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-   -   January 5, 2007: Writing sea lion (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=13013)

Undertoad 01-05-2007 08:13 AM

January 5, 2007: Writing sea lion
 
http://cellar.org/2006/writingsealion.jpg

Caught by Spluch is this fine AFP story and image, the official caption and photo credit:
Quote:

Artist at work : Nine-year-old sea lion Jonao holds a brush between his teeth to write a letter of wild boar in Chinese characters, in preparation for the new year at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, suburban Tokyo. (AFP/Toru Yamanaka)
"Wild boar", he wrote. It makes you wonder whether they wait until he's done writing, and then figure out which slashes correspond to a Chinese character.

milkfish 01-05-2007 08:23 AM

Meant to say "I'm bored."

Sheldonrs 01-05-2007 08:32 AM

Is it just me, or does the bottom figure look like a human bending over?

glatt 01-05-2007 08:38 AM

They read it wrong, the sea lion is doing fractions. 1/42

Sundae 01-05-2007 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheldonrs (Post 304432)
Is it just me, or does the bottom figure look like a human bending over?

Yes! It's obviously a person throwing a fish. And the cheering crowd is represented by the person with spread arms above it.

Jonao san is simply stating a desire for "More fissssh please!"

YellowBolt 01-05-2007 09:01 AM

http://www.cellar.org/iotd.php?threadid=7840

I don't know about you, but it seems like he's gotten better since last time.

Undertoad 01-05-2007 09:08 AM

Durn, another one where I forgot about the earlier entry!

I used to remember all of them, but it gets impossible... this is the 1909th one!

Flint 01-05-2007 10:11 AM

1 Attachment(s)
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wolf 01-05-2007 01:28 PM

That really looks like someone got him started with the right character, and then shoved a brush in his mouth for a photo op. I need video.

footfootfoot 01-05-2007 02:11 PM

Mom, camp is ok but boring. send more money for sea urchins and kelp.
thanks. say hi to sparky.
love

Shawnee123 01-05-2007 02:32 PM

He has many talents...You should hear him sing!

Sundae 01-05-2007 02:50 PM

Does he sing like this?

Safe for work but it is a song, so turn your monitor down

Shawnee123 01-05-2007 03:24 PM

He does include that song in his repertoire, it's his signature song in fact. However, he tends to sing it less falsetto; more bluesy. He's a very deep and soulful sea lion.

Karenv 01-05-2007 04:02 PM

Has anyone ever considered that he might have the intelligence to be taught to paint specific characters? I mean they say a dog is equivalent to a seven year old, and seven year olds aren't dumb, so a seal is probably trainable. (I don't believe for a minute that he can read it.) But I suspect the lack of an opposable thumb (or flipper bone) is the major obstacle to demonstrating intelligence.

glatt 01-05-2007 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karenv (Post 304638)
I mean they say a dog is equivalent to a seven year old,

I can't get past this. Sure, dogs are smart, and are trainable and all. But my daughter is seven right now, and I'm absolutely amazed at everything she already knows. There's just no comparison between a dog and a 7 year old human. And I like dogs.

Clodfobble 01-05-2007 04:21 PM

No kidding. A seven-year-old can read well and do quite a lot of math, just for starters. I'd say a dog is equivalent to a 3 year old.

monster 01-05-2007 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkfish (Post 304424)
Meant to say "I'm bored."

Wild Boar / Wildly Bored. Easy mistake to make.

Happy Monkey 01-05-2007 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl (Post 304595)
Does he sing like this?

Safe for work but it is a song, so turn your monitor down

Trivia: Anyone know which "Fish Heads" singer was a star of Babylon 5? And what his previous claim to fame was?

wolf 01-06-2007 02:18 AM

That is just too easy for this crowd. Bill Mumy was half of Barnes and Barnes ... and he played Will Robinson on Lost in Space, as anybody who halfway paid attention to Dr. Demento in the 70s knows.

wolf 01-06-2007 02:19 AM

I guess if a sea lion can balance a ball on his nose for hours at a time, writing Chinese characters must be a piece of cake.

xoxoxoBruce 01-06-2007 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karenv (Post 304638)
snip~ But I suspect the lack of an opposable thumb (or flipper bone) is the major obstacle to demonstrating intelligence.

But Stephen Hawking doesn't have opposable thumbs that work. ;)

Shawnee123 01-06-2007 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf (Post 304732)
I guess if a sea lion can balance a ball on his nose for hours at a time, writing Chinese characters must be a piece of cake.

For HOURS? Really?

Happy Monkey 01-06-2007 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf (Post 304731)
That is just too easy for this crowd. Bill Mumy was half of Barnes and Barnes ... and he played Will Robinson on Lost in Space, as anybody who halfway paid attention to Dr. Demento in the 70s knows.

I knew I should have said "anybody but wolf"...

wolf 01-06-2007 01:47 PM

I am acknowledged in my circle of friends as the Fount of All Knowledge. I have personlized pencils that say so.

One of my other friends, the Great Mall of Wisdom, has personalized pens.

The reason for the difference should be obvious.

xoxoxoBruce 01-06-2007 07:29 PM

I knew he was Will Robinson, but no idea who Barnes and Barnes are. Do I get half credit? :D


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