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Blue whale skeleton at New Bedford museum still oozing oil

(www.wpri.com)
201 points geox | 1 comments | 17 Oct 24 23:09 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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firefoxd ◴[19 Oct 24 15:41 UTC] No.41888432[source]▶
You have to see those whales skeletons in person to understand their sheer size. And if you want to know more than you need to about whales, pick up a copy of Moby Dick. Don't be intimidated by the size. I still can't believe this book was written in the 1800s. Catching a whale was akin to striking oil.
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RobinL ◴[19 Oct 24 18:07 UTC] No.41889443[source]▶
The whaling industry as depicted in Moby Dick is pretty high on my list of the most unbelievable things that really happened. Particularly the range of the boats and the method of catching the whales. Up there with the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs and how the East India company managed to dominate the entire country in terms of sheer implausibility.
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1. ReptileMan ◴[19 Oct 24 22:55 UTC] No.41891422[source]▶
I would say the Ice trade was crazier.

And if your rulers are bloodthirsty heart burners and skin flayers, even satan will be received warmly. I mean Huitzilopochtli is giving Kali run for her money in the deities I don't to live under competition.

And east india - you replace the elite and the people underneath will continue following orders - the same happened with the Manchu conquering of china.