Stories about Humor from June, 2006
Ukraine: World Cup Wishful Thinking
“We've got three victories! and there are three more left… Go, Ukraine!” – by LJ user lokizzz A popular joke about Ukraine's spectacular – and totally unforeseen – World Cup performance and the resulting financial disaster seemed funny just a few hours ago. Then Italy defeated Ukraine in the quarter-finals...
Hong Kong: Shopping technocrats
Given that many goods can be found at lower prices in Hong Kong than in mainland China, is it a surprise that the Flagrant Harbour blogger would bump into the Communist Party of China fourth in command Jia Qinglin's entourage in a shopping mall during the leader's visit there this...
China: Tips on raising kids
Shanghai-based Sinosplice blogger John Pasden found a book in a supermarket recently, ‘100 Things Parents Should Not Say To Their Kids,’ and translated a few. Number eleven: “Be careful. If you trip, I'm not going to help you.”
Bermuda: Etiquette rules for guest workers
Bermudasucks.com presents a list of etiquette rules for guest workers. An example: “Ensure that all necessary tasks have been concluded before you give the customer your attention. These could include: filing your nails; talking to your co-workers; taking phone calls from your ace boy/girl; debating whether Shakisha in accounts has...
Czech Republic: Football Commentator Translated
Douglas Arellanes translates famous comments of a famous Czech sports commentator: “But he has his own library of similes that would give the US newsman Dan Rather a run for his money.”
India, US: In the 1980s
US for the Indian in the 1980s. Ramesh Madhavan, a veteran online writer kicks off with this amazing post on culture, food and the immigrant experience.
Russia: Marilyn Monroe Moles Ad
Konstantin Dlutskiy of Russian Marketing Blog posts an ad of a Russian “Clinic of Aesthetical Medicine” that uses Marilyn Monroe – and her moles – as its model.
Aruba: Viral image
ArubaGirl posts an image satirising the behaviour of Aruba's union leaders during the recent anti-government protests on the island. “The novel thing about it,” she says, “is that this has spread quickly through the internet. Aruba is finally reaching the 21st century.”
Albania: Notes on Driving
Traveller One of Stepping Stones shares her notes on the “Albanian Rules of the Road”: “Seatbelts. Only for babies. No wait. Albanian babies and children never wear seatbelts, so why should you, a full grown adult. In fact, why do manufacturer's even bother to put them in cars destined for...
Trinidad & Tobago: Rules for the dreadlocked
Dreadlocked Trinidadian blogger CunningLinguist draws up a series of guidelines to assist others who follow, or who are considering, the dreadlocked lifestyle. Two examples: “you are expected to be a definitive source on bob marley” and “expect delays at airports”.
Japan: the spread of Japanese kawaii
What is the implication of the spread of Japanese Kawaii (cute) image? Is Kawaii a new phenomena or rooted in tradition? Marie Mockett puts up a summary of different viewpoints in Japundit.
China: Mao as Jesus or Joke?
Earlier last month Peking duck commented that young Chinese considered Mao a big Joke. Voyage seems to disagree and said that he wouldn't be surprised to see Mao's temples to be built across China. The blog puts up a few photos on Mao worship in Mao's Ancestral Hall in Hunan's...
China: fabricated World Cup News
ESWN translated a local news report on the massive fabrications made by Chinese reporters on World Cup. For example, a reporter without a pass wrote an exclusive interview with FIFA World Cup committee chairman Franz Beckenbauer!
China: the phone number in Mission Impossible 3
There is one scene in Mission Impossible 3 taken at Shanghai old city where a phone number “13347707266” painted on an old wall just over Tom Cruise's left shoulder. A netizen traced the number and wrote an interesting “mission” story. ESWN has translated the story into English.
Russia: Buzz Words For Journalists
Imitating the legendary Ostap Bender, East-West Shout Out comes up with a “writers set” for journalists covering Russia: “The solution is to create set of code words which can be used in different combinations / situations and with varying density.”
China: Oil, diplomatic relations
Bingfeng Teahouse blogger is back with a post which takes a humorous look at China's approach to diplomatic relations, particularly those of which Chinese authorities take advantage.
China: Freethinking young writer takes on the cultural establishment
With the majority of China's artists and intellectuals having been silenced or executed earlier this century, what does that say about that generation's thinkers who are still around today? Han Han (韩寒), perhaps the one post-eighties writer most read by those under thirty, gave birth to a huge controversy earlier...
Jamaica: The “neighbourhood crackhead”
“The murder rate has hit its all time high in Jamaica, but yet sometimes I feel very removed from it. Nobody in my family seems to be perturbed,” begins Back on the Rock, as she tells the story of the “neighbourhood crackhead” who keeps stealing things from her house in...
China: Crosstalk cab
Crosstalk certainly doesn't appear to be dead, as seen in part of a script written down and blogged by Will at Imagethief.
The Kannada Context: Hear the nature of voices
The amplification of small sound bytes effects a joyful reverberation in a large room. I got a few mails/comments for my last post, The Kannada Context: Exclusive Identity and Other Stories. I also got to know interesting people. It is nice to see the feedback from a small, yet vibrant,...
Vietnam: Summer in Hanoi
Our Man in Hanoi encounters aircon politics while trying to beat the rising temperatures in Hanoi. “Worst of all is air con politics at work. Us Tays would like to shiver in 16 degrees. Locals like it somewhere around 28. My Vietnamese colleague who wears little t-shirt and skirts in...
