Archive for May 22nd, 2009

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Inexplicable use of English

May 22, 2009

We have a new favorite website – http://engrishfunny.com. A small warning — some of the content is not for children. It is a collection of pictures of signs and packaging with badly translated English. Very funny, especially since we see this stuff around us frequently.

Yesterday, I was in Abu Dhabi and saw a business sign “La Poupee.” We were driving by, so I didn’t see what kind of business it was, but even if it is French, it is a poor choice, I think.

Daddybird has a collection of pictures of nonsensical sayings on t-shirts. See a few of them below. I agree with Etlsac about the “slips of paper in a hat” theory related to the creation of the strange toys, but I also envision a sweatshop somewhere where the “designers” are given refrigerator poetry magnets and encouraged to arrange the words randomly to produce the slogan to be put on the t-shirts.

Feeling plueRoses grow wildland
Feeling plue indeed like the timre you didn’t do me

2 Cool2 cool fo school

SaturdayEveSaturday Evening Post — WORR — Unfortunately, the words at the bottom are illegible, but I am sure they didn’t make any sense.

DestroyCultureDream Dream — This beauty built by heart — Shining my personality — Destroy all of the culture — Bright Bright

LivingNonLivingLet’s play a fun game of Living – Non-living! Can peacocks sing? I’ve always wondered.

PenguinBearThis is a personal favorite. Daddybird saw this and thought someone had slipped that penguin into the bear’s pants as a joke. No, the penguin was sewn to the bear. It is supposed to be a set. I’m sure there is a world of tasteless penguin in your pants jokes, but I will refrain.

Posted in oddities, toys | 1 Comment »

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Random remarks

May 22, 2009

So, Linda is critiquing my use of the word “mute” (see comment on previous post). Mute refers to inability to or choice not to speak rather than choice not to write. So, what is the right word? “Illiterate” doesn’t work because it implies the inability to read as well as write, and clearly that doesn’t apply. “Dysgraphia” doesn’t work ’cause that refers to difficulty/inability in writing skills.

How about “voyeurs?” Looking on, silently. I better quit before I offend you all and you stop looking on.

Glad you have all enjoyed, or at least been astonished by, the most recent toy episode. I think that Mickey is from an alternate storyline where he accidentally got into some PCP for a “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign. Why hasn’t Disney seen the merit in the “Mickey goes berserk” concept?

A street atlas of Dubai was just published. This was a major undertaking because Dubai is a city under construction. So, this atlas includes the finished and the unfinished. It is amazingly detailed. They have marked where there are stop lights, supermarkets, banks, ATMs, gas stations, cinemas, libraries, pharmacies (only the major ones), and more. Pretty exciting to us. I’m going to suggest to the college that the new employees arriving in August be given a copy.

Posted in toys, Us | 2 Comments »