#Chain 58 – Rest in peace my beloved word

Based on “Mourning the written word” by Point of View’s Lisa Jardine On reading an author’s point of view regarding the written word, I was propelled into contemplation regarding the implications of her findings. She wrote & I quote (whilst ACTA still permits me): “In these days of email, texts and instant messaging, I am not alone, I feel sure, in mourning the demise of the old-fashioned handwritten letter. Exchanges of letters capture nuances of shared thought and feeling to which their electronic replacements simply cannot do justice.” She goes on to quote the works of modernist write Virginia Woolf, who wrote “the humane art, which owes its origins in the love of friends”. After reading the article, which I urge you to read; I was brought back to the frightening thought & subject of our last few Chains – ACTA. Forget electronic mail watering down the sentiment of words through rapidity, forget that many people do not have the time or the inclination to write letters anymore ….. If ACTA has its way we will be simply silenced; unable to debate the demise of the written word using literary exerts & examples – the gag my friends is almost upon us! Join in the fight to stop #ACTA – Translate our petition today Word Count 223

#Chain 57 – What is Acta – Watch the horror unfold!

German version

French version

Typically, as all eyes were focused on America’s SOPA and PIPA war, ACTA came along almost undetected.

On January 26, the EU and member states including the UK signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement in Japan.

Right now, as reported by AVAAZ,   negotiators at secretive talks are working on a deal that would cut off people from life-saving medicines.

Millions of people rely on generic medicines to treat diseases like malaria and HIV. If the so-called Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) goes forward, they could find themselves unable to afford the drugs that keep them alive.

Negotiators are trying to rush through the talks in response to mounting opposition. Our voices can prevent a bad deal being struck when no-one is looking.

ACTA may well have been signed but the fight isn’t quite over; we have until June to save our internet.

Join us in translation and say NO to ACTA before it’s too late!

#Chain 56 – ACTA la CATA

Written by the Co-founders of The Great Translation Chain

Once again; YES we are asking for your support!

We don’t want you to save our project – we want you to save YOUR Internet before it is too late  – Say NO to ACTA! In fact just say NO to THEM!

Translate our message into as many languages as possible – the more languages the more visibility!

Don’t just stop there – share with as many of your friends and networks as possible!

You know what to do – use the templates and start the CHAIN!

Dans le prolongement de l’affaire ACTA, dont le but non avoué est d’accentuer le flicage, exercer un monopole absolu sur l’information et démolir toute liberté d’expression, nous souhaitons pousser un coup de gueule contre tous les décideurs politiques et économiques qui, sous couvert de vouloir garantir la « démocratie » et « protéger » le citoyen, n’ont de cesse que de nous brimer, paupériser et dénier l’accès au savoir dans le but de nous réduire enfin à un silence valant approbation. Il est insupportable de voir comment les plus riches et donc les plus « puissants » s’évertuent à s’enrichir chaque jour davantage en nous faisant payer au sens propre le prix de leurs choix égotistes, en nous martelant que si nous devons nous serrer la ceinture c’est pour notre bien, en monopolisant ou détournant l’information et en vidant le langage de son sens. Il est insupportable de voir comment cette dictature du fric, ce culte imbécile du veau d’or contribue à dresser les peuples les uns contre les autres et à alimenter les pires préjugés raciaux, nationaux ou confessionnels. Le plus incroyable est que nous avons-nous-même par notre indifférence ou notre lâcheté contribué à la création d’un véritable étau qui se resserre chaque jour davantage, a déjà fait des centaines de milliers de morts, jeté des familles entières à la rue, déplacé des peuples,  affamé et réduit en esclavage  la quasi-totalité de la population mondiale pour satisfaire l’avidité hallucinante d’une minorité de salopards. Le plus dérangeant, c’est qu’il semblerait que, même si nous sommes en désaccord profond avec le mode de vie et de pensée qui nous est imposé, nous sommes pourtant obligés de cautionner les violences économiques et morales qui sévissent à l’échelle de la planète. Sous le régime nazi, il était dangereux mais possible d’entrer en résistance ; comment lutter efficacement à présent contre l’emprise monstrueuse de la mondialisation et de l’hydre de la finance ? Sources : voyages, rencontres, réflexion, partage et détestation du pognon. Aucun droit d’auteur, nous construisons ensemble notre avenir. Word count 340

#Chain 55 – ACTA – A real threat to our internet – Force Europe to say no!

Please help The Great Translation Chain to translate this appeal for support into as many languages as possible.

We have already come across restrictions from the Associated Press concerning strict copyright rules that have meant we have been prevented from sharing & translating stories of important global humanitarian issues.

Should the ACTA regulation be passed it will have a massively negative impact on our work & that of our generous volunteers – we cannot let this happen!

ACTA – Uma Verdadeira Ameaça à Nossa Internet – Obrigue a Europa a Dizer Não! – Ivan Costa Pinto – Brazilian Portuguese

АКТА (Търговско споразумение за борба с фалшифицирането) – Реална заплаха за нашият Интернет – Накарайте Европа да каже НЕ! –  Daniella D’Louhy – Bulgarian

ACTA (Acordo Comercial contra a Falsificação) – Uma ameaça real à nossa internet – Forcem a Europa a dizer não! –  by Amanda Vieira – Portuguese

ACTA – O adevărată ameninţare pentru internetul nostru – Obligaţi Europa să spună nu!- Mihaela Goga – Romanian 

ACTA – Een serieuze bedreiging van ons internet – Dwing Europa om nee te zeggen! – Petra Klinkenberg – Dutch

ACTA – ‘n Ernstige bedreiging vir die Internet. Dwing Europa om nee te sê! – Petro Ebersöhn – Afrikaans 

ACTA – реальная угроза нашему Интернету – заставьте Европу сказать нет! – Olga Dasko – Russian 

ACTA – Una vera minaccia alla libertà della rete – Costringiamo l’Europa a dire no! – Davide Arnold Lamagni – Italian

ACTA – Une vraie menace pour notre internet – Forcez l’Europe à dire non ! – French

ACTA – Una verdadera amenaza para nuestro internet – ¡Obligue Europa a decir no! – Spanish

ACTA – Μια αληθινή απειλή για το ιντερνέτ μας – Αναγκάστε την Ευρώπη να πει όχι! –  Nicolas Patsos – Greek  

ACTA – ‘n wesentlike bedreiging vir ons internet – Dwing Europa om nee te sê! – Trix Pauw Afrikaans

АКТА – Реална закана за нашиот интернет – Присилете ја Европа да каже не! – Nebojsa Vasovik  – Macedonian 

ACTA – Prawdziwe zagrożenie dla naszego Internetu – Zmuś Europę, aby powiedziała NIE! – Arkadiusz Witek – Polish 

ACTA – O ameninţare reală pentru internetul nostru – Forţaţi Europa să spună nu! – LiLIANA STOICA –  Romanian

ACTA 是我们互联网实实在在的威胁，我们一齐迫使欧盟拒绝他们！- by Oliver Li – Simplified Chinese 

ACTA on uhka internetille. Pakota Eurooppa sanomaan ei –  Pertti Metsänheimo – Finnish 

ACTA [Εμορική Συμφωνία Ενάντια στην Πλαστογράφηση]- Μια πραγματική απειλή για το διαδίκτυό μας.- Πιέστε την Ευρώπη να πεί όχι. – STAM FASSOULAKIS – GREEK 

ACTA – La Lucha contra la Falsificación del Acuerdo Comercial- Una verdadera amenaza para nuestro internet- Obliga a Europa a decir No! – Monica Rodriguez – Spanish 

ACTA (Acuerdo Comercial contra la Falsificacion)-Una verdadera amenaza para nuestro internet. Fuerza a Europa a decir No! – Efrain Salinas  – Spanish

ACTA – Isang tunay na panganib sa ating internet – Pilitin ang Europa na magsabing hindi! –  Leticia Parks –  Tagalog

АКТА (Трговски договор за борба против фалсификувањето) – Реална закана за нашиот интернет – Присилете ја Европа да каже не! – Nebojsa Vasovik – Macedonian

ACTA (Acordo Comercial contra a Falsificação) – Uma ameaça real à nossa internet – Forcem a Europa a dizer não! – Amanda Vieira – Portuguese

ACTA – Hiệp Định Thương Mại Chống Hàng Giả – Phuoc Pham – Vietnamese

ACTA- ” Un vero pericolo per la nostra rete internet- Costringiamo l’Europa a dire No” – Giovanna Lupi – Italian

ACTA- Istinska prijetnja našem internetu. Primorajte Europu da kaže ne! – Tamara Ljubicic – Croatian 

AKTA – Istinska pretnja našem internetu – Primorajte Evropu da kaže ne! – Ksenija Ajdinovic

AKTA – istinska pretnja našem internetu – Naterajte Evropu da kaže ne! – Ksenija Ajdinovic 

АКТА е истинска заплаха за нашия Интерне. Накарайте Европа да каже не! – Koprinka Tchervenkova  

ACTA – Μια πραγματική απειλή για το διαδίκτυό μας. Πιέστε την Ευρώπη να πει όχι! – Despina Chryssafi 

Send your translation in support – Say NO!

Last week AVAAZ gathered 3 million individuals to fight off America’s threat to attack internet freedom – but it appears there is a bigger threat out there! It’s outrageous — governments of four-fifths of the world’s people were excluded from the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations and unelected bureaucrats have worked closely with corporate lobbyists to craft new rules and a dangerously powerful enforcement regime. ACTA would initially cover the US, EU and 9 other countries, and then be rolled out across the world. But if we can get the EU to say no now, the treaty will lose momentum and could stall for good. The oppressively strict regulations could mean people everywhere are punished for simple acts such as sharing a newspaper article or uploading a video of a party where copyrighted music is played. Sold as a trade agreement to protect copyrights, ACTA could also ban lifesaving generic drugs and threaten local farmers’ access to the seeds they need. And, amazingly, the ACTA committee will have carte blanche to change its own rules and sanctions with no democratic scrutiny. Big corporate interests are pushing hard for this, but the EU Parliament stands in the way. Let’s send a loud clear NO by signing AVAAZ petition now! Word count 207