Just a couple of little things I thought were neat that I wanted to remember.

Whale regarded as near royalty in Viet Nam

Thousands of Vietnamese fishermen are giving a royal send-off to a 15-ton dead whale, gathering at a southern Vietnamese village to pay homage at a funeral for the creature they call "Your Excellency."

Nearly 10,000 people have converged in Bac Lieu province to bid farewell to the 52 foot (16-meter) whale since he was dragged ashore Monday, said coast guard official Do Tien Ha.

They burned incense in his honor and planned to build a temple at the site of his burial, which was scheduled for Tuesday. Nearly 3,000 people will attend the whale’s last rites, to be held at the mouth of the Cai Cung River.

In Vietnam’s fishing culture, whales are considered sacred. They are referred to by the title "ngai," the same honorific used for kings, emperors and other esteemed leaders.

"Whenever whales arrive, dead or alive, local fishermen believe they bring luck and safety," Ha said by phone from Bac Lieu.

The dead whale was spotted 26 miles (42 kilometers) off the coast Sunday, and several dozen fishermen on 10 boats spent a day hauling it ashore, he said.

Vietnamese fishermen gather in thousands to give a royal funeral and farewell to a gigantic dead whale.

The whale was floating lifeless 26 miless off the coast yesterday before it was spotted. Ten boats full of fishermen spent a day hauling it ashore. The whale is referred to as “ngai” (“Your Excellency”)which has an honorific translation used only when referring to kings, emperors,and other esteemed leaders. “His excellency” weighs in at 15 ton and measures 52 feet in length.

Today, nearly 10 thousand people gathered in Bac Lieu province to pay their homage to this magnificient creature. Fishermen believe that whales bring luck and safety. The bones of the whale in a village temple to be worshipped.

The Cult of the Whale God

The cult centers upon the Whale God, a reverent creature that has the power tocalm the waves and lead sailors to safety. Regarded as a god, these large marine animals are never hunted. Dead whales that wash ashore are buried in a respectful, ritualistic ceremony. The bones of these creatures are typically placed in a temple to be worshipped. While the Vietnamese constution strictly forbits “superstition”, the whale cult has deep roots in Vietnamese culture and is not considered to be against the law. The whale-worshipping cults are observed in many coastal communities in Vietnam.

Whale Festivals and Temples

Many temples and festival are devoted to worshipping the whale deity. During the “Cau Ngu” (Fish Prayer) Festival that occur annually in many fishing communities, believers ask the spirits of the fish to guide and protect them during their fishing voyages in the coming year.

In Vung Tau, Danang, and Thuy Tu, there are pagodas entirely devoted to the whale god and annual festivals to honor the protection he provides to fishermen.

Since it’s founding in 1762, Thuy Tu communal house in Phan Thiet city has gathered a collection of hundreds of whale skeletons. Fishermen of the village have seen these creatures as Gods of the Sea. After a whale’s death, the remains are brought back to bury. After 3 years, the bones are exhumed to be placed in a pagoda for worship. One can see the bone structure of a whale on display at the temple in Thuy Tu. The structure is about 120 years old, measuring 22 meters in length and weighing in at 65 tons.

Ohno raised by single dad

NBC loves panning its cameras to the Olympic athletes’ families as they watch their loved ones compete. At the Vancouver Games, Apolo Anton Ohno‘s father, Yuki, has been shown numerous times, cheering on his son. However, Ohno’s mother has been notably absent.

This hasn’t gone unnoticed by viewers. Web searches on "apolo anton ohno mom" and "apolo ohno mother" have both surged into breakout status this past week. Also buzzing in the Yahoo! Search box: "Who is apolo anton ohno’s mom?"

According to The New York Times, Ohno’s father won custody of his son when Apolo was just an infant. Arecent article from the AP explains that Yuki raised Apolo alone, "after the boy’s mother" – Jerrie Lee – "left early on." A 1998 item from The Seattle Times said, "Except for a few photographs, Apolo has never seen his mother." A 2002 article from Sports Illustrated reported that Ohno had "no interest in learning more about her."

While Ohno has no contact with his mother, the bond he shares with his father is apparently unbreakable. Numerous articles and blogs describe a deep friendship and mutual respect. A story from "Good Morning America" explains that the relationship wasn’t always so good. As a teen, Apolo ran with a rough crowd, Sports Illustrated said in 2002. And, odd as it sounds, Ohno initially didn’t want to be a speedskater.

Flash-forward to 2010: Ohno has seven Winter Olympic medals to his name – and with two more short-track speedskating events to compete in, he may stand on the podium a couple more times. And that means we’ll be seeing a lot more shots of his father in the stands, cheering him on.