Translation please - what do you think "as long as your phone be zombie" means?

[Robert Green]

These instructions came with a phone calling card to be used to keep in touch with my friend who's going to China for several months. This is the part I can't quite understand (as long as your phone be zombie):

1. If you want to using EZ calling feature, you need to tie up the

phone card PIN number, please email your phone number we

can tie it in computer for you. This function it won't need to dial

your PIN number every time when you make phone call for long

distance as long as your phone be zombie..

Any hints?

[Gordon Shumway]

Don't ya just love diversity? I think you need to press 11 for zombie.

[DerbyDad03]

I'll take a shot.

A computer is considered to be a "zombie" when it has been infected in such a way that it becomes a robot (or "bot") in a botnet - a global network of remote-controlled PCs that cyber criminals use to crash websites, swipe passwords or steal consumer financial data. (Fittingly, I stole most of that definition, word for word.)

So maybe, just maybe, the English-as-a-second-language techno-nerd whose job it was to translate the instructions into English simply meant that the phone had to be "on their network", or in their words, "tie it in computer for you" so that it knows your pin number whenever you use the card.

Admittedly, it's a stretch.

[Robert Green]

That's about the only conclusion I can come to but it is a stretch, I agree. "Zombie?" That's not a word I think I've ever come across in an instruction manual for anything. I'll be on the lookout for my phone suddenly saying "Brains, BRAINS!!!"

Thanks.

-- Bobby G.

[Stormin Mormon]

My friend, I think you're right. Of course, I'm not a native Chinese speaker. You can expect HeBe-ub to give you grief, now. Read the "who is it" thread to understand why.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

I'll take a shot.

A computer is considered to be a "zombie" when it has been infected in such a way that it becomes a robot (or "bot") in a botnet - a global network of remote-controlled PCs that cyber criminals use to crash websites, swipe passwords or steal consumer financial data. (Fittingly, I stole most of that definition, word for word.)

So maybe, just maybe, the English-as-a-second-language techno-nerd whose job it was to translate the instructions into English simply meant that the phone had to be "on their network", or in their words, "tie it in computer for you" so that it knows your pin number whenever you use the card.

Admittedly, it's a stretch.

[Stormin Mormon]

My friend, Diversity is fine, as long as we all do it together. You can expect HeBe-ub to give you grief, now. Read the "who is it" thread to understand why.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Don't ya just love diversity? I think you need to press 11 for zombie.

[Gordon Shumway]

I don't have a problem with diversity... if the person hired to do the job is the best qualified candidate for the job. All too often a persons' race, sex, religion or seniority moves them higher on the list. When that is the case you end up with one who is less qualified given the job than one who really deserved it. When that happens we get translations, like that above, that no one can understand. In that scenario diversity produces an inferior product at a higher cost to the employer. Then we all pay.

[Stormin Mormon]

My friend, I think that diversity (higher on the list based on race, gender, etc) is simply discrimination by another name. If a company hired only white middle aged men (based on race, gender, etc) the screamers would be all upset. So, why are the screamers silent when companies are forced to hire other races, genders, etc, regardless of qualification?

Mandated diversity is discrimination, and reduces quality and effectiveness of the companies.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

I don't have a problem with diversity... if the person hired to do the job is the best qualified candidate for the job. All too often a persons' race, sex, religion or seniority moves them higher on the list. When that is the case you end up with one who is less qualified given the job than one who really deserved it. When that happens we get translations, like that above, that no one can understand. In that scenario diversity produces an inferior product at a higher cost to the employer. Then we all pay.

[Doug Miller]

Gordon Shumway wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Oh, don't be silly. That horrible translation has NOTHING to do with hiring practices, and EVERYTHING to do with the translation being done from Chinese to English by a native speaker of Chinese with a poor grasp of English. It's a very common problem, and not only in products manufactured in the Far East. Translations should *always* be done by a native speaker of the target language, not the source language.

[Stormin Mormon]

"Vacuum cleaner.... really sucks!" "Our new Cheverolet, for sale in Mexico. No...va!"

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Translations should *always* be done by a native speaker of the target language, not the source language.

[Gordon Shumway]

You just said what I said except for the screamer part. As far as the screamers are concerned, you mentioned two distinct groups of screamers. The first group, the loud screamers, are those that believe they are entitled to have whatever their heart desires regardless of their qualifications or work ethic. Their screams are usually orchestrated by the likes of Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Obama and others. The second group, the silent screamers, are those that believe that you have to have qualifications and a good work ethic to have an opportunity for a job or to get a raise. Fortunately the silent ones are becoming much less so.

[Stormin Mormon]

Please clarify your comment a bit. Working it backwards, here. Does that mean you belive that unqualified people with bad work ethics should....... I'll leave you to finish the sentence. But at the moment, it sounds odd.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

The second group, the silent screamers, are those that believe that you have to have qualifications and a good work ethic to have an opportunity for a job or to get a raise. Fortunately the silent ones are becoming much less so.

[Stormin Mormon]

I mentioned only one set of screamers. The Jackson / Sharpton type.

They do behave differently, based on the race or color of the persons involved.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

You just said what I said except for the screamer part. As far as the screamers are concerned, you mentioned two distinct groups of screamers. The first group, the loud screamers, are those that believe they are entitled to have whatever their heart desires regardless of their qualifications or work ethic. Their screams are usually orchestrated by the likes of Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton, Obama and others. The second group, the silent screamers, are those that believe that you have to have qualifications and a good work ethic to have an opportunity for a job or to get a raise. Fortunately the silent ones are becoming much less so.

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

I believe there was a big legal toodoo about this at UCDavis some years ago

[DerbyDad03]

Just what type of "electronic device" did he bring into China that scored him a bride? ;-)

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

adult battery powered massager?

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

then it is your duty to make spurious calls that talk about the imminent explosion of nuclear devious in the Forbidden City

[Gordon Shumway]

...not have a job, or anything else for that matter, given to them, period. That is the group of loud screamers.

Inversely, those that are qualified and have good work ethics should... have the jobs and other things available to them. This is the group of silent screamers. But we, and I include myself in this group, are getting fed up with the government throwing our tax dollars away on someone who doesn't want to work for a living but expects me to work for them. We are being more vocal about it.

I hope that clarifies my statement.

[Robert Green]

Yes, I saw that. It's what prompted my comment. Even though they promised not to, the lure of these post-mortem baptisms is apparently very, very strong for some Mormons, it seems.

I recall Chris telling us he had the keys to the baptismal font. Hmmmm.

-- Bobby G.

[John Doe]

So you end up with a sensible sounding document that is entirely wrong...