On This Day in History: November 12, 1970
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 7:00AM I've written some fairly long and weighty posts in the last week. Like this one, or this one, or this one or even this one. I'm going to guess that a lot of you haven't even have time to read all of them or give adequate reflection to the subject matter.
What can I say? Today I needed something a bit lighter as I prep for teaching the Walk Thru History Class @ Manna tonight (another heavy duty topic) so I reached for something quick, easy and cheap. Sue me.
I didn't have to reach far. This day in history, November 12, 1970, provides many lessons in life, engineering, environmental management and problem-solving. Not to mention serving up a cautionary tale in poorly-thought-through government solutions...
On November 12, 1970, a 14 m (45 ft 11 in), eight-ton sperm whale died as a result of beaching itself near Florence, Oregon. Because all Oregon beaches are under the jurisdiction of the State Parks and Recreation Department, responsibility for disposing of the carcass fell upon the Oregon Highway Division (now known as the Oregon Department of Transportation, or ODOT), a sister agency. After consulting with officials at the United States Navy, they decided that it would be best to...
Oh well, a picture is worth a thousand words. Just watch...
The engineer in charge of the operation, George Thornton, was recorded as stating that one set of charges might not be enough and more might be needed. Thornton later explained that he was chosen to remove the whale because the district engineer, Dale Allen, had gone hunting.
WALK THRU HISTORY BONUS MATERIAL: MORE EXPLODING WHALES!
In January 2004 a sperm died after beaching itself on the southwestern coast of Taiwan. It took more than 13 hours, three large cranes, and 50 workers to shift the 17 m (55 ft 9 in) bull sperm whale onto the back of a truck. The workers began transporting it to a wildlife preserve for burial. As it was being transported through the streets of Tainan City a large crowd of more than 600 local residents and curiosity seekers, along with vendors selling snack food and hot drinks, braved the cold temperature and chilly wind to watch workmen try to haul away the dead marine leviathan.
Unbeknownst to the workers and crowd of onlookers, as the truck slowly wove through downtown gas was building up inside of the decomposing carcass. Showing almost perfect comic timing, at the most optimal moment the gas buildup reached critical mass and the whale burst, splattering blood and entrails over surrounding shop-fronts, bystanders, and cars.
VINTAGE WHALE EXPLOSION, BROUGHT TO YOU BY WALK THRU HISTORY, ALWAYS YOUR FIRST STOP WHEN YOU'VE GOT A FEVER, AND THE ONLY CURE IS MORE EXPLODING WHALE!
Not much info on this one. Looks like the 1930's and government workers. My theory is that this was some F.D.R. New Deal make work program. Giving the unemployed Hope and Change by retraining them to to use explosives on beached whales. An old idea whose time may have come again!
MORE EXPLODING WHALES FROM WALK THRU HISTORY, YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR EXPLODING WHALE TALES!
This one's from Australia this year, 2008. They attempted a surgical strike, so to speak, attempting to only blow it's brains out. Bad outcome:
Don't worry, I'll be back to stories of death, war and taxes soon enough. Enjoy the break. Sigh.
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