Indonesian to English translators (and vice versa), check out this free (as in beer) online alternative to Linguist, called Kataku

Indonesian to English translators, especially young ones living in Indonesia and familiar with PC technology, undoubtably knows of the Windows translation application known as Linguist. Those wishing to buy legal versions could buy it at various electronic malls in Jakarta (for example at Ratu Plaza or Mal Ambassador) for about Rp 400 grand (last time I asked). Pirated versions are harder to find, but are usually copied person-to-person at computer-science institutes and universities. With widely varying reliability.

Over the years in my career as a freelance translator, I've entertained the thought an actual legal copy of Linguist. But with this free service from Toggletext, well...

Note to self: just as I have succesfully put behind me thoughts of 'her', I must now put behind me these following thoughts:

• That I have disappointed mom by being unemployed for so long.
• That I have been rejected from work a hundred times, and I will be rejected a hundred more.
• That I am tired of writing application letters, that I don't feel inspired to write them anymore.
• That I have burned so many bridges by being childish and unprofessional.
• That I need solid income, that money is tight in the house.
• That I don't have a marketable skill.
• That mom (and most every employer) seeks from me perfection. now.

I have to move on with my life. I am not the sorriest person in the world, if not for how sorry I am for feeling so sorry for myself. These bagages weighing me down, they're all in my mind. They don't exist.

Besides, I have a 48-page user manual to complete. And 4 pages of translations. And more work coming my way. God has blessed me with work. I can't afford to be distracted, 'specially not with silly PNS naggings.

And one more note for self: go to the bank Monday. Bribe mom to shut up about all this work bullshit with this month's shopping money. My brother has covered for this family long enough. High time I take on some of that weight.

Now back to our irregularly scheduled program.

Ok, that's it. I give up trying to dress it up and making it more meaningful. I officially declare the soft launching of my Indonesian language blog, Wacanaisme. Warts n' all.

I'll add a tag board Real Soon Now™.

(heck, I may even add a new post someday...)

From xkcd:

---

To Randall: I'm hotlinking from your server, and since I didn't ask beforehand it could be argued that I'm "stealing" your bandwidth. But this does give you more Google-juice. I think. Anw if you don't approve just let me know and I'll upload it to my Ripway.

To everyone else: if you wanna support Randall, buy some xkcd shirts

(The cartoon is Copyright©2006 Randall Munroe; reproduced here under CC-by-nc 2.5)

A recent blog post at Avie aka. Roliflex' Multiply journal concerning a debate that she had in class on the subject of colonialism piqued my interest such that I had to scratch my take-a-stand-on-my-pulpit itch.

Without understanding the whole story, the posting got me back to an old line of thinking of mine about how hard it is for people to understand each other. In essence I've long been in the opinion that we are so immersed in this global culture of competition where triumph is always the ultimate goal that we refuse to see the wisdom of cooperation or for that matter understanding. Its almost like an automated defense mechanism to me, whenever I see a heated debate my first reaction in my head would be, "can't we all just get along?"

I've always had this allergic reaction to debate. Not because I loose them so many times (which I do :p ), but its more because I see them as useless battles where the overriding concern is defending one's position-I-mean-ego without any concern whatsoever in achieving a common understanding. I blame free-fight liberalism for humanity's refusal to help their fellow man (or woman. I mean womyn. Wymyn?).

Anyway it turns out that the opponent is of the opinion that, "...the Dutch never inflict any harm on Indonesia, all they did, in his opinion, was extracting Indonesia's riches. Basically, he refuses the idea of Western guilt." Which at a glance would seem a preeetty fucked up position to take by a former colonial power. Note I said at a glance.

Sometimes I wonder why I get in these debates, when I claim to hate debates so much.

And so, on the subject of me trying to get a job...

Indonesian Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono points to an International Herald Tribune op-ed arguing (in Mr. Juwono's words) that "a tolerant and pluralistic Indonesia is possible so long as political and economic empowerment reaches to the majority of the Muslim poor."

You can read it at Mr. Sudarsono's blog or at the International Herald Tribune website.

From a co-creator and the current maintainer of Megatokyo

For those about to ask: yes, I am aware that it was published well over seven years ago. Its timeless, though IMHO.

I posted the following at digg:

The China Communique - What they don't want you to know

Interesting reading from the Whatcom Independent. Pointage courtesy of Fenmerre, the Worm (fenmerre.livejournal.com). Quote: "Yes, China is growing. Yes, China is consuming a monstrous amount of natural resources. Yes, the rich have money. And yes, the government holds unchallenged control over the whole nation."

digg it.

So like this morning I wake up to stories in the morning news highlighting the budget for sending Indonesian Peacekeeping Troops to participate in the UN Peace Mission at the Israeli-Lebanese border at over Rp 350 billion or something. I'm still half-awake as my last night web-binge which lead to my acquaintance with Stanley the Robotic Touareg kept me awake till about in the morning (which was about two hours ago from the time of my writing this). I was forced awake to move the car so my sister can be taken to school in the other car etc man I am sleepy...

Anyway before people start protesting that the money can be better used to subsidize the poor etc. let me remind you what Pak Juwono has already personally stated in his blog, that the money (at least according to him) is to be reimbursed by the UN (see Pak Ju's own comment in response to the first commentator at that particular post). His Excellency, the current Indonesian Minister of Defence Mr. Juwono Sudarsono. Yes, him.

Ok with that over with, I hope Mas Pri or Mas Enda write something about this in Indonesian I mean Bahasa Indonesia I'm going back to sleep now, okay Zzzz....