Paul The Octopus, World Cup Genius, Makes Another Pick (PHOTOS)

Paul, an octopus in Oberhausen, Germany, gained notice around the world last week by blowing away soccer fans with his wise World Cup picks. The marvelous mollusk accurately predicted the outcome of all of Germany's group play matches -- including the country's stunning loss to Serbia -- by choosing between two mouthwatering mussels, one for Germany and one for its opponent.

Last week, the German guru navigated split allegiances (he was born in the United Kingdom) and successfully picked Germany to beat England. As if on cue, the German squad trounced their English opponents on Sunday.

Paul is now attempting to make an astonishing fifth consecutive correct pick. The football forecaster thinks that Germany will beat Argentina in the World Cup quarterfinals, in what could be the country's toughest match yet. The amazing octopus's power of prediction will be tested on Saturday, when the two teams face off. Scroll down for pictures and a video of Paul at work.

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Comments

[brianct]

09:01 AM on 07/10/2010

what Paul has done is confirm precognition on the world stage,,.and its upset quite a few rationalist sceptics, whove seen their notions of reality kicked out of the park
GO PAUL!

[netzwerg]

05:41 AM on 07/06/2010

Oh lala!!! Paul the Octopus picked Spain!! Now this is serious!! http://www.bz-berlin.de/sport/wm2010/halbfinale/tier-orakel-paul-tippt-auf-spanien-article909262.html

[averell]

06:40 AM on 07/06/2010

don't worry .. It's all rigged !! As I know Paul signed an advertising contract with a spanish instant-paella company.

[GhiaccioPronto]

07:01 PM on 07/05/2010

after this can he be put to work picking stage winners in TDF
so there is at least one thread on it?

[EvitaLuisa]

07:11 PM on 07/05/2010

now this, too, is ueber-funny! I just luvs coming to this thread and reading this great schtuff!

Here I goes again: GOOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOO DEUTSCHLAND! Aufwaerts, niemals rueckwaerts blicken, immer nach vorne!! Auf geht's, Deutschland, auf geht's!!!

[EvitaLuisa]

03:27 PM on 07/05/2010

Whew! Thank you for that info, Netzzwerg! I've been holding my four leaf clovers in the one hand, a beer (German, of course!) in the other and getting increasingly nervous by the moment. Now that I know when this section will be made, I can drop at least one of the two, and go about my business!!!

Paul! Paul! are you listening?!

Remember .... the colors, those oh so pretty colors, you know with the dark dark darkness (that you may recall from the sea or ocean), then that color that reminds you .... well, it rhymes with "fed" and we KNOW how much you like that (and want it to continue, right?:::), and then, of course, that gorgeous golden colour (which reminds you surely of all you will receive in the future :), and then ..... so that's the general direction you'll want to be, ah...... yeas....ssss.....

GO PAUL!
GO DEUTSCHLAND!

[netzwerg]

01:54 PM on 07/05/2010

Paul will make his pick for the match Germany vs. Spain tuesday at 11:00 CEST.

[Debbie338]

11:59 AM on 07/05/2010

Where's the new story on Paul's latest pick? He's 5 for 5 now. I thought he'd be on the front page. LOL

[EvitaLuisa]

03:36 PM on 07/05/2010

:)))) Yes, let's rally the fans and get this there, Debbie338, appreciate your calling attention to this!
This major concern to many of us deserves front page coverage and I've been 'splaining to the folks at HuffPo, "Please Please, Please Put Paul The Prognosticator" on the main page; instead of at least some of those headlines which surely are less significant, like, e.g., where are LiLo, Katy Perry or Gaga today (usually exposing themselves while falling off mile-high boots; very attractive ladies, oh surely, but not necessarily the brightest....), what Sarah Palin and/or the Tea Party is up to, and.... well you get my drift....

MORE Paul news, please, Huffington Post!

[Debbie338]

05:22 PM on 07/05/2010

YOU read it, didn't you? AND you read the comments.

[AbeMartin]

11:20 AM on 07/05/2010

A perfect candidate to replace Michael Steele as Chairman of the Republican National Committee: Able to change colors to satisfy all possible constitute groups; Eight, suckered tentacles to enhance the removal of money from voters' pockets; Can produce and spew clouds of black ink to confound any investigative reporters' efforts to report on excessive expense account charges. No backbone, which will make him very popular with McConnell, McCain, Kyl, Cornyn, Boehner, Murkowski, Hutchinson, Bunning, Sessions, and the rest of the Congressional trolls who have a problem with uppity types. And, oh, I almost forgot--a life expectancy of two years, which coincidentally is the same length as a Congressperson's term of office.

[EvitaLuisa]

04:16 PM on 07/05/2010

Brilliant, AbeMartin, what an analysis! Unfortunately my first attempt to respond did get not through, likely 'cause of how I characterized Mitchey-poo likened to a turkey-pooo, etc. etc.etc. And by contrast, how handsome Paul, our wonderful tentacled prognosticator, is.....So, all I can say for now is: wonderful -- thank you for the awesome laughs! Had to fave you for this, wish I could even more often!

I shall add, too, I was/am very very very saddened to hear the life of an octopus is --- gasp! -- only two years???? You should never have brought this up, ich bin ja ganz traurig!

[joel burkash]

09:52 AM on 07/05/2010

It looks like some people are jumping the gun on the Octopus's predictions, these guys fell for a photoshopped hoax: http://bowlphilosophy.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/paul-the-octopus-picks-semi-final-winner/

[Debbie338]

12:02 PM on 07/05/2010

They may have photoshopped that pic because they didn't have a new one; but, he's on video making his choices and this is not the extent of how he picks. He removes the top of the box and climbs inside.

[Layman23]

01:31 AM on 07/05/2010

“This Octpopus 'Paul'. Just curious why ther german cube is always on the right hand side. And there also seems to be lot of space on the german side of the aquarium. Maybe he is just choosing the side where he is comfy spreading his tentacles?

Either way, if that Octopus does what it does, then next up after the games, we need to ask where Bin Laden is hiding.

The irony of an octopus dismantling the tentacles of a terorrist network would be too sweet.”

[Isa Martinez]

11:38 AM on 07/04/2010

a lot smarter then many of people I know.

[single malt]

02:42 AM on 07/05/2010

think we can get it to run for government. couldn't do much worse.

[HumanityEqualsLaw]

09:01 AM on 07/04/2010

If Paul doesn´t pick Spain this time, his perfect record will be tarnished :)

[EvitaLuisa]

09:36 AM on 07/04/2010

now now! this marvelous mollusk has got to train ALL of his focus on our beloved Germany!!!! GO GERMANY!!!!

[LatteLiberals]

08:02 AM on 07/04/2010

Fry that baby up on a platter! Yummy.

[EvitaLuisa]

04:23 PM on 07/05/2010

Though I would under any other circumstances never consider flagging something as abusive.... I am tempted to, here! What are you thinking?????? Take that back!!!!!

[Aripottah]

06:35 PM on 07/05/2010

Do I detect a criminal conspiracy? No way can you fry up poor Paul that magnificent octopus.

[EvitaLuisa]

07:08 PM on 07/05/2010

:)))) Thank you for the support. Initially, I did not think it warranted to "flag" the above poster, as I very much like the moniker, LatteLiberal (hey, two treats, TWO treats in one: I love Kaffee and I just luvs Liberal(s)ism(s), too:). I am not radical radical, but I am def a lefttie in most things, not all.
Appreciate the support! Paul needs US and he needs US now!

GOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOO Germany! (aren't I getting a bit irritating with all this Germany kahrayyyyzeeeness, no? To think I've been behind Germany ALL the way, not even thinking twice about the US of A. :) traitor I am!

[Aripottah]

08:12 PM on 07/05/2010

Concur with your spontaneous, heartfelt enthusiasm! Team USA fought hard but ....... another year perhaps.

In general the level of play for many of the matches has been superb! The clinical dissection of a lackluster Team Argentina by a youthful, sprited Germany was nothing short of a masterpiece. Go Team Germany (home of my ancestors.)

[In another post I have tweaked Diego Maradona for some of his foolish, disrespectful behaviour toward Thomas Muller.]

[PKatherine]

09:48 PM on 07/03/2010

paul your next pick better be SPAIN!!!

[EvitaLuisa]

08:20 PM on 07/03/2010

Dear Paul,
This is a letter of admiration and one of a humble request. Please make sure to pick the correct winner, again, for our next match :) ... Always remember, and I know you do cause you are so freakin' smart, where the food comes from.
You were born in GB, but who cares about that now?, that's all in the past now, all that matters now is your awesome Heimat! Aren't those muschel quite yummy?

Also, remember how some colours are just wayayyyy better than others? hint hint? Like they bring even more fun&games with them? Well, you must might wanna......
GO GERMANY!!!!!!

Huge fan, Hoping for The Best --
EvitaLuisa

[jajenkins]

02:20 PM on 07/05/2010

That's sweet.

I am thinking of writing him a fan-letter too.

I always wonder if players are aware of trends and predictions like this. I wonder if it would psych them out if they did.

[EvitaLuisa]

04:22 PM on 07/05/2010

Fanned & faved, JaJenkins -- please DO write, he is waiting to hear from us all.

And on an even (more :) serious note, yes, I hope the players of our Nationalmannschaft get wind of this kind of "kah-rayyyyy-zeee" that we avid, beyond avid, fans indulge in. I certainly hope so! My guess it is possible, b/c while having read very recently over this weekend, I found out that the awesome coach Jorg Loew showed his most studly team videos of the fans rooting for the German team, .... and this was brought up in the context of how effective it seemed, once the game against Argentina was won, ..... so there is hope THEY know and feel just how much WE care!!

Auf geht's, Deutschland, auf geht's!!!!!!!

[AlexFTW]

07:35 PM on 07/03/2010

The Walrus was Paul....er, wait.