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Jan. 28th, 2004
BIG WHALE GO 'SPLODEY!
Jan. 28th, 2004 11:46 amWhale explodes in Taiwanese city
A dead sperm whale has exploded while being delivered to a research centre near the southwestern city of Tainan.
Passers-by and cars were soaked in blood and body parts were sprayed over a road after the bursting of the whale, which was being carried on a trailer.
The whale had died earlier on a beach and had been collected so its remains could be used for educational purposes.
A marine biologist blamed the explosion on pressure from gases building up in the mammal as it began to decompose. . .
Paging Mr. Barry, Mr. Dave Barry, the Oregon Highway Department's dynamite experiment has just been trumped by the forces of nature.
Man, can you imagine being one of these poor sods? "Honey? Um... I'm going to be, uh... really, really late getting home. There's whale guts on my windscreen... no, honest. Turn on the radio... I'm going to go have a twitching fit now."
A dead sperm whale has exploded while being delivered to a research centre near the southwestern city of Tainan.
Passers-by and cars were soaked in blood and body parts were sprayed over a road after the bursting of the whale, which was being carried on a trailer.
The whale had died earlier on a beach and had been collected so its remains could be used for educational purposes.
A marine biologist blamed the explosion on pressure from gases building up in the mammal as it began to decompose. . .
Paging Mr. Barry, Mr. Dave Barry, the Oregon Highway Department's dynamite experiment has just been trumped by the forces of nature.
Man, can you imagine being one of these poor sods? "Honey? Um... I'm going to be, uh... really, really late getting home. There's whale guts on my windscreen... no, honest. Turn on the radio... I'm going to go have a twitching fit now."
Trying to get a few things straight in my head for future reference as I work on HB: HP stuff. Suggestions welcome.
1. John's going to have to learn the Patronus Charm at some point, and I'm considering animal possibilities. I'm thinking something small, vicious, and persistent- polecat? Stoat? Pit-bull terrier? Mink? I'd say raccoon, since they're basically curious intelligent balls of ANGRY ANGRY MUSCLE with five out of six ends pointy when enraged, but, well, they're not in England.
Badger also possible because the damn things are known for being formidable defenders and nasty as sin, plus they have a rep in England for carrying bovine TB.
2. Speaking of badgers, sooner or later he's going to have to put on the Sorting Hat. Reluctantly, as he really doesn't fancy the idea of an artifact that can perceive his inner nature, but it's going to have to happen because people are gonna get curious. The way I see it he qualifies for three out of four houses- I can't see him in Ravenclaw no matter how clever he is- but I'm not even sure about Slytherin. Not ambitious enough in what I've read, but I haven't read everything...
1. John's going to have to learn the Patronus Charm at some point, and I'm considering animal possibilities. I'm thinking something small, vicious, and persistent- polecat? Stoat? Pit-bull terrier? Mink? I'd say raccoon, since they're basically curious intelligent balls of ANGRY ANGRY MUSCLE with five out of six ends pointy when enraged, but, well, they're not in England.
Badger also possible because the damn things are known for being formidable defenders and nasty as sin, plus they have a rep in England for carrying bovine TB.
2. Speaking of badgers, sooner or later he's going to have to put on the Sorting Hat. Reluctantly, as he really doesn't fancy the idea of an artifact that can perceive his inner nature, but it's going to have to happen because people are gonna get curious. The way I see it he qualifies for three out of four houses- I can't see him in Ravenclaw no matter how clever he is- but I'm not even sure about Slytherin. Not ambitious enough in what I've read, but I haven't read everything...