North Pole to completely melt this summer (2008)

This news is an historic first. Everyone that cares about our planet and the affects of Global warming should watch the video below:

Tropical Marine Life

Interesting video found at YouTube.

Say no to new off shore drilling

I have got to hand it to the politicians, they not only want the support of the general public opinion but they are also in the back pocket of the oil companies. Bush and McCain both wanting to lift the ban on new off shore oil drilling and exploration are nothing more than bids for votes. I wonder which oil company owns which politician?

Let's get the facts straight first, shall we? The USA imports only 10% of it's oil. The great majority comes from Canada, while the next supply comes from Venezuela, with about 1% coming from OPEC countries. I wonder why those facts are not more widely known by the American public? I know, because the oil companies don't want you to know.

Next, the price of gasoline is governed largely by supply and demand. As long as we are willing to pay for the current asking price of a gallon of fuel the price will stay high. Once the demand goes down, so will the price. Now you have to keep in mind that the USA is not the largest consumer of oil but China is. The second largest consumer is India. Once our consumption of oil decreases the oil companies can then supply other countries with oil. The USA would then become a supplier instead of a consumer. So much for the lesson in economics today.

Now to the ecology stand. I wonder if everyone has forgotten about this little subject of Global Warming? Do I need to go and slap someone up the side of the head and say "knock it off with the oil production and consumption"? China is so polluted right now because of industrialization it makes me want to puke. We as a human community on the face of this Earth have to learn to do without fossil fuels. With the prospect of new oil drilling that might take the pressure off of car companies and government to find alternate non-polluting fuels. Can we live with more flooding, extreme temperature and climate changes due to our zeal in consuming oil? Give it a break people, learn to do without for once.

Charlie the tuna, filleted!!!!

I just about fell off my chair when I read about that lovable tuna mascot, Charlie the tuna. Someone stole a statue of him and cut it up! The story made the national news!!! The full story is here

Salt water aquariums

As you know I have always had a fond spot for salt water aquarium fish. I personally have never had a salt water aquarium although I had been tempted at one time to raise dwarf seahorses. My main reason behind not having a marine aquarium was the fact that most of the exotics were either too pricey or not available in a local store. I have also had a long standing fight with myself about how the marine life was captured or tank raised for the pet industry.

Marine aquariums do take more than the average amount of aquarium care compared to the fresh water tanks I use to keep. The most demanding fresh water fish that I raised was the pond full of Koi I had in my teens. They stayed with my parents when I left home. My father was so thrilled when they were breeding like crazy. To him that meant the Koi had the perfect environment.

Salt Water Fish can and do make a wonderful addition to the home that has someone that can devote the time and care that they need. They will require the best of filtering for the salt water and you will need to check the ph balance of the water often. I have heard from friends that live coral can be tricky to raise but you can pat yourself on the back when they thrive in your care.

My favorite as I said is the Seahorse and they are very picky eaters that require just the right size of live food. They eat brine shrimp that would need to be raised as well as the fish themselves. So you can see how have a salt water aquarium can become very labor intensive, but the fish are so beautiful.

Tuna fishing companies go netless

The price of saving our seas is in the hands of the consumer.

Major studies just out have documented a red flag for our marine environment. Marine biologists now estimate that the world's population of fish in the ocean is roughly 20% of what there was about 50 years ago. That's a drop of 80%!!!! They blame the fishing methods of the world's commercial fishing fleets, mostly the ones out of Japan that use the "drag net" method of fishing. The "drag net" simply lays on the bottom of the ocean floor and is dragged to fill it. Any and all sea life that is on the ocean floor is either crushed or scooped up. About 75% to 90% of the catch is not edible and has either died or dying and will be disposed of by throwing overboard or ? Japan is doing this because tuna is a prized fish needed for their sushi. The biologists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium estimate that the average tuna 200lb tuna is worth close to $100,000 on the Japanese sushi market.

The fishing methods have to be changed. This has to be done in order for the sea life to thrive before they are all extinct. There are several tuna fishing companies that now fish using the good old hook and bait method. Yes the price is higher for a can of albacore tuna but not by much. The consumer will have to change their buying habits in order to push the fishing industry to change it's ways. The most successful way to change something is to refuse to buy what is being offered - money talks. The great majority of the world's current problems were brought about by people trying to sell something to someone else, even if that something was bad for the environment.

Here is the website of one of the bait and hook tuna fishing companies
Pacific Fleet

Just for whale watchers

Each spring and early summer I try to make an effort to go whale watching from the shore of the Oregon coast. The past 3 spring trips I have also been fortunate enough to be invited on board one of the many research vessels in the area to view the whales up close. None of those trips have produced a whale sighting! I have actually had better luck with my binoculars sighting whales from the shoreline.

Oregon has some fantastic coastal parks and recreation areas that have numerous whale watching platforms. Many marine biologists offer to man those platforms as guides to people coming out to the coast to catch a glimpse of the whale migration. The service they provide is invaluable.

Now I only wish the weather would get better for my trip. The forecast for the next 4 days is nothing but rain.

The weather has been damp in the northwest

Rain, rain and more rain, so is the story of the northwest coast of the USA. It is June already and I think I have only seen one day of clear blue sky in the last 10 days. Even the Memorial Day weekend was cold and rainy. I had to delay a trip to the coast because of the weather last weekend and I have been itching to go for months now. I had been hoping to catch some of the whale migration off the coast.