Oba-Mao?

Sometime last year, my brother sent me this video. Some people find it offensive, but I think it's hilarious-- mostly because it is an attempt at adulation by the Chinese, yet fails miserably for an American audience. It also really highlights how, in spite of globalization, there still exist some pretty stark differences between nations and cultures.

Said brother worked in Hong Kong this summer and for my birthday brought me several presents, one of which is the following notebook:

Interspersed inside are pictures of Obama captioned by various Chinese phrases, complete with an English translation. They range from somewhat intelligible (Have something to say, then say! Have nothing to say, go home!!) to downright strange (Pig head 3, go dead!).

Here are some of my favorites:

• "You don't bird me, I don't bird you."

• "Love his mother's who who who!"

• "Color wolf, you give me roll exit!"

• "You ask me, me ask who?"

And finally, the all-time favorite:

• "Dear wang little girl, first eye see you,, I horse up love you."

I almost want to send it to one of my Chinese-speaking friends to learn what the phrases really mean, but I think it's funnier if I don't know.