Oh. My. God.
That last line is work of genius and restraint. I would have made the pun much more explicit, which shows why I'm not a writer for a serious newspaper.

Another paragraph from the story: "“They had this line that should have said ‘auspicious clouds in the sky’ but it read ‘auspicious clods,’ ” Mr. Tool recalled. He said a group of foreigners in the audience erupted in laughter, which he found offensive, even though he was also offended by the bad English."

This Tool seems to be very easily offended.

Does anybody else find it exceedingly hilarious that the American advisor's last name is "Tool." I was laughing through the whole article for that sole reason. Tool.

I suppose it's funny, but with a name like Goldkorn, I try not to laugh at other people's names.

I'm with ya Matt... couldn't stop chuckling.

De-chinglishizing China's signs was bound to happen - and it makes me feel similar to when my long-time family dog died - but I doubt it'll ever be perfect. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

I guess everyone will just have to venture outside of Beijing for laughs at the English mistakes from now on.

He's quite a well-known figure, this man Tool.

Here is a story from China Daily last year: link

However, his Olympic efforts pale in comparison to those of a man named Wei Shengchun:

"...by the time he was interviewed last Tuesday, he had already stuck more than 800 silver needles into his face and forehead. Wei, a practitioner of Chinese traditional medicine, enjoys this kind of acupuncture as a way to relax and improve his health. He says he will insert 2,008 needles into his head when the Beijing Olympics arrives."

That's the spirit

link

when there is chinglish in beijing you mock the place. when they try to do something about it, you mock a guy that's helping them.

to mc
what. ever.

Mr. Tool is sending a dangerous message. Why perfect your English when you can hire a man named Tool to clean it up for you? It makes me regret those years at Qinghua mastering chengyu. I could've outsourced! I wonder if the offices of China-based Western media have thought of this . . .