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Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has refused to respond to inquiries from AAE representatives, the BPP International, or the US Senate with regards to US Resolution 269 concerning Canada's continued policies of supporting the destruction of it's wildlife resources, brutal seal pup hunts, the slaughter of threatened whale species, the support of starvation of polar bears, and the seizure of conservation society vessels documenting the live skinning of baby seals and the brutality of seal hunters.
European nations have called for a boycott on any seal products from Canada that were harvested by these brutal hunts. I have privately attempted contact with Mr. Harper and his office and to date they have refused to respond to any and all inquiries.
They continue to support the seal pup slaughter and live skinnings. They continue to hold Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Farley Mowat on dubious premises, they continue to allow commercial interests to override the well being of wildlife and the environment as a whole.
You can do your part as well, don't be scared to contact Prime Minister Stephen Harper and share your thoughts and ideas about his government's accountability toward these destructive practices. This is the e-mail address if you wish to share your concerns:
pm@pm.gc.ca
The more voices that write in, the louder the message will be! Thanks folks! Together we can make a difference! - Erik Brush -
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER SCARED TO ANSWER TO THE WORLD! CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TRIES TO HIDE THE SHAMEFUL TRUTH ABOUT ITS ECO-RAPE!
PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER, LEADER? OR RAPIST?
Are you interested in your children? Would you like to see them look at a world in awe and wonder? Would you like them to grow up to appreciate the world we have left them?
Do your part. Get involved. It does not matter how much or little, just that you do something. Write to a world leader and ask them why? Write to your representatives and ask them to stand for what is right! Clean up a beach or park. Donate some time or money or effort toward something to help improve the world. Be a hero in the eyes of your children, your community, and to the world at large. You can make a difference! Get involved! Thank you.
- Erik Brush -
Want to learn more? Visit:
THE AUSTRALIAN'S EDITORIAL LETTER. THEY CAN DISH IT OUT, BUT JUST CAN'T TAKE IT!
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THIS E-MAIL WAS BOUNCED BACK THRICE! SEEMS THEY ARE FLOODED OR TRYING TO HIDE FROM US.
To the Editor ( and I use that term loosely at best ) of the Australian,
The only thing more reprehensible than your lack of ability to report events without objective jurisprudence toward the subjects of said article, is the supposition that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is acting on it's own volition without any viable grounds for its actions in international law courts and without the support of the international community. The fact that his ( Captain Watson's ) methods are strong and unorthodox by any stretch of conventional thinking is only viewed as some sort of piracy by special interests who are subject to measures that should be far more stringently enforced by various international organizations.
The poaching of whales by Japan or any other government or private individuals is a crime. There is an international moratorium on such poaching. The fact that the Australian Government flounders in any of it's responsibilities to protect the animals under it's geographic charge is as much an abomination to the eco-system and the people of Australia who are not in support of Cetacean slaughter or any other forms of eco-rape, as it is a clear sign to the small private interests in Japan that Australia is a nation too weak to enforce international law in it's own territorial waters. What a shame!
It is precisely the same type of thinking and inaction as you have so poorly expressed in your article that continues to lead Australia to be seen as weak and powerless, by Japan, it's Whaling Industry, and the world at large. If you think that the eyes of the world are not focused on Australia with heads shaking, you are sorely mistaken. If you think that Japanese Whalers will only give up their lucrative business through diplomacy and world objection alone then you are once again mistaken.
The fact of the matter is that the whaling industry is not widely supported nor in popular favor even in Japan. The average Japanese citizen sees it as much as an outdated and unneccassary industry as the rest of the world. Whale meat is not a popular food commodity in Japan. But as long as there is a market, however small, and money to be made, there will be an industry. That is until government and private groups worldwide observe and enforce international laws. Meanwhile the Sea Shepherds will continue to gain world support for their courage in doing the very thing that special interests fear, active interference and protection of marine life and their ecosystems.
You seem to have a poor talent for editorials. Might I suggest a position in the Australian Government? Then you could be paid far more to not serve the interests of the Australian citizens and the wildlife of our planet! Wake up and grow up, the world detests eco-terrorism. Shame on you and your publication for it's disgusting support through condemnation and inaction of the Japanese whale poachers.
- Erik Brush -
Oh goodness, their e-mail got flooded at the address listed on the Sea Shepherd site, but not to worry here's a nice alternative address: editor@theaustralian.com.au
For those who are not familiar with the editorial that was shared in The Australian feel free to visit the Sea Shepherd site at the above link to learn more. Read about the "Pirates" in support of whales. And if you wish, feel free to share your thoughts with the editor.
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LET'S NOT DISCRIMINATE! ALL CETACEANS DESERVE OUR PROTECTION. MINKE AND FIN WHALES ARE AS WORTHY AS KILLER WHALES. BET IF IT WAS ORCA'S THE JAPANESE WERE HUNTING THERE WOULD BE A MASSIVE WORLD UPROAR! LET'S HELP ALL CETACEANS FOLKS. THANKS! - ERIK
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The poachers call it "research" and it's painted in english on the sides of their ships. They claim that they are poaching under the auspices of whale research. What are they learning from their research? I think that given the number of whales that they have "researched" by now they should have every darn answer in the book to anything one could possibly want to know! So where are their results? What have they learned?
Aside from the fact that if you harpoon the calf the mother will stick around in distress so that you can also shoot and butcher her!
A victim of it's own kindly nature and curiosity. Minke whales will approach and greet ships. Then,... an exploding harpoon in it's head!
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WESTERN STANDARDS VS. EASTERN TRADITION? OH REALLY? LET'S LOOK CLOSER SHALL WE?
This is possibly the lamest excuse of all of the excuses laid out by supporters of Japan's poaching of whales and other marine life.
They come from a different tradition with different culture and ways. Really? They seem to be living in the modern technologically advanced world perfectly well. In fact some of the best technology comes from Japanese industry and science. Japan has some of the most intelligent thinkers on Earth among her people.
And MOST Japanese people do NOT support the whale poaching or it's consumption. To hide behind tradition is a farce. My people used to show up unannounced on the shores of various countries and loot and pillage and conquer. Just because we have an ancient tradition I doubt you would like to see Danes engaged in a Viking raid today! In New Guinea they used to practice canniblism, in fact it's an ancient tradition! Do you support their right to continue it today?
Tradition is the worst excuse that anyone can recite for the eco-rape of our world by private and government industry. Well if tradition is so important to the Japanese, fine, make wooden ships, sail out to the whaling seas, give up modern conveniences, you know, replace cars with rickshaws and horses, harpoon cannons with hand thrown lances, and pretty much get rid of all modern hospitals, science, etc and then PERHAPS and only perhaps, that excuse would have the remotest modicam of some legitimacy.
TRADITION is not an excuse to destroy the world. It is not an excuse to continue outdated and destructive behavior! - Erik
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THAT'S NOT RED TIDE! IT'S DOLPHIN BLOOD!
The place? Taiji Japan. The event? Trapped dolphins, porpoise, and sometimes endangered small whale species are driven into a bay, netted into a trap, and because they will not leave a pod member in distress, a dolphin ( or any other unlucky cetacean ) is quickly sliced into with long knives on poles. Stressed, panicked, and in pain the wounded animal swims around frantically trying to avoid the men who now wound more and more dolphins as they draw the nets in closer. The blood of dolphins stains the bay red as they slowly bleed to death from multiple slice wounds before being harvested by Taiji's fishermen.
When protests of outrage reached the Japanese government, their solution was to place large tarps up to hide the view from prying media and to add boats to protect the fishermen from anyone getting too close to observe or document this event!
Ready for the iceing on the cake? Studies reveal that almost all of the dolphin/whale meat from Taiji contained dangerous levels of mercury and other toxins. The Japanese government is not even requiring warning lables to be placed on the meat!
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WELCOME TO THE CHAT ROOM
Let's keep the chat clean, fun, and respectable. Thanks folks! - Erik -
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JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YASUO
FUKUDA
TALKS TO WHALING FLEET ABOUT PETER GARRETT'S INTERFERENCE!
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YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
Believe it or not the Prime Minister of Japan, of Australia, of Canada, of Norway, of Iceland, and various large corporations all fear you! That's right they fear you!
Why is that? Because you have more power than you can possibly imagine. You influence those who trade with them. You influence those who both support and oppose them. You influence the opinions of their people who in turn voted for these folks. YOU have this grand power.
Do they fear you as an individual? Maybe not as much as they perhaps should, but together with many other voices all singing the same song of concern for our environment and the life of our planet, yes they ABSOLUTELY fear your voices and your song!
It's easy to crush a few ants, but an army of swarming moving ants is very hard to oppose. Get involved in having a positive impact on our world! Together we can make a huge difference!
WARNING: SOME GRAPHIC CONTENT!
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Once in Surabaya, Jakarta Animal Aid organized demonstrations and meetings with officials. Captain Paul Watson called Femke Den Haas of Jakarta Animal Aid from the Steve Irwin to encourage and support their efforts. Femke said the officials in Indonesia simply needed to see evidence of Japan's illegal whaling activities and evidence that Australia will not allow Japanese vessels to enter Australian ports for fuel or repairs. Three of the most passionate whale defending politicians in Australia responded immediately.
Former Australian Environment Minister and Sea Shepherd spokesperson Ian Campbell immediately wrote to the officials in Indonesia stating:
This communication is to provide you and the relevant authorities in the clearest possible terms that Australian law prohibits the entry to any Australian Port of Japanese Whaling vessels. This prohibition has been Australian law since the introduction of the moratorium on Whaling under the International Convention on Whaling. Japan has systematically breached this international agreement over the passed two decades, and successive Australian governments have banned these ships from our ports through special legislation and regulation.
I am happy for this advice to be forwarded to the Authorities. It can be confirmed with reference to an Australian Embassy.
Yours faithfully,
Ian Campbell
The Honourable Ian G. Campbell
Australian Government Minister for the Environment (2004-2007)
Senator Bob Brown, the leader of the Australian Green Party sent the following:
The harpoon vessel (Yushin Maru #2) is seeking repair in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Clearly it would have been expedient for this ship to have entered an Australian port. However the risk of public hostility, and complete inability to have repairs carried out means an effective blockade on the Japanese whaling ship entering Australian or New Zealand ports.
The Indonesian authorities should ensure the ship is refused servicing in that country too.
Yours Sincerely,
Senator Bob Brown
Mayor Peter Tagliaferri of Fremantle, Australia sent the following letter to the Port officials and to Mayor Banbang Dwi Hartono of Surabaya.
I write to you as Mayor of the City of Fremantle, Western Australia.
The City of Fremantle does not support the illegal slaughter of whales and has constantly conveyed this through diplomatic processes to the Japanese government.
I believe the Yushin Maru #2 is seeking propeller repairs in your port as a result of ice damage.
The City of Fremantle would not support this vessel to enter our fishing boat harbour to seek repairs to continue an illegal activity.
I, as Mayor of the City of Fremantle, urge you to also not allow this vessel to be repaired in your port and as a result the Yushin Maru #2 will not be able to rejoin the illegal whaling.
Best Regards,
Peter Tagliaferri
Mayor of City of Fremantle
What Does This Mean?
The Yushin Maru # 2 has not killed any whales since at least December 20th and because of this decision in Surabaya, they will not be returning to the Southern Ocean very soon. This effectively reduces the killing power of the Japanese whaling fleet by a third leaving the Yushin Maru # 1 and Yushin Maru #3 as the two remaining harpoon boats.
This is some of the latest news that was posted on the Sea Shepherd website. Visit any of the links from this site to read the full article.
It is what I consider a great victory and a strong blow to the eco-terrorists of Japan. It is also a strong message to the greedy corporation that continues to violate international law in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.
Perhaps the Japanese whaling industry should be looking into the word sanctuary. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, you cannot really harpoon and disect the word, so I guess that they have no means to research what it means.
I was interested in trying to learn Japanese, and still am. I love the culture and the people of Japan ( for the most part ). I could not figure out the meaning of the last name of the current Prime Minister of Japan. Yasuo Fukuda? I get that "uda" means "Cetaceans" in Japanese and I have pretty well figured out what the first contraction of his last name means in english ( which I need hardly repeat ), so I now understand the last name Fukuda, what I do not get is what Yasuo is in Japanese? Does it mean something equally insideous?
I just cannot understand how a man and government would support the breaking of such worldwide international laws and treaties that Japan has signed and agreed to obey. Nor how he can condone the killing of Japanese citizens with toxic cetacean meat products from Taiji when all the studies have clearly shown the danger to citizens? What a shameful disgrace to the otherwise beautiful nation of Japan and her people!
On a positive note, hats off to everyone who has stepped up to the plate in Australia to do what Peter Garrett is too weak and self-absorbed to do,... protect the environment. Perhaps he should join Glenn Inwood, the Yakusa, Yasuo Fukuda, Stephen Harper, and other eco-terrorists and figure out what they will say when the world catches up with them and holds them accountable for their crimes and inaction. Not to worry though, you can all at least work for your friendly editor and mate at The Australian. He loves those who can really twist the truth. - Erik Brush
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THE WORLD IS TIRED OF POACHERS AND ECO-TERRORISTS!
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EXTINCTION CAN AND DOES HAPPEN! FOR THEM IT'S TOO LATE! BUT NOT FOR ALL,...
The problems of the past can be stopped in the now. It's easier than you may realize. It starts with your concern and blossoms when you choose
to get involved! You can be an eco-hero and you don't need a cape! It takes so little to gain so much! Just do it!
YOUR CHILDREN WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT! SO TOO WILL THE PLANET!
SARAH PALIN REALLY WANTS TO GET RID OF BELUGA WHALES! GUESS WHY?
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Gov. Sarah Palin announced that Alaska has plans to sue over the increased protection of beluga whales in the Cook Inlet. This all on the heels of trying to keep polar bears off the endangered species list just five months prior.
The current population of beluga whales in the Cook Inlet is a mere 375, down from what used to be thousands. It was listed last year after scientists determined the whale would face extinction in less than 100 years. Only five groups of beluga whales live in U.S. waters off Alaska.
Under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, all federally funded or permitted activities in the Cook Inlet are now subject to review. Though Denby Lloyd, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, says the population is stable and beginning to recover.
Um, can we get someone NOT from Alaska to decide this?
The Cook Inlet which hosts the city of Anchorage is also a mature oil-producing basin - shocking! Which is why Palin opposes the listing. It will greatly impact oil and gas developments from expanding into the Anchorage port.
"This listing decision didn't take those efforts into account as required by law," Palin said.
But this isn't the first time Palin has put Big Oil before the environment, and it won't be the last. "Gov. Palin seems more than willing to sacrifice endangered whales on the altar of oil companies," said Brendan Cummings, director of The Center for Biological Diversity.
Next, she'll want to start aerial hunting of the beluga.
WELL YOU SEE IT'S LIKE THIS, THESE DARN WHALES HAVE THE NERVE TO IMPEDE HER ABILITY GAIN MORE SUBSIDIES AND SUPPORT FROM HER BIG OIL FRIENDS! ALSO THEY CAN'T BUILD A BRIDGE ACROSS THE INLET DUE TO ENDANGERED SPECIES. THIS MAKES HER COMMUTE AROUND THE INLET A BIG PAIN! NOW IT'S PERSONNAL! THE NERVE OF SOME ANIMALS!
PALIN DOES NOT WANT ANY OF THESE WORTHLESS CREATURES AROUND! AFTER ALL THEY ARE ENDANGERED, AND SARAH IS SURE THAT THEY HAVE IT COMING TO THEM! MAYBE SHE THINKS THAT THEY ARE UGLY?
WELL THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE VILE, DISGUSTING, & UGLY CREATURE BETWEEN THESE 2 PICTURES. I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT SARAH, IT'S NOT SMILING AND WET.
MEET THE EXTERMINATORS! BIO-CRIMINALS WHO ARE KILLING US ALL FOR PROFIT OR PRIVATE MOTIVATION.
THESE LEADERS AND INDUSTRIAL POWERS WOULD GLADLY KILL NOT JUST ANIMALS, BUT YOUR CHILDREN AS WELL IF IT MEANS A FEW EXTRA BUCKS!
IN THEIR EYES YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, AND OUR PLANET ARE EXPENDABLE!
MEET YASUO FUKUDA! PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN. HE IS THE "YES MAN" TO YAKUSA CONTROLLED JAPANESE WHALING, AND A STRONG DEFENDER OF A PROGRAM THAT THE MAJORITY OF JAPAN FINDS DISGUSTING, EMBARRASSING, AND OUTDATED. IF HE HAD HAD THE COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR RIGHT HE COULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT LEADER, BUT INSTEAD HE'S ELECTED TO PLAY THE ROLE OF JAPAN'S MODERN ADOLF HITLER. WHEN FUTURE GENERATIONS DIE WORLDWIDE FROM THE COLLAPSE OF OUR ATMOSPHERE, WE WILL HAVE HIM TO THANK IN LARGE PART!
MEET PETER GARRETT, AUSTRALIA'S ENVIRONMENTAL PRIME MINISTER AND A MAN WHO WAS A FORMER ROCK STAR, BUT THESE DAYS HE'S INTO THROWING ROCKS FROM THE GLASS HOUSE HE LIVES IN! HE PROMISED THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC A STRONG NO NONSENSE APPROACH TO ILLEGAL WHALING AND INSTEAD HAS WAVERED AND FAILED TO DO ANYTHING MORE THAN TALK BIG AND ACT SMALL. IN A WAY HE IS EVEN MORE INSIDIOUS THAN HIS DARK MASTER FUKUDA SINCE HE HAS SET BACK AUSTRALIA'S LONG FIGHT TO BE STRONG INTERNATIONALLY AND TO PROTECT THEIR TERRITORIAL WATERS FROM ECO-RAPE AND POACHING. HE'S AN ENABLER WHO IS FOSTERING JAPANESE WHALERS SENSE OF AUSTRALIA'S PERCIEVED WEAKNESS.
HERE WE HAVE DR. BILL HOGARTH WHO LIKES TO HAVE SECRET MEETINGS AS THE HEAD OF THE IWC. HE IS TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH JAPAN TO ALLOW THEM TO RESUME COMMERCIAL WHALING IF THEY WILL SLOW DOWN ON OR CEASE SCIENTIFIC WHALING. THIS MAN IS A PERSON CATERING TO JAPAN IN THE WORST WAY. HIS COLLABORATIONS ARE REALLY PAVING THE WAY FOR JAPAN TO CONTINUE TO BREAK INTERNATIONAL LAWS AND EXTERMINATE OUR WORLD. HE'S A MONSTER WITH A SOFTFACE AND ALMOST HUMAN SMILE,.... BUT DON'T BE FOOLED!
Taking on the Goliaths of Doom
and
The Contradictions of International Conservation Law
Commentary by Captain Paul Watson
What would we think of the police if they were to ask bank robbers to cut down on the number of robberies in the city and rob more banks in the country instead? This is exactly what the United States is proposing with criminal whaling operations by Japan.
In an effort to reduce the illegal slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, William Hogarth, appointed to the International Whaling Commission by George W. Bush and now the Chairman of the IWC, is recommending that in return for a "reduced" quota by Japan in the Southern Ocean, that Japan be given a legal commercial quota off the coast of Japan.
Commercial whaling is illegal. Killing endangered and threatened whales is illegal. Killing whales in an established international whale sanctuary is illegal. Killing whales in Antarctic waters is illegal. Killing whales in the Australian Antarctic Territory is illegal. Refueling whaling ships in the Antarctic Treaty Zone is illegal. Dumping blood and offal from whaling ships is illegal in the Antarctic Treaty Zone. Failing to file an environmental assessment to operate a commercial enterprise in the Antarctic Treaty Zone is illegal.
Japan is in violation of the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Antarctic Treaty, and the Regulations of the International Whaling Commission. Japan is in violation of the regulations of the United States Department of Commerce and is in contempt of an Australian Court Order prohibiting whaling in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Yet there seems to be a complete denial of Japan's illegal activities. Greenpeace is more concerned about crewmembers stealing whale meat from the whaling industry than they are about all of the international violations. The members of the IWC seem more concerned about Sea Shepherd throwing rotten butter onto the whaling ships than they are about all of the international violations. Australia seems more concerned about Sea Shepherd's activities to disrupt whaling than they are about Japan's illegal whaling activities.
Japanese whaling in the Southern Oceans is in violation of the of the U.S. Department of Commerce regulations yet every year the President merely sends a "strongly worded letter of protest" to Japan instead of sanctioning Japan under the law. And every year for the last twenty years, Japan has chosen to ignore the letters.
Australia promises legal action and then reneges, choosing to do nothing under the guise of opting for diplomacy, and as we all know diplomacy with Japan over this issue has failed utterly for twenty-two years. How the so called diplomacy of the Rudd government differs from the diplomacy of the Howard government that Peter Garrett admonished when he was in opposition is unclear.
If Japan were a poor third world nation, they would not be getting away with this illegal slaughter. They would be taken by the scruff of the neck and kicked out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
What is it about the word "sanctuary" that no one seems to understand?
There is no difference between Japanese whaling and the slaughter of mountain gorillas or giraffes in the Congo. Both are forms of bush meat. There is no difference between the slaughter of whales and the poaching of elephants. Both are illegal activities. In Africa, the rangers shoot to kill elephant poachers and the world applauds. In the Southern Ocean we disrupt the poaching of whales with rotten butter and governments condemn us as extremists and the Japanese call us terrorists. Bullets are justified for black African poachers but rotten butter is "too extreme" for Japanese whale poachers. We don't see the media reporting on Somali poachers accusing Kenyan rangers of terrorism. We don't see rhino poachers being given credibility in the media for complaining about international efforts to stop their illegal activities.
Why the special dispensation for Japan?
The answer is simple of course. International law is to be used to keep poor nations in line and not to be used against rich economic super powers. International law is designed to keep poor nations poor, and rich nations rich. European nations can illegally dump toxic and radioactive materials into the waters off Somalia and European fisheries can loot the fish from inside the territorial waters of all the African nations and the world turns its eyes away. Yet when some impoverished Somali fishermen, victims of European over-fishing, hi-jack an oil tanker, the world's super powers cry terrorism and rush to discipline the "pirates." In the name of profits, our oceans are being looted and entire species of fish, sea-birds, and marine mammals are threatened with extinction. Yet the demand for shark-fins, whale meat, bluefin tuna, Chilean Sea Bass and so many more species is of more consideration than the very survival of these species.
Short term profit is tolerated at the expense of long-term consequences.
What is the good of international conservation law if these laws are ignored? What is the point of governments sending representatives at tax-payers expense to extravagant international conferences to draft legislation that everyone ignores?
During the International Whaling Commission meeting in Santiago in June 2008, all the delegates, much to Japan's pleasure, agreed to disagree. Nothing was said or done about illegal whaling. The only thing the delegates could agree on was to condemn the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for tossing rotten butter onto the decks of outlaw Japanese whaling ships. In fact the only non-governmental organization that has ever done anything to enforce the regulations of the International Whaling Commission is the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and we are the only non-governmental organization banned from attending the annual meetings. Governments don't seem to want to solve problems. They want to present the illusion of solving problems. The Australian government wants to have the Australian people believe that Australia is doing something to address the problem but they don't want to have to actually do something about the problem.
Contrary to what our critics say, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has operated within the boundaries of the law since we were established in 1977. Proof of this is that in over three decades of operations we have never been convicted of a felony crime. We have never been sued. We have successfully sued companies for violating the law. We have never caused an injury to any person. Yet the public relations firms of the criminals looting our oceans pump out propaganda constantly accusing us of being criminals and terrorists while they violently lay waste to the entire planet. It is absolute madness, and it has taken all of my patience for decades to deploy strategies that stay within the bounds of the law when a part of me simply wants to avenge the deaths of millions of lives in our oceans and the destruction of oceanic habitats. We have acted responsibly, cautiously and with great practicality over the years, pushing the envelope as far as the law and morality will allow us to do so. And we will continue to do so. But I fear that we will be hindered even further and that the laws will be tightened by special interests to protect profits and not resources, to protect profits over human rights and the rights of nature.
As resources diminish I see opposition to exploitation being stamped out as "subversive" activities and all attempts to save our oceans, our forests and our environment spun by the professional spin doctors into "crimes against humanity."
The only thing more destructive to eco-systems than the impoverishment of poor nations is the diminishment in materialism of developed nations. Underdeveloped nations cause damage in their quest to utilize all available resources for survival. Developed nations cause even more damage in their quest to utilize all available resources to prevent a decline in their relatively wealthy lifestyles. But be they motivated by survival or by greed, the result is the same and the victims are the non-human species of the planet. The problem is simple. There are too many people and too few resources. It's the third law of ecology - the law of finite resources. There is a limit to growth. But how can this be addressed within the context of economic systems that depend upon unlimited growth to survive?
Our oceans have reached their limit to give up their resources. The fish cannot breed fast enough to keep up with our demands as we wipe out one species we turn our attention to another, adapting to diminishment with each commercial extinction. Over-fishing, global warming, acidification of the seas, ocean dumping, toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, and so many other human spawned problems all amount to out of control human population growth. We are locked into a pattern of self destruction. We know what the problems are but we are too selfish as a species to address the problems. We as a species want to eat good food, exotic foods, drive around in cars, fly in airplanes, take trips on yachts, fish, hunt, trap, cut down forests, own a computer, wear the latest fashions etc, forgetting the ecological price we have to pay for these luxuries. And we do it innocently. The desire to have a child is natural and harmless except when seven billion people want to do the same thing. The need to cut down a tree to build a house is natural except when seven billion people need to cut down a tree for everything from building a house to toilet paper. The desire to catch a fish is natural except when seven billion people want to do so.
Where do even begin?
How do we get off the treadmill that society placed us on the day we were born?
If we drop out and become hermits, the excesses continue on without us. The truth is we cannot get off the bus. And just as the bus in the movie "Speed" could not stop, we cannot stop the juggernaut of human civilization from going where it will inevitably go. It will run out of fuel or it will crash. But what we can do is refuse to sit as complacent passengers waiting for the crash. We can dedicate ourselves to trying to slow down the bus and trying to come up with an alternative approach. But the reality is that most people will just sit on the bus, watching movies and listening to their I-pods until the bus hits the wall.
Still we don't need everyone. We just need a strong enough minority because if human history has taught us anything at all, it has taught us that all social revolutions are initiated and led by a very small minority. The majority always go along for the ride. I marvel at times that with seven billion people on this planet, there are only thirty-three of us down here trying to save these whales from illegal whaling operations. Thirty-three of us with only a few thousand supporters to assist us. The odds are against us. There are a few hundred whalers down here with the support of Japan, a nation of one hundred million people. They have the money, the machinery, the power, in short they have a stacked deck.
We are limited in our tactics, limited in our finances and we do not enjoy the support of any government. Why should we even bother? What can we possibly hope to accomplish?
I will tell you what and why? We are down here in the remote and hostile waters of Antarctica not only to defend the lives of whales but to demonstrate that a few people can make a difference, that we can take on this economic ecologically destructive Goliath and we can beat him with nothing more than a slingshot. For the last four years we have been kicking this giant in the shins, irritating him, and most importantly costing him profits. We have saved over a thousand whales and we have focused the attention of the world on their obscene slaughter.
And most importantly we are showing for the first time in the history of humanity that people are ready and willing to risk their lives and freedoms as volunteers to defend a non-human species from the greed and criminality of our own kind. What we do is unprecedented since humankind first appeared on this planet. For the first time ever there are people speaking for the rights of non-human species and not just speaking but actually fighting in defence of the rights of these species. And it is not just here in at the bottom of the planet, but in Africa where humans are fighting for elephants, in the Galapagos where we are fighting for sharks, in Montana where people are fighting for wolves, or for Redwoods in California, or old growth forests in Tasmania or for coral reefs and fish, and birds, and turtles and invertebrates and flowering plants worldwide.
We are in fact part of a global revolutionary movement that is seeking to reunite ourselves as a species within the harmonious web of diversity of life.
In other words we are fighting to return to the Garden of the Natural World and because of that I do what I do, because this movement gives me great hope.
For in truth if it were not for all of you out there pursuing these compassionate paths, I would not have the strength to even live, for a world divided from nature is a world that has lost its soul and is of little value. For the majority of people that watch complacently as the world dies around them, I would like to be able to heed the words of Jesus Christ who said, "Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do."But unfortunately all of us in the world today know exactly what we are doing and if there is ignorance, it is a willful, deliberate ignorance and because of the horrific destruction of the natural world, it is an evil ignorance.
There will be no forgiveness if the ecological insanity of humanity is allowed to prevail. There will be no forgiveness because there will be no one left to forgive us.
For in the end there are only three basic ecological laws that we have no choice but to obey. No species in the history of the planet has survived without living in accordance with these three basic laws.
The law of diversity
The law of Interdependence
The Law of Finite Resources.
We may be able to ignore international conservation laws but these three laws we cannot ignore for long.
Contradictions have consequences.
Will the Earth plundering Goliath triumph or will we Davids bring the Giant down before it's too late for us all.
All I know is that I've picked up my slingshot and I've got a few stones left to use in this battle.
REMEMBER WHEN YOU TUCKED YOUR KIDS INTO BED AND TOLD THEM NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE LIGHT BEING OFF BECAUSE THERE WERE NO MONSTERS?
GUESS WHAT? YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER, BUT YOU LIED! THIS IS KEVIN RUDD. THE MAN WHO HAS MOST SCREWED AUSTRALIA ALONG WITH HIS SIDEKICK PETER GARRETT. BUT DON'T LET THESE TWO CONJURE UP ANY BATMAN AND ROBIN THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND,... THERE IS NOTHING HEROIC ABOUT EITHER OF THEM AND NOTHING DYNAMIC EITHER.
DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT LYING TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF MONSTERS EITHER, BECAUSE THE TRUTH BE TOLD, THIS MAN HAS TAKEN LYING TO A NEW ART FORM. HE IS EXCEEDED ONLY BY THE JAPANESE WHALERS AND THEIR PRIME MINISTER FOR THEIR CAPACITY TO LIE AND GENERATE EVIL IN THE WORLD.
IF THE LAST NAME RUDD SOUNDS LIKE CRUDD, THERE IS A REASON FOR IT! WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ARE DYING WON'T YOU WISH HE HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN SOONER? HE HAS THE SPINE OF A JELLYFISH AND ABOUT THE SAME BRAIN MATTER TOO. THIS ONE IS VERY DANGEROUS! HE ACTUALLY GIVES EVIL A BAD NAME!
EVER SEE THE CRAZED LOOK OF A PSYCHOTIC SERIAL KILLER IN NEWS CLIPS OR BOOKS? WELL HAVE A GANDER AT GLENN WHO IS JAPAN'S MOUTHPIECE FOR WHALING.
LIKE THE DARK MOUTH OF SAURON IN THE BOOK OR MOVIE "LORD OF THE RINGS" THIS IS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR JAPAN'S WHALING INDUSTRY IN AS FAR AS PUBLIC RELATIONS GOES.
THE PRIDE OF NEW ZEALAND ( AN EMBARASSMENT AT BEST ) HE SERVES FOR A MASTER THAT IS MUCH DARKER AND MORE INSIDIOUS THAN ANY TOLKEIN CHARACTER. FOR IN THE STORY THE DARK LORD WANTED TO CORRUPT AND RULE THE WORLD IN DARKNESS. THESE GUYS WOULD RATHER ENJOY THE SPOILS OF ECO-RAPE AND ILLEGAL INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND CRIMES AGAINS'T NATURE UNTIL WE ARE ALL KILLED BY THE AFTER AFFECT OF MASS ECOLOGICAL IMBALANCE! HE IS NOT QUITE AS MASCULINE AS SARAH PALIN, BUT HIS HEART IS IN THE SAME PLACE!
THIS BRINGS US TO AN INTERESTING PLAYER IN THE FIELD OF WASTED HUMAN DNA,... YES IT'S THE WICKED WITCH OF THE NORTH; SARAH PALIN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ICE QUEEN! ALASKA'S GOVENOR PALIN OF THE FAILED PRESIDENTIAL EFFORT IS HOT TO TURN ENDANGERED SPECIES INTO EXTINCT SPECIES BECAUSE THEY INCONVENIENCE HER AND FRIENDS AND SPECIAL INTERESTS WITH THEIR EXISTENCE. PALIN'S EFFORTS TO DESTROY WILDLIFE AND KILL OFF ENDANGERED ANIMALS WHILE VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW, FOR THE SAKE OF MONEY, POWER, AND A SHORTER COMMUTE, IS REALLY AS PATHETIC AS YOU CAN GET FOR BEING SUCH A MINOR PLAYER. I HAVE A FEELING THAT SHE MAY BE THE ILLEGITIMATE SISTER OF CANADA'S PRIMARY LOWLIFE STEPHEN HARPER! SO IF YOU ARE IN ALASKA DON'T GET IN HER WAY OR LET YOUR KIDS PLAY NEAR A STREET THAT SHE DRIVES ON, BECAUSE SHE HAS SHOWN WHAT SHE DOES TO LIFEFORMS THAT IMPEDE HER FROM HAVING HER WAY!
DID YOU THINK FOR A SECOND YOU WOULD BE FORGOTTEN MR. HARPER? HOW COULD ANY REPORT OF THE PLANETS WORST THREATS AND ECO-CRIMINALS BE COMPLETE WITHOUT CANADA'S VERY OWN IDI AMIN? THE HITLER OF THE NEW WORLD. THIS IS CANADA'S LAME AND DISGUSTING LEADER STEPHEN HARPER. A PRIME MINISTER FOR THE PEOPLE ( WHO CLUB SEALS, KILL NARWHALES, AND STARVE OUT POLARBEARS ) OF CANADA,.... WELL AT LEAST THE PEOPLE OF EXTREME EASTERN CANADA, BECAUSE WHO CARES WHAT THE REST OF THE NATION THINKS RIGHT? THIS IS THE FACE OF COWARDICE AND IT IS LACED WITH THE SAME STUPID LOOK AS AN INBRED CHILD.
MR. HARPER IS ABOUT AS INCAPABLE OF RATIONAL THINKING AS HE IS THE ABILITY TO ORIGINATE A COURAGEOUS ACT OR THOUGHT. HE IS THE GESTAPO AND KGB AND CIA OF CANADA, ALL ROLLED INTO ONE FAT AND CORRUPT PACKAGE.
NEWS FROM CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON.
TAKING ON GOLIATHS OF DOOM!
THE CONTRADICTIONS OR INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION LAW.
MOVIES AND HISTORY MAKE SOME PRETTY EVIL FOLKS!
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, NO MATTER WHAT HOLLYWOOD DOES, YOU CANNOT BEAT FUKUDA FOR PURE EVIL!
WHALEWARS EVIL - STARWARS EVIL
DARTH GARRETT - DARTH MAUL
JUST AS DARTH MAUL SERVES STARWARS EMPEROR PALPATINE, SO TOO DOES DARTH GARRETT SERVE HIS MASTER FUKUDA!
LORD OF THE RINGS SAURON WANTED TO DOMINATE MIDDLE-EARTH
AUSTRALIA'S DARK LORD KEVIN RUDD JUST WANTS TO KILL THE EARTH OFF IN ONE FELL SWOOP!
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, TRUE EVIL IS FAR WORSE THAN HISTORICAL OR MOVIE EVIL!
EVIL'S MOUTHPIECE!
HIDEOUS EVIL MOUTH OF DOOM! AND THAT LORD OF THE RINGS ONE IS SCAREY TOO!
SOMETHING ABOUT THESE TWO LOOKS SIMULAR. BUT ONE KILLED 6.5 MILLION, THE OTHER WILL HELP KILL ALL OF US!
SOME ORCS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS!
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WELL IT APPEARS THAT SARAH PALIN IS JUST OUT TO DESTROY ANY ANIMAL THAT SHE FINDS A BOTHER FOR ANY REASON. SHE DELIGHTS IN SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION OF A NUMBER OF SPECIES. BELUGAS, POLARBEARS, WOLVES. YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS AN INTERESTING CORRELATION BETWEEN SERIAL KILLERS AND SARAH. THEY BOTH USUALLY START OUT KILLING AND TORMENTING ANIMALS BEFORE MOVING ON TO HUMAN VICTIMS AS THEIR VIOLENT URGES ESCALATE!
IRONIC IN THAT SARAH IS GUNG HO TO KILL THE ANIMALS OFF THAT STAND IN HER WAY OR OFFEND HER WITH THEIR AUDACITY OF DARING TO BE ENDANGERED WHEN SHE NEEDS TO PUSH THROUGH SPECIAL INTERESTS. SHE IS SUPPORTING THE DESTRUCTION OF CETACEANS WHICH IS THE VERY BIGGEST THREAT TOWARD TRIGGERING THE GREATEST EXTINCTION EVENT ON THE PLANET! THIS WILL KILL OFF ALL HUMANS AND MOST OTHER LIFE FORMS WHEN THE MARINE ECO-SYSTEM COLLAPSES. SO I SEE THE MAKINGS OF A GRAND SERIAL KILLER IN PALIN, ONLY LIKE THE JAPANESE WHALERS AND THE SHARK FINNERS, SHE IS TOO STUPID TO REALIZE THAT SHE ( AND THEY ) ALSO RELY ON THE SAME OXYGEN THAT THE REST OF US DO!
GET INVOLVED WITH STOPPING THIS DEADLY MENACE BEFORE SHE GOES TOO FAR. SUPPORT EYEONPALIN.ORG IN THE FIGHT TO END HER CRIMINAL ACTIONS AGAINS'T WOLVES! HERE'S THE SITE LINK:
Suing the Belugas
In October, while Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska was campaigning to be vice president, the federal government added the beluga whales in the state’s Cook Inlet to the endangered species list. At the time, Governor Palin opposed the listing, saying it would be “premature.” (She said the same thing about protecting polar bears.) Now Ms. Palin has announced that she will sue to remove the whales from the protection of the Endangered Species Act.
In Governor Palin’s view, what is really endangered is Alaska’s economic growth. Cook Inlet, the long arm of water that reaches toward Anchorage from the Gulf of Alaska, is one of the busiest and fastest-developing regions in the state. There are plans for gas and oil development, an expansion of the Port of Anchorage, as well as a possible new bridge.
Ms. Palin argues that the state has already taken adequate measures to protect the belugas. The numbers certainly argue otherwise. The beluga population in Cook Inlet last year was estimated at 375, down from a high of 653 in 1994.
In explaining her intent to file suit, the governor has challenged virtually every aspect of the listing decision — including the scientific finding that these belugas are a separate and distinct genetic population seriously at risk. Former Senator Ted Stevens went so far as to call the listing “a deliberate targeting of an area vital to the Alaskan economy.”
There is no doubt that Cook Inlet is vital to Alaskans. But it is also vital to the species that live in its waters. Listing the belugas does not mean shutting down the economy of the Cook Inlet. It means adjusting it to accommodate species that cannot adapt or survive any other way.
SUEING WHALES FOR BEING ENDANGERED? DISGUSTING!
Some words from Erik. Please take the time to listen. Time is a far more precious resource than you may know. You often hear references to "Not having enough time" and the fact is that we all have the same amount of time. It is not the time we
have, rather it is the things that we do with our time that really matter. We can all make better use of our time and of all of the things that you could possibly give to your children, shouldn't life, prosperity, and a planet that is still healthy be a top priority? I am very adamant about conservation for both altruistic reasons and also for personal reasons! I really like being alive and enjoy seeing other places and helping everyone!
THE BUTYRIC ACID HYPE REVEALED! THE TRUTH BEHIND THE ACID THAT JAPANESE WHALERS CRY AND BLUBBER OVER. HOW LETHAL IS IT?
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN MORE,...
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Meet the next rulers of planet Earth! If sharks and cetaceans drop too low in their populations, then after the Elasmobranchi-Cetacea Extinction Event these Stromatolites and Bacteria will be among the few survivors. Amazingly Stromatolites have survived the first 5 major extinction events, they will weather the sixth as well, with only bacteria, and perhaps a few odd echinoderms to keep them company. This event will happen in decades, not centuries!
It is rather fitting that a life form that has survived since the beginning should be the last to see a complex planet like ours dying off from mankind. Perhaps even ironic!
They come in many colours and shapes and yet they do not wage war, pollute, murder, or damage the world that they live in. They are colonies, much like coral. Many smaller simple beings living together as one!
There are also bacteria who are just itching to get their sillia or cells on some nice realestate. Once we go, and earth is mostly devoid of life, they are going to party like it's 2039!
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THINK THAT SHARKS ARE DANGEROUS? THINK AGAIN!
HERE IS A LIST OF THE WORLDS TOP 10 DEADLIEST CEATURES!
10). THE HIPPO! ONE OF AFRICA'S DEADLIEST ANIMALS, IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 200 FATALITIES A YEAR!
9). THE LION. AROUND THE WORLD LION ATTACKS AND INCIDENTS ACCOUNT FOR OVER 250 DEATHS ANNUALLY.
8). BEES. EVERY YEAR OVER 400 PEOPLE WORLDWIDE DIE THANKS TO COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO BEE STINGS.
7). THE CAPE BUFFALO IS A SURPRISINGLY DANGEROUS ANIMAL AND KILLS AN AMAZING 500+ PEOPLE ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR IN AFRICA.
6). THE ELEPHANT FROM AFRICA AND ASIA, TO ALL SORTS OF PLACES IN CAPTIVITY, THIS ANIMAL AVERAGES OVER 600 HUMAN FATALITIES EACH YEAR.
5). CROCODILES. EVOLUTION'S GRAND SUCCESS STORY KILLS AROUND 2000 PEOPLE A YEAR WORLDWIDE.
4). SCORPIONS! YES THIS CREATURE PACKS A PUNCH AND TO THE UNWARY HUMANS THAT IT SHARES SOME OF IT'S HABITATS WITH IT IS AN ANIMAL WITH AN AVERAGE OF OVER 5000 PEOPLE A YEAR WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCING DEATH.
3). SNAKES. MANKIND'S GREATEST PHOBIA IS NOT AS BAD AS WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK, BUT THEY DO CAUSE OVER 100,000 DEATHS A YEAR. MOST ARE FROM RUSSELS AND SAW-SCALED VIPERS AND ADDERS.
2). MOSQUITOS. THEY SPREAD DISEASES AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BETWEEN 2-3 MILLION DEATHS A YEAR!
1). HUMANS. HOMO SAPIANS KILL NOT IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, OR MILLIONS, THEY KILL IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS ANNUALLY, AND THAT NUMBER EXCEEDS THE BILLIONS IF WE INCLUDE ANIMAL FATALITIES! MAN IS A SPECIES THAT HAS ALSO EXTERMINATED ALL SORTS OF LIFE FORMS WITH PERMANENT RESULTS!
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SHARK ATTACKS ( BITES ) ARE FEW AND EACH YEAR SHARKS AVERAGE FROM 1-5 FATALITIES ON MAN. A GOOD MAJORITY OF ALL BITES ARE MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND MOST BITES THE SHARK RELEASES THE MOMENT IT REALIZES THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE A FISH OR MARINE MAMMAL IN IT'S MOUTH. THIS IS A REMARKABLEY LOW NUMBER OF INCIDENTS CONSIDERING THAT EACH YEAR MORE AND MORE BATHERS SWIM IN THE SAME WATERS THAT SHARKS LIVE IN AND FEED IN YEAR ROUND. HUMANS ON THE OTHER HAND KILL OVER 100 MILLION SHARKS EACH YEAR! THEY ARE 90% WIPED OUT! AND WE NEED THEM! THEY ARE CRITICAL TO OUR SURVIVAL ON THIS PLANET.
SMOKING! KILLS A LOT.
WILD FIRES AND ARSEN.
HURRICANES AND STORMS.
DRUNK DRIVERS!
HAND GUNS & ACCIDENTS!
ICEY ROADS AND SIDEWALKS!
VENDING MACHINES FALLING OVER!
DOMESTIC DOG ATTACKS!
SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE OBVIOUS WHILE OTHERS ARE LESS SO. PEOPLE PULL VENDING MACHINES ( ESP. SNACK MACHINES ) DOWN ON TOP OF THEMSELVES MORE THAN YOU WOULD BELIEVE.
MAN'S BEST FRIEND, WHILE WONDERFUL, HAS HAD SOME BAD EPISODES. FOLKS ARE OFTEN SO QUICK TO STEREOTYPE THAT THEY DONT LEARN THE FACTS. THE NUMBER 1 KID KILLER IN NORTH AMERICA IS THE GERMAN SHEPHERD FOR EXAMPLE. SHARKS? ARE LIGHTWEIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR DANGERS!
FALLING FROM LADDERS.
MYTH-BUSTING THE SHARKS DANGEROUS REP!
YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED BY A FEW OF THE THINGS MORE DANGEROUS THAN SHARKS. HAVE A PEEK,...
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A LETTER TO US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
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Dear President Obama, ( SENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A TOPIC RELATED PETITION )
William Hogarth and his consituants and interests in the IWC are in violation of a global moratorium, and his proposed alterations and potential support of expanded japanese whaling are dangerous and treasonous to say the least. That is not a word that I toss around casually.
Why would I use such a strong word for Mr. Hogarth? Because he is one of the many policy makers and players in a problem that threatens all Americans, All Nations and affects in truth all major life forms on the planet.
To be so insular as to view Whaling as an agricultural or species management issue is to avoid the larger picture and it's consequences to all humans on this planet.
Cetaceans ( whales, Porpoises, and Dolphins ) and Sharks are the two vital groups in the ocean that will be key elements in the question of whether or not we live or die in the next hundred years or less. these 2 groups control the fish and crustaceans that in turn consume the phytoplankton, algae, and green plants in the oceans that are crucial to our existance.
Dropping the numbers of these two apex groups too low will cause the chain to break. When this transpires, prey species will flourish in numbers that will force the inevitable consumption of this life line. How critical are these Phytoplankton, algae, and green plant groups? The oceans produce almost 70% of the worlds oxygen, and control through absorbtion over 80% of the carbon gasses ( both atmospheric and terrestrial/aquatic ) on this planet.
If Shark finning and fishing and cetacean hunting is not stopped immediately the decline can and will trigger this world's sixth great mass extinction event. And it is an event that will absolutely kill off all human life ( and most other major animal life forms ) from the planet.
You have the power to directly affect and impact this. believe me when I tell you that if the people of the world at large knew and understood the problem, then all people would realize that protecting these 2 key groups is absolutley the most important issue on planet Earth today. Sharks are down by 90% and 100 million are killed each year. They are vanishing fast Mr. President! Many whale species have never recovered from the pre moratorium days of commercial whaling. They too are down and under threat. The US and all other conscientious Governments and Nations of the world have a responsibility to directly take action and intervene on behalf of humanity before it is too late. This is the most urgent thing facing the world and while there are many other issues that appear to be priority number one, how about extending the life of our children beyond the next 40-100 years before the extinction of our world? Let us stop William Hogarth at home from his unconscienable actions and proposals, but more importantly, let us put the breaks on industries in violation of international laws and the best interests of all nations around the globe. Let Japan, and Norway, and Iceland know that the US will not sit idle by and watch the small minority destroy our planet's most cricitical resource for life, the ability to produce an atmosphere that sustains life!
Thank you President Obama. If you wish to discus the matter further please feel free to contact me at your convenience. I am counting on you to do the right thing. I have faith in you, so please, show the world that my faith is well placed. Together we can all make a big difference. Have a great day sir. Cheers.
- Erik Brush
IT'S NOT ALL BAD FOLKS AND EVIL OUT THERE,... HERE, MEET SOME HEROS AS WELL!
MEET CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON AND SOME OF HIS CREW. THESE FOLKS WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES, BUT AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF PASSION AND INTELLIGENCE HAVE DONE WHAT GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE FAILED TO DO, UPHOLD LAWS AND PROTECT ENDANGERED ANIMALS FROM EXPLOITATION AND SLAUGHTER.
IF WE WERE TO BELIEVE GOVERNMENTS OUT THERE IT WOULD SEEM AS IF CONSERVATION WAS SOMEHOW A TOUGH THING TO ACT UPON. BUT IT IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION OF ECONOMICS MORE THAN FEAR. IF IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BENEFIT A GOVERNMENT ECONOMICALLY OR COULD ENDANGER COMMERCE THROUGH TAKING ACTION TO OPPOSE ANOTHER NATION OR GROUP IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, THEN MANY GOVERNMENTS ARE UNWILLING TO RISK IT.
BUT THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT THEY BRING US TO THE BRINK THROUGH THEIR INACTION AS MUCH AS THE FOLKS WHO ACTIVELY THREATEN OUR DELICATE ECO-SYSTEMS WITH SHARK FINNING AND SLAUGHTER.
AS JOHN LENIN ONCE PENNED IN HIS MUSIC, "I HOPE SOME DAY THAT YOU'LL JOIN US,... AND THE WORLD CAN BE AS ONE."
HATS OFF TO PAUL WATSON AND THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS AND WORK.
MEET JANE GOODALL, AN ANTHROPOLOGIST AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCHER WHO IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR HER STUDIES ON CHIMPANZEES AND OTHER PRIMATES. JANE IS A TIRELESS AND OUTSPOKEN CONSERVATIONIST WHO HAS SUPPORTED VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDED THE ROOTS N' SHOOTS PROGRAM TO HELP BRING CONSERVATION INTO THE LIVES AND HEARTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, FOR MS. GOODALL RIGHTLY BELIEVES THAT TO AFFECT CHANGES FOR THE FUTURE, WE MUST MOLD THOSE WHO WILL IN TURN CARE FOR IT. WE MOLD THEM WITH TRUTH AND UNDERSTANDING RATHER THAN FORCED VALUES OR JUDGEMENT.
SHE REMAINS ONE OF MY PERSONAL HEROS AND A WOMAN OF GREAT IDEALS WHO HAS SHOWN THAT WITH PASSION AND DRIVE ONE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT AWARENESS AND MAKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
MEET STEVE IRWIN PICTURED ABOVE WITH HIS FAMILY AND TO THE LEFT WITH A YOUNG AMERICAN ALLIGATOR. HIS DEATH HAS HAD STRONG IMPACT ON MANY FOLKS WHO KNEW AND LOVED HIM. BUT IT WAS HIS
LIFE, AND THE WORK HE DID THAT HAD AN EVEN GREATER IMPACT ON ALL OF US. HE DID WHAT HE DID WITH A PASSION AND DEVOTION THAT EXPRESSED THE TRUE LOVE THAT HE HAD FOR ANIMALS AND CONSERVATION. TODAY HIS FOUNDATIONS SUCH AS WILDLIFE WARRIORS, ARE STILL FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AND IT IS IN HIS HONOR THAT THE SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY SHIP "STEVE IRWIN" IS NAMED OF COURSE. HIS CROC HUNTER SERIES BROUGHT AUSTRALIA AND CONSERVATION TO THE EYES OF THE WORLD AND IT IS MEN AND WOMEN LIKE STEVE, HIS FAMILY, STAFF, AND ORGANIZATIONS, THAT ULTIMATELY MAKE A STRONG POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE WORLD!
BY KRIKEY STEVE-O YA REALLY DID IT MATE! GOOD ON YA! HE WILL ALWAYS BE AN INSPIRATION AND DEARLY LOVED.
Capunitan, Philippines, February 10, 2009--A shot taken by the Philippine Coast Guard shows drifting, disoriented dolphins. Volunteers and fishing boats stopped the 200 to 300 dolphins from beaching themselves on the shores of Manila Bay.
"It's something unusual. It's the first time that such a large pod has entered Manila Bay, and is acting strangely," Malcolm Sarmiento, director of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, told the Associated Press.
Authorities are trying to find a reason for the dolphins' odd behavior. A sea quake that damaged the dolphins' eardrums is one possibility, officials say. Or they could have followed a sick or injured leader into the bay.
—Photograph by Philippine Coast Guard via Reuters
DOLPHINS SAVED IN MANILLA BAY !
STORY BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.
KIDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE! MEET JONATHAN LEE, FOUNDER AND CREATOR OF GOGREEN MAN.
JONATHAN LEE IS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD, BUT HE IS A YOUNG MAN ON A MISSION AND HIS AMAZING IDEAS AND WEBSITE WERE THE START OF A HUGE MOVEMENT AMONG KIDS TO HELP SAVE THE PLANET FROM POLLUTION, GLOBAL WARMING, AND TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION. HIS SPEAKING SKILLS TOUCH NOT ONLY YOUNG AUDIENCES IN SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC VENUES BUT HAVE PLACED HIM BEFORE THE UN, CONGRESS, AND IN KOREA. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN MORE ON THE LINK BELOW!
TASMANIA WELCOMES THE SEA SHEPHERDS
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tasmania Welcomes the Return of the Steve Irwin to Hobart
If it's a choice between the support of the government and the support of the people, Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson is happy that Sea Shepherd is enjoying the support of the people.
"From the Australian government we are getting criticism and police raids," said Captain Watson. "But from the Australian people we are getting a wonderful welcome."
Some 2,000 people visited and toured the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin on Saturday, February 21st at MacQuarie Dock in Hobart.
"It's good to be home and it's gratifying to see and hear what people are saying to us and how they appreciate what we are doing," said crew member Andrew Perry of Hobart.
Andrew was married by Captain Watson to Molly Kendall of Adelaide, South Australia during the Antarctic campaign. The Green Party of Australia sent a gift basket to the happy couple. Hobart bars were offering free drinks to Sea Shepherd crew and members of the public have delivered contributions of supplies and money to the Steve Irwin.
"There is no doubt that Australia is the greatest whale loving nation on Earth," said Swedish 1st Officer Peter Hammarstedt. "This country rocks."
The Steve Irwin will remain in Hobart for a month before moving to Melbourne. This week Captain Paul Watson will be speaking at the University of Tasmania, attending a photo exhibit about Tasmanian forests by Green Party leader Senator Bob Brown and will speak to forest activists on the front lines of the battle to save Tasmania's old growth trees.
"These two issues, whales and trees are closely related more than people know," said Captain Watson. "Twenty percent of Japan's paper supply originates in Tasmania. It's a trade-off. Australia wants to continue destroying old growth forests in Tasmania to sell to the Japanese therefore the government is willing to do the bidding of the Japanese whaling industry. In return the Japanese want to kill endangered whales and are threatening trade retaliation against Australia. It seems to me that Japan needs Australia more than Australia needs Japan, but politicians tend to be afraid of anything that upsets the economic apple cart so the whales are being sacrificed so that the destruction of the forests can continue."
When the Japanese see Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett supporting the destruction of the forests, endorsing uranium mines, dredging Port Phillips bay and killing dolphins, slaughtering kangaroos and allowing shark finning, they can smile and say, 'he's one of us'.
"If Peter Garrett is willing to crucify me to appease the Japanese whaling industry then so be it," said Captain Watson. "I'd rather be tossed into a cell for life than to betray my love for the diversity of life on this wonderful planet."
ARTICLE FROM SEA SHEPHERDS WEBSITE.
SCIENCE? OR SCIENCE FICTION? FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE JAPANESE WHALING INDUSTRIES SO CALLED LETHAL WHALING RESEARCH PROGRAM AND ITS FINDINGS. THE FACTS WILL LIKELY DISGUST YOU.
JAPANS RESEARCH FARCE!
Liam Bartlett
February 21, 2009 06:00pm
WITH the whaling season ending, Liam Bartlett gives his stinging assessment on the man who gave up his public morals to satisfy his personal ambitions.
THEY grew up in different countries but with similar values. They shared the same dreams and worked tirelessly for many years with the same aims, based on exactly the same principles.
They became crusaders in their own right and were lauded by those who respected their commitment, zeal and, on the face of it, genuine passion for what they believed in.
Only three years separates them in age and you would be forgiven for thinking they should still be brothers-in-arms. But, inexplicably, Peter Garrett and Paul Watson now differ in perhaps the most defining quality of character _ integrity.
In his short road to becoming a federal minister, Garrett has smashed his moral compass and jettisoned any ethical baggage that may have made him uncomfortable in the grey corridors of Canberra.
Capt Watson, on the other hand, as Master of the Steve Irwin, still throws himself between Japanese harpoon vessels and majestic whales at great personal risk while copping public criticism, even from minister Garrett's office, that he is an ``extremist''.
The contrasts couldn't be greater, so where or when did the divergence begin? The easy answer would be one word _ politics. More precisely, a safe seat with the promise of a portfolio.
Paul Watson has never played it safe. In 1972 he was one of the founding members and directors of Greenpeace.
He still has his original membership card, numbered 007. One year later, on the other side of the world, Peter Garrett became a member of a rock band called Midnight Oil.
While he and his highly talented mates were churning out stirring lyrics espousing important environmental and social issues, Watson was organising Greenpeace's first campaign to oppose whaling.
In the months that followed, Garrett was honing his hits in the pubs while Watson was taking on everything from the Soviet whaling fleet to the powerful business lobby of the seal-fur traders on the east coast of Canada.
Both men made a big impact and both followed up with more action. At one point they even found themselves standing side-by-side, protesting clear-felling in the Clayquot Valley on Vancouver Island.
Garrett went on to become president of the Australian Conservation Foundation while selling thousands of albums that covered everything from land rights to corporate greed to US foreign policy, nuclear dangers and environmental catastrophe.
Watson, meantime, left Greenpeace in disgust over what he thought was a lack of action and too many bureaucrats. He founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and under that banner became the bane of polluters and whalers around the globe and was named one of the environmental heroes of the 20th century by Time magazine.
To this day, he accuses Greenpeace of being more interested in soliciting donations to raise its corporate profile than actually protecting the environment. When it comes to whaling, he says, they are ``doing little but ocean posing, getting photo ops to raise large amounts of funds and not using those funds to defend whales''.
Garrett's road to ruin seemed to begin with a photo op in 2004. Drafted by Mark Latham _ maybe there's a clue in there _ he made noises about being able to do more from the inside as a decision-maker rather than a protester. That predictable twaddle became a precursor to dumping his personal file of beliefs and morals into a giant recycle bin. Now, it appears everything he has ever been respected for has been largely forsaken.
Since becoming a minister, he has approved the expansion of a uranium mine and the dredging of a sensitive bay and provided support to a pulp mill, but perhaps what mystifies most is his stance on whaling.
On September 18, 2007, Garrett promised, ``We will enforce Australian law banning the slaughter of whales in the Australian Whale Sanctuary'', and ``Labor has the guts to stand up to the Japanese whalers''.
There's a lot more to the press release, but it's all a big fib. In the election that followed, Pinocchio Garrett and his mates raked in the Green votes while convincing good people like Paul Watson to talk them up on the back of those porky pies. Having won office, they then left the Japanese to randomly kill as many whales as they liked.
The fact is, the Japanese operate illegally in our waters and Garrett's office does nothing. No, worse than nothing _ it panders to the Japanese through lap-dog diplomacy and spends time criticising not the Japanese lawbreakers but the only ones who have the guts to protect the whales _ Watson's Sea Shepherd. Maybe it's because Watson reminds Garrett of how far he has slid.
We used to think his epileptic dance moves were part and parcel of a uniquely individual personality that would not be swayed by the stiffest of breezes. We even put up with his more brazen protests because, well, that was just Garrett and at least he had the courage of his convictions.
How wrong we were.
Remember the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics? Hard to believe it was only eight and a half years ago that he was out there thumbing his nose at a prime minister on an international stage, wearing a black tracksuit emblazoned with ``Sorry'' _ but when you become part of the establishment, you roll over and let your ministerial mates tickle your tummy.
It's a breathtaking turnaround _ use an event designed to showcase Australia to score your own cheap political point and then, when things get hard, turn your back on what most Australians want and throw your own value system out the nearest porthole.
The only thing Watson has thrown is the odd stink bomb at a bunch of Japanese fishermen who masquerade as scientists. But even if you don't agree with his tactics, you can be absolutely sure Watson is trying to do the right thing.
I had the pleasure of spending time with him last year in Atlanta, where 60 Minutes enlisted his help in highlighting the plight of captive whale sharks in one of America's biggest aquariums.
Despite his hectic schedule, he went out of his way to ensure we could bring the story home and let as many people as possible see what was happening to these amazing creatures. He was not concerned with his profile or how he would be seen, and couldn't care less what he was asked or how he was treated by the aquarium staff, as long as the animal's plight was front and centre. This bloke was the real deal.
Conversely, to go back and read the words that Garrett helped write invites a level of incredulity that is rare indeed. Take Power and the Passion, for example: You take what you get and get what you please.
It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees. By this reckoning, the Environment Minister is at least 10cm shorter than when he started, and dragging his ankles as I write.
I used to think the strongest part of Garrett was his conscience, but I now realise it must be his most flexible asset. He is now, not as a politician but as an individual, so compromised that I wonder if he knows any more what he really stands for.
And I ask myself: How does he sleep when his bed is obviously burning?
Liam Bartlett is a reporter with 60 Minutes on Channel 9. The program returns tonight at 7.30. Bartlett writes on a monthly basis for The Sunday Times.
Peter Garrett lacks power and the passion
Article from: PerthNow
Article from: HERALD SUN
January 09, 2008 12:00am
LATE last month, Japan dropped humpback whales from its so-called "scientific" whaling program for this year and next, writes Junichi Sato.
It was front page and prime time news in most of the Japanese media.
For me, the fact this was so well reported was far more surprising than the fact that the Japanese Government had backed down on humpbacks.
It signalled a great change in Japanese society.
Until very recently, the whaling issue had been almost non-existent in the Japanese news media, due to the self-censorship within its ranks.
This was created because of the nature of the whaling debate.
Taking the anti-whaling position was considered to be taking a position that was anti-Japanese culture.
The anonymous anti-Australian video on YouTube implies exactly that. It is incorrect, a misreading of the anti-whaling campaign.
It is an attempt to divert the whaling debate towards something else.
To counteract any such perceptions in Japan, Greenpeace's key message is "We love Japan, but whaling breaks our hearts".
Linking whaling with nationalism in Japan has made it very difficult for the media to criticise the country's whaling policy.
The Japanese media also well knows that the national whaling industry is very small and that most ordinary Japanese people were either not aware of or interested in the whaling debate.
Until now, whaling has not been considered a significant national issue worthy of headline news.
The fact that whaling was a non-issue to most Japanese was reflected in a 2006 survey conducted by the Nippon Research Centre, which showed that more than 95 per cent of the public had never or very rarely eaten whale meat.
It also found that 90 per cent of Japanese people had no idea their government hunted whales in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, and once they were aware of it, 69 per cent disagreed with it.
Japan currently has 4000 tonnes of frozen whale meat in storage, and in an attempt to get rid of the unwanted meat it is fed to schoolchildren and served free at some local festivals.
Despite the government's attempts to make eating whale meat synonymous with Japanese culture, the public just aren't interested.
Some members of the older generations who are not opposed to whaling remember how eating whale meat helped save their lives during World War II when they were starving.
These minority views are changing.
Recently, an older Japanese man wrote in to a prominent newspaper to say that perhaps it is time that Japan stopped whaling.
Due to media self-censorship and indifference among the Japanese public on the issue, a "whalers' sanctuary" has been created inside Japanese society.
It protects a small number of bureaucrats, whalers and politicians so they can enjoy vested interests in whaling and keep their nationalistic stance. All at the expense of Japanese taxpayers.
The "whalers' sanctuary" had been very hard to tackle in the past, but this year it looks quite different.
Why? Political and public pressure from all over the world, especially from Australia, created a completely different atmosphere in the debate.
The latest message that came from Australia was not communicated as anti-Japanese, rather it was focused on the facts of whaling, taking into account the science and possible economic damage to the Australian whale watching industry.
The Japanese Government had a much harder time countering such arguments with its usual defence of claiming those who are pro-whale conservation "are too emotional and denying the Japanese culture".
They have now lost their method of protecting the "whalers' sanctuary".
There are three urgent actions that Australians can take to help end whaling in the Southern Ocean.
First, they can directly communicate with Japanese political parties.
Through intense public and political pressure, Australians helped stop the Japanese humpback whale hunt in the Southern Ocean this year.
Now is the time to call for an end to all whale hunting. Japanese political parties need to hear directly from Australians rather than receive information filtered by Japanese government bureaucrats influenced by the "whalers' sanctuary".
It is especially important to bring the whaling issue to the attention of the Democratic Party of Japan.
The DPJ has been steadily gaining support as the current government led by the conservative Liberal Democratic Party has lost popularity.
It looks increasingly likely the DPJ could even win the next election. It has not yet clarified its stance on whaling.
Second, the construction of a new super-sized whaling factory ship, as proposed by Japanese pro-whaling politicians, must be stopped.
The Australian Government should ask officially if this proposal is still being considered and, if so, state that it must not proceed.
Last, Australians can ask their Japanese friends and their Japanese companies to help stop whaling.
Junichi Sato is leader of Greenpeace Japan's Oceans Project
TRUTH HITS HOME.
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THE BASIC MATH OF SHARKS AND CETACEANS
ERIK SPEAKS ON SHARKS AND EXTINCTION!
WHAT YOU DONT KNOW WILL KILL YOU & YOUR CHILDREN!
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THESE CHILDREN ALL HAVE IN COMMON? THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO MURDER THEM ALL!
TAKE A GOOD LOOK, AND BEFORE YOU FEEL A SENSE OF SHOCK LET ME ADD THAT YOUR CHILD IS ALSO ON THEIR LIST. IN FACT JAPAN, AS WELL AS CANADA, NORWAY, ICELAND, THAILAND, CHINA, MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, COLUMBIA, COSTA RICA, NICARAGUA, MEXICO, EL SALVADOR, GUATAMALA, PANAMA, CHILI, PERU, AND VARIOUS FISHING CORPORATIONS ARE GOING TO ATTEMPT TO KILL ALL OF THESE CHILDREN AND YOURS AS WELL!
AND IF YOU WISH TO KNOW WHY? WELL IT IS SO THAT THE MEN WHO ARE MURDERING YOUR CHILDREN CAN DRIVE A NICER CAR, AND LIVE A MORE LUXURIOUS LIFESTYLE. ISN'T THAT SPECIAL?
AND WHAT IS BEHIND THE REASON FOR THESE MURDERS? SO THAT A SMALL GROUP OF FOLKS IN JAPAN, CHINA, MALAYSIA, AND INDONESIA CAN FLAUNT THEIR FINANCIAL STATUS TO EACHOTHER. SO AS YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE, YOUR CHILDREN ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THEIR RIGHT TO SHOW OFF THEIR PRESTIGE TO FRIENDS AND RELATIVES RIGHT?
STOP SHARKFINNERS FROM CUTTING YOUR CHILDRENS LUNGS OUT! EVERY MUTILATED SHARK IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE SIXTH GLOBAL EXTINCTION! IF YOU WON'T SAVE THE SHARKS FOR THEIR SAKE, THEN HOW ABOUT YOUR KIDS AND LOVED ONES? TAKE ACTION NOW! GET INVOLVED BEFORE THE CHOICE IS NO LONGER YOURS!
EDUCATE YOURSELF TO THE TRUTH! LEARN MORE. THE BATTLE TO SAVE SHARKS IS THE SAME BATTLE TO PROTECT CHILDREN WORLDWIDE. NO MATTER WHAT CAUSES YOU LOVE MOST, YOUR PATH STARTS WITH SHARKS!
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iPhone developer to donate Japanese App Store profits to anti-whaling organisation
In protest at the Japanese government's sponsorship of illegal whaling in the Antarctic sanctuary, iPhone developer Strange Flavour (creator of SlotZ Racing and Flick Sports Fishing) tells us it will be donating all the proceeds from the Japanese App Store to sea life conservationist charity, Sea Shepherd.
Strange Flavour says it can no longer trade in a country where the tax money from its games is used to subsidise the illegal extermination of an endangered species.
"While donating our proceeds from the Japanese App Store is very minor in the scheme of things, we'd like the Japanese government to see that the antics of its illegal whaling industry are both embarrassing Japan and its people and causing it to lose face in a world where modern nations are realising the need to protect the environment and work together to avoid the extinction of critical species," says Strange Flavour managing director Aaron Fothergill.
The decision has been fully supported by Strange Flavour's publisher Freeverse, as its president Ian Lynch confirms: "Our development partner Strange Flavour's passion for games is only matched by their ardent concern for our planet. Freeverse respects their decision and joins them in urging an immediate end to all illegal whaling."
Apparently, Sea Shepherd has met with considerable antagonism in Japanese waters, with acoustic weaponry and metal projectiles having been fired upon the society's helicopter, and attempts to ram it's ship from the whaling waters.
"All we can do is show our disgust at the illegal whalers and the government that wastes its tax payer's money in propping up their loss making industry," Fothergill continues. "We hold our Japanese gamers in the highest respect, so we decided to do this rather than penalise them by removing our games from sale in Japan."
iPHONE DEVELOPER SENDS A LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT!
17 Governments Ask Japanese to Stop Antarctic Whaling
TOKYO, Japan, January 19, 2006 (ENS)- Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, along with 13 other countries, have presented a formal diplomatic representation to the Japanese government urging it to stop its Antarctic whaling program.
A written statement, or demarche, was delivered to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday and to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on Tuesday by the Brazilian ambassador on behalf of the 17 governments. It calls on Japan to "cease all its lethal scientific research on whales."
The demarche notes that Japan is now killing more whales every year in the Antarctic alone than it killed for scientific research in the 31 years prior to the introduction of the moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986.
It also highlights a resolution adopted at last year’s meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) which called on Japan to withdraw its proposal for an increase in scientific whaling.
UK Minister for Marine and Animal Welfare Ben Bradshaw said, "The UK is totally opposed to any activity that undermines the present moratorium on commercial whaling. The fact that 17 countries supported this representation, shows how important this issue is, and the depth of feeling around the world."
Ben Bradshaw is UK Minister for Marine and Animal Welfare. (Photo courtesy UK Government)
The UK is opposed to all forms of commercial whaling and will continue to fight for the protection and welfare of all whale species.
"We urge Japan to reconsider its position and end this unjustified and unnecessary slaughter which is regarded by many countries and their public as a means to by-pass the IWC moratorium," Bradshaw said.
The Brazilian Ambassador to Japan André Mattoso Maia Amado led the demarche. He was accompanied by the UK ambassador together with resident ambassadors from five other countries.
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and Sweden also signed the demarche.
The demarche states the 17 countries' "serious concerns" about the implementation of the second Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic (JARPA II), which started on November 8, 2005.
"We are deeply concerned that the Government of Japan intends to more than double the annual catch of minke whales, and to ultimately, include the catch of 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales under JARPA II," the demarche states.
"We would like to remind the Government of Japan that fin and humpback whales remain classified as "endangered" and "vulnerable" respectively in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We therefore have grave concerns that JARPA II will undermine the long-term viability of these species."
At annual meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Brazil has proposed repeatedly the creation of a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic, but these proposals have been blocked by pro-whaling nations, including Japan.
"While noting Japan's position that its JARPA programs are not inconsistent with the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling," the governments said in their demarche, "we once again emphasise that it is unnecessary to use lethal means in order to obtain scientific information, equally good data can be secured in almost all cases by non-lethal techniques. We therefore consider that Japanese scientific whaling undermines international efforts to conserve and protect whales."
"For that reason," the demarche states, "the International Whaling Commission has adopted several resolutions urging the Government of Japan to refrain from carrying out lethal scientific whaling."
The Japan Whaling Association (JWA) said today it was "an encouraging sign that only 17 nations" had supported the demarche "against science and sustainable whaling."
"Only 17 of the IWC's current 66 members supported the protest, and quite noticeably, the United States, Switzerland and Denmark, the current chair, did not," said JWA President Keiichi Nakajima.
Keiichi Nakajima heads the Japan Whaling Association and is a Japanese representative to the IWC. (Photo courtesy Government of Japan)
Nakajima said it was an encouraging sign because 75 percent of the IWC members had not supported the protest, adding that it took a three quarters vote to make substantive changes to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.
"Is it fair that the 25 percent of the IWC members with hardline, intolerant, anti-whaling stances towards science and sustainable environmental management should be allowed to drive IWC direction and hold back those who want to finish the management regime and lift the moratorium?" he asked.
"We are not asking these countries to like it - we are asking these countries to accept it and move on," Nakajima said. "Our differences over whaling are small compared with our similarities. There are far too many important issues in the world today like climate change for our time, energy and resources to be used on political posturing over whaling. It's time to end the moratorium."
But the demarche was joined by two more countries this year than last. In 2005, Australia led a demarche of 15 countries to raise concerns with the Japanese government about its proposal to increase its whale catch in Antarctic waters.
Last year Australia, together with Spain and 12 Latin American and Southern Hemisphere countries, also signed a declaration condemning scientific whaling. The six point declaration supports continuing the current moratorium on whaling, an end to special permit whaling for 'so-called’ scientific purposes and scientific research by only non-lethal means.
Australian Environment Minister Senator Ian Campbell and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in a joint statement Wednesday, "Australia remains committed to ending whaling under the guise of scientific research and will continue to work tirelessly with other pro-conservation countries in the lead up to the 58th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission in June."
On Monday, Australia called on Japanese whalers and the environmental group Greenpeace to calm down following life-threatening confrontations between them in the Southern Ocean. On Saturday, a harpoon fired at a minke whale just missed a Greenpeace protest boat and the harpoon line knocked its driver into the sea.
Greenpeace Wednesday applauded the governments' action and called for protests against corporations that support the Japanese whaling fleet.
"Let's not forget that along with pressure from governments, global corporations like Nissui also have a role to play in bringing an end to the hunt," Greenpeace said. "Japan's second-largest marine products company, Nissui owns one third of Kyodo Senpaku, which operates the whaling fleet. We are urging people to tell Nissui that "whaling is bad for business" and use its influence to stop whaling now."
PRESSURE IS BUILDING AGAINST JAPAN TO END WHALING. NATIONS OF THE WORLD ARE JOINING IN. BUT WHERE IS THE UNITED STATES, SWITZERLAND, AND DENMARK?
PETEVIS AND RUDD-HEAD!
NATIVE AMERICAN WISDOM FOR THE PLANET MOTHER THAT WE ALL SHARE
I AM GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS VIDEO TO YOU. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST MADE VIDEOS EVER OF LIFE AND ECOLOGY AND THE PLACE WE ALL SHARE IN THE GREAT CHAIN OF LIFE AND THIS PLANETS FUTURE.
A FANTASTIC NEW PROGRAM FROM THE EYEONPALIN WEBSITE! THIS IS A FUN WAY FOR YOUR KIDS TO GET INVOLVED AND SHARE THEIR FEELINGS ON THIS IMPORTANT CONSERVATION ISSUES.
CLICK ON THE LINK TO GET INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM:
CLICK BLUE BUTTON FOR LINK!
THE NEW, BETTER RUSSIA! VLADIMIR PUTIN BANS SEAL KILLING.
Russia Bans the Slaughter of Baby Harp Seals
The baby harp seals of the world have now found at least one civilized place on this planet to be born where they can be spared the greed and cruelty of humankind. The Russian government has banned the hunting of baby harp seals in the regions surrounding the White Sea. Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called seal hunting a "bloody industry".
"It is clear that it should have been banned a long time ago," said Putin at a meeting with the Minister of Natural Resources. This leaves only Canada and Norway as the remaining baby seal butchers and both of these nations should be ashamed of themselves in light of this decision by Russia.
Putin acknowledged the importance of the hunting industry in the region and said that he would require the government to compensate incomes of the White Sea people in connection with the ban on hunting.
"This is one of their means of existence. Therefore, simply banning is inadequate. A system of support measures must be worked out to secure employment and income of those who live and work there," said Putin. The people of the White Sea area are far more economically disadvantaged than the people of Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands yet Russia has found a way to compensate the hunters and to provide protection for the seals.
"The slaughter of seals in Canada remains one of the blackest marks on the reputation of all Canadians," said Captain Paul Watson. "How sad it is that Russia can find a way to end this slaughter yet Canada continues to subsidize the largest seal massacre on the planet."
The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources is preparing proposals to ban the hunting of seals up to the age of one.
Professor Aleksey Yablokov, an associate professor at the Russian Academy of Science, believes that the seals could soon number no more than 150 thousand.
"This is a real biological catastrophe. At the current rate, in a few years the seal could become a rarity in the White Sea," said Yablokov.
Currently around 800 thousand inhabit the White Sea.
VLADIMIR PUTIN IS TO BE COMMENDED ON THIS OUTSTANDING DECISION!
IT LEAVES CANADA AND NORWAY ALONE IN THEIR OUTDATED BARBARISM.
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Finally, a Canadian politician with the guts to speak out for justice for the seals.
Canadian Senator Mac Harb introduced a Bill on March 3rd to end Canada's cruel and destructive commercial seal slaughter once and for all. Canadian politicians rose quickly to stifle the Harb Seal Bill but the fact that at long last, for the first time since the mid-1970's, a Canadian politician has spoken out against the seal slaughter. This is a crack that we can wedge open further thanks to the European Bill to ban seal products.
If you are a Canadian or even if you're not, please send Senator Mac Harb an e-mail expressing your support for his initiative. He needs to know he has the backing of millions of people worldwide.
The e-mail address for Senator Mac Harb is harbsealbill@sen.parl.gc.ca
The address for postage (free when sent to House and/or Senate) is:
Senator Mac Harb: House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 0A6
Every single message and letter of support will help him make the Bill to end the seal hunt legitimate in the Senate and in the House of Commons, and bring it to the next stages. Every message of support will also make it much more difficult for the political parties and government to ignore the will of their electorates. As you all know, public opinion is on our side to end the seal slaughter. We must reach out to as many people as we can.
Independent groups will be participating globally for the International Day of Action for Seals the weekend of March 15th to protest the start of the seal hunt. This will be a great opportunity to rally all groups in support of Senator Mac Harb.
Sample of action addressed to all senators (Courtesy of IFAW)
Dear Senator,
I am writing to urge you to support Senator Mac Harb's bill to end Canada's commercial seal hunt. As a Canadian, I proudly support this initiative and urge you to be accountable to the vast majority of Canadians by supporting this long-overdue legislation.
Our government has wasted my tax dollars subsidizing and defending this cruel and unsustainable hunt for far too long and as a concerned citizen I trust you will support the "Harb seal bill"
Sincerely,
###
WHAT DO JAPANESE PEOPLE THINK OF THEIR GOVERNMENT SPENDING SO MUCH TAX MONEY ON WHALING?
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