The Cove

[Scotty]

I am not really what you would call an activist of any sort but I just watched Oscar winning documentary "The Cove" tonight and have to say i was both incensed at the content, or more specifically, the barbaric practices shown in the movie, and also moved by the film-makers dedication to bringing this issue to the public.

If you havent seen it I urge you to rent it NOW and join me in being so incensed and moved at the plight of the dolphins in the cove at Taiji that you take some form of action even if its only signing the petition. 23000 Dolphins a year slaughtered in an inhumane fashion and no-one seems to do anything about it. It's time to stop the barbarism.

http://thecovemovie.com/

http://www.takepart.com/thecove

[Scarlet Pimple]

What surprises me , Scotty, is that no other poster seems to be willing to reply or post on this issue. Are we all luving in a friendly cocoon of comparitive complacency or what?

Supposedly one of the smartest mammals on the planet the dolphin is not alone in being pursued relentlessly by the insane desire of multi national companies, and others,to reap very large sums of money. The thought of conservation, apparently, is the last thing that these entities think of and they appear desperate, at any cost, to get their share prior to the extinction of the pecies.

However, some of the fishing practices around the world leave me bereft of speech in view of their cruelty from us, Man, a supposedly more highly-developed species than any other.Yet, as it has proved one of the most vicious, underdeveloped and cruel species on the planet, if not the galaxy.

I have not seen this movie documentary but have seen plenty of bloody action relating to the killing of animals. supposedly for food for Man. Witness....

The practice of dragging sharks on board huge processing vessels by dragging the floor of the ocean with massive nets is rampant.These nets , of course, trap all kinds of other fish in them, thus systematically and regularly denuding the ocean of its life and entirely breaking down the delicate environmental balance of the aquatic systems.

These fish are frequently caught, like the tuna and dolphins , in the rollers which bring in the fish and one can only surmise at the agony which they endure in the process.

Then the sharks are brutally injured by cutting off their fins , and often their tails, with razor sharp fledging devices ( no anaesthetic here girls and boys ...just ...tally -ho, yoiks and have at it) so that the prized fins can be made into soup or whatever .

The remainder of their still-alive bodies is then equally callously simply kicked overboard meaning that, unable to swim or defend themselves, what remains of their body and life is the subject of more vicious attacks by predators in the sea or they sink to the bbottom of the ocean where , perhaps the pressure is too much for their body which must implode, or they drown., which by any accounts is a rather horrible way to go isn't it? ETC. ETC.

Seeing this process executed on board these vessels is excruciating to any sensitive human being and arouses an anger that is hard to control.

Whales also are nearing extinction, with the Japanese again being the major culprits by not respecting treaties made to avoid these extinctions.

Polar bears in the Arctic (that's North , folks) are being slaughtered for their body PARTS and coats which fetch enormous amounts of money. The Americans today are attempting to prevent these practices from continuing (believe it or not) but the Canadian Government, always with an eye out for the dollar above all else, refuses to ban or reduce the level of destruction of these magnificent animals on the grounds that the Northern Eskimo tribes, named the Inuit, need to hunt to survive. Strange that , really , considering that the parts are still being sold on the world market when, formerly, history states that the Eskimos only used every part of the body for their warmth, tools and food--but NOT for SALE on world markets.

There is an old saying"When you hear a man talk, consdider his interests" . That is as true today as ever it was, especially as it relates to the hypocrites we currently have in Government in Canada today. The Alberta tar sands bears that out. Over 2000 ducks were trapped in a tar -settling pond recently which proved a hopeless case to recover. Don't be naive, do you actually think that the oil companies are ever going to clean up the huge mess ?

Of course, the developers were not to blame, just the ducks who thougt that the surface was black water or solid ground.

The devastation of that part of the world, including the poisonous, toxic, byproducts that have leached into the soil and water tables there, has to be seen to be believed. Reckoned to be the largest potential crude all origin in the world it is exacting a very high price in terms of environmental damage throughout the region. Why? Because our Conservative Government is desperate for the oil revenues and are being pushed by our friendly neighbours to the South who desperately need the oil which it produces. i.e the U.S.A.

There is a public outcry in many parts of the world against the cruel practice of seal killing. Why? Because the seals are beautiful, smart and cute and are killed in one of two ways, and it is a bloody business, especially against the white backdrop of snow covered sea ice. (Red blood and white snow do not look too good, folks.)

A spike on the end of a large stick is driven into the skull by an Eastern Canadian "fisherman" . The spike does not always go straight into the skull, thus giving the lie to the claims that death is instantaneous. Don't believe a word of it. Sometimes it enters the neck, or the side of the head, and it needs to be ripped out and used again. I have seen seals, with the pole and spike still attached, being dragged across the ice, STILL ALIVE.

Now, baby seals are excused this kind of death due solely to public pressure, nothing else. Seals are , apparently, not on the verge of extinction . Also, I understand, that now a bullet to the brain is the preferred method of execution--that is, when you, Joe Public, is/are not looking. A blow from a spike is financially cheaper than a bullet directly into the brain. What stuns me, however, is why it took so much time to get around to the use of a bullet to perform the ritual .

Yopu think that slaughter houses for cattle are humane.?Think again. The documentarties show very clean houses , all dolled up for the gullible cameras and public. An animal is supposed to be killed as humanely as possible . The ones that I saw were dispatched by the following means:

Frequently knowing what is coming, and frightened half to death already, they try to escape but find that too difficult because they are hemmed into a small metal-railed pen out of which they cannot climb.It is clamped by the neck while someone with a stun gun bangs it on the head. Needless to say, the stronger animals do not go unconscious and are still alive , conscious and kicking, or trembling from nervous reaction or exhaustion. The stunned, but still often conscious, body is then hauled up by the chains attached to the back legs prior to the stunning and as it hangs in the air Mr Gentle takes a knife and slits its throat. Then it moves along the moving assembly-type line whilst the life blood drips out of it WHILST IT IS often STILL ALIVE.

Slaughter houses contain a lot of blood and ....maybe I should quit whilst I am ahead....eh?

So, is all this necessary for Man to eat? All I can tell you, folks, is that my intake now of animal parts or meat is so small that it can hardly be seen and I eat vegetables and fruit mostly. My health is as good as it has even been, I can still do miles on the bike and the only thing wrong with my body is my failing eyesight and a sore heart at what is happening to this planet and the other animals on it.

If a concerted effort is not made by our species to stop all the killing and rape of the earth and other animals , of every stripe, on the face of this planet what kind of a world are we going to leave to future generations.? This planet is, and can continue to be, exquisitely beautiful and bountiful but greed , money and people who apparently are so short- sighted and devoid of conscience. is ruining it.

Food for thought!

[Johnboy]

What surprises me , Scotty, is that no other poster seems to be willing to reply or post on this issue. Are we all luving in a friendly cocoon of comparitive complacency or what?

Scotty posted at 4.47am (our time) when we were all, or should have been, tucked up safely in bed.

Perhaps we should set our alarms for 5.00am every day, just in case somebody in the US or Canada posts something that demands an urgent response.

[Scotty]

didnt expect much response by the time I got up, nor even today for that matter as many will be heading off to Dingwall ..... but did want to start it as a discussion that we could maybe develop as watching that film brought into focus stuff I probably allowed to pass me by until I did.

Seems the crew who filmed this move also publicly outed a restaurant in Los Angeles the day after the Oscars for selling illegal whale meat to its customers ..... and they are now closing their doors after 20 years !

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/20/whale.mea...taurant/?hpt=T2

[Yngwie]

Cheers Scotty, I hadn't heard about this cove until now.

Dolphins are just great. I'll never forget how happy they were when they had the privilege of swimming with me.

[Scarlet Pimple]

That illegal meat scandal was all over the news here in North America.

The reason the trade flourishes is that it happens all over the world.

Sorry Johnboy. I did not think about that. I was on here very late at night and currently we are 9 hours behind you because the U>K> drags their feet in advancing their time by one hour. You do it next week.So that's 12 midnight here ---that's, what -- 9 o.clock in the morning in Britain. So Scotty posted at 6 p.m. your time, and I guess nobody was on the site from then until 11 p,m. ? Hmmmmmmm.Strange,

:D

[PullMyFinger]

That illegal meat scandal was all over the news here in North America.

The reason the trade flourishes is that it happens all over the world.

Sorry Johnboy. I did not think about that. I was on here very late at night and currently we are 9 hours behind you because the U>K> drags their feet in advancing their time by one hour. You do it next week.So that's 12 midnight here ---that's, what -- 9 o.clock in the morning in Britain. So Scotty posted at 6 p.m. your time, and I guess nobody was on the site from then until 11 p,m. ? Hmmmmmmm.Strange,

:D

Scotty posted at 4.47am (our time) when we were all, or should have been, tucked up safely in bed.

Perhaps we should set our alarms for 5.00am every day, just in case somebody in the US or Canada posts something that demands an urgent response.

4.47 am is little over 10 hours ago Scarlet, the post times are automatically adjusted for the timezone you view in, ie. your last post shows here as posted at 3.02 pm.

Gonna start a revolution from my bed?

[Scotty]

mixing up your ahead time zones Scarlet .... I posted at 12:47am my time here in Toronto which was 9:47pm your time in Vancouver (as you are 3 hours behind me). This was - as JB mentioned - 4:47am in the UK (as they are currently 4 hours ahaed of me and 7 ahead of you).

not sure where you are getting 9am, 6pm and 11pm from .....

[Scotty]

anyhow, can we get back on topic .... The Cove is what this thread was started about and it is compelling, disturbing and thought proking regardless of what time zone you are in !!!

[Scarlet Pimple]

Not sure meself Scotty. Smile.

Picked up p.m. as a.m. I am afraid. With only one good eye now, it's difficult to see everything in a crystal clear light. 7 hours ahead of us then--it's a deal. I'll mark me diary.

Think I'll stop posting and hand it all over tae the young'uns. There are some pretty sharp "coves" on here. It's just downright unfair.. And you are right, Scotty....sure is time for some more comments about the thread topic which is a sobering and very serious one.

When I was a teenager we used to call them "coughs". But in Canada a cove is a baseboard (you know, a skirting board, like)...so no wonder we get confused, eh?

Now, back to "Open all Mics".

Uncle Scarlet

[DornochCaley]

i would just like to say, my friend and member of this Forum, TtotheOtotheM's uncle actually made that film.

Its very eye opening to say the least.

Edited March 20, 2010 by DornochCaley

[Scotty]

i would just like to say, my friend and member of this Forum, TtotheOtotheM's uncle actually made that film.

Its very eye opening to say the least.

Which one is his uncle ?

[DornochCaley]

i would just like to say, my friend and member of this Forum, TtotheOtotheM's uncle actually made that film.

Its very eye opening to say the least.

Which one is his uncle ?

The Director he says. He went on for the past 2 weeks about how it was his uncle and stuff.

[dan_ict]

Edited March 20, 2010 by dan_ict

[Scarlet Pimple]

Lions Gate Studios are in North Vancouver, B.C. Canada.

Now, being in Hollywood North, they are successful.

I take it they are te same people shown in the credits ?

[Stevie]

SCARLETT PIMPLE :- I'll not quote your lenghty post, suffice to say I agree with everything you say, it's shocking in this day and age the way in which this world conducts itself regarding animal slaughter.

Like yourself I barely eat any meat at all now, I'll admit I still go for stuff like lentil soup made with Ham bone but really , in this day and age do we really need to eat meat ?

SCOTTY :- like yourself I'm not an activist type, I will sign the petition thing though, Im not sure though I could watch THE COVE though, I watched a programme once re- seal slaughter, I wasn't right for a couple of days after, utterly shocking, horrendous what those excuse of a human being sorts can do.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Stevie

[TtotheOtotheM]

Nah, my uncle is ric o'barry. Watched this last night, pretty eye opening.

[TopSix]

Talking of hunting animals, does Canada still allow the clubbing of thousands of seal cubs to death every year?

I will make a point of seeing the cove, though I will not change my stance on the Japanese government as I do not agree with their 'whaling for scientific purposes' policy. It's interesting the way in which they have tried to sweep the cove under the carpet. Because they allow this to happen and allow whaling, so long as they do, I boycott ever going on holiday to Japan. This also applies to the Faroes and Iceland (the latter a place I would really like to visit).

[Alex MacLeod]

Not seen it yet. are the dolphins herded into this cove before slaughter and where is it set?

How many of you who eat tuna ensure its come from dolphin friendly fisheries?

[Renegade]

Taking the morality out of things for a minute, has anyone on here ever eaten dolphin? I haven't but I bet it's lovely.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Renegade

[TopSix]

Taking the morality out of things for a minute, has anyone on here ever eaten dolphin? I haven't but I bet it's lovely.

:025:

Poor show Renegade - poor show.

[Renegade]

I'm just saying.....

[SMEE]

A wee Dolphin fact for you, and one that may upset all the Dolphin lovers that think they are great. Along with humans...Dolphins are the only other creatures that effectivley RAPE other Dolphins. Gang rape scenarios have been observed, where a single female dolphin is forced into sex with several persuers while the other male dolphins effectivley take it in turns to corner the victim!

[TopSix]

Man Renegade, thats pretty daft. Have a look on youtube to see how the Faroese carry out the grind. It's brutal. I imagine the Japanese use the same culling methods.

[Renegade]

No thanks, I eat cows a lot but I don't want to watch the cycle of how it gets to the field to my plate now do I. I bet that's rather brutal too.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Renegade