I wanted to purchase this pocket financial planner but I reconsidered after taking to heart the message on the cover:
‘Save your money!’
I didn’t even have to purchase the planner and its wisdom already saved me money.
…..
Mrs. Greatsby has wanted to get a globe for the kids, and I considered purchasing this educational, spinning globe so the kids could learn the Chineses names for countries, but I was a bit concerned about its educational value after noticing one crucial inaccuracy.
Did you notice the earth is turning in the wrong direction?
…..
Congratulation to the caption contest winner, prttynpnk! Submit a caption in the new contest.
Posted in: Chinglish
The Good Greatsby 
skippingstones
April 1, 2012
Apparently, good advice is priceless.
The Good Greatsby
April 2, 2012
So it would seem.
clownonfire
April 1, 2012
TGG,
This is the mandatory like, followed by a comment, to profess my love for your blog, and to show you that this dirty clown is not a liar.
Le Clown
Elyse
April 1, 2012
Well, we all know that the Chinese are out for world domination. Changing the way the world turns is just the start.
She's a Maineiac
April 2, 2012
What? Are you sure about this, Greatsby? Maybe it comes with a tiny Superman doll and your kids can learn how to reverse time to save Lois.
The Good Greatsby
April 2, 2012
I did consider the possibility of the globe being part of the Superman movie merchandise.
Laura
April 2, 2012
Is Chinese text read left-to-right? I’ve heard this is actually pretty common in globes with English labels, and they do it to make them easier to read. If the globe rotates backwards, then the first letter of a country name comes into view before the second letter, and so on; if it rotates in the same direction as the Earth, the letters come into view in the reverse order.
pegoleg
April 2, 2012
Huh????
Laura
April 2, 2012
So… imagine you want to look at Luxembourg on the globe, but it’s currently on the side that’s not facing you. So you sit on the edge of your seat, barely able to contain your excitement as you wait, breathless with anticipation, for it to come into view. If the globe is spinning backwards (right-to-left), then when Luxembourg first starts to peek out at you, parts of its name become visible: first L, then Lu, then Lux, and so on. If the globe is spinning left-to-right, then the letters reveal themselves in the opposite order: first g, then rg, then urg, which requires a little more effort to parse. Sure, it’s not that much more effort, but remember — we’ve already established you’re too lazy to just walk around to the other side of the globe in the first place.
pegoleg
April 2, 2012
I was going to say “Wha???”, but that is so much like my first comment that it might smack of comment-laziness.
It may interest you to know that Kachkéis is the national cheese of Luxembourg.
Laura
April 3, 2012
I’m impressed that you know that. You must have had one of those cheeses-of-the-world globes when you were growing up.
pegoleg
April 3, 2012
… who didn’t?
Seeing Clarely
April 2, 2012
This is quite fascinating. Seems to me that the solar system shouldn’t have an “up” side and a “down” side (I.e. relative to what?!!) So, couldn’t they just turn the Earth/globe upside down. Then the spinning would be right AND the labels would be readable from left to right (if we wrote them right-side-up).
This is straining my brain. I will ask my physicist brother. Or maybe Newt Gingrich will have a better explanation.
magsx2
April 2, 2012
Hi,
I loved the globe, and what a very smart device, it certainly did save you some money. 🙂
Thomas Stazyk
April 2, 2012
I think you may have stumbled into an alternative universe where the world spins backward and negative advertising tells you not to buy products. Be careful when you go to the bathroom!
Colline
April 2, 2012
Love your response to the financial planner – not their intention I am sure!
Kathryn McCullough
April 2, 2012
The financial planner is priceless!
Rob Rubin
April 2, 2012
Between that and fortune cookies, it’s no wonder the Chinese are far ahead of us in almost everything.
Roly
April 2, 2012
Well saved. I wouldn’t have noticed it turning the wrong way
bluebee
April 2, 2012
Isn’t that just the coriolis effect…
pattisj
April 3, 2012
I’m feeling a bit dizzy from all that rotation.
nursemyra
April 3, 2012
So what’s the Chinese word for australia?