The Top Ten Poor Bastards of 2006
Linked to on PostShow, and appearing in various BBS’s and websites:
《祸布斯》10大穷光蛋排行榜 (Huobus’ Top Ten Poor Bastards Chart)
Each post is accompanied by ten pictures, some more exaggerated and satirical than the others. It is satirical because, for example, the number one entry is about the Chinese football players and the debt caused by their debauchery. Most of them relate to the plight of the poor in a slightly unsettling way.
For example:
Rough translation: Reason for choice: Miss Zhu’s situation is not new this year, last year she only possessed one trash can. This year, she already has three trash cans at her disposal, and an amazing 200 yuan forehead connector [translation wrong?]. At this rate, Miss Zhu will be out of the Top Ten by next year.
Jim‘s translation: Why she made the list: This year saw a massive breakthrough for Ms
Zhu’s enterprise: last year she only had the use-rights to one trash
can; this year she has control of three! What’s more, in an
earth-shaking development, she now possesses savings to the princely
sum of 200 yuan! We estimate that, barring the unexpected, Ms Zhu is
certain to fall out of the top ten on next year’s list.
Jim also notes that Huobus is a wordplay on Forbes.
Here’s my translation FYR:
Why she made the list: This year saw a massive breakthrough for Ms Zhu’s enterprise: last year she only had the use-rights to one trash can; this year she has control of three! What’s more, in an earth-shaking development, she now possesses savings to the princely sum of 200 yuan! We estimate that, barring the unexpected, Ms Zhu is certain to fall out of the top ten on next year’s list.
I forgot to say, the 《祸布斯》 is obviously a play on the Chinese for rich-list mag Forbes (Ch. 《福布斯》) so maybe do it as “Hobbes'” list, as in “a Hobbseian war of all against all.”
Thanks. Updated main post with your comments. (My “rough” translation was getting pretty sloppy there!)