Poetry Translation

Nice perspective found on the Yang Lian site:

Translation is also a way of reading — a more meaningful way of reading.
A translated poem is like a new tree growing out from the root of the original. It is different from the original because it should be different.
Whatever translation adds to or loses from the original becomes a discussion between the old and the new.

Different in more ways than one.

Of course it’s hard to know if this perspective is from the original thoughts or a translation from the Chinese…

Technology Impact on Counterfeit Currency

I noted three interesting perspectives about the impact of technology on US currency fraud, all in a single AP article:

The government says $118.1 million in counterfeit U.S. currency was detected in 2006, an increase of 3.8 percent from 2005.

While that is a fraction of the currency in circulation, the Secret Service is concerned with the threat, especially the challenge posed by new digital technology. Digital copies account for about half of all counterfeit notes passed in the U.S., compared with less than 1 percent of all counterfeit bills detected in 1995.

“The quality of the counterfeit currency has gone down, but the ease by which people can make this currency and the access to the computer equipment has had an impact on the rising numbers,” Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said.

Color laser printers and the like means the money printing business needs more complexity in their product in order to differentiate themselves properly. New controls (barrier to entry) are needed:

To stay ahead of the counterfeiters, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing plans to redesign U.S. currency every seven years to 10 years. That is a far cry from the practice for most of the 20th century – from 1929 to the 1990s – when the currency stayed the same without any major changes.

“We had three generations of engravers who spent their entire careers at the bureau and never saw their designs hit the streets,” Felix said. “Now since 1996, we have all of these changes.”

Wonder what the reason was for keeping the currency so constant. The article gives a little perspective:

By order of Congress, the $1 bill, which accounts for 45 percent of the notes printed each year, will not be redesigned. Lawmakers were concerned about the cost to business if low-end vending machines that only take coins and $1 bills had to be upgraded.

If I read that correctly, it might be argued that the US did not upgrade any of its currency in the past because the people taking the currency did not want to handle the cost of better verification. Now the issue is the cost of upgrading technology readers instead. But that argument only makes sense if people taking the counterfit currency are not the same as the ones who end up holding the bag. Strange logic.

One would think that the low-end vending machine owners/operators would actively participate or even encourage better controls to avoid accepting bogus bills.

With all that in mind, consider this case, where strippers in Tennessee identified fake money:

A man who authorities say used his computer to make fake $100 bills to buy lap dances at a strip club has pleaded guilty to counterfeiting charges, federal prosecutors said.

Strippers at Deja Vu in Nashville were suspicious of the bills and called police after Damon Armagost spent $600 of the fake money April 16, authorities said.

It is not clear whether the strippers immediately could tell that the money was fake (after six bills) or if they just profiled the person spending that kind of money and then became suspicious. I guess the big question is whether Congress would have intervened and argued on his behalf had the man paid with fake dollar bills instead.

Monkey Security

Farmers in Kenya are having a hard time sharing their land with wild monkeys:

Running out of options, residents are harvesting their crops early in an attempt to salvage what they can of this year’s crop.

Unfortunately, this only invites the monkeys to break into their homes and steal the harvested crops out of their granaries.

Even the formation of a “monkey squad” to keep track of the monkeys’ movements and keep them out has failed.

The BBC points out in their report that the monkeys are accused of harassing women and children and making offensive gestures.

While it makes for a cute tangent to the story, I am more curious about specific methods are being used to secure the crops. Stealing the grain from their homes? Are monkey-proof granaries really that costly?

Similar to the problem with livestock and wolves/coyotes in America, I suspect there is a lot of myth and hype about the threats that interfere with finding more sensible and lasting control solutions. At least the Kenyan government forbids killing the monkeys.

Brazilian Pop Poetry

Some strong words about the poetry of pop music in Brazil from the Consulate General of Brazil:

In a country where poetry is neither widely read nor taught, the status of Brazilian pop music is very sound, since every poet born since the 1950’s not only stemmed from its roots but also, consciously or not, felt its influence. Any poet under the age of 45 who alleges otherwise is lying.

The status of music is very sound. I have to admit I like the way that phrase…sounds.

That said, it should also be noted that, during this period, Brazilian pop music not only played a different role than pop music did in the English speaking countries or in Hispanic America, but also constituted a substantial and diverse entity of its own, whose more lasting influence would not be circumscribed by political or sentimental manifestations, but would seek through its lyrics a continuity with the tradition of poetry as such.

Poetry that is more lasting than sentimental manifestations? Poets who lie. Not sure I understand their point(s).

Anyway, the Latin American Song Alliance has a fine example of classic Brazilian poetry from Vinícius de Moraes, including links to audio of course.

Here is my own attempt at a translation of that poem, “Acalanto da rosa” (Lullaby of the rose):

Dorme a estrela no céu,
dorme a rosa em seu jardim,

Dorme a lua no mar,
dorme o amor dentro de mim

É preciso pisar leve,
ai, é preciso não falar

Meu amor se adormece
que suave é o seu perfume

Dorme em paz rosa pura
o teu sono não tem fim

Sleeping star in the sky,
sleeping rose in its garden,

Sleeping moon in the sea,
sleeping love inside of me

So necessary to make light steps,
oh, necessary not to speak

My love falls asleep,
how soft is her perfume

Sleep in peace rose so true,
your sleep will never end

There also are some nice videos online of Moraes performing his poetry. Hard to tell what he has in the glass he is dancing with, but my guess is whiskey.