Workers and Parasites

Part 1 - THOSE EVIL PARASITE COMPANIES

Here are some well-known companies who have all exploited the heroic Worker. Below you will find the origins of their horrible names. Please shine the light of Truth on the names of these shameful corporations!

Fun With Language

Which Internet service chose its name based on the fact that the term contains the embedded name of an Internet programming protocol?
Hotmail (contains HTML)
What company name is a combination of the Danish words "play well"?
LEGO
Which fast-food chain is named for the literal enunciation of the acronym of its founders, NOT, as is popularly believed, for an acronym of their best selling product?
Arby's
What company's original name was Tote'm (as in tote away merchandise)?
7-11
It sounds like a sequel, but which company's name is taken from "Son Of Electronic Printer"?
Epson
Which toy company was founded by the Brothers Hassenfeld?
Hasbro

Veni, Vidi, Vici

What Internet company name is based on the Latin term for a family of spiders?
Lycos
Which athletics equipment company is a slightly changed acronym for the Latin phrase meaning "A Sound Mind In A Sound Body"?
ASICS
Which car manufacturer is named for the Latin translation of the founder's last name?
Audi
Which car company name is Latin for "I roll"?
Volvo

How's Your Japanese?

Which automotive products company is an English translation of the Japanese founder's last name?
Bridgestone
Which electronics company is named after the Japanese name for a Buddhist god, but was slightly altered to avoid being offensive to Buddhists?
Canon
Which company name is a compressed form of "Japanese Optical" in that language?
Nikon
The first two-thirds of this company's name can be translated from the Japanese for "Heaven Blesses Hard Work". Which name?
Nintendo
We won't insult you by asking you to tell us which company is named for the highest mountain in Japan. However, if you are the sensitive type, we will insult you by asking you which car manufacturer was started by this company.
Fuji started Subaru. (only need Subaru)
Which American-founded company got its name from a Japanese term from the game "Go"?
Atari
Which Japanese company name is English, and is named for the company's first product, a pencil?
Sharp
What company name that sounds Japanese was actually founded by an American to import products TO American military bases in Japan?
Sega

...And How's Your Korean?

Which company is "Three Stars" in Korean?
Samsung
Which company name means "modern age" in Korean?
Hyundai
Which company's name is Korean for "Great Universe"?
Daewoo

Sorry, We're Fresh Out Of Name Ideas

Which company name came about as the founder made good on his threat to give the company a boring name if his employees couldn't come up with a better name by 5 PM of the naming deadline?
Apple Computer
Which company name is based on a race of people from "Gulliver's Travels"?
Yahoo!
Which defunct company was once the Connecticut Leather Company?
Coleco
Which company was named for the creek that ran behind the houses of the two founders?
Adobe
Which car company was named for the founder, AND his exclusive salesman?
Rolls-Royce
Which old-time entertainment device company has a name that sounds like a clever abbreviation, but is based on the founder's actual last name?
Rock-Ola
Which company, which was recently purchased , was named for a nickname the founder was given because of his curly hair?
Kinko's
Which computer-related company was partially named for a college team cap given to the founder by his grandfather, and later lost?
Red Hat Linux
Which company was originally named for a mathematical term, but had its spelling changed after the founders were given a check from an investor with a misspelling?
Google (was Googol)

Part II - OUR HARD-WORKING COMRADES

In this section, we celebrate the non-parasitic workers who have distinguished themselves in more than one field of endeavor. Below you will find descriptions of the two jobs each hero has held Ð please name the person who succeeded (or didn't succeed) in both fields. Example: Noted comedian/director/auteur, AND jazz clarinetist on Monday nights = Woody Allen

80's hair band singer AND Emergency Medical Technician trainee
David Lee Roth
Art-rock band leader/singer AND owner of England's biggest salmon fishery
Ian Anderson
Heavy metal singer AND cable network announcer
Dee Snider
Jazz band saxophone player AND economist
Alan Greenspan
Air Force General's Aide AND shipbuilder
George Steinbrenner
Variety show co-host/singer AND U.S. Senator
Sonny Bono (*It has since been pointed out he was a Representative. Sorry for any confusion.)
Talk show host AND co-owner of racecar team
David Letterman
Ô70's sitcom star AND professional poker player
Gabe Kaplan
Ô70's TV supporting actor AND U.S. Congressman
Fred "Gopher" Grandy
1930's Hollywood sexpot AND inventor of "spread spectrum" encoding technology used in WWII submarines
Hedy Lamarr
NCAA football coach AND U.S. Congressman
Tom Osborne
Movie actor AND professional bridge player/columnist
Omar Sharif
NBA player AND smooth jazz saxophone player
Wayman Tisdale
Major league outfielder AND jazz guitarist
Bernie Williams
Kansas City Royals publicist AND nationally-syndicated radio pundit
Rush Limbaugh
NFL Hall Of Fame wide receiver AND U.S. congressman
Steve Largent
WWE Champion AND CNBC financial analyst
John Bradshaw (aka "JBL")
Olympic gold medalist AND best-selling parental-advice author
Dr. Benjamin Spock
Porn star AND member of the Italian Parliament
Ciccolina (Ilona Staller)
Satirical singer AND math professor
Tom Lehrer