Shark Declines Threaten Shellfish Stocks, Study Says

“Industrial fishing has left so few big sharks that they no longer perform their role as the top predators,” said study co-author Julia Baum of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

“The predators of smaller species of sharks and rays have been virtually wiped out.”

Five episodes - albeit repeats - of The Office are on.

You know what else is a marathon? My Roll Up The Rim losing streak. As of today, I’m 0 for 20. ZERO wins. Not a coffee, not a donut, not a single Camry Hybrid. At this point, I’d even settle for an Aquos TV. But does Tim’s (WITH APOSTROPHE) heed my desire for a simple major prize? Oh no.

It’s a scam. A big big scam.

Bike Messengers Are on Crack

(sorry, but once again, because IE sucks with formatting, I can’t imbed YouTube stuff)

Although some of the riding through intersections is a little dicey, most of that is not that scary. The speeds they ride at are impressive, though, especially sandiwched between lanes. The whole time, I was thinking “Watch for opening doors!”.

How in the wide world of sports am I supposed to cut back on concerts when all these amazing acts keep announcing tours?

Rush is playing the ‘Dome July 18. It’s the only western Canadian date on their upcoming tour, and only one of a half-dozen in our country. Thankfully tickets don’t go on sale for almost a month, so I’ve got some time to try and get the credit card balance down to a point that will allow me to buy what are sure to be fairly pricey seats.

Did I mention I haven’t seen Rush live in [cough cough] 28 years?

It’s not often you get to see a living guitar god in action, and tonight did NOT disappoint. When he closed the set with Layla, I had goosebumps through the entire song. I’ll try to post more tomorrow.

Here is one of the Quicktime videos I shot (although the sign on the door clearly said no video recording - what a scofflaw I am):

A little Cocaine (23.1 MB)

No, it’s not the next James Bond movie, it’s the charity event I’m participating in to help raise money for cures for ‘below the waist’ cancers. The Angels asked me to join their team (aptly - or not - named Brief Brigade), and I said yes. Thanks to the instant generosity of family and friends, I’ve already had to up my goal twice (I started off modestly).

If you feel like helping out a good cause - and making me look good in front of a team of hot girls - click on the logo over there on the sidebar and donate give ’til it hurts. And thanks in advance.

If you’d like to participate on your own, either by forming or joining a team, visit the even homepage here.

The banner on the right is one I downloaded from the Sharkwater website because I want to show support for the film and what it represents. I went to see it yesterday, and was more than impressed with it and its message, so I wanted to get it out there. If you haven’t already, go see it - it’ll open your eyes, and hopefully spur you into action in some form.

Millions of sharks every year are being killed almost exclusively for their fins. In most cases, they are caught by illegal long-line fishing (baited hooks attached to lines that are miles long) and their fins are cut off while they’re alive, then they’re tossed back into the ocean to bleed to death or suffocate, since they can no longer swim. Fins that cost about 80 cents a pound coming off fishing boats sell for up to $200 a pound to restaurants. The profit is on par with drug trafficking.

Great whites and whale sharks are already on the endangered species list, and at the rate that mankind is going, other species could be within this generation’s lifetime. The thing is, sharks have survived for 400 million years. They’re older than dinosaurs. As the movie pointed out, as the top-level predator in the oceans, they’ve shaped the evolution of not just most sea creatures, but of life on land too, since we evolved from sea organisms. If they’re eliminated, or even have their numbers significantly reduced, it will affect everything in the ocean, throwing the marine ecology off balance. Since 70% of our oxygen comes from the ocean, mostly from the plankton, we will be directly affected.

Picture a trapper setting out a 20 mile long trapline in the forest to catch, say, foxes, but the line catches everything - deer, moose, bears, squirrels, rabbits - and they all end up injured, most fatally. And when the trapper gets the foxes, he cuts off their legs for rich peoples’ soup, and discards their still-alive bodies by the thousands. How long would the general public stand for that?

About 10,000 sharks PER HOUR die in the finning trade.

More people are killed by elephants each year than by sharks, but the media makes money off sensationalizing the “man eater” image fostered by Jaws. The truth is that sharks are afraid of people, and can sense their fear or nervousness from hundreds of metres away in the water, so will avoid us. We look like seals to sharks when we’re swimming, though, and seals are their natural prey. If you knew you looked like a gazelle, would you go running through a pride of lions?

Anyway, go see the movie. It’s fantastic. Everyone needs to see it.

   listening to… Mean Old World by Eric Clapton

Sorry I’ve been so negligent with my posting again, but my blog-motivation seems to have taken a nosedive, or is on the same rollercoaster that the damn weather here seems to be on lately.

To start your Saturday off, here’s a tasty treat:

So What Really Is In A McDonald’s Chicken McNugget?

I haven’t eaten any in years, and now I never will again. Only 59% chicken, and containing a derivative of butane. Nice…

Larry “Bud” Melman, real name Calvert DeForest, passed away last Thursday at the age of 85 of an apparent heart attack. I’m a little surprised it’s taken this long for it to surface, since Larry “Bud” was one of the most popular Letterman characters. Definitely one of my favourites.

We’ll miss you, Calvin.

Another season of ballroom babes. Sir Paul’s “golddigger”, Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Joey from *NSYNC, Leeza Gibbons… it should be interesting. I’m already happy to see the hot pros back.

Last night was the Fat Tire Race and Alberta Freeride Awards at COP, and I didn’t come home empty-handed. No, I didn’t win a trophy in the race, nor did I win one of the AFAs. They (Calgary Cycle and various manufacturer sponsors) gave away over $10,000 in prizes, including a downhill bike, a dirtjump hardtail bike, a frame, several sets of pedals, lots of saddles, handlebars, hydration packs, DVDs and t-shirts.

The racing took place before the awards, but Rommell wasn’t dressed for the -10 wind chill, so we made a couple trips out onto the snow course to watch before finally staking out a table inside, close to the podium and soon-to-be-tossed out table of schwag. By the time the the racing was done, there were easily a few hundred people in the lounge area of the lodge.

Rommell and I didn’t snag any of the big prizes (all free just for showing up), but we each got a DVD and a t-shirt. He grabbed a jersey and another t-shirt, while I got a set of pedals, but we made a trade because I wanted the jersey and shirt more than the pedals. Both my bikes have fairly new pedals, and Rommell needed a set, so I swapped him. We both left with renewed enthusiasm and eagerness to get back on our bikes, and are already planning some weekend riding trips to the mountains.

I can’t believe they put Edyta with John Ratzenberger. He won’t go the distance, which means fewers episodes with her in them. Damn. Sadly, they stuck Karina with Billy Ray Cyrus, but I think I can stand watching him to watch her.