ASET acquired by COMSYS July 2, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Translation Sites.add a comment
Ted Wozniak just posted this on the Payment Practices list:
HOUSTON, TX (01 July 2008 ) –COMSYS IT Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:CITP) today announced the acquisition of ASET International Services Corporation, a leading Arlington, Virginia-based provider of globalization, localization and interactive language services, including: translation, multilingual publishing, audio/video production, and simultaneous interpretation and conferencing for live events in over 140 languages. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but COMSYS expects it to be accretive to earnings in 2008.“ASET International has developed a strong practice in the globalization and localization industry, serving both the commercial and public sector, and will enable our existing globalization practice to substantially expand its reach,” commented COMSYS CEO Larry L. Enterline. “With former owners Erika Nobel Hendzel and Kevin Hendzel and their team staying with COMSYS to help us run this business, we are excited about our prospects in this sector, which is currently growing at faster rates than traditional IT staffing. ASET’s multilingual services are a great complement to our existing services in this sector and our current customers should benefit greatly.””About COMSYS IT Partners
COMSYS IT Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: CITP) is a leading IT services company with 52 offices across the U.S. and offices in Puerto Rico, Canada and the U.K. COMSYS service offerings include contingent and direct hire placement of IT professionals as well as a wide range of technical services and solutions addressing requirements across the enterprise. The COMSYS TAPFIN Process Solutions Group delivers critical management solutions across the resource spectrum from contingent workers to outsourced services.
I find this particularly interesting, because both companies are my clients. COMSYS is one of my oldest clients. They don’t send me a lot of frequent work, but I have been working with them since 2001 and have lasted through three name changes. They have always had really good payment terms (depending on the job, some jobs are paid in two weeks, some in 30 days), so hopefully this will translate to better payment terms for ASET and I will actually consider working with them (ASET) again. Time will tell…
Favorite tools: EditPlus July 1, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Tools, Translation Sites.add a comment
EditPlus is a 32-bit text editor, HTML editor and programmer tool for the Windows operating system. While it can serve as a good Notepad replacement, it also offers many powerful features for Web page authors and programmers. I particularly like the fact that it color codes the tags, so there is no confusion when you are working in an HTML or XML file. Other features include an HTML toolbar, user tools, line number, ruler, URL highlighting, auto-completion, cliptext, column selection, powerful search and replace, multiple undo/redo, spell checker, customizable keyboard shortcuts, and more.
EditPlus is shareware. You can download it and try it for 30 days. If you find it useful and decide to keep using EditPlus after the evaluation period has expired, you must buy a license. A single user license is only $35, but you can download it and try it for 30 days.
One particular feature that I think most translators will appreciate is its tag stripping feature. I am translating a highly formatted quality management manual in TagEditor at the moment. To track how many words I have translated that day, I simply copy the text from the English View tab and paste it into EditPlus. To strip the tags, I select View->HTML->Strip HTML tags. I can then copy and paste that text into Word and do a quick word count.
E-mail subject lines June 30, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Fun stuff, Random musings.1 comment so far
I was forwarded a job inquiry last week from a local temp agency looking for a German translator. The first thing I noticed was that the employee who wrote the e-mail hadn’t bothered to include a subject line (the subject line of the forwarded e-mail was: “Fwd: “). The e-mail also didn’t specify what kind of text it was, which didn’t exactly inspire me with confidence or the desire to respond to the e-mail.
In keeping with this topic, today’s Pearls Before Swine comic strip deals with e-mail subject lines. It’s definitely worth a read 🙂 . I’m going to employ this technique the next time I respond to a request that I don’t want to do. Don’t be offended if it’s you 🙂 .
A fun interview with a language lover June 30, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, Random musings.add a comment
Today’s Cleveland Plain Dealer features a short interview with Heba El-Attar, an assistant professor at Cleveland State University. The interview was featured in the PDQ section, which has a light take on arts & life, so the interview isn’t exactly “intellectual,” but it’s a fun read all the same. Ms. El-Attar speaks Arabic, French, English, Spanish and some Italian and has lived in Germany, Spain, Milwaukee and Cleveland. I particularly like her explanations of Arabic culture and the misconceptions most Americans have of Arabic.
Going the way of the dodo bird: the fax machine June 29, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings, Tools.3 comments
I bought a plain paper fax machine this weekend at a garage sale for $3. I had bought a thermal paper fax at a garage sale when I moved back to the U.S. in 2001 for $20, so I definitely felt like I got a real bargain. But then I got to thinking about how many faxes I get a month and wondered if I could have spent the $3 on something useful — like a latte. However, my free eFax number is limited to receive 20 pages a month and an attorney had sent me 11 pages on Thursday, so it was on my mind. I hadn’t received a fax for several months before that.
I basically just used the thermal paper fax machine to occasionally send faxes that required my signature (to my bank, non-disclosure agreements to agencies, etc.). Since I receive so few faxes, paying for eFax service simply doesn’t make sense. I never used my fax machine to receive faxes, because the thermal paper fades so quickly and so thoroughly. Faxes from five or six years ago are completely illegible now (I just went through some old binders and ended up shredding/recycling a lot of old translations, paperwork, bank statements, correspondence, etc.).
We should always maintain the tools of the trade, but is a fax machine really necessary anymore? With scanners and eFax and PDFs, fax machines are slowly going the way of the dodo bird. I keep mine unplugged to save electricity and only plug it in when I need to send something (I find the process of scanning a document to be too slow sometimes). Any thoughts? Do you have tools that you use to send/receive faxes?
Music in the workplace June 28, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings.6 comments
I love listening to music and own around 500 CDs, which, because of my anal nature, are classified on the shelves according to genre (comedy, jazz, classical, folk, rock, soundtracks, etc.) and alphabetized by artist 🙂 . However, I usually don’t listen to music when I’m working. When I do, it is generally innocuous, soft music that plays in the background.
I use a variety of methods to listen to music in my office (for example, right now). I have a wireless speaker tucked in the corner to listen to music that I am playing on my stereo in the living room, but that usually doesn’t make much sense. After all, I am sitting in my office most of the time and using the computer for music consumes a lot less electricity. I generally only use this option when I am cleaning my apartment because I am in and out of every room so frequently.
The program I generally rely on for music while I work is iTunes. Being frugal, I don’t buy music through iTunes (most of my CDs were purchased from used CD stores or free from Borders listening stations-an employee perk that no longer exists). The iTunes interface itself is free, and I have either downloaded music or copied them from my CDs over the years (my collection of Christmas music is so large that I recently had to move it onto a USB drive to free up several GB). I use iTunes to listen to the various playlists I have set up based on what I am working on. I usually listen to my Relaxation playlist, because I find it difficult to concentrate if I am listening to rocking tunes such as those by Evanescence or BAP. I have also subscribed to several free iTunes podcasts, such as Car Talk Radio, but I don’t listen to them very often because they require concentration.
Streaming radio is also a great way to listen to music. There are a ton of ways to listen to streaming radio. For instance, you can now go to just about any radio station web site and stream their broadcast to your computer. I prefer streaming music through my iGoogle page LabPixies gadget, which allows you to choose five radio stations for its settings. I have two German radio stations, one British radio station, and two local classical music stations stored in my LabPixies gadget (if you haven’t tried Kent State’s station, WKSU, I suggest you give it a listen). I find listening to German radio sometimes helps me get in the “German state of mind.”
I just “stumbled upon” Pandora Radio, which plays music based on your likes and dislikes. I must have signed up for it a while ago, because I didn’t have to set it up. Right now I am listening to Eva Cassidy Radio, which features soothing songs by female singers with clear voices such as Sarah McLachlan or Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide. I like it because I am exposed to singers who I might not necessarily listen to otherwise and am not bound to a radio station’s playlist. It’s also ideal music for working at a high-stress pace.
I’m curious to hear how others work. What programs or methods do you use? I am always looking for new and interesting music sources. Do you listen to music while translating? Do you only listen to music when you are proofreading? Or do you refuse to listen to music because it interrupts your concentration?
Kent State University Board establishes nation’s first dual master’s degree program in language translation June 27, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings, Translation Sites.2 comments
If you have read my “A little bit about my background” tab, you are probably aware that I graduated with a master’s degree in translation from Kent State University and am an adjunct instructor in the graduate program (I have primarily taught the first-year computer courses as well as a first semester German translation course and an undergraduate course in German translation). I am very proud of my affiliation with Kent State University.
Kent State University is one of only four or five universities in the United States that offers master’s degrees in translation. There are numerous translation certificates and programs out there, but only a couple master’s degrees programs. Getting my master’s in German translation was the best decision I have ever made. It literally changed my life. I would have never lived overseas had it not been for Kent. That said, I have always wished I had studied business or another specialized field at the same time. Well, now you can!
From the Kent State web site:
In its May 28 meeting, the Kent State University Board of Trustees established a dual-degree program that combines master’s-level study in language translation and business administration, effective fall 2009. The program is the first of its kind at a public or private university in the United States. Students who complete the new program will earn a Master of Arts degree in translation through the department of Modern and Classical Language Studies (under the leadership of the university’s Institute for Applied Linguistics) and a Master of Business Administration.
The program was established to give Kent State students a unique, competitive edge in today’s global economy and to help provide Ohio with business professionals who can work effectively across countries and cultures. The new program builds on Kent State’s internationally recognized leadership in language-translation education, which includes the nation’s only comprehensive sequence of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in translation and translation studies. The dual-degree program was approved by the appropriate faculty councils, the university’s Educational Policies Council and the Faculty Senate, and by the president and the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
A TGIF treat: The Medieval Help Desk June 27, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff.add a comment
Everyone needs a little levity on a Friday. It’s a great way to start the weekend (although if you are like me you are most likely working this weekend – so humor me 🙂 ). This is without a doubt my all-time favorite video. I almost fell off my chair laughing the first time I saw this.
This video makes fun of modern newbie computer users by illustrating – in a way fully understandable to them – how silly some of their questions are by creating a similar problem in the Middle Ages.
It’s from a show called Øystein & Meg (Øystein & I) produced by the Norwegian Broadcasting television channel (NRK) in 2001. The spoken language is Norwegian. It’s written by Knut Nærum and performed by Øystein Bache and Rune Gokstad. Enjoy!
I’ve got a rule for that: The ProZ song June 26, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Fun stuff, Random musings.3 comments
This was a huge hit in the translation industry about a year ago. For those who haven’t heard it or would like to hear it again (it never gets old), I give you Rules, Rules, Rules by The Dangling Participles.
I have my own issues with ProZ, but certainly don’t look down on those who actually pay to be on ProZ. I have my resume posted there as well, but I certainly don’t pay for that “privilege.” I despise the idea of “bidding” for a job.
The KudoZ boards have helped me out numerous times when I was searching for a term in Google, and I’ve heard good things about the Blue Board. I also like the new availability calendar feature that full/paying members can post on their ProZ page. However…
My biggest complaint with ProZ is that they fail to patrol their members’ claims. Henry and I crossed swords several years ago when I alerted the ATA chapters that 35 people had erroneously (or perhaps purposely) declared themselves members of NOTA. Henry was not willing to work with us, and as a result MICATA asked to be removed from the list of organizations and the NOTA Executive Committee decided to opt out of their database. We are listed, but no one can select us as a Membership option. And don’t get me started on the million-words jobs for $0.01 a word I’ve been offered in the past…
Favorite tools: WeatherBug June 26, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, Random musings, Tools.2 comments
One of my favorite non-translation tools is WeatherBug. It’s a tiny, free (ad-based) tool that resides in the tray of your computer and monitors your weather using the tracking station nearest you from among its 8000 tracking stations. When you first set it up you have to enter your zip code. It features live local weather conditions, forecasts, and life saving, severe weather alerts. WeatherBug’s application has also come pre-installed on HP and Compaq computers and Logitech peripherals, but you can also download it onto your computer for free using the above link. It can also be used on mobile phones. To date, WeatherBug has registered over 65 million users for the free WeatherBug product and has become one of the largest news and information sites on the Internet.
I like WeatherBug for two reasons: first of all, because it tells me how hot or cold it is without my having to look through an iced-over window at the thermometer outside and secondly (and most importantly) because it alerts me when a severe storm is coming. This way I can power the computer down if it is going to be a bad storm with lots of lightning (I’ve already experienced one fried modem due to a direct hit from a lightning storm and don’t want to jeopardize my computer, which is the lifeblood of my profession). But I suppose it could also be invaluable if there were a tornado alert and I wasn’t able to hear the siren a block away. Luckily I haven’t experienced that yet.
Usually, the WeatherBug features shows the temperature and looks like this: 
. When an alert is issued, the temperature turns into a bug that looks like this:
and starts chattering like a cicada. By double-clicking on the alert I can read the alert and decide what to do. In this case, there is a severe thunderstorm warning for my area until 5 PM. In fact, I just heard the first clap of thunder…
