remember futurama ?

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/basket11st/basket11st1138084510.aspx


Quote:
SYDNEY - A family on the south Australian coast found a piece of whale vomit on the beach that is tipped to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, national radio reported.

The chunk of ambergris, which is sought after by perfume manufacturers, weighed 14.75 kilograms and is worth about 20 US dollars per gram, ABC radio said — making a total of 295,000 dollars.
Fisherman Leon Wright and his wife Loralee found the ambergris, which sperm whales are believed to vomit to rid their intestines of hard objects such as squid beaks, on a remote beach near Streaky Bay.

Loralee was reluctant to accept her husband's suggestion that they throw the mysterious, solid, fatty object into the back of her four-wheel-drive vehicle, so they left it there, said local marine expert Ken Jury.

Two weeks later, travelling in Leon's vehicle, they discovered that it was still there and took it home, Jury, who is advising the family, said.

Ambergris, which floats after being vomited by the whales, is a rare find and has to a large extent been replaced in the fragrance industry by synthetics.  

$300,000 could buy a few new trucks, but that doesnt mean I'm going to throw every funny object I see at the beach in the back of my current one.


Kharn

Quoted: $300,000 could buy a few new trucks, but that doesnt mean I'm going to throw every funny object I see at the beach in the back of my current one. Kharn

I think the more important question is why in the name of God anyone would pay 300,000 dollars for whale puke.

Quoted: Quoted: $300,000 could buy a few new trucks, but that doesnt mean I'm going to throw every funny object I see at the beach in the back of my current one. Kharn I think the more important question is why in the name of God anyone would pay 300,000 dollars for whale puke.

Because you can turn it into high-end perfume worth $1m on the market.

I gotta start a puking sperm whale ranch.  

Still, I gotta wonder who decided that this whale puke by product not only smelled good, but was worthy of bottling.  I'm betting it was a Frenchman.  

Quoted: I gotta start a puking sperm whale ranch.   Still, I gotta wonder who decided that this whale puke by product not only smelled good, but was worthy of bottling.  I'm betting it was a Frenchman.

Yeah I agree, thats the part of the story that intrigues me..  

"damn i smell bad.. let me put some whale puke on me!"

Quoted: $300,000 could buy a few new trucks, but that doesnt mean I'm going to throw every funny object I see at the beach in the back of my current one. Kharn

Actually, that will buy them 1 or 2 new trucks and it will buy the government 3 or 4 and then the government will hand over the rest of the cash to their neighbor down the road who spends his time wacking off to internet porn and not working.

This is, after all, Australia the non-Working Man's Paradise.

This just in, female whales are being told they look fat.  Rates of whale bulimia increase.

Hmmm...honey.  You stink like whale vomit.  Come here you VIXEN!!!

Quoted: Hmmm...honey.  You stink like whale vomit.  Come here you VIXEN!!!

Quoted: I gotta start a puking sperm whale ranch.

You're gonna need a lot of land for that!  And a hose.  




The Peabody Museum at Yale has an interesting display on animal-based scents.  There are basically four sources -- ambergris from whale shit/vomit, civet from the skunk-like anal pouch of the civet cat, musk from the tarsal glands of the musk deer and castoreum from beaver asses.

So basically, a lot of the high-dollar perfumes your ladies may wear come from obscene parts of filthy, disgusting creatures.  

Products made with beaver ass (castoreum):
* Emeraude by Coty
* Magie Noir by Lancome
* Givenchy III

Products made with whale shit/vomit (ambergris):
* Shocking by Sciaparelli
* Carnanga by Berger
* Clandestine by Laroche
*  Drakkar Noir

Products made with cat secretions (civet):
* Some products by Chanel, Lancome & Cartier

Products made with deer glandular secretions (musk):
* Lots of stuff!

Quoted: Because you can turn it into high-end perfume worth $1m on the market.

Guy: Holy crap baby! You look awesome tonight!

Girl: Thank you!

Guy: *SNIFF* DAAAAAAYUM BABY!!! You smell just like whale puke!!!

Girl: Thank you!

This thread needed more beaver ass and anal pouch!

Blammo, that is as interesting as it is informative.  Not to mention disgusting.  There are some evil frickin' geniouses out there.  Eureka!  This formula requires but a pinch more of beaver ass and it will be perfect!  Hahahahaha!

I will now print out some labels and organize my wife's perfume collection.  I am in a tarsal gland mood tonight...

I'm heading to Sea World after work with a gallon of Ipecac! Here mammal ... mammal!

Can't possess, sell, ship, buy.....whatever......

Product of an endangered species and all that.....

Quoted: I'm heading to Sea World after work with a gallon of Ipecac! Here mammal ... mammal!

Funny.

kinda coincidental....I was explaining what ambergris is to someone yesterday

(discussing ambergris key in belize)

they didn't believe me.....puked up undigestable squid beaks

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: $300,000 could buy a few new trucks, but that doesnt mean I'm going to throw every funny object I see at the beach in the back of my current one. Kharn I think the more important question is why in the name of God anyone would pay 300,000 dollars for whale puke. Because you can turn it into high-end perfume worth $1m on the market.

same with bat guano... you would be surprised the shit, literally, that women put on their faces.

The pharmaceutical companies use hormones extracted from the urine of pregnant mares to manufacture some types of hormone replacement drugs.

Quoted: Products made with beaver ass (castoreum): * Emeraude by Coty * Magie Noir by Lancome * Givenchy III

Just so you all know, castoreum is also a FOOD additive, mainly in the manufacture of raspberry flavor products.  I actually ran a thread about this a year ago, when my son pointed it out to me as I was enjoying some sherbert one evening.

archive

Is that why some people are in to the "golden Shower?"

Quoted: Quoted: Products made with beaver ass (castoreum): * Emeraude by Coty * Magie Noir by Lancome * Givenchy III Just so you all know, castoreum is also a FOOD additive, mainly in the manufacture of raspberry flavor products.  I actually ran a thread about this a year ago, when my son pointed it out to me as I was enjoying some sherbert one evening. archive

And who doesn't like to eat beaver???  

Quoted: The pharmaceutical companies use hormones extracted from the urine of pregnant mares to manufacture some types of hormone replacement drugs.

And don't forget about the extract of pig you soak your contact lenses in.

Animals are wonderful things -- useful and tasty!

Bump because we don't want the evening crew to be missing out on whale vomit and beaver ass!

I can see why some of you are incredulous.

But come on, sperm whale stomach acid and squid beaks.

How could that not be worth money?

GM

Ambergris comes in many colours, shapes and textures. This makes identification difficult and ensures frustration for beachcombers on the hunt for this elusive substance. Ambergris is most often white, grey, black or brown in colour or even a mixture of these shades. In shape; ambergris can be flat or square but often rounded, oval shapes appear on the beaches, probably due to the rolling and smoothing action that the ocean waves would have over a period of time, even years. If black in colour, the texture may be soft and sticky like melting tar. Most often it is hard yet waxy and may have a powdery like white coating. It can also be described as having the texture of hard, dry clay.

Ambergris has an unusual odour which is difficult to explain to anyone who has never had the pleasure of its sensual aroma. Ambergris is often described as being musky and having a sweet earthy aroma unlike any other, or a mossy fragrance reminiscent of the damp forest floor. Depending on the quality of the ambergris there can be a great variation in the fragrance. Poor quality or fresh ambergris (which is black and sticky) is fairly offensive in fragrance. If you can imagine scented cow dung you will be on the right track. Many people expect ambergris to have a very strong or foul odour, but this is not the case. In general, lighter coloured pieces of ambergris have a subtle, pleasant smell. The base animal (manure) odour fades as the ambergris cures. However, the white and grey varieties, in particular, possess the subtle, sweet addictive aroma that beachcombing dreams are made of.

Try this simple 'do it yourself' test to check any unusual items you have found. It can not be relied on to provide a positive ID, unless you are thoroughly familiar with the required result. However, the test result may indicate whether it is worth pursuing the enquiry further.

Hot needle test:

1.
Heat a needle and touch briefly to the surface of the item

2.
If ambergris, the surface will melt instantly; turning to an oily, molten black residue and a small puff of musky smelling smoke will be emitted.

put this on the list of things i couldve lived without knowing

Looks like a rock to me.....