Harpooned: Japanese Cetacean Research Simulator
January 22, 2008 4:46 AM   Subscribe

Harpooned: Japanese Cetacean Research Simulator

Or Whale-hunting shmup, in other words. Shock as consciousness-raiser, is the general idea.
posted by nthdegx (31 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I liked it. Good, cynical and thought provoking.
posted by Lord_Pall at 5:09 AM on January 22, 2008


HARPWNED!!!
posted by hermitosis at 5:21 AM on January 22, 2008 [3 favorites]


Killer!

Not to mention Sperm!
posted by Jofus at 5:23 AM on January 22, 2008


hvalbiff.no is a great site for all your whale recipe needs They have have whale for every taste ranging from party-whale to whale-wok and burgers. Sadly it's only in norwegian.

Here is a crappy photo set of the whalemobile touring Norway, selling whale.
posted by uandt at 5:25 AM on January 22, 2008


I have one question: what exactly is the research these dead whales are supposed to be used for and what scientific learnings has it produced to date?
posted by MuffinMan at 5:30 AM on January 22, 2008


OK. That was two questions. But they were kinda linked.
posted by MuffinMan at 5:30 AM on January 22, 2008


and what scientific learnings has it produced to date?

That whales may or may not be Tasty (duh). I plan on doing some research into this myself as soon as I get the chance.
posted by uandt at 5:35 AM on January 22, 2008


I have one question: what exactly is the research these dead whales are supposed to be used for and what scientific learnings has it produced to date?

Thank you, MuffinMan, that was the joke.
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:06 AM on January 22, 2008



Still waiting for ManBearPig Hunter.
posted by Bathtub Bobsled at 6:34 AM on January 22, 2008


MuffinMan - the research is supposedly into the size and make-up of whale populations in order to discover if full commercial whaling could be sustained. Though you may be able to gauge size non-lethally, to determine age you have to look at a whale's ear plugs, which are internal. Which means killing it.

Whaling in Japan - Scientific research

Current Findings of the Japanese Whale Research Program under the Special Permit in the Antarctic
posted by nthdegx at 6:40 AM on January 22, 2008


the research is supposedly into the size and make-up of whale populations in order to discover if full commercial whaling could be sustained.

I've heard that as well, and while I'm sure it's the excuse that's given, it has always bothered me. It's akin to saying "They may be rare, but we won't know how rare unless we eliminate a bunch of them."

Which is to say, I think it's a stupid and shortsighted way of thinking. Or at least I would if I really believed that 'research' was the intended outcome of the culling.
posted by quin at 8:11 AM on January 22, 2008


MuffinMan - previous AskMe
posted by Rumple at 8:25 AM on January 22, 2008


I have one question: what exactly is the research these dead whales are supposed to be used for and what scientific learnings has it produced to date?

It's a serious and valid study that's looking into the not-yet-fully-understood relationship between horseshit and whalemeat.

Note: This comment contains 100% recycled material.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:45 AM on January 22, 2008


I don't know, they say this game is against whaling research, but it also kind of glamorizes it!

(Apologies to the Simpsons)
posted by Comrade_robot at 8:52 AM on January 22, 2008


I'm waiting for the mod that lets you take down Ecco.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 9:33 AM on January 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


it also kind of glamorizes it!

It's almost enough to make me Free Willy.
posted by CynicalKnight at 10:11 AM on January 22, 2008


Brains....
posted by fcummins at 12:12 PM on January 22, 2008


As far as agenda-games go, at least it beats Zoo Race.
posted by CKmtl at 12:27 PM on January 22, 2008


Has anyone ever done any research into finding methods for determining the age of wales without killing them?
posted by Luddite at 5:23 PM on January 22, 2008


heheh thats awesome
posted by lundman at 5:34 PM on January 22, 2008


That whales may or may not be Tasty (duh). I plan on doing some research into this myself as soon as I get the chance.

Wow, uandt, if you think eating whale sounds like a great idea, you should give baby hearts a try.

I mean, it's ethically despicable to consider either as food, but babies are easier to catch, and whales are a whole lot harder to come by.
posted by humannaire at 9:46 PM on January 22, 2008


Has anyone ever done any research into finding methods for determining the age of wales without killing them?

Good question, Luddite, because the other methods involve baleen, bones, and of course the ever-popular eye lens.

Historical treatment of an order of creature which may include species equal or greater in intelligence than homo sapiens ranges from bad to inexcusable.
posted by humannaire at 9:52 PM on January 22, 2008


uandt writes "That whales may or may not be Tasty (duh). I plan on doing some research into this myself as soon as I get the chance."

I wouldn't recommend it. I've had whale twice. The first time, I thought it tasted bad. A few years later, I was curious if whale itself tasted bad, or if the restaurant I had it at first just sucked. I had some whale at a different restaurant, one with generally good food. It still tasted bad. It's just not a tasty animal. Not repellent, by any means, but not nearly as tasty as the basic animals (fish, chicken, pork, beef).
posted by Bugbread at 4:49 AM on January 23, 2008


Interesting, bugbread. I still haven't, after 13 years now in Japan, eaten whale. Had it been served to me, in, say, some group restaurant meal or whatever, I probably would've tried it, but that's never happened. And I really don't want to eat it, don't want to support the whale industry, as I am basically opposed to killing and eating such smart animals, so now that I've heard from you that it's not even tasty, I do believe I shall refuse it, if it's ever offered.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:17 AM on January 23, 2008


Historical treatment of an order of creature which may include species equal or greater in intelligence than homo sapiens ranges from bad to inexcusable.

I would have trouble eating a bottlenose because those at least act genuinely smart. Also they have creepy smiles and I would feel scared swimming in the ocean for fear of some kind of revenge.

Orcas seem pretty smart too and they eat their own. If they are ok with cannibalism I really can't see why they should have any trouble with us eating them.

Wouldn't eat endangered ones of course, just like I wouldn't eat endangered plants.
posted by uandt at 11:31 AM on January 23, 2008


Orcas seem pretty smart too and they eat their own. If they are ok with cannibalism I really can't see why they should have any trouble with us eating them.

How about because of all the things that Orcas do eat...they don't eat homo sapiens.

In fact, they never eat homo sapiens. The only orca-related deaths of us has been because of their playing too rough.

Orcas kill and almost everything they can get a hold of: Birds, dolphins, seals great white sharks, other whales, other orcas, etc. Even horses and pigs caught near or in water. But never ever EVER homo sapiens.

How about that for a reason. No recorded malicious attacking and killing of one of us in all recorded history. (Or that I have found in researching the topic for almost twenty years.)

You would think because of their behavior alone, at some time in the couple thousand year record of human and orca interaction, one of us would have been maliciously killed by the frolicsome violence of Orcas.

But, uandt, you would be wrong.
posted by humannaire at 12:41 AM on January 24, 2008


I'm aware of Orcas not eating humans but what does that tell us really?

Do we assume they have morals and that theirs is somewhat superior to ours? Was your suggestion that I should eat babies instead not a joke?

Is it just out of self preservation they're not eating us? I can accept the "I'm nice to you so be nice to us" argument as a valid one but I don't see how you can extend it to all Cetaceans.

They are easy meat, accept it. Some people seems to see whales as being sacred in the same sense as Hindus see cows as sacred (cows are easy meat too). While respecting all of your beliefs I'll continue eating, thank you.
posted by uandt at 2:04 AM on January 24, 2008


Easy meat is a new term to me, uandt. Does it apply to people with handicaps and special needs, as well?

I mean, since intelligence is no disqualifier for you. And ahh you inferred my drift about the babies! Besides, easy meat!

And don't give that eating-homo-sapiens-bad (but) eating-everything-else-okay line. I mean think about it....mmm, baby hearts!
posted by humannaire at 3:00 AM on January 24, 2008


I thank you, humannaire, for turning around the way I think of things. I'd never thought about the issue like that, but your eloquent discourse has convinced me that I should try baby.
posted by Bugbread at 4:34 AM on January 24, 2008


Well, that is one of the corollaries of being excited to "eat whale," bugbread.

After fully grasping the nature of the situation, if you still be okay with the one, you can be okay with the other.
posted by humannaire at 5:28 AM on January 24, 2008


I'm aware of Orcas not eating humans but what does that tell us really?

Do we assume they have morals and that theirs is somewhat superior to ours?


No, we don't assume anything.

What we acknowedge , however, is that this enormous voracious and oft-time intentionally vicious and cruel monster, regularly found to be over 20 feet in length and weighing over six tons, which could be killing homo sapiens for fun and for food all the time if it wanted, and which has had ample opportunity in human past, has not done so for at least the past two thousand years — and here's the core concept — intentionally.

Orcas intentionally do not kill homo sapiens. Maybe they're bigots. Maybe they are speciest. The point is that their is real thinking going on.

Presuming that this is interesting enough to post-pone the allocation of their kind to "easy meat" [sic, baby] — I mean, based on the whole may-be-human-but-without-having-to-look-like-monkey ie what's-their-trip thing — maybe we can find a bona fide neighbor we can learn from even though we know (and here's the stretch) they might be tasty!

Otherwise, we indeed may as well be eating one another.
posted by humannaire at 6:01 AM on January 24, 2008


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