Funny Company Names.... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 09:35:56 pm
content: Post up your favorite real companies that have funny names.I'll start.Mutual Screw Hardware. (Check out the tag line. Gets me every time)http://www.mutualscrew.com/Assmann Components (Makes me think of Seinfeld)http://www.assmann.us/

author: entereev
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 09:46:16 pm
content: Bimbo bread

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 10:34:28 pm
content: Bimbo bread is great.Internacionale Moustache Wax(That's my company)

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 10:47:52 pm
content: Beaver Liquorshttp://www.beaverliquors.com/Dave.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 10:51:23 pm
content: sexwax

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 10:52:39 pm
content: http://www.wayne-kerr.co.uk/For some reason this one reminds me of Beavis & friend :http://www.buttkereit.co.uk/

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 03:46:02 am
content: http://procreation.com.auSadly, I know the owner...

author: prenato
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 05:25:58 am
content: BJ Pipeline Inspectionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BJ_Services_Company

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 05:35:56 am
content: For many years there was a Bread Company in Perth WA,by the name of "Brown & Burns"!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 05:51:36 am
content: http://www.experts-exchange.com/

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 05:56:11 am
content: IPS (does not stand for Inverted Penis Syndrome)http://www.railwayparts.com/

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 05:57:37 am
content: www.therapistfinder.com

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 07:17:23 am
content: I once came across a builders van that was sign written with the name. " Bodgitt & Scarper "

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 07:29:51 am
content: Quote from: G7PSK on October 02, 2012, 07:17:23 amI think they may have done some work on my place!

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 07:56:41 am
content: In my home town we have:"Hair off the dog" dog groomers (not sure if the expression "hair of the dog" makes it outside of the UK)"Smallbone and Sons" funeral directors"Pull yourself together" curtain shopElsewhere I've seen:"Curl up and dye" hairdressersAnd this:

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 09:04:23 am
content: Sign on a badly damaged PUB after a storm"Fallen INN"also there was an eatery in Noosa . "Musk Duck Inn"

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 10:46:00 am
content: I worked for a Swiss company that was taken over by Siemens, the UK office was in Staines.The receptionist quit four days later, after all the crank calls (many of them internal), waiting to hear her announce "Good Morning Siemens Staines, how may I help you?".

author: baljemmett
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 11:43:22 am
content: Quote from: G7PSK on October 02, 2012, 07:17:23 amA few miles up the road from here is a firm of solicitors called Wright Hassall -- they are, by all accounts, very good, but the name must get them remembered!I seem to recall the same town used to play host to a shop selling door furniture, called simply Knobs & Knockers.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 11:59:53 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on October 02, 2012, 10:46:00 amLadies & gentlemen,we have a winner!

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 01:12:55 pm
content: Wallis Prance solictors.Always misread it as Wally Prance from my dad's office (opposite side of the car park.)

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 01:40:49 pm
content: On another project I was introduced to the cleaning supervisor from a company called Swan.They all had uniforms embroidered with "Swan Cleaning", so I suggested to him that I had never before met someone involved in such a specialist occupation.He did assure me that they had a lot of work.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 01:52:22 pm
content: I wonder how many people genuinely enquire about swan cleaning services instead of Swan Cleaning services.

author: os40la
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 02:34:08 pm
content: A. Duie Pylewww.aduiepyle.com

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 07:10:02 pm
content: SmegNeed I say more?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 07:58:35 pm
content: Another Red Dwarf fan................

author: ErikTheNorwegian
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 08:04:56 pm
content: FOKUS... its a bank that like that the customers screw them..http://www.fokus.no

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 08:20:13 pm
content: QuoteYep and hoping the new new series isn't s**t

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 06:07:27 am
content: there is a company that makes automatic gates called FAAC

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 06:31:20 am
content: A company called Fluke but they make really good multimeters.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 06:42:48 am
content: yes we nevere think of how funny that name is considering what they make, although we have joked about it at work.

author: Entropia
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 06:53:27 am
content: Spotted this on my visit to Berlin a few years ago.

author: ju1ce
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 04:11:40 pm
content: Surprised to see no one has mentioned King Dick.http://www.kingdicktools.co.uk/

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 04:38:33 pm
content: Quote from: ju1ce on October 03, 2012, 04:11:40 pmThey probably specialized in "big" tools

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 05:44:52 pm
content: I have a King Dick podger and adjustable spanner in the shed.

author: remy_m
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 06:40:00 pm
content: How about "Ash Wipe" Chimney Sweeps ?They even have a websitehttp://ashwipe.com/

author: Frangible
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 08:26:43 pm
content: This is just around the corner from me.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 08:47:13 pm
content: What about these companies. Not sure what the department of homeland security would say if you used the second company's services.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 08:56:08 pm
content: Not a company name, but a local plumber used to have the email address of nuggetjuggler@****.com

author: LaurenceW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 09:56:20 pm
content: It often amuses me how badly Chinese company names translate. They seem to try so hard to hit the mark with things that will please western ears, only to miss, every time.Remember "Lucky Gold Star" ERGH! Became "LG" (and revised tagline: Life's Good" - double ERGH) when the western marketing guys got thier hands on it.But this one's for REALhttp://www.banggood.com/not too sure if they are selling appliances of a "bedroom gymnastics" nature - ooh just looked - they do, too! <embarrassed>

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 10:24:36 pm
content: Quote from: G7PSK on October 03, 2012, 08:47:13 pmI've used the services of rent-a-bomb many years ago in Sydney. Rent-A-Wreck was a popular one too.I also suspect I've been to the diesel fried chicken place too, although they weren't honest enough to use that name

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 11:54:42 pm
content: http://www.totaltools.com.au/Last time I went there the teenage assistance was so clueless and lazy I almost comment to the effect that they really are a bunch of "total tools".

author: asbokid
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 11:57:13 pm
content: And from:http://brettenham.onesuffolk.net/assets/Newsletters/March-2010-Parish-Mag.pdf

author: poodyp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2012, 02:12:41 am
content: I wonder if this is real.

author: Freighternut
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2012, 08:30:54 am
content: In the 80's, Taiwan had a brand of cigarettes called "Long Life"!I smoked a lot of these, we will see if I have a "short life".

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2012, 11:58:07 am
content: I quite like "Meanwell" power supplies.After all,as long as they have good intentions!

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2012, 12:54:55 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on October 04, 2012, 11:58:07 amYou are of course fishing for the answer, don't you? The way to hell is paved with good intentions. There you have it.

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2012, 02:14:28 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on October 04, 2012, 11:58:07 amSerious question, are Meanwell products any good?I've never used them, but the name seems to crop up occasionally and I couldn't help but wonder.

author: eliocor
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 04, 2012, 03:11:53 pm
content: "Mean Well": used a lot of their power supplies/converters.Never got any trouble/fault.

author: Hypernova
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 01:04:51 am
content: Nobody thinking of Dick Smith?A joke I used to tell in grammar school:If a black smith deals with iron and a lock smith deals with locks, what does a dick smith do?

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 03:47:44 am
content: If Mr Thatcher's ancestors used to thatch roofs,I am a little worried about Mr Hancock,or his friend Mr Cockburn!

author: RCMR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 04:05:33 am
content: I saw a UK furniture retailer's signing in a news-story this week.The company was Sofa King.The slogan was "Our furniture is Sofa King good"Or something like that -- I'm old, I forget more than I remember these days.

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 04:30:22 am
content: Serious question, are Meanwell products any good?I've never used them, but the name seems to crop up occasionally and I couldn't help but wonder. I'm associated with an OZ distributor, and have used 100s various devices. Build quality is very good, design isat worstvery good, prices are great. Designs are usually rugged / over engineered / large end ...so, if you don't need small-as possible, ultra-efficiency - you're good to go.Sorry, can't think of a funny company name, TBC

author: psycho0815
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 06:18:25 am
content: Here in Germany there's a company called Dick.They make knifes and some other tools. Most of them are long and sharp...http://www.dick.de/en/index.php

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 01:43:29 pm
content: In the UK there was a skin care product manufacturer. They sponsored a large hot-air balloon which had on it's side, in big letters "For Skin Care"

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 03:31:38 pm
content: I've seen a touring bus of this company:www.fuecker-reisen.deIn German "ue" can also be spelled as "ü"...

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 04:25:10 pm
content: SiCK sensors.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 05:30:27 pm
content: Good call on the SICK sensors.Their USA web site link iswww.SICKUSA.COMSilly

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 05:38:33 pm
content: Nice sensors, I have some really old ones. The head is the size of a cigarette pack and the controller is a large DIN box that has a near A4 size PCB in it. All built with Siemens chips, capacitors and transistors.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 06:00:58 pm
content: I remember going to the first DARPA grand challenge autonomous car race qualifying event. Everyone had those shoebox size SICK laser scanners hanging off the front of their cars. Everyone cringed when one of the cars ran into a wall or something. I'm pretty sure those scanners aren't rated for that kind of shock impact to the face.

author: asbokid
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2012, 10:31:09 pm
content: Quote from: poodyp on October 04, 2012, 02:12:41 amNo, not true, just advertising pufferycheers, a

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2012, 02:50:37 am
content: Real company. They do enormous low speed high volume fans.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2012, 09:34:05 am
content: There's a used car dealer in Werribee, Victoria (visible from the train to Hoppers) called 'Lemon Motors'

author: nukie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2012, 11:34:09 am
content: Quote from: steve30 on October 04, 2012, 02:14:28 pmNo problems with them they are great power supply but there are a mountain of MW fakes out there so beware of where you source them. Another problem is that the prices vary huge from different regions. MW supplies are often cheaper in Asian countries.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 03:21:50 am
content: bump for an old favorite...

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 05:29:33 am
content: Back in the '90s the first ISP in the area was called Software Tool and Die.It helps to know the local meaning of "tool": doing unenjoyable but necessary work.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 05:49:10 am
content: Quote from: steve30 on October 04, 2012, 02:14:28 pmI have opened up a broken one (just a bad cable, easily fixed) at work and it was very well built. But the particular Meanwell in question (5V, 4A wall wart) was the nosiest PSU I ever tested on the noise tester setup. I tested several to make sure it wasn't just a bad one.

author: fivefish
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 07:17:42 am
content: Before Netflix, there was ....

author: Dataforensics
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 07:42:09 am
content: You may guess whats near this bicycle store.Reservoir Cogs

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 08:05:53 am
content: Analygas - They make gas detection and analysis systems. At a glance it looks a lot like "Anal Gas".

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 09:06:54 am
content: Ansmann (battery chargers).

author: Radio Tech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 09:16:33 am
content: Quote from: PedroDaGr8 on October 22, 2012, 02:50:37 amWe have some of thier fans here in the manufactoring plant I work at. Those suckers are huge.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 10:56:12 am
content: Not a company but may be worse, a Village name.

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 11:07:37 am
content: On the southside of Brisbane...http://www.mikehuntscars.com.au

author: Augustus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 11:14:56 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 29, 2015, 10:56:12 amWell, time to pop a beer......and a suggestion for a recommended road trip, if you ever come to visit Austria and Germany...

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 11:32:44 am
content: Quote from: G7PSK on October 02, 2012, 07:17:23 amMy best mate is a mechanic and has a sideline doing custom cars from home. He jokingly calls that "B&S Hot Rods..."

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 12:25:40 pm
content: There was a fishmonger in Friedberg (30km north of Frankfurt/Main) called "Fisch Umsonst", which translates to "free fish".

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 01:29:37 pm
content: Quote from: Augustus on September 29, 2015, 11:14:56 amHow funny!Cool road trip, we should suggest that for the next family honeymoon trip.But where do you get that beer?

author: Augustus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 01:56:43 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 29, 2015, 01:29:37 pmThey run an online-shop:http://www.fucking-hell.de/en/

author: 128er
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 02:12:44 pm
content: Found this company a few days ago:Elektro Pornhttp://www.elektro-porn.de

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 02:16:44 pm
content: Quote from: Augustus on September 29, 2015, 11:14:56 amYou'd have to take a huge diversion, but you could visit Titisee too. Presumably between Petting and F*cking.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 02:54:11 pm
content: Mort-subite (Beer) french : instant deathoh and what about our favorite : Batteroo : contraction of Battery and Poo .

author: Augustus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 06:22:14 pm
content: Quote from: Zad on September 29, 2015, 02:16:44 pmHaha... That's actually not very far away from where I live...

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 08:26:37 pm
content: Still on town and village names I nominate Batman:https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@37.892466,41.1256028,13zWith the town of Worms a close second:https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@49.661322,8.342184,11z

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 08:32:32 pm
content: As for people, would you believe that there is a Urologist called Nicolas Burns-Cox? No, I thought not, so here's his page at the hospital where he works:http://www.musgroveparkhospital.nhs.uk/wards-and-departments/consultants/nick-burns-cox/

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 08:40:06 pm
content: Quote from: German_EE on September 29, 2015, 08:26:37 pmIntercourse, Pennsylvania, USA, also King of Prussia, same state. In Florida we have Christmas.

author: briandorey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2015, 10:21:47 pm
content: Pen Island and their nice domain namehttp://www.penisland.net/

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 05:24:22 am
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on September 29, 2015, 08:40:06 pmThere are so many. Hell, Michigan; Belchertown, Ma; Big Bone Lick, KY; Beaver Lick, KY; Hookersville, WV; Spread Eagle, WI...

author: Synthetase
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 01:08:34 pm
content: There's a construction company here in Victoria called Hooker Cockram Ltd. They were doing a job not far from my house a few years ago and I chuckled as I walked past the 30 metre pile driver they were using...

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 01:47:03 pm
content: Not so much the name, but the choice of business:There's a split premises (two companies, in one building) near where I live run by a husband and wife. She runs a driving school in one half, in the other half the husband runs a Funeral Service!! I wonder if he considers her business as a supplier?McBryce.

author: redshift
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 02:20:02 pm
content: Experts ExchangePen IslandPompous Ass English Pale AleFat Bastard Wines

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 03:17:58 pm
content: On the subject of unusual place names, we can't forget Dildo, Newfoundland....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dildo,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 03:37:53 pm
content: This thread wouldn't be complete without this one...

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 03:42:08 pm
content: I've seen a cheap power supply from a Chinese company called "Golden Profit Corporation". I have no doubt they have no problems with profits, but why put that in the name?

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 07:56:01 pm
content: Check what's next door to:http://thedick.com.au/on Google streetview

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 08:46:46 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on September 30, 2015, 03:42:08 pmI can guess what the original Chinese for that was, and its an example where things change flavour in translation.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2015, 08:56:51 pm
content: Quote from: mtdoc on September 30, 2015, 03:37:53 pmHey, I know that place. Its not far from Hung Hom train station in Kowloon.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 12:07:16 am
content: What about Assmann, sorry if it's already noted.http://www.assmann-wsw.com/en/Kramer finds them funny anyway

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 12:56:37 am
content: There used to be a restaurant with this name near where I grew up.

author: jobog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 02:53:46 am
content: Quote from: helius on September 30, 2015, 05:24:22 amYou didn't mention that near Intercourse, PA there's a town called Climax. Also, here in Indiana we have French Lick.

author: lwatts666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 03:13:03 am
content: There is a Mr Peter Ness who runs a small Furniture Removal Company not far from my home. Emblazoned down the side of the van is the Company Name "P Ness Removals".

author: chicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 04:31:50 am
content: There were some hippies in California that called their company Apple Computer

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 05:07:27 am
content: And then we have the Danish town Bøgballe which in the neighbouring country Sweden (with very similar languages) means "homosexual penis"....

author: rickselectricalprojects
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 05:47:55 am
content: i am surprised that no one though of banggoodhttp://www.banggood.com/

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 05:59:15 am
content: Try saying the name of this company a few times quickly...http://www.fodderking.com.au/

author: continuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2015, 04:08:38 pm
content: Sliding doors are evil...

author: envisionelec
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2015, 06:29:35 pm
content: Projects Unlimited Inc. (P.U. Inc.)http://www.pui.com/Hughes Peters.http://www.hughespeters.com/

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2015, 07:24:07 pm
content: Picked some of these D'asses up at the Japanese market the other day.

author: N2IXK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2015, 10:18:07 pm
content: We used to have an electrical supply house around here called Vee Dee Electrical Supply.And there is a nearby fastener supplier called Uneeda Screw.

author: Deathwish
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 05:07:48 pm
content: uh huh

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 04:07:44 am
content: There used to be a product for sale called VoltarenAnalgel(from "analgesic" obviously)It is now "Emulgel"!!For many years,a sign on a business near me advertised that they did"Televesion"repairs.I wondered why they didn't have it corrected,but it was memorable,where "Television" wasn't.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 08:43:35 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 12, 2015, 08:15:30 pmThe second one is hilarious. The Japanese text seems to say "Tradefair Eating Area", but obviously their translation server had an error and they thought that the error message was the translationMcBryce.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 08:50:00 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on October 13, 2015, 08:43:35 amThe second one is actually Chinese, and says "Dining room". In this context it actually means a small family run restaurant.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 10:09:31 am
content: Quote from: coppice on October 13, 2015, 08:50:00 amCool, then the text has a almost similar meaning in both languages.McBryce.

author: continuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2015, 02:20:40 pm
content: Misleading thread subjects are dangerous to monitors and keyboards. Almost spit my coffee

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2015, 06:52:23 pm
content: Our factory in Korea used to buy parts from the 'Do One Ohm Resistor Company'. I kid you not!Edit: and of course LG is short for 'Lucky Goldstar'

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2015, 07:01:31 pm
content: Inside old Goldstar TV sets you often found a sticker which said " Lucky HIPS". Prosaically it refers to the parent company of Goldstar and LG - Lucky manufacturing Co, and indicated the casing is made from high impact polystyrene plastic.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2015, 07:11:20 pm
content: Korean Companies are actually very superstitious about good luck (I guess we all are actually). Such things as company names and the ubiquitous wooden pendulum clock in reception.Another example: Sam sung translates as 'Three stars'

author: Sbampato12
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2015, 07:41:26 pm
content: On many invoices (fiscal documents) from Farnell here in brazil, when you bought almost any OpAmp (analogic IC) they came as "XYZ CI ANAL" (CI is portuguese equivalent to IC)... Possibily something about character numbers, but it happened several times...Always made me think all possible jokes...Unfortunatelly Farnell is closing here...

author: Kostas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2015, 08:52:32 pm
content: Bear droppings anyone?

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2015, 11:07:40 am
content: Capacitor manufacturer ->http://www.shinyspace.com/

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2015, 11:56:23 pm
content: http://www.dongenergy.com/enThey're not even Chinese, what's their excuse!

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 12:51:56 am
content: Knowing what industry drives internet traffic, you wonder if Intel was paying homage when they named their 14 nanometer technology CPU, the Braswell.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 06:52:08 am
content: At work we used to have a van that when open spelt "Gay"There was a lot of fuss around a photo that purported to be a train called the flying scotsman that with a door open spelt lying scotman with the picturte of the scottish first minister above it. It came out during the scottish referendum capaign. Apparently while the unfortunate spelling on the train with the door open is true the placement of the picture is not:http://www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/that-alex-salmond-lying-scotsman-train-photo-is-fake#.nwK8Y6A0aQuote from: continuo on October 01, 2015, 04:08:38 pm

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 09:31:03 am
content: Made in Australia.

author: cs.dk
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 11, 2015, 02:51:12 pm
content: Quote from: helius on November 10, 2015, 11:56:23 pmIt's actually a Danish company - It's a short for "Dansk Olie og Natur Gas" = Danish Oil and Natural Gas Energy

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 07:46:10 am
content: Not a company, but a formula/subscription/service:Youtube Red

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 08:06:51 am
content: Frommikeselectricstuff:

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 05:20:35 pm
content: Reminds me of the pathetic emails I get from chinese wholesalers treating electronic components like fashion items telling me they have new hot item in stock for this season bla bla bla.Quote from: amyk on November 13, 2015, 08:06:51 am

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 06:14:41 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on November 13, 2015, 05:20:35 pmMakes me think of all the spam email I am getting recently. Thinking of adding Foxitmail to the always spam list. Almost as bad at spamming as Yahoo, but at least they do not simply forward all email as if it is gospel.Wonder just how big an outlook folder can grow to, I have several 3G stored mail folders on it......... Might even empty deleted items this year, and compact the folder a little. Oldest mail there was migrated from Outlook Express. At home Evolution is starting to be a little memory hog, time to prune it a lot, 2.9Gb in virtual memory. Almost as bad as Firefox.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 08:17:31 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 29, 2015, 01:29:37 pmOr for the next European Delivery.

author: dfmischler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2015, 10:12:19 pm
content: I bought an inner tube for a wheelbarrow tire from the local hardware store. Chinese brand: name was "High Run". I guess that is trying to convey the idea that it is top quality and will last a long time. OMG did it smell bad when I opened the plastic bag holding the tube. I joked with the guys about how bad it would be if Chinese condoms smelled like that, and would you actually put one on if the gov't wouldn't castrate you for having an unlicensed child. Then we started talking about what a Chinese company that made condoms would call itself. We eventually agreed that it would be the "Safe Joy Condom Company"

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 07:14:41 am
content: When I was but a beardless lad at my first job,there was a Car Radiator company diagonally opposite work,called "Tucker & Aurisch".They had double doors,with the Company name in a very nice Cursive font across the pair.At some time, a truck or something had scraped a line on one door,adding a crossbar to the,Capital "T",transforming it to a Capital "F",much to the delight of "the boys"!We were real little turds!

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2015, 08:38:24 am
content: How about this:Quote from: continuo on November 09, 2015, 02:20:40 pmFungus?!?

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 15, 2015, 01:29:04 am
content: Sounds like he needs some...Man Service!

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2015, 03:25:51 am
content: Quote from: Smokey on November 15, 2015, 01:29:04 amIn China MAN has a JV which builds buses with the brand name "Young MAN".

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2015, 01:50:10 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on November 13, 2015, 08:06:51 amTBH I didn't even notice the names - just that there were huge billboards with capacitors on them...

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 07:46:59 am
content: bump...

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 10:02:48 am
content: Clearly from the 1990's, but if you happen to open the doors and take the photo just at the right tongue angle, "ABC News & Current Affairs" takes on a new meaning...The Australian Broadcasting Corporation are known to be a little odd at times.

author: b_force
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 10:40:52 am
content: Athlete's foot.selling sport shoes.eeewwww

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 11:08:48 am
content: Switzerland is absolutely ripe with gems like these:The neighborhoof ofWankdorfin Bern, where thestadiumis, which is where Bern's football club theYoung Boyspractice.The annual jazz and blues festival in Lucerne, theBlue Balls Festival. (note the URL)The Swiss subsidiary of Neutrik rebranded toContrik.And then there's the amazing case of Zurich Airport, which for many years was a source of amusement. Back in the 1990s, some marketing genius decided that "Zurich Airport" wasn't good enough, that it needed abrand. And what they came up with was "Unique". (I shall mention here that their original plan was to roll out the "Unique" brand at airports worldwide...) At this point, English teachers throughout Switzerland groaned, because when Swiss German speakers speak English, they pronounce "unique" as "eunuch".And indeed, for years, the airport announcements in English sounded like "Thank you for flying through Zurich Eunuch Airport". And for years, I thought that was hilarious enough. But it gets better, as I learned later.Like most city airports, Zurich Airport is actually in a suburb. In this case, the town of Kloten. Which means "balls" in Dutch. OK, so now we know it's the wily Dutch that have been taking them off the male passengers. But where to put them? Well, the town of Kloten has three train stations within its borders: Kloten, Zurich Airport, and Kloten Balsberg. You couldn't make this shit up. (It was rebranded to just Zurich Airport a few years ago.)Now, suppose you had wanted to go from the Eunuch Airport down to Lucerne for the Blue Balls Festival? You might want a snack for the road. Back then, the largest grocery chain had a line of convenience food products titled "Plan B" (funny enough already, but I know what they meant), with the individual products having very literal names (like the raspberry sports drink being called "Pink" because of its color). And one of the products was round corn puffs without any distinct flavoring. Their label literally said "Plan BSalty Balls".

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 11:17:11 am
content: Meanwhile, images of the restaurant shown below became some of the internet's earliest viral images. But it's areal placein Lake City, FL (where my grandmother retired to) and I drove past many times. Apparently it's still around, probably thanks to internet infamy and souvenir sales (see image)!

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 11:56:46 am
content: This:

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 01:11:32 pm
content: Just remembered another: my GP. His last name is Loser (pronounced "loh-zer"). His website iswww.drloser.ch(Which I highly recommend you visit and look at the gallery, because the decoration is insane. I describe it as a "cross between your grandma's sitting room and a Las Vegas bordello". The friend who referred me to this doc said it was "as if South Park had Big Gay Al's Big Gay Doctor's Office". And that wasn't enough to prepare me. The flip side: he's the best GP in town, especially for LGBT people.)

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 01:34:25 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on August 31, 2017, 01:11:32 pmWill check this website at home as my company's firewall blocks it for some reason...As for the doctors' names, my dad used to visit one whose last name you could translate as Barelyalive (Ledwo?yw in Polish).

author: dmills
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2017, 09:12:04 pm
content: There used to be a London company specialising in organising high end social events for a certain set, the company name: "Balls to you".

author: sony mavica
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 12:59:48 am
content: the company called STD

author: tombi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 09:24:30 am
content: This is a law firm near Maitland (NSW Australia).http://www.vileandvilelaw.com/

author: Naguissa
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 10:38:37 am
content: An old car called Mitshubishi Pajero. In spanish it means wanker, literally.Enviado desde mi Jolla mediante Tapatalk

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 11:46:10 am
content: Believe it or not, there's actually people paid to check that new car names don't insult in any other language, and yet there are many examples of names that slipped through. The Toyota MR2 didn't go down well in France because MR2 is pronounced "Merde" (Shit) in France.McBryce.

author: Gromitt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 12:03:08 pm
content: Around the beginning of this millennium, Honda introduced a car with the name Fitta. That means c*nt in Swedish. They changed the name to Jazz quite fast.

author: jm_araujo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 01:07:51 pm
content: Quote from: Naguissa on September 01, 2017, 10:38:37 amNot so old, still being produced:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_PajeroIt's sold in Spain as the Montero.In the 70-80's Opel/Vauxhall launched the "Ascona":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Ascona. In Portugal it was renamed to "1604" as "Ascona" reads the same as "Asc*nt" in english, way too close to avoid embarrassment.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 01:36:32 pm
content: Jew's JuiceHow companies come up with this is beyond me.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 01:39:11 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 01, 2017, 01:36:32 pmBecausejew's earis the name of a fungus. It's probably an ingredient.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 01:40:20 pm
content: P.S. "Jew" in the fungus's name is a corruption of Judas, by the way — in German the fungus is calledJudasohren.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 01:59:43 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on September 01, 2017, 01:39:11 pmThe Chinese says black wood ear mushroom cream, and wood ear is one of the names on that Wikipedia page. Its more often known as cloud ear mushroom in Asia. Its popular in Chinese cuisine.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2017, 02:11:45 pm
content: Yep. In culinary use in USA, it's commonly called wood ear mushroom.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 03:39:54 am
content: Not a name on its own - but a company slogan.....Anyone remember this?:

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 09:27:16 am
content: Some German ones:Killtec - An outdoor clothing brandISIS - beauty treatments

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 09:38:59 am
content: Quote from: m98 on September 02, 2017, 09:27:16 amWell part of the proteus pcb software is called ISIS

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 09:45:36 am
content: Quote from: jm_araujo on September 01, 2017, 01:07:51 pmThere's certainly still quite a few Pajeros on the route I take to work... Some Mitsubishi cars tooMcBryce.Gesendet von meinem Motorola DynaTAC 8000x mit Tapatalk

author: vodka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 10:16:13 am
content: "GITANO" = Gipsy

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 10:23:15 am
content: Quote from: Simon on September 02, 2017, 09:38:59 amUntil they changed their name there was also heath care agency in Melbourne called ISIShttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/isis-primary-care-changes-name-over-isis-terror-group-link/news-story/487450da08d79c72afd16a8465976ab1

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 05:46:17 pm
content: I'm working with a industrial supplies company, which goes by the name 'Schad' which also distributes enclosures (German: 'Gehaeuse') from a big manufacturer and modifies them. That's what we buy there.But the term 'Schadgehaeuse' or 'Schad-gehaeuse' also means 'defective enclosure' or 'damaged enclosure'. We have a lot of jokes on them.Another case happened in a project, where a company going by the name 'Stock' was involved. They supplied special peripheral modules both to us and to our customer. For those components and materials, which were already in common use in our production line, we noted under 'source' in the BoMs 'from stock'.One time a representative of our customer called me and complained that 'Stock' does not sell those items!

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 02, 2017, 06:13:52 pm
content: Cisco in Spanish is kinda "in shambles".And not exactly a company name, but Moron AFB does exist. It's in Spain

author: HoracioDos
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2017, 10:29:09 pm
content: Quote from: borjam on September 02, 2017, 06:13:52 pmAt least not in Latin America, in Mexico for example is more like to intimidate or to shame someone in past tense. In vulgar slang way it means to shit in the pants. It's also a short way of Francisco. In the Southern Cone it means nothing at all.

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2017, 11:16:21 pm
content: Until recently our company used a photo ID card printer manufactured by TIT Engineering Co of Korea.http://titeng.tradekorea.com/BTW: Crap quality, don't buy one.We now use a Zebra ID card printer.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 01:04:30 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on September 02, 2017, 03:39:54 amThe story I heard was that WANG Computers had a stand at an Australian trade show. The American salesmen at the show could not understand why every Australian visitor to their stand burst into laughter the moment they saw the "WANG Cares!" lapel buttons the staff were wearing.It's been mentioned before, but I also like TOTAL TOOLS.https://www.totaltools.com.au/storelocator/moorebank

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 02:16:54 am
content: Why would they think Americans wouldn't understand that? Sounds more like "dumb American" stereotyping than anything else...

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 03:49:54 am
content: Boston area: Death Wish Piano Movers.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 05:49:54 am
content: Quote from: tooki on September 05, 2017, 02:16:54 amRight, I'm sure Dr. Wang did it on purpose as an elaborate joke on his shareholders.

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 08:35:10 am
content: Quote from: Simon on September 02, 2017, 09:38:59 amHow about the Philips ISIS "mobile" phone back in the day.There are actually two really different products of Philips with the "ISIS" branding:One is the phone as stated above and the other one is a breast pump.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 10:10:46 am
content: How about a "KID-SEX_CHANGE"

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 10:34:29 am
content: Quote from: bjcuizon on September 05, 2017, 08:35:10 amDon't tell the DHS that Cisco, Juniper and other router vendors are supporting IS-IS for years.Hint: IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System) is a routing protocol often used by carriers/ISPs as IGP.

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 02:23:22 pm
content: Remember that before Isis was, well, what we know now, it was the name of an Egyptian goddessIt was considered a somewhat cool and mysterious name.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 05:02:17 pm
content: So it all depends on what the meaning of IS IS.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 05:22:27 pm
content: Quote from: CatalinaWOW on September 05, 2017, 05:02:17 pm2x International Spacestation's ?

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 05:44:43 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on September 05, 2017, 05:22:27 pmThat would be ISSISS surely?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2017, 05:51:29 pm
content: Oh okSent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 01:44:37 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on September 05, 2017, 10:10:46 amEven the name Kid Exchange is kind of funny. Is that where you bring your kid to trade it in for another?AS for the ISIS phone it has convenient dry contact terminals to hook it up to a detonator. "Be the Hero Allah wants. Order the ISIS phone now, no contract needed!"Not a company name, but saw a septic company once and their phone number was 264-SHIT". I loled so hard when I saw that on the pumper truck.

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 02:48:19 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on September 06, 2017, 01:59:33 amIsn't that a spinoff of 7-eleven?In my previous country, we also had "otso-dose" which means eight-twelve". Its just nearby a 7-eleven store too.

author: basinstreetdesign
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 05:26:25 am
content: Around north Toronto for a while, a tradesman drove a van with the slogan "Don't Get Boned" on it.

author: stmdude
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 06:33:09 am
content: Quote from: Gromitt on September 01, 2017, 12:03:08 pmClose.. It was called the "Honda Fit", but it was still deemed to be too close for comfort.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 09:53:00 am
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on September 06, 2017, 01:44:37 amhttps://youtu.be/OEScCJzY4V4Turn on English captions if you don't speak German.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 11:16:18 am
content: Quote from: stmdude on September 06, 2017, 06:33:09 amThe Toyota MR2 was just known as the Toyota MR in France.MR2 = "Emm Err deux" = "merdeux" = "sh1t"

author: Gromitt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 04:26:25 pm
content: Quote from: stmdude on September 06, 2017, 06:33:09 amNo, it was called Fitta, they changed it to Fit in some markets after they realised what the meening was in some languages.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 09:01:26 pm
content: Quote from: Gromitt on September 06, 2017, 04:26:25 pmThey might as well left it, imagine the marketing slogans:"Small on the outside, roomy on the inside."

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 10:23:20 pm
content: This one isn't the company name, but the logo for the Office of Government Commerce. If you don't get it, try tilting you head to the left or have a readhere.

author: trophosphere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 11:12:07 pm
content: Quote from: Fred27 on September 06, 2017, 10:23:20 pmQuote

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2017, 12:56:23 am
content: Err....what?https://ww2.minicircuits.com/products/Yoni.html

author: X
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2017, 02:50:45 am
content: Quote from: bjcuizon on September 05, 2017, 08:35:10 amI don't think it is fair to count these, as they were probably named after the Ancient Egyptian goddess Isis, long before "ISIS" referred to a bunch of delusional neckbeards going on random beheading/kidnapping/raping sprees while yelling about a law-whack bar.The "funny in another language" ones are a gray area too, since there are so many different languages out there it is very hard to make a name that is guaranteed not to be "funny" to anyone.Quote from: Red Squirrel on September 06, 2017, 01:44:37 amRelated toShitBegone?

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2017, 03:30:30 am
content: Life imitating art.This joke ->became a real product ->https://www.nulon.com.au/products/Aerosols/Start_Ya_Bastard_Instant_Engine_Starter

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2017, 10:21:18 am
content: Here you go:EDIT:Ooops..I just remembered that the title was funny companynamesnot logos.

author: alanb
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 11:57:38 am
content: Just found this one whilst looking at the UK Companies House database;DROP TABLE "COMPANIES";--LTDObviously created by a SQL coder with a sense of humor

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 01:09:25 pm
content: In a town near by there was a fishmonger called "Fisch Umsonst". "Fisch" is the German world for fish, and "Umsonst" is the family name but also an adverb with the meaning of "for free".

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 01:57:32 pm
content: Quote from: alanb on September 13, 2017, 11:57:38 amhttps://xkcd.com/327/

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 02:26:09 pm
content: I used to work for a company namedDouble D Electronics

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 02:47:37 pm
content: Quote from: m98 on September 02, 2017, 09:27:16 amI loathe how "Isis" suddenly has become a naughty word. It's been a well known and used name before the whole angry men thing. I know a girl named Isis. It would be terrible to let them appropriate it. In my eyes, they get to borrow it for a bit at best, but the term is actually something else.

author: stmdude
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 02:51:23 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 13, 2017, 02:47:37 pmI had a cat named Isis. It felt.. wrong.. to go out on the porch to call her in.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 02:55:05 pm
content: Quote from: stmdude on September 13, 2017, 02:51:23 pmIf you're not wearing a funny belt at the same time, you should be fine

author: stmdude
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 03:18:27 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 13, 2017, 02:55:05 pmNope, no funny belts. Just a garage filled with wires, soldering irons and old cellphones...

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 05:41:30 pm
content: I do have another one: The company that I work at (some random defense contractor) does actually have a department named "IS training academy". Go figure.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 05:49:10 pm
content: Quote from: stmdude on September 13, 2017, 03:18:27 pmCool clock, Ahmed!

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2017, 05:50:46 pm
content: Quote from: m98 on September 13, 2017, 05:41:30 pmAt least it's more descriptive than IS NOT training academy.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2017, 02:03:15 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 13, 2017, 02:47:37 pmIt always seems weird to me that a group of extreme Monotheists would use an acronym which was the name of a pagan goddess.Of course, it doesn't have that meaning in Arabic, so maybe it doesn't bother them that non-Arabic speakers read the English version as "ISIS".Apparently even the Arabic acronym Da'esh is frowned on by some in that organisation because the individual words in its derivation can have perjorative meanings.

author: RJFreeman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2017, 03:43:47 am
content: Back in the 80es, Honeywell Information Systems Merged with a French company called "Compagnie des Machines Bull" (and NEC) and over the next few years Honeywell then 'reduced their ownership' (presumably sold their shares) until in 1991 Honeywell Bull was renamed simply:Bull Information systems

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 14, 2017, 04:01:21 am
content: Reminded me of a meeting once where a software salesman was asked a question. They gave a response and then added: "Trust me."The others in the room had various reactions ... and I don't think many were of the trusting type.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2017, 07:04:11 am
content: Quote from: 8086 on September 13, 2017, 02:26:09 pmThere's an organization called DD-WRT that makes router firmware. The "DD" apparently was for "Daily Driver", referencing the time when its main rival OpenWRT didn't have a very good GUI and was thus not good for the average user.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2017, 09:38:12 am
content: Coocheer.Appropriate namefor a boroscope maker?

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 02:53:27 pm
content: A new restaurant just opened here in Perth, with the name "Laputa".I thought it a bit strange, so checked with a Spanish-English translation site.The complete word "Laputa" has no bad connotations, but the separate parts:- "La Puta" translate as"The Whore".

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 09:41:13 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on September 16, 2017, 02:53:27 pmSee Gulliver's Travels or the Hayao Miyazaki movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky, which adopts ideas from Swift.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2017, 10:59:08 pm
content: Once I looked out of curiosity for commercial representations of the family name 'Wutz' (Southern German for Pig, Hog). Most occupations yielded ONE, if any. To my great astonishment, there are THREE electrical contractors.http://www.wutzgmbh.de/http://www.elektro-wutz.de/http://www.elektrowutz.de/index.htmlMade me think! There might be a connection to our receptacles, though!

author: Sal Ammoniac
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 12:11:39 am
content: Bullshift Transmissions

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 06:36:22 am
content: surnames in the UK can be interesting, met a guy called Prat and a young lady and her father that went by the name of Caunt.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 08:12:25 am
content: Quote from: Simon on September 19, 2017, 06:36:22 amI met a guy from the UK called Dick Woodcock. If I were him I would have changed my name. There's also a Gynocologist near my parents called John Dick and his son is also in the same business and called John Dick Junior.McBryce.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 08:58:02 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on September 19, 2017, 08:12:25 amKnew a guy at school with the surname Seaman but who's parents had the laack of foresight to name him Richard. Apparently he changed his name by deed poll pretty much as soon as he was able.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 10:52:32 am
content: Quote from: Simon on September 19, 2017, 06:36:22 amOh, it happens everywhere. Back when I worked at a company whose customers were 90% in Germany, I had one customer whose name was Frau Fick (noun, "fuck") and there was also Herr Mitesser (noun, medical,"blackhead")!

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 11:19:14 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on September 19, 2017, 08:12:25 amAs well as some fairly common Dyer surnames in the UK, you get lots of instances of parents messing up a perfectly good surname, as an old coworker Rick Shaw found.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 03:06:03 pm
content: Parents have funny senses of humor. I have known two different individuals named Richard Hymen. Both went by the familiar form Dick.Sometimes it is just a matter of pronunciation. There are two obvious choices for the very common surname Braswell (also spelled Brasswell). The ones I know personally insist on the pronunciation that doesn't sell lingerie.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 05:10:46 pm
content: Hancock is reasonably common in the UK, easily misinterpreted.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 06:44:49 pm
content: I know a Rick Shaw......Have also ridden in them as well.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2017, 09:10:46 pm
content: I remember an engineer from the UK who bears the family name 'Quirk'. I really don't know what made him take up a technical profession and how he managed to get through his studies and early working years.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 04:45:23 am
content: Michael Hunt Co.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 04:57:48 am
content: Quote from: Neomys Sapiens on September 19, 2017, 09:10:46 pmI know an English expat here whose last name is Quirke!

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 07:14:15 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on September 20, 2017, 01:35:00 amIs she Asian? Many Asians have problems pronouncing English words...McBryce.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 08:24:48 am
content: A Freudian Slip perhaps?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freudian_slipMcBryce.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 11:48:27 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on September 20, 2017, 08:24:48 amour politicians keep making those, so do journalists particularly when it comes to saying "jeremy hunt"

author: alanb
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 12:59:58 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on September 20, 2017, 11:48:27 amBest example of this was the James Naughtie interview on Radio4 Today program with Jeremy Hunthttps://youtu.be/YS5mVoqJpUk

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 05:40:41 pm
content: aw naughtie (naughty) James

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 07:37:24 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on September 19, 2017, 10:52:32 aman old family name in my hometown was "Sborra" (a worse term for semen)as far as i know there are no males with that surname anymore and the last person i knew who had that name was one of my friend's grandmother

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 09:10:00 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on September 20, 2017, 11:48:27 amOur politicians sometimes say funny things too.http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/liberals-squirm-as-abbott-refers-to-the-suppository-of-wisdom-20130812-2rryy.html

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 10:37:33 pm
content: that made the news here

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2017, 11:51:06 pm
content: Quote from: alanb on September 20, 2017, 12:59:58 pmGermaine Greer quipped that this was a miss-appellation of Jeremy Hunt as, "He has neither the warmth nor the depth to be a...".

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 21, 2017, 07:34:34 am
content: hahaha, good one

author: Bubba
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 24, 2017, 04:49:44 pm
content: Back in the late 80's early 90's I worked in the office of a Labor pool.We would send workers to OT Carter that were to report to a Gentleman named Elmo Gross.On occasion he would need help for his own side work which he had our companybill him through OT Carter under the company name ofGross Erections.

author: garboui
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2018, 08:42:58 pm
content: Depending on traffic I end up driving past this place from time to time and every time it gets me.<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1515271272527!6m8!1m7!1sIY_WSScDRk6L82PuCqlbLA!2m2!1d43.57647989965762!2d-79.55955599828472!3f37.41715545892963!4f-4.573200020400975!5f0.7820865974627469" width="600" height="450" frameborder="0" style="border:0" allowfullscreen></iframe>https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.5764799,-79.559556,3a,75y,37.42h,85.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIY_WSScDRk6L82PuCqlbLA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 03:32:56 am
content: My wife knows a woman whose first name from birth is Lovely. She married a gentleman with the last name of Butts. 'nuff said. You can't make this stuff up.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 03:36:47 am
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on January 07, 2018, 03:32:56 amI can't imagine that not causing issues when applying for all kinds of stuff, like permits and subscriptions.

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 09:36:15 am
content: I knew of a family whose surname was Motor, they seriously called their children, Petrol, Electric, Starter. What were they thinking (or smoking)!

author: meeder
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 10:34:29 am
content: In the Netherlands there is a company whose main business is transportation of manure...The URL of the website:https://www.shitgroup.nl

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 01:23:35 pm
content: reminds me of a newish australian company called "Who gives a crap":https://au.whogivesacrap.org/they unsurprisingly make toilet roles with a twist.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 01:28:33 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on January 07, 2018, 03:32:56 amWell it was once said in a group of friends that I could never marry one of the girls as it would make her a "Paige Turner" not that I was at all interested in here anyway so we are safe there

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 02:09:19 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 07, 2018, 01:28:33 pmShe is a patient where my wife works. My wife says she has a very good sense of humor over her name. There are a few patients with odd names that she has told me over the years but Lovely is the only one that I can remember. The funny thing here is that part of my wife's family don't use their first names. My wife, her 2 daughters and my wife's brother all go by their middle names. It is a standing joke that everyone is in the witness protection program.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2018, 02:41:04 pm
content: On the subject of odd given name/surname pairings I offer the following:Back in the day, a friend of mine, Dave, worked in the local DHSS office. One of their clients was a Miss Balls (a not uncommon English surname). Her parents had decided to christen her Ofelia.I used to know a family that went by the surname Snow. There were three children. The eldest was a handsome lass called Winter, then another very pretty girl called Angel and the youngest was a boy called Crispin. I used to keep an eye on the local paper for a report of latter killing his parents in bed one night.

author: AtLarge
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 01:29:48 am
content: I wear mine proudly every day.www.dickies.com

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 05:20:28 am
content: House of HoseIt's in Salt Lake City, UtahIt's funny because at first i read it as House of Hoes.Salt Lake City has more nude strip clubs per square mile than any other city in the USA.And that is funny because Salt Lake City is made up mostly of Mormon people.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 09:46:42 am
content: Hiscox Commercial Insurance?Tim

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 11:08:46 am
content: Found a hilarious one in a Youtube video about Japan:Starvations, a children's clothing store.That entire channel is great, it's about living in Japan, not just shitty translations.

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 12:26:54 pm
content: https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/169-171+Northbourne+Rd,+Campbellfield+VIC+3061/@-37.6486971,144.9631237,3a,50.2y,185.42h,92.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCXfBigo0-fo42vsz8X4D_w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x6ad64fd676119723:0xb92cd804686cf601!8m2!3d-37.648908!4d144.962955

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 07:15:40 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on January 07, 2018, 02:09:19 pmAre you married to my best friend's sister? I'll never forget when I first met him, back in 7th grade, and the first time I went to his house. When we met, he introduced himself as John. I go to his house, his mom and sisters are all calling him Greg. Turns out his Dad is also John, but they have different middle names, so they used middle names to be sure they were talking to the right person. And one of his sister also went by her middle name at home, because her first name was the same as her Mom's.

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 07:32:04 pm
content: I once had a dot matrix printer made by ODC: the "One Day Corporation"

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 08, 2018, 09:49:16 pm
content: A company that sold lemon 'cider' , 'Two Dogs'.

author: Sal Ammoniac
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2018, 12:01:36 am
content: Quote from: Simon on September 19, 2017, 06:36:22 am

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 09, 2018, 12:17:26 am
content: Not a company but institute. I have a one device laying around made by them.http://www.vsegei.ruRussian speakers may have a good laugh. If translated, it's called "Allgays".

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2018, 08:33:56 am
content: Quote from: rrinker on January 08, 2018, 07:15:40 pmThat's quite common in some countries. Americans tend to go for "Junior" if the father/son names are the same, but other countries choose the middle name. I have the same name as my father, but not even my best friends know that, they've always known me by my middle name instead. The only time it gets noticed is when I travel or book flights, because my passport (and flight ticket) have to have my real name.McBryce.

author: julianhigginson
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2018, 10:17:33 am
content: The first time I saw the sign for this place I laughed for a while..https://www.yellowpages.com.au/nsw/ashfield/unlimited-head-jobs-13074513-listing.html

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2018, 11:30:02 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on January 12, 2018, 11:08:43 amBoulevard doesn't mean road. It's a type of road. A boulevard is a wide often tree lined road which is the main route through a city.McBryce.

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2018, 01:41:24 pm
content: Yeah but Boulevard Street is just silly. And there seems to also be one in Shreveport Louisiana as well as Atlanta Georgia.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2018, 01:47:21 pm
content: Quote from: rrinker on January 12, 2018, 01:41:24 pmI didn't say it not a stupid name for a road, just that it doesn't mean roadMcBryce.

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2018, 01:59:51 pm
content: Quote from: McBryce on January 09, 2018, 08:33:56 amIt's technically not Junior/Senior/whatever unless the father and son have the same first AND middle names. Or for a "the Second" or "The Third" for skipped generations, unless the full names match. Never looked in to if that was a legal thing or just common convention.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2018, 02:23:44 pm
content: Shiny Box Microphhones

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2018, 11:00:35 am
content: Not electronics related, but there's a business around here who's vans I see from time to time called 'Total Meat Supplies'. Their slogan is 'We'll Meat Your Needs'.

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2018, 12:18:52 pm
content: Quote from: Richard Crowley on January 12, 2018, 02:23:44 pmCan't fine any web reference but reminds me of some pcb I saw in 1989 that was made by Shiny Space Ohm.

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2018, 04:20:39 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on September 20, 2017, 01:35:00 ammaybe she mean:

author: andrescastro
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 10:47:47 am
content: Not sure, but try inwww.hornibrooks.com.au, bunnings, or gumtree.

author: Naguissa
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 11:07:02 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on September 20, 2017, 01:35:00 amI remember an anecdote on a university:One professor said that semen was full of sugar.Then one woman, attendant, said: then, why it tastes salty?Just after this she realized and blushed. While she was getting off class embarrased professor said: that's because swweet papilas are in front of tongue and salty ones are in the back....

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 12:00:18 pm
content: ...

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 12:46:44 pm
content: Quote from: Naguissa on May 03, 2018, 11:07:02 amThat whole "taste zones on the tongue" theory has been discredited since hasn't it?McBryce

author: Naguissa
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 12:48:09 pm
content: Quote from: McBryce on May 03, 2018, 12:46:44 pmIDK, I'm informatic, not biologist...

author: meeko
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 01:32:08 pm
content: Fluke Transportation Group. Their slogan is, "If it's on-time... it's a Fluke!"flukeflo͞ok/￼noununlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck.Yeah...

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 09:11:33 pm
content: Today we got to know that the notorious Cambridge Analytica of the recent Facebook controversy has shutdown...only to reborn again with a new name: Emerdata.That tells at least one thing: in their marketing/branding team they don't have any French or Italian staff, or somebody would have cautioned them against using a company name that sounds like Itsshitty

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 09:54:40 pm
content: Quote from: bitwelder on May 03, 2018, 09:11:33 pmAnd lends itself naturally to calling them EnemaData...

author: Naguissa
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2018, 10:41:15 pm
content: Quote from: bitwelder on May 03, 2018, 09:11:33 pmAdd catalan, portuguese and gaelican to the list.., even spanish more or less...,

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2018, 10:36:37 pm
content: Quote from: bitwelder on May 03, 2018, 09:11:33 pmEven Toyota knew to release the MR2 in France just as the MR

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2018, 11:12:43 pm
content: My favourite is the British (now International) bookmaking company Ladbrokes!

author: glarsson
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2018, 11:20:17 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on May 12, 2018, 10:36:37 pmHonda planned to release the Honda Fit/Jazz with a different name. They changed their mind when the promotional materials they sent out was met with protests from Sweden.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2018, 02:59:46 am
content: Have an old invoice from a jeweller in Hong Kong airport, Fook jewellers. Was for a ring my father bought in 1981 during a trip to Japan.

author: kj7e
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2018, 08:06:01 pm
content: Very appropriately named;https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/

author: RJFreeman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 05:24:22 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 12, 2018, 11:12:43 pmI thought that was just truth in advertising (for a change)

author: PeterL
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 08:09:38 am
content: Reminds me of joke I read some 20 years ago:QuoteNow looking at the Windows logo, I wonder if it's going to be a diamond shape in the next iteration.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2018, 03:15:31 am
content: Say it three times quickly...

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2018, 12:38:20 pm
content: DanDong Bettersize(they've since dropped the DanDong)Sod It LLCSimply BollocksWanker's Corner(This is like looking up rude words in the dictionary.)

author: OE2WHP
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2018, 01:54:21 pm
content: Mitsubishi called one of their cars "Pajero" from the Leopardus pajeros (south american mountain cat).Needless to say that this model was not exactly a high runner in SpainDictionary says:Pajero  Que se masturba con frecuencia.Pajero  That masturbates frequently.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2018, 05:00:03 pm
content: Quote from: OE2WHP on May 17, 2018, 01:54:21 pmThat car seems to have a different name in each market - Pajero, Montera, Shogun. etc.

author: hackinblack
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2018, 05:34:12 pm
content: The first of many times i drove through France, i passed a hotel after a vandal;with a sense of humour.the huge sign on the side said ' Hotel Premier ass ' he smashed the C off the front and the E off the end.(Hotel Premier Classe)In tenerife we saw coffee called 'chitti' (shitty)..AND IT WAS!we had a parcel delivered (badly) by a company called TransHit; their sticky tape around the mangled box read 'TRANSHIT'my ex-wife went to school with a girl called Theresa Green; spoken in her 100mph Liverpool accent 'treesa-green'.my son noticed a T-Shirt in a supermarket trying to copy the group 'backstreet boys' logo...unfortunately 'Back Side Boys'...?that's what happens when someone who 'thinks' they can speak english orders crap from china!

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2018, 08:01:00 pm
content: FeelTechFeelElec

author: JohnMc
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2018, 11:30:55 pm
content: Was at a trade show over the weekend and discovered there is a company in China that makes Milling machines called Threeway.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2018, 07:37:33 am
content: Quote from: JohnMc on May 20, 2018, 11:30:55 pmI suggested a "Threeway Mill" to the wife last night. She was even less enthusiastic about it than my other equipment purchase ideas.McBryce.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 01:07:45 am
content: I'm not sure what a dick blick is, but it sure looks crafty...https://www.dickblick.com/

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 02:17:05 am
content: Fun fact, the domain "threesome.com" is for sale for a whopping 240 000 USD.

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 02:33:32 am
content: How aboutSick USA?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 02:36:16 am
content: Quote from: bsfeechannel on March 27, 2020, 02:33:32 amHahah, "SICK smart sensors". Now that's a really sick name.

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 03:08:15 am
content: Whenever I have some problem with my car, I always take it toFucks Car. They're the best.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2020, 05:21:39 am
content: I still snicker every time I drive past Tacoma Screw and they've been there for years.

author: mcovington
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 12:56:33 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on October 02, 2012, 11:59:53 amWhen speaking English, I am always careful to pronounce Siemens correctly as Zeemans.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 02:32:46 am
content: Some years back, a panelbeater in my suburb, by the name of Hans, had a business called "Hans-on panel repair"In the next industrial unit was a car exhaust company called "Butts-0n exhaust systems"!No doubt just a coincidence.

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2020, 11:57:42 am
content: A Chinese lithium battery supplier called Ultra Fire

author: tychegulfoil01
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 15, 2021, 10:55:46 am
content: Edited by moderator:Tyche Gulf is a company who likes to spam forums and its customers. As such, this post has been modified by a moderator to point out this dodgy behaviour so it may continue to live in Google results. So if you want to deal with a company with dodgy business practices, Tyche Gulf is your answer! Also, the representative from this company has also been banned from this forum.

author: joseph nicholas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2021, 10:31:34 pm
content: There's a Chinese restaurant in Plaza Atlixco, in Mexico called "Long Dong". When I saw it I posted a picture here.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2021, 11:10:53 pm
content: Quote from: joseph nicholas on May 15, 2021, 10:31:34 pmPro tip:Order the salad.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2021, 11:35:30 pm
content: Got a Lemon?Lemonaid Healthadvertises widely for pills to treat ED (https://www.lemonaidhealth.com/drug/viagra-compare?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMzXwezM8AIVvfLjBx2nbgArEAAYASAAEgLwTvD_BwE).Company profile:https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/122106-43#overviewIt seems to have 3 physicians in staff. None are urologists. It does not take insurance.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 12:53:44 am
content: Quote from: joseph nicholas on May 15, 2021, 10:31:34 pmFYI "Long" is a dragon, "Dǒng" is supervisor or manager, so "Long Dong" roughly translates as "Dragon Master" or "Dragon Tamer".

author: WattsThat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 02:28:36 am
content: Not a company but business name as seen in Washington DC some years back.Dr. E. F. Korn, Podiatrist

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 03:05:40 am
content: Quote from: bsfeechannel on March 27, 2020, 03:08:15 am"Fuchs" is a legitimate motor oil supplier, & the business in the pic seems to have stolen their logo complete, except for changing the spelling.Fuching scumbags!

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 03:08:48 am
content: A veteran Brit test equipment manufacturer, who are no longer around, rejoiced in the name "Wayne Kerr".

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 01:04:55 pm
content: Call Bill for your electrical needs!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 01:06:10 pm
content: https://holysheet.com.au/

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 01:17:29 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 16, 2021, 01:06:10 pmAccess denied for mere mortals? (from a German IP address at least).McBryce.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 01:26:34 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 16, 2021, 03:08:48 amThe computer company Wang once had a slogan "Wang Cares".

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 01:52:03 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 16, 2021, 03:08:48 amGuess what?!!http://www.waynekerrtest.com/index.phpI used one of their bridges many moons ago to measure conductance which, of course, has the most appropriate units.

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 06:46:21 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 16, 2021, 03:05:40 amFuck and Fucks, which in the local pronunciation rhyme with book and books, is a surname in Brazil. In the local language, Portuguese, Fuck and Fucks mean nothing. So, several companies were established with that name. Like this car dealer, called Fuck Fiat.I think they were prophesying the coming of crypto, or something.But with the advent of the Internet, where information is globalized, we are seeing a tendency to change those names for something more palatable. Except forthis guy, I guess.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 07:34:43 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 16, 2021, 03:05:40 amAs their central administration is local to my place, they are well known here. But their logo is different.https://www.fuchs.com/de/de/

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2021, 11:27:38 pm
content: Quote from: Neomys Sapiens on May 16, 2021, 07:34:43 pmYeah,-----my bad!I misremembered the origin of that logo----on reflection, it was, in West Oz, that of Marlows, a now defunct autio parts supplier.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2021, 05:50:10 am
content: I saw a large truck in the Boston area decades ago: DEATH WISH PIANO MOVERS

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2021, 09:33:32 pm
content: Quote from: jh15 on May 26, 2021, 05:50:10 amYou mean these guys? Still in business:https://www.deathwishpiano.com/

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2021, 09:59:27 pm
content: How about WHO?

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2021, 10:39:39 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on May 29, 2021, 09:59:27 pmGreat rock band.

author: JohnMc
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2021, 12:29:15 am
content: Not a company but a school. Bangkok business college. Had to chuckle every time I would see any of the young ladies in there shirts that readBBC College.

author: rfclown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2021, 03:01:32 am
content: When visiting my mom I saw an ad for a Thai restaurant. Phuket Thai Restaurant and Sushihttps://www.phuketexperience.com/

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2021, 12:45:24 pm
content: Quote from: rfclown on May 30, 2021, 03:01:32 amThe holiday resort of Phuket is pronounced poo-ket. Its not really that much better than the way most westerners scan the name.

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 12:26:10 am
content: United Nations...

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 01:59:28 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on May 26, 2021, 05:50:10 amThis obviously brings to mind the classic "dropping a piano on someone from an upper storey" trope.Something very similar happened back in the '80s.We had a couple of specialists over from the USA when we moved the Earth Station at my old work from across the road to just next door to the TV studio.One of these blokes had an interesting story about something that happened in a city in the USA.It's years ago, so if he mentioned which one, I've long forgotten.A company had an Earth Station on the roof of a multi-storey building.For some reason, they wanted to move it from one side of the roof to another, & requested a quote for the job from our storyteller's employer.On seeing the quote, the "bean counters" threw up their hands in dismay, & resolved to find a cheaper option.They found "Fly by night Earth Station movers", or something of that nature, who set out to do the job.Amazingly they moved the dish OK, and proceeded to move the "hut" with all the electronics.They were sure they could move it without removing the heavy bits, & save time & money, so set to with a will.A bit of background, the transmitter part of these Earth Stations has a very PA section, with integrated power supply.This is mounted on rollers for ease of maintenance.When in service, the assembly is held in place by quite light latches which are just to stop it moving slightly over time.The hut was lifted successfully, & swung out over the side of the building in order to reach the new position.At this point, bad things started to happen-----the hut tilted, under gravity, the PA rolled out of its cabinet, ripping off both latches & wiring, making short work of the door, & plummeted to the street below.From pure good luck, no one was hurt, but there was a lot of damage done.Paying for this,plus follow up mental care for the people who were subject to this "near miss", & buying a new PA, made it a very expensive exercise, indeed!

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 03:53:02 am
content: A sushi bar near me named "Yuki Sushi". Obviously correctly pronounced you-key, but another pronunciation is obvious. One of those failures to cross language barriers like the Chevy Nova.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 06:43:48 am
content: Quote from: CatalinaWOW on May 31, 2021, 03:53:02 amYuki means snow. It is also sometimes a nickname for girls called Yukari. But it is pronounced Yuki, not you-key.McBryce.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 08:13:27 am
content: There was a "sole trader" in Perth called "Long Hung"----fortunate chap!He wasn't as fortunate as the car mechanic, "Mr Tripenis", however.Getting away from vulgarity, there was the other chap,"HamHing"--- I often wordered what his hobby was!Not a company name but funny nonetheless ----the bloke whose phone book entry was "A.Slob".

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 08:24:23 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on May 31, 2021, 06:43:48 amSo how does one pronounce Yuki correctly? I can puzzle out phonetic markings or use crude representations like I did.For an American speaker of English yuckee is a likely pronunciation, and is less appealing than snow as a food descriptor.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 09:45:33 am
content: Yes, it's more or less pronounced like a child would describe food they don't like: Yukky!McBryce.

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2021, 11:26:24 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 31, 2021, 08:13:27 amMr Harold Albert Ha's phone book entry?

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2021, 03:16:53 am
content: BEAVER LIQUORS !!!How about 'BRUNETTE LIQUORS' !...My (favorite) brother-in-law requested I send him a coffee cup just like mine.'Brunette Liquors', Hayward California (printed on the plastic coffee cup.)

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2021, 04:29:18 am
content: Quote from: RJHayward on June 07, 2021, 03:16:53 amI recall reading telegrams at a wedding. One conveyed best wishes from the 'lick-her' association.Oh my.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 08, 2021, 03:05:45 am
content: Quote from: CatalinaWOW on May 31, 2021, 03:53:02 amWe have one of those here in central Flori-DUH.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2021, 03:52:26 am
content: The SMELLY DELI was pretty cute / PG rated

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2021, 11:45:07 pm
content: ? Can we open subject, to further include names, of people in some work capacity?...How about 'Mrs. Due': Longtime Attendant for local library.Also, I got 'Catherine Sheets': 3-star Hotel Manager of...you guessed it: housekeeping staff.God, I'm seeing wacky names all over the place, now.)thanks, Ed)

author: TheBay
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 19, 2021, 12:05:14 am
content: My friend moved to Germany (Heidelberg) and bought his car from here:https://www.bmw-cuntz.de/de/home/#

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2021, 12:43:07 am
content: https://www.blmworld.com/I came across this one lately, and it would not have caught my attention if it weren't for recent events.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2021, 02:34:31 am
content: Quote from: TheBay on June 19, 2021, 12:05:14 amI think their whole extended family is in this line of business.I bought a car from one of them.

author: duckduck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2021, 02:04:52 am
content: URREA Professional Toolshttps://www.amazon.com/stores/page/231ACF0F-08BE-4078-874C-92826B368EDD

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2021, 07:44:31 pm
content: Logan's Heroeshttps://www.logansheroes.net/Sandwich shop I saw driving through Utah back in the day. I bet most people don't even get the joke anymore.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2021, 09:41:33 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on July 01, 2021, 07:44:31 pmI know nuffing.

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2021, 10:36:24 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on July 01, 2021, 07:44:31 pmOur family is currently watching that show twice a week. We are up to season 2 episode 9.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 01:18:48 pm
content: Quote from: CatalinaWOW on 2021-05-31, 09:24:23As McBryce wrote, this "yuki" would probably mean snow, Hiragana spelling ゆき, Kanji 雪, IPA .The Japanese sound system is way more streamlined than that of English or German. The resulting "crispness" makes spoken Japanese quite easy to understand, even if you take local dialects into account.The "Yukky" used by McBryce in his last post is a bit problematic, since it introduces a glottal stop before the ki-mora and shifts the  towards , and is therefore quite far from the original pronunciation.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Japanesehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_phonologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language#Vowelshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel_diagramEdit: had to correct my brackets...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet#Brackets_and_transcription_delimiters

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 01:31:46 pm
content: Quote from: harerod on July 02, 2021, 01:18:48 pmI think the problem is that you are pronouncing "Yukky" as it would be pronounced in German, whereas it has a commonly known pronunciation in English (the word small children use to describe something that doesn't taste good), which is the pronunciation I was trying to convey.McBryce.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 02:37:56 pm
content: McBryce, help me out and put that "yukky" of yours in IPA, please.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 02:43:53 pm
content: Quote from: McBryce on July 02, 2021, 01:31:46 pmNo, it's quite the opposite. If you speak "yukky" it as it would be pronounced in English, you get the Japanese pronounciaton wrong. If you pronounce the "u" the German way, you get much closer.harerod has provided the phonetic alphabet (IPA) transcription for the vowel you want. Please see (and hear) here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_back_unrounded_vowel

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 03:25:37 pm
content: In the "Hepburn romaji" transliteration of Japanese into the Roman alphabet, the rules for vowels are often stated: "pronounce all vowels as in Italian". (It would be a horrible specification to pronounce all vowels as in English.) Before understanding that, I once asked for a can of "Calpis", a dairy-flavored soft drink, pronouncing "a" as in apple and "i" as in "idiot", and the Japanese store clerk could not understand me. I had much better luck with "a" and "i" as in "pizza".

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 04:56:34 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on July 02, 2021, 02:43:53 pmOk, then the problem is my (non)-english accent. I come from Dublin, where "u" is pronounced exactly the same as it is in German. I know the British "u" sounds completely different. So "but" in British english sounds more like "bat", but in Dublin is has the "u" sound as it would in German.As for IPA* and other phonetic descriptive formats, I have never understood them!McBryce.* IPA for me is Polypropylene

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2021, 06:31:33 pm
content: TimFox, "Calpis"/カルピス is a great example. Due to the current plight, I haven't been to Japan since 2019. While I try to keep the kanji in memory and review their various readings, I remember things that I mispronounced while talking to people. Some of those mistakes could have been taken as rather offensive.O'Bryce, excellent excuse. In deference to your native accent, you are hereby officially permitted to fly the German flag under your name. As for IPA, maybe we should start a thread about homographs among TLAs.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2021, 07:59:09 am
content: Well I've lived in Germany for many years, so the flag is where I am, not where I'm from. As for Japanese, I only spent a few years there and other than recognising the road signs of certain cities, I never really learnt to read it. My pronunciation seemed ok though as I was understood most of the time.McBryce.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2021, 09:13:14 am
content: McBryce: Living and working in Japan? Now I am a wee bit jealous.CatalinaWOW: There is one important link that I forgot before:https://translate.google.de/?sl=ja&tl=en&text=%E9%BB%84%E8%89%B2%E3%81%AE%E9%9B%AA%E3%81%AF%E9%A3%9F%E3%81%B9%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82&op=translateGoogle Translate has a reader function, with what seems to be a Tokyo accent. The handwriting recognition is excellent, especially if one sticks to the standard stroke order.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 12:54:23 pm
content: Quote from: McBryce on July 02, 2021, 04:56:34 pmIndia Pale Ale or Isopropanol. But Polypropylene? why?

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 01:02:04 pm
content: Doh! Because my brain was on standby and I had just been discussing PP at workI meant Isopropanol.McBryce.

author: peteru
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 01:54:46 pm
content: While on the way to Belgium (for a beer tour of course), I spotted this car in a German car park:

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 02:25:15 pm
content: reminds me of this old storyAn old raf veteran was giving a talk during assembly at a posh girl's school, and was recounting one of the many dogfights he took part in during world war 2"I had two fuckers to the left of me, two fuckers to the right, another two fuckers below, and one fucker coming in from the sun"At this point the headmistress went pale and interjected "I must inform you girls that there is a type of aircraft called a fokker spelled f-o-k-k-e-r"raf veteran replied "That may be true madam but these fuckers were in messerschmitts""

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 04:08:34 pm
content: Quote from: peteru on July 05, 2021, 01:54:46 pmWhich is pronounced "fycker", due to the umlaut dots. So Germans, even those who know English, won't raise an eyebrow at this.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 05:25:49 pm
content: When reading the classic "On the Sensations of Tone as a Physiological Basis for the Theory of Music" ("Die Lehre von den Tonempfindungen als physiologische Grundlage für die Theorie der Musik"), by Hermann von Helmholtz (1863), I was very impressed by his early work on synthesizing musical notes, since he adjusted his apparatus to produce German vowel sounds, which I could never do properly in German class.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 05:54:23 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on July 05, 2021, 04:08:34 pmAn English speaker won't understand the "y" in "Fycker", they would read that like the German "Feiker". For English ears/readers it would be "Fou-ker".McBryce.

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 07:01:10 pm
content: I was always taught that an U with an Umlaut was to be prounced somewhere in-between "EW" and "OO"; so somewhere betweenFOOKER and FEWKER in English, but not as a "y" in English (german EI sound)Was I led astray by poor teaching?

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 07:03:26 pm
content: The IPA transcription of "Fücker": .  would sound unnatural to most German native speakers, at least in the south. We have lots of accents and dialects in this country.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Standard_German is used to transcribe umlaut ü./er/ at word ending is often reduced into , an effect similar to the schwa-sound in English - .As for ebastler's "won't raise an eyebrow at this" - that depends pretty much on the mental age of the reader...

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 07:21:38 pm
content: boffin, have a look at this:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_German_phonology, especially the vowel diagram.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel_diagramThe vowel diagram shows the position of the blade of the tongue during sound production. The history of the first vowel diagram tells of sacrifices comparable to what the Curies did. When this research was first done, MRI was not available. So volunteers had several pieces of metal sewn to their tongues to enable x-ray photography and movies to be taken, while they spoke.Edit: if one wanted to investigate further, the name "Daniel Jones" would provide a good starting point.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_vowels<- check x-ray pictures to see the metal strips.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 08:15:14 pm
content: Quote from: boffin on July 05, 2021, 07:01:10 pmI wasn't thinking of the long "y", but a short one like in "mystery" or "cyst". But I realize now that this does not get the right "ü" sound. The English pronouciation of that short "y" is much closer to a short "i" like in "picture" or "minion" than what we want for the "ü".I guess there is a reason the the "ü" and "ö" are difficult for English speakers; there is no directly equivalent sound in English. "EW" or "OO" don't cut it either, I'm afraid.There are plenty of sites with pronounciation examples these days, e.g. here:https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/dr%C3%BCcken. But if one is not used to the sound, it might be difficult to pick up the difference even from listening? (Just like it is difficult for Germans to get the English "W" or "TH" sounds initially...)Edit: To offer another take on the "ü" sound: It is somewhere halfway between "eee" and "ooo" (as pronounced in English). Raise your tongue towards the roof of your mouth as when pronouncing "beetle", but round your lips as you would when pronouncing "boot". That should get you in the ballpark?

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2021, 09:57:57 pm
content: Every time I write "per se", I cannot help but giggle a bit. You see, Finnish "perse" = "arse" (in English). I've hidden several dad jokes in my posts for those who know that to discover. No laughs yet, though.

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 04:35:46 am
content: One of these just opened a location near me. They have lasers. They shoot the lasers at your privates. pew .. pew .. pew.Are you ready for a visit? Schedule with your friendly neighbourhood vagicians.I don't know, but when I was growing up if someone said they were visiting their friendly neighbourhood vagician I would have an entirely different service in mind.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 05:59:36 am
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on July 05, 2021, 09:57:57 pmErr, I enjoy reading your posts because of the insights they contain. So, to get those jokes - would one have to know Finnish?

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 06:26:13 am
content: Quote from: harerod on July 06, 2021, 05:59:36 amNo, just that sometimes replacing the term "per se" (by itself/in itself) with "arse" may make sense, in the dad joke style. (Including, it is never used offensively, and any deprecation hidden in there is self-deprecation and shared misery. Dads don't belittle kids, they help them grow into dads too.)You do realize that having to explain ones jokes that nobody laughs at, is per se a dad joke?The only immediately helpful Finnish term that anyone might care to know that pops into my mind is the wordperkele. The next time you stub your toe or something, let those hard r's roll with that sharp k immediately following – [ˈperrrr kele], and you'll find it helps deal with the sudden sharp pain. Tests do indicate that pain threshold is higher when you get to use such 'words of power', compared to when you stay silent or just yell non-words, and among my admittedly small international sample, that word has particularly good characteristics for exactly that use.[Lots of edits, because me fail English, and getting the wording even in the correct ballpark is hard. Finnish is so much easier...]

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 07:27:16 am
content: Out of context, I would have bet that "perkele" was Greek. Thanks, again what learned.Finnish being easier than English? "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"I'll put Finnish is on my bucket list, right after Japanese, Hebrew and Oromo.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 09:38:12 am
content: Forgot to mention: part of the funnyness to me is that the Finnish word for family, "perhe", is only very slightly different: replace the sibilant with an exhalation, and that's it. Also works for a kid-friendly expletive, you see.Quote from: harerod on July 06, 2021, 07:27:16 amOnly because I grew up with it, of course. It has its beautiful features like all languages have.. Tolkien for example liked thephonotactics, and used those to create Quenya.I myself don't often speak English aloud at all. I read a lot, and use it in very narrow technical contexts, but outside of entertainment (mostly Youtube, old comedies et cetera), nothing "social". About the opposite to majority of English speakers, I guess. Some of the issues and errors I make are justto native speakers. Although I almost never confuse then/than or they/their/they're (except as typos), so it is not that I make fewer errors, mine are justdifferent. For example, at one point I realized my pronounciation had degraded so much (due to lack of use) that people had trouble telling whether I said "can" or "can't". I switched to letting my Finnish Rally English Accent come clear through, and that made my speech much easier to understand, it seems.(At school, we are taught that That Accent Is The Worst Sin, and should emulate British/American/etc. pronunciation, because Rally English, although clear and understandable, being instantly recognizable, immediately marks us as Finnish and that is Shameful. Don't get self-hating xenophiles teach you foreign languages; the results are just too odd. Many, many Finns, especially the older folk, won't talk to you in English because they fear you laugh at their accent. Get them drunk, and suddenly they talk like five languages. Usually all mixed together, though. The tales I could tell, for example of that one discussion where the Finn used 'swamps' instead of 'mushrooms', because of Swedish influence. Was hilarious, what with the mental imagery of someone eating peat and whatnot.)Wrt. the language issues all over this thread, my point here is that it is not just language, nor just culture. Some of us just use non-native languages in weird ways that make for odd (and hopefully entertaining) errors and mistakes. Speaking a languagewelldoes not mean you know all the idioms used, and that explains many of the funny company names. It is not just a matter of picking up a thesaurus or automatic translator, although the company and product names generated that way are definitely in their own hilarious class. Sometimes it is just, whatstheword, context or social circles or such.I happened to stumble on certain videos and stuff that used the pressurized air analogs for certain electrical circuits recently. You can talk about whether the analog is apt or not, but fact is, very few kids nowadays know anything about pressurized air (except that you either have to pump it, or you get it from a hose at the gas station). Which makes that approach, well, hilarious: it's like trying to teach city kids computer repair by using livestock rearing similes and analogs.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 10:35:29 am
content: UNLESSI missed something over the last numerous pages here...There are also a LOT of funny & inappropriateWebsite/Domain names! . . .https://www.boredpanda.com/worst-domain-names/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 10:48:26 am
content: Quote from: GlennSprigg on July 06, 2021, 10:35:29 amOh, my.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 11:01:46 am
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on July 06, 2021, 10:48:26 amI'm sure a lot of these, (and numerous other companies!), must be aware of the situation, but are happy to playon it to gain further attention to themselves!!

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 03:59:39 pm
content: Quote from: Nominal Animal on July 06, 2021, 09:38:12 amOn the last contract I did for a German company I had a colleague who spoke native German, very good English and passable French and Italian. I speak native English, terrible German (but with a near impeccable north western accent as I learned it all in Germany from Germans which results in people greatly overestimating my competence in the language) and passable French. We had other colleagues from all over Europe and Africa and the one common language was English. Said colleague, Sven, had the habit of lapsing into French, sometimes when he couldn't find an English word for the German in his head, sometimes just because he knew he was in a "foreign" non-German conversation, so might drop into a conference call with "Bonjour tout le monde". I, on the other hand, have a habit of at least trying to reply in the language I've been spoken to in, and, like Sven, my brain sometimes short circuits and knows it should be speaking "foreign" and grabs the most familiar foreign word, even if it isn't in the language being spoken.The net result of all this is that when Sven and I were talking to each other the conversation could be in a mixture of English/German/French, often all in one sentence, complete with accent shifts. We used to drive people crazy with it, especially folks from the Balkan countries who often only had English as their only non-native language, and the English who are notoriously bad at "foreign" even though it has been compulsory to teach at least one modern foreign language in our schools since I was a child.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 04:30:03 pm
content: Nominal Animal:Quenya being based on Finnish phonotactics - that is excellent information. I will keep that in mind when I reread the Tolkien's work."Finnish Rally English Accent" - I had to look that one up. Schumacher vs. Häkkinen, those were the days.I took university phonetics classes for aspiring English teachers in 2017/2018. Highest grades will only be awarded to students with flawless General American or Received Pronunciation, judged by native speakers. I soon dropped out of the advanced classes, but stayed friends with my American phonetics teacher, who became my sparring partner for Japanese. That connection is rather fortunate for me, since my more severe oral production mistakes still get corrected."Don't get self-hating xenophiles teach you foreign languages; the results are just too odd." Indeed, I couldn't find a better term for the people that make the liberal arts departments so unbearable for engineers."Get them drunk, and suddenly they talk like five languages". From first hand experience with Finns I can only say that this would be an expensive experiment, requiring solid funding.All the other readers:I would like to apologize for taking this thread OT. However I can't come up with any funny company names that would work in English. Feel free to laugh at mine, a rather direct translation of my last name. It stems from the sticks peon drivers used to beat about the bushes with - to chase rabbits out for the noble hunters. Nothing naughty, sorry.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 06:54:15 pm
content: So long as we are discussing multi-lingual environments:I just finished J Sancton's "Madhouse at the End of the Earth" (Crown, 2021), the first English-language book about theBelgicaexpedition to Antartica (1897-1899) under the command of the Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache with Belgian backing and a polyglot crew. Thelingua francaaboard ship became a "mixture of French, Dutch, Norwegian, German, Polish, English, Romanian, and Latin" (p 5). Among the ship's company were F Cook and R Amundsen, who became infamous and famous explorers on their own expeditions.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 08:12:12 am
content: I worked with a woman from the states with the same sir name. We nicknamed her "Bunny Stick" which she thought was cool.McBryce.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 01:19:12 pm
content: McBryce, that comes as a bit of a surprise, since that name stems from one tiny village. Half a century ago its people had all but two family names. I have heard "rabbit/bunny stick" more often than I care for. Even if there are several acceptable translations for German "Hase" into English, none matches the noble "hare". As for the "Stab" - well, I chose "rod" for aesthetic reasons.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 01:34:28 pm
content: TimFox, one would assume that this was a pidgin language. Those are often problematic, because of the simplified grammar. I wonder how that would work for scientists, where precision is paramount.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PidginFrom my experiences with Japanese who don't speak any western language: It is really easy to do trade, exchange basic ideas, even find each other sympatico. However it is quite impossible to exchange more complex concepts. I was/am my own Guinea pig regarding language development in 45+year olds, since my four trips where spread over three years. During my last trip one acquaintance commented on my progress: "I remember meeting you for the first time, you could barely speak. Now we sit here and do quite normal smalltalk." Can't wait to get back and apply the work which I did during the pandemic. No visa in sight, though.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 01:40:35 pm
content: I think the Latin component of the pidgin was due to the scientists onboard, especially the zoologists.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 01:52:46 pm
content: Ah, how could I have missed Latin. At that time most scientists would have been quite fluent in Latin, comprehension and production. So, stick with Latin grammar, then define and use any term you need. Should work like a charm.In my peak times (e.g. close to failing Latin classes) I visited a lecture on sub-atomic particles, held in Latin. I was surprised how much I seemed to understand. That was more due to prior background, less than my prowess in Latin. The Latin-ace lady who had dragged me to that lecture admitted that she didn't get a thing. That was over thirty years ago, I wonder of stuff like that still happens at universities today.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 01:56:37 pm
content: Gaudeamus igitur,Iuvenes dum sumus,Gaudeamus igitur,Iuvenes dum sumus,Post iucundam iuventutem,Post molestam senectutem,Nos habebit humus,Nos habebit humus.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 02:34:50 pm
content: You HAD to pick that one, right? That reminds me of Latin classes in France, mid 1980s. That song being sung by French students. "Gohdeamüüs ishitüür..." Approximate IPA transcription: /ɡodɛam̩ys iʒityʁ/...The issue with dead languages is that modern "speakers" tend to use their native accent for speaking. I learned Latin with a German accent, the biggest discussions being about pronunciation of 'e' (/eː/) and 'c' (/k/). -> /ɡaʊdeːamʊs ɪɡɪtuːr/Nunc est bibendum.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 03:31:25 pm
content: The late Peter Ustinov told an anecdote about sitting in a bar in Athens when a British subject turned to him, complaining "This bartender doesn't understand a word of ancient Greek!"

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 05:20:38 am
content: Quote from: harerod on July 07, 2021, 02:34:50 pmBigus Dickus.

author: harerod
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 08:30:36 am
content: That story is a classic. If one looks at language change in modern languages, it comes as no big surprise. However, for an archeologist in whose mind the ancient history is alive and predominant, this experience must be outright frustrating.Not too long ago I had an exchange with an Hebrew native speaker. This language is a rare example of a resurrected language. I was told that literate modern native speakers have not much trouble reading the old texts. Quite remarkable.Folks - I keep asking myself if we better open up a language/linguistics/phonetics thread? The question is - how would we attractcustomersreaders?

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 01:12:39 pm
content: Quote from: harerod on July 08, 2021, 08:30:36 amNot a surprise really. I remember my (male) jewish school pals all being sent off toshuleevery Saturday to learn ancient Hebrew so that they could read the Torah out loud on the occasion of their Bar Mitzvah. That has been going on throughout Jewish history and has kept the language alive between the diaspora and the formation of modern Israel. These were folk from very Liberal jewish households (Judaism has roughly split into Orthodox, Reform and Liberal from most to least observant in that order) so even in households that weren't very far removed from the level of religious tokenism of Christians attending church on "high days and holidays" they still kept up the tradition of leaning Hebrew.In the same vein, Muslims are quite comfortable with reading 6th century Arabic and I myself can comfortably read early 17th century English because when I were a lad religious education was compulsory at school and it was the King James version of the bible that was foist on us.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 08:53:14 pm
content: Another anecdote, this time about "Early Modern English",i.e., Shakespeare and the King James translation.A suburban high school English teacher was bragging to an academic that he was teaching his students Shakespeare "in Old English".The academic was surprised, since that would take a philologist at the level of the late J R R Tolkien to pull off.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2021, 09:44:54 am
content: Quote from: ebastler on July 05, 2021, 08:15:14 pmI remember some old German friends telling me that back in Germany, when trying to learn/pronounce English, (with an Aussie Accent!!),they were told to say the letters 'MNX' (with English pronunciation), to ask for "Ham And Eggs"

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2021, 10:07:26 am
content: Quote from: GlennSprigg on July 09, 2021, 09:44:54 amWere they "Mirror Eggs"?McBryce.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2021, 10:38:35 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on July 09, 2021, 10:07:26 amI've never heard of that term!!, so I looked it up...https://forum.english.best/t/what-are-mirror-eggs/144709