Whale Wars

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Okay RG - I watched this one Friday night with FMJR based on your recommendation.

I found the premise intriguing .. and the form of attacks (e.g. lobbing bottles of butyric acid, prop foulers) - how can they not consider themselves terrorists despite the purported altruism of their efforts/activism.

So, in the episode I watched, I noted the following acts of outright stupidity (blackout so I don't spoil episode for those who haven't seen it):

  • Code word for attack: tora, tora, tora (japanese for attack) - should be a simple one word term;
  • The fact that the 'code' word for attack was not clear for the means of attack;
  • One of the attack boats (Gemini) conducted the 'wrong' attack once the 'code' word was given;
  • The same attack boat was unable to deploy the rudder fouler on two occasions, resulting in the crew of the japanese ship 'obtaining' the offensive weapon;
  • Lack of respect of the boat crews towards the potential of the acoustic weapon (LRAD) on board the japanese ship; and
  • Lack of respect of the crew to return back to the mother ship when given an order by the captain leaving them in a vulnerable position in the open arctic ocean.
Overall, my opinion was that these eco-warriors were a bunch of undisciplined bozos that seem to be more interested in notoriety than advocating for their cause (protection of the whales).

I think it is good for everyone to watch one or two episodes to form your own view.

JR

 
jregieng said:
Okay RG - I watched this one Friday night with FMJR based on your recommendation.
I found the premise intriguing .. and the form of attacks (e.g. lobbing bottles of butyric acid, prop foulers) - how can they not consider themselves terrorists despite the purported altruism of their efforts/activism.

So, in the episode I watched, I noted the following acts of outright stupidity (blackout so I don't spoil episode for those who haven't seen it):

  • Code word for attack: tora, tora, tora (japanese for attack) - should be a simple one word term;
  • The fact that the 'code' word for attack was not clear for the means of attack;
  • One of the attack boats (Gemini) conducted the 'wrong' attack once the 'code' word was given;
  • The same attack boat was unable to deploy the rudder fouler on two occasions, resulting in the crew of the japanese ship 'obtaining' the offensive weapon;
  • Lack of respect of the boat crews towards the potential of the acoustic weapon (LRAD) on board the japanese ship; and
  • Lack of respect of the crew to return back to the mother ship when given an order by the captain leaving them in a vulnerable position in the open arctic ocean.
Click to expand...
Overall, my opinion was that these eco-warriors were a bunch of undisciplined bozos that seem to be more interested in notoriety than advocating for their cause (protection of the whales).

I think it is good for everyone to watch one or two episodes to form your own view.

JR
I've been wondering if the producers are trying to portray them as a bunch of bozos or if they really are that incompetent.

did you see where the captain gets "shot" ?

the guy really doesn't have a good poker face.

 
I think the Wile E. esqe counterattacks by the Japanese whalers are pretty funny. The put up big nets surround the deck, they shoot the eco-terrorist with water cannons, then they started hurling random hardware at the Delta and Gemini boats.

 
wilheldp_PE said:
I think the Wile E. esqe counterattacks by the Japanese whalers are pretty funny. The put up big nets surround the deck, they shoot the eco-terrorist with water cannons, then they started hurling random hardware at the Delta and Gemini boats.
Click to expand...

Just the though of me being able to blast those dipshits with a water cannon is enough to make me want to start whaling.

 
Supe said:
Just the though of me being able to blast those dipshits with a water cannon is enough to make me want to start whaling.
Click to expand...
You just made me spit my coffee on to my screen!!! :eek:ldman:

VTEnviro said:
^Oh I totally agree.
It's one of those things where I agree with the premise, not the methods.
Click to expand...
Interesting. What do you think they could do differently to bring the whaling to a halt?

JR

 
jregieng said:
Interesting. What do you think they could do differently to bring the whaling to a halt?
Click to expand...
First of all I don't know all the legalities and technicalities of whaling and international waters, etc.

But, if they are conducting some illegal activity, shouldn't whatever agency with jurisdiction over those waters arrest the crews and impound the boat?

I'm too cynical to think lobbying and passive protests would make an ounce of difference. But I'm not too keen on a bunch of half cocked yahoos stirring up some international trouble. These folks are attacking and harassing these other boats, and two wrongs don't make a right.

 
VTEnviro said:
But, if they are conducting some illegal activity, shouldn't whatever agency with jurisdiction over those waters arrest the crews and impound the boat?
Click to expand...
I think the problem lies in national laws vs. international laws. I think a few countries have national laws banning ANY killing of whales, but Japan has a national law that allows the killing of a certain quota of whales for "Research". Their law also dictates that no part of the whale can be wasted, so the meat is processed and shipped and sold in Japan.

The Sea Shepherds are trying to enforce their national laws in international waters against people who are bound to a different national law.

 
wilheldp_PE said:
The Sea Shepherds are trying to enforce their national laws in international waters against people who are bound to a different national law.
Click to expand...
Right, so the question becomes ... do you respect the soveignty of a different country via their laws. :)

JR

 
jregieng said:
Right, so the question becomes ... do you respect the soveignty of a different country via their laws. :)
JR
Click to expand...
I don't think sovereignty has anything to do with it. Neither of the nation's laws should apply in international waters unless both countries have signed on to some treaty banning whaling. I don't think either group is in the right in that situation.

 
If I sign up to be a whaler can I shoot hippies with a fire hose?

I remember seeing the riots in France on television (they didn't want to work 38 hours/ week) and wishing I could be the guy in the armored truck shooting the frogs with a water cannon.

 
I'm pretty sure some of the people on whale wars are European as well. That makes them infallible.

IMHO, these people are fucking morons and they deserve to be capsized in the arctic. What bothers me is that they're messing around with 20,000 ton ships like they're bumper cars and endangering the humans.

 
I've watched it a few times. Dunno if someone already mentioned it, but the Capt (I use that term loosely) was with Greepeace, but apparently they weren't extreme enough so he started the USS Hairy Armpits to go after the whaling ships. Personally, I think the Japanese are full of crap...I believe they are hunting whales under the guise of research solely to harvest the meat. That being said, I sure ain't going to join Capt Ahab and his merry band of buffoons. Every once in a while when he's doing his little "confessional", the Capt will talk about how he'd love to ram their mother ship or see all the Japanese ships on the bottom of the ocean...I'd say it's only a matter of time before some serious **** hits the fan.

 
simple solution. Eradicate the whales altogether. If there are no more whales, there will be no more whalers and thus no more whale protesters.

:asthanos:

 

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