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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMan behind Oregon's famous 'exploding whale' video dies
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/11/01/242347861/man-behind-oregons-famous-exploding-whale-diesIt's the guy who thought up the stunt, not the one who narrated it:
Oregon highway engineer George Thornton, who in 1970 led an operation to blow up a dead beached whale with half a ton of dynamite, died this week at age 84. Thornton's decision resulted in a foul shower of whale blubber; video of the event has resurfaced periodically, often leading viewers to declare the whole thing a hoax.
But the problem facing Thornton and his colleagues was both real and huge: Measuring 45 feet and weighing 8 tons, the whale had begun to emit an "incredible" stench as it decomposed on the beach, as Oregon's reports.
After consulting experts in the Navy and elsewhere, Thornton decided the best course of action would be to detonate the whale with enough force to disintegrate it into chunks that could be eaten by scavengers "sea gulls and crabs, and whatnot," as Thornton told KATU back in 1970.
"I'm confident that it'll work," he said, while admitting to some uncertainty over how much dynamite to use. His team approached the problem as they would a large boulder that needs to be broken down, in this case with 20 crates of dynamite. The charge was buried on the landward side of the whale, with the intention of blowing its remains toward the Pacific Ocean.
But the problem facing Thornton and his colleagues was both real and huge: Measuring 45 feet and weighing 8 tons, the whale had begun to emit an "incredible" stench as it decomposed on the beach, as Oregon's reports.
After consulting experts in the Navy and elsewhere, Thornton decided the best course of action would be to detonate the whale with enough force to disintegrate it into chunks that could be eaten by scavengers "sea gulls and crabs, and whatnot," as Thornton told KATU back in 1970.
"I'm confident that it'll work," he said, while admitting to some uncertainty over how much dynamite to use. His team approached the problem as they would a large boulder that needs to be broken down, in this case with 20 crates of dynamite. The charge was buried on the landward side of the whale, with the intention of blowing its remains toward the Pacific Ocean.
A classic.
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Man behind Oregon's famous 'exploding whale' video dies (Original Post)
Brickbat
Nov 2013
OP
Warpy
(111,339 posts)1. RIP, you gave me a great laugh
every time I've seen this video. It's one of the greatest "oopsies" of all time.
frylock
(34,825 posts)2. performance art at it's very best
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)3. ANOTHER FALSE FLAG OPERATION BY OBAMA!
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)4. that was one of the first virul internet thingies
RIP
Kaleva
(36,343 posts)5. R.I.P George Thornton. You won't be forgotten.
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)6. I remember seeing that, it was pretty gross.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)8. Well, sure, if by "gross" you mean "AWESOME."
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)10. no it was gross
the beach was pretty rank for a bit.
RagAss
(13,832 posts)7. It was all downhill after 1969.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)9. So true, my brother.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)11. Hey now...I was born in 1970...
progressoid
(49,999 posts)12. Rec!
RIP George.
Wounded Bear
(58,706 posts)13. "As God is my witness....
I thought it would work." (apologies to WKRP in Cincinnatti)