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Entries for September 2015
September 27, 2015
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08:46
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I've meant to do a post about the Dumbo Octopus for a while now, and then reader Joe Yarbrough sent me this video. It's a pretty good five minute documentary about the Opistoteuthis family, with lots of excellent footage. And yes, it's pretty adorable.
September 26, 2015
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11:57
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Happy Batman Day! Remember that time Batman and Robin were stranded on a tropical island, became Jungle Batman and Robin, and then fought a giant octopus? It happened in August of 1952 in Batman #72. Check it out!

September 25, 2015
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07:01
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What an amazing treat for this diver, and he appears to be treating the octopus respectfully. It also looks to me like she has one short tentacle. Very likely she lost one previously and is now growing a new one. Way cool!
September 24, 2015
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11:40
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It's cephalapod vs crustacean, and it's no contest. Crab: It's what's for dinner.
September 23, 2015
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01:23
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It is the first day of fall, and if you need to update your autumn octopodal attire then Hypebeast has you covered with their fall collection.

I'm just sayin', I would wear the @%#$ out of this hoodie:

Ditto for this spectacular t-shirt:

I'll pass on the rain poncho, though. I'm just sayin'.
September 22, 2015
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09:17
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This, ladies and gentlemen, is what comes from too much free time. Available now at kigurumi.com for a mere $79 (plus shipping and handling):

September 21, 2015
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09:52
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This is a really awesome video of a diver respecting a giant pacific octopus and interacting with it gently.
September 20, 2015
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09:01
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Why use camouflage when you can just hide? The southern sand octopus can shoot jets of water into the ocean floor and burrow her way into her own personal hidey-hole. You might say she's the floppity floppity trap door spider of the sea.
September 19, 2015
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07:29
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In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day I have not one, not two, but THREE pirat-y octopodes to share.
Artist Cacodaemonia gives us this glorius pirate octopus:

Next up, if anyone would like to chrochet me a gift for Christmas, Sarah Horrocks has a lovely pattern for you to use:

Finally, for the non-crafty types, here is a lovely plush Pirate Octopus available on Amazon:

Avast ye hearties! Go drink some rum and bury some treasure!
September 18, 2015
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11:08
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A bonus second post today, because I just learned that today would have been the 89th birthday of comics artist legend Joe Kubert. The man was one of the true greats of the industry, particularly at DC. Check out this November 1973 cover from Korak: Son of Tarzan.

September 18, 2015
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09:27
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Have you ever seen a clutch of octopus eggs hatching? No snark here, it is really just unbelievably cool.
September 17, 2015
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09:23
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It started with an awful joke ("How does an octopus go to war? Well-armed!"), which led to googling "octopus war", which led to this amazing Nazi propeganda poster. So, just an average morning here at Shmoolok Estates.

Translation: Know the risk! Select Austrian People's Party
September 16, 2015
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08:33
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A special thank you to reader David Brown for reminding us all to take a moment to remember the plight of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus. Without our help, these magnificent creatures may well disappear forever. (Almost as if they had never existed at all...)

September 15, 2015
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08:32
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This one comes indirectly from reader Chuck Rogers, who sent me a photo of Oodaku lounging on the beach in Okinawa. That led me to wondering, what ever happened to Oodaku? He had such a promising film career in the 60's. Fortunately, "Behind the Kaiju" is here with the answer.
"He was the best damn cephalapod in the business, and don't let anybody tell you any different!" - Baragon
September 14, 2015
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08:57
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Here is a gorgeous cover from the 1955 comic Famous Funnies #215, featuring Buck Rogers. The artwork is by legendary fantasy artist Frank Frazetta.

September 13, 2015
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12:14
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I saw this commercial last night for the first time, and laughed a lot.
September 12, 2015
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06:56
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Because sometimes you just need to go for a walk.
September 11, 2015
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09:23
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From Daneil Hopper Design comes this gorgeous chandelier:

I would hang this in my foyer in a heartbeat.
September 10, 2015
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09:04
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I have such mixed feelings about this clip. The footage is amazing, and that tenticle reach early on is just hypnotic (but watch out, it might be the hectocotylus). But after the first minute, the octopus decides he's not interested and wants to be left alone, at which point he is pursued for another two minutes by this cackling photographer. I mean, seriously, you got your shot. Leave the poor guy alone.
September 09, 2015
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08:22
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I have been infatuated with the artwork of Karen Hallion for some time now. She did an entire series of Doctor Who / Disney mashups, and then followed it up with a series of Star Wars / Haunted Mansion paintings. You can check out her awesome t-shirt designs here at TeeFury. Two days ago she posted a picture of Stich playing with BB-8 from the new Star Wars movie. What I am saying is, as an artist she speaks direclty to my soul. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when she posted this picture yesterday:

It is for a new card game called Wizard School being done by Hank Green. Apparently the Kickstarter goes live next week, as soon as that happens I will come back here and post a link.
September 08, 2015
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08:33
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Or: How to Scar Your Son's Psyche For Life
Seriously, mom, octopodes are neither gross nor scary. They are the coolest, right up there with dinosaurs.
September 07, 2015
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11:17
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I guess this is the first Labor Day since 1966 where there has not been an MDA Telethon (and I gather lots of people are happy about it). In any case, here then is my own weird free-association from Labor Day to the MDA Telethon to Jerry Lewis to... Jerry getting an underwater makeover by a cephalapod stylist? Huh. Ok, whatever.

September 06, 2015
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10:06
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It's not that this octopus is camera shy, it's that she wants to take up photography for herself.
Bonus: The music is "Octopus I Love You" by Dalmatian Rex and the Eigentones
September 05, 2015
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08:55
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Reader John Abenroth sent me this joke. It's awful. So awful I can't bring myself to tell it. Besides, Rick Grimes already has it covered for me:

I'm sorry.
September 04, 2015
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11:43
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This video is priceless. I have no words, it is just a true work of brilliance. It is worth every single second of the six minutes it will take you to watch it.
September 03, 2015
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08:39
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I love this clip SO MUCH. Even on re-watch, when you know exactly where the octopus is hiding (in plain sight!), your eyes still won't let you see it.
September 02, 2015
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08:03
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This one has made the rounds on the internet, but not here so far. I give you the fresh blueberry octopie:

A big thank you to reader Jo McDonald, who submitted this picture. My job is waaaayyyyy easier when my readers do half the work....
September 01, 2015
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09:01
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A pride of lions. A school of fish. A parliament of owls. A murder of crows. An incompetence of politicians. It seems like every group has a special name. So what do you call a group of octopodes?
Turns out, that's a trick question. The octopus is a solitary creature, and will even resort to murder and cannibalism if another octopus enters its domain. Even mating is a dicey situation (and ain't that often the truth in general?) At most you might see "a couple of octopodes" or "a pair of octopodes". which will very likely coincide with "a flurry of tentacles" and/or "a cloud of ink".
So it turns out that it is not just an oversight that there is no group name for octopodes; as they say in my day job, "it's a feature, not a bug."