happy halloween

October 31, 2003 8:21 AM

a reminder that our world is full of plenty of real horror and monsters. happy halloween. via yewknee.com
posted by specialk420 (53 comments total)

More monsters.

(This is horrific, but those photos have clearly been altered to enhance the blood in the water.)
posted by jpoulos at 8:29 AM on October 31, 2003

Delete this, Matt. Everyone's seen this in all the major headlines this week. Promote your cause somewhere else, Special Ed.
posted by BirdD0g at 8:33 AM on October 31, 2003

a reminder that our world is full of plenty of real horror and monsters.


posted by dhoyt at 8:35 AM on October 31, 2003

another reminder. bhwaaaaaahahahaa!!!
posted by poopy at 8:37 AM on October 31, 2003

From jpoulos link: "It's an immense and immeasurable loss simultaneously to science and to Charlie and Maureen"

In later editions: Bears also reported "to be gutted about what's happened. These hunters have some gall."
posted by biffa at 8:42 AM on October 31, 2003

Delete this, Matt. - birdog aka roger ailes.
posted by specialk420 at 8:47 AM on October 31, 2003

Mmmmm... tuna.
posted by bondcliff at 8:47 AM on October 31, 2003

that our world is full of plenty of real horror and monsters

You say that now, but you'll be whistling a different tune when McDonald's introduces the McDolphin sandwich.
posted by rcade at 9:00 AM on October 31, 2003

Oh gods, I have to cry bullshit about that blood.

Cruel, but any more so than any other meat production? How about Kosher? Of course, it's worse because it's dolphins and they're all cute and cuddly. Wonder how the Indian population (Muslim/Islam forget which) feels about a cattle abbatoir...
posted by twine42 at 9:03 AM on October 31, 2003

twine42 - it's worse because they aren't killing them for eating, they're killing them for "blocking a port". In the wild species kill and eat each other all the time. Its the useless killing that makes them monsters.
posted by woil at 9:09 AM on October 31, 2003

jpoulos, twine42--I don't think it's clear the photos have been altered. The video of the same scene has the same colors. This page has more photos and the video link. (Note: I couldn't get this page to load in Mozilla, but did in IE.)
posted by lobakgo at 9:10 AM on October 31, 2003

See also:
The Nanking Atrocities
posted by dhoyt at 9:17 AM on October 31, 2003

Photo from different source. Photos from the Faroe Island pilot whale slaughter. I think it's pretty likely the water actually is that red with blood.
posted by lobakgo at 9:21 AM on October 31, 2003

I've seen pictures of dolphin-kills in National Geographic 10 or so years ago with water that red.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:22 AM on October 31, 2003

Dude! Look at all that Kool-Aid!
posted by insomnyuk at 9:22 AM on October 31, 2003

Now, this canned dolphin meat -- is it TUNA-SAFE?
posted by Robot Johnny at 9:29 AM on October 31, 2003

Blah blah. Killing dolphins, bad. Killing cows, okay. People and their bizarre ideas.
posted by xmutex at 9:37 AM on October 31, 2003

woil - try reading the article. They're being killed by fishermen who had herded them into the port.

all - if there is video footage of the water that colour then I'll probably believe it, but that really does look hideously fake to me.

Out of curiousity, has anyone eaten dolphin?
posted by twine42 at 9:37 AM on October 31, 2003

Damn, Robot Johnny beat me to it.
posted by UKnowForKids at 9:41 AM on October 31, 2003

isn't a lot of "mahi mahi" supposed to be dolphin, just called mahi mahi because tucking into a big plate of batter-fried Flipper might not be everyone's idea of dinnertime fun?
posted by UncleFes at 9:45 AM on October 31, 2003

Goddammit, we have to kill the dolphins before they kill us! How many episodes of The Simpsons do you people need to see before you face facts?
posted by aramaic at 9:53 AM on October 31, 2003

Fes: Mahi-mahi. Different dolphin - this one's a fish, not a mammal.
posted by yhbc at 9:55 AM on October 31, 2003

twine24--there is a link to the video about 11 comments up.

UncleFes--Mahi Mahi is another name for the dolphin fish, not the mammal. It's also called dorado.
posted by lobakgo at 9:56 AM on October 31, 2003

mahi mahi = dolphin, the fish. AKA dorado.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:57 AM on October 31, 2003

And we're sure about it, dammit.
posted by yhbc at 9:59 AM on October 31, 2003

yeah, I know, but I'm trying to handle three magazines fu of pics that are supposed to be live by 5.30 (oops) and my bandwidth is kinda claimed...
posted by twine42 at 10:01 AM on October 31, 2003

I eat meat, I like dolphins, I don't eat mammals, I'm not a vegetarian, I don't consume dairy products, I eat a dodger dog when I go to the game, I can't figure out why there is so much outrage about killing dolphins but not salmon or sea bass.
posted by jonah at 10:02 AM on October 31, 2003

I eat meat, I like dolphins, I don't eat mammals

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought most meat-sources (non-fishy types) are mammals anyways?
posted by smcniven at 10:14 AM on October 31, 2003

Birds and marsupials aren't mammals. Actually, I'm not sure about the marsupial part, but birds are definitely not mammals.
posted by jonah at 10:18 AM on October 31, 2003

Of course, it's worse because it's dolphins and they're all cute and cuddly.

People are for killing cows and against killing dolphins because dolphins are considered extremely intelligent and therefore more like us. (And yes, they are cute.)

I don't know much about dolphins, but I'm a cow/bird/sheep/fish-eater who definitely would not eat a big primate, for example.
posted by callmejay at 10:18 AM on October 31, 2003

Ah! THAT dolphin. Thanks everyone.
posted by UncleFes at 10:22 AM on October 31, 2003

My grandfather was at a formal dinner where the main table had a hole in the middle of it. Then at one point they openned up the table, and inserted a monkey so it's neck was in the hole, it's head above and it's body below. Out comes a big knife, off comes the top of the monkeys head. Out come the spoons, and everyone starts eating warm monkey brains.

My grandfather was (effectively) a diplomatic role, so he had to tuck in. After that he said he'd eat just about anything.

Back to dolphins, I have to say that the fact they are 'higher' animals is crap. The fact there's a difference between "I'm dying" and "That bastard just killed me" means you shouldn't eat them?

Now, compare being attacked with a sickel (which i'm guessing is going to trigger a shock response in most animals) and being dragged out of the water and being forced to suffocate, like fish are forced to.

Double standards are great. Either eat all meat or become a veggie. Now I'm off home to eat my monkey brains, ta-ta...
posted by twine42 at 10:25 AM on October 31, 2003

saw the monkey brains thing on one of the old 'faces of death' movies, except they beat the monkey on the head with a mallet, taking turns, until eventually the monkey died. THEN they cut open it's brain and gorged.
posted by poopy at 10:32 AM on October 31, 2003

I was wrong, marsupials are mammals
posted by jonah at 10:36 AM on October 31, 2003

Paraphrased from my dream this morning:

I was in a pool, a very large pool, with some whales. We were planning on eating the whales. When the whales found out, they said: "Don't eat us; you can eat something else. Anyway, could you teach us Spanish?"

For the record: I've never eaten whale or dolphin but I have eaten Dolphin fish (a.k.a. Dorade en français). We caught it one afternoon while sailing and ate it raw the next day. I've never eaten so much fish in one sitting in all my life. It was delicious.
posted by Dick Paris at 10:45 AM on October 31, 2003

I can't figure out why there is so much outrage about killing dolphins but not salmon or sea bass.

Probably because dolphins are smart and friendly, but salmon and sea bass aren't. We tend to be more squeamish about eating animals we can identify with. Put dog, cat, or horse meat on the menu in the U.S. and people will lynch you. Many people have similar feelings about dolphins.
posted by Mars Saxman at 10:57 AM on October 31, 2003

"Sea Shepherd’s Taiji Campaign needs additional financial support so our crew can stay in the area past October to protect these precious marine mammals until the dolphin slaughter season is over. "

How, exactly, is filming their slaughter "protecting" any of those dolphins?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:13 AM on October 31, 2003

Bart: Those dolphins seem bent on mayhem! [pause] We've got to warn Grampa!
posted by gwint at 11:17 AM on October 31, 2003

MCD: its protecting their clear sense of moral outrage.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 11:18 AM on October 31, 2003

We tend to be more squeamish about eating animals we can identify with. Put dog, cat, or horse meat on the menu in the U.S. and people will lynch you.

Sure, but pigs are more personable than my cat. We're willing to make exceptions to the rule when the animal we can identify with is good eatin'.
posted by rcade at 11:24 AM on October 31, 2003

"...pigs are more personable than my cat."

So by that rationale, if your cat had a better personality it would cease to be a filthy animal?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:37 AM on October 31, 2003

I can't figure out why there is so much outrage about killing dolphins dolphins help save lives ... for starters. the also "appear to experience grief and affection in much the same way as we humans do".
posted by specialk420 at 11:45 AM on October 31, 2003

We'd have to be talkin' about one charming motherfucking cat! He'd have to be a helluva lot more charming than that puppet cat on Sabrina, the Teenaged Witch!
posted by ColdChef at 11:45 AM on October 31, 2003

If you look at the first picture in the Ananova link, (imo) the blood in the water in the bottom half of the photo looks "naturally" bloody. But if you look in the upper right (from like 12 to 2 o'clock), it looks like something has been enhanced or colorized. The 2nd picture looks like all the water has had a touch up. If you compare it to the photos from the similar links and the video, the color of the blood doesn't seem as brilliant and sparkling. (To my eye, the touched up parts look like the ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz.)

That said, I think it's safe to say the water is still pretty damn bloody.
posted by stifford at 11:56 AM on October 31, 2003

Think the water may be more red to us since a lot of water bodies around the US are yucky brown, not all. Ever have a bloody nose in a pool, messy.

"appear to experience grief and affection in much the same way as we humans do".
The bottle nose dolphins are the highly compassionate ones. They have the ability of having compassion w/o experiencing it themselves making them the closest mammal to man, understanding ones fate.

How, exactly, is filming their slaughter "protecting" any of those dolphins? : detained by Japanese police after trying to stop a dolphin hunt and scuffling with a fisherman earlier this month.
posted by thomcatspike at 12:08 PM on October 31, 2003

Sheep experience grief and affection. Anyone tries to tell me sheep are higher forms of life and I'll willingly laugh in your face until you die of Hallitosis.
posted by twine42 at 12:37 PM on October 31, 2003

Anyone tries to tell me sheep are higher forms of life and I'll willingly laugh in your face until you die of Hallitosis. you've got a point.
posted by specialk420 at 12:44 PM on October 31, 2003

Those are DOLPHINS, not A dolphin.
posted by davidmsc at 12:57 PM on October 31, 2003

Anyone tries to tell me sheep are higher forms of life and I'll willingly laugh in your face until you die of Hallitosis.

True, True.
posted by dhoyt at 1:05 PM on October 31, 2003

Hee hee, davidmsc.
posted by parrots at 1:36 PM on October 31, 2003

i think sheep are higher life forms. higher than insects, at least. or rodents.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:52 PM on October 31, 2003

twine42: My grandfather was at a formal dinner where the main table had a hole in the middle of it. Then at one point they openned up the table, and inserted a monkey so it's neck was in the hole, it's head above and it's body below. Out comes a big knife, off comes the top of the monkeys head. Out come the spoons, and everyone starts eating warm monkey brains.

I'm pretty sure that's an urban legend. These guys seem to agree. Maybe your grandfather was pulling your leg.
posted by syzygy at 1:58 AM on November 2, 2003

So by that rationale, if your cat had a better personality it would cease to be a filthy animal?

If my cat had a better personality it would be a lot harder for me to rationalize wanting to line gloves with her.
posted by palegirl at 1:41 PM on November 2, 2003