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Post by ninathedog on Jun 19, 2010 3:54:12 GMT 4
THIS PAGE HAS LINKS!!
Please visit original page for LINKS!www.truth-out.org/enough-this-crap-part-ii-this-notes-for-you60525Enough of This Crap, Part II:
This Note's For YouThursday 17 June 2010 by: William Rivers Pitt, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed The other day, in Part I of "Enough of This Crap," I wrote the following: Reports have been coming out of the Gulf for days about British Petroleum blocking access to beaches and animal-cleaning stations, in some instances using private Blackwater-style mercenaries to do so. Journalists as well as citizens have been thwarted in their attempts to see for themselves the extent of the damage being done by the runaway Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Know what I'd like to see happen? I would like to see a thousand people, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, just show the hell up down there and demand access. Citizens and reporters alike, just get down there, link arms, and walk to the beaches and the marshlands with digital cameras and cell phones for instantaneous blogging of what they see, hear and smell. Pile into as many rented, borrowed and begged boats as can be mustered and plow out there to the scene of the crime. Dare the gendarmes to stop us. As it turns out, I was not the first person to have this idea. If you are tired of watching in paralyzed fury as the underwater oil spigot from the Deepwater Horizon vomits doom into the sea, if you have the time and ability to do more, then my friends, this note's for you. Also See: William Rivers Pitt | Enough of This Crap, Part I The Bucket Brigade An organization called Louisiana Bucket Brigade has undertaken an active citizen-driven campaign to chart where oil is affecting the Gulf coastline. The Bucket Brigade sends volunteers out to all points along the coast to locate where oil damage is occurring, and through the use of email and social networking sites like Twitter, pinpoints exactly where the damage is taking place. This information is used to create an Oil Spill Crisis Map, which is then utilized as an advocacy tool to show people the truth of what is actually happening, as well as a way to create linkage between need and resources. If this is something you can participate in, all the information you need is right here. Also, on the main Bucket Brigade page, you will find a "Get Involved" button in the upper right corner of their website. One caveat: according to a member of this organization I spoke to, they are looking for people who can give more than a day or two of their time. If you are a resident of the Gulf coast area, a college student on summer break, or someone who has more than a few days time on their hands and a desire to help, you are who they're looking for. National Wildlife FederationThe National Wildlife Federation has undertaken a similar effort called Gulf Coast Surveillance Teams. They are looking for people to "track and report on the impacts of the oil spill, support wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and restore damaged delicate coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico." To volunteer with this organization, click here. Oil Spill ResponseAnother organization dedicating itself to dealing with the Gulf oil crisis is Volunteer Louisiana. They provide an emergency response sign-up form for people who want to actively engage in assisting with a variety of needed assistance areas. These include: * Shoreline Monitor * Donations Management * Food Bank Sorting and Packing * Case Management * Wildlife Marker/sitter * Facility and Site Maintenance * Transportation Assistant * Administrative and Support * Pre-impact Beach Cleanup * Positions at the Command Post or Volunteer Reception Center * Light construction Please note that all of the pages provided contain links to other excellent organizations in every affected state. If what I have provided does not or cannot suit your abilities, poke around, and odds are you'll find what best suits you. It's all there. After the publication of Part I of this article, a number of responses came in that amounted to, "Oh yeah? You first." This is a perfectly legitimate response to someone standing on a soapbox yelling "Go!" while staying put. Unfortunately, for myself and a lot of people, going is not an option. My wife has multiple sclerosis, and requires a daily injection of medication as part of her treatment. Unfortunately, the disease cashiered her good right hand, and therefore I am required to deliver that injection for her, and thus, I cannot go and do what I most desperately would like to do down there. There are a great many people like me, who for reasons of employment, family, health or whatever, are unable to saddle up and head to the Gulf to do what needs doing. To you, I have this request: put this information in front of any and all whom you think has the time and capacity to give of themselves in this time of crisis. You can't go, but you can muster those who can, and if you do so, you have done your part to the best of your abilities. If you have the time, however, and the ability, and the resources to aid in this time of dire need, I give you the above information. Far too often in this country, we revere "heroes" who catch or kick or hit, who run fast and skate hard, who exist only in movie scripts or on television screens. Real heroes, like the ones currently engaged in the work of the organizations listed above, will never have their names in the paper, never be heralded, never be known. But they are heroes nonetheless, and upon this moment, we need heroes like them. Heroes like you. British Petroleum Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, after meeting with President Obama the other day, said, "I care about the small people. I hear comments sometimes that large oil companies are greedy companies or don't care, but that is not the case at BP. We care about the small people." I am a small person. So are you. But when We The Small People band together and put our collective shoulder to the wheel, we become huge, magnificent, heroic, and above all else, truly effective. Let's show the "big people" what we small people can do when we get huge, when we get pissed, when we get active, when we become heroes. Get to work, Godspeed, and thank you. Creative Commons License This work by Truthout is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License. Support Truthout's work with a $10/month tax-deductible donation today! THIS PAGE HAS LINKS!!
Please visit original page for LINKS!www.truth-out.org/enough-this-crap-part-ii-this-notes-for-you60525(Many thanks to Mary W via Len H)
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 19, 2010 4:32:19 GMT 4
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 19, 2010 19:19:56 GMT 4
B.P. Clean Up Crews Killing Baby Birds
Crushing Eggs & Nesting Areas! www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtNh5stwgFs&playnext_from=TL&videos=SI2TNbALdX0MoxNewsDotCom — June 15, 2010 — MOXNews.com/ June 15, 2010 CNNCategory: News & Politics
Tags: cspanjunkiedotorg cspanjunkie cspan junkie mox news donation donations donate Oil Rig Fire gulf Natural Disaster oil spill walter hang Set By US Coast Guard bp President Obama Oval Office Speech On Gulf Catastrophe
(many thanks to Tom V).......................... ..........................
WACKENHUT HANDLING SECURITY IN THE GULF
TOXINS SPRAYED AT NIGHT OVER PEOPLE'S HOMESReport by James Fox 6/13/2010 update on Veritas showwww.veritasshow.com/veritasplayer.html
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 19, 2010 20:40:01 GMT 4
As oil spews in Gulf,
BP chief at UK yacht raceBy Raphael Satter, Associated Press Writer – 57 mins agoLONDON – BP chief executive Tony Hayward, often criticized for being tone-deaf to U.S. concerns about the worst oil spill in American history, took time off Saturday to attend a glitzy yacht race off England's Isle of Wight. Spokeswoman Sheila Williams said Hayward took a break from overseeing BP efforts to stem the undersea gusher in Gulf of Mexico to watch his boat "Bob" participate in the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. The one-day yacht race is one of the world's largest, attracting hundreds of boats and thousands of sailors. In a statement, BP described Hayward's day off as "a rare moment of private time" and said that "no matter where he is, he is always in touch with what is happening within BP" and can direct recovery operations if required. That is likely to be a hard sell in Gulf states struggling to deal with the up to 120 million gallons of oil that have escaped from a blown-out undersea well. A pair of relief wells that won't be done until August is the best bet to stop the massive spill that was set off by an oil rig explosion that killed 11 workers on April 20. BP has been hammered for its response, in part because of comments by Hayward that Gulf Coast residents horrified by the spill consider insensitive. By late June, the oil giant hopes it can keep nearly 90 percent of the flow from hitting the ocean. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen on Friday said a newly expanded containment system is capturing or incinerating more than 1 million gallons (3.8 million liters) of oil daily, the first time it has approached its peak capacity. British environmental groups immediately slammed Hayward's outing. Charlie Kronick of Greenpeace said Hayward was "rubbing salt into the wounds" of Gulf residents whose livelihoods have been wrecked by the disaster. "Clearly it is incredibly insulting for him to be sailing in the Isle of Wight," he said. Hugh Walding, the coordinator of the Isle of Wight Friends of the Earth, said Hayward's choice of venue was sure to arouse anger. "I'm sure that this will be seen as yet another public relations disaster," Walding said. Hayward's public persona has already dented the company's image. Hayward angered many in the United States when he was quoted in the Times of London as suggesting that Americans were particularly likely to file bogus claims. He later shocked residents in Louisiana by telling them that no one wanted to resolve the crisis as badly as he did, adding: "I'd like my life back." On Thursday, Hayward told lawmakers on a U.S. House investigations panel that he was out of the loop on decisions surrounding the blown well. Both Democrats and Republicans were infuriated when he asserted, "I'm not stonewalling." The next day, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg seemed to suggest that Hayward was being withdrawn from the front line of the oil spill response, although his comments were later qualified by company spokespeople. "It is clear that Tony has made remarks that have upset people," Svanberg said in a U.K. television interview. It was not clear whether Hayward actually took part in Saturday's race or attended as a spectator. Williams refused to comment beyond saying that the embattled chief executive was there with his son. Peta Stuart-Hunt, a press officer for the event, said Hayward "wasn't listed on any of the crew list." She said she could not immediately who was on the crew list. "If he is on the boat, he's in contravention of the rules," she said. ___ Associated Press Writer Ray Henry contributed from New Orleans.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100619/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill
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Post by nodstar on Jun 20, 2010 5:15:06 GMT 4
Gulf oil full of methane, adding new concerns[/size] AP foreign, Friday June 18 2010 www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9133315RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI Associated Press Writers= NEW ORLEANS (AP) — It is an overlooked danger in oil spill crisis: The crude gushing from the well contains vast amounts of natural gas that could pose a serious threat to the Gulf of Mexico's fragile ecosystem. The oil emanating from the seafloor contains about 40 percent methane, compared with about 5 percent found in typical oil deposits, said John Kessler, a Texas A&M University oceanographer who is studying the impact of methane from the spill. That means huge quantities of methane have entered the Gulf, scientists say, potentially suffocating marine life and creating "dead zones" where oxygen is so depleted that nothing lives. "This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern human history," Kessler said. Methane is a colorless, odorless and flammable substance that is a major component in the natural gas used to heat people's homes. Petroleum engineers typically burn off excess gas attached to crude before the oil is shipped off to the refinery. That's exactly what BP has done as it has captured more than 7.5 million gallons of crude from the breached well. A BP spokesman said the company was burning about 30 million cubic feet of natural gas daily from the source of the leak, adding up to about 450 million cubic feet since the containment effort started 15 days ago. That's enough gas to heat about 450,000 homes for four days. But that figure does not account for gas that eluded containment efforts and wound up in the water, leaving behind huge amounts of methane. BP PLC said a containment cap sitting over the leaking well funneled about 619,500 gallons of oil to a drillship waiting on the ocean surface on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a specialized flare siphoning oil and gas from a stack of pipes on the seafloor burned roughly 161,700 gallons. Thursday was focused on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers chastised BP CEO Tony Hayward. Testifying as oil still surged into the Gulf at between 1.47 million and 2.52 million gallons a day, coating more coastal land and marshes, Hayward declared "I am so devastated with this accident," ''deeply sorry" and "so distraught." But he also said he was out of the loop on decisions at the well and disclaimed knowledge of any of the myriad problems on and under the Deepwater Horizon rig before the deadly explosion. BP was leasing the rig the Deepwater Horizon that exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and triggering the environmental disaster. "BP blew it," said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the House investigations panel that held the hearing. "You cut corners to save money and time." As for the methane, scientists are still trying to measure how much has escaped into the water and how it may damage the Gulf and it creatures. The dangerous gas has played an important role throughout the disaster and response. A bubble of methane is believed to have burst up from the seafloor and ignited the rig explosion. Methane crystals also clogged a four-story containment box that engineers earlier tried to place on top of the breached well. Now it is being looked at as an environmental concern. The small microbes that live in the sea have been feeding on the oil and natural gas in the water and are consuming larger quantities of oxygen, which they need to digest food. As they draw more oxygen from the water, it creates two problems. When oxygen levels drop low enough, the breakdown of oil grinds to a halt; and as it is depleted in the water, most life can't be sustained. The National Science Foundation funded research on methane in the Gulf amid concerns about the depths of the oil plume and questions what role natural gas was playing in keeping the oil below the surface, said David Garrison, a program director in the federal agency who specializes in biological oceanography. "This has the potential to harm the ecosystem in ways that we don't know," Garrison said. "It's a complex problem." In early June, a research team led by Samantha Joye of the Institute of Undersea Research and Technology at the University of Georgia investigated a 15-mile-long plume drifting southwest from the leak site. They said they found methane concentrations up to 10,000 times higher than normal, and oxygen levels depleted by 40 percent or more. The scientists found that some parts of the plume had oxygen concentrations just shy of the level that tips ocean waters into the category of "dead zone" — a region uninhabitable to fish, crabs, shrimp and other marine creatures. Kessler has encountered similar findings. Since he began his on-site research on Saturday, he said he has already found oxygen depletions of between 2 percent and 30 percent in waters 1,000 feet deep. Shallow waters are normally more susceptible to oxygen depletion. Because it is being found in such deep waters, both Kessler and Joye do not know what is causing the depletion and what the impact could be in the long- or short-term. In an e-mail, Joye called her findings "the most bizarre looking oxygen profiles I have ever seen anywhere." Representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration acknowledged that so much methane in the water could draw down oxygen levels and slow the breakdown of oil in the Gulf, but cautioned that research was still under way to understand the ramifications. "We haven't seen any long-term changes or trends at this point," said Robert Haddad, chief of the agency's assessment and restoration division. Haddad said early efforts to monitor the spill had focused largely on the more toxic components of oil. However, as new data comes in, he said NOAA and other federal agencies will get a more accurate read on methane concentrations and the effects. "The question is what's going on in the deeper, colder parts of the ocean," he said. "Are the (methane) concentrations going to overcome the amount of available oxygen? We want to make sure we're not overloading the system." BP spokesman Mark Proegler disputed Joye's suggestion that the Gulf's deep waters contain large amounts of methane, noting that water samples taken by BP and federal agencies have shown minimal underwater oil outside the spill's vicinity. "The gas that escapes, what we don't flare, goes up to the surface and is gone," he said. Steven DiMarco, an oceanographer at Texas A&M University who has studied a long-known "dead zone" in the Gulf, said one example of marine life that could be affected by low oxygen levels in deeper waters would be giant squid — the food of choice for the endangered sperm whale population. Squid live primarily in deep water, and would be disrupted by lower oxygen levels, DiMarco said. --- Brown reported from Billings, Mont.
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 20, 2010 20:46:59 GMT 4
Lawsuit Seeks $19 Billion in
Clean Water Act Penalties From BPCenter for Biological Diversity
For Immediate Release, June 18, 2010
Contact: Kierán Suckling, (520) 275-5960NEW ORLEANS— In the largest citizen enforcement action ever taken under the Clean Water Act, the Center for Biological Diversity sued BP and Transocean Ltd. on Friday for illegally spewing more than 100 million gallons of oil and other toxic pollutants into the Gulf of Mexico. The suit was filed in federal court in New Orleans. The Center is seeking the maximum possible penalty against BP. If BP’s violations are found to have been the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct, the maximum fine is $4,300 per barrel spilled. At this rate, the company is already liable for approximately $11 billion in Clean Water Act penalties. If the spill continues through August 1, 2010, BP’s liability will be approximately $19 billion. The penalties will be paid to the U.S. treasury and will be available for Gulf Coast restoration efforts. “The government has yet to take any criminal or civil actions against BP,” said Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity. “We filed this suit to ensure BP is held accountable for every drop of oil and pollution it has released into the Gulf of Mexico. We can’t bring back dead sea turtles, dolphins and whales, but we can ensure BP is penalized to the full extent of the law for causing the worst environmental disaster in American history.” The Center’s lawsuit also seeks a full and honest accounting from BP of how much oil is gushing into the Gulf each day and what toxic pollutants are mixed in with the oil. In addition to the oil, the spill is also leaking hazardous chemicals including benzene, arsenic and naphthalene. “Gulf residents, cleanup crews, wildlife officials and the American public have a right to know the magnitude and danger of this spill,” said Suckling. “The company hasn’t been forthright even in the face of public outrage. A judge’s order will change all that. Until then, we’re flying blind when it comes to protecting human health and the environment.” The Center is represented by Charlie Tebbutt of Eugene, Oregon, Marc Fink, a staff attorney with the Center, and Damon Kirin of Metairie, Louisiana. www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2010/bp-clean-water-act-06-18-2010.html(many thanks to Mary W)
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Post by satchmo on Jun 20, 2010 22:49:29 GMT 4
 Bright Green Comet Easy to See This Week A bright green comet is streaking across early morning skies this week, experts say. Comet McNaught C/2009 R1 has been steadily gaining brightness and will be most brilliant through June 16, during its closest approach to Earth at about 105 million miles (170 million kilometers) away. Some predictions say the comet—best seen from the Northern Hemisphere—could be at least as bright as the stars that make up the familiar Big Dipper constellation. C/2009 R1, already visible to the naked eye as a faint, fuzzy ball low in the northeastern sky, is best seen in the hour before the sun rises, said Anthony Cook, an astronomical observer at Los Angeles's Griffith Observatory. "Because it has a hazy outline, it should be observed from as far away from light pollution as possible," Cook said. (Read about a green, two-tailed comet seen in 2009.) "Between now and the 24th of June, it's visible in a moon-free sky, but after the 26th it will be too close to the sun to see." Comet McNaught's Superlong Tail Promises Flashy Show The intensity of brightness seen in comet McNaught C/2009 R1—named after the Australian astronomer Robert McNaught who first spotted it in September 2009—only occurs once every four years or so, Cook said. (Learn about the "age of comets.") Another comet also named by the astronomer, McNaught C/2006 P1, put on a spectacular show in 2007. It was later discovered to be one of the biggest and brightest known comets. As C/2009 R1 nears the sun, its ice melts, releasing gas and dust that stream away into space. (Explore an asteroids and comets interactive.) This reaction forms a distinctive blue tail of ionized carbon monoxide stretching a million miles (about 1.6 million kilometers) long. Through binoculars, the tail appears about the same length as the width of the full moon in the sky. Meanwhile, the comet's nucleus is only a few miles across, with a surrounding glowing greenish cloud of gas that is about 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) across—roughly the distance from Earth to the moon. Cook predicts the especially bright C/2009 R1 will put on a worthy show for the unaided eye news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/100615-biggest-comet-mcnaught-sky-show-science-space/ |
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 21, 2010 4:59:43 GMT 4
Bright Green Comet Easy to See This Week A bright green comet is streaking across early morning skies this week, experts say. Comet McNaught C/2009 R1 has been steadily gaining brightness and will be most brilliant through June 16, during its closest approach to Earth at about 105 million miles (170 million kilometers) away. Some predictions say the comet—best seen from the Northern Hemisphere—could be at least as bright as the stars that make up the familiar Big Dipper constellation. C/2009 R1, already visible to the naked eye as a faint, fuzzy ball low in the northeastern sky, is best seen in the hour before the sun rises, said Anthony Cook, an astronomical observer at Los Angeles's Griffith Observatory. "Because it has a hazy outline, it should be observed from as far away from light pollution as possible," Cook said. (Read about a green, two-tailed comet seen in 2009.) "Between now and the 24th of June, it's visible in a moon-free sky, but after the 26th it will be too close to the sun to see." Comet McNaught's Superlong Tail Promises Flashy Show The intensity of brightness seen in comet McNaught C/2009 R1—named after the Australian astronomer Robert McNaught who first spotted it in September 2009—only occurs once every four years or so, Cook said. (Learn about the "age of comets.") Another comet also named by the astronomer, McNaught C/2006 P1, put on a spectacular show in 2007. It was later discovered to be one of the biggest and brightest known comets. As C/2009 R1 nears the sun, its ice melts, releasing gas and dust that stream away into space. (Explore an asteroids and comets interactive.) This reaction forms a distinctive blue tail of ionized carbon monoxide stretching a million miles (about 1.6 million kilometers) long. Through binoculars, the tail appears about the same length as the width of the full moon in the sky. Meanwhile, the comet's nucleus is only a few miles across, with a surrounding glowing greenish cloud of gas that is about 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) across—roughly the distance from Earth to the moon. Cook predicts the especially bright C/2009 R1 will put on a worthy show for the unaided eye news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/100615-biggest-comet-mcnaught-sky-show-science-space/ Thanks, Satchmo! |
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 21, 2010 5:02:40 GMT 4
Gulf oil well disaster could mean explosive
profits for HalliburtonRomona Paden
May 3, 11:26 PM
Kansas City ExaminerThe oil well explosion in the Gulf of Mexico could be a well-timed and profitable accident for Halliburton, the global oil company with the famous connection to former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. Just eight days before the uber-Valdez accident, Houston-based Halliburton acquired Boots & Coots Services, also based in Houston, in a $240 million cash and stock deal. Boots & Coots, which uses the graphic of a burning oil well to represent the ampersand in its name, specializes in "pressure control and well intervention services." In other words, when an oil well explodes, Boots & Coots can step in and help remedy the problem. In a release, Jerry Winchester, Boots & Coots president and CEO, says "Combining the resources of both companies creates the premier intervention company across the globe.” While Halliburton's timing of the acquisition could be chalked up to luck, some members of Congress are asking questions. Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) and Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), have asked Halliburton provide all documents relating to "the possibility or risk of an explosion or blowout" at the rig in the Gulf, according to a report in the LA Times. In her recent speech delivered in Independence, Mo., Sarah Palin, mother of the "Drill Baby Drill" mantra heard at the last Republican National Convention, called the British Petroleum disaster "very tragic." She went on to say she hopes the country will be able to "trust the oil companies," according to a Politico story. As reported by Kansas City Political Buzz Examiner Jason Adkins, BP is engaging in textbook damage control by taking responsibility for the accident and promising to make amends. Depending on how Congressional investigations proceed, however, it's possible elected officials will gauge the viability of their corporate alliances based on public outcry. If constituents aren't vocal enough, lawmakers might read a public willingness to at least pretend the iron fist still wears a velvet glove. Click the Subscribe button above to receive Kansas City Business Commentary insights direct to your inbox. As always, you're encouraged to leave a comment below. www.examiner.com/x-38929-Kansas-City-Business-Commentary-Examiner~y2010m5d3-Gulf-oil-well-may-make-for-explosive-profits-for-Halliburton
(many thanks to Mary W)
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Post by satchmo on Jun 21, 2010 21:13:47 GMT 4
Interesting
Smart Pipe Company Inc-Proposed Solutions for Gulf Oil Spill
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 22, 2010 2:54:55 GMT 4
Monsanto GM seed ban is
overturned by US Supreme CourtPage last updated at 21:55 GMT, Monday, 21 June 2010 22:55 UK
BBC.comThe bio-tech company Monsanto can sell genetically modified seeds before safety tests on them are completed, the US Supreme Court has ruled. A lower court had barred the sale of the modified alfalfa seeds until an environmental impact study could be carried out.
But seven of the nine Supreme Court Justices decided that ruling was unconstitutional.The seed is modified to be resistant to Monsanto's brand of weedkiller. The US is the world's largest producer of alfalfa, a grass-like plant used as animal feed.
It is the fourth most valuable crop grown in the country.Environmentalists had argued that there might be a risk of cross-pollination between genetically modified plants and neighbouring crops. They also argued over-use of the company's weedkiller Roundup, the chemical treatment the alfalfa is modified to be resistant to, could cause pollution of ground water and lead to resistant "super-weeds". But Monsanto says claims its products were dangerous amounted to "bad science fiction with no support on the record". news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10371831.stm 
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 22, 2010 4:44:12 GMT 4
Secrecy of talks on
whaling compromise condemnedBy Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News, Agadir
Page last updated at 13:30 GMT
Monday, 21 June 2010 14:30 UKThe annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has opened with attention focussing on a deal that could regulate whaling for 10 years. The opening session was swiftly adjourned so that delegates could begin a day and a half of private talks. Some observers condemned the secrecy, one commenting that recent UN talks on North Korea's nuclear programme were held in public - so why not on whaling? Conservation groups are split on the merits of pursuing a deal. Some argue for maintaining a hard line against all whaling, while others believe agreement could improve the current picture, where Iceland, Japan and Norway set their own quotas and run their hunts without international oversight. Anthony Liverpool, the IWC commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda, chaired the brief opening session, and warned of hard work ahead. "Since [the 2008 meeting in] Anchorage, we've held around 10 intersessional meetings... this illustrates how serious we are at finding a solution to the problems we face in order that the IWC can become as relevant as possible," he said. "I do not know if we shall succeed - but I have hope." Japan's IWC commissioner Akira Nakamae said his country would "like to respect this great effort for the future of the IWC". Progress hopes Japan was one of a core group of six nations that has worked intensively on the "peace proposal" since the Anchorage meeting. Two months ago, the IWC chairman - Chilean diplomat Cristian Maquieira, who is not here, officially because of health reasons - released a draft proposal that was based on discussions held over the two years. Under the proposal, annual quotas for Japan's Antarctic hunt would diminish from 935 minke whales now, initially to 400 and then to 200 in 2015. Japan says these numbers are too low - but conservation groups and anti-whaling countries want to bring them down further. They are also demanding that whalemeat must be restricted to domestic use only, with no international trade permitted. "We really hope that the commissioners of the IWC make the progress they really need to on the deal," said Sarah Duthie, head of the oceans campaign with Greenpeace International. "The proposal as it stands is simply not acceptable, and we need them to work hard over the coming days to to make sure that they turn it into a deal that works for whales rather than whalers," she told BBC News. However, other environment groups are taking a less nuanced position, arguing that the 1986 global moratorium on commercial whaling must be upheld, and that conservation groups should simply be fighting to end whaling by Iceland, Japan and Norway rather than talking about any deal. "It would legitimise commercial whaling, and it would legitimise it for 10 years, rewarding bad behaviour by countries that did not abide by the moratorium," said Andy Ottaway, director of the UK-based group Campaign Whale. "This deal wouldn't just open the door to commercial whaling, it would kick it wide open, because South Korea has said it wants a slice of the action, and there are whaling sleeping giants out there waiting to re-start." South Korea - whose fishing boats routinely snare small whales and where whalemeat is available in restaurants - wants the compromise document to include a measure that would grant quotas to countries where "substantial indirect catches have been identified and used as traditional food for cultural and indigenous needs". news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10362015.stm........ Guide to the Ocean's Great Whalesnews.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10340277.stm
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Post by nodstar on Jun 22, 2010 6:51:11 GMT 4
Australia to ask international court to ban Japan whaling in Southern Ocean[/size] www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/28/australia-court-ban-whaling-japan Justin McCurry in Tokyo guardian.co.uk, Friday 28 May 2010 15.33 BST Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd to honour election pledge to try to stop Japan's annual cull of 1,000 whales Australia is to ask the international court to ban Japan whaling in the Southern Ocean. Photograph: Kate Davison/AP Japan's whaling programme faces a potentially decisive legal challenge next week, after Australia said today it would turn to the international court of justice to end Tokyo's annual whale culls in the Southern Ocean. Australia's environment minister, Peter Garrett, said the decision proved his country's commitment to "bring to an end Japan's programme of so-called scientific whaling". Japan kills just under 1,000 mainly minke whales in the Antarctic every year, using a provision in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows it to conduct "lethal research" into the mammals. The meat from the hunts is sold in restaurants and supermarkets. The Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has come under pressure to honour a 2007 election pledge to ban whaling in an area the country considers a whale sanctuary. Japan does not recognise the sanctuary and insists its whaling fleet operates in international waters. Rudd's critics had accused him of reneging on his promise for fear of angering Japan, which is Australia's second biggest export market. The Australian foreign minister, Stephen Smith, said the International Whaling Commission's failure to find a diplomatic solution had left the government with no choice. "The Australian government has not taken this decision lightly," he said. But recent statements by whaling countries in the commission have provided Australia with little cause for hope that our serious commitment to conservation of the world's whales will be reflected in any potential IWC compromise agreement." Although both countries were quick to characterise the forthcoming legal battle as a dispute between friends, Japan's agriculture minister, Hirotaka Akamatsu, described the announcement as "extremely regrettable", and insisted that the scientific hunts were permitted by international law. The announcement comes as the IWC prepares to meet in Morocco in an attempt to resolve long-standing differences between pro- and anti-whaling nations. The body will discuss a controversial proposal that would allow Japan, Iceland and Norway to resume commercial whaling, provided they observe strict quotas that will be reduced over the next decade. Australia has yet to reveal details of the case it plans to make in the Hague, but experts said it could argue that Japan kills far too many whales than is necessary to conduct scientific research. It may also try to convince the court that Japan could study whales without killing them, and that the open sale of whale meat constitutes a violation of the 25-year-old ban on commercial whaling. New Zealand, a vocal opponent of whaling, said it would continue to negotiate with Japan, but did not rule out joining Australia in court should diplomatic efforts fail. Japan's whaling programme is coming under increased scrutiny at home with the start yesterday of the trial of Peter Bethune, a member of the Sea Shepherd marine conservation group. Bethune, a 45-year-old New Zealander, was arrested after boarding the Shonan Maru 2 whaling ship to protest against the February sinking of the group's high-tech powerboat, the Ady Gil, following a collision with the Japanese vessel the previous month. Yesterday Bethune pleaded guilty to four charges, including trespassing and obstruction of business, but denied the most serious charge of assault relating to clashes between the whalers and Sea Shepherd in February. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The alleged victim of the assault, Takashi Kominami, today told the Tokyo district court how he had sustained injuries to his face from a bottle containing rancid butter that prosecutors say was thrown by Bethune. "I heard voices saying 'Yoo-hoo!' from the [Sea Shepherd] boat. I tried to turn towards the boat but my vision became blurred, my eyes hurt and I could hardly open them," he said. Kominami said Bethune should be "severely punished" for the alleged attack: "I am angry. But I don't think he feels any remorse at all." He admitted, however, that he had not actually seen Bethune launch the bottle that struck him. A further hearing will be held on Monday, and a verdict is expected next month.
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Post by nodstar on Jun 22, 2010 6:58:36 GMT 4
Greenpeace and WWF give conditional support to commercial whaling plan[/size] International Whaling Commission member countries to decide on lifting 25-year ban in deal that would see fewer whales killed Plans to overturn the 25-year old global ban on commercial whaling in return for reducing the numbers of whales killed each year were in confusion today with governments and groups divided. The 88 countries who are members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) today agreed to meet in closed session for two days in Agadir, Morocco, to decide whether to adopt a draft plan which would allow Norway, Iceland and Japan to legally hunt whales around Antarctica and elsewhere for 10 years in exchange for a gradual drop in the number killed. The EU, led by Britain, adopted a common negotiating position at the weekend which rules against the resumption of any commercial whaling. But the US and New Zealand have continued to strongly back the package of measures proposed by the chair of the IWC. In a move that took many people by surprise, three of the world's largest international non-government groups, Greenpeace, WWF and the Pew Environment Group, today said they were prepared to see commercial whaling resumed if six conditions were met. In a joint statement they demanded: an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean; an end to trade in whale meat and products; the elimination of unilaterally decided whaling quotas; an end to hunts of endangered whale species; putting science at the centre of IWC decisions and prevention of objections or reservations by IWC members if the moratorium is lifted. "I urge the negotiators to take political risks to improve the current proposal, end the decades of IWC deadlock and bring it into the 21st century. The meeting in Agadir can and must save whales, not whaling industries reliant on bribery and embezzlement for survival," said Junichi Sato, programme director of Greenpeace Japan. But this was immediately rejected by many other environment groups including the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare who said they were not willing to accept any return to commercial whaling. "This weakens the EU position. It would be a fundamental mistake now to reward those three whaling nations who have continued to ignore the international consensus on commercial whaling and are opposed by millions of people around the world," said Nikki Entrup of WDCS. "What kind of message does that give out to countries like Korea who used to whale? I urge Greenpeace to withdraw their position. They want to do the right thing in principle but more whales are killed in the northern hemisphere than in the south," he said. Greenpeace later clarified its position: "The global ban on whaling has got to stay in place. But the problem is that this whaling takes place outside the reach of the IWC. The only way to properly make the moratorium work is to bring commercial whaling under the reach of the IWC and then to enforce the ban," said Sarah North, the group's campaigns director. Whaling kills up to 2,000 whales a year, including species on the verge of extinction. Since the ban was introduced 25 years ago, approximately 33,000 whales have been killed, according to the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington. But there are fears that if no agreement is reached, the IWC as an organisation could collapse. The meeting in Agadir ends on Friday 25 June. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PFFFT .. Green peace and WWF sold out YEARS AGO The only organisation that WALKS THE WALK is SEASHEPHERD Captain Paul Watson was a founding member of Geenpeace and had the guts to go it alone ..  They along with the Eagles Team are MY HEROES
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Post by nodstar on Jun 22, 2010 7:09:55 GMT 4
McCartney joins anti-whale hunt bid[/size] www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hI4Pz28h7ZTm0OLZGJ_8IJHDHwcQ(UKPA) – 10 hours ago Sir Paul McCartney has led calls against plans to allow the first legal commercial hunting of whales in nearly 25 years, as international talks on the proposals began in Morocco. The former Beatle called on governments discussing the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) bid to break the impasse between pro and anti-whaling nations to "protect these beautiful creatures". Under the 10-year "peace plan" drawn up by the IWC, the global moratorium on commercial whaling would continue, but limited catches would be allowed for those countries which continue to hunt the mammals despite the ban. The plan would see Iceland and Norway, which hunt commercially, and Japan, which exploits a loophole allowing it to catch whales under an exemption for "scientific" whaling, agree to catch limits set by the commission and based on scientific advice. According to the IWC, the proposals would mean several thousand fewer whales would be caught than if the current situation continued, with "strict enforceable limits" on whaling for the first time since the moratorium was introduced. It would also mean a whale sanctuary was created in the South Atlantic. But conservation groups oppose the move to allow the first commercial hunting of whales since the ban was introduced in 1986 to protect whale species from being hunted to extinction. Sir Paul has joined the battle to protect whales, with a statement through the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), calling for an end to the killing of the marine mammals. "It's time to end the cruel slaughter of whales and leave these magnificent creatures alone. In the 21st century how can we even contemplate killing whales - or any animal - in such barbaric ways? Governments should act on their responsibilities and protect these beautiful creatures." The WSPA's marine mammal programme manager Joanna Toole said the plans could allow almost 13,000 whales to be killed over the the next 10 years. Copyright © 2010 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
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Thanks, Satchmo!
