Advertising on your underwear

What the well-dressed Czech naturalist is wearing nowadays

Photos by Dick Daniels and Steve

So let's say you are the head of the Czech Environment Ministry and you need to find a way to publicize Czech nature. You rack your brains. And then, of course! It's so obvious -- as obvious as the nose on your face! Or rather the underwear on your pelvis.

Naturally you decide to sell underwear with pictures of the Czech Republic's lovable woodland creatures. In particular, beavers on women's panties and cormorants -- a waterfowl with long, thin, muscular necks -- on men's shorts.

What? Don't look at me like that.

This decision has brought much needed worldwide attention to Czech cormorants and beavers, both recently brought back from the verge of extinction.

Some Czech naturalists are obviously a bit jealous that they didn't think of this provocative idea first, though. Jan Pinos, a spokesman for Hnutí Duha (Czech for the Rainbow Movement) commented, "It’s completely stupid. It’s so stupid, I can’t find English words for it. I am shocked but not surprised.”