Wordless Wednesday: Silly Sign

SMORING?

MORE SILLY SIGNS IN THE DOOZIES

Tobacco Aficionados Check It Out

Visit Okinawa to Get These Smokes

It began when I walked out of a bar to buy a few packs of cigarettes.

At the local grocery store, I ran into an old friend, who was hanging out, watching TV.

We drink beers together sometimes and, I had noticed him with Uruma cigarettes.

He had bummed one of my Mild Sevens, before I spotted his red pack of smokes.

It seems, he's trying to quit. The Urumas are helping him.

They are so strong he says, "After smoking one, you don't feel like having another for 3 hours."

Products Sold Only on Okinawa Islands

Way back in the late 1800's the government of Japan took over the tobacco industry.

It became a monopoly for the purpose of  taxing people so, the country could get rich.

Many years later, they figured out, private industries could make them, even richer.

The monopoly, got done away with but, the government still gets to hold one third of the stock.

When Okinawa, reverted back to Japanese control in 1972 the farmers weren't happy.

They had been raising their own tobacco and making these cigarettes, for Okinawa.

So, the big boys, up north, decided to give the tobacco farmers a break.

Before investing a total of  ¥ 630 or, about six bucks on those smokes, I did some research.

That's how I learned, these are brands exclusive of Okinawa, Japan.

Taxes drift upwards sometimes but, not as high as they would on any other Japanese smokes.

The way to get some of these gems, is to come to the islands. You can't buy them online.

Just for fun, I read some reviews of Uruma cigarettes on a Japan website.

A customer said, "They are a little bit pungent and sweet."  He recommends them for women.

When he, opened a pack, it smelled like some fancy liquor.

Another dude (in Osaka) met an Okinawan girl, who was smoking Uruma cigarettes.

He was a non-smoker but said, everyone around him was sucking smokes.

So, he decided to start sucking them, too. And, he liked to sweetness.

He's looking forward to, having that girl, smuggle him some from Okinawa on her next visit !

Some Do's and Dont's

Do: Plan on me getting rid of these smokes tonight. I ain't smoking them.

Don't: Send any correspondence, asking me to get some for you, back in the USA.

Reason: Once, in the custody of Uruma police, I promised, to be law abiding forevermore.

 More Information

Each cigarette, of both brands above contains:

Nicotine: 1.2 milligrams

Tar: 17 milligrams

Source: Learn Okinawa A-Z

Breaking the Photo Rules at a Festival

Way Too Much Action in this Animation

Keeping it simple, is one of the first rules of composition, for the photographer.

Eliminate all distractions in the background and, isolate the subject, is the ideal way to go.

Off to the left, there's a few thousand people, being entertained by a popular band.

I may have walked a couple of miles, shooting this festival from every possible angle.

It was warm and humid, with only a slight breeze blowing. Time to take a break.

Up under a white festival tent, I turned off the camera and lit up a cigarette.

Smoke from charcoal grills and the smell of sweetened soy sauce, disguise my sweaty smell.

I'm standing directly in front of a blaring loud speaker but, it doesn't phase me.

Out of the crowds, no one comes bumping into the tripod and, I can relax.

Everyone's been offering me booze and beer but, I won't drink when I'm working.

Out of my back pocket, comes a bottle of tea, I had bought earlier; it's warm now but, wet.

The guy in the fancy, black and white shirt, started dancing and chanting.

He stands out in a crowd. Put the tea away and, do some more shooting, I figured.

First, get rid of the cigarette. I pinch the hot tip off and, stomp the fire out.

The butt, goes in my pocket and if, I remember it will go in the trash, later.

They have some strict rules in Japan for smoking; don't walk around with lit smokes.

It is said, a smoker carries the fire at the same level as a child's eyes.

Why don't parents just, tell the kids, not to poke their eyes into people's lit cigarettes ?

I try to be a law abiding citizen. Only the wife gets angry, when the butts get in the laundry.

See, I don't burn little kids eyes and, my smokes don't wind up in the ocean.

Once the camera gets downloaded, I notice other things in this scene.

Everybody seems to be enjoying the act on stage or, the guy dancing with his black towel.

Look closely at the crowd. Just the gals in the lower left are doing something different.

Well, I noticed, they had an iPhone and, were doing some research on it.

There's a matsuri going on and, it seems like they are unaware. What could they be doing ?

Maybe, discussing the health benefits of prune juice, rather than stool softeners ?

Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Jun 5, 2011 A Lit Cigarette

Whoa, Sunday's Silly Sign alomst slipped through the cracks on me this week.  It may already be Monday, where you are but, I haven't forgotten you.  Here's one I discovered in Naha Okinawa, Japan.

That Mayor back in New York City, I hear, is going to ban all outdoor smoking.  He's probably worried about kids gettin their faces burnt by cigarettes, too.

Now this got me wondering. Kids who aren't much taller than a cigarette probably hang around inside the house. That's the same place all the smokers will be lighting up their tobacco.

The mayor should do like us and post these signs. Let folks smoke outside.  Police flying around will catch them if they burn any little kids faces and we'll get the criminals in jail where they belong!

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