Thursday, September 15, 2016

Assembly bill to support translation services for Medi-Cal Patients

On August 30th, the assembly gave final approval to a bill by Assembly Speaker, Emeritus Toni G. Atkins. Representing the first step towards state-funded medical interpretation services, the bill aims to provide translation services to Medi-Cal patients with limited English proficiency. Now, the bill is just awaiting Governor Jerry Brown’s signature.

With more than 200 languages spoken in California, there is a pressing need among low-income communities for translation services at medical institutions. Currently, many rely on unqualified interpreters who are not familiar with the medical field. In some extreme cases, patients even rely on their English-speaking children for assistance.


If passed, the bill will invest $3 million for the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to research the most efficient way to provide medical interpretation services for those in need. Although Governor Brown has previously vetoed similar measures, Atkins stressed the importance of the bill as it would greatly benefit approximately 7 million residents in California who have a very limited English proficiency.  

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The Man who Revolutionized Technology

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." ~ Steve Jobs

An entrepreneur and innovator, Steve Jobs was the role model for many in and out of the technology industry. Often praised for his unique intuition, the former CEO of Apple’s Inc. was also admired for his stand out work ethic. Centered on focus and simplicity, his management style has led his company from near bankruptcy to becoming one of the most valuable companies in the world. Job’s extraordinary vision not only guided Apple to unprecedented success but has also attracted an immense following among his many other accomplishments.

Jobs was a firm believer that pure perseverance is what sets those who are successful from their non-successful counterparts. The words of wisdom from him serve as reminder that passion is the source to your motivation.  As he notes in the quote, his tenacity and belief has truly transformed consumer technologies over the years. Although his passing marks the end of an era, the pioneer’s work mantra has definitely left an indelible mark on the industry.  




Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is an annual celebration observed by ethnic Chinese. An official holiday in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, it is held on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese lunar calendar. With that said, it takes its name from the fact that the moon is at its roundest and brightest around that time of the year. On this day, families gather together to enjoy traditional holiday foods and moon watch, a symbol of harmony and unity.

One ritualistic staple is the making and sharing of Mooncakes, a thin crust pastry enveloping a lotus seed paste filling. In some variations, the round shaped cake might even contain a whole salted egg yolk in the center, as a symbol of the full moon and the reunion of a family. Due to intense market competition, the compositions of Mooncake have greatly diversified over the years. From fat-free Mooncakes to ice-cream Mooncakes, brands from virtually every industry have introduced endless contemporary options in order to adapt to the evolving taste of consumers.

Another notable part of the holiday is carrying around brightly lit lanterns. Traditionally, lanterns are handmade from papier-mâché, often of figures from traditional folklore. Today, handcrafted lanterns are replaced by mass produced plastic lanterns, and are often influenced by global cultures. On the night of the festival, it is a common sight to see children roaming around with Disney characters to Hello Kitty shaped lanterns.  While the historic purpose behind lighting lanterns is unclear, it has become a symbolic children activity.

In South Korea, a similar harvest festival named Chuseok is also observed on the same day as the Chinese festival. As a celebration of good harvest, Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of traditional holiday food such as songpyeon, rice cakes with shapes that resemble the half-moon and Hangwa, a cookie made from diverse grains and honey.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Linguistic Diversity Boosts Brain Power

In today’s increasing globalized world, speaking more than one language can create job opportunities, facilitate travels and many more.  However, practical benefits aside, there is ample evidence from research that demonstrates the profound effects of linguistic diversity.

Contrasting the predominant assumption that introducing multilingualism in children could hinder intellectual development, collective evidences from a number of studies have shown that the interference can in fact strengthen cognitive abilities. Among many, one key difference between monolinguals and multilinguals is the heightened ability in the brain’s executive function. Having to switch between languages often, the process trains the brain to be highly attentive and efficient while performing mentally demanding tasks. Even when only one language is used, the brain persistently stays alert. As a result, those who speak multiple languages display increased concentration, better memory, and superior decision making skills by focusing on pertinent facts while disregarding irrelevant information.

An exceptional performance to mental flexibility is of course appreciated but the most appealing benefit of linguistic diversity occurs later in life. In a research led by neuropsychologists from the University of California, San Diego, bilingual experiences measured greater resistant to onset of dementia and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease when compared to their monolingual counterparts. It appears that the higher the proficiency, the better the protection against cognitive decline. This goes to show that mastering multiple languages offers benefits that go beyond the obvious. Perhaps, multilingualism’s incredible side effects could serve as a motivation to acquire a new language!

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Localization Gone Wrong

Globalizing a business entity is a demanding task. While localization is vital when expanding internationally, translation discrepancies could lead to considerable losses if not done correctly. Check out some of the most notable blunders from high profile companies.


1.      KFC: While their “finger lickin’ good” campaign received great response state side, the infamous slogan was not so appetizing when the company opened its first chains in China as it was accidentally translated the phrase to “Eat your fingers off”. Although the blunder did not lead to any significant consequences to the restaurant brand, the slogan definitely did not appeal to the public.  

2.      Coors: When American beer makers, Coors brought their “Turn It Loose” campaign to Spain, the tagline was mistranslated to an expression that is commonly interpreted as “Suffer from diarrhea” in Spanish. Far from resonating with consumers, the campaign attracted the attention of many for all the wrong reasons.

3.      Ford: To feature the distinctive mechanics of its automobiles, Ford launched a campaign in Europe meant to suggest “Every car has a high-quality body”. Problems arose when the translated slogan turned out to amount to “Every car has a high-quality corpse”. This horrific translation was definitely not the best way to make a sale.


4.      HSBC Bank: In 2009, HSBC extended its “Assume Nothing” campaign to a number of countries overseas. Unfortunately, the message was translated into “Do Nothing”, not the best image to be associated with. Since the blunder, the company has resorted to a more translation friendly tagline: “The world’s local bank”. 

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

5 Key Business Lessons from Mark Zuckerberg

1. "Find that thing you are super passionate about. That's the guiding principle for me. On hard days, I really just step back, and that’s the thing that keeps me going." –Mark Zuckerberg

Passion: Having the passion will keep you moving even amidst adverse situations. Every obstacle in the way then becomes a learning experience, a stepping stone to advancement. Passion is what fuels perseverance and is one of the key ingredients to success.

2. "I think as a company, if you can get those two things right--having a clear direction on what you are trying to do and bringing in great people who can execute on the stuff--then you can do pretty well." 


People: Establish a culture that encourages creativity and empowers action. It is important to select employees who are the right fit for the company’s culture. Skills could be acquired over time but passion and interests cannot be trained. 



3. “Hackers believe that something can always be better, and that nothing is ever complete. There's a hacker mantra that you'll hear a lot around Facebook offices: Code wins arguments " 

Product: Innovations will bring continuous improvement. Don’t be afraid to experiment and execute your vision in the most effective way. In Mark’s words: “Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough.” 

4. “At Facebook, we're inspired by technologies that have revolutionized how people spread and consume information. They encouraged progress. They changed the way society was organized. They brought us closer together."


Purpose: A company built on purpose instills a sense of belonging in both employees and its customer base. Rather than merely building a product, creating a movement, an experience and a mindset amass a much greater following in the long term. 

5.Sheryl has been my partner in running Facebook and has been central to our growth and success over the years." 

Partnerships: When operating a business, consider it a team sport, where teamwork is incredibly crucial for output. Diverse talents could boost                     capabilities while balancing out weakness. Whether they are investors or consultants, a team would help make more appropriate decisions than any one individual would. 


Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Singapore: One Fine City



With its reputation for impeccable cleanliness and safety, the city-state is also home to some of the most bizarre laws around everyday activities. Although many of these could be considered harmless in your home country, remember to think twice before acting next time you’re in town!

1. Chewing Gum

One of the most well-known laws among foreigners, Singapore strictly enforces a ban on importing chewing gum. However, as a result of the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the ban has been partially lifted. Since 2004, licensed professionals are allowed to sell “therapeutic” gum to those with medical prescription.  

2. Late night public drinking

 Due to an increase in cases of rioting linked to consumption of alcohol, a recent law effective as of   April 1st, 2015 prohibits drinking in public places from 10:30 pm to 7am. Under the new law, sales     of takeaway alcohol are also banned. Those convicted could be fined up to 1,000 SGD while repeated offences could face up to 3 months in prison.

3. Not flushing the toilet 

It is against the law to not flush the toilet after use. Random spot checks are conducted from time to time. If you are caught failing to flush a public toilet, it can cost you up to 500 SGD.

4. Littering

 “Accidentally” dropped your candy wrapper? Litterers can face a 1,000 SGD fine as well as community work orders, where they have to pick up trash in public while donning a “CWO” vest, intended to publicly embarrass convicted offenders. Along with littering, spitting is also banned in Singapore.


5. Tapping into unsecured internet connection

Trying to “borrow” your neighbor’s Wi-Fi? Violation of the Computer Misuse Act could lead to a 10,000 SGD fine and up to three years in jail. Make sure to ask for permission before accessing an unsecured wireless network!





                    

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Google Launches Crowdsource on Android

On August 29th, 2016, Google launched the Crowdsource application on Google Play. Despite being known for its artificial intelligence team, its newest pilot project is looking for a human touch. Targeting user contribution to improve the quality of Google’s services, the pilot project allows users to complete brief tasks such as text translation, image transcription and validate image recognition.

Described as “simple tasks that have a huge impact”, the tech giant urges users to take a couple of seconds during their spare time to “make the internet a better place” or more precisely, enhance the quality of services such as Google Maps and Google Translate.  Those who are multilingual can assist in creating and verifying translations. As for those who are not as language savvy, participation is still encouraged through the forms of image transcription and handwriting recognition, which mostly consist of blurry images of street signs.

Already known for its history of rewarding those who test drive their services, this app currently does not offer any sort of compensation to the surprise of many. In response to the negative criticisms, Google has expressed that the app is not the final form factor. Perhaps, we could expect some perks later down the line.