VolcanoDinoCam

August 20, 2004 7:53 AM

Dinosaur invades New Zealand volcano. A few months ago, some daring joker went ashore at White Island and pasted a Flintstones Dino doll in front of the Crater Cam, in the volcano. The dinosaur has since become world famous, and is still visible on the webcam to this day.
posted by brownpau (26 comments total)

(Also see the dreaded Planet X arriving at the Mt Wilson Observatory webcam last year.)
posted by brownpau at 7:56 AM on August 20, 2004

Heh.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 8:06 AM on August 20, 2004

This is the sort of delightful nonsense that made the Web so much fun in its early days.
posted by caddis at 8:11 AM on August 20, 2004

haha. why didn't i think of this?
posted by Stynxno at 8:22 AM on August 20, 2004

Absolutely great. Go Dino!
posted by Fezboy! at 8:31 AM on August 20, 2004

Where is the image of the prankster on tape???
posted by banished at 8:49 AM on August 20, 2004

One image every hour... my bad.
posted by banished at 8:50 AM on August 20, 2004

it's stories like this that restore my faith in humanity.
posted by quarsan at 8:53 AM on August 20, 2004

I so love stuff like this! After a few hours of reading the latest in political lies and smears and feeling like the world is going to hell, it's nice to be reminded that there are creative, clever, fun-loving pranksters like this in the world. Yay!
posted by dnash at 8:54 AM on August 20, 2004

They are not planning to remove it, counting on the sulphur and high acid environment to deal with the creature.

I'd hate to see how they "deal" with other people!
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 9:00 AM on August 20, 2004

Great post. More like this, please!
posted by jragon at 9:23 AM on August 20, 2004

That is great!

Would also be great if and when the volcano erupts if they got an image off the cam at "just the right time". Maybe they will speed up the captures if and when she gets ready to blow.

Should also be interesting to watch the deterioration of the dino over time.
posted by Windopaene at 9:37 AM on August 20, 2004

They are not planning to remove it, counting on the sulphur and high acid environment to deal with the creature.

So we'll finally get to see how the dinosaurs got killed off.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 9:53 AM on August 20, 2004

Love it! Dino-placing pranksters should visit every volcano.
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:00 AM on August 20, 2004

I'd never seen it before, and I was concerned that they'd blocked the shot out, but no, it's perfect. It stops just this side of vandalism, and it sounds like everyone sees the humor in it.

Best of the web, in every sense! Rababababababow!
posted by chicobangs at 10:15 AM on August 20, 2004

Bar! Bar-Bar-Bar!
posted by darren at 11:14 AM on August 20, 2004

Hehe! That's fabulous, very clever. Perfect placement too, obvious the perpetrators must have known about the camera. The little grin on the dino seals the deal.

I like that the scientists aren't too bothered by it either, mildly annoyed yes but their response is almost as funny as the creature being there in the first place. I do wonder how fast the toy will sucumb to the fumes and sulfur, as the world will of course be witness to his demise.
posted by nelleish at 12:09 PM on August 20, 2004

Love it. It's nice when a little prankiness is well received.
posted by adampsyche at 12:26 PM on August 20, 2004

warning: self link!

dinocam

PS. I will PAY for any information about where to find another dino that looks just like this one!
posted by grumblebee at 12:28 PM on August 20, 2004

>They are not planning to remove it, counting on the sulphur and high acid environment to deal with the creature.

Given that it's already been there over two months, it looks to be still in remarkably good nick...
posted by kaemaril at 12:35 PM on August 20, 2004

Awesome. I don't entirely know why, but that just cheers me up no end.
posted by chrid at 1:46 PM on August 20, 2004

Unfortunately, he's contravening OSH guidelines by not wearing a hard-hat on White Island.

Yes, I posted this same comment on slashdot. Yes, it got modded +5 funny. Yes, it was pointed out to me by IGNS' webmaster. Yes, I used to be their account manager for their web development and hosting company. No, we don't host this site.
posted by John Shaft at 3:23 PM on August 20, 2004

Ah...it's always good to see the emissaries of Loki about and well. Go Dino!
posted by dejah420 at 6:55 PM on August 20, 2004

the trick here is messing with the right set of scientists, from my experience geologists are a bunch of fun loving hooligans...now if they did this to pychologists...
posted by NGnerd at 9:24 PM on August 20, 2004

this is so cute
posted by mr.marx at 8:13 AM on August 21, 2004

Thanks brownpau, it's good to see something lighthearted for a change.
posted by Tarrama at 8:18 PM on August 21, 2004