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Title: Whaling activists accuse Japan fleet of 'bizarre' chase (these idiots aren't dead yet?)
Source: AP
URL Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/sc_afp/australiajapanwhaling
Published: Dec 22, 2009
Author: AP
Post Date: 2009-12-22 15:45:58 by F.A. Hayek Fan
Keywords: None
Views: 234
Comments: 5

SYDNEY (AFP) – Anti-whaling activists Tuesday accused Japanese harpooners of using water cannons, loudspeakers and military-grade acoustic weapons as part of a "bizarre" high seas pursuit in the Antarctic.

The Sea Shepherd animal rights group said a Japanese vessel closed in on their boat, the Steve Irwin, with "water cannons blazing" and activated long-range acoustical devices (LRADs) Tuesday afternoon.

Paul Watson, captain of the Steve Irwin, said the Shonan Maru No.2 blasted his crew with warnings from its loudspeaker that it had "authority to repel."

"The Japanese harpoon vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 is engaging in some very bizarre activities," Watson said.

He said the Japanese vessel set off the Steve Irwin's collision alert system 14 times as it chased and circled for over two hours of "harassment."

"The crew of the Steve Irwin has been trying to get the Shonan Maru No. 2 off their trail for 11 days," Watson said.

The Steve Irwin also used its water cannon, Watson said, and the exchanges "made the crew on both ships very wet but there were no direct hits causing any injuries."

LRAD is a device sometimes used for crowd control and also by US forces in Iraq. It has also been used by ships to repel pirates in waters off Somalia, according to reports.

Sea Shepherd activists have pursued the Japanese fleet over the past six hunting seasons and claim to have saved the lives of hundreds of whales.

Japan killed nearly 700 whales last year using a loophole in an international moratorium that allows "lethal research".

Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands have called for restraint on both sides after a collision last year and incidents when the activists hurled rancid butter and stink bombs.

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#1. To: All (#0)

Anyone who has watched "Whale Wars" on TV not only knows that these morons are their own worst enemy but that its just a matter of time until their incompetence kill them.

"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976

The purpose of the legal system is to protect the elites from the wrath of those they plunder.- Elliott Jackalope

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." - Frederic Bastiat

F.A. Hayek Fan  posted on  2009-12-22   15:48:32 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: F.A. Hayek Fan (#1)

"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡

ghostdogtxn  posted on  2009-12-22   15:51:20 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: F.A. Hayek Fan (#0)

Fire photon torpedoes!

Avoiding foreign entanglements is the best domestic policy.

Prefrontal Vortex  posted on  2009-12-22   15:54:11 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#4. To: ghostdogtxn (#2)

Yeah, but they are living by their principles, and living a high-seas adventure to boot. We all gotta die sometime, and they way they are going about it is pretty dang cool.

If you say so. I have nothing against them living out their principles, or living a high seas adventure. My problem is the recklessness and uncaring attitude of Paul Watson and the first mate towards the crew. What they do is already dangerous and he makes it more so by some of the asinine decisions he's made.

I still say they are their own worst enemy. My son and I watch it when its on so that we can laugh at them. The first mate, who we call rat boy, is so arrogant and self righteous that he hurts his own cause. If you read the comments on the Whale Wars forum, both he and Watson's attitude have made enemies of people who started off being on their side.

"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976

The purpose of the legal system is to protect the elites from the wrath of those they plunder.- Elliott Jackalope

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." - Frederic Bastiat

F.A. Hayek Fan  posted on  2009-12-22   15:59:31 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


#5. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#3)

Fire photon torpedoes!

It might come to something like that sooner or later. The Japanese are getting pretty pissed off.

"The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media." ~ William Colby, Director, CIA 1973–1976

The purpose of the legal system is to protect the elites from the wrath of those they plunder.- Elliott Jackalope

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." - Frederic Bastiat

F.A. Hayek Fan  posted on  2009-12-22   16:07:15 ET  Reply   Trace   Private Reply  


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