Merry Christmas.

Christmas day in Taiji was peaceful. The waters were flat and calm, but the boats stayed tied up. Its has been close to 6 days with no bloodshed.
I was reading a recent post made by a SSCS Cove guardian, and she wrote that the Japanese people of Taiji are very thankful that the SSCS has taken a stand against the slaughter.
The front desk woman at the hotel the guardians are staying at, even went so far to put up a xmas tree in the front lobby at 2am on xmas eve, so it would feel more like home for the SSCS team!

Santa must be on my side in wanting to stop the slaughter. He brought me binoculars that record hi-def video and can take still shots as well. It will seem to the dolphin killers that I am just looking and scanning. In fact, it records what the binocs see. In full zoom.

I hope everyone has a safe a wonderful New Years. Lets try and make 2011 the year that they "stopped killing dolphins" at the Cove.

The Eve

The last 3 days have been a success. No slaughters in the Cove. It may just be a "Merry Christmas".
The rumors are that the dolphin killers tie up their boats for a few days during Christmas and New Years. Lets hope.

Maybe the dolphins are swimming far far away from the Cove this holiday season. 

Do you really think there is a human being that would do that heinous act on the biggest Western holiday? While guardians are present? I wouldn't be surprised.

Speaking of a Merry Christmas.. Ive left my current position, and seeking to start my own business. This is the right time to make change. Exciting, scary, totally worth the ride.

Young Rissos'

After attending holiday party after holiday party, im so tired of looking at dead animal after dead animal. Thats all some people eat you know..turkey with a side of ham, followed by thin shaving of roast beef. Maybe a bun.

Christmas in Taiji Japan means dolphin for dinner. Again. Dolphin dinner after dolphin dinner for this group of highly intelligent educated community. Yes, I know thats not nice to say about these men and their families, but really....the only smart thing these guys do is try and hide their murderous acts from the lens of the guardians. The lens to the entire outside world. They know that if the world exposes them for their crimes against our planets oceans, the killing cove will be no longer, and they will have no job. 

I heard a old Bon Jovi song yesterday ( anything Bon Jovi reminds me of my mom and her long permed 80's rocker hair ) the lyrics I caught were " Im a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride, and Im wanted, dead or alive"I walk these streets, loaded six string on my back, I play for keeps, cause I might not make it back" Ive seen a million faces, and Ive rocked them all...and Im wanted, dead or alive"

Hmmm....these 28 assholes get together every morning the weather permits, they grab their tools and head out on their steel horse, and they want those dolphins, dead or alive. In their heads, maybe they relate themselves to being badass cowboys of the sea, taking what they want, when they want, they've seen a million faces, and they've killed them all. 

The song that followed on that Bon Jovi playlist was "blaze of glory"...that one just made me giggle.

A small pod ( mostly young juvevniles ) of risso dolphins were caught and killed. 

They swam a little to far from the pod and it cost them their young lives.

Guest Blogger Hillary Doucette answers my question. Why?

My sister (Meagan) has asked me to blog on her page tonight on a few issues that usually come up. The below statement is my answer.

~Anyone that knows me knows about my passion for animals, animal rights and educating the people about these issues. 

There isn't a day that goes by when we, as the public, are not bombarded with images of suffering and neglected animals, many of which are in our own community. Who hasn't seen the horrendous pictures of dogs and cats crammed into diminutive cages, suffocating in their own filth?

What we dont realize, is that so much of the suffering is never broadcast to the public.  So much of it is going on as "underground" occurrences, hidden away from public eye. Meat markets, slaughter houses, factory-farmed poultry.  How many of us don't know, and never will know, the agony, torment, and torture these animals go through just so we as society have meat for our daily meals? Do we think about it when we purchase that half-pound of ground beef at our local markets, or chicken breast fillets from the immense coolers?  I'm sure we let the thought slip into our minds, if only for a moment, but most of us shut it out, myself included.

When my sister, Meagan, animal advocate extraordinaire (no sarcasm intended) tried years ago to get me to watch a video on what really goes on in the slaughter houses, I flat-out refused.  Its not that I'm naive to the happenings of these places, its that I know the horror of it would leave me scarred.  Am I wrong to turn my back and "justify" my nightly meals of flesh?  I dont feel exonerated from the guilt, nor do I feel above answerability. But I do feel self-condemnation.  Would it make any difference at all if I was the one to raise and slaughter my pork and poultry?  Fish wild salmon from our rivers? Should I be teaching my children these ways? Do I have the right to ask my husband to change as well?

The truth is I don't know.  I wish I could say that tomorrow myself and my family will renounce our carnality,  that we will go back to the time when early humans foraged for food, taking protein from nuts, legumes, and vegetables.  But didnt those early humans eventually evolve into a meat-eating order as well?  Would our brains, our SPECIES be where it is today without meat protein?  I guess we will never know.  But the truth is that we should all take a good, hard look at how humans treat our "food" before it hits our dinner plates.

PS

Report from Taiji today.
Probably the remaining pod of a pod that split a few days ago was killed. Among them something the Cove Guardians had never seen, a very tiny baby, maybe a month old. Flapping and crying under the dreaded green death tarps. Then the calve was killed. No Mercy, no care. Just Kill.

live from Kelowna..

My sister is going to be posting on my blog tonight. I love my little sissy dearly, but just for sisterly fun, Im going to call her out on a few things. I believe a few readers may relate.

This what my sister sounds like "I love animals, they are my passion. I volunteer, I rescued both my dogs, took a grooming courses, I just love animals".  In her next breath she says " have you taken the chicken out to defrost"? See where im going with this..

I'm not a mother..but I have one.

I used this word the other day in a previous post. Psycho.
By reading and watching the dailies from the cove, I feel so sick to my stomach. I am convinced that individuals that can inflict such harm and fear in other mammals, well, I think they have mental illness. Seriously, who snorkles for dead dolphins at a bottom of a blood filled bay, after all your stupid friends just stabbed them to death.Day after goddamn day of trickery, capture, torture and extreme fear. If I believed in hell, Id say thats where they are going. Im a little upset writing this at the moment.

The boats went out today and found a large pod. The pod split in fear, and as usual, the boats ushered in one half of the pod. Including 2 mothers and their calves. In the video captured by a fearless cove guardian, a baby dolphin is frantically swims by her mom, waiting for instruction from the pod on what to do. The baby is eventually caught in net, tied to to skiff boat, and dragged to the gutting barge. Meanwhile the momma dolphin is trying desperately to find and save her baby. My mom would do the same for me, and your mom would do the same for you. Look for you until she was no longer able. Im sure it wasn't even a full day before mom joined her calf and the rest of their family side by side, headless, at the fishmarket,destined for the grocery store shelves. Unbelievable.

Take Ten Minutes

If you are viewing this blog today, and have ten minutes to hear the "real story of Taiji" click on my first youtube reel, second video.

Good Day

Yesterday was a kill free day in Taiji!  But, today's fate is not yet known.

Also, reporting from Christmas dinner, no one grabbed any vegan cabbage rolls, but the vegan eggnog and Captain Morgans spiced rum was a hit. My one uncle, expressed coming to Japan with us.
It was a great topic of conversation to have with my entire family. They fully support what we are trying to achieve, by bringing awareness and by pressuring the Japanese Gov't to do something about this. I hope you will join us in March uncle Mike :)

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Mercury Poisoning.

Signs and symptoms

Common symptoms of mercury poisoning include peripheral neuropathy (presenting as paresthesia or itching, burning or pain), skin discoloration (pink cheeks, fingertips and toes), swelling, and desquamation (shedding of skin).

Because mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes profuse sweating, tachycardia (persistently faster-than-normal heart beat), increased salivation, and hypertension (high blood pressure). Mercury is thought to inactivate S-adenosyl-methionine, which is necessary for catecholamine catabolism by catechol-o-methyl transferase.

Affected children may show red cheeks, nose and lips, loss of hair, teeth, and nails, transient rashes, hypotonia (muscle weakness), and increased sensitivity to light. Other symptoms may include kidney disfunction (e.g. Fanconi syndrome) or neuropsychiatric symptoms such as emotional lability, memory impairment, or insomnia.

Thus, the clinical presentation may resemble pheochromocytoma or Kawasaki disease.

An example of desquamation of the hand of a child with severe mercury poisoning acquired by handling elemental mercury is this photograph in Horowitz, et al. (2002).^[3]

[edit]Causes

The consumption of fish is by far the most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans and animals, although plants and livestock also contain mercury due tobioaccumulation of mercury from soil, water and atmosphere, and due to biomagnification by ingesting other mercury-containing organisms.^[4] Exposure to mercury can occur from breathing contaminated air;^[5] from eating foods containing mercury residues from processing, such as can occur with high-fructose corn syrup;^[6] from exposure to mercury vapor in mercury amalgam dental restorations;^[7] and from improper use or disposal of mercury and mercury-containing objects, for example, after spills of elemental mercury or improper disposal of fluorescent lamps.^[8]

Consumption of whale and dolphin meat, as is the practice in Japan, is a source of high-levels of mercury poisoning. Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, has tested whale meat purchased in the whaling town of Taiji and found mercury levels that are more than 20 times acceptable Japanese standards.^[9]

Human-generated sources such as coal plants emit approximately half of atmospheric mercury, with natural sources such as volcanoes responsible for the remainder. An estimated two-thirds of human-generated mercury comes from stationary combustion, mostly of coal. Other important human-generated sources include gold production, non-ferrous metal production,cement production, waste disposal, human crematoria, caustic soda production, pig iron and steel production, mercury production (mostly for batteries), and biomass burning.^[10]

Small independent gold mining operation workers are at higher risk of mercury poisoning because of crude processing methods. Such is the danger for the galamsey in Ghana and similar workers known as orpailleurs in neighboring francophone countries. While there are no official government estimates of the labor force, observers believe twenty thousand to fifty thousand work as galamseys in Ghana, a figure that includes many women, who work as porters.

Mercury and many of its chemical compounds, especially organomercury compounds, can also be readily absorbed through direct contact with bare, or in some cases (such as dimethylmercury) insufficiently protected, skin. Mercury and its compounds are commonly used in chemical laboratories, hospitals, dental clinics, and facilities involved in the production of items such as fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, and explosives.^[11]

[edit]Mechanism

Mercury is such a highly reactive toxic agent that it is difficult to identify its specific mechanism of damage, and much remains unknown about the mechanism.^[12] It damages thecentral nervous system, endocrine system, kidneys, and other organs, and adversely affects the mouth, gums, and teeth. Exposure over long periods of time or heavy exposure to mercury vapor can result in brain damage and ultimately death. Mercury and its compounds are particularly toxic to fetuses and infants. Women who have been exposed to mercury in pregnancy have sometimes given birth to children with serious birth defects (see Minamata disease).

Mercury exposure in young children can have severe neurological consequences, preventing nerve sheaths from forming properly. Mercury inhibits the formation of myelin.

There is some evidence that mercury poisoning may predispose to Young's syndrome (men with bronchiectasis and low sperm count).^[13]

Mercury poisoning's effects partially depend on whether it has been caused by exposure to elemental mercury, inorganic mercury compounds (as salts), or organomercury compounds.

[edit]

Grandma Does Christmas Dinner 2010.

Poor poor dolphins. 20 more in the last few days. Get a life.

Psychoticism is the only word that comes to mind these days while trying to write a blog. This entire situation at this place is unimaginable. And that it still continues. 


At the moment, at the cove in Taiji, Japan, is a entire female team.  
These women are motivated everyday to get up at the break of dawn, and watch the daily events of hunting, capturing and the horrific death of a worldly species. All while keeping it cool and calm.Don't fuck around with a pack of women.
I believe these 5 will make a strong statement to the Japanese media who have taken a interest in the campaign. Good job ladies. You are a inspiration to many.


Tomorrow is dinner at my grans. She rocks. She makes a beautiful spread for everyone, and then duplicates the meat dishes, vegan style for Ben and I. And she is just not cooking for all 15 of us, she is a true chef. My grandma Phyllis worked in the catering/restaurant biz for 35 years, and has a bionic hip to prove it. She makes the fancy stuff you see on cruise ships :) In this case, tomorrow we are having a tofurkey and vegan cabbage rolls. The rest of the family is dining on a real turkey and beefy cabbage rolls and a assortment of 100 salads and sides. I would be so pleased if someone grabbed a cabbage roll from " our tray ". I think she likes it if it looks like we are all eating the same thing. Gotta love her Christmas spirit.


I wonder what the town of Taiji has for Christmas dinner. Baby dolphin and potoatoes? Go ahead, and while you're at it, wash it down with a pint of guilt.

Taxi cab confessions

Blogging on the way to work via a very chatty cabbie.

Yesterday I made the decision to post my blog addy as my facebook status. I had reservations about doing this at first.
Anyone who knows me, knows my views on animal slaughter, abuse, eating flesh ect.
I have cousins on facebook who hunt, my mother and father inlaw have cattle that they slaughter yearly, and who knows who eles I could offend.
So, if I offend anyone, by having a strong opinion about the ethical treatment of the animals that we share the planet with. I'm not sorry.

Last night if anyone was watching national geographic at midnight, there was a very interesting program on man eating lions. Villages lived in fear of the blood hungary man eaters, coming to the conclusion the lion was sent from the spirit world to wipe out certain people. Living in constant fear was the way of life in these parts.
The big ol' lion was eventually killed, because over time, the people took over more of the land, where the lions used to graze.
Even the people of the villages had a respect for the animals that were surrounding them. Only took and killed what was needed to substain their families.
If a developing nstion has more awareness, conservation and dignity towards their animals, what the hell is wrong with Japan.

Making Waves.

The efforts in Japan are making a difference. The constant presence of the Cove Guardians standing, watching, filming and researching what goes down in this horrible place, it just may be working.

Ive taken a few days off from blogging. After days of recent and daily dolphin slayings, it gets to me, and i'm almost too disturbed to write about it.

Today, more dolphins shuffled into the cove. Today more dolphins died. And then the fishermen did something strange. Took a mom and her baby, and a pregnant dolphin, put them in a boat, and dumped them back at sea. These murderers are feeling the pressure. Maybe the thought if they let them free, that the world would cut them some slack. Um no. Those dolphins will most likely die at sea without the protection of their pod.

I think these 28 so called fishermen should quit killing mammals, and go back to school, because obviously this is a group of idiots.  Also, maybe stop poisoning your youth.

Whast next....planning the big fundraiser at the Plaza theater! stay tuned...

Meagan

Sunday Night.

We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."

— Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty

The weekend in review. Approx, 45 slaughtered yesterday, 6 went to have a life of preforming for dead fish, about 45 more dead today, and for the first time in a month, approx 25 were set back out to the sea.

What is the thinking behind setting them free? When tomorrow they set out out to catch more..

"We are the only mammals that foul our nest" ~ The Cove

Chickens, pigs, cows, baby cows, baby lambs, tuna, dolphins...all have beating hearts. So does my chihuahua..would you throw her in a taco? She is fleshy and meaty.

If modern man had to go out into the world, in our case it would be a local super market, and select his chicken and chop it's head off and continue to do the necessary cleaning of the animal, there would be a lot less " modern men" eating chicken. Next time someone wants to have a fancy, festive meaty fondu party, spice it up a little. Have the live animals running around, then give everyone their special holiday christmas cleaver, and tell them to kill their dinner. They would fuck off pretty fast, and post as their facebook status that they were at a party with crazy people.Exactly.Welcome to my life.
Every time  I see people gorging down meat, i'm so grossed out. Its hard not to make the puking face at them. A very wise man once said in a lecture, that our society was " the dumb fuck leading the dumb fuck". Namaste.

Im behind a day.

Dec 1st in Japan was actually yesterday. Its like 17hours ahead or something crazy like that.
Yesterday in Japan ( today here ) something very cool happened. They banger boats and hunters shuffled a pod a few hundred meters from the opening of the Cove...then the dolphins vanished. They must have dove deep, swam fast and far. They escaped, and they won. Haha molesters, another wasted day for you. Just give up, cause we wont.

Dec 1st. Happy Holidays. Or Not.

Really assholes..more dolphins. I have a feeling this is not going to be a joyous month for me, or anyone volunteering at the Cove.
More pods found, more died, and Im more motivated than ever.

For my fundraising efforts, I have recieved the "OK" to screen "The Cove" at a local theater here in town. The people that produced the Oscar winning documentary ( if you havn't seen it, go rent it ) emailed me back today, then had a phone conversation, and they said it was cool with them if I held a event. They are even sending the movie reels to the theater for me. All ticket sales, silent aucion items, and person corporate donations are 100% donated to stop the slaughter at the killing Cove.

In other news....the big bastard, the processing ship the Japanese use in the southern ocean to kill, cut and process dead whales, is still docked. Usually the ship is on its way south to kill whales by now. Have they surrendered, is it finally to much of a expense for them...Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Meagan