May 12th, 2017: Giant Squid is Giant

[xoxoxoBruce]

This picture of a three day dead specimen, which washed up on Seran Island, Maluku, Indonesia, shows why they named it Giant Squid.
Wiki says;

Recent estimates put the maximum size at 13 m (43 ft) for females and 10 m (33 ft) for males from the posterior fins to the tip of the two long tentacles. The mantle is about 2 m (6.6 ft) long, and the length of the squid excluding its tentacles (but including head and arms) rarely exceeds 5 m (16 ft). Claims of specimens measuring 20 m (66 ft) or more have not been scientifically documented.

The colossal squid is believed to be the largest squid species in terms of mass. It is known from only a few specimens, and current estimates put its maximum size at 12–14 m (39–46 ft) long and weighing possibly up to 750 kg (1,650 lb), based on analysis of smaller and immature specimens, making it the largest known invertebrate.

But that’s a guess, the biggest caught weighed 495 kg (1,091 lb) and was initially estimated to measure 4.5 m (15 ft) in total length.
Just be thankful Asian restaurants that serve dishes where the squid/octopi try to grab you, use the little ones.

link

[Snakeadelic]

It won't last long in water that warm! And the smell...

What we SHOULD be eating is the Humboldt squid. They weigh about 100 pounds as adults, are voracious and cannibalistic, and for reasons not yet understood the population in the Sea of Cortez (between Baja and Mexico) has exploded and begun moving up the west coast of Baja.

Seriously, we need to eat these things. Researchers caught one and glued a tiny camera to her to see what they could learn about Humboldts.

They learned Humboldts don't like cameras. As soon as the captured squid was returned to the water, the scientists had a live-feed view as the other squid checked her out and then straight tore her to pieces.

Just wait until these things hit the southern California coastline, which is where they're headed. This could turn into the modern equivalent of the giant eagle that used to live in New Zealand, until the colonists who became Maori killed them all in self-defense. Said eagles were the main predator of the giant flightless birds that were also hunted to extinction, but in their case for food. The eagles were capable of carrying off a small child, but would just as soon kill and adult and eat what they could.

If massive schools (in the thousands at least) of hundred-pound venomous (and remember, it's a paralytic, NOT an anesthetic) squid start invading warm coastal waters, we're gonna have to eat them in self-defense! Pretty soon, Humboldt squid from the western coast of Baja and California could be as ecologically friendly an entree as Atlantic lionfish (which are the invasives that are devastating reef life with a population moving south from Florida and another moving north from Brazil).

[footfootfoot]

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I've been dreaming of
And I'd like to swim beside you
Getting dizzy in your wake
Getting close enough to touch you
Getting brave enough to take you into my arms
And bring you down to be with me

But I can't do that thing anymore
I can't be the thing I was before
Maybe I am better off alone
Because I crush everything
And I crush everything
And I crush everything

My body's strong, my will is weak
I got pretty nice arms, but I hate my beak
And the dolphins are all phonies
They seem nice enough at first
But they pretend to be your friend
Until they see you at your worst and then they leave you
Without a word they swim away

So I can't do that thing anymore
I can't be the thing I was before
Maybe I am better off alone
Because I crush everything
And I crush everything
And I crush everything

And everything I want I take
And everything I love I break
Every night I lie awake

Did the stars come out? Did the world spin round?
Does it matter that much when you're ten miles down?
In the light that filters down
Into my giant yellow eye
I can see the sails unfolding
Stretching white against the sky and I forgive them
I forgive and I let go

'Cause I can't do that thing anymore
I can't be the thing I was before
Maybe I am better off alone
Because I crush everything
And I crush everything
And I crush everything

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[glatt]

That's enormous!

The Smithsonian has a gian squid in formaldehyde in the Museum of Natural History. I was all excited to see it when it was added, but it is very boring. The body is about the same size as me, IIRC, and the tentacles are really long.

But this, THIS, is a giant squid.

[Diaphone Jim]

They sure don't fare well on land.

Anybody know why I can't open the videos? They are just black boxes that I have to open by copying the info on the properties function.
I think I may have some kind of encryption blocking going on.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Don't know, this thread or all videos in the Cellar?

[Diaphone Jim]

At least the ones in the last three IOTD's. (This one, salt and pallet)
Same problem on both the "front page" and comment page: just dead except for right clicking on properties.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Hmm, have to query smarter people than I to figure this one out.
What platform are you accessing the Cellar with?

[Diaphone Jim]

Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 7.
Is the direct link I am having trouble with a new way of presenting them?
I don't remember having problems since I changed to a faster internet connection.

[Tanalia]

According to Snopes this was determined to be a whale carcass.

[glatt]

that makes more sense

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Diaphone Jim

Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 7.
Is the direct link I am having trouble with a new way of presenting them?
I don't remember having problems since I changed to a faster internet connection.

No, I don't think so, it appears to be posted the way we always have. OK, I use Chrome on 7 but I just tried it with IE 11 on 7 and I get the same black box you do. I wonder if Google/youtube has done something to cause this?

Originally Posted by Tanalia

According to Snopes this was determined to be a whale carcass.

From what I read at Snopes and here, They really haven't proven what it is, just speculating because of the size and Giant Squid aren't common to the area.
I'll never trust an Indonesian again.

[Diaphone Jim]

The vids work on my Chrome page, too.
I am guessing you are right about Google.
I had to get Chrome to post on some of their "blogs," but avoid using it because it came with a Norton add-on that is PITA.
You have to laugh and forget about the mass of info you leave behind every minute of connectedness. I search for a topic on Google, e.g., and get related ads for Amazon and other places related to it.
Sometimes Google will tell me I already looked a result, 8 YEARS AGO.

One would think the baleen would hang around for a while if the beastie was a whale. Looks more like one to me.

[BigV]

There are ways to turn off that kind of tracking, D-Jim. And to clean up what's been accumulating up to now, and block it from sticking going forward. Chrome is a good product and I doubt the Norton add-on is permanently attached to it.

I could help you do so if you wish.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yeah, I don't think I have that. I Googled(ironic) about chrome when I first installed it and found a lot of tips on cleaning up shit I didn't like. I kept using IE mostly but discovered here in the Cellar, a thread with a lot of videos like the video thread(duh), loads 10 times faster in Chrome. This may be Google's doing also, but it happens.

Also in Chrome check out the analytics opt-out.