Don't Fence Me In (Stereo Remaster 2025) - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters ** FOR THE FIRST TIME IN REAL STEREO ** youtu.be/P8JtyHwz1Ds Released on Decca Records in 1950 Composer: Cole Porter Stereo Remaster by Werner Patels Remastering (2025)

Have I The Right? (Stereo Remaster 2025) - The Honeycombs ** FIRST REAL-STEREO VERSION EVER ** youtu.be/jLu9c_9SQtU Released on Pye Records in 1964. Composed by Alan & Howard Blaikley Stereo Remaster by Werner Patels Remastering (2025)

Tennessee Waltz (Stereo) - Alma Cogan ** FIRST REAL-STEREO VERSION EVER ** youtu.be/gmqojbGSGcU Released on Columbia Records in 1964 Composed by: Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart Stereo Remaster by: Werner Patels Remastering

The original TV version of Season 1 (1969)... now in STEREO! Listen here: youtu.be/ACJ7nxJaX5E Composed by: Frank De Vol, Sherwood Schwartz Stereo Remaster by: Werner Patels Remastering

Je ne pourrai plus t'oublier (Stereo Remaster 2025) - Pière Senécal - Vive le Québec youtu.be/o9u49PlYIZs ** La première version en véritable stéréo. ** Compositeurs : Belew, Stevenson, M. Pagliaro. Date de sortie : 1968. Remastérisation stéréo : Werner Patels Remastering.

I Can Hear Music (Stereo Remaster 2025) - The Ronettes youtu.be/bK8tJr_N2d0 ** First time in TRUE STEREO! ** Released by Philles Records in 1966 Composers: Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector Stereo remaster: Werner Patels Remastering

A rarity for fans of the Ronettes…the stereo master! This one came out 62 years ago (in December) youtu.be/9QFcO5pnNR8 Released by Philles Records in 1963. Composers: P. Spector, E. Greenwich, J. Barry (Stereo Master remastered/restored by Werner Patels Remastering)

I posted this personal anecdote a while back, and Facebook reminded me of it yesterday…

That was like 25 years ago… the photo appeared in the Toronto Star the next day. Yes, I have a Getty image of myself! 😉 “Simultaneous interpreters Barbara Osterholz-Leblond and Werner Patels at work in Star studio interpreting Magna Annual Meeting into German”

Got myself another book deal…for a series of books. The first is a series of three books. From German to English.

The joys of learning a new language 😉

According to CBC News and official government statements, applications for immigration to Canada may now take up to 600 months (!). All or most applications in the system are expected to be binned to clear the backlog. Note to hopeful newcomers: make sure your life expectancy is at least 150 years.

Indeed!

“The Lonely Hearts Hotel” by Heather O’Neill

Truth!

What we are witnessing now is the modern-day version of the Emperor’s New Clothes. Tech bros keep telling us that AI is fully clothed and decked out in exquisite garb, but in truth, AI is stark naked. Link: medium.com/@abacustrans... #Translation #Translators #AI

Let that sink in, y’all… #Writing #AI

Being “open to work” doesn’t mean desperate. It doesn’t mean I’ll play by broken rules or waste my time jumping through pointless hoops. Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/they-dont-...

Financial Times needs to learn English; it’s not Buy Canada, but Buy Canadian. The first is what Donald Trump is trying to do Canada, and the second is what we in Canada do to protect ourselves. Remember: if you want to write for a living, you must first master your own language!

Happy Star Trek day! Today marks the anniversary of the world premiere in Canada; the series premiered in the United States two days later. 🖖 #CanadaFirst

I’m sick and tired of the cheap and insulting offers I keep receiving through LinkedIn, so I’ve updated my tagline to filter the wheat from the chaff.

A former politician said earlier today that 20 years from now, Canadians will be grateful to Donald Trump for all the changes made to Canada. True, he has triggered a lot of incipient changes, but the problem is that the country won’t exist five years from now. Not at this rate.

Are you looking for an experienced professional writer, copywriter, editor or proofreader? Get in touch with me. wordwizard.carrd.co The Word Wizard: Writer - Copywriter - Editor - Proofreader

Too many translators allow themselves to be taken for a ride and to be scammed. This has to stop! medium.com/@abacustrans...

Don’t let AI do your thinking. The humanities teach us how to learn and think, how to translate, how to be human. AI can summarize, but it can’t understand. 👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/why-we-mus... #HumanitiesMatter #ThinkForYourself #AI #Languages #Education #Translation #Creativity

Europe’s trade defeat with the U.S. is a wake-up call. Too much red tape, too little work, slipping productivity. Time to innovate, work smarter... and harder. Read: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/europes-wa... #Europe #Economy #Innovation #WorkCulture

The world needs more Canada. gofund.me/2e6e4ca0

The world has officially become an insane asylum!

So true! Which is why AI will never be up to the job.

Do you make a living using your creative skills and talents? Yes? Then stay away from LinkedIn! abacusobserver.substack.com/p/linkedin-i...

When a client tells you to use Payoneer and nothing but, walk away medium.com/@abacustrans...

The Internet could be such a wonderful thing… if only it weren’t for the massive fraudulent content we see every minute and every hour of the day. medium.com/@abacustrans...

Why trust is the most fragile currency in our profession (translation) — and what happens when it breaks medium.com/@abacustrans...

LinkedIn can take its intimidation and blackmailing tactics and get stuffed. abacusobserver.substack.com/p/ive-had-it...

Truth be told, I may be half-human, half-alien, but I doubt it. But there’s something in my DNA that makes me think that I might be “Human 2.0”, if not “Human 3.0”—I’ll go with the latter; it has a nicer ring to it. abacusobserver.substack.com/p/what-plane...

In 2025, professional translators are targeted by con artists, asked to work for sweatshop rates, and are being replaced by AI Translation Is A Profession — Pay Translators Accordingly medium.com/@abacustrans...

An interesting article originating in Austria, translated into English by yours truly. Read it here: abacusobserver.substack.com/p/what-europ...

Why ditching languages & the humanities is a crisis in the making. When we lose them, we lose how to think. Read the full piece: medium.com/@abacustrans... #HumanitiesMatter #LanguageLearning #CriticalThinking #EducationCrisis #WhyLanguagesMatter #SayNoToDuolingo #Britain

Organise or organize? Why most of the English-speaking world said no to the "z"... except the US (and kinda Canada). A quick dive into spelling, history, and cultural identity. Read now 👉 medium.com/@abacustrans... #BritishEnglish #CanadianEnglish #SpellingMatters #LanguageNerds #MyFairLady

I beat cancer. I’m beating AI. And now, I’m calling the shots. Semi-retirement isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of working only on what I love, on my terms. New article 👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/the-joy-of... #Translation #FreelanceLife #SemiRetired #AntiAI #NoToPeanuts #WorkOnMyTerms

As NPR and PBS stations across the U.S. face devastating cuts, we should be asking: why are we gutting one of the last sources of real education and local news? Read here 👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/america-ne... #SavePBS #SaveNPR #PublicMedia #EducationMatters #MediaLiteracy #LanguageLearning

Got scammed online? Tough lesson, but should your bank pay for your mistake? In my latest piece, I argue no: if you willingly sent the money, that’s on you. Making banks cover these losses means higher fees for all of us. Read now 👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/scam-victi... #Fraud #Scams #Canada

Ever tried to cancel a service and felt like the company wanted to make you suffer for it? My latest piece is about how some businesses turn customers into enemies—with one hold music loop at a time. Read here 👉 abacusobserver.substack.com/p/when-compa... #CustomerExperience #BusinessEthics

A new study identifies five national narratives that enjoy widespread support among the Swiss public – but deep divisions emerge when it comes to how they’re interpreted. abacusobserver.substack.com/p/what-unite...

Absolutely terrible. There’s a reason why I don’t interact with anything or anyone on Substack; I simply use it as free space to park my writing as a portfolio for potential clients.