Super Ads

I have deliberately declined ads on this blog, as you know.  Occasionally, I’m told, the blogging hosts runs them around the margin.  If you  see one of those, I have the same policy as bowsprite . . . posted upper right here:  “mention bowsprite tugster for 15% off your next cutter suction head purchase.”   I understand there’s the 45th iteration of an obscure sports event on TV Sunday (Feb 6) that features ads in order to draw in viewers.  Here are some of their ad examples.

But this post spotlights an ad poster (below) I noticed on the Staten Island ferry.  When I saw the ad, I suddenly understood a spate of news articles of the past months, mentioning an increase in the numbers of large marine mammals congregating around the Narrows. Bowsprite, in fact, scooped this story nearly two years ago, with a foto from… of course … a working mariner.  Here’s a Cornell U article, and only recently have mainstream media caught on  here and here.  Eureka!  I get it.   I know why they’re here.

Whales have been attracted in by lucrative contracts in the advertising sector.  I can see the future, and it involves a lot of breaching, large cetaceans . . . in exchange amounts of krill and sardines . . .  leaping and playing in the bay to show off the text on their sandwich boards or painted or –ouch!! . . . tattooed into their flanks.  If whales can manage flight, we may soon see a Fuji whale or a Goodyear one.  Advertising is vibrant . . .  unarrestible! ever dynamic!

If you’re wondering which obscure team I back for this event tomorrow, my answer is “neither.”  I’m wearing some red underwear and off to drive away the sea beast (or mountain beast) called Nian. Why wear red?  See below the foto.  Why this foto?  Answer comes next week.  A clue though . . .  this foto was taken mere hundreds of feet from where mermaids waddle ashore each summer solstice.

From wikipedia:  “Hongjun Laozu was the monk who is told about in the myth of Chinese New Year. He was the person who captured Nian, the great beast that terrorised the people of China every Chinese New Year.

Every Chinese New Year was a time of suffering and fear for the people of China because of Nian, the great beast. One Chinese New Year’s Eve, a monk named HongJun LaoZu came to a village in China. He saw how everyone looked sad and frightened, so he went to a young man and said “Why are you so sad? It is Chinese New Year, a time for celebration.” The man replied “Do you not know? Have you not heard about Nian? He comes every New Year and terrorises us, even eats us.” The monk said “I will go and reason with Nian.” So off he went, to find Nian.

When HongJun LaoZu came to Nian, he said “Nian, I have come to reason with you. Stop eating and terrorising the people of China.” But Nian Said “HoHo. You have delivered yourself to me old man, now I will eat you.” “Oh, but what will that prove? Eating me isn’t great! Would you dare to eat the poisonous snakes on the mountains?” “Bah! What’s so difficult about that?” So Nian went to the poisonous snakes and ate them up. “How is this? Am I not great?” “At the back of the mountain there are many great beasts. Can you subdue them?” So Nian went and scared all of the dangerous beasts out of the back of the mountain.

“Old man, now its time for me to eat you!” “OK just wait while I take my clothes off, I will taste much better then”. So the old man took his clothes off to reveal his undergarments, which were red. “OK you can eat me now.” But Nian said “Ah! a red undergarment! I dearly hate red, get out of my sight quickly.” “HaHa! I knew you were afraid of red!” so the old man went into the town on top of Nian and said “Dear villagers, do not be afraid. Nian is most terrified of red. From now on each house must paste red on each of their doors to prevent Nian creating havoc.”

After that, the people started to paste red paper on their front doors before New Year’s Day.

Happy Rabbit Year!!  And another eureka flash:  when Patty Nolan finally gets her new bikini, it MUST be red.

The foto above here by Faith.  Two top fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Unrelated:  Congratulations to Aleksander Doba, a 64-year-old who paddled across the Atlantic!