Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) DEC 11, 2011: My Lit Cigarette

My lit cigarette always

points towards others,

never toward myself.

YIKES !  The dude has something like a flamethrower in his hand !

GET OUT OF TOWN !

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) DEC 4, 2011: STOP AT ONE TIME

This Sunday's Silly Sign was taken with a cell phone camera during one of my morning dog walks.

A construction outfit is getting ready to build an overpass, for a new highway that will cross one of my favorite beach access roads.  So,  they set up this detour.  You have to make a sharp right turn, just beyond this STOP AT ONE TIME sign.

I'd like to shoot a photo with one of my real cameras for you to see the whole scene through a wide angle lens.

But, I've already stopped there at one time.

Not sure if I'd get in trouble with the local authorities if I go back and stop there again.

So, I probably won't.

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Sunday's Silly Sign Nov 20, 2011 Don't Swim When It Is Drunk (Photo)

From a beach somewhere in Okinawa, Japan comes this Sunday's Silly Sign.

They have some rules I understand and a few that I don't.

The most important one, to me, would be

Don't swim when it is drunk.

I went home.

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) NOV 13, 2011: Watch Your Front

This Sunday's Silly Sign was posted on a glass door in Okinawa, Japan.

Just a wild guess, I'm thinking they keep the museum so sparkling clean that people were crashing into the glass door instead of opening it because it was invisible.

These days, I'm pretty busy so, I didn't have time to hang around and see what happens.

Are those stories people tell about blondes really true ?

  Nah, I don't think so.

Would you really watch your front just because some silly sign told you to ?

Me neither

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) OCT 16, 2011 Catch and Get Off

This Sunday's Silly Sign came from a museum in Naha Okinawa, Japan.

"Please catch the handrail and get off."

Now, that might confuse some folks not used to going to the big city.

It had me scratching my head for awhile.

But, I looked around and found a set of stairs going down into the museum display rooms.

Sure enough, they have a nice stainless steel handrail.

For those people so inclined, I suppose you can catch it and get off.

Me, I just got as far away from the thing as I could and went down the stairs.

And I sure am glad I didn't run into anybody getting off at the bottom.

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) OCT 9, 2011 Upper Half Naked

We got law and order at our public places here in Okinawa, Japan.

For example I took this photo somewhere along the west coast of the island.

They don't want anybody running around the place with the upper half of the body naked.

So, I was wondering.

Don't you think they should make another silly sign and tell folks before they get any ideas?

Like, maybe, prohibit them from showing off their bottom halves, too !

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) OCT 2, 2011: Swimming Rules

Sunday's Silly Sign, today, was provided by Maurice Dudley.  He is another photographer, living on the island of Okinawa, who has a sharp eye for picking up the unusual and entertaining.  To tell the truth, I'm at the point in my life where I don't bother reading signs much, anymore.  So, it's a good thing Maurice and a few others keep me informed when they spot one, or I'd be running out of silly sign photos to post here.

For sure, if I ever decided to take a splash in the water at this spot and didn't read the Swimming Rules, I'd get hauled away.

Swimming is prohibited only in the swimming area.

It is also, prohibited during swimming hours. 

Dang.  What are you supposed to do, roll around in the sand ?

There wouldn't be much sense putting a swim suit on just for that.

Maurice has a few sites with his photography on display, I promised to give my readers.

Have a look and get some photographic inspiration at   500 PIX DOT COM

Or, visit him at FLICKR WHERE HE'S KNOWN AS SUBAJOGU

Lately, I've been so busy, I forgot to ask where this sign was posted.

So, as soon as I get caught up around here, I think I'll get ahold of Maurice and find out the exact location of this silly sign.  When I find out which side of Okinawa, Japan that beach is on, I'll head over to the other coast and see if I can find a beach with no swimming rules at all.

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Sunday's Silly Sign SEP 25, 2011: Dam Management

This Sunday's Silly Sign was spotted at a dam in Okinawa, Japan.

Let me help by translating for those who may not understand.

Don't let your dog run loose here

Because he might poop.

Take your trash to the dump, not the dam.

Campgrounds are for camping,  dumps are for dumping.

Don't camp here.

By Order Of The Dam Management

Sunday's Silly Sign (Photos) SEP 18, 2011 Remove Children

This Sunday's Silly Sign required two photos in order to keep confusion to an absolute minimum.

REMOVE CHILDREN

BEFORE YOU INSERT THE SHOPPING CART

Look at the poor family.

If the people who made food blenders gave better instructions.....

..... they would probably still have hands !

Makes you wonder, doesn't it ?

Like in the LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW 

Could something have gone wrong with a shopping cart

when the guy was a little kid ?

And that's how he became the Headless Horseman !

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) SEP 11, 2011: Vagetable

Everytime I order something from this take out food joint in Okinawa, Japan

This tune pops into my head.

Remember Nat King Cole, singing UNFORGETTABLE ? 

Really, I suppose I shouldn't poke fun and joke about these silly signs.

Vagetabletarians are nice people.  I've never met one I didn't like !

They're unvagettable and think I'm unvagettable too !

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) SEP 4, 2011: Please Pay Firstly

This Sunday's Silly Sign comes from a high class joint in Okinawa, Japan that I was afraid wouldn't let me enter wearimg flipflops.  I'd have gone back to the car and changed if they asked.

I got lucky and went right on in to one of the best buffets I've had in my life. 

Of course, that was after, I PAID FIRSTLY !


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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Aug 28, 2011: Our Project

It certainly feels better sitting through traffic jams under the midday sun in Okinawa, Japan when the construction crews put up silly signs like this: "Thank you for your cooperation and understanding to our project".  By golly, it makes me feel like passing out candy canes to each and every one of them !

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Aug 21, 2011: What Next ? Contest ?

Wow !   Another week goes by and I forgot to shoot a Sunday's Silly Sign for y'all.

No worries.  We'll never run out of silly signs.  Just start making our own.

Today's photo was taken by RyukyuRu in Izumi Okinawa, Japan.

He used a Canon Powershot SX30 IS

That'd be me posing for you.  I probably should have fixed my hair.

It didn't occur to me at the time but, on the blog, it looks like I'm watching that meter.

Not sure what I'll do for the next contest.

Maybe, give away something when the meter hits 750,000 views.  Standby.....

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Aug 14, 2011

Today the Sunday's Silly Sign photo is brought to you from Higashi Village in Okinawa, Japan.  They are a fine bunch of people and I enjoy my visit everytime I'm in their community.  They even took the time to translate the Municipal Charter and post it at the edge of town so we could read it in the English language.

If the rest of the world would follow these guidelines things would be much better for the environment, wildlife and all of humanity.  We should take a close look at how they've managed to be such fine citizens.

Go back and look at the photo.  Carefully read each line of the charter. Memorize it if you can.  It's not that difficult.  The folks who founded Higashi Village and wrote this charter may have discovered the secret to the whole world living in peace and harmony.  It's simple.  Why hasn't anyone thought of this before ?

Prioritize, that's what we need to do.  Keep your priorities straight.  Don't get your priorities mixed up. Write them down.  Then make them all #1.


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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Aug 7, 2011

Technically, this isn't really a silly sign.  I spotted this work of art the day I took the wife up to the village of Bise in northern Okinawa, Japan. 

It was being used as a sign, though.  The village of Bise has some very narrow streets.  An old guy at the far end of town must be a follower of Donald Trump.  He came up with the idea of charging all the tourists about five bucks to park their rental cars.

Well, I didn't feel touristy that day so, I looked for some place to park for free.

Driving back through town, I noticed a good-sized lot that was lined with fukugi trees and figured that would be a great place to pull off the road and park in the shade.  This Pop'n House thing was propped up against a tree at the dirt road entrance.  It sounded like some sort of touristy, high class place to me. Nobody else was parked on the lot. So, I didn't park there.  I parked illegally in the shade on the narrow street instead.  This old boy don't fall for those tourist tricks, ya know.

Once I got out of the car to stretch I read the sign for the first time.  Hah !  It was in English; my favorite language.  What a happy day it is today!   I have never seen such a stupid man.  Oh, look out!  Help me! 

Perfect for Sunday's Silly Sign !   But, the lighting was horrible.  I didn't want to shoot a photo of a sign with splotches of sun and dark shadows on it.  So,  I looked around to see where the Pop'n House might be. 

I couldn't find the place anywhere.  Good.  I'll see if I can move the sign to better light !

The wife would have a fit if she saw me but, she was exploring some trinket shop.  Good, again.

She probably thought I was staying outside having a smoke and keeping an eye on the illegally-parked car.

Nobody was watching so, I moved the sign to a spot in the shade.  Click, Click, Click.  Gotterdun !

Just as I was thinking "What a happy day it is today!" because I got my Sunday's Silly Sign a car beep, beep, beeped at me.  I was blocking the entrance to the lot with my tripod.  Caught !  Groan.

Having been caught a few times in my life doing stupid (or illegal) things with a camera, I've learned there's better ways to handle the situation than just running for your life. 

Sometimes, an explanation along with a smile works.  Sometimes bribery works. 

Other times, it would be best to just run.  But, I had the wife and a car to worry about.  Damn.

So, I moved my camera setup, stepped back, bowed and hand-motioned Gomenasai (sorry) and let the guy drive onto his property. He drove over to park in the shade.  Next he'll be confronting me.

Think quick, think quick, think quick !  HERE HE COMES !

Silver tongue, don't fail me now.  You've got to explain to some angry Papasan why you moved his sign and blocked his driveway. 

Speak some local dialect.  Explain why you moved the sign.  Show him how you used your shirttail to wipe it clean for the photo.  Let him know it's for a feature on Mike's Ryukyu Gallery. 

It's for Sunday's Silly Sign facrynoutloud.  Buy the guy an ice cold tea. 

Well, I did all of the above.  He cracked up laughing. 

YEAH !

When I picked up the sign to place it back exactly where I found it I noticed what was so funny.

It was a child's folding table.  The legs are folded into what I thought was the frame of a sign.

It was sodai gomi (garbage too large for a regular trash day pickup) and that's why it was propped up against a tree on the corner.  The trash truck would be able to spot it easily there.

When I told the Papasan it kept me from parking on his lot he said "I know" and laughed some more.

The copyright in the lower lefthand corner, I'll translate for you.  It says KF Product.

I'll bet Colonel Sanders and his gang never dreamed they'd be featured on Sunday's Silly Sign !


RELATED POSTS:

SATURDAY'S SHOOTIN IN BISE OKINAWA, JAPAN

TREE LOVERS, HERE'S FUKUGI TREES


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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Jul 31, 2011 Sweaty Work

Just a little late this week with my photo for Sunday's Silly Sign because I was up in the northern area of Okinawa doing some sweaty work.

It seems like the program to educate smokers has even reached remote parts of the country where the internet is almost unheard of.

This sign was on an ashtray in the Village of Ada where I was taking photos of the Shinugu Matsuri.

Look at the size of those cigarette butts.  They probably wouldn't fit in that character's pocket so, I can see why someone might just throw them away.

On the other hand, I can see where it might be sweaty work for people who had to go around picking the darn things up.

It's just the people who don't know picking up butts is sweaty work that we need to educate.


  They're the dumb ones !

Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Jul 17, 2011 Smokers Doggonit !

The Anti Smoking Campaign

Must continue until we get everyone properly trained.

Doggonit, there's etiquette we have to teach smokers.

First, we ought to cut down on the size of the cigarettes.

Look at the size of that thing.
It could qualify as a bazooka !

Etiquette?  Well, if he'd side step a little further when he sees someone downwind of him, the smoke wouldn't have got the guy.

Look at the dog, though.  He aint no dummy.  Naturally smarter than his master or went to one of those schools like DOGGONIT ACADEMY

The dog came out clean. Hah!

This Sunday's Silly Sign was spotted at a convenience store in Okinawa, Japan.
It was posted on the ashtray outside the front door of the place.  That's where I go to buy my smokes and iced coffee.  Somebody with no Slurpy Etiquette spilt a drink on the sign !

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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Jul 10, 2011

It's a good thing some employee, or maybe the manager, of the convenience store had the initiative to translate this sign and print it in BOLD RED LETTERS because many foreigners don't bother to learn kanji characters before they travel to Okinawa, Japan.

I just wish they had posted the sign on the outside of the door.  That way I'd know enough to leave my SMORKING GEAR outside these tiny bathrooms.  It's hard to breathe when I'm wearing all that stuff in a crowded place.  You shouldn't try smorking on airplanes either from what I've been hearing.


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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Jul 4, 2011: Become One Lene

It's the 4th of July weekend, not really a holiday in Japan.  But, just to be on the safe side, in case a lot of the American community got out on the highways, construction crews made sure that foreigners had signs they could understand.  Here's one warning that the two lane country road would turn into a single lane. 

Be careful.  It's about to become one lene !


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Sunday's Silly Sign (Photo) Jun 19, 2011

Whoa Nellie!  Just when I was starting to think I'd have to discontinue this series of silly signs this beauty popped up in a pretty high class (for me) restaurant in Okinawa, Japan.

Look in the background.  There's a guy wearing a coat and tie and he looks like he might be reading a menu or something.  Er, he could just be pretending.

He's really thinkin of asking the bearded dude squatting in his flip-flops and dripping sweat all over a table to shoot the aquarium sign to please go somewhere else to eat.  But, I'm glad he didn't.

They treat the elders and disabled people in Japan pretty well these days.  So, while I may embarrass Ryukyu Rusty and Doc, sometimes,  I get the job done. 

Just act like some kinda old, crazy guy and people get back outa the way leave me alone.  Hah !

We did one of those long, long days in the hot sun, just to catch some good sunset photos on the other side of our island.  You'll get to see some of those photos later.  I think I have a good one for Travel Photo Thursday this week and there's plenty more in the cooker waiting for development.

I'll have to go back and get the name of that restaurant and do a review on the place someday.
It was really good food and they had the air-conditioning cranked up high enough to give you goose bumps.

Only, when I excused myself, after eating, to go to the Gentlemen's Room and splash some cold water on my head, I came back out and Rusty was headed for the door.  He said he payed the tab.

Now, I'm wondering if they charged him for that tablecloth I dripped all over trying to shoot that silly sign with a cell phone !