Pro bono translation work

[BAER, BRIAN]

Paul is right, of course. This offer of pro bono work is an invitation to translators to participate in their own marginalization. Enough already. But then, the cynic in me says that this appeal for volunteers might be simply an attempt to avoid using the state department translators who told Hillary Clinton that "reset" was "peregruzka"?! A bunch of unpaid amateurs couldn't do much worse than that...

Brian James Baer
Professor of Russian and Translation Studies
Institute for Applied Linguistics
Kent State University
Kent, OH  44242



________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Paul B. Gallagher [paulbg at PBG-TRANSLATIONS.COM]
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2011 11:50 AM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Pro bono translation work

Mr. Sckolnick,

> Well then stay home---was that another B2 flying overheard-no it was a
> flight of F35s

Cute.

I'm sure we're safe today because Reagan outspent the Russians by buying
planes that can't fly in the rain and a missile defense system that
flunked every rigged test.

And yes, I don't need government work. There are plenty of businesses
out there who do recognize the value of our services and are willing to
pay fairly for them to ensure their own success. But this isn't Canada
or Europe, where the government does, too.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II>

... Cost estimates have risen to $382 billion for 2,443 aircraft, at an
average of $156 million each. The rising program cost estimates have
cast doubt on the actual number to be produced for the U.S. In January
2011, the F-35B variant was placed on "probation" for two years because
of development problems. In February 2011, the Pentagon put a price of
$207.6 million for each of the 32 aircraft to be acquired in FY2012,
rising to $304.15 million ($9,732.8/32) if its share of RDT&E spending
is included.

[end quote]

How many translators could they afford if they scrimped and bought one
fewer F-35? For $304.15 million, they could hire every single member of
SEELANGS full-time for a year, with money left over for champagne to
toast our health. (I'm assuming we have a thousand members, each happy
to accept $304K for a year. Even at the "minimal" cost of $156K, we'd
probably have a lot of takers.)

--
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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