January 5, 2007: Writing sea lion

Undertoad · 01-05-2007, 08:13 AM

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

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

.

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

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.

01-05-2007, 08:23 AM	#2
milkfish A serene breakdown Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern NJ, USA Posts: 266	Meant to say "I'm bored." __________________ A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. - Joey Lauren Adams

01-05-2007, 08:32 AM	#3
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	Is it just me, or does the bottom figure look like a human bending over? __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

01-05-2007, 10:11 AM	#8
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	. Attached Images __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

01-05-2007, 01:28 PM	#9
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	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. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-05-2007, 02:11 PM	#10
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Mom, camp is ok but boring. send more money for sea urchins and kelp. thanks. say hi to sparky. love __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

01-05-2007, 08:38 AM	#4
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	They read it wrong, the sea lion is doing fractions. 1/42

01-05-2007, 09:01 AM	#6
YellowBolt I lurk with the best of them Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: not close to philadelphia. :( well, not THAT close. Posts: 146	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.

01-05-2007, 09:08 AM	#7
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	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!

01-05-2007, 02:32 PM	#11
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	He has many talents...You should hear him sing! __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby Last edited by Shawnee123; 09-25-2007 at 11:50 AM.

01-05-2007, 02:50 PM	#12
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Does he sing like this? Safe for work but it is a song, so turn your monitor down __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac Last edited by Sundae; 01-05-2007 at 02:55 PM.

01-05-2007, 03:24 PM	#13
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	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. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

01-05-2007, 04:02 PM	#14
Karenv Slacker Join Date: May 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 144	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.

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