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Unfortunate moments in cultural heteroglossia / homophone confusion, 1

     A wealthy sheikh walks into his business manager’s office excited about an idea he thinks is destined to revolutionize the distribution of oil. 

     The business manager, after listening intently to the plan, leans forward in his chair and shakes his head, frowning.  “Frankly”—he looks the sheikh right in the eye—“I think it’s a lousy idea.”

     “But why?” the sheik asks, clearly a bit shaken by the rebuke.

     “Well, first of all,” the business manager says, “your profit’s all wrong –”

     At which point the sheikh pulls out a scimitar and lops off the infidel dog’s lying, blasphemous head.

34 Replies to “Unfortunate moments in cultural heteroglossia / homophone confusion, 1”

  1. Jeff Goldstein says:

    be here blah blah try the veal, etc.

  2. topsecretk9 says:

    Sorry to be off topic here but when does the left stream media realize that Islam (yes, the numbers speak for themselves—it’s not a few “islamasists” burning cartoons–) WILL NEVER allow them to write freedomly-like about Islam?

    (text book as an example — Sweeds have now pulled text books)

    Are ABC or CNN reporters requesting Aljazeera official interpretation and/or guidance on how it SHOULD BE REPORTED so as to BE DELICATE. Here is an option CNN — Control “c” Control “p” is faster and more reliable method for your “broadcasts”

  3. Sean M. says:

    Phase 1: Collect underpants burkas.

    Phase 2: ???

    Phase 3: Prophet!

  4. CraigC says:

    Ummm….that’s seems a little….black and white, Jeff.  You know, not so nuanced. Haven’t you been paying attention to the apologists?

  5. Gahrie says:

    Clearly it’s a religion of piece. Cut off a piece here, cut off a piece there………

  6. Zimri says:

    BECAUSE OF THE HOMOPHONIA!

    (Well, someone had to.)

  7. gail says:

    I wonder if you’re allowed to make a four-color graph of your profit?

  8. Rich in Martigues says:

    The Aristocrats!

  9. Vladimir says:

    Mohammed Unsheathed – starring Ron Jeremy

  10. B Moe says:

    Why do Mullahs have small balls?

  11. B Moe says:

    Not many of them can dance.

  12. Insomniac says:

    THE HOMOPHONIA CAULK OF LYES!

  13. The (civilized) world has finally seen the true face of Saudi Arabia’s brand of Wahhabism-Lite based on a sugarcoated version of their violent neo-medieval theology, and backed wholeheartedly by corrupt Western leaders such as Dick Cheney and Jacques Chirac…

    I’m afraid the burning of the Danish consulates throughout the Middle-East and ensuing invasion of East Beirut’s upscale Christian districts by hordes of rampaging Saudi-sponsored savages was only the “great rehearsal” of things to come, as Lenin used to say of the revolt of 1905.

    At least we won’t have the luxury of claiming we were not warned in advance by the sadist disciples of mainstream (mainstream- as opposed to “radical renegades” such as O.B. Laden) Saudi “thinkers” Nasiruddin Al-Albani, Abdul-Aziz Ibin Baz and other proponents of the final solution for Christians, Jews, Shiites and “secular idolaters”…

    See wiki entry for more edifying info on Saudi Arabia’s leading “Grand” Mufti

    Frightening stuff…

  14. Pax says:

    So was that the Muslim version of How to Get A-Head in Business?  Ouch…sorry!

  15. Sean Connery in a Kheffiyeh says:

    Infidel Pig!  You have provoked me!  Now I must burn your embassy, shoot my own protesters and go to Iran to draw cartoons about Jews making money!

    And by the way, looking an Arab straight in the eye shows terrible culturual insensitivity on the manager’s part, so he deserved to have his head cut off.

  16. – Lop smart, not hard…(Notes from the Muffti book of “New Mellenia al Q’aeda Management Styles”)

  17. Defense Guy says:

    Nice story.  It’s short, concise, timely and best of all doesn’t contain a hollywood ending.  I like that you are keeping it real.  I will admit that the ending was a little jarring.

    I will also admit that for the first time I am in agreement with what Dr. Vega wrote here.  Except of course I don’t find it so much frightening as enraging.  I am not afraid of the Saudi’s or what they might do, I am pissed at what they are and what they have already done.

  18. kyle says:

    Freedom of speech, Iran-style.

    Needs some work.

  19. McGehee says:

    Muslim-style corporate downsizing can hurt. For a second.

  20. Bubba Achmed says:

    INSENSITIVE INFIDEL STEREOTYPER!! 

    DEATH TO THOSE WHO CALL US VIOLENT!!! 

    DEATH, DEATH, DEATH YYYEEEEAAAARRRRGGGGGGG!!!

  21. Dr. Mama mi Verga says:

    Homophones have been banned in the arabic language. Engaging in homophonic acts is punishable by death. They are a tool of the decadent, infidel, Western linguist to keep the sand-brutha down.

    PS. Was the business manager a JOOOOOOOOO?????

  22. – If the scenes of instigated rioting are a sure indication that the “Nation of Islam” denizens wish so badly to achieve martyrdom, and meet their G_d, then by all means we should be good neighbors and accomodate them at every opportunity. The lunitics running the show in the ME “axis of evil” think these scenes frighten Americans. I think they’ll find its more common to see their murdering mobs as just more road kill, and human barbacue. But if thats what they yearn for why should we stand in their way.

    Downsizing…. yes…. H-h-h heh…. heh….. heh heh…

    TW: Ask and yee shall receive….

  23. kyle says:

    Here’s a non-violent way for all our Muslim pals to vent their frustration and anger:

    Leave a Message in the Anonymous Muslim Man Complaint Box

  24. Nick says:

    Too Funny!  Even with the lead in title… I still didn’t get it til the second read.

  25. Brooks and Reiner, man. Brooks and Reiner.

  26. ss says:

    The business manager should have respected the sheik’s religion enough to have avoided the word “profit.” Like “niggardly” and “articulate,” it is a word best to be avoided. The failure to affirmatively concede certain culturally-based prerogatives such as “free speech” in the interest of peace and diversity reflects an arrogance and intolerance that cannot be abided in today’s world of inclusiveness and justifiably reactionary killing.

    I mean, yeah, the shiek mistook the business manager’s intended meaning, but he should certainly have the right to assume the business manager meant what he so obviously sounded like he said. And that, you have to agree, was patently offensive, as indicated by the sheik’s understandable impulse to kill the business manager.

    Freedom of speech is a luxury too important to waste on saying offensive or potentially offensive things. The founding fathers would cringe to see it so abused.

    Allah be praised.

  27. Joe says:

    I’m confused. Isn’t a homophone a gramophone with just one speaker? Or is it a gay men’s hotline? And what happened to the business manager after the sheik lopped off his dog’s head? If you’re gonna use all these obscure, “hip” cultural references, Jeff, you need to give us old farts a cheat sheet.

    Or money. Money’s always good, too.

  28. Desert Cat says:

    ss, you’re completely wrong.  Freedom of speech isn’t a *LUXURY* FFS, it’s an inalienable natural right of all free peoples.

    TW: “groups”–groupthink and PC notwithstanding.

  29. – If someone doesn’t clue the Jihadists in pretty soon, Allah is going to be doin’ his praisin’ from the center of a nuclear cloud…..

    TW: “Its not the dark of the night we have to fear….Its the dark of egomaniacs minds, that are the real chainsaws of our nightmares….”

  30. OHNOES says:

    ss, you’re completely wrong.  Freedom of speech isn’t a *LUXURY* FFS, it’s an inalienable natural right of all free peoples.

    Irony Check: 5 + (roll)… 20… 25.

    Desert Cat rolls to Irony Check: Base 10 perception + (roll)… 3… 13.

    Desert Cat fails Irony Check.

  31. RS says:

    Maybe if he’s got a cleric, he can do a “restore” spell – or did Gary Gygax make provision for it in this case?

  32. JD says:

    I don’t get it.  Where are the clean-shaven arseholes in this story?

  33. kyle says:

    Irony Check: 5 + (roll)… 20… 25.

    Desert Cat rolls to Irony Check: Base 10 perception + (roll)… 3… 13.

    Desert Cat fails Irony Check.

    Thanks.  I get to spend the next 10 minutes cleaning my keyboard of the coffee I just snorked all over it.

  34. Desert Cat says:

    Gaah!  Stupid ring of +5 wisdom facking wore out on me! 

    TW: “result”.  No kidding.

    Glad I could be of (humorous) service.

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