Northern Bottle-Nosed Whale Stuck in the Thames

[Cat of Shadows]

Don't know if many of you have access to a TV screen whilst at work, but the entire news network is clogged up with a story about a distressed whale in the Thames.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4631396.stm

Apparantly the sight of a whale beaching itself in London is rare..................clearly these so called newscasters have not been out in London on a Friday or Saturday night recently??!! Whales are a regular sight in London and can generally be found in large, cackling hunting packs around kebab wagons at 2 in the morning.

Considering that Bin Laden has released a new statement and Iran is flexing it's muscles over the Nuclear issue I find it bizzare that a story about a 'fish' makes primetime lunchtime viewing. At least, I suppose, the tree hugging, clog wearing, rug munching left wing communist hippy element will feel loved and wanted for once. I'd sooner hit the top restaurants in London tomorrow night and see what 'Specials' they have on the menu!!!!

 

[Bluntend]

I think the media coverage of this is kind of event is typical these days. In the same way that the commitment of thousands more British troops to southern Afghanistan was over shadowed by a ‘story’ claiming that two guys from Fathers for Justice had discussed in a pub, kidnapping Tony Blair’s youngest son, sensationalist reporting always wins. Standby for tomorrow’s headlines: “Failed suicide attempt in Capital”…


DT_Xtremez_21:

 

[Cat of Shadows]

Oh, and a whale is not a fish. I thought I’d get that in before Clingon Shron decides to make a point of it.

Thanks fella, I was aware of that, hence the word fish being in ' ' on my original thread; was kinda hoping Nerdy would attempt ot pick me up!

 

[Bluntend]

Sorry mate, I've edited it out - lets see if he bites. That said, he's bound to want to go to town on your use of apostrophes or should that be apostrophe’s.

 

[Stax]

I am a lover of wildlife and like nothing better than whale watching. Kebab vans, Pizza places and lately the Subway sandwich shop are all good vantage points for this hobby.

Tastes like chicken though!

(Please no one do the old WW2 joke about Vera Lynn singing about the staple diet of the Eastenders being "Whale Meat again", oh bugger I've done it!)

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

(Please no one do the old WW2 joke about Vera Lynn singing about the staple diet of the Eastenders being "Whale Meat again", oh bugger I've done it!)

DT_Xtremez_31:

brilliant! that's my level of humour exactly.

I just hope they are keeping the Japanese tourists at bay...DT_Xtremez_21:

 

[A CLING NERD SHRON]

Sorry mate, I've edited it out - lets see if he bites. That said, he's bound to want to go to town on your use of apostrophes or should that be apostrophe’s.

Whoops!!!!!!!!!

A guy with your IQ should have a low voice too!

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

or should that be apostrophe’s.

So, anyone want to point out Bluntend's error here? DT_Xtremez_27:

(Here's a hint: What's at the end of both my sentances that isn't at the end of Bluntend's?)

DT_Xtremez_15:

 

[Stax]

Dont know Bengo, wot's a Sentance?

(Sorry mate, thought I'd get in before Nerdy, my England 'int much better)

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

DT_Xtremez_42:

bugg*r! stupid spelling - my achilles' heel.

 

[Plumber]

What's at the end of both my sentances that isn't at the end of Bluntend's?

Er, I don't know. Is it the sound of people clicking to another more interesting thread???

DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Inch High PI]

Emergence of new terrorist tactic.

Emergence of new terrorist tactic.

This could be a new threat we have VBIED, PBIED this could be a WBIED.

Whale Borne IED.


Taxi!!!

 

[Chaka]

Whale seen in Thames by Houses of Parliament?

I did not know John Prescot MP could swim!

 

[Stax]

Right! everyone relax, it's just been on the radio news, they have got some kind of floaty thingy under him and intend to tow him to deep water where he can be realesed. You can all stand down now.

By the way I'm just watching VH1 classic and they have just shown the U2 rooftop recording of "streets have no name" bloody marvellous!

 

[Stax]

Bugger! It went and died the next morning, hmmm where's all that ambergris going then?

 

[Flt Lt Badminton-Squash]

I would imagine some fragrance company has laid claim to that, who will receive the payment for it, and why them and not a charity for saving whales or similar...
what am I saying, like that would ever happen?

Anyway, just a thought

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

can you get ambergris fresh from the whale? or does it have to float about in the ocean for months being bleached by the sun/salt etc first?

also, can you get it from this breed of whale? there was a story on the BBC news site about a couple of ozzies who found a huge lump of the stuff on a beach - it was from a sperm whale.

seriously - I'm not being pedantic - If someone knows - or has time to use Google - please answer!

 

[Cat of Shadows]

I wasn't joking about some of the restaurants in London.

The Norwegians are partial to the odd piece of Whale meat and as for the Soushi Bars...............woo hoo!!

 

[Flt Lt Badminton-Squash]

can you get ambergris fresh from the whale? or does it have to float about in the ocean for months being bleached by the sun/salt etc first?

also, can you get it from this breed of whale? there was a story on the BBC news site about a couple of ozzies who found a huge lump of the stuff on a beach - it was from a sperm whale.

seriously - I'm not being pedantic - If someone knows - or has time to use Google - please answer!

ambergris

AMBERGRIS [ambergris] , waxlike substance originating as a morbid concretion in the intestine of the sperm whale. Lighter than water, it is found floating on tropical seas or cast up on the shore in yellow, gray, black, or variegated masses, usually a few ounces in weight, though pieces weighing several hundred pounds have been found. Ambergris has been greatly valued from earliest times. It is now used as a fixative in perfumes. Its active principle is ambrein, a crystalline alcohol with the empirical formula C 30 H 51 OH.

This is what the encyclopedia has to say regarding it...
Hope this helps.

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

so it would appear to only be from the sperm whale then. So we can't make a profit out of the thames whale after all.