Wednesday January 02, 2008 Monterey Bay Aquarium - December 2007
We visited our favorite aquarium on the last day of last year. It was definitely a lot less busy then usual and we got a great opportunity to spend much more time looking at each exhibit. That unfortunately didn't always help improve my photographic skills.
Here are the best shots with a little commentary below.
The latest new exhibit was the river otters (as opposed to the sea otters that are always there). The river otters were mostly lethargic although there was one guy swimming like crazy; (I need to practice my panning skills).
There was a batch of sand dollars and we got to see what they look like alive (as opposed to collecting them dead off a beach over at Half Moon Bay).
A couple of the creatures were doing a great service to the public and hanging out right next to their labels.
The jellies are still my favorite show though, and since the last time I was there (February 2007), they've changed a few of the tanks and are showing new species.
The last shot above is an Ocean Sunfish, (which thankfully is not in the same tank as the jellies). The aquarium has two of them and they are huge.
( Jan 02 2008, 07:55:51 AM PST ) [Listen] Permalink Comments [11]
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I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Monday too! I got some really nice video of the jellyfish in HD. Let me know if you want the URL for the .mp4 HD file. It looks fabulous on TV (if you have an XBoX360 or PS3 to display HD video).
Posted by Eugenia on January 02, 2008 at 12:39 PM PST #
Hi Eugenia,
Yes please! Feel free to add it in another comment.
Thanks.
Posted by Rich Burridge on January 02, 2008 at 01:00 PM PST #
Thanks Rich!
So, I have two videos from the aquarium, one is about jellyfish and the other one about anemones and the like. The jellyfish video is my best yet I think, and it's best enjoyed on an HDTV. If you register with Vimeo (for free) you will be able to download the original MP4 high quality 720p files.
Let me know what you think:
Jellyfish: http://vimeo.com/466491
Anemones: http://www.vimeo.com/466371
Posted by Eugenia on January 02, 2008 at 03:44 PM PST #
I think I need to blog above this. They are
fantastic. Thanks!
Posted by Rich Burridge on January 02, 2008 at 04:25 PM PST #
In 2005 on here you asked about Ba Ba Ru Ru Cu Cu Da Da.
What you're remembering is from the beginning of a song from 1980 called "Summer Fun" by The Barracudas.
I like it too. Funny. So I thought maybe you'd like to be reminded.
I think the beginning is a clip from a radio advert for a car sales place that sells Plymouth Barracudas.
Good pop summer song. Brings back memories.
Happy new year.
Posted by Basil on January 03, 2008 at 05:44 AM PST #
Hi Basil,
Yup. A couple people helped me back then. See:
http://blogs.sun.com/richb/entry/bar_bar_ra_ra_cu
and its two comments.
Thanks.
Posted by Rich Burridge on January 03, 2008 at 07:46 AM PST #
Hello Rich.
Yes, that blog entry is what I'm referring to. I saw that one person helped you and posted a url. I didn't follow the url becuase it looked like he was on the wrong track.
You came back with a comment about "1966 huh?" which showed even more that the url he posted wasn't the most useful.
The song was a 1980 hit. The transcript done by the 'Dutch Pied Piper' is NOT the same as the funny intro to the song that you remember 27 years ago in England.
Here is the real transcript (done by me for your benefit!) followed by pied piper's transcript of what was apparently a radio segment from KJR, Seattle...
[1. The real song from 1980.]
Plymouth jingle (upbeat music, women sing): Your Plymouth dealer is a dealing man - yeah, yeah.
Dealer (deep voice): I'm a Plymouth dealer. A dealing man. And right now I'm giving the best deal ever on that new Plymouth 'Baccaruda'.
Young man: Hey man, the name of the Plymouth fastback is the Barracuda.
Dealer: I can't pronounce 'Baccaruda'.
Young man: Yah well look, man, try this: say, "Ba."
Dealer: Ba
Young man: Ra
Dealer: Ra
Young man: Cu
Dealer: Cu
Young man: Da
Dealer: Da
Young man (very excited): Now put it all TOGETHER!
Dealer: Baba-rara-cucu-dada.
Young man: Uh, well it ain't Barracuda, man, but I think we got a hit record.
Song commences. Raucous song, first 'words' are "ba, ba, ba, ba...................." before they start singing properly.
[That's all there is so I don't know what the following is. If you compare them closely, the KJR version has a lot of extra words in it:]
2. Apparently a JukeBox Memories segment from KJR Radio, Seattle, in 1997.
Plymouth jingle, then:
Dealer: I'm a Plymouth dealer, I deal in men and right now I'm
giving the best deal ever on that deal, fast moving, fastback
the Plymouth Baccaruda.
Young man: Hey man, the name of the Plymouth fastback is the
Barracuda.
Dealer: I know...I can't pronounce Baccaruda!
Young man: Hey, that is a bad thing, man, like you being a Plymouth
dealer and not being able to say Barracuda!
Dealer: I'm hip, I mean, I know...
Young man: Oh well, look man, try this...
Dealer: What?
Young man (begins to sing and swing and the dealer sings and
swings along): BA-BA-RA-RA-CU-CU-DA-DA..... that's it man!
Dealer: BA-BA-RA-BA-CU-CU-DA-DA..... Yeah, still not right, huh?
Young man: Well, it isn't Barracuda, man, but I think we got a hit
record!!
Part of ''hit'' follows.
Posted by 203.144.95.6 on January 03, 2008 at 11:21 AM PST #
Before I stop wasting your time, you will want to have a very very quick look here:
http://www.motortopia.com/vehicles/view/p/cars/v/5023/i/babararacucudada
Bye.
Posted by Basil on January 03, 2008 at 11:24 AM PST #
Okay. Thanks Basil!
Posted by Rich Burridge on January 03, 2008 at 12:52 PM PST #
I have not been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium since 2000, so I am sure it has changed.
I think your photographic skills are excellent (at least the pics you posted).
I too enjoy the Jellyfish and really liked the pictures fo them as well.
The one picture that is number 8 counting backwards from the bottom was my favorute though.
Nice work.
Posted by Carl Strohmeyer on January 03, 2008 at 02:46 PM PST #
Thanks Carl. It's one of my favorites too.
This blown glass is the work of Dale Chihuly.
If you ever go to Last Vagas, visit the lobby
of the Bellagio and look up. Here's what it looks
like:
http://www.jeteye.com/jetpak/e2202608-3b33-1029-86c1-00304880af2f/
Posted by Rich Burridge on January 03, 2008 at 03:29 PM PST #