Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by jlmorton 456 days ago
The blown up whale in Oregon is sort of like the SR-71 speed readout story. Reposted endlessly, but you just kind of accept it.
4 comments

There’s film of the whale being blown up. The best part is the sound of whale meat falling from the sky.
you don't have to accept it. it was filled live, and covered expensively.

chunks of whale fell on peoples' cars and required insurance payouts. it is well documented, and unlike the SR-71 -- classified stuff + pilot bravado -- this is just a glorious fuckup

I don’t think GP was questioning the truth of the matter
don't think it was that expensive.
>SR-71 speed readout story

Are you referring to this: https://www.thesr71blackbird.com/Aircraft/Stories/sr-71-blac...

Never heard of it before, but just read it now, and it's a fantastic little story.

I have an autographed copy of Brian Shul's book, which is the origin of it. He used to sell them through his website, though he passed away in 2023:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/30/us/brian-shul-dead.html

The two whales:

- blown up by dynamite

- 393-years old, wandering the ocean since 1627

There are whales, still alive, who existed when Herman Melville first published Moby Dick.

And they still haven't read it.