEAVEN EARTH"
Directed by: Rudolf Pinto do Amaral
Documentary, 2008, 60 min
English/Spanish with English subtitles

"Heaven Earth" portrays in epic sequences an exploration into the amazonian urban- and suburban field of "curanderismo" (practice of latinamerican folkhealing), in and around the city of Iquitos. Personal approaches and backgrounds of persons, linked to the phenomenon of contemporary amazonian curanderismo are introduced. The protagonists reveal personal experiences, dreams, mental imagery, and annotate their understanding on the topic of "shamanism". Iquitos, fluctuating between 'tradition' and 'modernity', a locus of cultural transition facing the impact of globalization and its sequences. Tourist imagination, local myths and daily life sequences embedded in the city of Iquitos and its surrounding jungle intertwine during the dialogue of the cinematographic narration to an panoramical multitude of perspectives.

VENUE
New York Independent Film and Video Festival 2009
Village East (City Cinemas)
181 2nd Avenue at 12th Street
New York, NY 10003

Tickets for this event may be purchased at http://www.nyfilmvideo.com/

"FLIEGER"
Directed by Herbert Brödl
Documentary, 2008, 90 min
Portuguese with English subtitles

Flying as a dream and a passion, a job and a fate. That's the story of pilots Nilton and Fernando, hoboes of the air. They fly over Amazonia, the largest river region on the planet and its greatest forest, both a miracle of creation and a target of deforestation. Amazonia is portrayed in brilliant bird's-eye-view images, through authentic characters and their stories, actors, the pilots' voices, their thoughts concerning flying, fact and invention. A film that maintains a balance between realism and poetry, everyday life and dreams, combining them to pull the viewer into this world.

VENUE
Austrian Cultural Forum NY, 11 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022
Free. No reservations necessary.

A conversation among translators from Arabic to English and from English to Arabic, and Egyptian writers working in both Arabic and English, about the work of Egyptian novelist Naguib Mafhfouz.

Deutsches Haus at Columbia University - 420 West 116th Street. Free.

Two Mexican (American) Poets: Rocio Ceron and Rodrigo Toscano. Bilingual reading. Introduced by students of the MFA in Creative in Spanish.
Reception to follow.

Location:
The King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center
New York University
Judson Hall
53 Washington Square South

Yanine's mother-in-law passed away yesterday, March 1, after a long illness. Our condolences to Janine, her husband Sergei, and their daughter Zoe.

I just noticed the link to the art gallary with Uli Minoggio's works and really liked them. Is he in the translation industry?

A fan

I was wondering about the translation community in nyc. My main languages are Spanish and Portuguese, but I am learning Italian. (I spent a month in Italy and LOVED it!) I looked at the photoblog on this site and the people seem to be really friendly. I would love to meet at one of your gatherings. You seem like interesting people and it would help me make some connections if I decide to move to ny to work. Looking forward to meeting you.

Francis