This Blog's Title Doesn't Matter

... Nor does anything else while you're reading this.

The other day, in chemistry class, we were made to watch The Cove, an Academy Award nominated and Oscar winning documentary about the dolphin trade and slaughter happening in Taiji, Japan.

Septembers are officially the worst months of  every year. It is when dolphin hunting season begins in Taiji. They're being slaughtered for their meat, being sold as performance animals, or simply killed because they are (as the Japanese fishermen call them,) "pests" that eat too many of the ocean's fish. Scientific research says otherwise, though. The fish are just fine. They are being eaten at just the right pace, thank you very much.

Dolphin meat is poisoned with Mercury, and this is difficult (or impossible, I forget which is accurate,) to get rid of. Not all Japanese people are aware of the fact that they are even exposed to it. Dolphin meat is sold in supermarkets (labeled as FISH meat), almost ended up as part of mandatory school lunches, and is even sold at snack stands at dolphin shows. As if to add insult to injury...

Mercury... wow. It affects the embryos of pregnant women who eat the stuff in dolphin meat. Mercury degrades the nerve endings developing in unborn children. This causes them to be born (if they are lucky enough to be born at all, under the circumstances,) with physical deformities and mental disabilities. Ironically, a Japanese corporation (whose name escapes me right now) is also responsible for poisoning the oceans that dolphins inhabit. But... yes, it's been happening for many decades.

So anyway, see the link down there? It's a Facebook page of the TDAG, the Taiji Dolphin Action Group. If you can support them, it would be awesome. If you can't support them directly, at least try to find some
people who can. That is, please spread the word.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=206102512676

Also, if you would, look for information about a man named Ric O'Barry, who is responsible for the film The Cove. You've probably heard of the iconic dolphin in the movie Flipper. Well, Ric O'Barry was the dolphin trainer of all those separate dolphins who collectively played the character of Flipper. He loves dolphins more than anything else, and more than anyone can. Support him and the cause he... caused.

Actually, forget looking for him. I found him for you. Support!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-OBarry/241314570366?v=wall

And the documentary's website.

http://www.thecovemovie.com/richardobarry.htm

Please, help us save the dolphins. They've never done anything wrong to us, right? They're apparently smarter than us, very affectionate with us, and even protective of us. Help us protect them as well. Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you leave a comment, I can probably use those to share your thoughts as well. So, yeah. Please leave a comment. Thank you!

-Atom P.