Environmentalists pursue Japan's whalers

[Coligny]

Which is a weapon category strictly forbidden under the Japanese current constitution.

ALL weapons are forbidden under Japan's current constitution. They interpret their constitution the same way they interpret their history.

I was going to insult you and your mother... then I read a bit more...
(not the kanjigo version for obvious reasons)

The full text of the article in Japanese:
“ 第九条　日本国民は、正義と秩序を基調とする国際平和を誠実に希求し、国権の発動たる戦争と、武力による威嚇又は武力の行使は、国際紛争を解決する手段としては、永久にこれを放棄する。

二　前項の目的を達するため、陸海空軍その他の戦力は、これを保持しない。国の交戦権は、これを認めない。
”

The official English translation of the article reads:
“ ARTICLE 9. Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. (2) To accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

So... basically any *SDF gear is like toats illegal...

And after seeing what is happening in Y00kraine (and realizing that the UN is turning into an SDN parody quite fast, except for the healthy bloated bureaucracy)...

I'd say... Luckily, they didn't give a flying fuck...

Now if since there's idiots to try to use it as offensive mean..., that might will ends up badly...

[Mike Oxlong]

Actual Yahoo News Headline: Whale poop fights climate change

Southern Ocean sperm whales are an unexpected ally in the fight against global warming, removing the equivalent carbon emissions from 40,000 cars each year thanks to their faeces, a study found on Wednesday...

As a result of faecal fertilisation, the whales remove 400,000 tonnes of carbon each year, twice as much as the 200,000 tonnes of CO2 that they contribute through respiration.

By way of comparison, 200,000 tonnes of CO2 is equal to the emissions of almost 40,000 passenger cars, according to an equation on the website of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The whales' faeces are so effective because they are emitted in liquid form and close to the surface, before the mammals dive, said the paper.

Industrialised whaling not only gravely threatened Southern Ocean sperm whales, it also damaged a major carbon "sink," the scientific term for something that removes more greenhouse gases than it produces, it added.

Before industrial whaling, the population of this species was about 10 times bigger, which meant around two million tonnes of CO2 were removed annually, said the paper ...

Sperm Whale Shit Will Make You Rich

Between 7 billion human asses and countless bird, fish, and animal butts, our planet pumps out an ungodly amount of poop every day. Few of those turds—if any—are as valuable as the mysterious and rare fudge dragons dooked out by sperm whales.

In late January, a British man named Ken Wilman found a six-pound lump of sperm whale shit (also known as ambergris) while walking his dog on the beach. Afterward, a French dealer offered him $70,000 for what was, in all seriousness, a piece of crap. Wilman's story has a precedent. In 2012, an eight-year-old boy walking with his father along a beach in England found some sperm whale butt chocolate worth $63,000. Before that, in 2006, a couple in Australia came across a 32-pound log that reportedly netted them almost $300,000.

What the fuck is going on? What makes sperm whale ass ham so damn expensive?

via VICE.com

[Russell]

A reason to revise the Japanese "research" program?

[legion]

The Vice article is fascinating.

I'm going searching for whale shit

[Coligny]

Is that article translated from a German publication ?

[Mike Oxlong]

Is that article translated from a German publication ?

I dunno, but there's the French connection. I doubt the writer is a hack, man.

[legion]

Australia shark cull: Government destroys 50 sharks in trial programme – but fails to catch a single great white blamed for fatalities

Yet Ken Baston, the fisheries minister for Western Australia, said the combination of tagging and destroying sharks was both “greatly contributing to scientific knowledge” and “restoring confidence among swimmers, surfers and divers”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australia-shark-cull-government-destroys-50-sharks-in-trial-programme--but-fails-to-catch-a-single-great-white-blamed-for-fatalities-9328901.html

Can't wait til the Japanese get wind of this

[Mike Oxlong]

Japan imports 2,000 tons of whale meat from Iceland, Greenpeace says

Environmentalists on Friday lashed out after Japan imported 2,000 tons of frozen whale meat from Iceland, in what they say is continued defiance of world opinion over the hunting of the mammals.

Packages containing meat from fin whales were unloaded Thursday from a vessel that had traveled from Iceland to Osaka, said Junichi Sato of Greenpeace Japan.

The ship left Iceland in March carrying a cargo equivalent to almost all the whale meat imports from the north European country for the last six years, environment groups and news reports said.

An official at the port in Osaka confirmed the arrival of the ship.

“The ship, named Alma, arrived on May 7 and we were informed in advance that it would carry whale meat to be unloaded at Osaka port,” he told AFP.

Greenpeace said it was puzzled by the size of the cargo.

“We don’t know why Japan had to import such a huge volume of whale meat,” accounting for about two thirds of the nation’s annual consumption, Sato said.

“No matter what, we oppose such shipments,” he added.

In December, Iceland said it had increased its 2014 quotas for whaling in a move likely to intensify international condemnation of the practice.

Since it resumed whaling in 2006 despite an international moratorium, Iceland, along with Norway, has come in for furious criticism from environmental groups and some other countries.

Icelanders eat little whale meat, and most of the catch is sent to the Japanese market.

Japan also hunts whales, but qualifies the activity as scientific research, even though whale meat finds its way to its restaurants.

In March, the United Nations’ top court ruled the annual mission to the Southern Ocean by Japanese whaling vessels was a commercial hunt masquerading as science to skirt the international ban.

Tokyo said there would be no hunting in the Southern Ocean in the 2014-15 season, but vessels would be there to carry out “non-lethal research”. However, the announcement raised the possibility that harpoon ships would return the following year.

That would put Japan on a collision course with anti-whaling nations like Australia, which brought the case to the International Court of Justice.

Although not difficult to find in Japan, whale meat is not a regular part of most Japanese people’s diet.

Vessels involved in Japan’s permitted coastal whaling program and in its “scientific” hunt in the Pacific Ocean left harbor last month.

Supporters argue that the hunting and eating of whale is part of Japan’s culture. But critics say Tokyo’s position is influenced more by a desire to support vested interests in the whaling industry than to protect a source of food that is no longer widely consumed.

They claim the country has large stocks of frozen whale meat from its own hunts that it cannot sell because there is insufficient demand.

[Russell]

They bought all the whale meat in stock, stimulating Iceland to do some more whaling to keep up with demand.

Looks like they want to test whether those foreigners are still opposed to whaling if it is done by other foreigners...

[wagyl]

They bought all the whale meat in stock, stimulating Iceland to do some more whaling to keep up with demand.

Looks like they want to test whether those foreigners are still opposed to whaling if it is done by other foreigners...

That is quite a pricey experiement. That does not necessarily dispute your theory, but it would mean that they have more chutzpah than I previously gave them credit for.

[Russell]

They bought all the whale meat in stock, stimulating Iceland to do some more whaling to keep up with demand.

Looks like they want to test whether those foreigners are still opposed to whaling if it is done by other foreigners...

That is quite a pricey experiement. That does not necessarily dispute your theory, but it would mean that they have more chutzpah than I previously gave them credit for.

Well, it's just tax money.

Who cares?



Actually, I care, as a tax payer...

[legion]

stockpiling for when the asteroid collides with the earth causing a 4 year winter

[Russell]

Maybe they expect a lot of Muslim immigrants.

After all, whale meat is halal...

[Coligny]

Maybe they expect a lot of Muslim immigrants.

After all, whale meat is halal...

Must...
Not...
Have to...
Resist...

[Russell]

I was actually referring to Mike's post...

[Coligny]

I was actually referring to Mike's post...

And me hinting at a whale based YoMama joke...

[matsuki]

Fuuuuuu

What about all the whale meat already in freezers here?

[Wage Slave]

And while sales tax is in the process of being doubled to make a small dent in the monstrous public spending deficit. And while fishermen in Fukushima and other prefectures affected by 3/11 are still struggling. Somehow though, it makes sense to spend a bunch of money buying whale meat from Iceland that no-one much wants to eat and will cost good money to store.

Brilliant. Japan is back!

[Russell]

Yeah, Japan is back.

And this country being all about rationality, I bet they have a good reason to buy all this Icelandic whale meat.

Like a secret recipe for whale stew to be unveiled soon...

[matsuki]

I'm guessing the gov. sponsored whaling fund had to be spent somewhere or risk (gasp) being reabsorbed by the government. I doubt there will be any kind of announcement as to the purpose but I would love to know where they are storing all this shit?

[Russell]

And suddenly it dawned on me.

Due to an acute shortage of research materials in Japan, they bought them in Iceland...

[legion]

They bought all the whale meat in stock, stimulating Iceland to do some more whaling to keep up with demand.

Looks like they want to test whether those foreigners are still opposed to whaling if it is done by other foreigners...

think you are on to something here

making a point Japan isn't the only country killing sea pigs

[matsuki]

They bought all the whale meat in stock, stimulating Iceland to do some more whaling to keep up with demand.

Looks like they want to test whether those foreigners are still opposed to whaling if it is done by other foreigners...

think you are on to something here

making a point Japan isn't the only country killing sea pigs

While I get the point, doesn't Iceland take heat for it already? (and aren't their hunts within reasonable distance from their cuntry?)

[kurogane]

　 Somehow though, it makes sense to spend a bunch of money buying whale meat from Iceland that no-one much wants to eat and will cost good money to store.　Brilliant. Japan is back!

And therein lies the real problem with insisting the programme continue. I wonder if the Rickshaw market is ready to be stimulated and revived? That's a Japanese tradition too, yano.

think you are on to something here. Making a point Japan isn't the only country killing sea pigs

And a valid and noteworthy point it is. Even if it is only that hypersensitive paranoi8a they suffer from periodically, the perception is that the cowards at Sea Shitbirds only target the Japanese because they're Brown (errr, sorry, I meant Japakneeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzz). And certainly by my account, the coverage is overwhelmingly of them and not the Icelanders or Norwaylers. I don't actually know the extent of the protests against the latter but they get maybe 15% of the media attention.

As somebody mentioned though, the Vikings don't tend to hunt in their neighbours' backyards. If the Japanese want to hunt they should do it at home, or in the North Pacific. It's not like they need much to fill the demand, esp. now that they have Bird's Eye whale TV dinners in the pipe.

I always preferred Swanson's Turkey with stuffing and gravy, but hey, that's me.

Also, while it is certainly that in part this is not solely a government/business subsidy boondoggle; it is also a touchstone issue for conservowhiners. Underestimating the emotional pull of both tradition and the chance to flip the white world the bird amongst even a large section of the non-consumptive is a whale of an analytic mistake ( )>>>>

And since it's been a while, whale meat is a mercury sump. Mercury, dude. Mercury. The stuff they won't even use in sealed thermometers anymore.

[matsuki]

Minamata byoooooooooooooooo!

Mercury poison the masses! In the name of Japaneeeeeeeeeeze tradition!

(though Tuna (over)consumption is probably far worse in this respect...and another middle finger to the rest of the world)

[kurogane]

I wonder which is actually the bigger sump (I think it goes up the chain at a logarithmic rate), but given the popularity of tuna versus whale, yeah. That really freaks me out when they willingly expose themselves to that level of poison then chide me for Thinking Too Much. Did I forget to mention The MERCURY part!!!!!!!???????

OTOH, it is allegedly a nice, mellow slide out. A comfortably numb way to go, if you will. Lots of benumbed smiley corpses in Taiji they say.

Do you think the tuna consumption is in part a finger flipping thing at the normal Man in the Raw Fish Serving Place level? I have never been able to quite comprehend just how much they like Tuna. I like Tuna, too, but seriously folks........................it's fucking fish. At least cook it some of the time.

It's also a Nouveau Riche ex-peasant mentality thing too, eh????? It has only been in my Japaniful Time that tuna has become available on a regular basis to that much of the nation. When I first got there it was a once a month treat for most.

At any rate, the tuna industry is certainly flipping itself the bird. Don't they have like 10 years of tuna left and then it's Bupkus Time????? Fucking suicidal monkeys.

[matsuki]

At any rate, the tuna industry is certainly flipping itself the bird. Don't they have like 10 years of tuna left and then it's Bupkus Time????? Fucking suicidal monkeys.

In 10 years, I'm guess most of those profiting from it all will be comfortably retired so as far as they're concerned, it's all part of the plan. It's still beyond my level of FG reasoning that the gov doesn't warn people, at least children or pregger soon to be mothers, about the dangers of all that mercury in the fish.

[Mike Oxlong]

Do you think the tuna consumption is in part a finger flipping thing at the normal Man in the Raw Fish Serving Place level? I have never been able to quite comprehend just how much they like Tuna. I like Tuna, too, but seriously folks........................it's fucking fish. At least cook it some of the time.

It's also a Nouveau Riche ex-peasant mentality thing too, eh????? It has only been in my Japaniful Time that tuna has become available on a regular basis to that much of the nation. When I first got there it was a once a month treat for most.

At any rate, the tuna industry is certainly flipping itself the bird. Don't they have like 10 years of tuna left and then it's Bupkus Time????? Fucking suicidal monkeys.

There's a Canadian connection and all...

The Sushi Economy

I'm sure I saw this on FG years ago, but it's worth a look.

[IparryU]

At any rate, the tuna industry is certainly flipping itself the bird. Don't they have like 10 years of tuna left and then it's Bupkus Time????? Fucking suicidal monkeys.

In 10 years, I'm guess most of those profiting from it all will be comfortably retired so as far as they're concerned, it's all part of the plan. It's still beyond my level of FG reasoning that the gov doesn't warn people, at least children or pregger soon to be mothers, about the dangers of all that mercury in the fish.

Dont listen.... dont listen to the FG advice...

Sushi okay for pregnant moms?
Love eating sushi? All seafood should be approached with caution while you're pregnant. Why? Because of heavy metals, toxins and tapeworms - that's why. DietDoc checks it out.

How a woman's body changes during pregnancy

Foetal development
Love eating sushi? All seafood should be approached with caution while you're pregnant. Why? Because of heavy metals, toxins and tapeworms - that's why. DietDoc checks it out.

Four potential hazards
There are four potential hazards associated with eating raw fish, particularly when you're pregnant. These include:

1) Contamination with mercury
Larger game fish like tuna may be contaminated with mercury. The general recommendation of the UK Food Standards Agency for pregnant and breastfeeding women is that they should eat no more than "two tuna steaks (weighing about 170g raw) per week."

It is not likely that a serving of sushi featuring tuna would weigh 170g, so if you eat raw tuna as part of a sushi meal during pregnancy, this should not be a problem – provided you do not have it more than about once or twice a month to be on the safe side.

2) Contamination with dioxins and PCBs
The UK Food Standards Agency has also recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid having more than two portions of salmon per week to avoid contamination with dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which are compounds that are harmful to unborn babies.

It would, therefore, be prudent not to eat salmon sushi more than once or twice a month. Rather safe than sorry!

3) Infestation with worms
Eating raw fish is also associated with the risk of worm infestation. Fish can be infested with fish tape worms (Diphyllobothriasis latum), which may pose a health risk, particularly during pregnancy.

However, if fish is frozen, the freezing process will kill the worms. Always ask the staff of your sushi restaurant if the fish they are using has been thoroughly frozen (not just preserved on ice!) at -20 degrees Celsius for at least 24 hours.

If they are using freshly caught fish, which has not been frozen, don't eat it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. In fact, it may be a good idea for all sushi lovers, pregnant or not, to check on this and to avoid eating freshly caught raw fish.

4) Anti-thiamine enzymes
Thiamine or vitamin B1 is one of the essential B vitamins we need for health and normal growth and development. Some foods, particularly raw fish and shellfish, contain so-called thiaminases, or thiamine-degrading enzymes.

Having one or two servings of raw fish a month during pregnancy will not deplete your thiamine status, but if you start having sushi regularly it is possible that this may affect your total thiamine intake and lead to a thiamine deficiency.

Once again, it is evident that moderate consumption of raw fish in the form of sushi once or twice a month, will not be harmful to your thiamine intake or that of your baby, but repeated ingestion of raw fish could pose a problem.

Other forms of raw fish
Sushi is not the only way in which fish is served raw. Raw herring and raw oysters are also popular. It would be a good idea for pregnant and breastfeeding women to take the above-mentioned precautions when eating these foods.

The bottom line
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you need to limit your intake of raw fish and seafood. You also need to make sure that you buy fish at a good restaurant that uses frozen supplies.

Eating sushi once or twice a month should be safe, provided the sushi is made with fish that has been frozen at -20 degrees Celsius for at least 24 hours.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you need to eat fish to ensure a good omega-3 intake, but you also need to regulate how often you eat raw tuna, salmon or seafood.

By taking the necessary precautions, you can ensure that your unborn baby is not exposed to unacceptable levels of mercury, dioxins, PCBs, or fish tape worms, and that you don't deplete your thiamine reserves.

Text copyright: Dr I.V. van Heerden
14 May 2007

References:
(Arbor Clinical Nutrition Updates, 2007. Mercury, fish and health. Issue 274, May. www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam /healthydiet/fishandshellfishq/)

Source: http://www.health24.com/Parenting/Pregnancy/Nutrition/Sushi-okay-for-pregnant-moms-20120721

[yanpa]

Don't forget teh Fookusheemah radiashunz

radioactive-tuna.jpg

(via some "OMG we are all gonna die" post which popped up on my Facebook feed)