Good Morning and welcome to this week’s edition of INSPIRATIIONAL TIDBITS, and like the personalized license plate reads: RU RDY?  We’re at the end of another month, and that means we’re another month closer to that elusive thing called “recovery”.  Hang in there.  Today, we have another installment of “mistranslated foreign signs” that reputedly are out there in the world somewhere.  The internet told me it’s true and I believe it. 
 
“Please to bathe inside the tub”  - Japanese Hotel
 
“Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar”  - Norwegian Lounge
 
“Please leave your values at the front desk”  - Paris elevator
 
“The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid”  - Yugoslavian Hotel
 
And speaking of chambermaids:
 
“You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid”  - Swiss Hotel
 
“Specialist in women and other diseases”  - Rome Doctor’s office
 
My favorite, though: 
 
“The Manager has personally passed all the water served here”  - Acapulco Bar
 
Act II, Scene I.  The BRAINSQUEEZERS emerge from stage left, and completely dominate the conversation.  Everyone enters today, remembering to get their answers in by 2:00 PM. Brainsqueezers then exit stage right, accompanied by glorious fanfare.  The writer is well pleased; fade to black.
 
1.  Which artist was smashed in the face with a mallet by an envious rival and was disfigured for life?  ( Rembrandt; Michelangelo, Monet ) 
 
2.  More than a million of these cars were sold in 1965, setting a record that still stands ( Pontiac GTO; Ford Thunderbird; Chevy Impala ) 
 
3.  In the ‘70’s, when computer engineers first started linking their computers together, it wasn’t called the Internet, it was called the ( INSTANET; ARPANET; ORDONET ) 
 
4.  Which is the oldest soft drink in America?  ( Coca-Cola; Dr. Pepper; IBC Root Beer ) 
 
5.  What is Oprah Winfrey’s real first name?  ( Pahro; Ohpar; Orpah ) 
 
TIEBREAKER:  The fastest fish in the world, the Sailfish, can reach what speed, in MPH?    68 mph
 
OBSCURE (or is it?) EXTRA BONUS QUESTION:  What is the capital of Australia? CANBERRA
 
BONUS EXTRA BONUS QUESTION:  What the heck does the 32.33% in the title represent, anyway? THE PERCENTAGE OF 2009 THAT IS HISTORY.
 
Sorry about the delay today; major computer problems.  We have a winner, though, and it’s JODI, who got 4 right to beat out Charley and Rachel, who each got 3. The big news is that there were THREE skunks today to end the month!  TB answers ranged from 35 MPH up to 80 MPH, and only 4 – Richard, Jodi, Stephen and Rachel – got the obscure question right.  Sydney had the most votes by far, with Melbourne getting a couple too.  Six or seven of you got the second obscure question today, most likely due to my rather obvious “end of the month” clue above.  Congrats to Jodi on the win today – see you next week.

MJB