Open Thread - Thurs 06 April 2023 - Some Good Stuff!

Good News!

Here's a couple of good news stories which are 'local' to me, but have gone around the world. One's about a whale, and one's about a guy down a hole in the snow.

Lolita:
Lolita, Tokitae or Toki is her native American name, is finally coming home to the Puget Sound. This orca from the Southern Resident Puget Sound Pod (the members of the Pod were classified as endangered species in 2005) is 57 years old. She was captured in 1970, she's spent 53 years in captivity, performing for us humans at Sea World in Miami. Her tank is 80 ft by 35 ft and is 20 ft deep. She's over 20 feet long. I think that says enough about the cage she's kept in.


Lolita/Toki doing her 'tricks'. Image from the Komo News Story on returning her home.

As Komo News, and other newsites say, by the early 1970s, 13 Northwest Orcas (Puget Sound Orcas) had been killed, and 45 had been captured and sent around the world to lives of, well, it's kind of slavery in a way, isn't it?, performing in a cage so that people can watch you. The only one of those left alive is Toki. This horrendous butchery led to a 40% reduction in the Puget Sound orca population and inbreeding which threatens the orcas today! The US Marine Mammals protection act was enacted, in part, in 1972 because of the outrage over these captures and killings. But Toki, Lolita, never got to come home. Until now.


The capture of the orcas in the 1970's from Komo News.

The trip back home is going to be hard. Toki is old. But she's not as old as her mother, Ocean Sun, who is the leader of her pod and close to 100 years old! Toki has been sick. Actually, I think this is the real reason why Sea World is being so 'nice' and letting her go home. She's been sick, she's old, might as well get some good P.R. and let the old thing go. And then there won't be protesters, including, perhaps, the daughter of Sea World's new owner, outside the gates chanting about freeing Toki/Lolita.

Toki is not sick now, and the plan is to bring her back to the Puget Sound in the next couple of years. She will have part of a bay fenced off for herself, and an area to swim that is deep and acres and acres big! She will be able to hear the other whales, maybe she'll talk to them. She will probably not be set completely free, because she doesn't know how to be with the other whales or feed herself, but, who knows?

This story went around the world, and I found it, by accident, when looking at other news stories. Here's the BBC article. And here's an article about Lolita/Toki from the Shields Gazette, a newspaper from Tyneside in England. This article talks a bit about all the protests, the decades long actions, to free Lolita/Toki.

The Snow Well Thing:
This video, of a skier rescuing a snow boarder who went down a deep well created in the snow by the roots of a tree, this video is amazing. How deep the snow is, how determined the rescuer is and how damned lucky the guy who fell down the snow well was to have the skier fall down and then notice his forlorn snowboard (with his feet still attached to it) and be curious enough to check...

Here's the video on the BBC, which shows how far this feel-good story went!

And Some Music, Just 'Cause It's Fun:

The Mavericks: Pizziricco

So, thanks for reading and here's the open thread - and remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!

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Sima's picture

It has been colder than normal here, as in most of the US North, and the Pac Northwest. In fact, Tuesday night it got down to 27F at our farm! Yikes! It was warmer last night, in the high 30's, which is much, much better. Some things are delaying their bursting into bloom. I can wait, I tell myself, I can wait. The swallows appeared, and have disappeared. I think they will be back when it warms up. The hummingbirds are here, hubby feeds them every few days from 4, yes 4, hummingbird feeders.

Hope things are doing well where you are, and spring is spronging! Let us know what you are up to, what you are reading and learning, in the comments. Would love to read it!

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13 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

I can never understand why some people have such an attitude toward other sentient beings. That they condone such treatment, even encourage it with their support.

Cobby springs to mind.

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Sima's picture

@exindy
I don't know why people love these wild animal shows so much.

I loved the video of the guy rescuing the snowboarder. It was so cool to see the great outcome!

Thanks for stopping by!

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4 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

And The Mavericks are just all that!
I have a continuing legal education class scheduled this morning. It will focus on the fourth amendment. I hope I will be better able to advise people on consent for searches without warrants. Our rights are dwindling, not expanding.
It is raining, rather cool outside. The weather screams for a good pot of chili con carne.

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10 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@on the cusp
Hope the class went well. Fourth Amendment stuff is important. I have no idea what my rights are with respect to that amendment anymore, I have to admit. And free speech? I dunno, maybe the right to put a sticker on the car? Heh Smile

Enjoy the chili con carne and hopefully the rain is gentle and nice. We have rain here forecast for the whole upcoming week. It's the time of year when we're getting kinda tired of it!

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3 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

ggersh's picture

to the theater near me. I think this Eagle might've wanted it
a bit warmer even though she's still looking good and it all
turned out beautifully.

https://www.theautomaticearth.com/2023/04/debt-rattle-april-6-2023/

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9 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Sima's picture

@ggersh
The eagles are nesting around here too, it's that time. And it's too cold in some ways, their normal foods just aren't there.

I hope it doesn't get too hot, temps near the 80s are too hot for me! I'm so used to the coolness of the Northwest now.

Have a great evening, and great weekend!

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3 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

to vanish soon. The case the Supreme Court is considering right now will determine if we have a reasonable expectation of privacy, as established by the Warren Court over 50 years ago, or if we have a right of privacy only concerning our property.
Ok. Suppose you do not give consent to search your home that you are renting or buying? Or a rental car or car you owe a bank debt on? And cell phone info that is shared by a phone company, an internet site, or Dr.? Is an email a private letter? How about a post on Facebook meant to be seen by only one person?
Justice Thomas is leading the way to define privacy as ownership of property.
I think the decision in the coming days on the Morton case will determine if the righties, the "true champions" of the Constitution, will disappear the 4th amendment.
I am preparing to delete all my legal software templates of suppression of evidence pre-trial motions. It will give me more space to download pictures of cute puppies.

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8 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Sima's picture

@on the cusp
This is awful. Just awful. And it's Thomas, how surprising...

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2 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

@Sima @Sima Our freedom of movement isn't a guarantee, either, although I am unaware of and key Supreme Court rulings.
The lock downs of recent years were so easily put into place, with very little resistance. A vehicle entering Texas from Louisiana was stopped and turned around.
Freedom to gather in protest is curtailed, and in DC, confined to zones.
The 2nd. Am. is under attack. Like, for decades, hand guns and assault weapons were allowed, and without getting into the mud about whether that was a good or bad thing, the fact remains, they are here. Now what, my beloved government? Do you imagine you can come and take them?
A friend found a large quantity of ammo for his AR-15, ordered it from another state. He was called by an ATF agent who will come to his home for a visit. This friend works for the county, has routine drug screens, had an extensive background check before he was hired. He is pretty confused about this, as any of us would be.
Anyway, I am very cynical that things will be all better when we get the right president elected.
Enjoy your kids and I hope Jasta is happy!
edit: Let's not forget Smart Cities. Like, eco-friendly Smart Prisons.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

dystopian's picture

Hi all, Hi Sima, Hope it is all good out there!

Great stuff here... yeah those Orca are quite the beast. For those unawares, Killer Whale is one of the world's great misnomers, since Orca are giant Dolphins, not whales. There is an interesting division in them of fish eaters (I think the Puget Sound population are salmon eaters?), and then there are warm-blooded mammal eaters, each not eating the other type of prey. Recent news is that some Orca in South Africa are taking the livers out of sharks, including Great Whites, and the sharks are disappearing there now.

Also there are migratory populations, and fairly sedentary poplations of Orca. There are inshore and offshore, such as with the two types of Bottlenose Dolphin. I don't know if it is settled, as to whether or not the world's populations full species, or subspecies, of one worldwide species as long considered. Various types are identifiable, but best separated by ecotype.
https://xploreourplanet.com/sea/types-of-killer-whale

It is truly deplorable what they did to those Puget Sound Orca. In all their wisdom, they decimated them. They are an animal that should not be kept in captivity. Impressive as they are to see up close like that, and for many what is the only chance they could ever have of seeing one. They just do not belong in captivity. I was blown away when I saw Shamu at Sea World San Diego about '76. As a professional aquarist then I thought, that tank is too small and the beast is too big to keep properly.

In general I think zoos and aquaria are great for public education, and most do great conservation work especially regarding endangered species. But we do not need captive Orca to do that. I think going to Marineland of the Pacific on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in L.A. at about age 5 had a major impact on me. There were a couple trained Pilot Whales there, besides the usual Bottlenose Dolphin and Calif. Sea Lions. Bubbles and Bimbo were the two Pilot Whales. One of them later died from blockage from eating a hat that blew into their tank. That really bummed me out. Into the 70's I saw herds of Pilot Whales offshore of the P.V. Peninsula numbering in the tens of thousands, miles long pods, of Blackfish as locals called them. I saw more in a day then, than I saw in 12 years of leading a hundred pelagic (oceanic seabird and marine mammal) trips in socal from '90 to '03 (zero!).

I have seen Orca in the wild at sea just a few times, but once witnessed a sealion kill by a pod. I am at a loss for words to try to explain it. I would just say to folks to go out on local whale watching boats so you can see marine mammals in the wild, in their environment. It is factors of levels better than in captivity.

The worldwide marine mammal Field ID bible is the National Audubon Society's "Guide to Marine Mammals of the World". Came out in 2002. It has awesome illustrations, great photos, and amazing text, covering every species of marine mammal in the world. Every dolphin, porpoise, seal, whale, you name it. I watch some cruising yachtie sailing youtube channels and sometimes see it on the book rack. It is likely on the rack on every whale watch boat in America.

I gotta fly... thanks for the OT!

We're greening up well down here just below 30N.

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

Sima's picture

@dystopian
Thank you so much for sharing your learning and knowledge. I feel much the same as you do, if we want to see whales and dolphins and so on, we need to go to their natural environment, not cage them. I was in my late teens, just started college, when I attended my last captured whale/dolphin show. It was so... awful. And I was finally old enough to realize it. Me and my classmates had enjoyed the aquarium and seeing all the fish and such, but we left soon after the orca show started, left in disgust. On the way home we stopped at the beach and there was a little three foot long shark stuck between some rocks. I freed it, because it couldn't breath. It felt right to do, although my friends thought I was going too far with my 'love for animals' thing. After all, it was just a shark. Heh!

I am lucky, I've seen some whales, mostly humpbacks, while watching the sea when I was standing on the shore on the coast in CA, OR, and WA. I've seen members of the southern resident pod of orcas (yes, they do eat only fish, it's one of the reasons they are endangered, we humans have taken a lot of the fish) here in the Puget Sound when just walking along the beach. I've seen them, and dolphins, when driving over the Hood Canal Bridge (not anymore, sadly). Never have seen 100s of Pilot Whales though. That must've rocked!

Now, I have another book to look for. Thanks for the recommendation!

Hope the greening up continues and you have a great weekend!

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3 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Although we can't see it here, with all the cloud cover and such,
I can really feel it. Everything happening at once.

2 + 2 = Finland joined NATO, and the government got voted out.
PM resigned. Coincidence? All happened at once. Interesting to see
what the new group looks like. Russia would be aware of changes.

Russian MP suggests swapping WSJ reporter for Assange

The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich and the WikiLeaks publisher are both facing espionage charges

Democracy?

https://www.rt.com/russia/574314-duma-assange-gershkovich-swap/

also ..

China issues warning to US and NATO over Ukraine

The West is merely projecting its fantasy of a new axis similar to the fascist enemy of World War II onto its chief geopolitical rivals.

https://www.rt.com/news/574320-china-blames-nato-ukraine-conflict/

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Sima's picture

@QMS
Yes! yes!!

Finland stuff is nuts. I guess maybe the peeps there don't want to be NATO? I dunno. Their right wing is gonna be like our left, but I hope the election of the right wing doesn't harm Finland's great social services.

Thanks for the news updates in the comment. I figure China has it right. Of course, all countries project their fantasies on to others. But some do it very, very badly (US for instance).

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2 users have voted.

If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so