Friday Cephalopod: Soaring! : Pharyngula

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PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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Friday Cephalopod: Soaring!

Category: Organisms
Posted on: January 16, 2009 9:25 AM, by PZ Myers

(via the Monterey Bay Aquarium)

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Comments

Posted by: SEF | January 16, 2009 9:32 AM

Yay! Though how does one really tell whether an octopus is happy?

PS The picture looks like a good starting base for a creation spoof (either way round):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_of_Adam

Posted by: Sven | January 16, 2009 9:41 AM

I see Whats Up With That won the best blogger award for science. Imagine that. A blog about science winning. You should try to make one someday.

Posted by: mikeg | January 16, 2009 9:46 AM

i loves me some monterey bay aquarium

Posted by: TSC | January 16, 2009 9:49 AM

Congrats on Darwin 200/ Focus Magazine.

Posted by: itwasntme | January 16, 2009 9:50 AM

Do non-mammalian sea creatures pass methane gas? This is an honest question.

Posted by: Crystal D. | January 16, 2009 9:59 AM

If you want to know if an octopus is happy or not, you just have to ask it. :)

This one looks really happy, I love this pic. Very nice.

Posted by: Andyo | January 16, 2009 9:59 AM

I live very near to the Monterey aquarium. I've never been there, always planning, never going!

Maybe this is a sign. I shall do something this weekend!

Wait, I don't have money.

Posted by: rea | January 16, 2009 10:02 AM

AOL this morning calls my attention to reports of giant freshwater carniverous octopi lurking in Oklahoma lakes, preying on swimmers:

http://www.asylum.com/2009/01/14/oklahoma-octopus-paranoia-alert/?icid=200100397x1217226212x1201131950

Posted by: llewelly | January 16, 2009 10:16 AM

AOL this morning calls my attention to reports of giant freshwater carniverous octopi lurking in Oklahoma lakes, preying on swimmers: http://www.asylum.com/2009/01/14/oklahoma-octopus-paranoia-alert/?icid=200100397x1217226212x1201131950

Oh no, not again! Another soldier of the Secret Cephalopod Army of World Domination decided to go out for a night on the town, and failed to remain in proper disguise.
Somebody contact ERV - I believe the Oklahoma division is her responsibility.

#10

Posted by: Horwood Beer-Master | January 16, 2009 10:41 AM

Oh, for fucks sake - it's happened again! I can't see the picture!
What's going on here? This has only been happening since the 'upgrade' the other day, and yet on other blogs on the site (well on Darren Naish's and Grrlscientist's at any rate) I can see the pictures fine. But apparently this is only happening to me!?

Oh great and mighty PZ! Why dost thy blog hate me?!!!

#11

Posted by: Damon B. | January 16, 2009 11:25 AM

It looks like it's going, "WHEEEEEE!"

#12

Posted by: Dood | January 16, 2009 11:44 AM

PZ lost in weblogs.

Awwww.

you suck.

rude and stupid, right?

#13

Posted by: jj | January 16, 2009 11:48 AM

Sweet, I was at the MBA two weeks ago, I lover that place!
Andyo @6 - If you've never been, go, it's great. I live in Santa Cruz, and try to make it down there at leased once a year, if not more. It's awesome I tell ya!

#14

Posted by: SEF | January 16, 2009 11:55 AM

@ Horwood Beer-Master #10

I can't see the picture! ... What's going on here?

grrlscientist's 16th Jan picture (of a mystery bird) is on flickr:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3096/3180125455_3752c0ee48.jpg

PZ's octopus here is on scienceblogs own site (and also ends in jpeg rather than jpg, although that bit really shouldn't matter!).

You might have some anti-virus, anti-advert etc browser and security settings which make some images viewable and others not, according to which site they're on.

Do you see the banner images of PZ's blog or Sb's adverts all over the right-hand-side? Have you tried more than one browser (IE, Opera, Firefox etc)?

#15

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 12:05 PM

I LOVE The Monterey Bay Aquarium! It's one of the nicest aquariums I have ever been to (and I have visited a few).

#16

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 12:07 PM

jj - I live in Santa Cruz, as well. Where are you at?

#17

Posted by: Confused | January 16, 2009 12:21 PM

I just can't help pretending it's not underwater, it's actually flying through the air about to wrap it's tentacles around an unsuspecting victim.

#18

Posted by: JJ | January 16, 2009 12:34 PM

SaraJ - Nice!! I live in live oak, 17th/Brommer street, and work on the West side by swift/mission. How about you?

#19

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 12:42 PM

jj- I live on Bay and Nobel, up by the University, where I also work. I've lived here about a year and a half (moved from Orange County). I love it here, and fit in much better than I ever did in Orange County.

#20

Posted by: MikeM | January 16, 2009 12:44 PM

Former Santa Cruz resident here... Graduated from UCSC before they built the aquarium in Monterey...

That's a great aquarium. I haven't been since they built the otter building, but back when it was a single tank, I felt like I could sit there all day, watching those critters play. Best part is the "tidepool" they built right in the ocean, where critters of one sort or another would show up, so you'd have an otter from the bay itself darting around.

And the bird exhibit... And the deep-sea exhibit... And the...

Andyo, you've never been? You just gotta. On your first trip, you'll probably head toward the kelp beds, and before you know it, that's all you'll have seen... And it'll be 4:30. D'oh. But the kelp bed is the first place to visit, for sure.

#21

Posted by: cactusren | January 16, 2009 12:45 PM

Ummm...I only see six legs. Am I missing something?

#22

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 12:46 PM

I have to say, it's nice to know there's another Pharyngulite around here.

#23

Posted by: James F | January 16, 2009 12:47 PM

I have to echo others above in praising the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Beautiful specimens (the Mola mola is particularly awe-inspiring) and one of the best aquarium layouts I've ever seen.

#24

Posted by: jj | January 16, 2009 12:49 PM

SaraJ - WOW, where in Orange Country are you from? I moved here to Santa Cruz from Orange County (Laguna Hills)about 5 1/2 years ago (originally for school), and I can say, this town is a MUCH better fit for me too! I love it here!

#25

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 12:55 PM

jj - Ha, RANDOM. I moved here from Irvine, very near Laguna Hills! My boyfriend goes to school here, so I moved here to be with him.

It was weird because I went back to Irvine (where my family still lives) right around the election time and saw "Yes on 8" signs EVERYWHERE. It was really jarring, having come from all the "NO on 8" signs we had around here.

#26

Posted by: jj | January 16, 2009 12:56 PM

SaraJ - I'm actually surprised I haven't ran into a Pharyngulite here in town (or maybe a Santa Cruzian here), having UC and all!

#27

Posted by: jj | January 16, 2009 1:00 PM

Ugh, those yes on 8 signs are still up in my neighborhood, makes me sick. Someone actually had the audacity to put one on my parents lawn one night, and my dad made sure to make a scene when he tore it down.

#28

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 1:06 PM

jj - There has to be some Pharyngula readers around here. Plus, I do my best to talk it up to some of my more credulous co-workers and students assistants (hoping they'll learn something).

My boyfriend and I aren't super social, though, so we stay home a lot. We only go out about once a month or so, and we don't have any friends here, really, so we just talk to each other...

#29

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 1:11 PM

I hated living in Orange County. Most people there are so driven by money, appearances, and all that crap. It just drove me crazy. All the white privilege was annoying, too. I went to highschool with people whose parents bought them new cars every year. And then you throw in the bigotry and it just rounds out the complete hell-hole that is "the OC" (I hated that, too!).

#30

Posted by: jj | January 16, 2009 1:45 PM

Sounds VERY familiar to me, that's for sure. Only thing I miss are some old friends, most of which have moved themselves. Well, I'm always looking for new intelligent friends here, most the people I knew here in SC moved back to their respective homes after they graduated - something I couldn't do, for sure.

#31

Posted by: rea | January 16, 2009 2:10 PM

I only see six legs. Am I missing something?

Not an octopus--it's a rare sexopus . . .

#32

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 2:27 PM

jj - My boyfriend and I are always down to hang out, but be warned... we drink a lot of beer. You can e-mail me if you ever want to get together... ca_sara_1982@yahoo.com

#33

Posted by: jj | January 16, 2009 2:31 PM

HA! I too drink a large amount of beer, probably more than I should...

#34

Posted by: SaraJ | January 16, 2009 2:34 PM

Heathen! You can never drink too much beer!

#35

Posted by: SEF | January 16, 2009 3:33 PM

@ cactusren #21:

I only see six legs. Am I missing something?

Yes - enough attention to detail. There are actually four tentacles at the front where there appears superficially to be only two. Rather like binary stars.

The obvious front tentacle furthest into the picture, which also reaches highest up in it, has another, darker and more ribbon-like tentacle visible fractionally below and to the right of it - with slivers of water showing between that and the closer, more prominent tentacle (whose suckers are just about visible edge on - which wouldn't make sense if the ribbon was simply more width on the same tentacle).

The binary nature of the other obvious front tentacle is mostly made clear by the dual lines of suckers. The closer tentacle, which occludes its partner further along, has half its suckers pointing towards us at the base (like open rings of Saturn) with the matching line being more edge-on and thus unseen. Further along, both lines of suckers can be seen side by side though. Meanwhile, the base and middle of the partly occluded tentacle in the pair has both lines of suckers visible at the same time as the single line from the occluding tentacle. Anatomically, 3 lines of suckers at such angles would be wrong for a single tentacle.

#36

Posted by: rsm | January 16, 2009 10:09 PM

Why is it that every time I see one of these pictures the first thing that I think is 'how yummy would that one be?'

I think you should start a Tuesday "cephalopods and your dinner" line of pictures too.

#37

Posted by: Chardann | January 16, 2009 10:19 PM

I love the Monterey Peninsula like no other place on earth; I lived there for 2 years, and it was there that I discovered atheism. The wonders of nature that are so abundant there convinced me that the strong religious beliefs that I had held on to all my life just couldn't compete with the awe and wonder that exists in the natural world. That whole area is, for me, a shrine to that most important discovery in my life.

#38

Posted by: cactusren | January 17, 2009 12:37 AM

Thanks, SEF.

#39

Posted by: Samantha Vimes | January 17, 2009 1:34 AM

Santa Cruz, off Laurel Street near Mission.
Should we of PZ's Ilk have a coffee meet up sometime?

helenkrummenacker at gmail.com

#40

Posted by: Juliana Marie | January 17, 2009 11:09 AM

@ Andyo & Monterey Bay Aquarium locals - admission is free for Monterey County residents on the 20th of every month through October. Press release here http://bit.ly/gElg

If you're not a MoCo res., maybe you can put out a plea on Craig's list or Freecycle for existing members to share a guest pass? I used to share mine with friends of friends of friends when I HAD a membership (damn economy!!).

#41

Posted by: Horwood Beer-Master | January 17, 2009 9:32 PM

SEF #14
I can see the banner and the ads, I can also see PZ's profile pic, the little octopus drawing in the bottom right corner of each post and Mr gumby. It's just images actually within the posts I can't see.

#42

Posted by: SEF | January 18, 2009 4:58 AM

OK Perhaps it's time for a legitimate, non-frivolous usage of the method for posting images within posts. NB The link for the picture at the top is this. So:

#43

Posted by: Horwood Beer-Master | January 18, 2009 5:34 AM

Ah - cheers SEF, I can see it there! (and very graceful and elegant it is to!) I just wish I knew why I can't see it in PZ's post.
I'll try clearing out my temporary internet files and cookies later to see if that makes a difference (although I can't see why it should). My machine may probably need a defrag as well, but frankly that's a pain in the arse.

#44

Posted by: SEF | January 18, 2009 5:40 AM

Well in PZ's post it's contained within a specific div tag. NB That also applies to grrlscientist's mystery bird, except hers is a slightly different div tag.

So now I need to compare the properties of all the allowed and disallowed (from your point of view) presentations of images, re-test them at you here (wherever possible, since some code won't work in posts) and see if there's something simple which PZ could do to make his blog work better for you (and perhaps others).

#45

Posted by: Luke | January 18, 2009 7:23 AM

Wow, it looks like it's doing freestyle!

#46

Posted by: SEF | January 18, 2009 7:45 AM

Starting off by checking out the various CSS files, the key one seems to be:
http://scienceblogs.com/seed-static/global.css

From that, PZ is using an img tag within a centre div within an entry div within blogMain. Whereas, grrlscientist instead has used an img tag within a centeredCaption div etc.

The styles for those two things only differ at the start:

... .center img ... { float: none; ...

... div.centeredCaption img {margin-bottom: 18px; clear: both; ...

and end with the same padding, thin coloured border etc. NB the div specifier seems to be implicit in the "center" one though, despite the preceding levels being careful to mention div every time.

The odd thing to me is that anyone's using them at all. I wouldn't have bothered with a div but simply specified the img itself to be centred if I wanted it centred. The rest is frippery.

Anyhow, one experiment which PZ could do quite easily is to use centeredCaption for one of his entries and see if it becomes visible to you.

#47

Posted by: SEF | January 18, 2009 8:13 AM

Trying to replicate those here in a post isn't going to make a lot of sense given that the "img" is being crowbarred in as the background to a paragraph. I suppose I could try to not-float the paragraph anyway though:

#48

Posted by: Horwood Beer-Master | January 18, 2009 9:43 AM

I'm afraid I'm not computer literate enough to follow all this talk of tabs, but I can see the image once again in your last post if that tells you anything.
I assume you were trying something different in that post then you did in post 42?

#49

Posted by: clinteas | January 18, 2009 9:52 AM

Horwood Beer-Master,

I might be straight and not into guys,but would you please consider marrying me anyway.....
Just for the name.....

#50

Posted by: SEF | January 18, 2009 11:13 AM

You could change your name by deed poll (in the UK anyway) if it meant that much to you.