Anything An Octopus Can Do, A Parrot Can Do Better

I was just chuckling at PZ's lament about the sub-par potential of octopi to open a beer for you:

I was thinking it would be so cool to have an octopus on your shoulder, and you hold up your beer bottle, and he reaches out an arm and twists the top off for you. And then you read a little further and discover that the little smart-aleck will only do it if you open it first and put some octopus food inside for it. I wouldn't mind a bit of shrimp or crab bobbing about in my beer, but having to open the bottle first to put it in there defeats the whole purpose of carrying a bottle-opening octopus around with you.

Plus, I can't imagine that octopus-food-flavored beer is going to be a huge hit. So sad, sorry PZ.

But wait? What's that??? Oh right, Pepper can open my beer anytime I like! Yep, just sits on my shoulder, I tilt that brew back, he chews open the top, and ouila! Effort-free beer. Now some might say, "Isn't it more work to go and get Pepper, get a beer, put him on your shoulder, and have him open the beer? Wouldn't it be more prudent just to get a beer opener?"

Sure, but that's not going to impress anyone at a party, now is it?

This guy can do it too, but not very well.

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The reason he can't do it well is because he can read. Who the heck wants to bother with a low alcohol beer. Now give that fine fellow a La Fin du Monde and I'll bet he'll have it open in no time.

By Craig Pennington (not verified) on 10 Apr 2007 #permalink

ouila

Almost. "Voilà." At least you didn't spell it "Walla". Maybe I'm just jealous because my little green-cheek can't open my beers for me. (Aren't most beers twist-off, now?)

Ouila, voila, potayto, poTAto. :D I bet your green-cheek could do it, try putting something sweet on the lid to get him to start chewing on it. Once they start, and the beer starts coming out, they get very surprised and proud and wanna do it again. Like 30 more times.

Craig, what about Duvel? Mmmm.