There's been a lot of talk in the press recently about pirates taking hostages and holding ships to ransom off the Somalian coast. At this minute, they are holding a Saudi oil tanker holding $100 million worth of oil.
Once again, this shows my inability to move past ideals that are obviously not correct or plausible... but everytime I hear the word 'pirate', I think of Jack Sparrow, the Black Pearl, and all those images that relate to a completely different century to what we live in today. My ideals of swashbuckling swordfights and treasure chests do not match up at all with the modern speedboat-and-gun realities. That's why I had a hard time taking these recent news stories seriously at first. The idea of pirates in a modern world seems almost comical, when in fact, I'm sure it is pretty scary.
The Somalian pirates are expected to have made around $150 million already this year. So obviously, they are to be taken seriously....
Sunday, November 23, 2008
32 Days Til Christmas!
Just over a month until Christmas Day! Click on this link to see how Tokyo is getting into the festive spirit....
http://news.uk.msn.com/week_in_pictures.aspx?cp-documentid=660699&imageindex=12#660699
Apparently Santa visits the sea animals as well as every household in the world.... he must move pretty fast.... haha.
http://news.uk.msn.com/week_in_pictures.aspx?cp-documentid=660699&imageindex=12#660699
Apparently Santa visits the sea animals as well as every household in the world.... he must move pretty fast.... haha.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Ocean Fact
This one shocked me!
'More oil reaches the oceans each year as a result of leaking automobiles and other non-point sources than was spilled in Prince William Sound by the Exxon Valdez'
When I think about the Exxon Valdez oil spill, I think about how it was such a huge disaster: tonnes of oil spilt, so many animals and sea creatures killed, and so much destroyed. The way I had been taught, we were made to think that the amounts of oil that was spilt was just huge. And to think that each year, more oil than this reaches the oceans....that's unbelievable to me. For sure, the oil is spread mostly over the world's coastlines and not released all at once in a single area. But still, that amount seems like too much. We need to be more careful...
http://www.savethesea.org/STS%20ocean_facts.htm
'More oil reaches the oceans each year as a result of leaking automobiles and other non-point sources than was spilled in Prince William Sound by the Exxon Valdez'
When I think about the Exxon Valdez oil spill, I think about how it was such a huge disaster: tonnes of oil spilt, so many animals and sea creatures killed, and so much destroyed. The way I had been taught, we were made to think that the amounts of oil that was spilt was just huge. And to think that each year, more oil than this reaches the oceans....that's unbelievable to me. For sure, the oil is spread mostly over the world's coastlines and not released all at once in a single area. But still, that amount seems like too much. We need to be more careful...
http://www.savethesea.org/STS%20ocean_facts.htm
The Humpback Whales are Safer
It has been shown that pressure can help to save the whales. Last year, Japan announced a quota for humpback whales in this year's fishing season. This would have been the first time since the 1960s that these whales would have been hunted by the Japanese. But, after intense pressure, the Japanese government have scrapped these plans.
Japan has been known to conduct research on humpback whales that is only allowed because of a loophole in the Whaling Commission. This research is said to be lethal, but the hunt is disguised as commercial whaling (the meat ends up in supermarkets) and so it is allowed.
Many countries complained about the Japanese hunt, and Australia and New Zealand exerted enough pressure that the Japanese has backed down. Also, the activists on the Sea Shepherd disrupted last year's (entirely legal) whale hunt, so it is thought that they would have been more voracious this year.
Although I disagree with the Sea Shepherd's methods, I think that animal cruelty is unneccessary and unneeded, and it needs to end. However, I'd like to believe that the intense pressure from all of the anti-whaling countries helped to put an end of Japan's research, and that this pressure could work in many other cases where animals are put at risk of extinction or in harm's way.
Japan will not hunt humpback whales this year
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/3456101/Japan-will-not-hunt-humpack-whales-this-year.html
Japan has been known to conduct research on humpback whales that is only allowed because of a loophole in the Whaling Commission. This research is said to be lethal, but the hunt is disguised as commercial whaling (the meat ends up in supermarkets) and so it is allowed.
Many countries complained about the Japanese hunt, and Australia and New Zealand exerted enough pressure that the Japanese has backed down. Also, the activists on the Sea Shepherd disrupted last year's (entirely legal) whale hunt, so it is thought that they would have been more voracious this year.
Although I disagree with the Sea Shepherd's methods, I think that animal cruelty is unneccessary and unneeded, and it needs to end. However, I'd like to believe that the intense pressure from all of the anti-whaling countries helped to put an end of Japan's research, and that this pressure could work in many other cases where animals are put at risk of extinction or in harm's way.
Japan will not hunt humpback whales this year
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/3456101/Japan-will-not-hunt-humpack-whales-this-year.html
Safe Place to Swim?
The amount of safe bathing sites along the British coast is decreasing. Whilst most of the coast is suitable for bathing and public recreation (97%), this is still a drop from a couple of years ago when near all of the coast was suitable (99%). The problem is increasing uncleanliness, which is coming from many places. Increased runoff of agricultural chemicals and soils into river streams caused manure and slurry to be a factor at 16 of 17 unsuitable sites. Overflowing sewage systems caused polution that was a factor at 13 of 17 sites.
These problems are said to have been caused by the heavy rainfalls of last summer.
In the past, Britain's coastline has been worse off than it is today, but due to cleanup efforts and restrictions on chemicals, conditions had been steadily improving. This year's failing standards came because of unforeseen problems, which the government is working to prepare for in the future. With global warming increasing the effects of flooding in the UK, much more will have to be done to ensure that the water stays clean.
Britain's bathing water becomes more polluted
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/3453261/Britains-bathing-water-becomes-more-polluted.html
These problems are said to have been caused by the heavy rainfalls of last summer.
In the past, Britain's coastline has been worse off than it is today, but due to cleanup efforts and restrictions on chemicals, conditions had been steadily improving. This year's failing standards came because of unforeseen problems, which the government is working to prepare for in the future. With global warming increasing the effects of flooding in the UK, much more will have to be done to ensure that the water stays clean.
Britain's bathing water becomes more polluted
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/3453261/Britains-bathing-water-becomes-more-polluted.html
Expanding our Sovereignty
Following increased interest in the Arctic, Canada is mapping its seabed. Many countries have expressed an interest in gaining more space to call their own in the region, especially as the amount of resources hidden away up there could be very profitable. Denmark is another country trying to stake a claim.
The only way to get more sovereignty in the Arctic would be to prove that our seabed extends further than the 200 nautical mile EEZ. This is a rule put down by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Therefore, Canada is investigating whether we could claim more of the Arctic.
Doing research such as this would be too dangerous for humans - there would no way to set up a camp, or land helicopters safely in such conditions as the Arctic provides. This means that robots will be used - robotic underwater vehices will map out the lay of the seabed and mountain chains, and measurements will be taken. We have until 2013 to officially claim the area, and hopefully this researc will start in September 2009.
Robotic underwater vehicles
http://technology.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/News/ContentPosting?newsitemid=arctic-auv&feedname=CBC-TECH-SCIENCE-V3&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=True
The only way to get more sovereignty in the Arctic would be to prove that our seabed extends further than the 200 nautical mile EEZ. This is a rule put down by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Therefore, Canada is investigating whether we could claim more of the Arctic.
Doing research such as this would be too dangerous for humans - there would no way to set up a camp, or land helicopters safely in such conditions as the Arctic provides. This means that robots will be used - robotic underwater vehices will map out the lay of the seabed and mountain chains, and measurements will be taken. We have until 2013 to officially claim the area, and hopefully this researc will start in September 2009.
Robotic underwater vehicles
http://technology.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/News/ContentPosting?newsitemid=arctic-auv&feedname=CBC-TECH-SCIENCE-V3&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=True
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Flip Side
Today's posts have been more concerned with sea creatures that have survived for a long, long time, and some of the characteristics that I believe has helped them over the generations.
Sometimes, these characteristics are not enough, or may be the cause of their demise. If we decide that these creatures have something special about them that we can use (ie. as food, clothing...), then us humans will do all we can to market those items. This has led to the exctinction and near-extinction of many creatures worldwide. In the oceans, it is leading to the end of two species in particular: the Ganges Shark has been hunted for its oil, and the Western Gray Whale is also under threat because of oil. The Western Gray Whale's habitat is being explored for oil reserves, and so the whales are forced out into extinction.
It's sad that moderation is never used in the hunting of creatures, and that we can never really think about the effects we have on the world around us when we decide we want something...
10 Species You Can Kiss Goodbye
http://www.livescience.com/animals/top10-species-kiss-goodbye-1.html
Sometimes, these characteristics are not enough, or may be the cause of their demise. If we decide that these creatures have something special about them that we can use (ie. as food, clothing...), then us humans will do all we can to market those items. This has led to the exctinction and near-extinction of many creatures worldwide. In the oceans, it is leading to the end of two species in particular: the Ganges Shark has been hunted for its oil, and the Western Gray Whale is also under threat because of oil. The Western Gray Whale's habitat is being explored for oil reserves, and so the whales are forced out into extinction.
It's sad that moderation is never used in the hunting of creatures, and that we can never really think about the effects we have on the world around us when we decide we want something...
10 Species You Can Kiss Goodbye
http://www.livescience.com/animals/top10-species-kiss-goodbye-1.html
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