Everybody, say hello to Paul.
Paul is an octopus. He is about two years old, which is considered very old for an octopus. Why am I writing about him? He's gotten some international attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Before this, he has only been making predictions for the German National team as a sort of oracle. Due to his great predictions (10 for 12 thus far predicting Germany's games), he has now predicted Germany to beat Uruguay in the third place match and for Spain to win the final against Holla--The Netherlands.
How does he do it, you ask? Like this.
Two boxes with the corresponding team flags are filled with food (fish). Whichever box Paul chooses is considered the "prediction."
Okay, here's my rant:
PETA doesn't like this. This is because he is placed in "confined spaces" and is treated unfairly in obtaining his food, causing him suffering. PETA, if I may ask, wasn't he born in a reserve? If he was born in the wild, I would totally understand your position. Wait...why am I saying "born?" He was hatched. Good gravy. Anyway, since he has been raised this way for two years, there is no possible way he could survive out in the wild and obtain food for himself. Isn't it easier for anyone to obtain food when it's all in one spot anyway? It's like a fishy supermarket for him.
Animals aren't stupid, either. Most especially common octopi. They can determine shapes and examine many things with their tentacles. They can unscrew jars, for cripes' sake. Paul might know what we're doing too. It's like when we train dogs and cats to not go to the bathroom on the carpets in the house. Okay, Paul's not a domestic pet, but he was raised in a docile environment, and his environment has given him the adaptive qualities to be a passive and simple creature. He isn't being tortured, he's actually being babied a little. If he didn't like it and felt like he was in danger, the keepers would certainly know about it. But anyway, he is getting old, and he won't be doing this for much longer. Who knows? Maybe since he's in a reserve, he'll live a little longer or something. He has an interesting little trait to him, so maybe he's meant to stick around longer than usual. Isn't God awesome like that?
(EDIT - I love animals. Trust me. I just have a spiritual hunch that animals are meant to have more characteristics than from what we know from examining them out in the wild.)
But wait, there's more!!
There must be more to his power, right? Well, the Argentinians think so. According to recent (dead serious) reports, this little old guy is receiving death threats. He won't have any of it though. He'll survive, kids.
--AZ
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