Oregon town renames park after whale..............
...........it blew up 50 years ago.
An Oregon town has named a park after a whale that the state blew up 50 years ago.
“Exploding Whale Memorial Park” in Florence opened last week, taking its name from a massive, rotting sperm whale that officials dynamited in 1970 after it was determined there was no safe way to remove it.
The whale washed up on the banks of Siuslaw River, and was too big to bury. As it started to rot, it turned into a public health risk, according to the Oregon Historical Society.
People had been touching, climbing or “falling in” the carcass, but blowing it up sent chunks of blubber raining down across the area. One piece was large enough to crush a nearby car.
“The humor of the situation suddenly gave way to a run for survival,” TV reporter Paul Linnman said while covering it at the time, according to the Willamette Week. “The remaining chunks were of a size that no respectable seagull would attempt to tackle.”
The city voted in a public poll last year as to what to name the recreation site: Exploding Whale Memorial Park won 439 out of 856 votes, beating such names as “Dune View Park,” “Bridge View Park” and “Little Tree Park.”
“If you talk to people, it’s not necessarily a proud moment,” said Megan Messmer, Florence’s city project manager.
Despite the misgivings, the name won support. A sign commemorating the incident went up on June 13, the 50th anniversary of the bizarre incident.
They couldn’t do the adult thing and eliminate childish answers. That’s what a majority Democratic (rule by the mob) process gets you - foolish answers.
They can now solicit new names for Main St in that town. Here, I’ll start: Cocka Walka Way.
June 21, 2020, 06:37 PM
Patrick-SP2022
They should have named it “Yeet Cannon Park”
Is there a list of names submitted?
June 21, 2020, 06:40 PM
adobesig
I remember that whale. I believe his name was Flash.
June 21, 2020, 06:58 PM
egregore
quote:
Exploding Whale Memorial Park
It sounds better than Parky McParkface.
June 21, 2020, 07:06 PM
SgtGold
quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
quote:
Exploding Whale Memorial Park
It sounds better than Parky McParkface.
You took the words right outta my mouth!
_____________________________ 'I'm pretty fly for a white guy'.
June 21, 2020, 07:22 PM
darthfuster
Blowing chunks
You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier
June 21, 2020, 07:50 PM
pedropcola
HMS Boaty McBoatface comes to mind.
June 21, 2020, 09:34 PM
46and2
I'm fine with it.
Many things in life needn't be so serious.
And how a Park or boat/ship is named is solidly within the It Doesn't Really Matter category.
June 22, 2020, 01:54 AM
Scoutmaster
Given it is Oregon, how soon before some animal rights group starts rioting.
"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it....While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it" - Judge Learned Hand, May 1944
June 22, 2020, 02:25 AM
sjtill
In that case they could re-enact the “exploding” part without the whale.
_________________________ “Remember, remember the fifth of November!"
"The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people." "Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy." "I did," said Ford, "it is." "So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?" "It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want." "You mean they actually vote for the lizards." "Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course." "But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?" "Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in."
June 22, 2020, 10:26 AM
Jimbo Jones
Funny Stuff...
How about some of these
-Blubber-fetti Park
-Flying Whale Chunks Park
-Moby Duck! Park
-Beluga Blows Park
--------------------------------------- It's like my brain's a tree and you're those little cookie elves.
June 22, 2020, 11:23 AM
nhtagmember
I remember watching that video several years ago
it was like watching a Monty Python skit or something from the original lads at Top gear...what could possibly go wrong
June 22, 2020, 11:34 AM
Oat_Action_Man
There's just nothing else like being able to say "small particles of dead whale" in earnest.
----------------------------
Chuck Norris put the laughter in "manslaughter"
Educating the youth of America, one declension at a time.
June 22, 2020, 11:39 AM
slyguy
Ahoy -
But how many of you can join me in saying you have now been there?
What a sight to see - sand - yay
Cheers~
June 22, 2020, 12:07 PM
Sig2340
quote:
Originally posted by adobesig: I remember that whale. I believe his name was Flash.
He was so fly....
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government." Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
