Thursday, July 26, 2007

Rosetta Rants Reviewed At My Tropical Escape


My Tropical Escape is a wonderful blog dedicated to those of us interested in chucking it all and moving to an equatorial paradise. And I'm proud to say that Terence Chang has recommended Rosetta Rants to be reviewed as a travel blog! I guess my rants about worldly wackiness qualifies my humble blog as one dealing with travel.

My Tropical Escape "...is dedicated to providing information about overseas living, pursuing entrepreneurial aspirations, and the ongoing adventures of Mark Hayward and Terrie Hayward who OWN the Palmetto Guesthouse in Culebra, Puerto Rico."

Interesting photos, tips, and inspiration for anyone curious about finding their own private beach on which to live. So if you plan to move to (or visit) a tropical escape, make sure you stop by their site. I'll be visiting regularly, and I hope you will, too!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

People that Park Like Idiots Really Tick Me Off


Today, my budding translators, I'd like to discuss the language of bumper stickers. Bumper stickers can be funny, bumper stickers can be offensive, and bumper stickers can be downright stupid. One of my favorites, is the one pictured above from I Park Like An Idiot.Com.

That's right. You, too can order your own pack of 10, 40, or 100 and keep them in your glove compartment. Then you'll have them ready for the opportune moment.

I've ordered some. And believe me I'll use them. Why?

The other night at the mall, I couldn't find a parking space. Not because there weren't any spaces available. But because there weren't any USABLE spaces available due to the morons like the ones below who were ruining the whole parking experience for the rest of us.


Ok, so the last one is a bit over the top. But come on! Is it really that hard to park your car? I just don't understand people that park like idiots. But they all deserve little yellow bumper stickers the say "I Park Like an Idiot".

Do you have any examples of other interesting bumper stickers? Can you help me translate?

Photos from I Park Like an Idiot.Com.

And don't forget to send me a Postcard!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Anagram Anarchy - Three

J. Hicks Cipher Disk, London 1893.

If you need help understanding the language of anagrams, CLICK HERE for some background.

Each time, I will produce a new anagram for a chosen word or phrase. It's your job as budding translators to rearrange the letters to produce the answer.

So here's today's anagram:

Hemp Sock, Bah!

Hint #1: Cosmic Bride
Hint #2: Football

This one may be a bit more difficult. And punctuation doesn't matter.

Rearrange the letters to solve the puzzle, and leave your answer in the comments section to this post.

Spoiler Warning: I'll also confirm the solution in the comments section after someone guesses correctly. So if you want to work it out for yourself, do so before clicking "comments".

Good luck!

Monday, July 23, 2007

Postcards from the Edge : Gerri in Pendleton, SC

(Click for larger view)

For the next edition of Postcards from the Edge...of the World, we travel to Pendleton, South Carolina, the home of Gerri from Absolutely True. Gerri's postcard reads:


(Click for larger views)

Very interesting that you think the accents are wacky! I'm sure they think you have an interesting accent, too. And that's too bad about the local police. I'll bet there's an interesting story to go along with your description of "worthless", eh?

Absolutely True is one of my regular reads, where you can find information about the most astonishing items in this wacky world of ours. For example, where else would you find an image of the monorail cat, a fascinating open letter to the Burger King girl, and generally bizarre news such as the story of a teen texter that got four years for a fatal car crash?

And the best part? It's all Absolutely True!

As a translator, I totally appreciate not having to separate the fact from the crap. It may be wacky, but I can assure you that it's all true.

That's why I totally get Absolutely True. No further translation is necessary.

And if YOU are interested in sending me a postcard and having your website "Translated", it's simple! All you have to do is send me a postcard, and when I put it up on Rosetta Rants, just write a post linking to my post, so all your friends can see your card! That way, more people will learn about my idea, too! Please CLICK HERE to learn more.

And be sure to check out my new Postcards from the Edge Buttons! They're loads of fun!

Finally, CLICK HERE to read my previous postcards.

I can't wait to hear from you!

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Ramen Bath


Our travels now take us to Hakone, Japan where we will investigate the language of Theme Baths. Hakone Kowakie Yunessun Hot Springs Amusement Park and Spa Resort has just opened its latest Theme Bath : The Ramen Soup Bath.

From Japan Probe:

The bath, shaped like a ramen bowl, contains pepper-flavored water colored a light, milky brown, to like tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen soup. The special bath was created jointly by the theme park and a famous ramen shop, Nantsuttei in Hadano, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The bath was completed at the unveiling event, with the owner of Nantsuttei adding “noodles” made of bathwater additives into the tub.

The water contains collagen and garlic extracts, and theme park officials claim it can help produce beautiful skin and aid moisture retention.

Sound good? Nothing like collagen and garlic extract to attract the opposite sex. Your skin may be soft, but you smell like an eggroll.

If that doesn't wet your "appetite", then perhaps you'd like to try another Theme Bath:

Red wine, anyone?

Or, perhaps some coffee?

No? Let's just stick to the traditional green tea bath.


Here are my ideas for Theme Baths:

1)Boiling Acid Pit Bath - Complete with floating skeletons.

2)Matzoh Ball Soup Bath - An old lady keeps telling you to stay in a bit longer because you look famished and you could stand to put on some weight.

3)Tar Pit Bath - You may never leave.

4)Gas Station Toilet Bath - You can visualize this one for yourself.

Any other ideas? I just don't get Theme Baths. Can you help me translate?

The Toilet Timer

U.S. Patent, 1993.

We now continue in our investigation of the language of Toilets.

Are you tired of waiting in line for that pesky porcelain pot? Too many users in your house? Well, you don't have to wait any longer. Not with the patented technology of the Toilet Timer.

Got a kid who sits for hours? Dad wasting away on the latrine? Set the timer for 5 minutes, and all your problems will be solved.

Actually, I'm not sure what happens when the timer goes off. What do you think happens?

Can you help me translate?

From Patently Absurd.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Anagram Anarchy - Two


I've decided to post a new edition of Anagram Anarchy each time the previous puzzle has been solved. If you need help understanding the language of anagrams, CLICK HERE for some background.

Each time, I will produce a new anagram for a chosen word or phrase. It's your job as budding translators to rearrange the letters to produce the answer.

So here's today's anagram:

Morphine Moss

Hint: Doughnut.


Rearrange the letters to solve the puzzle, and leave your answer in the comments section to this post.

Good luck!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Postcards from the Edge Buttons!

They're finally here! For those souls brave enough to send me a Postcard from the Edge...of the World, your buttons have arrived!

When I "translate" and link to your wonderful websites, please link to my post that showcases your excellent postcards. That way, all your friends will learn about my project.

These three buttons are an easy way to do so:



Thanks again for all your support, and I look forward to hearing from your Edge of the world!

CLICK HERE to learn more about sending me a postcard.

All Aboard!

Hello, fellow translators!

If you are interested in distributing your blog accross the blogisphere, perhaps you'd like to take part in this feed and link train! Hop on board, the voyage is just beginning! I heard about it from my friend Kuanyin at Blog-Blond.

Simply copy and paste this list of Feedburner links and blog URL's into a post, and add yours at the bottom. If you'd like to add more, feel free to add up to five. (I copied and pasted from Firefox, and it worked just fine).

Then, please subscribe to all the blogs on the list. I subscribed to all of these blogs through My Yahoo reader - it's fast, fun, and easy! Pass it along, and soon you'll be in reader heaven!

The List:

Subscribe to Blogozine
Subscribe to JohnCowdotCom
Subscribe to BobmeetsWorld
Subscribe to LifeisRisky
Subscribe to TheKingKongBlog
Subscribe to My New Hustle
Subscribe to GadgetTastic
Subscribe to Life of Browie
Subscribe to Disregard Me
Subscribe to Everybody Go To
Subscribe to Brian Vaughan
Subscribe to Fuery
Subscribe to Sam Breadstone
Subscribe to Blog-Blond
Subscribe to Who's Yo Mama?
Subscribe to The Art of Living and Dying
Subscribe to Way Khool Sites
Subscribe to Wailea Daily Photo
Subscribe to Rosetta Rants
Subscribe to Incurable Insomniac

And please leave a comment if you've hopped on board! Enjoy the ride!

Anagram Anarchy - One

We now embark onto a new journey - a weekly analysis of the language of anagrams.

From Wikipedia:

An anagram (Greek, anagramma 'letters written anew', passive participle of ana- 'again' + gramma 'letter') is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce other words, using all the original letters exactly once.

Each week, I will produce a new anagram for a chosen word or phrase. It's your job as budding translators to rearrange the letters to produce the answer.

If you are the first person to correctly identify the answer, you'll win a free "translation" of (and link to) your website. Just leave your entries in the comments to this post.

If no one gets it, the correct answer will be announced Monday morning.

This week's anagram:

Oxford Therein Hope

Hint: A secret society that has recently gained notoriety.


Can you help me translate? Good luck!