Blackfish...

I've been doing a little more searching - and here's an excerpt from Blackfish's response to Seaworld.

An Apt Metaphor – SeaWorld is still not addressing the elephant in the room. Is captivity suitable for orcas?

In the wild, orcas live in appropriate climates for their species and are subject to the boundless environmental stimuli that only the ocean can provide. Each group speaks in a unique dialect, swims up to 100 miles a day, and stays with family members for life.

In the wild, there is not a single report of a person being killed by a killer whale.

In confinement, orcas are often prescribed daily medications to treat chronic symptoms brought on by captivity. Every year, they die at almost three times the rate they die in the wild, leading to shorter life spans, and are airlifted around the world as commodities. They have damaged teeth, collapsed dorsal fins, they show frustration, grief, and exhibit unnatural aggression toward one another and toward people. More orcas have died under SeaWorld’s care than are currently in its collection today.

We ask, is this the business model of the future or is there a better way?

We challenge SeaWorld to debate these issues with our teams in a public forum, which we will be happy to arrange. Throughout the production and theatrical release of Blackfish, SeaWorld has refused to directly engage with the film or its points in any public way, despite repeated invitations. Instead of releasing more PR spin, written statements and online critiques (which often allow no comments), we encourage SeaWorld’s leaders to step forward and address these issues openly and honestly in public debate. Let the public hear both sides of the argument (as we have always desired) and draw their own conclusions.

Will be keeping an eye on the court's ruling. There is something wrong about these amazing & beautiful animals being held in captivity.

Sport recap.

This snippet from The Guardian says it all really:

"We fans, media all-sorts, and the round’s winners and losers — from the shell-shocked Rabbitohs to the galloping Broncos — only had to cast our collective gaze to Newcastle’s Hunter Stadium on Sunday afternoon to remind ourselves that for all of the game of rugby league’s significance in our lives, it is ultimately just that: a game. With Alex McKinnon still in a coma after his serious neck injury last week, the Newcastle Knights began their match against Cronulla in a huddle, their poignant embrace — applauded by both the home fans and visiting Sharks supporters — a reminder to McKinnon and his loved ones that they are not negotiating these emotional times on their own." 

AFL

• Essendon & Carlton made Hawthorn and Richmond work really hard for their wins. Both looked like stealing the win, but the better teams won.
• On the Swans; it's a long season, and the last time they were 0-2 they won the flag ;) They have some improving to do before you'd give them that chance, but I'm not willing to write them off completely yet.  Franklin was better last night. We'll see what the trip to Adelaide brings. 
• Looking forward to the Grand Final rematch (and possibly preview), between the Dockers and Hawks at the MGG next week.

T-20 World Cups

• Meg Lanning ...126 v Ireland. Top score in Women's T20.  While the Aussie men are going home, the Women aren't joining them just yet.
• The WhiteFerns have topped their group which I think means they play England in the Semi-Finals. 
• Nice to see an Aussie sledge backfire. Faulkner says he doesn't like the Windies. The Windies would be happy that two sixes in his final over sealed the win.
• The Netherlands, hard to believe, but they really should have beaten South Africa (eventually losing by 6 runs). I guess this is the best thing about T20 Cricket.  It is in this form of the game, you are most likely to have the big upsets. Given it's the form of the game were one player has the potential to change the course of the game.
• The BlackCaps beat The Netherlands over the weekend. So a win against Sri Lanka takes them to the Semi Finals.

NRL

• Manly v Roosters.  I'm not a Manly (or Roosters) fan, but I wouldn't call beating the Roosters in Round 4 revenge.  Sure it is a good result, but I'd swap it for a Grand Final win any day.
• Great win by the Warriors, who are now 2-2, and hopefully back on track for the year. 
• I am surprised by how the Rabbitohs are travelling, after a great win in round one, they have now lost three on the trot.

Super 15

• I don't get to say this very often, but a great win by the Hurricanes.  Generally whether they win or lose, it isn't by many, at least it is in the W column this week.  

Sport recap...

In short:

• Good teams find ways to win games -  two perfect examples were the Roosters on Friday; Manly on Sunday. 
• Didn't expect the Dragons to be 3-0, but they are doing well so far. 
• Great win by the Warriors on Saturday night - didn't expect them to beat North Queensland in Townsville, hopefully the season is back on track now. 
• Geelong have the list to do well this year. Very impressive against Adelaide
• Hawthorn as expected, without Buddy, they're going to do very well this year. Maybe even back to back - but we'll see what the Dockers and (Swans ;)) have to say about that.
• Sadly the St Kilda v Melbourne game suggests one of these two will finish with the wooden spoon. 
• Essendon have a great football team - and hopefully there's more written about this than Hird, etc. 
• Arsenal - um, you'd think for Wenger's 1000th game they'd manage better than 0-6. 
• BlackCaps and WhiteFerns both won at the Twenty 20 World Cups (v England and Australia respectively).  Awesome performance from The Netherlands; running down 193 in under 14 overs. Will be interesting to see how they go against Sri Lanka tonight. 
• The Australian men were let down by their fielding against Pakistan. Maxwell & Finch almost rescued the situation, but the tail had too much to do. 
• Baseball at the SCG - brilliant, hope they come back soon.  

Borgen - Review

If you are missing The West Wing, or you are  a fan of House of Cards and looking for a new TV show to watch I recommend that you give the Danish TV Series “Borgen” a go.

Borgen translates to "Castle" and the show centres on Birgitte Nyborg, who becomes Denmark’s first female Prime Minister, her minority government, and the impact her political life has on her family life.

The most striking thing in the first season was how the show highlighted the personal cost of power. During the course of season one the relationship with her husband and children spirals downwards. One of her Minsters makes the point of how many marriages of MPs fail and while they are experts at negotiating with the crossbenches to ensure the survival of their government, they are unable to utilise the same communication skills and negotiate with their partners. The show highlights this as Nyborg loses the art of intimate conversation with her husband.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the issues the Danish parliament is dealing with, are not too dissimilar to ours – immigration, the relationship with the US, quotas, surveillance, cynicism & idealism. I found the episode touching on Greenland to be particularly sad.

Equally interesting is how the show portrays differing perspectives on breaking and reporting stories in in a television station.  I am intrigued to see how this is developed through the second season.

Further reading; here's a piece from The Guardian talking about the show & Australia's former PM Gillard.

Cassie - Old Light

What I love about Cassie, an indie band from Finland, is their beaut sound combining her voice and an awesome soundscape which takes you somewhere else.  The only problem for me is after these three tracks and 19 minutes, I want more. You will too.

Here's a link to 'Old Light' from their new EP - 'Old Light'

Blackfish - Review

The only encounters I have had with Orcas (Killer Whales) have been through popular culture. I recall a few stunning scenes from David Attenborough documentaries, Free Willy (just the first one), and Happy Feet. From just these clips it is clear they are amazing, intelligent animals.

I recently watched the documentary Blackfish which looks at Orcas in captivity (centered on Tilikum, and the circumstances surrounding the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau at Sea World in 2010, and other incidents with him). The article which prompted Gabrielle Cowperthwaite to make the film is here. 

The letter Sea World penned in response to the film makes interesting (if not unsurprising) reading suggesting the film was sliced together to emotionally manipulate the audience to share its conclusion; and using footage which does not actually depict the events as they transpired. Sea World has also claimed that their training programs and their care of the whales is misrepresented. So far as I can tell the only public response to Sea World is this letter by Open Society). The film sadly mentions that Sea World declined requests to be interviewed during the making of the film. 

There are issues with animals in captivity. No enclosure, especially a tank, can replicate the habitat of the animal in the wild. It seems to be clear that some Orcas are not appropriately cared for in Aquariums (see this site for some examples). Highlighted in the book Death at Sea World. It is clear that while a bond of sorts is created with their trainers, at the core of it they are wild animals

One Californian Senator, Richard Bloom, is proposing to end animal captivity for the purposes of entertainment (read more). Some would like to see the older-captive animals released to fenced sea pens, which perhaps is the least-bad option, while trying to return the younger whales back to the Ocean.

I have a love-hate relationship with animal parks. They are great places to see animals I would not otherwise, and both Taronga Zoo and Sea World (US) play a role in animal conservation, rehabilitation, public education and research. Sea Wolrd (US) have published a range of papers about the animal). But you do wonder about the impact of captivity on the animals health and behaviour. Blackfish paints a concerning picture.

The Sea World letter finishes with a quote from naturalist Baba Dioum “In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.” An encounter with any animal remains with us, perhaps prompting us to love and fight for the preservation of these animals. Even the footage I've seen in nature documentaries about Orcas and Great White Sharks have caused me to feel the need to fight for their preservation. I'd rather encounter one of these animals in the wild than an ocean park.

Weekend football recap.

Seeing the Suns & Giants win is great for the game. I'm not surprised to see the Giants get the better of the Swans.  Factor "little brother", "round one" and first week at "Fort Giant", it was the perfect setting for the upset.  Give Franklin a chance too, he might need a few more games to gel into the Swans.

Fremantle, last year it was their attack that gave their coach a headache, 11 goal kickers & 19 goals on Friday, and its easier to imagine the Dockers going one better this year. Time will tell whether the actual story should be about Collingwood's decline.

It has the feel of being a more even season than last year.  Would not be surprised if the Sun's made the eight, giving the lists the Giants and Suns now have, I suspect we'll see them climb the table.

I'm still backing the Swans to make the top 4, and I think the Giants won't win the wooden spoon. In terms of premiers - my heart says Sydney, but I suspect Fremantle will.

On the NRL - sadly - Warriors are now 0-2.  Not the start I was hoping for, but they are such an unpredictable side, and still hoping they come good.

At least the Hurricane's won :)

Footy's back ...

What I learned from Round 1 of the NRL.

(1) What was with the round 1 scheduling ie, why did Souths & Roosters play on Thursday at White Elephant Stadium? The crowd numbers would have to be concerning.

(2) Why was Souths beating the Roosters an upset. Yes, yes, the Roosters are the Premiers, but there was not that much between them last year.

(3)  I suspect the Warriors will be consistently inconsistent this year - was disappointed with their game last night, but hoping for more next weekend.

(4) Not a fan of the rule changes; though maybe a zero tackle for restarts when the ball was kicked dead from outside the 20m line would be better.

(5) More of a general comment - I'd like to see 1pt awarded to both teams after a draw at 80mins, and another point for the team that wins in golden point (or no golden pt), and maybe points awarded as per the Super15 (1 bonus pt for four tries, and 1 bonus pt for a loss by 7 or less).

Can't wait for the AFL season to start next weekend, and less than 100 days til the next Football World Cup.