Confusing Photo of the Week #9 (Kathmandu Edition)

 

Photo taken in Paika, a small area between Kopan and Boudha.

It's been a few years since I've posted a "Confusing Photo of the Week" entry and to be quite honest, I was happy to let the series die an unceremonious death without ever mentioning it again.

But then I saw this.

I don't even know what the weirdest part of this tableau is - is it the strange dancing child who appears to have a pantyliner attached to his forehead? Is it the grinning horrorshow pig face? The gleeful font and well-worn illustration (with its own sinister grin)?

Nope, it's the Orange Fanta. Ew.

If any Nepali speakers out there want to tell me what this says, please let me know. Unless it's "YOU'RE NEXT, WHITE LADY." In that case, just don't tell me.


***UPDATE: This was a comment from Sherry Wasandi at The World is Square:
"It says: Sagun Meat Shop. "Sagun" being the name of the shop, commonly pronounced "Shug-un". Interestingly, the word itself refers to a gift(cash or kind) given to the host at traditional Hindu ceremonies, throughout northern India. Curious choice, indeed.

And then there's a list of the produce you can buy there, at the bottom. So far, you're not on it. Good news, I'd say."

Ha! I certainly agree.

Confusing Photo of the Week #8 - Olympics Edition

The final Cell-ution?

Let's be honest. I have been a bad blogger lately. Midterms, term papers, a computer studies class in which I only barely understand the concepts - brain fatigue. And in those rare moments (I'm doing a genre analysis paper on sentence-intial connectives - lookatmego!) when I feel calm enough to put down the books, I usually want to bury my head in Tim Gunn's melifluous voice and geek out to Project Runway, or write dark twisted poetry that I will never read to anyone....

But. Here we are. The first day of Spring and I am about to embark on a day trip to the beautiful Lynn Valley for some hiking and suspension bridge-crossing - and I have a few minutes.

Back to the task at hand. This photo above has been plastered all over Vancouver for months. There have been myriad controversies surrounding corporate Olympic sponsorship in Vancouver (librarians being forced to feed children McDonald's and Coke, anyone?) but I haven't heard anyone complain about this weird Samsung ad.

So I will.

a) I don't like the way that the phone seems to be lording over Quatchi and Miga. What is it trying to prove?

b) Why do Quatchi and Miga like this phone so goddamned much when it is clearly wayyyy tooo biggg for them, or anyone to use? I mean, if a freakin' sasquatch is dwarved by the phone, how am I, little Ms 5'2 supposed to use it? Hmmmm?

c) I'm still wondering why it is so big. Really? Who designed this piece of crap ad?

d) Is anyone else concerned and alarmed that Quatchi seems to be giving the phone a Nazi salute? Heil Samsung?
Miga better hope that he is racially pure, because I foresee CelPhoneNacht right around the corner.

e) Do you know what the real official phone of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was? Hockey. Hockey was also the official toothpaste, snackfood and feminine hygiene product. That's all we really cared about.

Y'know, in case you haven't heard.

Confusing Photo of the Week #7

Well, it's better than the "totlet for lamer"...

Oh India, home to the world's most inventive and resourceful people - if there is a solution to be had using cheaper materials someone will have already duct taped it together somewhere on the subcontinent.

A similar photo was featured on Failblog a few months ago, but I swear that this is the real deal - I spied this gem in the Cathedral of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. Apparently the remains of St. Francis Xavier are also there, but I hardly noticed, so fixated with this marvel of ingenuity was I.

The next time someone you know is complaining about their life, show 'em old deckchair here.
That oughtta do it.

(Thanks so much to Benson at Benson's Scene for pointing out that this chair is actually the product of an amazing charity project called "The Free Wheelchair Mission" - it's designed to supply disabled folks from poor countries with affordable means of transportation. Wow! Please click here to learn more about the cause and donate some moolah!)

Confusing Photo of the Week #6

Why, ass captain is the most important job on board, along with the bikini inspector and the muff diver....

Thank god the Cleaner and his helper were off that day, otherwise we would have all been in for a surprise.

Confusing Photo of the Week #5

Because Mademoiselle Poop went out of business last week.

Any evidence you need that the urine-based pastry market is on the wane can be found here at the Mr. Piss Cart in Tana Toraja, Sulawesi - sadly now out of business. Blame the world's shaky economy when you can't find a steaming hot mouthful of Mr. Piss on your nearest corner. Damn you, George W.

Confusing Photo of the Week #4

It's new , it's hip - it's....a reuben sandwich?

 Obama is beloved around the world for his fairness, his progressive attitude, his dashing appearance. And now, finally, for his bargain basement deals on diner food in Singapore. 

You hungry? Hungry for Change? Look no further.

Confusing Photo of the Week #3

Oh, the wonders of Asian toilets...

I remember reading a study once about people's aversion to eating/drinking out of containers normally used for gross or toxic contents. Even though the subjects in the study were assured that the urine sample jar/cat litter box/windex bottle was brand new - fresh from the factory and never used, the same plastics as say, a tupperware container - most would not eat or drink from it. Those who did reported high levels of discomfort when doing so.

I have recently learned that there are other instances where this aversion applies. When I confronted this bucket of water (meant to be used in lieu of toilet paper) labeled "Klenco Chemical" I fished in my purse for a napkin instead....

I am willing to bet that this was not a new bucket, unused from the Klenco factory - I think that at some point it was filled with the commercial, industrial and laundry chemicals it advertises, and no amount of water can remove all "safety solvents".

Maybe my feet, maybe my hands- but in order to prevent my own high levels of discomfort, you can bet that I did NOT splash my gens with this water.

*NOTE - I love squat toilets, have gone in some terrifyingly filthy ones - and I have no problem with the dipper and bucket....usually. Just not when the water is in a chemicals bucket.

Confusing Photo of the Week #2

This gem was taken about 10 months ago near Chiang Mai in Thailand. At a government run site.

I looked at this sign, my eyes slowly widening with horror as I realized that they meant "Disabled Toilet." Sean likes to focus on the "totlet" part of this photo, but I actually think that that sullies the joke, diverts your attention away from the fact that they are calling them "Lamers."

Engrish is everywhere in Asia, poorly spelled or bizarrely articulated English translations that you sometimes have to sound out loud to decipher their meaning. But this? Come on.

Maybe an office drone on the planning committee was like "Hey, um, do you think that we should consult a native English speaker for this one? We are the government afterall, and I'm sure that the guys down at the British Consulate (or the pub) could help us out..."

To which his boss replied "Connsarnit Santichai, we have had this cotton pickin' conversation too many times - quit trying to bamboozle me! Stop flapping your gums! I'm the Big Cheese around here, and I'm going to keep using this Insensitive 1920's Old-Timey English/Thai Dictionary until the cows come home- it's the bee's knees. That's enough tomfoolery! Scram you cad, or I will beat you until you are a lamer yourself!"

Indeed.

Confusing Photo of the Week.

Um. Wow. This is really confusing.

This is a child's sized shirt that I saw in a small shop in Ko Lanta. It is a picture of the Pringles mascot with pigtails and it says "Pacino" under the cartoon. And there is a question mark.

Am I missing something? What is going on here? Are they making fun of the universal backpacker love of Pringles? Are they.....oh hell, I can't even begin to imagine what this means. What is it?!

I am so confused.

Judging by the question mark, so are they.