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(It ain’t gonna be tossing you any beads)

March 10th, 2011 · 47 comments

Dear Monterey Aquarium Staff: Our submitter, Kevin from Napa, would like to suggest that you consider revising the phrasing of your photography policy. (Unless this type of thing is what you’re trying to avoid.)

Adds Kevin: “I don’t know which is more juvenile: thinking this sign was funny, or trying to pretend that it’s not.”

Please don't flash the octopus

Okay, is it Friday yet?

related: Our last octopus died from overexposure.

 

FILED UNDER: animal welfare · California · not so much passive-aggressive


47 responses so far ↓

  • #1   Silence

    And most especially, abstain from flashing it with your octopuss.

    Mar 10, 2011 at 7:22 pm   rating: 13  small thumbs up

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    • #1.1   Gladystopia

      There’s a Nadya Suleyman joke in here somewhere…

      Mar 10, 2011 at 7:38 pm   rating: 7  small thumbs up

       

    • #1.2   Silence

      I know, right? It’s almost too easy.

      Mar 10, 2011 at 10:47 pm   rating: 1  small thumbs up

       

    • #1.3   Nunavut Guy

      I’m the Nadya Suleyman joke monitor this week and I can guarantee that there are none here.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 6:39 am   rating: 4  small thumbs up

       
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  • #2   www.stuffistolefromtheinternet.com

    How will it know I like it then?

    Mar 10, 2011 at 7:26 pm   rating: 9  small thumbs up

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    • #2.1   Jimmy James

      If you like the octopus, please tell one of the aquarium staff. They will be happy to inform you what kind of flowers or chocolates the octopus most enjoys, and (if you purchase them) they will make sure that the octopus gets them.

      If the octopus accepts your gift, he/she will show this by pressing his/her mouth and tentacles up the glass. The aquarium staff will then allow you to walk up to the tank and kiss the octopus through the glass.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 9:13 am   rating: 17  small thumbs up

       

    • #2.2   Sarah Fromm

      That sounds a lot like visiting a husband in Jail

      Mar 13, 2011 at 3:37 pm   rating: 9  small thumbs up

       
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  • #3   Jessica

    Sweet. I was trying to figure out what to do when I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

    Mar 10, 2011 at 7:27 pm   rating: 3  small thumbs up

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  • #4   Engagement Rings

    Even though it’s Spring Break, it doesn’t mean that the Octopus is going to be easy. Do you think they made this sign intentionally to be an innuendo, or is it one of those mistakes that went unnoticed?

    Mar 10, 2011 at 7:27 pm   rating: 7  small thumbs up

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    • #4.1   limeliberator

      That sign has been up for years..its survived at least two octopuses…. octopi?

      Mar 10, 2011 at 7:32 pm   rating: 3  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.2   Robin

      Octopods

      Mar 11, 2011 at 5:41 am   rating: 0  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.3   Jimmy James

      Pretty sure it’s octopuses- octopi is sometimes used, but internet tells me ‘octopus’ comes from Greek rather than Latin.

      Invertebrates in general creep me out, though, and I try to avoid the issue altogether by simply taking things one octopus at a time.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 9:02 am   rating: 17  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.4   The Elf

      Octopeese?

      Mar 11, 2011 at 9:30 am   rating: 4  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.5   Shirley Ayejest

      Or is it octo3.14?
      Octocake? (easier than pie)

      Mar 11, 2011 at 11:07 am   rating: 7  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.6   anon mouse

      octopodes (greek-style) and octopuses (english-style) are both correct ; octopi (as if it were latin) is not.

      /pedantic

      Mar 11, 2011 at 11:21 am   rating: 6  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.7   park rose

      Shirley, your point is? Or is it pointless? You’re Buzz Lightyears ahead of yourself.

      Mar 13, 2011 at 10:05 pm   rating: 1  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.8   Grant

      Mmmmmm. Pie…

      Mar 14, 2011 at 6:33 am   rating: 4  small thumbs up

       

    • #4.9   Julia

      I was at the Monterey Aquarium recently and I think the sign is on purpose. It gets your attention, which is important. It shows they do have a sense of humour. BTW it is a terrific place to visit. I would go back again.

      Mar 21, 2011 at 1:43 pm   rating: 1  small thumbs up

       
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  • #5   limeliberator

    You’d be lucky to find it in the tank. The damn thing is always hiding!

    Mar 10, 2011 at 7:30 pm   rating: 1  small thumbs up

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    • #5.1   pony girl

      I think every aquarium has an octopus tank, but many never have an octopus.
      How are we going to know?
      Quite a scam really.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 1:06 am   rating: 3  small thumbs up

       
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  • #6   aaa bang

    Naughty tentacles, anyone?

    Mar 10, 2011 at 7:36 pm   rating: 2  small thumbs up

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    • #6.1   pony girl

      Um, wow.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 1:08 am   rating: 0  small thumbs up

       

    • #6.2   aaa bang

      DON’T ACT SURPRISED. THIS IS THE INTERNET.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 8:23 pm   rating: 5  small thumbs up

       
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  • #7   shwo! bang

    …or the bipolar mall cop will shoot you

    Mar 10, 2011 at 8:31 pm   rating: 0  small thumbs up

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  • #8   Vikki

    Everytime I’ve been there, I have never seen that stinkin’ octopus ! Perhaps if I did flash it, it would come out….

    Mar 10, 2011 at 10:43 pm   rating: 2  small thumbs up

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  • #9   Canthz_B bang

    Flash The Octopus is a good name for a Rock band…or a Spongebob character.

    Mar 10, 2011 at 10:53 pm   rating: 10  small thumbs up

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    • #9.1   Inspectah Deck of the Scotland Yard

      I like to imagine it was the B-Side to Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey”

      Mar 12, 2011 at 9:47 am   rating: 5  small thumbs up

       
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  • #10   FeRD bang

    This is an extremely serious issue. It’s a little-known fact outside the region, but to “flash the octopus” is Monterey gangland slang for gunning down eight members of a rival crew in one hit.

    It should be apparent how dangerous that would be at the Aquarium, with all those water tanks around.

    Mar 10, 2011 at 11:46 pm   rating: 23  small thumbs up

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  • #11   Grant

    “I see you’re admiring my little octopussy…”

    Mar 11, 2011 at 4:53 am   rating: 4  small thumbs up

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  • #12   Canthz_B bang

    Peter Parker, please don’t take pictures of the Doctor.

    Hint: This one is a Marvel. ;-)

    Mar 11, 2011 at 7:09 am   rating: 6  small thumbs up

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  • #13   Canthz_B bang

    Please don’t sepia tone the cephalopods…they can do that for themselves.

    Mar 11, 2011 at 8:32 am   rating: 2  small thumbs up

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  • #14   Lisa

    I think they mean if you take a photograph, don’t use the flash.

    Mar 11, 2011 at 8:51 am   rating: 1  small thumbs up

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    • #14.1   The Elf

      But it’s so much funnier if I think of the other meaning!

      Mar 11, 2011 at 9:30 am   rating: 7  small thumbs up

       

    • #14.2   Janellionaire

      It took me a whole day to figure that out. I thought they literally had a girls gone wild situation going on in that aquarium. I feel like an idiot.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 11:12 am   rating: 19  small thumbs up

       

    • #14.3   clumber

      Wait.. so then is lifting my shirt and exposing my boobs to the Octopus okay to do? As long as I don’t use the flash on my camera?

      * (and bra? Judges? Do flashers have to lift their bras too, or am I not supposed to have one on? Cuz’ I’m telling you, that would be dangerous in public…)

      Mar 11, 2011 at 11:12 pm   rating: 3  small thumbs up

       

    • #14.4   Grant

      This thread worthless…

      Mar 14, 2011 at 6:32 am   rating: 0  small thumbs up

       
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  • #15   Hmmmm

    I want that sign! :)

    Mar 11, 2011 at 9:18 am   rating: 0  small thumbs up

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  • #16   GhostWriter bang

    “This’ll put a crimp in Ming the Merciless’ plans,” thought Flash Gordon, as he pointed the Gamma-Delta Ray weapon into the ancient cistern. The ray would ultramagnetize the water within, forcing Ming’s slave minnows to the surface in confusion. Only then could Flash and Dale make their escape in the Turbo Sub.

    Just as Flash was tightening his finger around the trigger, Dale grabbed his arm, and pleaded…

    “Please don’t, Flash! The octopus!“

    Mar 11, 2011 at 9:54 am   rating: 34  small thumbs up

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    • #16.1   shwo! bang

      Flash! Ahhh ahhh!
      Savior of the octopus!

      Mar 11, 2011 at 4:39 pm   rating: 10  small thumbs up

       

    • #16.2   Jimmy James

      GhostWriter, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth.

      Mar 11, 2011 at 4:44 pm   rating: 5  small thumbs up

       
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  • #17   Nikki

    So disappointing that there’s a no-flash policy around the octopus. If I flash that octopus, it has a whopping eight appendages it can use to throw me beads, whereas the human male only has two (uh, unless they’re *really* talented…?). *sigh*

    Mar 11, 2011 at 10:02 am   rating: 4  small thumbs up

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    • #17.1   The Elf

      But human males can flare their lats. Does that not count for something?

      Mar 11, 2011 at 2:05 pm   rating: 4  small thumbs up

       
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  • #18   Heirloom Vegetable Seeds

    With the way that everyone is causing an uproar about “political correctness,” you would think that someone would have mentioned or complained about the sign by now.

    Mar 11, 2011 at 6:46 pm   rating: 0  small thumbs up

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  • #19   Odious

    I understand the subject heading under which this is filed, but, still, it has zero to do with this website. That’s cool and everything but watering down is a sign of last legs.

    Mar 11, 2011 at 10:03 pm   rating: 1  small thumbs up

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    • #19.1   GhostWriter bang

      Perhaps we’ve watered down the octopus, but we haven’t yet jumped the shark.

      Mar 14, 2011 at 10:40 am   rating: 5  small thumbs up

       
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  • #20   wax lion

    I guarantee the staff at MBA know exactly how funny this is. I work in a similar institution, and believe me, no label like that goes on display without careful thought (and associated hilarity.)

    GhostWriter, you are my hero. :)

    Mar 13, 2011 at 2:08 pm   rating: 3  small thumbs up

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  • #21   monkeyjen

    I was at this aquarium 2 weeks ago – and I DID flash the octopus – but I hadn’t seen the sign!! As a result, some other patrons PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVELY stage whispered that SOME people were using flash when they weren’t supposed to! My bad. Sorry Giant octopus.

    Mar 25, 2011 at 3:40 pm   rating: 0  small thumbs up

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