Welcome back dear readers! Thank you as always for taking the time to check out my humble blog. Today I will discuss a topic very near and dear to my heart. My favorite animal: the Orca Whale. The orca is commonly known as the "Killer Whale"; however I feel this name a dreadful misnomer in terms of humans, even in light of SeaWorld’s recent tragedy. Bear with me a moment and I'll explain why. But first may I extend my most heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of the trainer who was killed. I feel the loss of any life to be profound indeed and I do not want my Pro-Orca stance in this case to be seen as anti-human. That said, while I feel all can agree that the loss of Ms. Brancheau's life is truly unfortunate, I seek in this case to be a voice for those who have none.
*Writer’s Note: in response to a suggestion by a reader, I have broken this rather lengthy entry into 3 more digestible pieces: Part 1: A brief look into the sad history of human/orca interaction. Part 2: A stunning glimpse at orca intelligence and social structure. Part 3: A depressing comparison of wild verses captive life for an orca, followed by my conclusion that the current practice of keeping orcas in captivity is cruel and outdated.*
From the earliest records of human/dolphin interaction (orcas are in fact the largest member of the Dolphin family, not a whale at all), orcas have been viewed with an uneasy mix of awe and fear. Even their scientific name, orcinus orca, illustrates the terror with which these animals were regarded:
"Indeed, the genus name Orcinus means ‘of or belonging to the kingdom of the dead’,[11] and although the name Orca (in use since antiquity) is probably not etymologically related, the assonance might have given some people the idea that it meant ‘whale that brings death’ or ‘demon from hell.’ The name is also similar to Orcus, a Roman god of the underworld." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale)
Perhaps it is unfair to say that all viewed the orca as a cold-blooded killer. Many indigenous cultures demonstrated a deep respect and reverence for them. They knew full well what the orca was capable of, but they saw it as simply filling the necessary role of apex predator with astounding success. Looking to the western world however the ignorance which led to the animals' persecution is clearly evidenced. As the industrialization of the fish industry took hold, complaints quickly arose about the competition and interference of Orcas with the catch. Fishermen were permitted and even encouraged by local governments to shoot any Orcas that got in their way. Even as recently as 1990 there has been evidence that such horrid and ineffectual practices are still commonplace:
"During live captures of Southern Residents in Puget Sound,
there were reports that 25% of the whales captured had what appeared to be bullet hole wounds (Hoyt 1990)." (http://nwr.nmfs.noaa.gov/Marine-Mammals/Whales-Dolphins-Porpoise/Killer-Whales/ESA-Status/upload/srkwtm12-02.pdf)
Worse still the claims that the US and Canadian Militaries have used these magnificent animals as little more than targets:
"Olesiuk et al. (1990) and others cite Carl (1946) for evidence of bombing or strafing of killer whales in British Columbia by the Royal Canadian Air Force." and
"It is documented that the U.S. Air Force on at least one occasion, at the request of Icelandic authorities, dropped depth charges on killer whales in Icelandic waters (Vangstein 1956)," (http://nwr.nmfs.noaa.gov/Marine-Mammals/Whales-Dolphins-Porpoise/Killer-Whales/ESA-Status/upload/srkwtm12-02.pdf)
Fortunately, around the time such atrocious practices were taking place, the species found an unwitting ambassador in an orca called Moby Doll. To the amazement of all, Moby Doll made no effort to harm the humans working with him, though he had been harpooned prior to his capture. Instead, this gentle giant allowed humans to interact with him freely, and a new era of understanding began. Unfortunately, it was the very success of Moby Doll and others like him that led to a new kind of oppression for the species...
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Lunar Imperative
Welcome back to Now More Than Ever's Blog! Today I'll be discussing some of the reasons I feel we need to get back to the moon, Now More Than Ever.
Before we launch ourselves into intellectual orbit, take a moment to briefly explore with me the history of life as we know it. So far that means the history of life on earth, as I find no conclusive evidence to support life on other planets yet. (HOLD your flames! I'll deal with Fermi vs Drake in another post, promise. And for the record, I don't count anecdotal evidence.) I know what you're thinking. Just one planet to study, that's a pretty pathetic data set. Sure, I'll grant you that, but for now it's all I've got to work with! Okay, let's go back through the fossil record a moment. If we look we will find numerous examples of species with generally broad requirements being able to adapt more readily to an altered environment after a catastrophic event. This includes species with a broad range of habitat requirements. Conversely those species with a very specific range of habitat have a hard time handling a catastrophe and are more likely to die out.
"In the event of changes, whether drastic or gradual, a species is faced with new challenges. Depending on how specialized it has become to a particular ecological niche, even a minor change may leave a species without the genetic resources (variations) needed for successful adaptation. "
This quote was taken from the following website:
http://virtuallaboratory.colorado.edu/Biofundamentals/lectureNotes/Topic1E_Evo.htm
Okay, zoom back out. Human beings now span virtually the whole of the earth. Good job humans, right? Wrong! It's only one planet folks. Look at any large body in our solar system and you'll find it riddled with impact craters. (Unless it's been resurfaced, but I digress.) And that's just one problem facing planets. Read Dr. Phil Plait's Death From the Skies to find out more. The point I'm trying to make here folks is this: the universe is a dangerous place for a little planet like ours. If we could expand our species to other worlds, even those within our own solar system, our odds of surviving as a species go up exponentially. Makes sense, yes?
Fine you say, so we need to get into space. What has this to do with the moon? We went there, we did that. Now on to better things, yes? Well, perhaps. But I think it would be handy if we had a base somewhere in space. Somewhere close by, so that communication between the people of Earth and the people of the Base would not be delayed over long by that pesky light speed thing. Also, we can build much larger structures, spacecraft etc if we don't have to worry about the cost of launching them from Earth. Add to that the tantalizing discovery of water on the moon, and you've got the perfect platform from which to propel humanity out into the rest of the solar system. And we must start at once. When one considers how long it took us just to get to the moon, there is not a moment to loose. It will take many generations and countless resources to accomplish even a rudimentary settlement on another world. We are not a patient species. Seldom do we follow missions that take even a single decade to complete, so immersed are we in a society of instant gratification. Why should we fund something we may never see come to fruition? I will tell you why dear reader. Because, if you've any desire to save the endangered human species, you will take a vested interest in spreading it beyond our one tiny niche into a broader environment. And it all starts with our dear little moon.
I risk dabbling in politics when I say this, but I do not think the private sector is ready to take on the task yet either. It would be good to get some private companies up there too, don't get me wrong. But let's face it, NASA has far more experience at this sort of thing. Until the private sector proves itself ready to take over space travel full-time, I think we need to maintain NASA's presence in space, and on the moon. Oh, I recognize that the shuttle was completely outdated, and we've been pushing our luck running it this long. But we've known this for some time, why have we not funded a replacement for the shuttle? I have heard President Obama compared to John F. Kennedy. Yet he has made a decision that goes against Kennedy's initiative, and it makes me very nervous. Come on folks, we did it with Hubble, let's raise our voices to speak out in favor of returning to the Moon. We cannot afford to do otherwise.
Before we launch ourselves into intellectual orbit, take a moment to briefly explore with me the history of life as we know it. So far that means the history of life on earth, as I find no conclusive evidence to support life on other planets yet. (HOLD your flames! I'll deal with Fermi vs Drake in another post, promise. And for the record, I don't count anecdotal evidence.) I know what you're thinking. Just one planet to study, that's a pretty pathetic data set. Sure, I'll grant you that, but for now it's all I've got to work with! Okay, let's go back through the fossil record a moment. If we look we will find numerous examples of species with generally broad requirements being able to adapt more readily to an altered environment after a catastrophic event. This includes species with a broad range of habitat requirements. Conversely those species with a very specific range of habitat have a hard time handling a catastrophe and are more likely to die out.
"In the event of changes, whether drastic or gradual, a species is faced with new challenges. Depending on how specialized it has become to a particular ecological niche, even a minor change may leave a species without the genetic resources (variations) needed for successful adaptation. "
This quote was taken from the following website:
http://virtuallaboratory.colorado.edu/Biofundamentals/lectureNotes/Topic1E_Evo.htm
Okay, zoom back out. Human beings now span virtually the whole of the earth. Good job humans, right? Wrong! It's only one planet folks. Look at any large body in our solar system and you'll find it riddled with impact craters. (Unless it's been resurfaced, but I digress.) And that's just one problem facing planets. Read Dr. Phil Plait's Death From the Skies to find out more. The point I'm trying to make here folks is this: the universe is a dangerous place for a little planet like ours. If we could expand our species to other worlds, even those within our own solar system, our odds of surviving as a species go up exponentially. Makes sense, yes?
Fine you say, so we need to get into space. What has this to do with the moon? We went there, we did that. Now on to better things, yes? Well, perhaps. But I think it would be handy if we had a base somewhere in space. Somewhere close by, so that communication between the people of Earth and the people of the Base would not be delayed over long by that pesky light speed thing. Also, we can build much larger structures, spacecraft etc if we don't have to worry about the cost of launching them from Earth. Add to that the tantalizing discovery of water on the moon, and you've got the perfect platform from which to propel humanity out into the rest of the solar system. And we must start at once. When one considers how long it took us just to get to the moon, there is not a moment to loose. It will take many generations and countless resources to accomplish even a rudimentary settlement on another world. We are not a patient species. Seldom do we follow missions that take even a single decade to complete, so immersed are we in a society of instant gratification. Why should we fund something we may never see come to fruition? I will tell you why dear reader. Because, if you've any desire to save the endangered human species, you will take a vested interest in spreading it beyond our one tiny niche into a broader environment. And it all starts with our dear little moon.
I risk dabbling in politics when I say this, but I do not think the private sector is ready to take on the task yet either. It would be good to get some private companies up there too, don't get me wrong. But let's face it, NASA has far more experience at this sort of thing. Until the private sector proves itself ready to take over space travel full-time, I think we need to maintain NASA's presence in space, and on the moon. Oh, I recognize that the shuttle was completely outdated, and we've been pushing our luck running it this long. But we've known this for some time, why have we not funded a replacement for the shuttle? I have heard President Obama compared to John F. Kennedy. Yet he has made a decision that goes against Kennedy's initiative, and it makes me very nervous. Come on folks, we did it with Hubble, let's raise our voices to speak out in favor of returning to the Moon. We cannot afford to do otherwise.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
We're all in this together... shouldn't we start acting like it?
You know, I get really bent out of shape when I hear that the people of one religion are oppressing and killing people of other faiths. Likewise, when I hear about starving children in some 3rd world country and then read about the winner of the state fair's hot dog eating contest. CEO's cutting bonuses for the little people of a big corporation, but still taking a bonus for themselves. These are things we can probably all agree are unbalanced and wrong. Here's where I'm going to get a little controversial. What about going out to a fancy dinner with your family, but not being willing to kick down a few bucks to Haiti when your server asks if you'd like to make a donation with your meal? Or eating a very fine cheese you know came from a cow subjected to unimaginable atrocities. (I know that is vague, I will delve deeper into animal rights in a future post, so hold your flames...) A small but well maintained home in the middle of the ghetto getting torn down to make way for a far more expensive high rise in an "Urban Beautification" project. Or what about this one: Letting future generations pay for our environmental mistakes because it is "too expensive" to change our ways, or worse because it would be disruptive to our comfortable routine.
I would like to put forth the idea that all of these problems (and too many more to name) share a common root.
No matter where you stand on Fermi vs Drake, odds are good you can agree with me that life as we know it on earth is a rare and wonderous thing indeed. We are all Earthlings! We all share this one small planet and we are all part of the same amazing voyage of discovery. I think too often humans make decisions based on what is best for one person, the person making the decision. Perhaps for that person's family too but that's about as far as it goes. I fear this is too narrow a view. I'm not saying we must all sacrifice everything we want for the betterment of all. But I truly believe that if we examine all of our options regarding important decisions, we will find many options allowing us to achieve our goals in such a way that minimizes our negative impact. When this line of thinking becomes automatic we will start living in greater harmony with this remarkable little world. I don't suppose it will make mosquitoes less annoying, but if perhaps we reach out a hand to our neighbors, and then extend our concept of neighbor to include all life on earth, we're going to make a big difference. And I do not think we will find ourselves miserable or lacking for it either. For example, when was the last time you regretted doing some volunteer work in your community?
Right, well that was all very lofty. In my next post I intend to discuss what I'm calling "The Lunar Imperative" but in some near future post I am going to give some practical examples of very simple ways I think we can all try to do just a bit better. Thanks for reading!
Book: Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! This is quite simply one of my favorite books of all time. I bought the book on a friend's recommendation as a Father's Day present for my dad. At the time my view of physics was pathetically narrow. Being a biology major, I found physics dull, esoteric, and though I was loathe to admit it, frightening. Biology was the key to as much of the universe as I needed to explore. Everything else fell squarely under the realm of super geniuses like Einstein, Oppenheimer, and my father. All of that changed when I began idly thumbing through Feynman's work. So likable was Feynman, so genuine his enthusiasm, so exciting his adventures...it made me want to become a physicist! Or at least understand a bit better the subject that could inspire such a character. Thus ignited the spark that would carry me to the farthest reaches of the universe, and back again into the depths of the atom. Thank you Professor Feynman, for making the physical sciences accessible and, dare I say it, exciting to the layman. And to my dear father: I owe you a copy of it someday, as I still have yours... :)
Music: Artist- Floater Album: Alter
Floater is a great little alternative rock band from the Pacific Northwest. Nothing too fancy, but aside from being musically gifted these guys really make you think with their lyrics, with I love. Kinda like Bare Naked Ladies but less catchy. My two favorite songs from this album (couldn't pick just one) are Luddite and Hollywood. Good stuff! Go check it out.
I would like to put forth the idea that all of these problems (and too many more to name) share a common root.
No matter where you stand on Fermi vs Drake, odds are good you can agree with me that life as we know it on earth is a rare and wonderous thing indeed. We are all Earthlings! We all share this one small planet and we are all part of the same amazing voyage of discovery. I think too often humans make decisions based on what is best for one person, the person making the decision. Perhaps for that person's family too but that's about as far as it goes. I fear this is too narrow a view. I'm not saying we must all sacrifice everything we want for the betterment of all. But I truly believe that if we examine all of our options regarding important decisions, we will find many options allowing us to achieve our goals in such a way that minimizes our negative impact. When this line of thinking becomes automatic we will start living in greater harmony with this remarkable little world. I don't suppose it will make mosquitoes less annoying, but if perhaps we reach out a hand to our neighbors, and then extend our concept of neighbor to include all life on earth, we're going to make a big difference. And I do not think we will find ourselves miserable or lacking for it either. For example, when was the last time you regretted doing some volunteer work in your community?
Right, well that was all very lofty. In my next post I intend to discuss what I'm calling "The Lunar Imperative" but in some near future post I am going to give some practical examples of very simple ways I think we can all try to do just a bit better. Thanks for reading!
Book: Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! This is quite simply one of my favorite books of all time. I bought the book on a friend's recommendation as a Father's Day present for my dad. At the time my view of physics was pathetically narrow. Being a biology major, I found physics dull, esoteric, and though I was loathe to admit it, frightening. Biology was the key to as much of the universe as I needed to explore. Everything else fell squarely under the realm of super geniuses like Einstein, Oppenheimer, and my father. All of that changed when I began idly thumbing through Feynman's work. So likable was Feynman, so genuine his enthusiasm, so exciting his adventures...it made me want to become a physicist! Or at least understand a bit better the subject that could inspire such a character. Thus ignited the spark that would carry me to the farthest reaches of the universe, and back again into the depths of the atom. Thank you Professor Feynman, for making the physical sciences accessible and, dare I say it, exciting to the layman. And to my dear father: I owe you a copy of it someday, as I still have yours... :)
Music: Artist- Floater Album: Alter
Floater is a great little alternative rock band from the Pacific Northwest. Nothing too fancy, but aside from being musically gifted these guys really make you think with their lyrics, with I love. Kinda like Bare Naked Ladies but less catchy. My two favorite songs from this album (couldn't pick just one) are Luddite and Hollywood. Good stuff! Go check it out.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Intro
Greetings and welcome to the Blog of Now More Than Ever!
I will be posting some "real" entries soon. First however I wanted to give you an overview of what it is you can expect to find discussed here. I am, as you may have guessed, going to be discussing current events, global awareness, green living and the like. However, I am also a huge science enthusiast, so expect to see a lot of content related to science and science fiction. Speaking of science fiction, I will also try to include with each entry a brief recommendation of various media based on whatever I'm into at the time I write it. Hopefully I'll recommend at least one book and song/album with each entry. I'll strive to include movies as well, but given that I don't watch many of those expect movie recommendations to be fewer. If I find something I REALLY enjoy and feel most people mightn't know about, I'll devote an entire entry to a review of it.
Also, since I like to get out and experience the world beyond my computer, I'll try include ideas about activities I enjoy that my readers might like as well. I will try to be non-geographically specific, but I cannot always promise to succeed.
This of course is just the start. There will be a variety of other content added as I have time. So if you read an entry and it doesn't interest you, please check back periodically as you may find the next one more to your liking.
Please leave me your comments, questions, and constructive criticism. Thank you for reading!
Book: The Caves of Steel by Issac Asimov
I cannot say enough good about Asimov's writing in general. For those of you who think he is outdated, our parents' sci-fi, I say to you nay! He is every bit as relevant today. I dare you not to find something of interest in his prolific volume of work. His characters are well-developed and believable and his plots are epic. Anyone who is a fan of his popular Foundation Trilogy should go back and read the Robot Trilogy (of which Caves of Steel is the first installment) to discover some thrilling background on a character you all know and love.
Music: Vinland Saga by Leaves Eyes
This is an album I fear many in the Western world (specifically the US) have not heard of. Leaves Eyes are a Norwegian Symphonic Metal band, and I feel one of the best example of the genre. What is Symphonic Metal? To put it succinctly, it's Beauty and the Beast. In the case of Leaves Eyes, the strong metal instrumentation is combined with hauntingly beautiful female vocals. It is to me evocative of the harsh beauty of the land from which the music originates. New Found Land is my favorite of the songs on this album.
I will be posting some "real" entries soon. First however I wanted to give you an overview of what it is you can expect to find discussed here. I am, as you may have guessed, going to be discussing current events, global awareness, green living and the like. However, I am also a huge science enthusiast, so expect to see a lot of content related to science and science fiction. Speaking of science fiction, I will also try to include with each entry a brief recommendation of various media based on whatever I'm into at the time I write it. Hopefully I'll recommend at least one book and song/album with each entry. I'll strive to include movies as well, but given that I don't watch many of those expect movie recommendations to be fewer. If I find something I REALLY enjoy and feel most people mightn't know about, I'll devote an entire entry to a review of it.
Also, since I like to get out and experience the world beyond my computer, I'll try include ideas about activities I enjoy that my readers might like as well. I will try to be non-geographically specific, but I cannot always promise to succeed.
This of course is just the start. There will be a variety of other content added as I have time. So if you read an entry and it doesn't interest you, please check back periodically as you may find the next one more to your liking.
Please leave me your comments, questions, and constructive criticism. Thank you for reading!
Book: The Caves of Steel by Issac Asimov
I cannot say enough good about Asimov's writing in general. For those of you who think he is outdated, our parents' sci-fi, I say to you nay! He is every bit as relevant today. I dare you not to find something of interest in his prolific volume of work. His characters are well-developed and believable and his plots are epic. Anyone who is a fan of his popular Foundation Trilogy should go back and read the Robot Trilogy (of which Caves of Steel is the first installment) to discover some thrilling background on a character you all know and love.
Music: Vinland Saga by Leaves Eyes
This is an album I fear many in the Western world (specifically the US) have not heard of. Leaves Eyes are a Norwegian Symphonic Metal band, and I feel one of the best example of the genre. What is Symphonic Metal? To put it succinctly, it's Beauty and the Beast. In the case of Leaves Eyes, the strong metal instrumentation is combined with hauntingly beautiful female vocals. It is to me evocative of the harsh beauty of the land from which the music originates. New Found Land is my favorite of the songs on this album.
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