Paul the octopus

Up to $4.5 million for the endorsement of an octopus that ate a clam out of a box labeled with the flag of a match-winning team eight consecutive times?

Since Paul is an international celebrity of the highest order now, everyone wants a piece of him - both literally and figuratively. Italy is trying to claim that he was caught in Italian waters, Spanish businessmen are trying to buy him for €30,000 ($38,000), and Dutch priests tried to dismiss him.

(cite: Yahoo! news.. http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Paul-the-octopus-could-make-millions?urn=sow,255780)

LA Times reported that a businessman has offered nearly $38,000 to rent Paul as a mascot for a food festival in northwestern Spain. Paul also has a Facebook page and millions of fans and followers all over the world.

After Paul's prediction on July 6, death threats and recipes from Paul's own countrymen were sent to his owner. Now that his prediction has proven true and Paul's World Cup 2010 picks remain 100% accurate, the AP reported that most Germans are now thinking about Paul fried in garlic butter.
(cite: the Christian Science Monitor)


All these fuss over an octopus is ridiculous. There is no such thing as a psychic octopus. Here is my theory..when you put an octopus to choose between 2 containers with clams in it, having a flag over the container, the probability of it choosing either one is 50%. 50% for every game, each team. 50% is a half-half..An octopus cannot recognize a flag. It is not scientifically proven that an octopus have the capability of predicting. It's a dish (sorry to those who get offended, but it is a dish in certain places.) It is merely a game of luck..OK, so, it predicted 8 games correctly..but does that make it psychic? The number of correct prediction does not increase the probability of a team winning a game, it does not add to the credential of an octopus.. Having bidding millions on an octopus that has 6 more months till its average life span is not a good investment. Having international dispute of ownership of an octopus is ridiculous. What's going to be next? Bidding billions on a chicken that has "psychic" powers too? Is this a matter of logic or just mere egoism? Is this an investment that would reap great returns? What do one gets from owning the octopus? Take it to a casino and increase your chances in winning? This is insanity..