Live dogs used as shark bait??

On the rare occasion I manage to rant about domestic animals being abused instead of wild ones...
Dog's used as live bait for sharks.

WTF I say? How does stuff like this still go on in the world, and in a French controlled land not some backwoods place in Africa or South America? Then again, French people eat horses, so I wouldn't put anything past them...Petition is closed now, and I hope like hell it makes some sort of impact! Wish I had known about it sooner, thanks for letting me in on it, Joanna.

Gray Whale 'Duh' moment.

I have whales on the brain.

According to a report by World Wildlife Fund, Scientists (namely the Western Grey Whale Advisory Panel) have found that whales are threatened by off-shore oil and gas development, including loud industrial noise and seismic activity.

Um. Duh?

I mean, I get it. I know you have to do these studies and come up with hard evidence to show to the oil and gas companies to make them listen...but when have they EVER listened?

Point in fact, and I quote: "However, Exxon, BP and Rosneft have refused to address their threats to the Western Gray Whale and these oil giants plan to carry out further activities in 2009 including seismic testing, construction and other loud activities that could displace whales from their annual feeding area."

The last line of the article reads thus: The Western Gray Whale is one of the world’s most endangered whales, with only 25-30 breeding females remaining.

So why is it that a petition seems to be all that stands between these whales and extinction? When is some authority going to actually step in and say "Hey, big bad oil company, what you're doing is illegal, because it's harming a critically endangered species! So Sod Off!"

Or do I have to go up there and do it myself? Btw, BP, You're on my list now, buddy.

Whale Wars

The new season of Animal Planet's Whale Wars started today with a literal bang, as a Japanese whaling vessel harpooned a minke whale in plain sight of the Sea Shepherd crew. I couldn't watch. Footage of the so-called 'research' vessel where the whales are actually butchered and packaged (basically a floating slaughterhouse) were particuarly disturbing. While rubber-suited 'researchers' chop up whale carcasses on deck blood flows by the gallons from ports leading to the lower decks of the ship.

I'm really at a loss for words at this point. I had them earlier, but my laptop wasn't cooperating. It's still not cooperating or I would be looking up every single petition I could find to stop whaling and copying it here and mass emailing it to every single person I could begin to think of.

For now, just having said what I've said will have to do.

Happy June!

Hey, few and farspread loyal readers. Welcome to June!
Been busy, and then sick, but I'm on the mend and trying to re-allocate my time between work, workwork, and play.

Got a few links for ya'll today, a cool new website from the Sierra Club, and the other is TheGreenWorkplace.com

Both offer endless suggestions and discussion about ways to be greener. If you have Facebook you can look up "The Green Workplace" in their search engine and become a fan, so you can get new posts directly on your homepage.

The Sierra Club's Climate Crossroads is a new social networking site where you can meet other like-minded greenies, learn about activism opportunities, and even trade vegan recipes.

Damn, for an antisocial misanthrope I sure plug social networking a lot! But hey, if it helps the planet...
Ta for now, friends, and hope is see you online!

Denver speaks out against Aerial Gunning

Defenders of Wildlife and Timber the wolf-hybrid showed up in downtown Denver on Monday to protest Alaska's Aerial Gunning program. Passers-by were able to pet the docile animal and sign postcards and leave their comments condeming aerial gunning.

Go Denver! Thanks for leading the pack (haha pun) on this one. Maybe you can teach those coyote killers up in Washington or the Croc killers in Florida a thing or two about understanding, accepting, and finding non-lethal and/or humane methods of managing wildlife.

The New Riding Lawnmower!

Okay, okay, so I actually got this in a joke from a friend of mine about a husband who's wife wanted a riding lawnmower, so he made her one. He seemed surprised that she didn't hug him and squeel for joy. But if someone made ME one of these, I would! It's awesome! Maybe we can start a new bike-mower fad and sweep the nation. I would maybe stop bitching so much about people watering their lawns if they used this kind of 'riding' mower. Maybe.

Also on my mind today, new cars. Chrysler is coming out with an awesome looking line of electrics, featuring a sports model, a luxury sedan, and my fave, the Jeep Wrangler. I have a wonderful vision in my head of a quaint little garage with my little electric jeep sitting out front, and a windturbine on the end of the roof where the old fashioned tv antennae used to be. Ah, a picture of America, as I'd like it to be. I'd wash my jeep in the yard so the grass would get watered and use only biodegradable soap. And hey, by the time these cars hit the market, proposed in 2010, I might be able to afford one. Of course Dodge said the Charger was coming out for YEARS before it happened...only time will tell.

At the other end of the spectrum I was appalled by a Cadillac commercial the other day touting the fact that their new Escalade Hybrid got a whole friggin' 20 mpgs! Wow. Twenty. You guys seriously need to step it up. It hurts me every day to drive my gas-guzzler. Help me get away from the pain, people.

Wild Horse Round-ups

From the AWHPC:

On Wednesday, May 20, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will conduct a public hearing to discuss the use of motorized vehicles or aircraft in the monitoring and management of wild horses and burros on public lands in Nevada.
Please contact BLM to protest the harsh practice of chasing wild horses and burros with helicopters, often over exceedingly long distances. Please also ask that what appear to be no-bid contracts to BLM's primary round-up contractor, Catoor Livestock Roundup, Inc., totaling about 18 million dollars (our tax dollars!) since 1996, be subject to review.
BLM's primary concern in round-up operations continues to be efficiency, to the detriment of the horses' welfare. Instead of helicopters, urge officials to use bait trapping, a much safer and more humane method of capture. BLM has refused to use bait trapping in such instances as the 2007 Jackson Mountain round-up, when 185 horses ended up dying at the holding facility due to stressed immune systems. Demand that limits on distances over which horses may be chased be enforced, and that accountability and penalties be established for round-up contractors who violate humane handling procedures.
The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in the Great Basin A and B conference rooms at the BLM Nevada State Office located at 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nev.
To make oral or written statements to present at the hearing, contact JoLynn Worley at (775) 861-6515. Written comments can be emailed to: nv_gathers@blm.gov or mailed to:
BLM Nevada State Office,
Attention: Helicopter Hearing,
P.O. Box 12000,
Reno, NV 89520
and must be received by Tuesday, May 19 to be considered at the hearing.
For eye-witness accounts of helicopter round-ups, please click here.
The AWHPC TeamAmerican Wild Horse Preservation Campaign
www.wildhorsepreservation.org
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